Dhyana Vahini

The wayward mind wanders hither and thither; but, it is possible to fasten it on one fixed point, by means of steady and persistent training in Sadhana (Spiritual discipline). This is the condition called Ekagrata (One-pointedness). It is also referred to as Tadeka Manas (Single-mindedness). For novices in Sadhana, Dharana (Concentration) appears to be tedious and very difficult to attain. However, after some progress is won in Dharana, they do not wish to give up the practice. If they miss practice, they will not have peace of mind on those days. Dharana endows man with divine joy, wisdom beyond measure, the inner vision, the insight into the deeper truths, clearer understanding, and unison with the Godhead. This art of Dharana or the study of concentration of mind is the wondrous thing in all the three worlds!

The mind plans and executes innumerable deeds and roams over vast expanses, all in the twinkling of an eye! It operates with unimaginable speed. It conceives an object and dallies with it a little, but, it soon discards it for another more attractive object towards which it flees, and about which it begins to worry! The uninterrupted flow of oil from one vessel to another is a fine symbol of the mental process called Dharana (Concentration).

Sadhaka (Spiritual aspirant) has to be ever watchful of this tendency of his mind. When the mind flits from object to object, he must bring it back to the right path and the right object. That is the correct spiritual practice; and this is what is called Dharana Dhyanam (Concentration-Meditation). If, however, the Sadhaka does not struggle to achieve this one-pointedness in meditation but leaves the mind to itself, following its vagaries from this to that and that to this, the process deserves to be called Markata Dhyanam (Monkey-Meditation), a type of meditation very harmful indeed to spiritual aspirants. Dharana Dhyanam is the safest path.

The chief purpose of Dharana Dhyanam (Concentration-Meditation) is to minimise the travels of the mind and to fix it to stay at one point. Holding it on that fixed stage, one should continue the S_adhana_ (Spiritual practice) for a long time. Then, there is no limit to the peace and joy that one can derive from it. When, for example, you meditate about a table, your thoughts must dwell on the wood, the size and measurements, the style, the mode of manufacture, etc. No other thought pertaining to anything else should be allowed. If the thought hovers around a cot, the idea of a table becomes hazy, and the cot is also imagined incompletely. Both will not be clear. The state of mind must be like a single-flow. So too, when the Lord’s form is meditated upon, the mind must dwell upon the form of each part and its beauty and splendour, and these ideas must be coordinated and combined into the complete picture.

This is the modus operandi of Dhyanam (Meditation). Persistent performance of this meditation will result in the emergence of a particular Rupam (Form). Contemplating on that form, looking at it and seeing it, finally a stage will be reached when the form too will disappear, and you will forget yourself. That is called the state of Samadhi (Complete Absorption). In that state, if one feeling or ideation alone persists, it is called Savikalpa-Samadhi (Samadhi with ideation). If no feeling or thought persists, it becomes what Patanjali in the Raja-Yoga-Sastra (Scripture on Raja-Yoga) designated as Bhava-nashana (End of ideation).

Of course, the mind is Jada (inert). Just as when water, the inert matter, begins to absorb heat when it is placed in the sun and becomes warm, the inert mind too, borrows effulgence from the Atma and appears as if it has Chaitanya (Consciousness). In the mind, Buddhi (Intellect) gets reflected and so it looks as if the mind too is intelligent, that is all. Its real nature is Ajnanam (Ignorance). The mind is not self-effulgent, as the Atma is. The mind’s splendour is as the luminance of fireflies in the rainy season. The Atma, however, is the sun of suns, it is the effulgence of effulgences, it is Param-jyoti (Supreme Light). It is Svayam-jyoti (Self-Effulgent).

While doing Dhyanam (Meditation), the mind should not be permitted to wander away from the target. Whenever it flies off at a tangent, it must be led back to the form meditated upon. Finally, if you so desire, all things can be subsumed in that meditated form itself. Nevertheless, only one form has to be meditated upon, in the beginning. You should not change daily from one to another. Again, during the Sadhana (Spiritual practice), you should not indulge in thoughts about things you do not like, or things that cause pain, or things that shake your faith. Else, learn gradually to transform and transmute any such thoughts that peep in as beneficial by seeking to grasp only the good in them, instead of the bad.

In the same manner, senses too must be brought under control. The senses can do nothing, of themselves independently. If the mind is brought under control, the senses too come under control. This is the way to control senses. Without controlling the mind, some people undergo mere asceticism in order to control the senses! Such people are ignorants. To those people, the desire or the interest to experience the sense-objects will not be destroyed completely. However vigilant the warders may be, a clever dacoit can still steal the treasure in a hundred amazing ways. So too, however skillfully you may try to control the senses, they will drag the mind to their side and execute their desires through the mind. Note how the sage Vishwamitra, in spite of his austerities, fell before the wiles of the Apsaras (Celestial nymphs) sent by Indra to tempt him. If you close the outer door alone and go to sleep without bolting the inner door, calamity is certain. But if you go to sleep with both the exterior and the interior doors safely bolted, no thief, however clever, will find it easy to enter and do harm. Similarly, the Sadhaka (Spiritual aspirant) should first close the exterior doors of his house of body, that is, gain mastery over the external senses. Then, the mind inside, which is immersed in the continuous succession of subject-object relationship, has to be mastered by means of Shaanti (Equanimity) and Vairagya (Renunciation). When that is done, one can experience real Ananda (Spiritual bliss) and also visualise the Atma, in its real form. That is why Krishna once told Arjuna, “Those who have mastery over their senses must have full faith in Me.” The senses are always greedy for external contacts. Therefore, they drag the ignorant perpetually towards external objects. So, the Sadhaka (Spiritual aspirant), endowed with Vivekam (Discrimination) and Vairagya (Renunciation), must place obstacles in their outward path, and suppress their outbursts as the charioteer does, wielding the whip and the reins, to the raging steeds. Uncontrolled senses cause great harm. Persons in their grip cannot engage themselves in Dhyanam (Meditation), even for a single second.

Rupa (Form) is fundamental for Dharana (Concentration) and Dhyanam (Meditation). Even in the absence of the form in front, you should have the capacity to visualise it. This is not so difficult for those who have proper Dharana (Concentration). But some practice concentration without first cultivating good habits and right conduct. That is a sign of incomplete knowledge. Dharana must have S_atva-gunas_ (qualities of purity) as the basis. The mind has to be purified by proper treatment of the character, through good habits and right conduct. Dharana has to follow this purification process, not precede. All effort for concentration without cleansing the mind is sheer waste of time. Many great men have ruined their careers, by aspiring for Dharana early, without the discipline of good habits.

Again, in Dharana (Concentration) you must be careful not to have as the object something your mind does not like; for, however hard you try, your mind won’t stay on it. In the beginning, therefore, have some object that is a source of joy. Sit in the Padmasana (Lotus pose), and fix your eyes on the tip of your nose. For a minute, in the beginning; then, for three minutes; for six, some days later; for as long as nine minutes, after some time. Thus, the Dharana (Concentration) has to be strengthened gradually without undue hurry. In this way, it can be held for even half an hour, with the lapse of time. Only, you should not force the pace. Slowly and steadily, the focus must be developed.

With the practice of this, the mind will become steady, and the power of Dharana (Concentration) will increase. To attain concentration and acquire Ekagrata (One-pointedness), you must undergo exertion to some extent. You must fasten your mind on the Lord and keep off all other thoughts from the mental plane. By constant exercise of this type, finally your vision will be firmly fixed on the Atma, residing in your heart. That is, verily, the goal; the full fruition of Dhyanam (Meditation).

First, one should know what Dharana (Concentration) is. It is fixing the mind on one object, without any deviation. According to Yoga Sastra (Yoga Scriptures), it is called as Dharana. Dharana alone can make meditation successful. The very nature of Dharana is steadiness; its power lies in negating unsteadiness. Its form is calmness. Its cause is Ananda (Spiritual bliss). The name is very essential for Dhyanam (Meditation), for, that alone can ensure quick success. Even if complete faith is not forthcoming quickly, it must not be given up, or changed, for, practice will certainly yield victory. Meditation is spiritual strength, the powerful medicine that will cure Bhavaroga, or the disease of the cycle of birth and death. Anger, pride, conceit, tendency to discover the faults of others, pretence, and such other qualities are the difficult obstacles in the path of Dhyanam (Meditation); one should avoid them. These hide in the mind as subtle forms and operate subconsciously, as the currents in the depths of the ocean.

Sadhaka (Spiritual aspirant) must be vigilant, not to lose temper for even small things, for, that will block his progress. He must cultivate Prema bhavam (Love or affection) filled with Saumyata (state of being cool, gentleness), in other words, Saumya Prema Bhavam (Gentle loving spirit). Then, undesirable habits will fall away from him since anger is the parent of all wrong behaviour. Anger can turn any person into bad ways, any moment, and in any form. So, it should be completely eradicated first, by systematic effort. The Sadhaka must gladly welcome the announcement of his defects by anyone and put efforts to correct them; he must, indeed, be grateful to those who point them out. He must never entertain anger and hatred against them, for that is as bad as hating the ‘good’. Hating the ‘good’ will only result in inculcating evil. So, the ‘good’ has to be loved and the ‘bad’ should be discarded. Remember, the bad should not be hated too. It has to be given up, avoided. Only such persons can achieve progress in meditation and spiritual wisdom.