dreams

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There are Western (Freudian , Jungian et al) analysis

and our own SampradhAyic analysis befitting Indian

sensibilities and Saasthrams .

 

Western Analysis

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The western intrepretation of dreams is quite different

than the Indian Intrepretation . If you have a Google search

on Dream analysis , you will get 100,000 plus hits on

Western approach to dream analysis . This will include

dictonaries on dreams etc.There are pundits , who make a living

on intrepreting people's dreams !

 

Eastern Analysis

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Various Upanishads have taken up the state of Dream

and reveal powerful truths about the happenings in dreams .

There are four states : Wakefulness ( Jaagaratha ) ,

Dream (Svapna) , Dreamless sleep (Sushupthi) and

the Fourth(Thuriyaa). In the Sushupthi state , the jeevan

does not experience the agreeable and disagreeable objects

and returns to the embrace of ParamAthmaa . Dreamless

sleep(Sushupthi) is a state that is free from all desires or sorrows .

The jeevan in the dreamless state has no contact with

punyaa or paapaa . This is supreme aanandham .

 

In the wakeful state, the jeevan engages in karmaas ;

in the dream state , the jeevan roams around seeing

the effects of the accumulated Paapam and PuNyam and

after seeing their effects returns to the wakeful state .

 

The passages in BruhadhAraNyaka Upanishad that describe

the role of Jeevan , Indhriyams and ParamAthma are brilliant

insights by our Maharishis .

 

Sage Yaj~nyavalkyA explains the dream state and the role of

one's karmAs -good and bad- and how ParamAthmA

ordains these dreams as Soochakams as well as rewards or

punishments for Sukruthams(Good Karmaas) and dhushkruthams

(Bad karmaas ) .

 

Some of the Passages on Dream from BruhadhAraNyakam :

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1.There is this world ( Earth) , the other world

(Svargam , Sri Vaikuntam et al) and a third world

(Dream world) in between the two worlds serving as

a junction between them .

 

2. The experiences in the dreams are linked to the Punyam

and Paapam that the Jeevan has accumulated and the Jeevan

experiences them with a body that is different form its physical

body in the awakened state ( Jaagrath state) . A different body

is assumed in the dream state . The Jeevan having a new body

in the dream state can see this world as well as the other world.

 

3. In the dream state , one sees both plesant and unpleasant

things based on the substrate (aasraya) of Punyam or Paapam .

Objects are created by ParamAthman in the dream state based

on the individual jeevan's accumulated punyams and paapams

and their vaasanaas ( residual effects) . The Upanishads identify

the Lord as the Sakala Prapancha NaaDaka SoothradhAran and

He is therefore , the karthaa of the dreams for the jeevans.

 

4. During the dream state , the jeevan makes the physical body

inactive and moves out of its usual resting place ( Heart cavity)

and moves about taking the sense organs with it . When the dream

is over , the Jeevan returns to its laya sthAnam .

 

3. The objects we see in the dreams are created by ParamAtman .

They are gone , when one wakes up.

 

Dreams in Srimath RaamAyaNam & Dhivya Prabhandham

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Thirumangai Mannan's dream of NaacchiyAr KOil PerumAL

described in Periya Thirumozhi Paasurams and Andal's dream of

Her upcoming wedding with Lord RanganAthAn ( VaaraNam

aayiram paasurams of NaacchiyAr Thirumozhi) are good

referecnes in this context.

 

Our AchAryAs have studied extensively and cataloged

the dreams in unique ways. There is a book called

SvapnAdhyAyam that covers a lot of these dream analysis.

I do not know where you can get a copy in India .

 

If you wish to get a glimpse of the indications from dreams

you can refer to Thrijadai's dream at Lanka covered in

the 27th Sargam of Sundara KaaNDam of Srimath RaamAyaNam.

Thrijadai is the daughter of VibhIshaNan , who comforted

Sithai at AsOka Vanam .

 

I will quote two verses relating to the slOkams from

SvapnAdhyAyam here:

 

aarOhaNam gOvrusha kunjarANAm

prAsAdhasailaagra vanaspatheenAm

vishtAnulOpO mrutham cha

svapnEshvagamyAgamanam cha dhanyam

 

(Meaning ): When one dreams of traveling on the back of

Cow, Buffalo , Elephant or dream that they are ascending

the peak of a mountain , Tree or multistory building or

weeping or seeing one as dead or uniting with some one ,

who is not to be united with , these are said to be harbingers

of good tidings .

 

Here is slOkam 27.11 from Sundara KaaNDam about

Thrijadai's dream that makes reference to these

auspicous dream that she had :

 

Raaghavasccha mayaa dhrushta: chathurdhantham mahAgajam

aarODa: saila samkAsam chachAra sahalakshmaNa:

 

(Meaning) : I saw Raaman seated with LakshmaNan

on a huge elephant(resembling a mountain ) with four

tusks and coming towards Sithai.

 

Thrijadai goes on and says:

 

I saw Sitha jumping on that elephant , sitting on

the lap of Her Lord and reaching with Her hands

towards the Moon ( Sundara KaaNDam SlOkam 27.14).

 

The corrsponding SvapnAdhyAya slOkam is:

 

aadhithya maNDalam vaapi chandra mandalam yeva vaa

svapnE gruhNAthi hasthAbhyAm mahath raajyam samApnuyAth

 

(Meaning): The acquisition of a big kingdom is assured for

one , who dreams of reaches out and touches Chandra or

Soorya Mandalams.

 

Raama and VibhishaNa travel in the northerly direction

wearing white Vasthrams , which is auspicious . Wearing of

red or black vasthrams is inauspicious .

 

Thrijadai also dreams about her uncle , RaavaNan

in that same dream : RaavaNan is lying on ground ;

he is covered with gingely oil and is wearing red dress ;

he is obese and is weaing a garland of alari pushpams.

He is also seen by her as wearing black dress and with shaven

head driving a cart drawn by a donkey towards the southern direction .

These are all indicators of disastrous things that will happen , when

dreamt.

Raavana experiences death at the hands of Lord Raamachandra.

 

There are very many things to discuss about dreams . I will stop

here. Bhagavath chinthanai and AchArya Bhakthi are the best

medicine for destroying bad dreams ( Dhussvapna naasakam)