Even though ‘contacts’ contaminate our thoughts and incite our activities, thereby injecting the deadly germs into our veins and arteries to make us ultimately maimed and miserable, we are hardly conscious of such fatal consequences of the contacts, we normally come across. The deer is enchanted by the musical effects created by the hunter to whom it falls a prey. The elephant being carried away by its mating passion gets trapped. The insect beings lured by the light rushes towards it ultimately to turn into ashes. The fish bites the baits to face the bitter consequence of being hooked. The bumblebee gets engrossed in inhaling the fragrance of the lotus and ultimately gets encaged in the lotus-petals. The five classic examples represent our five sense objects such as sound, touch, sight, taste and smell for which the five sense organs are ear, skin, eye, tongue and nose. The consequences of the sense-contacts that ultimately prove deceptive are explained through the above examples.

The sight of pickles activates our glands and saliva oozes out. On hearing some sad news, tears trickle down from us. No sooner do we get annoyed than frowns appear on our faces. Our joyous moods are expressed by our bright faces and radiating eyes. These changes which occur every now and then are nothing but the consequences of contact function. Reflex action is also caused by ‘contacts’. However, effects of contacts become different in different individuals. The level of consciousness varies from man to man, since it depends upon the impulses whether inherited or acquired (samskar). In a particular plane of consciousness, the contacts that ail us may lose the potency when we move to a higher level of consciousness. The bewildering problems at one stage may appear as trivial issues at a higher stage. The 'contacts', which afflict a baby, may not make any impression at all when he becomes an adult. Similarly the contacts which have got mesmerizing effects on an adolescent may go unnoticed by an old man. In fine, the effectiveness of contacts differs when the level of consciousness differs. In one plane, whatever appears true may become untrue at a higher plane. In other words, in varying degrees, various minds get entangled with various contacts.

We see that common men consider monies and mundane matters more valuable, whereas sages who rest in higher planes of consciousness attach lesser importance to all these and consider spiritual enlightenment more important or the only important pursuit. According to Sadguru Sri Sri Arjun, "The more something is considered valuable, the more it is sought after." In other words, obsession of mind is directly proportional to the value mind attributes to a particular thing.

A particular plane of consciousness may be compared with a particular band in a radio set. Transmissions are there all around. Braving all inclement weathers and tussling with terrible tornadoes, the transmitted vibrations maintain their identities inch by inch, dot by dot, sequence by sequence, and rhythm by rhythm. They establish contact with radio set. But, what if our radio is not tuned on? What, if it is not tuned properly? What, if it is not in the right band?

May be, we are not aware that there are other functional bands. May be, we do not know how to change the bands. May be, due to habitual inertia or due to lack of initiative, we do not want to change the band or may be we endure the sweet and bitter effects of the local band which we are used to operate on. May be, we are just satisfied with something that the operative band brings to us.

That is the reason why we are not able to understand the intricate and intelligent designs of the Creator. We see His Creation all around. It is a vast research laboratory, full of knowledge. But unfortunately we are not able to take advantage of it because the research laboratory is mistaken by us for a recreation centre where, we think, our senses can feast on varieties of enjoyments. The true knowledge, therefore, remains hidden from us and we thus waste our time and energy on wrong and insignificant pursuits. Tuning on the right type of band can only ensure right type of contact.

Like the bands in a radio set, there are cakras (plexus) in our bodies. They are 1) Muladhar 2) Svadhisthana (abdominal centre) 3) Manipura (navel centre) 4) Anahata (heart centre) 5) Visudddha 6) Ajna 7) Sahasrar (the thousand petalled lotus). In the lower animal, the lower centres (mentioned above from 1 to 3 ) are more active. The contacts are therefore more with the material sheath, vital sheath or at best mental sheath (Annamay, pranamay and manomay). In other words, there is more and more hankering by the lower animals for food, sex and all related mundane matters. On the contrary, higher cakras are active in those who are in higher planes consciousness. In them the intellectual sheath and the blissful sheath (Vijnanamay and Anandmay) are more active. The relative truth that exists in the lower plane gradually vanishes when one moves from lower to higher state. The ultimate goal is that the serpentine power resting in Muladhar should be raised to higher consciousness for a total immergence. That is called union with Divine or ‘yoga’. That is the real and ultimate contact. That is the most sought after contact between Siva and Shakti.

Sadguru Sri Sri Arjun said, "Once you start enquiring about a particular thing or subject, ‘contact’ is established with that. Thought presupposes enquiry. Thought or contemplation may be termed as an ignition key to contact. If one can divert his thought towards the Almighty after knowing His Greatness, that will amount to contact with God who only is good."

"Thoughtfulness is the way to life. Mindlessness is the way to death. Those who are thoughtful do not die. The mindless are already dead." Lord Buddha said. He further said, "We are what we have thought; come into existence in our thoughts; are composed of our thoughts. If we speak and act from evil thoughts, pain and sorrow follow us as the wheels of a cart follow the hooves of the oxen"-(Dhammapada).

Yogi Sri Aurobindo was also of the firm opinion that –"All living thought is a world in preparation. All real act is a thought manifested. The material world exists because an idea began to play in divine-self-consciousness."

Let us therefore be thoughtful and not mindless. Let us keep our sets on in the right band and establish contact with the ‘Absolute’ by contemplating and repeatedly remembering Him. He alone is absolutely good; He alone is absolutely ideal. The consequence of our good and ideal thoughts (contact) will be He, the Absolute and Cosmic Reality which would mean cessation of all sufferings.

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