Series on Ganesha the Great!
This mini ‘one_act_play’ in english, is based on ‘11 chapters of Ganesha Geetā’ and is designed to convey the theoretical philosophical essence of ‘Ganesha Purāṇa’ aid to popularize ‘Global_awareness’ about ‘Lord Ganesha’, compiled by sage Vyāsa in the form of a dialogue between ‘Lord Gajānana’ an incarnation of Lord Ganesha and his father (in this incarnation) King Vareṇya (as his disciple).
संन्यास_योग (continued)
King Vareṇya: Please educate me in spiritual ways of enjoyment of ‘Happiness’
Lord Ganesha: My dear father, mostly people are familiar with deriving happiness via the use of five sense organs. Viz. 1) good smell (सुगन्ध), 2) sweet or pleasant taste (सुरुची), 3) soft touch (सुस्पर्श), 4) beautiful vision (सुदृश्य) and 5) hearing melodious music (सुश्रवण). All these methods are elusively short living. Further, they often can cause deceases, if used excessively. E.g., on a given day, the first chocolate tastes very sweet and pleasant. Next and next one’s if chewed immediately, become comparatively lesser and lesser pleasant. By tenth, if consumed continuously, the tongue might loose sensing it’s sweetness. Another chocolate, on the same day, may even trigger an unhappy vomiting sensation. Long duration of such habits can trigger diabetes, BP etc. Similar is the story of happiness derived via the use of any other sense organs. The states of a) sweet dreams and b) ‘deep sleep’ are both the best forms of enjoying happiness. Both do not involve any sense organs and hence the associated health hazards. However, ‘sweet dreams’ and ‘deep sleep’ are sort of God’s gifts and cannot be consciously enjoyed at will. Therefore, reaching mental states similar to ‘deep sleep’, (or semi-unconsciousness) is being consciously resorted to, by use of numerous artificial techniques. Drinking wine and smoking drugs, are two examples. Unfortunately, most of them are a) unhealthy and b) financially costly.
Innumerable tools like sports, tourism, gambling and entertainment are designed to achieve the same goal viz. Happiness and Satisfaction. Most of them involve a) financial expenditure and b) availability of external tools (like playground, playing kits, theater stage & participating companions, audience etc.). ‘Focusing concentration’ via ‘Meditation’ is a self-reliant technique invented by Vedic sages, which can be used to enjoy a ‘deep sleep’ like silence and peace, in a semi-awakened state of consciousness, without usage of any external tools, as well as, financial expenditure. However, it needs some silent, disturbance free quiet place to sit (or lie down and), relax and reach deeper and deeper states of meditation. After acquiring expertise, some ‘Accomplished Yogi’s’ can perhaps tolerate some levels of disturbance and noise. An ‘un-echoic-chamber’ may be ideal for such practice. Vedic sages are known to live in remote ‘Āśrama’ habitats, established in deep enough silent forests. Historically, saintly people used –
a) temple hall or premises (e.g., Swami Vivekānanda & Rāmakrishna Paramahansa) or
b) river banks (e.g., Tulsidāsa, Narasimha Saraswati) or
c) remote places like a cave in a mountain or hill (Govinda Ācharya, Guru of Ādi Shankarācharya) or
d) any semi forest type remote location reasonably away from human habitats (e.g., prince Dhruva, Tukārāma, Samartha Rāmadāsa).
Sitting lonely in a yogāsana posture (or lying down in relaxing ‘Śavāsana’), in any convenient room of one’s own flat or home, is the easiest place in modern 21st century era. Early morning time periods (e.g., 03:00 to 06:00 hours, called as ‘Brāhma-muhurta’), is ideal time period to practice meditation (because possibility of getting disturbed is minimum). However, practically one can practice meditation at any time convenient to one’s own living style & environment.
To begin a meditation session, it is a non-mandatory practice to perform some ‘prāṇāyāma’ based breathing exercises. e.g., rechaka, pūraka, (rikta or pūrṇa) kumbhaka based variations to one’s own choice or comfortable performability on any given day, Yoga expert’s guidance etc.
प्राणायामै: द्वादशभि: योगीश: धारणाऽभ्य़सेत्| ब्रह्मरूपम् जगत् सर्वम् पश्येत् स: स्वान्तरात्मनि| [४.३४.३६]
There are 12 varieties of breathing exercises which are popularly used by yoga experts before proceeding further on the next aṣṭānga yoga stages called as dhāraṇā, dhyāna and samādhi. This entire manifested universe is actually a visible (as well as humanly invisible) form of the Divine Energy or ‘Lord Supreme’, called as ‘Brahma’ (in Vedopaniśadic literature). This manifestation seems to have a date of birth (e.g., Big-Bang), a certain life-period and logically an end in distant future. But this ‘Energy’ which is indestructible must exist for ever, in some form or other. Every existence in this manifestation (including every yoga performer) is an infinitesimal form of this energy or ‘Brahma’.
योग_वॄति प्रशंसन_योग
When a ‘Mental attitude’ is adopted by yoga performers, to link one’s self-consciousness (soul or spirit) with the Supreme God, during every activity consciously planned (or unconsciously, unintentionally, habitually performed) and being carried out by the personality, then that personality’s behavior pattern (प्रवॄति) gets linked with the Mother Nature (God Supreme) in a special fashion. One of the best ways to keep in touch or linked with me (Ganesha, God Supreme) is to appreciate the importance of each and every activity, undertaken to be responsibly carried out and then carry it out in the best possible manner (as if it is carried out by God Supreme himself). Sir M.Vishveshvarayya (while planning any new activity), used to think about ‘how can I design and perform it in the world’s best ideal fashion’. He was therefore a good example of a ‘Yogi’ with expertise in the ‘योग_वॄति प्रशंसन_योग’. A yogi can deeply ponder on ‘suppose if God wants to do this activity, what is the best way in which he would perform it?’ Then plan it same way and carry out the plan ‘on behalf of the God’ as if God’s order.
मानेऽपमाने सुखे दु:खे मित्रेऽमित्रे च बन्धुषु | समत्वम् अभ्यसेत् सततम् योगी ध्यान परायण: [५.५.९]
Such a ‘Yogi’ rises above any a) insulting comments or b) entangling praises while performing his dutiful activities. He totally ignores the pleasures or pains involved in the performance of his work. He pays equal attention and respect while treating his friends and unfriendly personalities, as well as relatives.
नाति भुञ्जन्, अभुञ्जन् वा नातिजाग्रत अभ्यसन् | जीवन्मुक्त: स योगीन्द्र: सर्वत्र वेत्ति माम् सदा [५.१२.१८]
Such a yogi never eats more than what is necessary and enough for his maintenance, nor does he fast unnecessarily. He studies all educative books of knowledge. He does not remain ‘awakened’, neglecting his body’s needs of sound sleep and rest.
Such a divine king of yogi’s is in a spiritual state of ‘Live-liberation’ (जीवन्मुक्त) and capable of realizing my live presence in each and every thing getting sensed by him everywhere.
Dr. Dhananjay B. Ghare, Former Scientist, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru
Vedic WAVES 