techniques for direct intuitional experience aparoksha... · aparoksha anubhuti is the direct...

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APAROKSHA ANUBHUTI

Techniques for Direct Intuitional

Experience

“THE SANDEEPANY EXPERIENCE”

Reflections by

SWAMI GURUBHAKTANANDA

Sandeepany’s Vedanta Course List of All the Course Texts in Chronological Sequence:

Text

No. TITLE OF TEXT

Text

No. TITLE OF TEXT

1 Sadhana Panchakam 24 Hanuman Chalisa

2 Tattwa Bodha 25 Vakya Vritti

3 Atma Bodha 26 Advaita Makaranda

4 Bhaja Govindam 27 Kaivalya Upanishad

5 Manisha Panchakam 28 Bhagavad Geeta (Discourse -- )

6 Forgive Me 29 Mundaka Upanishad

7 Upadesha Sara 30 Amritabindu Upanishad

8 Prashna Upanishad 31 Mukunda Mala (Bhakti Text)

9 Dhanyashtakam 32 Tapovan Shatkam

10 Bodha Sara 33 The Mahavakyas, Panchadasi 5

11 Viveka Choodamani 34 Aitareya Upanishad

12 Jnana Sara 35 Narada Bhakti Sutras

13 Drig-Drishya Viveka 36 Taittiriya Upanishad

14 “Tat Twam Asi” – Chand Up 6 37 Jivan Sutrani (Tips for Happy Living)

15 Dhyana Swaroopam 38 Kena Upanishad

16 “Bhoomaiva Sukham” Chand Up 7 39 Aparoksha Anubhuti (Meditation)

17 Manah Shodhanam 40 108 Names of Pujya Gurudev

18 “Nataka Deepa” – Panchadasi 10 41 Mandukya Upanishad

19 Isavasya Upanishad 42 Dakshinamurty Ashtakam

20 Katha Upanishad 43 Shad Darshanaah

21 “Sara Sangrah” – Yoga Vasishtha 44 Brahma Sootras

22 Vedanta Sara 45 Jivanmuktananda Lahari

23 Mahabharata + Geeta Dhyanam 46 Chinmaya Pledge

A NOTE ABOUT SANDEEPANY

Sandeepany Sadhanalaya is an institution run by the Chinmaya Mission in Powai, Mumbai, teaching a 2-year Vedanta Course. It has a very balanced daily programme of basic Samskrit, Vedic chanting, Vedanta study, Bhagavatam, Ramacharitmanas, Bhajans, meditation, sports and fitness exercises, team-building outings, games and drama, celebration of all Hindu festivals, weekly Gayatri Havan and Guru Paduka Pooja, and Karma Yoga activities.

This series is an effort to promote the learning of Vedanta; it does not replace the Course, but hopes to inspire young people to spend two years of their life for an experience that is sure to make a far-reaching spiritual impact on their personal lives. Sandeepany is an all-round spiritual course that gives proper direction to the youth and to those approaching retirement. Hinduism is in dire need of a band of systematically trained teachers or Acharyas who can serve this Eternal Religion.

– The Author, 8th October, 2019, the Sacred Vijaya Dasami Day

Om Namah Shivaaya!


APAROKSHA ANUBHUTI “Techniques for Direct Intuitional Experience”

Composed by

Sri Adi Shankaracharyaji

Reflections by Swami Gurubhaktananda

on the Series of 10 Lectures by Swamini Vimalanandaji Director of Chinmaya Gardens, Coimbatore,

at Chinmaya Tapovan Kuti, Ujjaili, Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand from

April 8th – April 13th, 2013

Adi Shankaracharya Swami Sivananda Swami Tapovanji Swami Chinmayananda

SERVE LOVE GIVE PURIFY MEDITATE REALISE

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Copyright & Author’s Details Author: Swami Gurubhaktananda (ex Krishna Chaitanya, born Bipin R. Kapitan in Durban, South Africa)

Email: [email protected] © 2019 All Rights Reserved. Copyright held by Swami Gurubhaktananda. About This Edition: Web Edition: 8th October, 2019, Vijaya Dasami Day Website: Chinmaya International Foundation: www.chinfo.org Series Title : The Sandeepany Experience Series Subject: Vedanta & Supportive Subsidiary Texts Declaration by the Author: The material in this series is under inspiration of the Sandeepany

Vedanta Course, but largely consists of the Author’s reflections on the Course. He is deeply indebted to the Chinmaya Mission for its excellent presentation of the Course by their renowned and dedicated Acharyas.

Personal Dedication 1. To my Late Parents, Smt Sharadaben & Sri Ratilalbhai Kapitan

who inspired me to study in life, to stick to the path of Dharma and pursue the highest ideals; and swamped me with their abundant Love;

2. To Pujya Sri Swami Vimalanandaji Maharaj (1932-2019) the Late President of the Divine Life Society of Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India, who constantly encouraged and supported this effort;

3. To Pujya Sri Swami Tejomayanandaji (Guruji) for his boundless vision and inspiration to create a vibrant organisation;

4. To Sri Swami Advayanandaji and Sri Swami Sharadanandaji my Acharyaji and Upa-Acharyaji at Sandeepany, who imparted their bountiful knowledge and wisdom with rare selfless Divine Love, just as the Rishis of yore would wish to see them do.

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mailto:[email protected]

http://www.chinfo.org/

APAROKSHA ANUBHUTI

“Direct Intuitional Experience”

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´ÉÏ AÉÌS zÉXç¢üÉcÉÉrÉï

APAROKSHA ANUBHUTI

Verses 100-128, & 143-144

Direct Intuitional Experience

by Sri Adi Shankaracharyaji

A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK

THIS IS A Prakarana Grantha, i.e. a text which covers certain topics only, not all the

six topics of Vedanta. It follows the same style as texts such as Tattwa Bodha.

The text is composed by Sri Adi Shankaracharya. It contains 144 verses in all, but we are studying only a small extract from it. It is the portion which deals with Meditation, and covers verses 100-128 of Aparoksha Anubhuti. It contains 15 meditational techniques.

Sri Shankaracharyaji includes all eight of Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga within these 15 techniques. However, each one of these is given a Vedantic meaning, which differs from the standard meaning given to it by Patanjali Maharshi.

What is the difference in these two meanings?

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras sees the Yoga system as 8 steps, each one leading up to the next. They are distinct steps of a process leading up to Samadhi.

The Vedantic Meaning is that all these steps are seen as different ways of looking at the same Reality, Brahman. The fact that they are all seen on equal terms is a major change in the Vedantic perspective. The feeling that “All is Brahman” is dominant in the Vedantic interpretation of all the 15 techniques. All of them, if pursued to perfection with the feeling that one is Brahman, will lead one to the Vedantic goal of Self-realization. This is the difference between Ashatanga Yoga and Vedanta as described by Sri Shankaracharyaji.

At the level of meditation also there is a difference. In Ashtanga Yoga, meditation is considered to be the control of thought modifications and is termed Dhyana. Vedantic contemplation, which is termed Nididhyasana, is a process of Self-enquiry wherein the student aims to establish his abidance in the Self by negating all that is the not-Self. It has to be said that the Samadhi of Patanjali Yoga coincides with the Savikalpa Samadhi of Vedanta. Thereafter, both systems proceed together to Nirvikalpa Samadhi, the state of perfect abidance in the Self, or God-realisation.

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APAROKSHA ANUBHUTI “Direct Intuitional Experience”

CONTENTS

Introduction to Aparoksha Anubhuti 1 Verse 1: Invocatory Prayers 3

CHAPTER 1: PRELIMINARIES TO THE TEXT 5

Verse 100: Profound Meditation 5

Verse 101: Abhyasa – Constant Practice 6

Verse 102-103: Fifteen Portals to the Supreme 7

CHAPTER 2: FIFTEEN “PORTALS” TO REALISATION 9

Verse 104: No. 1: Yamah – Control of the Senses 9

Verse 105: No. 2: Niyamah – Control of the Mind 10

Verse 106: No. 3: Tyaga – Renunciation 11

Verse 107-109: No. 4: Maunam – Silence 12

Verse 110: No. 5: Deshah – Personal Space or Solitude 14

Verse 111: No. 6: Kaalah – Time 16

Verse 112-113: No. 7: Aasanam – Steady Posture 17

Verse 114: No. 8: Moola Bandhah – Being Rooted 18

Verse 115: No. 9: Samanatvam – Steadiness of the Body 19

Verse 116-117: No. 10: Drishtih – Steadiness of the Vision 20

Verse 118-120: No. 11: Pranayama – Control of the Life Forces 21

Verse 121: No. 12: Pratyahara – Withdrawal of the Mind 23

Verse 122: No. 13: Dhaarana – Concentration 24

Verse 123: No. 14: Dhyana – Contemplation on the Self 26

Verse 124: No. 15: Samadhi – Complete Absorption 27

CHAPTER 3: THE FINAL LAP OF THE JOURNEY 29

Verse 125-126: From Savikalpa to Nirvikalpa Samadhi 29

Verse 127-128: Obstacles on the Final Lap 30

Verse 143-144: The Conclusion 32

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Verse 1 of Aparoksha Anubhuti

INVOCATORY PRAYERS

Verse 1: The Invocation

´ÉÏWûËUÇ mÉUqÉÉlÉlSqÉÑmÉSå¹ÉUqÉÏµÉUqÉç |

urÉÉmÉMÇü xÉuÉïsÉÉåMüÉlÉÉÇ MüÉUhÉÇ iÉÇ lÉqÉÉqrÉWûqÉç || 1 ||

¾r§hari¯ param¡nandamupad£½¿¡ram§¾varam |

vy¡paka¯ sarvalµk¡n¡¯ k¡ra³a¯ ta¯ nam¡myaham || 1 ||

1 shree harim paramaanandam, To Shree Hari, who is the Supreme Bliss,

2 upadeshtaaram, eeshwaram; The Teacher, the Supreme Lord,

3 vyaapakam, sarva-lokaanaam The All-pervading Reality, and of the whole world

4 kaaranam tam namaami aham. The Cause – to Him do I bow down!

The Anubandha Chatushtaya

i) Adhikari: Namaami – “I bow down”; humility is the qualification on this path.

ii) Vishaya: Vyaapakam – “All-pervading Reality”; the subject is the Reality.

iii) Prayojan: Paramaanandam – “Supreme Bliss”; the purpose is to attain Bliss.

iv) Sambandha: Upadeshtaaram – “the Teacher”; the book teaches about Reality.

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LORD SHIVA The Supreme Deity from Vedic Times

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PRELIMINARIES TO THE TEXT

Chapter 1: Verses 100-103

Verse 100: Profound Meditation

Ì§ÉmÉgcÉÉ…¡ûÉlrÉiÉÉå uÉ¤rÉå mÉÔuÉÉåï£üxrÉæuÉ ÍxÉ®rÉå |

iÉæ¶É xÉuÉæïÈ xÉSÉ MüÉrÉïÇ ÌlÉÌSkrÉÉxÉlÉqÉåuÉ iÉÑ || 100 ||

tripa²c¡±g¡nyatµ vak½y£ pÀrvµktasyaiva siddhay£ |

tai¾ca sarvai¦ sad¡ k¡rya¯ nididhy¡sanam£va tu || 100 ||

1 tripanchaangaani athah vakshye, Now, I shall expound the three x five (15) steps

2 poorva uktasya hi labdhaye; for attainment of the aforesaid Knowledge;

3 taih cha sarvaih sadaa kaaryam and using them, at all times, one should practice

4 nididhyaasanam eva tu. Profound Meditation upon the Self alone.

What is Aparoksha Anubhuti?

Anubhuti has two parts: Anu the Upasarga or prefix means “continuous or after”; and the root Bhu means “being or becoming”. Anubhuti is “continuously being”. The realization of the Self is described as requiring constant practice over a long period of time, as it has to be made continuous and unbroken. That is the goal.

A picture is static; Life is a moving, dynamic picture, changing daily. New strokes are added to it that affect the character of the whole picture. Against a white background, is drawn in the foreground a picture with a variety of colours. Being preoccupied with the foreground, we are neglectful of the background, which is the foundation of the picture called Life.

Aparoksha Anubhuti is the direct experience of this background – the Supreme Spirit of man, known as Brahman in Vedanta.

1 The text, Aparoksha Anubhuti, is the most recognized source of guidance in Vedanta on this subject, written by one of the most outstanding exponents, and an authority on Vedanta, Sri Adi Shankaracharyaji (8th century A.D.).

We see the practice from a Vedantic perspective. Every step constitutes a Vedantic Meditation. These 15 techniques are one pathway to the Supreme, not fifteen different pathways. In addition, it is clarified to the student that all the fifteen steps to be described lead to the same experience of the Self, not fifteen different experiences. The interpretation of each of the eight steps of Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga is included here in its Vedantic form.

2 Every step is seen and understood from the perspective of conscious knowledge or experience that one is none other than Brahman, the Supreme Non-dual Reality, or as leading us to that knowledge.

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3-4 By definition, there can be only one Aparoksha Anubhuti – namely, the experience of one’s own Self. Any other experience is Paroksha or Pratyaksha by its very nature, including studying this text. Let us clarify what these terms mean:

PAROKSHA, PRATYAKSHA AND APAROKSHA DEFINED

Paroksha literally means “as seen by another”, and is an experience or knowledge gained by the report of another person. This includes most of that which we accept as knowledge, as studied in books, read in articles by others, recorded in history, and so on.

Pratyaksha is the same as above, but perceived directly by ourselves. However, both these forms of knowledge or experience are sensory in their origin. They depend on the reliability of our senses, and their interpretation depends on the colouring given to them by our mind.

Aparoksha is a third form of knowledge. This is the direct experience of our Self, with no interference from the senses or any other of the six means of knowledge. It may be said to be the “seventh means”. The senses and mind “cannot reach there”. That is the subject matter of this text. To “reach” it one has to practice meditation. The knowledge received in this way is Aparoksha Jnana; the direct experience is Aparoksha Anubhuti.

Verse 101: Abhyasa – Constant Practice

ÌlÉirÉÉprÉÉxÉÉSØiÉå mÉëÉÎmiÉlÉï pÉuÉåixÉÎŠSÉiqÉlÉÈ |

iÉxqÉÉSèoÉë¼ ÌlÉÌSkrÉÉxÉåÎ‹¥ÉÉxÉÑÈ ´ÉårÉxÉå ÍcÉUqÉç || 101 ||

nity¡bhy¡s¡d»t£ pr¡ptirna bhav£tsaccid¡tmana¦ |

tasm¡dbrahma nididhy¡s£jjij²¡su¦ ¾r£yas£ ciram || 101 ||

1 nitya abhyaasaad rite praaptih, Without Constant Practice, one cannot abide in

2 na bhavet sat chid aatmanah; the Self that is Absolute Existence-Knowledge;

3 tasmaad brahma nididhyaaset, Thus should the Self be meditated upon

4 jijnaasuh shreyase chiram. by a seeker of Truth to attain the desired goal.

Meditation is “the process by which Paroksha Jnana becomes Aparoksha Jnana.”

1-2 Abidance in the Self and Constancy in practice – these two are fundamental to the process of Vedantic meditation. All the fifteen techniques listed below have these two as their basis. They are the wings of Vedantic Sadhana.

3 In order to distinguish Vedantic Meditation from other forms of meditation, the term used in Vedanta is Nididhyasana. It is the most important stage of Vedantic Sadhana, when all the Sravana (listening) and Manana (reflection) is brought to fruition by intensifying the abidance in the Self and bringing constancy to it.

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4 The fruit of this practice or its desired goal is the realisation of the Truth. The Truth is referred to here as “Absolute Existence and Knowledge”.

Verse 102 & 103: Fifteen Portals to the Supreme

rÉqÉÉå ÌWû ÌlÉrÉqÉxirÉÉaÉÉå qÉÉælÉÇ SåzÉ¶É MüÉsÉiÉÈ |

AÉxÉlÉÇ qÉÔsÉoÉlkÉ¶É SåWûxÉÉqrÉÇ cÉ SØÎYxjÉÌiÉÈ || 102||

mÉëÉhÉxÉÇrÉqÉlÉÇ cÉæuÉ mÉëirÉÉWûÉU¶É kÉÉUhÉÉ |

AÉiqÉkrÉÉlÉÇ xÉqÉÉÍkÉ¶É mÉëÉå£üÉlrÉ…¡ûÉÌlÉ uÉæ ¢üqÉÉiÉç || 103||

yamµ hi niyamasty¡gµ mauna¯ d£¾a¾ca k¡lata¦ |

¡sana¯ mÀlabandha¾ca d£has¡mya¯ ca d»ksthiti¦ || 102 ||

pr¡³asa¯yamana¯ caiva praty¡h¡ra¾ca dh¡ra³¡ |

¡tmadhy¡na¯ sam¡dhi¾ca prµkt¡nya±g¡ni vai kram¡t || 103 ||

1 yamah hi niyamah

tyaagah,

1.Yamah – the control of the senses; 2. Niyamah – the control of the mind;

3. Tyaagah – renunciation;

2 maunam deshah cha kaalatah;

4. Maunam – silence; 5. Deshah – space; 6. Kaalataa – time;

3 aasanam moola-bandhah cha,

7. Aasanam – steady posture; 8. Moolabandhah – restraining the root;

4 deha saamyam cha drik sthitih.

9. Deha-Samyam – the equipoise of the body; 10. Drik-Sthitih – the firmness of vision;

5 praana samyamanam cha eva, 11. Praana-Samyamanam – control of vital forces;

6 pratyaahaarah cha

dhaaranaa;

12. Pratyaahaarah – withdrawal of the mind;

13. Dhaaranaa – concentration;

7 aatma dhyaanam samaadhih cha,

14. Aatma-Dhyaanam – contemplation on the Self; 15. Samaadhih – complete absorption.

8 proktaani angaani vai kramaat. The above, in order, are the 15 Portals.

1-8 We are now ready to learn of the 15 gateways or Portals, to the Self. There are three ways of understanding each portal:

i) The Dharmic or conventional way, as ithe word is used in the scriptures. ii) The Yogic way, as it is used by Maharishi Patanjali in his Yoga Sootras. iii) The Vedantic way, as it is used by Sri Shankaracharyaji, the authority on Vedanta.

All three will be given in the notes below, wherever applicable, with the second and the third being given more emphasis.

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At the outset, Swamini clarified the use of certain terms for us, as they often lead to misunderstanding in this subject:

Jnana Yoga is the Yoga of Self-enquiry; this is another name for Vedantic Sadhana.

Dhyana Yoga is the practice of meditation. this is the penultimate step in Patanjali’s Yoga system. More is said about this under the topic Dhyana later on.

Vichara Marga is the path of enquiry. The falsity of the false is carefully differentiated through analysis and reflection. It is also a very important part of the Jnana Marga, which is the same as Jnana Yoga.

Dhyana Marga in Vedanta is the term used when meditation is accompanied by the thought “I am Brahman” in order to get established in the Self.

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FIFTEEN “PORTALS” TO REALISATION

Chapter 2: Verses 104-124 (21 No.)

Verse 104: No. 1: Yamah – Control of the Senses

xÉuÉïÇ oÉë¼åÌiÉ ÌuÉ¥ÉÉlÉÉÌSÎlSìrÉaÉëÉqÉxÉÇrÉqÉÈ |

rÉqÉÉåÅrÉÍqÉÌiÉ xÉqmÉëÉå£üÉåÅprÉxÉlÉÏrÉÉå qÉÑWÒûqÉÑïWÒûÈ || 104 ||

sarva¯ brahm£ti vij²¡n¡dindriyagr¡masa¯yama¦ |

yamµ:'yamiti samprµktµ:'bhyasan§yµ muhurmuhu¦ || 104 ||

1 sarvam brahma iti vijnaanaat, By means of the knowledge, ‘All this is Truth’,

2 indriya-graama samyamah; one restrains the senses from their objects –

3 yamah ayam iti samproktah, this is rightly called YAMA,

4 abhyasaneeyah muhuh muhuh. which should be practised again and again.

Yama is Patanjali’s term, Samyama is the conventional term and Dama is the Vedantic term – all three refer to the same thing, i.e. control of the outgoing tendency of all the five sense organs. A programme without sense-control cannot be a spiritual one.

1 The uniqueness of Vedantic Yama (i.e. Dama) lies in it being based entirely on the knowledge that all objects are Truth in essence. Everything is pervaded by the Reality. If everything is indeed seen as oneself, then there cannot be any hankering after them. The senses naturally stop craving for something that is already its own!

2-3 In Patanjali’s system, Yama is split into five components: Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya and Aparigraha, i.e. non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, celibacy and absence of greed or hoarding. All of these assist one in controlling the senses. They relate to our tendency to run after objects of the world.

4 All of them have a mental aspect, a speech aspect and an action aspect, that is, thought, word and deed. They have to be practiced at all these levels. The mental level is the most subtle and therefore of greatest importance and is dealt with more in the next Portal. However, the other two are also to be controlled at the physical level, which is the concern in this verse.

It is common in the ancient literature that for every practice prescribed, the corresponding benefit obtained is always stated. Following this general rule, Patanjali gives a Siddhi that is acquired by the practice of each of these five components of Yama. For example, the Siddhi gained by perfection in Ahimsa is that wild animals will lose their violent nature in the presence of a person who has perfected Ahimsa. One who has spoken the truth for 12 years continuously acquires Vak Siddhi – whatever he utters becomes true. One who does not steal acquires the Siddhi of acquiring all the wealth in the world. A true

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Brahmachari gains immense mental will-power and physical strength. And one who gives up hoarding, acquires the Siddhi of obtaining knowledge of his past lives.

Verse 105: No. 2: Niyamah – Control of the Mind

xÉeÉÉiÉÏrÉmÉëuÉÉWû¶É ÌuÉeÉÉiÉÏrÉÌiÉUxM×üÌiÉÈ |

ÌlÉrÉqÉÉå ÌWû mÉUÉlÉlSÉå ÌlÉrÉqÉÉÎi¢ürÉiÉå oÉÑkÉæÈ || 105 ||

saj¡t§yaprav¡ha¾ca vij¡t§yatirask»ti¦ |

niyamµ hi par¡nandµ niyam¡tkriyat£ budhai¦ || 105 ||

1 sajaateeya pravaahah cha, A continuous flow of the same kind of thought,

2 vijaateeya tiraskritih; to the exclusion of all other thoughts,

3 niyamah hi para aanandah, is NIYAMA, which is verily the Supreme Bliss

4 niyamaat kriyate budhaih. and is regularly practised by the wise.

Niyama or vows (Vratas) are meant for fine-tuning our minds to the wavelength of the Laws of Dharma. To live by Dharmic law is the aim of Niyama. It entails strict self-discipline and righteous conduct. Swamini said, “Just as traffic rules facilitate our travel, so too certain rules, made into good habits, bring discipline and order to life.”

There are Niyamas such as: “I will not eat without feeding another”, or “I will chant the Gayatri 108 times daily”, or “I will fast on Mondays.”

The Vedantic interpretation of Niyama given here tells us how a sage views the observance. From his elevated standpoint, every thought passing through the mind is to be checked. No stray thoughts are allowed into the mind. This, of course, is not possible for a beginner; it is a goal that has to be borne in mind. To achieve it, there is a graded series of observances to be followed.

Such a series is Patanjali’s breakdown of Niyama into 5 components: Saucha, Santushtah, Tapas, Swadhyaya and Ishwara-Pranidhana, i.e. cleanliness, contentment, austerity, regular scriptural study, and surrender to the Lord. All of these concern the training of the mind to bring it under control. They deal with the restless nature of the mind, aiming to render it one-pointed and focused.

Saucha is cleanliness at the physical level – the removal of dirt. Contentment is cleanliness of our desires. Austerity brings about cleanliness of our Karmic debts. Study of scriptures results in cleanliness of our thoughts. Surrender to God finally “cleans out” our ignorance, the root of all ‘dirt’ that we accummulate.

Each of these five components, when perfected brings with it its own fruit: Detachment to the body is generated through Cleanliness; unparalleled happiness comes through Contentment; Austerity brings about great purity of mind and sound health; the desired form of the Lord is experienced by the practice of Swadhyaya; absorption in the Lord in deep meditation is attained through Surrender to the Lord.

Finer points on the above were explained by Swamini:

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1. Vows: The world hates us to take vows. When we take a vow, that is when we will always be faced with a confrontation or irritation. We should take vows within our capacity or else we are sure to break it. We should learn to crawl first before walking.

2. Cleanliness: This brings about disgust for the body; it includes disgust for the body of others also. Thus it is a great help in the practice of Brahmacharya.

3. Austerity: for the sake of something higher, we should be willing to undergo some difficulty. Having a great ideal in mind makes the practice of austerity easier.

4. Study of Scriptures: opens the doorway to the whole world of the Rishis and sages, and their spirituality. This is a treasure that cannot be had any other way.

5. Surrender to God: means giving up one’s ego. In Bhakti Yoga this is needed from the very outset. It is very difficult to surrender one’s ego. Thus to say Bhakti Yoga is an easy path is an over-simplification. Bhakti Sadhana may be easy, but the surrender is very hard. In Jnana Yoga, the intellectual Sadhana is very difficult, and through it one learns to drop one’s ego. Either way, the ego has to be surrendered.

A Story on Surrender: A man challenged God, “If there is a God, He will put food into my mouth today Himself!” Saying this, he climbed up a tree and sat there. A group of people came and sat below the tree. They opened their picnic baskets and then went to the river to wash their hands.

Meanwhile a group of thieves came there and saw with delight that a meal was laid out for them. One of them said, “Be careful, I think this is a trap. Who will leave food like this unless they wanted to catch us?” They looked around and up, and saw the man sitting on the tree. They called out to him to come down, suspecting him to be the police accomplice. He refused. That made them more suspicious. They asked the man to eat some of the food; he refused. They then suspected that the food was poisoned. They forced the man to eat, but he still refused. Now they were certain that it was poisoned. One of the thieves then forcefully opened the mouth of the man and pushed the food into it. In that instant the man’s faith in God was sealed!

Verse 106: No. 3: Tyaga – Renunciation

irÉÉaÉÈ mÉëmÉgcÉÃmÉxrÉ ÍcÉSÉiqÉiuÉÉuÉsÉÉåMülÉÉiÉç |

irÉÉaÉÉå ÌWû qÉWûiÉÉÇ mÉÔerÉÈ xÉ±Éå qÉÉå¤ÉqÉrÉÉå rÉiÉÈ || 106 ||

ty¡ga¦ prapa²carÀpasya cid¡tmatv¡valµkan¡t |

ty¡gµ hi mahat¡¯ pÀjya¦ sadyµ mµk½amayµ yata¦ || 106 ||

1 tyaagah prapancha roopasya, Renouncing the illusory universe of forms is due to

2 chid aatmatva avalokanaat; realizing them to be the all-conscious Self;

3 tyaagah hi mahataam poojyah, Real renunciation is honoured by the great,

4 sad yah mokshamayah yatah. since it is of the nature of immediate liberation.

1-2 The principle applied here is: “We have to drop something to catch something else. We have to empty our cup if we want to fill it with something else.”

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By this principle, when one looks past the name and form of objects, one sees the true essence within those objects.

3-4 As renunciation makes it possible for us to behold the underlying truth of things, it is said to be “of the nature of Truth”; i.e. it liberates one from false illusory appearances. It is for this reason that renunciation is honoured wherever it is seen in any person.

In the Geeta it is said, “Supreme peace immediately follows renunciation.”

Place of Renunciation in Indian Culture

Indian culture places great value on the quality of renunciation. At one time in India, one’s greatness was measured not by what one possessed but by what one renounced! That was Indian culture at its height. Renunciation had the highest place in society. Sannyasins were highly respected and honoured in society due to their renunciation.

Swamini also quoted from a book named Pawan Prasanga by Swami Akhanda Maharaj who said of Swami Chinmayanandaji, “He is one person whose Knowledge is not a load on his head.” This is not only a tribute to Pujya Gurudev but a great compliment to his spirit of renunciation.

Regarding renunciation, Swamini encouraged us to read the lives of great saints, saying that it was the best way to learn more about renunciation – by seeing how they practised it in their own lives.

Verse 107, 108 & 109: No. 4: Maunam – Silence

rÉiÉÉå uÉÉcÉÉå ÌlÉuÉiÉïliÉå AmÉëÉmrÉ qÉlÉxÉÉ xÉWû |

rÉlqÉÉælÉÇ rÉÉåÌaÉÍpÉaÉïqrÉÇ iÉ°eÉåixÉuÉïSÉ oÉÑkÉÈ || 107 ||

uÉÉcÉÉå rÉxqÉÉÍ³ÉuÉiÉïliÉå iÉ²£ÑÇü MåülÉ zÉYrÉiÉå |

mÉëmÉgcÉÉå rÉÌS uÉ£üurÉÈ xÉÉåÅÌmÉ zÉoSÌuÉuÉÎeÉïiÉÈ || 108 ||

CÌiÉ uÉÉ iÉ°uÉålqÉÉælÉÇ xÉiÉÉÇ xÉWûeÉxÉÇÍ¥ÉiÉqÉç |

ÌaÉUÉÇ qÉÉælÉÇ iÉÑ oÉÉsÉÉlÉÉÇ mÉërÉÑ£Çü oÉë¼uÉÉÌSÍpÉÈ || 109 ||

yatµ v¡cµ nivartant£ apr¡pya manas¡ saha |

yanmauna¯ yµgibhirgamya¯ tadbhaj£tsarvad¡ budha¦ || 107 ||

v¡cµ yasm¡nnivartant£ tadvaktu¯ k£na ¾akyat£ |

prapa²cµ yadi vaktavya¦ sµ:'pi ¾abdavivarjita¦ || 108 ||

iti v¡ tadbhav£nmauna¯ sat¡¯ sahajasa¯j²itam |

gir¡¯ mauna¯ tu b¡l¡n¡¯ prayukta¯ brahmav¡dibhi¦ || 109 ||

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1 yatah vaachah nivartante, Wherefrom words turn back,

2 apraapya manasaa saha; together with the mind, unable to reach it –

3 yat maunam yogibhih gamyam, that SILENCE the Yogis attain,

4 tad bhajet sarvadaa budhah. having their intellect always one with That.

5 vaachah yasmaan nivartante, Whence words turn away and return –

6 tad vaktum kena shakyate; who can describe That (i.e. Truth) ?

7 prapanchah yadi vaktavyah, This phenomenal world which can be described,

8 sah api shabda vivarjitah. why, even that is Beyond Words at times.

9 iti vaa tad bhavet maunam, An alternative definition of SILENCE is given

10 sataam sahaja samjnitam; by sages as “That which is our natural state.”

11 giraa maunam tu baalaanaam, For beginners, however, “not to speak”

12 prayuktam brahma-vaadibhih. is ordained by the teachers of Truth.

The definition of Silence is given from three different viewpoints:

i) Realised Sages: Verse 107 begins with the highest experience of Silence. The realised sage, in oneness with Brahman or the Self, finds no words to describe his experience of Non-duality. His words, as it were, “turn away” from such an experience. He remains naturally in total silence, even in the midst of great activity. Such a person is anchored in the Great Silence always.

ii) Wonders of the World: In verse 108 speaks of the wonders of the phenomenal world. We are sometimes left speechless to describe them. This is taken as a definition of silence. Our words ‘turn away’ from such wonders, because they fail to adequately describe them. This is different from the turning away described in verse 107.

Here there is no effort to restrain one’s speech. The awe and wonder produce speechlessness. The words simply do not come out, due to the stunning effect of the observed phenomenon.

iii) The Common Man: In verse 109, as a means to attain the sage’s silence, actual physical restraint of the tongue is recommended for beginners, who are endearingly called Baalaah or “children” in this verse. This is not to contrast them with the realized state, but to show us how to start the process of attaining it.

When air is agitated by vibrations we get sound. From a physical perspective, the absence of sound is silence. Hence, to keep silent means not to speak. This, as a practice, draws one gradually towards the Self. This practice is called Maunam.

Four Stages of Speech

Related to the above graded definitions, there is in the Vedas a parallal breakdown of speech in its different formative stages, as follows:

i) Para: There is an Unmanifest source for all memories stored deep in one’s sub-conscious mind. When uncalled, these memories lie dormant there. Vedantic Mauna as described in verse 107 refers to the Silence in this unmanifest Source of all memories.

ii) Pashyanti: Next comes the stage when an idea, wanting to be expressed, arises as a vague impulse from one’s memory, jolted by some external stimulus. The speechless state described in verse 108 coincides with this level. The experience has jolted the memories, but the words have not yet formed.

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iii) Madhyama: This is the stage after the impulse comes and just prior to giving expression of the words. The words begin to assemble in the mind. This is Madhyama. The Maunam described in 11-12 has the effect of reducing and eventually eliminating this tendency to form the words in the mind.

iv) Vaikhari: This is articulate speech. It is the gross level of expression through words out through the tongue. Verse 109 deals with restraint of words at this level.

Verse 110: No. 5: Deshah – Personal Space or Solitude

AÉSÉuÉliÉå cÉ qÉkrÉå cÉ eÉlÉÉå rÉÎxqÉ³É ÌuÉ±iÉå |

rÉålÉåSÇ xÉiÉiÉÇ urÉÉmiÉÇ xÉ SåzÉÉå ÌuÉeÉlÉÈ xqÉ×iÉÈ || 110 ||

¡d¡vant£ ca madhy£ ca janµ yasminna vidyat£ |

y£n£da¯ satata¯ vy¡pta¯ sa d£¾µ vijana¦ sm»ta¦ || 110 ||

1 aadau ante cha madhye cha, In the beginning, end and middle,

2 janah yasmin na vidyate; the universe does not exist therein (i.e. in space);

3 yena idam sakalam vyaaptam, but space pervades the universe at all times –

4 sah deshah vijanah smritah. this SPACE reminds us of the Solitary Brahman.

1-4 The element, Space, is being used as a simile for Brahman. Just as space, the element, pervades all the other four elements (air, fire, water and earth) in the sense that all these elements can only exist in space, so also Brahman pervades everything, this whole universe of names and forms, that is created.

Space has to be created first before it can be filled with all the other elements that constitute things and beings. But, space itself is completely independent of all these other things and beings. In itself, it is always alone, always in a state of solitude or aloofness. In this verse, the independence of space is compared with the aloofness of Brahman.

Vedantic Space as Solitude

We start with the Vedantic interpretation, as given above. Sri Shankaracharyaji says that even space can become a portal to the Divine if we see can learn to see it as a simile for the Solitude of Brahman. If we can see the solitude of space in the midst of the appearance of the Universe of names and forms in it, then we begin to understand how Brahman or Pure Consciousness is related to the existence of everything in creation. Brahman can then be understood as Pure Existence.

Names and forms appear and disappear. They are transitory, having a fleeting existence. When they cease to exist, what remains is solitude in space. This is a very effective pointer to Brahman which is alone, One without a second, Infinite and indestructible (cannot be broken up into parts). The solitude of space becomes a powerful simile that reminds us of the Supreme Brahman.

Space exists before, during and after the appearance of an object. It is, in this sense, the very support for all forms that appear in it. This idea, when deeply meditated upon, draws us closer to Brahman, the Universal Consciousness, the Substratum of all creation.

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THE STATE OF PHYSICAL SOLITUDE

The solitude we seek from other beings has the intention of linking us to Brahman.

The Need for Physical Solitude

Physical solitude assists in preparing us for Vedantic solitude. We can meditate ON the latter more easily when we are IN the former. This statement should make it adequately clear as to the difference between the two. Vedantic solitude is a state of being; whereas physical solitude is something that needs doing. One has to make arrangements to be in physical solitude, particularly solitude from people.

What makes us seek solitude? Swamini gave four factors, and they all concern the presence of people around us. They are interesting observations in life:

i) Sense of Reservation: The first is that we are always on guard when there are people around, but if there are animals and birds around us we can be quite comfortable. Even among people, we are more at ease with strangers than familiar people.

ii) Likes and Dislikes: The second is that when we are away from people, we notice that Raga and Dwesha, i.e. likes and dislikes, are much reduced. The presence of people has the effect of increasing our likes and dislikes. This is worth noting and analysing.

iii) Personal Space: Each person has a space around him that he considers his own. Anyone encroaching into that ‘bubble’ of personal space makes him uncomfortable, unless the person has our permission to enter. Each person’s bubble is of a different size; this is a very subjective matter. Only in sleep, when the mind is not available, does one lose all awareness of that mentally created private space.

iv) Type of Activity: Different activities require different amounts of personal space. Playing games with others may require very little personal space, but meditation requires more space. One usually has one’s own room for meditation. Meditation in a group may be helpful in the beginning but needs to be reduced as one gets more experience.

The Benefits of Physical Solitude

Solitude is thus sought in order to give ourselves more than the usual amount of space. Also, for the above reasons, solitude is always sought with respect to other people. One desires to want to be to oneself in order to “take stock of one’s mind”, to find oneself.

Solitude is a great rejuvenator. Being away from people, and in the stillness of nature can be very relieving, mentally as well as physically and, to that extent, spiritually. The pot is taken off the fire, as it were, so that one can reflect and introspect. For real spiritual progress Vedantic Solitude – being in one’s Self – is necessary.

Swami Tapovanji used to love being alone in his verandah, watching the Ganges. Swami Chinmayanandaji on the other hand used to enjoy wandering about in the Himalayas and enjoying a more dynamic solitude. These are different personal preferences in solitude.

One final point that Swamini conveyed was her personal observation: “City people carry a very distinctly different aura than village folk. Meditation is more difficult in the presence of city dwellers, even if they are quiet; in contrast, village people, even when they are chattering away, do not disturb our meditation.” Something to discover for ourselves!

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Verse 111: No. 6: Kaalah – Time

MüsÉlÉÉiÉç xÉuÉïpÉÔiÉÉlÉÉÇ oÉë¼ÉSÏlÉÉÇ ÌlÉqÉåwÉiÉÈ |

MüÉsÉzÉoSålÉ ÌlÉÌSï¹Éå ½ZÉhQûÉlÉlSMüÉåÅ²rÉÈ || 111 ||

kalan¡t sarvabhÀt¡n¡¯ brahm¡d§n¡¯ nim£½ata¦ |

k¡la¾abd£na nirdi½¿µ hyakha³¢¡nandakµ:'dvaya¦ || 111 ||

1 kalanaat sarva-bhootaanaam, In the twinkling of an eye, all beings

2 brahma aadinaam nimeshatah; from Brahma downwards are conjured up;

3 “kaala” shabdena nirdishtah, hi By the word ‘TIME’ is indicated, indeed,

4 akhanda aananda kah advayah. the indivisible Bliss, the Non-dual Truth.

The Mental Concepts of Time and Space

Swamini began with a searching question: Is Time coming or going? She answered that it was neither. Everything is happening in the present only. There is only the present. The future will happen only in the present, and the past has happened in the present.

1-2 We say, without putting much thought into it, that God created the world. If by ‘God’ is meant Brahman, the Undifferentiated Reality, then this is not true. An illusory power called Maya first created Mind, and from mind came the illusory concepts of Time, then Space, and from these two, the entire universe is said to have been conjured up. It is in this context that this whole universe is considered to be illusory or unreal in Vedanta. At best we can say that it has relative reality.

As Space is measured by expansion (or contraction), so also, Time is measured by duration. Both Space and Time are happening in the mind, they are mental concepts we create to order our life in this relative world. Without mind, there can be no Time or Space. From this, it may be deduced that, philosophically speaking, the world is in our mind. There is no Space or Time in Brahman; they are both illusory creations of the power of Maya.

Every object or event has Space and Time attached to it. They can be plotted on the axes of Time and Space. They are always restrained in time and space. Only in sleep, because there is no mind functioning, there is freedom from both these mental creations.

Vedantic Time:

3-4 Swami Rama Tirtha made the statement: “All Time is NOW; all Space is HERE!” The Infinite Truth can be contacted only in the Now and Here, never in the Then and There.

From the Vedantic perspective, everything is Now and Here. There is no past and future. All spiritual Sadhana can only be done in the present. All evolution can take place only Now. Therefore, the verse encourages us to be fully mindful of the present and make fullest use of it to make progress.

The Atman is free of time. Time does not touch the Self. The Self is completely free from time and space. To reach the Atman, one has to meditate on going beyond time and place. From one time frame to the next, only the appearance of objects changes, nothing else. The Unchanging Brahman is ever constant in every time frame, second to second, day after day, and age after age.

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The Supreme Bliss is tasted Now. The present moment freezes, as it were, and with it the experience of Bliss becomes Infinite, uninterrupted, having no duality! Where there is no ‘other’, Bliss cannot be interrupted.

Verse 112 & 113: No. 7: Aasanam – Steady Posture

xÉÑZÉålÉæuÉ pÉuÉå±ÎxqÉ³ÉeÉxÉëÇ oÉë¼ÍcÉliÉlÉqÉç |

AÉxÉlÉÇ iÉÌ²eÉÉlÉÏrÉÉ³ÉåiÉUixÉÑZÉlÉÉzÉlÉqÉç || 112 ||

ÍxÉ®Ç rÉixÉuÉïpÉÔiÉÉÌS ÌuÉµÉÉÍkÉ¸ÉlÉqÉurÉrÉqÉç |

rÉÎxqÉÎlxÉ®ÉÈ xÉqÉÉÌuÉ¹ÉxiÉ²æ ÍxÉ®ÉxÉlÉÇ ÌuÉSÒÈ || 113 ||

sukh£naiva bhav£dyasminnajasra¯ brahmacintanam |

¡sana¯ tadvij¡n§y¡nn£taratsukhan¡¾anam || 112 ||

siddha¯ yatsarvabhÀt¡di vi¾v¡dhi½¿h¡namavyayam |

yasminsiddh¡¦ sam¡vi½¿¡stadvai siddh¡sana¯ vidu¦ || 113 ||

1 sukhena eva bhaved yasmin, Wherein happiness is experienced spontaneously

2 ajasram brahma-chintanam; and meditation on the Truth is unceasing –

3 aasanam tad vijaaneeyaat, That should be known as the real POSTURE,

4 na itarat sukha-naashanam. not any other that destroys one’s happiness.

5 siddham yat sarva-bhootaadi, Which is well-known as the origin of all beings;

6 vishvaad ishthaanam avyayam;

Which is the Support of the whole universe, and is immutable;

7 yasmin siddhaah samaavishtaah, in which the perfected are completely merged;

8 tad vai siddhaasanam viduh. That alone is known as true SIDDHASANA.

Asana According to Patanjali

Swamini chose to explain the basic meaning of Posture according to Patanjali before giving the Vedantic meaning, as the former will help us to understand the latter.

Sri Patanjali pays great attention to the external conditions of posture. Every suggestion he makes assists us to hold a steady, comfortable posture suitable to do long hours of meditation. That is the aim of these arrangements:

i) The seat should be neither too high, nor too low – for safety reasons. ii) It should be neither too hard nor too soft – for comfort reasons. iii) The surface should not be damp, too cold, uneven. iv) Do not sit directly on the ground as that would ‘earth’ our energy current. v) Use a non-conducting seat such as a soft rug made of natural fibre or animal skin. vi) Choose a serene, beautiful environment with a quiet and holy atmosphere. vii) Choose an auspicious time such as just before sunrise or just after senset.

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Asanas are not exercises; they are steady postures, not moving postures. There are 84 different basic postures, with slight variations in many of them. Among them a few are suitable for meditation, namely, Sukhasana, Siddhasana, Padmasana, Ardha-Padmasana. The important criteria are that the posture chosen must be steady and comfortable.

When an Asana is perfected, one is not affected by the pairs of opposites like heat and cold while in the Asana. The steadiness means that there is nothing to distract the mind, which is fond of following any movement.

Vedantic Asana: The Vedantic “seat” of meditation is the all-pervading Brahman, the support of this universe. Established firmly on this seat:

1 One experiences “spontaneous happiness”; 2 There is no restlessness, so meditation is unceasing; 4 On any other seat, there is sure to be distraction, attraction, likes and dislikes.

These will destroy one’s experience of happiness. 5 This seat of Brahman is the origin of all beings and things. 6 It is the Substratum or support of the universe. 7 The realised sage is always immersed in this state, ever-abiding in the Self. 8 Such a posture, when attained, is the Vedantic Siddhasana, the “perfect pose”.

Verse 114: No. 8: Moola Bandhah – Being Rooted

rÉlqÉÔsÉÇ xÉuÉïpÉÔiÉÉlÉÉÇ rÉlqÉÔsÉÇ ÍcÉ¨ÉoÉlkÉlÉqÉç |

qÉÔsÉoÉlkÉÈ xÉSÉ xÉåurÉÉå rÉÉåarÉÉåÅxÉÉæ UÉeÉrÉÉåÌaÉlÉÉqÉç || 114 ||

yanmÀla¯ sarvabhÀt¡n¡¯ yanmÀla¯ cittabandhanam |

mÀlabandha¦ sad¡ s£vyµ yµgyµ:'sau r¡jayµgin¡m || 114 ||

1 yat moolam sarva-bhutaanaam, That Supreme which is the root of all existence;

2 yat moolam chitta bandhanam; upon which the mind is to be fixed (in meditation);

3 moola-bandhah sadaa sevyah, To be always rooted in That is “Moola Bandha”;

4 yogah asau raaja-yoginaam. That is the true union of the Raja Yogis.

Finding one’s roots has become a big thing in the lives of people today, especially those who are no longer living in their motherland. They go back to try and trace their ancestral roots – their caste, Jaati, Neeti, Kula, Gotra, etc – everything related to their birth. Some succeed even in locating the village they originated from. This is the search for our external roots at the body level.

This search may be extended to the mental level. The attempt traces us back to the root values of life, our beliefs, customs, traditions and culture. This is also very important in our lives. Yet, there is a level even higher than these two.

What is the equivalent Root at the spiritual level? That is the theme of this verse.

1 When we search for this internal Root, we find that we all have a common root. It is the root of all existence – indeed, it is found to be Existence itself, the Supreme Being. It is

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discovered that there is no such thing as “individual root” in regard to our soul. Spirit is universal; we all have the same Supreme Root.

2 The Vedantin trains his mind to remain fixed to his spiritual Root, the root Cause of all existence – Brahman – by restraining his outgoing nature and bringing into focus one’s inner Self. This is the spiritual meaning of Moola Bandha.

In meditation, one can practise tracing one’s root thought. Every thought has the “I” or Aham component and the “Object” component. The Vedanta student aims to eliminate the object component, and then traces just the “I” component to its very root. In this process he discovers that the true “I” is his own Self and is no different from the Universal Self.

3-4 Sri Patanjali describes a Yogic technique called Moola Bandha, which has specific physical characteristics, given below, but which has the same Vedantic aim in mind. It aims to bind one to his spiritual Root, hence the name.

As a Yoga technique, Moola Bandha is the closure of the anus so that the downward Apana, an aspect of Prana, is turned upward. This practice is combined with breath retention to arrest the flow of thoughts in the mind. The mind is rendered peaceful by this practice. It needs to be done under proper guidance of a qualified teacher. Although this appears to be a physical exercise, it has a deep spiritual purpose to it.

Verse 115: No. 9: Samaanatvam – Steadiness of the Body

A…¡ûÉlÉÉÇ xÉqÉiÉÉÇ ÌuÉ±ÉixÉqÉå oÉë¼ÍhÉ sÉÏlÉiÉÉqÉç |

lÉÉå cÉå³ÉæuÉ xÉqÉÉlÉiuÉqÉ×eÉÑiuÉÇ zÉÑwMüuÉ×¤ÉuÉiÉç || 115 ||

a±g¡n¡¯ samat¡¯ vidy¡tsam£ brahma³i l§nat¡m |

nµ c£nnaiva sam¡natvam»jutva¯ ¾u½kav»k½avat || 115 ||

1 angaanaam samataam vidyaat, Know that to be true STEADINESS of the limbs –

2 same brahmani leenataam; wherein one is absorbed in the homogenous Truth;

3 nah chet na iva samaanatvam, Otherwise, it is no steadiness at all, but mere

4 rijutvam shushka-vrikshavat. straightening of the body, like a dried-up tree!

1-2 As explained at the very beginning of the text, the Vedantic view goes very deep: it considers Steadiness to be Self-abidance, and as such, having nothing to do with holding the body still. This view aims to point out the highest level of steadiness which is attained only by a steady mind that is absorbed in the non-dual Truth, where there is nothing to distract one’s attention. When one is fully absorbed in Brahman, then where is the question of distraction or movement?

3-4 Sri Patanjali’s definition of steadiness refers to the body – it has to be kept absolutely still, without even the slightest movement. Sri Shankaracharyaji comes very close to being “cynical” of this practice by calling it “like a dead dried-up tree”. However, we need not hastily come to that conclusion, as both sages are giants in their respective fields. The perspective on viewpoints given below is appropriate at this stage:

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HARMONISING OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS

The Indian approach to spirituality permits wide variations in one’s standpoint. How do we reconcile these two diametrical opposite views of Steadiness? It is not difficult to see:

Sri Shankaracharya is guiding the adept to the ultimate state; whereas Patanjali Maharishi is guiding the beginner to find his ‘feet’ in the practice of Yoga.

In truth, since the body and mind are so intimately connected, a steady body helps greatly and efficiently to steady the mind. Then the next step is from a steady mind to conscious abidance in the Self. Seen in this way, there is no contradiction in the viewpoints of the two spiritual giants. One points to us the beginning; the other points out the end!

No ridicule of Sri Patanjali is intended whatsoever. This harmonious approach is an integral part of the Indian approach to philosophy.

Verse 116 & 117: No. 10: Drik Sthitih – Steadiness of the Vision

SØÌ¹Ç ¥ÉÉlÉqÉrÉÏÇ M×üiuÉÉ mÉzrÉåSèoÉë¼qÉrÉÇ eÉaÉiÉç |

xÉÉ SØÌ¹È mÉUqÉÉåSÉUÉ lÉ lÉÉxÉÉaÉëÉuÉsÉÉåÌMülÉÏ || 116 ||

Sì¹ØSzÉïlÉSØzrÉÉlÉÉÇ ÌuÉUÉqÉÉå rÉ§É uÉÉ pÉuÉåiÉç |

SØÌ¹xiÉ§ÉæuÉ MüiÉïurÉÉ lÉ lÉÉxÉÉaÉëÉuÉsÉÉåÌMülÉÏ || 117 ||

d»½¿i¯ j²¡namay§¯ k»tv¡ pa¾y£dbrahmamaya¯ jagat |

s¡ d»½¿i¦ paramµd¡r¡ na n¡s¡gr¡valµkin§ || 116 ||

dra½¿»dar¾anad»¾y¡n¡¯ vir¡mµ yatra v¡ bhav£t |

d»½¿istatraiva kartavy¡ na n¡s¡gr¡valµkin§ || 117 ||

1 drishtim jnaanamayeem kritvaa, To enlighten ordinary vision to one of knowledge

2 pashyet brahma-mayam jagat; one should view the world as the Truth itself.

3 saa drishtih parama udaaraa, That is the noblest VISION,

4 na naasaagra avalokinee. and not that directed to the tip of the nose.

5 drashtru darshana drishyaanaam, Or, the seer, the seeing and the seen –

6 viraamah yatra vaa bhavet; where all these distinctions cease;

7 drishtih tatra eva kartavyaa, one should direct one’s vision to That alone,

8 na naasaagra avalokinee. and not direct it to the tip of the nose!

Drishtih: “vision”. Here is an area where there is a wide-ranging interpretation possible, and there is much confusion due to the way in which Vision can be interpreted, especially at the physical level. If Sri Shankaracharya bordered on cynicism in the previous verse, then he may well be accused of sarcasm in these two verses. However, the student is

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once again reminded of the same comments on harmony of viewpoints given above. They apply to this step even more than they applied to the previous one.

We see in this particular step that whilst Sri Shankara is eager to take the student to the highest, Sri Patanjali is doing an equally great job of bringing the novice onto the first rung to get started! Both these are necessary tasks for sages, and no one deserves any criticism. Only a dull Rajasic intellect thrives on pitting one against the other.

Vedantic Steadiness of Vision

Let us see the Vedantic point first.

1-2 & 5-6 Sri Shankaracharyaji’s aim is always to reach the highest level, without compromise. That is absolutely necessary to maintain the real purpose of this text, without which the physical practice could easily degenerate into something spurious without any spiritual relevance.

To see unity in diversity is Sattwic and has to be promoted. Seeing the common uniting factor within all controversial matters is Vedantic. To bring harmony where disharmony threatens to disrupt a situation or people is Vedantic ‘Sthitih’. To always promote the spirit of co-operation and oneness is Vedantic. This is how Sri Shankaracharya asks us to view the world. Harmony of vision brings us to the Truth.

Vedantins would, of course, try to see God in all, see the world as God – that would be the vision they will aspire towards. To see the seer, seeing and the seen as one is to reach the state of Non-duality, of complete Oneness. This is Vedantic vision. In Oneness there are no distinctions.

Patanjali’s “Tip of the Nose” Vision

3-4 & 7-8 At the physical level comes steadiness of the eyes. Patanjali describes the practice of Trataka, which he recommends to keep the eye steady and healthy. It is another Yogic practice, but if overdone it can harm the eyes.

Swamini taught us about the practice of waving our hands over the Arati lamp and touching one’s eyes and head with them, saying, “May my vision and mind also become divine!” This is called Aashti in Gujarati.

All these practices have value at their respective levels. All find their place in the broad spectrum of philosophical vision, and none can be ignored, least of all ridiculed.

Verse 118, 119 & 120: No. 11: Pranayama – Control of the Life Forces

ÍcÉ¨ÉÉÌSxÉuÉïpÉÉuÉåwÉÑ oÉë¼iuÉålÉæuÉ pÉÉuÉlÉÉiÉç |

ÌlÉUÉåkÉÈ xÉuÉïuÉ×¨ÉÏlÉÉÇ mÉëÉhÉÉrÉÉqÉÈ xÉ EcrÉiÉå || 118||

ÌlÉwÉåkÉlÉÇ mÉëmÉgcÉxrÉ UåcÉMüÉZrÉÈ xÉqÉÏUhÉÈ |

oÉë¼æuÉÉxqÉÏÌiÉ rÉÉ uÉ×Ì¨ÉÈ mÉÔUMüÉå uÉÉrÉÑUÏËUiÉÈ || 119 ||

iÉiÉxiÉ²ØÌ¨ÉlÉæ¶ÉsrÉÇ MÑÇüpÉMüÈ mÉëÉhÉxÉÇrÉqÉÈ |

ArÉÇ cÉÉÌmÉ mÉëoÉÑ®ÉlÉÉqÉ¥ÉÉlÉÉÇ bÉëÉhÉmÉÏQûlÉqÉç || 120 ||

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citt¡disarvabh¡v£½u brahmatv£naiva bh¡van¡t |

nirµdha¦ sarvav»tt§n¡¯ pr¡³¡y¡ma¦ sa ucyat£ || 118||

ni½£dhana¯ prapa²casya r£cak¡khya¦ sam§ra³a¦ |

brahmaiv¡sm§ti y¡ v»tti¦ pÀrakµ v¡yur§rita¦ || 119 ||

tatastadv»ttinai¾calya¯ ku¯bhaka¦ pr¡³asa¯yama¦ |

aya¯ c¡pi prabuddh¡n¡maj²¡n¡¯ ghr¡³ap§¢anam || 120 ||

1 chitta aadi sarva-bhaaveshu, All mental states such as memory, etc –

2 brahmatvena eva bhaavanaat; by regarding them as the Truth alone;

3 nirodhah sarva-vritteenaam, Restraining thus all modifications of the mind;

4 praanaayaamah sah uchyate. this is called PRANAYAMA.

5 nishedhanam prapanchasya, The negation of the phenomenal world

6 rechaka aakhyah sameeranah; is known as Rechaka (exhalation).

7 brahma eva asmi iti yaa vrittih, The thought “I am verily Brahman”

8 poorakah vaayuh eeritah. is called Puraka (inhalation).

9 tatah tad vritti naishchalyam, Thereafter, the steadiness of that thought

10 kumbhakah praana samyamah; is called Kumbhaka (retention of breath).

11 ayam cha api prabuddhaanaam, This is the PRANAYAMA of the enlightened,

12 ajnaanaam ghraana peedanam. whereas the ignorant only torture the nose.

What is Prana?

Every subject has its quota of technical terms which mean specific things in that subject, whatever it may mean in other contexts. Prana is one such word in Vedanta. Swami Chinmayanandaji translates it as, “all expressions of life in the physical body.” It is not just the regulation of the gross breathing process, but regulation of all other expressions of life, in particular, our thoughts which are the most subtle of these expressions.

Pranayama in Patanjali’s Yoga System

Sri Patanjali teaches the more familiar breathing techniques given in Hatha Yoga textbooks. Inhalation, retention and exhalation – termed Puraka, Kumbhaka and Rechaka respectively – are done in the ratio 1:4:2. Of course, there needs to be a gradual build-up to arrive at this ratio, which may be learnt from an experienced teacher of Pranayama. Swami Chidananda suggests a gradual increase in retention over a period of twelve months.

By practising the proper science of Pranayama, the student is able to attenuate the thoughts in his mind to a point when all thoughts are eliminated and the mind is rendered completely quite. This is not an end in itself, but a launching pad for further spiritual practice of meditation.

According to Sri Ramana Maharishi the easiest form of breath control is called Prana Veekshanam. It is simply observation of the breath as it is, without any effort to control it. By this Pranayama, the restlessness of the mind is checked. After a short period of this exercise, the student is ready to follow it with a session of meditation.

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The above practice of Pranayama is recommended to start with. As the student establishes himself in the practice, he can move on to the Vedantic form, given below.

Pranayama According to Vedanta

The same overall comments we have discussed in steps 9 and 10 above apply in this case as well. Vedantic Pranayama may be considered as being the terminal point for thinning out the mind by following Patanjali’s Pranayama.

1-4 The entire focus in Vedantic Pranayama is deeply spiritual. The process of thinning out the thoughts is taken to its limit, when only the single thought of Brahman arises in the mind. Every other thought modification is removed by replacing it with the thought of Brahman or the Truth.

5-6 Rechaka: The student “exhales” and renounces the falsities of the world;

7-8 Puraka: He “inhales” and raises the thought of “I am verily Brahman”;

9-10 Kumbhaka: This is when the “I am Brahman” thought alone is held in the mind.

11 This is the Pranayama which takes one to the highest spiritual state of Self-realisation. It is also referred to as the state of enlightenment or illumination.

12 The comments on “reconciling opposing viewpoints” made above apply to this line once again. “Torture of the nose” is not intended to be hurtful to anybody, as explained above. It is only a torture to the person who forgets that the intention of all Pranayama is firstly the control of the mind, and thereafter the awakening of spiritual consciousness.

To sum up, in the beginning we learn to control the air we breathe, but eventually that advances to controlling the thoughts we “breathe” in our mind. Finally, even the thoughts are dropped and the luminous Self shines by itself. This is the widest scope of Pranayama, incorporating the best of both Patanjali and Shankaracharyaji.

The renunciation of worldliness is absolutely essential in Vedantic Sadhana.

Verse 121: No. 12: Pratyahara – Withdrawal of the Mind

ÌuÉwÉrÉåwuÉÉiqÉiÉÉÇ SØwOèuÉÉ qÉlÉxÉÍ¶ÉÌiÉ qÉ‹lÉqÉç |

mÉëirÉÉWûÉUÈ xÉ ÌuÉ¥ÉårÉÉåÅprÉxÉlÉÏrÉÉå qÉÑqÉÑ¤ÉÑÍpÉÈ || 121 ||

vi½ay£½v¡tmat¡¯ d»½¿v¡ manasa¾citi majjanam |

praty¡h¡ra¦ sa vij²£yµ:'bhyasan§yµ mumuk½ubhi¦ || 121 ||

1 vishaye swaatmataam drishtvaa, Seeing the Self in all objects, and

2 manasah chiti mat janam; absorbing the mind in Supreme Consciousness;

3 pratyaahaarah sah vijneyah, is known as PRATYAHARA (withdrawal of mind).

4 abhyasaneeyah mumukshubhih. This should diligently be practised by seekers.

To assist our understanding Swamini repeated to us the simile she taught us when we studied Dhyana Swaroopam (Text 15) earlier in the Course. The following two statements illustrate the simile and its application:

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(1) Light is the manifestation of (2) Electricity in a (3) bulb through the (4) filament.

(1) Life is the manifestation of (2) the Self in a (3) gross body through the (4) subtle body.

1 The point being made here is that every living being has all 4 of these components, whereas an inert or insentient object has only (2) and (3) in them. From this we see that (2) the Self is present in all objects, whether inert or sentient.

Patanjali’s Definition:

Pratyahara is the fifth of the eight limbs of Ashtanga Yoga. It is the last stage of the external phase of Yoga Sadhana. The next three steps (6,7 & 8) are the internal phase. External Sadhana ends when the mind is completely withdrawn from the senses, rendering them incapable of being tempted by the sense objects. This is Sri Patanjali’s definition of Pratyahara. From this step, Sri Shankaracharya’s apparent “teasing” ends, as the two systems of Sadhana rapidly begin to merge, and unite at the 8th step in Samadhi.

Ahara means “eating”; this includes ‘food’ through any of the five senses. As far as Sri Patanjali is concerned, Pratyahara is needed only to free the mind from any outer sense disturbance, so that it can get on with the internal Sadhana without any obstacles. Any purpose may be attached to this withdrawal. For instance, a scientist’s mind attains a state of withdrawal from the senses when he is intensely absorbed in his experiments. So, there need not be a spiritual purpose to the withdrawn state of mind.

Success in Pratyahara is simply a matter of the Yogi being able to resist two types of calls on him. The first is an external stimulus that beckons him to go out and fulfil his desire; the second is an internal stimulus from his memory which craves satisfaction.

Vedantic Definition:

2-4 Vedantic Pratyahara, as defined in this verse, is heavily loaded with meaning and purpose. It is not a purely physical withdrawal from the sense objects at all. Instead, the Vedanta student learns to behold the Self in all the sense objects (see next paragraph). The implication of this is that he does not see the sense objects as temptations anymore. They cease to disturb him even when he is in their very midst! Of course, this Sadhana presupposes that the student already has the necessary Vairagya or dispassion that would have made it possible for him in the first place to reach this level in Sadhana.

How does one behold the Self in the objects? We learnt in Drig Drishya Viveka (Text 13) that every object has five aspects: Existence, Consciousness, Bliss, name and form. The first three are the Self, the substratum; and the latter two are the world, the superimposition. Thus the world is rejected and the Self is asserted.

Verse 122: No. 13: Dhaarana - Concentration

rÉ§É rÉ§É qÉlÉÉå rÉÉÌiÉ oÉë¼hÉxiÉ§É SzÉïlÉÉiÉç |

qÉlÉxÉÉå kÉÉUhÉÇ cÉæuÉ kÉÉUhÉÉ xÉÉ mÉUÉ qÉiÉÉ || 122 ||

yatra yatra manµ y¡ti brahma³astatra dar¾an¡t |

manasµ dh¡ra³a¯ caiva dh¡ra³¡ s¡ par¡ mat¡ || 122 ||

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1 yatra yatra manah yaati, On whatever object the mind may fall,

2 brahmanah tatra darshanaat; by seeing the Truth there (in that object),

3 manasah dhaaranam cha eva, one’s mind becomes steady and concentrated;

4 dhaaranaa saa paraa mataa. this is the supreme state of CONCENTRATION.

Before going further, we note that at this point in Patanjali’s Yoga the Sadhana becomes internalized. Up to now the focus was on doing something; henceforth the focus shifts to being something.

Developing Concentration is like developing the muscles – both need exercises to train them. A Sadhaka has to do certain exercises or techniques to develop concentration.

Patanjali’s Dharana: The student learns to focus his mind on a single point. That point is normally chosen to be one of the Chakras or subtle nerve centres within the body. The two most common choices are the Anahat Chakra, the heart centre; or the Ajna Chakra between the eyebrows. It is easy to focus on these two points. The Anahat Chakra is a good and safe point for the beginner to start with. One whose emotions are yet to be stabilised should start with this Chakra. As one progresses, the Ajna Chakra can be used, where thought-control takes precedence over emotions.

What does one do when the mind is brought to focus in this manner? That is explained in the next step, namely, Dhyana or meditation.

1-2 Vedantic Dharana: The principle idea is the same as the above – that of focusing the mind on a single thing. The difference is that instead of that ‘thing’ being a single point like the Chakra, in Vedanta it is the Self that is common in all things. In this subtle respect it differs from Patanjali’s concentration. Here, the student still focuses on one thing, that being the Self, but to achieve this, the mind need not be tied down to one point of focus. In Vedantic concentration, no matter where the mind goes, its attention always remains on the Self in that object!

3-4 This is an important difference. It implies that if we can see the Lord in everything, then where is the question of choosing one thing? It is not the ‘thing’ that is important, but the Self in that ‘thing’. The Vedantin aims to see the Supreme Self alone in all things. That requires his supreme concentration. That is Vedantic concentration.

Many Deities in Hindu Shrines

A point of concern for many people is the large number of pictures or murtis (idols) kept in the homes and temples of Hindus, which is usually criticized by people of other religions for the sake of converting Hindus. Hindus have no problem with their “museum-like” shrines. They well understand that the same Lord can appear in many forms. Their worship of the form of God is directed to the formless God, which is one.

Hindus do not have the problem of “my God versus your God”. Only immature people see it that way, due to their overpowering desire to convert Hindus. Theirs is a childish game with no spiritual content in it. In Hindu culture, the oneness of Truth is taught from childhood. It is the most accommodating and adjustable religion in the world. India has given refuge to many people persecuted in their own countries by religious fanaticism, yet ironically it is Hindus that are dubbed “fundamentalists” or religious “fanatics”!

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Verse 123: No. 14: Dhyaana – Contemplation on the Self

oÉë¼æuÉÉxqÉÏÌiÉ xÉ²Ø̈ rÉÉ ÌlÉUÉsÉqoÉiÉrÉÉ ÎxjÉÌiÉÈ |

krÉÉlÉzÉoSålÉ ÌuÉZrÉÉiÉÉ mÉUqÉÉlÉlSSÉÌrÉlÉÏ || 123 ||

brahmaiv¡sm§ti sadv»tty¡ nir¡lambatay¡ sthiti¦ |

dhy¡na¾abd£na vikhy¡t¡ param¡nandad¡yin§ || 123 ||

1 “brahma eva asmi” iti

sad vrittyaa,

“I am verily Brahman, the Truth” –

through this unassailable thought,

2 niraalambatayaa sthitih; to remain independent of all else

3 dhyaana shabdena vikhyaataa, is well-known by the word DHYANA (meditation),

4 parama aananda daayinee. and it is the giver of Supreme Bliss.

When Dharana or concentration has been practiced for a while, the student is ready to use that concentrated state constructively to take him towards the spiritual goal of life. Without spirituality, concentration can be used to obtain any other goal, even of an ordinary worldly nature. This constructive concentration towards a spiritual goal is called Meditation.

An Example of a Worldly Goal: A man came to Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa boasting that he had come there by walking across the Ganga. Sri Ramakrishna was not impressed. He asked the man, “How long did it take you to learn that?” The man said, “Fifteen years.” Sri Ramakrishna laughed at that and said, “You have wasted fifteen years of your life. You could have just paid fifteen paise to a boatman and come across the Ganga!”

Patanjali’s Dhyana Yoga:

Meditation in the early stages of the practice is defined in the Yoga Sutras as “the continuous flow or stream of thought towards a single subject. It may be directed towards an object such as the flame of a lamp, or the form of a Deity or one’s Guru, or even an attribute of God such as love, peace or equipoise. The content of the thought is not specified, except that it should not be something which takes one’s mind away from Truth.

As the practitioner develops continuity in the stream of thought for longer and longer periods, he tries to bring his mind to a thought-free state.

General Classification of Meditation: Depending on what is selected as the object of meditation, the meditation is classified as either Sakara or Nirakara (with or without form); or as Saguna or Nirguna (with or without attributes).

Nididhyasana – Vedantic Meditation

1-4 Once the mind attains some degree of ability to concentrate, the Vedanta student brings in the help of the thought “I am Brahman” and uses the concentrated state to develop his spiritual identity with Brahman. This is Nirguna Upasana. Or, he may do Om Upasana by chanting OM and keeping his mind focused on the universal Self in all. Or, he may even use a form, such as his Guru’s, with the feeling that the form represents for him the supreme all-pervading Brahman. This is Saguna Upasana. All of these come under various stages in Vedantic meditation or Nididhyasana.

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Distinction Between Jnana Yoga and Dhyana Yoga:

Jnana Yoga is the path of Self-enquiry. After having heard the knowledge from the Guru, the seeker does intense Self-enquiry to eliminate all doubts in his mind. The ego-sense in particular, which is the biggest obstacle to God-vision, is burnt out when this process is taken beyond all doubts. The seeker is said to have Baadhit Ahankaara (falsified ego) which means it is there only for him to continue interacting as an individual in society, but it is totally harmless and uprooted from its origin, Ignorance. It is like a burnt object which still retains the shape of the original object but is only ash.

Dhyana paves the way for the next stage of Yoga, which is Samadhi . . .

Verse 124: No. 15: Samadhi – Complete Absorption

ÌlÉÌuÉïMüÉUiÉrÉÉ uÉ×¨rÉÉ oÉë¼ÉMüÉUiÉrÉÉ mÉÑlÉÈ |

uÉ×Ì¨ÉÌuÉxqÉUhÉÇ xÉqrÉYxÉqÉÉÍkÉ¥ÉÉïlÉxÉÇ¥ÉMüÈ || 124 ||

nirvik¡ratay¡ v»tty¡ brahm¡k¡ratay¡ puna¦ |

v»ttivismara³a¯ samyaksam¡dhirj²¡nasa¯j²aka¦ || 124 ||

1 nirvikaaratayaa vrittyaa, Eliminating first all mental modifications

2 brahmaakaaratayaa punah; by holding the one idea “All is verily Brahman”,

3 vritti vismaranam samyak, thereby completely dissolving all thoughts. This is

4 samaadhih jnaana samjnakah. known in the path of knowledge as SAMADHI.

The Dhyana Yoga of Patanjali, although done without knowledge of the Self, also leads one to the same state. But the elimination of the ego has to wait until Samadhi is reached. This is the last step in Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga. It is called Savikalpa Samadhi in Vedanta. In Samadhi, when the first contact is made with the Self, the ego-sense gets eliminated in the presence of the luminous Self. The Yogi then gets knowledge of the Self from directly experiencing the Self. Thus Yoga and Vedanta merge at the very end.

Swami Vivekananda once said: “Man is God playing the fool!” When he decides he has played enough of the foolery, then he can become God again. The point at which that happens is Samadhi, when he merges in the Supreme Self and gets united with God.

1-2 When the practices of Dharana and Dhyana have been brought to an advanced stage, the meditator touches the state of union with the Self, but is unable to maintain this state. For the Vedantin, the Brahmakara Vritti “I am Brahman” helps him to remove all the other thoughts which occur in the mind. When only the Brahmakara Vritti remains, Samadhi is said to be reached.

In Vedanta, the stage of Samadhi is split into two parts. The first is Savikalpa Samadhi, from which stage the person still returns to the realm of thought (Savikalpa) when he comes out of Samadhi. He is not permanently in Samadhi. There is still much work to be done before he becomes permanently established in that state.

3-4 When all thoughts are dissolved once and for all, the meditator is said to have reached Nirvikalpa Samadhi. Nirvikalpa means “without thought modifications”. There is no

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going into and coming out of Samadhi any more. It is the final state of illumination. It is permanent. It is also irreversible.

Measuring Our Spiritual Progress

Swamini gave us some indication of how we can measure our spiritual progress towards that state of total union:

i) Do I feel naturally happy and content for no reason? ii) Do I love people spontaneously and unconditionally? iii) Does my anger last for a long time or just a fleeting moment? iv) Am I comfortable whether I am with people or alone?

The thought-free state which is the aim of Dhyana, the previous step, is now achieved. This achievement, when just reached, is Savikalpa Samadhi. The journey continues . . . From here one still has to move further forward to Nirvikalpa Samadhi. Although this is a short stretch of the total journey, it is the portion that needs the greatest attention.

What happens after this point, i.e. during the short stretch just mentioned, is best described in the first four verses of the concluding Chapter . . .

*****

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THE FINAL LAP OF THE JOURNEY

Chapter 3: Verses 125-128, 143-144 (6 No.)

Verse 125 & 126: From Savikalpa to Nirvikalpa Samadhi

LuÉgcÉÉM×üÌ§ÉqÉÉlÉlSÇ iÉÉuÉixÉÉkÉÑ xÉqÉprÉxÉåiÉç |

uÉzrÉÉå rÉÉuÉi¤ÉhÉÉimÉÑÇxÉÈ mÉërÉÑ£üÈ xÉlÉç pÉuÉåixuÉrÉqÉç || 125 ||

iÉiÉÈ xÉÉkÉlÉÌlÉqÉÑï£üÈ ÍxÉ®Éå pÉuÉÌiÉ rÉÉåÌaÉUÉOèû |

iÉixuÉÃmÉÇ lÉ cÉæMüxrÉ ÌuÉwÉrÉÉå qÉlÉxÉÉå ÌaÉUÉqÉç || 126 ||

£va²c¡k»trim¡nanda¯ t¡vats¡dhu samabhyas£t |

va¾yµ y¡vatk½a³¡tpu¯sa¦ prayukta¦ san bhav£tsvayam || 125 ||

tata¦ s¡dhananirmukta¦ siddhµ bhavati yµgir¡¿ |

tatsvarÀpa¯ na caikasya vi½ayµ manasµ gir¡m || 126 ||

1 evam cha aakritrim aanandam, i) Until this blemishless state of Bliss is revealed,

2 taavat saadhu samabhyaset; till then the seeker has to continue his Sadhana;

3 vashyah yaavat kshanaat pumsah, ii) …until he can enter it in an instant, at will;

4 prayuktah san bhavet swayam. iii) …until he gets full control over himself.

5 tatah saadhana nirmuktah, He becomes free from all practices only when

6 siddhah bhavati yogiraat; he, the best among Yogis, attains Perfection.

7 tat swaroopam na cha etasya, The nature of such a man never again becomes

8 vishayah manasah giraam. an Object of the mind or of speech.

The 15-point Sadhana of the last chapter had brought us to Savikalpa Samadhi.

2 Spiritual Sadhana has to continue until Nirvikalpa Samadhi is reached. This is emphasised here because there is the grave danger among Sadhakas of mistaking Savikalpa Samadhi as being the final goal. This is a serious mistake. Sadhana has to be continued until perfection is reached. Only after Nirvikalpa Samadhi is attained does the Yogi get relieved from doing Sadhana. In this final leg, the Samadhi state gets stabilized. Only when it is stabilised, can one be said to have the direct experience – Aparoksha Anubhuti.

To establish whether the final goal has been reached, Sri Shankaracharyaji sets a practical examination paper that one has to pass before confirmation of the state of Self-realisation. The examination has three questions in it. They are:

1 i) Blemishless Bliss: Has your experience of Ananda or Bliss become your natural state, or is it still something that is artificial, something that is created like a manufactured article? The very nature of the Self is Bliss, so it should be completely natural.

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3 ii) Enter it at Will: Is the state reached effortlessly, i.e. at will? In the Sadhana stage, the Yogi gradually lengthens the duration of the experience of Samadhi. When it comes with ease, at one’s will, then alone can one truly say that it is established firmly.

4 iii) Complete Self-Control: Is there total control over one’s thoughts, desires and impulses? This is the key condition that confirms the above two questions. No residual desires are permitted at the destination.

5-6 All three questions in the examination paper have to be answered; there are no choices. In addition, the pass mark in this paper is 100% for all three questions! The Examiner is the Lord Himself. This is the exam of a lifetime of Sadhana. It is the ultimate examination in spiritual life. Naturally, the conditions are going to be very tough to pass.

When one reaches that state for the first time, there is still just the single thought of the Brahmakara Vritti “I am Brahman”. Through more practice, the period of abiding in the Self is increased. When the seeker is totally absorbed in the Self and can stay in that state at will for a prolonged period, then he is said to have reached Nirvikalpa Samadhi, the perfected state.

The destination of the bus of Sadhana is Sadhana Nirmuktah, the state of “being free from Sadhana”. One gets off the bus here.

7-8 From that state there is no return to the ego conscious state. That is called Self-realisation. It is the highest state of spiritual accomplishment, and is irreversible. One never lives as a prisoner of his mind any more. Immortality, eternal Existence, Pure Consciousness, and Absolute Bliss are some of the descriptions of this state. But only the direct experience of it – Aparoksha Anubhuti – does justice to all these terms.

This leg of the journey is not without its specific problems. These are now explained:

Verse 127 & 128: Obstacles on the Final Lap

xÉqÉÉkÉÉæ Ì¢ürÉqÉÉhÉå iÉÑ ÌuÉblÉÉlrÉÉrÉÉÎliÉ uÉæ oÉsÉÉiÉç |

AlÉÑxÉlkÉÉlÉUÉÌWûirÉqÉÉsÉxrÉÇ pÉÉåaÉsÉÉsÉxÉqÉç || 127 ||

sÉrÉxiÉqÉ¶É ÌuÉ¤ÉåmÉÉå UxÉÉxuÉÉS¶É zÉÔlrÉiÉÉ |

LuÉÇ rÉÌ²blÉoÉÉWÒûsrÉÇ irÉÉerÉÇ oÉë¼ÌuÉSÉ zÉlÉæÈ || 128 ||

sam¡dhau kriyam¡³£ tu vighn¡ny¡y¡nti vai bal¡t |

anusandh¡nar¡hityam¡lasya¯ bhµgal¡lasam || 127 ||

layastama¾ca vik½£pµ ras¡sv¡da¾ca ¾Ànyat¡ |

£va¯ yadvighnab¡hulya¯ ty¡jya¯ brahmavid¡ ¾anai¦ || 128 ||

1 samaadhau kriyamaane tu, However, while striving for Nirvikalpa Samadhi,

2 vighna anyaayaanti vai balaat; various OBSTACLES will unavoidably appear

3 anusandhaana raahityam, leading to lack of consistency in one’s enquiry,

4 aalasyam bhogala aalasam. idleness and desire for pleasures. (The obstacles are):

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5 layah tamah cha vikshepah, i) sleep, dullness; and ii) distraction;

6 rasaasvaadah cha shoonyataa; iii) tasting of joy; and iv) a sense of blankness.

7 evam yad vighna baahulyam, These seemingly insurmountable obstacles are

8 tyaajyam brahma-vidaa shanaih. to be overcome by the seeker of Truth slowly.

1-2 These obstacles are specifically those that arise to obstruct one who is progressing from Savikalpa to Nirvikalpa Samadhi. Obstacles that occur during the earlier phases of Sadhana may resemble these four, but they will be lighter versions of them.

3-4 Now, at the highest stage of Sadhana, they appear in all their vehemence at full strength to test the student to the limit. If one succumbs to them, the result is that he becomes a) inconsistent in his Sadhana; b) irregular, idle and unenthusiastic; and c) He begins to slide backwards into the realm of sense pleasures which he had long renounced.

In effect, he allows his Sadhana to get interrupted by them, with the result that he is seriously hampered in his onward progress to the destination, and may even retrogress.

The Four Obstacles

5-6 i) Laya: “torpidity” or laziness, sleepiness and sheer inertia.

ii) Vikshepa: “distraction” or restlessness.

iii) Rasaaswaada: “Desire to enjoy the state of Bliss” during meditation.

iv) Shoonyata: (or Kashaya) “void or veiling wall”; a blankness which renders one hopeless as no progress seems to be made in Sadhana. It is as if a cul-de-sac has been reached.

7-8 In such a situation, the Sadhaka goes through a very difficult period. Everything seems to be working against his progress. The Sadhaka gets distracted or disturbed over trifling matters. Swamini said, “Even a cellphone could be one of the disturbing obstacles, especially if it is someone else’s!”

One of the most common obstacles in meditation is the spontaneous arising of thoughts in the mind. Beginners may be left wondering how they entered the mind in the first place, how they came and why at that moment. Meditation stirs up the subconscious mind. Then the various contents start surfacing and disturbing us in meditation.

General Advice to Overcome These Obstacles

Swamini’s advice was that we should not pay attention to them. They should be treated like vomit; who would like to dabble with his own vomit, or even eat it? Similarly, these thoughts should be ignored, by just witnessing their passage through the mind, without giving them any attention.

When faced with obstacles, one should not simply give up. Naturally, that does not solve the problem. We have to find intelligent ways of dealing with them. Swamini says it should actually make us more enthusiastic when we are faced with these ‘challenges’. It should make us put forth more effort.

In the world, business people do not give up when challenges lie ahead. That is because of the big incentive of making money. In meditation the only incentive is self-development in the form of spiritual advancement. If the desire for God is strong the meditator will be willing to face any obstacle and find a way to overcome it.

Pujya Gurudev’s advice on this difficult phase of one’s Sadhana is:

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“Hasten slowly. It takes time to make the extroverted mind introverted and contemplative. One should be consistent, sincere and intense in practice. One should not allow one’s desire for Liberation to weaken. The Geeta instructs us to withdraw our mind from its normal preoccupations slowly, intelligently and patiently.”

Verse 143 & 144: The Conclusion

LÍpÉU…¡æûÈ xÉqÉÉrÉÑ£üÉå UÉeÉrÉÉåaÉ ESÉ™iÉÈ |

ÌMüÎgcÉimÉYuÉMüwÉÉrÉÉhÉÉÇ WûPûrÉÉåaÉålÉ xÉÇrÉÑiÉÈ || 143||

mÉËUmÉYuÉÇ qÉlÉÉå rÉåwÉÉÇ MåüuÉsÉÉåÅrÉÇ cÉ ÍxÉÎ®SÈ |

aÉÑÂSæuÉiÉpÉ£üÉlÉÉÇ xÉuÉåïwÉÉÇ xÉÑsÉpÉÉå eÉuÉÉiÉç || 144||

£bhira±gai¦ sam¡yuktµ r¡jayµga ud¡h»ta¦ |

ki²citpakvaka½¡y¡³¡¯ ha¿hayµg£na sa¯yuta¦ || 143 ||

paripakva¯ manµ y£½¡¯ k£valµ:'ya¯ ca siddhida¦ |

gurudaivatabhakt¡n¡¯ sarv£½¡¯ sulabhµ jav¡t || 144 ||

1 ebhih angaih samaayuktah, Consisting of the above steps,

2 raajayogah udaahritah; RAJA YOGA has thus been described.

3 kinchit pakva kashaayaanaam, For those who still have some worldly desires,

4 hatha yogena samyutah. Hatha Yoga should be combined with it.

5 paripakvam manah yeshaam, For those whose mind is completely purified,

6 kevalah ayam cha siddhidah; this (Raja Yoga) alone is sufficient for perfection.

7 guru daivata bhaktaanaam, By being devoted to the teacher and to God,

8 sarveshaam sulabhah javaat. all can easily attain the same state (perfection).

1-2 The term “Raja Yoga” has been used for both, the Vedantic interpretation as well as the Patanjali Yoga interpretation. Raja Yoga means the ‘King of all Yogas’. As mentioned at the outset, Patanjali’s 8 steps are included in Shankaracharyaji’s 15 steps.

The two systems are beautifully interwoven in this text. While Patanjali Maharishi has catered for the beginner, Sri Shankaracharyaji caters for the adept who is almost at the Goal. Both sets of guidelines are important for their respective students.

3-4 The Patanjali system is suitable for the beginner who has not yet conquered desires of a worldly nature. Such a student needs to have a more physical approach to Yoga which Patanjali provides. Hatha Yoga in this context stands for the preliminary stage of each of the 15 steps, describing the physical aspects of each exercise.

5-6 The Vedantic system of Sri Shankaracharya is suitable for advanced students. These are aspirants who have already practised the preliminaries and purified themselves sufficiently to stand the rigours of the more advanced practices. For such students, this text is ideal to guide them to the Goal.

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7-8 The final word to the practitioner is to have the highest regard for one’s Teacher or Guru. That is the principle for which Sri Shankaracharya has been the foremost exponent. The whole of one’s spiritual life rests on the direction given to it by the Guru.

A Summary of the Whole Text by Swamini

In Swamini’s words, this text explains what it is to be ready for the inward journey through meditation. She gave the example of target shooting: “One has to prepare the rifle first, clean and oil it, and then load it with bullets. Thereafter, one focuses on the goal, steadies himself, and with no other thought except hitting the bull’s eye, he pulls the trigger.”

The preparation for the journey to Self-realisation is very similar. There are two levels of preparation, and both are necessary:

i) Preparation of the mind: this is the preliminary means – Patanjali Yoga.

ii) Fine-tuning the mind: this is for reaching the Goal – Vedantic Sadhana.

Swamini stressed to us that the main contribution of Sri Shankaracharya through this book is that he has made it very clear what the goal is and what the means are. They are not to be confused with each other. When he speaks of the goal, it is in no uncertain terms that he spells it out clearly, even if that means appearing to criticize the means in doing so. And when he is dealing with the means he makes it clear which steps are preliminary and which ones are advanced.

Clarity on these key matters of the spiritual journey is achieved through this text. No criticism is intended of the preliminary steps. A great authority like Sri Shankaracharyaji will not do such a thing. As a Teacher of the highest order, he knows better than anyone else that the beginner also has to be catered for. Yet, when the overall picture is to be painted, he has to give the greatest regard to the essentials of reaching the goal.

Thus ends a beautiful text on the science of meditation, a text that sets the highest standards for the practice of meditation for all sincere spiritual seekers. It is a boon to the earnest practitioner, whether he has just begun the practice or whether he has advanced to the higher levels. At both ends he gets the requisite assistance from an undisputed authority on the subject.

|| Á iÉiÉç xÉiÉç ||

Om Tat Sat!

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