Welcome Spring.

~~ Welcome Spring !! ~~
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  (My Sanskrit Compositions)

God, Guru and Grace.

God, Guru, and the 'Grace'

Inspired from Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi,
Talk #334, 20thJan.1937
published by Sri Ramanasramam, Tiruvannamalai, 
Tamilnadu, India).










Nakkirar was a seeker and a devotee of Shiva. 
He had a firm conviction born of his insight and Tapas, his 
learning from the scriptures,about the nature of the worldly 
pleasures, which had helped him greatly in understanding 
clearly that the sensual pleasures are only a sense of gratifi-
cation. So the relief felt when the force of senses find their 
way,is not the real joy or happiness, but only the functioning
of nature which is mistaken as real pleasure, and the craving
for them starts in the mind.But if at the very beginning, one is 
cautious, does not fall into this misunderstanding, one can give
the natural bodily tendencies a way to let blossom and wither 
away in their own course.No need to control, resist or criticize 
them, feel guilt for them, or indulge in them, and misuse them 
as an escape route from the worries of living the life. Simply 
transcend them.He had learnt it from Shiva's 'Third Eye'. The 
Eye of 'Dispassion', viveka and vairagya, 'discrimination. At 
least one should realize that the apparent happiness (pleasures)
they give, is transient and as such fade away with time.    
He had a deep insight that just as he was a 'conscious' being, 
with an 'Individuality' and a 'Personality', The 'Purusha' of 
'Purusha-Sukta' and just as the 'Individuality' remains as the 
basis of all his 'personal' states, and moments, like the sleep, 
the dream and the waking, and even while waking, or passing 
through several very different and variegated modes of the mind, 
and is reflected through all and each of them, there IS a Reality 
which he named 'Shiva', and likewise him, Shiva too had an 
'Individuality' with His infinitely variegated modes of expression. 
Just as he had felt and had soon discovered his natural inherent 
'oneness', an undivided wholeness that is never non-existent like 
mental modes or experiences or their memories, and which he 
called 'In-dividual Being' and Shiva too shared this 'in-dividuality' 
with him, he had an unshakeable realisation that though the bodily 
animal instincts, the mental obsessions and compulsions turn him 
into a 'Pashu' (Pashu, - a beast), the 'oneness' is never disfigured 
or affected in anyway, remains intact and Whole as ever. He used 
to call this aspect of his being the 'Pashupati', the traditional name 
of Shiva who rides a bull, indicating that He is the 'Master' /
 'Pashupati', and the beast is the ruled one. Thus he was at ease 
with everything, never condemned the functioning of the nature, 
ever attentive about the essential Shiva-Principle and the Whole-
ness, Purity and effulgence of The Shiva.'Karpuragara','Shubhra',
impeccable, .....The 'Sakshin' (Witness) another aspect of Reality
(Brahman) he shared like all living beings with Shiva.
He was aware that this 'Wholeness' was eternally a 'Witness' 
and the 'Witness' in Him and Shiva are one and the same. Shiva's 
'Third Eye' always drew his attention to the pure conscious aspect
of his being. He always used to chant the traditional Shiva-Stutis 
( Hymns in praise of the Lord Shiva) and so deeply aspired and 
cherished to have at least once in his life, a glimpse of the Lord in 
some physically perceptible form.Though he well knew the ephe-
meral nature of all physical things and all such experiences, he 
somehow could not resist this particular temptation, because he 
would always visualize Shiva's such a form before his mental eyes
whenever he chanted His glory.
He was sitting in his hut adjacent to a lake when he saw a fig-leaf 
driven by wind fell into the lake. He was astonished when he saw 
the leaf dipped into the water and was half-sunk there, before his 
own eyes, it's part above the water-surface turned into a bird while 
the other, that was immersed into the water, into a fish. 
Soon there-after, a Yaksha came through the sky, captured him, 
and took him to a far-away cave and kept him as a captive there 
999 others like him.
Aeons passed by and he could not free himself from the deadly
silence of the cave. He remembered Shiva and sang His glory, 
and he and all others were freed. He soon found himself where he
was sitting earlier, near the lake. The bird and the fish were still 
trying to separate themselves from each other. He walked up-to 
them took them and helped them very carefully, assiduously to 
come out of their plight. 
Ultimately the fish slipped into the water and the bird flew away 
in the sky. For a minute the bird sat on the fig-tree, looked into 
the water, 
and found the fish staring at him.They were both as if charmed, 
kept gazing intently at each other. 
In the coming days Nakkirar would see a shoal of the fish, the 
very kind he had rescued once in the lake, while a diving bird 
hovering in the mid air, darting straight into the water and took 
one of them as his prey.
Every-day when he frequently saw this, he could never help 
wondering that the diving-bird was the same that he had once 
rescued from the fish.This was indeed even more amazing.
About three years after, when he saw the bird, it had been 
grown up and even became old and weak. He felt the bird had
been very slow and could not keep flying or preying well. And 
one day it sat on a rock in the mid-lake, and slowly went into 
the water where a shoal of them was in wait. 
As the bird approached them, the fish almost jumped-out and 
caught hold of the bird, took away it into the water and in a 
moment split it into pieces and gobbled-up.
Nakkirar was sad, but the next day when he saw yet another 
diving bird looking exactly as the earlier one, perched upon the 
same branch of the fig-tree, where the earlier had been resting 
frequently, their oneness was instantly revealed to him. 
The shoal was there, as if waiting for the bird.
He saw how the bird suddenly flew high, up in the air, hovering
there in the mid-air at the same place, fluttering his feathers for 
a minute, and like an arrow dived straight into the lake. Came 
out with a fish in its beak and flew away fast.
Nakkirar just sat silent and the tears of bliss started trickling-
down his face. 
That night Shiva appeared before him, and he was absorbed 
in Shiva, for ever.


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Ode to Arunachala, My Beloved,....!!
______________________________
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Of course,
It is very difficult to climb up,
But some Cliffs are so enchanting,
That you can't stop from getting pulled towards them.
In addition, they give you energy, enthusiasm, zeal.
And drag you upwards forcefully with a great charm,
That you can't resist.
Just because they are there in your heart.

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~~Conserns-12.~~

~~~~~Concerns-12.~~~~~
~~~~~29032011~~~~~
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.© Vinay Vaidya 


यदा चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः,।
तदा दृष्टुः स्वरूपेऽवस्थानम् ॥
कदा?
यदा दृष्टिः स्वरूपे अवस्थाति ।
यदा वृत्तयः ’अहं’-वृत्तौ विलीय,
’अहं’वृत्तिः अपि ’अहमि’ वा आत्मनि लीयते ।
तदा दृष्टुः स्वरूपे ’अवस्थानम्’ ॥
पुनरपि, यदा दृष्टुः स्वरूपेऽवस्थानम् तदैव
आत्मानम् विन्देत् ॥
इतरत्र वृत्तिसारूप्यम् ।
वृत्तयः पञ्चतय्यः,....क्लिष्टाक्लिष्टाः,..
(क्लिष्टाः-अक्लिष्टा: च),..
प्रमाण, विपर्यय, विकल्प, निद्रा, स्मृतय़ः ।


When the 'consciousness' (Citta) is in the form of a 'Vrutti',
i.e. in a 'thought-form',identification with the 'Vrutti' takes
place.This 'thought' or 'mind' is not just the word-structure,
a verbal-one, but is of the nature of any-one of the 
following five kinds,
'PramaaNa'  -'evidence by perception, through senses,
-physical like sense-organs, or mental according to the faculty
of the inner organ, (antahakaraNa), or The  evidence of the
Veda / Rshi. (Aapt-PramaaNa), The One who has 'seen'  the Truth.',
'Viparyaya,'  -erroneous perception.
'Vikalpa',  -alternative notion.
'Nidraa',  -deep 'thoughtless' sleep-state.
and,
'Smriti',  -memory.
'The 'I'-Thought is a special case of it's own kind, because all other
thoughts are strung upon it, just as the beads are strung upon a
thread that make a garland (Mala).
Every other thought needs the 'I'-thought as the basis for it's
existence. And yet,at the same time, it is also to be noted that
'I'-thought does not exist independent, apart from a thought.
(Vrutti).
So examining the nature of 'Thought' takes one to 'I'-Thought',
and the 'I'-thought itself has it's foundation in 'consciousness'
(Cit), where-as thought belongs to the 'mind' (Chitta), and  'mind'
/ chitta can not exist independent of the 'I'-thought.
In this way, 'self-enquiry' leads to 'Cit'/ Consciousness, 'Awareness'
(Noumenon) which is the only substratum of the chitta /'mind'. and
the 'phenomenon' perceived by 'a mind'.
__________________________
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~~Up-Hill Task~~

~~~~~Up-Hill Task~~~~~

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Yesterday something went wrong.

I said to myself;

Leave it to Him.

But my mind kept wondering and worrying.

Then Bhagavan asked me;

"Who worries ?"

And in a flash, I could see that so for I had been saying ;

"Leave everything to Him",

But it was all just at the level of mind.

And so far I had not really left the mind that causes fear,

anxiety, anger, discomfort, along-with the joy and the pride of

achievement,..that comes under the grip of illusion and confusion.

In brief,;

I take it as 'me' / 'I'. 

Sometimes I say;

"I" am afraid, sad,....

And after a while I say;

"I' was afraid, sad,....

I also say in my ignorance / understanding of my (!?) mind;

"My mind is afraid, sad,.."

as if I (whatever that is) is really the owner of the thing 'the mind'.

So mind itself causes division between it's various states.

And the mind itself causes an imagined 'me' / 'I', who is the 'owner'.

And mind keeps it's play uninterruptedly.

So, when I really Leave the mind to Him, it means it is no more mine.

And the owner of the mind the apparent 'I' / 'me' caused by the mind is not

a real entity / thing. 

Surrender (Samarpana) means the mind is not mine, I can't control, change it.

And it belongs to Him. It is upon Him.
Quite a difficult task.




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Arunachala. अरुणाचल - 21.

~~~~~Arunachala. अरुणाचल -21.~~~~~
__________________________________
.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

SHAKTI AND SHAKTA.

(शक्ति एवं शक्त)

(THE ETERNAL POWER AND THE 

IMMUTABLE PRESENCE.

_______________________________________

Devotee.- The trinity Triputi, (त्रिपुटी) of knower,

known and knowledge is an appearance; you say

that there is a unity, behind it, supporting it. What

is this unity, is it a powerful one ?

Maharshi. - It is an All-powerful existence.

Devotee. - You have often said, and the books also say,

that Brahman (ब्रह्म) is immobile (अचल). Now you say,

it is All-powerful. Does it not then move ?

Maharshi. - Power implies movement. Though Ishvara

(ईश्वर) moves by his power (शक्ति), which is movement,

He transcends the movement, He is achala, atIta (अचल,

अतीत).

Devotee. - Is there no difference between Shakti (शक्ति)

and Shakta (शक्त), the Power and the Powerful ?

Maharshi. -No. That depends upon your attitude. There

is only one Truth. Looking at the movement, one calls

it Shakti (शक्ति), Power, settling himself in the support of

the movement, Ashraya (आश्रय), another calls it (तद्वस्तु),

Achala (अचल). If the former is activity, vyapara (व्यापार),

the latter is its support, Ashraya (आश्रय), -Substance.

Shakti (शक्ति), and Vastu (वस्तु), force and substance, are

inseparable, are indeed two aspects of one and the same 

Truth. Only without the Shakti-Vyapara (शक्ति-व्यापार) 

or the movement of the power, the Real substance (वस्तु-

स्वरूप) is not apprehended. 

(विना शक्तिं नरश्रेष्ठ स्वरूपं न प्रतीयते )-रमण गीता 12:20.

Devotee. - What is the true character of Shakti (शक्ति) ?

Maharshi. - It is coeval with the eternal Ishvara (ईश्वर);

it has no existence apart from Him. It is the eternal act-

vity Vyapara (व्यापार) of Ishvara (ईश्वर),creating the 

myriads of worlds.

Devotee.- Worlds are created and they perish. How can

you say that this activity , -Vyapara (व्यापार) is eternal ?

Maharshi. - Supposing all the worlds in course of time 

are dissolved, still they persist in activity through lying

latent (लीनवत्‌) .

   That is to say, Shakti (शक्ति) does not perish. What 

then is this movement ? Every moment there is creation,

every moment destruction. There is no absolute creation,

no absolute destruction. Both are movement, and that is 

eternal.

Devotee. - Then shall I take it that Shakti (शक्ति) and
Vastu (वस्तु), Vyapara (व्यापार) and Ashraya (आश्रय),
both are aspects of the same Truth ?

Maharshi. - Yes, but this whole movement, the creation, 

called a play of Shakti (शक्ति) is a formulation (कल्पना)
of the Lord (ईशकल्पना) . If this Kalpana is tanscended,
what remains is Swaroopa (स्वरुप).

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~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~,.~.~. 

~~~~~~Concluded~~~~~
_____________________   

~~~॥ ॐ नमो भगवते श्रीरमणाय ॥~~~~

Arunachala. अरुणाचल - 20.

~~~~~~~Arunaachala. अरुणाचल. -20.~~~~~~~

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THE EQUALITY OF THE JNANIN (ज्ञानी).

Devotee. -You have said that the Jnanin (ज्ञानी) can

be and is active, and deals with men and things. I have

no doubt about it now. But you say at the same time, 

that he has no difference (भेद-बुद्धि) ;to him all is one,

he is always in Consciousness...........; if so, how he

does he deal with differences, with men, with things

which are surely different ?

Maharshi. - He sees these differences as but appear-

ances, he sees them not separate from the True, the 

Real, with which he is one.

Devotee. - The Jnanin seems to be more accurate in

his expressions, he appreciates the differences better

than the ordinary man.............If sugar is sweet and

wormwood is bitter to me, he too seems to realize it

so. In fact, all forms all sounds, all tastes etc. are 

the same to him as they are to others.If so, how can

it be said that these are mere appearances ? Do they 

not form part of his life-experiences ?

Maharshi.-I have said that equality (समत्व -बुद्धि) is
the true sign of Jnana (ज्ञान). The very term equality
(समत्व) implies the existence of differences. It is a
unity that the Jnanin (ज्ञानी) perceives in all differ-

ences, which I call  equality. Equality does not mean

ignorance of distinctions. When you have the Reali-

zation, you can see that these differences are very 

formal, they are not at all substantial or permanent, 

and what is essential in all these appearances is the

one Truth, The Real. That I call unity............You

referred to sound, taste, form, smell, etc., True The

Jnanin  (ज्ञानी) appreciates the distinctions, but he

always perceives and experiences the one Real in all

of them. That is why he has no preferences. Whether

he moves about, or talks or acts, it is all the One Real

in which he acts or moves or talks. He has nothing

apart from the one supreme Truth.

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Continued.......... 

Arunachala. अरुणाचल-19.

~~~~~Arunachala. अरुणाचल -19.~~~~~


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SOCIETY AND THE GOAL OF MANKIND.

Devotee. - What is my duty to society ? What should
be my relation to it ?
Maharshi. -You are a limb of society. Society is the 
body, Individuals are its members, its limbs. Just as 
the various limbs help and co-operate with one another
and thus are happy, so each must unite with others in 
being helpful to all in thought, speech and action........
One may see to the good of one's own group, i.e. the
group that is immediate to him, and then proceed to 
others.
Devotee. - Some speak highly of Shanti (शान्ति), 
Peace; some praise Shakti (शक्ति), power. Which
of the two is good to society ?
Maharshi. - For the individual, 'peace' is absolutely ess-
ntial; power is necessary for the upkeep of society. By
power one has to uplift the society and then establish
peace therein. : 
शक्त्या संघं विधाय उच्चै: शान्तिं संस्थापयेत्तत: 
रमण-गीता,-10-8 .
Devotee. - What is the goal towards which mankind on
earth is moving ?
Maharshi. - Real equality and fraternity समत्वं सौभ्रात्रं 
form the true goal; for then Supreme Peace may reign
on earth, and the earth herself can be a single household.
(तदैव शोभते सर्वा भूमिरेकं गृहं यथा)-रमण गीता, 10-11.
Devotee. - The ideal is grand. But if great man, Jnanins
(ज्ञानी) are quite in the caves, how can society be helped ?
Maharshi. - I have often said that Self-Attainment
 (आत्म-लाभ) is the greatest good to society. And............
(The Subject was not pursued further, as Maharshi 
always maintains that Jnanin (ज्ञानी) is not an inert
mass : vide :
(Arunachala. अरुणाचल -8)
JNANA SIDDHI, NO INACTIVITY .


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Arunachala. अरुणाचल - 18.

~~~~Arunachala. अरुणाचल  -18. ~~~~


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THE ASHRAMS AND THE SOCIAL LIFE.


Devotee. - They speak of the four Ashrams (आश्रम)
prescribed vocations in life. What is their meaning ?
Maharshi. -To go by stages is a social rule intended
for the generality. But if one is a pakvi (पक्वी), a
well developed being, he need not mind this rule.
Young or old, man or woman, Brahmin (ब्राह्मण) or
outcast, if one is paripakvi (परिपक्वी), fully ripe, he
or she can and does go straight to the goal, without
minding the stages.
Devotee. - Then, Ashrams (आश्रम ) have no use for 
the spiritual life.
Maharshi. -The first three Ashramas are there for the
conduct of worldly affairs in life (गतये लोककार्याणां)
and are regulated in such a way as not to clash with
the ideal of spiritual knowledge (न ज्ञान-प्रतिकूलता) .
Devotee. - What about the fourth ?
Maharshi. - Oh ! Sanyasa (संन्यास) does not lie in
taking to the begging bowl, or having a clean bald-
headed shave, or putting on an orange-coloured robe.
(न काषायो न मुन्डनं ) .
When the Brahmacharin (ब्रह्मचारी), -the student, with
his purity exalted by celibacy, becomes by detachment
an ideal householder for the service of others, or of
society, the Light naturally flashes forth.
Then for the purpose of Tapas, for concentrated effort,
the third Ashrama 'Vanaprastha' (वानप्रस्थ-आश्रम) is
intended. When by ardent tapas, the tapaswin (तपस्वी) 
becomes crystal-pure and fit, the fourth Ashrama comes
automatically. As I said, it is not an external thing that one
assumes.

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Continued.................  

Arunachala. अरुणाचल -17.

~~~~Arunachala. अरुणाचल  -17.~~~~
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HAND YOUR BURDEN TO THE LORD 
TO HOLD.

Devotee. -When I am here I am convinced; I am 
impressed.But when I go out and think of society
or of my country and I remember your answer :
'Know thyself'........
Maharshi. - What can you do to society or your 
country when you are weak ? You must become
strong first. But I tell you, Self-attainment is the
supreme strength. Do not fear that you will lose
strength to act when you become a Jnanin (ज्ञानी).
Devotee. -I have that fear.
Maharshi. You should not have it. If you are 
destined or chosen to do a particular thing, it will
be done.
Devotee. - Then should I resign everything ? Can
I not perform Tapas (तपस्‌) -Austerities- and ask 
God to grant my desires ? 
Maharshi. - You can. But there must be some
Abhyasa (अभ्यास), some Sadhana (साधना) for
Tapas, or for your prayers to reach God. When 
you are in the Sadhana, whether it is meditation 
or prayer, will you be thinking of your desires or
of God ?
Devotee. - If I think of my desires in meditation, 
it is no Dhyana (ध्यान) at all.
Maharshi. - Then take it that there is the same 
Dhyana, the same Tapas, the same meditation, 
for both, Sakaama (-सकाम) or Nishkaama
(-निष्काम),whether it is actuated by desire or is 
disinterest.Even when your desires are fulfilled,
the Tapas grows. It does not cease. That is the
true character of Tapas. It is the same in the 
case of Bhakti (भक्ति) also.
  Now I put a question to you. When a man with
luggage gets into a Railway carriage, where does 
he keep it ?
Devotee. -He keeps it in his compartment or in the
luggage-van.
Maharshi. -So he does not carry it upon his head or
on his lap.
Devotee. - None but a fool would do that.
Maharshi. - If you call him a fool who keeps it on
his head, a thousand times more foolish is it to bear
your burden when you get into spiritual life, whether
it is Vichara-Marga (विचार-मार्ग), - the path of 
knowledge, or Bhakti-Marga (भक्ति-मार्ग), the path
of devotion.
Devotee. - But can I throw off all my responsibilities,
all my commitments ?
Maharshi. -Now, look at the temple-tower (Gopura).
There are many statues in it and there is a big statue,
one in each corner. Have you seen them ?
Devotee. - Yes. I have.
Maharshi. - Now I tell you this. The big tall tower is
supported by those statues.
Devotee. - How can that be ? What do you mean ?
Maharshi. - I mean, when speaking thus, that it is
not more foolish than your attitude when you say that
you have to carry and are carrying all cares, burdens,
responsibilities etc............
  The Lord of the Universe carries the whole burden.
You imagine you do. You can hand all your burden 
to His care. Whatever you have to do you will be 
made an instrument for doing that at the right time. 
Do not think you cannot do it unless you have the
desire to do it. Desire does not give you the strength
to do. The strength is the Lord's.
Devotee. - Am I to understand that you are giving 
me the essence of Karma Yoga (कर्म योग) ?
Maharshi. - It is the essence of Karma Yoga, (कर्म-
योग) of Bhakti Yoga,(भक्ति योग) why even of
Jnana Yoga (ज्ञान योग), for even though the paths
in the beginning may differ, they all eventually lead
to this position.


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Continued.............