Dear Devout people !
We sing in praise of saints:
"Vindu dhyaan vidhi naad dhyaan vidhi !
saral saral jag mein parchaaree ||"
— From Maharshi Mehi Padaawali
[Bindu Dhyaan (the Yoga of Vision, or Vindu Dhyaan, the yoga of the onepointedness) and Naad Dhyaan (the Yoga of Divine Sound) are the two simple methods well known in the world]
That is, those who teach the techniques of 'Vindu Dhyaan' ( Meditation on Infinitesimal Point in the inner sky) and 'Naada Dhyaan'( Meditation on the Inner Divine Sound) are sants. These are the easy means (for the realisation of God). However, even the easiest and most rudimentary tasks may appear to be difficult for want of regular practice.
"Jo jehi kalaa kushal taakanh, so sulabh sadaa sukhakaaree |
Safaree sanmukh jalaprawaah, surasari bahai gaj bhaaree ||
Jyon sarkaraa milai sikataa manh, bal te nanhi bilagaave |
Ati rasagya soochchham pipeelikaa, binu prayaas hee paave ||
Sakal drishya nij udar meli, sowai nidraa taji yogi |
Soi haripad anubhavai paramsukh, atishaya dwait viyogi ||
Sok moh bhay harash diwas nishi, desh kaal tanh naahi |
Tulsidas yahi dashaahin sanshaya nirmoola na jaanhee ||"
— Goswami Tulsi Das
[A given art (or task) becomes easy & enjoyable to the one who is adept at it.
'Safari' or Safaree (a very tiny fish) can easily swim upstream, against the strong currents of the Ganga, while an elephant gets swept away (during flood).
It is not possible to separate sugar when it gets mixed with sand by applying any amount of force. However, an ant, the connoisseur (of sweet taste) that she is, can so effortlessly pick out the sugar (from the sugar-sand mixture).
Sleeping alertly (without moving into the state of total ignorance), yogis visualize the various cosmic scenes within themselves.
The absolute bliss that prevails in the God's Kingdom is experienced by him alone, who has resolutely renounced all sorts of dualities.
In that realm (of God) there is no room for sorrow, infatuation, fear, day, night, space and time. Doubts/ apprehensions/misgivings do not go away entirely, says Tulsidas ji, without having attained this (above-mentioned) state.]
Vindu-dhyaan and Naada-dhyaan root out all sorts of doubts. As regards Vindu-dhyaan and naad-dhyaan, Dhyaanavindu Upanishad says,
"Bijaaksharam param vindu naadam tasyopari sthitam |
Sashabdam chaakshare ksheene nihshabdam paramam padam. ||"
— from Dhyanavindu Upanishad
[The absolute (perfect) point is the seed of all alphabets. Naada (sound) lies beyond the point. That soundless realm, where this Naada, too, disappears, is the highest state.]
What is meant by the absolute or perfect point? The smallest or finest mark that can be drawn in the outer world is often referred to as a point. However, a point is ideally defined as the one which can not be further divided into a smaller entity. But actually, however tiny a point we might make (draw), it would be still divisible into an even smaller point. It is simply not possible to make an absolute point in the outer world. Even the finest tip (of a pen, pencil or even hair) is not capable of drawing a perfect point. The perfect point exists but does not occupy any space (length, breadth or thickness). It is impossible to draw such a point outside. We can, however, make or draw such a point, with the rays of our sight, within us at the first horizon. By 'making or drawing such a point', by which I mean 'converging our sight' at the first horizon, the perfect point would automatically appear. A point is automatically drawn when we put the tip of a pencil on a paper, but this point can be divided (into smaller points). Perfect point is defined to be indivisible. Kabir Sahab says,
"syaah safed tilon bich taaraa, avigat alakh rabee hai "
— Sant Kabir Das
[Black point, white point and a star are sighted, representing the all-pervading invisible God.]
Initially that point appears as a dark or black point which subsequently turns white - this is also called as a star. Baba Nanak Sahab also says,
"Taaraa chadiyaa lammaa "
— Guru Nanak
[I hopped on to the star.]
Tulsi Sahab as well talks of the 'til' (point) which is visible to rare practitioners. The form of God has been referred to as "anoraneeyaam" (smaller than the smallest) in the ninth couplet of the eighth chapter of Shrimad Bhagvad Gita, while the 122th hymn of Manusmriti also talks of the meditation on this tiniest point as meditation on God: –
"Kavimpuraanam anushaashitaaramanoraneeyaam samanusmaredyah |
Sarvasya dhaataaramachintyaroopam Adityavarnam tamasah parastaat ||"
[One should meditate upon the Supreme Being as the omniscient, as the oldest, who is the controller, who is tinier than the tiniest, who is the maintainer of everything, who is beyond all material conception, who is inconceivable. He is luminous like the Sun, transcending darkness.]
It is only when we stop thinking of the outside objects that we begin to meditate within. While remaining in thoughts of the outer world, even gross meditation is not possible, leave alone the subtle meditation. The practitioner of meditation is removed from sinful thoughts and actions. His actions are sinless, while the past sins committed by him also get destroyed by meditation. The practitioner of meditation transcends the 'karma-mandal' (the sphere or domain of all actions) through the power of meditation. Thus, he rises above both sins as well as virtues; sins and virtues are unable to make him fall down from there. We should, therefore, believe in the statements of Upanishads. Vindu (perfect point) is the seed of all the alphabets, forms or visible entities. (Whenever we want to draw a shape, figure or letter,) we have to start with a point, regardless of what we wish to draw. As a banyan tree grows out of its seed, similarly all shapes originate from, as well as end in, a point. One who attains that point or Vindu climbs atop the visible nature or creation. This is what is known as journeying into the 'Brahmaand' (macrocosm, cosmos) through the 'Brahmarandhra'(Divine Passage or Divine hole). Form is visible (i.e. is seen through eyes). But, taste is perceived through tongue, smell through nose, sound through ears and sense of touch through skin. What form do these latter four have? For example what form does smell have? (No shape or form.) That is to say, invisible or formless substances also do exist in the world. Form starts with a point and ends as well in a point. And with what does a formless entity begin? A formless thing starts with sound which is invisible. Sound is an essential companion of motion or vibration. Nothing can be created without vibration. Sound always accompanies vibration or motion.
"Saadho gati mein anahad bajai |
Jhanjhkaar aur jhanak jhanak hai, ehi mandir mein saajai || "
— Sant Daria Sahab (Bihari)
[O noble people! Sound throbs in motion. Sound is ringing, resounding, resonating all the time in this temple (that is our body).]
Thus, the entire creation has been surely produced by sound. The world would last only so long as this sound is there. By transcending the domain of sound, one transcends the creation. The other half of the creation which is formless is transcended with the help of sound. Sound is also formless. Just as we ferry over waters with the help of water, in the same way the formless sphere is transcended with the help of the formless (sound). Sound has a natural property of attracting (towards its centre):-
"Yahee badaayi shabda kee, jaise chumbak bhaay |
Binaa shabda nahi ubarai , ketaa karai upaay || "
— Sant Kabir Sahab
[Word is like a magnet. One can not get salvation without word, however hard one might try.]
"Chumbak satta shabda hai bhaayi, Chumbak shabda lok le jaayi.
Leyi nikaari hokhai nahi peeraa, satta shabd jo basai shareeraa || "
[The true or quintessential word is a magnet which pulls one into the realm of sound (from the visible creation) without causing any pain.]
The greatness of vindu-dhyAn lies in the fact that it helps us rise above or beyond the form-world, and nAda-dhyAn takes us beyond the formless domain. Some people comment or remark that the sounds heard within are actually those produced by veins, arteries, tissues etc. and as such there is no use concentrating on these. I have to tell them, "Raise your awareness beyond the gross world and listen. Now that your awareness has risen beyond the gross sphere how can you perceive gross sounds? Perceive the inner sound." Tulsi Sahab has described it thus,
"Sruti Thaharaanee rahe akaashaa, Til khidkee mein nisadin baasaa |
Gagan dwaar deesai ek taaraa, anahad naada sunai jhanakaaraa || "
— Sant Tulsi Sahab of Hathras
[Attention stays stilled in the inner sky. It is focussed at the window of the Til (the Third Eye centre) day and night. A star is seen in the sky. Innumerable sounds are perceived there and this web of sound becomes the pathway for the spider that is, the surat]
The sound current is there within every one of us. Just as a spider keeps on moving up and down the thread of its web, we can also ascend higher riding the sound within. Vindu and nAda are the only means of inner travel. Taking support of these two, we can reach there where we could realise the God. This is the glory, the grandeur of Vindu and nAda. This is the nAdAnusandhAna of munis (sages).
"Naasti naadaatparo mantro na devah swaatmaanah parah |
Naanusandhe paraa poojaa na hi tripteh param sukham || "
— Yogashikhopanishad, Chapter 2
[There is no mantra superior to Naada, no god higher than our own soul. There is no worship loftier than the search for Self and no joy greater than contentment.]
There is no worship as great as the naadaanusandhaan (search for naada). Therefore, everybody ought to meditate upon Vindu and naada. Guru Maharaj (Baba Devi Sahab) gave us, so gracefully, the secret of this (Vindu & naada). All of us should practise these. Eat less. Eating too much induces sleep and inhibits meditation. Therefore, eat less and meditate.
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