SAMADHI PAD SUTRA -24

       KLESHA ,KARMA, VIPAKA, ASHAYAIRA APARAMRUSHTAH  PURUSHA VISHESHA          ISHWARAH

GOD IS THE SPECIAL PURUSHA, WHO IS NOT TOUCHED BY AFFLICTION(IGNORANCE)

 KARMA (ACTION),FRUITS OR EFFECTS OF KARMA ,AND THE IMPRESSION OF KARMA

     In the last SUTRA we were told to surrender to the GOD. or the Ishwara. So mow in this Sutra are told the characteristic of the GOD or the ISHWARA.
     So here one must understand the difference between the GOD and the individual soul . The difference is what are the qualities of the God or the Ishwara.In Vedantic thought process the PURUSHA is one which has no qualities or the Gunas . But the nature or the PRAKRUTI has the all the qualities.So the Ishwara is the 'reflection' of the (ultimate)BRAHMAN. and the reflection of the BRAHMAN in the MAYA is the ISHWARA. The Maya  is nature with predominance of SATWA.The God controls the Maya and is in it , but not affected by it.The individual JIVA or the Soul is the 'reflection' of the the same BRAHMAN, in AVIDYA, or ignorance, which is predominance of RAJASIC quality.So both the Ishwara and the Jiva are the reflection of same Brahman. But due to ignorance , the Jiva has all the problems .These are enumerated here
     There are 5 KLESHA. These includes AVIDYA (Ignorance),ASMITA (egoism), RAGA(attachment),DWESHA(hatred) and ABHINIVESH(attachment to life).These affect the JIVA but not the Ishwara.The Karma or the action that all of us have to do and we can not get out of doing it . Even when we think we are no doing any action, we are doing it . The thinking never stops and it is an action .The breathing is also an action. So when we do any action , there is a fruit or effect of the karma or the action.This is called VIPAKA.The effects of the Karma are 3 major categories . One is JATI, which is where we are born.AAYU, which is duration of life and lastly the BHOGA , which is what kind of enjoyment or sorrows we will get .The impressions of the Karma do not go away with the death of the physical body. They are stored in the astral body or in the CHITTA. This is called ASHAYA.
    So the JIVA has to have all these things as it is in ignorance and has predominance of the Rajasic some Tamasic Gunas.So we try to get 'free' from this ignorance and then we 'know ' the ISHWARA , which is free of all these qualities.

SAMADHI PD SUTRA -23

                                                      ISHWAR PRANIDHANDVA

IN ADDITION TO (THINGS MENTIONED IN PREVIOUS SUTRAS)SURRENDERING TO THE ISHWAR(WILL LEAD TO SAMADHI)

     We were told various things to do so as to achieve the Samadhi.In this Sutra we are told that in addition to doing all the other things, we need to surrender to the GOD. But this need to be done in our day to day life , or even minute to minute existence.There are 4 languages as described in our scripture. These are PARA , PASHYNTI, MADHYAMA AND VAIKHARI. When we speak a word, it is VAIKHARI.But before a word is produced by the 'speaking apparatus', there has to be a thought and and a wave etc in the mind and the rest of the languages that I mentioned are what is stated in our scripture. So when we do the chanting or JAPA, or when we mediate with a Mantra being repeated , we are ;engaging' in GOD surrendering. But we need to do this all the time . If we do an activity at a work place , we must think about the GOD and offer it to him . If we cook , we should do it for him and so on. So our every activity , our every thought our every movement must be thought to be for HIM . This is 'unconditional surrender'. we 'thank' the God when something good happens to us and then are unhappy or 'blame' God  when thing don't go our way, This is not Surrendering.That is conditional surrendering. So when we  want something from God, we are praying or doing JAPA, and when we are doing OK then we don't even think of HIM. We need to do surrendering  WITH BODY(KAYA),SPEECH(WACHA) AND MIND(MANASA). 

SAMADHI PAD SUTRA-22

                       MRUDU MADHYA ADHIMATRATWAT TATOPI VISHESHAH

         DUE TO THE DEGREE OF PRACTICE OR SADHANA , BEING EITHER MILD,

  MODERATE OR SEVERE, HERE IS DIFFERENTIATION  OF THE YOGIES OR DEVOTEE.

       In the last one we are told that the desire and the practice or the SADHANA is intense , then the SAMADHI  is very near. Now every one can not have the intense desire and the sadhana . Some will spend 20 minutes , some will spend 3 hours and some on may not even do it daily. So each of us has different efforts and desire and sadhana . This will lead to different types of devotee, who have different time needed to get to the Goal.This very easy to understand. Then the question is why is it stated?
      Many a times we have a tendency to procrastinate. This leads to no progress or such slow progress, that we don't perceive it and then tend to completely stop the sadhana. We are told in a saying (this is in HINDI )"KAL KARE SO AAJ KAR, AAJ KARE SO AB , PALAME PRALAY HOYAGI ,BAHURI KAREGA KAB?"Which means , whatever you are planning to do tomorrow , do it TODAY , whatever you are planning to do it today, do it NOW, if you wail the LAST BIG FLOOD will occur in seconds , then you would have no time to do it.This is also stated in a old Hindi song. which states that childhood was spent in 'playing', youth was spent in 'sleeping' , and then when the old age cripes up then he stars crying stating that I did not do anything."BACHPAN KHELAME KHOYA JAWANI NINDABHAR SOYA , BUDHAPA DEKHAKAR ROYA "

SAMADHI PAD SUTRA-21

                                               TEEVRA SAMVEGANAM ASANNAH

              WITH INTENSE SPEED OF VAIRAGYA SAMADHI IS ATTAINED QUICKLY.

          In the past sutra we were told as to what is needed to obtain the SAMADHI . Now we are told that if our 'desire 'is intense and the efforts match it , we will attain the Samadhi soon . This is not a surprise. In past when we see that NBA championship game and both teams are great, but one team does little better than other , we say that "they wanted it more" This intense desire leads us to do more 'practice' and then the Samadhi is 'close ' to us.
        To illustrate this I will tell you one old story.There was this GURU and his disciple. Every day the disciple used to ask the Guru , "when I am going to see the GOD."The Guru would answer , "If you would have intense desire, then you will see the God ". This continued for some times . Then the Guru got tired of the disciple asking the same question , without changing any thing in his practice . So when he asked the same question on the banks of the river,the Guru put the disciple's head under water and would not allow him to raise it . The disciple was struggling .So at the end of minute or so  he allowed him to get his head out of water . The disciple was in shock . Then the Guru asked the disciple , why was he trying to get the head out . The disciple answered that he wanted to take a breath. Then the Guru said ,"when your desire to see the GOD would be as intense as was your desire to BREATH , you will see the GOD".
        So if desire and practice is intense , then SAMADHI is NEAR.
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SAMADHIPAD SUTRA-20

            SHRADDHA VIRYA SMRUTI SAMADHI PRADNYA POORVAK ITARESHAM

         FOR OTHERS(DEVOTEE) SAMADHI IS ATTAINED BY KEEPING FAITH, ENERGY,

         MEMORY AND INTUITIVE VISION
 In the last Sutra we re told that those who achieve  the level called Videhi and Prakrutilaya, they need the human life .Now this one states that for those ,who have not gotten to these levels, they should have Faith, Energy to continue , memory of the past achievement and Knowledge.(but this is  not  worldly knowledge or information , but it is Intuitive knowledge).
    So one can not expect the levels of the Samadhi which are so far described so far to be achieved in short time . It may take years or may be several lives. If one practices daily for 20 minutes , I don't think we will go much higher in one life. But if one practices for few hours daily , then we can get some where .But if one has to practice foe such a length of time , he is going to need lot of qualities  to be persistent in the practice. . If we don't have any success , we start questioning. "WHO HAS SEEN THIS " OR WHO KNOWS IF THIS IS CORRECT WAY" OR HOW DO YOU KNOW IF THIS IS REAL", and  many similar ones.So to continue to do the practice one needs ,FAITH.
     As one practices the "DOES AND THE DON'TS " that are to be practiced in our day to day life, we will get the Energy or VIRYA. So even if we have not achieved the higher level , we will have certain strength or energy or Virya , with continuation of the practice.
     If I am trying to play tennis , I am not going to a good player in a day or even a year. But I will be certainly a better player at the end of a year than I was on the first day of my practice. And I will be still better at the end of 2 years and so on . So the practice makes us better. This is due to the MEMORY. So our memory of our experience ,when we do meditation, will help us to get better.
    Now the PRADNYA. This is not simple knowledge .We often use the word knowledge in this physical world, in a different way than what is meant in this Sutra. When I say 'he has knowledge of computes ' I really mean he has information about computers.But Knowledge in the spiritual world is different. When we have some concentration and we realize the spiritual higher levels , that is called knowledge and that helps us going Higher and that Memory helps us getting better, and that also gives the Energy to continue the practice.
   This is what encourages us to continue.

SAMADHIPAD SUTRA -19 CONTINUED

    I had some difficulty understanding this one , So I thought I will try to explain it little better.All the things that are described , in  SAMPRADNYAT SAMADHI are related to various levels of Intellect,more or less. Even though some was related to senses , some to mind and some to actual BUDHHI or intellect.So as long there is intellect , there is going to be a feeling of 'I AM' and as long as this is there , there is some attachment . So this is one with intellect . The next stage is where there is no Intellect and this is ASAMPRSDNYAT SAMADHI.Here there is no feeling of I AM , but the CHITTA is going to the origin of the CHITTA or the origin of entire universe or the life as it began . As we know there is a singularity at the ? Beginning and there was a 'disturbance' in it . and that causes the imbalance and then there is origin of the universe.The universal Ego arises  called Ahankar. Then there is individual Ego which binds to our body.So in ASAMPRADNYAT Samadhi one has to go backward and go to the source . If this is not achieved , than we are still stuck at the Ahankar level. In Sankhya philosophy, the PURUSHA and the PRAKRUTI are different. The Purusha has no Qualities or Gunas and the Prakruti has 3 Gunas . So when there is disturbance , then there is union of the Purusha and the Prakruti and that leads to beginning of the Universe. So we will not reach the KAIWALYA until we are at the beginning of the process . Off course, since our Wasanas or desires which are not at the surface , but are 'sleeping' and are not fully destroyed , we have to continue to face the music of this world.

SAMADHI PAD SUTRA-19

                                   BHAVA-PRATYAO VIDEH PRAKRUTI LAYANAM

             THOSE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCE OF VIDEH AND PRAKRUTILAYA HAVE TO                       EXPERIENCE THE THIS WORLDLY LIFE (SAUNSAR)

         In the previous Sutras they had mentioned the stages of SAMPRADNYAT SAMADHI. Then in the last Sutra they stated the A-SAMPRADNYAT SAMADHI. So now we are told that this is not the end of our uplifting of the soul.In the stage called the SANAD there is happiness ,and involves the EGO.Since it involves Ego, which has close attachment with the body , once we reached , it is called VIDEHI, one with no bodily attachment. In the next stage ,which is called SASMIT, where the devotee has a feeling of "I AM". This is connected to Ahankar , which is the cause of Ego. This stage is at a subtler level and is called 'PRAKRUTI LAYA'.
        If one looks at these stages , he will realises that we are going deeper and deeper or more specifically subtler and subtler. Or even more specifically , we are going to the origin of the universe or at least origin of life . The senses are Gross,the subject of the senses of the are subtler .(TASTE , TOUCH , SMELL SEEING, HEARING ETC.) the Mind is subtler , than senses.and the subjects of senses. The Intellct is subtler than the Mind and Ego is subtler than Intellect..The Ahankar is the source of EGO principle and the MAT-TATWA  is at cosmic level.The prakruti is the source of the MAHAT TATWA . So now when we start going deeper  until we have reached he beginning of the world,or the universe , we will have to come back to Human existence to continue the progress.
    PURUSHA IS SEPARATE FROM THE PRAKRUTI. And the 3 GUNAS are only with the NATURE or PRAKRUTI. So when there is 'disturbance in the Prakruti due to imbalance of the 3 Gunas , then starts the  Mahat Tatwa. . When the Ahankar originates in to the MAHAT TATWA , that is called the HIRANYA GARBH. The individual Ahankar , which is Ego causes one to 'feel' "I AM" So until we dissolve all these different sates , we can can not experience the KAIWALYA, THE ULTIMATE EXPERIENCE  from which we don't have to 'return'.This will be explained little bit better in the next Blog.