Dhyana Vahini
Original in Telugu
Those guided by impulses and instincts, i.e., Vasanas, wander about the world like drunkards. Such ones are devoid of discrimination between true and false. The overpowering influence of these V_asanas_ makes them forget the dire consequences of yielding to them. They have no shame or fear, and they simply revel in the search for worldly pleasures in the accumulation of comforts, and in the sheer enjoyment of luxuries. For those plunged in these V_asanas_, Buddhi (Intellect) does not function. By constant pursuit of sensory pleasures, the Vasanas become hardened, and they strike deeper and stronger roots.
That is why the advice has been given in the Bhagavad-gita to give up the fruit of one’s actions. The Vasanas become stronger if the fruits are always kept in mind, whenever actions are performed. This strengthens their pride and conceit. Such men stoop to even the lowest type of wrongdoing, for getting rich and earning the money needed to satisfy them. They start worshipping mammon as their God. Of course, money is essential, but surplus money, money that gives worry, anxiety, and pain should not be desired at all. Besides, men strive to seek being praised from others and avoid being blamed or criticized by others. This too is to be classed as M_alina vasana_ (Impure impulse).
The world is a nest of crows; some caw in praise, some caw in derision. But man should be above the reach of praise and blame, and wrong doings. Make light of praise; treat it as something as a spat out. Then only can you be free and enjoy real happiness. And about blame, see how the world has not allowed even Divine forms of Rama, Krishna, Vishnu, Shiva, and Baba to escape from its tendency to blame! They talk ill even of the Gods, imputing evil motives and actions to those perfect beings!
From such foul-minded persons as these, can any consideration be expected towards mere ordinary men? Any excuse is enough for them. The white man hates the black; the black hates the white. The Saivite scandalizes the Vaisnavite, and the Vaisnavite spreads stories about the S_aivite_. Just as everyone loves his own religion, his own native place and… himself, he loves his own methods of worship and forms and ceremonies. This love takes the form of praise of one’s own faith and blame of the other’s faith. Though all this is related to one’s relationship with God, such impulses are and must be classed under Malina vasanas (Impure impulses).
Such mean attitudes caused by ignorance have to be removed by Japam (repetition of the Divine name) and Dhyanam (Meditation); these spiritual practices fill the heart of man with broad and universal A_tma-jnanam_ (A_tmic_ wisdom), and then the Malina vasanas (Impure impulses) are destroyed and holy Pavitra vasanas (Holy impulses) are cultivated. It is indeed a wonder why man fails to put forth all his efforts to overcome or remove the Malina vasanas, for by following their path he gets only pain, sorrow, and agony! The deluding effect of these tendencies and impulses makes him believe and feel that he is on the correct path towards the goal of happiness. That is why he is reluctant to give them up; that explains why he is holding on to them so fast like a leech. I feel that if he reads some good spiritual books, his brain could be cleansed to some extent. The number of scriptures is countless, time is too short to study all of them, and the obstacles in the path of understanding them are also too many. So, if one can grasp and imbibe the essence of the Sastras (Scriptures), he can move far away from the Malina vasanas. Of what use is it to pour over silly books, or jaw-breaking scriptures or learn about modes of devotion that are not put into action? It is all a wasteful effort. Good things that are learnt from books have to be put into practice at least to an extent. Spending all the time in study, apart from practice, also deserves to be condemned as Malina vasana (Impure impulse).
Listen! Bharadwaja studied the Vedas for three successive lives. When born a fourth time, he started reading again! So, Indra came to him and taught him the Brahma-vidya (Supreme Knowledge of Brahman) and confided to him the secret of liberation. Then, Bharadwaja put an end to his reading and his study, and entered upon hard, concentrated meditation. He experienced and realized his true Self, Atman. Therefore, mere study of books is a purposeless exercise if the essence is not imbibed and practiced. Such Malina vasana (Impure impulse) also needs to be transformed to the maximum extent possible. The greed to simply read about all kinds of subjects and topics is itself not a very healthy impulse. Once upon a time, Durvasa, the saint, reached the presence of Lord Shiva with a cartload of religious books. Then, Narada compared him to the proverbial donkey. “Though one carries the burden of a multitude of books, concerning all branches of knowledge, and though he might have read all of them, the teaching contained in them cannot be grasped at all, without actual practical experience. Mere pride in learning is itself an impure impulse, classified under scholarly or intellectual impulses.” When Durvasa heard such words of advice, he was enlightened; he immediately threw all the bundles of books into the sea and plunged into deep meditation. See, how even the great sages too feel that meditation is all-important for attaining full knowledge!
It is impossible to know the truth of the Self, the Aatma-jnanam (Aatmic wisdom), either through the study of manifold Sastras (Scriptures), or the acquisition of scholarship, or the sharpening of the intellect, or the pursuit of dialectical discussions. It cannot be realised by these means. Swethakethu, the son of sage Uddalaka, was a great pundit. One day the father called the son towards him and asked, “Swethakethu, have you understood that scripture, by understanding which, you will get power to understand everything?” The son replied that he did not know of such a scripture and had not learnt it. Then, Uddalaka taught him the unequalled scripture of Brahma-vidya (Knowledge of Brahman), which grants one the knowledge of the truth of the Atman.
So, man should first grasp clearly the habits and activities of his mind. Then only can he gain mastery over it, and try to develop his memory power, will-power, and power of perception or thought-power.
Waywardness is the natural characteristic of the mind. It is like the wind. That is why Arjuna described it to Krishna thus:
Chanchalam hi manah krishna pramathi balavad-drdham |
Tasyaham nigraham manye vayor-iva su-duskaram ||
That is to say, “O Krishna, the mind is very wayward; it moves very fast; it is very powerful; it is very difficult to bring it under control.” Then, Krishna replied, “Arjuna, no doubt what you said is correct. But, by Nirantara krsi (Uninterrupted efforts) and by the practice of Vairagya (Renunciation), it is possible to control it. Hence, practice Dhyanam (Meditation), as a first step.”
Vasanas (Impulses) and desires, these two have to be eradicated first, in order to get mastery over the senses and the mind. Both of these are important pathways. It is the desire that excites the mind, and makes it rush towards the senses, as a dog runs behind its master. Jiva (Individual Being), poor thing, falls into the meshes of Maya (Illusion), produced by the illusion-creating senses and the mind, and thus, he undergoes agony! To escape all this agony, one should have recourse to Japam (repetition of the Divine name), Dhyanam (Meditation), and gain mastery over the mind, and free oneself from the clutches of desires and slavery to the senses. Then only you can be successful in your efforts to develop your will-power, memory-power and power of perception or thought-power. Without Dhyanam (Meditation), it is not possible to control and master the mind. All other methods are useless as the attempt to bind a wild elephant in rut by means of a thin tiny thread! So, eschew desires first! Japam and Dhyanam are essential to control the senses and to immerse the mind in the Atma. Mind and senses are subdued through Dhyanam.
Therefore, first, completely free yourself from the bondage to desires. Observe this very carefully! Some students and Sadhakas (Spiritual aspirants) reserve a few wants and desires, for their private satisfaction, giving up only the rest. Even those householders who are engaged in Dharana (Concentration) and the like, find it difficult to give up certain desires. They retain these for their secret satisfaction. So, their energies get spent and no progress is achieved in the Sadhana (Spiritual discipline) they are engaged in. These aspirants slide down the ladder they climbed so laboriously. To gain control over such unsteadiness of mind, Dhyanam (Meditation) is of great help and is essential. It is not enough if one sense is conquered; all should be mastered, from all sides; this is very essential. Of course, it is a very hard task; you might feel like giving up the entire struggle. But, never lose heart. Be patient and persevering; and final success will be yours. Some Sadhakas stray away from the path of discipline and do the practices according to their own whims and fancies. Because of this, they do not succeed as much as they hoped to and, thus, they give up the practices. This is not a good thing to follow.
Index
Preface
The Splendour of Meditation and its Practice
Meditation of the Three Gunas (Qualities) and their Result
The Goal of Meditation
Developing Virtues is Prime Objective of a Meditator
The Prime Path of Meditation is Cultivation of Atmic Bliss
Meditation Reveals the Eternal and the Non-Eternal
Remembering the Lord’s Name and Dhyanam Alone Sever All Bondage
One-pointedness is Essential for Meditation
Satva-guna is the Wealth Derived from Japam and Dhyanam
Aids to Meditation - Sincerity, Purity and Humility
The Object of Meditation is the Elimination of Vasanas (Tendencies)
The Destruction of Malina Vasana (Impure Tendency) is the Best Sign of Meditation
The Essence of Meditation is Fixing the Mind on One-point
Meditation Stills the Agitated Mind and Makes it Blissful
The Destruction of Malina Vasana (Impure Tendency) is the Best Sign of Meditation
Original in Telugu
Those guided by impulses and instincts, i.e., Vasanas, wander about the world like drunkards. Such ones are devoid of discrimination between true and false. The overpowering influence of these V_asanas_ makes them forget the dire consequences of yielding to them. They have no shame or fear, and they simply revel in the search for worldly pleasures in the accumulation of comforts, and in the sheer enjoyment of luxuries. For those plunged in these V_asanas_, Buddhi (Intellect) does not function. By constant pursuit of sensory pleasures, the Vasanas become hardened, and they strike deeper and stronger roots.
That is why the advice has been given in the Bhagavad-gita to give up the fruit of one’s actions. The Vasanas become stronger if the fruits are always kept in mind, whenever actions are performed. This strengthens their pride and conceit. Such men stoop to even the lowest type of wrongdoing, for getting rich and earning the money needed to satisfy them. They start worshipping mammon as their God. Of course, money is essential, but surplus money, money that gives worry, anxiety, and pain should not be desired at all. Besides, men strive to seek being praised from others and avoid being blamed or criticized by others. This too is to be classed as M_alina vasana_ (Impure impulse).
The world is a nest of crows; some caw in praise, some caw in derision. But man should be above the reach of praise and blame, and wrong doings. Make light of praise; treat it as something as a spat out. Then only can you be free and enjoy real happiness. And about blame, see how the world has not allowed even Divine forms of Rama, Krishna, Vishnu, Shiva, and Baba to escape from its tendency to blame! They talk ill even of the Gods, imputing evil motives and actions to those perfect beings!
From such foul-minded persons as these, can any consideration be expected towards mere ordinary men? Any excuse is enough for them. The white man hates the black; the black hates the white. The Saivite scandalizes the Vaisnavite, and the Vaisnavite spreads stories about the S_aivite_. Just as everyone loves his own religion, his own native place and… himself, he loves his own methods of worship and forms and ceremonies. This love takes the form of praise of one’s own faith and blame of the other’s faith. Though all this is related to one’s relationship with God, such impulses are and must be classed under Malina vasanas (Impure impulses).
Such mean attitudes caused by ignorance have to be removed by Japam (repetition of the Divine name) and Dhyanam (Meditation); these spiritual practices fill the heart of man with broad and universal A_tma-jnanam_ (A_tmic_ wisdom), and then the Malina vasanas (Impure impulses) are destroyed and holy Pavitra vasanas (Holy impulses) are cultivated. It is indeed a wonder why man fails to put forth all his efforts to overcome or remove the Malina vasanas, for by following their path he gets only pain, sorrow, and agony! The deluding effect of these tendencies and impulses makes him believe and feel that he is on the correct path towards the goal of happiness. That is why he is reluctant to give them up; that explains why he is holding on to them so fast like a leech. I feel that if he reads some good spiritual books, his brain could be cleansed to some extent. The number of scriptures is countless, time is too short to study all of them, and the obstacles in the path of understanding them are also too many. So, if one can grasp and imbibe the essence of the Sastras (Scriptures), he can move far away from the Malina vasanas. Of what use is it to pour over silly books, or jaw-breaking scriptures or learn about modes of devotion that are not put into action? It is all a wasteful effort. Good things that are learnt from books have to be put into practice at least to an extent. Spending all the time in study, apart from practice, also deserves to be condemned as Malina vasana (Impure impulse).
Listen! Bharadwaja studied the Vedas for three successive lives. When born a fourth time, he started reading again! So, Indra came to him and taught him the Brahma-vidya (Supreme Knowledge of Brahman) and confided to him the secret of liberation. Then, Bharadwaja put an end to his reading and his study, and entered upon hard, concentrated meditation. He experienced and realized his true Self, Atman. Therefore, mere study of books is a purposeless exercise if the essence is not imbibed and practiced. Such Malina vasana (Impure impulse) also needs to be transformed to the maximum extent possible. The greed to simply read about all kinds of subjects and topics is itself not a very healthy impulse. Once upon a time, Durvasa, the saint, reached the presence of Lord Shiva with a cartload of religious books. Then, Narada compared him to the proverbial donkey. “Though one carries the burden of a multitude of books, concerning all branches of knowledge, and though he might have read all of them, the teaching contained in them cannot be grasped at all, without actual practical experience. Mere pride in learning is itself an impure impulse, classified under scholarly or intellectual impulses.” When Durvasa heard such words of advice, he was enlightened; he immediately threw all the bundles of books into the sea and plunged into deep meditation. See, how even the great sages too feel that meditation is all-important for attaining full knowledge!
It is impossible to know the truth of the Self, the Aatma-jnanam (Aatmic wisdom), either through the study of manifold Sastras (Scriptures), or the acquisition of scholarship, or the sharpening of the intellect, or the pursuit of dialectical discussions. It cannot be realised by these means. Swethakethu, the son of sage Uddalaka, was a great pundit. One day the father called the son towards him and asked, “Swethakethu, have you understood that scripture, by understanding which, you will get power to understand everything?” The son replied that he did not know of such a scripture and had not learnt it. Then, Uddalaka taught him the unequalled scripture of Brahma-vidya (Knowledge of Brahman), which grants one the knowledge of the truth of the Atman.
So, man should first grasp clearly the habits and activities of his mind. Then only can he gain mastery over it, and try to develop his memory power, will-power, and power of perception or thought-power.
Waywardness is the natural characteristic of the mind. It is like the wind. That is why Arjuna described it to Krishna thus:
Chanchalam hi manah krishna pramathi balavad-drdham |
Tasyaham nigraham manye vayor-iva su-duskaram ||
That is to say, “O Krishna, the mind is very wayward; it moves very fast; it is very powerful; it is very difficult to bring it under control.” Then, Krishna replied, “Arjuna, no doubt what you said is correct. But, by Nirantara krsi (Uninterrupted efforts) and by the practice of Vairagya (Renunciation), it is possible to control it. Hence, practice Dhyanam (Meditation), as a first step.”
Vasanas (Impulses) and desires, these two have to be eradicated first, in order to get mastery over the senses and the mind. Both of these are important pathways. It is the desire that excites the mind, and makes it rush towards the senses, as a dog runs behind its master. Jiva (Individual Being), poor thing, falls into the meshes of Maya (Illusion), produced by the illusion-creating senses and the mind, and thus, he undergoes agony! To escape all this agony, one should have recourse to Japam (repetition of the Divine name), Dhyanam (Meditation), and gain mastery over the mind, and free oneself from the clutches of desires and slavery to the senses. Then only you can be successful in your efforts to develop your will-power, memory-power and power of perception or thought-power. Without Dhyanam (Meditation), it is not possible to control and master the mind. All other methods are useless as the attempt to bind a wild elephant in rut by means of a thin tiny thread! So, eschew desires first! Japam and Dhyanam are essential to control the senses and to immerse the mind in the Atma. Mind and senses are subdued through Dhyanam.
Therefore, first, completely free yourself from the bondage to desires. Observe this very carefully! Some students and Sadhakas (Spiritual aspirants) reserve a few wants and desires, for their private satisfaction, giving up only the rest. Even those householders who are engaged in Dharana (Concentration) and the like, find it difficult to give up certain desires. They retain these for their secret satisfaction. So, their energies get spent and no progress is achieved in the Sadhana (Spiritual discipline) they are engaged in. These aspirants slide down the ladder they climbed so laboriously. To gain control over such unsteadiness of mind, Dhyanam (Meditation) is of great help and is essential. It is not enough if one sense is conquered; all should be mastered, from all sides; this is very essential. Of course, it is a very hard task; you might feel like giving up the entire struggle. But, never lose heart. Be patient and persevering; and final success will be yours. Some Sadhakas stray away from the path of discipline and do the practices according to their own whims and fancies. Because of this, they do not succeed as much as they hoped to and, thus, they give up the practices. This is not a good thing to follow.