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SRUTI - PAM's Encyclopedia

The silencing of mental vrittis when developed to the stage of negation is an indication to show that inner vacuumisation has commenced. The material science of the present age strongly affirms that absolute vacuum can never be possible. Some of the air does remain even after the vacuumisation has been effected to its full capacity. I shall interpret this scientific theory in my own way. Whatever remains after the vacuumisation has been effected to its full capacity is its real essence, and it is immensely strong and powerful. This power can well be utilised for the construction of destructive weapons of the deadliest type. It is also of immense value for our spiritual purpose. When a man creates such a vacuum in himself he becomes so highly powerful that even a slight motion of his will can bring forth greatest results. But few seem to be prepared to have it from me. My intense longing to find one who might be prepared to have it in full does not so far seem to bear fruit. None seem to like to have a brief pleasure trip to the dreary and desolate expanse of the divine, which but few might have access to. There is no end whatsoever to it. Negation is not the final end and even this is not our ultimate goal, which is far, far beyond Bhuma or the Ultimate. (SS-374,375)

The attainment of complete negation means vacuumisation up to its farthest limit, though complete vacuum can never be possible under any circumstances. The forgetful state of negation may however be taken as total negation. It is immensely forceful, as is not even possessed by the great avatars. The great power thus acquired cannot be challenged even by gods like Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh. That is the usual course followed under our system, Sahaj Marg. By gradual steps an abhyasi begins to proceed towards vacuumisation from the very beginning. But, for this purpose a proper guide is absolutely essential. (SS-173)

VAGARIES

My lot is perhaps very miserable, for it is I alone who am held responsible for all the vagaries of an abhyasi. There are some among our associates who do not care to exert themselves in any way but expect me to do every thing for them by the exercise of my inner powers. They want that I must pull them up for satsangh! I must fix them up in their daily abhyas; I must set them firmly on the path and make them cross regions and stages, all by the force of my will and powers. They do not like to do anything themselves by way of adjusting their ways of living or moulding their habits, or even doing and practicing as they are told to. But in spite of all this they have only to blame me for all their backwardness and lack of progress; and I too, on account of my peculiar nature, begin to feel like that. I therefore try to thrust into them what seems best in each case, even without their care or co-operation. In one or two cases the abhyasi has gone so far as to blame me for not giving him higher approaches all at once. Can such a thing ever be expected anywhere else? Certainly not, I am sure. Why then is it so here? It may perhaps be due to my being over-indulgent in this respect. How far it can be justified, I leave it to your own judgement. (SS-156,157)

VAIRAGYA

Renunciation or non-attachment is no doubt an essential stage in realization and we can never be free from the entanglements of Maya unless we cultivate non-attachment. But it does not mean severing our connection with home, the family and all worldly concerns and taking up the life of a religious mendicant. I do not agree with those who hold the view that the only means of cultivating non-attachment is to get away from home and family and retire to a solitary corner discarding all worldly ties. Renunciation effected by such forced means, is seldom found to be genuine, for it is just possible that in spite of their apparent forced detachment from the world, they may still inwardly be clinging to it. (BWS-199,200)

Renunciation truly means non-attachment with worldly objects and not the non-possession of things. Thus a household life in which possession of things and worldly ties are indispensable is no impediment in the way of renunciation and consequently of realization, only if one is not unduly attached to the objects he is connected with. There are numerous examples of saints having attained the highest degree of perfection leading a household life all through. Renunciation is in fact a condition or an inner state of mind, which brings to our view the transitory and changing character of things and creates a feeling of non-attachment with such objects. His eyes are fixed every moment on Reality, which is unchanging and eternal, and he is free from feeling of attraction and repulsion. This is Vairagya (renunciation) in the true sense of the term. When we have achieved this state of mind we are free from desires. We feel contented with what is available to us. The end of desires means the stopping of the formation of Samskaras. What remains now is only to undergo the effect (Bhog) of the previously formed samskaras (impressions) that are to be worked out during the course of our life. Nature too helps us in the work by creating field for Bhog in order to remove the impressions of our thoughts and actions from the causal body. When those coverings melt away we begin to assume finer forms of existence. (BWS-200,201)

A man, far away from the place where a band of music is being played, does not hear its sound, while another man standing nearby feels it but little if he is deeply absorbed in his own thought. He does not find himself with music but feels himself dwelling in his own pious thought. How does he acquire this state of mind? The reply, as already said above, is that he finds himself absorbed in something of the most important nature. Then naturally the unimportant things will have no effect on him. This is the condition of vairagya or renunciation. The inattention that he feels towards worldly objects does not allow his heart to be impressed by things other than those of important nature -- the pious thought of realisation he now has. For an abhyasi the only important thing is to seek his goal within his own self. Many people are striving hard for vairagya or renunciation. How easily it is gained! He has no idea but of his own goal and due to that he has lost all that is not worth having. You have gained vairagya or renunciation by elementary practice of Raja Yoga. Your individual mind is, in a way, now connected with the plane of everlasting peace and happiness. In other words you have made the way from your individual mind towards that high region. The gentle waves of the calm in the region of Almighty begin to flow direct to it (i.e., individual mind) and so in the long run you become one with it. (BWS-33,34)

Vairagya as it is commonly understood today is only an outward show of asceticism, detachment from all world relations and the total disregard of the duties of life. Really speaking it is neither the forced physical detachment nor aversion to, or hatred for, worldly objects required in life, nor any other thing of the kind. It is simply an inner feeling which turns our heart away from all that is superfluous for our normal living. Thus even an ordinary man, leading a worldly life, looking to all worldly affairs and possessing and claiming things for his requirements, can well acquire the state of vairagya in his ordinary worldly life. (BWS-33,34 Footnote)

Man is generally charmed so much by the environment as he has made for himself unconsciously, that he seldom thinks of rising above it. But how this is to be made possible? When we ponder over it, we find that we have set up in us a community of thoughts, feeding it with impulses, nurtured in the nursery of the brain, views from all corners resound the same note in their ears giving additional strength, and intensifying the effect of the environment further. This helplessness of man may be treated as his defence. But I would say, when once we have realised that these are the spoiling agents, it means some diversion has come in. This may be taken as the first step towards vairagya or renunciation, and our thought is then set on something better and nobler. Our duty is to grasp it firmly and stick to it at all cost. The renunciation develops automatically in our system. (SDG-160)

We should really try to be with God and in God all the time, and never be away from Him even for a moment. When we come up to this state we are all the time in a state of vairagya. Thus, attachment with God results in detachment from the world, and that is true vairagya. (SS-36,37)

Renunciation is a condition of inner state of mind where one's eyes are every moment fixed on the reality alone which is unchanging, eternal and free from attraction or repulsion. (SS-98)

Vairagya can develop very easily if one only diverts his attention towards God. On my part I do divert their attention towards the Divine and fix it there by my will, and this they do feel and realise, but they utilise it for material purposes only. I am confident that in certain cases they keep on pulling it downwards for worldly matters. (SS-371)

For further reading please see SADHANA CHATUSHTAYA.

Vairagya - Non-Attachment Attachment

We are all family people, but we must be moderate in all our dealings. We should live a life like the coot and ducks in water. When they are out of water, they are free from it. Similarly, we should love all without getting soiled with attachment. Really speaking, in this way we learn non-attachment attachment. (SDG-37)

VASU

Please see FUNCTIONARIES.

VEDA(S)

Veda is really that condition which was before the time of the creation of the Universe. May God give you the bliss of that condition. You too shall have it. Therefore it is quite true that the Vedas came in to existence at the time of the creation of the Universe. They have been shaped into the form of books. It is as if the conditions have been given a dress. What was existing then? The same churning condition and the creation of the atom. The thing which constituted the atom was the result of the activities of the churning. In other words, this is connected with that thing which is the result of this churning. Now, whatever might be the result, and it took many other forms, their mental standing did remain in their origin (source). And whatever that condition was, it should be definitely called as scientific because it never happened that the combination of oxygen and hydrogen would not produce water. I call that thing alone scientific which always produces the same result, whoever experiments with it. Now, whatever might have been the result, when the view fell over its originality it brought out the knowledge of its origin. Now, the Vedic rishis, taking the dim sound created by the churning of these currents as the basis, remained in search of That whose sound this was. Therefore, in the Rig Veda, whatever I have heard being read from some of its beginning portions, this very sound or shabda is utilised. In other words this was the key to reveal the Real Thing. Now, when they have found the key and the Real Thing began to get revealed, the whole thing took another turn. That is, a new chapter opened up for the spiritual purpose, and the flight of the thought began to get still more intensified. When they got the inkling of Reality through the shabda, the Rishis resolved to dive still deeper into it. And when they dived into it and caught hold of that part of the thread (link), the first lesson which they understood was the emotion of “ekoham bahusyam” (the One becoming many). But this was the worldliness of the Real Thing, that is the lower thought. Now the thought jumped still further and they caught the upper thread. They became aware that this was the resounding created due to the motions of the currents; and that there is something even beyond this. The search still continued and went above this thought of “ekoham bahusyam”; and such kind of worldliness was left out now. In other words the gross form of that Real Thing, which was before our view in the beginning, became hidden and our jump commenced beyond it. Then what happened? The idea of duality which contained the suspicion as to what extent it can be also began to bubble up, weighed the self, and deeply pondered over it. By pondering deeply they got the thought that it was only due to the human nature that we have been weighing ourselves. When we understood this completely, our nature and thought got attached with that Real Thing which is embedded in us. It was as if the thought began to swim in that current. They went on further and got an inkling that all this, which was the result of churning, is cream but not the Reality. Now the steps went on further. This is the approach of the middle part which has been described above. Progressing still further the fragrance of Bliss began to be felt. Now a question may arise as to how it was felt when the thought had become one with it. The only answer is that the same cream was the solid state of the very particles which we have grasped in our thought. The state of Bliss did come, we also stayed there, and we felt it too; and concluded that this is the very thing which was being sought for. Some people remained there, and the remaining went even further than this condition of Sacchidananda. And proceeding on, such a state engulfed them that they got stuck up in non-duality. Vedas are most probably silent beyond this, because they have described it as the indescribable (Anirvachaniya), and declared ‘neti, neti'. ‘Not this, not this'. (SS-487,488,489,490,491)

Apparently there seem to be contradictions in the Vedas, and the six schools of philosophy are the result. In this way each has built up its own theories on the basis of one's knowledge and understanding and the approach in that direction. But the sage Manu is quite justified when he says that only that part of the Vedas which agrees with reason is the Veda in the real sense, land this is no doubt very creditable of him. Of all the scriptures of the world it is only the Vedas that speak like that in plain terms. But in respect of the actual realisation, the study of the Vedas is but secondary. The word study implies a sense of practical realisation of the reality at the bottom, and that can be acquired neither by reading and believing nor by reasoning and discussing, but only by super-conscious perception. (SS-526,527)

VEDANTA

Please see VEDA.

VEDANTINS

Please see SADHANA CHATUSHTAYA.

VEHICLE

Every one is quite sure that he has to give up his body some day, still he remains devoted to it beyond due limits, and often at the cost of other necessary things. I do not mean to induce you to neglect it altogether, for that too is a great sin. What I really mean is that due care and proper nourishment of the body must necessarily be looked to but in accordance with fair need and necessity, so that it may be fully capable of discharging its due duties towards God and self as well as others. (SS-109,110)

VEILS

Before creation absolute silence prevailed all over. When it descended, it brought with it the real essence. The condition of both was nearly the same. Veils after veils began to set in, and we ourselves were the doers. The waves of the river raised a huge sea. Numerous drops joined together to form a river. The origin was the same drop – the essence, which came down with it. The basis of the river was nothing but a few drops of water, which trickled down from a mountain crevice and flowed down in the form of a river. In other words the unnecessary additional drops mingled with it, enclosing the real essence all over and giving it an assumed form which was thicker and grosser. Now generally the grosser form of a thing alone is open to view. By constant observation its grosser form melts away after some time and only an imaginary form remains in its place. This too by constant endeavour disappears from sight. Finally all things which had swelled up the original point will be lost sight of. This state can be achieved by the continued practice of doing everything with our thought resting all the while on the real point which forms the very basis of existence. (BWS-138,139)

VIBRATIONS

Please see CONSTANT REMEMBRANCE, SANKIRTANISTS.

VIDEHA MOKSHA

The terms jivan-moksha and videha-moksha are usually applied in several different senses. Tulsidas, the author of the Ramayana, uses the word videha in reference to Raja Janak. But it was only the family surname and had no bearing upon his spiritual attainments. The two words refer to particular spiritual states which are much alike. Jivan-moksha refers to the state when one is free from body-Consciousness. When this condition advances towards maturity, it is then termed as videha-moksha. (SS-338,339)

For further reading please see JIVAN MOKSHA.

VIDYA AND AVIDYA

Ignorance and knowledge are the two extremities of the same thing. Up to a certain extent it is termed as ignorance, after that it turns into knowledge. They are like the two poles of a magnet. Thus avidya (ignorance) has no existence without vidya (knowledge) and vidya without avidya. If one is there the other must also be there. That means when the veil of ignorance is torn off, avidya and vidya are both gone. Thus avidya covers the entire sphere included in both avidya and vidya. That is the state of tam which is beyond both. It is in true sense the state of realisation – where there is neither avidya nor vidya. What is it there then? Neither of the two – a state of perfect latency, not-knowingness, or complete knowledgelessness which may roughly be denoted as the state of ignorance just as it is at the age of infancy. Ignorance is in fact the highest pitch of knowledge. That comes to mean that we start from the level of ignorance and finally end in a state of higher ignorance (or complete ignorance as I call it). The sphere of knowledge (in the popular sense of the term) is only an intermediary stage. Really so far as it is the sphere of knowledge, it is all ignorance in true sense. (BWS-354,355)

For further reading please see IGNORANCE, COMPLETE IGNORANCE.

VIKARAS

The five Vikaras (impediments) known as Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha and Ahankara so commonly talked about in the religious books as serious obstruction in a man's path are also greatly misunderstood.

Of these the first two Kama and Krodha come to us from God while the next two, i.e. Lobha and Moha are our own creation. We cannot give up what comes to us from God but only modify them so as to bring them to proper regulation required for the Divine living. I may make it clear to you that if Kama is somehow destroyed in toto the intelligence will vanish altogether, because it is closely connected with the intelligence centre. If Krodha is destroyed a man will not be able to proceed either towards God or towards the world. Really it is only Krodha that excites actions which is thus a necessary requirement of an embodied soul. Similar is the case with Ahankar or egoism. Generally the word `I' used for the self is identified with the body, though at the same time it points out the fact that the living force in him(soul or spirit as one may call it) is really at work behind the screen. If somehow one is relieved of the idea of body or the soul even, he gets closest to that, one craves for. None of these is in itself bad or harmful; it is only we ourselves who have, by our wrong use of them, turned them into impediments in our march towards the Divine. In their pure state they immensely help in every walk of life whether worldly or spiritual. It is not therefore for us to condemn or crush them but to purify them so as to regularise the action. (SDG-11,12,13)

VIKSHEPA

Please see PURITY.

VIKSHIPTA

Please see MIND – TENDENCIES.

VIRAT

Comparing the spiritual state of an advanced man to an ocean, I might say that just as we find flakes of foam at the surface caused by the up-surging of waves, similarly there are numerous such things in the form of thoughts and ideas floating over the surface level of the state prevailing in a certain region, and which pass by, touching one swimming through it. They never attract his attention in the least. In the same way when one is absorbed in the spiritual state in which he is swimming, it is not surprising to find his attention diverted away from those flakes of foam which are only momentary, and which are formed and destroyed over and over again by the action of the waves. They do not however affect the purity and the smoothness of the sphere at all. Such is the state of the brahmanda mandal or virat. Occasional thoughts arising in the mind during the course are like flakes of foam created by the action and counter-action of the waves in the region, and they are only momentary and of no consequence at all. The reason why they are there at all is that from the very first day we have continuously been making thought after thought, all of which are floating in the region and touching all those passing by. This is but natural. But the most unhappy phase comes in when one begins to treat them as his own. This is the greatest blunder on the part of the abhyasi. In another way it reflects directly upon the predominance in him of the feeling of ‘mine-ness' which is so common among the professed jnanis of today. (SS-523,524)

For further reading please see SEVENTH KNOT .

VISUDDHA-CHAKRA

The thing which had entered into our being created dim vibrations causing a gentle force, which descends into the Vishuddhi-Chakra (Pharyngeal plexus) through the particles. This Chakra, often known by diverse names, is the meeting place of the Pinda (Microcosm) and the Brahmanda (Macrocosm) regions and is the seat of Maya. Immense power is located there. A man gets into dreams when his thought comes in touch with this region. The centre of fire lies close by. The Deepak Raga, one of the six kinds of the old classical ragas, which when sung sets the dead candle ablaze, is chanted from this point. When it comes down into the heart from this point it brings with it the state of Maya, but the condition lying ahead is also present in it in a dormant state. It now divides into three branches. The middle one proceeds a little downwards and forms into a sort of knot at the place where point ‘A' is located. The other two go towards the right and the left. On the left it enters into the lower region of the heart. (SS-474)

For further reading please see FIFTH KNOT .

VIVEKA

The things come and go, but we remain the same. If we thoroughly scrutinize ourselves, changeless state is there, but we are connected with the changeable and either we take interest in it or hate it, and both of them are the links for bondage. We should rise above all these things if we want to live a peaceful life. Our method brings out these results if we do practise it with interest. (SDG-124)

For further reading please see SADHANA CHATUSHTAYA.

VOICE

For the attainment of that highest stage it is necessary for one to make the voice of his heart audible at the Base. How can it be accomplished? The simple answer would be to secure as much nearness as possible. How can that be attained? For that there is nothing but practice and abhyas. The only effective way to attach one's self firmly to the abhyas is to link himself with the Unlimited or, in other words, with one who, having linked himself with the Unlimited, has attained the state of perfection. When you have linked yourself thus it means the great personality has taken you into the bosom of his heart. Your effort towards going deep into it means you have taken up the path towards the Ultimate. That is what the word surrender conveys, and this is the only surest path for the attainment of complete perfection. So long as you do a thing and know that you are doing it, it is not the right course, and you are away from the level of surrender, because the feeling of ego is also there. Surrender is free from any conscious idea of ego. Everything there goes on in an automatic way according to the need of the moment without any previous or after thought.

But greatest precaution is to be observed in this respect. Surrender to one who is not up to the mark, or has not reached up to the final limit of perfection, is highly detrimental to our ultimate purpose. But at the same time, it is very difficult to judge and decide whether one is really so or not. That is a matter of luck which is subject to the effects of sanskaras. Prayer can also be of help in this respect, for thereby alone can you create ripples in waves of Nature. The reaction of it shall be automatic, and the solution will come by itself. (SS-484,485)

For further reading please see SELF SURRENDER.

VRITTIS

A common mistake which an abhyasi often falls into is that he starts with an idea of negating his mental tendencies, taking up means directly related with it. Thus he keeps his pursuit confined to a narrow sphere, which results in a life-long struggle with the vrittis or senses. This often causes an adverse effect upon the brain. In my opinion, instead of struggling with the vrittis, if they adhere more firmly to their ideal, success shall be easier and surer. Furthermore, if the endeavours are supported by the great power transmitted into them, the work of years shall be accomplished in seconds. With the help of transmission it becomes very easy for the abhyasi to deal effectively with the vrittis. A capable master, by applying his power through transmission, diverts the tendencies of the abhyasi’s mind upwards, with the result that they begin to get moulded and grow comparatively calm and peaceful. He also gives to the abhyasi's Pind-mind (Material — particularised consciousness) a dip into the condition of the Brahmanda-mind (subtler or cosmic Consciousness), after effecting its proper cleaning. The process accelerates the abhyasi’s flight towards higher regions. In course of time when the lower mind gets thoroughly merged in the condition of the higher plane, it becomes cognizant of its true nature and gives up indulging in superfluities and superficialities. Thus the negation of vrittis comes into effect by itself and the true nature of his being begins to reveal itself. (SS-366,367)

VYAVAHARA

We get power from our thought. It happens only when we create perfect harmony between things of our making and those of the Divine. The word Vyavahara—practical dealings—carries a wide meaning. It covers the entire sphere which falls next to the Ultimate. There is uniformity in Divine dealings, but only in a particular sense. For example He gives light equally to all. He has created air for all to breathe in, and so also many other things which foster the growth of life and sustain our existence. This can be interpreted as the uniformity of Nature’s dealings—Vyavahara.

There are other things too which present themselves in a modified form and they are dealt with in a different way. It is obvious that when a thing made of clay comes before us we take a different view of it, and our liking for it is increased in comparison to the mass of clay which it is made up of. Similarly when a man approaches God after proper making of himself, He takes a different view of him. This goes to explain that we should effect such a making of ourselves as may help us to become the cynosure of His eyes. This dealing of Nature we have to copy and apply in our daily life. Nature’s dealings described above are manifested in diverse ways. The variety of colours in different objects is an instance of it. A flower blossoms in red colour, another close by in yellow or blue. Thus Nature manifests herself in different colours, each object receiving its due share according to its capacity and worth. In other words, She is dealing with them in Her own particular way. This example must be kept in view and all our dealings must be moulded accordingly, with due regard to proper needs and fair right of everyone, and bring them in close conformity with those of Nature. This will add further force to its effectiveness and the people will be attracted towards you. It will create a feeling of love in their hearts and they will begin to behave with you in the manner which you duly deserve. (BWS-165,166)

Sruti

Daily Inspiration