EE7.5 - Bhakti-Rúpa Setu (Devotion Acts Like a Bridge)

Bhakti-Rúpa Setu (Devotion Acts Like a Bridge)

Published in:
Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 18
Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

Notes:

official source: Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 18

this version: is the printed Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 18, 1st edition, version (obvious spelling, punctuation and typographical mistakes only may have been corrected). I.e., this is the most up-to-date version as of the present Electronic Edition.

Online additional information

The term setu connotes bridge. Its function is to connect two objects. Devotion is that bridge which connects jiiva (unit) with Shiva (Cosmic Consciousness). At first one has to know about this setu. He has to dissect and analyse minutely its every aspect, taking also the help of books. This is what is called the Sádhaná of knowledge, i.e., Jiṋána Sadhaná. The endeavour to move towards this Setu is called the Sádhaná of action, i.e., Karma Sádhaná.

In philosophical parlance setu means the process of subjectivizing the objectivity. Some people are found misconstruing the real significance of devotion. They contend that since devotion is between jiiva and Shiva, where there is devotion there is the existence of duality also. But had it been so, devotion would not have performed the work of a bridge. Until and unless the jiiva crosses the bridge, there is duality; the moment the Bhava River is crossed duality meets its Waterloo. The term Bhava connotes rebirth, resulting from the action of the unit mind. Devotion is a bridge over the river of Bhava.

Devotion is not Sádhaná. The stage of devotion is reached through the Sádhaná of knowledge and action. The ecstatic experience generated by devotion leads one to a state of trance. A happy news stimulates pleasing emotions in one’s mind and makes one laugh, sing and dance. The moment one crosses the bridge one is lost in the state of complete trance.

When a person is established in devotion he becomes able to understand the greatness and magnificence of Shiva. The understanding at this moment is Anubhúti Siddhi i.e., born of real experience through taste. Similarly, sweet things, e.g., mango and sugar can be distinguished only by taste. One cannot enjoy the flavour of mango by seeing its reflection in water. One will have to get the tree, pluck the mango and taste it. Similarly experience in the spiritual realm also can be had only after climbing a step on the tree of devotion. Only then one can understand the brilliance and greatness of Parama Brahma – the transcendental cosmic entity.

Parama Brahma is an all-knowing entity. Where consciousness is not converted into an object there Brahma is called Parabrahma. Where it is transformed into an object there we call it Aparabrahma. Jiivas are the manifestation of Apara Brahma. The conversion of Apara Brahma into Para Brahma is the subjectivisation of objectivity. Para Brahma is called Sarvajiṋa i.e., omniscient. The Sanskrit word Sarvajiṋa is made of (Sarva + root verb jiṋá + da and means witnessing entity of all objectivities). He is in contact with everything in the universe. He lives with every small or big entity. The term Sarva stands for the three belligerent principles of Prakrti. In Sarva, Sa stands for the sentient principle, “Ra” for the mutative and “Va” for static principle. Every minutest particle is within this Sarva. There is not a single place where He is not. He is the base of the universe, He is its Áyatana. The term Áyatana connotes Adhivása, i.e., the dwelling place. A sádhaka can realize this only after starting his efforts to climb the tree of devotion.

What is this universe? Where there is predominance of Bhaeravii shakti the universe is unmanifested. The domination of Bhavánii shakti means the manifestation of the universe. The term vishva connotes expressed universe. He is in every particle of the universe. He is also well-acquainted with the feelings in your mind. He is Mahat i.e., great. The term Mahat means matchless and also bereft of narrowness. Brahma is one and the same for all persons. Both sinners and pious persons are dependent on – rather, the descendants of Paramátma.

Paramátmá is the subtlest of all. Your organs have a limited capacity. The subtlest is beyond their grasping power. The Saḿskrta word Súkśma (i.e., subtle) means the minutest object or the sweetest sound which the organs cannot grasp. But the subtlety is not an absolute criterion. Something which is subtle for one may not be the same for the other. It is therefore a relative terminology.

Paramátmá is Nitya. The term Nitya means that which is uninfluenced by the time factor i.e., beyond the periphery of past, present and future. The Entity on which depends the existence of time is called Mahakaola.

Meditation is also action. For arousing devotion action is an indispensable condition. Before crossing the bridge of devotion one feels like “You are that”. But while crossing the bridge one feels “I am that”. At that time his object is subjectivised.

In common parlance you say that Paramátmá is the object of your mind. But, as a matter of fact, everything in this world is the object of Paramátmá who alone can be the subjective entity of the universe. Supreme subjectivity cannot be your object. The experience that you are always witnessed by Him is devotion. One who realizes this attains the state of trance. The moment Tat is converted into Tvam or vice versa, one starts feeling that He is not a witnessed entity but a witnessing one. There are three main stages of mind: (i) Conscious, (ii) Subconscious, (iii) Unconscious. These stages are experienced by the reflected consciousness. When Tat and Tvam become one in the life of a sádhaka he starts feeling that it is not this reflection on these but his reflection on Apara Brahma. At that time jiiva entity for him becomes Apara Brahma. The identification of his unit identity with Brahma makes him free from virtue and vice.

The term dháma connotes home. Actually speaking there are four dhámas: i) Conscious mind, ii) Subconscious mind, iii) Unconscious mind, iv) Dhamá less (house-less) state or Nirálamba Avasthá or Turiiyá vasthá.

In the first three the object of thinking is not original. No original creation is possible in these stages. Even during dream or slumber the objects already perceived by the conscious mind are recreated again. In the unconscious mind the object perceived by the conscious mind is completely identified with the perceiving entity and naturally the imaginary figure of ghost, for instance, becomes a reality there. But in Turiiya stage original creation is possible. Man consumes an object mentally. In these three stages the object of your thinking is your own expressed counterpart. A portion of your self becomes Bhoktá and another portion Bhogya. Bhokta is Saguńa Para. Bhogya is Saguńa Apara. The neutral or Nirapekśa part is Nirguńa. Your own unit consciousness, Mahat and ego are bhoktá and citta is bhogya.

In collective life also some become bhoktá and some bhogya. But those who are vilakśańa or vipariitguńa i.e., neither bhoktá nor bhogya will feel that their real nature is manifested in realizing. “I am Sadáshiva or consciousness personified”. The term Sadáshiva means always being in consciousness. Sadáshiva was also a historical figure. About seven thousand years ago he had come with this blessing of Tantra Sádhaná. He was Mahakaola i.e., one who can arouse others’ sleeping divinity.

There are numerous glands in human body. The secretion from the upper glands affects the lower ones but not vice versa. The secretion of the pineal – the uppermost gland affects all other glands in the human body. But dirty or crude thinking does not allow the secretion to come down to all the glands and thereby influence them. Pious thinking, on the other hand, allows the pineal secretion to affect every gland and leads one to the state of trance or samádhi. The psychological implication of Samádhi is the merger of of the unit with Cosmic Consciousness and its biological interpretation is the influence of the pineal gland over other glands in human body. Samádhi was always a state of ineffable bliss due to the influence of the hormone of the pineal gland. Naturally some misconstrued his joyous state as if he were intoxicated by smoking.

What does the crescent moon over the head of Shiva connote? At that time people used to think some portion of the moon as invisible. They had divided the moon into sixteen Kalás. The sixteenth one was invisible to them. They placed the pineal gland in this invisible portion of the moon. This crescent moon is also called Amákalá or Indu. Shiva acquired appellations like Candrashekhara, Candrabhúśańa etc.

The limited human mind grasps external physicalities with the help of organs. But a bigger mind, cosmic mind, for instance, need not take the help of organs just as they are not needed for knowing your own thoughts. He, whose mind is immanent in every particle of the universe, does not need the external help. Identify your mind with this and you will realize that even the minutest of the objects are you. You are the pacific ocean. The universe which is the manifestation of Bhavánii Shakti will appear as your own manifestation. The universe, which is the Liila of Sadáshiva also gives Him infinite, ecstatic bliss. You meditate on Him and He meditates on you. He is the oldest of the entities – Purátana. Práciina means old and Purátana connotes oldest. Since Shiva is the oldest of the entities, He is the father of all, but He has no father of His own. None can say who His father was. The moment one realizes Him, one starts feeling that he is the controller of everything, the golden, glittering entity.

He feels that he is effulgence personified. His identity is Shivo’ham Shivo’ham i.e., “I am Shiva”. This realization is unlikely without devotion. Devotion is the bridge. Proper knowledge and action are also needed, but devotion is the prime factor, the essence.