Truth beyond Space and Time

Hare Krishna Friends,

The following is a benedictory discourse delivered by Acharya Sri Abhinava Vidyateertha Mahasvami, in Tamil, at Chennai on 20.11.1986. I have picked the same from the site www.jagadgurus.org.

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Dikkaalaadyanavacchinna-anantha-cinmaatramoortaye
Svaanubhootyaika-maanaaya namassaantaaya tejase

Salutation to the tranquil effulgence of the form of eternal consciousness unlimited by spatial direction, time etc., the sole valid means of knowing which is self-experience.

In the Chandogya Upanishad, it is said:

Naalpe sukhamasti

There is no happiness in that which is small.

Yo vai bhooma tat sukham

That which is big is blissful.

What is the meaning of 'big' and 'small' in the present context? The answer is contained in:

Dikkaalaadyanavacchinna-anantha-cinmaatramoortaye

Every object in this Universe has a delimitation of the form, "It is found here, but it is not found there". However Brahman, which is Bhooma (big), is devoid of any spatial delimitation. Whatever place you conceive of, it is there. Therefore, there is no area where it is not. It is beyond “Dik” or spatial direction. Strictly speaking, spatial direction cannot be specified in an absolute sense. For a man in Madurai , Madras lies in the northern direction. However, for a man dwelling in Visakhapatnam , Madras lies to the south. If it be asked, "Per se, does Madras lie in the northern direction or in the southern direction?" the answer would be "It is in neither. It exists. That is all." If we proceed to Visakhapatnam , relative to us, Madras is in the south. On the other hand, if we were to go to Madurai or Tirunelveli, the direction of Madras , relative to us, would become north. Therefore, “Dik” or spatial direction is something that is relative. Even in a relative, rather than an absolute sense, Brahman cannot be specified as existing in the northern or southern direction.

The case of time is similar to that of spatial direction. With respect to some specific delimiting factor, we speak of a day. What exactly is a day? It is something we determine with reference to the movement of the sun. We now see the sun rising. The time interval between our current and next sighting of the rising sun constitutes a day. When the rising sun is next seen, the next day begins. If this be the case, what is the position if we do not sight the sun? In other words, what is time, measured in terms of a day, independent of the observed movement of the sun? Time exists but the question, "What time is it?" cannot be answered without reference to something like the movement of the sun. Hence, a measure of time, such as a day, loses its significance without reference to some delimiting factor. A day is thus something relative and not absolute. Thirty days constitute a month and 365 days, a year. As other measures of time, such as a month and a year, are based on a day, they are also not on a firmer footing than a day; they too have meaning only with reference to some delimiting factor.

Time, space and objects are all conjectured by the mind. After all, but for our defining temporal terms, such as day with reference to the apparent movement of the sun in the sky, time would not be discernible as it is now. Similarly, but for our defining directions, as for instance, north with respect to the pole star, spatial direction would lose its value. As far as objects of the Universe are concerned, the answer to the question, "Are they limited by time?" is "Yes"; everything is limited by time. For instance, we make statements, such as, "We were born on this day. One day or the other, we will die. At present, we exist."

If we consider the case of the body or some other object, it is clear that it did not exist prior to its origination at a certain point in time and that on some day, it will perish; thereafter it will cease to be. It is only between its origination and destruction that it appears, to an observer, to exist. That is to say, all objects are delimited by time.

What is consciousness or Brahman like? Before the birth of Rama, there was the Krita Yuga. Now the Kali Yuga is in progress. Brahman is not limited by any such periods of time. It exists and that is all. The question, "When does is exist?" is inapplicable to Brahman, which is beyond time. Whenever point of time you conjecture, Brahman does exist at that time. Did it exist before the Krita Yuga? It did. It was there at the time of Rama, it is there now and it shall be there even tomorrow. So it was said:

Dikkaalaadyanavacchinna

Brahman is beyond the limiting influence of spatial direction and time and objects. However, though beyond space and time, it is not a void or an inert entity. It shines in the form of consciousness. If one were to get the direct realization of this entity, one will attain the summum bonum of life. This is what the scriptures say.

Experience too is like that. The more absorbed we become in Brahman, the more does it seem, "So many things take place in the universe. All this is a mere illusory sport." If the world be a mere illusory sport then what object is good and what is bad? For a person who has desire for the objects of the world, any object will seem to be good or bad depending on whether he sees it a source of his joy or sorrow. On the other hand, for one who is devoid of attachment and aversion and whose mind is focused on the Self, the position is, "I am the witness. That is all." If such a person were asked, "Do you get happiness or unhappiness on account of the world?” he would answer, "I see no reason to either laugh or weep over anything. I merely witness what comes before my eyes and do not even make an effort to experience anything."

We aspire for this state. Sankara Bhagavatpada has said that if we obtain a Sadguru, receive his teachings and follow the means prescribed by him, we too can attain it.

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Prostrations to All.

Regards,
Neelakantan

Shiva Manasa Puja

Hare Krishna Friends,

Today is the sacred day of Maha Shivaratri. Thought of sharing with you all a shloka composed by Sri Chandrashekara Bharathi Mahasvami. I found this shloka in a book where the publishers were kind enough to have scanned the original shloka in Mahasvami’s handwriting. Also, we have been reading about Manasika puja in the previous few posts. Thought of sharing the Shiva-Manasa Puja written by Sri Sankara Bhagavatpada though most of us might know the stotram.

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Moulou mandaakinee yasya malathi malikanibha.
Mouni manasa hamsoyam moudyam haratu nashaivha.

The one who adorns Mandaakinee (Ganga) who is like the white jasmine flower in his head, who resides in the hearts of the Paramahamsas, may that Parameshwara get rid off my ignorance.

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Shiva Manasa Puja


Ratnaih kalpitamaasanam himajalaih snaanam cha divyaambaram
Naanaaratnavibhuushhitam mrigamadaamodaankitam chandanam.Jaatiichampakabilvapatrarachitam pushpam cha dhoopam tathaa Deepam deva dayaanidhe pashupate hritkalpitam grihyataam.

O ocean of mercy, O master of bound creatures, I have imagined a throne of precious stones for You, cool water for You to bathe in, divine robes adorned with many jewels, sandalwood paste mixed with musk to anoint Your body, jasmine and champaka flowers and bilva leaves, rare incense and a shining flame. Accept all these which I have imagined in my heart for You, O God.


Souvarne navaratnakhandarachite paatre ghritam paayasam Bhakshyam panchavidham payodadhiyutam rambhaaphalam paanakam. Shaakaanaamayutam jalam ruchikaram karpuurakhandojjvalam Taambuulam manasaa mayaa virachitam bhaktyaa prabho sviikuru.

Sweet rice (payasam) in a golden bowl studded with the nine jewels, the fine kinds of food made from milk and curd, bananas, vegetables, cold sweet water scented with camphor, and betel leaf – I have prepared all these in my mind with devotion. O Lord, please accept them.


Chhatram chaamarayoryugam vyajanakam chaadarshakam nirmalam Veenaabherimridangakaahalakalaa giitam cha nrityam tathaa. Saashhtaangam pranatih stutirbahuvidhaa hyetatsamastam mayaa
Sankalpena samarpitam tava vibho poojaam grihaana prabho.

A canopy, two yak-tail whisks, a fan and a spotless mirror, a veena, kettledrums, a mridanga and a great drum, songs and dancing, full prostrations, and many kinds of hymns - all this I offer you in my imagination. O almighty lord, accept this, my worship of You.


Aatmaa tvam girijaa matih sahacharaah praanaah shariiram griham Poojaa te vishhayopabhogarachanaa nidraa samaadhisthitih. Sanchaarah padayoh pradakshinavidhih stotraani sarvaa giro Yadyatkarma karomi tattadakhilam shambho tavaaraadhanam.

You are my self, Parvati is my reason, my five pranas (prana, apana, vyana, udhana, samaana) are your attendants, my body is your house, and all the pleasures of my senses are objects to use for your worship, my sleep is your state of samaadhii. Wherever I walk I am walking around you, everything I say is in praise of you, and everything I do is in devotion to you, o benevolent lord! (This beautiful verse has been quoted multiple times by Sri Aum Iyer in his Saundaryalahari postings).


Karacharana kritam vaakkaayajam karmajam vaa
Shravananayanajam vaa maanasam vaaparaadham. Vihitamavihitam vaa sarvametatkshamasvaJaya jaya karunaabdhe shriimahaadevashambho.

Whatever sins I have committed with my hands, feet, voice, body, actions, ears, eyes, or mind, whether prohibited by the scriptures or not, please forgive them all. Hail! Hail! O ocean of compassion! O Maha Deva! O benevolent Lord.


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Om Namah Shivaya.

Regards,
Neelakantan

Stages in Devotion

Hare Krishna Friends,

The following is an exposition by Sri Abhinava Vidyateertha Mahasvami on the stages of devotion as per Madhusudana Saraswathi, the famous author of Advaita Siddhi.

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Madhusudana Saraswathi, the famous author of the Advaita Siddhi, was a great devotee of Krishna. His being an Advaitin par excellence did not in any way stand in his way of composing soul-stirring verses on Krishna. He has spoken of three stages of devotion.

First stage of Devotion

The first stage is the one where the devotee feels "I am yours" with regard to God. In other words, the devotee dedicates himself to God. A special characteristic of a true servant of God is that he longs for nothing from God in return for his devotion and service.

Here the following instance comes to mind. To prove Prahlada’s view that God is present everywhere and also in a pillar pointed at by Hiranyakasipu, the Lord emerged from the pillar in the form of Narasimha. Lord Narasimha slew Hiranyakasipu but continued to be very fierce. The Devas were afraid of approaching Him and so was Goddess Lakshmi. Hence, Prahlada, who was but a young boy, was asked to pacify the Lord. Prahlada consented and fearlessly walking up to the Lord, who was full of fury, prostrated before Him. Immediately, the Lord calmed down and moved by compassion, He rose from the throne He was occupying and placed His hand on the boy’s head. Being pleased with His devotee, the Lord asked Prahlada to seek a boon. Promptly, Prahlada replied that he desired nothing from the Lord.

There is a scintillating verse in the Bhagavatam wherein we have Prahlada telling the Lord "He who desires anything from God is a trader and not a servant of God". The story brings out two aspects. One is that a true servant of God knows no refuge other than God. That is why Prahlada felt no fear in approaching Lord Narasimha. The second aspect is that the true servant of God desires nothing from God. In fact, he does not even pray for Moksha.

In a verse in the Sivanandalahari, Sankara tells the Lord, "Tell me why You are not redeeming me from this wretched worldly state. If the answer is that it pleases You that I should wallow thus then I have achieved all that has to be achieved". When God is pleased what else is there to long for?

Second Stage of Devotion

The second stage is the feeling "He is mine" with regard to God. Here the devotee is positively concerned about ensuring God’s welfare. It is not as though God is in need of the devotee’s care. In spite of this, He allows Himself to be even controlled by the devotee on account of the devotee’s love.

The Bhagavatam contains the explicit declaration of Bhagavan, "I am subservient to My devotee like one under the control of another". Yashoda’s love for Krishna is an illustration of devotion of the form "He is mine". To her Krishna was her darling and not the Lord. Krishna seems to have relished her motherly love so much that He deliberately withdrew from her the awareness that He was none other than the Supreme. Though omnipotent, He even allowed Himself to be tied to a mortar by Yashoda (ah! Damodara…what a wonderful sight).

Third Stage of Devotion

The third stage of devotion is the feeling "I am He" with regard to God. In other words, Advaitic realization is the highest stage of devotion. A reason is that while others are willing to brook at least some minute separation from God, a devotee of this class cannot bear even that. When can separation be totally obliterated? Obviously when one realizes that one is not different from the Supreme. In the Gita, Krishna Himself indicates that the knower of the Truth is not different from Him.

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Prostrations to All.

Regards,
Neelakantan

Mental Worship - Experience of Acharya

Hare Krishna Friends,

What follows is a first-hand account of Acharya’s Manasika-puja during his initiation into Narasimha-mantra by Sri Chandrashekara Bharathi Mahasvami. The excerpt is from the book “Yoga, Enlightenment & Perfection of His Highness Jagadguru Sri Abhinava Vidyatheertha Mahaswamigal” by Sri Umesh.

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During my initiation, when Acharya (Sri Chandrashekara Bharathi Mahasvami) was about to start voicing the dhyana-shloka, I found myself spontaneously visualizing Narasimha in my heart. As I heard and repeated the dhyana-shloka, I realized with surprise and happiness that the form of Narasimha described therein and the one I was seeing matched. The words relating to the panchopachara puja (following the dhyana shloka) took only some seconds for Acharya to utter and for Me to repeat. Yet, I experienced no shortage of time in elaborately worshipping the Lord mentally in My heart with offerings of sandal paste, flowers, incense, lamp, food and so on. I can attribute only to divine grace the irresistible urge that led Me to begin the worship. During naivedya (offering), I served the Lord a variety of dishes in a jewel-studded golden plate, put a little food into His mouth, waited for Him to masticate and swallow and only thereafter offered another morsel. It was as if the several seconds miraculously became extended to over half an hour from My perspective. Even while performing the worship with concentration and dedication, I was able to see Acharya and repeat His words without delay.

When Acharya started to utter the Narasimha-mantra (after the panchopachara-puja), He placed His right palm on My head. He had not done this when He initiated Me into other mantra-s such as the Medha-Dakshinamurthy and the Srividya.

The moment Acharya chanted the mantra once and, following Him, I too did so, an amazing event occurred. Acharya abruptly withdrew His hand from My head, joined His palms and gazed at Me silently with deep reverence. My breathing stopped. The form of Lakshmi-Narasimha that I was seeing within Me vanished. However, I began to experience the Lord as My Antaryamin (Inner Controller), refuge and intimate well wisher as clearly as one can see a fruit in one’s open palm. I ceased to regard the body, prana, organs, mind and intellect as Mine, everything was just His. I do not know how long I remained thus, motionless and immersed in bliss. All along, I did see Acharya keeping His palms joined and looking in My direction.

Then, the form of Narasimha reappeared and My breathing resumed. My mental state reverted to what it had been during My chanting of the mantra but with the difference that I now felt extremely intimate with Narasimha. At the same time, Acharya lowered His hands. He then recited the mantra two more times, giving Me time to repeat His words. After completing the initiation, He said, “After You had said the mantra once, I saw just Narasimha in Your place. That is why I jerked back My hand from Your head and offered My salutation to Him. When His form disappeared and You reappeared, I proceeded with the initiation. Dedicate everything to Him.”

Throughout that day, offering everything to Narasimha was extremely easy. For instance, when I had My afternoon bath, I automatically felt that I was performing abhisheka to Narasimha who abided within Me. During bhiksha, I straightaway visualized Him as accepting from within and eating whatever I put into My mouth. When I read a book after Bhiksha, He appeared to be listening from inside My heart as if I were reading to Him. As I walked, it spontaneously seemed that I was taking Him, who was within Me, for a stroll.

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Regards,
Neelakantan

Mental Worship

Hare Krishna Friends,

The following excerpt is drawn from the book “Exalting Elucidations”. Mahasvami speaks about Mental Puja (manasika puja) with a devotee.

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D: Some people desire to perform puja but find no suitable opportunity. They are also unable to meditate properly. What can such aspirants do to have one-pointed concentration of the mind?

A: They can practise manasika-puja?

D: What is manasika-puja?

A: Manasika-puja is mental worship of Ishvara. Flowers, incense, etc., are required for puja. Here, we imagine all the accessories, conceive that Ishvara has come and offer them to him. That indeed is manasika-puja.

D: How should manasika-puja be pracitsed?

A: Ishvara has come, I should welcome him. I should offer him and asana (seat) – contemplating thus, we welcome him and offer him an asana. After he adorns the asana, we wash his feet and his hands. For his achamana, we give him pure water. He accepts that. Then we bathe him. Proceeding thus, we complete the puja mentally. We do it with the feeling that he accepts all our offerings.

D: What is to be done if Ishvara’s form does not remain steady during manasika-puja?

A: One can keep before oneself a picture of one’s ista-devata (chosen diety). The puja may be done while looking at the picture. In due course, the puja can be continued after closing the eyes and conceiving that Ishvara is present there. If the form becomes unsteady, the eyes can be opened for a while.

D: Is there any restriction in doing manasika-puja?

A: There is no restriction. It can be done at any time and in any way. Charming effects are seen if Ishvara is worshipped mentally. The mind becomes purified and his grace is obtained. To get an idea about manasika-puja, stotras like Shiva-manasapuja and Mrityunjaya-manasa puja may be studied.

D: Is everyone permitted to practice manasika-puja?

A: Yes. There are no restrictions.

D: How long should manasika-puja be done?

A: It can be done for any length of time. Initially, it may be difficult to practice it for a long time. But with repeated practice, one will find increasing delight in it.

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Prostrations to all.

Regards,
Neelakantan

Conquest Anger

Hare Krishna Friends,
The following excerpt is drawn from the book “Exalting Elucidations”.

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When a person sets his mind on external objects, he develops an attachment to them. This generates a desire to possess them. If he is unable to get them, he is angry and frustrated. This anger reduces his judgment and discrimination, which in turn, leads to the forgetting of good things her has learnt. At this stage his sense of right and wrong disappears. Such a person becomes incompetent to do the things that are good for him and avoid the things that are bad for him.

In keeping with the scriptural teachings, Acharya has taught that one has to strive to conquer anger in order to enjoy peace of mind. In a speech, he took up a verse from Bhagavtpada’s Shatasloki and highlighted the need to quell anger for getting great benefits both here and hereafter and also ultimate liberation. Acharya said that anger has to be won over by practicing forgiveness, Kshama.

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Experiences of Devotees

The following excerpt is drawn from the book “Exalting Elucidations”. Sri Nagendra Rao (a devotee of Acharya) shares his experience as follows..

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After my graduation from the Indian Instituted of Management, Calcutta in 1968, I joined a leading textile manufacturing firm. There, I often had to take my subordinates, some of them old enough to be my father, to task. I felt that I was being rude with them and therefore was disgusted with myself. I met Acharya at Sringeri and explained my state of mind. When we were together the same afternoon, Acharya suddenly got up and proceeded with great speed, beckoning me to follow him. We quickly reached the Sharadambal temple where a new gopura was being built. Some workers were found to be idling, instead of attending to their tasks. Acharya climbed the scaffolding with great agility and then proceeded to reprimand them in no uncertain terms. Acharya them climbed down rapidly and walked back towards the bridge. His face bore a delightful smile directed at me. I was completely astounded to see how someone who seemed so red faced, choleric and in a sense almost abusive in his haranguing the laborers could suddenly seem to be so peaceful and jolly. It was only several days later that I gradually came to understand the impact of His Holiness’ action on that day. What in effect His Holiness was telling me through action, even more eloquently than by word, was that sometimes it is absolutely necessary to be hard on some people when more gentle methods of giving instructions might be somewhat lost. But more important than this was the message that all this must be carried on like an actor playing a part on stage rather than becoming identified with the emotion evinced.

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Regards,
Neelakantan