Chapter 1	Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 8 [unpublished in English]

Everything in this universe, manifest or unmanifest, abstract or matter, is the playful creation of Prakrti. All entities are the different expressions of the endless dance of Shakti (Supreme Creative Principle) on the vast body of Shiva. Is Puruśa a mute witness in this playful creation of Prakrti? Is it only Prakrti who functions? Is this dance the sole responsibility of Prakrti alone? Puruśa is certainly not a mute witness. When creation is in a dormant stage, Prakrti’s dance remains merged in Puruśa. It is only when Puruśa exercises His hypnotic power that Prakrti receives the inspiration to dance. Prakrti betrays Her total surrender to Puruśa with every cadence of dance and resonance of rhythm. She makes it clear that She is fully subservient to Puruśa. It may appear as if the dancing Prakrti is independent, but actually this is not the case. Even when creation is manifested Prakrti is not entirely independent in the strict philosophical sense. It is only due to Puruśa’s slackness that Prakrti appears to be independent. It seems as if Prakrti does everything through Her own independent volition, but actually She only does that which She is permitted to do, nothing more. It is with Puruśa’s consent that She acquires the power to bind Him. In this way Prakrti continues Her playful creation with Puruśa as the fundamental stuff.

In individual life, too, a microcosm seems to be under the influence of Prakrti, but in reality this is not true. If Puruśa checks the movement of Prakrti, She loses the capacity to function independently. At this stage jiiva (microcosm) becomes one with Shiva (Macrocosm or Puruśa). The conscious endeavour to elevate microcosmic consciousness beyond the influence of microcosmic operative principle (Prakrti) is called sádhaná or intuitional spiritual practice. Puruśa is the seed of both the manifest and unmanifest universes.

When the universe is unmanifest Puruśa is predominant. Even when the universe is manifest Puruśa is predominant; but it appears as if Prakrti is dominant (in certain schools of philosophy the term Pradhána is used for Prakrti).

Both the expressed and unexpressed universes are the play of Prakrti. In the former Her play is conspicuous; in the latter it is dormant. But even in the dormant stage, when the triangle of forces remains balanced, Prakrti cannot be said to be completely inactive. She still continues Her dance, but being under Puruśa’s hypnotic influence cannot modify Puruśa in any way. Puruśa remains absorbed in the bliss of His witness-ship while Prakrti dances within His vast body. This hypnotized Prakrti cannot create any rudimental factor.

In the expressed universe Puruśa gives Prakrti plently of latitude to move within the periphery of His vast body. Prakrti works according to the freedom granted to Her, exhibiting Her dexterous art of dance, rhythm and posture. Puruśa remains in a state of absolute bliss as the witness of Her masterly dance.

In the first half of Prakrti’s playful creation of the manifest universe Puruśa is a little slack. Consequently the noose of Prakrti’s bondage becomes tighter and tighter, causing creation to move from subtle to crude. This half of the Cosmic Cycle in which Puruśa gives more latitude to Prakrti is called Saiṋcara.

Thereafter, when Puruśa begins to reassert Himself, the binding influence of Prakrti starts waning and creation moves from crude to subtle. When Puruśa fully asserts Himself, He brings Prakrti under His complete control, thus curtailing Her freedom to dance according to Her own sweet will. Hypnotized under Puruśa’s spell, She takes creation back to the previous dormant stage. This movement from crudity to subtlety which terminates in the original unmanifested state is the second half of the Cosmic Cycle or Pratisaiṋcara.

In both Saiṋcara and Pratisaiṋcara Puruśa seems to be bound by Prakrti, but actually it is Puruśa who grants Her latitude so that She can continue Her playful dance. Although Puruśa is metamorphosed into multiplicities in Saiṋcara, those multiplicities remain embedded in the Supreme Singularity. When Puruśa curtails the freedom He granted to Prakrti and returns to His original stance, then Prakrti is compelled to return to Her own original dormant stage. Hence it is better to say Prakrti and Puruśa are one. They are both manifested and unmanifested, or, more logically, they are neither manifested nor unmanifested.

So the analytical phase is the phase of manifestation in which the Singular Puruśa appears to be transformed into many by Prakrti. The greater the influence of Prakrti, the greater the number of pluralities, and the greater the degree of crudification. But when creation reaches the nadir point of crudification, Puruśa starts decreasing the latitude He granted to Prakrti and withdraws everything unto Himself, thereby bringing an end to the process of creation. This is the phase of Pratisaiṋcara. In this phase Prakrti is no longer free to continue Her creative flow independently. Creation now proceeds from plurality towards Supreme Singularity, towards the Supreme Cognitive Faculty. This is the path of synthesis.

When pluralities move towards the Supreme Singularity they undergo severe internal and external clashes. In this phase the more the latitude granted by Puruśa begins to decrease, the greater the external pressure on each finite object, and the greater the internal clash within each object. The result of these clashes is the gradual disintegration of the atoms and molecules which constitute a physical structure, and thus the gradual decrease in the degree of static influence on the physical structure. Suppose five hundred people have been closely bound together with ropes. If they start jostling and fighting amongst themselves then naturally their tight bondages will gradually loosen. If their movements become even more violent their bondages will snap open. In much the same way the atoms and molecules within a structure are powdered down and transformed into crude mind-stuff as a result of internal clash. Philosophically, this crude mind-stuff is called citta. As Puruśa further withdraws His latitude there is greater internal clash within the citta leading to the formation of the subtler ahaḿ (doer-I) and mahat (existential-I) portions of the mind.

The major difference between animate beings and inanimate beings is that animate beings have an existential feeling whereas inanimate beings do not. An inanimate piece of iron and a grain of sand are not aware of their existence, but an undeveloped living creature like an earthworm has self-awareness. The mighty Himalayas do not know that they exist, but for a tiny fly existence is quite real. This tiny fly has the potentiality to become a great personality one day in the course of evolution. The fly that you see today is a very insignificant creature, but after hundreds of thousands of years it may become a towering personality of great eminence – a mighty genius. Hence a wise person never despises anyone. There is nothing in the world to be despised, nothing to be slighted or belittled.

Instead of saying that the inanimate world has no existential feeling, it is better to say that existential awareness is dormant in matter. When citta emerges from matter as a result of internal clash existential awareness begins to develop gradually. With the emergence of ahaḿ and mahat existential awareness becomes increasingly crystallized and ultimately I-feeling assumes a preponderant role.

What is the mind? The mind is a subtle expression of matter. Matter is the condensed form of Cosmic Mind. The three chambers of the Cosmic Mind evolve in the Saiṋcara phase of the Cosmic Cycle. First the mahattattva, the subtlest part, which arouses existential feeling, then the ahaḿtattva, a little less subtle, which establishes the correlation between existential feeling and matter, and finally the citta, the crudest part, which takes the form of objects.

In the phase of Pratisaiṋcara it is the citta which initially emerges as a result of clash within the material structure. Citta is unable to fully express its potentiality in the absence of aham and mahat. There are some entities in the world which lie between the animate and the inanimate. They have citta which can take the form of physical objects, but in the absence of ahaḿ and mahat they are unable to apply any power to utilize matter. Some entities have citta and ahaḿ but in the absence of mahat do not have proper existential I-feeling. Their citta can take the form of material objects and their ahaḿ can connect themselves to their objects, yet they have no clear existential I-feeling. Creepers and climbers and undeveloped living beings are in this stage of development. In some of them only citta has awakened; in others both citta and ahaḿ. Only in developed creatures do the three parts of the mind exist. If creatures devoid of mahattattva are bifurcated, each part survives as an independent creature. Likewise, branches and leaves cut off the parent plant can maintain a separate existence.

Ahaḿ develops as a result of clash within the citta. If that clash becomes more intense, mahattattva develops. When the clash within the citta becomes extreme, the periphery of mahat exceeds that of ahaḿ. As long as ahaḿ remains smaller than citta, the psychic faculty is called mánaśa (crude mind-stuff). But when ahaḿ surpasses citta in size as a result of increased clash the enlarged portion of the mind is called maniiśá (intellect). And when mahat becomes larger than ahaḿ due to extreme clash, that enlarged portion is called bodhi (intuition).

Intellect is the controller of citta (crude mind) because it is larger and subtler. Undeveloped creatures and animals are guided by the crude mind. Human beings, however, are guided by intellect as in their case ahaḿ is larger in area than citta; and herein lies their greatness. For undeveloped entities whose citta is larger than ahaḿ enjoyment of crude matter is the goal of life, because their mental power moves within the arena of the crude mind. But in human beings intellect controls the crude mind, checking its unbridled fascination for material enjoyment. As soon as a goat sees a green plant it rushes towards it; but human beings do not run greedily and indiscriminately towards whatever object of enjoyment they see. They procure things either with their hard-earned money, or by applying their intellect.

The development of intuition is possible only in living beings who undergo greater psychic clash. Intuition and the awakened kuńd́alinii (sleeping divinity) are indistinguishable. To arouse the kuńd́alinii through psychic clash and intuitional practice means to develop intuition. A person whose kuńd́alinii has awakened does not belong to the crude world of material enjoyment, but is a true citizen of the world of intuition.

People of undeveloped intellect are mostly guided by Prakrti. But those of developed intellect through proper object of ideation, the Supreme One, through intellectual analysis, and then start moving towards Him. When intellect advances with the ideation of the Supreme, the sensory and motor organs act as obedient servants to the mind. No longer is the mind the slave of the organs. Hence proper ideation leads to intellectual subtlety.

The physical hunger of living beings is basically centred around their bodily needs. As their sole intention is the crude enjoyment of matter, all their crude and psychic functions move towards matter, making subtle ideation impossible. Undeveloped animals, being totally preoccupied with meeting their crude necessities only have one propensity – the gratification of physical needs. Thus it is very easy to understand their psychology. Intellectually developed human beings only use some part of their minds for material pursuit – the rest is used for subtle pursuits. If such people undergo greater psychic clash, psychic movement toward subtlety will increase. The mind’s capacity of subtle ideation will also increase spontaneously. Generally, part of the mind is attracted by the material world, and part by the spiritual world. This results in tremendous mental clash, causing divergences in the mental flow. These divergences are nothing but the various propensities of mind. Thus the more the intellect awakens, the greater the number of propensities; and the greater the number of propensities, the greater the diversity in psychic expression. The greater the diversity in a human mind, the more difficult it is to comprehend that mind. Thus it is very difficult to understand the psychology of developed human beings, but quite easy to understand the psychology of people who run after crude physical enjoyment like mad dogs, because they are no better than animals.

When intellect evolves into intuition, human beings realize that the cause of the varied expressions of this quinquelemental world is the Supreme Entity. They consolidate their innate propensities (vrttis) and channelize them towards that Singular Entity. Hence the gradual unfoldment of intuition leads to a corresponding decrease in the number of vrttis. Ultimately there remains only one propensity – the propensity of bliss (ánanda vrtti). Intuition is sometimes called hrdaya or guhá in Saḿskrta. Dharmasya tattvaḿ nihitaḿ guháyam. “The essence of dharma lies in intuition.” Here guhá does not mean a mountain cave, but intuition. Just as there is only one propensity in the crudest stage of mind, similarly in the last stage of Pratisaiṋcara, after the development of intuition, there remains only one propensity, the propensity of bliss.

The crude mind (citta) remains engrossed in the thought of crude matter. When intellect is associated with the crude thought of matter it helps the crude mind in controlling the material world, thus enhancing its scope of enjoying the physical world. The part of intellect which helps the crude mind is the creator of material science. Material science is virtually unknown to undeveloped creatures and animals. It has advanced proportionately to the development of human intellect. Inborn instinct plays a more important role in animals than acquired knowledge, even if they do have some practical knowledge of material science. But in the case of human beings acquired knowledge plays a more important role. If human beings pursue the path of material science without basing their lives on a spiritual ideology, the constant psycho-physical parallelism will result in a hundred percent possibility of their intellect being degenerated into crude mind. Thus I am constrained to say that if material science denies spirituality, it may be instrumental in causing a major calamity to befall the world at any time.

When intellect associates itself with the material sphere material science develops, but when it functions within the psychic sphere it formulates philosophy. Philosophy emerges at the point where the crude mind ends and intellect begins. Excessive philosophical study makes a person a logician and creates vanity and confusion in the mind. Moreover, philosophy is a creation of the intellect; its confabulations and ruminations are confined to the realm of intellectuality. It is hardly able to step beyond the intellectual realm and is thus unable to attain Parama Puruśa.

When the mind transcends the barriers of intellect the realization dawns in human beings that they cannot reach the abode of the Supreme Entity through material science or philosophy, but through intuition alone. Supreme blessedness lies in the unfoldment of intuition. Those who are graced with intuition, even though they may be totally illiterate, can reach the Supreme rank, thereby establishing themselves in a state of perennial blessedness. The greatest pandits, however, become lost in the labyrinth of logic, and even though they try to find a way out, they finally attain nothing.

Chapter 2	Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 8 [unpublished in English]

Each and every stage of Macrocosmic expression – crude, subtle or causal – shines with divine joy. Every atom of the universe is moving in that divine flow, in that rhythmic dance. It is as if this entire universe is the stage for the divine dance of Puruśottama. The divine dance, with Puruśottama as its nucleus, is the blissful flow of joyful creation.

When Prakrti loses Her balance, different evolutionary changes begin. Prakrti and Her principles are given different names at different stages of evolutionary change in the flow of creation.

At the first stage, when there is no imbalance in the triangle of forces, Prakrti is called Kaośikii Shakti (Shivánii Shakti). She is given this name because she is responsible for the creation of the kośas [layers of mind]. In that supreme stage Kaośikii remains unmanifested, remains as the primordial cause of all subsequent manifestations.

The second stage of Prakrti occurs when the triangle of forces loses its equilibrium. This is the stage at which Prakrti is first expressed as a straight line emerging from one of the vertices of the unbalanced triangle. It is called the Bhaeravii or intermediate stage. At this stage of expression there is no wave, and hence creation remains beyond the scope of perception. It is only when náda [flow without curvature] is converted into kalá [flow with curvature] that creation comes within the scope of perception.

When Bhaeravii Shakti attains the form of kalá She is called Bhavánii Shakti, and thus begins Prakrti’s third stage of expression. Bhavánii Shakti is active in air, light, vital energy and numerous other entities, and is responsible for maintaining the coordinating link between the crude and the subtle.

In intuitional practice this process is reversed: devotees elevate themselves from Bhavánii Shakti to Bhaeravii Shakti, from Bhaeravii Shakti to Kaośikii Shakti, and finally attain oneness with the Supreme Entity. Those who pursue this path of divine adoration are called devotees. Whom do devotees ideate on? Certainly on Puruśottama. Those who accept matter as their object of ideation can never attain Puruśottama, but will invariably degenerate towards the staticity of Bhavánii Shakti. Their entire being will ultimately be converted into inert matter. To ideate on Puruśottama means to transform Bhavánii into Bhaeravii and Bhaeravii into Kaośikii, thereby establishing oneness between the devotee and the Lord. In the process of transforming crude waves into subtle waves, devotees become one with their final goal. If one’s movement is towards the crude, one’s psycho-physical waves will become cruder and cruder. But if one’s movement is towards the Supreme, if Bhavánii Shakti is transformed into Bhaeravii Shakti, then one’s waves will gradually straighten. The subtle waves of effulgence will also become straight. Thus a devotee’s movement towards the Supreme One is an endeavour to transform crude energy into subtle energy. To transform Bhavánii Shakti into Bhaeravii Shakti both shraddhá [implicit veneration for one’s goal] and viirya [stamina] are important. Without regular spiritual practice this transformation is impossible.

For a devotee, action is indispensable. Sádhaná itself is a type of action. If one sits idle like a piece of inert matter, sádhaná is impossible; the conversion of crude into subtle will never occur. The relationship between devotees and their Lord is strengthened through action. At this point a question may arise: on the path of sádhaná who is greater – a bhakta [devotee] or a karmii [person of action]? The answer is simple and straightforward. For bhaktas all actions are a part of their psycho-spiritual practice, whereas for karmiis actions are merely seen as actions. Those people whose actions are indistinguishable from devotion are true devotees. Thus in the process of conversion of Bhavánii Shakti into Bhaeravii Shakti, devotion plays a greater role than so-called action.

What is the source of inspiration of the individual’s efforts to convert crude energy into subtle energy? In this case the Cognitive Faculty is the source of inspiration. Bhaeravii Shakti is prevented from being converted into Bhavánii Shakti with the help of the Cognitive Faculty, and with the help of the Cognitive Faculty Bhaeravii Shakti is merged in the cognitive flow.

In the struggle to transform Bhaeravii Shakti into Kaośikii Shakti, Citishakti [Cognitive Force] plays a dominant role, because Bhaeravii Shakti is the second stage of Citishakti in the flow of creation. The Cognitive Force manifests itself as Bhaeravii Shakti to expedite the evolution of mind. The will to evolve is primarily dependent on the active role of Bhaeravii Shakti. In fact Bhaeravii Shakti is one’s real “I”. It is with Her help that one must carry on one’s sádhaná to attain Citishakti. It is just like worshipping the Ganges with the water of the Ganges.

Suppose a certain student studies abroad with his father’s financial assistance. If he saves a little money every month and buys his father one of his favourite objects, his father will certainly feel happy. The pursuit of dharma is a similar process. One attains Parama Puruśa with the proper application of devotion, knowledge and action, which are the faculties He has chosen to bestow on spiritual aspirants.

Exactly the reverse occurs in the case of materialists who are puffed up with vanity: their Bhaeravii Shakti is gradually converted into Bhavánii Shakti. Only devotees can expand Bhaeravii Shakti because only they cherish the desire for supreme union with the Cognitive Faculty. They do not ask the Supreme Being for wealth, opulence, fame or children, but pray, “O Lord, please manifest Yourself fully in me. Make me Yours, O Lord.” They continue to pray like this until they merge in the Supreme.

They continue their efforts to attain the Supreme with the physical and psychic strength already bestowed upon them by the Supreme Entity. To ask for extra power without first utilizing the power already given them would be to show disrespect to Parama Puruśa. Only after all their power has been totally exhausted may they ask Parama Puruśa for anything. If He so desires, Parama Puruśa may grant that request through some third entity. While utilizing one’s energy one should pray to Parama Puruśa, “O Lord, I am working with the strength given by You. Let me not make the mistake of taking it to be my own power. Let me not forget You, O Lord.”

Devotees will have to straighten the waves of Bhavánii Shakti. The more the waves are straightened, the more Bhavánii will be transformed into Bhaeravii Shakti. This straightening of the waves is the first stage of sádhaná. As long as sádhakas remain within the scope of Bhavánii Shakti they observe that all finite entities of the universe are separate from one another. But when they enter the bounds of Bhaeravii Shakti after straightening the waves of Bhavánii Shakti, they discover that all those previous differentiations have vanished into nothingness. The more the influence of Bhavánii Shakti, the greater the feeling of differentiation; and the more the influence of Bhaeravii Shakti, the greater the feeling of unity.

Many people think that social service alone is the best process of sádhaná, but they are mistaken. Through intuitional practice a sádhaka succeeds in elevating Bhaeravii and Bhavánii Shaktis in individual life. A person who develops the cognitive faculty in this way will spontaneously do social service. Service is the way and the life of such a spiritual aspirant. A balance between one’s individual dharma and social dharma will thus be established.

When one’s cognitive faculty becomes so subtle that one sees Brahma in all manifested entities, one can play a proper role in the practical world. Only at this stage does one realize that no one in this universe is inferior, for all are the children of the same Supreme Father and Supreme Mother. Brothers and sisters belonging to the same family cannot belong to separate castes. So those who support casteism are atheists. Those who want to perpetuate economic disparities are also atheists. No parents could sincerely desire one of their children to become fabulously rich and roll in opulence, while another slowly starves to death.

Human beings should develop themselves as individuals by expanding their dormant cognitive faculties through intuitional practice, and should develop their socio-economic life by eradicating the vested interests in the socio-economic sphere. Those who have rendered service to society and have either become government ministers or been otherwise rewarded with power and prestige, but have failed to practise sádhaná in their personal lives, generally degenerate later.

What happens before Bhavánii Shakti is metamorphosed into Bhaeravii Shakti? Bhavánii Shakti emanates from Puruśa in so many waves. It is the variation in these waves which causes the differences among the many objects of the universe. Bhavánii, Bhaeravii and Kaośikii Shaktis are created according to the way the three principles act on the Cognitive Faculty. When major changes occur in Bhavánii Shakti, ether, air, fire, water and other crude objects can be perceived. These entities acquire different forms due to the differences in the waves created by the three principles. Thus we observe the same Puruśa manifested in different ways.

It is due to a particular vibration of Bhavánii Shakti that we perceive Puruśa as a piece of iron, and due to another vibration that we perceive Puruśa as a piece of gold. Had there been no differences among the wavelengths of Bhavánii Shakti, there would have been no differences among the manifested objects. When spiritual aspirants remain within the periphery of Bhavánii Shakti and observe the differences among objects, they realize the Supreme Singularity behind the diversity of expression.

All objects are the varying forms of Puruśa. When one realizes that all these diverse objects finally merge into His supreme singularity, social service becomes more important than anything else, because service to individuals or the collectivity means service to Brahma.

So in the first stage of sádhaná, as a result of the constant superimposition of Cosmic ideation, Bhavánii Shakti is changed into Bhaeravii Shakti. Then all the objects of the world are seen as expressions of Brahma. This realization is not brought about by the study of books. Book knowledge is only perceptional knowledge; it cannot take one beyond the boundary of perception. If people study constantly without practising sádhaná, psycho-physical parallelism will make them vain and egotistical.

Mathitvácatváro vedán sarvashástrańi caeva hi
Sáraḿ tu yogibhih piitaḿ takraḿ pivanti pańd́itáh.

[When the Vedas and all the scriptures are churned, the essence of all knowledge is assimilated by the yogis, and the non-essential portion is eaten by the pandits.]

The constant churning of the ocean of knowledge produces butter and buttermilk. The spiritual aspirants eat the butter; the pandits remain satisfied with the buttermilk. The goal of a sádhaka is not to become a bookworm, but to become a devotee.

Remember that until one becomes one with the Cognitive Faculty, one will have to continue to act. Through karma sádhaná [the yoga of action] one advances to the second stage of progress, realizing that everything is Brahma. The outlook of differentiation is a defective outlook.

In the third stage the question of differentiation does not even arise: the difference between the seer and the “seeable” is completely obliterated. The doer, the deed and the witnessing entity merge in the same Consciousness. All that remains is one undifferentiated Supreme Entity.

The Cosmic force that is active in the psychic sphere of microcosms is Bhaeravii Shakti. As Bhaeravii is the force which starts moving from a vertex of the unbalanced supreme triangle, one will have to concentrate one’s mind on a particular point in the process of sádhaná. Thus in ásana shuddhi, Bhaeravii Shakti is concentrated at a nuclear point, and subsequently transformed into Kaośikii Shakti. When that transformation occurs, the unit mind gradually dissolves into the Cosmic Mind. The three principles of Prakrti remain perfectly balanced in Kaośikii Shakti, and thus lie unexpressed.

Devotees reach Kaośikii Shakti with the help of Bhavánii and Bhaeravii Shaktis. Hence devotees must be Sháktas, always ready to fight against the hostile forces which thwart spiritual progress. They must not encourage timidity or cowardice. If their minds are directed towards Bhavánii Shakti their Bhaeravii Shakti will become crudified. Hence sádhakas must carry on a relentless fight against all crudifying forces. For this reason they must also be viirácáriis.⁽¹⁾ They must ideate constantly on Parama Puruśa, and gradually transform Bhaeravii Shakti into Kaośikii Shakti. But one should remember that Kaośikii Shakti is not one’s final goal. Even after merging one’s identity into Kaośikii Shakti it can still be the cause of bondage and subsequent rebirth.

Of all the bondages, the bondage of [Bhavánii] is most strongly felt, but [Bhavánii] Herself is not the original entity. While utilizing mundane objects, one should always ideate on the Cognitive Faculty working behind this myriad world of forms and colours. The regressive movement that the mind makes when ideating on matter is prevented by this Cosmic ideation or Brahmacarya sádhaná.

One who ideates on the Supreme Entity while engaged in individual and collective sádhaná establishes a happy correlation between Bhaeravii Shakti and one’s cognitive faculty. Such a person will never degenerate, even though his or her cherished supreme goal may not be fully realized. The main factor is the clear awareness of one’s goal. Your own excellence depends on the excellence of your goal. To build a bridge over the Ganges is not the goal in itself; the actual goal is to connect north Bihar to south Bihar. Of course, that goal is achieved by building the bridge.

The attainment of Brahma signifies the victory of one’s ideology; first the victory of Bhaeravii Shakti and then the victory of Kaośikii Shakti. Or put in another way, first the defeat of Bhavánii Shakti, then the defeat of Bhaeravii and Kaośikii Shaktis at the hands of Puruśa. When one becomes the master of Bhavánii, Bhaeravii and Kaośikii Shaktis, one attains enormous power to subdue the wicked forces and protect the forces of righteousness in the external world.

One who does not practise any active sádhaná to control these three shaktis and expand one’s cognitive faculty cannot fight against antisocial forces. This process of bringing these three shaktis within one’s control is called sádhanásamara [the battle of intuitional practice]. This battle should end in one of two ways: in victory or in death. One should never undergo the ignominy of defeat. If one dies while seeking the Supreme, one will surely attain the Supreme after death. One who is totally absorbed in ideation on the Supreme becomes one with the Supreme at the time of death. This is certainly true in the case of devotees. The duality between the one who serves and the entity served ceases to exist. Ultimately the one who serves, the entity who is served, and the action of serving become fused into one. If one’s goal is right, one is sure to attain the supreme stance. And one who attains the supreme stance will never make the mistake of differentiating between high and low, literate and illiterate, touchable and untouchable.

Shmasháne vá grhe, hirańye vá trńe,
Tanuje vá ripao, hutáshe vá jale.
Svakiiye vá pare samatvena buddhyá,
Viráje avadhúto dvitiiyo Maheshah.

[The sádhaka who views everything with equanimity, be it his home or the burial ground, gold or grass, his own children or his enemies, fire or water, his own property or another’s property, lives in the world as an avadhúta, as if the second manifestation of Shiva.]

Footnotes

(1) Editors’ note: Tantrics who adopt a particularly “heroic” ideation while seeking to confront and overcome all mental weaknesses.

Chapter 3	Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 8 [unpublished in English]

The Practical Cult of Spirituality

To remain satisfied with a little is contrary to human nature. That is why, since the dawn of creation, human beings have been worshipping the Supreme Entity. People longed for supreme knowledge, for indirect and direct spiritual realization. This fundamental human yearning for supreme expansion led people to discover the practical cult of spirituality. Moreover, it created in the human mind the sense of inquisitiveness, the spirit of dedication, and the thirst for knowledge. It is because of these noble qualities that human beings have become what they are today.

The divine revelations experienced by the sages of the ancient Vedic age through their meditative vision have been compiled in the Vedas. Thus the Vedas have to some extent quenched the human thirst for intellectual knowledge. But they have not quenched the thirst for supreme knowledge, the fundamental thirst of human life. That thirst can only be quenched through the illuminating realizations of sádhaná [spiritual practice].

There is no reliable evidence to suggest that in the Vedic period spiritual knowledge was handed down from preceptor to disciple. As far as we know from the history of spiritual sádhaná, Lord Shiva was the first to propound it, and He gave this spiritual cult the name Tantra. Tantra is the secret behind spiritual progress.

The scriptural definition of tantra is Taḿ jád́yát tárayet yastu sah tantrah parikiirttitah [“Tantra is that which liberates a person from the bondages of staticity”]. Taḿ is the acoustic root of staticity.

Tantra has another meaning as well. The Sanskrit root verb tan means “to expand”. So the practical process that leads to one’s expansion and consequent emancipation is called tantra. Thus sádhaná and Tantra are inseparable.

Strictly speaking, theoretical knowledge cannot be called Tantra. Tantra is a practical science. Hence in Tantra the importance of book knowledge is secondary. The practical process of Tantra begins with the physical and progresses to the physico-psychic, then to the psycho-spiritual, then ultimately results in [the supreme spiritual stance,] ensconcement in the átmá [self]. [This scientific process sets it apart from many other schools.]

As the practical aspect is the most important factor in Tantra, the greatest emphasis is placed on the preceptor-disciple relationship. The disciple must do intense spiritual practice to be worthy of the preceptor’s instructions at every stage of development.

And it was for this reason that Sadáshiva never wanted the Tantric teachings to be written down. However, in course of time, due to a lack of competent preceptors and disciples, Tantra was about to be lost to society. It therefore became an imperative necessity to put the teachings in book form to save them from total extinction. There are presently sixty-four Tantric texts.

Tantra is broadly composed of two parts – nigama and ágama. The former is mainly theoretical; the latter practical. As the Vedic scriptures are not based on practical instructions, some people are inclined to categorize them as nigama.

According to the Rudrayámala Tantra,

Ágataḿ Shivavaktrebhyo gataiṋca Girijáshrutao;
Mataiṋca Vásudevasya tasmádágama ucyate.

[The science which comes from the mouth of Lord Shiva, goes to the ears of Párvatii, and is approved by Lord Krśńa, is called ágama.⁽¹⁾]

No serious or sincere Tantric can agree with this shloka [couplet]. Why should the science which was propounded by Lord Shiva need to be “approved by Lord Krśńa”? The Rudrayámala Tantra was formulated much later than Lord Shiva. This shloka was cleverly included in the Rudrayámala Tantra by the protagonists of the Vedas.⁽²⁾

Guru and Disciple

Kśurasya dhárá nishitá duratyayá. [Literally, “The edge of a razor is very sharp and difficult to walk on.”] This path, to walk upon, is like a path strewn with sharp razors. The disciple has to tread the path with extreme caution. The disciple needs the help of the guru [preceptor] at every step. Without this supervision, any defect in the process of sádhaná as imparted by the guru, or the least negligence on the part of the disciple in following the instructions, inevitably leads to the disciple’s downfall. For success on the path of Tantra, the proper preceptor and the proper disciple are both essential. So the first step in Tantra is the selection of a competent preceptor and a worthy disciple.

The situation can be explained through the following analogy with agriculture: The disciple’s heart is a field; sádhaná is the ploughing and irrigation of the field; and the preceptor’s initiation is the sowing of seeds. If the seeds are defective they will not sprout; if the field is infertile the harvest will be poor; and even if the seed and the field are ideal, yet the field is not properly ploughed or irrigated, the harvest will be poor.

According to Tantra, disciples are of three categories. The first category are likened to pitchers placed inversely in a tub of water. Such pitchers contain water as long as they are kept in the tub, but as soon as they are taken out, all the water pours out. These disciples acquire spiritual knowledge when they are in close contact with the preceptor, but as soon as they are apart from the preceptor they forget all his teachings.

The second category of disciples are like people who carefully climb a plum tree and pick plums from its thorny branches. Unfortunately they become so absorbed in climbing down the tree that they completely forget about their carefully-collected plums, which fall out of their bags and break open on the ground. Such disciples learn many things from the preceptor with great hardship, but do not take proper care to preserve those instructions. They lose their hard-earned knowledge out of negligence.

The best category of disciples are like pitchers positioned right side up. When such pitchers are put in a tub of water, there is water both inside them and all around them; and even when they are removed from the tub, they remain full to the brim with water. These disciples carefully preserve in the jewel caskets of their hearts whatever they learn from their preceptor.

According to Tantra there are also three types of preceptor: the inferior, the mediocre, and the superior. Inferior preceptors are those who deliver high-sounding speeches but do not bother about whether the disciples follow their teachings or not. Mediocre preceptors impart knowledge to their disciples, no doubt, and also check on whether the disciples are following their teachings, but they are not too demanding. Superior preceptors, however, take meticulous care to ensure that their disciples follow their teachings. If they discover that their disciples are negligent in any way, they compel them to practise more painstakingly by applying circumstantial pressure.

In the Vedic system there is no such strong preceptor-disciple relationship, for Vedic knowledge is completely theoretical. In Tantra emphasis is placed not only on the selection of competent masters and worthy disciples, but also on the need for disciples to make a total surrender to the preceptor in the early stages of the Tantric path.

The qualities of the best preceptors have been outlined in the Tantrasára:

Shánto dánto kuliinascha viniita shuddhaveshaván
Shuddhácárii supratiśthita shucirdakśah subuddhimán
Áshramii dhyánaniśt́ashca tantramantra visháradah
Nigrahánugrahe shakto gururityabhidhiiyate.

[Composed, self-controlled, adept in raising the kuńd́alinii, modest, soberly dressed, exemplary in conduct, having an honest means of livelihood, pure in thought, well-versed in the spiritual cult, highly intelligent, a householder, established in meditation, well-versed in Tantra and mantra, able both to punish and to reward the disciple – only such a person deserves to be called a guru.]

All sorts of actions, be they nivrttimúlaka [spiritual actions] or pravrttimúlaka [wordly actions] are performed by the human mind. Shravańa [hearing], manana [contemplating], and nididhyásana [focusing the mind on one object] are among the actions performed by the mind.⁽³⁾ One who has controlled all actions, and perfected the last three, is called shánta, or one who has acquired full composure of mind.

The indriyas⁽⁴⁾ are multilateral in their activities. They too play a very significant role in the processes of shravańa, manana and nidhidhyásana. One who has controlled all the indriyas, and perfected the actions of the indriyas in shravańa, manana and nididhyásana, is called dánta, or one who has acquired full control over the indriyas.

A kaola sádhaka (one who practises the science of raising the kulakuńd́alinii, that is, one who is adept in purashcarańa [the process of moving upwards the kuńd́alinii shakti]), is called kuliina. Only such a person can be a kula guru [preceptor of kaola sádhaná].

A preceptor must furthermore be viniita [modest], shuddhaveshavána [soberly dressed], shuddhácárii (exemplary in conduct), supratisthita (having honest means of livelihood), and shuci (pure in thought). In the spiritual sphere this person must be dakśa (well-versed in the practical and theoretical aspects of the spiritual cult). One who has only acquired theoretical knowledge is called vidvána [scholarly]. A preceptor must [be more than] vidvána, a preceptor must be dakśa.

And preceptors must be more than intelligent, they must be subuddhimána [super-intelligent]. They must also be áshramii [married], for according to Tantric injunction only a married person can be the guru of married people. It is not enough that preceptors impart lessons on dhyána to their disciples, they must be dhyániśt́ha (fully established in dhyána). They should also be vishárada [well-versed, i.e., both dakśa and vidvána] in Tantra and mantra.

Mantra is defined Mananát tárayet yastu sa mantrah parikiirtitah – “That which, when contemplated, leads to freedom from [all sorts of] bondages is called a mantra.” The preceptor must know which mantras are appropriate for which people, and which mantras are siddha mantras.⁽⁵⁾

The preceptor must also be nigraha (capable of inflicting punishment) and anugraha (capable of bestowing grace). One who punishes only or who bestows grace only is not an ideal preceptor.

Like the preceptor, a disciple should possess certain qualities, which are as follows:

Shánto viniito shuddhátmá
Shraddhávána dhárańákśamah;
Samarthashca kuliinashca
Prájiṋah saccarito yatih;
Evamádi guńaeryuktah
Shishyo bhavati nányathá.

–Tantrasára

“A disciple must always be samartha (ready to carry out the instructions and commands of the master). He or she must be prájiṋa and yati – that is, must have the requisite knowledge and experience, and must have full control over the mind. One who is of noble soul, of noble conduct and of tranquil mind, who is modest and reverent, and possesses a sharp memory and perseverance, who has all-round competence and is zealous in the practice of raising the kulakuńd́alinii, and who is well-informed and self-restrained, is an ideal disciple.” One who does not possess these qualities should not be accepted as a disciple.

Whenever a worthy disciple is taught by a competent preceptor, spiritual progress is a certainty.

Stages

The practice of Tantra can be divided into several stages. Everyone has his or her own individual saḿskáras, and there is no denying that at the initial stage human beings are normally animals (and have hence been called “rational animals”). A human being who lacks viveka [discrimination] is actually worse than an animal. Animals are undeveloped creatures, and thus certain behaviour on their part may be condoned. But humans are developed, so improper conduct by them cannot be condoned. The initial stage of sádhaná is meant for people of animal nature and is thus called pashvácára or pashubháva [pashu = “animal”].

When sádhakas advance in the process of sádhaná, guided by the instructions of the preceptor, they develop an ideation proper for human beings. At this stage they are called viira [heroic]. Just as animals are controlled through external pressure, in the stage of pashvácára sádhaná disciples must be controlled by the external application of pressure of circumstances. This will help establish them in viirabháva. But those who are more elevated than animals do not depend on external pressure for spiritual progress. Their progress is determined by both external pressure and internal urge.

Sarve ca pashavah santi talavad bhútale naráh;
Teśáḿ jiṋána prakásháya viirabhávah prakáshitah;
Viirabhávaḿ sadá prápya krameńa devatá bhavet.

–Rudrayámala Tantra

“Under ordinary circumstances all are animal-like in the initial stage. When spiritual thirst awakens in animal-like people they become viira, and when they are fully established in viirabháva they become devatás [gods].” The science of Tantra is based on this truth. Hence there is no contradiction between Tantra and science. People are found at all different stages, according to their ideation – animal-like, heroic, or god-like – as they ascend on the scale of evolution. A competent preceptor imparts lessons to his disciples after considering the degree of their spiritual and psychic elevation.

Vaedikaḿ Vaeśńavaḿ Shaevaḿ Dákśińaḿ páshavaḿ smrtam;
Siddhánte Váme ca viire divyaḿtu Kaolamucyate.

–Vishvasára Tantra

“Vaedikácára, Vaeśńavácára, Shaevácára and Dakśińácára are the different stages of pashubháva. Vámácára and Siddhántácára are the stages of viirabháva, and Kulácára belongs to [divya]bháva.”

The first stage of pashvácára sádhaná is Vaedikácára. It has no deep principles, but is merely a set of ritualistic and showy observances and practices. So in the eye of a Tantric practitioner, Vaedikácára is the lowest grade of sádhaná.

It is also the lowest because it does not inspire the practitioner to transcend discrimination and differentiation. In the subtler stages of Tantra the artificial distinctions of caste, colour, and social status are not recognized. In this stage all aspirants merely identify themselves as Bhaerava or Bhaeravii. In the Ajiṋánabodhinii Tantra it has been said,

Varńáshramábhimánena shrutidásye bhavennarah;
Varńáshramabihiinashca vartate shrutimúrdhani.⁽⁶⁾

Elsewhere in Tantra it has been said,

Ye kurbanti naráh múrdá divyacakre pramádatah;
Kulabhedaḿ varńabhedaḿ te gacchantyadhamám gatim.

[Even those who practise Tantra sádhaná and meditate in the Bhaeravii cakra will, if they retain belief in caste differences, degrade themselves to a crude state.]

“Those who accept differences of lineage and caste degrade themselves, and are ultimately converted into foxes, dogs, pigs, worms, or even trees and stones.” No one can prevent their degradation. The practice of Tantra is the practice of self-expansion, not self-contraction. Those who are blindly guided by the teachings of the Vedas and believe in the artificial distinctions of caste and class, etc., or beat drums proclaiming the Aryan supremacy, follow the path of self-contraction. Their sádhaná is the sádhaná of ignorance and annihilation.

The Crude and the Subtle Paiṋcamakára

Many people criticize Tantra for its Paiṋcamakára.⁽⁷⁾ In their case it can aptly be said that “a little learning is a dangerous thing.” They neither know, nor understand, nor try to understand, the underlying significance of the Five M’s.

Tantra can be roughly divided into two branches, one crude and the other subtle.⁽⁸⁾ The subtle aspect of Tantra is also called the yoga márga [path of yoga]. Sadáshiva was the propounder of both branches of Tantra, hence there cannot be any contradiction between them. Under ordinary circumstances the human mind is dominated by animal propensities. Of course, these baser propensities are not equally strong for all people. Those who have intense animal desires rush toward objects of physical enjoyment. Such people cannot just suddenly give up their objects of enjoyment in favour of spiritual sádhaná. Those whose desire for physical enjoyment is less intense can easily abstain from physical objects, but what are the first-mentioned people to do?

If such people try forcibly to turn their minds away from their objects of enjoyment, they will face disastrous consequences. Psychologists are well aware of the dangers of attempting to suppress or repress one’s desires. One may be able to maintain saintliness for a certain time, but the raging storm cannot be contained forever. It is not unusual for those who remain virtuous early in life to fall prey to immoral desires later in life. The dark shadow of immorality fell across the lives of many sannyásiis and sannyásiniis or bhikśus and bhikśuniis [monks and nuns] in the past for this very reason, that they had tried to suppress their desires by force. Some people pretend to be virtuous but indulge in immoral deeds secretly; if their numbers increase in society it is an unhealthy sign. The practice of the Five M’s was formulated for those people who harboured secret desires for crude physical enjoyment. But for those guided by subtle propensities, the subtle Paiṋcamakára, or yoga márga, was prescribed.

The main idea behind the practice of the crude Paiṋcamakára is to carry out sádhaná while in the midst of crude enjoyments. While carrying out this practice, they will limit the degree of their indulgence. By limiting the use of objects of enjoyment they will gradually increase their psychic power, and will ultimately rise above the allurement of enjoyment. For example, a wine addict will drink a controlled measure of wine as a part of sádhaná. A fish-eater will follow certain restrictions: he or she will limit the quantity of fish eaten, and will not eat female fish in their spawning period.

In this way people can gradually establish the superiority of their minds over objects of enjoyment. The practice of this pravrttimúlaka [extroversial] Paiṋcamakára will gradually take them to the nivrtti path.

Madya sádhaná: But many people are under the impression that the Five M’s means only the crude Five M’s. This is incorrect. Let us take the first element of the Five M’s. The deeper spirit of madya sádhaná is,

Somadhárá kśared yá tu Brahmarandhrát varánane;
Piitvánandamayastvaḿ sa eva madyasádhakah.

“One who experiences the intoxicating joy from drinking the sudhá, or somadhárá,⁽⁹⁾ secreted from the Brahmarandhra [pineal gland] is called a madya sádhaka.” In this connection one should remember that every gland secretes sudhá, secretes some hormone.

The hormone secretion of the Brahmarandhra, the supreme gland of the human body, is partly controlled by the moon, and the moon is also called soma; hence that nectar is called somarasa or somadhárá. This somadhárá invigorates the lower glands of the human body and intoxicates a spiritual aspirant with joy. Ordinary people cannot experience this divine joy, because crude thoughts result in somarasa being burnt up in the mental sphere (in the pituitary gland and vicinity). But a sádhaka feels a great intoxication at the time this amrta is being secreted.

When those who are not sádhakas observe this condition, they mistake it for something else. Ramprasad, the great mystic, said,

Surápán karine ámi sudhá khái jaya Kálii bale;
Man-mátále mátál kare mad-mátále mátál bale.

[I don’t drink wine, I take sudhárasa, saying, “Victory to Kálii.” My mind, intoxicated with bliss-causing hormones, makes me drunk. But those who are intoxicated with drink, call me a drunkard.]

There is yet another subtle interpretation of the term madya, according to Tantric yogis:

Yaduktaḿ Parama Brahma nirvikáraḿ niraiṋjanam;
Tasmin pramadanajiṋánam tanmadyaḿ parikiirttitaḿ.

“Intense love for Nirvikára Niraiṋjana Parama Brahma leads to the annihilation of thought, intellect and ego, and appears as an intoxication which may be termed a madya sádhaná.”

Máḿsa sádhaná: Similarly, to a Tantric, máḿsa does not mean meat.

Má shabdádrasaná jineyá tadaḿsán rasaná priye;
Yastad bhakśayennityam sa eva máḿsa sádhakah.

[Má means “tongue”, and it is through the tongue that words are uttered. One who “eats”, or controls, those words is a máḿsa sádhaka.]

Má means “tongue”; máḿsa means “speech”; máḿsabhakśańa means “control over speech”.

There is yet another interpretation of the word máḿsa.

Evaḿ máḿsanotihi yatkarma tanmáḿsa parikiirttitaḿ;
Na ca káyaprati vántu yogibhimasimucyate.

That is to say, “One who surrenders all one’s actions, good, bad, righteous, sinful, wicked – even the attainment of prolonged penance – to Me, is called máḿsa.”

Meat is in no way considered by yogis to be a useful item of food.

Matsya sádhaná:

Gauṋgá Yamunayormadhye matsyao dvao caratah sadá;
Tao matsyao bhakśayet yastu sah bhavenmatsyasádhakah.

The matsya sádhaná of a Tantric yogi can be interpreted in this way: “One who eats the two fish that swim, one through the Ganges (representing the id́á nád́ii) and the other through the Yamuna (the piuṋgalá nád́ii) – that is, one who takes the breath flows of the left nostril and the right nostril to the trikut́i [concentration point of the ájiṋá cakra] and suspends them there by purńa kumbhaka [holding the inhalation] or shunya kumbhaka [holding the exhalation] – is a matsya sádhaka.”

In connection with matsya, Lord Shiva further said,

Matsamánaḿ sarvabhúte sukhaduhkhamidaḿ devi;
Iti yatsátvikaḿ jiṋánaḿ tanmatsyah parikiirttitah.

“When a person feels all the pains and pleasures of others as one’s own pains and pleasures, this sentient feeling is called matsya sádhaná.”

Mudrá sádhaná: Crude mudrá sádhaná involves the use of a certain type of food. Subtle mudrá sádhaná has nothing to do with food.

Satsaungena bhavenmuktirasatsaungeśu bandhanam;
Asatsauṋgamudrańaḿ sá mudrá parikiirttitá.

“Bad company leads to bondage; good company leads to liberation. Having understood this supreme truth, one should avoid bad company. This shunning of bad company is called mudrá sádhaná.”

Maethuna sádhaná: Many people comment adversely on the fifth M. Through this process of sádhaná [i.e., through crude maethuna sádhaná], people of cruder propensities can gradually develop self-restraint. This is the teaching of Tantra, and nobody should object to it.

And regarding subtle maethuna sádhaná, it has been said,

Kulakuńd́alinii shaktirdehináḿ dehadhárińii;
Tayá Shivashya saḿyogah maethunaḿ parikiirttitaḿ.

The lowest vertebra of the spinal cord is called kula. In this part of the múládhára cakra [basic plexus] is located the kulakuńd́alinii, or daevii shakti [divine energy]. The purpose of maethuna sádhaná is to raise the kulakuńd́alinii and unite it with Paramashiva [the Nucleus Consciousness] at the sahasrára cakra [corresponding to the pineal gland].

The Lessons of Tantra

The lessons of Tantra are physico-psycho-spiritual – from the physical to the psychic, and from the psychic to the spiritual. Tantra says that one can attain spiritual elevation through physical and psychic purification. This is a very logical proposition. Hence absolute purity in food and conduct is essential for a Tantric sádhaka. Without attaining all-round purification it is impossible for a sádhaka to experience real spiritual ideation. On the path of spirituality, bháva [ideation] is the main factor.

Regarding the interpretation of the word bháva, the devotional scriptures observe,

Shuddhasattva visheśádvá premasúryáḿshusámyabhák;
Rucibhishcittamásrńya krdasao bháva ucyate.

[Bháva (often translated “psycho-spiritual idea” or “psycho-spiritual parallelism”) means that type of special ideation which makes the entitative rhythm very pure and holy, which arouses the latent love for Parama Puruśa, and which makes the mind smooth-surfaced and soft owing to the spiritual effulgence.]

But Tantra explains bháva as follows: Bhávo hi mánaso dharma manasaeva sadábhyáset – “Bháva is a mental tendency. The flow of bháva can be brought about through repetition.” This repetition of ideation is called japakriyá – outer-suggestion or auto-suggestion. If human beings repeatedly ideate on Paramátmá, their psychic waves gradually straighten, because they come in contact with the perfectly straight spiritual waves of that Entity. Japakriyá is the practical way to realize Iishvara. In the Vedas, Ahaḿ Brahma, Tattvamasi and many other mantras have been mentioned. But what does a person gain by knowing the theory behind these words without experiencing any practical realization from them? The Vedas do not state clearly how to ideate, nor how to realize the inner import of mantra, nor even how to use mantras in practical life.

Anubhútiḿ biná múd́ha vrthá Brahmańi modate;
Pratibimbitashákhágraphalásvádanamodavat.

–Maetreyii Shruti

[Without God-realization, a person will try in vain to get spiritual bliss. Seeing the reflection in water of a sweet fruit hanging from the branch of a tree does not give one the taste of the fruit.]

“The sight of the reflection in water of a sweet fruit hanging from the branch of a tree does not give one the taste of the fruit.” Similarly, what is the value of book knowledge of Brahma if a person has no actual spiritual realization? In this regard Tantra says,

Ahaḿ Brahmásmi, vijiṋánáda jiṋánávilayo bhavet;
So’mityeva saḿcintya viharet sarvadá devi.

–Gandharva Tantra

“The realization Ahaḿ Brahmásmi [”I am Brahma“] is the only way to dispel the darkness of ignorance. But if this knowledge of Brahmásmi remains confined to mere words, it will not serve any practical purpose.” To gain knowledge of Brahma, one’s ideation – ideation on the So’ham mantra – will have to be continuous. Continuous ideation is not possible through mere parrot-like repetition of a mantra. This subtle science of psycho-spiritual practice is the discovery of Tantra.

Japakriyá and dhyánakriyá [auto- or outer-suggestion, and meditation with unbroken concentration] are the subtle techniques prescribed by Mahákaolas.⁽¹⁰⁾ Tantrics also say that mere repetition of mantra will not serve any purpose unless there is a rhythmic parallelism between the incantative flow (the flow of the mantra) and the mental flow (the flow of the unit mind). To perform japakriyá while harbouring harmful thoughts is futile. One can only attain success in japakriyá if all the psychic propensities are diverted towards the deeper spirit of the mantra. (This will simultaneously bring about stillness of the váyus [energy flows in the body]).

Mano’nyatra shivo’nyatra shaktiranyatra márutah;
Na sidhyati varánane kalpakotishataerapi.

–Kulárńava Tantra

“The mind runs in one direction towards its object of fascination; its object of ideation lies in another direction; the vital energy moves in yet another direction; and the váyus run in all directions uncontrollably. In the midst of such chaos ideation on Parama Puruśa is impossible, even in billions of kalpas [ages].”

Indriyáńám manonáthah manonatho’stu márutah. “The controller of the indriyas is the mind, and the controllers of the mind are the váyus.” In spiritual practice the indriyas, the mind and the váyus cannot be ignored. They must be consolidated and directed towards Parama Puruśa.

In Tantra the system of diikśá [initiation] is highly scientific. Initiation has two important aspects: diipanii and mantra caetanya. Diipanii⁽¹¹⁾ means “torchlight”; mantra caetanya means “conceptual understanding of and psychic association with a mantra”. Regarding the interpretation of diikśá, the Vishvasára Tantra says,

Diipa jiṋánaḿ yato dadyát kuryát pápakśayam tatah;
Tasmátdiikśeti sá proktá sarvatantrasya sammatá.

“The process which produces the capacity to realize the inner import of mantra and which expedites the requital of the saḿskáras, or reactive momenta, is called diikśá.”

You may have noticed that some people become extremely sad or extremely happy after being initiated. This is a good sign because it shows that the saḿskáras are being exhausted very quickly. But this sort of reaction does not occur merely by hearing the mantra or repeating it parrot-like. One must be initiated according to the prescribed system. Only then will the mantra be effective. This will be clear to those practising Ananda Marga meditation.

Andhakáragrhe yadvanna kincat pratibhásate;
Diipaniirahito’mantrastathaeva parikiirttitá.

–Sárasvata Tantra

You must know that both diipanii and mantra caetanya must precede the repetition of a mantra. “One cannot see even the most valuable objects in a dark room. Similarly, a valuable mantra cannot be used properly without the help of diipanii.”

Mantra caetanya: Unless the kulakuńd́alinii is raised upwards in the process of spiritual practice, repetition of mantra becomes meaningless. The system of raising the kulakuńd́alinii upwards is called purashcarańa kriyá. Mantra caetanya literally means to imbibe the proper spirit of a mantra. If a mantra is repeated with the understanding of the inner spirit, mantra caetanya will be an easier task. To repeat the mantra without understanding its spirit is a waste of time. In this connection Sadáshiva said in the Rudrayámala Tantra,

Caetanya rahitáh mantráh proktavarńástu kevaláh;
Phalaḿ naeva prayacchanti lakśa kot́i prajapati.

[Mantras without their corresponding ideation are merely a couple of letters mechanically uttered. They will not bear any fruit even if repeated a billion times.]

Dhyána: Diipanii and mantra caetanya are not necessary in the process of dhyána,⁽¹²⁾ but they are necessary in japakriyá [auto- or outer-suggestion through repetition of mantra]. Those who are unsuccessful in japakriyá find it very difficult to master the practice of dhyána.⁽¹³⁾ In the process of dhyána, mantra, diipanii, and mantra caetanya – all three – are associated with the dhyeya Puruśa [Puruśa as the object of ideation]. So from a subtle perspective, japa is a composite of a number of processes, but dhyána kriyá is complete in itself, and this is the reason that beginners find it difficult to become established in dhyána.⁽¹⁴⁾ For those who can establish themselves in dhyána, however, samádhi is a certainty.

Vinányásaeh viná pújáḿ viná japaeh puraskriyaḿ;
Dhyánayogád bhavetsiddhirnányathá khalu Párvatii.

–Shrii Krama Tantra

[Said Shiva to Párvatii, “Through dhyána one can attain the highest spiritual success, even without nyása, pújá, japa and purashcarańa (other practices). You can take this for a fact.”]

Only after one is established in dhyána can one attain nirvikalpa samádhi. If one is established in samádhi, liberation or salvation will come as a matter of course.

Tantra, being a practical process, does not recognize any external practices or showy displays, and in particular does not recognize idol worship as the best process of sádhaná. Even the Vedas, although they contain references to idols, do not approve of idol worship; and Tantra is much more liberal, much more psychological, than the Vedas. According to Tantra idol worship is also a process of sádhaná, but the crudest process.

Uttamo Brahmasadbhávo madhyamá dhyánadhárańá;
Japastuti syádadhamá múrtipújá dhamádhamá.

[Ideation on Brahma is the best, dhyána and dhárańá are second best, repetitious incantation and eulogistic prayer are the worst, and idol worship is the worst of the worst.]

Tantra declares that Citistad shabda lakśárthácidekarasarúpinii [“The Supreme Entity is fundamentally citi (consciousness). It is an unbroken flow of cognition.”] The Supreme Entity is a continuous flow of cognition, only attainable through the process of incantation. So how could Tantra consider the worship of idols or matter an ideal type of sádhaná?

In Tantra there are three types of sádhaná: pravrtti sádhaná, nivrtti sádhaná, and a combination of the two. The crude and horrifying practices of pisháca sádhaná [pisháca = “ghoul”] are part of pravrtti sádhaná. The goal of pisháca sádhaná is to establish supremacy over material forces. Even though one acquires certain powers, and thereby the possibility of some purely temporary happiness, after practising this sádhaná for some time, one’s degeneration is inevitable, for it is based on an external outlook. Pisháca sádhakas will suffer the inevitable fate of being reborn as animals or being converted into wood, earth or stone.

Tantra’s nivrtti márga is the highest type of practice. Through this process a spiritual aspirant attains elevation step by step. Nirváńa or mahánirváńa, mukti or mokśa,⁽¹⁵⁾ can be attained through this process. The path which mixes pravrtti and nivrtti is called the path of upavidyá. Nivrtti márga, or Vidyá Tantra, brings about the highest excellence in the spiritual sphere, but the mixed path of pravrtti and nivrtti brings neither degeneration nor progress. Hence it can be said that practitioners of upavidyá simply waste their valuable time.

Tantra’s freedom from superstition, and its psychological approach, are clearly illustrated in the last few lines of the Mahánirváńa Tantra:

Bálariid́ańavat sarvarúpanámádikalpanam;
Kevalaḿ Brahmaniśt́ha yah sa mukto nátra saḿshayah.
Mrcchiládhátudárvádimúrttáviishvaro buddhayo;
Klishyantastapasáh jiṋánaḿ viná mokśam ná yánti te.
Manasá kalpitá múrtih nrńáḿ cenmokśasádhanii;
Svapnalabdhena rájyena rájáno mánavástadá.
Ná muktirtapanáddhomádupavásashataerapi;
Brahmaeváhamiti jiṋátvá mukto bhavati dehabhrt.
Váyu parńa kanátoyaḿ vratino mokśabháginah;
Apicet pannagáh muktáh pashupakśii jalecaráh.⁽¹⁶⁾

To realize the greatness of Tantra, one will have to carry on spiritual practice. A non-practitioner can never penetrate into the mysteries of Tantra.

Some people are under the wrong impression that as the practice of Tantra is based on an ardent love for ideology there is no room for devotion; or if there is an element of devotion, it is a very minor one. But this is not correct. On the contrary, Tantra’s love of ideology is dependent on parábhakti [absolute devotion]. Hence it has been said:

Api cet sudurácáro bhajate mámananyabhák;
So’pi pápavinirmuktah mucyate bhavabandhanát.

[If even the most wicked persons worship Me with a concentrated mind, I will liberate them from the three bondages (physical, psychic and spiritual).]

And finally, regarding Parama Brahma, Tantra has said,

Oṋḿ namaste sate sarvalokáshrayáya;
Namaste Cite vishvarúpátmakáya.
Namo’dvaetatattváya muktipradáya;
Namo Brahmańe vyápine nirguńáya.
Tadekaḿ sharańyaḿ tadekaḿ vareńyaḿ;
Tadekaḿ jagatkárańaḿ vishvarúpam.
Tadekaḿ jagatkarttr-pátr praharttrḿ;
Tadekaḿ paraḿ nishcalaḿ nirvikalpam.
Bhayánáḿ bhayaḿ bhiiśańaḿ bhiiśańánáḿ;
Gatih práńináḿ pávanaḿ pávanánám.
Mahaccaeh padánáḿ niyantr tadekaḿ;
Paresháḿ paraḿ rakśakaḿ rakśakáńám.
Paresha prabho sarvarúpavináshinnanirdeshya;
Sarvendriyágamyasatya.
Acintyákśara vyápakávyaktatattva;
Jagadbhásakádhiisha páyádapáyát.
Tadekaḿ smarámastadekaḿ japámas;
Tadekaḿ jagat sákśiirúpaḿ namámah.
Tadekaḿ nidhánaḿ nirálambamiishaḿ;
Bhavámbodhipotaḿ sharańaḿ vrajámah.

–Mahánirváńa Tantra

[My salutations to the Self-Existent Entity, the supreme shelter of all the created worlds. My salutations to the Supreme Cognition, the Supreme One, the Absolute One in the form of this expressed universe. My salutations to the supreme non-dualistic Entity, the distributor of salvation. My salutations to Brahma, the All-Pervasive and Non-Attributional Entity. My salutations to that Supreme Entity who is the ultimate refuge of all, the supreme adorable one, the primordial cause of the universe, the One who has deliberately assumed the form of the universe. My salutations to That which has been creating, protecting and dissolving this universe. My salutations to that Supreme Unmovable Entity, the One without an alternative. My salutations to that which is the fear of all fears, who is the dread of all dreadful entities, the Supreme Terminus of all living beings, the purity of all purities, the Supreme Controller, controlling even the highest dignitaries of the universe. That Supreme Entity is the Subject of all subjects, the Supreme Lord of everything. All the objects, or forms, ultimately merge in Him. He cannot be shown to anybody. He is the Supreme Truth, inaccessible to the senses. He is beyond the capacity of thought. He is intransmutable. He is the most pervasive Entity, yet at the same time, He is unmanifest. It is He who has given expression to the expressed universe; yet at the same time He is above the fundamental factors of which the universe is made. Him only we remember, on Him only we contemplate; my salutations to that Supreme Entity, the witnessing force of this expressed universe. We seek shelter in that supreme ship of the universe, who is the most dependable shelter, but who has no shelter of His own.]

Footnotes

(1) Ágama is a composite of the first letters of three words: the of gatam (“coming from”), the ga of gataiṋca (“going to”), and the ma of mataiṋca (“approved by”). –Eds.

(2) The authority of Lord Shiva should be considered sufficient to validate any teaching. (And the fact that Krśńa came 3500 years later than Shiva also makes the shloka unconvincing.) The protagonists of the Vedas wanted authority to rest in Lord Krśńa, whom they claimed not to be a Tantric. –Eds.

(3) For more on shravańa, manana and nididhyásana, see “Mantra Caetanya” in Volume One. –Eds.

(4) An indriya is a sensory or motor organ, together with its respective nerves, nerve fluid, and site in the brain. –Eds.

(5) “Perfected” mantras. See also “Mantra Caetanya” in Volume One. –Eds.

(6) “One who accepts the divisions of society according to varńa and áshrama is a veritable slave of the Vedas. But one who is above varńa and áshrama is the lord of the Vedas.” There are four varńas [castes] – Vipra, Kśatriya, Vaeshya and Shdra – and four áshramas – Brahmacarya, or student life; gárhasthya, family life; váńaprasthya, retirement in solitude; and sannyása or yati, the life of renunciation. –Eds.

(7) Literally, “five ma sounds” – madya (wine), máḿsá (meat), matsya (fish), mudrá (parched grains), and maethuna (sexual intercourse). –Eds.

(8) There is a middle path between the crude and subtle paths, called madhyama márga in Sanskrit, and majhjhima mágga in Pali.

(9) Literally, “nectar”; actually a hormone. –Eds.

(10) A Mahákaola is a Tantric guru who can raise not only His own kuńalinii, but those of others also. –Eds.

(11) In Ananda Marga meditation there is a process for performing diipanii. –Eds.

(12) They are not necessary as auxiliary practices, because, as will be explained, they are included within dhyána. –Eds.

(13) Japakriyá is a composite of processes, and those processes can be carried out one by one; therefore it is not so difficult as dhyána. –Eds.

(14) Japakriyá is a composite of processes, and those processes can be carried out one by one; therefore it is not so difficult as dhyána. –Eds.

(15) “Liberation or emancipation (non-qualified liberation)” – in the terminology first of Buddhist Tantra, then of Hindu Tantra. –Eds.

(16) Translation of first four couplets: “Meditation on the names and forms (of idols) is a kind of child’s play. Only one whose mind is reverently concentrated on Brahma will win liberation; there is no doubt about this. Those who think that Parama Puruśa is confined within idols made of clay, stone, metal, or wood, are simply torturing their bodies with penances – they will surely not attain salvation without self-knowledge. If an idol produced out of the human imagination can bring about salvation, then can a person, by creating a kingdom in his dreams, become a king in the real sense? Liberation is not attainable by penance, sacrificial rituals, or hundreds of fasts. Living beings attain liberation when they realize, ‘I am Brahma.’” –Eds.

Chapter 4	Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 8 [unpublished in English]

In subtle philosophical analysis it can be said that all perception and assimilation is done with the help of shakti (force). Hence the Witnessing Entity of this entire creation is nothing but Citi Shakti (Cognitive Force or Cognitive Faculty). Puruśa is called Citi Shakti for two reasons: He is pure Consciousness and He is omni-telepathic. Citi Shakti has five qualities: shuddhá (absolutely pure), anantá (infinite), aparińámii (unchangeable), apratisaḿkramá (non-extroversive), and darshita viśayá (witness of the reflected object).

The first quality of Citi Shakti is absolute purity. An object is pure when it is not tainted by any impure object. If pure gold is mixed with another metal it loses its purity and becomes gold alloy. The impurities can be removed from the gold alloy through a chemical process. The Cognitive Faculty is always free from impurities. However, when It comes under the influence of the three principles of Prakrti It can no longer be called Citi Shakti because It becomes metamorphosis into one of the forces instrumental in causing this creation. Actually, every entity of this relative world is nothing but the Cognitive Faculty which has apparently been tainted by the three forces of Prakrti. The Cognitive Faculty is at Its purest when it is not under the influence of any of the three principles. Hence it can be said that the Cognitive Faculty by Itself is ever-pure.

To transform this universe, which is only a metamorphosed form of Citi Shakti, into pure Cognition, a special scientific process is required. This scientific process is called dharma sádhaná. The process of dharma sádhaná leads to the transformation of plurality into singularity. It takes one to the exalted position of the Cognitive Faculty, far above the domain of the relative principles.

The second quality of Citi Shakti is Its infinitude (ananta). Here ananta does not mean an object which has no finitude or end ; it means an entity which has no witness. The Supreme Entity can never come within the periphery of the mind for He has no witness. An entity which has no end, however, can come within the periphery of mind. The word ananta is only a mundane term, unable to convey any real conceptual understanding of Citi Shakti. If ever the mind does attempt to fathom the magnitude of Citi Shakti it totally loses itself. The mind can only think of that which is finite or that which is not finite.

The Cognitive Faculty cannot be called infinite in the normal sense of the term because It can never come within the scope of the mind. But we can call the expressed Macrocosm (universe) infinite because, though very vast, it comes within the scope of psychic subjectivisation.

Ananta is infinite in the sense of being opposite to anta (finite). The infinitude of Citi Shakti is not the same as the infinitude generally understood by the term ananta. The infinitude of Citi Shakti is beyond the scope of psychic comprehension. Citi Shakti is not witnessed by any finite object, but is the witness of all. None of those objects which Citi Shakti witnesses can be called the final object. The creative flow does not have any terminating point. Hence Citi Shakti’s witness-ship is endless.

Objects are composed of inferences (tanmátras) and bound by demarcations, and thus have particular names and forms. But the Cognitive Force is neither composed of inferences nor bound by demarcations and is thus Nirvisheśa (having neither name nor form). An object is recognized and distinguished from other objects by the inferences radiated from it. No two objects radiate the same inferences. Hence the speciality of an object is easily perceived by human beings. Mundane objects are called tanmátrádhára because they invariably radiate tanmátras. From the form tanmátras we can determine the identity of objects, but we cannot determine their smallness or vastness. The factor which permits us to determine the size of objects is called vyavadhi. In Saḿskrta, vyavadhi means form or dimension. Inferences are perceived through the indriyas, whereas the idea about the existential smallness or existential vastness of an object is formed by práńah (vital energy). Citi Shakti is devoid of tanmátrádhára and vyavadhi and is thus called Nirvisheśa. That which is nirvisheśa is infinite. Thus the Cognitive Faculty is not only absolutely pure, but also absolutely infinite.

The third quality of Citi Shakti is aparińámitva or immutability. Aparińámii means that which undergoes no metamorphosis. Nothing is static in this universe; every created object constantly undergoes some kind of change. These changes are caused by the vibrations emanating from guńákśobha ( mutual conversion of principles), svarúpa parińáma (homomorphic evolution), and sadrsha parińáma (heteromorphic evolution). The change of place of an object is called gait or motivity; and the mental measurement of this motivity is called kála or time. Motivity is the cause of spatial and temporal change within the periphery of object entities. This change becomes the cause of subsequent change. The sequential order of cause and effect which operates within the cycle of creation does not occur within the original stance of the Cognitive Faculty. It only occurs when the Cognitive Faculty comes under the influence of Prakrti. Due to Prakrti’s influence various mutable entities originate from the body of the Cognitive Faculty.

The human body undergoes a continuous metamorphosis from infancy to adolescence, from adolescence to middle age, and from middle age to old age. At a certain stage in this process of metamorphosis death occurs. But even death is not final. After death the five fundamental factors of which the physical body is composed, undergo further metamorphosis. The only entity that undergoes no metamorphosis is the Cognitive Faculty. He is the Immutable One.

When an object returns to its original cause in the process of metamorphosis, it is called násha (annihilation). Násha is not total destruction; rather it is the opposite – it is the stage in which an entity returns to its original source of life. In the flow of Pratisáiṋcara entities attain human frames and then, by virtue of sádhaná, return to the Supreme Macrocosmic Stance. When a microcosm is not required to return within the scope of the law of causation after becoming established in its original stance, it is called pranásha. This pranásha, or total merger in the Supreme Cause, is called mokśa or salvation.

There are no spatial, temporal or personal differentiations within the Cognitive Faculty. Hence He cannot be metamorphosed in any way due to time, space or individuality. He is the immutable one, the impersonal one.

The fourth quality of the Cognitive Faculty is apratisḿkrama. The word saḿkrama literally means extroversive movement. As there is no spatial difference in the Cognitive Faculty there is no differentiation between internal and external. Thus there is no question of Him moving extroversially or being polluted by any external infection. He is Apratisaḿkramá, the One who moves internally.

The fifth quality of the Cognitive Faculty is darshitaviśayitva. The Cognitive Faculty does not depend upon sense perception for the acquisition of knowledge. He possesses absolute knowledge about all entities. Being infinite, He does not require indriyas; and being omniscient He does not need to perceive inferences. The inner essence of each object is embedded in the Cognitive Faculty, no matter what inferences it radiates. With the help of mahattattva (or buddhitattva), ahaḿtattva and citta, the Cognitive Faculty automatically possesses knowledge about all objects and events as the subjective counterpart of Mind. This buddhitattva, sometimes in the form of ahaḿtattva, citta or the five fundamental factors, remains an object of knowledge of the Cognitive Faculty. The unit cognitive plate sees whatever the mind of Saguńa Brahma reflects on it. Hence the Cognitive Faculty is called Darshitaviśaya (witness of reflected object).

The Cognitive Faculty can in no way be compared to an object as it is understood in the ordinary sense. Ego arises in the human mind when buddhitattva is misconceived as Cognitive Faculty. Actually, the Cognitive Faculty is not an object of buddhitattva; rather buddhitattva is a form of the Cognitive Faculty, qualified due to the influence of Prakrti. Through psycho-spiritual practice human beings realize that the Supreme Cognitive Faculty, the unit cognitive faculty, and the unit existential-I are not the same. (Unit cognitive force or unit consciousness or átman is the reflecting plate of the existential-I). When people develop this awarneness through psycho-spiritual practice it is called mukhyá akliśt́ávrtti (mukhyá means predominant or primary; akliśt́ávrtti means the propensity that is non-painful). When people realize this by studying scriptures, or by hearing about if from intuitionally developed people, it is called gaońá akliśtávrtti (gaońá means secondary).

The knowledge of the differentiation between átman (unit Cognitive Faculty) and buddhitattva (existential-I which results from mukhyá akliśt́ávrtti is called vivekakhyáti (viveka means discrimination; khyáti means ensconsement) or viśayaka samápatti (viśayaka means microcosmic object; samápatti means ultimate dissolution). When viveka khyáti or viśayaka saḿapatti become permanent it is called dharmamegha samádhi. To attain permanent viveka khyáti, vaerágya (spirit of total surrender) and abhyása (continuous practice) are indispensable. The meaning of vaerágya is not to colour the mind with the colour of finite objects but to develop an intense longing for the supreme spirituality. The meaning of abhyása is to regularly continue the same spirituo-psychic practice. The minds of non-sádhakas are extremely restless. There are changes in their thought waves at every moment; there are numerous curvatures in the waves of their cittas. Through abhyása, through prolonged and meticulous practice, one strives to make the citta flow with a particular wavelength permanently. When one succeeds in this endeavour all the flows of the universe merge in one’s psychic flow, and one attains samprajiṋáta samádhi. Following that, when one’s flow is suspended in the vast Cognitive Flow, one attains asamprajiṋáta or nirvikalpa samádhi.

This sort of spiritual practice is mostly performed by citta, Citta is born out of the three fundamental principles. The influence of the sentient principle on the Cognitive Faculty produces buddhitattva or mahattattva (existential-I), the influence of the mutative principle on buddhitattva produces ahaḿtattva or “I do” feeling, and the influence of the static principle on ahaḿtattva produces citta, the “done-l” feeling. So in citta all three principles (guńas) have their respective influences. Through abhyása or repeated practice the static citta is converted into the mutative citta, the mutative citta into the sentient citta, and the sentient citta into Cognitive Faculty.

Sattvájjághrańaḿ vidyádrajasá svapnamádidesha.
Prasvápanaḿ tu tamasá turiiyaḿ triśu santatam.

According to the degree of its psychic concentration, the human mind experiences five states: kśipta (mad), múŕha (blindly attached), vikśipta (scattered), ekágra (concentrated), and nirodha (suspended). Each of these states can lead to a particular type of samádhi (absorption of mind). In the first state, due to the preponderance of vrttis such as anger, the mind is withdrawn from all objects and temporarily concentrated oil one object. Have you ever experienced a quarrel with anyone in your life? In spite of your repeated attempts to calm yourself, your mind persists in thinking about the person you were quarrelling with.

In the second state (múŕha) a similar thing happens. The mind becomes so attached to something that it repeatedly thinks about it. A person who is greedy for money becomes totally preoccupied with the thought of making money; a person who hankers after name and fame continuously harbours thoughts about becoming famous.

In the first and second states, the mind becomes so infatuated with its crude objects that ultimately it becomes converted into matter. It follows the path of negative Pratisaiṋcara.

Most of the time the human mind is totally scattered. Sometimes it calms down, sometimes it becomes absorbed in something, but mostly in jumps uncontrollably from thought to thought. The restless mind which begins the process of sádhaná can be calmed down through regular practice. Ultimately a state is reached when the mind flows undisturbed in one direction. This state is called ekágra bhúmi (state of concentration). As one progresses one eventually attains the state of nirodha or suspension of mind. One must reach the state of mental concentration (ekágra) before attaining samádhi.

Samádhi which is attained in any of the first three states of mind is not real samádhi, but jaŕa samádhi, the samádhi which occurs when the mind is converted into its crude object. In jaŕa samádhi the sentient citta is gradually transformed into mutative citta, and the mutative citta into the static citta. Eventually the whole mind is converted into matter.

Most people are well acquainted with the fourth state of mind ( ekágra). In this state the human mind sometimes becomes exalted with divine sweetness; and sometimes becomes as debased as an infernal creature. Sometimes it keeps company with good people and takes a resolve never to tell lies, accept bribes, get intoxicated, or become characterless; and sometimes it thinks that honesty and virtue are sheer folly, for happiness lies in falsehood, taking bribes, stealing, promiscuity, and the like. The mind is continuously tossed between good and bad. But when the practice of sádhaná inspires one to accept shreya (path of benevolence) as one’s ideology, one attains the true state of ekágra bhúmi. In this state waves upon waves of citta emerge.

Shántaditao tulyapratyayao cittasyaekágiratáparińáma

Every newcomer to the path of sádhaná suffers from a lack of concentration of mind. After repeating the Iśt́a mantra a couple of times hundreds of undesirable thoughts flood the mind. The newcomer thinks, “I am unable to attain the One on whom I meditate, and instead am pestered by those objects I do not want.” The hand counts the beads, the lips mutter the name of the Iśt́a, but the mind roams in the filth of hell. When all the undesirable waves are removed from the mind, one blissful wave begins to flow, and the sádhaka attains the state of ekágra bhúmi.

Citta can be concentrated on anything – on crude matter or on a subtle idea. It may flow towards the Supreme One (kaevalya) or it may move towards the mundane world. Hence it is said that the mind is like a river which can flow in both directions (citta nád́ii ubhayatah praváhinii). When the mind flows towards the Supreme One it is called kalyáńa vahá (flowing towards benevolence), and when it runs towards matter it is called pápa-vahá (flowing towards malevolence). When the kalyáńá-vahá stance of citta becomes permanent it is called savikalpa samádhi (state of determinate absorption). This savikalpa or samprajiṋáta samádhi (philosophically, samprajiṋáta is the correct term) is also characterized by certain criteria:

1) Realization of the Absolute: When spiritual aspirants acquire self knowledge they realize the oneness of the Supreme Entity behind the apparent multiplicities of the world. This is the Supreme truth. To realize this truth one does not need to study books or listen to discourses.

2) Requital of reactive momenta: After the attainment of samádhi all afflictions caused by defective cognition gradually disappear.

3) Loosening of the bondages of reactions: Every living entity is under the bondage of its reactions. Even after attaining savikalpa samádhi one continues to perform actions, but does not acquire the reactions of those actions. At this stage the underlying spirit is as follows:

Kámato’kámato vápiyat karomi shubbháshubham
Tatsarvaḿ tvayi sannyástaḿ tatprayuktah karomyahaḿ.

[Whatever I do, good or bad, with desire or without desire, I offer unto You.]

4) Movement towards the undifferentiated state of Cognition. This state is called samprajiṋáta samádhi because real knowledge or self-knowledge is fully expressed.

It has already been said that one’s afflictions (klesha) begin to lessen following the attainment of savikalpa samádhi. There are five types of klesha, which are dependent on various psychic propensities (vrttis), especially the propensity of defective cognition. The propensities themselves are of two types: kliśt́a (painful) and akliśt́a (non-painful). Those vrttis which are helpful for spiritual progress are called akliśt́a; the remainder are kliśt́a. The five brood categories of kliśt́a: are pramána (proof), viparyaya (defective cognition), vikalpa (variability) nidrá (sleep), and smrti (memory). Following the attainment of samprajiṋáta samádhi these psychic propensities cease to exert their painful influence.

Pramáńa Vrtti

The derivative meaning of pramáńa is “hidden import”. The cause of pramá is called pramáńa. Pramáńa vrtti can cause an animate entity to be transformed into matter through analysis. The pramáńa which leads to this degeneration is certainly a painful modification of kliśt́á vrtti. On the other hand, by employing logic and lucid arguments, one can establish the existence of átman or Paramátman. In this case pramáńa can be called a non-painful modification of kliśt́á vrtti. When pramáńa is applied analytically it is kliśt́á vrtti, and when it is applied synthetically it is akliśt́á vrtti.

Pramáńa is of three types: pratyakśa (perception or direct knowledge), anumána (inference) and ágama (authority or testimony). When the indriyas assimilate inferences of objects which colour the static portion of citta with a static ideation one acquires preliminary knowledge about an object. This is called sensation (álocaná jiṋána). When this superficial knowledge or sensation becomes an object of the mutative citta, and receives the support of the sentient citta, it is called perception or coordinated sensation. When one recreates an image of an object in the citta which does not correspond exactly with the previous perception of the object, the conclusion made by the mind is called inference. (When one recreates an image in the mind which is the exact replica of a object previously perceived, it is called conception).

To accept the perception or inference of a person in whom one has confidence is called ágama or authority. But if the perception or inference is defective then the authority will also be defective. Those who have blind faith in a particular person or book refuse to acknowledge their defects. These defects then devolve on the blind followers themselves.

Viparyaya Vrtti

Viparyaya mithyájiṋánamatadrupo pratiśt́haḿ

Viparyaya or defective cognition occurs when one acquires false knowledge about something which does not really exist. Suppose the moon is reflecting in a pond. There are two images of the moon, but the image in the pond is not the real moon. To consider the reflected moon as the real moon is viparyaya or false knowledge. Viparyaya is false knowledge about an unreal object. If pramáńa is the positive knowledge about an object which really exists, viparyaya is defective cognition about a non-existent object. Due to this defective cognition the Singular Supreme Entity appears to be manifested as many in the relative world. He appears to be reflected on innumerable mental plates as innumerable consciousnesses. To see a mirage in a desert is also a kind of defective cognition.

Defective cognition causes five kinds of afflictions, which are also known as the five Avidyás: avidyá (negative force), asmitá (egotism), rága (blind attachment), dveśa (repulsion) and abhinivesha (self-obsession). These avidyás are also called tamah, moha, mahámoha, támisra, and hatámisra respectively.

Viparyaya vrtti can also express itself in both ways – kliśt́a and akliśt́a, painfully and non-painfully. When the unit mind strives to attain the Supreme Entity by practising sádhaná, viparyaya vrtti is certainly a non-painful propensity. But when viparyaya vrtli causes the unit mind to crudity itself by running blindly towards the mundane world it is a painful propensity. When the unit mind becomes totally degenerated due to its attraction for the crude, defective cognition becomes extremely painful.

Vikalpa Vrtti

We try to form an idea about the real nature of an object through the sense-organs. And we try to express a feeling about it through words. Often we use words or expressions in a different sense from that which properly belongs to them. Such words and expressions can be called vikalpa because the ideas they convey cannot actually be perceived. Regarding Parama Puruśa we say that He is devoid of imperfections. In this case we use the word “devoid” not in the true sense of its meaning, but merely to convey a certain idea about an object. While travelling by train we may say, “Good, Burdwan Junction has come?” But does Burdwan Junction ever “come”? We also say, “Bullets are flying,” but can bullets fly of their own accord. Thus in vikalpa vrtti words are used not in their literal sense, but to convey a certain idea. If one takes the word or expression literally, the whole thing becomes meaningless. Thus meaningless words are used to convey precise ideas.

Vikalpa is of three types: kriyá, vastu and abháva. An example of kriyá vikalpa is “Burdwan Junction has come”; an example of vastu vikalpa is “in the heart of the city”; and an example of abháva vikalpa is “he is devoid of vanity.” Abháva pratyáyálambanavrttinidrá.

The propensity which creates a psychic vacuum is called nidrá (sleep). Sleep is the intervening stage between two periods of active psychic functioning. It is a stage of vacuity in which the mind does not function. On waking up one makes the safe assumption that one’s mind did not function for a certain period – that one slept. Kliśt́a nidrá (“painful” sleep) is an impediment to sádhaná. But dreamy sleep and deep sleep in which one is aware of one’s sádhaná is certainly not detrimental to spiritual progress. This sleep can be called akliśt́a nidrá or non-painful sleep. Sometimes during sádhaná one falls into a relaxed “half-sleep”. This is called yoga nidrá. Most sádhakas experience yoga nidrá in the early stages of sádhaná. It is also akliśt́a because one does not become totally oblivious of oneself.

Smrti Vrtti

Sometimes memory functions during sleep. When one’s sleep is transformed into nidrá or yogic (sentient) sleep, this memory is called dhruva smrti or (fixed memory) sattva saḿvedana sentient awareness).

Anubhutaviśayásampramośah smrtih. The re-creation of an object already perceived is called memory. Memory can be both kliśt́a and akliśt́a. Memory concerning a material or crude object is painful.

Memory concerning a spiritual object is dependent on two factors : assimilation and object of assimilation. The difference between intellect and memory is this: memory is re-creation of something already known and intellect is subjcctivisation of an objectivity. Intellect is not a propensity, memory is.

Following the attainment of samprajiṋáta samádhi the painful propensities gradually become weaker and weaker and consequentity static citta is converted into mutative citta, and mutative citta into sentient citta. As soon as the nonpainful propensities become more powerful the painful propensities begin to disappear. This resembles the disappearance of darkness with the arrival of the light of the crimson dawn. As the light increases in brightness, darkness fades and ultimately totally disappears.

The innate characteristic of the sentient principle is prajiṋá or intuition; that of the mutative principle is pravrtti or assimilation of mundane objects, while that Of the static principle is inertness. With the cultivation of the non-painful propensities the mutative force is gradually transformed into the sentient force. Ultimately, the mutative and static citta dissolve into the powerful sentient citta. At that stage there remains only the powerful wave of sentient citta, a state known as samprajiṋáta samádhi.

When this powerful sentient citta merges into the Cognitive Faculty, its original source, it is called asamprajiṋáta samádhi. When all the waves and sub-waves of citta flow as one powerful wave in a singular direction it is called samprajiṋáta samádhi, and when the single wave becomes suspended in the vast wave of Supreme Cognitive Faculty it is called asamprajiṋáta samádhi. A sádháka attaining this state looks upon each and every molecule of the dusty earth as a manifestation of that Supreme Spirituality and enjoys an undifferentiated state with bliss of that Supreme Entity.

Chapter 5	Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 8 [unpublished in English]

Mental functions are saḿkalpa (action in seed form) oriented and vikalpa (actional expression) oriented. The sense organs (indriyas) are activated by the saḿkalpátmaka portion of the mind, and then actions are performed in the practical world. If someone considers that as actions are performed by the saḿkalpátmaka portion of mind, they are true, and that as actions are not performed by the vikalpátmaka or negative portion of mind, they are untrue, such a statement of theirs is not philosophically justifiable. How far does this sort of positive or negative mental movement of mind influence the life of a spiritual aspirant? How far is it related to samád́hi? If sádhakas actively render social service and accept it as the supreme goal of life, will they become established in samádhi?

In fact samádhi is neither a positive nor a negative state of mind. Samádhi is a sate of equilibrium. When the surface of water remains smooth and unruffled by the wind, we may call it a state of equilibrium. If the outer surface of turbulent, water is saḿkalpátmaka or positive aspect of mind, then the currents below the surface should be called the negative aspect. When a state of equilibrium is attained the upper surface and the lower currents of the mind attain parallelism. In the course of their agitated movement, the saḿkalpátmaka and vikalpátmaka portions of the mind meet at certain common points. Thus in every thought wave, in every entity, at all times, and in all countries there is some kind of temporary equilibrium.

While one is engaged in extroversial actions (pravrttimúlaka karma) it appears that both nivrtti (introversial actions) and a state of equilibrium are possible to attain. Similarly, to a person who is engaged in nivrttimúlaka karma, both pravrtti and a state of equilibrium seem to be impossible to attain. Generally, people accept those objects or actions as natural with which they easily adjust themselves, and those objects or actions as unnatural with which they are unfamiliar. Aquatic creatures think that the only place to live in is water and cannot comprehend how any living object could live on land. Conversely, those creatures who live on land think that land is the only and natural habitat. They gasp for breath after remaining only a little while in water. This is nature’s arrangement – no question of free choice arises here.

People who try to bring their minds to a state of equilibrium, find that a tranquil mental flow is something quite natural. For them pravrtti and nivrtti, that is, extroversial and introversial states of mind, are something unnatural. The paths of pravrtti and nivrtti depend upon the mundane propensities neither of them leads to psychic balance, thus neither can ensure absolute bliss.

For success in the extroversial (pravrtti) sphere of life one must develop an attachment for an external object or extroversial idea, and then make efforts to attain it, For success in the introversial sphere (nivrtti) one must develop dveśa or the feeling of repulsion for an external object or extroversial idea, and then make the requisite effort to succeed in that endeavour. The greater one’s attachment for an object, the greater the possibility of attaining success in the pursuit of pravrtti. But if there is only attraction for an object, with no endeavour made to attain it, one cannot be successful. If someone wants to become rich, but does not try to acquire wealth, he or she will never become rich. Similarly, the greater one’s psychic repulsion for an object, the more easily one will be able to withdraw from that object. But if one does not try to increase one’s repulsion one will not be successful in nivrtti sádhaná. Those who are the advocates of the nivrtti cult strive to convince people that wealth, opulence, and near and dear relations create snares of bondages and are thus impediments to spiritual progress. And their exhortations do not end here. They incite people to abandon their homes and embrace the life of renunciation. In other words they advise people to practise the cult of repulsion.

A spiritual aspirant who wants to attain samádhi needs to develop vaerágya (spirit of renunciation) and abhyása (continued practice). Remember, samádhi is neither pavrtti múlaka nor nivrtti múlaka. Vaerágya is the absence of attachment, not repulsion. In order to deal with objects properly one should never become subservient to them, but should ascribe Brahmahood to them by cultivating the repeated practice of cosmic ideation or Brahma Bhávana.

What is abhyása? Tatra sthitao yatno’bhyásah. Abhyása is the creation of a particular continuous psychic vibration. It is the most essential factor in the spiritual sphere. The continuous endeavour to maintain the state of equilibrium of citta leads to the attainment of samádhi. When one is attracted by an object one runs after it, and when one feels repulsion for an object, one runs away from it. A person who is fond of wine often thinks of wine, whereas a person who detests wine prevents his or her mind from thinking about wine. Unless attraction and repulsion are both transcended, the mind can never attain a state of equilibrium or samádhi. Mental equilibrium only becomes possible when one makes a constant endeavour to attain psychic balance.

Samádhi becomes a natural phenomenon as a result of continuous spiritual practice. Procrastination is something undesirable on the spiritual path. If ever spiritual practice is discontinued endless desirable and undesirable waves of thoughts occupy the mind. Spiritual practice should be continued uninterruptedly and with proper sincerity and veneration, otherwise samádhi will forever remain a theoretical subject of philosophy, never entering the periphery of practical realization. One must not adopt the psychology, “I’m practising spirituality because my ácárya (spiritual teacher) told me to.” Rather one should think, “I want to attain spiritual realization. My ácárya is merely guiding me along the path.” Only when one takes full responsibility for one’s own spiritual life can one attain the peak of spiritual progress and become fully established on the solid ground of spirituality.

When one accepts something as absolute after due logical deliberation one develops shraddhá (veneration) in the mind. One who has no respect for the goal can never attain success. Shrat satyam tasmin dhiiyate iti shraddhá. “Shraddhá is the pursuit of Supreme Truth.” The expansion of citta is also called shraddhá. One should have immense, respect for that object which causes the citta to expand. Samádhi is the state of maximum expansion of citta, and thus shraddhá is the first stage in the attainment of samádhi. Pravriti and nivrtti are both psychic tendencies. The more one practises either of these the more one’s mind becomes adjusted with them. Samádhi is beyond the scope of pravrtti and nivrtti. Even shraddhá, is not necessary in the pursuit of pravrtti and nivrtti, but it is indispensable for attaining samádhi. Sometimes an undesirable thought blocks the smooth uni-directional flow of the mind along the spiritual path. When this occurs viirya or spiritual vigour, a special type of psychic power, is required to dispel the negative thought. Spiritual vigour arises as a result of shraddhá.

Anubhútavisayásampramosah smritih. “The re-creation of an object already perceived is termed smriti (memory).” Memory is strengthened by spiritual vigour. When one successfully eliminates all impediments to spiritual progress by developing spiritual vigour born out of shraddhá and moves towards the spiritual goal without interruption it is called dhruvásmrti or fixed memory. The waves of extroversial propensities create obstacles in the way of dhruvásmrti and the waves of introversial propensities keep the mind oblivious of everything. But when dhruvásmrti is perfect, that is when one’s only object of ideation is the Supreme Entity, and none other, one attains samádlii. At this stage the mind becomes fully identified with its goal. In subtle analysis this is also a type of a positive stage of mind.

The mind takes the form of the physical object or psychic idea it encounters. This assuming of a form in the mind is called psychic pabulum or ábhoga. Unless the mind is liberated from its pabulum permanent peace is not possible. How can one attain liberation from one’s pabulum? Liberation cannot be attained through repulsion. Repulsion for an object is a negative tendency – this too is a kind of pabulum. Although the mind detaches itself from its object it is nevertheless attached to the non-existent form of that object. When the mind withdraws from its object citta becomes suspended in unmanifested Prakrti due to the attainment of vashiikára siddhi. This is not a supreme attainment. This state of samádhi is neither static samádhi nor nirviija (seedless) samádhi, nor samprajiṋáta samádhi. Within citta there remains the possibility of future rebirth, even after a million years, and thus the attainment of permanent samádhi (kaevalya samádhi) is not possible. The samádhi attained in this state can be called nirbiija prakrtiliina samádhi. Unless this nirviija samádhi is permanent we may at best call it asamprajiṋata or nirvikalpa samádhi, and not salvation of a permanent nature,

In the states of prakrtiliina and videhaliina (two of the seven devayonis) the samskáras lie latent in the seed form waiting for a congenial environment to acquire a proper physical base. Videha means bodiless state, liina means merged or dissolved. Videha liina are caused by ones bhavapratyaya (bundle of samskáras). The bhavapratyaya contains the reactive momenta which cause one’s rebirth. The states of prakrtiliina and videhaliina are niviija and not asampraliináta because although the seeds of the reactive momenta are burnt, one does not attain full omniscience.

A spiritual aspirant attains the state of videhaliina as a result of shunya dhyána or ideation on nothingness. Through such ideation a sádhaka develops a psychic pabulum of nothingness. Yet even in this state there remains the possibility of rebirth. Those who embrace nothingness as their absolute goal develop a void in their citta in the absence of Cognitive Faculty. As a result they are unable to establish themselves in the Supreme Cognitive Stance and attain salvation. The spiritual cult which encourages this practice is certainly defective.

Both the prakrtiliina and videhaliina states are established in negation, thus there is certainly a possibility of rebirth. The true path of sádhakas is not the path of bhavapratyaya, but the path of upáyapratyaya. (path of positive ideation and exhanstion of saḿskáras). Sádhakas will have to devise methods to established themselves in samádhi beyond the periphery of the mind. They should neither become attached to nor detached from the objects created by Prakrti, for this is not the path of enjoyment or sacrifice, but the path of psychic equilibrium. Prakrti is not the entity to be worshipped or denied; the goal is Parama Puruśa. He is the only object of ideation and adoration. By ideating on Him one’s whole being gradually becomes identiilied with the Cognitive Faculty. Hence one should worship Puruśa, not Prakrti.

The perpetual state of nirbiija samádhi acquired in the sádhaná of Puruśa is called mokśa or salvation. Samprajiṋáta samádhi, in which only the I-feeling persists is experienced when the citta is in a state of total concentration.

One who has attained this samádhi gradually acquires the state of omniscience. After citta attains samadhi due to its unwavering ideation on one particular pabulum, it can easily attain samádhi on other pabula too. Once the mind gains control over one object it can simultaneously gain control over other objects as well.

What is omniscience? The knowledge regarding the past, present and future is called omniscience. The seed of omniscience lies in every human being, but the degree of its expression varies from person to person. In some the seed is ripe, in others it is unripe. Samprajiṋáta samádhi causes the seed to ripen. In permanent savikalpa the seed assumes vast proportions. In that state one’s object no longer remains within the limited periphery of the unit mind, but becomes as vast as the Macrocosm. One’s potentiality becomes immeasurable. By virtue of sádhaná the ungerminated seed ripens and assumes unlimited proportions. Thus elevated sádhakas do not need to acquire knowledge from external sources. The bliss of knowledge spontaneously manifests itself in them due to Macrocosmic grace. Tatra nirátishayaḿ sarvajiṋátva biijaḿ. “The seed of omniscience is manifested in them.”

This expansion of citta is only possible in savikalpa samádhi. A restless citta can never attain samprajnáta samádhi. Jara samádhi (samádhi on crude material objects) should never be called samprajiṋáta samádhi. What is jaŕa samádhi? Jaŕa samádhi occurs when the mind becomes so infatuated with a crude material object of ideation, be it money, opulence, landed property, etc., that it takes the form of that object, to the exclusion of all other objects of the world.

The goal of samprajiṋáta samádhi may be positive or negative, crude or subtle psychic pabulum. The goal of asamprajiṋáta samádhi, like prakrtiliina, nirbiija, or videhaliina, etc., is neither nirbiija asamprajiṋáta (without seed), nor sabiija asamprajiṋáta (with seed), but is an intermediary stage.

Samprajiṋáta samádhi has four stages. The first stage is called savitarka. One attains this samádhi when the mind is concentrated on worldly objects such as one’s children, relations or wealth. In fact savitarka samádhi is synonymous with jaŕa samádhi. Negative savitarka samádhi occurs when one keeps one’s mind aloof from the thought of family or material wealth. The desire or nondesire for crude pabulum amounts to the same thing as far as the citta is concerned.

The second stage is called savicára samádhi. This samádhi occurs not when the citta is engaged in crude psychic pabulum, but when it becomes fully concentrated in the mad pursuit of more subtle pabula such as name and fame, etc. If the citta wants to free itself from these things, one attains negative savicára samádhi.

The third stage is called sánanda samádhi. In this samádhi citta only has one psychic pabulum – the feeling of bliss. This samádhi also has a negative counterpart which occurs when the only psychic pabulum is “I am not enjoying bliss.”

The fourth stage of samprajińata samádhi is called sásmita samádhi. In this samádhi the unit cognitive faculty has only one object – the “I” feeling or asmitá. When this I feeling disappears leaving a subtler, singular flow of consciousness, it is called asamprajiṋáta samádhi. In asamprajiṋáta samádhi there only remains the Cognitive Faculty (Puruśa). When all other objects or factors disappear and only Cognitive Faculty exists, it is called puruśakhyáti. The way to attain puruśakhyati is to maintain the ideation that puruśa is my subject and I am His object, and thus to return to one’s original source with complete self-surrender. Puruśakhyáti is only attainable through the practice of iishvaraprańidhána.

Prańidhána is devotion attained through japakriyá or repetition of one’s iśt́a mantra. Thus Iishvara prańidhána is the incantation of the name of the Supreme Being with cosmic ideation. Iishvara prańidhána does not mean to escape from the world, nor to avoid one’s responsibilities like a coward. On the contrary, iishvara prańidhána is a dynamic spiritual practice performed with the courage of a lion. The more one masters the technique, the more the mental wave becomes straightened, and the easier it becomes. Through iishvara prańidhána one can reach the state of asamprajiṋáta samádhi, yet for this attainment dhyána is actually more effective.

Iishvara prańidhána is a more effective practice for the attainment of savikalpa samádhi, because during iishvara prańidhána the mind is temporarily concentrated in the state of ekagrabhumi (the fourth stage of mental development – the state of one-pointedness of mind). Whatever little amount of I feeling still persists can be finally discarded through the practice of dhyána. Asamprajiṋáta samádhi is attained following the complete elimination of the I-feeling.

To ideate on Nirguńa Brahma (Non-attributional Brahma) is impossible. Unit beings can only ideate on Saguńa Brahma (the Puruśa liberated from bondage) and Táraka Brahma (the Tangential Point between Saguńa and Nirguńa). Ideation can only occur when both the subject and object continue to exist. ideation for one who has remained free from klesha (afflictions ), karma (actions), vipaka (requital of saḿskáras) and áshaya (bundle of unserved saḿskáras) since eternity is meaningless. Microcosms undergo unserved afflictions due to their original actions. Afflictions cause the requital of accumulated saḿskáras and that leads to the formation of a bundle of unserved saḿskáras.

The one who meditates on that Entity who has no mind or feelings will never be showered with grace. How can the ever-free Nirguńa Puruśa shower his grace on human beings? Only Saguńa Brahma and Táraka Brahma can shower grace. Those unit beings who have liberated themselves from bondage will remain liberated. They become one with Saguńa Brahma and are thus called Great Personalities or Mahápuruśa. Only they have the right to shower grace upon microcosms. Infused with divine grace microcosms make rapid progress along the path of iishvara prańidhána. They attain Supreme bliss by surrendering their individualities to the Supreme Entity. In so doing they liberate themselves permanently from the bondages of Prakrti. This sádhaná of salvation which ultimately results in samádhi is not a mental distortion. The mental state it creates can neither be called positive nor negative. The practice of sádhaná for the attainment of samádhi is the way to progress along the path of spiritual vigour. There is no room for escapism on this spiritual march.

Chapter 6	Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 8 [unpublished in English]

What is action? Action is the relative change of position or place of an object. When an object is transferred from one place to another, or when an object acquires a new position temporarily or permanently leaving its former position, we call it an action. When an overweight person loses weight after strenuous physical exercise, it can also be called an action because he or she now occupies less space than before.

No action can be performed in the absence of the will. Will the initial stage of each action, and is thus called the primary action. One may think that actions such as the beating of the heart, sleeping and awakening occur independently of the will, but this is not so. In these actions, too, the will plays a dominant role.

In the mundane sphere some actions depend on the unit will and some on the Cosmic Will. Human beings move according to their individual wills but the wind blows according to the Cosmic Will. Actually, most of the actions which human beings supposedly perform by their own will are directly guided by the Cosmic Will. Some actions are performed by the indirect human will, such as the beating of the heart. When the indirect will ceases to function it should be understood that one’s individual saḿskáras (reactions in potentiality) have been fully exhausted. Under such circumstances a person is sure to die. This death is called the final glorious death (mahámrtyu).

Most people who commit suicide do not have the direct will to survive. However, their indirect will remains partially active, sustained by the desire to be free of the untold sorrows, miseries, and humiliations of this life. Deep within they cherish an indirect desire to acquire a new, dignified life in another world after death. This desire is the work of the indirect will. Their indirect will seeks a way to escape the ignominy of humiliation and build a new and better life in the future. Their will did something in the past for which they must undergo their present humiliation.

The Macrocosmic Will is eternally active behind the creation of this universe. This Supreme Will of Parama Puruśa is termed Shambhúliuṋga in philosophy.

An action which is done independently is called pratyayaḿulaka karma (original action). Suppose one has a desire to go to Calcutta and then actually goes there. This is an original action because to go or not to go to Calcutta depends entirely on one’s will. But an action which one is obliged to perform mechanically under pressure of circumstances is called saḿskáraḿulaka karma (reaction to the original action). In these actions it is the indirect will and not the direct will which functions. The original deed which was performed by the direct will is later expressed as a reaction by the indirect will. Your indirect will forces you to become a tool to restore the equilibrium in the universe which was lost due to your original action.

In sámskáraḿulaka karma individuals have no free will, but are slaves to the dictates of the indirect will. Suppose a person commits a theft by his free will. As long as the reaction of the original action of theft is unexpressed, his indirect will remains in seed form as reactive momenta. But the moment the indirect will finds a congenial environment it expresses itself, resulting in the thief either being arrested by the police, or having to undergo some punishment or humiliation. This is how the thief reaps the consequences of his previous action of theft.

Good reactions to good actions are experienced in a similar way. One will have to reap the consequences of one’s past actions until one’s saḿskáras are exhausted. If one’s previous deeds were virtuous, life will be blessed, but if they were wicked, one will be branded as a sinner. Only when all good and bad reactions have been expressed do the bondages of vice and virtue snap open.

All actions, whether introversial or extroversial, crude or subtle certainly lie latent in individuals in seed form as potential reactions. One day, with the help of the indirect will, they will be expressed in the external world. Suppose one harms someone. The reaction of one’s action will lie in potential form until the proper time and place arrives for its expression.

Even if one does not harm anyone physically, but simply thinks of harming someone, saḿskáras will still be created. Whatever feelings one may have for a person, good or bad, will certainly cause a reaction. That reaction will remain in potential form in the subtle mental sphere until the opportune time arrives for its expression. This is why wise people look upon this universe with an attitude of equanimity and pray for the welfare of all. Sarvesám mauṋgalam káunkśe. People who fail to do this will have to suffer endlessly for their mean-mindedness.

Action is of various types. When the mind, under the domination of avidyámáyá, is tossed by the waves of worldly desires, that is, when it associates itself with crude psychic pabulum, it is called abhilása (desire). When abhilása becomes firmly rooted it is called saḿkalpa (resolve) for attaining psychic pabulum. When the mind functions in collaboration with pránendriya and karmendriya (motor organs), it is called krti (physical action); and when it associates itself with pránendriya and the jiṋánendriya (sensory organs), the mental expansion is called avadhána (advertence). Abhilása, krti and avadhána are all actions.

Avadhána is of three types. When the sensory organs connect themselves to certain objects, but the mind does not accept them, that mental state is called anavadhánatá (inadvertence). For example, a student’s eyes may be reading the pages of a book while his or her mind is diverted elsewhere. Many students cannot learn their lessons due to this sort of inadvertence in study. When the mind perceives an object through the medium of the sensory organs, but does not have any deep knowledge about that object, then that special state of anavadhána is known as álocana jiṋána (sensation). Here the word álocana does not mean serious reflection.

The firmly established sensation which occurs when knowledge is acquired from various sources of an object is called perception (caettik pratyakśa). Perception may also be called coordinated sensation. Suppose three blind people feel an elephant to find out what it is like. The one who feels the legs might think that the elephant resembles the trunks of banana trees, the one who feels the trunk may think that the elephant is like a pipe, and the one who feels the ears may think that the elephant is like bamboo trays. Each one experiences a different kind of sensation. Only when the totality of the legs, trunks and ears is produced as an image in the mind can one acquire a true image of an elephant. The temporary idea acquired about an elephant is called perception.

When perception becomes meaningful, that is, when a particular name is given which corresponds to the nature of things already perceived, it is called conception. The perception of an elephant is only possible when all the parts of its body – legs, trunk, ears, etc. – produce an image of an elephant. When one sees the elephant a second time one thinks, “It looks just like the animal I saw previously. Yes, it must be an elephant.” When this confirmation occurs one can say that one has a concept about something.

When a past perception is recreated in the mind with the help of memory, it is called tattva-jiṋána. Tattvajiṋána can be of various types. In the process of meditation, the crude mind merges into the subtle mind, and the subtle mind loses its identity in the causal mind. When the newly awakened subtle and crude minds return to their active states, they perceive things in a completely different way. This new set of perceptions is also called tattva jiṋána or siddha jiṋána. In fact tattva jiṋána is also a type of action, though it is not included in avadhána.

It was explained earlier that krti occurs when the mind is associated with the motor organs and the práńendriya, and avadhána occurs when the mind is associated with the sensory organs and the práńendriya. But prior to reaching the stages of krti and avadhána the will must be converted into saḿkalpa (determination) or abhilása (desire). Saḿkalpa is more likely to be successful than abhilása. What is saḿkalpa? When the mind is firmly associated with its objects in a relationship of iron-determination it is called saḿkalpa. This vast universe has originated from the saḿkalpa of the Cosmic Mind.

Action depends on desire. The nature of an action is determined by the nature of the desire. Feelings of pain and pleasure occur in the mental sphere only because the vibrations of mental feelings are stored there. Reactive momenta are created out of these feelings of pain and pleasure. Desire originates from the sum total of one’s pain or pleasure. Put in another way, it can be said that desire (vásaná) is one’s total reactive momenta in potential form of all feelings of pleasure and pain. People determine their own course of action according to their inherent desire. It is desire which puts a bridle on people and drives them according to its whims. People rarely attain the results they seek. What they actually attain is determined by the nature of their original actions.

Human beings strive to acquire objects which satisfy their desires and avoid those objects which displease them. They only pursue those things which give them pleasure. Because of this psychology, human beings do not want to listen to bad news, see horrifying images. When they cannot avoid a painful situation they immediately close their eyes. This behaviour is a good example of how action depends on desire. To separate action from desire is impossible. If desire is compared to an earthen pot, then the water inside the pot is comparable to pratyayamúlaka karma. The water inside the pot assumes the form of the pot, that is, the action representing the water takes the same form as the desire representing the pot. The process of withdrawing the water-like karma from the pot-like desire is termed sádhaná (the process of attaining liberation). The action which assumes the shape of the pot-like desires is called karmáshaya (bundle of saḿskáras). The course of human life is determined by the nature of one’s bundle of saḿskáras.

The bundle of saḿskaras gets lighter due to non-original actions. After death this bundle loses its connection with the sensory organs, motor organs, práńendriya and mind. It becomes compact after imbibing a new set of saḿskáras of pain and pleasure. During a prolonged period of unconsciousness or at the time of death, the bundle of saḿskáras becomes even more compact. It can be created in one life or in many lives. Disease, grief and other deep sorrows are merely the reactions of self-created saḿskáras. After reaping such tremendous reactions as a result of the temporary disconnection of the sensory organs, motor organs, práńendriya and mind, a new bundle of saḿskáras is created which brings tremendous change to the fortunes of human beings.

According to one’s desires, original or non-original actions produce pleasurable or painful experiences, or both, or neither. Pleasure occurs when one’s actional vibrations create a congenial sensation which relaxes the nerve fibres, and pain occurs when one’s actional vibrations create tension in the nerve fibres.

By nature human beings long for pleasure and not pain. The action which creates a pleasurable sensation in the mind is called shukla karma (white action), and the vibration which creates a painful sensation is called kŕśńa karma (black action). The action which creates both pleasurable and painful experiences is called shuklakŕśna karma (black and white action), and the action which creates neither pleasurable nor painful experiences is called ashuklakŕśna karma (neither black nor white). Worldly actions are either shukla, kŕśna, or shuklakrśńa. Only an action or reaction related to samádhi, that is, spiritual sádhana, can be called ashuklakŕśna, for spiritual actions take one beyond the state of pleasure and pain. When the actional vibrations become embedded in the domain of desire, that is called saḿskára (reaction in potentiality). The saḿskára is destroyed by those actional vibrations which are equally powerful and opposite to the original actional vibrations.

Every living being which has a physical body has a mind. The átman or soul is the reflecting plate of the mind. As long as the existential feeling of human beings is reflected on the átman, human beings are considered alive. A videhii mana (bodiless mind) cannot function at all because existential feeling does not exist in its mind. The videhii mind only has a bundle of saḿskáras which rests on its spiritual base. This is why the videhii átman does not act as the witness to the functions or existential feeling of the bodiless mind. It remains only as the witness of its bundle of saḿskáras. Thus it is proper to call the átman, pratyak cetana (cognitive counterpart).

Pratiipam vipariitam aiṋcati vijánáti iti Pratyak.

As a rule, the bundle of saḿskáras that is continually formed until the moment of one’s death in this life, is exhausted through saḿskaramulaka karma (non-original actions) in one’s next life. Generally, the bundle of saḿskáras does not fully ripen during a person’s life unless there is a disconnection of the sensory organs, motor organs, práńendriya and mind. Thus the actions performed in one life are not experienced as reactions in the same life.

Generally, reactions start expressing themselves at the end of an actional flow. The moment a football loses its power to rise up in the air, it starts falling down to earth. Similarly the actional flow loses its momentum when it comes, in contact with the vásanábhánd́a (the pot of desires), and from that moment takes the form of reactions. Because of this, one is unable to discern the actions of a previous life which cause the reactions in the present life.

Ordinarily, one’s accumulated reactive momenta ripen at the time of death as a result of the disassociation of the sensory organs, motor organs, práńendriya and mind. These reactive momenta then take the form of reactions in the next life. Human beings fail to realize that it is quite natural for the reactions of past actions to be expressed in this life. Since they cannot see the original actions, they blame God for their fate.

Some people who spend their whole lives engaged in virtuous deeds suffer tremendously as a result of previous original actions. For the same reason, some people who performed wicked actions in a past life enjoy abundant pleasure in this life. When people experience reactions without understanding the nature o their original actions in previous lives it is called adrastavedaniiyakarma, or in short, adrsta (fate).

The mind may become temporarily detached from the sensory organs, motor organs and práńendriya when one suffers from a serious disease, a bereavement, or a fainting fit, etc., or when one’s kulakúńdalinii is awakened due to one’s association with a great person. When this detachment occurs, the bundle of saḿskáras ripens and the reactions of one’s present life start to express themselves. This kind of karma is known as drśt́a vedaniiya karma – good or bad reactions are experienced in the same life as their original actions were performed.

If a liar, a fraud, a bribe-taker, or a corrupt politician happen to reap the consequences of their bad actions in this life, whether they admit it or not, they will realize in their minds that they are being punished for their falsehood, fraudulence and political hypocrisy. These reactions are drśt́a vedaniiya karma. Likewise, people can also enjoy the fruits of their actions in this life. Generally we reap the fruits of actions we performed in the past life. To reap the consequences of actions of the present life is not quite natural, though it is also not unnatural.

Generally one does not reap the consequences of the actions performed in this life itself. If the accumulated saḿskáras of this life are almost similar to the bundle of saḿskáras of past life, that is, if the actional vibrations of both lives are the same, then the reactions of both lives occur concurrently. But if the vibrations of the accumulated saḿskáras of this life are totally different from those of the past life, the two lives’ reactions will not occur concurrently. In the latter case, one will reap the consequences of the actions of the previous life. The actions performed in this life will form a new bundle of saḿskáras. When this bundle is mixed with the bundle created in the previous life, an altogether new bundle of saḿskáras is formed. Hence the bundle of saḿskáras varies from person to person.

The bundle of saḿskáras of a saint is not the same as the bundle of saḿskáras of a sinner. If a saintly person does something bad, there will be a clash between the vibration created by the evil deed and the vibration of the original bundle of saḿskáras. This will cause a severe disturbance in the nerve fibres. The hand of a person accepting a bribe for the first time trembles. A man who commits armed-robbery for the first time becomes so mentally agitated that he cannot resist returning to the scene of the crime, and is thus caught by the police. However, when a confirmed criminal commits such an offense, the vibration of the evil deed is in perfect harmony with the vibration of the bundle of saḿskáras, causing no disturbance at all in his mind or body. For this reason, wicked people continue committing crimes without being caught by the police. If a good person persists in following a bad path, in that case, in the absence of internal conflict, the possibility of a violent tension in his or her nerves gradually decreases.

There is yet another circumstance in which people may reap the consequences of their actions in the same life. If people continue to perform actions without interruption their karma becomes drsta vedaniiya. With the help of Vidyá a link is formed between the self and the mind. When the mind is influenced by the sentient principle, the self (soul or atman) reflects on the mind; when the mind is influenced by the static principle it gets embroiled in the mundane world; and when it is influenced by the mutative principle it reaps the consequences of its actions. When people are goaded by the propensity of mundane enjoyment they become desperate for uninterrupted pleasure, and end up drifting in the flow of the static force. As this unrestrained flow is not resisted by any opposing force, it directly hits the vásaná bhándá (pot of desires) causing a mutative reaction.

Human beings undergo reactions according to the nature of their original actions. If someone harms a sick person, a saint, a person who has taken shelter with someone, or a honest person, he or she will immediately undergo a reaction of the same intensity. This is because sick, infirm and saintly people never obstruct the original actions of wrongdoers. Whatever the original actions of a person may be, good or bad, reactive momenta are bound to be created Until all these potential reactions are expressed, liberation or salvation is impossible.

Yávanna ksiiyata karma shubhaiṋcáshubhameva ca,
Távanna jáyate mokśonrám kalpashataerapi.
Yathá laohamayaeh páshaeh páshaeh svarńamayaerapi
Tathábaddho bhavejjiivo karmábhishcá shubhae shubhaeh.

“Until all the reactions of actions, good or bad, are exhausted a person cannot attain salvation in hundreds of lives. Just as people bound by golden or iron chains feel the pains of bondage, similarly people undergoing good or bad reactions will have to accept them.”

As long as one has a physical body, one cannot be free from action. Thus spiritual aspirants must be ever-vigilant to ensure that new reactive momenta do not enter their vásanábháńda. Through proper Cosmic ideation (Brahmacarya), sádhakas can keep their vásanábhánd́a filled with the ideation of Consciousness. They may have to undergo their past saḿskáras, but because they constantly ideate on the Supreme, no new bundle of saḿskáras will be created. Moreover their old saḿskáras will be exhausted more quickly.

We often notice that after initiation a sincere sádhaka suddenly experiences tremendous pain or pleasure. The initial stage of a spiritual aspirant’s life is quite troublesome. Those who suddenly feel tremendous happiness become so absorbed in this blissful state that they completely forget their ideology, and those who suffer immense torture sometimes leave the path of sádhaká due to their inability to face such difficulties. A true sadhaka must remain unaffected by both pain and pleasure. It should be understood that only through pain and pleasure can one’s sámskáras be destroyed and a new karmáshaya dominated by Consciousness be created.

The way to fill the vásanábhánd́a with Consciousness is to practice astáuṋga yoga (the eight-limbed yoga). This has been divided into three stages. First, one should free one’s mind from the influence of the práńendriya and motor organs and lead it towards Consciousness. As a result of this, the karmáshaya becomes flooded with more and more Consciousness. And through the practice of ásanas and práńayáma, one should increase the degree of control of the mind over práńa. During the first stage of sádhaná the human mind and body become increasingly pure. This is known as anubhava.

After becoming pure in mind and less conscious of the body an awareness dawns in the mind that “I am not this body.” This awareness is called prájiṋa. Sentient prájiṋa is known as prasaḿkhyána. The effort to make prájiṋa sentient is the second stage of sádhaná. In this stage, when the karmáshaya is filled with Consciousness, the possibility of a spiritual aspirant’s rebirth is destroyed for good. Burnt seeds never sprout. However, even though it is burnt, the seed still exists.

Even though karmáshaya is filled with Consciousness, the vásanábhánd́a has to be offered at the feet of Parama Puruśa. Complete surrender is indispensable. The only way to merge the vásanábhánd́a into Consciousness is to ideate on Parama Puruśa and forget everything else. To think of plurality is to stumble towards crudity, whereas to ideate on the Supreme One is to march towards Consciousness. This ideation on the Supreme Entity is called puruśakhyáti (ensconcement in the Supreme Cognitive Faculty). This results in one’s individual identity, one’s vásanábháńd́a, merging in Parama Puruśa. One will become Him. All one’s actions and reactions will merge in Parama Puruśa. Parama Puruśa is the Supreme Shelter. Támáhu Paramá gatih.

Chapter 7	Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 8 [unpublished in English]

The subject of today’s discourse is vaedhii bhakti (formal devotion) and shuddhá bhakti (pure devotion). The word bhakti is derived from the root verb bhaj + suffix ktin. While pursuing knowledge some people cultivate devotion for Parama Puruśa. The devotion which is aroused when one feels one should cultivate devotion is called vaedhii bhakti. Regarding knowledge, action and devotion I once gave a simple formula for determining devotion: action minus knowledge equals devotion. Thus, if action is 100 and knowledge is 20, then devotion is 80. Suppose a person has no knowledge and only performs good deeds. In that case the devotion will be 100 – 0 = 100. Now, if a person is highly learned, in that case in order to attain devotion he or she will have to perform action to the degree of 100 + 20 = 120. People who are puffed up with the vanity of knowledge will have to perform more actions if they wish to cultivate devotion. It is not easy for them to express devotion to Parama Puruśa. But those who do not have the vanity of knowledge attain devotion easily. To acquire devotion one requires the good saḿskáras of many lives. What is vaedhii bhakti? I have already said that Parama Puruśa is the nucleus of this universe. Each and every object of this universe is attracted to this nucleus and orbits around it. Attraction, not repulsion, is the natural law. Each microcosm, characterized by its acquired saḿskáras constantly moves around this nucleus. When an object moves around a nucleus two forces operate: the centrifugal force (which takes the object away from the nucleus) and the centripetal force (which pulls the object towards the nucleus). If the centrifugal force is greater than the centripetal, the object drifts away from its nucleus. Conversely, if the centripetal force is stronger, the object finally merges in its nucleus. In the scriptures this centripetal force is called vidyámáyá. Vidyámáyá leads the microcosms towards Puruśottama, the nucleus of the universe. The force which takes the microcosms away from Parama Puruśa is called avidyámáyá. In vidyámáyá lies the hope of liberation, the seed of immortality. In avidyámáyá lies the seed of sorrow and death. The accumulative effect of both forces has caused the universe to come into being.

What sort of influence does the force of avidyá have on human life? Avidyá shakti exerts its influence in two ways: through vikśepii shakti and ávarańii shakti.

Vikśepii Shakti

Vikśepii shakti is the force that strongly repels an object from its nucleus. When human beings become excessively attached to crude physicality they move away from Parama Puruśa. They become so infatuated with matter that they totally forget the Supreme. Similarly, a person who is involved in a court case thinks constantly about his or her opponent. A person who quarrels thinks constantly about his adversary for many days even at the time of meditation. “I should have spoken my mind,” he thinks to himself, “why didn’t I rebuke him more?”

The funny thing is that one always thinks about the faults of one’s opponent and never one’s own faults. One never cares to analyse whether or not one has any faults. In this process one’s opponent becomes one’s object of meditation. One becomes so preoccupied with one’s opponent’s defects that one begins to acquire his or her defects oneself. Suppose a person is quarrelling with an opium addict. If he thinks about the addict’s defect constantly over a long period of time he will develop a desire to try opium. That is, he acquires the defect of his adversary. In the same way if one ideates on Parama Puruśa one will acquire His qualities. People ultimately become as they think: Yádrshii bhávaná yasya siddhirbhavati tádrshii. Vikśepii shakti causes a person to move away from Átman, the self, and become attracted to matter. The innate characteristic of human beings is to acquire infinite happiness. In this pursuit lies the seed of human excellence. To remain engrossed in the thought of crude matter is contrary to human existence if this ever occurs it should be understood that the concerned person has degenerated. In the Bhagavad Giitá Lord Krśńa warns people, Svadharme nidhanaḿ shreya, paradharmah bhayávahah: “It is better to die while following one’s own dharma than to pursue the dharma of others.” Under no circumstances should one forsake one’s own dharma. Here svadharma, or “own dharma”, does not refer to any particular religion, but to one’s own innate characteristic.

Ávarańii Shakti

Suppose a person commits a wrong by accepting a bribe. While receiving the bribe he or she thinks that no one is watching, but that is impossible. A third entity is watching everything. No one can do anything secretly in this universe. But the bribe-taker thinks the opposite because avidyá shakti has placed a veil between him or her and the Supreme Being. This is a very dangerous situation. It is just like a hare being chased by a hunter: the hare sits down and covers its eyes with its ears and, thinks, “I cannot see anything, so the hunter cannot see anything either. Hence he won’t be able to kill me.” This is a deadly mistake! Wherever one commits a wrong, be it in the depths of the ocean or in a high mountain cave, one cannot escape the consequences: one will certainly be detected one day or another.

In the psychic world Parama Puruśa has infinite power. All longings and thoughts are reflected on His mental mirror. Any action one performs, any thought one is trying to materialize, is immediately reflected on the vast mental mirror. One cannot keep anything secret from Him. If a small piece of stone is thrown into the vast ocean it creates tiny ripples on its smooth surface. This event, although trivial, does not remain unknown to the ocean. Even the least vibration created within the unit mind is immediately known to the Macrocosmic Mind, for the unit mind is within the vast Macrocosmic Mind.

Vidyámáyá also exerts her influence on the human mind in two ways: through samvit shakti and hládinii shakti.

Samvit Shakti

Suppose a certain person who has been doing wrong deeds for a long time suddenly changes for the better. After hearing some wise words, by reading a good book, or by receiving a shock or, injury, a thought dawns in his or her mind: “I have unnecessarily wasted so many years in futile pursuits. Now I have only a limited time at my disposal.” From the very moment of birth human beings move slowly and steadily towards the grave. With each passing second the distance between the person and the burial ground gradually decreases. Hence human beings should utilize every moment of their valuable time in worthwhile pursuits. A person may realize one day, “How unfortunate it is that I have not fully utilized the capacity that God has provided. I have committed a grave error in not doing what I should have done.” What is the force that awakens this psychic outlook? It is the samvit shakti of vidyámáyá. In colloquial Bengali, samvit shakti is called huṋsh (sudden awareness). When people suddenly return to their senses or repent, this is the first type of influence of vidyámáyá on the human mind.

Hládinii Shakti

Hládinii shakti is the second type of influence of vidyámáyá on the human mind. When people realize that they have wasted their precious time, they express the sincere desire to utilize their time more benevolently. They think, “From today I will utilize all my energy and capacity in worthwhile pursuits.” This sincere desire gradually takes them towards Parama Puruśa. And this movement towards the Supreme occurs due to the influence of hládinii shakti. Hládinii shakti is the force which helps the microcosms to meditate on Parama Puruśa. In the Caetanya Charitámrta it has been said,

Jap tap vedajiṋána vidhi bhakti japadhyán ihá haite mádhurya durlabh
Keval ye rágamárge bhaje Krśńa anuráge táhe Krśńa mádhurya sulabh.

[Those who repeat their ista mantra mechanically, or undergo severe penance, or endlessly study the scriptures, or express a show of devotion, or practise meditation in a ritualistic way, can never feel the charm, the joy, of spiritual realization. That sweet discovery is only possible for those who worship Lord Krśńa out of deep devotion to Him.]

With the help of vaedhii bhakti (formal mechanical devotion) a person can approach Parama Puruśa but cannot become one with Him. Vaedhii bhakti does not have that power. To attain oneness with Parama Puruśa a sádhaka requires rágánugá bhakti or rágátmiká bhakti. Unless a sádhaka develops ardent devotion for Parama Puruśa, it is not possible to become one with Him. To think, “Parama Puruśa is so vast, so beautiful! How can I possibly attain Him?” is to create an impediment on the path of one’s spiritual progress.

There are three types of devotion which are well known to all: támasikii bhakti or devotion of static nature, rájasikii bhakti or devotion of mutative nature, and sáttvikii bhakti or devotion of sentient nature.

Támasikii Bhakti

A person who has an inimical relation with someone might pray to Parama Puruśa, “Oh Parama Puruśa, please harm my enemy. Eliminate him/her for my sake.” Obviously, such a person has no devotion for the Lord but simply wants to gratify his/her selfish desire.

When a devotee moves towards Parama Puruśa with intense yearning for Him, it is called rádhábháva. When a devotee finally reaches Parama Puruśa by virtue of this intense rádhábháva it is called the union between Rádhá and Krśńá in the Vaeshńava scriptures.

Who is Krśńa? Here Krśńa is none other than Parama Puruśa. You might have seen some pictures depicting Rádhá and Krśńa. These all are false. Krśńa and Rádha are subtle spiritual concepts. A devotee will have to move towards Puruśottama, the Supreme Nucleus, with the help of rádhiká shakti or hládinii shakti. There is no path of Supreme Welfare other than rádhiká shakti.

I have already said that action minus knowledge equals devotion. Thus when a sádhaka performs action, devotion awakens. This is the beginning of vaedhii bhakti. For example, some people pray, “Oh Parama Puruśa, my neighbour’s child has passed the school examination, but my child has failed. The teacher has made my child fail intentionally. Let that teacher be destroyed.” This is támasikii bhakti. Parama Puruśa may or may not grant your prayers – it depends on His will. But as you expressed támasikii bhakti to Parama Puruśa you will attain neither liberation nor salvation because you did not want either one.

Rájasikii Bhakti

In this category of devotion one does not think of harming anyone, but asks for a mundane favour for oneself. For example, one may pray to the Lord, “Oh Lord, please bless me so that I can score high marks in my exams and thereby procure a good job.” To ask for worldly favours as a result of one’s crude devotion to the Lord is not at all desirable. The Lord may or may not fulfill your desires, but one thing is certain: you will never attain liberation or salvation because you did not desire it.

Sáttvikii Bhakti:

A devotee of this category may think: “Now I am an old man. I have committed so many wrongs in my life. It would be wise for me to take initiation from a preceptor and count beads. Otherwise what will people say about me? They will say I’m spending my old age eating and sleeping and doing nothing worthwhile. At least I should do some religious deeds to show everyone that I love God.” This is the inner motivation behind sentient devotion. Such devotees do not think of harming others, but they do not want Parama Puruśa either. Even if such devotees attain liberation or salvation, they certainly do not get Parama Puruśa because they did not want Him. Hence such devotion has no real value.

All of this comes within the scope of vaedhii bhakti. There is a lack of genuine love for Parama Puruśa in all these types of vaedhii bhakti.

Shuddá Bhakti or pure devotion is pará bhakti, the highest devotion for the Lord. It has two stages: rágánugá and rágátmiká.

Rágátmikáḿ anusarati yá sá rágánugá.

Rágánugá Bhakti

The first stage of shuddhá bhakti is rágánugá bhakti. Now the devotee says, “I love Parama Puruśa. This is nothing to hide, nor is it anything to brag and boast about. I love Him because it makes me happy”. This is rágánugá bhakti. “I don’t ask for anything, not even liberation or salvation. I love Him because that brings me joy.”

Rágátmiká Bhakti

This is the highest stage of pure devotion. In this type of devotion the ideation is, “I love Parama Puruśa because it makes Him happy. I meditate on Him thinking that my meditation will bring joy to Him. This is my sole intention.” This is rágátmiká bhakti. Regarding rágátmika bhakti, Maháprabhu Caetanya has said,

Paripúrńa Krśńa prápti sei prem haite
Se preme báṋdhá Krśńá kahe bhágavate.

[One attains Krśńa through rágátmiká bhakti because Krśńa is bound by that love.]

Lord Krśńa also said in the Giitá,

Api cet sudurácáro bhajate mámananyabhák
So’pi pápavinirmukto mucyate bhavabandhanát.

“Even if the worst of the sinners meditates on me with unwavering devotion, he or she will be liberated from all worldly bondages and freed from all reactive momenta (saḿskáras) and will become one with the Supreme Entity”.

Is worshipping the Lord with unwavering devotion vaedhii bhakti or rágátmiká bhakti? This entire universe is nothing but an ocean of unending bliss. Numerous waves are emerging from this ocean. Puruśottama is the nucleus of all these waves. All waves originate from Him and finally merge in Him. The poet Vidyápati wrote,

Kata caturánana mari marijáota na tu ádi avasáná
Tohe janama punah tohe samáota Ságaralaharii samáná

[Innumerable living beings emerge from the Supreme Entity, who has neither beginning nor end. Just like the waves of the ocean, they emanate from Him and dissolve finally in Him.]

Innumerable waves are constantly emerging from the ocean only to merge back into the ocean itself. This universe is like an ocean of waves of bliss. Parama Puruśa is the nucleus of all these countless rhythmic waves. Innumerable microcosms are constantly rotating around this nucleus, and will continue their orbits until they finally become one with Him.

Every movement has a rhythm, and every rhythm has a sound. The countless waves of this vast universe also have their respective sounds. The devotees say that Parama Puruśa is an embodiment of love. They say that out of His infinite love for the microcosms He eternally plays His sweet flute, vibrating this vast universe with its divine sound. When spiritual aspirants attain a certain degree of spiritual progress, they are able to hear that divine sound. This divine sound is called oṋḿkára. All the sound waves of this universe have their source in Him. They emanate from the point of beginninglessness to the point of endlessness, and will continue to emanate eternally.

The kulakuńd́alinii shakti (serpentine power) rises upwards in accordance with the divine sound. As it rises through successively higher stages one hears the sound of crickets, ankle bells and the melodious sound of the flute. This is called the sweet sound of Krśńa’s flute. It is neither a dream nor a fantasy. All of you will hear it one day. A mystic poet said,

Chut́e ye jan bánshiir t́áne
Se ki tákáy pather páne

“For those who listen to that melodious flute sound, nothing is an obstacle. They will move irresistibly towards the Supreme.”

This is pure devotion (shuddhá bhakti) and not vaedhii bhakti. If one does not move towards Him with one’s entire being, one cannot develop exclusive devotion for Him.

Api cet sudurácáro. Who is a durácárii? A person in whose contact one degenerates is called a durácárii. Lord Krśńa said that whoever will meditate on Him with undivided attention will attain liberation from all accumulated saḿskáras. Devotees who run towards Parama Puruśa with all the strength of their soul need not be afraid of anything.

What is pápa? Paropakárah puńyáya pápáya parapiiŕańam. Any action that leads to one’s physical, psychic and spiritual well-being is called punya or a virtuous deed; and any action which leads to one’s physical, psychic and spiritual degeneration is called pápa or sin. There are two types of pápa or sin: pápa, which occurs when one does something one should not do, and pratyávaya, which occurs when one does not do something which should be done. For example, one should nurse a sick person. If one does not do that one is committing pratyáváya. Pratyáváya is more harmful than pápa. Pápa and pratyáváya are both of three types: pátaka, atipátaka and mahápátaka. If one compensates for the loss caused by the performance of an improper action or by the non-performance of a proper action it is called pátaka. Suppose someone has stolen five rupees from a person. If the thief repays the amount in full it is said that she or he has atoned. This is a case of pátaka.

Atipátaka refers to a sinful action for which there can be no atonement. Suppose someone chops off a hand of an innocent person. This is atipátaka. But if in a fight someone chops off the hand of their enemy, a wrongdoer, it cannot be called a sin. In the Bhagavad Giitá Lord Krśńá advises people that their dharma is to fight against adharma. A chopped-off hand cannot be put back on the wrist easily.

What is mahápátaka? Mahápátaka is a sinful action for which there can be no atonement and which has a recurring effect. Once I told you a story from the Rámáyańa. Ráma and Rávańa were engaged in a bitter combat. When Ráma began to get the upper hand Rávana entreated Shiva to save his life. On hearing Rávańa’s desperate pleas, Parvatii’s heart melted, and she requested Shiva to save Rávana’s life. Shiva said unambiguously, “I cannot save him. He is a mahápátaka, a sinner of the worst type”. Shiva explained that if Rávańa had abducted Siitá in his original form he would not be a mahápátaka; but he chose to abduct Siita in the guise of a sádhu (saint). As a result, in the future people will never fully trust sádhus again. Whenever they will see a sadhu they will immediately question his intention. So Shiva refused to help Rávańa because he was a mahápátaka.

Lord Krśńa said that whoever meditates on Him with exclusive, unwavering devotion will be liberated from all sins. When microcosms ideate on the Supreme Entity they feel joy, and the Supreme Entity also feels joy. Everyone wants joy; the devotees also want joy. Devotees worship Parama Puruśa with the sole intention of giving Him joy. A mother derives more pleasure from seeing her own child eat than by eating her own food. Similarly, those who are the greatest devotees rush towards Him to give Him joy. They feel much more joy than their Lord feels. Maháprabhu Caetanya said,

Gopii darshane Krśńer ye ánanda hay;
Tadapekśá kot́iguńa gopii ásváday.

[The devotees are a million times more pleased when they see Krśńa than Krśńa is upon seeing them.]

You are following the path of sádhaná. Always remember that you must establish yourself in pure devotion and not formal devotion. And to become established in pure devotion you must perform virtuous deeds, practise spiritual sádhaná regularly, render selfless service to the world, and wage a relentless fight against wrongs and injustice. There is no room for cowardice. May you be victorious.

Chapter 8	Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 8 [unpublished in English]

Today’s subject of discourse is “Bhágavata Dharma”. The word “bhágavata” means “pertaining to divinity” and dharma means “inherent characteristic”, so Bhágavata dharma means “the way of life which leads to ensconcement in the supreme stance”. Dharma is a natural propensity, an inherent characteristic. It refers to a particular spiritual way of life. Each and every object in this universe has its own innate characteristic, or svabháva (Sva means “own” and bháva means “propensity”). The innate characteristic of fire is to burn whatever it meets. The innate characteristic of human beings is to practise spirituality. To make a clear distinction between spiritual practice and the other natural tendencies of mind in the mundane sense, such as eating and sleeping, the term “Bhágavata dharma” is used to describe the higher tendencies. Bhágavata dharma refers to the innate tendency which leads human beings towards the Supreme Entity, which arouses in them a spontaneous love and attraction for the Supreme Entity. In fact, in each and every human being there is love and attraction for the Supreme Entity. The human being who does not feel this attraction hardly deserves to be called a human being. Such a being is no better than a sub-human, although in human form. It is bhágavata dharma that clearly distinguishes human beings from animals. Even a thief who feels love for the Supreme Entity in the core of his heart, merits being called a human being. But a so-called virtuous person or a man of knowledge who feels no love for the Supreme Entity should not be considered a human being, because in such a person human dharma is wanting. Human beings are characterized by their bhágavata dharma. They have a spontaneous attraction for the Supreme, which non-humans do not possess. Hence, human beings have a glorious existence; animals do not.

Áhára nidrá bhaya maethunaiṋca sámányametad pashubhiirnaránám;
Dharmo hi teśamadhiko visheśo dharmena hiináh pashubhih sámánáh.

This shloka clearly illustrates that human beings devoid of bhágavata dharma are just like animals. I have already said that if human beings lack bhágavata dharma they are actually worse than animals. Animals do not have a developed intellect or consciousness; human beings do. If human beings fail to utilize their developed intellect and consciousness, choosing to avoid the pursuit of bhágavata dharma, they are the enemies of humanity and a slur on the human race. Their actions, having no relation to bhágavata dharma, should be considered contrary to humanity and their innate characteristic. Their future is bound to be doomed, like that of a huge tree struck by lightning. The downtrodden masses who long to better themselves should embrace the path of bhágavata dharma. The easiest and most natural way for human civilization and humanity to grow is through bhágavata dharma. There is no other way. Hence, those who sincerely seek the welfare of humanity must uphold bhágavata dharma.

Bhágavata dharma is dependent on three factors: vistara (expansion), rasa (flow) and sevá (service). The literal meaning of the word vistára is expansion, that is, to direct the mind toward the vast Cosmic Entity. This psychic movement towards the vast Cosmic Entity is not dependent on external factors. To move towards that Supreme Entity one must first overcome and transcend all sorts of meanness and pettiness. Hence, a follower of Bhágavata dharma must wage a relentless fight against these limiting tendencies within his or her own mind, as well as in the society at large.

When the mind is confined within the narrow limits of pettiness a polluted atmosphere of sin spreads all around. But when the human mind expands, the effulgence of virtue becomes increasingly manifest and humanity is exalted to the heights of divininity.

Vistárah sarvabhútasya Viśńorvishvamidaḿ jagat;
Draśt́avyamátmavattasmádabhedena vicakśańaeh.

Viśńupuráńa –Trans.

[This universe is nothing but the expansion of all the fundamental factors of Viśńu. Hence, wise people identify this whole universe with their own self.]

Only human beings can expand their minds because only they have the opportunity to follow bhágavata dharma. Now the question is, how can human beings follow bhágavata dharma, and when should they begin?

Human beings should practise bhágavata dharma from their childhood, from the age of five. Human life is more valuable than the lives of other creatures. Hence every creature unconsciously yearns to attain a human frame because only with a human frame is it possible to practise spirituality and perform noble deeds. The scriptures state that the practice of bhágavata dharma should commence at childhood. Those who embrace bhagavata dharma look upon this entire creation as a manifestation of Viśńu (Parama Puruśa). A small effigy of Viśńu is not the real image of Viśńu for them. They love the manifest form of Viśńu because they are in an inextricable relationship of love with Parama Puruśa.

Anayamamatá viśńoramatá premasaḿgatá.

The exclusive love for Viśńu can be called prema or divine love because one is in love with the Supreme Entity in whose mind resides the entire universe. By creating the quinquelemental world He bas made Himself accessible to His created objects. Even a small blade of grass is His creation. Hence the followers of bhágavata dharma who expand the mind, will certainly see every object of this universe as an expression of their dear Lord. They will therefore show equal respect for each and every entity.

A religion or cult which does not encourage spiritual elevation but keeps the human mind confined to narrow limits, and depicts God in various imaginary forms, is far removed from bhágavata dharma. In bhágavata dharma there is no scope for differentiations and distinctions. The religion or philosophy which causes the human mind to become so analytical that it distances itself from the one integral Entity is contrary to bhágavata dharma. Those following bhágavata dharma strive to create unity and synthesis in the midst of disunity and analysis.

The second factor is rasa, or flow. Whatever is happening in this universe, whether natural or supernatural, is due to Cosmic Will. Everything depends on His grace. Whatever human beings think, say or do is only possible due to Cosmic grace. This entire universe is a Macro-psychic conation – everything originates from the thought waves of the Macrocosm. Thus He witnesses everything at the same time.

The major difference between the unit mind and the Cosmic mind is that whatever the unit mind imagines is only transformed into action on certain occasions. The external projection of the unit mind is only possible when it is fully concentrated. But for the Cosmic mind nothing is external – this entire universe is within His mind. The Cosmic thought-waves appear to be something external for us. The Macropsychic thought waves are his Svarasa (flow). Likewise, for externalization various waves emanate from the unit mind. In the first case the psychic waves are the svarasa of Parama Puruśa. But mental waves, created by various thoughts, are the svarasa of microcosms.

Microcosms differ from one another due to the differences in their individual flows. All microcosms want to move according to their own individual flows. They endeavour to direct their internal thoughts and actions according to their individual flows. That is why the thoughts, actions and lifestyles of microcosms are so diverse. When you walk along a road a cobbler looks at your feet, a washerman looks at your clothes, and a barber looks at your head. The difference in their outlooks is due to the difference in their individual flows.

All microcosms create their own individual flows, in adjustment with the Macrocosmic flow. Hence the individual flow of every microcosm is directly controlled by Parama Puruśa. I have often said that Parama Puruśa is not guided by your intellect or desires, but moves according to His own wishes. You will never have any opportunity to question Him. You will have to move around Him, whether you like it or not. If your individual flow does not maintain an adjustment with the Macrocosmic flow your longings will never be fulfilled. Everyone longs to attain so much but only attains a fraction of what is desired. If one’s longings are not in perfect adjustment with the Cosmic waves one can never attain success.

Kii habe iccháy iccháte kii hai
Krśńa icchá viná phal phalená

[Does individual desire have any value? Without the approval of the Supreme Entity nothing can succeed.]

You wish to attain something, but if your desire is not approved by the Supreme Entity, then you will not attain success in your mission. This is the second factor – rasa tattva of bhágavata dharma. What is rasa tattva? When human beings are in deep love with Parama Puruśa they begin to know His nature and follow His will accordingly. Such individuals become invincible and victorious in the world. Most people are overwhelmed by His greatness, but sádhakas know the secret of becoming great. Thus the basic spirit of rasa sádhaná is to direct one’s individual desires and longings towards Parama Puruśa. Only in this way can a sádhaka achieve fulfilment (rddhi) and success (siddhi). In the scriptures this has been called rásaliilá. Created beings, will have to move according to the Cosmic will; there is no other way. Learning, intellect and personal status become meaninngless unless they are directed towards Parama Puruśa. After realizing the Supreme truth intelligent people start moving according to Parama Puruśa’s desire, saying, “Oh Parama Puruśa. I have nothing to ask of you. Let thy will be fulfilled. I want nothing else.”

The third characteristic of bhágavata dharma is selfless service (sevá). When you offer something to a person and expect to receive something in return, it is a sort of commercial transaction. But when you have no desire to receive anything in return for services rendered it is called true service, and here lies the basic difference between true service and commercial transactions. You might have seen newspaper advertisements in which a certain company says it has been rendering service to the people over a long period of time. But the question is, can any commercial institution truly “serve” the people? Are they not merely involved in a commercial transaction of one form or other?

Service can be of two types: internal and external. This entire universe is the expression of the greatness of Parama Puruśa, and therefore, whatever a person does for a particular living being is as good as rendering service to Parama Puruśa. Wherever you are, and whatever you may be, whether you are leading a family life or the life of a recluse, you need to serve all created beings for they are the veritable expression of the Supreme Entity. While serving living beings one should never allow a feeling of vanity to develop. One should always remember that one is serving Parama Puruśa and none other. Had Parama Puruśa not come in your contact in the from of living beings, you would not have an opportunity to serve Him. He comes to you as a sick person or as a beggar to solicit your assistance. Naturally you are more grateful than the person you serve because Parama Puruśa has given you the opportunity to serve Him. Thus everyone should render external service.

Japakriyá and dhyána should also be practised with the ideation that one is serving Parama Puruśa. This is internal service. If this is done one will achieve intense psychic concentration. Of course one must serve without expecting any reward in return. If this spirit of service is fully awakened during japakriyá one will attain eveything. A service-minded sádhaka can attain liberation merely by repeating naina mantra, but a Yoga who performs higher spiritual practices will attain nothing in the spiritual sphere if he or she shuns service.

If internal service is not rendered properly, true external service becomes impossible. Hence it has been said,

Atmamokśárthaḿ jagaddhitáya ca.

Individual salvation is also a service to humanity. Internal service (átmamokśártham) leads to fulfilment or immortality; external service (jagaddhitáya ca) leads to universal welfare. Thus both internal and external service have equal importance. External service purifies the mind, and with a pure mind one is more capable of rendering service to one’s iśt́a. Every sádhaka should render both types of service.

The mind thinks; it creates micropsychic waves. The merger of micropsychic waves into Macropsychic waves is a natural process. This merger is possible for every human being in the rendering of external and internal service. Thus bhágavata dharma is a social dharma, a human dharma that easily can be followed by all. Whether people are aware of it or not, all are moving towards the nucleus of bhágavata dharma. Everyone’s individual journey ultimately terminates in Parama Puruśa. Just as the earth is moving around the sun, and the moon around the earth, similarly every individual human being is moving around Parama Puruśa. Your sádhaná is nothing but an attempt to reduce the distance between yourself and Parama Puruśa.

One’s nerve cells, glands, and sub-glands are created according to one’s individual flow. In fact, various structures are created based on this individual flow. The various thoughtwaves of the mind are all identified with the individual flows. All microcosms, knowingly or unknowingly, are rotating around the nucleus of the Cosmic Cycle. No one is separated from the Supreme Entity. Living beings attain different physical bodies according to their respective psychic waves. And with their individual minds and bodies they move around the Cosmic Cycle. This movement continues as long as they feel that they are separated from Parama Puruśa. But as soon as the tiny drop finds the vast ocean it automatically merges in that ocean. The distance between the two is removed and there remains no separate existence for either. The two become one. But until that final union is achieved unit beings will have to move like bullocks trudging around the oil mill.

When sádhakas establish themselves in bhágavata dharma, by virtue of vistára, rasa and sevá, their journey comes to an end. They become one with the Nucleus, one with Parama Puruśa. At that stage they realize the secret of the divine sport of Parama Puruśa. This is the true dharma of human beings – bhágavata dharma.

In the Giitá Lord Krśńa said that to pursue one’s own dharma is the best and safest path, whereas the pursuit of other’s dharma is extremely dangerous. The endeavour to satisfy physical needs is common to both humans and animals, but this endeavour alone does not lead to supreme welfare. Rather, if people become totally engrossed in gratifying their crude desires, they will most probably become extremely crude. Hence, although bhágavata dharma is human dharma, and is a somewhat difficult path, people should follow this path, and not the path of animal dharma. If they do follow animal dharma their rapid degeneration is inevitable.

One should remember that here dharma does not refer to any particular religion. These religions have nothing to do with one’s svadharma, with the pursuit of one’s innate characteristics. Unfortunately, this is how the Giitá bas been misinterpreted by a section of the people. The dharma of all human beings is one and indivisible, and that dharma is bhágavata dharma. Establish yourself in that dharma and your victory is assured.