Jeevaatmaa (the Individual Self / Soul) is the indivisible form of the Supreme Being (i.e. the Universal Soul). In the bondage state it is called the Jeevaatmaa (individual soul). It is also called Jeev, soul, an indivisible part of Supreme Sovereign God. Only the individual soul (Jeevaatmaa) is capable to recognize itself. When the self will be realized, only then it will be merged into the Supreme Sovereign God, and then it can be liberated from the cycle of birth and death. Otherwise, besides it other else methods have not been quoted in the holy books and scriptures. Now question arises why this Jeevaatmaa (individual soul) not realize itself? What is the reason? For its answer it can be told that until this Jeevaatmaa lives with the accompany of five organs of actions viz hand, feet, mouth, anus, and urethra and five organs of senses viz eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin and four inner organs viz Man (mind), Buddhi (intellect), Chitta and Ahamkaar (ego), it can not realize the self. In other words, until the Jeevaatmaa lives with any one of these fourteen organs it can not be able to recognize the Self and so it can not realize the Supreme sovereign God. Veda speaks —
" Om sayojat urugaayasya jootim vrithaa kreedantam mimite na gaavah |
Pareenasam krinute tigma shringo diva harirdadrishe naktamrijrah ||"
[Meaning: Through this mantra (hymn), Lord Veda preaches - O people! doing efforts to realize God by the organs like hands, feet, anus, urethra, tongue, ears, eyes, skin, nose, or mind, intellect etc. is a child-play (deceptive act). Because He (Supreme Sovereign God) can not be realized through those. He is insensible (beyond the reach of organs or senses.]
Now it is utmost to know how does this Jeevaatmaa leave the thirteen organs out of fourteen organs and which organ does not leave Jeevaatmaa and why does it not leave, for due to that Jeevaatmaa does not recognize itself and nor does it recognize Supreme Sovereign God. See, when we sleep we feel that hands, feet, eyes, ears, nose etc. organs are stopping their works. If any person, sitting besides, talks to other person we donot hear all the words. We catch few words and we leave some words. It means, at that time the power of organs is converging (accumulating inside) i.e. organs are stopping their works. This is the initial step of Tandraavasthaa (drowsiness state). In Jaagrataavasthaa (Awakening state) the Jeevaatmaa resides between two eyes with all aforesaid fourteen organs. When the Jeevaatmaa begins to drift down from the middle position of tow eyes, then organs of action, and organs of senses are left behind. This Jeevaatmaa comes in the Kantha (throat) with four inner organs and until it lives in throat we visualizes the scenes of dream. Then this Jeevaatmaa begins to swift from the dreaming state to the deep-sleeping state (Sushupti Avasthaa), three inner organs are left behind. Only one inner organ, Chitta, remains attached with Jeevaatmaa in the deep-sleeping state. When Jeevaatmaa returns back to the Jaagrataavasthaa (awakening state) from the Sushupti Avasthaa (deep-sleeping state), then we speak that today we slept soundly.
Brother! At that time (deep-sleeping state) we were in deep sleep state, we had no any conscious, then how did we come to know that we slept very deep? We know it through Chitta, because only alone this organ was with Jeevaatmaa at that time. This Chitta does not detach from the Jeevaatmaa because this is the individual (Vayashti) form of the Conscious (Chetan). If it (Chitta) detaches from the Jeevaatmaa, this Jeevaatmaa will give up this gross body. That’s why Chitta always accompanies with Jeevaatmaa even in the deep-sleep state. Thus Jeevaatmaa is habitual to leave company of these thirteen organs routinely. It does indicate that no sooner the Jeevaatmaa starts to come down from the middle position of two eyes to the dreaming state, to the deep-sleeping state; the organs start to detach gradually and at last thirteen organs are left behind before entering the deep-sleep state. Only one organ Chitta lives with Jeevaatmaa and this is the reason that Jeevaatmaa does not recognize itself nor does it realize Supreme Sovereign God.
Moving down from the middle of two eyes is going towards the ignorance and moving ahead (up) from the middle of two eyes is going towards the knowledge. Our gross body is divided into two parts, one below the eyes, called Pinda (microcosm), and other is above the eyes, called Brahmaanda (Macrocosm). Jeevaatmaa resides with all fourteen organs in the middle of two eyes in the ‘awakening-state’ (Jaagrataavastha). If the Jeeva (also called Jeevaatmaa) had detached from all these (fourteen organs) it would have realized the Self and then it would have realized the Supreme Sovereign God. For it, it is of the greatest need to reach in the Turiyaa state above the middle of the two eyes. The beginning of Turiyaa state has been said from Aajnaa-chakra (instructed point by Guru in middle of two eyes where both vision unites) and the end of this state is in Kaivalya (oneliness state, state of pure-conscious). To enter in this Turiyaa state one needs the highest concentration, because there is rise (of consciousness, surat i.e. khyaal) in the concentration and the rise causes the breaking of boundages. Jeevaatmaa is entangled among five material (illusory) objects viz. form, taste, smell, touch and word). These five material objects permeate the world uniformly. But this Jeevaatmaa does not permeate these five material objects uniformly. It is pervaded in only "form" object by 83%. For example, if we want to see an object, mind starts to think naturally of its shape and size.
Jeevaatmaa infiltrates the (material) "word" by 14% and 1-1% in each of "smell" and "touch" illusory objects. For the concentration of the conscious, one should take support of material word i.e. the alphabetical name of God i.e. one should do Jap (muttering a mantra of holy name/word). Then one should practise Maanas Dhyaan of gross divine form related to that alphabetical name/word of God. [Maanas Dhyaan is the process of seeing the form of Guru/any Divine form of God with closing eyes in the meditation instructed by Guru.] This (practice) is done because this world is of the nature of name and form. There are many names of God. Sant Dadu Dayal says —
" Dadu sirjanhaar ke kete naam anant "
[Meaning: There is innumerable names of God, the Creator.]
Though there is no name of God. Lord Sadguru Maharshi Mehi speaks in his poem,—
"Prabhu akath anaami"
[Meaning: God is inexpressible and nameless.]
The name that people pronounce for God has been articulated by the sants, sages and seers. One name among of the numerous names, which Guru instructs, should be muttered repeatedly with great devotion and faith. There are three ways to do Jap. One way is through uttering the word with audible voice, that other person also hears. This is called "Vaachik Jap". Second way is repeating name (mantra) in such manner that only own ear hears and others’ ear does not. This is called "Upaansu Jap". Third way is repeating name in such manner that neither own ear hears nor does the others’ ear. It is repeated only through the mind without moving lips, tongue and teeth. This is called Maanas Jap. Maanas Jap hap been cited of the superior type among all the Japs. In Shiv Puran (a kind of scripture), Vaachik Jap has been quoted of the lower type, Upaanshu Jap of medium type and Maanas Jap has been quoted superior—
"Uttamam maanasam jaapyamupaamshushchaiva madhyam |
Adhamam vaachik praahuraagamaartha vishaaradaah ||"(—from Shiv Puran)
In Manu Smriti, Upaanshu Jap has been placed above of Vaachik Jap, and Maanas Jap has been placed above of Upaanshu Jap —
"Vidhiyajnaajjapayajno vishishto dashabhirgunaih |
Upaanshuh syaachchhatagunah sahastro maanasah smritah ||"(—from Manu Smriti)
i.e. Vaachik Jap is ten times greater than Yajna (a sacrificial rite with worship of fire),
Upaanshu Jap is hundred times greater than Vaachik Jap and Maanas Jap is thousand times greater than Upaanshu Jap. Lord Shri Sadguru Maharshi Mehi Paramahans had preached regarding Jap in the night Satsang at Delhi Mahadhiveshan (congregation) on 3rd March 1970 year – "There are three types of Jap — Vaachik Jap, Upaanshu Jap, and Maanas Jap. In these three, Maanas Jap has been told superior." In the first part of Satsang-Sudha (a collection of Guru Maharaj Maharshi Mehi discourses), the following is written in a discourse titled 'Chetan aatma se paramaatmaa ki praapti' (Realization Of God Through The Individual Soul) —
Many people know there are three types of Jap — Maanas Jap, Upaanshu Jap and Vaachik Jap. In the year of 1973, Sadguru Maharshi Mehi implored the devouts present in many weekly Satsang organized on Sunday held in the premise of Maharshi Mehi Aashram Kuppaghaat Satsang Mandir, — "Please do Jap with me unisonally (in synchronization). Saying it, He Himself started Jap with pronouncing 'He Guru, He Guru, He Guru ............'. And the devouts present in Satsang premise reiterated Jap with the voice of Sadguru Maharshi Mehi. After some time Lord Sadguru (Maharshi Mehi) requested to do Jap in very slow voice so that only self ear could hear and not the others’. Giving the instruction He Himself started that kind of Jap. Again after some time, Lord Sadguru instructed, 'Now repeat the Jap in mind without moving lips, tongue and mouth.' Then He also started the Jap. At last He urged, 'Now do the meditation.' Only after completing these processes, He allowed to start reading of sacred texts and then discourses. On the occasion of weekly Satsang in 6th October of the year 1973, He urged after repeating the process of Jap and meditation: "I say to make you understand that initially we did Oral Jap (Vaachik Jap), then Upaanshu Jap and then Maanas Jap and then we practised meditation for short time. Meditation or Jap is not so simple that you become master in very short time. I showed you illustrating for short time period for the reason that you should follow it at your home too. Do Vaachik Jap, do Upaanshu Jap, and do Maanas Jap. Jap with loud (audible) voice is Vaachik Jap in which other people also can hear. If only practitioner hears, and not the other then it is called Upaanshu Jap. And repetition of mantra silently through the mind is called Maanas Jap. Nothing is done by lips and tongue (in Maanas Jap). Then, sit on the meditation."
He stressed specially on the Maanas Jap in the three types of Jap. Because at the time of Deekshaa-Sanskaar (initiation ceremony, imparting the knowledge of meditation by Guru at first time to the disciple), He ordered Deekshaarthi (devout coming for initiation) to do Maanas Jap in the meditation practice. He has instructed to do Maanas Jap in His prose and poetry composition of 'The Principle Of Santmat'. E.g. —
"Every human being is within his or her right to transcend all the layers of Nature viz- darkness, light and sound through devotion to God by taking recourse to spiritual practices like Maanas Jap (muttering or repetition in mind with eyes closed of some holy word instructed secretly by the spiritual preceptor), Maanas Dhyaan (concentration and meditation over some holy figure with eyes closed as instructed secretly by the spiritual preceptor), Drishti Saadhan (the yoga of eye sight) and Surat Shabda-Yoga (the yoga of sound) and to attain salvation through establishing an identity with the Supreme."
( — Principle of Santmat, extracted from Maharshi Mehi Padaawali)
The following lines taken from the various poems of Maharshi Mehi Padaawali show the noteworthiness of Maanas Jap:
"Do the firm constant practice of Maanas Jap instructed by Guru, and do Maanas Dhyaan of the form of Guru." (poem no. 7)
"Do Maanas Jap of the mantra given by Guru and do Maanas Dhyaan of the form of Guru." (poem no. 47)
"Do the practice of Maanas Jap and Maanas Dhyaan of Guru only i.e. repeat the mantra given by Guru and do the practice of Maanas Dhyaan of Guru’s form. Then do the practice of uniting visions i.e. do the practice of Bindu Dhyaan (also called Drishti Yoga or the Yoga of vision)." (poem no. 94)
"Repeat the very holy mantra in mind and then do Maanas Dhyaan of the form of Guru, the benefactor." (poem no. 97)
The discussion on Maanas Jap has been found in Shri Hariram Das of Ramsnehi sect, Sant Charan Das, Baba Maluk Das and Sahajo Bai also. For example,
"Man maalaa ghat bheetare, hariya fere koy |
Ferat hi hari paayaye, agam ujaalaa hoy ||"(— said by Shri Hariram Das)
[Meaning: If one does Maanas Jap within one’s body, he gets God, and he gets divine light within.]
"Man hi man me jaap karee, darapan ujjawal hoy |
Darasan howe raam kaa, timir jay sab khoy ||"(— said by Sant Charan Das)
[Meaning: When jap is done through mind, light appears. Then Ram (God) is seen and all the darkness is disappeared.]
"Sumiran aisa kijiye, doojaa lakhai na koy |
Oth na faakat dekhiye, prem raakhiye goy ||
Maalaa japon naa kar japon, jibhyaa kahon na raam |
Sumiran meraa hari karai, main paayaa bisraam ||"(— said by Baba Maluk Das)
[Meaning: Do jap in such way that no other could know about it. Lips are not seen vibrating or shaking. Keep love within.]
"Sahajo sumiran keejiye, hirade maahi duraay |
Hoth hoth soo naa hilai, sakai nahin koi pay ||
Sahajo sumiran sab karai, sumiran maahi vivek |
Sumiran koi janihai, koto madhye ek ||
Baithe lete chaalate, khaan paan vyauhaar |
Jahaan tahaan sumiran karai, sahajo hiya nihaar ||
"(— said by Sahajo Bai)
[Meaning: Sahajo Bai speaks to do jap in which neither do lips move nor does anybody know of it. This jap can be done everytime, doing the worldly job, even while eating, drinking, walking, sitting, laying, etc.]]
The aspirants of the greatest welfare should select the place also. For practising Jap and meditation, the place should be holy (clean) and solitary (at least free from noise).
Because, the place impacts the mind directly. Shravan Kumar was most obedient to his parent. His parent was blind. Once his parent urged him to take them on the pilgrimage. Shravan Kumar accepted his parent’s command with glad heart and set out on the pilgrimage sitting them on Bangahi (an elastic pole or bamboo stick with slings hanging on each end which is kept on the shoulder for carrying weights on both sides). On reaching in a forest suddenly a bad feeling surfaced in his mind. He thought that he wasted his life by serving his blind parent. Thinking it, he put Bangahi on the ground from his shoulder and determined to go elsewhere. Then his father requested, "My son! It place seems a forest. You have served us with hard labor and dedication from your childhood which is really remarkable and appreciable. If you now do not want to continue, we don’t mind. But at least make us cross this forest. Then wherever you want to go, you can." Shravan Kumar indeliberately lifted up the Banaghi on his shoulder and moved ahead to cross the forest. No sooner he moved ten steps ahead; his mind was flooded with the piousness and the same devotion as before. He intended to serve his parents with the same sincerity. He realized what he spoke to his parents just a few minutes ago. At once he put down the Bangahi gently and bent his head to their feet, folding hands and began to cry bitterly. He apologized earnestly, "O my mother! O my father! I have rebuked you that I would not serve you. Please forgive me, O my holy father and mother. Please pardon me." Then his father Shantavan Ji understood him, "Son! There is no any fault in you. This was the effect of the place on you. At that place where you thought not to serve us, parenticide used to live there and at that very place he had murdered his father and mother. That’s why your mind came under that impression of the apostatic (profanc) place. Saying this Shravan Kumar’s father allowed him to continue the journey for pilgrimage. Besides it, the bad impact of unholy place had disturbed the mind of Lakshman (younger brother of Lord Ram). While going in the forest with Shri Ram, a perception appeared in Lakshman that he should return back to Ayodhya (the kingdom of his father Dasharath) leaving Lord Ram and his wife Sita. Omniscient Lord Ram knew the feelings of Lakshaman. Ram then understood him the effect of unholy place and preached narrating the story of Sund-Upsund.
So, the meditation practitioner should sit on the holy place. If he does not get interest at one place, then he should sit at the other different place. If the interest is not aroused in one room, then meditation practitioner should sit in other room. Some of the righteous (sacred) places has been referred as :— shore of sea, shore of the Ganga (holy river in India) or any river, the place where a great sage or sant was/is living, temple, cowshed, under the banyan tree, aanwalaa tree (a kind of myrobalan), wood-apple tree, mango tree, on the mountain, bottom of the mountain, cemetery (the place where the dead body is burnt after performing some rituals) and the caves etc.
A meditation practiotioner should spread an Aasani (a small mat made of clothes or straw, a special kind of grass etc., or a small piece of blanket or carpet to sit over purposely at the time of meditation) at a plane surface (not at an uneven, and unleveled surface) or at the cot or the bed (mattress should not be very spongy, elastic or springy) and then the practitioner should sit in the posture of Ukadu Aasan, or Sukhaasan upon the Aasani. Though there are various aasans (postures of sitting) like Swastikaasan, Siddhaasan, Samaasan, Padmaasan, Baddha Padmaasan, Veeraasan, Gomukhaasan, Bajraasan etc. described in Patanjal Yoga; but some of them have been specially only for unmarried people or sages and hermits. But Ukadu Aasan and Sukhaasan can be practised by all. Most reverence Lord Sadguru (Maharshi Mehi) used to instruct His disciples to meditate in Ukadu Aasan only. But if someone has any difficulty (or discomfort) sitting in Ukadu Aasan, Guru Maharaj (Maharshi Mehi) instructed to sit on Sukhaasan. In Ukadu Aasan practitioner sits like milkman milks the cow, keeping both soles of the feet touching on the surface / ground with folding knees. Hip (buttock) is almost touched with heel. Spinal cord (back), neck and head must be straight. The right elbow should rest on the right knee and left elbow should rest on the left knee and both the open palms should rest on temple of each side (the flat part of either side of the head between the forehead and the ear.) to support head from shaking. This posture is very helpful in the practice of Naadaanusandhaan (Surat-Shabda Yoga, the yoga of divine sound) as ear is to be closed in this meditation. In Ukadu Aasan a small thin pillow or cloth of appropriate size should be kept below the hip for support according to gap between the hip and plane surface/ground. This supports to sit for a long time in meditation. The supportive (pillow or cloth) should neither by higher nor lower. A practitioner should well manage all of these things which in turn will help in sitting on meditation for long time.
If a practitioner sits on Sukhaasan position, he should sit cross-footed keeping his right leg on the left leg and putting right palm over the left palm in the lap. In this posture too, practitioner must keep his/her back (spinal cord), neck and head straight.
Lord Shri Krishna tells:—
"Samamkaay shrirogeevam dhaaryannachalam sthirah |"
[Meaning: Back, neck and head should be kept firm and straight.]
Lord Sadguru (Maharshi Mehi) speaks:—
"Dhar gar mastak seedh saadhi aasan aaseenaa |
Baithi ke chakhu mukh muni ishta maanas jap dhyaanaa ||"(— from Maharshi Mehi Padaawali)
[Meaning: Keeping trunk, neck, and head straight, and sitting in this perfect posture closing eyes and mouth start the practice of Maanas Jap and Maanas Dhyaan.]
If the place is hit by flies and mosquitoes, the practitioner should use mosquito-net or practitioner should cover his/her body with a very thin cloth. Otherwise practitioner might have shaken/distracted his/her body due to the disturbance of flies and mosquitoes and thus it might create a deflection/deviation in concentration of meditation. The practitioner, if he sits for meditation, always must keep his/her head, neck and spinal cord (back) completely straight. The respiration process will be slow naturally if one sits straight and so it helps in meditation and Jap. If one sits bent, respiration process becomes fast and so mind will not get concentrated.
Sitting in straight posture the practitioner is benefited with the increased age along with the increasing concentration of mind due to the slow respiration. And reversely, the practitioner remains deprived of increased age as well as increased concentration due to fast respiration. For example, fast running animals like dog, rabbit, deer etc. have brisk respiration due to running fast. So, those take spend much breath and die in few years. Elephant walks slowly, and so its breath runs slowly and it lives for hundred years. Tortoise takes lesser breath in comparison to elephant and moves very slowly. Its natural age is three hundred years. Similarly, if the practitioner sits straight for meditation his/her age increases naturally. This is the first advantage that a practitioner gets. Baba Ji Maharaj, Guru of Shyamacharan Lahiri, who was the Master of his previous birth also, is still alive till now and he appears before the devouts sometimes. Like it, there are many sages in the caves of the Himalaya (a mountain) and they appear sometimes before the disciples. Keeping all these aspects in mind, a practitioner should sit straight.
Along with it, a practitioner should consider the direction while meditating. The direction affects the mind and body. A meditation practitioner should do meditation in the direction of East or North according to own convenience. If a practitioner gets a golden opportunity of practising meditation before his/her Master (Guru), then direction of East or West should not be considered. The practitioner should start meditation facing Guru. He/she should not keep his/her back in front of Guru. For example, if Guru is sitting facing East, then a practitioner should sit on meditation facing Guru (i.e. here direction will be West). Other time, a practitioner should sit on meditation facing East or North direction. Sants/yogis have fixed the timings of meditation. Those timings are:- in pre-dawn i.e. three hours before sun rise, after takin bath in day, and in the evening (when sun is to set down). Meditation done in these three time is called Trayakaal Sandhyaa (three-times meditation). A practitioner must sit for meditation in these three times and also, should do Maanas Jap (muttering Guru-instructed mantra) or Maanas Dhyaan (involving mind in visualizing Guru’s form inside) while doing worldly job. In the night before going to the bed, practitioner should sit on meditation for 2-4 minutes and then he/she should go to the rest. A practitioner can continue Maanas Jap or Maanas Dhyaan or keep his/her vision straight inside with closed eyes laying on the bed. This practice protects from terrible/unpleasant dream and on the other hand the practitioner can be benefited with the appearance of sages/sants or Satsang in the dream. Appearance (seeing) of the sants/sages in the dream is the indication of the spiritual-upwardness (increment). A meditation practitioner, who does meditation in pre-dawn very carefully, should not take heavy meal in the night. Meal should not be undigestible nor gastronomic foods. Easily digestible meals and that also light in amount should be taken in the night so that the practioner can get up early in the pre-dawn time. This habit keeps the body sound and healthy. Most reverence Guru Maharaj (Maharshi Mehi) says, "Sound mind lives in Sound body and worship is done only by the sound mind." So, a practitioner should control his/her meals. A practitioner should close both eyes and mouth at the time of meditation. If he/she would be speaking and seeing the outer world from the open eyes, he/she could not do the practice of meditation. On closing eyes everyone sees the darkness inside whether he/she belongs to whatsoever creed, caste, country or he/she be young, child, old, male, female, scholar or illiterate. This darkness has not been created by the people or gods. This darkness has been created by Supreme Sovereign God. There are three layers (coverings) over the Jeevaatmaa (Individual Soul). Those are – darkness, light and sound. Darkness is the shadow of the light. This darkness is the first layer on the Jeev (individual soul) whom all beings see. One who crosses this layer of darkness through a special kind of meditation sees the inner light within oneself. This inner light is called Aatma—Aalok (Light of the self) or Brahma-Prakash (Divine Light), on achieving it Divya-Drishti (Divine Eye, Third Eye) opens completely. One should mutter (reiterate) Guru-instructed mantra through the mind seeing in the front of the darkness that appears while closing the eyes. This process is called Maanas Jap. Doing this process neither lips are oscillated nor the tongue. Instead, the mantra (alphabetical name given by Guru) is repeated within through the mind. This Jap is actually a kind of meditation. Repeating mantra through the mind is to call Ishta (the tutelary deity, most beloved, Sadguru) near oneself. So, Jaapak (practitioner who does Jap) should perform Jap with great love. He (Ishta, Guru) becomes happy / merciful if one does Jap with immense love and devotion and he becomes appear on his desire. The practitioner who does Jap sitting in secluded place with the right method and immense love, becomes the excellent devout. Sant Charan Das says: —
"Sakal shiromani naam hai, sab dharman ke maahi |
Ananya bhakta wah jaaniye, sumiran bhoolai naahi ||"
[Meaning: Name (Jap) is the crown of all and has been described in all creeds. Know that person as the superior devotee who never forgets Jap.]
By doing Jap, mind and heart becomes devotionally pure, morale is uplifted, one gets strength in inner meditation, Japaat Siddhi (divine power after getting perfection in Jap) is obtained. Doing Jap, so much sanctity begins to flow within the body and mind of the practitioner (Jaapak) that the note or wave of Jap (mantra the practitioner mutters) penetrates (flows within) the things whatever the practitioner touches. In south India there was a great female devotee, Jana Bai. She was contemporary with Sant Kabir. Her fame spread widely. Sant Kabir Sahab desired to meet her when He came to know about her. He went to that particular village in south India to meet her from Kashi. On reaching that village Kabir Sahab asked a person the whereabouts of her cottage. The person indicated the street nearby where two ladies were quarrelling and told one of them is Jana Bai. Kabir Sahab thought that she was a great devotee and why she was quarrelling. Sant Kabir Sahab went near to them and asked the matter over which they were quarrelling. Jana Bai replied, "Baba (i.e. sage) ! the quarrel is over the right. I am poor. I collect the dung from the fields and make Goyathaa (upalaa, dried cowdung cakes used as fuel), and sell it to earn for livelihood. This (indicating goyathaa) is mine and she (indicating other lady) tells that it is hers. I try to her understand that this goyathaa owns to mine." Then the second lady tells, "Baba! She is called a spiritual lady and she is telling a lie. This goyathaa is mine and she wants to cheat me."
Sant Kabir Sahab told Jana Bai hearing both of them, "Both of you claim for this goyathaa. Is there any sign on your goyathaa?" Jana Bai replied, "Baba! There is a basket full of goyathas. Please take any one and keep it near your ear. You can give your verdict easily whom this goyathaa belongs to." Sant Kabir Sahab took one goyathaa out of the basket and brought it near his ear. He heard the sound emitting from that goyathaa -- 'Bitthal, Bitthal, Bitthal .........'. Lord Vishnu is called Bitthal in South India. Sant Kabir Sahab gave his decision hearing the disputed goyathaa that real owner of that goyathaa is Jana Bai. If the Jaapak (practitioner of Jap) mutters the Jap while doing the worldy job and practises Jap sitting in secluded place with love and faith, he/she begins to see or hear divine glimpses in the inner sky (region appeared within enclosed eyes where darkness appears). We see fire-flies (glow-worm, a kind of insect which glooms at intervals in the darkness) in the bushes or under the tree. Similar to it, Jaapak (practitioner) sees such glimpse at the time of Jap. Sometimes vibration of the mantra, which practitioner mutters, is heard emitting from each small hair of his/her body. The practitioner gets such feelings only when he/she does Jap with strong concentration being dejected from the world. It has been cited in Aranya Kand of Maanas Peeyush (a holy book):—
"Mano madhye sthito mantro mantram madhye sthitam manah |
Mano mantram samaayogo jap ityabhidheeyate ||"
[Meaning: Mantra be merged in the mind, and mind be merged in mantra, such fusion of mind and mantra is called Jap.]
Most reverence Guru Maharaj (Maharshi Mehi) says regarding Jap:—
"sarva kshan guru man jaun 'Mehi' rahai ho |
nischay nirvaana hoy sant sab kahai ho ||"
[Meaning: Maharshi Mehi speaks, "When the mind remains attached with Guru all the time he/she gets salvation certainly — all the sants say it."]
Jap should be incessant like the flow of mustard oil. When a person falls in distress, no one be helpful in the world, even his/her own relatives leave him/her, in that grim situation if he/she does Jap with great devotion and faith then calamity (adversity) runs away like fire removes the shivering cold. The practitioner inclines towards asceticism and achieves Japaat Siddhi (power of perfection in Jap). Jap rectifies the erred deeds. Goswami Tulsi Das writes in Ram Charit Maanas, Baal Kand :—
"japahi naam jan aarat bhaaree |
Mitahin kusankat hohin sukhaaree ||"
[Meaning: If the person repeats the name in Jap with love, distress is destroyed and lives with happiness.]
Jap is capable to accomplish all desires. Jap purifies the heart infected by lust, greed, anger, affection (illusion) etc. That’s why Guru-instructed mantra is very holy. Practitioner gets purification of heart naturally on practising Jap. The mantra instructed by Guru may be very short in alphabet but if the practitioner gets perfection in Jap, all the gods and goddesses are bewitched by the power of the practitioner — Goswami Tulsi Das says it:—
"mantra param laghu jaasu vash, vidhi hari har sur sarva |
mahaamatta gajraaj kahan, bas kar ankush kharva ||"
Mantra has the characteristic of attraction too. The practitioner mutters the mantra, the related form of that mantra is surfaced in the mind, then that imagined form changes into vague (opaque) form and then the practitioner sees it very clear in the inner sky in meditation. In 'Aranya Kaand' of the holy book Ramcharit Maanas it is written —
"MantraakarshaN jap dash bhaalaa |
Ahi RaavaN chitta Dol pataalaa ||"
This is very similar to that if a devotee has not seen Lord Shiva (Deity of Destroyer) physically, but if the devotee begins to mutter Shiva-Jap with faith and dedication then Lord Shiva appears before him. This happened in the year of 1981 —
Most reverend Lord Sadguru (Maharshi Mehi Paramahans) was living in Kuppaghat Aashram (Bhagalpur, India). After dinner Lord Sadguru came on the verandah walking from his room holding His stick and taking the support of me (Swami Bhagirath, then His personal attendant) and He sat on the chair there. I urged patting His holy feet gently, "Huzoor (Master) ! will a person who is blind by birth but does Maanas Jap with very concentration, succeed in Maanas Dhyaan?" Poojya Gurudev (Most reverend Sadguru) replied, "Yes, His Maanas Dhyaan will be easily done." [It means, that blind person too will get the glimpse of Lord Sadguru in inner meditation if he repeats the guru-mantra (Maanas Jap) pure-heartedly.]
Name has the power to bring the form (image or appearance) forth. Goswami Tulsi Das has written in Bal-Kand of Ramcharit Maanas —
"Dekhahi roop naam adheenaa |
Roop jnaan nahi naam viheenaa ||"
You will see the form (image or look) under the control of Naam (name or Jap). Lord Sadguru (Maharshi Mehi) writes in the commentary of this above said verse in the book "Ramcharit Maanas-Sar Sateek"—
The hard practice of Maanas Jap of the alphabetical name gives the power to have common worldly illusionary form (image or countenance) in the concentrated chitta. This is the reason that this form has been said under the control of alphabetical name (i.e. Jap). The practitioner can see the form (countenance) of his deity (ishtam, to whom the practitioner worships) within him (in meditation) in three ways — first by practicing Maanas Jap (repeating alphabetical name instructed by Guru sitting in meditation closing eyes and mouths), secondly practicing to concentrate over the imagined figure of deity (ishtam) in inner sky (meditation), and thirdly, by mental-service of the deity (ishtam). Now the question is how to concentrate on the imagined face of deity (ishtam) in imagination and how to perform mental-service in a bid to achieve the glimpse of deity in Maanas Dhyaan? In reply it can be said that the practitioner should develop the form (of deity, master) upon which the practice of Maanas Dhyaan is to be done, within in imagination, irrespective of the ishtam (deity or master) is near or far or the practitioner has seen Him/Her anywhere. Suppose, parents or brother or husband or wife or any relative of a person has gone outside for some work, and then if that person begins to remember him/her and think about that there are many days past and he/she has not returned yet, how is he/she or his/her health … so and so, at that moment the form of the relative will appear naturally in the imagination (mind) of the person recalling the relative. Similarly concentration is made upon the face of deity/master developing through the imagination in Maanas Dhyaan. But perseverance is extremely needed in it too. The practitioner can have the glimpse of his/her deity only if he/she has strong perseverance. Like the tortoise gives the egg on the land and then she goes far in the water. Still the tortoise sees her eggs through imagination and never forgets its egg. Due to seeing continuously in imagination, egg becomes matured and then child comes out of it on time and then that child comes in the water and moves to its mother wherever she is in the water. On reaching its child, mother tortoise recognizes its child and sees it. Similarly the practitioner who sees his/her master (ishtam) in the meditation through his/her imagination, one day he/she will be capable to see Him (Ishtam) in the inner sky (sky or region when eyes closed in the meditation). This is the very easy method of meditation through imagination.
While imaging the figure of ishtam (deity/master) the mind and vision of the practitioner gets stable on that form and the practitioner sees that form until his/her mind and vision get stuck with that gross form. As soon as mind and vision detach, form becomes disappeared. Practitioner thinks that the form disappeared, but in reality form did not remove; the mind and vision of the practitioner got lost from there. The practitioner does not have any sense of this gross body while seeing the form of ishtam, because his/her mind and vision are involved in that only. At that time of Maanas Dhyaan, the practitioner becomes full of joys because the practitioner sees enlightened divine figure of ishtam within as if it is being seen with naked eyes. As soon as the vision and mind of the practitioner deviates from that utmost state of Maanas Dhyaan, the practitioner reenters into the knowledge of gross body. If the practitioner stays at that utmost point of Maanas Dhyaan for a little time, he/she gets the capability to do Drishti Yoga (the Yoga of vision, the yoga of one-pointedness) and the beginning of Divine-eye will start from here only. I (the author, Swami Bhagirath baba) asked Sadguru Maharaj (Maharshi Mehi), "Master! Divine Sight (Divine-eye) is achieved on the perfectness in Drishti Yoga, but when its beginning occurs?" Lord Sadguru replied, "From Maanas Dhyaan." Goswami Tulsi Das has written in the Bal Kand of Ramcharitmanas :—
"Shri guru pada nakha mani jotee |
Sumirat divya drishti hiya hotee ||"
The meaning of 'Sumiran' (remembrance or repetition in mind) is seeing through consciousness i.e. recalling in imagination. When the practitioner performs Maanas Dhyaan perfectly, he/she becomes very fortunate. Sant Tulsi Sahab has said —
"Jo koi yaa vidhi man ko lagaawai | Man ke lagaaye hari paawai ||
Jaise natawaa chadhat baans pr, dholiyaa dhol bajaawai |
Apnaa bojh dharai sir oopar, surati baans par laawai ||
Jaise bhuwangam charat van me, os chaatane aawai |
Kabhee chaaTai kabhee mani tan chitawai, mani taji praaN ganwaawai ||
Jaise kaamini bharat koop jal, kar chhodai bataraawai |
Apanaa rang sakhiyan sang raachai, surati gagar par laawai ||
Jaise satee chadhee sat oopar, apanee kaayaa jaraawai |
Maat pitaa sab kutumb tiyaagai, surat piyaa par laawai ||"
To Be Continued.....
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