Bhagavadgita Pages, Chapters 1 to 18
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www.bhagavadgitausa.com
V.Krishnaraj
06/15/2008
BG Chapter 12 Bhakti
Introduction
Bhakti: devotion to a personal god. The path is Bhakti Marga. Krishna advocates Bhakti Marga for all. Other paths are Karma Marga and Jnana Marga. The purpose of all Margas is liberation of the soul and its reunion with its Source, The Absolute or the Universal Soul. Once reunion takes place, the soul does not take birth on earth appearing in the body of a human, animal, plant and other living things. The slate of karma is wiped clean; the soul involutes into Brahman. Liberation by Karma and Jnana (work and knowledge) are more difficult paths and are not suitable for everybody. Work (Karma Yoga) in Brahmanical term means practice of religious duties according to the prescriptive injunctions of the Sastras (Karma Khanda). Tantrics practice this kind of UpAsana (worship). As you see, this is a 24-7 ritual, which is difficult to accomplish by ordinary devotees. Karma (work) has its roots in Dharma, the personal ethical and religious law. When Karma Marga becomes more refined, the practitioner (Sadhaka) may give up the Karma Marga and follow the more difficult path, Jnana Marga. Jnana Marga is for the Yogis who have yoked their body, mind and soul to Brahman. That is a perfect union of man and god, though Vaishnavas do not recommend Jnana Yoga. All cannot be Yogis. Performing breath control and postures is not Yoga; that is easy. The proper Yogi has to follow the eight-limbed ramifications to its perfection. Go to the following files for details. BG06 TMTM03.
Lord Krishna says, 6.36: In my opinion, Yoga is
difficult to attain, if the mind is unrestrained. But by control of the mind,
and endeavor through proper means, it is attainable.
(Once a Pundit asked Ramakrishna Parmahamsa about Mahatmas, Astral, Devayanic, solar, lunar planes of existence for the subtle body. The Master replied that all these spheres and planes are trivial and one should develop, practice and intensify one's Bhakti, pray to Him with intense devotion and practice Sadhanas.) -- adapted from Sayings of Sri Ramakrishna page 25.
Bhagavatam 12.13.16 says Vishnu is foremost among gods and Siva foremost among devotees of Vishnu.
Here is the view of ThAkura, whose teaching centers around Suddha Bhakti (Pure Devotion); all else, to him, is Viddha Bhakti (polluted, pierced, afflicted devotion).
Devotion has five stages: Nishtha (intent), Bhakti (devotion), Bhava (Becoming, feeling, existence), Mahabhava (Great feeling to or Love of God), and Prema (Intense Love).
There are four spiritual types among people: Viveki, the thoughtful and just person; Mumuksu, the one who desires liberation, Mukta, the liberated one, and Bhakta, the devotee. The materialistic person is Visayin (the one attached to worldly objects), who finds beneficial association with Vivekis and Mumuksus. This is a less desirable association than the association with Bhaktas of two kinds, Grahasta Bhaktas and Tyagi Bhaktas; Grahasta Bhakta is a householder with a full-fledged family and the Tyagi Bhakta has renounced the householder's life.
Prakrta Bhakta (materialistic devotee) is one who worships Lord Hari with Sraddha (faith) but does not render service to His Bhaktas and other beings.--Bhagavatam 11.2.47. It is important to have a sense of Sambandhajnana, which is knowing the three-way relationship between material world, Jivas and Krishna.
arcayam eva haraye pujam yah sraddhayehate
na tad-bhaktesu canyesu sa bhaktah prakrtah smrtah
Bhagavatam (11.2.47)
A Maya-bound person enjoys worldly objects through Maya-derived senses: eyes for seeing, ears for hearing, nose for smelling, tactile sense for touching, and tongue for tasting; all this has no devotional target. His consciousness and senses are outbound in the world of matter and he is Visayin, the one attached to worldly objects.. If he directs his consciousness and senses inward and towards Krishna, he is a Bhakta (devotee). His senses are directed to Krishna: he loves to see forms of Krishna; he loves to hear Rama nama and Hari Katha (stories of Vishnu); he loves to smell Tulasi leaves; he loves to taste Maha Prasada; with his tongue he loves to taste Krishna nama (names of Krishna); he loves to touch the feet of Krishna Bhaktas and render service to Vishnu and Vaishnavas. True Bhakta is Nirapeksa . (¿¢Ã§Àð¨º: Å¢ÕôÀ¢ý¨Á = absence of attachment or desire. ¿¢Ã§Àðºõ: absence of attachment or desire. Antonym of Nirapeksa = sApeksa = º¡§À𨺠= insatiable desire. Tamil lexicon.) All actions of a Bhakta should be free from the defects and deficiencies of worldly life. A Bhakta is entitled to make a living, though within the precepts of Nirapeksa. Needs have to be met as long as a Bhakta lives: food, medicine, dwelling, clothes.... Keeping the material body alive, well and healthy is expected so as to continue to do service to Krishna. Luxurious living and wants more than necessary to sustain a normal life should be avoided. All activities are centered around service to Krishna.
Nammalvar (880-930 C.E) Vaishnava Saint-poet says the following in verse 2628 of Divyaprabhandam.
Good mind for thought, heart for feeling and tongue for speech, though well-developed, are of no use, if one does not use them for feeling, worshipping and talking about the Lord. Thus time wasted accumulates more Karmas (demerits).
Nirapeksa: ¿¢Ã§Àð¨º, Absence of attachment or desire, unconcernedness, (opp. to cƒp„—cai--º¡§Àð¨º). õ¤¼ð¢ð¤ù¢¬ñ. (ò£ö¢.Üè.) Tamil Lexicon, Madras University.
The following write up is based on Bhagavatam and Jaiva Dharma by ThAkura.
Bhaktas come in three flavors according to the degree of purity of Bhakti: Kanishtha = greenhorn, freshman or neophyte, youngest, novice, Madhyama = middling, intermediate), and Uttama = greatest, highest, first, uppermost . All these three can be householders and yet realize their goal.
All Bhaktas or BhAgavatAs are expected to be humble and compassionate. Pride that "I am a Brahmana," "I am wealthy..." and such egoistic attitudes have no place in the life of a Vaishnava Bhakta, who should consider himself as "worthless, insignificant, destitute and lower than a blade of grass." -Jaiva Dharma Page 205. Truth, humility, compassion, and forgiveness are integral parts of Vaishnava Bhakti.
Kanishtha Bhaktha is the beginner before he graduates to Madhyama stage. He is at the doorway of Bhakti whose forte is confined to worshipping of the Deity in Vigraha (image form) in the spirit of ordinary faith (Laukika Sraddha). He lacks faith based on Sastra (Sastriya Sraddha). He engages in hearing, reciting and remembering the names of Bhagavan and offering prayers to Him. He does not have Sambandha Jnana: knowledge of quadrilateral interrelationship between world of matter, Isvara, Krishna and Bhakta (Isvara-Cit-Acit-Bhakta). Because of rudimentary status of his Bhakti development, he lacks finesse, does not pay respect, hospitality and friendship to Hari Bhakta, shows no compassion to other living beings in whom the Lord is Antaryamin, Antarvarti, Antaratman and Paramatman. He is regarded as childish and innocent (Balisa) until he graduates to Madhyama Bhakthi. Kanishtha Bhakta’s chanting of Hari Nama is robotic, and shows more habit, more semblance, less Sraddha, less substance and less worthiness; thus clouded by ignorance and desires, there is less brilliance- ChAyA-nAmA-bhAsa = shadow-name-likeness = Shadow-name- likeness of the pure name. In everyday idiom, it is not the real thing, but an imitation. BhAsa also means reflection; It is like the difference between seeing Balaji in person in the temple and seeing him in a picture.
He becomes a Suddha Bhakta in Madhyama level when he gets rid of contaminants such as Karma and Jnana Margas and acquires Ananya Bhakti (exclusive love and devotion to Krishna).
Sastriya Sraddha = reading and hearing Bhagavan's pastimes, knowing Vishistadvaita Vaishnava philosophy and truths.
Bhagavatam (11.2.46) says that Madhyama Bhakta loves Isvara, shows mercy (kripa) to the neophyte, ignores the hate mongers, and serves others with friendship. Madhyama = middle)
Madhyama Bhakta shows compassion and mercy to the novice, ignores the ones with jealousy and hatred for God and serves all others with friendship. Love (Prema) for Krishna is the prime mover of Madhyama Bhakta; compassion, mercy and friendship for others (in whom God exists) are his noteworthy qualities; deliberate ignorance and benign neglect of qualities such as jealousy and hatred in non-believers are his strength. He is friendly to Suddha Bhaktas, submissive to Krishna’s will. He should induce Ananya Bhakti (exclusive devotion to Krishna) in the ignorant. Ignorance here covers faith in Karma Kanda, Jnana Yoga, belief in Varnasrama, negligence of and dissociation from pure Vaishnavas…. Bhakti Marga to the exclusion of other margas (Yoga, Karma and Raja) is the forte of a true Vaishnava. Mayavadi is of the opinion that the Lord has no form or attributes and the icon is a mere image; Kanishtha Bhaktas may fall in to this trap. The Madhyama Bhakta should rescue them from this pitfall. He should pull them before they graduate (deteriorate) to meditation on nameless and formless Para Brahman. Isvara, as against nameless Brahman, is the centerpiece of Vaishnava worship.
Jaiva Dharma talks about four primary attitudes of Madhyama Bhakta towards other Bhaktas: 1. Atma Buddhi, 2. Mamata Buddhi, 3. Ijya Buddhi, 4. Tirtha Buddhi.
1. Atma Buddhi: The Bhaktas are dearer to him than he is to himself.
2. Mamata Buddhi: He is very possessive of Bhaktas.
3. Ijya Buddhi: He feels the Bhaktas are worthy of his worship.
4. Tirtha Buddhi: He feels the Bhaktas are places of pilgrimage. --Jaiva Dharma, page 201-202.
He surrenders his life to the will of Krishna. He is firm in his conviction that whatever happens to him is His will and desire and that he does not have to have an independent desire and aspirations.
Lack of faith in Isvara, belief that Isvara is formless and nameless, conviction that Jivas are not subservient to Isvara and want of mercy come under the inauspicious banner of Dvesa (hatred, enmity) of Mayavadis; these are the very people Vaishnavas should avoid (Upeksha). Upeksha has a special meaning here. When such a person is in distress, a true Vaishnava should provide succor and support and yet should not have any association, arguments, and interaction of spiritual nature with them. Relationship with other Bhaktas is proportional to their Bhakti development; mercy and compassion to all should rule one’s behavior.
When his Sadhana and Bhava (accomplishment, and being and becoming) amount to Prema (love), condense and congeal, the Madhyama Vaishnava becomes Uttama Bhakta.
Uttama Bhakta is the consummate servitor of Bhagavan Krishna, not concerned, not enveloped and not obsessed with knowledge of impersonal Brahman, sees the Supersoul in all objects (matter and embodied souls) and regards BhagAvat (Bhagavan) is the Soul that exists in all beings. Bhagavatam, 11.2.45
Uttama Bhakta loves Krishna to the exclusion of all others and other desires, does not sport the shroud of impersonal knowledge of Para Brahman, does not perform action with expectation of fruits, and exhibits favorable mood to serve Krishna.
A true Vaishnava evokes spontaneous chanting of Hari Nama in a devotee. All his actions proceed from that transcendental love of Bhagavan; he sees no difference between Vaishnavas and others at this stage of his spiritual development.
Among the three categories of Vaishnavas, Kanistha Vaishnava does not serve the Vaishnavas because of his neophyte status and Uttama Vaishnava makes no distinction between a Vaishnava and a non-Vaishnava because all are servants of Krishna. The Uttama BhAgavatA (Bhakta) treats all types of Bhaktas and non-Bhaktas equally. That leaves the Madhyama Vaishnava rendering service to the Vaishnavas of all types, though his service is proportional to the spiritual standing of the recipient.
According to Yoga Sutras, there are personality types, fit for yoga. You heard about personality types like type A and type B. Yogis studied the minds of people and divided them into five types: Kshipta Chitta (Addlehead, Scatterbrain); Mudha Chitta (Muddlehead); Vikshipta Chitta (Rattlehead); Ekāgra Chitta (Laserhead); Niruddha Chitta (good head). Go to BG04 for more details. The epithets used here are for entertainment only and no insult is intended. The Laserhead and the Good Head are suitable for Yoga or Jnana Marga. Remember that Personal Devotion to Bhagavan is superior to Yogas.
Kshipta Chitta = distracted Mind, absent mind. Mudha = useless, to no purpose. Viksipta = scattered, distorted, agitated. EkAgra = one pointed. Niruddha = restrained. For more details go to BG04
The Mind lake
Chitta is the mind (as a lake) where thoughts rise and fall like waves; these waves in the mind lake are called Vrittis. Every time a thought rises it is a thought wave; there are many thought waves rising and falling every minute. Thoughts sometimes translates into actions. When a Yogi restrains the mind he can effectively suppress and abolish these thought waves in the mind lake. The tranquil mind lake without waves is a prerequisite for merging with the Object of meditation. The subject, the object and perception become one, meaning that the tranquil reflecting surface of the mind lake takes the color of object; it is like the crystal taking the color of the juxtaposed object. The Yogi becomes one with One. That is absorption.
Maxim of Wasp and Worm
You (embodied being) are made of your thoughts; what you think, you become: love, fear or hate. The body belongs to that which devours it in life. Time is the great devourer. Time owns our body. Avadhuta says knowing that his body, subject to birth, death, disease and rebirth, does not belong to him, he wanders renouncing all.
A lowly worm is in constant fear of the wasp and thus meditates (thinks of) on the wasp, not knowing when the dreaded fate of wasp sting will become a reality. The worm is so possessed of the image of the wasp, that its consciousness is reposed only in the thought and form of wasp. The worm becomes a wasp in its mind's image. Similarly, an Avadhuta or Yogi is constantly meditating on Brahman, not knowing when The Reality will strike (the blessed event of knowing and transforming himself to Brahman would take place). He thus becomes Brahman himself by dwelling in his mind on Brahman, (when the finality of sting strikes.)
This union (reunion, reintegration, reintegration of the chip into the Old Block, Brahman) is called Laya. Laya = clinging, dissolution, absorption) By laya, the Jiva (individual soul) clings, dissolves and gets reabsorbed into Brahman. Laya and Lysis are cognate words. This Laya are of three types: Bhakti laya, Karma Laya, Jnana Laya. Raja Yoga is the most difficult path. Patanjali is the formulator of Raja Yoga and lived some 2000 years ago. It is the Royal path leading to Laya. He wrote it in Sutras or aphorisms. Remember that Sanskrit Sutra meaning thread and English Suture are cognate words. It deals with Yoga, mental functions, and many gradations of Samadhi (Intense contemplation of an object so as to identify the contemplator with the object meditated upon; simply becoming one with One or That).
Bhakti Yoga is for everyone inclined to devotion to and close relationship with his Ishtadevata. Jnana Yoga is for the one with intellectual bent; Karma Yoga is for the ritualist; Raja yoga is for the disciplined mind with intellectual and scientific bent; Bhakti Yoga is for the devotee who has an emotional approach to God. The devotee assumes the role of a child, a slave, a friend, a spouse in relation to his Ishtadevata. A feminine role towards god is common among devotees. Action generates Karma which is good, bad or neutral. Bhakti Yogis, by their personal devotion, believe that God's grace will erase all Karma and take them into His bosom.
Bhakti seems to have originated in Rg Vedic times. Bhakti movement had taken a detour off the Brahmanical Hinduism. Bhakti Yoga as advocated by Krishna existed before the Bhakti movement in Tamil Nadu . This reactive movement was a response, when Buddhism and Jainism in South India were perceived as an alien metastatic growth in the cultural milieu of Tamil Country. They had to be excised and ousted somehow: that was the view of Nayanars and Alvars, the proponents and practitioners of Bhakti movement. Tamil Bhakti movement follows the Great Tradition of Bhakti advocated by Krishna to Arjuna; Alvars became the strong inveterate practicing Bhaktas.
12.1: Arjuna said:
Those devotees who are absorbed in You, and those who worship You as
the Aksaram (Imperishable) and the Avyaktam (Unmanifested): who among these
have the most knowledge of yoga?
Aksaram: Imperishable, Avyaktam:
Unmanifested. The devotees worship the Supreme in three modes: The
Imperishable, the Unmanifest, and the Personal God. The Imperishable Aksaram
consists of three parts: the Lower, the Higher, and the Higher than the Higher.
The lifeless Prakrti is the lower Aksara. The Vishnu-dependent Aksara is Higher
Prakrti or Aksara. This Higher Prakrti or Aksara is associated with Sri. Hari
or Vishnu Himself is Higher than Higher and therefore perfect in all
excellences or attributes. This Higher than the Higher Aksara or the
Imperishable is the same as Brahman. All other gods who do not meet the highest
standards of excellences and attributes are Non-Brahman. Therefore, Brahman is
One, only ONE, second to none, or One without a second. No (more) excellences
can be appended to Brahman. This Imperishable can neither be sought nor
avoided, because it is everywhere. According to Sankara, Brahman is space and
the transmigrating selves are like the jars. It is false knowledge to say that
the jar spaces are different from the unlimited space outside the jars. The
Unmanifest or Avyakta springs from the Imperishable; Hiranyagarbha, the
primordial golden egg comes from the Unmanifest or Avyakta; and the whole world
projects from Hiranyagarbha.
In Vedanta, Ākāsa (ether), Aksaram, and māyā are
used interchangeably. Pluripotential Ākāsa is undeveloped and
imperishable principle from which all beings and the variegated universe
project. Ākāsa is the basic material and stem substance of the
sentient and the insentient. We are made of stardust; that stardust originates
from Ākāsa. Prāna is the power that breathes life into beings or
acts as the immutable laws of nature (Rta), such as magnetism, gravity, and other
natural phenomena. This prāna is not mere breath. The beings and the
universe project from and involute in Ākāsa on dissolution.
How could that be possible that
Ākāsa is the pluripotential stem substance of this sentient and insentient
universe? The following example supports the idea: There is a pluripotential
stem cell in the bone marrow and the umbilical cord blood; this stem cell has
the ability of transforming itself into any cell in the universe of human
body. According to Sruti, Akāsa contains the earth and the heaven;
Brahman contains Akāsa; Ākāsa is behind the names and forms,
meaning that it is the cause or origin or the stem substance.
Ākāsa is the matter
and Prāna is the power; both are under the control of Isvara.
Prāna is energy: Prāna
energizes transformation of Ākāsa from a primordial pluripotential
stem element to a substance in this world of evolution;
Prāna is breath and more; Prāna encompasses
all energies discovered and yet undiscovered. It is thought, it is motion, it
is gravity, it is lightning, it is energy in the atom, it is the motion in the
atoms, and it is the juice in everything. Any discovered or undiscovered energy
in our body or universe is prāna; call it by any name―respiration,
nerve conduction, thought, gravity, magnetism and other natural phenomena.
What has
bliss anything to do with sleep? What is absorption of the self into Self?
For Sustenance, every
Jivātman or the lower self needs communion with the Higher Self. Without
that daily dose of sustenance, we are as bad as dead. Deep sleep facilitates
sustenance by this union. It is as if the lesser self goes to the Higher Self
for its daily dose of sustenance or recharging and boosting of its batteries.
It is like being plugged into the grid every night. In deep sleep, as it were,
we do not exist in physical terms; our body does not exist, as it were. We (our
souls) know our identity. We are not the body, the mind and the senses, but the
self. The lower self and the Higher Self commune in the spiritual heart and the
former basks in the Bliss of the Higher Self: Yes, we are all Yogis during deep
sleep because we are pure, stainless, sinless, and free from dualities.
According to Paingala Upanishad, we (our souls) enter our own nature (during
deep sleep). According to Chāndogya Upanishad, we enter the Brahma world
(Brahman) during deep sleep. In deep sleep, all of us enjoy union with the
Brahman of the Spiritual Heart. After all, we are each a fragment of the Higher
Self (Brahman) and go Home to our Maker; this nightly bliss is for the ordinary
beings for their sustenance. If one becomes a perfected Yogi, that Yogi can
enjoy that Bliss any time, any place. That is Turiya, Eternal Bliss, or wakeful sleep. Prasna Upanishad states the following: As the birds need a tree for rest, they
all (we) find rest in the Supreme Self. In deep sleep, the soul becomes one
with Brahman. We do not seem to know it.
The Highest Self is Brahman; He is Pure
Consciousness; He is not burdened with or governed by three lesser states of
consciousness as in human beings; He is full of Bliss (Sat-Cit-Andanda =
Being-Bliss-Consciousness). This lower self has
four quarters. The
lower self takes us from the outer world to the inner world (from the
waking
state via dream sleep to
deep sleep, and then to Turiya) so we meet the greater
Self for attaining Bliss. This journey of the self is similar to the
ontological journey of Brahman from the Unmanifest to the manifest through
various stages in a reverse order. It appears in this scheme that the lower self at the end of its
journey meets the Greater Self at “Point Bliss.”
Since we are embodied souls, we are endowed with three states of consciousness; the Higher Consciousness, Turiya, is a state realizable only by Yogis . These three states attest to the dualistic world, while Turiya attests to monistic world. The soul sprang from a monistic source and took its birth in a bodily form in the dualistic world. Turiya restores that monism that we sprang from.
New Eponyms for Brahman; X and Y Chromosomes.
Macrobrahman, Mayabrahman, and Avidyabrahman or microbrahman: Transcendent Brahman without attributes is Pure Consciousness and therefore is Macrobrahman. Isvara is Mayabrahman or Macrobrahman with Maya. Human beings with a load of Avidya (ignorance) are microbrahmans or Avidyabrahmans. These eponyms are coined by me for easy identification of three levels of Brahman. Macrobrahman is Parabrahman or Supreme Brahman. Aparabrahman (Sabdabrahman) is Siva and Sakti ensconced in a sheath of Maya. Aparabrahman state is Parang-Bindu (complementary halves of seed, two halves or cotyledons wrapped in a tight skin or sheath). Polarization of Siva and Sakti takes place within the sheath; this is like the polarization of the Y and the X chromosome in Meiosis with the resultant Y and X gametes. This polarization of Siva and Sakti is Parasaktimaya; Sakti (Unmuki) turns toward Siva for a longing glance from Siva. When the Maya sheath explodes with the sound of Ham and Sa ( Hamsa Mantra), Sakti undergoes reduction division: Bindu, Bija and Nada. Bindu and Nada are the progenitors of universe. Bija is the mystic syllable of Mantra. BINDU
Brahman has four states upon becoming Isvara, and man has the first three states of
consciousness with the fourth state achievable only by meditation and
realization.
(1)
Visva is
soul in the waking state and entails cognition of external objects and duality of
experience. Consciousness is outward moving. It is the perceptual self and
entails actions, reactions, and dualities. The empirical world is its
playground. The sound A of AUM corresponds to the waking state, which is
Vaisvānara meaning “relating to all men.” (See below, compared to level
four.) The presiding deity is
Aniruddha, the son of Pradyumna and the Grandson of Lord Krishna; He is one of
the four emanations (Vyūhas) of Purushottama. In Garuda Purana, nine forms
of Visnu are listed: Sudarsana, Hari, Acyuta,
Trivikrama, Vāsudeva, Pradyumna, Samskarsana, Aniruddha, and Ananta
If an aspirant meditates on Brahman in the Visva state, he returns to earth as human being and enjoys the objective world.
(2)
Taijasa
is the self in the dream state , in which we enjoy subtle objects. We experience pain and pleasure; consciousness is inward moving; the self is
imaginative and the dreams are woven from the experiences of the waking state.
The self is released temporarily from the empirical world. Mind is active and the senses are inactive
and disengaged from the sense objects. The mental images move but the body stays
still (paralyzed). The sound U of AUM corresponds to this state.
(See below, compared to level three.) The presiding deity is
Pradyumna, the son
of Lord Krishna and Rukmini; He is one of the four emanations of Purushottama.
The following modification is based on Joseph Campbell's view of dream sleep. (Page 70, Myths of Light.)
When you are in dream sleep, all dreams are mental creations like a movie in which you see yourself, others and events. Though there is duality of you on one side (subject) and that, he, she, and it on the other side (object), they are all one because they are your mental creation. It is a dream, a myth, and an illusion that you created. Life likewise is a dream, a myth, and an illusion. The heaven and hell, good and bad, god and soul, I and That, I and He, I and She, I and it are one. The acts in the dream are your acts; the it, that, he, and she are you because there is nobody else; they are all within you; therefore we walk and work in a world of dream, myth and illusion.
(3)
Prajna
(Knowledge) is
the soul in deep sleep. No desire is known or expressed. This third quarter of the self is prajna (a state of knowledge), full of received bliss, and enjoys bliss.
Consciousness enjoys peace and there is no awareness of external or internal
objects. It is a temporary state during deep sleep; it is a conceptual self in
that the concepts are incubated without awareness until they are hatched. This
state of union with Brahman confers a temporary relief lasting for the duration
of deep sleep. It is Prajna consciousness because it does not have
heterogeneous experience of the empirical world and it knows only one
homogeneous mass of Bliss. It is not Bliss itself, but enjoys Bliss. The Higher
Self is all Bliss; Brahman is all Bliss. Objective consciousness is absent, but
its seed is present. The sound M of AUM corresponds to this state. (See Below,
compared to level two.)
Samkarshana is the presiding deity, one of the four
emanations of Purushottama; He is Balarāma who originated from embryo
transfer from Devaki’s womb to Rohini’s under the direction of Yoga Maya power
of the Lord. The embryo transfer was necessary because maternal uncle Kamsa
killed six male children of Devaki before, on hearing a voice from the sky tell
him that the eighth male child of Devaki would kill him (Kamsa). Samkarshana
means extraction of anything and in this instance, it stands to mean the actual
process of extraction and transfer of embryo from one womb to another womb; He
is the second of the four forms of Purushottama.
If an aspirant meditates on Brahman as a whole (all three parts or AUM), he goes, after death, to the sphere of the Sun from where he goes to Satya Loka, where he becomes one with the Absolute. He becomes homogenized with all other souls (with no distinction) which joined the Absolute.
(4) Turiya is Spiritual Transcendental consciousness. Visva, Taijasa, and Prajna merge and fuse sequentially. Turiya is without any attributes. It is santam, sivam, and advaitam (º¡ó¾õ, º¢Åõ, «òШžõ) peace, goodness, and nondual), for didactic purposes. It or He is the Self. Objective consciousness is absent and its seed is absent. Ramana Maharishi calls this “Wakeful Sleep.” Turiya is present and functional in the perfected ones, even when they are awake. In Turiya, there is an irreversible union with Brahman: There is Oneness with Brahman. There is a permanent Metaphysical Unity. There are four progressive Turiya states, one deeper and subtler than the earlier one. The silence that follows the Sound AUM corresponds to this state. (See Below, compared to level one.) The presiding deity is the Supreme Vāsudeva Himself; He is Vāsu and Deva, meaning an indwelling God. Here all three gunas (Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas) are not operative.
If an aspirant meditates on Brahman in all his four parts (AUM-Silence) he becomes non-dual with Brahman.
Ramalinga Swamigal of Madras (1823-1874 C.E.) explains Turiya in terse words as follows: 'I became it; It became me.'
Here is the view of Joseph Campbell on Turiya. (Page 71-72, Myths of Light.)
The goal of the various forms of yoga is to go into that realm of undifferentiated consciousness while remaining awake. We don't have a counterpart to this concept in our Western vocabularies. It doesn't even have a name in India; it is called simply the fourth state, and that is the fourth letter of the syllable (AUM), the level of silence. Because all the words that we speak refer either to waking images and logic, dream images and logic, or ignorance. We do not have words for this, and so it is the ultimate silence, but it is that which we are....
The Indian word for this form of forms is Isvara, "lord." Any god can be taken as this lord. The image that you have held in your mind as that image of God is what will there be experienced, be it Yahweh, Siva, Vishnu, or the Goddess, be it Christ or the Trinity or the highest image of the Buddha. Any will be all right. And what beholds it is that jiva that has gone through many incarnations and is the soul of your own existence. Here, the subject beholds its proper object. At this level the erotic principle or the second chakra (Svadhistana) finds its goal: the true beloved, the beloved that our soul intends, is God. And anything short of that is simply an inkling of what the experience of God would be.
It is obvious from
this that each of the four states of consciousness is presided by one of four
emanations (Vyūhas) of the Lord: Aniruddha, Pradhyumna, Samkarshana, and
Vāsudeva. (Note: The fifth entity is Prakrti (the Bhutas) which is not an
emanation of Vāsudeva as the other three are. This fifth entity is a
material complement to the spiritual side.
Vasudeva is the first and the most important
presiding Lord over Citta (reason); next comes
Sankarsana, the serpent (Ananta,
Balarama)
manifestation of the Lord, who presides over ego and destroys the universe at
the time of dissolution.
Pradyumna, the son of Krishna, is the third Vyuha
presiding over knowledge of the universe, intellect and comprehension, and
creation. Aniruddha is the fourth Vyuha presiding over the mind and the senses
and sustenance of the universe of beings.
The primary Vyuhas are arranged from your left
to right without regard to order in the lineage but with centrality of
importance given to Krishna (Vasudeva) and His brother, Sankarsana (Baladeva):
Pradyumna-Sankarsana-Vasudeva-Aniruddha, (Krishna’s emanations or
manifestations). Pradyumna is the creator; Aniruddha is the protector; Sankarsana
is the destroyer; and Vasudeva is the supervising and the controlling
authority.
The foursome Vyuhas are available for worship only by the heavenly beings and liberated souls in Vaikuntham. The Vibhava (omnipresent) forms of incarnations are realized only by perfected souls. The Archa (image or idol) forms are consecrated images and idols in the temples for worship by the faithful. The Vibhava and Archa forms are the same, the former for the spiritually perfected ones and the latter for devotees.
The Vyuhas (Pradyumna-Sankarsana-Vasudeva-Aniruddha), the West asserts, 'appear to have been introduced subsequent to the composition of Bhagavadgita, as it makes no reference to them.'-page 151, Harpers dictionary of Hinduism.
An exception in Thirunaraiyur
Naachiyar Koil at Thirunaraiyur near Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu shows the Moolavar Thirunaraiyur Nambi (main deity of Vishnu) in His ceremonial wedding stance marrying Vanchulavalli Thaayaar (Lakshmi). The legend has it that Goddess Lakshmi was born of Sage Madhava in the shade of Vanchula tree. Bhagavan appeared in Pancha Vyuha form (Sankarshana-Pradyumna-Aniruddha-Purushotama-Vasudeva) and married Goddess Lakshmi. These forms are seen in Garbha Graham (Sanctum).
|
Pradyumna |
Samkarshana |
Vasudeva |
Aniruddha |
|
Son of Lord Krishna and Rukmini |
Brother of Lord Krishna, aka
Baladeva |
Lord Krishna Himself, son of Vasudeva
and Devaki |
Grandson of Lord Krishna and
Son of Pradyumna |
|
Dream sleep |
Deep Sleep |
Turiya |
Wakefulness |
|
Mahat |
Jivan |
Paramatman |
Ahamkara |
|
Creator |
Destroyer |
All qualities |
Sustenance (Protector) |
|
Knowledge and Intellect |
Ego |
Citta |
Mind and senses |
|
Presiding deity: Brahma |
Presiding deity: Rudra |
Presiding deity: The Soul |
The presiding deity: Moon |
|
Vyuha |
Pradyumna |
Sankarsana |
Vasudeva |
Aniruddha |
|
Attributes |
|
|
Jnāna (Wisdom) |
|
|
|
|
Aisvarya (Auspiciousness) |
Aisvarya (Auspiciousness) |
|
|
|
Sakti |
|
Sakti (Energy/Power) |
|
|
|
Bala |
|
Bala (Strength) |
|
|
|
|
|
Virya (Valor) |
Virya |
|
|
|
|
Tejas (Splendor) |
Tejas |
|
Color |
The Rays of the Sun |
Red |
White |
Dark |
|
Color of Raiment |
Red |
Blue |
Yellow |
White |
|
Weapons in four hands |
Bow, Arrows, Conch, and abhaya
mudra |
Plough, Pestle, Conch, and Abhaya
mudra |
Discus and Mace, Conch, and
Abhaya mudra |
Sword, club, Conch, and Abhaya
mudra |
|
Special weapons |
Bow and arrows |
Plough and pestle |
Discus and mace |
Sword and club |
|
Alternate configuration |
Right upper: M Right lower:C Left upper:L Left lower:D |
Right upper: L Right lower: C Left upper: D Left lower: |
Right upper: D Right lower: C Left upper: L Left lower: M |
Right upper: D Right lower: L Left upper: M
Left lower: C |
|
Banner, Emblem |
Makara (crocodile) |
Tala (palm tree) |
Garuda (Eagle) |
Mrga (deer) |
All
manifestations show abhaya mudra: freedom from fear, depicted by the open palm of
the right hand raised to the level of the chest and facing forward.
(4A) Jiva
Turiya: Jiva (individual self) realizes its pristine spiritual nature and its organic
relationship with God or Self. Duality still exists: self and Self
(4B) Para
Turiya: Jiva realizes Brahman; and union, absorption, or merger takes place;
they are still “NOT” united in essence. Duality is still apparent between
object and subject, Jiva and Brahman. It is worthwhile to remember that
Brahman, the all-knowing subject, can never become an object.
(4C) Brahman
Turiya: Jiva unites with Brahman, and is fully absorbed and integrated into One
Being.
(4D) Beyond Turiya: Jiva and Brahman become ONE as butter is poured into butter, and water is mixed with water. It is an undifferentiated and homogeneous state of subject-object fusion.
(Saiva Siddhanta: Siddhantists say that this Turiya state is experiencing of Suddha Vidya of Suddha Tattvas through Samadhi yoga. Turiyatita [the fifth state] is experiencing higher states of Consciousness as follows. Kashmir Saivism: Siva Sutra 3.25 says: By continuous practice of Turiya, the aspirant attains the Turiyatita state; he becomes similar to Siva.)
Here is another variation of the above.
Avastha or state of consciousness for Sahasrara is Turiya-Turiya, 7th higher level of consciousness. Turiya-jagrat = awakening to higher consciousness --the fourth state;
Turiya-svapna = the fifth state of mystical visions;
Turiya-Susupti is the 6th higher state of Consciousness of Sa-Vikalpa Samadhi-Duality between yogi and Brahman present;
Turiya-Turiya = Nir-Vikalpa Samadhi-7th state, No duality, merger between Yogi and Brahman.
Saiva Siddhanta points to another state beyond Turiya called Turiyatita, [which is consolidation of Turiya], which has two phases: Un-mesham Consciousness, the opening of the eyes (Isvara Tattva is attained) and Nimesha Consciousness, the closing of the eyelids (Sadasiva Tattva is attained). Un-mesham is opening of the eyes; Nimesha is closing of the eyes. Sadasiva Tattva (Nimesha) experience and Consciousness are deeper and purer than the Isvara Tattva (Un-mesham) Consciousness, and the Yogi enjoys equality with Siva, when Siva reveals his Grace to the Yogi. For more information on Suddha Tattvas, refer to TATTVAS-36.htm
Yogi
ascends the Tattvas from the Muladhara plane to Sahasrara plane where the Yogi
enters Turiyatitta for onward journey to the source of SuperConsciousness or
Pure Consciousness; it is a retrograde involutional process (as opposed to
evolutional descent of Consciousness from Superconsciousness to mere human
consciousness to sub-consciousness and instinct in animals), which is Jiva's
homecoming to the source where creative cascade starts. As the Yogi ascends the
Suddha Tattvas from Vidya Tattva through Isvara, Sadasiva, Sakti to Siva Tattva,
the Consciousness becomes purer and purer, when it is the Purest at Siva Tattva.
Ramprasad, devotee of Kali, though he attained Turiyatitta by becoming one with Brahman, says that he would rather be enjoying sugar (Brahman) than becoming Sugar himself. He liked to be separate from Kali so that he could worship Her, because Oneness with Her does not permit worship.
The following
tells us the distinction between the Absolute and God;
Brahman and Isvara;
Turiya and Prajna.
Level
One: The Absolute, Brahman, Turiya, and
the Silence after AUM have a horizontal relationship with one another. All are
Imperishable Brahman. It is all thought, all Bliss, no dream, no activity, no
name, no form, all light and all absolute repose.