Changes

There must have been an ancient version of the snakes and ladders board game which reflected the beliefs of Vedic times.  As social systems changed, the game evolved by accepting the changing beliefs and traditions of the "newer societies".  The Jain, the Sufi, the Buddhists and Islam, all accepted the beautiful design of the board game, but changed it's content and structure to suit their context.  The British also adopted the game and re-designed it as a game of morals and ethics. Their colonies adopted this new version of snakes and ladders as well, and thus was India's age old "mokshapatam", "vaikuntha pali", "jnana chaupar" and "karma pher" which got renamed as snakes and ladders that we play today.     

There must have been an ancient version of the snakes and ladders board game which reflected the beliefs of Vedic times.  As social systems changed, the game evolved by accepting the changing beliefs and traditions of the "newer societies".  The Jain, the Sufi, the Buddhists and Islam, all accepted the beautiful design of the board game, but changed it's content and structure to suit their context.  The British also adopted the game and re-designed it as a game of morals and ethics. Their colonies adopted this new version of snakes and ladders as well, and thus was India's age old "mokshapatam", "vaikuntha pali", "jnana chaupar" and "karma pher" which got renamed as snakes and ladders that we play today.     

Taking this thought further, we have re-created a very ancient version of the सर्प - सोपानं game that existed in ancient times. This was a 72 cell game board with some interesting words inscribed within each cell<ref>[[commons:File:Snakes_and_Ladders_(Game_of_Heaven_&_Hell)_Wellcome_L0035004.jpg|Snakes and Ladders]]</ref>.  Some seemed to be moral and karmic, while others were more difficult to understand.  However, since there were multiple games designs under the name Jnana Chaupar, this particular version is based on the Buddhi Yoga. This version is very similar to other versions like Leela, however, the contents of some of the cells are different and the way the snakes have been configured is also different.

'''Taking this thought further, we have re-created a very ancient version of the Moksha Sopanam (मोक्ष-सोपानम्) game that existed in ancient times. This was a 72 cell game board with some interesting words inscribed within each cell<ref>[[commons:File:Snakes_and_Ladders_(Game_of_Heaven_&_Hell)_Wellcome_L0035004.jpg|Snakes and Ladders]]</ref>.  Some seemed to be moral and karmic, while others were more difficult to understand.  However, since there were multiple games designs under the name Jnana Chaupar, this particular version is based on the Buddhi Yoga. This version is very similar to other versions like Leela, however, the contents of some of the cells are different and the way the snakes have been configured is also different.'''

== बुद्धियोगम् ॥ Buddhi Yoga ==

== बुद्धियोगम् ॥ Buddhi Yoga ==

Thus does Sri Krishna suggest the Buddhi Yoga (The Yoga of Understanding) to his disciples to help them attain the final stage of Moksha.     

Thus does Sri Krishna suggest the Buddhi Yoga (The Yoga of Understanding) to his disciples to help them attain the final stage of Moksha.     

== बुद्धियोगं मोक्ष-सोपानं च ॥ Buddhi Yoga and Moksha Sopanam ==

== मोक्ष-सोपानम् ॥ Moksha Sopanam ==

This design encodes our knowledge of the three main paths to moksha (मोक्षः); tantra (तन्त्रम्) or jnana (ज्ञानम्), karma (कर्म) and bhakti (भक्तिः).  The snake in last cell suggests that the game was played differently than the "race to win" game that we know today. The rules of play as mentioned by Harish Johari in Leela and first hand encounters with some learned people in Varanasi helped in formulating the rules of play for Buddhi Yoga.     

Moksha Sopanam is the ancient version of the Snakes and Ladders game that we use in the present day. Based on the Buddhi Yoga, this design encodes ancient wisdom comprising of three knowledge paths or Margas of Moksha (मोक्षमार्गः) namely   

# Tantra (तन्त्रम्) or Jnana (ज्ञानमार्गः)  

# Karma (कर्ममार्गः)    

# Bhakti (भक्तिमार्गः)    

This design comprises of 72 cells with each cell of the game board inscribed with terms from the vedanta shastras which are very relevant to the present day life. The placement of the specially inscribed words depicts the life of a man, in different ashramas, at different mental and physical states taking different paths all within the framework of the Purusharthas, in their journey to understand life and attain Moksha. In a grand perspective the gameboard represents the Kshetra (location), the player is the Manifestated Form (Man, the Jivatma embodied in an Upadhi given by Prakrti) and the snakes represent a person's weaknesses and susceptibilities.     

The path of moksha is for those who have been born.  They who have been born are essentially an aspect of Prakriti, the "para-shakti" or the feminine energy. They are of the tri-guna nature, ie. they comprise of the satta, raja and tamas aspects. This suggests that all the players playing this game (we humans) are essentially feminine.  Therefore, when discussing the game, the player is assumed to be of the female gender.      

The path of moksha is for those who have been born.  They who have been born are essentially an aspect of Prakriti, the "para-shakti" or the feminine energy. They are of the tri-guna nature, ie. they comprise of the satta, raja and tamas aspects. This suggests that all the players playing this game (we humans) are essentially feminine.  Therefore, when discussing the game, the player is assumed to be of the female gender.  

    [[File:Buddhi Yoga.png|thumb|292x292px|Fundamental principles of the philosophy of Tantra.]]

The snake in last cell suggests that the game was played differently than the "race to win" game that we know today.  The rules of play as mentioned by Harish Johari in Leela and first hand encounters with some learned people in Varanasi helped in formulating the rules of play for Buddhi Yoga.    [[File:Buddhi Yoga.png|thumb|292x292px|Fundamental principles of the philosophy of Tantra.]]

== Tantra (तन्त्रम्) or Jnana Marga (ज्ञानमार्गः) ==

== Tantra (तन्त्रम्) or Jnana Marga (ज्ञानमार्गः) ==