Sadhana Panchakam- Post 8

 

As the author had clarified, we are not going to limit all these instructions only for “Brahmacharya” Ashram. So we will try to introspect on each instruction at universal level, at deep philosophical level, no matter how many posts we take for each of the 40 instructions.

  

Tad Uditam: “Duties ordained”. These are duties prescribed according to the Vedas.

 

Karma: This is a technical term, having a specific contextual meaning, in spite of many other meanings of the word. In the science of self-development, Karma means actions performed as well as the reactions produced by such actions.

 

Vihita or actions approved by the Vedas are classified into 4 types. They are:

 

i) Nitya Karmas: One’s daily round of duties. When performed well and regularly, they bring about our self-purification. They work out and reduce our Karmic bundle.

ii) Naimittika Karmas: The actions performed on special occasions.

 

iii) Kamya Karmas: Actions arising from personal, legitimate desire. Kamya Karma is permitted to the extent that they do not deny others their rights and do not violate Dharma or the Laws of Righteousness. (We covered this under “Kama” when we dealt with 4 Purushartha in our Karma session/ Karma blog posts.

 

iv) Prayaschitta Karmas: Expiatory actions which are necessary to wipe away the effects of unknown Karmas from past births and those being done unconsciously moment to moment in this birth. 

 

Scope of Work in the Gurukula:

 

The student is given many tasks to do in the Acharya’s household. Through these tasks, the household is kept running. So it is not just a laboratory exercise, but is actually fulfilling an important function. The students virtually produce their own needs by engaging in these tasks. They take care of themselves under the direction of the Acharya and his wife.

 

A sense of responsibility gets instilled in them.

 

In days of yore, the tasks would have been different from what we see children doing these days. Then it was mostly agricultural work. There was the chopping of firewood, for instance. 

 

The cows had to be tended; Lord Krishna as a child loved this task greatly and has given dignity to it. India’s traditional love and care for cows has a rich scriptural support which comes from the life of Lord Krishna in Brindavan.

  

Today the tasks may have a different nature, but their essential purpose is the same namely, to survive. The content of the work is immaterial.

 

The supervision of the students by the Acharya and his wife, the Guru ma, made all such tasks a Sadhana. And Sadhana is what this text is all about.

  

There are two ways of looking at how a disciple undertakes his duties in Gurukulam to the best of his abilities.

  

1. Diligence: From an ordinary level, ability may be viewed purely as diligence. It pays to be diligent, to have a hard-working disposition. Diligence brings with it success in any venture. There is much more to one’s ability than just that.

 

2. Perfection: At a deeper level, one may view “best” as the desire for Perfection in work, regardless of any material gain, i.e. the pursuit of perfection for its own sake. This, too, will improve the profitability of the work, but the gain in character outweighs that.

 

To attain this perfection requires a highly developed mind, not just a hard-working mind. It requires a level of concentration of a very high order to keep focused on the details of a particular task. To be meticulous, orderly, neat, and fully focused brings out the “hidden benefit” of Perfection. These are found to be very essential for our Sadhana later.

 

We will take a break and see how Guru guides His students, His disciple, to perfection.

 

“I am always ready to help you,” said Swami Sivananda. “My sympathies are ever with you. I will radiate joy, peace, and thought-currents of love to you. I will inspire you. But I cannot do the work for you. You yourself will have to do the work. The struggle and exertion must come from your side.”

 

Nothing pleases the guru more than seeing the disciple stand on his or her own two feet; at some point the disciple must do the practices alone, eventually reaching the goal. 

  

Swami Rama wrote in his autobiography, “We should not worry about who will guide us. The question is: Am I prepared to be guided? Jesus had only 12 close disciples. He helped many, but he imparted the secret wisdom only to those few who were prepared. The Sermon on the Mount is comprehended by only a few, not by the multitudes.” 

 

 

Maa Amritanandamayi tells a story,

 

“Once a young man went to a saint and became his disciple. The saint said to him: “You write down whatever you have known and learned about religion and spirituality. It will benefit you. Then come and show it to me”.

 

The disciple, heeding fully to the Guru’s command, started writing in a big notebook whatever he knew so far in life about religion and spirituality. It took one year for him to complete it. He brought the notebook and handed over to the Guru.

 

The saint opened the notebook and glanced over several pages for a while. Then he said, “This is indeed written with clarity and mental focus. It can really give the reader the needed spiritual fillip to tread the path of spirituality. Your one year of hard work is reflected in the contents. However, it is rather too long. Can you please do a precis writing and reduce the length?”

 

The disciple agreed and went back. It took five years for him to condense his ideas and reduce it to half of its original length. He brought it to his Guru. The guru leafed through it and said, “Well done! Ideas are very clear and the writing style is excellent! However, I want you to make it considerably more brief”.

 

The disciple was disappointed when he heard this. However, bowing to the Guru’s wish, he started rewriting it. It took 10 years for him to finish the task of condensing all his ideas to just 5 pages. He submitted it to the Guru saying, “Master, I have condensed all that I have understood on spirituality in these 5 pages. I am thankful to you for making me fit for grasping this truth”.

 

The guru went through the five pages fully and thoroughly. Then he said, “Extremely well written! You have achieved it purely through your concentration and spiritual austerities. Yet, there is a little shortcoming in this. Try to rectify it”.

 

Years went by. The guru was getting old. He became bed ridden. The time had almost come for the guru to leave his mortal body. 

 

The disciple came to the guru and prostrated before him. He handed over a piece of paper to the guru. The guru glanced it. There was nothing written in it. 

 

Immediately, the guru placed his hand on the disciple’s head and blessed him, saying, “Now you have grasped the truth fully. Let the truth henceforth be revealed to you and shine in you”. In that very moment, the disciple attained enlightenment. He sat silently at the feet of the guru. The guru left his mortal body and merged with the infinite.”

 

 

Continued……

 

Love.

 

Sadhana Panchakam - Post 7

 Here are four characteristic Features of the Vedas:

 

1. Knowledge is Graded: Vedic knowledge is administered in doses, exactly like a graded course at school, according to one’s age and capacity to understand, as well as one’s need. For this reason, it may be split into Karma Kanda, Upasana Kanda and Jnana Kanda to cater for people in different stages of evolution.

 

2. Secular & Spiritual in Content: The Vedas refer to all knowledge, both secular and spiritual, i.e. Apara and Para Vidya. 

 

In modern times, “secular” in India has been gravely misunderstood to mean “nothing to do with religion”. It should in fact mean “connection with all religions.” The movement of growth is always from the secular to the spiritual, and there is no conflict between the two. 

 

Secular knowledge is about the laws that govern the manifested external world, while spiritual knowledge is about the laws that govern the un-manifested spiritual world.

 

3. Includes Ethics and Morality: The Vedas blend the study of the sciences with Dharma or the Science of Ethics. Dharma is very much a part of the teaching of every subject.

 

A strong element of discrimination is built into the Vedas. A student is taught to understand that whilst he may be free to do as he likes, it is better to choose correctly use the knowledge taught for the good of man rather than for his harm. Making the correct choice is very much part of his education.

 

4. Has a Scientific Approach & Flexibility

 

It is grossly incorrect to say that the Vedas are outdated or archaic. The Vedas have a scientific approach to knowledge, both secular and spiritual. They focus on the fundamental principles that relate to a particular field of study, and deal with them in an integrated and concise manner. This style of the Vedas needs to be grasped.

  

We have the Advaitic philosophy of Sri Shankaracharya which dates around 800 AD; the Visisht-Advaita philosophy of Sri Ramanujacharya dates around 1100 AD; the Dvaita philosophy of Sri Madhvacharya dates back to 1300 AD. 

 

All of these systems are based on the Vedas, and they all have some useful role to play in the evolution of mankind. There is a freshness and vitality in the Vedas that renders them open to such treatment.

 

The Science & Art of Studying

 

Adheeyataam: The use of this word for study is very significant. When broken down the word means “to chant, listen and reflect”, i.e. Parayana, Sravana and Manana combined.

 

It is a very scientific process. Chanting prepares the mind to receive knowledge. Then listening takes in the knowledge. And thirdly, reflection digests and draws out the nourishment from the knowledge. The ancient Indian sages knew the science behind studying.

 

Studying is also an art. Great skill is needed in the process of study. Teachers hold the highest responsibility to see to the spiritual development of the growing generation so that a healthy society can be built up. Indians have a very special reverence for knowledge, whether it is secular or spiritual. A learned person is always adored in the community.

 

A consequence of this is that society's teachers are chosen from the very best minds. Those who have a predominance of Sattva in them are suited to fulfill this role. 

 

We shall conclude the first instruction with an incident which depicts, how to practice and live, not merely learn vedas.

 

Swami always ensured that practice is more important than preaching in life and more  so for spiritual sadhana.

 

He always used to say that His key focus is always on the transformation of humans to realize his innate divinity.

 

He is a hard task-master, intent on maintaining the moral standard of those who claim to be masters of the ancient scripture. 

 

An example of how Baba brings in real change in people is visible from the letter written by Baba to a Pundit from the East Godavari District. 

 

The pundit was desperate financially. In his despair he denied his wife the permission to write to Baba asking for succour. Two days later, he was amazed to receive a letter from Baba who was at Prasanthi Nilayam, 420 miles away. In that Baba severely reprimanded him for it.

 

Swami wrote to the pundit, 

 

"Why did you tell your wife no permission to write a letter to me? Will I not know if she doesn’t write a letter? You went to Ramachandrapuram expecting to collect some little money through discourses on the Gita and that you returned home having incurred loss. 

 

Do I not know that you then started condemning yourself that all your learning and experience was a waste? Is it a burden for me who is provider for all this world, to provide for you and your family? I am placing all these hardships on you only to teach you a few lessons". 

 

"When life flows merrily on, people claim that it is due to own effort and forget the Lord. When failure resists the flow, they grow desperate, start cursing and lose faith. 

 

This is insulting the Atma tattwa, Vedic principle which you really are, that knows no pain or joy. Engage yourself in your duty to practise it courageously and gladly. Strive and experience the highest truth to gain the Purusharthas. 

 

For remember, Sai is in every person. So when you decry another, you are decrying Sai Himself". 

 

Baba closes the letter as "He who resides in your heart, Sai"."Nee Hrudayanivasi, Sai"! "

 

Thus, Swami drives home a key lesson to all His devotees 

 

"Knowledge (here, Vedic knowledge) is for Life, not for living"

 

All the study of vedas (which is the 1st of the 40 instructions) must culminate into the living experience of "ONE NESS" of all which Swami beautifully wrote in His letter as "Sai is in every person".

 

This is the essence of the final part of vedas - the vedanta or Upanishad.

 

It is said - "Vedanta Nama Upanishad Pramana"

 

To understand vedas (vedanta in particular), one has to read, understand, get convinced, contemplate, meditate and absorb the teachings of Upanishad!!!!!

 

Vedanta = Upanishad!!

 

 

Love.

 

Sadhana Panchakam - Post 6

Sankara cautions that awareness of Brahman referred as para vidya, supreme Wisdom of the imperishable Brahman is not possible without communication from an enlightened Teacher, even if one has the Knowledge of the words contained in the vedic scriptures.

Since Knowledge is enveloped by ignorance, upasana should be like uninterrupted flow of oil through continuous and constant receptivity, reflection and meditation and not spasmodic, sporadic or intermittent. 

One should ensure that one's every action becomes 

Tapas - energized austerity of external body and internal consciousness 

and 

Yagna - performance of actions to keep in motion the wheel set by the Lord. 

Vignyan, on the other hand is extra-ordinary wisdom sourced through supra-sensory medium. like a sudden flash of lightening, as Brihadaranyaka Upanishad says. This vignyan can be known as Vedanta.

 Swami Sivananda says

“Vedanta literally means ‘the end of the Vedas’. The Vedas are mankind’s oldest scripture, containing the wisdom of all ages. The last part of the Vedas is made up of the Upanishads, whose sublime philosophy is called Vedanta and which have strongly influenced even great Western philosophers such as Arthur Schopenhauer. 

Vedanta is one of the six main systems of Indian philosophy. Its beliefs are non-dualistic. It declares that liberation cannot be reached by means of rituals, actions or charity. The goal of Vedanta is knowledge of Brahman (Absolute Existence) which is beyond the illusion (Maya) of the world and of one’s own mind. This ultimate reality lies beyond the realms of the limited intellect and the manifest world.

The philosophy of Vedanta represents an ideal which can be achieved through the practical methods of yoga. Vedanta says that, in essence, we and the Supreme Self are one. It reminds us of our true nature. A common Self or Consciousness dwells in each one of us. Thus Vedanta tells us to overcome the feeling of individuality, the belief in ‘me’ and ‘mine’. Instead, we should identify with the eternal, effulgent essence – to see the Self within us and in all beings. Vedanta teaches the unity of life and the unity of consciousness.”

Sankara assures that temporal activities and rites rituals prescribed by vedic and other scriptures cease when Wisdom dawns. Then the energized mind, drives out all obscurity from the mind commends not the Knowledge of the vedic scriptures but the comprehensive and all-inclusive Wisdom, not memorizing the words but being consciously receptive, reflective and meditative. If the purpose is well established in mind, the fulfillment becomes purposefully fulfilled. 

The mind having access to every noble thought coming from all quarters, one becomes comprehensively enlightened ‘as it were like lightening which flashes forth or the winking of the eye’.

 

Love.