The path of Sadhana

[Guest guest]

In reply to:

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I have been very serious about sadhana lately, but until now had not

received any guidance. I am never satisfied by the normal process of

worship. Until I actually see God with my own eyes I will have no

peace or satisfaction. Please advise me.

 

 

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If you wish to succeed in sadhana you must have great determination.

Practically there is no secret to sadhana. Anyone can succeed and

have divine experiences and visions of the Lord. Yet we see that out

of thousands of people not a single person has such experiences. Why

is this? It is not that the sadhana is hidden or secret, it is

available to anyone; but how many people actually take up the

sadhana? And out of those who do, how many are able to maintain their

sadhana? In the Gita Lord Krishna explains this very nicely. He says:

 

manushyanam sahasreshu

kashcid yatati siddhaye

yatatam api siddhanam

kashcin mam vetti tattvatah

(Bhagavad Gita 7.3)

 

"Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection,

and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in

truth."

 

Already it is a very rare thing that we have been given this gift of

human life. It is only in this human species that spiritual inquiry

is possible. In that sense we have already won a lottery of sorts.

Out of the millions and millions of living entities, very few have

this gift of a human birth. Now we have this opportunity to inquire

into what is the self, but how many people are doing this? The answer

is practically none. Thus Lord Krishna says out of thousands of men,

hardly one even tries for perfection. And of those who make some

attempt at spiritual perfection, how many can maintain their sadhana?

Very, very few. This is not the fault of the sadhana nor of the

spiritual path; the fault lies in our own uncontrolled minds - there

is no control of the mind and no determination to stick to the path

of the Self. Meditation requires a strong and fixed mind. The people

of today have absolutely no control over their own minds. We cannot

remain for a single moment without speaking, without watching TV, or

without engaging in mundane activities. Thus we are not able to

maintain our journey on the path of spiritual sadhana. If we wish to

be successful in our sadhana it will only be possible with proper

discipline. We must become the master of our own mind and senses.

 

There is another realm of existence known as the plane of chid-

akasha, or the mental space. That world is existing all around us,

but because of our uncontrolled minds we are not able to experience

it or interact with it. The deities and devas reside on that plane of

existence. Through meditation and sadhana you will be able to tune

your mind to the subtle realm of existence and experience a parallel

reality much more real than the world around us.

 

The common worship that is performed by man is just a foolish product

of greed and fear. Due to greed they pray to God for material gain,

and due to fear they pray to Him to spare them from punishment. There

is no spiritual benefit from engaging in such ritualistic worship.

People go to temples and pray to God to bless them so that they will

become rich, or help them to pass their exam, or arrange for them to

get married. The truth is God does not care whether you are rich or

poor, whether you are married or unmarried, or whether you pass or

fail your exam. Material gain is illusory and temporary - it is

avidya. God is not interested in increasing our ignorance.

 

We are all suffering the results of our own karma. If we have done

good deeds, we will be rewarded. If we have done bad deeds, we will

suffer. God is impartial in giving us our rewards and just results.

If I have done bad, simply by praying for material gain and happiness

will my bad karma be removed? The answer is no. The material nature

will deliver exactly what we deserve, not what we ask for. God is

impartial to the illusory good and bad results of this world. Both

good and bad are simply the dualities of ignorance. We must rise

above both. That is the message of Bhagavad Gita - to be situated

beyond happiness and distress.

 

matra-sparshas tu kaunteya

sitoshna-sukha-duhkha-dah

agamapayino 'nityas

tams titikshasva bharata

(Bhagavad Gita 2.14)

 

"O Arjuna, the nonpermanent appearance of happiness and distress, and

their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and

disappearance of winter and summer seasons. They arise from sense

perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them

without being disturbed."

 

Thus we must rise beyond arthika dharma (religion for mundane gain)

and come to the point of paramarthika dharma, or religion for one's

ultimate spiritual welfare.

 

To see God will not be difficult provided you have determination and

sincerity, but it will not be possible without making some sacrifice.

We will have to give up many qualities rooted deep within our heart -

kama (lust), krodha (anger), lobha (greed), mada (pride), matsarya

(jealousy). These have been our closest friends for many lives, but

the time has come to give them up. This is what blocks the sadhakas

from perfection. At one point we must choose what is it that we

really wish to have, and the majority of the sadhakas turn back to

illusion.

 

In our sadhana, the mantra is what will give us strength to overcome

every obstacle. The syllables of the mantra contain the power of the

deity in the form of subtle sound. As the yantra is the form of the

deity in geometric design, the mantra is the form of the deity in

sound. There is no difference between the two: Abhinnatvan nama-

naminoh. Because our mind is uncontrolled we are not able to relate

to the divine sound manifestation of the deity. Sri Caitanya

describes the mantra as follows: namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva

shaktih, "Within the name of God is present sarva-shakti, or the

complete potency of the divine." Thus we must strictly follow our

vows of mantra upasana and gradually our minds will be cleansed of

the six impurities mentioned above. This purity will keep us on the

path of self realization, and help us to attain the supreme goal:

 

narayana-paro yogo

narayana-param tapah

narayana-param jnanam

narayana-para gatih

(Srimad Bhagavatam 2.5.16)

 

"All different types of meditation or mysticism are means for

realizing Narayana. All austerities are aimed at achieving Narayana.

Narayana is the supreme object of knowledge, and Narayana is the

ultimate goal."

 

Hare Krishna!

 

Yours in service,

 

Jahnava Nitai Das,

Bhaktivedanta Ashram &

Bhaktivedanta International Charities

http://www.foodrelief.org

[Guest guest]

Welcom Mark,

Aproach to spirituality is always individual. Only two things are to

be remembered:Aspiration from below, and Grace from above. first is

your part of action and the other is the role of the Divine.

Whatever faith or religion you are into,try to catch the basics,

dont be binded with the rituals unless you find a Master (Guru). Your

earnest Aspiration would compell the Divine to answer, and be

absolutely sure of it.

Let the time come..and await for it receptivily

Love

Satish