DHYANA YOGA
THE PRECURSOR TO PANTANJALI’S YOGA SUTRAS
(POST.5 : Verses 26 to 30)
In Post.4 we studied up to Verse.25.
We saw that moderation in all aspects of mundane life is the key for control over the senses and their respective sense objects, which in turn is the key for control over desires, which in turn is the key for success in Yoga.
Excess or abstinence in food, relaxation, sleep, work and any other aspects of life leads to excessive desires or dissatisfaction. Moderation, on the other hand, keeps the mind in balance and helps in yoga.
Mind must remain calm and unwavering, like a light in a windless place. When this calmness is attained, the mind naturally looks at itself and moves towards the self – and in the process, attains great bliss. Mind becomes its own protector (uddhareth athnanaathmaanam). In the absence of moderation, it becomes its own destroyer. It is one of the greatest life-truths to remember.
The Bliss that can be perceived by the purified intellect (Buddhi) in this way, is far beyond the pleasures that can be perceived by the senses and the mind. When this joy which is far beyond the reach of senses is attained, naturally , all sense based desires come down significantly. They are of no great interest to the Sadhaka, who is now in a far greater joy and bliss.
Not merely that, even if Sadhaka has to face some sorrows, he does not mind them at all now, because of the extraordinary bliss he is experiencing. He can go through any problems with a smiling face now.
The Sadhaka now remains (mentally) unattached to all mundane difficulties and sorrows even while they try to attack and shake him. He is now in YOGA, the union with the greatest bliss there is. This union has dissolved his avidya (Ignorance).
Now, the enlightened Buddhi remains in full control of the mind and through it, in control over all desires and sensual objects.
While the benefits are no doubt great, the Sadhaka must do his sadhana only gradually and consistently and not in a hurried manner and he should not expect quick and instant results.
Results will come surely. Sadhaka must not worry on this. Therefore, nothing else really matters to him more than his Sadhana. If he becomes impatient, this will become the real obstacle for him. His impatience goes against his moderation and as a consequence, he will face avoidable sorrows and difficulties.
Having understood this, we will study further from Vs.26:
Verse.26:
yatho yatho nishcharahti manashchanchalamasthiram
thathasthatho niyamyaithath aathmanyeva vasham nayeth.
Two qualities of the mind are highlighted in this verse. Mind is chanchalam and asthiram both. Chanchalam means - it does not stay on any single thought for even some time. It keeps on moving from one thought to another. Asthiram signifies that it is wavering even within the same thought or decision and goes back and forth.
Just ponder over this.
When you get up in the morning after your sleep, when do you start your thoughts?
Think of it. You really don’t start them. They start automatically. There is no start switch in your mind for starting thought processes. Likewise, there is no stop switch. When you get into deep sleep, then, mind sleeps; till then, thoughts go on without your volition.
Can you stop thinking of a particular thought. Even that is difficult. For a trial – stop thinking of your husband or wife for the next 5 minutes. Try your best. You can’t. You can’t do it by any ordinary means. Mind , by definition, is a continuous stream of thoughts, one following the other on which you have very less control – by ordinary means.
There is only one means, by which it stays under your conscious control. That means is – yoga. Dhyana. Meditation.
When thoughts keep wandering, as they will, use your higher intellect (the Buddhi), keeping it firm in Yoga;
Keep vigil over this wandering tendency of the mind and bring it back gently to your path; keep the mind in the control of the self.
Be a witness – say the Yogis. If you act as the witness of your own thoughts, without becoming a slave of them, you become free of them and their stream comes down. They come under the control of the watcher, slowly but surely. The only trick is – don’t go after them. Be their witness.
Verse.27 :
Prashaantha manasam hyenam yoginam sukhamutthamam
upaithi shaantha rajasam brahmabhoothamakalmashham.
When the mind is under the control of the self (through the Buddhi), the rajasic (and thamasic) qualities which are responsible for all desires, base emotions etc are automatically subdued.
The Sadhaka stays in Brahman, the self, and is free from all impurities (and sins).
In this state, the yogi enjoys supreme and infinite bliss.
The journey so far has been from -
(a) unconscious living with no control over desires, thoughts and actions; to
(b) living with deep consciousness and awareness of the physical and mental processes happening in life; to
(c) achieving moderation in all life aspects; to
(d) being a keen witness of one’s own mental processes; to
(e) control over desires and the rajasic and thamasic qualities; to (f) staying in the self ;to
(g) enjoying the infinite (boundless) joy inherent in the Brahman.
Verse.28 :
yunjannevam sadaathmaanam yogee vigatha kalmashah;
sukhena brahma samsparsham athyantham sukhamashnuthe .
Now, the Yogi is sinless; he is constantly united in the self;
He enjoys eternal joy in his contact with the Brahman, which is now very easy for him.
When the endless desires are subdued, when the body-mind are under control of the Buddhi, when all life activities are moderate, when the Buddhi becomes a witness of the mind and its thought stream, the mind automatically becomes free of all impurities and sins under the gaze of the Buddhi, which now stays close to the self (the Brahman) and enjoys immensely.
Verse.29:
Sarvabhoothastham aatmaanam sarvabhuutaani chaathmani
eekshathe yogayukthaathmaa sarvathra samadarshanah.
This yogi, the one who is fixed in the self (Brahman), sees the same everywhere. He sees the self in all beings and sees all beings in the self. The concept of “sarvathra sama darsanah” is the pinnacle of the yogi’s success. There is no one superior or inferior in his view. All are equal and Brahman is present in all. He sees all in himself and sees himself in all.
In some countries, it is said that scientists are experimenting on psycho-kinesthetics. You hold a spoon between your fingers, feel that it is a mere extension of your own self and try to bend it. It bends, a la the movie MATRIX. You do it with open eyes, with the right amount of attention / concentration and the right feeling / knowledge in you. These are sense-bound experiments with very limited purposes and take you away from the great purpose of meditation.
Verse.30:
tasyaaham na pranashyaami sa cha me na pranashyathi .
Now, Lord Krishna is assuming the role of the almighty, which he is, and speaking from that view point.
He now says - He who sees ‘Me’ in all beings and sees all beings in me, never loses sight of me and I never lose sight of him.
As Krishna has said already – I know all of my past, whereas you do not know yours. Krishna is Yogeswara, the lord of yoga, to whom omniscience and omnipresence is a natural thing.
He explains the concept further in next verse.
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