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| Guru Ki Yaad Me
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| (In the remembrance of Lord Sadgurudeo)
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Speech of Guru Maharaj Maharshi Mehi
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| Perseverant Meditation is the Key to Absolute Freedom
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Dear Devout People !
It is not possible to meditate upon the God's Name (Word or Vibration) without (the blessings of) Guru. Therefore, serve the Guru to learn the right skill or way (of meditation) and meditate on (His) name. Only 'varnaatmak naam' (name or word formed of alphabets or literal sounds) can be chanted. 'Dhwanyaatmak Naam' (phonetic word or onomatopoeic sound), on the other hand, is meditated upon. You would find God through this meditation (on 'dhwanyaatmak naam'). Having found Him you would not have to beseech anybody for anything. Service to Guru is an immensely noble act; it yields happiness. Service, however, does not merely consist in physical service like pressing or massaging (Guru’s) feet; obeying his instructions is the service of a higher order. Concentrate or fix your mind at the lotus feet of the Guru. Those who meditate on the 'shabda' (divine word or sound) sow the seed of 'shabd', out of which is born the 'saar shabda' (the quintessential unstruck melody). Great is the glory of the 'saar shabda' or 'satta-naam' (the quintessential sound). This is a sound which is not subject to any alteration or change. One succeeds in perceiving this sound owing to the (elevated) Sanskara (mental impressions formed due to one's actions performed earlier) of the previous birth(s).
If one practices meditation regularly, he will have earned the Sanskara of 'bhajan' (meditation) when he will leave this world. His Sanskara would be progressively strengthened further & further in his future lives. He who is firm in practice of meditation, would be able to hold on to the sacred thoughts when the moment of departure (death) arrives. While he who is weak (in regular practice of meditation, or he who does not practice meditation regularly & rigorously) would not be able to retain old memories of the previous lives (births). Nonetheless, his sanskaras of the previous lives can not be obliterated. He would (carry on his meditation efforts further and ) finally transcend the 'karma mandal' (the sphere of actions, or the domain within which the law of karma –actions & their consequent fruits – applies). One who lives in the body-awareness has to suffer/ enjoy the worldly pains & pleasures as he is subject to the law of karma. The law of karma, however, can not touch him who keeps himself detached from the body in the state of 'Samaadhi' (the highest state of meditation, trance). Even those who have attained complete liberation during their lifetime do feel the pinch of corporal pains & pleasure while they live at the level of body (in the awareness of body); but such bodily experiences disappear, or are not felt, so long as they keep themselves ascended in the state of Samadhi.
One who has attained the Absolute State (of identity or merger with God) never falls down or deteriorates in his conduct, but those who are yet in the lower states (of spiritual development) keep on vacillating between highs & lows of conduct – behaving as wise this moment and as ignorant the other. He who is firm in his judgment, he who is gifted with unshakeable mental poise, can never decline or degenerate. He who has attained absolute wisdom becomes steady in his thoughts. Regarding devotion or worship, the Ram Charit Manas says,
"Marmee sajjan sumati kudaaree |
Gyaan viraag nayan uragaaree ||"
— Goswami Tulsi Das
[The wise exploring or digging with the spade of noble intellect unravels the eyes of wisdom & detachment.]
We need to view with the eyes of wisdom coupled with detachment. "Marmee" in the above quartet refers to a person who knows of the way or skill to achieve the Absolute. The gem of true devotion is obtained by digging with the spade of right intellect. Righteous conduct leads to detachment or stoicism. It is possible to attain renunciation through righteousness. It is the (regular) practice of Yoga (meditation) that leads to (experiential) knowledge. One does not become an adept overnight; practicing little & little of Yoga persistently takes one finally to perfection. So long as you keep yourself engrossed in your body and the (outside) world, you live or remain in the outside. On going to bed just as we are slipping into the state of sleep, our currents of consciousness (which have been hitherto scattered in all our organs) begin to withdraw inwardly from our body. While we are dreaming we do not feel any bodily pain. As we retreat inwardly from the body, we also retreat from the gross world. You have to withdraw first from your body, then you will automatically move away from the outer world. Concentrated or shrunk consciousness is like the 'Safaree' (a type of very tiny fish that is adept at swimming upstream quite easily even against very strong water current); it will enter into the pipe or tunnel of 'Sushumnaa' (the central yogic/ psychic nerve lying in between the two other principal nerves named 'Idaa' and 'Pingalaa'). The current or stream of the quintessential sound naturally flows from the 'Brahmaand' (macrocosm) towards the ‘pind’ (body or microcosm). To travel from the ‘pind’ towards the ‘brahmaand’ is thus to travel upstream or against the current. Only that devotee who knows the secret (of Yoga) can dig out this knowledge. In sayings of sants we also find references to the ant (which is skilful in separating out the sugar crystals from a sand-sugar mixture). The ant here is symbolic and refers to the focused attention. Sand represents the gross (world). Sugar symbolizes the conscious current. Just as the ant can filter the sugar out of the sand, one who can concentrate his attention, is capable of grasping the current of consciousness setting it apart from the grossness.
Having perceived the current of consciousness, he becomes a Yogi. A Yogi goes to sleep renouncing sleepiness. What is this "going to sleep avoiding sleepiness"? (There are three states in which we normally dwell. They are:) 'jaagrat' (wakeful state), 'swapna' (dreaming state) and 'sushupti' (sleep). Upon rising above these three states and moving ultimately into the 'tureeyaateet' (the Absolute or the Highest State) one's awareness of the gross world is lost. Eyes of wisdom do not open up, nor does the sense of detachment come about, unless one practices Yoga. You will have to shrink inwards. This inward shrinking or collection of consciousness is possible only by dint of consistent meditation.
Wakeful state is different from the dreaming state. Dreaming state, in turn, is distinct from the state of slumber. (There are three principal yogic nerve-currents inside each of us). 'Rajogun' (mental disposition characterized by love of worldly pleasures & ambitions) is predominant in the right nerve called 'Pingalaa' or 'Soorya' (sun) which is, therefore, marked by restlessness. 'Tamogun' (irascibility or promptitude to negative passions) is striking by its presence in the left nerve named 'Idaa' or 'Chandra' (moon). 'Satogun' (virtuosity, benevolent disposition, truthfulness) reigns supreme in the 'Sushumnaa' , the central nerve. Perseverance makes even the most difficult of tasks look easy. There are three types of actions. First is known as 'Kriyamaan' or 'Purushaarth' (the acts that we perform currently at any given moment, in this birth). The other type of karma is 'Sanchit' (acts which get accumulated after they have been performed). And the third type is 'praarabdha' (writ of destiny or fate). To do or to act is within our rights; to decide upon the fruit(s) thereof is not. You perform an act. This is within your rights. You performed 'Purushaarth' which got subsequently stored up, held in reserve for retribution. The 'Sanchit' karma (accumulated or reserved deed) in turn gets converted into destiny or fate. We have to thus suffer/enjoy our fate. To start with it was the 'Kriyamaan' karma alone that existed or came into existence. Now all the three types of karma are present concurrently. Unless and until one is rid of the cycle of birth & death or transmigration, one can not be freed of the cycle of (performing) actions. God makes us reap the fruits of precisely those very acts that we ourselves have performed. If we do not discharge any new act, all the previous stored acts would gradually be exhausted. We should not forsake courage in doing what ought to be done. You have the power of 'Purushaarth' with you. Act therefore.
A man should be devout. There is a small difference between 'devout' and 'wise'. "I am the servant and God is my lord" is how a devout person thinks. The wise understands or knows himself to be the God. Common people can not have this understanding. It is difficult to 'believe' in the absence of direct realization. You can swim across the ocean of existence by practicing devotion to God. 'Satsang' or the company of sants or noble persons is indispensable to true devotion.
By 'Satsang' I mean sitting in the company of the wise (realized beings) as also listening to the (discourses on and recitations from) the sacred scriptures. In addition to this, also learn the art (of meditation) from them. Dedicating oneself (consisting of physical service as well as financial help) to benevolent acts, to the service of others results in weakening of (worldly) attachments. (Practice of) Yoga enhances wisdom. Perform virtuous acts as well as try to restrain your mental propensities. When man applies himself in righteous acts, sinful propensities get weakened and gradually rid of. In spite of that if some sinful or undesirable act does get committed; one should sincerely repent over that. One should guard oneself against sinful acts. We must keep away from the five principal sins namely lying, stealing, taking to intoxicants, violence (consisting of harming others and eating non-vegetarian diet), and practicing adultery. Keeping oneself absorbed in 'Satsang' and meditation as much as possible would bring in real good.
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| English rendering of a discourse of Maharshi Mehi Paramhans ji Maharaj delivered in the afternoon Satsang at Manihari (district of katihar) in the state of Bihar, India on the 5th November 1949. |
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Santmat — Victory To All The Sants |
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