Three internal Meditations

Drik Drisya Viveka 6  

We have seen in earlier verses that the veiling power of Maya I.e. Avarana Sakthi at the micro and macro level can be overcome through Self-knowledge i.e. Athmavidya only.  The Self-knowledge can be gained through the study of sastras under the guidance of a proper guru and the knowledge so acquired has to be made doubt-free through the process of mananam and such doubt free knowledge has to be internalised through the process of nitidyasanam i.e. Vedantic meditation to get the desired benefit.  The definition of nitidyasanam, Vedantic meditation, is dwelling upon the teaching intently by providing quality time.  Sitting meditation, taking care of the physical posture is also a form of meditation, which is called samadhi-abhyasa.  Samadhi-abhyasa is exclusively giving some time for dwelling on the teaching, during which time one should deliberately withdraw from all transactions, and deliberately distancing from all the ahankara roles, one should invoke one’s athmasvarupam.  In the next nine verses from verses 22 to 31, the author is describing six types of samadhi-abhyasa. They are:

1. antara-drisya-anuviddha-Savikalpa-samadhi,  internal-object-associated-Savikalpa-samadhi

2. antara-sabda-anuviddha-Savikalpa-samadhi,  internal-word-associated-Savikalpa-samadhi

3. antara-Nirvikalpa-samadhi,  internal-Nirvikalpa-samadhi

4. bahya-drisya-anuviddha-Savikalpa-samadhi, external-object-associated-Savikalpa-samadhi

5. bahya-sabda-anuviddha-Savikalpa-samadhi,  external-word-associated-Savikalpa-samadhi

6. bahya-Nirvikalpa-samadhi, external-Nirvikalpa-samadhi.

With this brief introduction, let us continue to the next verse no.22.

Verse 22

Upekshya namarupe dve sacchidaanandatatparah ।

Samadhim sarvada kuryaat hridaye vaa athava bahih ॥ 22॥

Becoming indifferent to both name and form (nama-rupa), 

and devoted to the Brahman, one should always practice 

meditation both in the heart and outside.

This verse serves as an introduction to the topic of meditation by explaining  the  process  of meditation. It has been explained in verse 20  that every entity has the five characteristics; Asthi, Bhathi,Priyam, Nama and Rupam.  Of these, the first three belong  to Brahman i.e. Asthi, Bhathi, and Priyam are Brahma-rupam, and are uniformly everywhere without any change or modification.  The other two i.e. Nama and Rupam belong to the world only and are always changing and abound in variety.  This mixture of changeless Asthi, Bhathi, Priyam and changing Nama, Rupam is to be meditated  upon focussing on the changeless feature and ignoring the changing feature. The practice of meditation has two sides to it: the first is the internal process of concentrating on one’s true Self as Brahman in the heart; and the second is to carry out the same process in the outer world of names and forms and distinguish Brahman within all Creation.  This is emphasised by asking one to be indifferent to the name and form of every object, and being devoted to the essential qualities in all objects, namely, Asthi, Bhathi, Priyam that is Brahman.

Verse 23

Savikalpo nirvikalpah samadhirdvividho hridi ।

Dṛisyasabdanuvedhena savikalpah punardvidha ॥ 23॥

The practice of meditation (samadhi) within the heart  is of two kinds; Savikalpa (with duality) and Nirvikalpa (without duality).  Savikapa samadhi is again of two kinds; associated with a cognizable object (seen) and or with sound (words).

This verse describes the samadhi abhyas in the internal category. This meditation is

of two kinds; Savikalpa samadhi and Nirvikalpa samadhi. Where support like objects

or words are used by one initially to focus concentration and then one shifts the

focus to Brahman is called Savikalpa samadhi.  Where the focus is on Brahman

straigtaway without  any aid or support  is called Nirvikalpa samadhi.  In other words

in Savikalpa  samadhi one concentrates one’s mind on Brahman without completely

losing such distinctions as the knower, knowledge and the known and in Nirvikalpa

samadhi one makes oneself free from all thought of distinctions, as the knower,

knowledge and the known. Savikalpa samadhi is the initial step in the practice of

samadhi abhyasa.  The Savikalpa samadhi itself is of two kinds, one associated with

an object, and the other associated with the Vedantic words, as Sakshi, Satyam,

Nityam, Adhistanam, etc., that indicate Brahman.  Savikalpa samadhi is also referred

to as meditation in duality while Nirvikalpa samadhi is referred to as non-dual

meditation.

Verse 24

Kamadyaschittaga drisyastat Sakshitvena chetanam ।

Dhyayeddrisyaanuviddho'yaṃ samadhih savikalpakah ॥ 24॥

Thoughts like desires, etc, arising in the mind are to be treated as the cognizable objects (Seen); one should meditate on Consciousness as their witness. This is called Savikalpa Samadhi associated with (cognizable) objects.

This verse describes 1^st of the six types of meditations described in the introduction, namely internal-object-associated-Savikalpa-samadhi.  As this is an internal meditation, the meditator keeps the focus within the heart and begins meditation on thoughts that arise in the mind as objects and  then shifts the focus gradually to the Sakshi, the Consciousness principle that lends sentiency to insentient thoughts that arise in the mind and finally to ‘I the Sakshi’ i.e. first focus on thoughts, then shift to Sakshi and then to ‘I’ as Sakshi.  Focussing upon the Sakshi is nothing but entertaining thoughts regarding Sakshi.   Entertaining thoughts such as ‘the Sakshi is the ultimate Seer and the Sakshi is the illuminator’ is the meditation or focussing on the Sakshi.  This is also called “Sakshee-Bhava” Savikalpa samadhi.

Verse 25

Asangah sacchidanandah svaprabho dvaitavarjitah ।

Asmiti sabdaviddho'yam samadhih savikalpakah ॥ 25॥

“I am unattached Satchidananda, self-shining and free from duality”. Samadhi, associated with these words, is called “Savikalpa samadhi with sound (words)”.

This verse describes 2^nd  of the six types of meditations described in the introduction, namely internal-word-associated-Savikalpa-samadhi’  This is also internal meditation as the previous one with the difference that instead of focussing on the objects, one focuses on an autosuggestion – with words – which leads one to the Brahman.  Repeated practice of bringing the attention away from the thoughts to Sakshi, capacity to remain with the Sakshi, without being distracted by the thoughts is cultivated.  Having established the mind in Sakshi, the various other aspects of the Sakshi are dwelled upon, the final feature being that that Sakshi is ‘I am’.  Thoughts are used in the previous meditation to arrive at the Sakshi.  In this meditation, the features of the Sakshi are focussed on. When the mind is relatively free from various thought-forms, the meditator can move on to this type.  With the upsurge of thoughts not present to disturb him, one can now make use of a suggestion like the one given in the verse. The statement  “I am unattached Satchidananda, self-shining and free from duality”  is to be repeated slowly in the mind with great conviction.  One may also use some other Mantras for auto-suggestions to bring back one’s mind again and again to focus on the Self, whenever the attention tries to drift away. The phrase ‘chidanandarupah sivo'ham sivo'ham’ in the Nirvanashatkam verse is an excellent Sakshi meditation phrase.  This meditation is also called “Shabda Viddhah” Savikalpa samadhi

Verse 26

Svanubhutirasavesaddrisyasabdavupekshya tu ।

Nirvikalpah samadhih syannivaatasthita dipavat ॥ 26॥

The Nirvikalpa Samadhi is that in which the mind becomes steady like the (unflickering flame of a) light kept in a place free from wind and in which one becomes indifferent to both objects and sounds on account of his complete absorption in the blissful experience  (of the realization) of the Self.

This verse describes 3^rd of the six types of meditations described in the introduction, namely internal-Nirvikalpa-samadhi.   The meditator slides naturally into this type of meditation as he gets more and more absorbed in the experience of the Self.   The mental thoughts associated with the internal-object-associated-Savikalpa-samadhi   and the auto-suggestion used in internal-word-associated-Savikalpa-samadhi’ are gradually done away with as one enters deep meditation.  This is like one making an effort to sleep through repetition of auto-suggestion “ I am going to sleep” and falling off to sleep naturally in that process when the repetition stops on its own without any effort.  The main difference between the earlier Savikalpa states and this Nirvikalpa state is that here no effort is required anymore. It is an effortless abidance in the Self, the state of perfect Self-realisation.  This is made possible through the constant practice of the Savikalpa samadhi when mind becomes free from all distractions which is the result of attachment to sense-objects.  The beautiful simile given here to illustrate the steadiness of concentration is from the Bhagavad Gita  (6–19) -a flame in a windless place.

Yathaa deepo nivaatastho nengate sopamaa smritaa;

Yogino yatachittasya yunjato yogamaatmanah.

“As a lamp kept in a windless place does not flicker”- such is the simile thought of for the controlled mind of yogi who is absorbed in yoga of the Self.

The Nirvikalpa samadhi is the highest kind of concentration in which the practitioner realises his real Self and experiences the highest Bliss.  Vikalpa means division in the form of pramata-pramanam-prameyam.  Nirvikalpa means the division-less state of mind exactly similar to the deep sleep state. It seems to be similar to deep sleep, as in deep sleep duality is not experienced but it is not, as in deep sleep Ajjnana -vritti is present in the sub-conscious, but in this meditation the Brahmakara-vritti  ‘I am Brahman’ is present in the sub-conscious.

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