Sutra 18 . Atmaratyavirodheneti Sandilya.
(The sage Sandilya
thinks that it must be without hindrance to the enjoyment of bliss in the Atman
)
Atmarati-avirodhena:
without hindrance to the enjoyment of bliss in the Atman
Iti : Thus
Sandilya : sage,
(to be understood as Sandilya Manyate:, Sandilya thinks).
The sage Sandilya holds that it must be without being
opposed the delight in the Atman.
This is a difficult verse at the surface level. Let is
try to understand the verse clearly.
Sage Vyaasa has explained Bhakti as attachment to God.
Sage Garga has explained that Bhakti is getting immersed
in talks of / on divine Lord.
What Sage Sandilya explains here is the ultimate
attainment in the path of devotion.
The sage, as though, points out that all Pooja, all rituals, all immersing
in glory of God, all so called emotions towards God, should ultimately culminate
in finding the God within, merging with God and attainment of / experience of
ultimate Bliss / Ananda.
Without reading this verse, Author,
in the previous post also, had written
on the significance of all rituals /
incense sticks / mala / alter etc. and was upheld with a concluding line that all this
should elevate the devotee to a higher level and he should not get stuck up
with these props and these rituals for ever.
Sage Sandilya means exactly the same in this verse.
To be more clear, all the joy,
all the inner experience which happens when a devotee visits a Sai centre,
immerses himself when someone renders a
nice bhajan, when a devotee visits any temple / any place of worship, closes his
eyes when the Aarti is performed or, to be very precise, when Swami comes for
darshan and approaches a devotee, something happens to him deep within, the
devotee does not exist with his body, his mind, his intellect at that moment,
the devotee does not exist as an individual, the devotee is not conscious of
his physical existence and it is his soul which has touched the universal soul
that is SAI. The tears that roll over is proof that the soul has touched the soul.
ALL SUCH EXPERIENCES ARE NOT THE EXPERIENCE OF HIS MIND BUT AT ALL SUCH
MOMENTS, HIS SOUL / HIS SELF / HIS ATMAN IS AWAKENED AND THE JOY OR BLISS
EXPERIENCED IS THE JOY / BLISS OF THE SELF / SPIRIT / ATMAN.
This particular verse and its commentary
requires deep contemplation especially
for those who have not actually thought of their experience in their devotion
in the way it is explained in this verse.
Love.
PS - It is precisely due to the truth revealed in this verse / sutra that it is recognized that Bhakti in its true sense MUST culminate in Jnana.
i.e., Bhakti, though has the background of duality with Bhakta separate from Bhagwan, when it is in its purest and most intense state, must and does end the duality between the devotee and the God and culminates in Non Dual State where, the individual spirit / soul / atman of the devotee merges with the universal spirit / soul / Brahman!!!.
Love.
