General Concepts
Sadhana is the spiritual path or spiritual practices one undertakes to discover the God Consciousness within. Even though God Consciousnessness and Individual Consciousness are one, yet there is an apparent separation between them due to the Power of Maya. The difference between them is illustrated in the figure below:
God Consciousness vs Individual Consciousness
Infinite
Boundless
Fearless
Full of Bliss
Unselfish
Absolute and Whole
Source of All Power
Source of Love
Individual Consciousness
Bound by Selfishness
Bound by Ego and Vanity
Bound by Egoistic Desires
Bound by Fears
Bound by Sorrows
Bound by Attachment to Body and Mind
Bound by Attachment to Names and Forms
Bound by Karma
The spiritual path varies from person to person depending on their mental make up. Also, sadhana is often undertaken under the guidance of a Guru or Spiritual teacher. Given below are some general practices as shown by the saints and sages.
1. Orientation:
The first step in sadhana is an orientation of life to make God or the deeper self as primary and worldly life as secondary. Primary and secondary are not related to the amount of time spent, but on the interest or passion of the person. For example, a person may spend 40 hours a week on his job but only 5 hours playing cricket during the weekend. Those 5 hours of cricket is his primary interest and even during his job hours he thinks about cricket. Thus primary interest is where the heart is. Sadhana starts when the heart is on God or the deeper self, and the aspirant tries to find more about it. The next step is to gain the basic understanding of the goal of spiritual life.
2. Basic Understanding:
To advance in spiritual life in the correct direction, some basic understanding of the nature of the goal is required. The goal of sadhana is for our smaller individual consciousness to get the grace of the bigger (infinite) consciousness of God. We feel that we are smaller consciousness due to our ego and its tendencies towards ego-based desires. But our smaller individual consciousness is actually floating (or part of) the bigger (infinite) consciousness of God. Structurally there is no disconnect between the two. Right now our individual consciousness like a wave is floating over the ocean of the bigger consciousness of God. But the individual consciousness does not become aware of the God consciousness until it gives up its worldly attachments (which does not mean daily works) and God reveals His bigger consciousness out of grace. Since this understanding is the premise of spiritual life, the next step is to feel this understanding.
3. Feeling the yearning:
Sitting in a solitary place we need to feel the deeper urge of the heart. We can feel a faint bliss within the deeper part of the heart (deeper self). The bliss is as if there but hidden behind some boundary. We cannot locate any concrete boundary, but as if there is a virtual boundary behind which there is a deeper self full of bliss. Within the boundary is our smaller individual consciousness often filled with fears, sorrows and agitations. Once this yearning in the deeper self is felt, the next step is to introspect on the yearning.
4. Introspection on the yearning:
We have felt a yearning deep inside our heart which is blissful. How to access it? Is it within the control of the smaller individual consciousness? No, it is not. Can the individual consciousness do any activity as a result of which the deeper self will get opened? It does not seem so. The result of any activity will act upon the smaller consciousness as impressions of mind (unless performed as worship). It may even cover up the faint yearning. Introspecting in this way will reveal to us that the bigger consciousness of God is not within our control. We cannot command it. It cannot be reached as a result of any activity. Once this truth is clearly perceived, the next step is to revisit the commitment of spiritual life.
5. Revisiting the commitment:
We have seen that though we faintly feel the yearning for the bigger God consciousness within, the bigger consciousness is not directly accessible to us. There is no activity that we can do to access it. In other words in spiritual life there is no well-defined effort-and-result combination. Things are not in our hands, but it is God Who controls us. God can only reveal His nature to us if He wishes and finds us suitable and ready for it. Realising this will make us humble and set our expectations right. From the worldly point of view, there is no need to seek the bigger God consciousness. Life can go on without that. Hence spiritual life starts only when there is dispassion for the world or sufficiently strong yearning for the deeper self. The aspirant then decides to commit to the unknown territory of spiritual life, whatever may be the outcome and at whatever pace. This commitment is for the love of God rather than fulfilling the egoistic sense of achievement. Once this commitment is made the aspirant enters the next phase of spiritual life where he tries to build a relationship with God. He also reads about the lives and teachings of saints to find out about the spiritual practices to undertake. No activity can directly lead us to the deeper self. Spiritual practices are like devotional attitudes towards God which awakens the grace within if God wills so.
6. Yearning for God, the essence of Sadhana:
Yearning for God is the essence of sadhana. This is because if there is no yearning for God, there is likely some desire behind the sadhana. Then the result of the sadhana will go towards fulfilment of the desire and not awakening of God Consciousness.
Sri Ramakrishna said that we want everything but God. The Master said:
Men weep jugfuls of tears for children, wife, money, etc.; but who weeps for God? So long as a child is engrossed in play with its toys, the mother engages herself in cooking and other household works. But when the little one finds no satisfaction in toys, throws them aside and loudly cries for its mother, she can no longer remain in the kitchen. She perhaps drops down the rice pot from the hearth, and runs in hot haste to the child and takes it up in her arms.
Yearning for God is the master-key for success in sadhana. Through the life of Sri Ramakrishna God has demonstrated the essence of sadhana.
– Describing the days he passed in intense yearning for God, the Master said: “As I was perfectly unmindful of cleaning the body at that time, the hairs grew long and got matted of themselves, being smeared with dirt and dust. When I used to sit in meditation, the body used to become stiff and motionless like a stock through intense concentration of mind, and birds, taking it to be an inert substance, came freely, perched on the head, and pecked into the matted hair in search of food. Sometimes I used to feel so intensely the pangs of separation from God, that in great bitterness I rubbed my face on the earth; often it used to get lacerated and bleed. And in meditation, prayer and other devotional practices, the days used to fly away so quickly that I was not conscious of it. At dusk, when the approach of night was announced by the ringing of bells and the blowing of conches from the temple, I used to be reminded that the day had passed and the night had set in. With this consciousness a frenzy of despair would seize my soul, and I would throw myself on the ground and rub my face to it, crying loudly, “Mother, a day has passed; still Thou hast not appeared before me!” A gnawing anguish used to torment my soul, and those who saw me like that, writhing in agony, thought that I was suffering from colic pain”.
– I used to pray to the Divine Mother in this way: “O Mother Who art the embodiment of bliss, Thou must reveal Thyself to me.” And sometimes I would pray: “O Lord of the meek! O Lord of the humble! Am I outside Thy universe? I have neither knowledge, nor devotion, nor merit of austerities. I know nothing. O Lord, in Thy infinite mercy Thou must vouchsafe Thy vision to me.”
– “O Mother Divine! I want no honour from men, I want no pleasures of the flesh, only let my soul flow into Thee as the permanent confluence of the Ganges and the Jamuna. Mother, I am without Bhakti, without Yoga, I am poor and friendless, and I want no one’s praise; only let my mind dwell always at Thy lotus feet.”
– “O Mother, I am the Yantra (the instrument), Thou art the Yantri (the mover); I am the room, Thou art the tenant; I am the sheath, Thou art the sword; I am the chariot, Thou art the charioteer. I do as Thou makest me do; I speak as Thou makest me speak; I behave as Thou within me behavest; not “I”, not “I”, but “Thou”.
– We heard from the Master that after the regular service was completed he would continue his worship of Her by singing devotional songs of Ramprasad and other mystics. His heart filled with emotion as he sang those songs with exuberant devotion. He thought: “Ramprasad and other devotees had the vision of the Divine Mother. One can definitely see Her. Why can’t I?” He would often proclaim piteously: “Mother, You showed yourself to Ramprasad. Why don’t you show yourself to me? I don’t want wealth, friends and family, or objects of enjoyment. Please reveal yourself to me.”
– As the days went by, the Master’s love and longing continued to increase. Because of his uninterrupted current of thought towards the Divine Mother, some external signs manifested in his body. His appetite and need for sleep diminished. As blood flowed continually to his chest and head, his chest turned crimson and his eyes were often drenched with tears. He constantly and intensely desired to see the Divine Mother, and repeatedly asked himself, “What shall I do? How can I see Her?”.
– We heard from the Master that one day at that time he was singing to the Divine Mother and praying and crying bitterly. He implored piteously, “Mother, I have been praying to You so long! Why don’t you listen to me? You showed yourself to Ramprasad. Why don’t you show yourself to me?” The Master described what happened then” “There was an unbearable pain in my heart because I could not have a vision of Mother. Just as a man wrings out a towel with all his strength to get the water out of it, so I felt my heart was being wrung out. I began to think I shall never see Mother. I was dying of despair. In my agony I asked myself” “What’s the use of living this life?”…
– Although his longing did not always manifest itself externally through signs such as weeping, it remained in his heart all the time. Sometimes it would increase to such a point that he would not contain it anymore. Restlessly rolling on the ground with agony, he would pray: “Mother, be gracious unto me. Reveal yourself to me.” He would cry so bitterly that people would gather around him to watch. He was completely unconcerned about what people might say when they saw him in that condition. He later said: “I scarcely realized the presence of people around me. They looked more like shadows or painted pictures than real objects, and so I did not feel any shame or embarrasment at all. Sometimes I would lose outer consciousness from that unbearable agony.
Reading these passages again and again heartfully (substituting the Divine Mother for one’s Guru, chosen Deity or formless Self) awakens the deeper yearning within us. We also become aware of the blocks which prevents our entry into the deeper core of our being. It is these blocks which prevent progress in sadhana. God cannot be reached by any technique. The success of any path depends on the yearning that the path embodies. The yearning may not come at once, but it must be gradually awakened by prolonged sadhana.
If the yearning is there it is a blessing. If not, still it is a blessing because we now know the reason why we cannot feel the touch of God Consciousness. The unknown factor in sadhana is reduced and knowing the reason we can now take the right direction in sadhana.
Steps in Sadhana :
Print the above passage and read it everyday.
This will keep a thread of yearning for God always alive in the heart.
This will also gradually bring the grace of God in our lives.
7. Self Enquiry:
Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi had a death experience during his youth which resulted in his realisation of the God Consciousness. The death experience involved a keen enquiry within the deeper self.
It was about six weeks before I left Madura for good that a great change in my life took place. It was quite sudden. I was sitting in a room on the first floor of my uncle’s house. I seldom had any sickness and on that day there was nothing wrong with my health, but a sudden, violent fear of death overtook me. There was nothing in my state of health to account for it; and I did not try to account for it or to find out whether there was any reason for the fear. I just felt, “I am going to die,” and began thinking what to do about it. It did not occur to me to consult a doctor or my elders or friends. I felt that I had to solve the problem myself, then and there.
The shock of the fear of death drove my mind inwards and I said to myself mentally, without actually framing the words: “Now death has come; what does it mean? What is it that is dying? This body dies.”
And I at once dramatized the occurrence of death. I lay with my limbs stretched out stiff as though rigor mortis had set in and imitated a corpse so as to give greater reality to the enquiry. I held my breath and kept my lips tightly closed so that no sound could escape, so that neither the word “I” or any other word could be uttered, “Well then,” I said to myself, “this body is dead. It will be carried stiff to the burning ground and there burnt and reduced to ashes. But with the death of this body am I dead? Is the body “I”? It is silent and inert but I feel the full force of my personality and even the voice of the “I” within me, apart from it. So I am Spirit transcending the body. The body dies but the Spirit that transcends it cannot be touched by death. This means I am the deathless Spirit.”
All this was not dull thought; it flashed through me vividly as living truth which I perceived directly, almost without thought-process. “I” was something very real, the only real thing about my present state, and all the conscious activity connected with my body was centred on that “I”. From that moment onwards the “I” or Self focused attention on itself by a powerful fascination. Fear of death had vanished once and for all. Absorption in the Self continued unbroken from that time on. Other thoughts might come and go like the various notes of music, but the “I” continued like the fundamental sruti note that underlies and blends with all the other notes. Whether the body was engaged in talking, reading, or anything else, I was still centred on “I”. Previous to that crisis I had no clear perception of my Self and was not consciously attracted to it. I felt no perceptible or direct interest in it, much less any inclination to dwell permanently in it.
Bhagavan gave a path known as Self-Enquiry which is described by Bhagavan as follows:
#. How is one to enquire: “Who am I”?
Actions such as “going” and “coming” belong only to the body. And so, when one says, “I” went, “I” came, it amounts to saying that the body is “I”. But can the body be said to be the consciousness “I”. It cannot be, since it was not there before it was born, is made up of the five elements, is non-existent in the state of deep sleep, and becomes a corpse when dead? Can this body which is inert like a log of wood be said to shine as “I-I”?
Therefore the “I-consciousness” which at first rises in respect of the body is referred to variously as egoity, nescience, impurity, and individual soul. Can we remain without enquiring into this? Is it not for our redemption through enquiry that all the scriptures declare that the destruction of ego is release?
Therefore, making the corpse body remain as a corpse, and not even uttering the word “I”, one should enquire keenly thus: “Now, what is it that rises as “I”?
Then there would shine in the Heart a kind of wordless illumination of the form “I-I”. It is there and would shine of its own accord, as the pure consciousness which is unlimited and one, the limited and the many thoughts having disappeared.
If one remains quiescent without abandoning that experience, the individual sense of the form “I am the body” will be totally destroyed, and at the end the final thought, the “I-form” also will be quenched like the fire that burns camphor. The great sages and scriptures declare that this alone is release.
Our “I” consciousness is like a wave on the ocean. Right now our small “I” consciousness is actually floating over the ocean of God Consciousness. But we can only very faintly feel the ocean since we are not yet ready for the spiritual experience and it is not the Will of God to reveal the bigger consciousness at this point. Our mind tries to go outwards due to one reason or the other. Self-Enquiry is directing the mind inwards and trying to find out on which big consciousness is the small “I” floating OR from which big consciousness has the small “I” risen from. The awareness of the wave must sink inwards towards the ocean.
Self-Enquiry can be done with Yearning in the heart. Without Yearning the mind will not go inwards and will only run after worldly desires.
Steps in Sadhana :
Going to a solitary place conducive to spiritual practice and slowly chant “Om” in a long form … O..O..O..O..O..M.
Inwardly try to feel the more expansive consciousness from where the “Om” is rising.
Meditate on the Ishtha Devata inside the heart along with this practice if that gives more comfort. Feel that the Om is coming from the Ishtha Devata.
After the mind has become sufficiently calm, do Self-Enquiry as described by Bhagavan in the above passage.
8. Slowing down the Mind:
Our mind is often agitated with fast flowing thoughts. But there is an underlying stillness behind our mind. The constant stream of fast thoughts have become so finely grained and natural that we never come in contact with the deeper self which is comparatively still. For this the mind (thoughts) need to be slowed down.
Steps in Sadhana :
Read the Nirvana Shatakam (line by line) bringing the mind down to the same slow pace as the sentences appear.
Continue reading till the end.
If reading from the screen is difficult, print and read from the pages in the same slow pace as it appears on the screen.
Sri Ramakrishna Paramhamsa Solitude and Holy Company :
The mind cannot dwell on God if it is immersed day and night in worldliness, in worldly duties and responsibilities; it is most necessary to go into solitude now and then and think of God.
– Go to solitude away from worldliness and think of God Go to solitude and churn the curd of divine love Holy company begets yearning and love for God Holy company helps one discriminate between the Real and the unreal Remove the typhoid patient from the pickles of the world
Sri Ramakrishna Paramhamsa Discrimination and Dispassion :
To meditate, you should withdraw within yourself or retire to a secluded corner or to the forest. And you should always discriminate between the Real and the unreal. God alone is real, the Eternal Substance; all else is unreal, that is, impermanent. By discriminating thus, one should shake off impermanent objects from the mind.
– Shake off impermanent objects from the mind God is the only Eternal substance Discrimination and dispassion are like turmeric Leave behind the steps by ‘Neti-Neti’ and climb the roof Beware of ‘woman’ and ‘gold’ in this whirlpool of Visalakshi
Sri Ramakrishna Paramhamsa Faith and Purity :
(One) should practise discrimination and pray to God, ‘Give me faith and devotion.’ Once a person has faith he has achieved everything. There is nothing greater than faith.
– God with form is the Image of Spirit Person with faith achieves everything One can easily realize God if one is guileless God is knowable by pure mind and intelligence
Sri Ramakrishna Paramhamsa Calling on God :
God cannot remain unmoved if you have Raga-Bhakti, that is, love of God with passionate attachment to Him. Do you know how fond God is of His devotees’ love? It is like the cow’s fondness for fodder mixed with oil-cake. The cow gobbles it down greedily.
– Object of study is to find means of knowing God One ultimately discovers God by trying to know who this “I” is God cannot remain unmoved if you have Raga-Bhakti The grace of God falls alike on all His children Practice Japa out of yearning and love for God Pray to God with a restless heart
Sri Ramakrishna Paramhamsa Holding on God (Dealing with practical life) :
Do all your duties, but keep your mind on God. Live with all – with wife and children, father and mother – and serve them. Treat them as if they were very dear to you, but know in your heart of hearts that they do not belong to you.
– Do your duties but keep your mind on God First rub your hands with the oil of divine love The play of life is enlivened by trouble-makers One should pray to God, going now and then into solitude Link everything to God Hold on to the post of God while you whirl round in the world
Sri Ramakrishna Paramhamsa Advanced states :
When, hearing the name of Hari or Rama once, you shed tears and your hair stands on end, then you may know for certain that you do not have to perform such devotions as the sandhya any more. Then only will you have a right to renounce rituals; or rather, rituals will drop away of themselves. Then it will be enough if you repeat only the name of Rama or Hari, or even simply Om.
… The sandhya merges in the Gayatri, and the Gayatri merges in Om.
– When hearing the name of God once your hair stands on end Various divine forms are seen to rise out of the Great Akasa of Consciousness God gives one divine eyes to behold Him Satchidananda Himself is the Guru Brahman and Shakti are identical like fire and its power to burn Truthfulness alone constitutes the spiritual discipline of the Kaliyuga God and the Universe form one whole like fruit and its shell Tadpole after dropping its tail can live on both water and land If you think of God day and night you will acquire the nature of God He who has realized God dedicates himself to God Knowing that Narayana Himself dwells in this body
Sri Ramakrishna Paramhamsa Jnana and Vijnana :
The awareness and conviction that fire exists in wood is jnana, knowledge. But to cook rice on that fire, eat the rice, and get nourishment from it is vijnana. To know by one’s inner experience that God exists is jnana. But to talk to Him, to enjoy Him as Child, as Friend, as Master, as Beloved, is vijnana. The realization that God alone has become the universe and all living beings is vijnana.
– Knowing fire exists in wood is Jnana but to cook rice on that is Vijnana Jnani says the world is a framework of illusion but Vijnani describes it as a mansion of mirth He alone who after reaching the Nitya can dwell in the Lila has ripe knowledge and devotion It is God Himself who is playing the different parts
Spiritual Realization and Nature Spiritual Realization & Nature – Excerpts from Rabindranath Tagore:
1. Birth in Forests:
The civilization of ancient Greece was nurtured within city walls. In fact, all the modern civilizations have their cradles of brick and mortar.
These walls leave their mark deep in the minds of men. They set up a principle of ‘divide and rule’ in our mental outlook, which begets in us a habit of securing all our conquests by fortifying them and separating them from one another. We divide nation and nation, knowledge and knowledge, man and nature. It breeds in us a strong suspicion of whatever is beyond the barriers we have built, and everything has to fight hard for its entrance into our recognition.
When the first Aryan invaders appeared in India it was a vast land of forests, and the new-comers rapidly took advantage of them. These forests afforded them shelter from the fierce heat of the sun and the ravages of tropical storms, pastures for cattle, fuel for sacrificial fire, and materials for building cottages. And the different Aryan clans with their patriarchal heads settled in the different forest tracts which had some special advantage of natural protection, and food and water in plenty.
Thus in India it was in the forests that our civilization had its birth, and it took a distinct character from this origin and environment. It was surrounded by the vast life of nature, was fed and clothed by her, and had the closest and most constant intercourse with her varying aspects.
(Note: The Aryan invasion theory has been debated by many authors. But the focus of this article is how the ancient Rishis discovered the all-comprehensive Consciousness by living amidst Nature. )
2. Aim to realize the all-comprehensive Consciousness:
Such a life, it may be thought, tends to have the effect of dulling human intelligence and dwarfing the incentives to progress by lowering the standards of existence. But in ancient India we find that the circumstances of forest life did not overcome man’s mind, and did not enfeeble the current of his energies, but only gave to it a particular direction. Having been in constant contact with the living growth of nature, his mind was free from the desire to extend his dominion by erecting boundary walls around his acquisitions. His aim was not to acquire but to realize, to enlarge his consciousness by growing with and growing into his surroundings. He felt that truth is all-comprehensive, that there is no such thing as absolute isolation in existence, and the only way of attaining truth is through the interpenetration of our being into all objects. To realize this great harmony between man’s spirit and the spirit of the world was the endeavour of the forest-dwelling sages of ancient India.
3. Eternal source of Inspiration:
In later days there came a time when these primeval forests gave way to cultivated fields, and wealthy cities sprang up on all sides. Mighty kingdoms were established, which had communications with all the great powers of the world. But even in the heyday of its material prosperity the heart of India ever looked back with adoration upon the early ideal of strenuous self-realization, and the dignity of the simple life of the forest hermitage, and drew its best inspiration from the wisdom stored there.
4. Harmony between the individual and the Universal:
The west seems to take a pride in thinking that it is subduing nature; as if we are living in a hostile world where we have to wrest everything we want from an unwilling and alien arrangement of things. This sentiment is the product of the city-wall habit and training of mind. For in the city life man naturally directs the concentrated light of his mental vision upon his own life and works, and this creates an artificial dissociation between himself and the Universal Nature within whose bosom he lies.
But in India the point of view was different; it included the world with the man as one great truth. India put all her emphasis on the harmony that exists between the individual and the universal.
5. Everything had a Spiritual meaning:
With meditation and service, with a regulation of her life, she cultivated her consciousness in such a way that everything had a spiritual meaning to her. The earth, water and light, fruits and flowers, to her were not merely physical phenomena to be turned to use and then left aside. They were necessary to her in the attainment of her ideal of perfection, as every note is necessary to the completeness of the symphony. India intuitively felt that the essential fact of this world has a vital meaning for us; we have to be fully alive to it and establish a conscious relation with it, not merely impelled by scientific curiosity or greed of material advantage, but realising it in the spirit of sympathy, with a large feeling of joy and peace.
6. Kinship with the World:
The man who has his spiritual eyes open knows that the ultimate truth about earth and water lies in our apprehension of the eternal will which works in time and takes shape in the forces we realize under those aspects. This is not mere knowledge, as science is, but it is a perception of the soul by the soul. This does not lead us to power, as knowledge does, but it gives us joy, which is the product of the union of kindred things. The man whose acquaintance with the world does not lead him deeper than science leads him, will never understand what it is that the man with the spiritual vision finds in these natural phenomena. The water does not merely cleanse his limbs, but it purifies his heart; for it touches his soul. The earth does not merely hold his body, but it gladdens his mind; for its contact is more than a physical contact – it is a living presence. When a man does not realize his kinship with the world, he lives in a prison-house whose walls are alien to him. When he meets the eternal spirit in all objects, then is he emancipated for then he discovers the fullest significance of the world into which he is born; then he finds himself in perfect truth, and his harmony with the all is established.
7. Gayatri – The unity of the World with the soul:
Thus the text of our everyday meditation is the Gayatri, a verse which is considered to be the epitome of all the Vedas. By its help we try to realize the essential unity of the world with the conscious soul of man; we learn to perceive the unity held together by the one Eternal Spirit, whose power creates the earth, the sky, and the stars, and at the same time irradiates our minds with the light of a consciousness that moves and exists in unbroken continuity with the outer world.
8. Pilgrimages in Nature:
It is not true that India has tried to ignore differences of value in different things, for she knows that would make life impossible. The sense of the superiority of man in the scale of creation has not been absent from her mind. But she has had her own idea as to that in which his superiority really consists. It is not in the power of possession but in the power of union. Therefore India chose her places of pilgrimage wherever there was in nature some special grandeur or beauty, so that her mind could come out of its world of narrow necessities and realize its place in the infinite.
9. Man must realize the wholeness of his existence:
India knew that when by physical and mental barriers we violently detach ourselves from the inexhaustible life of nature; when we become merely man, not man-in-the-universe, we create bewildering problems, and having shut off the source of their solution, we try all kinds of artificial methods each of which brings its own crop of interminable difficulties. When man leaves his resting- place in universal nature, when he walks on the single rope of humanity, it means either a dance or a fall for him, he has ceaselessly to strain every nerve and muscle to keep his balance at each step, and then, in the intervals of his weariness, he fulminates against Providence and feels a secret pride and satisfaction in thinking that he has been unfairly dealt with by the whole scheme of things.
But this cannot go on for ever. Man must realize the wholeness of his existence, his place in the infinite; he must know that hard as he may strive he can never create his honey within the cells of his hive, for the perennial supply of his life food is outside their walls.
10. A sublime achievement:
The ancient civilization of India had its own ideal of perfection towards which its efforts were directed. Its aim was not attaining power, and it neglected to cultivate to the utmost its capacities, and to organize men for defensive and offensive purposes, for co-operation in the acquisition of wealth and for military and political ascendancy. The ideal that India tried to realize led her best men to the isolation of a contemplative life, and the treasures that she gained for mankind by penetrating into the mysteries of reality cost her dear in the sphere of worldly success. Yet, this also was a sublime achievement, – it was a supreme manifestation of that human aspiration which knows no limit, and which has for its object nothing less than the realization of the Infinite. There were the virtuous, the wise, the courageous; there were the statesmen, kings and emperors of India; but whom amongst all these classes did she look up to and choose to be the representative of men?
11. Rishis – The ideal:
They were the rishis. What were the rishis? They who having attained the supreme soul in knowledge, were filled with wisdom, and having found him in union with the soul were in perfect harmony with the inner self; they having realized him in the heart were free from all selfish desires, and having experienced him in all the activities of the world, had attained calmness. The rishis were they who having reached the supreme God from all sides had found abiding peace, had become united with all, had entered into the life of the Universe.
12. Power of comprehension:
Man can destroy and plunder, earn and accumulate, invent and discover, but he is great because his soul comprehends all. It is dire destruction for him when he envelopes his soul in a dead shell of callous habits, and when a blind fury of works whirls round him like an eddying dust storm, shutting out the horizon. That indeed kills the very spirit of his being, which is the spirit of comprehension. Essentially man is not a slave either of himself or of the world; but he is a lover. His freedom and fulfilment is in love, which is another name for perfect comprehension. By this power of comprehension, this permeation of his being, he is united with the all-pervading Spirit, who is also the breath of his soul.
13. Everything is enveloped by God:
We are enjoined to see whatever there is in the world as being enveloped by God.
I bow to God over and over again who is in fire and in water, who permeates the whole world, who is in the annual crops as well as in the perennial trees.
Can this be God abstracted from the world? Instead, it signifies not merely seeing him in all things, but saluting him, in all the objects of the world. The attitude of the God-conscious man of the Upanishad towards the universe is one of a deep feeling of adoration. His object of worship, is present everywhere. It is the one living truth that makes all realities true. This truth is not only of knowledge but of devotion. ‘Namonamah,’ – we bow to him everywhere, and over and over again. It is recognized in the outburst of the Rishi, who addresses the whole world in a sudden ecstasy of joy: Listen to me, ye sons of the immortal spirit, ye who live in the heavenly abode, I have known the Supreme Person whose light shines forth from beyond the darkness.
14. Extending the scope of Consciousness – True progress:
What is that spirit? The Upanishad says, The being who is in his essence the light and life of all, who is world-conscious, is Brahma. To feel all, to be conscious of everything, is his spirit. We are immersed in his consciousness body and soul. It is through his consciousness that the sun attracts the earth; it is through his consciousness that the light-waves are being transmitted from planet to planet.
Not only in space, but this light and life, this all-feeling being is in our souls. He is all-conscious in space, or the world of extension; and he is all-conscious in soul, or the world of intension.
Thus to attain our world-consciousness, we have to unite our feeling with this all-pervasive infinite feeling. In fact, the only true human progress is coincident with this widening of the range of feeling. All our poetry, philosophy, science, art, and religion are serving to extend the scope of our consciousness towards higher and larger spheres. Man does not acquire rights through occupation of larger space, nor through external conduct, but his rights extend only so far as he is real, and his reality is measured by the scope of his consciousness.
15. A Noble heritage waiting to be claimed:
It fills me with great joy and a high hope for the future of humanity when I realize that there was a time in the remote past when our poet-prophets stood under the lavish sunshine of an Indian sky and greeted the world with the glad recognition of kindred. It was not an anthropomorphic hallucination. It was not seeing man reflected everywhere in grotesquely exaggerated images, and witnessing the human drama acted on a gigantic scale in nature’s arena of flitting lights and shadows. On the contrary, it meant crossing the limiting barriers of the individual, to become more than man, to become one with the All. It was not a mere play of the imagination, but it was the liberation of consciousness from all the mystifications and exaggerations of the self. These ancient seers felt in the serene depth of their mind that the same energy, which vibrates and passes into the endless forms of the world, manifests itself in our inner being as consciousness; and there is no break in unity. For these seers there was no gap in their luminous vision of perfection. They never acknowledged even death itself as creating a chasm in the field of reality. They said, His reflection is death as well as immortality. They did not recognize any essential opposition between life and death, and they said with absolute assurance. It is life that is death.’ They saluted with the same serenity of gladness ‘life in its aspect of appearing and in its aspect of departure’ – Then which is past is hidden in life, and that which is to come. They knew that mere appearance and disappearance are on the surface like waves on the sea, but life which is permanent knows no decay or diminution. Everything has sprung from immortal life and is vibrating with life, for life is immense.
This is the noble heritage from our forefathers waiting to be claimed by us as our own, this ideal of the supreme freedom of consciousness.
Meditations from Chandogya Upanishad
One should meditate upon Om as Udgitha – from Chandogya Upanishad 1.1:
– Summary: One should meditate upon Om as Udgita; Om is the essence of all essences
The upanishad describes the different essences from gross to subtle finally merging in Om:1. Of all these beings, Prithivi (Earth) is the Rasa (Essence)
2. Of the Prithivi (Earth), Apah (Water) is the Rasa (Essence)
3. Of the Apah (Water), Oshadhi (Vegetation) is the Rasa (Essence)
4. Of the Oshadhi (Vegetation), Purusha (Human Beings) is the Rasa (Essence)
5. Of the Purusha (Human Beings), Vak (Speech) is the Rasa (Essence)
6. Of the Vak (Speech), Rik is the Rasa (Essence)
7. Of the Rik, Sama is the Rasa (Essence)
8. Of the Sama, Udgitha is the Rasa (Essence)
The upanishad tells about the characteristics of Om:– Udgitha (Om) is the essence of all essences
– Rik is the Vak (Speech), Sama is the Prana, and the couple is joined together in Om
– Om is Anugya Aksharam (syllable of approval or assent)
The upanishad speaks about three vidyas connected with Om which one should realize deep within:From Om three vidyas proceed:
1. With Om one causes to listen (Shravayati)
2. With Om one recites (Shamsati)
3. With Om one sings aloud (Udgayati)
Thus listening, reciting and singing aloud with understanding, one’s mind gradually merges in Om
One should meditate upon the Mukhya Prana as Udgitha – from Chandogya Upanishad 1.2:
– Summary: One should meditate upon the Mukhya Prana as Udgitha; The Mukhya Prana is pure and untainted
The upanishad points out to an essence within ourselves which is pure and untainted; that is the Mukhya Prana; one should meditate upon it to merge in OmOnce in a fight between Devas and Asuras, both of whom are descendants of Prajapati, the Devas resorted to the sacrificial rites of Udgitha to defeat the Asuras
1. The Devas meditated on the Prana of Nashika (Nose) as Udgitha; The Asuras pierced it with evil; Therefore one Smells both Surabhi (Good smell) and Durgandhi (Bad smell)
2. The Devas meditated on the Prana of Vacha (Speech) as Udgitha; The Asuras pierced it with evil; Therefore one Speaks both Satyam (Truth) and Anritam (Untruth)
3. The Devas meditated on the Prana of Cakshu (Eye) as Udgitha; The Asuras pierced it with evil; Therefore one Sees both Darshaniya (Good sight) and Adarshaniya (Bad sight)
4. The Devas meditated on the Prana of Shrotra (Ear) as Udgitha; The Asuras pierced it with evil; Therefore one Hears both Shravaniya (Good to listen) and Ashravaniya (Bad to listen)
5. The Devas meditated on the Prana of Mana (Mind) as Udgitha; The Asuras pierced it with evil; Therefore one Thinks both Shankalpaniya (Good thoughts) and Ashankalpaniya (Bad thoughts)
6. The Devas meditated on the Mukhya Prana (Principal Prana) as Udgitha; The Asuras tried to clash with it but were destroyed, like a lump of clay gets destroyed when it strikes against a hard rock; With this Prana one discerns neither Surabhi (Good smell) neither Durgandhi (Bad smell); This is free from sins; It maintains the other pranas with whatever one eats and drinks
The upanishad speaks about the necessity of the knowledge of the Mukhya Prana while singing the Udgitha:– He who knows about this (Mukhya) Prana and meditates on the Udgitha as Om indeed becomes the Singer
Thus meditation on Om is done through the Mukhya Prana
One should meditate upon the Sun as Udgitha – from Chandogya Upanishad 1.3:
– Summary: One should meditate upon the Sun as Udgitha; Mukhya Prana is same as the Sun like Swara and Pratiswara
The upanishad points out how the Sun is like (cosmic) Prana and how its meditation complements the meditation on the Mukhya Prana– When the Sun rises, he gives heat and sings aloud (Udgayati) for the sake of all creatures; When he rises, he dispels darkness and fear
The upanishad speaks about how the Sun complements the Mukhya Prana:– The Sun is same as (Mukhya) Prana; Both are warm; The Mukhya Prana is like the Swara; The Sun is like the Pratyaswara
Thus meditation on Om is done through the Mukhya Prana and the Sun
One should meditate upon the Vyana as Udgitha – from Chandogya Upanishad 1.3:
– Summary: One should meditate upon the Vyana as Udgitha; Vyana is the junction of Prana and Apana where speech takes place
The upanishad points out that the Rik, Sama, Mukhya Prana and actions takes place in the junction between breathing out and breathing in; Thus if one can abide in that junction during meditation one can get hold of the subtle essence within us– Which one breathes out is Prana. Which one breathes in is Apana. The junction of Prana and Apana is Vyana. Speech takes place in the junction when one neither breathes out nor breathes in
– Speech is Rik. Rik again is Saman; Saman again is Udgitha (Om). All these takes place in the junction when one neither breathes out nor breathes in.
– Action require strength. These actions takes place in the junction when one neither breathes out nor breathes in.
Thus meditation on Om is done through Vyana
One should meditate upon the Aksharas of Udgitha – from Chandogya Upanishad 1.3:
– Summary: One should meditate upon the Aksharas (Syllables) of Udgitha; The Aksharas themselves point to spiritual realization
The Aksharas of Udgitha are “Ut”, “Gi” and “Tha”– Prana indeed is “Ut”, because through Prana one rises (Uttisthati)
– Vak (Speech) is “Gi”, because through Vak as words (Gira) one calls
– Anna (Food) is “Tha”, because upon Anna everything is established (Sthitam)
One’s spiritual consciousness rises (Ut) by calling on God (Gi) subsisting together in the world (Tha)
Now similar metaphors are given for Ut-Gi-Tha:– Dyau (Heaven) is “Ut”, Antariksha (Sky) is “Gi” and Prithivi (Earth) is “Tha” – Aditya (Sun) is “Ut”, Vayu (Air) is “Gi” and Agni (Fire) is “Tha” – Samaveda is “Ut”, Yajurveda is “Gi” and Rigveda is “Tha”
One should enter the Swara to become Immortal – from Chandogya Upanishad 1.4:
– Summary: One should enter the Swara (Om) to become Immortal; Swara is Amritam (bestower of Immortality) and Abhayam (bestower of Fearlessness)
– The gods being afraid of death entered the three Vidyas (Vedas); They covered themselves with the Chandas (Meters of Vedas)
– Just as a fish sees through water, Death observed the gods through (the Chandas of) Rik, Saman and Yajus
– The gods knowing this rose from (the waters of) the Chandas to the (sky of) Swara (Om); Entering the Swara they became Immortal and Fearless
One should meditate upon the Rays of the Sun as Udgitha – from Chandogya Upanishad 1.5:
– Summary: One should meditate upon the Rays of the Sun as Udgitha; The Sun is Pranava (Om) and the rays of the Sun are part of the Sun
– The Sun moves along chanting Om
– By meditating on the rays of the Sun, one gets many sons
One should meditate upon the Manifold Pranas as Udgitha – from Chandogya Upanishad 1.5:
– Summary: One should meditate upon the Manifold Pranas as Udgitha; The Mukhya Prana is Pranava (Om) and the manifold Pranas are part of the Mukhya Prana
– The Mukhya Prana moves along chanting Om
– By meditating on the manifold Pranas, one gets many sons
One should meditate upon the Sun and the Person within the Eye as the same Udgitha – from Chandogya Upanishad 1.6 & 1.7:
– Summary: One should meditate upon the Sun and the Person within the Eye as the same Udgitha; The same Purusha who has risen above all sins and is the lord of the worlds is present both outside and inside
– The Hiranmaya Purusha (Golden Person) present within the Sun is Udgitha; Rik and Saman are His two songs emanating as – Prithivi and Agni (Earth and Fire), Antariksha and Vayu (Sky and Air), Dyau and Aditya (Heaven and Sun), Nakshatra and Chandrama (Star and Moon), White and Dark light within the Sun; The Saman rests upon the Rik
– The Purusha within the Eye is same as the Purusha within the Sun; He has the same form and the same name; Rik and Saman are His two songs emanating as – Vak and Prana (Speech and Prana), Cakshu and Atmaa (Eye and Self), Srotra and Manas (Ear and Mind), White and Dark light within the Eye; The Saman rests upon the Rik
One should meditate upon the Akasha as Udgitha – from Chandogya Upanishad 1.8 & 1.9:
– Summary: One should meditate upon the Akasha as Udgita; Akasha is endless; All beings arise from Akasha and finally merge in Akasha
The upanishad describes the conversation between Shilaka the son of Shalavat, Caikitayana of the Dalbhya family and Pravahana the son of Jivala; the conversation proceeds around the gati (final resort, the source of origin or the essence) of different entities:
1. What is the gati of Saman? Swara
2. What is the gati of Swara? Prana
3. What is the gati of Prana? Anna
4. What is the gati of Anna? Apah
5. What is the gati of Apah? That Loka
6. What is the gati of that Loka? This Loka
7. What is the gati of this Loka? Akasha
One should meditate upon Prana-Aditya-Anna as the respective Devatas of Yagya – from Chandogya Upanishad 1.10 & 1.11:
– Summary: One should meditate upon Prana-Aditya-Anna as the respective Devatas of Yagya; These are the Devatas of Prastava, Udgitha and Pratihara chants respectively of Vedic Yagya
The upanishad describes the conversation between Ushasti and the Prastava, Udgitha and Pratihara priests of Vedic Yagya:
1. Which is the Devata of Prastava? Prana All beings rise from Prana and merge in Prana (during creation and dissolution respectively)
2. Which is the Devata of Udgitha? Aditya All beings sing the praise of Aditya (Sun) when he rises
3. Which is the Devata of Pratihara? Anna All beings live by taking Anna (Food)
(Prana-Aditya-Anna points to a life-cycle; During meditation one meditates on the individual Prana; Then meditating on Sun connects it to the cosmic Prana; Food is like the prasada or grace of the cosmic Prana (God); The Food or grace of God enlivens the individual Prana; gradually one realizes that individual Prana and cosmic Prana are same)
Udgitha of the Dogs – from Chandogya Upanishad 1.12:
– Summary: The connection between Prana-Aditya-Anna is illustrated in the Udgitha of the dogs
Once Dalbha’s son Baka, also called Mitra’s son Glava went for Swadhyaya (Study of the Self or Veda). Before him a white dog appeared and other dogs gathered around it. The other dogs requested the white dog to obtain food for them by singing. The white dog told them to come next morning. Dalbhya Baka watched the dogs next morning.
Next morning the dogs moved around holding the hands of each other in the manner of singing the Bahispavamana hymn (of Soma yagya); Then they sat down and chanted “Him”
Om, let us eat. Om, let us drink. Om, Deva, Varuna, Prajapati, Savita may bring Anna here, Annapate (Lord of Anna) may bring Anna here, may bring Anna here, Om
One should meditate upon the different elements as Stobhas – from Chandogya Upanishad 1.13:
– Summary: One should meditate upon the different elements as Stobhas (of Samans); This makes the speech yield milk and fills one with Anna (Annavan)
1. Loka (World) is Hau-kara 2. Vayu (Air) is Hai-kara 3. Chandrama (Moon) is Atha-kara 4. Atmaa (Self) is Iha-kara 5. Agni (Fire) is Ii-kara 6. Aditya (Sun) is Uu-kara 7. Nihava (Invocation) is E-kara 8. Vishwadevas is Auhoyi-kara 9. Prajapati is Him-kara 10. Prana is Swara 11. Anna (Food) is Ya 12. Virat is Vak 13. The undefinable and variable thirteenth Stobha is Hum
One should meditate on the Saman as Goodness – from Chandogya Upanishad 2.1:
– Summary: One should meditate on the Saman as Goodness
Saman is goodness. What is sadhu (good), people call as Saman. What is asadhu (not good), people call as Asaman. When someone approaches with good motive, people call as Saman. When someone approaches with bad motive, people call as Asaman. One who meditates on the Saman as goodness, to him good qualities come.
One should meditate on the fivefold Saman as Lokas – from Chandogya Upanishad 2.2:
– Summary: One should meditate on the fivefold Saman as Lokas (Worlds)
Among the higher Lokas (Worlds): 1. Prithivi (Earth) is Him-kara 2. Agni (Fire) is Prastava 3. Antariksha (Intermediate Space) is Udgitha 4. Aditya (Sun) is Pratihara 5. Dyau (Heaven) is Nidhana
Among the lower Lokas (Worlds): 1. Dyau (Heaven) is Him-kara 2. Aditya (Sun) is Prastava 3. Antariksha (Intermediate Space) is Udgitha 4. Agni (Fire) is Pratihara 5. Prithivi (Earth) is Nidhana
One who meditates on the fivefold Saman as Lokas, to him the Lokas belong.
One should meditate on the fivefold Saman as Vrishti – from Chandogya Upanishad 2.3:
– Summary: One should meditate on the fivefold Saman as Vrishti (Rain)
1. Purovat (Preceding Wind) is Him-kara 2. Megha (Cloud) is Prastava 3. Varsha (Shower) is Udgitha 4. Vidyut (Lightning) & Stan (Thunder) is Pratihara 5. Udgrhnati (Cessation) is Nidhana
One who meditates on the fivefold Saman as Vrishti, causes Vrishti (Rain).
One should meditate on the fivefold Saman as Apah – from Chandogya Upanishad 2.4:
– Summary: One should meditate on the fivefold Saman as Apah (Water)
1. Megha Samplavat (Cloud Gathering) is Him-kara 2. Varsha (Rain) is Prastava 3. Pracyah Syandanta ([Waters] Flowing East) is Udgitha 4. Praticyah Syandanta ([Waters] Flowing West) is Pratihara 5. Samudra (Ocean) is Nidhana
One who meditates on the fivefold Saman in all Apah, does not drown and becomes Asuman (Rich in Water).
One should meditate on the fivefold Saman as Ritus – from Chandogya Upanishad 2.5:
– Summary: One should meditate on the fivefold Saman as Ritus (Seasons)
1. Vasanta (Spring) is Him-kara 2. Grishma (Summer) is Prastava 3. Varsha (Rainy Season) is Udgitha 4. Sharat (Autumn) is Pratihara 5. Hemanta (Winter) is Nidhana
One who meditates on the fivefold Saman in the Ritus, him the Ritus serve and he becomes Rituman (Rich in Seasons).
One should meditate on the fivefold Saman as Pashus – from Chandogya Upanishad 2.6:
– Summary: One should meditate on the fivefold Saman as Pashus (Animals)
1. Aja (Goat) is Him-kara 2. Avaya (Sheep) is Prastava 3. Go (Cow) is Udgitha 4. Ashwa (Horse) is Pratihara 5. Purusha (Man) is Nidhana
One who meditates on the fivefold Saman in Pashus, to him the Pashus belong and he becomes Pashuman (Rich in Animals).
One should meditate on the fivefold Saman as Pranas – from Chandogya Upanishad 2.7:
– Summary: One should meditate on the fivefold Saman as Pranas (Senses)
1. Prana (Breath) is Him-kara 2. Vak (Speech) is Prastava 3. Cakshu (Eye) is Udgitha 4. Shrotra (Ear) is Pratihara 5. Manas (Mind) is Nidhana
One who meditates on the fivefold Saman in the progressively higher senses, his life becomes progressively better and he wins over progressively better Lokas (Worlds).
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One should meditate on the sevenfold Saman as Vak – from Chandogya Upanishad 2.8:
– Summary: One should meditate on the sevenfold Saman as Vak (Speech)
1. Whatever is Hum in speech, that is Him-kara 2. Whatever is Pra in speech, that is Prastava 3. Whatever is Aa in speech, that is Aadi 4. Whatever is Ut in speech, that is Udgitha 5. Whatever is Prati in speech, that is Pratihara 6. Whatever is Upa in speech, that is Upadrava 7. Whatever is Ni in speech, that is Nidhana
One who meditates on the sevenfold Saman as speech, for him speech yields milk and he becomes Annavan (Rich in Food).
One should meditate on the sevenfold Saman as Aditya – from Chandogya Upanishad 2.9:
– Summary: One should meditate on the sevenfold Saman as Aditya (Sun)
He is always the same, so he is Saman. He is same to all and everyone thinks he faces me. 1. Pura Udayaat (Form before Rising) is Him-kara; Animals are dependent on this form; Therefore they utter Him (before Sunrise) 2. Prathama Udite (First Risen Form) is Prastava; Men are dependent on this form; Therefore they are Prastuti Kaama (Desirous of Praise) 3. Sangava Vela (Time of Collection of Rays) is Aadi; Birds are dependent on this form; Therefore they hold themselves Anarambana (Unsupported) in the Antariksha (Sky) 4. Samprati Madhyadine (Just at Midday) is Udgitha; Devas are dependent on this form; Therefore they are the best offsprings of Prajapati 5. Madhyadinat Urdhvam (After Midday) & Aparahnam Prak (Before [Late] Afternoon) is Pratihara; Garbhaah (Foetuses) are dependent on this form; Therefore they are held (in womb) and do not fall down 6. Aparahnaat Urdhvam (Past Afternoon) & Astamayat Prak (Before Sunset) is Upadrava; Aaranya (Forest Animals) are dependent on this form; Therefore seeing men they run away to the forest in a hiding place 7. Prathama Astamite (Just after Sunset) is Nidhana; Pitarah (Fathers or Manes) are dependent on this form; So people lay them aside
One should meditate on the Gayatra Saman woven in the Prana – from Chandogya Upanishad 2.11:
– Summary: One should meditate on the Gayatra Saman woven in the Prana (Senses)
1. Manah (Mind) is Him-kara 2. Vak (Speech) is Prastava 3. Cakshu (Eye) is Udgitha 4. Shrotra (Ear) is Pratihara 5. Prana is Nidhana
One who knows the Gayatra Saman woven in the Prana becomes Prani (full of Prana) and lives long with great fame, offsprings and cattles.
One should meditate on the Rathantara Saman woven in Agni – from Chandogya Upanishad 2.12:
– Summary: One should meditate on the Rathantara Saman woven in Agni (Fire)
1. Abhimanthati (Rubbing) is Him-kara 2. Dhuma (Smoke) is Prastava 3. Jwalati (Blazing of Fire) is Udgitha 4. Angara (Ember) is Pratihara 5. Upashamyati (Extinction) is Nidhana
One who knows the Rathantara Saman woven in Agni becomes Brahma Varcasi (Radiant with Wisdom) has a long life and lives with glory and prosperity.
One should meditate on the Vamadevya Saman woven in Mithuna – from Chandogya Upanishad 2.13:
– Summary: One should meditate on the Vamadevya Saman woven in Mithuna (Pair)
1. Upamantrayate (Summoning) is Him-kara 2. Jnyapayate (Instructing) is Prastava 3. Striya Saha Shete (Part of Mithuna) is Udgitha 4. Prati Striya Saha Shete (Part of Mithuna) is Pratihara 5. Kalam Gacchati (Passage of Time) is Nidhana
One who knows the Vamadevya Saman woven in Mithuna becomes Mithuni (One of Pair) and procreates, and has a long and prosperous life.
One should meditate on the Brihat Saman woven in Aditya – from Chandogya Upanishad 2.14:
– Summary: One should meditate on the Brihat Saman woven in Aditya (Sun)
1. Udyan (Rising Sun) is Him-kara 2. Udita (Risen Sun) is Prastava 3. Madhyandina (Midday Sun) is Udgitha 4. Aparahna (Afternoon Sun) is Pratihara 5. Astam (Setting Sun) is Nidhana
One who knows the Brihat Saman woven in Aditya becomes Tejaswi (Refulgent) and lives a glorious and prosperous life.
Sadhanas from Puranas
Sadhanas from Srimad Bhagavatam:
Sri Narada meditating on Lord Sri Hari during boyhood: Sri Narada (when he was a boy) meditated on Lord Sri Hari under a Banyan Tree in a Mountain-Forest region in the North. Sri Hari revealed Himself in the heart of Sri Narada. Sri Narada was merged in Samadhi. (Srimad Bhagavatam – Skanda 1 – Adhyaya 6) Lord Brahma receiving Spiritual Knowledge from Bhagavan: Bhagavan imparted the Spiritual Knowledge to Lord Brahma when he was sitting on His Navel (during Padma Kalpa). (Srimad Bhagavatam – Skanda 3 – Adhyaya 4 – 13) Sri Krishna imparting the Knowledge of Atman to Uddhava: When Sri Krishna was leaving His worldly life in Prabhasa Kshetra, He imparted the Knowledge of Atman to Uddhava in that place. (Srimad Bhagavatam – Skanda 3 – Adhyaya 4 – 19 to 20) Tapas of Rishis Nara and Narayana in Badarikashrama: Rishis Nara and Narayana (who are incarnations of Sri Hari) are performing Tapas in Badarikashrama for the good of the world. (Srimad Bhagavatam – Skanda 3 – Adhyaya 4 – 22) Uddhava meditating on the Lord in Badarikashrama: After Sri Krishna left His worldly abode in Prabhasa Kshetra, Uddhava went to Badarikashrama at the command of the Lord. There he communed with the Lord in a state of Samadhi. (Srimad Bhagavatam – Skanda 3 – Adhyaya 4 – 32) Vidura hearing about the Lord from sage Maitreya: After meeting Uddhava on the bank of river Yamuna, Vidura went to meet sage Maitreya on the bank of river Ganga (at the command of the Lord conveyed through Uddhava). There Vidura started hearing about the different Leelas of the Lord from the sage. (Srimad Bhagavatam – Skanda 3 – Adhyaya 4 – 36 onwards) Sage Kardama performing penance in Bindu Sarovara: Sage Kardama performed penance in Bindu Sarovara and got sage Kapila as his son (Who is an incarnation of the Lord). (Srimad Bhagavatam – Skanda 3 – Adhyaya 21) Sage Kardama attaining Self-realization: After completing his worldly duties, sage Kardama renounced his worldly life and travelled like a Sannyasi. The sage attained the perception of the self as a calm Sea without waves by meditating on it without ego, without attachment and with equality of mind. Thus meditating on Vasudeva who is the Supersoul of everyone with devotion, sage Kardama became liberated from bondage. (Srimad Bhagavatam – Skanda 3 – Adhyaya 24) Sage Kapila imparting the knowledge of Sankhya Yoga to mother Devahuti: After sage Kardama left for forest, Devahuti approached sage Kapila reverentially and asked about the transcendental knowledge by which she can overcome her sense disturbances and material attachments. Sage Kapila became pleased and imparted her the transcendental knowledge of Sankhya Yoga. After practising the teachings of sage Kapila in her ashrama, mother Devahuti became free of material bondages and realized the Supreme Spirit pervading everything. The holy place became a Siddhapada. (Srimad Bhagavatam – Skanda 3 – Adhyayas 25 to 33) Child Dhruva performing penance in Madhuvana: Child Dhruva performed penance in Madhuvana guided by sage Narada and obtained the vision of Lord Vishnu. (Srimad Bhagavatam – Skanda 4 – Adhyaya 8 to 9) King Dhruva attaining divine abode from Badarikashrama: After ruling the Earth for 36000 years, Dhruva retired to Badarikashrama, meditated on the Lord and attained Samadhi. The Lord sent His emmisaries and took Dhruva to the divine abode. (Srimad Bhagavatam – Skanda 4 – Adhyaya 12 – 10 to 40) King Prithu realizing the Atman and getting liberated: After completing the duties of his incarnation, king Prithu took up the life of asceticism for the Vanaprasthas. With Devotion combined with Knowledge, king Prithu purified his mind and finally severing the knot of the I-sense (which binds to individuality) and merged with the Supreme Self as Atman. When king Prithu left his body, his wife Archis, who devotedly served him, mounted on the funeral pyre and followed her husband. (Srimad Bhagavatam – Skanda 4 – Adhyaya 23) Prachetas receiving Rudra Gita from Lord Rudra: The Prachetas (the ten sons of Prachinabarhis) who took to austerities by the command of their father, meet Lord Rudra near a lake near the western Sea shore. Lord Rudra imparted to them the Rudra Gita. (Srimad Bhagavatam – Skanda 4 – Adhyaya 24) Prachetas performing sadhana and getting darshan of Lord Vishnu: After getting the Rudra Gita, the Prachetas worshipped the Supreme Being for ten thousand years by keeping themselves submerged in the ocean. Lord Vishnu appeared before them and gave them boons. (Srimad Bhagavatam – Skanda 4 – Adhyaya 30) King Prachinabarhis performing sadhana after getting instruction from sage Narada: King Prachinabarhis was addicted to perfomance of Vedic Yagnas and rituals. Sage Narada instructed him about the bondages of human life through the allegory of Purnjana. Thereafter, sage Narada told him about Devotion. King Prachinabarhis gave up his attachments and meditating on the Lord attained union with Him. (Srimad Bhagavatam – Skanda 4 – Adhyaya 25 to 29) King Priyavrata attaining to the Lord: After completing his rule as king, king Priyavrata obtained the Atma-Vidya from sage Narada and attined the Feet of the Lord. (Srimad Bhagavatam – Skanda 4 – Adhyaya 31 – 28)
RRPR (Rita – Rishi – Purusha – Riddhi) – A framework of Sadhana
1. Introduction:
RRPR stands for Rita, Rishi, Purusha and Riddhi. RRPR is a framework of Sadhana which integrates Spirituality and Nature. RRPR is developed by greenmesg. RRPR includes concepts from Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas, Tantras, Sadhanas of Saints as well as personal experiences. One part of RRPR is idealistic trying to soar in the sky. Another part of RRPR is realistic which acknowledges the limitations of practical life. RRPR is a bit abstract in places leaving the concrete part to the creativity / subjective understanding of the reader.
2. Motivation:
There is a natural integration between Spirituality and Nature. However, now-a-days we find religion as-well-as life in general divorced from Nature. According to RRPR it is like cutting off one wing of the aeroplane and expecting it to fly. In the long run the plane will come to a crashing halt. RRPR brings out the integration between Spirituality and Nature through various units of themes.
Unit 1: Elaborating RRPR:
Rita Body of God: Rishi Soul of God: Purusha God – With Body of Rita and Soul of Rishi: Riddhi Sadhana combining Rita and Rishi:
Unit 2: Purusha and RRPR:
The Purusha of RRPR is a combination of Rita and Rishi. Rita and Rishi are like two wings of manifestation of Purusha. Riddhi is the wealth of qualities (representing our effort in practical life) to realise the Purusha.
Rita Outer expansion in Nature Purusha Absolute Consciousness Rishi Inner expansion within the depth of Aatman
Note: This model of Purusha is a bit different from many conventional Sadhana where Nature (Rita part) is ignored and an Image of a Deity is the representation of the Purusha. The worship and meditation of the Deity is equivalent to the Rishi part. Thus in conventional Sadhana, the Rita part is absent or ignored. However, as will be shown in subsequent sections, Rita and Rishi are like two wings of the Purusha and is a more complete representation of the Purusha.
Unit 3: Human Beings and RRPR:
Human Beings are amshas (part) of Purusha. Hence Human Beings are also a combination of Rita and Rishi.
Rita Indriyas (Senses) connecting to the outer world Purusha Aatman (Consciousness) Rishi Mind and Heart connecting to the inner world
Note: This model of Human Being is in alignment within the model of the Purusha. God has designed Human Beings in this way: to have Indriyas to connect with Nature and to have Mind and Heart for contemplation and Meditation.
Unit 4: Human Exchanges and RRPR:
Human Exchanges can become a connection with the Purusha if it is modelled as a combination of Rita and Rishi.
Rita – Breathing: Connection with the Air element of Nature Purusha Aatman (Consciousness) to Whom offering is made Rishi – Breathing: Mentally offering to Prana or God inside
Note: This model of Human Exchanges show that our lives are intrinsically connected with Nature. When this connection with Nature gets disturbed, various diseases manifest in human beings prematurely.
Unit 5: Human Growth and RRPR:
Human Life is a journey of continuous growth. Our conception of growth is subjective. But when we feel we are not growing, we feel our lives have come to a standstill, or we are a failure. The below model of human growth projects human growth in the context of RRPR.
Rita (1) Physical growth: Our Body grows and our senses become stronger. Good Food and Air is required. Purusha (3) Spiritual growth: Our Spiritual Consciousness grows. Guidance of Guru required. We try to surrender our ego to God (Aatman tries to merge with the Paramatman). Rishi (2) Mental growth: Our Mind grows. Good Education and Social Connections required.
Note: This model of Human Growth depicts that Spiritual Growth is a natural requirement in the growth sequence of our lives. That is also the ultimate aim of our lives.
Unit 6: Pilgrimages and RRPR:
Pilgrimages are a combination of Rita and Rishi.
Rita The Sacred Geography around the shrine of the Deity Purusha The Deity Rishi Worship and Meditation on the Deity
Note: Pilgrimages are places of Sadhana. A good Pilgrimage should bring an outer expansion in us through its Sacred Geography and an inner expansion through its Spiritual environment combined with our Sadhana.
Unit 7: Dharma and RRPR:
Dharma means “that which Sustains”. In RRPR, Dharma is depicted in the dimensions of Rita, Rishi and Purusha.
Rita (1) Preserving and Enriching Nature which sustains us Purusha (3) Realizing that God sustains the Universe (i.e. the Power of God is behind everything) Rishi (2) Cultivating Moral Values and Good Habits
Note:
Unit 8: Yagna and Yoga and RRPR:
Yagna and Yoga are like two wings of the Sanatana Dharma. Yagna primarily relates to the Vedas and Yoga primarily relates to the Upanishads. Yagna does not necessarily mean performing big rituals, but the essence of how it establishes our connection with the outer Nature. Similarly Yoga does not necessarily mean performing big exercises, but the essence of how it establishes our connection with the inner Nature.
In the Vedas, the whole of Nature is bound by Rita or Cosmic Order. The divinities of Nature (Devas) maintains the Cosmic Order. The Devas are invoked through Yagna to serve various purpose of life. Thus there is an integral connection between the Vedas and Nature. The Vedas lead us to the Purusha (Cosmic Being) in the vastness of the external Cosmos. According to the RRPR Sadhana, this Purusha extends beyond the visible Cosmos and as if penetrates our being. In the Rita part of RRPR Sadhana, this Purusha brings outer expansion in us.
In the Upanishads this same Purusha (which as if penetrates our being) manifests as Aatman. In the Rishi part of RRPR Sadhana, this Purusha brings inner expansion within the depth of Aatman.
Rita Yagna – Relates to Vedas – Relates to the manifestation of Purusha in outer Nature Purusha To Whom the offering of Yagna finally goes and Who is the final destination of Yoga Rishi Yoga – Relates to Upanishads – Relates to the manifestation of Purusha in inner Nature
Note:
Unit 9: Sadhana and RRPR:
RRPR Sadhana is a combination of outer expansion in Nature, inner expansion through Yoga and trying to realize the Purusha who is beyond the outer and the inner.
Rita (1) Outer expansion in Nature Purusha (3) Realizing the Purusha Who is the Absolute Consciousness transcending the outer and the inner Rishi (2) Inner expansion within the depth of Aatman
Note:
Unit 10: Sadhana of a Sage and RRPR:
Introduction The concepts of RRPR are illustrated through the metaphor of a Sage performing Sadhana amidst Nature. Rita Stage 1: Outer Expansion through Nature: Rita part of RRPR which is primarily related to the Vedas :Rishi Stage 2: Inner Depth through the path of Knowledge (Jnana Yoga): Rishi part of RRPR which is primarily related to the Upanishads :Purusha Stage 3: Realization of the unity between the Cosmic Being and the Blissful Consciousness (Outer meets Inner): Purusha part of RRPR which is related primarily to the combination of the Vedas and the Upanishads :contn … Stage 4: Realization of the Divine Essence of an Incarnation of God through the path of Devotion (Bhakti Yoga): contn … Stage 5: Path of Devotion (Bhakti) with different Deities and Bhavas: contn … Stage 6: Paths of other Yogas (Aatma Vichara, Ashtanga Yoga and Kundalini Yoga): contn … Stage 7: Location variation in Sadhana: contn … Stage 8: Time variation in Sadhana: contn … Stage 9: Reflection and birth of RRPR: Rita is attaining outer expansion through Nature.Rishi is attaining inner expansion within the depth of Aatman through a path of Sadhana.Purusha is God Who manifests as Rita outside and Rishi inside and Who is our final destination in Sadhana.Riddhi is the inner Wealth of Character Qualities and outer means of Sustenance to devote ourselves to Sadhana.contn … Stage 10: Karma and Sadhana (Karma Yoga): contn … Stage 11: Service to Sadhana: contn … Stage 12: Nature to Sadhana:
