RAMANA GITA STUDY GROUP .CHAPTER 18.V.13`The Dhyana Sloka

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RAMANA GITA CHAPTER 18.On The Glory of the Siddhas

 

V 13

 

 

THE DHYANA SLOKA

 

 

Like the cool rays of the Moon, he showers such Grace;

I meditate on his all compassionate face.

 

The friend of the Sacred Lily, saphire blue,

In lustre like the Sun who befriends the Lotus too.

 

Like his father Dakshinamurti in this state

Of Brahmic splendour, on him I contemplate.

 

He sat still under the beautiful banyan tree

In powerful silence, setting his devotees free .

 

Oh such a marvel is this my younger brother!

To compare with him, there shall never be another .

 

Versification [AJ]

.................................................................................\

.................................................................................\

......

The famous Dhyana Sloka, by Ganapati Muni, said to invoke Bhagavan's Presence

In showering grace he is like the moon, the friend of the blue lily. In the

same way, in lustre

he is like the sun, the lord of the lotus; by his abidance in Brahman (state of

pure Being) he

reminds one of his Father (6) under the banyan tree; firm like a rock is this

my younger brother.

(Him, the moveless one we lovingly remember.)

 

THE DHYANA SLOKA: "The Tantra Shastra has devised a method of invocation, more

powerful than an

ordinary human memory or the most moving pictorial record. The gods and

goddesses are posited in

the Supernal Ether, and they take names and forms to operate in this world

constituted of name and

form. Each deity ... responds just like a person when called by name. Each

deity has its own

nada, lines of vibration in the high supernals. The Rishi, the seer when he

meditates on the

deity, comes into contact with those particular lines of vibration, and is able

to formulate in

human language, the name, the form and characteristics Such a formulation is

what is usually

known as dhyana sloka, an articulated piece in the form of verse for meditation

on the deity.

The Dhyana Sloka is the voice of the seer, who has recorded in words that line

the living

experience. When uttered under proper conditions it becomes a vibrant vehicle

through which the

Presence of the deity is sensed immediately.

 

"For invoking the presence of the Maharshi we have fortunately a Dhyana

Sloka bequeathed to

us by the great Ganapati Muni. This verse with slight amendment was quoted as

"Sri Ramana

Dhyanan" by Sri Kapali Sastriar in his Sanskrit commentary. To quote from his

Dedication of

Ramana Gita Prakasha: 'When I came to this verse, the Maharshi (who had been

silent so far) madea

remark. Speaking for five to ten minutes he stated, quoting approvingly the

opinion of another

'that the verse is quite fit to be the Dhyana Sloka of the whole Gita.' ...

There are two elements

in the verse which I may note in passing: one is the blooming of the eyes. The

other is the

Silence by which Shiva as Dakshinamurti teaches his disciples.

 

'(Sankaranarayanan "Bhagavan and Nayana" : Kapali Shastry "The Maharshi")

 

>From Kapali's Diary

 

OCTOBER 13

Sri Maharshi knew that I was to leave that day, as I had the previous

evening informed him

about my programme and I purposely retained the last chapter for this morning.

Then I started

reading (8am) and finished it by 9 o'clock. When I came to the verse

nilaravinda the Maharshi

made a remark. Speaking for five to ten minutes, he stated, naming a gentleman

"He said that

this verse is quite fit to be the Dhyana Sloka of the whole Gita."

 

It is very significant that Sri Maharshi who had been silent so far, quoted

here approvingly

the opinion of another that this should be considered a verse appropriate to

describe the Maharshi

himself. There are two elements in the verse which I may note in passing: one

is the blooming

of the eyes. The other is the Silence by which Shiva as Dakshinamurti teaches

his disciples.

 

"Spreading grace like the friend of the blue lunar lily;

Bright like the solar lord of the lotus;

by his pure abidance in Brahman

he evokes his Father under the banyan tree;

firm like a rock is this my younger brother."

 

* * *

 

Now one remarkable fact is when I started reading, it should have taken

easily fifteen hours

to finish the portion, at a modest rate. I do not know how it was done in six

hours. The tone

was loud; the throat was not affected and the pauses for rest were the minimum.

All this - one

can easily see, if he has eyes - is due to the fact that the Maharshi understood

that I was to

finish and go.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

RamanaMaharshi, Alan Jacobs

<alanadamsjacobs> wrote:

> RAMANA GITA CHAPTER 18.On The Glory of the Siddhas

>

> V 13

>

>

> THE DHYANA SLOKA

>

>

> Like the cool rays of the Moon, he showers such Grace;

> I meditate on his all compassionate face.

>

> The friend of the Sacred Lily, saphire blue,

> In lustre like the Sun who befriends the Lotus too.

>

> Like his father Dakshinamurti in this state

> Of Brahmic splendour, on him I contemplate.

>

> He sat still under the beautiful banyan tree

> In powerful silence, setting his devotees free .

>

> Oh such a marvel is this my younger brother!

> To compare with him, there shall never be another .

>

> Versification [AJ]

>

.................................................................................\

.................................................................................\

......

> The famous Dhyana Sloka, by Ganapati Muni, said to invoke Bhagavan's

Presence

> In showering grace he is like the moon, the friend of the blue

lily. In the same way, in lustre

> he is like the sun, the lord of the lotus; by his abidance in

Brahman (state of pure Being) he

> reminds one of his Father (6) under the banyan tree; firm like a

rock is this my younger brother.

> (Him, the moveless one we lovingly remember.)

>

> THE DHYANA SLOKA: "The Tantra Shastra has devised a method of

invocation, more powerful than an

> ordinary human memory or the most moving pictorial record. The gods

and goddesses are posited in

> the Supernal Ether, and they take names and forms to operate in this

world constituted of name and

> form. Each deity ... responds just like a person when called by

name. Each deity has its own

> nada, lines of vibration in the high supernals. The Rishi, the

seer when he meditates on the

> deity, comes into contact with those particular lines of vibration,

and is able to formulate in

> human language, the name, the form and characteristics Such a

formulation is what is usually

> known as dhyana sloka, an articulated piece in the form of verse for

meditation on the deity.

> The Dhyana Sloka is the voice of the seer, who has recorded in words

that line the living

> experience. When uttered under proper conditions it becomes a

vibrant vehicle through which the

> Presence of the deity is sensed immediately.

>

> "For invoking the presence of the Maharshi we have fortunately

a Dhyana Sloka bequeathed to

> us by the great Ganapati Muni. This verse with slight amendment

was quoted as "Sri Ramana

> Dhyanan" by Sri Kapali Sastriar in his Sanskrit commentary. To

quote from his Dedication of

> Ramana Gita Prakasha: 'When I came to this verse, the Maharshi (who

had been silent so far) madea

> remark. Speaking for five to ten minutes he stated, quoting

approvingly the opinion of another

> 'that the verse is quite fit to be the Dhyana Sloka of the whole

Gita.' ... There are two elements

> in the verse which I may note in passing: one is the blooming of

the eyes. The other is the

> Silence by which Shiva as Dakshinamurti teaches his disciples.

>

> '(Sankaranarayanan "Bhagavan and Nayana" : Kapali Shastry "The

Maharshi")

>

> From Kapali's Diary

>

> OCTOBER 13

> Sri Maharshi knew that I was to leave that day, as I had the

previous evening informed him

> about my programme and I purposely retained the last chapter for

this morning. Then I started

> reading (8am) and finished it by 9 o'clock. When I came to the

verse nilaravinda the Maharshi

> made a remark. Speaking for five to ten minutes, he stated, naming

a gentleman "He said that

> this verse is quite fit to be the Dhyana Sloka of the whole Gita."

>

> It is very significant that Sri Maharshi who had been silent so

far, quoted here approvingly

> the opinion of another that this should be considered a verse

appropriate to describe the Maharshi

> himself. There are two elements in the verse which I may note in

passing: one is the blooming

> of the eyes. The other is the Silence by which Shiva as

Dakshinamurti teaches his disciples.

>

> "Spreading grace like the friend of the blue lunar lily;

> Bright like the solar lord of the lotus;

> by his pure abidance in Brahman

> he evokes his Father under the banyan tree;

> firm like a rock is this my younger brother."

>

> * * *

>

> Now one remarkable fact is when I started reading, it should

have taken easily fifteen hours

> to finish the portion, at a modest rate. I do not know how it was

done in six hours. The tone

> was loud; the throat was not affected and the pauses for rest were

the minimum. All this - one

> can easily see, if he has eyes - is due to the fact that the

Maharshi understood that I was to

> finish and go.

 

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

 

Ramana Gita [Translation and Commentary by AR Natarajan]

Chapter 18 `The Glory of Siddhas'

 

V13

In showering grace he is like the moon, the friend of the blue lily,

in lustre he is the sun which befriends the lotus, in his Brahmic

state he reminds one of his father, Dakshinamurti, seated under the

banyan tree. I contemplate on such a one, my firm younger brother.

 

Commentary

This verse is regarded as a `dhyana sloka' or an invocatory verse for

evoking Ramana's presence. The reference to Dakshinamurti is to the

first spiritual teacher of the world who taught in silence or mauna.

The story goes that Siva took the form of a young ascetic and sat

under the banyan tree to dispel the doubts of some earnest seekers of

truth. The teacher was a youth, the students were old, but their

doubts were answered in his potent silence. Ramana too often taught in

silence and many an unsaid doubt of his seekers was answered through

his language of silence. Ramana, therefore, reminds one of Siva as

Dakshinamurti. The adjective `firm' refers to the state of Ramana's

mind, calm and waveless like the ocean in mid-afternoon.

 

========

anu

>

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