The Devi insists that liberating knowledge can be attained here in this world

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Dear Akash, Preeti and All,

 

Being thoughtless and yet aware and functioning normally is perhaps

the most important aspect of meditation. Most people wrongly believe

that it is impossible to function without thinking. Definitely that

is not the case. But this general misunderstanding has far more to

do with the answer to your question, which is the root cause of

their ignorance. By that i mean that your inability to remain

thoughtlessly aware despite your best deliberate attempts is their

assurance that it is an impossible, perhaps even useless task ......

and thus the gulf between spiritual enlightenment and religious

ignorance widens ever more.

 

So how can we understand this most difficult aspect of spirituality?

How can we fully surrender to the Devi? How can we silence the

ceaseless chatter of the mind?

 

First picture the mind prior to Self-realization as a huge, ugly,

dirty dump full of stinking rotting garbage and overgrown with weeds

from years/decades of neglect, ignorance and indifference.

 

Upon Self-realization the Divine Gardener gives clear time-tested

instructions on how to turn the same mental mess into a beautiful

Divine Garden which the Devi calls “Sahasrara”. But She also

cautions that this will take a lot of time and effort because one

cannot work physically, only consciously. Even more difficult and

perplexing is the cardinal rule that only Silence can and will

begin, ever so slowly, transforming the dirty dump of stinking

rotting garbage and weeds into the elusive Divine Garden. The longer

the Silence is maintained the more effective is the clean-up and

transformation of this massive dump. Any thought whatsoever, no

matter how mundane or important, agitating the mind only slows the

process. And when certain thoughts remain entrenched, uselessly and

ceaselessly repeated, the whole process comes to a standstill. In

certain cases it even reverses the whole process.

 

So how can we remain in Silence for as long as possible?

 

i) remain conscious of being Silent. If there are thoughts, be

conscious of your desire and just let them drift away;

ii) practice being Silent whenever possible. Certain activities

enhance this desire – traveling, watching TV/movies, gardening;

iii) attain Silence prior to meditation. Sit for a few minutes

and consciously make the mind quiet before meditating;

iv) increase the number of meditations solely to attain Silence.

Meditating an extra one or two times deliberately and consciously

just to increase Silence helps. However these extra sessions should

be short i.e, 10-15 minutes;

v) attain the bliss during Silence. This bliss greatly enhances

Silence as the sheer experience of this indescribable Bliss

overwhelms and obliterates all earthly existence (So far I have only

experienced it twice, and came close to it on just a handful of

occasions);.

 

But one should not despair because Pure Knowledge is much more

important than Silence to reach the ultimate goal of Self-

realization and attain liberation.

 

Knowledge of Devi that Liberates

 

" Both gitas (Devi Gita and Kapila Gita of the Bhagvata Purana) also

describe four grades of devotion according to the qualities (gunas)

of nature, a classification scheme derived from the Bhagavad Gita.

According to the Devi Gita, the first two grades, rooted in

ignorance (tamas) and passion (rajas), are practiced by those

intending harm to others and seeking their own well-being,

respectively. The third grade, arising from virtue (sattva), the

highest of the three qualities, is performed by those who surrender

the fruits of their actions to the Goddess out of a sense of duty

and in spirit of loving service. Such devotion is not supreme for it

still clings to false distinctions, but it does lead to the highest

devotion beyond all the qualities.

 

The supreme devotion is described in quite paradoxical terms. On the

one hand, it is characterized by total detachment, an absence of any

sense of difference between oneself and others including the

Goddess, and realization of the universality of pure consciousness.

On the other hand, it is typified by a sense of oneself as a servant

and the Devi as master, an eagerness to participate in pilgrimages

to her sacred sites, and a zeal to perform her ritual worship

without regard to cost. Especially paradoxical is the tension

between the detached devotion associated with the knowledge of the

unity of all being, and the ecstatic passion, accompanied by tears

of joy and faltering voice, manifest in worshipping the Goddess

while singing her names and dancing in enraptured self-abandonment.

Again, while the supreme devotion is characterized by indifference

to all forms of liberation, including mergence into the Devi,

nonetheless, so the Goddess declares, the fruit of such devotion is

dissolution into her essential nature. Such paradoxes reflect in

many ways the long-standing tension in the Hindu tradition between

the ideal of devotion, with its goal of loving service, and the

ideal of knowledge, with its goal of realizing absolute oneness.

 

Formally, the Devi Gita resolves the tension by insisting that

knowledge of the Goddess is the final goal of devotion, as well as

of dispassion. Devotion without knowledge will lead to the heavenly

paradise of the Goddess, the Jeweled Island, but no further.

Dwelling in the Jeweled Island, however, inevitably leads to

liberating knowledge of the pure consciousness that is the Goddess.

Dispassion without knowledge, incidentally, leads only to a virtuous

birth. The Devi insists that liberating knowledge can be attained

here in this world, while still living. Seeking such knowledge alone

makes life worthwhile, and the attainment of knowledge completely

fulfils the ultimate purpose of existence. " 1

 

 

i have provided hundreds of pages of irrefutable evidence and

knowledge of the Devi. i have also strongly cautioned against the

avidya that the devotees of Her incarnation, Shri Mataji Nirmala

Devi, are indulging in, and encouraging/enforcing others to do the

same. Seeking such knowledge-while strictly avoiding/rejecting such

avidya at all times-alone makes life worthwhile, and the attainment

of knowledge completely fulfils the ultimate purpose of existence.

Such knowledge is far more priceless than Silence, and precedes it.

Without such knowledge you cannot comprehend, far less learn how to

maintain, Silence on Self. The Devi insists that liberating

knowledge can be attained here in this world. There is nothing to

surrender to Her except our ignorance and arrogance. Thank you

Akash and Preeti for your excellent enquiry that will help many.

 

Jai Shri Ganapathy,

 

 

jagbir

 

1. The Song of the Goddess

The Devi Gita: Spiritual Counsel Of The Great Goddess

(C. Mackenzie Brown, State University of N.Y. Press, 2002, pg. 23-5)

 

 

 

 

, " Violet "

<violet.tubb wrote:

>

> Dear Akash and Preeti,

>

> i can only talk from personal experience. i have found that

surrender is a continual process of having one's attention on the

ever-loving Bhagwati... The Divine Within. Sometimes we can

temporarily take our attention off Her, but as soon as we are aware

of it, we can straight-away put our attention back on Her again on a

24/7 basis. Full surrender is to continue in that way, hour by hour,

day by day, and year by year. Whatever comes up, we can surrender it

to Her. It is not a forced attention, but it is like keeping someone

in your attention, that you love. It also doesn't mean we have to

give anything up, but it means that we surrender our small attitudes

and allow Her to fill us up with the Holy Spirit. By that practice,

we become One with Her, through our identification with Her.

Therefore it is a gradual process and not instantaneous. Meditating

on Her in the morning and evening is a great way to keep in touch

with Her. One day, you realise that you are 'One', that She is your

Higher Self!

>

> Sometimes there are times when Her attention does not feel like it

is on you or with you, but those are times that we are given, to

test our faith. We have to strengthen ourselves. If She is always

felt very close all the time, we do not become strong enough to

stand on our own two feet. This is like a Mother who wants Her

children to grow spiritually strong. However, She is always there,

whether we can always feel Her there or not! If we draw near to God,

S/He always draws near to us.

>

> i hope this helps.

>

> love from violet

>

>

>

> , preetibala vasthava

> <preetu551@> wrote:

> >

> > I too have the same querry, how to attain Nirvachara ? Although

> with the help of this forum I have come a long way in understanding

> Sri Mataji's teachings. I get frustarted at times when not able to

> reach state of thoughtlessness. If this is due to ego, I do not

> know what to do ? Its like I am trying my best to please mother and

> something is lacking.

> >

> > Thanks.

> >

> > Preeti

> >

> >

> > akash_902003 <akash_902003@> wrote:

> > Jai shri Mataji to all...!

> > Dear Jagbirji &

> Voiletji, Kindly suggest me the proper way of Meditation by which

> one can fully surrender to our Mother ? and thus to reach

Nirvicalpa stage.

> > OM THAKUR.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

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