"BHAKTI" PLACE OF PRACTICE IN ADVAITA VEDANTA

[Guest guest]

Namaste, Adi Behnji,

The quote Ialked about "that knowledge" only and not any relative knowledge,

which only binds.

It is very nice of you to quote from Adi Shankara Acharya Bhagavadpada's

writings where He highlighted Bhakti, backed by "that knowledge"

Thank you and Hari om

 

adi_shakthi16 <adi_shakthi16 wrote:

Mani-ji writes ...

 

"Bhakti may not release one, but Knowledge releases true Bhakti in

one."

 

 

YES! What is this knowledge we are talking about? Not dry knowledge -

knowledge of the Scriptures but the Knowledge BraHman alone is Real!

Brahmaiva Satyam!

 

There is a bautiful verse in Adi sankara's Sivananda Lahari which

describes the process of Bhakti ...

 

verse 61 from Sivananda Lahari

 

 

Just as it's own series of seeds reaches the Ankola tree

here, the needle the loadstone, the chaste woman her own

lord, the creeper the tree and the river the ocean, like

wise, (when) the state of the mind having approached the

two lotus feet of Pasupati, stays there always, that (state)

is said to be devotion.

 

Explanation ...

 

The first stage of bhakti which we ordinary people are having is

symbolized by the attachment between the Ankola tree and its seeds.

It is said that the seeds of the Ankola tree (Yerezhinjil in Tamil)

fall down from the tree when it becomes dark and again they go and

attach themselves to the tree when there is sunrise and in course of

time become part of the tree once again.

 

Just like the seeds of the Ankola tree, we are all amass or parts of

the Paramatman only. The Jivatma comes from the Paramatman which is

the root cause of everything. We have come from the Paramatman; we

fall down from Him when there is ignorance. Again, when knowledge

comes of our oneness we get up and attach ourselves again to God.

Here, it is significant that darkness is compared to ignorance and

knowledge to sunrise. During darkness, these seeds fall down from the

tree, and similarly, during ignorance, we fall down from the

Paramatman. During sunrise or after sunrise, the seeds go back to the

tree, and similarly when there is knowledge, we attach ourselves to

God once again.

 

Normally, we think of God and seek knowledge only at times of

difficulty. When we are having a comfortable life, we feel happy and

we feel that we have done everything, and we do not think of God at

all. It is only when we are in difficulties that we start thinking of

God. When we are in adversity, we realize that we are in darkness and

that is the state of ignorance. At that time, we feel the need for

God and the need for knowledge. So, we try to remember God. At the

time of difficulty, we pray to the Lord `Oh, Lord, I am in

difficulty, please do something for me.' When there is darkness,

there is need for light, and similarly, when we are in difficulty we

think of the Lord. This is the first stage of bhakti.

 

 

 

The attraction between a magnet or lodestone and an iron needle

symbolizes the second stage of bhakti. During our younger days, we

used to play with magnets and iron filings or iron needles. Magnet

has got the property of attracting iron pieces to itself. If we bring

the iron pieces very close to the magnet, they cling to the magnet

and the magnet attracts them to itself. For some time, the pieces

keep on clinging and after some time they fall down. Again, the

magnet draws with iron pieces and magnet. This illustrates many

important philosophical truths to us. Just as a magnet has got the

property of attracting iron pieces, similarly, the Lord also takes us

towards Himself by attraction and leads us forward in life.

 

During times of difficulty, when we fall down, we are just like the

iron needle which has fallen down from the magnet. But the iron piece

is an inert object, and still the magnet attracts it to itself. But

we human beings have more sakti within ourselves, and we are not so

inert, and therefore, the Lord can lift us up again more easily

towards Himself.

 

The moment the Lord comes in our mind, immediately we get His grace.

Just like the magnet, God attracts us towards himself and bestows on

us His grace. Therefore, all of us should make effort to install the

Lord in our minds. Then just like the iron needle, our minds will

also be attracted by God and held fast to Him. The needle gets drawn

to the magnet and it also remains magnetized as long as it is in

contact with the magnet. In the same way, so long as we have our mind

diverted and attracted towards the Lord and our mind remains fixed in

God, we also enjoy a state of bliss.

 

 

 

A Pativrata lady or a chaste wife is doing ever so many things in the

household, attending to the children, doing cooking and other

household work and so on, and yet all the time her mind is thinking

only of her husband. She does not do anything without the thought of

her husband. Similarly, a true devotee does not do anything without

the thought of God. In the same way, our minds should also be merged

in God. Our actions may go on as before, but our minds should be

immersed in God all the time. We should pray to God and do our work

as before. If we have the grace of God with us all the time, then our

actions also will become more successful and we can do them better

and more efficiently as well.

 

Here, in addition to bhakti, stridharma is also indicated. A chaste

wife remembers only her husband all the time and does all the work.

She does not think of other persons. We are reminded of great dharmas

here. If we remember, God and do our work, we shall get all

prosperity and all good things in life.

 

Then, Adi Sankara gives the example of a creeper entwined round a

tree, and He says:

 

A creeper which is meandering on the ground ultimately searches for a

tree to serve as its support and it starts twining itself round it in

such a criss-cross manner that it is difficult to separate it from

the tree. The creeper looks for the support of a tree and twines

itself round it and the tree becomes its support. The creeper cannot

remain and survive, separated from the tree. If the creeper does not

have the support of the tree, it will perish. In the same way,

without the support and sustenance of God, we shall come to grief. If

the creeper is forcibly removed from the tree also. Similarly, we

attach ourselves to God and carry on our lives with His support. When

we fall down from God or we are separated from God, not only do we

suffer and get into difficulties, but even God also experiences some

sense of sorrow for us. Just like the creeper, we should also have

our support and base in God and then live. We all come from the Lord

only and ultimately we go back to Him only. Until somebody separates

the creeper from the tree, the creeper cannot by itself be separated

from the tree. Similarly, unless a third person separates us from

God, we cannot be separated from Him. Like the creeper, we should

attach ourselves very closely to God. This is the fourth example of

bhakti, which Adi Sankara has given.

 

Everyone experiences some sorrow or some suffering or some

difficulties in life. We find even Mahapurushas experiencing such

difficulties and sorrows. Difficulties are there for all. But if we

attach ourselves to God then our sufferings will become less. Just

like the creeper which is attached to the tree, the mind should be

attached to the Paramatman. The creeper can live only if it is

attached to the tree. In the same way, the Jivatman cannot live by

itself, separated from the Paramatman.

 

Then, Adi Sankara Bhagavadpada says:

 

 

There are many rivers flowing, like the Ganga, the Sone, the

Godavari, the Kaveri, the Krishna and so on. These rivers have

different names, but they flow in torrents and cascades, roaring with

fury through diverse routes, and in diverse directions and pass

through diverse places; their waters also taste differently because

they pass through different types of land; their colours are also

different; for instance, the river Sone is supposed to have red

water, Krishna is supposed to have black water, the Ganga is supposed

to have white water and so on, the colour of the water depending on

the terrain through which the river passes. But finally, all these

rivers get merged in the ocean, and they lose their individual names

and colours and they just become the ocean only; they then have only

one taste, or rasa namely the saltish taste. They lose their

individual names and acquire one common name, namely, the ocean, and

they then have only one form and one shape, one colour and one taste.

When they get mixed up with the ocean, they are called the ocean only.

 

Just like the different rivers all approaching towards the ocean, so

also, we worship God and are approaching Him in various ways and in

various forms, but ultimately our aim is to get merged in God. The

paths that devotees follow are different and yet the goal is the same

for all, namely God. Thus, we have Ramabhakti, Krishnabhakti and so

on. They are all different paths, but yet when they are related to

the Paramatman, they get the same form. There are many roads leading

to a temple but the goal is the temple only.

 

(http://www.mypurohith.com/Yoga/Heritage9.asp - 38k - Cached )

 

Mani-ji,

 

AS swami Krishnananda of DLF says ...

 

"The highest devotion is the same as the highest knowledge. Jnana and

Para Bhakthi are the same. The Gauna Bhakthi or secondary love of

God, which is more ritualistic and more formal, is inferior. But

Ramanuja's Bhakti is the surging of the soul and the melting of

personality in God-love as we hear in the case of Spinoza,

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Mirabhai and Tukaram. Their Bhakthi was not

simply love of God as that of church-men or temple-men. It is a kind

of ecstasy in which the personality has lost itself in God-love and

God-being. That is Jnana and that is Bhakthi. So there is no

difference between Ramanuja and Sankara in the ultimate reaches. And

Bhagavan Sri Krishna's dictum is also of a similar character. "

 

Maniji, have You READ ADI SANKARA'S Prabodha Sudhakara?

 

(available at Sanskrit.gde.doc)

 

sunder-ji, english translation please?

 

PRABODHA SUDHAKARA COMBINES BEAUTIFULLY BHAKTI AND VEDANTA.

 

HERE IS MORE ...

 

 

na tapobhir na vedaiz ca na jnAne nApi karmaNA

harirhi sAdhyate bhaktyA pramaNaM tatra gopikAH

 

Padma Purana, Uttara Khanda, Chapter. 2, verse. 18

 

Sri Hari can be won neither by means of austerities nor through the

study of the Vedas, nor even through righteous action.

He can be won only through Divine Love. The cowherdesses of Vraja bear

testimony to this.

 

"puruSaH sa paraH pArtha bhaktyA labhya tv ananyayA,

yasyA 'ntaHsthAni bhUtAni yena sarvam idaM tatam"

 

(Bhagavad Gita.8.22)

 

That Supreme Personality of God, O Partha (Arjuna), is attainable by

unswerving Love and Devotion to Him alone within Whom all beings

dwell, by Whom all this is pervaded.

 

 

The waves do not have any existence independent of the sea.

 

(COURTESY-HARI_PYARI)

 

I LEAVE YOU WITH THIS VERSE FROM sRIMAD bHAGWAT GITA

 

bhaktyA mAm abhijAnAti yAvAn yaz cA 'smi tattvataH,

tato mAM tattvato jnAtvA vizate tada anantaram"

 

(Bhagavad Gita 18.55)

 

"By devotion (Divine Love) he knows Me in truth, What and Who I am;

then having known Me in truth, he forthwith enters into Me."

 

so, mani-ji, it is all about hearing, knowing and then entering!

 

Let us all drown in the Ocean of Krishna-Prema!

 

Hari Bol! Hari Hari BOL!!

 

 

 

Discussion of Shankara's Advaita Vedanta Philosophy of nonseparablity of Atman

and Brahman.

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[Guest guest]

Hello Sri Vaidyanathan,

 

Thank you for this view of liberation.

 

To get the discussion rolling, I'd like to approach this from a pragmatic angle.

 

The way you speak of Bhakti here, it remains mysterious, almost as a gift

resulting from grace. The examples you give are examples of people who already

feel great devotion. Can you say a few words about bhakti-related practices

that the aspirant may do which can intensify the devotion, increase to the

precepts of the guru, or to one's chosen image.

 

For example, what about someone who understands the examples such as you cite,

who sees the potential value of bhakti, but who does not *feel* it? And also,

this person might not have a likely candidate for the focus of their devotion.

As far as practices go, what would you suggest this person undertake? I've

spoken to many people over the years for whom these things are true.

 

Pranaams,

 

--Greg

[Guest guest]

Namaste all.

 

For the primitive man, bhakti in its very primeval form arose from

the fear of the elements. He was constantly exposed to the fury of

Nature, whose unpredictable wrath he wanted to appease. Thus, he

personified Nature as a mysterious power and began offering his

obeisance to it in the hope that that act would protect him in his

unsafe and insecure world.

 

As he progressed further along the rungs of civilization, this

obeisance improved and different schools of theology demanding total

surrender to the Almighty sprang up. The notion of an omniscient,

omnipresent and omnipotent God replaced Nature here. The seed of

most of our religions of today can thus be tracked back to this

primal fear of man in an uncaring universe.

 

We are here talking about advaita and the place of bhakti in it.

Advaita not being a religion, a line necessarily has to be drawn

between the ordinary bhakti found in most theologies and the bhakti

arising from the advaitic understanding of one's own real nature.

The salient difference is that there is no place for fear of heavenly

wrath, hell or retribution in the latter.

 

I personally started off as an atheist. In my young days, being a

rationalist or communist was fashion. Marx and Engels were Gods. If

one could sport beards like them even without reading and

understanding them, that was a great achievement – the unmistakable

mark of an intellectual and genius. Being inadequately hirsute, I

lagged far behind my contemporary competitors in the communist mob.

However, I used to compensate my deficiency with the gift of the gab

and never missed an opportunity to pooh-pooh the bhaktAs and godmen

around.

 

Mine was thus a real sad state of affairs. However, I have no

regrets, because, later on, when I remarked to an advaitin that

atheism was closest to advaita, my words met with instant approbation.

 

Yes. Advaita is not theism. Neither is it atheism. Then what is

it? Advaita is an ethereal quintessence that derives from both and

yet remains untainted by either. It is a perfect balance between an

omniscient, omnipresent omnipotentate and reckless nothingness.

 

The royal road to it is both logic and questioning – digging under

one's own feet as our Anandaji often calls it. The questioner here

is not an atheist – he is a free being – who has not yet embraced any

isms whatsoever. No doubt, he has the mahAvAkyAs that tell him about

his real nature as the guiding beacons. Yet, he has the freedom to

dig and find out for himself if they are at all true or not. Even

possessed with the much talked about shraddah, he is neither caged

nor bound because the mahAvAkyAs are not an order to shut up and

silence his enquiring mind. Besides, they promise to offer him a

vision that makes him everything without the need for a supreme power

as go-between.

 

When ultimately Knowledge occurs in advaita, there is no questioner

(knower) with a knowledge that is known. The finality is the

hithertofore knower's `being' Knowledge which he has unwittingly

always been. In advaita, there is thus nothing there to pay

obeisance to or to be extolled to derive benefits from.

 

I am sure I may be questioned here. There is the concept of an

Ishwara imposed on the advaitic path. Some call it saguNabrahman and

we have seen that even Sankara has accepted the concept and written

about it. Bhakti to this Ishwara, it must be noted here, is almost

akin to bhakti in other theologies. However, jnAna ultimately

rescinds this concept and affirms the real nature of the Advaitin as

the One that is everything. In my opinion, this bhakti to Ishwara en

route therefore should not be equated to bhakti in advaita.

 

Then what is real bhakti in Advaita? The simple answer to this

question is that it is jnAna alone. JnAna and bhakti are synonymous

in advaita. When jnAna results, an Advaitin ceases to see anything

as apart from him or outside him. He is everything. He is asti,

bhAti, priyam, i.e. he knows himself to be eternally existent,

shining in everything and, therefore, in love with everything. In

other words, he is Love which is both ever-existing and resplendent.

That Love is bhakti in advaita. It cannot therefore be different from

jnAna. That is our natural default without any expectation for

rewards, whereas all other bhaktis that we encounter, including our

love for an Ishwara, is tainted with anticipation. Such bhaktis are

still dvaita. In other words, an realized Advaitin (not an aspirant)

is not a bhakta. He is bhakti or jnAna or Love.

 

It is in this respect that the bhakti of advaita differs from that of

all other theologies and the one encountered in advaitic pursuit

itself vis a vis the notion of an Ishwara endowed with attributes.

 

Personally, I make use of this understanding (see, it still is an

understanding) to realize the Truth of the mahAvakyAs. Thus, I

envision – through advaitic logic of course – that I am Consciousness

that pervades everything or am the essence of everything. In the

current dvaita of my existence, I equate this Consciousness with my

ishtadEvata – the Devi – and try to see Her in everything

acknowledging that She is verily me and hope that such deliberate

equation will one day flower as the ultimate advaitic bhakti making

me realize that I am not other than it. That certainly satisfies

the `had been athiest' in me. All that I perform for this

realization constitute my sAdhana.

 

You may justifiably ask: "Why the Devi?". The answer to that is

that the Devi is a personal imagery that makes my sAdhana easier to

perform; She being me, the two have to ultimately resolve in Oneness

if my understanding of advaita is right. It renders beauty and poesy

to the whole process. Despite the imagery, She is not to be

considered saguNabrahman here because She has been identified as the

all-pervading Consciousness that is me.

 

To be able to take in the whole universe in endless Love is the

bhakti of Advaita for me where I am no more a bhakta but bhakti

alone. That is the Grace I expect. Not from a personal God but from

the very me. I have surrendered unto me to `realize' that only THAT

LOVE exists and I AM IT. Am I a theist or an atheist?

 

Sorry for this indulgence, which is simply irresistible.

 

PraNAms.

 

Madathil Nair

[Guest guest]

Studying Vedanta, I sit enraptured at my teacher's words. I

think about the teachings all the time.

 

Yet, as I go about my day, one small mention of an exploit of Neem

Karoli Baba, and all attention flies out the window and to his feet.

 

Durga ramramram

[Guest guest]

Namaste to all Advaitins,

 

The Supreme Self is not inert. It is the Controller of the universe.

It is acting in its actionlessness. Prakriti cannot act on its own.

The Will to prakriti's action is not situated in prakriti, but in the

Supreme Self. Therefore the Supreme Self is acting without acting. It

is the Unmoved Mover.

 

True Knowledge is that where there is no separation between Knowing

and acting. As Advaitins, we all know that the Self is Brahman in

a 'knowing-that' kind of way, but we do not Know that the Self is

Brahman, because if we did know it, we would be Brahman controlling

the universe instead of being helplessly tossed about on the heaving

sea of samsara. On the contrary, we know that we are this mind and

body, for if we did not know it like that, we would not be doing the

things that we do. In this situation, some sadhakas RECOGNIZE that

Brahman is larger than this self within the body, and that the mind

and indriyas that move out to their objects have the same Controller

that moves the leaves in the wind and the sun in the heavenly

firmament. When the ego bows down to this Supreme Self, it opens the

gates to the the everflowing Grace of the Lord. It dissolves the ego

in a flood of tears. To me, this is Bhakti Yoga. Its living flavour

is love and devotion to the Supreme.

 

With love and regards,

Chittaranjan

[Guest guest]

Sri Chittaranjanji said

 

<<<we do not Know that the Self is Brahman, because if we did know it, we would

be Brahman controlling

 

the universe instead of being helplessly tossed about on the heaving sea of

samsara. On the contrary, we know that we are this mind and body, for if we did

not know it like that, we would not be doing the

 

things that we do.>>>

 

IMHO, assimilation and appreciation of the knowledge “jeeva brahmaeva naapara”

helps, at least to some extent, one “not to do the things that we do”.

 

<<<When the ego bows down to this Supreme Self, it opens the gates to the

ever-flowing Grace of the Lord. It dissolves the ego in a flood of tears. To me,

this is Bhakti Yoga. Its living flavor is love and devotion to the Supreme.>>>

 

Such bowing down takes place once the Self is revealed to the “ego” and there is

no “practice” involved in Bhakti Yoga.

 

<<<For one that has Self Knowledge, there is no agency of action and hence the

question of practice does not arise.

 

But for one that has no Self-Knowledge, practice is inevitable because one is

helplessly driven to practice whether one wants to practice or not.>>>

 

<<<The practice of Advaita sadhana is the redirection

 

of energy towards the recognition of the Self's non-action in the action-filled

practices of our lives.>>>

 

<<<The practice of Advaita-Vedanta is not the stoppage of action, but is its

sublimation into Pure Light.>>>

 

<<<Grace is not something that is given because it is always flowing. It is the

receiving of Grace that is in our hands. To make ourselves fit to receive Grace

is the practice of Advaita Vedanta.>>>>

 

One’s acknowledgement and appreciation of this ever-flowing grace, when takes

place, it is nothing but Bhakti, and the ego cannot but get dissolved in a flood

of tears.

 

<<One is governed no more by one's desire or motive to gratify one's senses and

desires, but by the motive to act in harmony with the dharma of the world –- - -

>>

 

<<<Such action is not driven by the personal seeking of fruits, but by the

desire to be in harmony with the Nature of the Lord. Acting in accordance with

dharma bears as the fruit of the action the serenity of harmony.>>>

 

The two posts from you are excellent. IMHO these can come only from a person who

has assimilated in the right perspective, the Knowledge unfolded in the

Upanishads through Sri Mad Bhagavad Gita.

 

Your contributions do enrich whatever people like me are trying to assimilate

from the study we are making, but only with a view to “live and let others live”

in a most harmonious way. That I believe is living a life of Dharma.

 

My Pranams to you

 

With warm regards to all,

 

 

Chittaranjan Naik <chittaranjan_naik wrote:Namaste to all Advaitins,

advaitin/

 

advaitin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mail - You care about security. So do we.

 

 

[Guest guest]

Namaste Shri Mani-ji,

 

advaitin, "R.S.MANI" <r_s_mani> wrote:

> Such bowing down takes place once the Self is revealed to

> the "ego" and there is no "practice" involved in Bhakti Yoga.

>

> One's acknowledgement and appreciation of this ever-flowing

> grace, when takes place, it is nothing but Bhakti, and the

> ego cannot but get dissolved in a flood of tears.

 

Yes, Maniji, in bhakti, the ego dissolves in the floodlight of the

Infinite, and its tears spring from the fount of ananda in the Self.

In bhakti, there is no practice at all: the bhakta is the flute

through which the supernal music flows, and in the ecstatic dance of

divine madness, the flute, the music, and the Musician merge into One

Ineffable Bliss.

 

Warm regards,

Chittaranjan

[Guest guest]

To continue on the note Anandaji played, you are there in the 'zone

of instrumentlessness' called laya, CN-ji. Whoever said we have to

exterminate the objects!

 

Madathil Nair

____________________

 

advaitin, "Chittaranjan Naik"

<chittaranjan_naik> wrote:

 

......and in the ecstatic dance of

> divine madness, the flute, the music, and the Musician merge into

One

> Ineffable Bliss.

[Guest guest]

Dear Shri Nairji,

 

advaitin, "Madathil Rajendran Nair"

<madathilnair> wrote:

> To continue on the note Anandaji played, you are there in the 'zone

> of instrumentlessness' called laya, CN-ji. Whoever said we have to

> exterminate the objects!

 

No, Nairji, we don't have to exterminate objects; we only need to

sublimate them in the fire of Consciousness. The process is a

sacrifice. What better expression can we find for this than your own

words in msg #15295. I take the liberty of quoting some extracts from

it as it is relevant to this discussion:

 

 

"Consciousness is the very fire into which everything ultimately

goes and that very process of going (dissolution) is also

Consciousness."

 

"Perform each action – each atom of it - as you perform a sacrifice

with a sense of total surrender knowing that the entire process is

nothing but Consciousness"

 

"be constantly aware that the entire act of creation is nothing but a

grand sacrifice by Consciousness on to the Fire of Consciousness

Itself. The fundamental connection of each and every microcosmic

action/process to the macrocosm is established here. Nothing is

excluded from the totality."

 

"So, does that mean that anyone performing an action as an act of

surrender to Consciousness should do so without a sense of

performership? Yes. Only then can he be advaitically spontaneous."

 

Warm regards,

Chittaranjan

[Guest guest]

I can only say "THANK YOU, CN-JI" and remain in silence. That

silence, kindly mark my words, is where I sacrifice and sublimiate

my everything!

 

PraNAms.

 

Madathil Nair

_______________

 

advaitin, "Chittaranjan Naik"

<chittaranjan_naik> wrote:

> Dear Shri Nairji,

>

> advaitin, "Madathil Rajendran Nair"

> <madathilnair> wrote:

>

> > To continue on the note Anandaji played, you are there in

the 'zone

> > of instrumentlessness' called laya, CN-ji. Whoever said we have

to

> > exterminate the objects!

>

> No, Nairji, we don't have to exterminate objects; we only need to

> sublimate them in the fire of Consciousness. The process is a

> sacrifice. What better expression can we find for this than your

own

> words in msg #15295. I take the liberty of quoting some extracts

from

> it as it is relevant to this discussion:

>

>

> "Consciousness is the very fire into which everything ultimately

> goes and that very process of going (dissolution) is also

> Consciousness."

>

> "Perform each action – each atom of it - as you perform a

sacrifice

> with a sense of total surrender knowing that the entire process is

> nothing but Consciousness"

>

> "be constantly aware that the entire act of creation is nothing

but a

> grand sacrifice by Consciousness on to the Fire of Consciousness

> Itself. The fundamental connection of each and every microcosmic

> action/process to the macrocosm is established here. Nothing is

> excluded from the totality."

>

> "So, does that mean that anyone performing an action as an act of

> surrender to Consciousness should do so without a sense of

> performership? Yes. Only then can he be advaitically spontaneous."

>

> Warm regards,

> Chittaranjan

[Guest guest]

advaitin, "Madathil Rajendran Nair"

<madathilnair> wrote:

> _______________

>

> advaitin, "Chittaranjan Naik"

 

Namaste,

 

Here are some verses I have found helpful in the 'practice'

(abhyAsa) -

 

Bhagavad-Gita:

6:3 -

aarurukShormuneryogaM karma kaaraNamuchyate .

yogaaruuDhasya tasyaiva shamaH kaaraNamuchyate .. 6\-3..

 

For a MUNI or sage who "wishes to attain to YOGA, " action is

said to be the means; for the same sage who has "attained to YOGA,

" inaction (quiescence) is said to be the means."

---

6:25 -

shanaiH shanairuparamed.h bud.hdhyaa dhR^itigR^ihiitayaa .

aatmasa.nsthaM manaH kR^itvaa na ki~nchidapi chintayet.h .. 6\-25..

 

Little by little, let him attain quietude by his intellect, held

firm; having made the mind established in the Self, let him not think

of anything.

---

6:35

asa.nshayaM mahaabaaho mano durnigraha.n chalam.h .

abhyaasena tu kaunteya vairaagyeNa cha gR^ihyate .. 6\-35..

 

Undoubtedly, O mighty-armed one, the mind is difficult to control and

is restless; but, by practice, O Son of Kunti, and by dispassion, it

is restrained.

---

6:44

puurvaabhyaasena tenaiva hriyate hyavasho.api saH .

jiGYaasurapi yogasya shabdabrahmaativartate .. 6\-44..

 

By that very former practice he is borne on inspite of himself. Even

he who merely wishes to know YOGA goes beyond the SHABDA BRAHMAN.

---

8:8 -

abhyaasayogayuktena chetasaa naanyagaaminaa .

paramaM purushhaM divya.n yaati paarthaanuchintayan.h .. 8\-8..

 

With the mind not moving towards any other thing, made steadfast by

the method of habitual meditation, and constantly meditating on the

Supreme PURUSHA, the Resplendent, O Partha, he goes (to Him) .

--

12:9 -

atha chittaM samaadhaatuM na shaknoshhi mayi sthiram.h .

abhyaasayogena tato maamichchhaaptuM dhana~njaya .. 12\-9..

 

If you are unable to fix your mind steadily upon Me, then by the

'YOGA -of constant-practice, ' seek to reach Me, O Dhananjaya.

--

18:36 -

sukhaM tvidaanii.n trividhaM shR^iNu me bharatarshhabha .

abhyaasaadramate yatra duHkhaanta.n cha nigachchhati .. 18\-36..

 

And now hear from me, O best among the Bharatas, of the three-fold

"pleasure, " in which one rejoices by practice, and surely comes to

the end-of-pain.

-

3:9 -

yaGYaarthaatkarmaNo.anyatra loko.aya.n karmabandhanaH .

tadartha.n karma kaunteya muktasaN^gaH samaachara .. 3\-9..

 

The World is bound by action other than those performed 'for the sake

of sacrifice' ; do thou, therefore, O son of Kunti, perform action of

that sake (for YAJNA ) alone, free from all attachments.

=====================================================================

 

Ramana Gita

1:13

abhyAsakAle sahajAM sthitiM prAhurupAsanam |

siddhiM sthirAM yadA gacchetsaiva j~nAnaM tadochyate ||

 

Experiencing the natural state, during spiritual practice, is called

upasana, and when that state becomes firm and permanent that itself is

called jnana.

-

17:5

antaryAtA matirvidvanbahirAyAti chetpunaH |

abhyAsameva tAmAhurj~nAnaM hyanubhavo.achyutaH ||

 

O learned one! if the mind having once gone in comes out again, it is

only practice. For jnana is the experience which never slips away.

--\

--------------------

 

Ramana Upadesha Sara -

# 10

hR^itsthale manaH svasthatA kriyA- |

bhakti-yoga-bodhAsh-cha nishchitam ||

 

Absorption into the source or core of existence (hridayam) is what

the paths of Action, Devotion, Ashtanga-yoga, and Jnana teach.

======================================================================

 

For a more detailed commentary one may read:

 

Sadhana The Spiritual Way by Swami Krishnananda

 

http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/sadh/sadh_10.html

 

 

Regards,

 

Sunder

[Guest guest]

Namaste.

 

advaitin, "Sunder Hattangadi"

wrote:

Bhagavad-Gita:

18:36 -

sukhaM tvidaanii.n trividhaM shR^iNu me

bharatarshhabha .

abhyaasaadramate yatra duHkhaanta.n cha nigachchhati

... 18\-36..

 

And now hear from me, O best among the Bharatas, of

the three-fold "pleasure, " in which one rejoices by

practice, and surely comes to the end-of-pain.

---------

 

This is in the context of daily practice and getting

reminded on a continuous basis of the natural bhakti

state. In Chennai(India), there is a temple called

'Parthasarathy koil' in Triplicane and is well known.

There is a small road running around the

circumference/perimeter of the temple. On one side of

the road are located old houses and the temple is on

the other side of the road. Mostly in the olden days,

probably, priests of the temple were housed there.

What is interesting is that, in most of the houses,

there is the garuda equivalent figure with wings and

folded hands. Most of such scupltures look very old.

 

When not in the temple and located at homes or walking

in the street, such continually located sculptures in

every house in tandem with wings and folded hands seem

to offer continuity to the priests of their Bhakti

inside the temple.

Even today as a daily reminder, in many homes, it is

also a practice to have God-images, calendars etc.

Food is offered first to God with utmost

devotion(bhakti) and then to all others. Not only does

the food taste well due to the cooks cooking with

love, it is also served with love. One ounce of such

food is usually more equivalent than a ton of food

cooked and served otherwise...in the context of daily

practice cooking and serving has its place in God.

 

With Love,

Raghava

 

 

 

 

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