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The Master and the Method Our Gurudev does not not advise any external aid to
develop concentration. "Concentrate within" is always His dictum. Although
a great authority on Hatha Yoga and Pmnayama, seldom does He recommend
these techniques. He advises watching the breath with constant Ajapa
of "SOHAM", synchronising "SO" with the outgoing breath and "AHAM" with
the incoming. It is interesting to note that Bhagavan Sri Ramana also
considered this method as the easiest and the best to control the mind.
He says that by watching the breath, Kumbhaka or retention results.
Our Gumdev insists on patient and persistent practice and draws the
special attention of the aspirant to the immortal words of Lord Krishna:
"Little by little, let him withdraw, by reason (Buddhi) held in firmness;
keeping the mind established in the Self, let him not think of anything"".
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In essence, His method is that of Vichara or enquiry after the preparatory phases of Bhaki and Yoga. This has been beautifully summed up by a devotee in an invocatory verse in Tamil thus : "My salutations unto the holy feet of my Sadguru who teachesYoga through Bhakti and then Gnana throughYoga to all those caught up in the cycle of birth and death because of their mistaken attachment to the ignorant and estrangement from the saints!" It is only when the mind is externalised through the activity of the intellect and the senses, that the world of names and forms makes its appearance. As opposed to this bahirmukha drishti or release of the mind and its emergence, antarmukha drishti or introversion is the restraint of the out?going mind and its absorption in the heart. 0ur Sadguru reiterates this point very often by saying that when the mind under the impulsion of Rajas or activity, becomes restless and influenced by Tames or darkness, it manifests the external world. Such a mind cannot catch the reflection of True Consciousness. It has to be made very subtle, pure and placid through great Vairagya and practice of Atma Nishta. Total retirement from all activity is one of the important requisities for this single?pointed devotion to Knowledge. Sadguru always provided the necessary seclusion for the disciples who have reached this stage of Nididhyasana. It will be relevant here to give a typical example of the teaching the Master from one of His letters to the monastic disciples. It is in the form of a benediction embodying in itself a spiritual instruction of perennial value. "May Sadguru's Grace be with you to be thinking of That incessantly, to attain Self-Realisation or Atma Sakshatkara leaving behind mind, all mentation and thought, to be That and to be the Bliss beyond all That ! Blessings again and again to you to enjoy That as the Inner Light within you and be That in the Ultimate State beyond all the triad and transcending all duality!" In the state of waking, one is with the consciousness d' the physical body and the senses; Consciousness of the physical body and the senses; in dream, with a world of names and forms created by the mind with It as its Witness; and, in deep sleep, as a Witness of Itself. In the Fourth state or Turiya beyond, one is That as a Brahmavid, Variyan or Varishta. To be That in the States of a Jeevanmukta and Variyan and coming down to lower heights now and then, assuming jivahood is the stage of practice. Again my blessings to you to reach the highest state of Aroodha, when all is left behind, jivahood liquidated and mind annihilated!" Our Guru Maharaj frequently refers to the analysis of the three states of consciousness viz. waking, dream and deep sleep, and points out that it is only by merging of the one in the next successively, the Fourth or Transcendental state of Turiya can be apprehended. It is essential that Atman is the changeless Substratum on which the changing states of waking, dream and sleep are superimposed. Attaching the greatest importance to the destruction of the mind, He often quotes from the ecstatic outpouring of Saint Thayumanavar; "There the thought (mind) was born and there again the thought (mind) died and rose purer. All states exist there. There even the trace of duality with an experiencing ego considering itself as witnessing Self is transcended". The mind after having attained to the knowledge of Reality of Atman does not imagine, as there remains nothing to be imagined. The mind is then like fire when there is no fuel to burn. In that state, Brahman alone is realised and hence mind consisting of determination and volition ceases to exist. The mind becomes identical with Brahman which is devoid of all duality of cognition. Thus it is said "The Birthless (Brahman) is known by the birthless (mind)".
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