Svadyaya, Sadhana And Sakshathkara-Part II

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Sadhana that makes way easy to realize the Truth is the Sadhana that purifies the senses and the mind and keeps the yogi free from lust, desires, attachments and greed. By practising the Karma-upasana Jnana as advised by our Masters with well controlled senses, our mind and intellect gets purified and gives more lustre to our consciousness to realize the Reality behind everything.

People in general talk and doubt much about our Shastras, but fail to listen and practice and know the truth by themselves. Things should be well understood and sincerely practiced in day to day life. Men living for higher purposes should be very careful in their thought, words and deeds. Some believe that Vedas are to studied only by the twice born, and whatever sinful actions that would have been committed will be pardoned and nothing will bind them. This is a great error caused by lack of right understanding. Mere birth or study will not help. It is only by right austerities one will possess the right knowledge to know the Truth in the Sasthras. The Vedas do not protect the hypocrites. Whoever may be, the sincere Sadhaka who practices what is said by his Guru will surely reach the Goal.

None can remain without engaging in action even for a moment. Therefore every action should be converted into Sadhana by the Sadhak to purify and perfect his Anthakarna and realize the self. Many ways of Sadhanas are mentioned in our scriptures. But one should approach his Master who would advise according to one's vasanas , temperment and environment, the kind of sadhana that fits him. Though the Truth is ever present before us, the impure and the imperfect mind which is filled with too many selfish desires which adds on to the egoistic nature finds hard to recognis it. So practical knowledge is more Important than the theoretical version.

For example, we read in history books, how some kings though regular in their Svadhyaya and Sravana every day, desirous of possessing unlimited powers and possessions, arrested their own parents and even deprived them of water and air. Here we can see the effect of mere theoretical knowledge. We see in the Bhagavatha how Deva Rishi Narada though studied and mastered the Vedas, Shastras and Puranas, yet for want of inner peace and happiness went to Sanathkumara for advice.

So Sadhana is more important than theoretical knowledge in all walks of life. It is the prime factor which keeps our mind pure, clear and receptive to read, listen and understand the true meaning of our scriptures. Every experience is the product of one's own Sadhana

He who is desirous of Self-real1zation, should control and conquer his senses, discipline his mind, purify and perfect his intellect and get equipped with Sadhana - Chatushtaya.

1. Viveka : Viveka is the discriminative faculty between the real and the unreal, Sat and asat, the Self and the non-self, Nitya and Anitya, Drtk and Drishya.

2. Vairagya: Without Vairagya no spiritual life is possible. It is the true strength. It is freedom from all fears and desires. Indifference to sensual enjoyments herein and hereafter, Vairagya is the foundation stone for the spiritual path.

3.Shad-Sampath: This is a group of six virtues which consists of Shama, Dama, Upariti, Titiksha, Shraddha and Samadhana. Shama is control of the mind, Dama is control of the senses, Uparati is turning the mind resolutely away from desire for sensual enjoyment, Titikasha is the power of endurance of the pairs of opposites viz, pain and pleasure, success and failure, heat and cold, joy and misery etc. Shraddha is intense faith in the Guru and his teachings, confidence is one's own self, belief in spiritual scriptures and trust in the Absolute. Samadhana is mental balance. It is a state of mental concentration devoid of any external distraction.

4.Mumukshatwa : This is intense desire coupled with burning Vairaghya for Atma-Sakshatkara or Self-Realization.

These are some of the means to attain that highest realm of Self Realization. When this Sadhana Chatushtaya is honestly practiced with faith and belief, the mind and the intellect becomes pure, clear, sensitive, sharp and subtle to get engaged in the worthy Vichara, into the real nature of the Self, and experience that ever existing Truth...

About the author

M Ram Mohan has written this article for Vedanta Vani, Chinmaya Mission.