Sri HKS and hints for sAdhana

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Sri HarikathAmrita sara and hints for sAdhana

Sri Hari, vAyu, guru, dAsa varenyebhyo namaH,

Greetings to everybody on the occasion of uttAna dvAdhashi.Sri HarikathAmrita sAra is a magnificent work by Sri JagannAtha

dAsaru. It works in many levels. It is a high quality literary work.

It has detailed intricacies of mAdhva philosophy that is hard to find

any where. Sri JagannAtha dAsaru has outlined a spiritual numerology

that is very unique. It is a work that has so much depth

of meaning that it needs a commentary or two to really understand it.

It is a wonderful gift from Sri Hari, vAyu and dAsa parampare and Sri

JagannAtha dAsaru to all sAdhakAs.

This is an exposition of my limited understanding of Sri HKS from Sri

SamkarashaNa odeyar commentary, a book by sri Dr. K.M. KrishNa Rao and

pravachanas by Sri BG and Sri Suvidyendra theertharu. Any mistakes in

here are mine,

I want to explore the one aspect of Sri HKS as an invaluable tool in

sAdhana. I want to explore the verses where many aspects of mental sAdhana are explained in

detail. Things that are covered very briefly in Gita and the

upanishads is covered in greater detail for the benefit of the sAdhakas. I want to take an example from from vibhUti sandhi to explain these concepts. Let us take the verse 5.18 goLakave kumDAgni karaNavu mElodagibaha vishaya samidheyu gALi yatnavu kAma dhUmavu sanniDhAnArchi | mELanave prajvAle kiDigaLu tULidAndagaLe tatta tkAla mAtugaLella mantrAdhyAtma vidu padArtha: goLakave = The physical place in the body where the sense organs such as eyes and ears reside. kuMDa = sacrificial hearth agni = sacrificial fire karaNavu = sense organs that are inside the

goLakagaLu mEle odagi baha vishaya = sensory inputs that come in waves one after another samidheyu = sacrificial firewood gALi yatnavu= the wind that fans the fire kAma dhUpavu = desires sannidhanArchi = the mind that is wrapped in the sensory input coming from sense organs mELanave prajvAle = sensory inputs combining with desires and attachment of mind result in a big fire tULindAnandagaLe = happiness that is manifested when senory organs are in contact with sensory inputs kiDigaLu = sparks that come from the fire tattatkAla = in that time frame mAtugaLe = words about the sense organs mantra= sacred chants that are used in the sacrifice AdhyAtma yagnavidu = This is the sacrifice meant to please the Lord Summary

meaning:

This verse says that we should offer the sense organs and the

sensory enjoyments as an yajna or sacrificial offering to God. Here

physical sense organs are compared to the place where the sacrificial

fire takes place. Internal sense organs are the sacrifical fires. The

sensory inputs are analogous to the sacrifical firewood. The desires

are like the wind that fans the fire. The mind that is attached to the

senses combines all these and produces a big fire. The enjoyment that

comes out of sense organs enjoying the sensory input is compared to the

sparks that come out of the fire. The things we talk about the sensory

enjoyment is the sacred chants used in the sacrifice. This sacrifice

is an offering to please the Lord. Explanations and commentary:

Sri jagannAtha dAsaru provides a sAdhanopAya or a means for spiritual

practice using our day to day activities. He says we should consider

all the every day activities as worship of the Lord. He provides a

beautiful explanation of how all the sensory inputs we are taking in

via the five sense organs or the indriyas should be considered as

offerings to God. In this sense, every thing we are seeing, hearing or

speaking becomes an offering to God or devara pooja. This is a

profound way to raise our sAdhana to the highest levels. Sri

jagannaTha dAsaru has given detailed explanation of this sAdhanopAya

in Kannada. This concept is explained briefly in sri bhagavad Gita

and brihadAraNyaka upanishad, chAndoyga upanishads and kaTopanishads .

Sri dAsaru has explained it in kannada for all of us to incorporate in

our sAdhana. We should be grateful to sri JagannAtha dAsaru for

making this sAdhana method explicit and describing it in great detail.

goLakagaLu refers to the external sense organs . They are visualized

here as homa kunDa or place of sacrifice. Five internal sense organs

(indriyas ) are considered to be the fire. Here sri JagannAtha dAsaru

distinguishes between the internal and external sense organs. External

sense organs are the physical structures that collect light, sound ,

such as eye balls, ears etc. Internal sense organs are the internal

structures that enables one to make sense of the visual images, or

sounds etc. Internal sense organs may the internal portions of sense

organs, nerve endings and portions of brain that help in cognizing the

sensory input. Here is a beautiful imagery that says that the external

sense organs are the substratum (homa kunDa) and the internal sense

organs is the superstratum or the sacrificial fire that dances in the

homa kunDa. They have to act together to perceive and recognize the

sensory input. Next Sri JagannAtha dAsaru says that the contents of

the sensory perception or the vishyAs are the samidhe or sacrificial

wood that is fed into the sacrificial fire. We are taking in the

vishayAs constantly through our sense organs just as we have to feed

the sacrificial fire with sacrificial firewood. If we can

imagine and visualize, all the external organs as the homa kunDa or the

substratum and the internal sense organs as the agni or the Sacrificial

fire. In this Sacrificial fire, we are feeding the sacrificial fire

wood or the sense perceptions, the things that we see , hear , smell,

speak etc. By this visualization, we can offer everything we are

experiencing through our senses to God.Desires cause the wind to

increase and the fire to burn out of

control. Here Sri JagannAtha dAsaru seems to caution that if you want

to remain in control of

the fire or the sensory enjoyments, you have to be watchful of the

desires

(wind) and the sensory inputs (firewood) that you are feeding to the

fire. Next element is the mind that attaches to the sense organs and

that provides to catalyst to combines all these ingredients and produce

a big fire of immersion in sensory enjoyment . The happiness that comes

from sensory enjoyment is compared to the sparks that come out of the

fires. The words and the talk about the sensory enjoyment are compared

the sacred mantras used in the yajnas (sacrificial offerings)

Method of sAdhana:By treating all these sense organs, sensory

inputs, desires, mind, words as part of the yajna or offering to God,

we will get automatic control of these sense organs, sensory inputs and

desires. We will also be in constant remembrance of God. Our every day

activities, sensory enjoyments becomes pooja of the Lord. This is a

mAnasika pooja at the highest levels. As we go through our

daily activities, if we can have this comparison and visualization in

mind, we are constantly doing pooja to God and remembering God all the

time. This will enable us to reach high levels of sAdhana very

quickly. We will not be perturbed by anything happenning in the

outside world. You can use this as one is driving to work, talking to

people, at work etc. With this sAdhana, the distinction between the

loukika and adhyatmic matters are erased and everything we experience

will become divine. Sri JagannAtha dAsaru has explained to us and

shown us a wonderful and easy method of doing sAdhana all the time. We

should be grateful for his kindness in explaining this extraordinarily

high level of sAdhana in great detail in language of the common man.

In the next posting, we will consider how the similar concepts are

explained in the Gita and the upanishads. Please post any comments or

questions in the vms-philosophy list.

 

Sri krishNarpaNamastu

Vasu MurthyEmail:vasu_murthy, thoughtsrlife