॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
***
Uddhava has a question that every Hindu will ask.
उद्धव उवाच
वदन्ति कृष्ण श्रेयांसि बहूनि ब्रह्मवादिनः । तेषां विकल्पप्राधान्यमुताहो एकमुख्यता ॥
भवतोदाहृतः स्वामिन् भक्तियोगोऽनपेक्षितः । निरस्य सर्वतः सङ्गं येन त्वय्याविशेन्मनः ॥
T: "Dear Sri Krishna, the Brahmavadins (proponents of Vedas) speak of may goals of life, and many paths! Please tell me which one among them is the best."
श्रीभगवानुवाच
कालेन नष्टा प्रलये वाणीयं वेदसंज्ञिता । मयाऽऽदौ ब्रह्मणे प्रोक्ता धर्मो यस्यां मदात्मकः ॥
तेन प्रोक्ता च पुत्राय मनवे पूर्वजाय सा । ततो भृग्वादयोऽगृह्णन् सप्त ब्रह्ममहर्षयः ॥
तेभ्यः पितृभ्यस्तत्पुत्रा देवदानवगुह्यकाः । मनुष्याः सिद्धगन्धर्वाः सविद्याधरचारणाः ॥
T: "Dear Uddhava, at the beginning of this epoch, I taught Brahma this supreme knowledge, Bhagavata Dharma, which had gone inot dissolution at the end of the last epoch. This was passed down through the Saptarishis like Bhrigu.
किन्देवाः किन्नरा नागा रक्षः किम्पुरुषादयः । बह्व्यस्तेषां प्रकृतयो रजःसत्त्वतमोभुवः ॥
याभिर्भूतानि भिद्यन्ते भूतानां पतयस्तथा । यथाप्रकृति सर्वेषां चित्रा वाचः स्रवन्ति हि ॥
T: "Gods and many other life-forms have been created by me with varying mix of Gunas - Rajas, Sattva and Tamas. There are as many paths as the different species! And each school promotes its path in flowery words."
"Based on their nature (Gunas), men develop different paths. Over time, some even degrade into hypocrites and charlatans. This is only the effect of my Maya, after all. Thus, there are divergent Dharmas, goals of name and fame, enjoyment, the definition of truth, abstinence, enjoyment, Yajnas, and whatnot. All these paths lead to repetition of the Karma cycle and repeated suffering. Even the pseudo-bliss experienced is plagued by jealousy and revenge,"
मय्यर्पितात्मनः सभ्य निरपेक्षस्य सर्वतः । मयाऽऽत्मना सुखं यत्तत्कुतः स्याद्विषयात्मनाम् ॥
अकिञ्चनस्य दान्तस्य शान्तस्य समचेतसः । मया सन्तुष्टमनसः सर्वाः सुखमया दिशः ॥
न पारमेष्ठ्यं न महेन्द्रधिष्ण्यं न सार्वभौमं न रसाधिपत्यम् । न योगसिद्धीरपुनर्भवं वा मय्यर्पितात्मेच्छति मद्विनान्यत् ॥
T: "Uddhava, once a seeker is surrendered to me, free from all worldly desires, I shine in his heart and he begins to experience a bliss unattainable by the worldly seekers. The one who is unattached to the world and finds total fulfilment in me experiences a life of continual joy. A devotee who is surrendered does not care for kingship, or lordship over lokas, nor Yogic Siddhis!"
न तथा मे प्रियतम आत्मयोनिर्न शङ्करः । न च सङ्कर्षणो न श्रीर्नैवात्मा च यथा भवान् ॥
T: "For me, nobody is dearer than this devotee, not Brahma, not Shiva, not Adishesha, not even Sri Lakshmi. You, Uddhava, are such a devotee!"
"I am subservient to the sage who is desireless, tranquil and equipoised, and I want the worlds under me to be sanctified by the dust of his feet. Even those who covet Moksha are denied this supreme bliss that is the privilege of the devotee who wants nothing but me. These devotees have universal love for all beings. They have no stain of lust/desire."
A question arises. What if the devotee is truly in love with Bhagavan, but still has some worldly desires and attractions?
बाध्यमानोऽपि मद्भक्तो विषयैरजितेन्द्रियः । प्रायः प्रगल्भया भक्त्या विषयैर्नाभिभूयते ॥
यथाग्निः सुसमृद्धार्चिः करोत्येधांसि भस्मसात् । तथा मद्विषया भक्तिरुद्धवैनांसि कृत्स्नशः ॥
T: "Even if my devotee has not conquered his senses and has some bonds, indeed, by the increase in his Bhakti, he will escape the suffering from these desires. Just as the fire burns down all fuel to ashes, the strength of his Bhakti in me burns down his worldly desires."
न साधयति मां योगो न साङ्ख्यं धर्म उद्धव । न स्वाध्यायस्तपस्त्यागो यथा भक्तिर्ममोर्जिता ॥
भक्त्याहमेकया ग्राह्यः श्रद्धयाऽऽत्मा प्रियः सताम् । भक्तिः पुनाति मन्निष्ठा श्वपाकानपि सम्भवात् ॥
धर्मः सत्यदयोपेतो विद्या वा तपसान्विता । मद्भक्त्यापेतमात्मानं न सम्यक् प्रपुनाति हि ॥
T: "Uddhava, nothing secures me for the devotee as much as intense Bhakti - not Yoga, not Sankhya (Jnana Yoga), not scriptural studies, not Tapas, not renunciation! By Bhakti alone can I be captured, and become the dearest one for one full of dedication. Bhakti has the power to liberate even those who eat dogs and carcasses from the cycle of rebirth. If, on the other hand, someone has achieved great Dharma (=Yajnas), has great Vidya (intellectual understanding), has practised great Tapas,, but lacks in devotion, his achievements are insufficient to liberate him."
कथं विना रोमहर्षं द्रवता चेतसा विना । विनानन्दाश्रुकलया शुध्येद्भक्त्या विनाऽऽशयः ॥
वाग्गद्गदा द्रवते यस्य चित्तं रुदत्यभीक्ष्णं हसति क्वचिच्च ।
विलज्ज उद्गायति नृत्यते च मद्भक्तियुक्तो भुवनं पुनाति ॥
T: "What Bhakti can be called intense unless it causes horripilation, the flood of emotion in the mind, the shedding of tears of joy in Bhagavan's bliss, how can such Bhakti with lack of feeling purify one?"
"When a devotee of such intense feeling is unable to speak unfalteringly, when he dissolves in love, when he weeps feeling his separation from me, when he laughs knowing my Maya's play, who sings and dances - he purifies everything around like no one else!" ( This defined Chaitanya Mahaprabhu).
"Bhakti burns all remnants of impurities in man. When a Bhakta hears my stories, he becomes purer in mind and begins to get an insight into my true Bhagavata-tattva. On the other hand, a materialist progressively falls into sense attachments. Thus, your path is clear, Uddhava, just forget all else and dissolve in Bhakti towards me."
"A man who wants to make progress avoids sense attractions, sits in a solitary and clean place, does Pranayama, and focuses his entire being in meditation on my form."
(Again it is emphasised that for a seeker, falling for sexual temptations is fatal.)
Uddhava wanted to know more about the meditation process and what should be the object.
श्रीभगवानुवाच
सम आसन आसीनः समकायो यथासुखम् । हस्तावुत्सङ्ग आधाय स्वनासाग्रकृतेक्षणः ॥
प्राणस्य शोधयेन्मार्गं पूरकुम्भकरेचकैः । विपर्ययेणापि शनैरभ्यसेन्निर्जितेन्द्रियः ॥
हृद्यविच्छिन्नमोङ्कारं घण्टानादं बिसोर्णवत् । प्राणेनोदीर्य तत्राथ पुनः संवेशयेत्स्वरम् ॥
एवं प्रणवसंयुक्तं प्राणमेव समभ्यसेत् । दशकृत्वस्त्रिषवणं मासादर्वाग्जितानिलः ॥
हृत्पुण्डरीकमन्तःस्थमूर्ध्वनालमधोमुखम् । ध्यात्वोर्ध्वमुखमुन्निद्रमष्टपत्रं सकर्णिकम् ॥
कर्णिकायां न्यसेत्सूर्यसोमाग्नीनुत्तरोत्तरम् । वह्निमध्ये स्मरेद्रूपं ममैतद्ध्यानमङ्गलम् ॥
समं प्रशान्तं सुमुखं दीर्घचारुचतुर्भुजम् । सुचारुसुन्दरग्रीवं सुकपोलं शुचिस्मितम् ॥
समानकर्णविन्यस्तस्फुरन्मकरकुण्डलम् । हेमाम्बरं घनश्यामं श्रीवत्सश्रीनिकेतनम् ॥
शङ्खचक्रगदापद्मवनमालाविभूषितम् । नूपुरैर्विलसत्पादं कौस्तुभप्रभया युतम् ॥
द्युमत्किरीटकटककटिसूत्राङ्गदायुतम् । सर्वाङ्गसुन्दरं हृद्यं प्रसादसुमुखेक्षणम् ॥
सुकुमारमभिध्यायेत्सर्वाङ्गेषु मनो दधत् ।
इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यो मनसाऽऽकृष्य तन्मनः । बुद्ध्या सारथिना धीरः प्रणयेन्मयि सर्वतः ॥
तत्सर्वव्यापकं चित्तमाकृष्यैकत्र धारयेत् । नान्यानि चिन्तयेद्भूयः सुस्मितं भावयेन्मुखम् ॥
तत्र लब्धपदं चित्तमाकृष्य व्योम्नि धारयेत् । तच्च त्यक्त्वा मदारोहो न किञ्चिदपि चिन्तयेत् ॥
एवं समाहितमतिर्मामेवात्मानमात्मनि । विचष्टे मयि सर्वात्मन् ज्योतिर्ज्योतिषि संयुतम् ॥
ध्यानेनेत्थं सुतीव्रेण युञ्जतो योगिनो मनः ।संयास्यत्याशु निर्वाणं द्रव्यज्ञानक्रियाभ्रमः ॥
T: Bhagavan now gave detailed instructions on how to meditate.
"Seated on a seat not too elevated nor too low, with body straight and hands in the lap, eyes half-closed and appearing to gaze at the nose, one should purify the path by which the Prana is functioning by the practice of Pranayama with three stages of inhaling (Puraka), retaining (Kumbhaka) and exhaling (Rechaka). After doing it first in the above order, it may be done also in the reverse order from the right to the left nostril. This is called Nadi Shodhana."
"One must exercise control over the senses also. Like a fine thread of lotus stalk and like a continuous peel of a bell, the Mystic Sound Om (Omkara) is extending from the Muladhara CHakra at the base of the spine up. By the regulation of the Prana, this Mystic Sound should be raised to the heart and made clearly manifest there. (Such a Pranayama with na meditative content is called Sagarbha.) In this way, Pranayama with Pranava (Omkara) should be practised ten times during the day or during the three Sandhyas, morning. noon and evening. By practising for a month, sufficient control over breath is gained."
"The aspirant should meditate on the lotus of heart which has been drooping on its stalk with its tip down, as now blooming and rising upward with eight petals and a pericarp in the centre. In the pericarp meditate on the sun, moon and fire as arranged one over the other. In the middle of the fire, let my form, so auspicious for meditation, be invoked. "
"Let the form be meditated upon with the following features: Having well-proportioned limbs, extremely calm and tranquil and beautiful; with four long and well-formed arms; set with a neck well proportioned and handsome; with shining cheeks, illumined by a charming smile; bedecked with fish-shaped pendants on well-matched ears: wearing a gold-coloured cloth; blue like a rain cloud; and the chest enshrining Sri and Srivatsa; also as equipped with Shankha, Chakra, Gada and Padma, and decorated with a wreath of wildflowers; and with shining anklets on the feet and the resplendent jewel Kausthubha on the neck; shining with the crown, wristlets, girdle and armlets, lovely in every limb, heart-bewitching and with eyes radiating peace and joy."
"The resolute aspirant should withdraw the senses from their objects, into the mind, and the mind, directed by its controller, the Buddhi. should be made to dwell on my complete form with all its parts."
"The mind that is thus made to dwell on the total form must next be made to concentrate exclusively on one limb or part, preferably on the face illumined by a smile. When the mind is fixed there, there is no need to think of the rest of the form."
"When the mind has thus got one-pointedness, it can dwell on me as the unrelated and absolute Being Parabrahman without any other thought."
"One who has thus ingathered and concentrated his mind will see me, the Supreme Self (Paramatman) in the individual Self and the Self in that Supreme Self without a difference, as when a minute point of light has merged in a very luminous light. For, a Yogi who strives assiduously to practise meditation will soon overcome the erroneous view of the absolute distinction between the seer, the seen and the act of seeing."
Note: This pretty much covers the science of meditation as given in almost all Indian scriptures, including the Srimad Bhagavadgita. Better we follow this original guidance from Sage Vyasa, than versions from modern interlopers!
