The Anti-thesis.

To "The Apple-cart".

---------------©--------------

In the last post of this blog, it was suggested that "The Reality" could neither be pointed out, nor addressed.

This doesn't necessarily imply that "The Reality" couldn't or shouldn't be discovered.

Still there are hints / marks that do point out how this discovery could be done.

The most important clues have been pointed out through the 5 major Vedika Treaties on Reality by means of :

GaNapati Atharva-SheerShaM,

Shiva-Atharva-SheerShaM,

DevI-Atharva-SheerShaM,

NarayaNa-Atharva-SheerSha,

And, 

Surya-Atharva-SheerShaM.

The 3 major works :

Upadesha-Saara,

Sat-DarshanaM,

And, 

Sri Ramana Gita

of Sri Ramana Maharshi, 

Are also of immense help in understanding how to proceed in the way of discovering the Reality.

The two approaches mentioned above differ significantly in that, the Atharva-SheerShaM suggests : 

The 3 aspects of Reality could / should first be recognized and discovered within our own very being and then only the Reality is encountered directly and face to face.

Within oneself implies :

In terms of :

1. GaNapati -- The Intelligence Principle,

2. Rudra -- The I-Sense Principle, 

And, 

3. DevI -- The Consciousness Principle.

The other 2 Atharva-SheerShaM, namely :

NarayaNa-Atharva-SheerShaM

And, 

Surya-Atharva-SheerShaM

Respectively are to be Treated in terms of The Supreme One Who governs the whole existence, And The One Who in the form of Sun, illuminates the whole world and is the direct source of all Life.

While doing the pATha / oral recitation of these hymns, one at once undergoes subtle changes in his being.

This is because while uttering correctly the Sanskrit Mantra and the letters (phonemes) the movement of the prANa (vital breath, or the energy that helps in maintaining the regulation of the chetanA - consciousness) is automatically synchronized.

This also helps in purification of nerves :

the nADI-shuddhi, which is otherwise done by practicing prANayAM under the guidance of a competent Yoga-Teacher / Acharya. 

pAtha has again 4 other effects on the mind of the aspirant. 

They are what is attained in Patanjali-Yoga, in terms of :

nirodha-pariNAma / निरोध-परिणाम,

ekAgratA-pariNAma / एकाग्रता-परिणाम,

And,

samAdhi-pariNAma / समाधि-परिणाम.

The first of these 3 finds place in the very first aphorism of this Treatise of Yoga by Maharshi Patanjali --

योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः।। 

The three pariNama, further accompanied by dhyAna (ध्यान) and dhAraNa (धारणा) are essential for saMyama (संयम), as is stated in the aphorism : 

त्रयमेकत्रः संयमः ।।

In the "Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi",

There is a reference :

A devotee asks :

"While doing the Mantra-japa, should I also contemplate upon the meaning of the Mantra?"

To this, Maharshi replied :

"You have been told to do the Mantra-japa or also to contemplate its meaning?"

(Please check in the said book to see / affirm the exact words) 

I think, and we can see, if we do the japa and also try to ponder over its meaning then our attention will be split and divided.

So it is enough if we do the japa (or here the pATha) our attention will be upon the sound and the prANa / vital breath, along-with the consciousness, will be in perfect harmony.

This way, one can attain :

The 3 pariNAma, namely :

The nirodha- pariNAma / निरोध-परिणाम,

The ekAgratA pariNAma / एकाग्रता-परिणाम

And,

The samAdhi-pariNAma / समाधि-परिणाम,

all the 3 together.

That is the potential and power hidden in the sacred texts and its pATha.

There is also an alternative way that could help us greatly in discovering the Reality within our own very being.

That could be learnt from : 

The Teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi.

The major works, as narrated earlier are :

Upadesha Saara,

Sat-Darshanam

And, 

Sri Ramana Gita.

The earnest seeker can see and find out the truth for himself.

***