|
|
|
|
| SANTMAT
|
| (Faith Of The Sants)
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| 61. |
It appears clearly from the means described that the primary method is that of being devoted to the Gross Qualified Manifest Form (Asthool Sagun Roop Upaasanaa) and then to Subtle Qualified Manifest Form (Sukshma Sagun Roop Upaasanaa) and then to the Subtle Qualified Unmanifest Form (Sukshma Sagun Aroop Upaasanaa) and finally to the Unqualified Unmanifest Form (Nirgun Niraakaar Upaasanaa).
|
| 62. |
Maanas Jap (repetition or muttering in mind of any holy name of the Supreme being silent with eyes shut as instructed by spiritual preceptor) and Maanas Dhyaan (concentration of mind on any holy figure with closed eyes as instructed by spiritual preceptor) are the devotion to Gross Qualified Manifest Form. The practice to be poised in the one-pointedness or to attain the Divinity, subtler than the subtle is the devotion to Subtle Qualified Manifest Form. The practice to search all other internal sounds except the Essential Divine Sound is the devotion to Subtle Qualified Unmanifest Form of Causal and Supra-Causal. The meditation of the Essential Divine Sound (i.e. Saar Shabda) is the devotion to Unqualified Unmanifest Form. All the devotion practices have their ends here. Unless all the devotional practices are completed, to attain the Absolute Salvation or to do own greatest good, reaching up to the Nameless State or to Supreme Sovereign God is absolutely impossible.
|
| 63. |
The Sound or Name has originated from the Soundless or Nameless. It is quite possible by grasping the Name (sound) and being gravitated with it, to reach the Soundless or Super-sound or Nameless State (i.e. the Supreme).
|
| 64. |
It is irrational to accept the existence of any thing beyond this Nameless State and to accept the existence of Soundlessness in any sphere of creation below this Nameless State.
|
| 65. |
It is only Nameless State (Soundless State) which has been described as Param Pad (the Absolute State) in the Upanishads. And no other reality can exist except this reality which Shrimadbhagavadgita calls Kshetrajna (the knower of the body-field). Therefore, it is worthless to take for granted any other greater state than even the Absolute State pointed out in the Upanishads and Shrimadbhagavadgita. Although it is impossible to prove to the contrary, yet, he who does not recognize it and does not want to have faith in it, should prove to the world rationally the existence of soundlessness in any sphere of creation below the soundless or Nameless state and greater reality than Kshetrajna (Self i.e. knower of the body-field). Without proving it rationally, it is improper to say that he has been taught by his Guru (Spiritual preceptor) about a higher state than this state, described in the Upanishads etc. Otherwise, other would also say that they know of a greater state than the one laid down.
|
| 66. |
It is beyond doubt that only the Essential Divine Sound or the Original Sound leads to the ultimate state or the Super-Sound state. But this does not mean that this forbids us to meditate other material sounds than the Essential Divine Sound just because these sounds are material and so, the practitioners might be condemned by their souls (i.e. come to extreme degeneration) for meditating these material sounds. The statement about meditating no other internal material sound except the Essential Divine Sound is unacceptable for, neither is it rational nor deriving from the Upanishads or the Bharati Sants' literature. The article Nos. 44, 45, 46, 59 and 60 explain this idea.
|
| 67. |
The practice of the Yoga of Sound is easier to exercise than the Yoga of vision. It has been already described that the Yoga of vision must be practised till the one-pointedness is attained. But even being poised in the one-pointedness, the view of practising the Yoga of Sound after much more practice of the Yoga of vision is unnecessary, for the latter offers a hard path to walk on for a long time.
|
| 68. |
Having been poised in the one-pointedness the consciousness-force should be devoted to the internal sounds. Both will gravitate to one particular direction, and afterwards the point will be left behinds, for the consciousness-force will have an extreme satisfaction to drink of the nectarine sweetness of the internal sounds and then the consciousness-force will be engaged only in the Divine Sound. It is not harmful but only desirable.
|
| 69. |
The idea of grasping the Essential Divine Sound, without taking help of the meditation of other internal sounds, reaching merely in any sphere of the Non-Conscious Nature only through the Yoga of vision is rationally unsupportable. Because, any one of the concealments (or forms) of the Non-Conscious must obstruct the direct knowledge (realized knowledge) of the Essential Flow, that is, of the Pure Conscious Flow. The Original or Primordial Word or the Essential Divine Sound has appeared before Jaraatmak Mool Prakriti (the Original or primordial Non-Conscious Nature). So this flow of sound is the Pure conscious flow.
|
| 70. |
Even on being enchanted by the sweet charm of a chorus under a canopy decorated with various beautiful scenes, an indirect observation of the scenes is inevitable. Similarly, the scenes of the Non-conscious visible sphere must be observed even when engaged in the meditation of its sounds. This is because it has been said Dhwanerantergatam jyoti (the light is within the sound). It is no surprise that only the constant meditation of the sound makes the practitioner enter into the Divine realm of Light. There is no great loss in not achieving the Light, as the greatest loss is in not achieving the Sound.
|
| 71. |
The Essential Divine Sound is the super-cosmic sound. It has arisen only from the existence beyond the super nature (The Supreme Himself). It has arisen only before the creation of the universe-macrocosm and microcosm etc. it is impossible therefore that in the articulate words which are the effects of the microcosm of the human body or of material substance only, can imitate Essential Divine Sound. It is impossible to take voices heard by pronouncing those articulate words of the Essential Divine Sound, even a single one of them not being like the Essential Divine Sound. The following couplets are of Radhaswami Sahab.
The Radhaswami Sahab-School takes it for granted that the word Om is the word of Trikuti (Subtle Sphere), Raram is the word of Shoonya (void, Causal Sphere) and Soham is the word of Bhanwar guphaa (whirlpool cave, Supra-Causal Sphere) and Satnaam is of the Satlok (the Pure Spiritual Sphere, the state of oneliness of the Upper Nature). And in the above couplets Radhaswami Sahab points out that Mohammadan sages have pointed out the word of Trikuti as Allahoo, Ha of the void, Anaahoo of Bhanwar guphaa and Hakka-Hakka of Satlok (the Pure Spiritual Realm). It certainly comes into knowledge after a fair understanding of above couplets that even the sounds below the Essential Divine Sound cannot be articulated by the human tongue what to speak of the Essential Divine Sound. Some call Satnaam as the sound of Satlok (the Pure Spiritual sphere), others call the same sound as Hakka-Hakka. If the former accepts the latter’s statement, the former finds no occasion to censure still another who calls Om and Ram of the word of the same state (Satlok) and to tell him that the words Om and Ram are the words of lower sphere, not of the Pure Spiritual Sphere. Hence, to say any particular articulate word as the true copy of the Essential Divine Sound is irrational and unsupportable.
|
| 72. |
The description of many natural crude sounds like of Veena (a musical instrument like lyre), Murli (flute), Nafeeri (like clarionet), Mridang (drum), scymabals, horn, Sitar (Guitar), Saarangee (like lute), the peal of thunder and the roar of lion, are described as the internal sounds of their particular spheres in certain sants' literature. These words do not belong to the same order in all the sants' literature for instance, the music of flute has been described as the sound of the lower sphere in certain sants’ literature the same music has been described as the sound of higher spheres. As-
“The Bhanwar guphaa (whirlpool cave, or the center of whirlpool) is vibrating with the knowledge of ‘I’ that is, Soham for the mystical flute is sounding continuously therein.” ---- KABIR SHABDAAVALI, Part 11
“The 'Divine Eastern Star' is seen at the secret door of heavens; there is heard the infinite endless melody of divine sound.”
"Before the region of flaming Light, beyond the brilliant light of stars and lightings and even brighter things, just at the place where the colors of the five elements exist, (in the upper limit) of the lighted portion of Aajnaachakra (the medullary) or the lower limit of Sahasradal kamal (the thousand leaved lotus).
The five various divine colors are seen in the internal sky, viz, black, red, white, blue, yellow, and the enchanting wave of the spiritual sound is bursting with the melodious thrill of flutes.” ----Ghat Raamaayan
After reading such descriptions, it is improper to say that the saying of certain sant is wrong or incorrect. And, so, it is also improper to say that the views of all the Sants are not ‘one’. It is further more harmful to say that if the Sants differ in their sayings about these sounds, then any material sound apart from the Essential Divine Sound should not be practised at all. The complete growth of a tree exists in its sprout and the existence of the sprout lies in its seed, similarly it has to be taken for granted, that the entire extension of the Gross world must exist in the Subtle world and that of the Subtle world in the Causal. It is perfectly rational to have faith in the fact that the existence of the sounds of the Gross sphere is in the subtle and the existence of those of the Subtle is in the Causal. So the sound of the flute or any other internal sound can possibly be heard in the lower or in the higher internal spheres. There is no discrepancy if one described the particular kind of sound in a certain sphere and others described other sound in the same sphere. It is no harm if we recognize that both reached the same place through the one spiritual practice, that is, the practice of spiritual sound. On understanding this, neither can the descriptions of the internal sounds given by any Sant be said to be wrong nor can it be said, that they differ in their views. Thirdly, to meditate only the Essential Divine Sound without meditating the lower material sounds, is absolutely impossible because neither is it rational nor in harmony with any of the Sants’ sayings. Article 66 deals with the fact that the Essential Divine Sound can never be grasped unless the lower internal material sounds ate meditated.
|
| 73. |
Any of the material sounds as of the drum, mardal (a kind of drum), flute etc. cannot be accepted as the particular internal sound of a particular internal sphere. Therefore, only the names of the internal sounds ate found in the Upanishads and in all the Sants' literature except one or two (Radhaswami Sahab and Kabir Sahab). But it is not found that these internal material sounds are the particular sounds of the particular internal spheres and at the same time, the Super-Sound State (or the Nameless State) is inevitably described by all of them. After reading such descriptions it is irrational and unsupportable to say that almost all to the Sants, except those one or two who described the particular internal sounds of the particular internal sphere had no complete knowledge of Naadaanusandhaan the spiritual discovery of the spiritual sounds (that is, the Yoga of Sound).
|
| 74. |
The sound of the Gross Sphere is sweet and harmonious but the same sound of the Subtle sphere is sweeter and more harmonious. Like this the sound of the Causal and Supra-causal spheres (till the point up to which the plurality of sounds can exist) will be sweeter increasingly and more harmonious. The plurality of sounds cannot be accepted in the State of Oneliness of the Upper Nature. It is rational to accept the existence of only one Super-material sound of the beginning there because plurality is quite impossible in the State of Oneliness of Upper Nature.
|
| 75. |
The acceptance of the Soundless State (or the Nameless State), and the four practices viz. Maanas Jap, Maanas Dhyaan, Drishti Yoga and Naadaanusandhaan to attain that state are found in the literature of the Sants. Therefore, the method of all the mentioned four regular practices must be accepted in Santmat.
|
| 76. |
Without achieving perfection in the practice of Naadaanusandhaan Supreme Sovereign God cannot be realized or the perfect knowledge of the Self cannot be attained.
|
| 77. |
Without an unflinching devotion to Guru (the true spiritual preceptor) the greatest good is impossible to be had, being perfect in the devotion to the Supreme with the help of the Yoga of sound.
Sant Kabir says that without the spiritual preceptor who has attained perfection, the disciple can never attain perfection. If the Spiritual Preceptor is rapacious and the discipline likes him there is double pain.
|
| 78. |
When the perfect and true spiritual preceptor will be found, one’s greatest good will be achieved with his guidance.
|
| 79. |
The meeting with the perfect and true spiritual preceptor is equal to the meeting with Supreme Sovereign God, Himself.
|
| 80. |
The perfect and true spiritual preceptor is that Life-liberated great Sant-soul whose consciousness-force has immersed into Shabdaateet Pad (the Nameless State) at the time of Samaadhi (stage of spiritual trance or God-realized state), transcending all the non-conscious concealments and while working whose mind remains uninvolved (whimless)-- its consciousness-force being connected with the Essential Divine Sound.
[Life-liberated -- that who achieved salvation in the life-time, the salvation after death is not supported by the Sants.]
|
| Next |
Back
|
|
|
|
Santmat — Victory to All The Sants |
Best Viewed with resolution 1024 x 768 in Internet Explorer 5.0 or above |
|