Hinduism 10

Transcript (Not Corrected)

Opening Prayer

ॐ सह नाववतु ।

सह नौ भुनक्तु ।

सह वीर्यं करवावहै ।

तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु ।

मा विद्विषावहै ।

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ।

हरिः ॐ ।

Transliteration (IAST):

Om Saha Nāvavatu

Saha Nau Bhunaktu

Saha Vīryaṃ Karavāvahai

Tejasvi Nāvadhītamastu

Mā Vidviṣāvahai

Om Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ

Hariḥ Om

Translation:

Om, may Brahman protect us both.

May Brahman bestow upon us both the fruit of knowledge.

May we both obtain the energy to acquire knowledge.

May what we both study reveal the truth.

May we cherish no ill feeling toward each other.

Om, peace, peace, peace be unto all.

Vedic Teachings on Vidyā (Contemplation and Meditation)

Opening Invocation

Om Saha nāvavatu, Saha nau bhunaktu, Saha vīryaṃ karavāvahai

Tejasvi nāvadhītamastu, Mā vidviṣāvahai

Om Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ

Hari Om

May Brahman protect us both. May Brahman bestow upon us both the fruit of knowledge. May we both obtain the energy to acquire knowledge. May what we both study reveal the truth. May we cherish no ill feeling toward each other. Om. Peace. Peace. Peace be unto all.

Introduction to Vidyā

So last class we have studied some of the teachings of the Vedas. Of these, there is a particular importance about Vidyā. Vidyā means contemplation. In modern terminology, we can say Vidyā means equivalent to our meditation, and it is a wonderful section of much importance.

The Purpose of Meditation

What happens when we practise this contemplation? I have briefly outlined that the purpose of meditation is to become like the object upon which we meditate. To put it in simple words, that means that the individual soul has to completely become one with the Supreme Soul—Jīvātma Paramātma saṃyoga. That is the ultimate goal of meditation. But one cannot achieve it immediately. It is a very long drawn-out process. It will take many, many lives.

Examples from Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's Life

Of this type of contemplation, I have given three examples in my last class, if you remember, from Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's life:

1. When he wanted to see Śrī Rāma, he meditated upon Hanumān.
2. When he wanted to have the vision of Kṛṣṇa, he meditated upon Rādhā.
3. When he wanted to make his body absolutely unmoving, immobile, he meditated upon the stony image of Kāla Bhairava which is there on the top of the Naṭa Maṇḍira.

These are just a few examples to give.

Three Types of Contemplation

Before I give you some actual examples—and I am going to give you very briefly about Om, about Gāyatrī, and about Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, how we can contemplate on them—we have to understand that there are three types of contemplations:

1. Contemplation on sound symbols
2. Contemplation on visual symbols
3. Contemplation on the Self

So one by one we will take them out.

Vedic Period Symbols and Upāsanā

During the Vedic period, we must remember they didn't have the modern deities like Rāma, Kṛṣṇa, or Viṣṇu. They were not having them, but they selected some of the most natural symbols: the sun, the moon, the fire, the oceans, lakes, and the rivers. These are called natural symbols.

Two Types of Vedic Upāsanās

Now during the Vedic period, there were two types of upāsanās known, and these were called:

1. Sampad Upāsanā
2. Adhyāsa Upāsanā

Understanding Pratīka (Idol Worship)

We know an English word, a Sanskrit word which is used also: Idol worship in English, pratīka. The very meaning of the pratīka means "to move towards." Here is an image of Kṛṣṇa, and what do we do? We worship. When we enter the shrine, what do we do? We prostrate, and we want to see the image, the picture, etc.

The meaning of the word pratīka means to go towards—not in a physical external sense. That means remove all the obstructions so that there is nothing left between us and the deity. That is the ultimate purpose. So these symbols are extensively used in that process.

Sampad Upāsanā

Now during Vedic times, as I was mentioning, there were two types of upāsanās or contemplations or vidyās. Many of them have gone out of practice today, but we have been enriched practically a million times more in the forms of icons, pictures, images, various deities, etc.

It is important to understand two things here:

Sampad Upāsanā means take any inferior object and superimpose upon it superior qualities of God. Examples of these are: take this stone Śiva-liṅga—what is a Śiva-liṅga after all? It is a small piece of stone. Śālagrāma—another small piece of stone. But it is like a memorabilia.

You know, suppose a mother has one son and the son is somewhere very far away—Australia or somewhere, or maybe he has been sent to Mars or the Moon or somewhere like that. But they keep a small object, a bit of hair. Some people keep, I believe, dog's hair also. And babies—you know, babies' pictures in lockets, etc. They will put it wherever they go to carry. What is the idea? Whenever they look at it, they are remembering their beloved. They want to, in a mental sense, come very near to that. That is the idea.

The Misconception About Idol Worship

So this is called Sampad Upāsanā—means take any object. Unable to understand this secret, there are so many non-Hindu religions who criticise Hinduism: "Hindus are idol worshippers." You know, they look at a tree and then prostrate. They look at the stone figure of a snake and prostrate. That I understand. But what is the meaning behind it? They are not prostrating before a piece of stone or a piece of wood. They are seeing, attributing God's qualities upon it. And if there is faith, that really God will respond to that.

Story: The Boy Who Fed God

Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa used to tell a story. A small boy's father used to worship God, and one day he had to go out. He told his son, "You see that God is properly fed." And the boy had all faith. So he went inside, offered food and said, "God, come and eat."

He didn't understand that God cannot come and eat. So he went on praying. Nothing was happening, no response. He started weeping: "My father told me that I have to feed you." And seeing his weeping, God came down and ate the whole food.

See, be careful when you say "eat"—put in brackets, "leave something for me, don't eat." Otherwise he will eat away the whole lot! So he ate, and afterwards when he came out, there was no prasāda at all. We all belong to that group of family, you know. "Where is prasāda?" "God has eaten."

And supposing, you know, you come for the worship of Holy Mother, and you only bring things, we only offer, and nothing—no prasāda is given. Next time, how many of you will really come?

So the family was shocked: "Where is prasāda?" The boy said, "God came and ate." They didn't believe. Then they went and saw the whole plate was empty, and they could not have eaten.

Similarly, another story Rāmakṛṣṇa tells, you know, that of Dada Madhusūdana, brother Madhusūdana, etc. These are indications. These are not imaginations, because God is everywhere. That is the Vedāntic theory. But we are unable to see Him. So an image, a picture, an icon—these are, as it were, removers of the obstructions. That's all.

So no Hindu worships an idol. He worships God, but in the form of an idol. This is a secret which most of the people do not seem to understand. This is called Sampad Upāsanā—that is, take an inferior object and superimpose upon it certain superior qualities of God or Goddess.

Adhyāsa Upāsanā

The other is called Adhyāsa Upāsanā, where you take the superior symbol. A symbol always, you must remember, is only a pointer. A symbol itself is not the actual thing. A symbol is only a representative. Take a superior symbol.

What is the most superior symbol that is possible for a human being? The sun. The sun is the greatest. One day if the sun doesn't come, see what happens to you. Without the sun, this life is completely extinguished. The sun is the direct visual representation of Brahman—pratyakṣaṃ Brahma asi.

About two we say pratyakṣaṃ Brahma: one is the sun, another is the Vāyu-devatā, wind. Vāyu-devatā is even more directly present, because if you stop breathing for a minute, just see what happens.

These are the two types of contemplations very much prevalent in the Vedic times.

Modern Upāsanās: Iconic and Aniconic

Now in the modern upāsanās—that is to say, of our time—there are two types of, again, these pratīkas (symbols in a way of speaking):

1. Iconic Symbols

Iconic—you understand, icon. It could be a picture. It could be a photograph. It could be a pratimā or an image. Something very visually present. In India, we are full of these temples, you know—various types of gods, goddesses and all those things. A picture, a photo, an icon, or an image. This is called iconic.

2. Aniconic Symbols

Aniconic means its opposite. It is purely symbolic, like maṇḍalas, yantras, cakras. Buddhists—they draw certain types of maṇḍalas, etc. So these are the things. But if you do not know the secret, then you think there is some gibberish, doodling. It is not doodling.

Jung and Maṇḍala Symbology

The great psychologist Jung had found out—he delved deep into this symbology. At certain times, he wanted to see what is the significance of this maṇḍala. So he was capable of concentrating his mind deeply. So he concentrated and had taken a piece of paper and a pencil. Without his knowledge, a maṇḍala was formed, because the thought which was going through his mind had automatically directed his hand to do certain things.

If you know something about psychology, then I can tell you: the psychiatrist or psychologist wants to find out what is ailing his patient. So one way of doing it is free expression of speech. You know about it. He will simply utter some words—like a game, you know. I utter a word, you utter another word without thinking. Then I utter another word.

It is a kind of word game: "Cat." He will say "Rat." Okay. Then "Table." He will say "Chair." He will say "Stick." He will say "My aunt." What is the problem? Problem is the aunt! You know, the uppermost thought will come out automatically. In dreams also—dream reading, dream interpretation is another way.

But there is another way called doodling. Have you heard about the meaning of the word doodling? Just to take a piece of paper—and we all do it, you know. You are travelling on the aeroplane, a newspaper is there, pen also is there. What do you think you are doing? You are doodling. Doodling means this.

This doodling is not a meaningless type of activity. There is a meaning there, but it is up to the psychologist to find out the meaning. Then only he can find out what is the trouble with it.

So these maṇḍalas are the expressions—visual expressions—of a deep mental process that has taken place in the hearts of great contemplatives. And having given that maṇḍala, what is the secret? What do all these angles, squares and circles and all these things really represent? The guru teaches it.

You know, at the time of homa, we do this yantra—Devī yantra. There is a meaning. We also write—of course, we do it here very briefly. But if you go to the Buddhist maṇḍala, all the alphabet will be there. Different coloured writings will be there. It is beautiful even visually to look at. But it is not merely for visual beauty. It is for contemplating. Every part of the maṇḍala represents a particular type of consciousness. That is the purpose.

So these are what is called aniconic symbols for the contemplative purpose. Another is iconic, of which we are quite familiar.

Three Types of Modern Contemplation

Now in the modern times, it is necessary for us to know all the type of contemplations we do can be divided into three parts:

1. Nāma Upāsanā (Sound Symbol Contemplation)

One is called Nāma Upāsanā. Upāsanā is the name for contemplation. Nāma means sound symbol. And all the devotees of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, they are initiated with a sound symbol. So this is one.

2. Rūpa Upāsanā (Form Contemplation)

Then there is what is called Rūpa Upāsanā—that is to say, meditation on the form of a deity.

3. Ahaṃgraha Upāsanā (Identification Contemplation)

Then there is a very beautiful type of contemplation which is called Ahaṃgraha Upāsanā. I will give some examples also of all these things.

Understanding Different Types of Aspirants

Now first, to take this Nāma Upāsanā: Nāma Upāsanā means there are different types of aspirants. Therefore, these three types of contemplations have been developed very naturally. So what are these three types of aspirants?

Sound-Oriented Aspirants

The first type of aspirant is sound-oriented. If you analyse, you will see some of us can remember sounds much better than forms. Some of us can remember faces but not the names. Some of us can remember the names but not the forms. Some people—they neither forms nor names, but abstract ideas come there.

First, to take, you know, the people who have orientation towards the sound symbol: they remember first of all the sounds very well, and they like music. Their ears are very sharp.

Form-Oriented Aspirants

Whereas those who are form-oriented and not sound-oriented, they can visualise things. They like paintings and things like that very much. But you ask them to hear a talk, they will not talk.

Here also you will see there are people who attend the talks but do not come to the shrine. And there are people who attend the rituals but not attend the talks. If you ask, they will tell a hundred excuses why they couldn't come. But the real fact is they are not sound-oriented. They are form-oriented.

But ask them to see a cinema—seven hours they will spend every day! So visually they like these things. So they like paintings, they like beautiful nature, etc.

Abstract Thinkers

But there are people who don't want to have sounds, don't want to have the forms, but they can think deeply. There are very few people. Fortunately for most of us, we are a combination of all these three, really speaking.

Three Stages of Nāma Upāsanā (Japa)

Now among those who are orientated towards Nāma Upāsanā, it is also called japa. Japa means repetition of the mantra, holy name of God given by our guru, or one also can choose from scripture. When a person takes seriously to this Nāma Upāsanā, he has to pass through three stages. Every part of this upāsanā has to pass through three stages.

Okay, first let us discuss about Nāma Upāsanā or sound contemplation, mantra contemplation.

First Stage: Effort and Distraction

The first stage one goes through is when we are trying to repeat the mantra, it comes out with great difficulty. A lot of effort is necessary. The mind is not fixed. It is distracted. Again and again we have to bring it back.

As I was looking at a cartoon, one fellow is meditating—three parts of the cartoon:

• First part: one fellow is meditating, another fellow is nearby standing.
• Second part: he is asking the fellow who is standing, asking the fellow who is meditating, "What are you doing?" And he is replying, "I am meditating. I am going towards God. I am going towards God."
• In the third part of the cartoon, the man who is telling this: "Very good. God speed you. If you meet my uncle on the way, convey my good wishes to him."

Meaning what? Meaning that if you happen to think about 150 things, and if you happen to think about my uncle also, then you convey my good wishes to him. It is not that easy to think about God.

The Psychology of Remembrance

So this is the first part. Why does it happen? You see, there is something wonderful, psychological fact we have to know. You know what is the most used word in any language? Most repeated word in any language? Do you know what it is? "I." Why? Because that is the most beloved name. None loves anybody else excepting oneself.

That is what Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad—Yājñavalkya repeatedly told Maitreyī: "My dear, the husband is dear for the wife, not because of the husband, but because of the wife." Whoever is beloved to us, that name automatically springs in our mind. Or whatever affects our "I" or ego deeply, that sound symbol or that picture comes to our mind immediately.

Suppose somebody hurt you very badly. After that you go and sit for meditation. What do you think? Who do you think comes to your mind? Only that person. Why? Not because the person is good, because the person very badly hurt the ego.

Developing Love for God

Anyway, the point I am trying to make is that that which we love the most, that will come to our mind automatically. We do not have to make any effort. It does not need any effort to think of "I." Until we develop that kind of love for God, where God becomes the most beloved to us, it is not possible to remember His name automatically.

But if we go on doing it, purifying our heart, correspondingly we also change our bad habits into good habits, develop good qualities—our love for God also increases.

One question was asked by a devotee to Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa: "What are the ways?" And he says there are two ways: one is the love of God, another is prayer. And the devotee persists further and asks, "Which comes first?" You know what Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa said? He said, "Love of God." Because if you do not have love of God, prayer will not come into your heart easily.

Second Stage: Mantra Caitanya (Spontaneous Repetition)

The second step in the progress towards Nāma Upāsanā is the mantra itself starts repeating. I think some of you have read The Way of the Pilgrim, a Russian aspirant. First his guru tells him, "You repeat the mantra thousand times, then two thousand times, then five thousand times." And after some time he says, "I do not need to make any effort. The mantra repeats itself."

That is the stage which is called Mantra Caitanya—mantra has become awakened. Suppose a person is sleeping and you will have to do everything for him. You will have to prepare tea, coffee, this, that, so many things. But when the person wakes up, then he will do it himself—excepting Indian husbands! That is when they expect their wives to do it.

So Mantra Caitanya takes place in the second stage because the person has developed so much purity of heart, and the mantra is awakened. It goes on repeating itself. This is the second stage.

Third Stage: Vision of the Deity

In the third stage, there is no repetition of mantra because that person about whom he is repeating—that person is present in front of this aspirant.

Rāmakṛṣṇa gives an example: A drama. People went to see a drama and the curtain is there, closed. How long do they gossip? Then they start gossiping, isn't it? How long do they go on gossiping? As long as the curtain is not lifted.

As soon as the curtain is lifted, Nārada enters—Nārada and Nārāyaṇa singing about it. Immediately all the audience falls silent, because as soon as he sings, Kṛṣṇa will come.

When a person goes on loving God, there will come a time—devotional way of indicating that the aspirant is seeing, having darśana of the Lord right in front of him. How long? There is no absence of the Lord. There is no absence.

What does it mean? It means he sees God everywhere. This is called Viśvarūpa Sandarśana Yoga—seeing God in the form of the universe.

If you want to see Viṣṇu, you have to go to Vaikuṇṭha. If you want to see Śiva, you will have to go to Kailāsa. But if you want to see the form of the Lord as the universe, where do you need to go? You do not need to go anywhere, because you are already in this universe. So whatever you look at is nothing but another form of God only.

When a person comes to that state, then there is no separation at all between them. That is the last and final stage.

Universal Three Stages

These are the three stages, whether a person contemplates sound symbol, whether a person contemplates the form symbol, or whether he thinks of God in the form of his abstract thinking. These are the three invariable stages.

Rūpa Upāsanā: Form-Based Contemplation

Now let me briefly tell you about the second type of contemplation, which is form symbols. As I said, some people are form-oriented. They like forms of God. They also decorate their homes very well. You can also understand this nature.

If somebody is sound-oriented, his house would be full of sounds, music, records, etc. But if somebody is form-oriented, plenty of calendars, plenty of pictures, beautiful pictures—and he will also have his camcorder full of these pictures only. Videos, stacks and stacks of videos. He will have no time even to look into them, because he likes them. You can more or less understand this situation.

Three Stages of Form Contemplation

Now how does this progress? How does this also slowly, slowly progress? You can imagine.

First Stage: Static Visualization

First of all, the meditation is done with great difficulty. If he looks at the face, the rest of the body disappears. If he looks at the feet, the rest of the body disappears. After some time, he can see the whole picture, but it is as though a lifeless picture.

Second Stage: Living Vision (Bhāva Samādhi)

After some time, slowly that image seems to be moving in the mind. After some time, it smiles. After some time, it talks. So he lives in two worlds now: an external world where he sees all these things, then an internal world where he sees his chosen deity. That is the second stage, and he is deeply influenced by the second stage.

This is called Bhāva Samādhi. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa used to have lots of these visions. But that is not the highest stage, because there is still a lot of separation between the aspirant and the chosen deity.

Third Stage: Universal Vision

And then there comes a third stage when for him, whether he opens the eyes, closes the eyes, all that he sees is nothing but only God.

For example, I gave you last time an example when Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa saw what we call a public woman. What did he see? Mother Sītā herself. And every person that is coming, every customer that is coming to that woman appeared to him as Rāma—Sītā-Rāma saṃyoga or Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa saṃyoga. That is the only thing that this person has seen, because his eyes are covered with collyrium.

Story of Caitanya Mahāprabhu

It is another beautiful incident Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa mentions. Once Caitanya Mahāprabhu was going to some place. On the way, he had to pass a village, and that village was famous for the clay—that image used to put on a kind of drum, Indian drum, mṛdaṅga. So somebody mentioned this fact to Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Immediately he fell down unconscious.

So it is also said when Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to see the blue ocean near Puri, Nīlācala, he used to be reminded of Yamunā in Vṛndāvana. And many were the times when he used to go and fall unconscious in that ocean. And one version is that he actually jumped and never came back. That is one version of his passing away.

Story of Rādhā

These are some of the examples. Another example given is: Rādhā was going, walking, attending to her daily chores. Suddenly she saw a particular tree which yields blue flowers. As soon as she saw the blue flowers, she fell down unconscious. Why? That blueness reminded her of Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

The Effect of Visual Symbols

You know how visual symbols also affect. Most of us, we are more visual-oriented than sound-oriented. How do you know? You go to the shrine. You see Śrī Rāma. You will not do anything bad there. Will you spit there? Will you throw anything impure, dirty thing there? You will not.

But you will not mind to do it in this hall here, you know. All the chocolates, they are taken and the covers are thrown here and there, everywhere. But you don't do it in the shrine. So why? Because you think Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa is watching you there, whereas he is not watching you here.

So we have got that—seeing that form in that particular place has a particular effect upon our mind. What we have to understand is it is not merely meditating on the form of the chosen deity, but it must remind us of something for which the chosen deity represents.

Guṇa Dhyāna: Meditation on Divine Qualities

So this is the second step, second stage in the progress of upāsanā, which is called Guṇa Dhyāna—meditation on the blessed qualities of the Divine Lord.

Saguṇa and Nirguṇa

God is divided in our scriptures into two forms: Saguṇa and Nirguṇa. Nirguṇa means no quality, beyond name, beyond form, beyond qualities. But Saguṇa means form, name, and auspicious qualities.

It's not that God has auspicious qualities, but we need these auspicious qualities in order to approach Him, to make our mind pure. So we attribute these qualities. Really we attribute them to God, but God also incarnates, comes in a human form, and abundantly manifests these wonderful qualities.

Meditating on Holy Mother's Unconditional Love

Say, for example, you meditate upon Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa. What is the first thing that you notice if you really meditate upon Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa? What is that quality in Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa which attracts you? All right, that is a bit difficult question.

What is it that attracts you to Holy Mother? Unconditional love. It is not merely love—it is unconditional love. That means, you know what is unconditional love? We have a self-image of ourselves, and we know how good we are. Whatever may be our photographs, you know, CV photographs, but inside we know what we really are. We have a very good idea of it.

But we know that when we approach a being like Holy Mother, it doesn't matter what we are, because her love doesn't take notice of any of our defects. Whatever we may be, she will accept us 100%. If you are a saint, she will accept you, of course. If you are a sinner also, would she accept or not? She will accept. It is this which attracted people to her.

Meditating on Qualities

Now you see, what is that quality which you should meditate on when thinking of Holy Mother? Love. If you go on thinking of Holy Mother, not merely visualising her, but as an embodiment of love, what are you really thinking about? What are you thinking about? You know, these are wonderful things to understand.

Suppose you are thinking of, let us say, a person, and do you think of that person as he is? No. You always think of that person with some—"I like him, because whenever he sees me, he smiles to me, and he brings me…" You know, I make fun of devotees, you know. There are two types of devotees:

1. One type of devotees: praṇām devotees. They only make praṇāms, nothing else.
2. The other type of devotees are called praṇāmī devotees. They not only make praṇāms, they also give praṇāmī!

Whom do you think I like more?

Whenever we see a person or any object, we never look at that object impersonally, impartially. We always look with some kind of preconceived ideas, either rāga or dveṣa, like or dislike, because of certain qualities. So whenever we think of that person, that quality comes to the foremost.

Think of a terrorist. What is the idea that comes to you? This should be an easy question to answer. It doesn't need any deep thinking. A terrorist means one who creates terror in you, is it not? That quality—but can you separate the person from the terror? If you can do that, you are a real contemplative.

But usually, we think of that person, then it creates the reaction.

The Importance of Qualities in Meditation

What is the point we are discussing? Whenever an aspirant thinks of the form of the Iṣṭadevatā or chosen deity, always certain auspicious qualities must be meditated upon.

Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, for example, there is a dhyāna mantra: Hṛdaya kamala-madhye rājitaṃ nirvikalpam, etc. When we meditate upon Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, we should be able to meditate in that way. I will come to that point later on.

Progression in Form Meditation

First stage is to visualise a dead picture. When an aspirant progresses, then that image, picture of that chosen deity is no longer dead. It is alive. It talks. It smiles. It does everything. This is called Bhāva Samādhi. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa used to have lots of these visions.

But that is not the highest stage, because there is still a lot of separation between the aspirant and the chosen deity.

The Ultimate Goal

What is the ultimate goal of contemplation? As I mentioned earlier, to bring about complete union between the individual self and the Supreme Self, between the devotee and God. There should be not the least bit of separation.

In Sanskrit, this term is tailadhārāvat—like the pouring of oil, there should be no gap at all. This is also called samādhi.

Ahaṃgraha Upāsanā: Abstract Contemplation

These are the two types. There is a third type. The third type is called Ahaṃgraha Upāsanā. Some people like to contemplate upon God in God's real nature. Of course, really God is beyond all forms, all qualities, all thinking. No speech can express. No thought can express God. But still we have been given certain hints.

Sat-Cit-Ānanda

What are those hints? There are two famous sentences in our scriptures. One sentence is God should be meditated upon as Sat-Cit-Ānanda. And the second most beautiful is Satyaṃ Jñānam Anantam.

Now, Sat-Cit-Ānanda, just briefly we will do:

Sat (Existence)

Sat means what? Existence. Pure existence, not manifestation. For example, here are two objects made out of wood. Here is a table. Here is a chair. Both are—the table and the chair are manifestations of existence, but not existence. What is the pure existence? Wood. So that wood will always remain, but the manifestation can be destroyed, can be changed.

Cit (Consciousness)

Similarly, cit also has two aspects. What are those aspects? One is pure consciousness. Another is this pure consciousness as it were encapsuled in the form of an object.

Suppose I am seeing you. Then what happens? My pure consciousness, as it were, has taken the form of this particular object. For example, you see a cinema. Before the film is inserted, what do you see on the screen? Pure light. But as soon as the film starts passing through, what do you see on the screen? But what are all those figures on the screen? It is nothing but various manifestations of the light, pure light. It is nothing but light. Okay. These two aspects are there.

Ānanda (Bliss)

Similarly, ānanda also has got two aspects. Ānanda means what? Bliss. The nature of God is ānanda, pure bliss. But when we do not see, or to put it in an ironical way, when we see God in the form of a rasagullā, then that is called pleasure.

So what happens? The bliss is manifesting now in the form of pleasure. That means what? It has become limited. It has become limited. Sat also becomes limited. Cit also becomes limited. Ānanda also becomes limited.

But a devotee, and every devotee must do this, ultimately, whether we take this door of sound symbols or the door of visual symbols, but in the ultimate run, we have to go both beyond names and forms and qualities. That means beyond sounds and beyond visual forms.

Meditating on Sat, Cit, and Ānanda

Then what happens there? We have to meditate abstractedly on sat, on cit, and on ānanda. These are the three steps:

1. The first step is with effort, great difficulty. Again and again the mind refuses to think.
2. The second step is it becomes spontaneous, natural. The mantra springs. The form springs. We acquire the qualities of the object upon which we are meditating.
3. The last step is we meditate upon the reality. Every deity has a reality. And ultimately there comes a time when what Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa calls God-realization—becoming one with the highest reality.

So these are very briefly I gave you the techniques that have been used in Vedic times, and how these techniques have slightly changed their form. But we are still doing this in the modern times. Only the process is the same, but the names and forms have changed. That's all. Instead of the sun, instead of Indra, instead of Varuṇa, we are doing it on Rāmakṛṣṇa, Allah, Jesus, Buddha, etc. But the ultimate result is the complete union of the individual soul with the highest reality.

Examples of Contemplation

Example 1: Oṃkāra Upāsanā

Keep this in mind whenever we think of these vidyās. Now come back. I said I will give you three examples very briefly. The first example is, let me give the example of Om.

Om as the Essence of All Mantras

Oṃkāra in Vedic symbology—in fact it is called the essence—and Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa confirms it. You know what he says? That a person who has seen God, he does not need to go in a ritual, sandhyā vandana. So what he says? The sandhyā merges in Gāyatrī, and the Gāyatrī merges in Om, he says.

The sandhyā means what? Rituals. Sandhyā means you wash your hands and you purify your mouth, etc. That is called sandhyā vandana. Then what is the important part of this sandhyā vandana? Repetition of Gāyatrī mantra. That is Gāyatrī mantra. Gāyatrī means here Gāyatrī mantra. It is a big mantra. It consists of 24 letters. That is why it is called Gāyatrī chandas.

What is the essence of these 24 letters? Om. One has to contemplate upon Om.

Why Gāyatrī Mantra is Important

Why I have taken particularly this particular Gāyatrī mantra? Because if at all there is a national mantra of India, that is Gāyatrī mantra. Like you know, national flag, national flower, national bird—so there is a national mantra. What is that mantra? Not vande mātaram—Gāyatrī mantra.

It is the most ancient mantra in the whole world—thousands of years old. No other mantra is older. Not Christian mantra, not Buddhist mantra. You know why? When was Judaism started? Few thousand years ago. When was Christianity started? 2,000 years ago. When did Islam start? Only about 1,600 years ago. When was Buddhism started? Only 2,600 years back.

So you see, Gāyatrī mantra is the oldest. And even today millions repeat this Gāyatrī mantra. What is the essence of this Gāyatrī mantra? Om. So if you can contemplate on Om, then it is equivalent, more than equivalent, to contemplating upon any mantra, because Om is the foundational mantra, symbol, for every mantra you can say that.

The Structure of Oṃkāra

This symbol or syllable Om consists of three parts—rather I would say three and a half parts. What are those three? A, U, and M—without the vowel, only the consonant ma—M. Oṃ. Like that, right?

What is the half part? The half part which is the most important part. What is that half part? That is called anusvāra—that is inaudible sound.

Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa says, you know, when you strike a gong, what happens? There comes a time when you can't hear it, but it's still—the vibration is still continuous. Now why is it important? These are, let us say, four parts are there—four parts.

Contemplating on Oṃkāra

How do we contemplate? Here is the beauty. Simply, you might never have heard it. This whole universe—infinite number of objects are there. But all these infinite number of objects are contained, or the whole world is divided, universe is divided, according to Hinduism, into three parts. You know what they are called? Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ, Suvaḥ.

• Bhūḥ means this earthly planet
• Suvaḥ means the heavenly planet
• And that which is in between these two is called Bhuvaḥ

Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ, Suvaḥ.

When you are contemplating upon this Oṃkāra:

• A is to be identified with Bhūḥ, this world
• U is to be identified with Bhuvarloka, in-between world
• And Suvaḥ is to be identified with Ma, makāra

A, U, and Ma, right? And that which is beyond this created universe is to be identified with the last part—the inaudible sound. This is one part.

Three States of Consciousness

Then we have got three states of existence: the waking, the dream, the deep sleep, and there is another state which is called Turīya—jāgrat, svapna, suṣupti, and Turīya.

So:

• The A part, first part of Oṃkāra, is to be identified with waking state (jāgrat)
• The U is to be identified with the dream state (svapna)
• The M is to be identified with the deep sleep state (suṣupti)
• And that which is beyond these three, which sustains, pervades and sustains these three, which is called Turīya

Turīya is not a fourth state. Turīya is—it is Turīya which is expressing in the form of waking, dream, and dreamless. And that is to be identified with that inaudible sound. I am only making this sound—actually it is not audible sound.

Three Bodies

Similarly, we also have got three bodies: the gross body, the subtle body, and the causal body.

• A is to be identified with the gross body
• U is to be identified with the subtle body
• And M is to be identified with the causal body
• And that which is beyond these three is to be identified with anusvāra

Contemplate on Oṃkāra. I am only giving you a few hints like that. If you can do that, then you will absolutely—you will go beyond, because it is these three doorsteps as it were. One leads to the subtle, subtle leads to the causal, causal leads you to the ultimate reality.

Example 2: Gāyatrī Mantra

Now this is the essence of Gāyatrī. Exactly it is the same thing. Gāyatrī has got three pādas or three parts. What are those three parts?

Three Parts of Gāyatrī

What is the first part?

1. "Tat savitur vareṇyam" (first pāda)
2. "Bhargo devasya dhīmahi" (second pāda)
3. "Dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt" (third pāda)

That is the first part which we have to identify with this world.

• Tat savitur vareṇyam is the first part
• Bhargo devasya dhīmahi is the second part
• Dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt is the last part

Identify them with jāgrat, waking, dream, deep sleep. Immediately also identify with this world. That is why we utter "Oṃ bhūr bhuvaḥ suvaḥ"—Oṃ bhūr bhuvaḥ suvaḥ, then tat savitur vareṇyam bhargo devasya dhīmahi, dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt.

So identify those last three parts with Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ, and Suvaḥ. Identify these three—Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ, and Suvaḥ—with A, U, and Ma. And identify these three with that last anusvāra. And if you can do that, then you have reached the ultimate reality.

This is the secret of the Gāyatrī Mantra. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa says: "Sandhyā merges in Gāyatrī. Gāyatrī merges in Om. And the Om merges—takes you to the highest reality."

So this is either Oṃkāra or Gāyatrī upāsanā. It doesn't matter which upāsanā you do. It doesn't matter which deity you worship. But this is the way—to go completely from the multiplicity to the unity, from diversity to the unity, from the many to the one. This is the process of slowly becoming one. This is called samādhi state.

Example 3: Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa Dhyāna Mantra

Now very briefly I will tell you how Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa used to be worshipped. Now Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa—you know we have got a dhyāna mantra. What is that dhyāna mantra?

Hṛdaya kamala-madhye rājitaṃ nirvikalpam

Sadā sadā akhila bhedātītam eka-svarūpam

Prakṛti vikṛti śūnyaṃ nityam ānanda-mūrtiṃ

Vimala paramhaṃsaṃ Rāmakṛṣṇaṃ bhajāmaḥ

I will take only one as a sample. There are three verses, but I will take only one:

"Shining in the lotus of the heart, assuredly

Beyond all changes, real and unreal

One and compact

Untouched by nature or her evolutes

The eternal image of bliss

The spotless swan supreme

We adore Rāmakṛṣṇa"

It goes.

How to Meditate on Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa

Now when we meditate upon Rāmakṛṣṇa, this is what we are supposed to do. This is called Ahaṃgraha Upāsanā. I mentioned three types of contemplations. What are those?

1. Contemplation on the sound symbols
2. Contemplation on the visual or form symbols
3. What was the last one? Ahaṃgraha Upāsanā

Ahaṃ means "I." Graha means "to grasp." As it were, a small person is grasping the hand of a bigger person, and that bigger person is carrying the smaller person along with him. A small leaf falls into the stream of a river. What does the river do? It carries that leaf along with it too.

This is what Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa says: "Somehow or other, cling"—like a small boy, he takes hold of his father's hand, so the father takes him, or mother takes him. Though there is a higher state where he doesn't do any effort, but the father himself does—but in the beginning we have to do that, because in the beginning we are all monkeys. Later on we become like kittens.

So ultimately it will take us to the highest reality as it were. So in this case we will have to meditate on Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa in this form. These are the dhyāna mantras, meditational mantras. Every deity in Hindu pantheology has got his own meditational form. Mahākālī dhyāna—here she has got four hands, in one hand this, another hand she has got a skull, etc.

Why are these given? These are symbols so that we can contemplate on the real nature of this deity. And these deities are nothing but the manifestations of the ultimate reality. By holding on to them, along with them, we also go and become merged with the ultimate reality in the end.

Unpacking the Dhyāna Mantra

So when the devotees of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa—and you can take any deity, for example—this is called Ahaṃgraha Upāsanā. All of us have got to remember this.

"Where is the Lord sitting?"

Not somewhere. Where is He sitting? "Shining in the lotus of the heart." The heart itself is to be imagined as a lotus, and in that lotus He is there.

"And then what? Beyond all changes."

Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa never changes, irrespective of how we feel emotionally. In our pure consciousness, we are sometimes happy, sometimes unhappy. But there is something witnessing these changes. Is it not? Who is that witnessing reality? That witnessing reality is called pure consciousness. And another name for that pure consciousness is Rāmakṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Christ, Buddha—whatever name you choose to give.

"Nirvikalpam."

"And then He is one. There are not many. He is only one."

"Untouched by nature."

That means completely detached from the idea, "I am the body and I am the mind," because body and mind are the—these are evolutes of prakṛti, nature. But that pure consciousness principle is not an evolute. It is the cause of all this evolution. It is uncaused cause.

"Eternal image of bliss."

You will have to meditate upon, contemplate upon Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa as an eternal image of bliss. What is our condition? Eternal image of worry, stress, unhappiness. But when you contemplate on Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, what are you contemplating? He is unchanging. He is an embodiment of bliss.

If you can meditate upon Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa as an embodiment of bliss, then what are you really contemplating upon? Forget about Rāmakṛṣṇa. What are you meditating upon? Bliss. If you are thinking of bliss, then what do you become? Bliss. And that is what we want.

Sat-Cit-Ānanda in the Dhyāna Mantra

That is the Sat-Cit-Ānanda is condensed in this:

• Sat means what? He is eternally present everywhere.
• Cit means what? He is the principle of consciousness.
• Ānanda means he is the principle of bliss.

Absolute existence, absolute knowledge, absolute bliss. This is what is indicated here in this brief verse.

Contemplate upon Rāmakṛṣṇa in this form. Then what?

Becoming Like the Object of Meditation

First I mentioned, what is the goal of contemplation? Upāsanā. He who is contemplating ultimately will become like the object upon which he is contemplating. If we can contemplate upon Rāmakṛṣṇa like this, then what will happen? Ultimately we will become like Rāmakṛṣṇa.

And who is Rāmakṛṣṇa? Forget about this—this is name and form. Not that Rāmakṛṣṇa. That which is beyond Rāmakṛṣṇa. That which is beyond the name and the form.

Again we are forgetting. That is why I mentioned Oṃkāra symbol. Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ, Suvaḥ—forget about it. Where do they merge? In A, U, and Ma. Where do this A, U, and Ma merge? In the fourth, inaudible symbol of the Oṃkāra.

Inaudible means what? Not that we are deaf. Inaudible means that which is beyond name, form, qualities—Turīya avasthā. It is called Turīya. The indescribable. The fourth. It is not fourth in the sense these are three and that is plus one. In the sense it is indescribable—beyond mind and speech.

Summary: The Three Stages and Three Paths

This is the technique. It is called Ahaṃgraha Upāsanā. Every aspirant ultimately has to go through these three. But these are the three stages:

1. In the first stage, with great self-effort, again and again the mind refuses to think.
2. In the second stage, it becomes spontaneous, natural. The mantra springs. The form springs. We acquire the qualities of the object upon which we are meditating.
3. In the last stage, we meditate upon the reality. Every deity has a reality. And ultimately there comes a time when what Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa calls God-realization—becoming one with the highest reality.

So these are very briefly I gave you the techniques that have been used in Vedic times, and how these techniques have slightly changed their form. But we are still doing this in the modern times. Only the process is the same, but the names and forms have changed. That's all. Instead of the sun, instead of Indra, instead of Varuṇa, we are doing it on Rāmakṛṣṇa, Allah, Jesus, Buddha, etc. But the ultimate result is the complete union of the individual soul with the highest reality.

The Thirty-Two Vidyās

According to our scholars, there are 32 of these contemplations, vidyās. Most important—there are many, but 32 most important vidyās have been indicated in our Vedas.

The Three Sections of the Vedas

So the first part was ritualistic part (karma-kāṇḍa). The second part was the contemplative or upāsanā (upāsanā-kāṇḍa). And the last part is called jñāna-kāṇḍa, the knowledge portion, which is represented by the Upaniṣads.

In my next class I will take up what are these Upaniṣads, how many are there, and they form the foundation of Hinduism itself. Very briefly I will try to finish it and then move further on.

Closing Prayer

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः

Om Śānti, Śānti, Śāntih.

Om, peace, peace, peace be unto all.

Category:

• Hinduism