krÉÉlÉxuÉÃmÉÇ DHYANA SWAROOPAM The Nature of Meditation “THE SANDEEPANY EXPERIENCE” Reflections by TEXT SWAMI GURUBHAKTANANDA 15 Sandeepany’s Vedanta Course List of All the Course Texts in Chronological Sequence: Text TITLE OF TEXT Text TITLE OF TEXT No. No. 1 Sadhana Panchakam 24 Hanuman Chalisa 2 Tattwa Bodha 25 Vakya Vritti 3 Atma Bodha 26 Advaita Makaranda 4 Bhaja Govindam 27 Kaivalya Upanishad 5 Manisha Panchakam 28 Bhagavad Geeta (Discourse -- ) 6 Forgive Me 29 Mundaka Upanishad 7 Upadesha Sara 30 Amritabindu Upanishad 8 Prashna Upanishad 31 Mukunda Mala (Bhakti Text) 9 Dhanyashtakam 32 Tapovan Shatkam 10 Bodha Sara 33 The Mahavakyas, Panchadasi 5 11 Viveka Choodamani 34 Aitareya Upanishad 12 Jnana Sara 35 Narada Bhakti Sutras 13 Drig-Drishya Viveka 36 Taittiriya Upanishad 14 “Tat Twam Asi” – Chand Up 6 37 Jivan Sutrani (Tips for Happy Living) 15 Dhyana Swaroopam 38 Kena Upanishad 16 “Bhoomaiva Sukham” Chand Up 7 39 Aparoksha Anubhuti (Meditation) 17 Manah Shodhanam 40 108 Names of Pujya Gurudev 18 “Nataka Deepa” – Panchadasi 10 41 Mandukya Upanishad 19 Isavasya Upanishad 42 Dakshinamurty Ashtakam 20 Katha Upanishad 43 Shad Darshanaah 21 “Sara Sangrah” – Yoga Vasishtha 44 Brahma Sootras 22 Vedanta Sara 45 Jivanmuktananda Lahari 23 Mahabharata + Geeta Dhyanam 46 Chinmaya Pledge A NOTE ABOUT SANDEEPANY Sandeepany Sadhanalaya is an institution run by the Chinmaya Mission in Powai, Mumbai, teaching a 2-year Vedanta Course. It has a very balanced daily programme of basic Samskrit, Vedic chanting, Vedanta study, Bhagavatam, Ramacharitmanas, Bhajans, meditation, sports and fitness exercises, team-building outings, games and drama, celebration of all Hindu festivals, weekly Gayatri Havan and Guru Paduka Pooja, and Karma Yoga activities. This series is an effort to promote the learning of Vedanta; it does not replace Course, but hopes to inspire young people to spend two years of their life for an experience that is sure to make a far-reaching spiritual impact on their personal lives. Sandeepany is an all-round spiritual course that gives proper direction to the youth and to those approaching retirement. Hinduism is in dire need of a band of systematically trained teachers or Acharyas who can serve this Eternal Religion. – The Editor, 9th July 2017, Holy Gurpurnima Day Om Namah Shivaaya! Text 15 krÉÉlÉxuÉÃmÉÇ DHYANA-SWAROOPAM “The Nature of Meditation” Composed by Sri Swami Tejomayanandaji Reflections by Swami Gurubhaktananda on the 8 Lectures delivered by Swamini Vimalanandaji Director-Acharyaji, Chinmaya Gardens, Coimbatore. to the 15th Batch Vedanta Course at Sandeepany Sadhanalaya, Powai, Mumbai April 18th – May 4th, 2012 Adi Shankaracharya Swami Sivananda Swami Tapovanji Swami Chinmayananda SERVE LOVE GIVE PURIFY MEDITATE REALISE Copyright & Author’s Details Author: Swami Gurubhaktananda, ex Krishna Chaitanya, born Bipin R. Kapitan of Durban, South Africa. Residence: Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India. Email: [email protected] © 2017 All Rights Reserved. Copyright held by Chinmaya International Foundation, Kerala. About This Edition: Web Edition: 9th July 2017, Holy Guru Purnima Day Website: Chinmaya International Foundation: www.chinfo.org Series Title : The Sandeepany Experience Series Subject: Vedanta & supportive subsidiary texts. Declaration by the Author: The material in this series is under inspiration of the Sandeepany Vedanta Course, but largely consists of the Author’s reflections on the Course. He is deeply indebted to the Chinmaya Mission for its excellent presentation of the Course by their renowned and dedicated Acharyas. Personal Dedication 1. To my Parents, Smt Sharadaben & Sri Ratilalbhai Kapitan who inspired me to study in life, to stick to the path of Dharma and pursue the highest ideals; and swamped me with their abundant Love; 2. To Pujya Sri Swami Vimalanandaji Maharaj the President of the Divine Life Society of Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India, who constantly encouraged and supported this effort; 3. To Pujya Sri Swami Tejomayanandaji (Guruji) for his boundless vision and inspiration to create a vibrant organisation; 4. To Sri Swami Advayanandaji and Sri Swami Sharadanandaji my Acharyaji and Upa-Acharyaji at Sandeepany, who imparted their bountiful knowledge and wisdom with rare selfless Divine Love, just as the Rishis of yore would wish to see them do. ***** krÉÉlÉxuÉÃmÉÇ DHYANA SWAROOPAM “The Nature of Meditation” FOR SAMSKRIT TEXT WITH SANDHEES Guide to Splitting Sandhees Conventional Samskrit Format is used in the body of the book. Split-Sandhee Samskrit Format is given at the end of the book, for the benefit of beginners. Word-combinations (Sandhees) are highlighted in bold underline (as shown in the table below) to help indicate the splitting of words. This is an original feature. Purpose: To assist new students who are just finding their way in Samskrit to break up the words (Pada Chheda). It is not intended for those already proficient in Samskrit. How it Works: 1. Enables normal chanting. The bold underlined letters are Sandhees, not words, and are needed only to join words for correct chanting. 2. Indicates splitting of words. To determine the words on either side of the Sandhee, the following table may be used. [The table has been applied in the transliteration within the body of the book, where individual words are used.] Add to End Add to Front SANDHEE of Prior Word of Posterior Word A (a) -AÉ- (aa) A (a) C (i) -D- (ee) C (i) E (u) -F- (oo) E (u) elongated vowel -"x- short vowel short vowel -x"- elongated vowel elongated vowel -"x" - elongated vowel A (a) -L- (e) C (i) A (a) -Lå- (ai) L (e) A (a) -AÉå- (o) E (u) A (a) -AÉæ- (au) Lå (ai) AÈ (ah) -AÉå (o) unaffected C (i) -rÉç (y) unaffected E (u) -uÉç (v) unaffected È (h) -xÉç, -Uç, -zÉç unaffected ***** DHYANA SWAROOPAM “The Nature of Meditation” CONTENTS: ________________________________________________________ The Meditation “Marketplace” 2 Introduction 3 Verse 1: Definition: Effortless Awareness 4 THE PRINCIPLE OF MEDITATION Verse 2: Meditation Not the Result of Action (Karma) 5 Verse 3: Meditation Not a Divine Feeling (Upasana) 6 Verse 4: Meditation Not a Repetition (Japa) 8 Verse 5: Meditation – What It Is 9 THE PRELIMINARIES OF MEDITATION Verse 6: Introduction to ‘Practice’ of Meditation 10 Verse 7: Man is Action-Oriented 11 Verse 8: Meditation Only Appears as an Action 11 Verse 9: The Ceasing of All Activities 12 Verse 10: The Fruit of Meditation 13 Essential Resolves 14 Hints for meditation 15 Split-Sandhee Samskrit Format 16 Split-Sandhee English Transliterations 17 ***** 1 THE MEDITATION “MARKETPLACE” This article summarises Swamini’s opening lecture on the topic of meditation: WE START BY CONSIDERING any commodity that is consumed by people anywhere in the world. Something has a utility value, for example, bathing soap. Everyone uses soap. It is a common item or commodity. Because there is such a great demand for it, someone decides to make it on a large scale and sell it to the public. From a generally available commodity it becomes a typical product obtainable in the marketplace, at a price. A long time ago one such soap was “Lux”. The name became very famous. Lux was sold throughout the world. The name was a brand; only the manufacturer had the right to sell soap under that name. The marketing department had to try to capture as much of the market as possible, and so they developed newer names that are more appealing. We had Soft-Lux, and then Super-Lux. Other related products began to be sold under the same name, because the name was famous. This is typical of the way any “PRODUCT” is developed. It is now no longer a general soap commodity, but a marketed product which has huge sales and large profits linked to it. The Americans have perfected the technique of bringing new products onto the market. People have been trained to buy ‘Corn Flakes’ rather than just ‘corn’, to buy ‘Gillette’ rather than just ‘shaving blades, and so on. Meditation as a Product: The same thing has happened, for better or for worse, to the spiritual practice of meditation. With the huge demand worldwide for some means to relieve the stress in people, meditation is a much sought after practice. This makes it a perfect “Product” that can be marketed like any other product in the world. The very same pattern described above has come to the lot of meditation in today’s world, with America leading the world in branded forms of “Meditation” techniques. It is common in America to be asked, “What form of meditation are you into?” If there is no brand name to it, it does not attract any attention. Branded meditation forms are copyrighted. Sometimes a particular sequence of steps is copyrighted. In addition, companies specialize in many ‘accessories’ in meditation such as CD’s, special mats, meditation outfits, and meditation retreats, etc. In short, Meditation has become very good business in this world. In this context, it becomes very essential we have a means to see the original practice of meditation as apart from a meditation product. We need to get back to grassroot meditation and see it as a part of spiritual science, not linked to any commercial “bottom line” such as profits, size of following, number of disciples, etc. That is what is attempted in this book by Pujya Swami Tejomayananda, the Spiritual Head of Chinmaya Mission worldwide. Here, no product is being sold. The basic principles of meditation are explained in 10 simple verses to draw the seeker’s mind to the essential art of meditation, linked to the particular goal of spiritual perfection. ***** 2 krÉÉlÉxuÉÃmÉÇ DHYANA-SWAROOPAM 10 Verses by Swami Tejomayananda on “The Nature of Meditation” INTRODUCTION THE BASIC STEP IN WHICH knowledge about a spiritual science is conveyed to a seeker is called Sravana in Vedanta. Sravana is not just listening, but a transfer of knowledge from a teacher to a seeker, so that the latter is set aflame on the path of spiritual practice, the core element of which is Meditation.