Viveka

Meaning

wisdom
Sagacity, sageness, intelligence, understanding.
consideration
Careful thought, typically over a period of time.
prudence
The quality of being prudent,cautiousness

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Interpretation

Viveka-(Wisdom, Conscience, Prudence) conscience is the cell where the player engages with her “inner eye”. It is the stage of the 6th chakra, which is located between the brow, the third eye. To understand this cell, it is important to know what the player could have experienced before landing here. The player could have landed here on a throw of six from vayāna, after having experienced the energies of the prāna. She could have landed fromjanaloka, the loka of the progenitors of the human race. She could have also landed from agnikuṇḍ, after gaining the knowledge of the forms of agni, and guidance from one of the wisest gods, Agni. She could have traveled here after manuṣya janma. Thus, it can be assumed that the player has knowledge of the elán vital (the life force), knowledge of fire (the energy that creates and synthesises), is aware of consciousness and is an evolved being and is one among the immortals (who exist through different kalpas, for the whole life of brahmā). The player has not landed on gyān or subudhi, and therefore lacks true awareness and true knowledge. He, hence, has to realise the existence of her third eye, her conscience, to differentiate the subtle from the gross. As people, we see around us, a lot of objects that essentially disintegrate with time. Even the human body ages with time. However, does our perception age? It matures, but does it age? By age, here I mean deteriorate or disintegrate. We therefore have a “timeless subtle” in us, somewhere beyond the gross that “ages”. Should therefore all things of creation not have this timeless subtle? Put another way, should we not desire for things that are this “timeless subtle”? I believe that a player engaging with her viveka, is able to desire the “timeless subtle”, and in her detachment from gross he is pulled into the 7th stage of the game, and experiences “sukha” (happiness) from having “acquired the special”.

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Story

The term viveka is a central one in Indian Vedic thought. It is often translated as discrimination or discernment, but it has a more specific meaning in the context of Hindu philosophy. Viveka refers to the ability to see things as they really are, without being clouded by illusion or ignorance.

The earliest references to viveka are found in the Upanishads, which date to around 800-600 BCE. In these texts, viveka is seen as a necessary prerequisite for liberation (mokṣa). It is the ability to see through the illusion of the material world and to realize the true nature of reality.

In the later Vedic texts, viveka comes to be seen as a more complex concept. It is still seen as a necessary prerequisite for liberation, but it is also seen as a way of life. In order to live a life of viveka, the individual must cultivate a clear and discerning mind. They must be able to see the difference between what is real and what is not, and they must be able to make wise choices in all areas of their life.

The concept of viveka continues to be important in Hindu philosophy and practice. In the Bhagavad Gita, for example, Krishna describes viveka as the eye of knowledge. He says that viveka is the way to liberation, and that it can only be achieved through detachment from the material world.

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On the game board

The game of Ludo snake and ladder, also known as Moksha Patam in Indian Vedic, is a metaphor for the journey of the soul from birth to moksha, or liberation. The board represents the world, and the squares represent the different stages of life. The snakes represent the obstacles that we face in life, and the ladders represent the opportunities that we have to grow and progress.

The game of Ludo snake and ladder is also a reminder of the importance of viveka, or discrimination. We must learn to distinguish between what is good and what is bad, between what is helpful and what is harmful. We must use our viveka to guide us on our journey, and to help us avoid the snakes that will lead us astray.

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