The Lord explains about what qualities are required in order to be able to mediate on the lord who is undescribable, unimaginable, unmanifest..
सन्नियम्येन्द्रियग्रामं सर्वत्र समबुद्धयः |
ते प्राप्नुवन्ति मामेव सर्वभूतहिते रताः ||
SaMniyamyendriyagraamaM sarvatra samabuddhayaH
Te praapnuvanti maameva sarvabhuutahite rataaH
lndriyagraamaM – all the senses put together : Samniyaya – controlling : Sarvatra – in all conditions : SamabuddhayaH – even minded : Sarvabhutahite – in the welfare of all beings : RataaH – mindful : Te praapnuvanti – they attain :
maameva – only Me :
Those who control all their sense and remain even minded in all conditions and are ever engaged in the welfare of all beings, will attain none other than Me.
People say Krishnaji is crooked- because we cannot match his straightforwardness and so to match us He is crooked. This is one of those places where he shows his crookedness. He says that those who pray to the formless God by way of meditation need to have the following qualities
“SamniyamyendriyagraamaM” First as long as our senses are not in control. we will be like beggars in this world! When small kids lose a tooth, they usually put their tongues in the spot where the tooth used to be! This is exacts how our mind behaves. Our tongue does not move where there are teeth. but only where there is no tooth! So too, we only think about what we do not have and forget about all that the Lord has given us. We have to concentrate our senses on God otherwise our senses make us slaves and roam around in this world.
The kathopanishad says. “If we do not keep character pure, do not control senses and cannot keep mind happy, how much ever we study scriptures it is not enough”. If we have to understand the truth as a student, there is no compromise and we need to be able to have control over our senses.
Sarvatra sama buddhayaH – seeing everything and everyone equally. Even after seeing differences, if one does not perceive or react to the differences then he is described as “sarvatra sama buddhayaH” For e.g. a lady who goes to a jewel shop sees all different kinds of jewellery. She is so tempted that she wants to take everything, because she is seeing all the different forms of the jewellerv as being different. However in the mind of the jeweler, in spite of seeing the difference in form and shape and qualities, all of these to him appear only as Gold. If our mind is disturbed by the differences in this world then it is not qualified for seeing the formless God. Only that which does not distinguish is the truth.
Why does the mind waver and How do we make it steady’? Once in a children’s camp, a teacher was teaching about equanimity and equipoise. First he asked the children to say what is different in us. Some said, we are fat. Others said thin, long, short etc! External differences are enough to distinguish. As long as the mind is seeing these external differences, we also distinguish. He then asked, “What is common to all of us”? They replied. “We are all forced to listen to you”!
Where eyes go first and see the difference, then mind is stuck in the difference! If we see the differences and yet don’t perceive it, we are equanimous.
‘Equanimity or Samata” is one of the key lessons taught by the Gita. In chapter 2, the Lord says, -samatvaM yogamuchyate” – that karma where no distinctions are made is called Karmayoga as actions are performed with equanimity. That type of meditation where our mind is steady and brought under control is called – “dhyaana yoga”. That type of devotion and love where our mind sees no distinction and is without any attachment is called bhakti yoga. That knowledge which in spite of seeing the external differences, does not react or perceive them is called “Gyaana yoga”. Therefore. Karma, dhyaana, Bhakthi and Gyaana yoga all have the same underlying principle “samatvam yogamuchyate”
The Greatest disease in our lives is mamata (ego) and the cure far that is samata (equanimity) If love goes downwards, it is stuck in differences and this becomes attachment. That love which does not distinguish is devotion.
Sarvatra sama buddhyaH – we are bothered by seeing the differences, People often say this against dhyaana..My Mind is normally calm but once I start meditating, dangerous thoughts come in my mind and so I am scared of meditating!!
Why is that? In our mind those thoughts come about that person or object that destroys peace. For e.g. we all know that many kids pass and many fail. The newspaper results come saying that 40% passed and 60% failed and so we joke about it and forget. But those parents whose child fails will worry and be sad. If such a parent is meditating on the day before the results are due, their mind will only be thinking about the results and worrying about the future of their child. If we go and tell them. “samatvam Yogamuchyate” then it will not work. Only if the mind is in peace and the senses are in control can one meditate.
Sarvabhuuta hite rataaH – do as much help as we can to others. If we help others, we forget our troubles. So if we are in the service of others there is no sorrow.
Some people constantly demand attention from the world and are happy only if everyone is listening to their problems. Never give importance to your own sorrow. Always think of consoling others and in the happiness of service, our sorrow is not felt. The lord says that such saints who control their senses samniyamyendriyagraamam whose mind is controlled sarvatra samabuddhayaH and who are involved in the service of others sarva bhuutahite rataaH will reach none other than the Lord.
I am in absolute agreement with at least two of three describing adjectives you use of undescribable, unimaginable, unmanifest but why do I have a problem with your use of the word Lord? It might be fine if you mean the power and source of everything! If so how about coining another phrase that has less association with established establishments and really helps to take us to the unimaginable.
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“Shri Bhagavan ” is the word used throught Bhagavadgeeta wherever the english translation “Lord” is used.
“Shri Bhagavan” is the term specifically used to indicate that GOD is the supreme Person but not an individual, that He is the “Absolute Being” but yet responsive to worship and prayers, that He can be communed with as one’s Master, Father, Mother, Friend, or any other relationship one prefers. In the Upnishads and Buddhist Texts the term “Bhagavan” is used as a term of address to any exhalted and venerable human teacher. In Hindu “Puranas” it has come to be applied to God or his incarnations. The vishnu Purana desscribes the “Bhagavan” as the one having “Bhaga” or “Majesty” . The “Bhaga” or “Majesty” is described as six-fold:
1. Omnipotence (Aishwarya), 2 Virtue (Dharma) 3. Glory (Yashas) 4. Beauty (Sri) 5. Omniscience (Jnana) 6. Non-affectedness (Vairagya) and the full manifestation of all these six is called “Bhaga”.