SADHANA PAD - 45

                                   SAMADHI  SIDDHIR  ISHWAR  PRANIDHANAT

               WITH    SURRENDERING TO GOD,  ONE  ATTAINS  THE SAMADHI

         When one surrenders to the God , his thinking changes . He looses the 'Ines' or the Ego in doing anything and that reduces the attachments. If I do something good or great, I develop the attachment, thinking that "i" DID it. So If I have invented anything , written anything , done any painting or done any sculpture, I am proud of it , I am possessive of it and in doing that develop the attachment. This attachment is an obstacle in achieving the highest level of SAMADHI or deepest level of consciousness, which makes one closer to GOD and FEEL the highest level of pleasure. As long as we continue to think oneself as the 'Doer' will can not separate our self from the physical body.The Ego is soul that is confined to the body. So as long as we are limited by the body , we will never get the experience of one with the GOD. So when we do complete , unconditional surrender to the GOD , then only we can get in the SAMADHI of highest level . We do surrender many a times to the GOD when we are in trouble. But it is neither complete nor unconditional. We always look at people other than the GOD. We also 'ask' Him to help us in our situation and difficulties. So this will not help us in getting any where closer to the GOD , but it gets us more attached to the body , this life and this mortal world. 

SADHANA PAD SUTRA - 44

                               SWADHYAYAT  ISHTA  DEVATA  SAMPRAYOGAH

BY  DOING THE SWADHYAY  -STUDY -PRACTISE  OF  SCRIPTURE,  ONE  ATTAINS THE

                                                CHOSEN  PERSONAL  GOD

   This one is little different one for Non Hindu to understand. In Hinduism, we have several Deities. All of us allowed to worship their Personal God. The Supreme Being has no Form, or appearance.But we can not concentrate on unknown , formless Supreme Being. So we have different forms, or different forms of the DEITIES.I remember one day some one asked a question to one of the SHE in Swami, that was giving a lecture.The question was ,'if I see the GOD, what form would be , will HE look like Lord RAMA or Lord Krishna or any other?' The answer was 'Whosoever you want Him to be.' This form of Deity is the ISHTA DEWATA.
    So in this sutra we are told that when one starts doing the study of the scriptures, (reading the VEDAS , UPANISHADS ETC) , and does chanting of Mantras, and lives the life according to it, he will Perceive the God. So when one concentrates , meditates on a particular Deity, he can talk , get advise get guidance from the Ishta Devata. There are many examples of this. The famous Ramakrishna Paramhauns used to 'talk' with KALI MATA.When Shabari (who was a Prices who had given up her life as Princes and was constantly chanting name of Lord Rama ,waiting for Him for her entire life) DID MEET Lord Rama. We have heard the story of Vivekananda. One day he had to give a lecture to big crowd when he was visiting US,he could not think as to what can he say in the lecture. He was alone in the hotel room and in the next room his assistant was staying. He heard Lord talks at night . He could recognize the  voice of Vivekananda, but could not recognize the other voice. It was too late so he did not go there . Next day he asked Vivekananda as to who was visiting late night, Vivekananda told him , NO ONE . But he had no problem giving lecture. The conclusion was that the LORD HIMSELF was giving him the guidance. Again the language , form time , place are are our limitation and expectations. HE COULD BE ANYONE AND ANY FORM , ANYTIME AND CAN TALK TO US IN ANY LANGUAGE OR EVEN WITHOUT MAKING A SOUND !
    But this can happen only when we have perfected the SWADHYAYA.