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ADHYAAY VI
AATMA SAMYAMA YOGAM
(DHYANA YOGAM)
Introduction
This chapter is named ‘Aatma Samyama Yog’ and is also known as Dhyana Yog. The methods in Dhyaana, the guidelines to be followed in Dhyaana, the challanges and results in this practice are detailed in this chapter. The effect of wrong or irregular practice is also discussed. Dhyaana is a well known term today. Dhyaana classes are very common at all places. Dhyaana is not taught as an adhyaatmik practice in most of these classes, but as a means to attain ‘impressive’ personality and success in material life. The advertisement to these classes promises more marks to the student, more money to the trader, more political success to the politician, more efficient management and hence more profit to the industrialist, etc. etc. The ones seek dhyaana practice are also in the same mind set, wanting material returns. They say, Dhyaana helps them to get rid of stress accumulated due to ‘hectic work’ and lead a more comfortable life. They fail to understand that the stress is not due to work but due falsehood, unhealthy competition, avarice, comparison and jealousy, complaint, dissatisfaction and other enemies of the mind. The executives are stressed due to corruption, malpractices adopted and the resultant fear and worries. Indescipline and lack of character stresses a student and not the ‘burden’ of studies. Selfish practice of Dhyaana will not help if the basic reasons for stress are not corrected. This may even produce harmful result. Patanjali has place Dhyaana as the seventh step in his Yoga Sutra. Yama and Niyama are the first two steps. Practice of Yogasana, Pranayama, Dhyaana etc without adopting Yama and Niyama is a vein effort. Without adopting the basic values, Yama like Satyam (truth), Asteyam (non-stealing), Aparigraham (simplicity), etc. any practice of Dhyaana as a short cut to success, is a waste and may even result in harmful effect. The student being unaware of this is agreeable, but do the teachers not know? Yes. The are. But, with their eagerness and urgency to encash the crazy trend in the society, you do not expect them to insist on Yama and Niyama. Let us better ignore those and turn to Shri Krishna to know what He has to say on Dhyaana. Come on. Let us enter the chapter and try to know...
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श्री भगवानुवाच -
अनाश्रितःकर्मफलं कार्यं कर्म करोति यः ।
स सन्न्यासी च योगी च न निरग्निर्न चाक्रियः ॥ १ ॥Shri Bhagawan said: He who performs his bounden duty without leaning to the fruit of action – he is a renouncer of action as well as of steadfast mind: not he who is without fire, nor he who is without action.
(VI - 1)
Two paths have been propunded in Hindu Dharma (Vedas.). One is Pravritti marg and the other, Nivritti Marg. Pravritti marg demands leading a righteous life and attaining Divinehood, performing Yajnas, and other rites suggested in the Vedas. The persons of inquisitive nature in persuit of knowledge of ‘Self’ tread this path. Such persons are exempted from the Vedik rituals and obligations, so that they may fully engage in their persuits. As most of the Vedik rites are ‘Fire-centered’, it can be said that the ones in Nivritti marg are exempted from ‘fire’, or that they renounce fire.
Renouncing Agni is an outward action. A Sanyaasi ought to be determined more by inner composition than by outward ritual of renouncing fire. Shri Krishna offers here a unique definition of Sanyaasi. “A Sanyaasi is one involved in actions without desires and expectations”, according to Him. A man, having taken a body, can not be without action, till his last breath. If he retires into a forest, his bare minimum bodily needs force him into actions. On the other hand, his activities will multiply manifolds, if he chooses to live among people. Hence, renouncing actions can not be Sanyasa, but giving up desires or expectations behind those actions. Desires motivate us into ‘wrong actions’. Obviously, absence of desires keeps us away from wrong actions. Only, natural actions or pious actions remain. In the eighteenth chapter, Shri Krishna repeats this by saying, “Kaamyaanaam karmanaam nyaasam sanyaasam” or “renunciation of desirous actions is Sanyaasam”.
Sanyaasam is the last phase in Hindu life, according to the Varnaashrama system. Having experienced life with all its shades and having realized the basic truths, one takes to sanyaasam and retires into forests. The third generation enters these forests in search of a Guru. He is not interested, but they come to him for guidance. (A joint family has a similar intent. He must be detached and dispassionate. His mere presence is an august learning experience for the third generation.) This is the ancient and traditional system of sanyaasa. Now, we find youths taking to sanyasa. This is exceptional and was initiated by Shri Adhi Shankara. Hindu society was under siege of Buddhism. Youth was inspired by Adhi Shankara to bypass family life and take up Sanyasa and plunge in full-time community work. Todays sanyasi is seen involved in hectic activities. He wears every appendage of a family man, wealth, property, power, disputes, court cases, and what not. “The one, unaffected by external factors, detached but active is a sanyasi”, says Shri Krishna. This system is more challanging than the traditional one.
There is another way of explaining this. The bodies, both gross and subtle, have been acquired as a result of our accumulated Karma. Detachment from Karma and its fruits is same as absence of ‘ownership’ attitude towards these. Ownership attitude tempts one to to use these to fulfill one’s own desires. Absence, on the other hand, allows the bodies to work towards welfare of the world and other lives. This is exactly the attitude of a Yogi. “He is Sanyaasi. He is Yogi”, declares Shri Krishna. Sanyasa and Yog are but, one and the same. He reaffirms this in the next shlokam.
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यं सन्न्यासमिति प्राहुर्योगं तं विद्धि पाण्डव ।
न ह्यसन्न्यस्त सङ्कल्पो योगी भवति कश्चन ॥ २ ॥Oh Pandava! Know that to be devotion to action, which is called renunciation, for none becomes a devotee to action without forsaking Sankalpa.
(VI - 2)
Sankalpa is bunch of ‘imagined’ benefitial results of an object. Vikalpa is the opposite of this, that is, the negative impacts or results of the object. When a desire for an object is born in mind, Sankalpa and vikalpa also spring up simultaneously. The desire intensifies and is fulfilled, when vikalpa fades away and only sankalpa remains. The other desires, those with a mix of sankalpa and vikalpa, are like fake crackers or non-sprouting seeds and get buried deep within. An equivalent term for Sankalpa in English is ‘will-power’. Only those desires with intensified will-power get fructified. A sanyaasi is one who has eliminated every sankalpa.
The modern day thinkers insist on developing and nourishing sankalpa. Sankalpa is the stimulant for activity and success, according to them. Shri Krishna, on the contrary, advises to eliminate sankalpa. It is the root for ‘ego’, according to Him. He suggested elimination of desires in the last shlokam and elimination of sankalpa in this. Desire gives birth to sankalpa and sankalpa nourishes ego. Sankalpa and ego work hand in hand to construct the imagined ‘heaven of happiness’.
Elimination of sankalpa is possible by freeing self from the clutches of ‘duality’. Sankalpa will be alive as long as urge to choose one of the two remains. Perfect surrender is the state where one’s attitude is ‘May anything come. May this happen or that. Does not matter.’ Sankalpa vanish in such a state.
A king approached a sanyasi and said, “I, the king of this state, have come to get Deeksha from you.” The sanyasi said, “Come after I die.” The king could not comprehend the intent. Yes. Death of ‘I’ is sanyasa. I dies with the elimination of sankalpa. Sankalpa vanishes with the evaporation of desires and desires evaporate when dualities fade away. This is Yog and the same is sanyasa. Sanyasa and Yog are one and the same.
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आरुरुक्षोर्मुनेर्योगं कर्म कारणमुच्यते ।
योगारूढस्य तस्यैव शमः कारणमुच्यते ॥ ३ ॥For the man of meditation wishing to attain purification of heart leading to concentration, work is said to be the way. For him, when he has attained such (concentration), inaction is said to be the way.
(VI - 3)
That Sanyasa and Yog are one and the same, is stressed once again by Him. He uses two new terms here. Aaruruksha amd Yogaaroodha. The one trying to attain Yog is Aaruruksha and one who has attained is Yogaroodha. Karma is the instrument for Aaruruksha and Tranquility or Inactivity is the instrument for Yogaroodha. Inactivity is impossible in a human life. Even the one who is trying to attain Divinity has to be involved in action. Action is the route to Yog.
Prakriti is different from Paramaatman. This world and eveything here is manifestation of Prakriti. Our body, mind, intellect and other instruments and anything like wealth, position, fame, etc. that we gain using these instruments are all of Prakriti. Each one of these has to work, as work is the nature of Prakriti. Paramaatman is apart from these. We, being the quaint essence of Paramaatman, in real are apart from Prakriti. The basic cause for restlessness within is the feeling that ‘I do; and for me’. Designating the instruments in unselfish welfare activities and detaching self from the fruits their actions is the guaranteed way to peace and tranquility. In that state, action, verily, becomes inaction. That is the state of Yogaaroodha and also the state of a Sanyaasi. Tranquility is the instrument in attaining Divinity for a Sanyaasi. Thus, Yogaroodhand Sanyaasi are in the same plane, says Shri Krishna. Sanyaasi renounces actions, attains Perfect peace and unites with Godhood, while a Yogaaroodha is in activity, detached from its fruits and attains perfect peace and unites with Divinity.
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यदा हि नेन्द्रियार्थेषु न कर्मस्वनुषज्जते ।
सर्वसङ्कल्प सन्न्यासी योगारूढस्तदोच्यते ॥ ४ ॥Verily, when there is no attachment, either to sense-objects, or to actions, having renounced all Sankalpas, then is one said to have attained concentration.
(VI - 4)
He explains further about Yogaroodha. Sankalpa, as we have already seen, is the cause for desires. Yogaroodha is one who involves in dispassionate action, without any Sankalpa and desires.
Shri Krishna seems to be repeating the same point so many times in the Gita. Yes. It is true. Is He not talking to us, ordinary mortals? How are we? One may commit a mistake once or twice. Do we not excel in repeating the same mistake again and again umpteenth time? One marriage gave unpleasant, bitter experiences and he gets out of the marriage and marries another girl, with a fond hope that the happiness, comfort not found in the first may be got in the second. “Oh, that was a mistake. I somehow failed to see it. Now, if I can be more careful, I’ll be ever happy”. This is thought process. This is an enticing thought that will trap in a disappointing experience once again. There are persons remarrying four or five times and remarrying even at ripe old age.
We may argue, that these are exceptionals and not common. Most of us are wise and stop with one marriage. Yes. That is true for marriage. If it is a girl for those, it is food items and ‘delicacies’ for others; vehicles for some others; clothing for some, luxury gadgets and cinema for some others. We always think, ‘this is not pleasurable. That will definitely satisfy me’. This delusion drives us to chase the horizon and lose our precious life. Many trades and industries worth millions rely wholly on this attitude. The whole population, as though is trapped in this ‘typhoon’ of alluring advertisements creating by the traders. In politics, we invest all our hopes on one person with a fresh slogan, get betrayed, and turn to someone else with a different slogan, get betrayed and turn again to the first, to be disappoited again. We see thousands losing their millions worth savings on chit funds, stock market repeatedly and yet refusing to come out. It is not surprising that Shri Krishna feels it necessary to repeat His view so many times.
May not be Yogaroodh, but there are many, who are Aruruksha, to some extent atleast. No poverty, yet leading a plain, simple life; no disase and food restrictions, yet contented with the same simple food daily; Not in politics and no allergies, yet wearing simple white khadi clothes the whole life.
One of my friends married. He is a software engineer from Bihar. He married the girl seen and fixd by his parents, as is the practice even today in many parts in Bharat. A few days after the marriage, he found that the girl was mentally sick. ‘Seek divorce as this a valid point for easy divorce’ advised friends. The guilty-conscious parents insisted upon him to send her back to her parents and remarry. Even the girl’s father accepted that he had intentionally hidden the fact in his eagerness to get her married and was ready to take her back and relieve him. But, the boy refused. He said, ‘I am bonded with her. It is destined that my life is with her. Would I not have accepted if it was otherwise. I accept this too. My life is with her, come what may’.
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उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् ।
आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः ॥ ५ ॥
बन्धुरात्मात्मनस्तस्य येनात्मैवात्मना जितः ।
अनात्मनस्तु शत्रुत्वे वर्तेतात्मैव शत्रुवत् ॥ ६ ॥One should uplift himself by his own self. Let him not weaken self. For this self is friend of oneself and is also the enemy of oneself.
The self (the active part of our nature) is the friend of the self, for him who has conquered himself by this self. But, to the unconquered self, this self is inimical, (and behaves) like (an external) foe.
(VI – 5, 6)
In every field, there is an upward progress and there is downward fall too. Consumption of raw flesh; cooked meat; avoiding killing of so many types of lives for taste and restricting to a few lives; changing over to vegetarianism; eating just enough to satiate hunger and not chase taste; sharing food; eating food prepared without causing damage to Nature or harm to the society; Avoiding uprooting of plants (avoiding roots) and eating only fruits, nuts and vegetables; avoiding even the minimal violence to trees and plants due to plucking and consuming only fallen fruits and nuts; these are stages in the upward progress in food. Travel in the reverse direction is fall.
Sign language was the start of journey of languages. Use of bare minimum sounds to express the basic needs was the next stage. Then came the letters. Grammar was the next step in progress to regulate the use of words. Proper pronunciation and perfect grammar in spoken and written words is the next. Purposeful speech and text came as the next stage giving birth to lofty literature and poetry. This is the upward path of progress and the opposite is fall. All our efforts should be towards upward progress, says Shri Krishna.
We are our own foes? It is a general opinion that the worst enemies causing one’s fall are his bad companions. None, howsoever powerful, can harm us. There is an English proverb, ‘you can take the horse to water, but can not make it drink’. Similarly, the others may, at worst, show us the path of downfall. We ourselves have to cause our own fall. Others, however good, can not ensure our rise too. They may, at best, guide us to the path. We have to rise up on our own.
We can see two paths before us at the moment of a crucial decision, at the start of a venture, at the moment of an experience, in fact at almost every moment in our lives. One path takes us higher, towards progress and the other takes us lower, towards fall. In the eighteenth chapter, Shri Krishna discusses satvika and rajasika pleasures. He says, “the pleasure born through interaction between the senses and the objects is alluring and sweet as nectar, but causes misery and disease. The satvika pleasure appears bitter like poison, in the beginning. The mind starts liking it in due course. This kind of pleasure causes nectar like happiness later. Our decisions, ventures, desires etc. should keep this in mind.
The decisions, actions and experiences are interlinked and interdependent. We decide on the basis of previous experiences. We act as per our decisions. The experiences result from the actions. This is a cycle. The cycle is broken, 1. If the experience is not properly analysed and understood; 2. if the experience is out of memory and a wrong decision is taken. 3. If the decision is taken on the basis of intoxicated state of a dream, or anxiety of a wishful result, instead of buddhi’s discrimination; 4. If the decision is not acted upon or put into a half-hearted action under the influence of laziness, sleep, or other weaknesses.
1. When we qualify the experience as sweet and bitter or favourable and unfavourable, The mind is disturbed and the experience is not registered properly. We regard the experience as sweet and get swayed by the waves of pleasure as well as the intoxication of anticipated pleasure. The mind loses balance and fails to register the experience in proper perspective. Likewise, when we regard the experience as sour one, the weight of grief depresses and disturbs the balance of mind affecting judgement. The experience is to taken purely as an experience without adding an adjective of good or bad. That ensures its proper ananlysis, understanding and application in future towards upward rise of self.
2. Memory fades with time. Desires also cause loss of memory, rather disturbs memory by encouraging prferential memory. We wish to forget the miserable experiences and repeatedly enjoy memories of pleasant ones. The memory registered in Chitta appears to have gone, but is in fact buried deeper and influences the thought process and the decisions in future. The childhood incident causing burn in fingers by fire might have been forgotten, but the essenceof the incident is stored deep in memory and it influences the thinking, decision and action in future, when fire is around. Registration of an experience is marred by a desire-filled Mind, wishful thinking, and the euphoria and depression caused by ‘favourable’ and ‘unfavourable’ experiences.
3. The Buddhi guides us with what is right and wrong, what is to be done and what is to be avoided. Chitta is the memory storehouse in the brain. The Buddhi, while guiding takes the help of Chitta. Buddhi does not decide. It merely suggests the path. The decision is taken by ‘Aham’, the self. Clarity, calmness in Mind is essential for the right guidance by Buddhi. Mind filled with its own desires and wishlist disturbs and fades the discriminating efficiency of the Buddhi. Decisions taken in this state are not based on the guidance of the Buddhi, but on the demands of a desirous Mind. Such decisions invariably lead us to fall.
4. The Mind again is the impediment in executing the decision. Desire, Lust, expectation of the desired result and laziness in the Mind affects the action. The efficiency in action is also affected by anxiety and restlessness in the Mind.
There are two options before us. The first is to firmly believe that everything is His wish and will and hence there is no need to initiate any venture and accept anything that comes as His grace. This is path of Gyaana or wisdom. This is possible for very few. The second is to exercise perfect reign over the senses and tread the path suggested by the Buddhi, without any personal desires and expectations. The one who takes to this path is called ‘Jitaatmaana’ by Shri Krishna. Jitaatmaana is one who has conquered self. In other words, one who has vanquished and eliminated Manas. He is a friend to himself and progresses higher. The one who has no control over self, the one who is under the domination of Mind and senses, the one who is bound down by desires and attachments is a foe to self, according to Shri Krishna. He ensures his downfall.
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जितात्मानः प्रशान्तस्य परमात्मा समाहितः ।
शीतोष्ण सुखदुःखेषु तथा मानापमानयोः ॥ ७ ॥To the self-controlled and serene, the Supreme Self is the object of constant realization, in cold and heat, pleasure and pain, as well as in honour and dishonour.
(VI - 7)
We must calmly take any experience, be it favourable or unfavourable, be it pleasant or grievous, be it honourable or insulting. That is not usual trait. We get sunk deep under the burden of grief. We wish to and strive to get out of the grievous situation. We offer prayers to convert that to a pleasurable situation and never really taste the experience. Do we taste the sweet, pleasurable experience? We get excited, jump skyhigh and worry at the prospect of losing the moment of joy, but never really taste the experience.
In summer, we feel the winter was better and keep longing for summer during winter. Seasons are mentioned with the adjective ‘good’, but are never ‘good’ for us. We do not want to experience them. We complain and curse and want to run away. According to Dharma shastra, the Brahmin is not expected to run towards shelter to avoid getting soaked in sudden rains. We must calmly experience, whether it is summer or winter or rain.
Same with honour and dishonour. Honour intoxicates and makes us float in the skies. Dishonour creates rage and stumbles us. We must learn to experience both as a ‘witness’ would.
Such a person is a Jitaatmana. He is pure and is in the constant company of Paramaatman. In fact, Paramaatman is always in our company too, we are not in His. His Graceful eyes do not embrace us as we have turned ourselves in the opposite direction. When we are accosted by grief, we pray for its end. We never say, “You be with Me. I will face the worst storms”. Before the start of battle in Kurukshetra, Duryodhana approached Shri Krishna for assistance. Shri Krishna expressed His intention to remain unarmed. He asked Duryodhana to choose between Himself unarmed and Dwarika’s One Akshouhini Narayani Sena. Duryodhana says, “Of what help will you be, if you are not going to fight? So, I choose your army and armoury”. In retrospect, we feel that Duryodhana was a fool not to have chosen God Himself. What if He was unarmed? What would we have done in his sitauation? What do we do in similar situations in our lives? We keep chasing the superficial. We also groom our children to do the same. He wins some competition and returns home gloating. We do not calm him and train him to take the success casually and proceed further, but join him in frenzied celebration. Remaining calm and balanced in favourable and adverse situations, inmoments of success and failure, honour and dishonour, is the first step in becoming a Yogaroodh.
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ज्ञानविज्ञान तृप्तात्मा कूटस्थो विजितेन्द्रियः ।
युक्त इत्युच्यते योगी समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनः ॥ ८ ॥Whose heart is filled with satisfaction by wisdom and realization, and is changeless, whose senses are conquered, and to whom a lump of earth, stone, and gold are the same: That Yogi is called steadfast.
(VI - 8)
Kootastha is that which is not deformed. Koota is a mould made af an alloy and is used to cast iron, steel, copper, gold and silver materials. The mould does not get deformed when it is subjected to heat and hammer blows. Similarly, one who does not get affected by worldly assaults is called Kootastha here.
Vijitendriya is one who has conquered senses. He has complete control over senses.
Sama Loshtashmakanchana is one for whom soil, rock and gold are same. (Loshta is earth; Ashma is rock; Kanchana is gold.) These are definitely different materials and he is not an idiot not to know the difference. The one who sees both sides is said to be equilibrium. Anything that comes has to go. Anything that is created has to face destruction. We see only that which comes, that which is created and get exuberant or depressed. The wise, the equipoised sees the other side too. When he sees it coming, he also sees it going. When he sees its creation, he sees its destruction too. Hence, he is not affected by these.
‘Gyaana Vigyaana Truptaatmaa’ is new term being used by Shri Krishna. We laud a child’s curiosity to know as its sharp inquisitive brain. When it pesters us with ‘what’, ‘why’, ‘how’ and so many other questions, we wonder at its ‘thirst for self-development’. If this trait is found in elders, it is either appreciated as a desire to gain general knowledge or is condemned as gossip mongering. (It is gossip-mongering if you peep outside to know what is happening, whereas it is social-awareness and thirst for gaining knowledge if you peep into the news channel. It is condemned as gossiping if you are curious to know what your neighbour said. But, the same curiosity about what the minister talked is appreciated. The interest in gossips is a business worth crores in the media, both print and electronic.) Gyaana-Vigyaana trupthaatma is the one who has given up this ‘childish’ urge to know. He has no questions. He is rid of curiosity to know. He is ‘contented’ in his knowledge.
It may not mean that he knows everything. The creation is boundless. Hence, knowledge about that is also infinite. What is there in Antartica? or the moon, or the Mars, or Jupiter. We may move from planet to planet, star to star. This will be an unending travel, in quest of knowledge. Then, there are lives, machines, plants, vehicles, countries, communities, their customs, and infinite other things. Each of these has ocean-like depth and a lifetime may not suffice to know fully. So many questions arise from one bit of knowledge gained. A point where ‘there is no further question’ can never be reached. Hence, there can be none who knows everything. In this process of raising questions and seeking answers, a stage may be arrived at, when the quest to know fades away. ‘Gyaana Vigyaana Truptaatma’ is in such a state.
Yogaaroodha is one who has extinguished the enthusiasm to know, is beyond pairs of opposites, has perfect reign over senses, stays in equilibrium. ‘This is the perception among the wise’, says Shri Krishna. Even if He had said that ‘I say this’, this would still have remained the word of the wise, as the ‘I’ in Shri krishna’s speech is not an egoistic I.
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सुहृन्मित्रार्युदासीनमध्यस्थद्वेष्यबन्धुषु ।
साधुष्वपि च पापेषु समबुद्धिर्विशिष्यते ॥ ९ ॥He attains excellence who looks with equal regard upon well-wishers, friends, foes, neutrals, arbiters, the hateful, the relative, and upon the righteous and the unrighteous alike.
(VI - 9)
He explains further. What He says here is bit tougher to attain. There are many traders who have retained their balance in face of disastrous losses. I know one. He had been a millionaire. He lost everything in a wrong export and was on the streets. But, he did not lose his will power and faith, started again from zero and regained everything. It may be easier for a trader to retain equilibrium in a loss. Is it the same during profit, especially if that was huge? Brickbats and flowers are the same for a prostitute. Like wise, the politician, used to applause, may find it easier to remain calm when facing mild hostility. He may go to the next meeting calmly, even after facing a rain of stones, rotten eggs and chappals in the previous one. That is professional requirement and he can not continue in the field if he does not have that. Is he the same while facing enormous success and appreciation and stronger hostilities. (There was one in Maharashtra who stacked his unaccounted wealth with a businessman, who remained loyal and trustworthy for years. He betrayed once and the politician died of heart attack.) The first two qualities mentioned by Shri Krishna, may be easier for some. But, to regard the friend and enemy as same? That is tougher.
According to Shri Krishna, he is special, who regards equally the affectionate and the unconcerned, the friend and the adversary, the one fit for hatred and the relatives, the saint and the sinner. The sports personality who is always surrounded by appreciators, autograph seekers and admirers will be upset in the midst of unconcerned. I was once in a plane to South Africa. A well known cricketer was on the seat next to me. I was unconcerned. He introduced himself. I too introduced myself. He seemed visibly upset. He asked, “Are you not interested in cricket?” “No. Not at all”, said I. He never talked with me again during the nine hour travel. He regained his enthusiasm and became normal once we landed in Johannesberg and he faced a crowd of appreciative fans.
The friend talks with love and concern. The adversary breaths out fire and hatred. Friend acts for well being and the foe tries to harm. Friend carries similar opinions while the foe has opposite views. The friend streches his helping hand during falls and calamities. The foe is jubiliant and celebrates fall. Then, how does one regard both as equals? In fact, common man loves himself most. He is affectinate only in response to affection. He returns love only to those who show love to him. The child is lovely because it returns a kiss with a kiss, a smile with a smile and fondness with fondness multiplied. It is the same in lovers too. The western world resorts to having a dog in homes as the child grows soon into a boy too busy in his own world and hardly has space in mind and time for others in the family. The dog fulfills our aspiration to be loved, waits at doorstep, wags tail and cuddles and caresses to show affection and is ever ready to oblige us by a lovely response to our call. Only the beggar yearning for love and affection shows the same. Can the one expecting favours from one of the two political parties, treat both as equals? In fact, only those who do not expect any affection, one who do not seek care and concern from others can be the best source of Love and affection. Love becomes his nature, his being. His love has no bounds and preferrances. His love soothes everyone. Only such a man can regard a friend and a foe, an appreciator and an unconcerned, equally. Being personification of Love, Shri Ram could engage in His war with Ravana with a smile. Such men are special, says Shri Krishna.
The Pakistani soldiers are not personal enemies to our fighters on our borders. They are made to fight on the basis of war crys and stories fed to them about Pakistan’s schemes against us.
The Gita is being told by Shri Krishna, a unique personality and listened to by Arjuna, an ordinary one like any one of us. Arjuna is in a dilemna similar to that of our soldiers on the border. Duryodhana, Dushasana and the others who conspired against and were cruel to him were very few. Eighteen akshouhinis of fighters were arrayed in front and other than the small number of enemies, all others were friends, relatives, well wishers and unconcerned and unrelated ones. And, it was impossible to fight against them. There were only two options available with Shri Krishna. One was to remind Arjuna all the attrocities committed by the gang of four (Duryodhana, Dushasana, Shakuni and Karna), so that rage and vengeance erupt in his mind motivating him to fight. The other was to transform him into a Yogee so that he takes the fight as a duty and fights with a calm, balanced and unattached mind. The first one might have been easier requiring an emotional oratory by Shri Krishna, coupled with a dose of alchohol. Arjuna would have been intoxicated with furious vengeful emotions and would have plunged into the fight. The second option is definitely a tougher and untried one. Shri Krishna tries that. He asks Arjuna to regard friend, foe, stranger, well wisher, relative, despisable ones, saintly, admirer and the unconcerned equally. He asks Arjuna to “fight without any attachment or hate”; “fight vigorously yet dispassionately”; “be unconcerned about the result, favourable or otherwise and fight”; “in effect, fight as a Yogee would”.
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योगी युञ्जीत सततमात्मानं रहसि स्थितः ।
एकाकी यतचित्तात्मा निराशीरपरिग्रहः ॥ १० ॥The Yogi should constantly practise concentration of the heart, retiring into solitude, alone, with the mind and body subdued, and free from hope and possession.
(VI - 10)
He is introducing Dhyana system here. The purpose of Dhyana is not gain of powers and pleasures those go with these powers. It is union with the Paramaatma.
Yata Chittaatma Niraasheer Aparigrah (One who has established perfect control over external and internal instruments, has completely eliminated desires, has got rid of the urge to accumulate):- Dhyana is a way to Paramaatman. It is an instrument to become Yogee. Without giving up worldly attachments, attaining Paramaatman, why, even an attempt towards that, is impossible. Dhyana is being taught now a days, for personality development, destressing, improving effeciency in work or business. It is more a training for focussing the mind rather than Dhyana. These two purposes are contradictory. We can remain plunged in the world, with all the desires, pleasures and the objects of pleasure, taking one. Taking the other, Paramaatman can be attained. Dhyana is a like a bus, to take us to Him. It will be ruinous to take the bus in the oppsite direction. Even if we do not reach attain Divinity, our worldly life will be enriched if we can reduce desires, deminish the instinct for sensual pleasures, and restrain the urge to accumulate.
Yogee yunjeeta satatham Aatmaanam:- The yogee must anchor mind on Paramaatman. Dhyana should be an effort in that direction. Normally, worldly activities bind the mind with the world and its objects. A mind bound to the world finds it difficult to practise an effective Dhyaana. Mind should be trained to be on thoughts about Paramaatman, even while being involved in worldly activities. That will ensure a better Dhyaana. As Dhyaana gets more and more effective, mind grdually gets rid of pollution. Swami Sukhdas explains this beautifully. “We may mix Divine thoughts in world affairs, but never mix worldly thoughts in Divine efforts like Dhyana. ‘I have to meet him; I have to finish this work; this amount of money is due from him; Such thoughts can be avoided during Dhyaana, if worldly activities are done with a mind strongly anchored to Paramaatman”. Most of us complain of lack of involvement and focussing of mind during Dhyaana, Japa, Homam, worship and spiritual practices. We become restless and want to walk out at the earliest. We can spend three hours in a cinema hall; eight hours in louzy and pre-fixed game of cricket; walk so lazily as if we have whole lot of time. But, in a temple, we take our steps as if in a pit of fire and come out. We bargain with our Purohit to cut short the rituals on special occassions. During religeous discourses, I find so many restless looking often at watch and fingering the mobile instrument and unable to sit quietly and listen. What is the reason? Shri Ramsukhdas says, ‘involvement in worldly activities divorced completely from Divine thoughts is the reason for this restlessness’. A Christian is expected to devote only one hour in a week for God. Whole of the remaining time is for worldly activities. Contrary to this, our ancestors prescribed that we are always in His company. He does not need an appointment. Our problem is that we tend to forget Him and get immersed in the world. That is hence, Shri Krishna uses the term ‘Satatam’, i.e. ‘always’.
Rahasi Sthithah Ekaaki:- (To stay aloof). The explicit meaning is ‘to seek a secretive spot and sit alone’. Dhyaana is usually practised on a river bank or in a cave or forest or any such place away from people. This may not be possible today. A less crowded temple or a room (other than bedroom, kitchen and dining rooms) in our house may be used for Dhyaana practise. Lonely place is preferred because conversation, movement and other activities of persons around will disturb Dhyaana effort. But, this term has a subtler meaning. Secretive place is not an outer spot away from the crowd, like a cave or a forest, but the most secretive cave deep within. There should be none else but Him in that cave within. We may be physically alone in a forest or a cave, but may carry the whole world, with all the persons and all the experiences, bitter and sweet, with us. We may also interact with them, again experiencing joy or grief. The aloofness will be only for an external eye. Arjuna also probably is seeking such a state. “Allow me to get out. I’ll stay at some hillfeet and spend my life away from all these. I’ll beg and sustain self. I do not want war, victory, empire and all the pleasures that come with it”, says Arjuna.
Avoiding busy and noisy outer world, without establishing a quiet aloofness within, is of no use. Yog classes and resorts are popular now-a-days. Lonawala, Vellimalai, Mt Abu are some well-known places, where many spend in thousands and stay for a week to enjoy solitude. It is of course a pleasant experience staying in the peaceful resorts. But, we spend most of our lives in the chaotic, noisy cities and carry the same with us. Hence, these camps do not leave any major impact in our minds. One who has established peace, quiet and solitude within has no use for such camps.
Shree Acharya Rajneesh gives a beautiful illustration to explain this inner space. Shree Ophry Menon, the author of ‘The Space of the Inner Heart’ is an Anglo-Indian. He once visited Vatican to meet the Pope. When he bent down to touch his feet, the Pope asked a Bishop nearby, “Who is he? Which community does he belong to?”. The Bishop said, “He must be an English man”. The Pope looked at his face and said, “He seems to be an Indian” and then asked him who he was. A deep inquiry set in him. “Who am I? Indian or English? Pope is the head of Christian faith. Christians believe he is beyond mistakes, infallible. If I say I am half Indian and half English, it will falsify that belief.” “Yes. What you say is true. I am an Indian”, he said as a result of this thought. He writes in his book, “The Pope was happy. The happiness was not on meeting a respectful person but on the reaffirmation of his ‘infallibility’. But this incident left a question in my mind. ‘Who am I?’ I started an intense search for the answer. My being Indian or English was only skin-deep. My real being can not be a matter of skin. I am something beyond. Accidentally, I came across Chandogya Upanishad, in which says one can know who he is if he could enter the ‘Cave in the Heart’ or ‘the secret Space in the Inner Heart’. That was a great discovery for me”. He elaborates in the book his efforts at knowing who he was.
‘Free yourself from hope, desires and posessions. Bring the senses in your control. Experience the quiet solitude within. Meditate on the Paramaatman all the time.
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शुचौ देशे प्रतिष्ठाप्य स्थिरमासनमात्मनः ।
नात्युच्छ्रितं नातिनीचं चैलाजिनकुशोत्तरम् ॥ ११ ॥Having in a cleanly spot established his seat, firm, neither too high nor too low, made of a cotton cloth, a skin, and Kusha-grass, arranged in consecution.
(VI - 11)
The external factors, though secondary, are also important and can not be ignored, especially for the beginners. How should be spot for Dhyaana practice?
At a clean spot: Naturally clean spots on river banks, forests and hill sides are best for Dhyaana practise. Space under a Banyan or Pipal tree are also suited for Dhyaana. Any level ground cleaned with water and cow dung is good for dhyaana. Just as an unclean spot with foul smell is unfit for dhyaana, a spot with strong smelling scents and perfume sticks is also unfit. The nose is stimulated and the mind disturbed and hijacked equally by foul smell as well as a strong perfume.
Seated on a firm aasana: The seat should be firm and stable. An unstable seat weakens Dhyaana. A stable seat stabilizes the body and a stable body stabilizes the mind. The practise of dhyaana is an effort to travel beyond the body, senses, the surroundings, the mind and its experiences with the world. This state of dhyaana will collapse, with even a small instability in the seat.
The seat should neither be too low nor too high: Higher seat may cause fear and restlessness in mind and hence disturb dhyaana. Lower seat may invite ants and insects.
Chailajinakusha: Chaila is a cotton cloth. Aajina is a full deer skin, skin without any cut or wound, skin of a deer peeled after its natural death. Kusha is mat of grass. The grass mat is laid first with the deer skin laid on it and the cotton cloth on the top.
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तत्रैकाग्रं मनः कृत्वा यतचित्तेन्द्रियक्रियः ।
उपविश्यासने युञ्जाद्योगमात्मविशुद्धये ॥ १२ ॥
समं कायशिरोग्रीवं धारयन्नचलं स्थिरः ।
सम्प्रेक्ष्य नासिकाग्रं स्वं दिशश्चानवलोकयन् ॥ १३ ॥There, seated on that seat, making the mind one-pointed and subduing the action of imaging faculty and the senses, let him practise Yog for the purification of the heart.
Let him firmly hold his body, head and neck erect and still, (with the eye-balls fixed, as if) gazing at the tip of his nose, and not looking around.
(VI – 12, 13)
We must practise seated on such an asana. What, how and why should the practise be is explained in this verse.
What?: Yoga should be practised. The body should be prepared. The basic requisite for an effective dhyaana is a still, stable and comfortable body posture. The body must be postured in Padmaasana, Siddhaasana or Sukhaasanam. The spine should be erect, keeping the head, neck and the trunk in a straight line. An erect spine facilitates the climb of Kundalini power upward from Mooladhara to Sahasraaram. The probability of stablizing mind increases with more and more pracctise of retaining the body in a stable posture. The sight also has a tendency to roam around distracting the mind and needs to be fixed. Closed eyes may invite sleep and open eyes roam around. Hence, it is best to half close the eyelids and fix the sight in the nose tip.
How?: By focussing the mind. It is tough to still the body and sight. But, it is tougher to still the mind. Arjuna says later in this chapter that, ‘Even the wind can possibly be grasped in the fist. The mind is very hard to be restrained.’ ‘Of course it is tough, not impossible. The mind canbe brought under control through detachment and practise’, Shri Krishna replied. The senses have to be divorced from their respective tasks and the mind has to be focussed. None other may be of any help in this regard. There is nothing that has to be taught by others. One is his own guru. He has to try in various ways, analyze and learn from the experiences of theses trials and proceed further to master the technique of restraining the mind.
Why?: For the purification of our inner instruments, like Mind, Buddhi etc. The purpose of Dhyana has to be Adhyatmik progress and not attainment of any worldly benefit or talent. Purification of Mind and Buddhi is essnetial for Adhyatmik progress.
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प्रशान्तात्मा विगतभीर्ब्रह्मचारिव्रते स्थितः ।
मनः संयम्य मच्चित्तो युक्त आसीत मत्परः ॥ १४ ॥
युञ्जन्नेवं सदात्मानं योगी नियतमानसः ।
शान्तिं निर्वाणपरमां मत्संस्थामधिगच्छति ॥ १५ ॥
With the heart serene and fearless, firm in the vow of a
Brahmachari, with the mind controlled,
and ever thinking of Me, let him sit (in Yog) having Me as the Supreme goal.
Thus always keeping the mind steadfast, the Yogi of subdued
mind attains the peace residing in Me, - peace which culminates in Nirvana
(Moksha).
(VI – 14, 15)
He,
who regards the world as ‘real’ and has expectation from it, has no option but
to remain restless. The objects in the
world are ephemeral. If we seek those,
there is no certainty of getting those and even if got, there is no certainty
that they will last. Also, there is no
certainty that we will be in a position to enjoy the objects. Hence, the mere desire of objects is enough
to cause misery and restlessness. The
more intense the desire, the more severe the restlessness.
Fears
are of many types, the psychologists say.
The fundamental one is the fear that ‘I shall be dead; I shall be reduced to nothing; I shall be destroyed.’ This fear arises because we wrongly regard
the body as self. We see men, animals
and plants dying daily all around us. We
experience disease and decay of our bodies.
Added to this is our conviction that ‘I am the body’. It is obvious that we fear death. The stronger the bondage with the body, the
stronger the fear of death.
Fearlessness
and peace should be real and not suggested and illusionary. Living a life of hectic excitement, we may
never realize absence of peace. And in
the midst of crowd, we may feel we are fearless. Similarly, auto-suggestions like, ‘You are a
Man. You should not have fear’; ‘You are a Kshatriya. Fear does not befit you’; ‘You are in a responsible post. You must remain calm’; ‘Take deep breaths. Now peace has surrounded you. You are peaceful’; may give a false assurance
of fearlessness and peace. It is a
hypnotized and unreal state. Fear and
restlessness will not be visible, but will be alive buried deep within. When we sit alone for meditation, these (the
fear and restlessness) will emerge breaking the ‘self-suggested’ protective
gears. Most of those initiated into
Dhyaana are hence disenthused. Not
merely disenthused, many are terrorized by the fear and turbulence, by the
magnified vision of death, aroused while trying to practise Dhyaana. They do not accept their weakness, but start
criticising the meditative efforts.
Brahmachari vrate
sthitah: Firmly fixed in the disciplines
of Brahmacharya. Shri Krishna says
‘Brahmachari vrata’ and not merely ‘Brahmacharya’. What he means is not merely ‘celebacy’ but a
disciplined life of a Brahmachari. A
Brahmachari totally surrendered to the Guru.
He is bound by the disciplines and rules laid by the guru. Similarly, the one practising Dhyaana has to
live bound by self-imposed disciplines.
He has to stay away from sensual experiences, pleasures and pains,
praise and criticism, bodily laziness, etc.
All these not only during the period of Dhyaana but the whole day while
dealing with the world.
Thus
readied, the mind should be drawn away from the world and worldly objects and
fixed on the Paramaatman.
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नात्यश्नतस्तु योगोस्ति न चैकान्तमनश्नतः ।
न चाति स्वप्नशीलस्य जाग्रतो नैव चार्जुन ॥ १६ ॥
(Success in) Yog is not for him who eats too much or too
little – nor for him who sleeps too much or too little, Oh Arjuna.
(VI - 16)
Very
ordinary, superficial factors like the spot for Dhyaana, seat, etc. were
discussed by Shri Krishna. Here He
discusses a few more such factors. An
excessive eater and a frugal diner can not be good at Dhyaana, says He. Similarly, one who sleeps too much or too
little is also unfit for Dhyaana.
Samatvam
or ‘equiblibrium is Yog, He had said, in second chapter. This was said for equilibrium in emotions and
other experiences of mind. This is
equally relevant for food intake, rest and efforts put in. Excessive feeding should be avoided. Mind is also a factor causing excessive food
intake. When the mind is in happy state,
when in company of friends we tend to over-eat.
If we have strong likes and dislikes in food items and if the liked
items are served, there is tendency to over-eat. Sad moments, depression and withdrawal
syndrome also cause excessive eating in some cases. Absence of better engagement for the mind,
for instance during long travels, is also a cause for excess intake. When the belly is too full, it becomes heavy
and an irritant in the mind, disallowing any other thought. Dhyaana is impossible in such a state.
The
stomach is unique. It can expand thirty
times its size. It expands in proportion
to the quantity of food taken in. The
unburnt extra food is converted into fat and stored around the abdomen for use
in future, at times of non-availability of food. This accumulated fat distorts the shape and
creates imbalance in the body structure.
The body refuses to sit in Padmaasana, nay, even simpler postures like
Siddhaasana, Vajraasana, Sukhaasana, so essential for practise of Dhyaana.
On
the other hand, the body’s vital functioning becomes very weak for the frugal
eater. He remains ever exhausted and
sleepy, thus unfit for Dhyaana. The same
for sleep. Excessive sleep causes
sluggishness in thinking faculty, while too little sleep causes bodily weakness
and tired brain. Many of the mental
illnesses are caused due to lack of sleep.
A
good painting is possible only on a good wall.
Likewise, Dhyaana can be effective only with an able and healthy
body. The body should neither be
pampered with all its demands nor tortured and ignored by refusing even the
basic demands. Its needs should be so
fulfilled that it does not attract the mind towards itself.
Shri
Krishna continues this discussion in the next verse too.
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युक्ताहारविहारस्य युक्तचेष्टस्य कर्मसु ।
युक्त स्वप्नावबोधस्य योगो भवति दुःखहा ॥ १७ ॥
To him who is temperate in eating and recreation, in his effort
for work, and in sleep and wakefulness, Yog becomes the destroyer of misery.
(VI - 17)
Not
only the quantity, but also the type and timing of food matter. The food creates attitude and character. (In fact, the mindset of the cook and the
server also affect the health and mindset of the eater. It is our common observation that the regular
customers of hotels suffer digestive problems though the food offered there is
tasty). There is more detailed
discussion on food in the seventeenth chapter.
Soft, easily digestible food with mild taste is Satvika food. Such food nourishes and strengthens the body,
increases life span and improves health.
Food with strong tastes, sour, bitter, salty, pungent are Rajasika. Such foods stimulate thirst and cause pain,
distress and disease. Stale, rotten,
fermented, decomposed and left overs are Tamasika type of foods. These foods stimulate laziness, intoxication,
sleep and dull intellect.
It
is only in Bharat, food is consumed at fixed time in a day. There is a large community that takes the
evening food strictly before sunset. No
specific rules guide food intake habits in other places. For many, any time other than sleep is food
time. Munching of any trash available
goes on day long, irrespective of whether one is hungry or not. We may feel that it is food only when taken
in a plate and eaten properly seated.
What is the harm if a single chocolate, a few pieces of chips or a
bottle of soft drink is is taken
in? It is also food and needs an equal
amount of effort by the body to be digested.
Nothing other than water should find its way to the stomach in the time
gap between two intakes. Time gap is
must between two feeds. Night food, if
taken late in the night is sure to harm the body.
The one wanting to
practise Dhyaana must eat for hunger, not for taste and desire. He must invent his own rules and guiding
factors for the type, timings and quantity of food.
Vihaara
is roaming. The practitioner of Dhyaana
should avoid going to unworthy places. Our
lives were very simple even a few years back.
The metropolitan life now a days is flashy, pompous and
extravagant. Cinema halls, commercial
centres and entertainment centres are no more simple and purposeful. These are luring and intoxicating. It is better to avoid these spots. The whole world is brought into our drawing
room through the TV channels. T V also
is better avoided or watched with utmost caution and discretion. The initiated should not get trapped in the
illusionary confidence that, “I am strong and will not be affected by these
stimulating environment”.
Not
only food and sleep, but anything else, like speech, efforts etc. should also
be balanced and conscious. Neither too
much nor too less. These restrictions
have been suggested for a fresher on the path of Dhyaana. These may be irrelevant for a matured practitioner. A plant is surrounded by a thorny fence to
protect it from goats. The same plant
matured into a huge tree can feed a thousand goats and does not need protective
fence. The one on the path of Dhyaana
must insulate self from the world. He
should not allow the world to touch the mind.
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यदा विनियतं चित्तं आत्मन्येवावतिष्ठते ।
निःस्पृहः सर्वकामेभ्यो युक्त इत्युच्यते तदा ॥ १८ ॥
When the completely controlled mind rests serenely in the
Self alone, free from longing after all desires,m then is one called steadfast
(in the Self).
(VI - 18)
In the next few verses,
Shri Krishna describes the mindset of a Dhyaana Yogee.
Sankhya
Yog was explained in the second chapter.
Based on realization, it is possible for a very few. Karma Yog was discussed then. That suggests performance of action without
attachment. Dhyaana Yog is a practice
system for restraining the mind. It is
possible for a larger number of men.
Two
points have been mentioned here. Mind
becoming restrained, stable and self contented is one and mind detached from
worldly objects and desires is the other.
These two are mutually complementary.
One causes the other and vice-versa.
There is no interest or attachment for objects, persons, actions,
situations and anything other than Paramaatman in a mind under control. Mind is detached from the world. It is self-contented without the need for
external factors. It anchors itself
firmly on the real self. Mind detached
from worldly objects and desires calms down and becomes stable. The first way is of Dhyaana Yog and the later
one is Karma Yog.
He
is a Yogee the moment his restrained mind attains a state of self-contentment
and detachment from objects. There is no
assurance from Shri Krishna on the number of months, years or births required
for becoming a Yogee through the practise of Dhyaana. The mind has to be stable and perfectly
detached from the objects and other desires.
That is the only pre-condition.
Nihspruha
is an oft used term in the Gita. It
means non-attachment with objects. Objects
are inevitable as long as we live in this world. There have been a few who tried to live
without any object. Shree Mahavir and
Pattinathar are glaring examples. Shree
Mahavir renounced even clothes.
Pattinathar stayed at the gates of temple and a clay begging bowl was
his only possession. He used to share
the begged food with a dog, which was always with him. He was teased even for that by another sage
and was called ‘Kutumbhi’, a family man with possession. Most of those practising Dhyaana are family
men. Hence, renouncing the objects is
not the suggestion of the term ‘Nispruha’.
Snapping the bondage of the mind with the objects is the suggestion of
Shri Krishna.
I
have noticed a phenomenon in many houses during my stay in South Africa. The houses used to have every type of comfort
objects, like the TV, AC, room heaters, Freezers full of many types of
ice-creams and chocolates. There used to
be a beautiful lawn in front and a swimming pool at the back. The members of the family are too busy, with
their office work and school and college on week days and with beaches,
resorts, safaris and casinos in the week ends, to enjoy any of these. All these comforts are enjoyed by the maids
and servants in the house. But, if any
of these is lost or damaged, it is not the servant but the owner who is
disturbed. The owner may not be using these,
but is bound to these. When a criminal
is chained and led by a policeman, it is not only the criminal who is bound and
held by the Policeman, but also the policeman who is bound to the
criminal. Similarly, the objects are
held by the possessor. At the same time,
the possessor is also bound and held by the objects. The servant may be the
regular user, but is not bound with these at the mind level. The Nihspruha is in a state similar to that
of the servant, in the midst of objects, but unattached to those. The practitioner of Dhyaana should become a
Nihspruha.
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यथा दीपो निवातस्थो नेङ्गते सोपमा स्मृता ।
योगिनो यतचित्तस्य युञ्जतो योगमात्मनः ॥ १९ ॥
“As a lamp in a spot sheltered from the wind dos not
flicker,” – even such has been the simile used for a Yogi of subdued mind,
practising concentration in the Self.
(VI - 19)
Here,
Shri Krishna comes up with a beautiful simile.
The wind causes flutter in the flame of a lamp. Similarly, worldly objects cause disturbance
in the mind. If the flame of the lamp is
guarded from the wind by a glass shield, it burns steadily with full glow. Similarly, if the attachment with the world
is eliminated, the mind becomes steady. An
unsteady, fluttering flame expresses its existence, while in a silent, steady
flame, the flame almost vanishes giving way to total existence of only Light. There is no such thing called mind. In an excited, unsteady state the mind
registers its existence. When calmed and
steadied, the mind vanishes.
What
does the mind chase? It chases the world
and the objects therein. Why does it
chase? In search of happiness; As the desire for happiness is alive; There is the fond hope that ‘my desire will
be fulfilled’. What if it does not? There is still hope. If not this time, next time; If not in this, definitely in another. The mind goes on loitering with this
never-exhausting hope. It will continue
to run till the realization that ‘happiness can not be accrued through these
objects’ and that ‘happiness is within’.
This realization may appear easy, but is very difficult. Why?
We never learn from the experiences we gain through what we see and
hear. Any number of examples can be
given to expose this trait of ours.
He
or she has been using ‘Fair and Lovely’ since last so many years and her skin
has not turned fair. Even on knowing
this... The trader next door has lost
everything and has turned insolvent.
In spite of knowing this... The
powerful Government executive was arrested, all his property impounded and he
and his family were put to ridicule and disgrace. Even after knowing this... Sudden closure of Chit funds, sudden collapse
of stock market, and other such happenings is money market have swept off total
savings of so many persons in near vicinity.
Yes. Even after knowing these... Persons seemingly healthy suddenly fall sick,
suffer from diseases unheard of and suffer a slow and painful death. Even on seeing a lot of such cases... Even on seeing self getting older day by
day... Even on seeing people around us
dying... Does the mind realize that
‘this may happen to me too’? It does not
and hence goes on running and chasing.
I
remember a conversation I had with two of my friends during my college
days. One of them stayed near a cremation
ground. He regularly witnessed bodies
being burnt. In fact, he regularly
inhaled the smoke from the crematorium.
“How has this affected your thinking or attitude?” The conversation started with this question
of mine. We were joined by another
friend who had finished his medical education and was an internee in a hospital. He was a regular witness to pain, disease and
misery in the hospital and also blood, flesh, urine and other discharges of the
body. The same question was posed at him
too. “How has your daily experience of witnessing
pain, misery, blood and death affected your thought and attitude?” The essence of their replies was that, ‘We do
not allow these experiences to affect our minds”. “What else is the club for? And, also the cinema, booze and girls? We surely do not want to become Buddha.” Ha Ha Ha!
Watch the words. They do not want
to become Buddha. They can not. They are unfit to become Buddha. That is the reality. Prince Siddhartha saw an old man once. He saw a dead body only once and instantly
resolved to become a Buddha. If sighting
a dead body is the qualification to become spiritually oriented, then the man
working in a mortuary is most qualified to become one. Once a realization that this may happen to me
too, the vagabond mind stops drifting and calms down.
All
friends gather when we receive the news of death of an acquaintance. A cup of tea is always part of any such
gathering. “Oh! I met and talked with him only last evening,”
says one. “I come directly from his
home. I was talking with him just an
hour ago” says another. “He had come to
my house in the morning and had tea.
Unfortunately, that was to be his last cup of tea” says the third. ‘Now we are meeting, talking and having a cup
of tea. The others may talk similar
words about me in the next few hours’.
This thought never crops up in any one of those assembled. There is an anecdote in the
Mahabharatha. Yudhishtira is quizzed by
a Yaksha during their stay in the forest.
One of the question was, “What is most surprising?” “He regularly sees people dying around
him. Yet, man behaves as if he himself
is going to be ever alive. That is most
surprising,” replied Yudhishtira.
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यत्रोपरमते चित्तं निरुद्धं योगसेवया ।
यत्र चैवात्मनात्मानं पश्यन्नात्मनि तुष्यति ॥ २० ॥
सुखमात्यन्तिकं यत्तद्बुद्धिग्राह्यमतीन्द्रियम् ।
वेत्ति यत्र न चैवायं स्थितश्चलति तत्त्वतः ॥ २१ ॥
यं लब्ध्वा चापरं लाभं मन्यते नाधिकं ततः ।
यस्मिन्स्थितो न दुःखेन गुरुणापि विचाल्यते ॥ २२ ॥
तं विद्याद्दुःखसंयोग वियोगं योगसन्ज्ञितम् ।
स निश्चयेन योक्तव्यो योगोsनिर्विण्णचेतसा ॥ २३ ॥
When the mind, absolutely restrained by the practice of
concentration, attains quietude, and when seeing the Self by the Self, one is
satisfied in his own Self...
(VI - 20)
Shri
Krishna picturizes Dhyaana Yog in the next four shlokas.
Patanjali
in his Yoga-sutra had said, ‘Yogaschitta Vrutti Nirodhah’ (The mind restraining
to calmness is Yog, I.2). Here, Shri
Krishna is seen saying the same in different words. ‘Uparamate Chittam Niruddham’, i.e. the mind
is calmed down through Yog, says Shri Krishna.
Niruddham is restraining. It is
not forceful restraining. Forcefully
restrained mind seems to be calm, but the attributes are buried deep in the
mind and not eliminated. These burst our
vigorously in extra ordinary situations.
I have never wept in any death I have seen and was proudly conscious of
this. The death of eleven co-workers in
the brutal attack and bomb blast by Islamic terrorists on the Sangh Karyalayam
in Chennai saw me burst out into tears.
The self belief that death does not shake me was shattered on that
occasion. Yes. That might have been the truth in normal
deaths, but is not the whole truth. The
quality of grieving on death is not eliminated.
Vritti Nirodha has not happened.
The Vritti is buried deep inside and is exposed involuntarily in extra
ordinary situations. Other attributes
like fear, anger, lust and arrogance are also similar.
Elimination
of an attribute is more probable if it is observed as a ‘witness’ than
suppressed. Many auto-suggestions are
prescribed to overcome attributes. ‘It
is wrong to be afraid’; ‘I do not get
angry’; ‘I have overcome lust’; ‘Arrogance does not befit me’; ‘How can a man shed tears?’; etc. are some of
these. Such impressive suggestions are
betraying. Instead, if it is observed
dispassionately, it fades away gradually.
We swing between two extremes, one of spell of the undesired emotion and
the other of repentance. We get swept
away by the furious lust or rage or fear or arrogance one moment and plunge
into repentance the next. This
phenomenon becomes a sort of addictive ritual.
We should resist jumping into mode of repentance, at the same time
distancing self from the flow of emotion and observing its eruption calmly, as
a witness would. Mind is nothing but a
bunch of attributes. The mind is
silenced, rather ceases to exist as the attributes are eliminated. (Mind is a creation of the Prakriti and hence
can not be an instrument to attain Paramaatman.
Paramaatman is attainable only if the mind is completely nullified.)
An
inexplicable bliss and peace can be experienced as we turn our sight inwards
and plunge deeper in meditation. This
happiness is not what is usually acquired through worldly objects pleasurable
experiences. The cause or source of this
bliss is not anything in the external world.
This is in fact a glimpse of our Real Nature, Ananda. One who has experienced feels full and
contented. He is totally free of any
desire.
The
state of Divinity attained on the path of Karma Yog is the same as the one
attained through Dhyaana. In Dhyaana
Yog, the Bliss is attained when the mind is gradually silenced. While, in Karma Yog, all desires and
attachments in actions are given up and the Bliss is attained (II - 55). In Dhyaana Yog, mind is focussed inward on
our true nature and gradually self becomes one with the Real Self and the state
of self-contentment and Bliss is attained.
In Karma Yog, the body, senses, mind, Buddhi, objects, actions and
everything else are dedicated in the well-being of the world, the Self is
delinked from the mind with all its desires and attachments and the state of
Self-contentment and Bliss is attained.
-\-
When he feels that infinite Bliss – which is perceived by
the (purified) intellect, and which transcends the senses, and established
wherein he never departs from his real state...
(VI
- 21)
The
Bliss explained in the previous Shloka is not born out of any object in the
outer world. It is unique. There is no other happiness higher than that. It is higher than the Sattvika
happiness. Sattvika is born in the
Buddhi contemplating on the Divine (XVIII - 37), while Aatyantika Sukha
experienced by Dhyaana Yogee is not born and does not fade and vanish.
This
is higher than Rajasika happiness.
Rajasa happiness is born out of the union of senses and the pleasure
objects (XVIII - 38), while Aatyantika Sukha is beyond sense experiences. Rajasa Sukha relies on the senses and the
objects and binds the self to these, while Aatyantika Sukha is Independent and
Liberating.
This
is higher than Tamasika happiness. Tamasika
Sukha is born out of lethargy and sleep and shrouds the wit (XVIII - 39). Buddhi is creation of Prakriti and is
incapable of experiencing the Bliss experienced by Dhyaana Yogee. Yet, this does not shroud Buddhi and
discretion.
The
one who has known this does not deviate and drift from the Paramaatman. He never again returns to worldly objects and
pleasures.
-\-
And having obtained which, regards no other acquisition
superior to that, and where established, he is not moved even by heavy
sorrow...
(VI
- 22)
It
is a normal human trait to jump and grab it if a higher happiness is dangled
before him. He is enjoying the pleasure
of sleep and laziness. If sensual
pleasure appears before him, he dumps sleep and goes for it. Don’t we give up sleep for a movie? If he realizes the Sattvika happiness to be
higher than the sensual pleasure, he forgoes it and goes for Sattvika
sukha. If one absorbed in the pleasure
of the tongue realizes the enjoyment in Bhajan, he readily gives up the
pleasure of the tongue and seeks to enjoy the happiness of bhajan. Aatyantika sukha is higher than the Sattvika
sukha also. Dhyaana Yogee, having
experienced it once never seeks a higher happiness, as there is no pleasure or
happiness higher than this. This is the
ultimate Joy.
We
get disturbed when grief or pain strikes us while we are experiencing pleasure,
happiness. When we are enjoying a sweet
dear to the mind, if there is a heart attack, the sweet piece is instantly
thrown. But, the Yogee enjoying the
Bliss, Atyantika Sukha is not disturbed by any pain or grief, howsoever severe
it may be. All the pains are within the
empire of Prakriti. These are caused by
body, senses, mind and Buddhi, and worldly objects, all creations of
Prakriti. Hence, these pains do not shatter
Atyantika Sukha which is beyond Prakriti.
-\-
Let that be known as the state, called by the name of Yog, -
a state of severance from the contact of pain.
This Yog should be practised with perseverance, undisturbed by
depression of heart.
(VI
- 23)
Dhyaana
Yog snaps the bonds with pains and grief, says Shri Krishna. In the 12th shloka, He had said
that the practice of Yog is towards cleansing and purifying the mind. Pain is the impurity of mind. Among the many reasons for pain, ‘negativity’
in attitude is primary, the vision which searches and finds defects,
imperfections, etc. ‘Becoming impatient and
exposing the dark side of one, when he is being praised’; ‘looking at and criticising the thorns
overlooking the beautiful flower accompanying those’; ‘Forgetting his so many kind assistance to
self and harping on one misdeed’;
‘Though so many tasty and delicious items have been served in the plate,
fill up the mind with bitterness on one disliked item’; ‘Rejecting as futile all the suggestions for
progress, suggested with good intention’;
all these are samples of ‘negative’ vision. These persons get dejected if there is none
to share their ‘critical’ view or if the others do not approve their view. Dejection may also be caused if there is
nothing to find fault with. Dhyaana Yog
practise helps wipe out this ‘dirt’ from the mind and thus snaps its bondage
with misery.
The
goal of Dhyaana is the state described in the previous four shlokas. Hence, Dhyaana practice is to be firmly
continued without frustration. Shri
Krishna is aware of a common trait of humans to give up the path owing to
frustration and lack of hope. There is
never a frustration in efforts at earning money, seeking pleasures and
acquiring comfort objects. One does not
lose hopes in chasing positions, fame and power and in efforts to retain these. One never gets tired of ‘make-up’ of self to
become agreeable in society. But,
spiritual efforts, worship, dhyaana, efforts to seek knowledge, etc. tire and
frustrate one in very short time. That
is why Shri Krishna advises patience, firm faith and consistent and continuous
effort.
Acharya
Rajneesh beautifully illustrates the effect of losing hope. There was a thinker and philosopher by name
‘Hally Caire’ in Germany. He approached
a Japanese Sadhu to learn Meditation. The
Sadhu began teaching him archery. Hally
Caire was not comfortable. “Have I
traversed a long distance from Germany to Japan to waste my time in learning
archery?” But the Sadhu insisted he was
teaching Dhyaana. Hally Caire had
planned to learn meditation in a few months and return home. He even thought of running away from the
ashram. Respect for the Sadhu stopped
him. One year was past before he could
convince self about learning archery. He
began learning with utmost focus and interest.
One more year was gone. By now,
he was an expert archer. He could hit
targets perfectly. He asked the Sadhu,
“Now that I have mastered archery, can I start learning meditation?” “Where have you learnt? Yes. I
agree that you do not miss the target.
But, so long you are present when you drive an arrow, I won’t agree that
you have learnt”, said the Sadhu. “I
think I am struck with a lunatic” thought Hally. He was frustrated, but continued for one more
year. One day, when he could no longer
bear, he decided to return to Germany.
He
could feel a glimpse of Bliss in the Sadhu’s company. But, he has not been introduced to even the
basics of meditation. Three years have
passed in learning archery, but according to the Sadhu, he is not able to shoot
an arrow without himself being present.
In fact, he could not grasp the Sadhu’s idea of not being present while
shooting an arrow. He could not see the
link between archery and meditation. He
was terribly hopeless. He went to the
Sadhu to bid him good-bye. The Sadhu was
teaching archery to another disciple. Hally
Caire sat by side waiting for the Sadhu to be free. The Sadhu took an arrow, fixed it to the bow
and shot it. Hally Caire saw for the
first time, an arrow being shot without the shooter being present. The Sadhu was of course present. But, there was no conscious effort on his
part. It just happened. The arrow placed, bow string tightened, and
arrow shot. The arrow flew. It did not seem he was shooting it at the
target. It seemed the target was
attracting the arrow towards it. Hally Caire
ran towards the Sadhu and fell at his feet.
He took the bow from him and shot an arrow. The Sadhu patted him on his back and said, “Yes. Today you have succeeded. You have shot the arrow without registering
your presence. This is the start of
meditation.” “Why did this not happen
all these days?” asked Hally Caire. “You
were in a hurry all these days. You were desperate. You were worried about doing. You were anxious about success. Now, success and failure have become irrelevant
to you. You are no more bothered about ‘doing’. Hence the act is done without the doer”,
replied the Sadhu.
Tireless
effort is continuous and patient effort without a tinge of frustration. That is in our hands. We lose, if fatigue or frustration sets
in. How many more days have we to
strive? Why days! I am ready to continue for months, years, nay
many births. That is the right attitude.
-\-
सङ्कल्पप्रभवान्कामांस्त्यक्त्वा सर्वानशेषतः ।
मनसैवेन्द्रियग्रामं विनियम्य समन्ततः ॥ २४ ॥
Abandoning without reserve all desires born of Sankalpa, and
completely restraining, by the mind alone, the whole group of senses from their
objects in all directions....
(VI - 24)
The
resolutions springing in the mind like ‘this will be beneficial to me’ or ‘this
will not benefit me’ are called sankalpa.
Some of the worldly objects, persons, environments, experiences,
opportunities, etc. seem to be soothing and beneficial, while a few others seem
harsh, unfavourable and harming. These
virtual impressions are called sankalpa.
These cause desires like ‘want’, ‘do not want’. Every sankalpa and every desire arising out
of these sankalpas are to be erased from the mind.
Senses
and the mind chasing the senses are the root causes for sankalpas. The mind is to snapped from the senses...
He
continues in the next shlokam.
-\-
शनैः शनैरुपरमेद्बुद्ध्या धृतिगृहीतया ।
आत्मसंस्थं मनः कृत्वा न किञ्चिदपि चिन्तयेत् ॥ २५ ॥
With the intellect set in patience, with the mind fastened
on the Self, let him attain quietude by degrees:
Let him not think of anything.
(VI - 25)
Is
the mind to be snapped of its link with senses and fixed on Paramaatman or link
of the mind with the senses are snapped as a result of mind getting engrossed
on Paramaatman? Both are true, simultaneous
and complementary. We try to focus on
Paramaatman. The vasanas previously
acquired by mind do not allow it remain fixed in meditation and drag it towards
the world and the senses. If the mind
involves in the senses, more vasanas will be accumulated making meditation more
difficult. On the one hand, determined
efforts to meditate on Paramaatman should continue and on the other, the mind
should be firmly held from getting lured towards the senses. The mind should be trained to keep away from
the senses on occasions when the senses have to mingle among their respective
objects for basic sustenance.
Shanaihi shanaihi.... calmly, gradually,
steadily. Why impatience?
Birth as a human is at
the end of a very long journey of lives as 82 lakhs other species. Do all the jeeva in human form strive to
attain Godhood? No. One in millions is fortunate to think of God. One in millions of those who think of Him
initiate efforts to attain Him. One in
millions of those strive, succeeds.
Hence, the seeker treading the path of Dhyaana Yog is one in billions
(VII - 3). Where is the need for
impatience?
Mind and Buddhi are also creations of Nature like
other worldly objects. These are inept
and insufficient to reach us to the Paramaatman. Are our hands efficient enough to grasp
light? Shri Krishna says, anywhere near
Him can be reached only if the mind and the Buddhi become ‘uparama’ or
calm. The manas is calmed on being
delinked from the senses and with total elimination of sankalpa and desires (VI
- 20). How is Buddhi calmed? The grit
remains at times of favourable results.
That is normal. It should remain
when faced with unfavourable and adverse results. That is calmness of Buddhi. It is shaken if there is another task to be
finished after this. But, is there a
more important task than attaining Paramaatman?
Expectation of name, fame, rest and other such results on successful
completion of the task in hand is also a cause for restlessness. Buddhi with no importance for these is a
Buddhi with ‘Uparama’.
-\-
यतो यतो निश्चरति मनश्चञ्चलमस्थिरम् ।
ततस्ततो नियम्यैतदात्मन्येव वशं नयेत् ॥ २६ ॥
Through whatever reason the restless, unsteady mind wanders
away, let him, curbing it from that, bring it under the subjugation of the Self
alone.
(VI - 26)
The
mind is erratic and restless. It
repeatedly runs away when efforts are made to fix it on Paramaatman. It has to be withdrawn from its wanderings
and fixed on the form and thoughts of Paramaatman. The mind should not be allowed to blow and sway
self with it. Self should be consciously
kept aloof from its erratic wanderings.
Self should be aware of and should watch the drifting mind. This is termed ‘Sakshi Bhava’ (witness
attitude) in Yog, ‘Preksha Dhyaana’ in Jain philosophy and ‘Vipashyana’ in
Buddhist. At the time of an accident,
one who is ‘in’ the accident (victim), is too excited to observe and take note
of anything around. An outsider, a mere
spectator of the accident is not affected or anxious and hence is in a mindset
that allows him to observe. He is called
the witness. Similarly, one should train
to keep self unaffected by the storms of emotions, unswayed by the wild
wanderings of the mind and observe the same, as if he were a witness. An employee unsupervised by the boss tends to
be lazy and insincere in his work. He
becomes more active and sincere the moment he knows he is being observed by the
boss. Similar is the attitude of a mind
being observed by the ‘Buddhi’. It calms
down and can be easily fixed on the thoughts of Paramaatman. It must be relentlessly brought back from its
wanderings to the thoughts and Form of the Paramaatman.
Swami
Ramsukhdas of Gita Press, Gorakhpur has some valuable tips in this regard.
1. Follow the mind and try to focus on the
object it wanders to regarding the same as a manifested form of Paramaatman.
2. These so many thoughts do not appear in
the mind when we are engaged in worldly pursuits and come as a deluge when we
try to sit in Dhyaana. Some of the
seekers are terrorised by this phenomenon.
One, who is firm in his pursuit of Paramaatman is not intimidated. He takes this as cleaning up of mind, with
all the junk coming out. The mind being
intensely engaged during the worldly pursuits does not allow junk to come out. In seclusion, with no other occupation for
the mind, it is natural for all the rubbish hoarded within to spring out. This is the attitude of a seeker.
3. ‘Thoughts arising on their own’ is one
thing while the act of thinking is different.
‘I’ or ‘Me’ is prominently present in the act of thinking, while the
former is involuntary. Thoughts arise on
their own about about that with which self is totally identified. When the seeker, who identifies himself with
the world, tries to meditate on Paramaatman, thoughts of the mundane storm the
mind. In this state, he has to perform
the act of ‘thinking on God’. If he
practises to regard the world as different from self and identifies more and
more with Paramaatman, thoughts on Him naturally rise in him. There is no necessity for the act of
‘thinking’ or meditating.
4. Never sit for Dhyaana with petty, mundane
resolutions like ‘this job is to be finished’, ‘I have to meet him’, ‘I have to
visit that place’, etc.
5. The eyelids can be closed and opened fast
and then eyes shut for Dhyaana. This
will help elimination of pictures within the closed eyes.
6. The breath should be forcefully exhaled
with sound four or five times and held out as long as possible before slowly
inhaling. This will help in elimination
of Sankalpa-vikalpa in the mind.
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