SAMADHI THROUGH VEDANTA
There are four ways of destroying the ego or Ahankara, viz., two Advaitic methods (positive and negative), one Bhaktas' method of ungrudging, unreserved, absolute self-surrender (Atmanivedana) and the fourth, complete self-sacrifice of Nishkama Karma Yogis.
The negative Vedantic method is denial: "I am not the body, I am not the mind.
"Brahma satyam jaganmithya jivo brahmaiva na-aparah"
(Brahman alone is real. The world is unreal. Jiva is identical with Brahman.)
World includes the body. Meditate on this idea. Aham will vanish.
The positive method is that everything is Self only:
"Sarvam khalvidam brahma-All is Brahman"
(There is nothing but Brahman)
INTELLIGENT MODERATION IN SADHANA INDISPENSABLE FOR SAMADHI
Should you hold communion with Brahman, devoid of mental fancies and modifications, then the great bondage of the mind will cease, all doubts will vanish and all Karmas will perish:
"Bhidyate hridayagranthih chhidyante sarvasamsayah
kshiyante chasya karmani tasmin drishte paravare"
The stupid bee, knowing that flowers are blossoming in a certain tree and setting out with a terrific speed, passes it; and, in turning back, reaches it when the juice is finished.
Another stupid bee, setting out with a low speed reaches it when the juice is finished.
A clever bee, on the other hand, setting out with just the necessary speed, easily reaches the bunch of flowers, takes the juice to its heart's content and, turning it into honey, enjoys its taste.
Similarly, among the students of surgery who are practising surgical work on a lotus-leaf placed in a vessel of water, one stupid student, letting fall the knife with speed, either cuts the lotus-leaf into two or sinks it in the water.
Another stupid one, out of fear of cutting or sinking, dare not touch it with the knife.
The clever one, on the other hand, makes the stroke with the knife with uniform force, finishes his course and earns money by doing similar work when occasion arises.
To take another instance: on an announcement from the King, "He who brings a cobweb four fathoms long gets 4,000 coins," a stupid man draws the cobweb in haste and cuts it here and there.
Another stupid man, through fear of cutting it, dare not even touch it with his fingers.
The clever man, on the other hand, rolls it from one end on a stick with mild force, brings it and gets the reward.
To take a fourth instance, a stupid sailor, who goes full sail when the wind is strong, causes the boat to rush off her course.
Another stupid man, who lowers the sails when the wind is low, makes the boat remain in the same place.
The clever one, on the other hand, goes full sail when the wind is low and half sail when the wind is strong and reaches his destination in safety.
Again, when the teacher announces to his pupils, "He who fills the tube without spilling the oil gets the reward," a stupid student, greedy of gain, filling with haste, spills the oil.
Another stupid one, through fear of spilling oil, dare not attempt the task.
A clever one, on the other hand, fills the tube with calm and steady force and gets the reward.
Even so, when the sign appears, an aspirant makes strong efforts, saying: "I will quickly attain Samadhi"; but, his mind, through excessive strain, becomes distracted and he is not able to attain ecstasy or Samadhi.
Another person, seeing fault in excessive strenuousness, gives up the effort, saying: "What is the use of Samadhi to me now?" His mind, through over-slackness of energy, becomes idle and he too is not able to attain Samadhi.
But, he who releases with an intelligent, calm, uniform force the mind that is slack ever so little from slackness and the distracted mind from distraction, drives it towards the goal or Lakshya (i.e., Brahman) and attains Nirvikalpa Samadhi (Advaita-Nishtha). Become like such a one.
(Posts on Samadhi are based on Swami Sivananda's exposition on SAMADHI).
Swami gives the same instructions in the following quote:-
Start early- In the vedantic path, the conviction to take up the goal must start early in one's life so that one can take up sadhana when one is strong in all respects- physical, mental, emotional,spiritual.
Drive Slowly- Here, slow does not mean slow in its literal sense, Swami perhaps means that one has to be steady in his sadhana
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