Dialogue on devotion and devotee

Gita essays – 20

While introducing chapter 12 Swami Paramarthananda says that this chapter gives both Veda purva bhaga as well as Veda anta bhaga condensed in 20 pithy verses and it is Veda saraḥ.  Lord Krishna also states in the concluding verse of this chapter "dharmya amṛtam idam” i.e. these words of immortal Dharma.  I am giving the essence of such an important chapter called Bhakthi Yoga as a dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna.

Arjuna – O Lord! At the end of Viswarupa darsana yoga you declared that through single-minded devotion to one’s Ishta devata, the Cosmic Form can be known, seen and entered into by any devotee.   Earlier You have also emphasised the importance of the worship of Nirguna Brahman, the formless and attributeless Brahman.  Now a doubt arises in my mind as to which of the two methods, worship with form and without form, is better to attain the spiritual realisation. Will you please enlighten me?

Lord  Krishna– O Arjuna! It is difficult to give a straight answer to your question as it is like comparing two steps in a stair case as to which is better to reach the top.  One needs to start with Saguna Brahma upasana to go to Nirguna Brahma upasana and one need to practice Nirguna Brahma upasana to reach the final goal of Athma Jnanam. However let me try to clear your doubt in a devious way.

“Those devotees endowed with supreme faith who worship Me, ever steadfast fixing their minds on Me, these are considered to be the best by Me” (12 - 2).   However you should also understand that Nirguna Brahma upasaka attains Me because Nirguna Brahma upasana leads to Athma Jnanam, which alone can give Moksha, and Saguna Brahma upasana equips one with a pure mind and a single-mindedness necessary to pursue Athma Jnanam through Nirguna Brahma upasana. So let Me add also that “ The devotees who worship Me as the imperishable (Brahman) which is indefinable, unmanifest, changeless, all-pervading, immovable, incomprehensible and eternal;  restraining all the sense organs, being even-minded towards all, and being interested in the welfare of all beings, also come to Me only.” (12 - 3&4)

As Nirguna Brahman is formless and incomprehensible, it is inconceivable for the mind as well, besides being not available for the senses to perceive. So it is difficult to meditate upon unless the mind is properly prepared and so the devotee must have these qualifications of sense-control, equanimity and love of all. So for one with strong attachment to body-mind complex i.e. deahabhimana, the practice of Nirguna Brahma upasana is difficult.

Arjuna – O Lord! Then what will you suggest for those ardent devotees who cannot shed their individuality.  
Lord – They can reach Me through Viswa rupa upasana or Virat upasana, which is Saguna Brahma upasana or Iswara upasana as Iswara is the other name for Saguna Brahman.  Virat upasana is also called Ashtamurthy Iswara upasana, the eight murthys being panchabhuthas (space, air, fire, earth and water), sun (which stands for all the stars), moon (which stands for all the planets and satellites) and all the living beings. “ To those who worship Me (in that form), dedicating all actions to Me regarding Me as the supreme goal, meditating on Me with undivided attention with their mind totally set on Me, I shall soon become their saviour from the ocean of mortal samsara, O Arjuna!” (12 – 6&7).  So don’t despair if you cannot worship me through Nirguna upasana. “If you fix your mind and intellect on Me (in Virat form) only, you shall doubtless live in Me alone” (12-8)”, I assure.

Arjuna – Lord, You know I am scared of Viswa rupam! 
Lord – No problem.  If one cannot fix his mind on Virat rupam, he can reach Me through Eka rupa Iswara upasana, which I will call “Abhyasa yoga”. The devotee can take up any form as Ishta devata and practice Ishta devata upasana with all the disciplines I have mentioned for the Virat upasana.

Arjuna – O Lord! Upasana is a manasa vyapara, mental exercise.  For an extrovert, whose mind is difficult to be restrained, what is the way? 
Lord - If all upasanas are a problem, One can try to attain me the Karma Yoga way, by performing all actions desirelessly, Nishkama, dedicating the actions to Me, i.e. with Iswararpana buddhi.

Arjuna – Here also I see a problem.  Being very much involved in the world, it is difficult to perform nishkama karma
Lord – Here also I can help you, but no more ifs and buts.  He can keep his desires and perform sakama karma but the results of all his actions he must accept with prasada buddhi, avoiding any reaction, which I shall call “ sarva karma phala tyaga” which means he is renouncing all the fruits of his actions to Me. Because it was said as last, it does not mean it is in any way inferior to other stages.  “Better indeed is knowledge than practice; than knowledge meditation is better; than meditation the renunciation of the fruits of actions (as) peace immediately follows renunciation (sarva karma phala thyaga)” (12-12). { What Lord has said in 12-12 is more for the glorification of sarva kama phala thyaga}

Arjuna – O Lord! I am grateful to hear from You of the various ways of devotion that can lead a devotee to You. How can we know a devotee who has attained You? 
Lord – O Arjuna you can know through his qualities which I am listing for your benefit.  Such a devotee is a jivan muktha, as he has attained Liberation before death and is dear to Me as a parabhaktha. His qualities are:
1) adveshta sarva bhuthanam maitrah karuna eva cha– Parabhaktha bears no hatred, ill-will or malice towards all other creatures, humans included, and he is friendly and compassionate towards one and all. 
2) nirmamo nirahamkaraha – He is free from the feeling of ‘I’ and ‘mine’. He is always conscious of his real identity as sakshi ‘I”, and the ego ‘I’ he uses for transactions with the world as slave ’I’.  He has no attachment either to his meagre possessions, or to any relationships.
3) sama-dukha-sukha kshami – He views with equanimity, pleasure and pain, and he is of forgiving nature.  In fact, in his vision, there is nothing for him to forgive as he lives in the present, carrying no memory of past wrongs or insults, and in the present, as he does not identify himself with the name and form, any offence or insult, does not touch him.
4) santhushtah satatam yogi – He is always happy and contented and is firmly established in meditation.
5) yatatma drdha-nischayaha – His body, mind and senses are under his control and he is a man of firm conviction
6) mayyarpitha mano buddhihi – His mind and intellect is ever dedicated to Me as Paramatma 
7) yasmanno dvijate loko lokanno dvijate cha yaha - He feels oneness with the world and his heart is full of love for all other living beings, and his calm, peaceful, compassionate composure is one that is not  affected by the happenings in the external world, nor does it cause agitations in the external world.
8) harshamarsha bhayodvegair mukthaha – As regards inward agitations, he is also free of them for excesses of joy, fear, intolerance, and anxiety do not touch him.   Whatever feelings or emotions that come to his mind, they have no force, and are short-lived.
9) anapekshah suchirdaksha udhasino gathavyathaha – His mind has no dependence on external things, is pure, alert, unconcerned and untroubled.
10) sarvaarambaparityagi – He has renounced all ego-centric selfish undertakings.  Whatever he does is for universal welfare and social good and without any selfish motive.
11) yo na hrishyathi na dweshti na sochathi na kankshathi – He does not become elated when something agreeable happens nor does he suffer pangs of regret if something disagreeable happens.  He does not grieve over a loss or long for a gain.
12) subhasubhaparityagi bhakthiman – He is ever devoted to Me as Paramatma.  As he is beyond dharma and adharma, right and wrong, he is not concerned about the punya or papa attached to his action.  Any punya arising out of his action will accrue to those who praise, adore and worship him, while papa, if any, will go to those who insult or abuse him.
13) samah satrau cha mitre cha tatha manapamanayoh – He is the same to all whether they are his well-wishers or ill-wishers as he has love for all.  He treats alike honour and dishonour, i.e. with total nonchalance.
14) sithoshna sukha dukheshu samah sangavivarjitaha – He is free from all attachments, including his body-mind-complex. So he is immune to bodily and mental discomforts and disturbances, and his placidity suffers no change in all circumstances affecting the body-mind, like climate changes from one extreme to other or swings in experiences like pleasure and pain.
15) tulyanindasthuthrmouni –  His equanimity is undisturbed by praise or blame. He does not indulge in loose talk or gossip and enjoys silence as a means of communion with his Self. This state of silence arises out of intoxication with the supreme love for the Supreme Lord.  He becomes intoxicated with devotion, and enjoys silently that state of ecstacy, united in the Self, that is Paramathma.
16) santhushto yena kenachit anikethah sthiramathihi bhakthiman  –  In all places he feels at home, while calling no place as his home. He is happy and contented with whatever he has or gets and has no demands from anybody and no expectations in life.  He has a steady mind, fixed in devotion to Me as Paramatma. 
This parabhaktha, is a Brahmabhutha, one who has attained Brahman and is also a Parama Jnani and is very dear to Me.

                                ------------------------               

 

Bhakthi and Upasana

Upadesa Saara – verses 4,5&6

Verse no.4 of Upadesa saara reads as:
कायवाङमनः कार्यमुत्तमम् |   (Kaaya Vaang manah kaaryam uttamam)

पूजनं जपस्चिंतनम क्रमात् ||  (Pujanam japah chittanam kramaath)

Action of worship can be done with the body, words and mind. The action done with body is Puja, the action done with words is chanting and action done with the mind is meditation. Each is superior to the other in ascending order. (The action done with words is superior to action done with the body. The action done with the mind is superior to action done with the words.) 

In this verse Ramana Maharishi elaborates about Ishta Devata Bhakthi, Bhakthi in respect of one’s chosen Deity of worship. Bhakthi  is defined normally as reverential devotion to a superior - object, person or ideal.  Here we are referring to Bhakthi as a religious action, reverential devotion to God, the Cosmic Supreme.  This action can be divided into kayikam (physical), vachikam (verbal), and manasam (mental).  Physical action is doing Puja, by offering flowers. lighting a lamp, chanting slokas or Mantras etc., to one’s Ishta devata or visiting the temple and participating in the worship there or going on a pilgrimage to holy places.  Here all the three instruments of body, mind and speech are employed and this is called here Poojanam.  Verbal action consists of singing Lord's glory, reciting slokas in praise of the Lord, reading of religious texts containing the glory of the Lord, including Ithihasas and Puranas and repeated chanting of His Name or a Mantra, regularly.  Here mind and speech only are involved and so this requires more mental concentration than physical action.  This is referred to as Japa.  Mental action is meditation on Lord and this is called Chinthanam.  Manasa puja is also called Upasana. This requires a high mental discipline, much greater than that of physical puja and verbal worship.  All the three actions qualify as Yoga when action is done selflessly surrendering the ego in respect of a single Devata, adopted as one’s Ishta Devata.  It is this Bhakthi that transforms Karma as Karma Yoga. And when this Bhakthi is done for Bhakthi’s sake alone it becomes Bhakthi Yoga. In Bhakthi Yoga  reverential devotion yields place to unqualifed Love of the Lord to whom one surrenders one’s total will and ego.

As Bhakthi matures, the Love expands to embrace the whole creation as Bhaktha sees Lord in all and all as the Lord.  This is called Viswarupa Bhakthi.   Maharishi talks of this Viswarupa Bhakthi in the next verse, verse no.5.

जगत इशधीयुक्तसेवनम् | (Jagada Ishadee yukta sevanam)
अष्टमूर्तिभ्रिददेवापूजनं ||  (Astha murthy brid deva poojanam)

Service of the world is service of God having eight-fold form, with the idea that everything is God alone.

The eight-fold form of God consists of the five elements; space, air, fire, water and earth, the sun (representing all stars), the moon (representing all planets and satellites), and the Jivas (all living beings).  In verse 9 of Sri Dakshinamurthy stotram Sri Sankara describes specifically the Viswa Rupa of Lord Dakshinamurthy in the same way as eightfold form i.e. comprising the earth, water, fire, air, space, sun, moon and Jiva; the manifested Universe of all movable and immovable objects.  Sri Krishna also talks of His eight-fold Prakriti in Gita  (7 – 4), “This Prakrti of Mine is divided eight-fold thus: earth, water, fire, air, space, mind, intellect and also egoism.”  Further the very first nama of Vishnu Sahasranamam  is “Vishwam” – which means one who has entered into all beings, inert and sentient, movable and immovable -“Vishathi ithi Vishwam”.  Again Isavasya Upanishad also in the very first line states “Whatever is here in this world, everything is pervaded or covered by God”

Understanding Universe itself as nothing but a form of God is the essence of this Bhakthi.  Initially, the understanding was that God as creator is only the intelligent cause for the Universe.  As one’s knowledge of God grows, understanding expands and one has the knowledge that God is both intelligent cause and material cause of this Universe. As material cause of Universe, God pervades all objects of creation, both movable and immovable, just as gold pervades all ornaments of gold.  A Viswa-rupa Bhaktha sees God in all and all as God.  From Viswa rupa Bhakthi, with expansion of vision and maturity of understanding one grows to appreciate Abhedha-Bhavana and gain Advaitic Jnanam, which Maharishi will discuss later.

In verse no.6 Maharishi elaborates on verbal worship.

उत्तमस्तवादुच्चमंदतः |    (Uttama stavaat uccha mandathah)
चित्तजं जप ध्यानमुत्तमम् || (Chittajam japa dhyaanam uttamam)

Singing of Lord’s glories is good, but better than that is loud chanting in japa, while superior to loud chanting is soft chanting in japa. However, best of all is silent, mental japa.

Japa means repetition of a mantra or Lord’s name.  In Japa one should always focus on the mantra or the nama. Focus on the deity is done before the japa begins, as an invocation, and not during the chanting.  Japa produces a vibration which is supposed to be beneficial. The importance of Japa as a sadhana can be seen from Sri Krishna’s words in Gita (10-25) “Among the Yajnas, I am Japa Yajna”.  Japa can be done in a loud voice or in a soft voice or mentally.  The most effective chanting is mental and least effective is loud chanting.  Mental chanting is as good as meditation and so is a form of Upasana.  So Maharishi calls it as Dhyana Japa. 

---------------------------

Brahma Sutras

Prasthana Thraya – 1

Prasthana Thraya, is the name collectively given to the three authoritative basic texts of the Vedanta Darshana.  They are Brahma Sutras, Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita. We shall see each one of them briefly in this and succeeding blogs, starting with Brahma Sutras, the most important and also the most difficult to grasp of the three.

Brahma Sutras is authored by Sage Veda Vyasa and is also variously known as Vedanta Sutrani and Sariraka Sutrani. This work is in sutra form. Sutra is a brief statement packed with ideas. A sutra should be concise, clear, unambiguous dealing with essentials only with no verbal frills. Brahma Sutras has 555 sutras divided into four chapters, adhyayas, with each chapter being subdivided into four sections each, known as padas. Each of these sections are further subdivided into adhikaranas or topics and there is in total 191 adhikaranas. The adhikaranas are not uniform and consist of five factors each: visaya (subject matter), samsayah (doubt), purva paksha (objections of other systems), Siddantha (conclusion of Vedantins) and sangathih (the link between previous and present topic).  With this brief introduction we shall take a bird’s eye-view of Brahma Sutras.

First Chapter

The First chapter comprises 134 sutras in 39 adhikaraṇas.  It is called Samanvayā-dhyāya, Samanvaya meaning consistency. It attempts to establish consistency in various statements concerning Brahman in various Upanishads. The chapter itself starts with the sutra “Athatho Brahmajijnasa” which translates into “Now, therefore the desire to know Brahman”. A correct, doubt-free understanding of Brahman is important as that alone leads to freedom from samsara, leading to moksha, liberation from the cycle of birth and death. Brahman alone is the ultimate cause of this universe. He alone is the upadhana karanam (material cause) and nimitha karanam (intelligent cause) for this universe,.  He is transcendant as well as immanent in this world. He is Anandamaya, full of eternal bliss. The only source of knowledge of this Brahman is the Upanishads. Brahma jnanam is not one of the means of liberation; it is the only means of liberation. Vedantic study is not the one of the means of Brahma jnanam; Vedanta is the only means of Brahma jnanam. Vedanta is an independent and unique pramanam. Vedanta deals with Brahman alone and nothing else. Brahma jnanam is jivatma, Paramatma aikyajnanam i.e. the knowledge of the basic identity of Jiva with Brahman. In this chapter the contradictory views of Sankhya philosophy and Purva Miimamsa regarding Brahman’s role in creation are also analysed and refuted.

Second Chapter

The Second chapter contains 157 sutras spread over 47 adhikaranams and is called Avirodha-dhyaya, avirodha meaning non-contradiction or non-conflict. Contradiction is a defect in the teaching and here it is shown that teaching of Brahman in Brahma Sutra is defect free. Here three types of seeming contradictions i.e. with Sruthi, Smrithi and Yukthi (logic) are analysed and negated. The second chapter is heavily logic-oriented as it tries to establish that there are there are no logical contradictions in the Vedanta system. Here it examines and dismisses not only the refutations of other darshanas like Sankhya and Vaiseshika but also of other schools of philosophy, Buddism and Jainism, as well.  In the second chapter, the teaching of the first chapter is reconfirmed and defended.  This was done by negating all the possible objections and establishing that there is no virodhah for the view established in the first chapter. In the second pada of this chapter the fallacies of other non-Vedantic systems are exposed.  This critical review enhances our reverence for Vedanta system and enthrones in our mind the Vedantic teaching.

Third Chapter

The third chapter is called Sadhana-dhyaya and is the longest, with 186 sutras spread over 67 adhikaraṇas. This chapter deals with the spiritual sadhanas required to gain Brahma Vidya. In the first two padas the two fundamental requirements, Vairagyam(dispassion) and Mumukshutvam(intense desire for moksha) are emphasised. The first pada talks about the doctrine of reincarnation, the departure of the soul from the physical body, and its going back to the earth and of Panchagnividya. This is done in order to create Vairagya or indifference to sensual enjoyments herein and hereafter. Second pada highlights Jnana Yoga sadhana by analysing Tat pada, Tvam pada and Aikyam in the Mahavakhya “Tat Tvam Asi”. In this connection it describes all the glorious attributes of the Supreme Brahman, His Omniscience, Omnipotence, etc., in order to create mumukshutvam making Brahman the sole object of quest. This pada discusses all the three states of Jiva;  waking, dream and deep sleep, to show they are only illusory and to establish the identity of Jiva and Brahman as the fourth state, Turiya. In third pada various upasanas are discussed as a means of attaining Brahma Jnanam by making intellect subtle and developing Chitta Ekagratha, one-pointed focussed mind.  

Upasanas are methods of meditation of Saguna Brahman on various symbols or Pratikas such as Vaisvanara or Virat, Sun, Akasa, Food, Prana and Mind. These symbols are props for the mind to lean upon in the beginning. The gross mind is rendered subtle, sharp and one-pointed by such upasanas which are called Vidyas. Fourth pada has Karma Yoga as its central theme. Ashrama karmas are discussed as the prime component of Karma Yoga. As a part of sannyasa ashrama duty, sravanam, mananam and nididyasanam are also highlighted. Duties of various ashramas; sannyasa, brahmacharya etc. are discussed in detail.  Rituals as part of Karma Yoga help to purify the mind. Such a purified mind when made subtle through upasana becomes fit to absorb Brahma Jnanam, through the process of sravana, manana, nididyasana.

Fourth Chapter

The fourth chapter has 78 sutras spread over 38 adhikaranas and is the smallest chapter. This chapter is called Phala-dhyaya as it discusses the benefit or fruit of Brahma Jnanam which is mukthi or liberation. This chapter discusses all the three types of mukthi; Jivan mukthi, Krama mukthi and Videha mukthi. The first pada discusses how one attaining Brahma Jnanam has his Sanchitha karma liquidated and attains Jivan mukthi. The Jivanmuktha attains Videha mukthi when Prarabhdha karma is liquidated through exhaustion. The second pada describes Devayana, also called arciradimarga, the path by which Saguna Brahma upasaka Jiva who has practised severe spiritual disciplines like tapas, sraddhā and brahmacarya, and also the Saguna Brahma upasana, travels to Brahmaloka after death.  Third and fourth padas describe how the upasaka Jiva getting Brahma Jnanam in Brahma loka, attains mukthi there and this type of mukthi is called krama mukthi. The work ends with the sutra, “anavṛttiḥ sabdat”, repeated twice for emphasis, meaning `There is no return, since the scriptures declare so'. This means that the Jiva reaching the Brahmaloka thus will not return to this mundane existence. 

-------------------------------