Dakshinamurthy Stotram - Post 9

 

Dhyana Shloka - 5

 

 

(Salutations unto that Dakshinamurti who is the meaning of “Om”. Salutations to the one who is described by the word ॐ whose form is only pure knowledge. 

To that Dakshinamurthy, who is ever-pure and ever-calm, I offer my salutations.)

 

“OM represents the underlying order that sustains all creation, and to one who understands the true significance of the word, it is indeed the name of the Lord.”

The chanting of Om is the most common spiritual practice to render the mind meditative. The chanting may be done aloud, or in a whisper, or in complete silence. Whatever way we look at it in practice, the thing that matters is that which it signifies. Om is a symbol which signifies or indicates the Divinity within.

“Om is the symbol of the unchanging eternal universal supreme God .... Om is the sound of the movement of the stars in the firmament; it is the sound that manifested when the dawn of Creative Will stirred the Niraakaara (the Attribute less) into activity".

Sri Sathya Sai Baba

(SSS6, Chap. 42)

Shuddha Jnana: “Pure Knowledge”. There are two important points to keep in mind when Om is chanted. 

The first is that it must relate to Pure knowledge, which is knowledge free from all mental concepts, terminology, elaborate explanations, etc.

The second point about Om-chanting is that the practitioner must feel connected to his heart; he must be filled with a rare stillness and silence, ever steady and calm. This is described as Pure Bliss in many Vedanta texts. It is the Pure Atman, the supreme Indweller within our heart. What is the perfect reminder of this state?

Shri Dakshinamurti is described as taintless, free, and unaffected by anything whatsoever.

Pure consciousness remains unaffected by your thoughts even when you are angry, sad, depressed, or frustrated. Whatever your thoughts / emotions are, your consciousness remains unaffected. 

Yesterday, in a talk on Ashtavakra Gita (uploaded in the youtube channel), the author spoke on “Purity of awareness” at length. 

Awareness, when it is related to any object which one gets aware, the mind and intellect play a part in such knowing or such awareness and once mind and intellect are present, the awareness does not qualify to be said as “pure awareness”

Pure awareness or Pure consciousness is Pure, because it is objectless awareness. It is not awareness of something but it is awareness itself which illumines our intellect with which we are aware of all other objects in the creation.

Sri Dakshinamurti is thus understood as one’s own consciousness, the divine Sadguru within.

These Dhyana Shlokas are technically not part of the Stotram. But they are traditionally chanted before the Stotram. It is helpful to develop an image in one’s mind for the sake of prayer and meditation.

From the next post, we will start with actual Stotram.

 

Love.