Meditation, Remembering of God, Studies, memory

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from Bhaktimala

 

Sookti Manjari

 

 

 

>

> Children are same everywhere. They are seldom interested in studies. They

> are very fond of playing. However, when they grow up, some become crazy about

> reading. They bring various books from the library and read them day in and

> day out. They are not even bothered about food and sleep. They are not

inclined

> towards Poojas and meditation.

>

> Those who are so much involved in reading are of two kinds. Those who aspire

> for knowledge and those who read for the sake of degrees. Whatever be their

> pursuit, their craze for books is the same. The problem they face because of

> this craziness is also similar. Which is that problem? Forgetfulness. This is

> not due to lack of intelligence. It is because of excessive pumping in of

> data. This is not even the "Svaroopa Vismriti" about which we discussed in the

> previous Sookti Manjari. This forgetfulness is caused by excessive collection

> of information. This can be compared to boiling over of milk.

>

> Because of this, men long to acquire the power of enhancing their capacity

> to remember things. In the common parlance, such a power is referred to as

> "Dharana". It must however be borne in mind that the "Dharana" explained by

> Patanjali has a different meaning.

>

> If it is possible to prevent the sense organs from pursuing their objects of

> perception, the mind of such a person will not be able to comprehend any

> external object. But it is the nature of the mind to comprehend one thing or

the

> other all the time. Because there is no external object to comprehend, the

> mind will be pushed to a situation where it has to comprehend itself. In

> reality, the mind does not have the capacity to comprehend itself. Therefore

in

> this situation, it appears as though it is comprehending its own form. If one

> practises this state for a long time, all the five the sense organs can be

> brought under one"s control. He who has so controlled the sense organs will be

> able to fix the mind by preventing it form pursuing external objects. Such

> fixation of mind is called "Dharana". This is the Dharana explained by Sage

> Patanjali.

>

> Let us try to understand this with the help of an example. When the mind

> fixed on the "Rama" mantra, the mind goes on remembering the word "Rama, Rama,

> Rama". This is Dharana. On the other hand, instead of remembering, if the mind

> merges in the Bhavana (experience, feeling, conceptualization) of Rama, it

> is called Dhyana. The difference between Dharana and Dhyana is in fact very

> minute. In Dharana, there will be repeated remembrance. In between, there will

> be a gap too. In Dhyana, there will be no repeated remembrance; neither will

> there be a gap. The same experience remains uninterruptedly.

>

> In the common parlance, people refer to the phenomena of recapitulating

> (whenever they wish) what they have read or heard or seen some time ago, as

> Dharana. On the other hand, Patanjali says that the process of fixing the mind

on

> a particular memory is Dharana. The common factor among these two is the

> process of remembering.

>

> If one practises the Dharana as elucidated by Sage Patanjali, one will be

> able to reach the state of Dhyana. On the other hand, practising the Dharana

as

> understood by common men will lead to prosperity in the worldly life.

> Although prosperity at the worldly level seems to give happiness in the

beginning,

> as time passes, it will start giving distress. Because there is something

> common between the two types of Dharana, if one can slightly modify the

Dharana

> at the worldly level, it can make way to the Dharana as elucidated by

> Patanjali, thus bestowing eternal peace. There is a tip as to how this can be

> achieved.

>

> Cheddhaaranaa shakti vivardhanechchaa

> Paathyeshu bhaageshu kalaarthi baala

> Dhyaanaasha nidraa pathanaani nityam

> Vidhehi kaale niyate vitandrah

>

> Addressing the student (who is still in a state of infancy as far as

> education is concerned), this Sookti says: If you wish that your memory of

what you

> have learnt should remain for a long time, then you should regularly

> undertake Dhyana, Bhojana (eating), Nidra (sleeping) and Pathana (reading) in

> stipulated timings. (one should not be haphazard).

>

> Even this Sookti (like the previous one) is addressing students. Here it is

> addressing a student who has just begun his education. In the previous

> Sookti, we learnt that the word Kalarthi can also mean a spiritual seeker.

> Therefore, the tips given by the above Sookti apply to seekers too.

>

> However, this Sookti should be applied to a student and a seeker separately.

>

>

> A student will always want to increase his power of memory so that he can

> remember whatever he reads.A seeker on the other hand, will want to acquire

> "Dharana" (as elucidated by Patanjali) on the Vijnaana (special knowledge)

that

> he has acquired by the study of scriptures. The first part of the Sookti

> reflects both these meanings.

>

> The second part of the Sookti says that the same set of rules is applicable

> to students as well as spiritual practitioners. There are aspects:

> 1. Giving up laziness

> 2. Dhyana (meditation)

> 3. Bhojana (food)

> 4. Nidra (sleep)

> 5. Pathana (studying)

> 6. To practice the first four in their stipulated times only. (There is no

> time restriction to give up laziness!)

>

> Let us see how these six steps are important.

>

> The five sense organs (Jnanendriyas) are inert. So is their king, the mind.

> Because the Chaitanya of the Atman reflects in them, the mind and the sense

> organs appear as though they themselves are endowed with Chaitanya. In

> reality, the Chaitanya does not belong to them.

>

> It is the nature of inert objects to remain in a particular state. Newton"s

> first law of motion also echoes the same idea. It says "a body at rest

> continues to be at rest and a body in motion continues to be in motion unless

acted

> upon by an external force to change that state."

>

> We can relate this law to such beings which have dull intellect. Consider

> the example of a bullock cart. The farmer follows a particular path while

going

> to the fields and while returning home. After a few days, the bulls will

> follow the same path and return home although the farmer is not sitting in the

> cart. Not only that, if due to some reason, the farmer wants to take a

> different path, the bulls do not listen to him. They pull the cart to the path

to

> which they are accustomed. The farmer then uses the whip and makes them

> obedient. If they get used to this new path, they will not return to the old

path.

> This is the characteristic feature of inertness.

>

> The Indriyas, which are inert also have this nature. They prefer to remain

> actionless. Left to themselves, the bulls too prefer not to do anything. Not

> doing anything does not mean that they do not want to eat also. It means that

> they prefer not to do hard work. Similarly, when we say that the Indriyas

> prefer to remain actionless, it does not mean that they do not perceive any

> object. It only means that they do not prefer to be bound by dos and don"ts.

This

> is their inherent nature.

>

> Therefore, the foremost lesson that has to be taught to the Indriyas is

> giving up of laziness. This is indicated by the word "vitandrah" in the above

> Sookti. We have taught the bull how to walk. Now we have to show the path. The

> remaining five steps constitute the path. Among the five, Dhyana (meditation),

> Pathana (studying) and doing things in the right time ­ these three are most

> important.

>

> Eating and resting are natural to all beings. Why have they been mentioned

> here? It is because, other beings eat and sleep as per the demands of nature.

> Man, on the other hand, rejects all natural rules and behaves as per the

> whims and fancies of his mind.

>

> We observe a very bad habit even in the so-called educated people. They keep

> reading till very late in the night. They do not respond to innumerable

> reminders to have food. Even if one succeeds in bringing them to the dining

> table, immediately they switch their attention to the television, neglecting

the

> book and the food. They keep switching from one channel to the other the whole

> night. Sometimes this goes on until dawn, when they become tired and fall

> asleep. Soon, it is office time and they do not have enough time even to shave

> and shower. Hurriedly, they rush to their offices. Which science says that

> this is good? But it is a fact that those who know about this also do such

> things.

>

> Let them do so. What is the harm? The first harm is caused to one"s health.

> This is easy to recognize. There is another harm that is difficult to

> recognize. It is the harm caused to one"s memory. Memory is dependent on the

> sharpness of intellect. Erratic sleeping and eating habits will diminish

mental

> capabilities. If such people manage to live long, they will develop

forgetfulness

> much before they step in to old age. Therefore, the above Sookti lays much

> emphasis on regularity of Dhyana (meditation), Bhojana (eating), Nidra

> (sleeping) and Pathana (reading).

>

> It is interesting to note that eating and sleeping (which are natural

> activities) have been place between the not so natural meditation and reading.

The

> order in which these have been mentioned indicates their importance.

>

> It must be borne in mind that Dhyana here is not the Dhyana as proposed by

> Patanjali in the Ashtanga Yoga. Dhyana as per Patanjali is the step after

> Dharana. The Dhyana referred to in the above Sookti is remembering the

Almighty ­

> what is practised by laypersons. Maharshi Patanjali has given the term

> Ishwara Pranidhana for this. (Tapah svaadhyaaya ishwara pranidhaanaani kriya

> yogah)

>

> Pathana (reading) in the context of a seeker means reading of such

> scriptures as are helpful for Sadhana. In the context of a normal student, it

means

> reading of the prescribed textbooks of the curriculum. Pathana has been

> mentioned towards the end (5th aspect). Does it mean that it is enough if the

> previous aspects are properly practised and the aspect of Pathana is after all

not

> so important? Certainly not! Has it not been mentioned in the end that the

> four have to be practised in their stipulated times? Therefore, none of them

> can be neglected.

>

> By practising the six steps, will one achieve Dharana required by a student?

> Will one achieve the Dharana elucidated by Patanjali?

>

> The path is the same for both. The difference is that one desirous of

> achieving Yogic Dharana should dedicate more time for Dhyana in the form of

Ishwara

> Pranidhana. A normal student, who is desirous of enhancing his memory should

> dedicate more time for studies.

>

> There is another added advantage. A student who practises these aspects

> properly and acquires good memory will be able to achieve the other type of

> Dharana too with relative ease. This is the secret which the above Sookti is

> revealing to us.

>

> With the divine grace of Lord Dattatreya, may this Sookti encourage you and

> your children to acquire both types of Dharana.

>

> Jaya Guru Datta

>

> Sri Swamiji

>

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