self is god & god is self

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For those who have not known the essential nature of Deity, the

worship of form and the like has been prescribed. To one who is

incapable of (travelling) a distance of one Yojana (eight miles), a

distance of one Krosa (two miles) is provided. Verse 19.

Know that as the worship of the Deity in which the Divine Self is

worshipped by the flowers of tranquillity, knowledge and the like.

Worship of the form is not worship. Verse 20.

The worship with flowers and the like is laid down (in the scriptures)

only in the absence of tranquillity, perception (or knowledge) and

similar virtues. Verse 20.

Pure intelligence (or Consciousness) which is beyond all parts (or

fragmentation) and which is of the nature of the generality of

Existence, attaining to the nature of vast Existence (or the totality

of Being) is described by the word ‘Deva’ (or Deity). Verse 21.

(That Pure Consciousness) gradually moved by the splendour of the

energies of space, time and the like, having become the Jeeva

(individual soul or individualised consciousness), soon becomes the

Buddhi (the intellect). Thereafter (it becomes) the sense of "I".

Then attaining to the state of the mind, it clings to worldly

existence. Verses 22-23.

This (Pure Consciousness) experiences sorrow, abiding in the body, due

to the idea of "I am". This unhappiness that has come, nourished by

mere imagination is destroyed only by the absence of imagination (or

thought). There is no doubt in this matter. Verse 24.

Warding off the turbidness of your own imagination by yourself and

having reached the highest clearness (or serenity) of the Self, be

supremely happy. Verses 25-26.

The Self is indeed full of all powers (or energies). He accomplishes

everything thoroughly. He is the Deity. He is also the highest. He is

always worthy of worship by the wise (or virtuous ones). Verses 26-27.

His worship is only meditation within. Nothing else is (His) worship.

Therefore, let one worship Him, who is eternal, who is the support of

the three worlds, who is of the nature of Pure Consciousness, who

shines like a hundred-thousand suns and who illuminates all

appearances, by meditation. Verses 27-28.

His Powers like Will, should be contemplated as residing in the body.

He is infinite, the Supreme support (of everything), one who has Pure

Existence as His only form, and who has turned round (or unfolded) the

web (or net) of the world. Time is His gatekeeper. Verses 29-30.

Having contemplated the Divine Lord as possessing abundantly the power

of seeing everywhere, having the power of smell on all sides, endowed

with the sense of touch everywhere, possessed of taste all round,

full of sense of hearing everywhere, endowed with thinking

everywhere, beyond thinking (or cognition) all round and the Supreme

Bliss (or auspiciousness) everywhere, let one worship Him then,

according to rules. Verses 30-32.

This Deity who is of the nature of one’s own Consciousness is not

worshipped by (ceremonial) offerings. He is worshipped by one’s own

perception (or knowledge) which is always obtainable without trouble.

Verse 33.

This is called the highest external worship of the Self. Now I shall

describe the internal worship of the Self. Verse 34.

[Note: The contemplation and worship described in verses 28 to 32 is

referred to as the highest form of external worship.]

Let one meditate on this Supreme Spirit (or Siva) who is ever abiding

in the body. Let him consider this splendour of Pure Consciousness in

his own body as the Deity. Verse 35.

Let him disregard whatever is lost and receive (or accept) whatever

has arrived, disinterestedly. This indeed is the highest worship of

the Self. Verse 36.

Having resolved that everything is Brahman (the Supreme Spirit), let

one practise the religious vow (or austerity) of worship of the

Eternal Self. In this mode of worship of the Self, whatever

auspicious materials are prescribed (for worship in general), these

are conceived solely by the sentiment of tranquillity. Verses 37-38.

The Self is not comprehended (or perceived) by scriptural precepts;

nor by the words of the Guru (or spiritual guide). It is perceived by

itself on account of one’s knowledge (or awareness) spontaneously.

(However), the Self is not perceived without the teachings of the

spiritual guide and scriptural precepts. The existence of the

combination of these two alone is the manifester of the knowledge of

one’s own Self. Verses 38-40.

[Note: The import of the above verses is that scriptures and the guru

can only show the way. It is the spiritual aspirant who has to arrive

at enlightenment by his own investigation and meditation.]

One who ever performs thus the worship of the Deity, absorbed in it,

he attains to that Supreme abode where (even) people like us are

servants. Verses 40-41.__

 

 

The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi

Question: I have faith in Murti Dhyana (worship of form). Will it not

help me to gain Jnana (knowledge)?

Sri Ramana Maharshi: Surely it will. Upasana (meditation) helps

concentration of mind. Then the mind is free from other thoughts and

is full of the meditated form. The mind then becomes one with the

object of meditation, and this makes it quite pure. Then think who is

the worshipper. The answer is ‘I’, that is the Self. In this way the

Self is ultimately gained.

Worshipping the formless reality by unthought thought is the best kind

of worship. But when one is not fit for such formless worship of God,

worship of form alone is suitable. Formless worship is possible only

for people who are devoid of the ego-form. Know that all the worship

done by people who possess the ego-form is only worship of form.

The pure state of being attached to grace (Self), which is devoid of

any attachment, alone, is one’s own state of silence, which is devoid

of any other thing. Know that one’s ever abiding as that silence,

having experienced it as it is, alone is true mental worship

(Manasik-Puja). Know that the performance of the unceasing true and

natural worship in which the mind is submissively established as the

one Self, having installed the Lord on the Heart-throne, is silence,

the best of all forms of worship. Silence, which is devoid of the

assertive ego, alone, is liberation. The evil forgetfulness of Self,

which causes one to slip down from that silence, alone, is

non-devotion (Vibhakti). Know that abiding as that silence with the

mind subsided as non-different from Self, is the truth of Siva Bhakti

(devotion to God).

When one has completely surrendered oneself at the feet of Siva,

thereby becoming of the nature of the Self, the resulting abundant

peace, in which there is not even the least room within the Heart for

one to make any complaint about one’s defects and deficiencies, alone

is the nature of supreme devotion. One’s thus becoming a slave to the

Lord and one’s remaining quiet and silent, devoid even of the

egotistical thought ‘I’ am His slave’, is Self-abidance, and this is

the Supreme Knowledge.

 

cheers

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