A small group in Dehradun studied Upadesha Saram as taught by Pujya Swami Viditatmanandaji through his Youtube videos.
Sit comfortably, yet alert. So let your trunk and neck be aligned, close your eyes gently and take a deep breath to get settled down…….. ……… ……….
Now make a
sankalpa to affirm your intention and commitment to meditate. Acknowledge the
fact that you have many unfulfilled responsibilities and issues that need to be
addressed. Since you don't want to be distracted by those things during this
meditation, you can give yourself permission to set all those concerns aside
just for the duration of this meditation. You can even imagine a box into which
you put all your concerns, close the box and place it at your altar or anywhere
else…. You can open the box and address your concerns after this meditation……….
With progressive
relaxation we relax the body.
Let’s start
by turning your attention to your feet. Become aware of sensations there.
Notice a sense of pressure as your feet press down….. …….
Now become
aware of any tension that might be held in the muscles of your feet and let go
of that tension……. Allow those muscles to relax completely…….If you find it
difficult to release the tension, just imagine you are breathing into them….
And they will relax….. ……
Next, turn
your attention to your ankles and calves. Notice if there is a sensation of pressure…. Notice the touch of your clothing …. Any warmth or coolness……Become aware of any
tension held in the muscles of your ankles and calves and let go of that
tension completely…… ……
Next, turn
to your knees and thighs…….Notice the weight of your hands or arms where they
rest on your thighs…… Notice any other sensations. ……Become aware of any
tension held in your knees and thighs and let go of that tension completely…..
Next, turn
to the trunk of your body. Feel the weight of your body pressing down on the
seat…….Feel the firmness of the seat beneath you……. Let go of any tension……..
Next, turn
to your lower back and stomach together…….. become aware of the sensations
there……… Let go of any tension. If you find it difficult to let go of the
tension, simply breathe into it gently….. imagine you are breathing into that
tension very gently………
Now turn to
your upper back and chest together……….
Become aware
of sensations and let go of any tensions that are there…. ……
Become aware
your neck muscles and shoulders. We tend to hold a lot of tension here. Become
aware of any tension here …. let go of it completely …. If you find it
difficult, breathe into it gently…….
Be aware of
your arms …. Let go of any tensions you may be feeling there……
Now become
aware of your face, the muscles around your eyes, at your temples and across
your forehead. …..Let go of any tension.
Now become
aware of your breath … just be aware … we are not regulating it. Relax and
simply listen to these words, without concentrating …. Just allow the meaning
of the words to take place.
………………………….
This
body-mind-sense complex that you are endowed with, is a manifestation of
Ishvara’s Grace …. It is sacred …. It is the home of Ishvara … it is a
devalaya.
Dehah
devaalayam proktah : deha is the body devalayam - is an abode of deva – who is
deva – the Infinite Lord. The body, all bodies are the temple of the infinite
Lord. The body is looked upon as a temple of the infinite Lord.
……………. ……….
…………. Take a deep breath and let it out very slowly…..
Jiva Deva
SanatanaH …. Since time immemorial Ishwara
dwells in this temple, that we call the
body…..
In this
meditation…. we try to understand this truth……
…….. ……..
……… ………
Our shastra
has this vision that Ishvara being the creator of this universe as well as the
created universe, every part of my body is sacred because it is pervaded by
Ishvara….. so a devata is associated with each and every part of the body. It
is only because of ignorance that we are not alive to this reality. So we now
consciously invoke their Grace by remembering them.. ….A devata is a
manifestation of Ishwara, governing a specific function in the universe. In the
Laghu Nyasa of Vedic Chant, the Rudram, reveals the devatas governing different
aspects of this body.
……..
I will be
saying a few chants from this portion of the Rudram, which points out the different devatas….
associated with the different parts…. of the body.
Through
these chants we invoke the Grace of the devatas and allow ourselves to recognize how sacred and
blessed this body is.
……..
प्रजनने
ब्रह्मा तिष्ठतु । Prajanan -In the genital
organs from where all creation begins - may the Grace of Brahma, be invoked. I see my
genital organs as sacred because the grace of Brahma is here…… Unto Brahma my
Salutations
पादयो-र्विष्णुस्तिष्ठतु । In my feet - may the grace of Vishnu be invoked. My feet are sacred. The grace of Vishnu is ever-present
here…… Unto Vishnu my salutations……
हस्तयो-र्हरस्तिष्ठतु
। In my hands and all
that I do with my hands … may the grace of Hara be invoked. Hara is a form of
Lord Shiva….. Unto Hara my salutations….
I see that the intelligence that pervades these parts of my
body is the intelligence of all the devatas, the cosmic intelligence that
pervades the Universe warp and woof, like the threads that make up a fabric.
बाह्वोरिन्द्रस्तिष्टतु
। In my arms, in the
strength,…. the power they are capable of…. May the Grace of Indra be invoked …
It is by Indra’s grace that these arms are endowed with their capacity, their
strength and power. …. Unto Indra my salutations.
जठरेऽअग्निस्तिष्ठतु
। In the jaathara
agini, the digestive fire that is present in the stomach …may the Grace of Agni be invoked. And because of
the grace of Agni, this body functions.
The body gets hungry and gets nourished because of the food that's digested in the stomach by Agni’s heat. I allow myself
to see this grace operating….. Unto Agni my salutations.
हृद॑ये
शिवस्तिष्ठतु । In my heart the Grace of
Shiva abides…. I invoke that Grace by my remembering…. Shiva is in my heart … ever present as the
sense of ‘I am’…. Shiva means all auspiciousness, all blessing…. and it is
that all-auspiciousness, all-blessing that is ever-present in my heart…. When I
can see that, it allows me to accept life and flow with it ……. Unto Shiva my
salutations……
…….
कण्ठे
वसवस्तिष्ठन्तु । May the Grace of eight
vasus or devatas of nature be invoke in my throat
… because of their Grace, I can swallow, speak, sing….express myself. … Unto
the Vasus, my salutations.
वक्त्रे
सरस्वती तिष्ठतु । May the Grace of Saraswati,
the Goddess of speech, of knowledge reside on my tongue…. With her Grace I
express myself appropriately, I receive
knowledge ….I allow myself to see this…… Unto Saraswati my salutations……
नासिकयो-र्वायुस्तिष्ठतु । In my nostrils, may the Grace of Vayu be invoked…. Whose Grace allows the air to be inhaled and exhaled. And
in this simple process with inhalation I am energized and with exhalation I
relax…. Because of the Grace of Vayu, life flows in me….. Unto Vayu my
salutations. …..
नयनयो-श्चन्द्रादित्यौ तिष्टेताम् । In my eyes may the Grace of the sun and the moon be invoked. They
are the luminaries that bless us with Light. It is because of the light that I see. I see this
Grace operating. …. Unto Chandra and Aditya
my salutations…..
कर्णयोरश्विनौ
तिष्टेताम् May the Grace of the twin Ashwini
Kumars be invoked in my ears – it is because of their Grace that these ears are
blessed with the capacity to listen, to hear, to absorb, to understand. The
twin Ashwini Kumars are the Vedic Gods symbolizing the rising and setting sun.
They are associated with bringing treasures and medicines to man. I see their
Grace because of which I am able to listen. ……Unto the Ashwini Kumaras my
salutations……
ललाटे
रुद्रास्तिष्ठन्तु । In my fore-head may the presence of the many Rudras, their Grace
be invoked….. Unto the Rudras my salutations …..
मूर्थ्न्यादित्यास्तिष्ठन्तु
। In the back of my forehead, may the blessings of the 12 Aditiyas, the solar
deities, be invoked. May they bless me. Unto the Adityas my salutations……
शिरसि
महादेवस्तिष्ठतु । In my head the Grace of Mahadeva be invoked…. Om Mahadevaya namah…..
शिखायां-वाँमदेवास्तिष्ठतु । In the back of my head,
the portion where the Shikha is, may i the presence of Vamadeva be invoked…. Om
Vaamadevaaya Namah….
पृष्ठे
पिनाकी तिष्ठतु । my entire back… is
presided… by Pinaki.. referring to Shiva holding his bow….. He holds power, He
holds and wills maya saktih . Unto Pinaki my salutations……
पुरतः
शूली तिष्ठतु । The entire front is
presided by Shuli, who is Lord Shiva
bearing the Trishula…. Unto Shuli my salutations……
पार्श्वयोः शिवाशङ्करौ
तिष्ठेताम् । My left side, my right side are presided over
by Shiva and Shankara. Unto Shiva and Shankara my Salutations……..
सर्वतो
वायुस्तिष्ठतु । May the Grace of
all-pervading Vayu be invoked in every cell of the body and outside the body.
May I see His all-pervading Grace at all times. Unto Vayu my Salutations …….
ततो
बहिः सर्वतोऽग्नि-र्ज्वालामाला-परिवृतस्तिष्ठतु । When I recognize how
Ishvara pervades both the outside and this entire body-mind-complex, it is like Ishvara as the fire of knowledge
pervading the entire creation in endless sacred circles of fire
……
सर्वेष्वङ्गेषु
सर्वा देवता यथास्थानं तिष्ठन्तु । May all the devatas abide
in their respective parts … so that I am
alive to their Grace in all my angas, in each and every part of my body.
माम्
रक्षन्तु । May all the devatas
protect me …. By gracing me with the capacity to recognize them and not take
them for granted. ….. Unto all the Devatas my salutations…..
सर्वान्
महान् जनान् रक्शन्तु may all the people mahan janaan the
protectors of Dharma may they all be protected,
to do fulfil their role in this great cosmic offering.
……
In this vision my body mind sense complex is scared. I can
accept this body-mind as it is…... This body is a Devalaya,…. it is a temple
presided over by all the devatas, filled with their Grace, pervaded with their
blessings……I can invoke their grace by choosing dharma in what I do……
With Shiva, all auspiciousness, ever-present in my heart,
this body is an ever-flowing manifestation of grace, of auspiciousness ….. ….. …… May I be alive
to this reality. May this body be a temple for me…. In whom all auspiciousness
resides… because Shiva is in my heart…... When this vision is there, there is
auspiciousness.
I try and see this vision again and again…. The very fact
that I try is also nothing but Ishvara’s Grace. …..
I see clearly that it is Ishvara’s intelligence, the cosmic
intelligence because of which this body-mind-sense complex functions…. …… …..
….. ….. ….. ….. ….. ….. ….. ….. ….. …… ….. …… …… …… ….. …… …….
Ishvara is in my heart and the body is a temple. … it is
sacred ….. it is all Ishvara …..I see this…. …. ….. ….
Om….. Om….. Om…..
Shri Ram Jaya Ram Jaya Jaya Ram
Om Shantih Shantih Shantih
Mantra Japa is generally done silently, although it can be helpful chant aloud. When chanting silently, your mind will naturally be more susceptible to distractions. There are several ways to minimise this problem. One way is to recite your mantra more rapidly, when your mind begins to wander. By speeding up, your attention will become more intensely focused. After a minute or so, you can return to your normal speed. Another method is to recite the mantra more loudly or forcefully in your mind. This is done by simply imagining the voice in your mind to get louder. After your attention is again fixed on the mantra, you can return to your normal level.
Below is a transcription of the above video
An alambana, is a suitable object of meditation, on which you concentrate your attention. Of all the alambanas commonly used for meditation, mantras are perhaps used more extensively than any other. Mantras are sacred invocations, usually in the ancient Sanskrit language that are repeated mentally for meditation.
The word japa means recitation or repetition. Mantra japa is
one of the most widely used meditation techniques, probably because it's
extremely powerful. And yet it's quite simple to practice. The meaning of the
word mantra, derived from its syllables ‘man’ and ‘tra’ is a tool or instrument
for the mind. Mantras are mental devices for focusing your attention.
The purpose of focusing your attention on a mantra or any
other object of meditation is to reach Dhyana, the 7th of the eight limbs, or
angas of yoga, defined by Patanjali. Dhyana simply means meditation. According
to Patanjali, Dhyana is the result of practicing concentration. Dhyana prepares
you for the final limb samadhi absorption.
Patanjali defines Dhyana as तत्र
प्रत्यैकतानता ध्यानम्। a continual stream
of identical thoughts -tatra on that on the alambana, which means a stream of
thoughts directed towards the object of meditation. Dharana is a series of
identical thoughts, or vrittis, an unbroken flow that's not interrupted by
extraneous thoughts. When practicing mantra japa, dhyana is a state in which
your attention is focused on the mantra alone, without any distractions
whatsoever. Another definition of Dhyana used by traditional teachers is
sajatiya vritti pravaha, literally a current or flow of identical vritti or
thoughts.
They describe the state using a striking metaphor. Suppose
you pour cooking oil from a vessel. If you pour it slowly and steadily, it will
form a delicate ribbon of oil that appears to be motionless, like a solid band
of liquid suspended in space. Even though the oil inside the ribbon is
constantly moving, the ribbon itself seems perfectly still. This example is
used to describe the state of Dhyana. When a perfectly steady stream of
identical thoughts flows in your mind, you'll ironically experience it as a
state of stillness, for example, while practicing mantra japa. If each mantra
is followed by an identical mantra without any deviation or interruption,
you'll feel a sense of deep silence. It's a wonderful feeling.
In meditation workshops, I'm often asked which mantra is
best. If one particular mantra was truly more powerful and effective than any
other, this question could be easily answered. But the fact is, there's no such
thing as a best mantra. On the other hand, there are Vedic mantras and mantras
from other ancient scriptures like the Puranas. There are short mantras and
long mantras. There are mantras that incorporate sacred sound symbols, and
mantras that invoke God with thousands of different names. None of these
mantras can be considered best, yet each has its unique qualities.
To help us explore the relative merits of all these mantras,
let's return to the elephant story. A mahout leads his elephant to a rural
construction site where it'll help move heavy trees and boulders. On the way,
they have to pass through a bazaar filled with stalls overflowing with various
fruits and vegetables being sold. The mahout wants to prevent the elephant from
reaching out with its trunk to grab a bunch of bananas. So before they even
reach the bazaar, he gives the elephant a stick to grasp with its trunk. The
elephant obediently holds onto the stick, and this clever trick prevents it
from grabbing any bananas.
Like the mahout gives his elephant a stick to grasp, in the
practice of mantra japa, you give your mind a mantra to repeat, and that
prevents your mind from wandering.
Now, based on this analogy, asking which mantra is best for
meditation is like asking what kind of stick is best for the elephant. Should
the mahout give it an elegantly carved piece of sandalwood or a costly silver
plated stick? In fact, neither of those would restrain the elephant's trunk any
better than an ordinary stick picked up from the roadside. The elephant doesn't
really care about what kind of stick it's given. It has no preference.
The mahout, on the other hand, would certainly prefer a
silver plated stick rather than an ordinary stick, or even one of carved
sandalwood. The mahout's preference for one stick over another represents our
preference for one mantra over another. In principle, any mantra will work just
fine. Yet we're naturally inclined to choose a mantra we think is best or most
valuable. That's really significant, because the more valuable we perceive
something to be, the more tightly we'll hold on to it. An ordinary scrap of
paper will quickly be thrown away, but not a $100 bill.
For this reason, a mantra you consider valuable will hold
your attention better than one you consider ordinary. So a mantra's
effectiveness depends in part on how valuable you think it is. But what is it
that truly determines a mantra's value?
Every traditional mantra possesses shakti, an inherent power
or capacity that we'll discuss shortly. But what if you lack the knowledge
needed to evaluate and appreciate the shakti of a particular mantra? Its value
isn't obvious, it has to be discovered. For example, a dilapidated old chair
might look like a useless piece of junk to you, but someone who's an expert in
antique furniture might know that it's worth several hundred dollars. So to
misquote an old saying, value is in the eye of the beholder. This principle is
clearly shown by a traditional story about a young student who approached a
guru and asked to be given a mantra.
The guru said, Come back next month. A month later, the
student returned. But the guru said once again, come back next month. Each time
the student returned, he was told to wait one more month. After twelve long
years had passed in this way, the guru finally gave him a mantra.
Why did the guru make him wait so long? Well, if he got a
mantra immediately, the immature student might have assumed that anything
obtained so easily must be quite ordinary and of little value. With that
attitude he would have found it more difficult to concentrate on the mantra in
spite of its inherent power or shakti. The long wait made his dedication grow strong
and when the mantra was finally given, he received it as a precious gift.
Having to wait a long time instilled in him a tremendous
value for the mantra and that helped him concentrate on it. This story shows
how your attitude towards the mantra determines in part how effective it will
be as an aid for concentrating your attention.
Another example of this principle is seen in a well-known
spiritual organization that charges a fee for giving you a mantra. No
traditional guru would demand payment for a mantra. So why is this done? One
reason might be that the organization is guided by a familiar western saying
you get what you pay for. A mantra that's given freely could be considered
worthless, but if you have to pay for it, you're likely to consider it more
valuable. Charging a fee or making you wait twelve years are methods used to
instill in the minds of meditators, significant value for the mantras they are
given. But most gurus have no need for methods like these. Instead, when they
give you a mantra, they also teach you the mantra's true value, the value born
of its inherent power, its shakti.
Traditional mantras possess an inherent power or capacity to
attract your attention during meditation. That capacity is the mantra's shakti,
it's power. Several factors are responsible for that shakti.
First of all, traditional mantras are drawn from highly
revered sacred scriptures. And most of those mantras are short invocations or
prayers addressed to various aspects of God. Any form of prayer connects us to
a power infinitely greater than ourselves. And that infinite power is invoked
when traditional mantras are used for meditation.
In modern times, a number of non-traditional mantras have
also been used. An American physician named Herbert Benson researched the use
of mantra japa in clinical settings. He instructed his test subjects to repeat
the word one as a mantra. Another example is the spiritual organization
mentioned before that gives mantras they themselves describe as being
meaningless syllables. In both cases, a deliberate effort was made to remove
any religious elements from the practice of mantra japa to create a purely
secular practice. It's certainly possible to concentrate your attention on the
word one or on meaningless syllables. But those mantras are not prayers and as
a result they fail to connect you to the infinite power of the divine source of
the universe.
According to Patanjali, mantras should be meaningful. In the
yoga sutras he prescribes that a mantra's meaning should be reflected upon
during mantra japa. He says तज्जपस्तदर्थभावनम्।
taj-japas tad-artha-bhāvanam| A mantra should be repeated and tad aratha
bhavanam -its meaning should be contemplated upon.
Traditional mantras have profound meanings worthy of deep
reflection, and knowing the meaning of a mantra will increase your value for
it, making it more effective, as we discussed before. On the other hand,
reciting a mantra without knowing its meaning can lead to mindless mechanical
repetition, which is a serious problem for the practice of mantra japa.
Fortunately, most mantras aren't difficult to understand.
Many follow a common pattern. That pattern usually begins with om, a sound
symbol that represents God or absolute reality. As explained before, many
mantras also include the word namah, which is generally translated as
salutations. Namah is derived from a Sanskrit root that means to bend or bow.
So namah suggests bowing with reverence, or with an attitude of surrender. Due
to rules of grammar, namah often becomes namo, namas, or namah, depending on
the word that follows it. The most important word in a traditional mantra is a
name for a particular deity, a form or manifestation of God. When that deity's
name is joined to the word namah, its ending is changed to mean salutations
unto that deity. For example, om nama shivaya means salutations unto Shiva. Om
namo Narayanaya means salutations unto Narayana, a name for Vishnu. Any of the
thousands of Sanskrit names for various aspects of God can be used in a mantra.
Most mantras are quite short. Some have just three words,
like in the previous example. Others, including the well known, Gayatri mantra,
are longer. Mantras of all lengths are effective, but for beginning meditators,
short mantras might be easier to use at first. On the other hand, longer mantras
demand more attention, and they can sometimes be more effective in preventing
your mind from wandering, even though they're more difficult to learn.
Practically speaking, if your mind wanders a lot with a
short mantra, try using a longer one. The mantra om alone is usually not
recommended for mantra japa for several reasons, including the fact that it's
too short. Your mind can easily lose hold of it and wander away. Some mantras
include one or more sound symbols known as seed syllables or bijaksharas. These
are syllables like SHRIIM, HRIIM and AIM. These seed syllables are often
associated with particular deities. For example, SHRIIM usually represents
Lakshmi, goddess of wealth is associated with prosperity. HRIIM represents Durga, the goddess of power. And AIM is used for
Saraswati, goddess of knowledge.
A mantra has shakti, not just because it's a prayer from a
sacred scripture, but also because of the very sounds of its Sanskrit words.
Sanskrit is called Deva bhasha, the language of the gods, and it's believed to
be of divine origin. For this reason, Sanskrit mantras are revered as sacred
sounds. Even if you don't accept this belief, Sanskrit is indeed an
extraordinary language. It's an ancient scriptural language not derived from
any other. It has a precise system of pronunciation, a vast vocabulary and an
unusually sophisticated grammar. All of these qualities make Sanskrit, unique among the world's languages and
perfectly suited for Mantras.
In Mundaka Upanishad, the following verse can be used for contemplation.
दिव्यो ह्यमूर्तः पुरुषः स बाह्याभ्यन्तरो ह्यजः ।
अप्राणो ह्यमनाः शुभ्रो ह्यक्षरात् परतः परः ॥ Mundaka Upanishad २.1.1॥
You get
strength – both at the physical and nervine level. You can then quickly
progress in Ninada. Then using that breath, what do you do? We tell you before
Japa - in a very low tone say mmmmm or
Aim, Hrim, Shrim Gurubhyo namaha – lower the pitch – to the extent you can.
Feel that. If you can place the bijaakshara, nothing like it. But even that,
controlled, relaxed, but not really belly breathing – there the breath becomes
your vehicle.
Utterance
of the mantra goes on in the form of Vaikhari. Slow that down. Use of Vaikhari is
decreased. What is going on? Hmmmmm ….Breathing continues. Even that sound dies
out. Your breathing continues. You will continue in the same format. You may
not even open your mouth now. It will just be though the nostrils. But still
that breathing, that posed state, which you at a mental level have achieved –
because the attention is now on the pitch – that continues. Your breath is the
vehicle . It is said – there is a fine line (pardaa). I cannot do anything
else. Cannot say anything. Because of ninaada, the breath gets regulated
subtly. That continues. That becomes the vehicle.
And then
you know what happens? Slowly, suddenly, actually, you may become aware of a
deeper shakti which is not something you can definitely regulate like your
breathing. You can hold your breath, you can breathe faster. Whatever. But
something underlying, even that breathing process, if you take your attention
there, you begin to experience the transmission of energy (prana shakti). And
that prana is everything. The moment one focuses on it, the mantra begins to
blossom and one quickly progresses in dhyana. There is total internalization
with just one desire – “I don’t want to be disturbed. There is no distraction.
There is nothing. Nothing absolutely “I want this … I should do this … Oh I
should not have done that … Nothing. Not sure where the mind is focused. It is
just captured by the nada. Was it not first reveled to the Acharya in the form
of nada? Only then followed in the form of para, Pashyanti, Madhyama, and Vaikhari.
As one
controls the uttered sound (Vaikhari), one regulates the breath, one develops
strength, lowers the pitch of vaani and eventually stops, focus is now on
breath and then shvasa will introduce you to the prana. That is whay it is
called aayaman. It is not just breathing and all. That is good.
Hyperventilation is done with Wim Hoff which is beneficial. But oec regulation
begins you may become aware of the prana. And you cant control it. It is too
vast. But you begin to become aware. And that becomes the vehicle which takes
you inside. And your mantra explodes. Devata is pleased.
After that
it becomes effortless. Just like when you are reading a novel. As long as you
are aware of everything else, you are distracted by “Don’t make that noise.
This is not bad. Hey you don’t disturb me, or switch on this light’ and so on.
Once you are captivated, caught in the narrative, then nothing else is needed.
You don’t know where you are sitting! That is when you become engrossed and
progress deep into the mantra. So that shvasa becomes the vehicle for the internalization. That is why we
emphasize on it so much.
Starting
from ‘aa…..” All reservations are given up … just uttering …. Vocal chords open
up. During Vaikhari Saraswati is worshipped and the breathing goes well. At the
Madhyama level also Saraswati is worshipped while the breathing continues,
uccharana is now discontinued. At the Pashyanti level also Saraswati is
propitiated. That is when, propitiator and propitiated cannot be differentiated
and there is oneness in the para vani.
Do you
understand this? If you follow this daily discipline, then your progress will be
exponential. That level of alertness is required. The you will understand all
these elements are so necessary and such powerful ingredients to your basic
fundamental upasana.
Om
Profound mystical experiences are valuable..they strengthen our faith in the divine and our own innate divinity, they reveal to us that there is a common denominator in and thru all of the variety of life that we are confronted with. They may come to us as the experience of infinite peace, love and joy ...expressions of our innate fullness.
Yet as Vedanta points out, don't get bound to 'experience' seeking, because experiences come and go ...they are drshyam (objects of our knowledge), anityam (temporary), mithya ( dependent on the presence of consciousness to illumine them).
Rather our attitude is of simple acceptance of all that life puts before us, knowing that all experiences are expressions of Ishvara ...the universal cosmic consciousness expressing as life...and so we simply allow this vision to bring in more and more acceptance into our life.
Acceptance is 'prasada buddhi' and it is not merely being pragmatic...it is born of recognition of the all-pervasiveness of Ishvara as the efficient and material cause of all that is. And in the wake of acceptance of life in its myriad forms, there is peace, contentment, and joy and recognition of the changeless reality that illumines and enlivens and expresses by its own power as all of life.
I thought it would be of interest to us to learn of upasana from Pujya Shri Swami Sadyojata Shankarashram through a conducted meditation taken at Tirunavamallai. A traditional form of shuddhi (of the sushmna nadi) - pleasing and inspiring for those of us who are devotional and visual. I personally find it experientially very delightful and inspiring.... quietening the mind totally for focused peaceful japa.
A beautiful discussion on upasana.... do listen in.
प्रकाशमानां प्रथमे प्रयाणे
प्रतिप्रयाणेऽप्यमृतायमानाम् ।
अन्तःपदव्यामनुसञ्चरन्ती-
मानन्दरूपामबलां प्रपद्ये ॥ ३॥Having invoked the blessings of the Mother (prakashamaanaam
prathame prayaane) – I will say ‘mother’ she is all-pervasive, something as
though external – no, I am bringing to my mind she is very much there in the body
also, she is in the muladhara, and when
she ascends in the sushmna nadi, she burns of Brahma granthi, Vishnu Granthi,
Rudra Granthi, she annihilates, she brings about purification in my karma,
power in my emotion, clarity in my understanding, and like fire, in a blaze of
light, prakashamaana, she ascends, reaches the sahasrara, aikya with
Shiva, and comes down not as prakashamati, but as amrta, pratiprayane –
in the return journey, amrtaayamaana – like ambrosia, antahpadamvyaam
– in this manner in the antahpadavi – not the external road, but the internal
road, that is the sushumna nadi, antahpadamvyaam anusancharanteem, she
who does the anusancharana – she goes up, she comes down, purifying me, anandaruupaam
, that Devi, abalaam prapadye – I do prapatti, having done the puja,
having done the seva, having sung the bhajan, now I am aware of her and so ‘aim’
beeja (in muladhara) – my karma will now be enlightened karma, meaningful
karma, doing the anusmarana I will do karma – ie karma-yoga – ‘aim’ the vidya
beejam in the muladhara, not just karma, hriim – bhuvanehsvari beeja in my heart so that my emotions don’t dry
out, there is richness in my emotion at the same time all emotions (anger is
also an emotion - become bhakti – then I wait for a second in the ajna chakra –
for the ajna of the Guru and then Shriim – beeja I do the pratishtha, the
fullness – with intelligence complete surrender in the sahasrara, and what do I
find in the sahasrara – again the same Guru Paduka…. I offer to Guru – Gurubhyo
namah – recite that and after that be quite and do japa.
#vedanta_sadhana
It is possible to uncover deep unconscious negative beliefs centred on 'I', that got formed in childhood or later, that govern our life even today and often prevent us from effective assimilation of Vedanta.. These beliefs can be uncovered and reset to what is beneficial and realistic using a very effective healing modality called the Inner Child Matrix taught by Dr Rangana Rupavi Choudhuri. This is especially useful where there has been childhood trauma.
The ego, the sense of I, as an individual needs to be relatively healthy before it can be effectively negated thru a proper understanding of Vedanta.
Om
I is infinite consciousness. In infinite consciousness-I, there is awareness of various objects, micro and macro, thru the agency of the mind. In perceiving objects, mental or physical, the infinity of consciousness is never lost. Infinite consciousness is like the movie-screen, in whose presence alone the objects in the movie are illumined and enlivened, without in any way affecting the movie-screen.
One requires knowledge to become aware of the ever-present infinite changeless nature of the consciousness one intrinsically is.
I am infinite changeless consciousness having an experience of being a changing body-mind. Endowed with this amazing mind, thru the agency of this amazing mind, I can become aware of the tiniest speck of creation or the vastness of an expanding universe ....it is all within the changless consciousness that I am.
There is freedom when one recognizes the changeless nature of oneself. Changelessness is my truth....change appears and disappears in the changeless existence Consciousness one is.
To believe the changing states of mind and body to be one's truth causes immense suffering.
May the Grace of the ever-present Truth bless us with this recognition.
Om Tat Sat
#reflections #Vedanta
I is infinite existence consciousness...still, whole, free....in whose ever-presence the universe is apparently projected thru it's own Shakti, ever non-seperate....ever in a cosmic Order...
Thru the projected agency of the mind, I can objectify the body, or anything for that matter.
What is the distance between I infinite existence consciousness and anything physical or mental objectified?
When something is objectified, is Infinite existence consciousness lost?
Is Infinite existence consciousness-I affected by what is objectified in its presence?
When I reflect thus, my resistance melts.....all that is here which includes this body-mind, is Ishvara....that includes my resistance too ...reflecting thus ....resistance melts ...no me ...only me ...it's all the same.
ॐ नमः शिवाय गुरवे सच्चिदानन्द मूर्तये ।
निष्प्रपञ्चाय शान्ताय निरालम्बाय तेजसे ॥
The podcast page Hindu Dharma Basics and Beyond
You can find transcriptions of all the Spotify/Youtube episodes of the podcast as they are published, on the above link - which is a page on this blog.
Listen in to the second podcast episode which answers 3 questions. Who is a Hindu? Is Hinduism same as sanatana dharma? When did Hinduism begin and who founded Hinduism. Click the link below to listen in.
https://anchor.fm/tattvavidyananda-saraswati/episodes/Who-is-a-Hindu-e1h8vsq
or
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0UilUogNTiuB1ZR8ufoLL8?si=U-WaycosQF-f45SeR5h9nQ
Om Namah Shivaya chanting
In the Kaivalya Upanishad, while describing the preparation
for meditation it says अत्याश्रमस्थः the meditator should be अत्याश्रमस्थः - become अत्यश्रमी
the one who transcends all Ashramas, who
transcends all the stages of life, meaning that one who meditates gives up
identification with all stages of life. I am not a brahmachari or brahmacharini.
Brahmacharya is a stage of life… I usually think of myself as a brahmachari or
a brahmacharini …. Garhastya or householder is a stage of life. I think of
myself as a Grhasta- householder. Or I may have passed on to the next stage a
vanaprastha – I am retired, a vanaprastha. Or I may have moved to the next
stage of life – I am a sanyasi.
These identifications are quite alright for performing my vyavahara,
for conducting myself in the life . With every state of life is
associated a kartavya or the duty of
what I should do and what I should not be. Vidhi and nisheda.
All of this goes into my notion or conclusion about myself.
That I am a sadhaka, I am a seeker. I am a mumukshu, I am a seeker of moksha.
Whatever idea, a notion or conclusion I have, about myself also carries with it the duties, the kartavya,
the do's and don'ts, what I should do and what I should not do.
atyāśramasthaḥ - right now I do not belong to any stage
of life. I am not a brahmachari or brahmacharini. I am not a grahasta, or a
vanaprastha, nor even a sanyasi. I dropped all these identifications. I'm not
accountable to anybody, meaning I do not have to fulfill anybody's demands on
me….. and nobody is accountable to me meaning nobody has any duties towards me,
because I make no demands upon anyone.
That someone should do this for me. Someone should behave in
a given manner. Someone should not behave in a given manner. I let go all the
demands and expectations from others as to what anyone else should be.
Let the people out there remain out there. A person who is
out there comes in because of demands, expectations. I accept everyone as they
all.
स्पर्शान्कृत्वा बहिर्बाह्यांन् – Let the people out there remain out there. A person who is out there comes in (my mind) because of demands, expecatations. I let go all demands, all expectations of other persons. Other objects come in my mind because I want to possess them or I want to get rid of them. Nothing to possess, nothing to get rid of.
I just remain a simple person, non-demanding. One gives up all demands, all expectations from others and one gives up all demands
unexpected from the self.
By accepting others, I'm not obliging them. I'm just
releasing myself from the tension or anxiety that is created by expectation. I
gracefully accept the world as it is, as Ishvara’s creation. I make no demand on anyone because
of the appreciation that everything is in order. Everything doesn't have to
fulfill my expectation – what Is is because
of expectation of Ishvara and I let go my expectations. I let go my demands, in
the graceful acceptance of what is, what people are, what things are, what circumstances
are, what the world is. That makes me free.
By letting go the demands, by the graceful acceptance of
what is, I become free from all anxieties, from all fears, from all uncertainties.
I discover that I am free, It is I who imposed upon myself these demands and expectations and I bound myself. I have the freedom to give up all demands, all expectations and thus I become free.
I similarly give up
expectations and demands of myself. Just as I lovingly accept the world as it
is, I also gracefully accept myself as I am meaning that I gracefully accept
all my limitations. Just as I gracefully accept the limitations of others and
respect them, and love them regardless
so also I gracefully accept my limitations of the body, of the mind, of the
intellect. It is my inability to accept my limitations. Just as I make demands
on others as to what they should be I make demand on myself as to how I should
be.
I approve of myself. I let go my expectations of myself. I
gracefully accept all my limitations including my ragas and dveshas. I gracefully
accept my all virtues and vices. Just as the world is in order as it
is, I am also in order as I am. Because all virtues and vices reside in my
upadhi. The strengths and weaknesses reside in the body, in the mind, in the
intellect. I gracefully accept this upadhi, this personality of the mind,
sense-organs, body.
I am comfortable with the world. I am comfortable with
myself. It is expectation, demand that creates discomfort. Creates tensions,
creates fears. I let go all expectations from others, and from myself by gracefully accepting everything
as Ishvara’s order.
माहं
ब्रह्म निराकुर्याम् । May I not discard Brahman,
because whatever is here is all Ishvara. May I not disrespect Ishvara. May I
gracefully accept Ishvara, worship Ishvara, love Ishvara. Give Ishvara the
freedom to be what He is. Ishvara is in the form of what is out there, and what
is in here. Everything is Ishvara. May I not discard, reject, disrespect
Ishvara.
May
Ishvara not discard me. May I love Ishvara. May Ishvara love me. May I love
Ishvara as what is out there and what is in here.
All limitations all virtue, all vices …. Its all Ishvara.
The guna – virtues and dosha-vices….. that is the costume of Ishvara. Ishvara in fact is present
here in this costume also. I appreciate the costume as a costume and not get
stuck with why the costume is in certain way. Afterall it’s a costume …. Name and
form is costume. My name and form is also a costume. I am the one who possesses
the costume. The costumes are different. All distinctions belong to the costume.
Male and female. Young and not so good. Bright and not so bright - all of these distinctions belong to the
costume. I appreciate the costume as the costume. A loving acceptance of what IS, that is a loving acceptance of Ishvara.
In that acceptance, I am free. It is the demand and expectations that bind
me. I am free from demands and
expectations because I gracefully accept everything as it is. In fact I
appreciate the glory of what is … and in that appreciation I am free.
I do not need to do anything to be free. I need this frame
of mind to see that I am free. A frame of mind that is free from all expectations
and demand. A frame of mind that is free from all needs and wants. A frame of
mind that is comfortable with what is. A mind that gracefully accepts what is, what I am.
In this moment I see that I'm alright.
I am alright.
Various demands and expectations arose because I believed
that I'm not alright. When I see I am
alright, then there's no room for demands and expectations and I am free.
न मे द्वेषरागौ न
मे लोभमोहौ
मदो
नैव मे नैव मात्सर्यभावः
।
Na me
devsha ragau – aversion and attachment are not mine, na me lobha-mohau –
greed and delusion are not mine, madaH
naiva me naiva maatsarya bhavaH - the pride and jealousy are also not mine.
Wherever they are are, they are not in me and so I have nothing to accomplish.
न धर्मो न चार्थो न
कामो न मोक्षः
There is no purusharthas,
there is no end to be achieved, because what Is, Is complete. There is no
dharma, or kaama or moksha in me.
चिदानन्दरूपः
शिवोऽहम्
शिवोऽहम्
…. चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ….
शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम्
Om purnamadaH….
Om Shantih
shantiH shantiH…..
A podcast is a series of audios on a particular topic hosted by a podcast station. I created a weekly podcast called Hindu Dharma, Basics and Beyond based on the book by the same name by Pujya Swami Viditatmananda Saraswati.
The first episode was about what to expect from the podcast.
The second episode link is below. It answers three questions : Who is a Hindu, Is Hinduism same as Sanatana Dharma, When did Hinduism Begin and Who founded Hinduism?
This is an appointment with myself … when I spend a quality time with myself,… when I have no other agenda……nothing is waiting for me and I am not waiting for anything.
To be with me, who is
a simple conscious being. Right now I have no duties to perform. This time is
assigned just for myself…. when I have no duties to perform….meaning that
nobody has any demand upon me. I have no obligation to fulfill anybody's
demands…… because I am not so and so.
Right now I am a simple conscious person ….with no roles to
play.
During the day I do play variety of roles ….…a I’m father or mother, a spouse, a son or a
daughter, a brother or a sister, disciple or a guru… a householder or a
brahmachari,… a vanaprasta or a sanyasi
During the day I play variety of roles…. because that is my
duty. That is what is expected of me. There are certain norms… certain accepted
rules …which I have to follow throughout the day when I am interacting with the
world…..The world may be my family…. the world may be my friends…. the world
may be my co students…. The world maybe my co campers….The world may be the
Ganga, the Himalayas…..
I am a student….. a devotee…. A meditator….. a sevak….. I
play a variety of roles during the day when I am interacting with the world. And
it's quite proper.
Yet this is the time when I have dropped all the rules. When
I'm free from the compulsion of having to do a given thing. No compulsion, no
duty….. no demands to fulfil, no goals to achieve. Neither the world has any
demands on me, nor do I have any demands upon the world.
I have no demands because I accept everyone as they are. I
have no likes and dislikes. I have no preferences.
Everyone who is in my life is in order. Everyone, whether my
family, my friends, my roommates, my co students, my co-campers, the visitors…whoever
they are ….. I gracefully accept them as
they are.
I give the freedom to others to be what they are.
I do not judge other people. I understand that people are
what they are because that is how Ishwara has made them.
In general, people do not have the freedom to be different
from what they are.
When a dog barks at me, I don’t hate the dog, I don't feel
insulted because I know that is the nature of a dog. When I take a dip in the Ganges, it is very cold. I don't
complain because I know that is the nature of the water of the Ganga. The sun is
hot, I take precautions and develop a comfort with that. How I have learned to
develop a comfort with what I cannot change… I cannot change the temperature of
the Ganga water so I know how to relate to that. I cannot change the
temperature of the sun. I have developed a way of relating to that….
There are countless things around me with which I have to
relate and I'm comfortable when I accept them as they are, knowing that is the
nature.
Earth is what it is. Water is what it is. Air is what it is.
Fire is what it is. Space is what it is. That is how they are made.
I climb down the
stairs, I don't jump.
I respect everything as it is because I cannot change them.
So I develop a comfort with what I cannot change.
Similarly, other people who are in my life, just as I give freedom
to the nature to be what it is and I adjust, so also, I give freedom to other
human beings as they are.
I make no demands upon anyone. I give them freedom to be
what they are. I gracefully accept them as they are.
Even better, I lovingly accept other people as they are.
I remind myself that what I perceive is the outer costume. It
is a costume…. the body, mind and sense organs. That is where the virtues are.
That is where the vices are. Virtues are guna, vices are dosha …. The guna and
dosha they are all the attributes of the costume. I recognize a costume as a
costume.
Then I have the opportunity to recognize the person behind
the costume.
Everyone is a union of the person and the personality. What
I interact with is a personality. But when I give reality to the costume, when
I give reality to a personality, I overlook the person. I overlook the actor. I
overlook the fact that a person is a simple, loving, beautiful person. The
personality, the costume does not affect the person.
The same thing applies to me.
I am a simple, conscious person.
I'm the possessor of the body.
I'm the possessor of the organs of perception.
I use my organs of perception for perceiving, for
experiencing the world.
I use my organs of action for responding to the word, the
organ of speech, the hands, the legs. I use them to perform actions and to
respond.
I have a mind with which I know.
I have this beautiful personality, a wonderful costume that
is given to me.
I am the possessor of the costume……..
The costumes are many. The personalities are many. Yet the
person, the possessor of the costume, the ‘I’, is a simple conscious being.
I am a simple conscious being as everyone else is. I have a personality, a
costume as everyone else has.
The costumes are many. The personalities are many. The
person is ONE.
There is no duality at level of the conscious being. There
is no separateness in the person.
It is this simple, conscious person whom I love. It is this
simple, conscious person with whom I'm happy. If I have a problem, the problem
is with the costume.
I have no problem with myself… the person that I am. I have
no problem with others… the persons they are and I have no problem with myself,
the person that I am.
तरति
शोकम् आत्मवित् - tarati śokam
ātmavit
The knower of the
self …. I, who knows the self, is a simple, loving, beautiful, conscious
person. I have no problem with myself.
I'm comfortable with myself…. a simple, beautiful, loving
person …..and I'm happy to be what I am. When I recognize myself as a simple,
conscious, loving person, I'm comfortable with myself. I'm happy with myself.
That is the freedom where there is no grief… where there is
harmony… where there is comfort….. where there is contentment…..
The contented simple, free, loving person I am …. when all
demands are given up…..when all expectations are given up …… when all the roles
are dropped…. when I see myself as a simple, kind, loving, beautiful, conscious
person.
Cidananda rupah shivoham shivoham
Cidananda rupah shivoham shivoham
Cidananda rupah shivoham shivoham
Shivoham shivoham
….
…..
……..
Om Shantih shantih shantiH
Om Namah Shivaya chanting….
……. ………
An appointment with
myself meaning just to be myself. When I spend a quality time with myself, when I have no
agenda……my mind is free from all agenda….free from the need to be something…….free
from the need to become something.
I do not need to become something… or become someone else. …I
do not need to become someone else.
Usually I have an ideal ‘I’…. and I'm trying…. to change
myself so that I become that ideal ‘I’.
The ideal maybe that I want to a learned person. ….I want to
be a famous person…..I want to be a respected person…….I want to be a wise
person….. and so forth.
It is quite all right that normally I'm seeking that ideal.
Right now, I give up even the need and the attempt to become that ideal.
There is no need for me to become someone else…..There is no
need for me to become something else…..There is no need to become…..
There is no need to achieve anything…… or accomplish
anything…..
Even through this process of meditation…. I'm not seeking to
accomplish anything. Through this process of meditation…… I'm not seeking to
achieve anything.
योगी
युञ्जीत सततमात्मानं रहसि स्थित: |
In the 6th chapter of the Bhagavad-Gita, Lord Krishna says ‘May
the Yogi, the aspirant, the seeker आत्मानं युञ्जीत focus his or her mind upon the self निराशीः free from all
expectations of accomplishing something even from this meditation. In the
Bhagavad-Gita Lord Krishna emphasises the freedom from the attachment to
karma-phalla,….. freedom from the attachment, expectation of any personal
reward through performing an action. Lord Krishna says, perform your duty, do
what is right….. without the agenda of a personal reward. In true performance of action I become bigger and
better person….more successful….Lord Krishna is saying do what is right but do
not make your action a means of becoming something else.
Only when I give up the idea or agenda of becoming someone
else…..of accomplishing something….of achieving something,…..then only I can
appreciate what I am in the present.
When I'm aspiring to be something else…. somewhere else…. that
is as though a denial of what I am.
When the tenth man is searching for the tenth man, there is
a denial of the fact that he is the tenth man. The search for the tenth man
presupposes the denial of the tenth man. The notion that I am not the tenth man
perpetuates it. In every attempt to become something…. in every attempt to
achieve something,…there is an unspoken denial… of who I am….because I have
taken for granted that I'm not what I should be. I'm not the tenth man. I’m not
the perfect self…. I'm not the complete self. This conclusion on my part…. that
I am not perfect,…. that I'm not complete,…..that I'm not all right….. In every
attempt to accomplish something,…..in every attempt to become something,….there
is an assumption, a presumption that as I am not all right. As I am I am not complete.
I am not complete,… I am limited in every way…. I'm limited
in strength,…. limited in memory,…. limited in understanding,…… limited in
inner purity….. I am limited in everyway.
How can you say that I am limitless as I am?
When I think of myself, …. only a limited being… becomes
evident to me. I was born some years ago,….and I'm going to die. I studied this
much ..I have to study so much more,….so much I have to do to be all right. That
may be so from one standpoint,….but not so from the other standpoint.
That I'm limited in knowledge,.. in understanding,… in
memory…. Limited in purity is all right
from one standpoint.
But there is someone who says I am limited,…. someone who
says I am impure, Swamiji…. There are so many complexes in my mind….. There's
someone who says that,…. someone who knows that.
And I say I'm not all right…. emotionally,…. spiritually,….
physically.There is someone who says that.
And we want to focus attention on the one who says, I'm
incomplete.
When I say I'm incomplete,…. I'm imperfect,….I'm lacking and
wanting…….I am no good….. I’m good …. The I who says that, the I who believes
that, for that I, the limitation of being impure, being not good…. is all the object of knowledge, is it not so?
When I say ‘I'm impure’…. I'm aware of the impurity. Yes,
there is impurity somewhere, …..but that is in the mind. There is a limitation
of memory somewhere again,…. Again that is in the mind. There is limitation of
strength somewhere ….that is in the body. From some standpoints, I'm limited in
every way.
Yet from the standpoint of the one who says I am limited, I'm
incomplete, I'm impure, I’m no good, I'm very good….because these conclusions
keep changing….they are all conclusions or judgments in the mind, in the
intellect.
I have the freedom to create a distance. In fact, there
already is a distance, distance of the knower and the known. The incompleteness,
the imperfection, the lack, the want, the need…..all these are there,…. but
they are in this body mind sense complex. The limitations are there…. no doubt…..
the imperfections are also there. And maybe there's work to do, and I will do
that work.
Yet before I do anything, let me understand….. who is the
one who wants to do things?.... Who is the one who has needs to do things?
I'm aware of the wants and needs ….. The one who is aware is
necessarily different from what he or she's aware of.
Without any hesitation, I can say that I'm aware of the
limitations….. I'm aware of the imperfections…..Aware of the needs….. I the one
who is aware, I am not even the one who is aware. The awarer that I am is only
with reference to the object of awareness. Maybe it's a reference to what I'm
aware of.
In reality, the awarer that I am is nothing but awareness.
I am awareness. Effortlessly I'm aware.
Awareness is my nature.
Everything else, …..lack want, good, bad,….all that belongs
elsewhere because I'm aware of them.
Regardless of what the object awareness is,…the fact remains
that I am awareness.
Awareness that I am has no boundary…The awareness that I am has
no form.
The formless… boundless…. self-shining… awareness I am. Self-shining….
Self-existent…. Self-sufficient.
I do not need anything to shine. I do not need anything to
exist.
I do not need anything to be boundless,………
Boundless consciousness I am. Satyam-jnanam-anantam ……
Satyam I am…. Jnanam self-shining I am. Anantam …. Boundless I am.
…..
……
……
Just to be what I am….. which means to drop any attempt to become,….. any attempt
to know,…… any attempt to experience…… All attempts are given up.
Freedom is the freedom from the need to attempt…. freedom
from need to become.
…….
I am boundless shining self-sufficient, awareness….
….
Everything else is located elsewhere.
….
Any limitation, any problem is all located elsewhere…. in
the mind…. in the body.
cidananda rupah shivoham shivoham
cidananda rupah shivoham shivoham
shivoham shivoham
Om
