GURUJI IN THE HORIZON - PART II

Part 2

Yoga is interpreted in different contexts. There are many types of yogas such as Raja yoga, Hatha yoga, Ashtanga yoga of Patanjali, kundalini yoga, etc. Ancient sages and saints had authored valuable yogic treatises. For example, Patanjali authored yoga sutras (sutra means aphorism) where he dwelt on eight types of yogas which are generally called ashtanga yoga (ashtanga means eight limbs of yoga). Patanjali’s aphorisms are classified under Raja yoga.  Raja yoga is also known as royal yoga and is considered as the supreme. It is called Raja yoga because, in God realisation, mind is considered as the supreme factor.   Raja yoga deals more with the mind as opposed to Hatha yoga, which deals more with the body. The body postures are called asanas.  However, all the yogas advocate certain body postures coupled with breath control to enable free flow of energy within the body.  Ultimate aim of all yogas is to unite the individual self with the Supreme Self. Apart from Patanjali’s aphorisms there are classical yogic treatises by sage Nathamuni called Nathamuni Yoga Rahasya (Nathamuni’s yogic secrets) and Yoga Yajnavalkya Samhita by sage Yajnvalkya, etc.   All this information I collected in later part of my life. My yoga teacher never taught me what these sacred scriptures taught.  He never taught me to synchronize breathing with body postures, which I found out later, that it is the most important aspect of yoga. 

After spending those days with my yoga master, I returned home and practiced for long hours on the rocky bench below the banyan tree. The more I performed those yogic postures, the more I could observe subtle changes happening within me. If you walk a few yards from my banyan tree, you can observe a road side temple of Ganapati. The idol there remained uncared for.  The four feet wall was almost on the verge of collapse.  When I was playing with Jimmy under my banyan tree, suddenly I felt as if am playing with that Ganapati.  For a minute, I was dumbfounded.  Again I started playing with Jimmy.  Jimmy used to take all liberties with me.  Whenever I go to my yoga master, he also used to accompany me.  He will wait patiently till I finish my classes to accompany me, back home. He will eat food only if served by my mother or me.  He is very sensitive.  In the evening hours, at the time of dusk, both of us used to play.  In the peak of happiness, he used to howl.  I do not like his howling.  He takes bath daily in Cauvery river, when I have my bath.  I always make it a point to take bath in the river Cauvery twice daily.  During my early school days, my teacher used to teach about the importance of keeping the body clean.  She said that if body is clean, mind also becomes clean.  She also said that clean mind is important to be a good boy.  I always wanted to be a good boy and I remained so all the time. 

My Jimmy becoming Ganapati happened more frequently.  After playing for some time, Ganapati asked me food saying that he is hungry. My mother would have kept some rice mixed with water and butter milk for my dinner.  In out hamlet, there is no electricity.  We never felt the need for electricity. We rise when the sun rises and we cease all our activity when the sun had set.  The breeze will have high moisture content due to the Cauvery River. When Ganapati was hungry and asked food, I used to dash into my house and bring the food kept for me. When I return, I see only my Jimmy and not Ganapati.  I was pretty sure that Ganapti was there.  He used to play with me hitting me with his trunk and will ask me to chase him.  In spite of my best running ability, I could not reach anywhere near him.  He had a very stout body, a big paunch and a broken tusk.  I could not believe me when I could not chase him.  I was pretty sure that he was finding it difficult to run with such a type of body.  Still I could not catch up with him. I thought I had become a schizophrenic.

The next day, I decided to bring along with me the pot containing my night dinner.  Since he vanishes when I enter my house, I formulated my master plan to catch hold of him and decided to give him my food. Sun began withdrawing his bright light gradually.  I was waiting for Ganapati to appear from my Jimmy.  I played with Jimmy more than I could.  But Ganapati never appeared. I was terribly disappointed.  Probably that was the first time when I was truly disappointed.  I never had any desire and hence there was no disappointment for me.  My yoga master used to tell me that desire and attachment are the two powerful enemies to mankind.  He cited many instances where people were killed to acquire wealth.  He told me several stories about kings winning battles at the cost of several lives.  When my yoga teacher was disinclined to teach me yoga, he used to tell me short stories.  But he will never allow me to go back immediately. He used to say that he feels happy in my presence.  I used to blush whenever he says this.  I never liked people saying me good or bad.  I never interfere in their affairs and I was expecting the same from them.  When my father was alive, his friends used to call me a useless boy.  After his death, none came to our house, nor did we visit any of them.  I liked my present way of living.  All the three of us spend time together, my mother, Jimmy and I.  My mother and I do not speak to each other much.  My yoga master told me to speak less in order to develop higher level of concentration.  I realised the truth in his adage. 

I took my dinner to my rocky bench under the banyan tree.  My Jimmy never transformed into Ganapati.  I almost became hysterical, because I was damn sure about the presence of Ganapati.  I could not discuss this with anyone else as they will choose to either ignore me or christen me as a schizophrenic patient.  I ran up to my yoga master.  Though I know that he cannot answer my question, I was confident that he will throw some light on this.  I told him what had happened and how Ganapati and I played together. He listened to me patiently as he knew that I will never lie.  As expected, he could not give a definite solution; still he agreed to visit my place.  All the three of us, my yoga teacher, Jimmy and I walked casually towards my banyan tree. Normally no body sits on the rocky bench under the banyan tree, even my Jimmy does not sit there.  I hold this seat as very sacred.  Others do not use that as they think that they also will become useless like me.  Yoga teacher looked around and he saw the roadside temple.  He went there and saw the idol of Ganapati there.  He immediately came to a conclusion.  He advised me to consecrate the temple and he asked me to meet a priest in his village.  I met the priest along with my yoga master and Jimmy.  He said he would perform certain rituals to consecrate the temple and demanded 1000 bucks.  I told him that I do not have that kind of money and he left the place. 

For the first time in my life I realized the need for money.  I slept on the rocky bench under the banyan tree.  In the dead of the night someone told me near my ear that I should do the renovation of the roadside temple.  I woke up with a shock and looked for someone. None was there.  Jimmy was having a sound sleep.  Probably he was feeling tired after a long walk to my yoga teacher’s place and back.  I got up and sat on the bench.  On hearing the sound of getting up, Jimmy also woke up and looked at me strangely. I decided to renovate the Ganapati temple myself. 

GURUJI IN THE HORIZON - PART 1

Part 1

Guruji in the horizon is a short story about a rustic boy ultimately transforming into a Spiritual Guru. The story will be published as a series, containing a number of parts. Here is part 1:

It is yet another day.  I always like the dawn - the creeks of birds, misty leaves and the redness of the dawn. Red stands for compassion.  I used to wonder how the sun being so red at the time of dawn gradually turns white.  I live near river Cauvery. It is good to walk on the sandy river bed.  The tiny sand grains acupressure my feet and I used to enjoy this.  The river was flowing with the rustic sound that changes every minute.  In the river bed, I perform my yogic exercises.  I prefer the river bed as you have plenty of natural unpolluted air around.  The more oxygen intake helps to rejuvenate the body better. When I begin my yogic exercises, the sun would not have arisen.  I firmly believe that I should complete my morning chores before the dawn. 

I live in a tiny village – you can call it as hamlet - called Aduthurai, where the river Cauvery flows.  My house is right on the banks of the river.  Sometimes, when I do not get my sleep, I listen to the rustic sound of the flowing water.   I do not use any bedding accessories except a small pillow for my head. The watery breeze that dabs me around makes me sleep.  I live with my mother and a country dog.  Our house has tiled roofing with a hall and kitchen.  The whole house is 400 sq.ft.  It is more than enough for three of us - my mother, Jimmy my dog and I. Jimmy is very fond of my mother and me. She has a feeling that I am close to Jimmy than to her.  Jimmy has the habit of accompanying me wherever I go.  Most of the time, Jimmy and me spend our time under a huge banyan tree.  There is a rock below the tree.  You can sit on the rock and rest your back on the bark of the tree.  This tree has thick foliage.  When the wind blows, the movement of the leaves produce the sound of om. 

It is difficult for anyone to predict my age.  I am now twenty five and people do not believe my age. I look much younger, may be due to my yoga or due to my food or even could be due to my life style.   I am a school dropout.  My father had an ambition that I should become a district collector.  He used to share his utopian thoughts with his friends, who used to laugh at him for his dreams.  Aduthurai has only twelve houses.  Most of the houses are now locked or in dilapidated condition.  All my friends moved away to cities and towns to pursue their education.  Some of them are in other countries too. 

I learn yoga from a yoga master in the next village.  I met him in a community festival, where he was demonstrating his yogic skills. A cluster of villages come together and celebrate couple of community festivals in a year.  There will be plenty of roadside shops mostly meant for women.  You can find cheap cosmetics, vessels, clothing and that kind of stuff.  There will be a worn out merry-go-round flocked by children.  For grownups there will be giant wheel.  I rode both in the merry-go-round and in the giant wheel when I was a boy.  When the giant wheel goes up, people shout due to enjoyment and fear. Though I like to go in the giant wheel, I neither enjoyed nor feared.  Though boys of my age go to such festivals daily, somehow I do not like crowd.  I take a walk to the festival ground either with Jimmy or with my mother.  My father never cared about me as I never rose up to his expectations.  Even for minor mistakes, he used to ridicule me.  He was good in one way.  He had never beaten me.  He was strong built and was engaged in fulltime cultivation in our land.  Even today, we have our land of one acre (4840 square yards).  We grow paddy and some vegetables and make our living only from that land.  My father died a few years back due to massive cardiac arrest.  When my father died I never even cried.  A few of my relatives came down to our place, consumed his body to fire.  My mother was crying and almost became desolated.  By nature I do not speak much.  However, I consoled my mother and both of us prepared ourselves for a life without my father.  I was forced to carry on the activities of my father.  I hardly put half of the efforts my father had put to cultivate the land, but the yield after my taking over was more than two times than my father’s time. Though I am not surprised, my mother was surely surprised.  We lived a comfortable life than my father’s time.  I do not buy anything for myself.  I made every effort to keep my mother as comfortable as possible. 

My mother too started becoming sick quite often after my father’s demise.  I took her to a doctor in a city nearby.  After waiting for more than an hour, we were called.  Doctor was in a hurry.  He examined my mother for a minute and prescribed some medicines which he asked me to buy in the next medical shop owned by his wife. I paid hundred for nothing. I did not buy medicines and we returned home.  My intuition told me that there is nothing wrong with my mother.  I could not get my sleep during the night, as my conscience was pricking me for not having purchased the medicines.  Something was telling me that these medicines were not necessary for my mother and that she would be normal in the next few days.

It is a moon lit night. I moved out of my house to the rocky bench under the banyan tree.  Jimmy followed me.  He never leaves me alone.  I lied down flat on the rock and was fighting against my conscience.  The hamlet was absolutely peaceful in the bright full moon light, except the euphony of flowing water.  My inner conscience started speaking to me now.  I could hear the sound of my conscience very clearly.  It asked me to go and see the doctor again tomorrow.  Now, I was damn sure that I have made a mistake for not purchasing those medicines for my mother.  I have decided to visit the town next day morning to buy those medicines. Once I found a remedy for my guilt feeling, I drifted into my sleep. I heard someone clearly telling me in my sleep that I need not worry about my mother and I need not even buy those medicines.  When I woke up, I had to fight against my conscience on one side and the intuitive conveyance on the other side. At last my intuitive won over my conscience. I know now for sure, that my mother would get better in the next few days and she did.  Positive affirmations always help. 

Though I did not evince interest in my education, I had a flair for physical activities.  My physical training teacher had a soft corner for me.  I always stood first in running, high jump and long jump.  I never played games.  My elan for physical activities attracted me to the yoga teacher in the next village, which is four miles from my hamlet. I cover four miles in less than half an hour.  Yoga teacher has not regularly studied yoga. He learnt the art by himself.   He agreed to teach me yoga for free.  My father would not have given me any money, even if the yoga teacher had demanded.  I learnt several postures and in a short time mastered almost every yogic posture he had taught me.  Within a matter of thirty days, I was doing better than my master.  He became jealous of me and asked me not to come again.  I begged him, but he did not agree.  Factually, I was his only regular student.  He went to different places and taught yoga to make his living.  Only later I came to know, that many of his postures were wrong. However, he never claimed himself as an authority in yoga.  He also lived in a small house, with no luxuries whatsoever. He did not want to lose his only student and he patched up with me and started working together.

(to be continued)

VISHNU SAHASRANAMA 554 - 562

554. Vāruṇaḥ वारुणः

Vāruṇa means given by Varuṇa (previous nāma). According to Rig Veda, sage Vasiṣṭha was inspired by Varuṇa. In some verses of Rig Veda, he has been described as the son of Varuṇa. Sage Vyāsa is the great grandson of sage Vasiṣṭha. Sage Vyāsa is invoked in the first dhyāna verse of this Sahasranāma.

555. Vṛkṣaḥ वृक्षः

Vṛkṣa means tree. He stands tall and firm like a tree. His act of sustenance is subtly conveyed here. When a soul undergoes transmigrations (known as saṁsāra), it takes rest at some point of time, however subject to its karmic account. This rest is called sojourn in the higher cosmic planes. This rest for the soul is also subtly conveyed here.

Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad (III.9) compares Brahman to a tree. It says, “vṛkṣaḥ iva stabdhaḥ वृक्षः इव स्तब्धः” which means “(The Self stands alone in the glory of its being) fixed like a tree.

Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad Gītā (XV.1), “He who knows the pīpala tree, which is said to be imperishable with its roots in the Primeval Being, whose stem is represented by Brahmā (god of creation and is different from Brahman) and whose leaves are Vedas, is a true knower of Vedas.”

Kaṭha Upaniṣad (II.iii.1) cites the example of a tree in a different context. It conceptualizes an inverted tree, with its roots up and foliage down. Root is compared to the Brahman and foliage to the material world. From the root, the universe appears as the material world. Foliage withers and blossoms again and this is compared to the birth and death of beings. The root of the tree remains the same, irrespective of the constant modifications taking place in its foliage.

Bhīṣma, being a great scholar could recollect all these sayings, even during his death bed. When the Lord Himself is physically present to liberate Bhīṣma, it is but natural that one recollects all the Glories of the Lord.

556. Puṣkarākṣaḥ पुष्कराक्षः

Repetitive nāma 40.

Nāma 40 explained this as “lotus eyed”. This nāma explains in subtle way that He is placed in the heart chakra (anāhata cakra) as the Self, often referred as the soul in a being. Without soul, no being can ever exist.

This nāma conveys that He looks from within, all the actions (referred subtly as Puṣkarākṣa) of a being merely remaining as a witness.

557. Mahāmanaḥ महामनः

Mahāmana means “great mind” which is the Divine Free Will or His Free Will. He creates, sustains and causes death to all the beings through his Great Mind or Free Will. Instead of directly referring this as Free Will, this nāma subtly conveys the Divine Free Will, through which Brahman carries out all His actions. He does not act directly, but through His power called Māyā. Generally free will means any decision taken without any external influence.  

558. Bhagavān भगवान्

This is derived from the word “bhaga” which means the one who has these six qualities viz. dignity, majesty, distinction, excellence, beauty and loveliness. All these qualities in eternal purity make Him as Bhagavān. When these qualities are tainted, he becomes a self or a being.

Though the whole universe is His manifestation, there is a significant difference in Him as the subject and the world as the object. When He manifests as the world or the object, all His qualities lose their original purity and become blemished. While pursuing spiritual path, an aspirant attempts to remove these blemishes and tries to realize his Original Nature (the Self). Self loses its original nature because of Māyā, the feminine dynamic energy, without which the existence of the universe is not possible.  

Feminine gender of Bhagavān is Bhagavatī. Bhagavān and Bhagavatī are said to be the Father and Mother of the universe.

559. Bhagahāḥ भगहाः

This is derived from the word Bhagahan, which means the destroyer or Bhaga, discussed in the previous nāma. At the time of annihilation, He withdraws all the six qualities of Bhaga unto Himself. When He is pervading the universe, all these qualities exist in the universe in a distorted manner. Annihilation is a process exactly opposite to creation. At the time of first creation, there existed nothing and at the end of annihilation, there will be nothing left in the universe. Universe (multiple galaxies) will go back to the pre-creative period. As no traces will be left after annihilation, He dissolves unto Himself, all that exist with no traces left anywhere. Only out of compassion to the beings, He recreates the universe and the process of evolution begins all over again.

This nāma also conveys that the universe is being maintained by the six qualities of bhaga discussed in the previous nāma.

560. Ānandī आनन्दी

He is in the form of eternal Bliss. Brahman is the congelation of sat, cit and ānanda (existence or truth, consciousness and bliss). He is revered as Bliss, as He is always in the state of eternal happiness. He is always in the state of Bliss because He is both Bhagavān and Bhagahā.

When free will is not operation, human mind oscillates according to the inputs received from the material world. When the mind is disconnected from the external world, his free will becomes operative making the mind immune to external influences. When the mind becomes one with the Self (known as Self-realization), who is merely witnessing all our actions, state of the aspirant’s mind also is pervaded by His Bliss.

561. Vanamālī वनमाली

In nāma 216, it has been discussed that the garland He wears is known as Vaijayanti. This garland is also called vanamāli, meaning forest flowers. Vaijayanti not only means five tanmātra-s, but also means the five basic elements. Planet earth was finally created out of these five principal elements - sky, air, fire, water and finally the earth. Earth is grossest of all His creations.

This nāma adores Him as Vanamālī, as He constantly wears the most celebrated garland Vaijayanti.

562. Halāyudhaḥ हलायुधः

Halāyudha means plough weaponed. Lord Viṣṇu incarnated in the form of Balarāma. This is explained in Nārāyaṇīyam  canto 36.

Further reading on Balarāma:

His nineteenth incarnation is Balarāma.  He is the elder brother of Lord Kṛṣṇa.  It is generally accepted that Śeṣa, the well known snake on which Nārāyaṇa lies down (ananta sayana) is incarnated as Balarāma.  He is considered as an embodiment of wisdom and knowledge.  Balarāma is also known as Sankarshana.  It is also said that both Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa are of same identity with different bodily forms.  At the time of Balarāma’s death, it is said that a huge snake went out his body through his mouth.  When Baladeva (another name for Balarāma) appeared as the seventh child in the womb of Devaki, she could understand that this was a divine child. Even Kamsa could sense His potency and was scared, thinking he may have been tricked by the prophecy that he will be killed only by the eighth child of Devaki. At this time Kṛṣṇa instructed Yogamāya, His internal potency, to transfer the unborn child from the womb of Devaki to that of Rohini, another wife of Vasudeva, who was hiding from Kamsa in the house of Nanda Maharaja in Gokula.  This is how Balarāma escaped death from the hands of Kamsa.  Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa co-existed at the same time.  There are other versions as well. 

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VISHNU SAHASRANAMA Viṣṇu Sahasranāma 544 - 553

544. Gahanaḥ गहनः

It is not possible to attain His stature. Final liberation is something different from becoming one with Him. Those who are liberated, cease to transmigrate. They do not undergo the pains of transmigrations. The liberated souls can be reborn at their will or at His command. The great saints and sages and incarnations come under this category.  To become one with Him is something that is beyond the comprehension of even great saints and sages. One can be liberated through acquiring spiritual knowledge. But, to merge unto Him happens purely out of His Free Will.

Gahana literally means impenetrable. This concept is explained through this nāma.

545. Guptaḥ गुप्तः

Gupta means hidden, secretive, etc. This refers to the Soul within. Self loses His originality when afflicted by māyā. This is the process where the Self becomes the self. Basically, there is no difference between the Self and the self. To realize that both the Self and the self are the same, one has to do a lot of sādhana (furthering towards the Self through practice). Sādhana does not merely mean meditation. Mere meditation alone will not lead to realization of the Self. One has to acquire knowledge through Scriptures. Only when both body and mind work in unison, spiritual progress can be attained substantially. The culmination of spiritual practice is to realize the hidden Self within.

By ignorance, men seek Him outside their bodies. That is why, spiritual knowledge is said to be a prerequisite to realize Him. Without spiritual knowledge, which is also known as higher knowledge, one could be wasting his precious time seeking Him outside his body.

Kaṭha Upaniṣad (I.iii.12) says, “The Self hidden in all beings. It is not noticed. Only the discerning seers, through their sharp and penetrating intellects can perceive It.”

546. Cakragadādharaḥ चक्रगदाधरः

He has cakra (discuss) and gada (club) in His hands.

Both these weaponries are used by Him to destroy mind and intellect (buddhi) of His devotees. Always mind generates various thought processes and the intellect analyses the thoughts generated by the mind and decides which is to be executed. As long as the mind is active, intellect is also active.

These two weaponries are held by Him to destroy these two evils of mankind. Cakra destroys the mind and club is used to destroy the intellect. Realization is possible, only if these two, along with ego are destroyed. These are the direct effects of māyā.

Each weapon seen in the hands of gods and goddesses has some significance.

547. Vedhāḥ वेधाः

Vedha means excavation. This subtly conveys His act of Creation. This nāma says that He is the Creator.  

548. Svāṅgaḥ स्वाङ्गः

Svāṅga literally means limbs of one’s body and based on this it can be explained that He has excellent limbs.

Taittirīya Upaniṣad (I.v.1) explains this. It says, “All deities are part and parcel of the Brahman”. For example, god fire Agni, god air Vāyu, god of water Varuṇa (nāma 553), etc are part of Brahman. These deities are called His limbs in this nāma.

All energies originate from Brahman and these energies are worshipped as different gods and goddesses. 

549. Ajitaḥ अजितः

Ajita means invincible. This is the fundamental quality of the Brahman, who can never be conquered by anyone. At the most, one can merge unto Him, as discussed in nāma 544.

This nāma can also be interpreted to mean that He remained un-conquered in all His incarnations.

550. Kṛṣṇaḥ कृष्णः

This is the most significant of all His incarnations. Kṛṣṇa means dark blue colour. The most important aspect of this incarnation is His role as Guru to the entire world. He revealed the secrets of liberation to Arjuna in the form of Bhagavad Gītā, wherein He conveyed in understandable terms, the way of right activities and right kind of meditation to establish commune with Him.

Kṛṣṇa’s life demonstrates his philosophy that it is not necessary to shirk the responsibilities of material life. He says “Do your duty, thinking about Me perpetually in order to attain liberation. I am here to liberate You.”

551. Dṛḍhaḥ दृढः

Dṛḍha means strong, massive, fixed etc. These are the qualities of the Brahman. Brahman is invincible (nāma 549).  Brahman is both static and dynamic and hence, He is addressed as massive. Brahman has two aspects – one is the eternal Self and another is the dynamic self. Without the inert Self, the dynamic form of the Self cannot even exist. Without the dynamic form the Self, the inert Self always remain inert and the three acts of God, creation, sustenance and dissolution cannot happen. Kṛṣṇa call’s His dynamic form as Māyā.

In Bhagavad Gītā (VII.25) He says, “I am veiled by My Yogamāyā and cannot be seen by men.” He can be seen only by developing clairvoyant eye.

552. Saṁkarṣaṇāyācyutaḥ संकर्षणायाच्युतः

Saṁkarṣaṇa means joining or uniting. Acyuta means imperishable. At the time of annihilation, He draws all the beings and makes them unite with Him. Annihilation is the fourth act of the Brahman. His fifth act is re-creation.

Between annihilation and re-creation all the beings remain with Him. This is the only state where māyā does not exist at all.  

553. Varuṇaḥ वरुणः

Generally, the god who presides over water is known as Varuṇa. Brahman operates through various energies and each of these energies is recognised by ancient sages and saints during their intent state of meditation and were given various names. For example, fire is worshipped as Agni. These energies operate both on the gross and subtle planes. Gross Agni is the fire that we see with our eyes. The subtle Agni is the fire that helps in our digestion and is known as jatharāgni.

Similarly, Varuṇa is one of the energies of the Brahman that operates both in gross and subtle planes. Varuṇa is derived from the word vṛñ, which means to choose. Therefore, Varuṇa means the One, who selects out, chooses and thus favours those who are virtuous and deserving, to follow the path leading to freedom from bondage.

This nāma says that Viṣṇu carefully selects men depending upon the depth of their devotion and karmic account and offer them liberation. Hence He, is addressed as Varuṇa.