Sairam All,
In this post, we will go further deeper into the significance of “Mounam” for a spiritual seeker,
after going through the significance of “Mounam” of a Guru.
We will see few profound
words of wisdom on silence given to us by Avatar and few Masters.
All Joy Is Within
“All the joy you crave for is in you.
But, like a man who has vast riches in the iron chest but who has no idea where
the key is, you suffer. Hear properly the instructions, dwell upon them in the
silence of meditation, practice what has been made clear therein; then, you can
secure the key, open the chest, and be rich in joy."
(Swami, Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume IX)
"Sages say that the state in which
the "I"-thought does not rise even in the least, alone is Self which
is silence. That silent Self alone is God; Self alone is the individual soul.
Self alone is this ancient world. All other knowledge are only petty and
trivial knowledge; the experience of silence alone is the real and perfect
knowledge. Know that the many objective differences are not real but are mere
superimpositions on Self, which is the form of true knowledge."
(Ramana Maharishi)
Mouna of the Mind
Mouna of the mind is far superior to
Mouna of Vak (speech). Mouna should
come of itself. It must be natural. Forced Mouna is only wrestling with the
mind. It is an effort. If you live in Truth, Mouna will come of itself. Then
only will there be absolute peace.
What is wanted is natural Mouna and
mental nudity. Physical nudity has no meaning. It is Tamasic Tapas of fools that is not countenanced by Sastras and
reason. In a Jivanmukta or a liberated soul, nudity comes of itself as he is
absorbed in Brahman, when he is in the Saptama
Jnana-Bhumika (the seventh stage of knowledge)."
(Swami Sivananda)
"Oh Man, Enquire and be immersed in that
inner Silence. Do all the work of this world to reach that goal, to attain that
divine Silence. If you have already attained that Silence, do work for Loka – sangraha if you like so, just as
the ocean is dancing, laughing, and roaring with its thundering waves, although
the inner depth of it is always in perfect Silence and Peace."
(Swami Chinmayananda)
"To observe two hours of silence daily is very beneficial. If you are also able to observe silence one full day each week, it will greatly help your spiritual progress. You may ask, “But isn’t the mind busy with countless thoughts even if one is observing external silence?” Think of water stored in a dam. Even if there are waves in the water, no water will be lost. Similarly, when you are in silence, the loss of energy will be minimal, even though there may be thoughts in the mind. It is through talking that we lose much of our vital force. The life span of a dove, which always coos, is short, while the silent tortoise lives for a long time. Chanting the names of God is not an obstacle to the vow of silence. To be in silence is to avoid all worldly thoughts and conversation."
(Ma Amtranandaya mayi)
Dear Seekers,
Meditating on the gospel
of the above Masters and Avatar Sri Sathya Sai Baba in silence itself would
completely drill in you, the significance of silence in Spiritual sadhana.
After all, in temple
during Arati, in Bhajan hall in any temple, in Parthi, even in your Sai center
or any spiritual center, do we not observe absolute silence?
In our prayers,
don’t we close our eyes and observe silence?. The closing of our eyes is our
silence to the outer world and the silence we observe in silencing our inner
instruments.
Are all these simple
revelations not enough to prove to us that “God / SELF can be experienced only
in silence”.
So, corresponding to our
Guru’s silence, our shravanam, mananam and nidhidhyasanam, everything should be taking place in absolute
silence, silence of speech and silence of Mind.
This “Mounam” is the
foundation of this stortram which we are going to get deeper in the coming days
and hence, this subject required an exclusive post today.
Love.
Now, let us get deeper, line by line.
First line of the first verse.
“Teaching through Silence the highest
knowledge of the Supreme Reality, the young Guru is surrounded by
Rishi-disciples and Vedic scholars, themselves established in the Truth.”
Meditation on the line
The one who is
surrounded
Surrounded by whom? Surrounded by the group of
four rishis.
What kind of rishis?
Who is living with guru, meaning the students.
In ancient time, students always lived with teacher in the ashram. These rishis
were elderly. They, because of Dakshinamurti’s teaching, became established in
the knowledge of Brahman. Dakshinamurti himself was young.
How did
Dakshinamurti teach to these four rishis? How did rishis become established in
Brahman? How did they become enlightened?
The ultimate reality (the truth of GOD) is
revealed through a silent exposition. This is symbolic. What could silent
teaching mean?
Is it possible to express the reality of Brahman in one or two sentences? Is it
possible to express the reality of Brahman
in one or two books?
Any extent of teachings is not adequate to
define what is Parabrahman. No number
of words could ever define the reality.
We truly must admit that the reality that is Parabrahman is beyond words.
There is a famous quotation from “Taittiriya
Upanishad”.
“The reality we seek is
that from which words fall back, failing to grasp that reality.”
This is very profound Vedantic teaching. Does
that mean words are useless? No. Words help to remove the misunderstanding. The
words of Vedanta (the teachings) can not reveal Brahman.
Ultimately, they don’t need to reveal Brahman. However, the words are useful
to remove the ignorance.
An exposition of silence is a poetic way of
saying that the TRUTH being conveyed is beyond words, beyond the reach of
language.
It would be known to sincere seekers that
whatever glimpse of that divine SELF which they have experienced for few
seconds, could be possible only when they have gone into absolute silence,
silence of the mind, silence of the body and silence in terms of speech.
So, the Guru of Gurus, Sadhguru Dakshinamurty
chose to impart the Brahma Vidya
directly to the disciples in the depth of silence.
This was possible then, this was possible even
in few cases like few disciples who realized SELF, seated at the feet of their
Guru Ramana, in absolute silence.
But in the present day world, with materialism
at its peak, it would be very difficult or rather impossible for disciple to
observe his master’s silence and get absorbed in silence, as the restless mind
would wander here and there within seconds.
So, the masters have to impart knowledge
initially through spoken discourses till the time they know that their disciple
has reached a ripe state in sadhana
where nothing more needs to be taught through words.
In the contemporary world, when it comes to
teaching the disciples through silence, it is impossible not to think of, not
to meditate on Sri Ramana, who taught and even graced liberation to few, though
His silence.
Maharishi’s disciple, Sri Muruganar, who
attained liberation under his Master, writes,
“He is the teacher of the eternal law through whose glance the truth unfolded, filling my heart with the dazzling radiance of blissful consummate grace, so that the body, ego and intellect were all no more. I became merged in the divine silence, which is abiding knowledge of Lord Siva.
Love.
