Jnana Vahini - Post 2

Swami continues, 

"If fire can give the splendor, then, why does not a stick or blade or pebble placed in the fire become as shining as gold? So one has to conclude that the splendor came not through fire but out of its own inner nature. 

The Prathyagatma, or the Inner presiding Atma, is separate from the five Sheaths of the Individual, the Pancha Koshas; it shines with its own splendor; it is the witness of the activities and consequences of the three Gunas; it is immovable; it is holy and pure; it is eternal; it is indivisible; it is self-manifested; it is Peace; it has no end; it is wisdom itself. Such an Atma has got to be cognized as Oneself!

To realize this Atma, this Jnanaswarupa, there are four obstacles to be overcome: Laya, Vikshepa, Kshaya and Rasa-aaswaadanam. Let us take these one by one.

LAYA (Sleep): when the mind withdraws from the external world, it enters into deep sleep or Sushupthi, on account of the overpowering influence of Samsara. 

  

The sadhaka should arrest this tendency and attempt to fix the mind on to Atma vichara, or the Inquiry into the nature of the Atma. He must keep watch over the mind so that he may keep awake. He must discover the circumstances that induce the drowsiness and remove them in time. He must start the process of Dhyana again and again. 

Of course, the usual producer of drowsiness and sleep during Dhyana is indigestion. Over-feeding, exhaustion through too much of moving about, want of sufficient sleep at night, these too cause sleepiness and drowsiness. 

So it is advisable to sleep a little during noon on those days when you wake up after a sleepless night, though generally all those who engage in Dhyanam should avoid sleep during daytime. 

Do not eat until you feel proper hunger. Practice the art of moderate eating. When you feel three-fourths full, desist from further eating; that is to say, you will have to stop even when you feel you can take a little more. 

The stomach can be educated in this way to behave properly. Over-exercise too is not good; even walking can be overdone. You can walk until you conquer drowsiness; but remember, you cannot plunge into Dhyanam immediately after you have warded off sleep.

Author's note

Laya is a very restful and refreshing sleep, and those not experienced in meditation may consider it some kind of spiritual experience. Once a student came to his Acharya  and announced proudly, “Swâmî, when I was meditating last night I experienced Samâdhi. I felt great inner peace!” 

On inquiry, the Swâmî understood that the student had not had Samâdhi. Instead, he had encountered the obstacle Laya. 

Laya is caused by a temporary preponderance of Tamas in the mind. To prevent Laya it is best to meditate when not tired. A tired body naturally induces Laya. At the end of a busy working day we easily may feel tired and fall asleep during meditation. 

Early morning is more suitable for meditation because the mind and body are fresh and alert at that time. If we want to meditate in the evening, it is advised to have a short nap, if possible, for one hour. This will effectively prevent sleepiness during meditation. Sleeping longer than one hour may produce an adverse effect. It may make the body and mind sluggish and lethargic.

We will move to the next obstacle pointed by Swami- Vikshepa, in next post.

Love.

Jnana Vahini - Post 1

Swami writes,

"As fog before the Sun, Ignorance melts away before Knowledge." Knowledge is acquired by uninterrupted inquiry. One should constantly be engaged in Inquiry on the nature of Bramhan: the reality of the I, the transformations that occur to the individual at birth and at death and such matters. 

As you remove the husk that covers the rice, so too the Ignorance that adheres to the mind has to be removed by the frequent application of the abrasive Atmic Inquiry. It is only when full knowledge is won that one can get liberated, or, in other words, attain Moksha. After the attainment of the above - said Atmic knowledge, one has to follow the path of Brahman and act according to the New Wisdom.

(Author's note -Swami starts this vahini with instruction of Atmic / SELF enquiry and says that only through SELF enquiry, Ignorance or Avidya can be removed, like the husk is removed to get the rice)

All doubts that afflict the mind have to be solved by consulting those who know, or the Sadgurus, one has the chance to meet. Until one gets firmly fixed in the path that the Guru or Sastra has shown, one has to obey the rules and directions steadfastly and be in their company or be associated with them one way or other. 

(Author's note - Need for a Sadguru in the path of Jnana is insisted by the supreme Sadguru Sai in the above para.)

Because one can progress very fast if one keeps close to the Wise Person who has realized the Truth, one must, with unrestricted renunciation and sincere earnestness, follow the instructions of the Teacher and of the Sastras; this is the real Tapas; this Tapas leads on to the highest stage.

(Author's note - Having reached to Sadguru, Swami insists the need for following the instructions of Sadguru, being in close proximity with Him (His teachings) - This is the real Tapas, our SAI says)

When ignorance and its concomitant delusion disappear, the Atma in every one shines in Its own splendor. All that we see is as a mirage, the super-imposition of something over the Real and the mistaking of that for this. 

Things have a beginning and an end; they evolve and involve, there is evolution as well as involution. When all is subsumed by involution, or Pralaya, only Moolaprakriti or the Causal Substance endures. Only the unmanifested Cause survives the universal dissolution.

(Author's note - In a previous post in Tattva Bodha, the sequence of the creation of 5 elements was shared with you. While the entire creation, including the 5 elements may end during Pralaya, Swami says, the Cause for this entire creation is the only thing that exists, without any change)

When gold is melted in the crucible, it shines with a strange yellow glory. Where did that light emanate from? From the gold or from the fire? What happened was only the removal of the dross by the fire; the effulgence belonged to the gold itself; it is its very nature. The fire is only an instrument for the removal of the dross. Nothing has been added to the gold by the fire in the crucible!

(Author's note - The Dross referred by SAI is our ignorance, Avidya. The Gold that shines upon removal of the Dross is we, the SELF, ATMAN, which shines in all its glory. Swami says, just because we are clouded by our Avidya, it does not mean that we are Anatman / Non- Self.)

Love.

Upcoming Theme - JNANA VAHINI

Dear All,

Few who attended a spiritual session at home today would be aware that even till the morning, the next theme was "Drig Drsya Viveka" a vedantic treatise.

But divine command from within is to share the precious JNANA VAHINI, which the divine incarnation SAI has given to the world of sincere spiritual seekers. 

Preface to this  invaluable vahini, as given by Late Prof. Kasturji is given below. 

"Dear Reader, 

This is not just another book on the Nature of Jiva and the technique by which the Jiva discovers its Reality. When you turn over the pages, you are actually sitting at the Feet of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, the Avathar of the Age, come in answer to the prayers of Sadhus and Sadhakas to guide them and grant them Peace and Perfection. 

"Place all your burdens on Me", He says. "Start on the spiritual pilgrimage this very day", He exhorts. "Why fear, when I am here?" He asks. His Grace is Omnipresent; His miraculous powers proclaim His Omnipotence. His wisdom, His analysis of the ills of Humanity and His prescriptions for their cure reveal His Omniscience. 

You have the unique chance of meeting Him, at the Prasanthi Nilayam, and receiving from Him His Blessings for the success of your spiritual pilgrimage. He appreciates your earnestness and faith; and you can continue with greater confidence and courage because He assures victory. He is the Eternal Teacher of the Gita, the Charioteer in your heart.

In the pages of the magazine, published with His Blessings and named after Him as Sanathana Sarathi, He wrote, out of His overwhelming Prema towards humanity caught in the meshes of cynicism and credal fanaticism, this series of articles called Jnana Vahini. 

Month after month, thousands of readers awaited these articles (in the original Telugu as well as in the English translation) and when they received their copy, they perused it diligently and with reverential eagerness. They are now put together in book form, for your guidance and inspiration.

N. Kasturi, Editor, Sanathana Sarathi".

Love.