Ordinarily, yoga is
considered a way of physical and breathing exercise (pranayama) for ordinary people. There are more than eighty types of
physical postures (asanas) that may
help channelizing energy in the body. But none of them is useful for Atmasakshatkar, i.e., Realization of the
Self, like dhyana, dharana, and samadhi. Only those who are conscious of their
physical well-being use the techniques of asanas
and pranayama only to improve their
physical condition, ward off some pains, not knowing that there is something
more significant.
Yoga is the means of
emancipation of the embodied soul that suffers repeated births and deaths due
to its attachment (moha) to the body
(abhinivesha) and desires. This is mokshagati, ‘mukti’- quietening the blemished or disturbed mind (chanchala chitta), restoring its peaceful
state,
‘Liberation
of the embodied soul’ is possible only through attainment of Atmajnyan, knowledge of the Self, or gained
from intense meditation. It is an inward journey towards the core of the
substance of the Jiva, atman, the
Soul. It is purely a divine attribute that can only be personally experienced
in the absence of a subject-object duality state, asamprajnya samadhi. It transcends Mind and creation of mental
images. It takes the sadhaka to an ecstatic state where everything is still; it
is a state of absolute silence, calm, peace and rest. That is the natural
state. Everybody experiences this exalted state almost everyday, but is unaware
of it. To be consciously aware of this state is just impossible. There will be
no observer (perceiver) and the observed (perceived), enjoyer (bhoktru) and the enjoyed (bhogya) at this state. Everything becomes one. It is
sheer bliss.
Table showing the stages in Evolution is given
in Appendix I and a Chart depicting the different realms of existence (vyahrutis) and the levels of
Consciousness (prajnyasthiti) is
given in Appendix II
Here one can see how a
seeker can attain the highest level of “UNITY-CONSCIOUSNESS” (Samyak-prajnya)
ina matter of several lives or by sincere spiritual practice with a matter of
50 years (See Appendix.I). This also helps us to identify where one stands
in the scale of evolution vis-a-vis
those who may have already attained. Some great souls are born with a carry-over
of punya-phala or spiritual power of
their previous births. Ri Shankaracharya, Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Ramana
Mahsrishi, Mahaveera and the Buddha are good examples. Unless there is a carry-over
of the spiritual power, it is not possible to attain unity consciousness at one
go. Shree Krishna has clearly stated how liberation is attained by carry-over
of fruits of spiritual practices of every birth and the sadhana of a jiva never
goes waste.
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