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Def'n: UPASANA.

 

[from Wiki]

Upasana is translated as " Sitting near " but normally

the term is used in Hinduism to denote a prescribed

method for approaching a Deity or God or getting close

to a deity/deities. In the Vedas, some Upasanas are

prescribed whereby one meditates on the all-pervading

Brahman as some aspect of creation, such as fire,

water, directions, food, mind, joy, etc. Thus, Upasana

can be described as a systematic practice of a

prescribed method of worship for pleasing and winning

the attention of the deity or it can be a deity-less

practice of austerities involving meditating upon some

aspect of nature as told in specific Vedic Upasanas.

Normally such prescriptions of worship or meditational

methods are taken from various Hindu scriptures,

mainly the Puranas and Vedas. A devotee would consult

the scriptures, or a person who knows them thoroughly,

to get a prescribed form of worship (Upasana) for

his/her deity of choice (Ishta Devata) and follow it

faithfully to the best of his/her abilities.

Once the deity is pleased, She/He is said to grant the

wishes of devotees either by directly appearing to the

devotee and asking/granting what he or she wants, or

reading the mind of the devotee and granting his or

her wishes without making any appearance (unless one

of the wishes is to see the deity personally.)

 

" The seeker of knowledge does not achieve his end

merely by a study of scriptures. Without upasana there

cannot be attainment for him, this is definite. " --

Sri Ramana Leela, Ramana Gita I.22, quoted in Sri

Krishna Bihkshu, Sri Ramana Leela (Pingali Surya

Sundaram tr. 2004), p. 80.

 

On how to do Upasana:

see " Swamiji: The Manifestation "

1. The First and Second Cycles, 1942-1966.

2. Placing emphasis on The First Cycle 1942-1954.

 

" My aunt Venkamma gave me initiation into Hatha yoga

and Medicine. But My Way is essentially Raja Yoga. " -

Satyanarayana

 

[from Wiki]

R & #257;ja Yoga ( " royal yoga " , " royal union " , also

known as Classical Yoga or simply Yoga) is one of the

six orthodox (astika) schools of Hindu philosophy,

outlined by the sage Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras[1].

Some believe that the sadhanas, or practices of raja

yoga, were known as long ago as the Neolithic Age and

were practiced in the Indus Valley culture. Raja yoga

is concerned principally with the cultivation of the

mind using meditation (dhyana) to further one's

acquaintance with reality and finally achieve

liberation.

 

Raja Yoga is so-called because it is primarily

concerned with the mind. The mind is traditionally

conceived as the " king " of the psycho-physical

structure which does its bidding (whether or not one

has realized this). Because of the relationship

between the mind and the body, the body must be first

" tamed " through self-discipline and purified by

various means (see Hatha Yoga). A good level of

overall health and psychological integration must be

attained before the deeper aspects of yoga can be

pursued. Humans have all sorts of addictions and

obsessions and these preclude the attainment of

tranquil abiding (meditation). Through restraint

(yama) such as celibacy, abstaining from alcohol and

other hard drugs and careful attention to one's

actions of body, speech and mind, the human being

becomes fit to practice meditation. This yoke that one

puts upon oneself (discipline) is another meaning of

the word yoga.

 

Every thought, feeling, perception, or memory you may

have causes a modification, or ripple, in the mind. It

distorts and colors the mental mirror. If you can

restrain the mind from forming into modifications,

there will be no distortion, and you will experience

your true Self. - Swami Satchidananda

 

Patañjali's Yoga Sutras begin with the statement

yoga & #347; citta-v & #7771;tti-nirodha & #7717; (1.2),

" Yoga limits the oscillations of the mind " . They go on

to detail the ways in which mind can create false

ideations and advocate meditation on real objects,

which process, it is said, will lead to a spontaneous

state of quiet mind, the " Nirbija " or " seedless

state " , in which there is no mental object of focus.

 

Practices that serve to maintain for the individual

the ability to access this state may be considered

Raja Yoga practices. Thus Raja Yoga encompasses and

differentiates itself from other forms of Yoga by

encouraging the mind to avoid the sort of absorption

in obsessional practice (including other traditional

yogic practices) that can create false mental objects.

In this sense Raja Yoga is referred to as the " king

among yogas " : all yogic practices are seen as

potential tools for obtaining the seedless state,

itself considered to be the starting point in the

quest to cleanse Karma and obtain Moksha or Nirvana.

Historically, schools of yoga that label themselves

" Raja " offer students a mix of yogic practices and

(hopefully or ideally) this philosophical viewpoint.

 

---[end Wiki]

 

Jaya Guru Datta!

 

---

Gurorangripadme ManaScenna Lagnam tata: kim! tata: kim! tata: kim! tata: kim!?

Sarva Kartha, Sarva Dhartha, Sarva Hartha, Mangalam!

Satchidananda, Satchidananda, Satchidananda Mangalam!

Tasmai Sri Guru-murthaye Nama Idam Sri Dakshinamurtaye!

 

Ata Nityo Narayanaha, Brahma Narayanaha, Sivascha Narayanaha, Kalascha

Narayanaha. Disascha Narayanaha, Vidisascha Narayanaha, Urdwamscha Narayanaha,

Adhascha Narayanaha, Antar-bahischa-Narayana.Narayana Eh Vedam Sarvam, Yat

BhootamYacchha Bhavyam.Nish-kalango Niranjano Nirvikalpo Nirakyadhas,suddhho

Deva Eko Narayanaha, Na dwiteeyosthi kaschit,ya evam Vedas Vishnu reva Bhavati,

Sa Vishnureva Bhavathi, Etat yajur veda sirodeeyathe.

 

~*Om * Ayim * Hreem * Sreem * Siva * Rama * Anagha * Dattaya * Namaha*~