DHYANA YOGA = BHAGAVAD GITA = POST.4 = CONTROL DESIRES = KEEP CALM = KEEP IN YOGA = GO BEYOND ALL SORROWS = ATTAIN BLISS =

DHYANA YOGA

THE PRECURSOR TO PANTANJALI’S YOGA SUTRAS

(POST.4)

In Post.3, we saw that moderation in all aspects of life is the key for success in Dhyana Yoga, for the Sadhaka.

Yuktaahaara vihaarasya yukta cheshtasya karmasu .

Yukta svapnaavabodhasya yogo bhavati duhkhahaa (6.17)

In matters of food, relaxation, work, sleep and all aspects of life – moderation ensures that yogi is not troubled by them and remains free to practice his Yoga.

We will now proceed further :

Verse.18 :

yadaa viniyatham chittam aatmanyeva avatishhthate

nih,spruhah  sarva kaamebhyo yukta ityuchyathe thadaa .

External desires must not disturb Yoga. Mind must be thoroughly disciplined and under one’s own control. Then, the Sadhaka becomes free from external distractions and is firmly established in Yoga.

Desires toss the mind up and down and will not allow it to remain calm and serene. This is the reason for advocating moderation in every thing. Whether you eat too much or too little – desires will be haunting you. Too much sleep indicates thamasic desires. Too little sleep indicates rajasic desires. Moderation keeps the mind satisfied in all respects.

Verse.19 :

yathaa deepo nivaahtastho nengathe sopamaa smritaa

yogino yahta chitthasya yujnahto yogamaahtmanah.

Thus, one can attain mastery over one’s chitta, or mind, which is the seat of all emotions and thoughts. The Sadhaka can  attain peace with such disciplined and controlled mind, much like the  unflickering flame of a light in a windless place.

This example is often cited to indicate a peaceful mind. Desires are like the wind. Winds toss the flames on all sides and even put off the flame, when their intensity is more. So is the power of desires on the undisciplined mind. When mind is under control, it enjoys a beautiful peace and serenity and becomes fit for Yoga.

Here, ‘Sadhaka’ and ‘Yogi’ words are being used interchangeably. Likewise, Dhyana and Yoga are also used interchangeably.

  

Verse.20 :

yatroparamate chittham niruddham yogasevayaa

yatra chaivaatmanaatmaanam pashyannaatmani tushhyati

When the disciplined mind is centered in itself and immersed in Yoga, it perceives the Self with clarity and becomes very peaceful, contented and joyful.

The real joy is in perceiving the self in Yoga. This is the point when all other desires go up in flames. Nothing more is desired by the mind now. It is entirely satisfied in itself.

Verse.21 :

Sukham aathyanthikam yattadh buddhigraahyam ateendriyam

vetthi yathra na chaivaayam sthitashchalathi tattvatah.

When this self perception occurs in Yoga, the purified intellect of the Sadhaka (Buddhi) perceives a rare bliss which the five senses are incapable of perceiving. He then stays in the reality of the self permanently.

The pleasures perceived by the senses are very limited and fleeting.  You can’t retain them for long by any means. This sukha and Duhkha of the senses come and go alternatingly, as is their nature.

But, the bliss experienced by the purified intellect (Buddhi) in its perception of the Self (Atman), which is beyond the sense perception – is of a permanent nature and is incomparable to any earthly pleasures perceived by the senses.

This is the reason why Yogis go to such lengths in renouncing all earthly desires and sitting in sadhana or Dhyana.

Verse.22 :

yam labdhvaa chaa param laabham manyate naadhikam thathah

yasmin sthitho na duhkhena gurunaapi vichaalyate

When you experience this bliss, you, the Sadhaka (Yogi) perceive that no other desire and no other gain  can give you greater bliss.

Any great calamity now does not bother you, the enjoyer of this bliss.

The non-yogis do worry and do become sorrowful when we encounter negative events in life, like disease, loss of near and dear persons, loss of property etc .

But, for the yogi who has gained the immense joy of knowing and staying in the self, has nothing more to be gained – and any incident does not evoke in him sorrow now.

Verse.23 :

tham vidyaath duhkha samyoga viyogam yoga sangnitam

sa nishchayena yoktavyo yogo nirvinna chethasaa .

Yoga, also called vidya, is that state in which the Sadhaka does not become  one with sorrow, and does not get into and out of it frequently.

Every sorrow is arising from ignorance (avidya) only. If at any time you become sorrowful, know that it is due to ignorance. There is really nothing for you to grieve for.

Leave your sorrows immediately. This is the greatest teaching of Dhyana Yoga. Leave all of your sorrows. They have no real base. They are not things to be grieved for. There is a great bliss awaiting you. That bliss is permanent and yours. All that you need to do is – Get into yoga; know your self and stay in the self.

Get into Yoga Sadhana and get into your own self experience – which instantly relieves you from all sorrows. Whenever you feel any sorrow, get into Dhyana / yoga, remind yourself of all that Krishna has taught. You will instantly come out of your sorrows.

This yoga should be practiced with firmness, and constancy without getting discouraged by any sorrows.

Once the Sadhaka is firmly entrenched in Yoga, he becomes immune to the mightiest of the griefs.

Verse.24:

Sankalpa prabhavaan kaamaan thyakthvaa sarvaa nasheshhatah

Manasaivendriya graamam viniyamya samamtatah.

Renouncing all desires arising from the Sankalpaas or thoughts of the world. Keep them fully under your control. Restrain all the senses from all sides through their controller, namely, the mind itself.

Krishna lays great stress on renunciation of all Sankalpas (thoughts, decisions etc) which are born out of senses, sensory perception and their contact with sense objects.

Who controls the senses? The mind itself. If senses are not controlled, they will control the mind and toss it from one sense object to another and  lead to sorrows.

Right now – ask your self Are you controlling your senses, or, are you under their control?

Most men and women are under control of the senses and sense objects and are therefore subject to pleasures and pains and sorrows.

Control over the senses  and quietening the mind removes of all external and internal disturbances and leads easily to the mastery of the self.

Think of a time when you were immensely happy!

Were there any desires in you when you were really happy? Never. 

A desire-ful mind can never be happy. Happiness arises only in a desire-free mind. We are not talking of renouncing karma totally.

We are talking of desires which imply attachment to the fruits of karma, rather than to karma itself. Karma it self is highly enjoyable, if attachment to fruits is absent.

Gradually, the need for incessant karma also gets reduced, when the mind is fixed on the self, and your joy reaches its peak.

Verse.25 :

Sanaih sanaih uparameth buddhyaa  dhrithi gruheethayaa

aatma samstham  manah  krithvaa na kinchidhapi chinthayeth.

Let us remember that this is an inward journey and hence external stimuli are the main hindrance for discovering the inner world and the self. Progress is steady and certain for the yogi.

A yogi or Sadhaka must not aim to achieve any great victories in yoga very fast. Control over the senses is a gradual process. Removal of all sorrows is a gradual process. Perception of the self is a gradual process. 

But all these will happen. Let there be no doubt. The Sadhaka will watch his victory over his own senses, shedding of all his sorrows, arising of great joy in him and his knowing of the self. All of this will certainly happen.

All that is needed is steadfast adherence to the sadhana of Yoga and keeping the mind in the self. All other things will happen gradually but surely to the Sadhaka (Yogi).

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DHYANA YOGA = BHAGAVAD GITA = POST.3 = MODERATION IN ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE IS ESSENTIAL FOR YOGI

DHYANA YOGA

THE PRECURSOR TO PANTANJALI’S YOGA SUTRAS

(POST.3)

In Post.2, Verse.10,we saw that a Solitary, silent place is highly suitable for Yoga. In the whole of Dhyana Yoga, the word Yoga is used with Dhyana. We also saw that, if mind must remain calm and fit for Dhyana, we must keep our desires to the minimum and must not accept gifts etc from others. Desire for Possessions must come down significantly.

In Vedanta, some of the great teachers (like Swami Paramarthananda) advocate reduction of P O R T – where P stands for Possessions, O stands for obligations R stands for relationships and T stands for transactions. The Vedantins advocate this for preparing the mind for liberation, or Moksha. The goal there is Nithya Mukthi, liberation as you are, where you are, right now, without waiting for any future event, or for death, or going to heaven etc. This is Jnana Marga prescribed in Upanishads, which Krishna has said is for – people of wisdom.

Approximately the same thing is advocated in Yoga also – which, Krishna says, is intended for Yogis. Here, elaborate understanding of Upanishads is not prescribed. But, devoted practice of Dhyana Yoga is prescribed. The significance is – mind gets cleansed and becomes fit for Yoga in the process.

Longing for physical Possessions – is Moha or Maya. The external world must not look more attractive to us than the internal world. This is the basic theme. King Janaka was a great Yogi. But, whether the Kingdom has great attraction for him or not – is what decides his status as Yogi.

Buddha said that, all of our life, we are gathering all types of dust around us as our property, until, we turn into dust ourselves. Truly, all that we get from outside are different forms of dust!! This realization needs to be kept inside.

Verse.11:- Krishna now prescribes certain preferable conditions for  the Dhyana yogi, the meditator.

These are  – (i) a clean place, (ii) a firm seat, not too high and not too low, (iii) seat, covered with Kusa grass at the bottom, a deer or tiger skin on top of it and on top of them, a cloth.

Lord Krishna has gone to great lengths in even describing where to sit and how to sit!!

A clean place – free of insects, ants etc – is obviously preferable – as the Dhyana is not interrupted by these things. It also ensures clean air, absence of unwanted smells, heavy wind, lack of air and other obstructions.

A firm seat, not too high and not too low ensures  that small insects do not climb on to the seat but, the meditator does not also feel dizzy because of the heights. Even if the Meditator falls down during the Dhyana processes, he will not be hurt by the fall and can quickly resume his Dhyana. A wobbly or rocking type of seat is absolutely unfit for Dhyana.

Kusa Grass protects the meditator from dampness and is easily available everywhere.

A Deer / tiger skin covering the Kusa grass ensures both firmness and adequate comfort. But, with animal protection laws in place now – this may seem risky in some countries. We can substitute with equivalent type of Blankets etc. However, there may also be some other significance for the preference of Deer / Tiger skin and the Kusa Grass. Even so, in modern days, we must be able to make our seat firm, reasonably elevated, free from dampness, clean – as prescribed by Lord Krishna – with other modern day materials. The stress is – the seat must not be uncomfortable and must not be too comfortable.

A cloth on top of the deer/tiger skin completes the preparation of the seat.

These are the additions we must keep in mind, when studying Patanjali Yoga sutras. Patanjali assumes all these – and does not therefore specifically prescribe any of them.

Verse.12 : Seated in this way, Keep the mind fixed on a single objective. Observe the actions of your mind and your senses. Cleanse them through Yoga (Meditation). For our clarity, Vs.13 can even be read first, before reading Vs.12.Vs.12. come before Vs.13, for one reason. Even before you sit on the seat, you must know, what you are going to accomplish on sitting for Dhyana. The goal focus must start now.

Verse.13 : Keep the spine, neck and head erect, motionless and firm; the eye lids must easily fall lower as if they are looking at the tip of the nose but really not looking in any direction.

Krishna did not prescribe either totally open eyes or totally closed eyes but eyes which are restful avoiding darkness and light both.

Totally closed eyes may take the Yogi into sleep. Totally open eyes will make external objects visible and distracting. Looking at the tip of the Nose is not prescribed for concentrated looking at the tip of the nose. It is for – not looking in any direction, as the last phrase of the verse makes clear. Be absolutely relaxed in the body and mind but keep a focused awareness for the single objective (mentioned in Previous verse) of the Dhyana. This is the message.

Verse.14 : Keep the mind cool, calm, serene and free of all fears. Keep yourself steadfast in Brahmacharya Vratha. Keep the mind focused on me as your final Goal.

Keeping the mind serene, cool and calm is very easy – if we have adhered to the practical conditions set forth in previous verses. 

P O R T reduction advocated by Vedantins, is equally applicable to Yogis and is so prescribed by Lord Krishna.

What is BrahmaCharya Vratha? It is usually identified with mental and physical celibacy. This is true. But, it is more than that. Brahmacharya means – one who travels in the path of Brahman. From, the vedic Mahavakyams – we find “Aham Brahma Asmi”. I am verily the Brahman. Discovering the Self is the ultimate aim of both the Yogis and the Vedantins. The Sadhaka (Yogi) must constantly keep his mind on discovering him self. Krishna says – I am the Goal. Keep your mind on me. When you don’t yet know your self, the supreme lord becomes the goal. For Arjuna who has surrendered to Lord Krishna and knows him to be the supreme Lord, there need be no other goal.

A doubt may arise now. Is discovery of self the goal, or, keeping Krishna in mind the goal of meditation? Keeping Krishna in focus is the starting point, but discovering the self in Krishna is the ultimate result of Yogi’s efforts. The reader can read the three great stories on MAYA  in the earlier Posts in this Blog, for greater clarity on this.

Be Free of all Fears, says Krishna. When all fears have left you permanently, you are automatically liberated. Fear only keeps you to the ground. Fearlessness makes you divine automatically. A yogi, by definition and by implication, is totally fearless. As each fear leaves you, you are more and more permanently entrenched in Yoga. We can see from these verses that Krishna addresses even the Sadhaka as Yogi only.

Verse.15 : Keep practicing Yoga in this way, all the time. Keep mind inward-bound and on me. Keep peaceful and calm. You will achieve the rare serenity leading to Nirvana or liberation.

What is liberation? What is enlightenment? Buddha is said to be enlightened. Ramana Maharshi is said to be enlightened. There are many such known names. But, there are many others, who are liberated and enlightened – whom we do not know. Your knowing them or not knowing them  is of no consequence to them. We are far away from deliberating on this topic. We are in the first steps of Yoga.

Verse.16 : Moderation is the key for successful practice of Yoga. The over-eater and the under-eater, one who sleeps too much or too little or one who dreams much in the day cannot be a successful Yogi.

Moderation is the Key. Any excess on either side distracts the Yogi from the goal. Every such excess is indicative of a desire-filled mind. Basic needs satisfaction is not only permitted but considered essential for yogi. Need satisfaction is, however different from sensory appetite and its satisfaction. Eyes seek pleasant sights. Ears want pleasant sounds. Tongue wants pleasant tasty foods. Skin wants pleasant touch. Nose wants pleasant smells. But, these are habit forming and highly distracting for the Yogi.

In Brahma charya vratha, one is supposed to eat by seeking Bhiksha (alms / charity) of food daily and eat whatever he receives through such Bhiksha. But, one cannot visit many houses for Bhiksha. There are limitations.

One’s Ego play and one’s sensory appetite must be totally under check. This is the advice.

Verse. 17: One who eats, relaxes, works, sleeps and remains awake in a proper way – with temperate habits -  finds meditation as the destroyer of all his sufferings and Sorrows.

Krishna says – eat appropriate food. Krishna has also told Arjuna in another Chapter of Gita– what is the appropriate food. Your food must not induce in you either Rajas or Thamas. Eat predominantly sathvic food and in a limited way, neither too much nor too little. A person who is eating predominantly Rajo / thamo dominant food will find it very difficult to practice Dhyana.

Relaxation (by walking etc) is also needed. TV, Radio etc are not advisable at all for Yogi.

Work – but neither too much of work nor too little of it. It must be enough to keep the body fit. Work must also must be one appropriate for Yogi.

Sleeping and waking also must be moderate and appropriate for a Yogi.

The essential teaching is – be moderate in all matters – so that the body and mind do not trouble you in either way – in your practice of Yoga. Our bodily and mental sufferings and sorrows will automatically come down when we practice such moderation.

When other yoga masters like Patanjali speak of Yoga, they speak in extremely short verses. Evidently, they assume the knowledge of these matters, taught by Lord Krishna over 4000 -5000 years earlier. Even Lord Krishna has said – that he is not teaching any thing new but only the ancient wisdom.

We will see what more light Krishna throws on Dhyana Yoga – in next Post.

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DHYANA YOGA = BHAGAVAD GITA = POST.2 = ARJUNA VISHADA YOGA (SUMMARY) = SANKHYA YOGA (SUMMARY) = KARMA YOGA (SUMMARY) = HOW TO START DHYANA / MEDITATION?

DHYANA YOGA

THE PRECURSOR TO PANTANJALI’S YOGA SUTRAS

(POST.2)

We will now examine very briefly, the first  three chapters of Bhagavad Gita, which is pure Yoga Sasthra

Arjuna Vishada Yoga (Ch.1): Arjuna comes to the Maha Bharat war, fully prepared and determined to fight and kill all his adversaries. He has secured the deadliest of weapons from the greatest of the greats like Lord Siva himself and Indra and other Gods. He has mastered their usage. There is no human being who is his equal in war. He has used the Art of Dhyana and thapas in successfully securing this aim.  

But, when he sees his beloved grandsire and  his great Gurus on the other side – his heart sinks in deep grief. This starts the first chapter called Arjuna Vishaada Yoga. Arjuna’s mind turns inward. He becomes remorseful and sorrowful. He doesn’t want to kill his grandsire and his great Gurus, for any earthly purpose what so ever. He talks of so many reasons for NOT FIGHTING the war now.

At the end of the first chapter, he says in deep sorrow, Krishna, I am your disciple. I surrender to you, do tell me what I should do.

Lord Krishna waits till the surrender happens. This is crucial. The surrender must happen. Then begins the yoga.

In Patanjali Yoga Sutras, the first sutra is “Atha Yoganusasanam”, meaning, now begins the discipline / instruction of Yoga. Patanjali doesnot use one word meaninglessly or uselessly. This “atha (Now)” has deep significance. Yoga does not happen any time, or to any body, or any where. The surrender must happen. The ego must surrender itself. 

To whom do you surrender? To the Guru. Yoga is the most practical science. It needs a Guru. Our surrender is to the Guru. Were there any people who attained Samadhi without the aid of Guru?It has been said that – your attainments in yoga in a previous birth come along with you and you can start off where you had left it. It won’t go a waste. A person who falls off from his Yoga due to any reason in this birth does get a chance to renew from where he left off, quickly going through the previous steps easily.

Sankhya Yoga (Ch.2) : Krishna starts his advice with Sankhya yoga. At the very beginning, he says – “kshudram hridaya daurbalyam.” This weakness of heart in you is despicable. Leave it forthwith. There is no place in Yoga for fear and weakness.

…Do not grieve for any one or any thing. All physical bodies are made to go through various changes from birth to death. Do not worry about them.

…You, the Atma, is deathless and permanent while the body is subject to the cycle of births and deaths.

…keep your self steadfast and unwavering in sorrow and comfort, in loss and gain, in victory and defeat.

…Go beyond the three Gunas of Sathva, Rajas and Thamas.

…..You have total Adhikaara or right for choosing and performing your action (Karma). You are the chooser of your actions.

…You have no such adhikaara on the Karma phalam; yet, you must perform your actions, according to your dharma, without worrying about the fruits of your actions. Perform all of your  actions remaining steadfast in yoga.

…In vs.30,Krishna, excellence in action is Yoga in itself.

..Go beyond the mind, which is seeped in delusion or Moha.

…In vs.53, Krishna speaks of a mind which is unwavering and is in Samaadhi.

…At this point, Arjuna seeks to know – who exactly is a sthitha prajna, what exactly is, being in Samaadhi .

…Krishna’s explanation for this is very detailed and extraordinary. At the end, Krishna stresses the need to go beyond Ahankara (Ego), Mamakara (mine – feeling). The one who goes beyond the ‘I’ and’ mine’ – becomes Sthithaprajna. Any one who wants to get into Yoga cannot afford to miss these teachings of Yogeswara, the Lord Krishna.

Karma Yoga (Ch.3): In 49^th verse of Sankhya, Krishna hints that Jnana (wisdom) is better than Karma (Action). Arjuna asks, why then are you asking me to indulge in this war which is cruel action, instead of seeking Jnana? Krishna’s reply is categorical. He says, the wise men will follow the route of Sankhya (or Jnana) while Yogis follow the route of Karma.

Then, Krishna stresses the need for Karma, and elaborates the inevitability of Karma, karma translating into Yagna when done without attachment, the mutuality of relationship between the gods (universal powers) and human beings, the cycle of nature and many other matters relating to the science of action. This has been covered earlier in this blog. Some of the special practical features of Karma Yoga will also be covered in a few posts in future. Krishna tells Arjuna, look at me; I have nothing to seek in this universe; Yet, I am always involved in Karma. So must you.

It is not proposed to deal with other chapters of Gita here. Each chapter is a huge repository of wisdom.

Lord Krishna after the Arjuna Vishada Yoga (1^st chapter) talks of 17 Yogas. The sixth chapter is Dhyana Yoga or the Yoga of Meditation.

DHYANA YOGA (Ch.6): There are 47 verses in the chapter of Dhyana Yoga.

Krishna talks of meditation in this whole chapter. Coming from Krishna himself, this chapter becomes a must for any one who aspires to become a meditator. There cannot be a greater exponent of meditation than Krishna himself.

Since the topic of this chapter is DHYANA YOGA, every reference in the chapter is obviously to the one who wants to be a practitioner of Dhyana Yoga. We may call him by any name, Sadhaka, Yogi and so on.

Lord Krishna starts this chapter by defining that a man of true renunciation is one who performs actions without clinging to a deep desire for their results(Vs.1).

Krishna does not support action-less laziness or action with deep desire for results. This is the first verse of Dhyana Yoga. While Krishna ordains that Yoga implies excellent in every action ( Yogaha karmasu  kausalam), he also says, do not cling on to a desire for results. In modern terminology, we can say – enjoy the action as you perform it and perform it to the best of your ability.

What we call as Sannyasa is itself called Yoga. This is also called, SANKALPA SANYASA, the renunciation of selfish desire (verse.2).

If you are already a meditator, you will have instantly experienced the fact that Meditation is the best possible action, without desire for its fruits, that any one can perform.

Until one attains the state of Yogi, however, Karma becomes essential. After you become a Yogi, Karma comes down significantly. Once you are deep into yoga you get cleansed in mind automatically(Vs.3).

Now, the question is – when are you called a Yogi? Yogi is not only one who has attained to samaadhi but also any one who is a determined practitioner. A determined practitioner is called Sadhaka, but he is Yoga practitioner and therefore a yogi.

When one adopts an attitude of non-attachment to sense objects and sense related actions, one becomes firmly entrenched in Yoga (v.4).

As discussed earlier, the very purpose is to discover our self, which is not possible when the 5 senses are active. All five senses are outward bound while the self is deep inside, beyond all the 5 senses. A sense-bound search discovers external world but not the internal world – not the self.

If the senses, and the mind are under one’s own control they are one’s best friends while uncontrolled senses and mind are one’s worst enemy. (Vs.5).

That person who practices self control becomes a friend of himself. If he does not control his senses and mind, he becomes his own enemy. (Vs.6).

The controlled person is unconcerned with external dualities  – like pleasure and pain, cold and heat, praise or blame and between gold, stone and mud and also between enemies, friends, and so on. (Vs.7 &8).

All these arise in us – because of the actions of the 5 senses and the effect they create on the mind. The Yogi is never bothered by these, and sits alone striving to discover and unite with the Self.

The world has all types of people good and bad, friends, indifferent people and enemies. A Yoga aspirant must see all of them equally (Vs.9),

The Yoga aspirant – must choose solitary, silent places for deeper journey into his inner world. The Yogi must reduce his desires and must desist from receiving gifts etc from others.(Vs.10).

Yoga needs out silence and inner silence both. Hence the need for yoga practitioner to choose solitary, silent places. In such places, desires also come down significantly. A desire-ful mind is an outward bound mind and cannot turn inward easily. Therefore desires for external objects must be reduced to the minimum.

We must not accept gifts etc from others. They increase our attachment to gifts and to the persons who give them.

These conditions can also be found in Patanjali’s Yoga sutras approximately in the same terminology. And, Dhyana Yoga of Lord Krishna came 4000 years earlier to Patanjali.

We will continue further with Dhyana Yoga in next Post.

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DHYANA YOGA = 100 % EXPERIMENTAL & EXPERIENTIAL SCIENCE = POST.1 = SCIENCE vs RELIGION vs YOGA = ONE MUST - READ BOOK = HUMAN LIMITATIONS = WAYS TO SURMOUNT THEM

DHYANA YOGA

THE PRECURSOR TO PANTANJALI’S YOGA SUTRAS

(POST.1)

Meditation is a unique science. Its capabilities and beneficial effects are immense and far beyond the capabilities of other sciences.

External world : Other sciences explore the external world within the cognitive capabilities of the five senses and the mind. It is a big world. From sub atomic particles to Galaxies, from viruses and bacteria to  the human beings and big animals,  – the area of investigation of the other sciences is indeed immense. But the big world that the other sciences explore and investigate is ever changing. Even the body-mind complex of the human being is ever changing and ever evolving. There is not an atom in the world which is not changing in some way every moment. In respect of the External world, change is the only permanent feature.

This means that every science has to be doing the catching-up act with the ever-changing world all the time. This is the impossibility of human knowledge ever becoming complete, final and absolute.

Inner World : The whole of the external world is, however, a mere perception – as far as the Individual human being is concerned. The perception by the human mind happens through the five senses, which are the Gateways through which the mind perceives, interprets and understands the External world. For all practical purposes, the world exists in the mind and the five sense instruments. Beauty is a perception. Ugliness is a perception. Goodness is a perception. Badness is a perception. Happiness is a perception. Sorrow is a perception. The mind has vast capabilities of imagination – but even imagination beyond sensory perception also arises in the mind as a result of some pre-recorded sensory perception. Even imagination within mind – has to have at its base the five sense perceptions of  sound, touch, visible form, taste, and smell, which are the only capabilities of the five senses. Beyond these five faculties, there is no imagination at all in the mind.

Exploring Parts, Not Whole : All modern sciences look at each part of the world in its independent role, while, in reality, everything is one complex whole. Nothing has an independent existence in the universe. There is therefore no way of ever translating human knowledge into true wisdom. The wholesomeness of the universe can therefore not be understood through the current scientific approaches.

Individual’s Finite Capability : while the knowledge database of human Society as a whole is increasing every moment, with every human effort, yet, what an individual human being can comprehend and assimilate in this huge, complex knowledge database is not increasing much; perhaps not increasing at all. All the databases are outside the human being. We access them through specialists or other special means.

ONE EXAMPLE : We do not find a person today, who can equal the knowledge of Ved Vyas, the author of Mahabharat, who must have lived several thousands of years ago. Ved Vyas wrote, compiled, revised and created many, many great books. The sciences which existed in those days were different, but the overall knowledge of an individual of those days - was certainly not inferior to today. Mental Gymnastics performed in earlier days like Astavadhana, Sathavadhana and Sahasravadhana are unthinkable for modern man, not groomed in the Gurukul style of teaching and learning. The Individual’s finite (mind) capabilities do not seem to be increasing much at all.

Universal Suspense : There is yet another paradox with modern sciences. They do not know and there is no way of knowing with its existing means, what changes are occurring all over the universe and how the world would be, say, after a decade. What causes these changes all over the Universe? Where are the galaxies all over the universe journeying? From sub atomic particles to the galaxies – all are on a never ending cosmic journey. Who knows the purpose and destination of these journeys? Who?  At the sub atomic particle level and at the Galaxy level, there are too many unanswerable questions relating to the Universe.

Senses Based Cognition : All human knowledge, as earlier discussed, is received through senses. There is no knowledge that we can receive without the aid of the senses. But, all senses have finite range of capabilities. Below and beyond this range they are powerless. Each sense has a single capability – and cannot take over the function of another. Each sense also has a limited focus. Perception is limited to the focus area. Beyond the immediate focus area, they don’t perceive, though functional. There is yet another paradox. What the sense instrument receives can be different from what the mind perceives!! A rope seen by the eye can be perceived as a snake by the mind. Sense based cognition is a highly imperfect cognition of the external reality (if there really is some thing like a fixed reality). We can extend sense capability through mechanical means to some extent, but, Whatever is beyond the senses and their mechanical aids  – is beyond human knowledge. And, there is a huge knowledge base beyond them. This much, we all know beyond doubt.

Religion : Religions are called FAITH. Religions proclaim many things which are beyond the five senses. Religions don’t offer you any proof for what they proclaim as the Truth. They want you to believe.

They have prophets and they have books. They claim descent from the Almighty, to whom they give a name. No other name seems to be acceptable to most  religions. If all of them proclaim the SAME TRUTH, it would be wonderful. But, that luxury is not there for the world. There are different prophets and different books for different regions and different people, proclaiming widely differing things as the TRUTH.

You belong to your religion, swear by your prophet and by your Book. Your neighbor belongs to his religion, swears by his prophet and by his book. Yet another belongs to yet another religion, swears by his prophet and by his book. And, the Truths are not the same!!

You believe in your Book and I believe in mine. He believes in his.  This is one major cause of bitter strife and struggle in the world today.

I and MINE : If there are some statements in your book, which are obviously contrary to well known, abundantly and conclusively proven facts – then what? You are still afraid of talking about them, for fear of going against majority opinion. So are the others. Most of the time, we become emotionally committed to every thing that is in our particular books – and want to rub them on all others too.

I and Mine – are two words, to which we are emotionally committed beyond any logical measure.

Whether it is my dress, or my language, or my son, or my state, or my country or my religion, or my prophet, or my religious book -  what comes first within “I and Mine” is – a blinding emotional veil of attachment for all of us.

When I take a position on “I” or “Mine”, truth gets ignored. Logic gets ignored. Propriety gets ignored. This is the emotional Make up widely prevailing  today.

This is more predominant, when it comes to Religion.

Religion mixes up a lot of things about Life between birth and death with the life before birth and beyond death. Religion speaks a lot of things about the rest of the world, its origin, its end and its various ways.

What to believe and what not to believe – from all of them? And why? What to believe, as faith, has not come uniformly in all parts of the world. Your belief may militate against my belief and that of some others. There may be lots of good things in each religion, but there is not one religion but multiplicity of them, each proclaiming a different truth about the unseen world. About the world which senses and mind can perceive – science  can tell us better and with some conclusive or indicative evidence. Science has thus told us many things which are at variance with Religion.

Where a conclusive proof is available – there is no need for belief and Faith. 

You don’t have to believe, what you know.

Is there a way of going beyond ordinary sensory experience and extend our perceptions and our experiences to matters beyond sensory experience?

Is there a way of perceiving absolute, unchanging truths that seem to be the back drop of the changing world?

These are the questions – to which the science of yoga is the answer.

YOGA :

Yoga is capable of taking us much beyond ordinary sensory capabilities. It is experimental and experiential throughout and requires little or no further beliefs and proofs. It is neither hypnotic nor hallucinatory. Every practitioner experiences yoga with all of his awareness – in fact a heightened awareness of the rarest kind. It is an inner journey of the Individual, to discover the answer to the eternal question – “who am I?”

You and I do not need to BELIEVE  either Patanjali, or Lord Krishna or Maharshi Vasishta, the three famous exponents of Yoga known to us – apart from Lord Siva. You don’t need to believe any one at all. Do what they say – but, preferably under a trained Guru. You will experiment and experience lots of things in Yoga, when you practice it systematically. You will KNOW, and then, you don’t have to BELIEVE. Belief is always of the unknown.

 For KNOWN  facts, no further belief is required.

The One Book Authored By Almighty : In one of the first Posts in this blog, we have seen that the best book one must read and understand is “your own self”. This one book is certainly and definitely authored by the Almighty himself. This doesn’t require further proof. You are the creation of the almighty. He has posited all his secrets in this one book, called YOU. About other books, however holy, there is no such authenticity. You can unravel all these secrets posited in you (the holiest book available to you) through the practice of the science of yoga.

What is the use of trying to discover the whole world (which is never possible any way) when we do not even know our own self? In the discovery of answer to this eternal question on the Self, lies answers to all other questions that one may have.

Yoga has absolutely nothing to do with any organized religion or its ritualistic practices. A yoga practitioner discovers the hollowness of all religions in the discovery of himself.

The Originator of Yoga: Lord Siva is generally called the Adi Guru of Yoga, who passed on the science of yoga, to the humanity, through his teachings to his consort and to the ancient sages.  Lord Krishna says in Gita that he passed on the science of Yoga first to Vivaswata and through him to others.

In fact, the great Trimurthis (Siva, Vishnu and Brahma) are all masters of Yoga. They are depicted as Yogeeswara, Yogeswara and yoga Brahma (respectively) meaning that they are the greatest masters of Yoga.

Many sages have enunciated the principles of the science of Yoga and meditation thus received by them, in many ancient, scientific texts like Yoga Vasishta, Pathanjali’s Yoga Sasthra and so on.  They are not the originators and they don’t claim to be so.

But then, you don’t need to believe an iota about Siva, Vishnu or Brahma – to practice Yoga. Yoga is a one hundred percent practical science.

Being a great theoretician, without being a practitioner, of Yoga is absolute nonsense. I am not the one to use such expressions for any purpose but  – if there is any thing  at all in the whole universe which can be called nonsense, it is this – being a great theoretician and not a practitioner of Yoga. The point to make is Yoga is a one hundred percent practical science. You must practice and experience it all the way.

But, of course, once you are a practitioner, you will automatically know that some of the future steps (like Samadhi) are just as concrete as  Dharana, Dhyana etc and you know you are seeing the goal post of Samadhi even when you are still at Dhyana stage.

Bhagavad Gita, The Yoga Sasthra:

The best exponent of Yoga to humanity in general, is Lord Krishna himself through his Bhagavad Gita.

The last verse of Bhagavad Gita says – where the Yogeswara Krishna and the Gaandeeva bow holder,Arjuna stand, there, wealth and Victory are certain. There,  righteousness always prevails.”

This has deep significance. Where Yogeswara Krishna stands – there Yoga stands. This means that, there, man is in complete union with his self. Whether he is a Karma Yogi, Dhyana Yogi, Jnana Yogi or Bhakthi yogi , he remains in union with his self. And in the self, stands Lord Krishna himself.

The Gaandeeva Bow is of divine origin. This again is symbolic. Divine instrument or causality is always there in your fight for righteousness and in your fight against your weaknesses.

Arjuna, the holder of Gaandeeva Bow is the companion, friend and disciple of Lord Krishna. Arjuna has always stood for Dharma (righteousness) and for wiping out Adharma.  Where Arjuna, who is the steadfast disciple of yogeswara Krishna and where Krishna, the Yogeswara stand, there yoga or union with self prevails. There, righteousness prevails.

The whole of Mahabharat war has so many symbolic representations. Lord Krishna never fights in the war but remains the charioteer of  his best disciple. If you are his disciple, he becomes your charioteer too and takes you to victory. This is the symbolism and significance.

 He doesn’t have to fight the war himself. His will, his Sankalapa, gets accomplished, whichever way he wants it.

You and I, to start with, need not accept Lord Krishna as God, Almighty etc. But, Accept him as Guru. Become his Disciple. That we must. If at some stage of practice you know more about his Divinity, wonderful. If not, it is still wonderful.

In the coming posts, we will examine a unique chapter of Bhagavad Gita in some detail, with a  bit of introduction to three related chapters of Gita. After studying these details , we will find, that the science of Meditation was very ancient and there are aspects of it, which are not readily understood until one advances in Yoga some distance. It is practice all the way; It is experience all the way.

It is bliss all the way !

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