Tuesday, July 18, 2017
Aishwarya Yoga, the Yoga of Majestic Affluence
Yoga Of Majestic Affluence
(“Aishwarya Yoga Of The Lord”) “ऐश्वर्य योग”
Bhagavan Sri Krishna while expounding the Geeta, speaks of Aishwarya Yoga – Yoga of Majestic Affluence (Ch. 9 – 5). Sri Dnyaneshwar Maharaj elucidates it while furnishing simple and convincing metaphors.
To begin with he reiterates importance of Jnyana, which is Atma-Jnyana, Brahma-jnyana or Knowledge of The Self (Swaroopa-Jnyana). It bestows ever-lasting, eternal bliss.
Aishwarya Yoga explains exact format of the non-dual Divine Principle as well as true nature of Nature, exact status of ‘beings’ in Nature and relationship of ‘beings’ with the ‘Creator’.
Lastly, it emphasises unsullied unique Devotion.
It would be interesting to note at this juncture that Chapters 2, 3, 5, 7 and 8 are solely devoted to rational knowledge acceptable to Buddhi or intellect. Likewise, the ninth chapter is an invitation for the Knowledge Savvy aspirants.
While the Lord explains uniqueness of this Yoga to Arjuna, the latter has a natural but intelligent query to make. He asks as to why the common folk never sought it in spite of that being so simple, easily available and best ! Is it not strange, this indifference to such supreme knowledge ? The Lord agreed and said, it is because beings engrossed themselves in external joys and pleasures due to subservience to senses. In fact, entire visible world is an extension, expansion of One Single Whole ! (‘Ekoham bahoosyam’) . All beings are in Me, but I Am not in them. (This statement of the Lord can be understood through a simple metaphor as explained by Sri Dnyanadev. Froth is present in water but there is no water in froth.)
Then, how to understand it ? The Lord says it can be understood by transcending Maya, looking beyond without recourse to imagination.
It is said that one sees whatever is imagined ; ‘the eyes do not see what the mind does not know’! Likewise, the world becomes visible when one thinks about the world. In fact there is neither ‘existence’ nor ‘actuality’ of the universe; it ‘appears’ to ‘exist’ or ‘real’ by virtue of imagination.
The Lord emphasises that He dons vesture of the Universe being Universe Himself. Sri Dnyanadev puts forth another simile- Mirage appears because of Sun-rays, which becomes non-existent without those. It means Sun is the basis for mirage. Likewise, ‘beings’ appear by virtue of the Lord as the basis. In fact, there is no distinction between ‘beings’ and the Lord ; both are One , just as Sun and its splendour are one and the same being inseparable.
The Lord says that entire genesis or dissolution of beings is a manifestation of ‘imagination’, not Him ! He further exhorts to abandon this element of imagination through self-experience and become part of Him, mingle in Him so as to experience entire Nature as himself all the way. Therefore it becomes necessary to get over slumber of imagination and ever remain aware of one’s own Real Self !
Prakruti , Maya or Nature takes on the role of genesis, sustenance or dissolution of the world at My behests ; I need not ‘do’ anything, the Lord says. However, I Am always required just as the King is necessary to build an empire without his physical activity or toiling involved therein. Or else, entire activities take place in the light of lamp in some household, the lamp remaining indifferent and just a witness ! Similar is the case with Me; even while entire worldly activities take place at My behests, I Am aloof of those and therefore those actions do not bind Me !
Nevertheless , without understanding this tenet beings look at Me through gross vision and consider Me as having a human body. Those fools give Me a name and accuse Me of ‘doing’ activity; they even incriminate birth or death unto Me! All this is indeed contrary knowledge (विपरीत ज्ञान)
Life of such foolish people is indeed wasted; what is more, their entire learning and even ordained duties are in vain ; nothing remains after their death. However, there are a few that worship Me with pure conscience ; they lovingly venerate Me considering entire universe as My Form and Serve Me dispassionately by virtue of Knowledge about Me.
They pursue devotion unto Me through Keertan, Namamaran ; they attain salvation even without undertaking arduous path of Hatha-Yoga or Ashtanga yoga.
There are some that worship Me through Jnyana-Yajnya and they recognise My non-dual form by virtue of their knowledge borne out of duality ! They now know that even while things and beings are many , there is only One, which is Me !
Thus, I Am behind everything and the eight-fold Prakruti gives birth to universes under My aegis. I Am verily the primal sound Aum as well as entire Vedas. I Am the place where primal seed of the universe that lies dormant in Unmanifest form .
However, how unfortunate are those who do not recognise My all-pervasiveness, My omnipotence, omnipresence and omniscience ! Blind faith and devotion is of no avail to understand My true nature ; it is only exact knowledge (यथार्थ ज्ञान) that can unravel My mystery. After all, what is the use of strong wings if the eagle happens to be blind ?
Thus, the Lord explained His Aishwarya Yoga to all of us Arjunas !!
Jai Sairam
18 July 2017
Pune
(“Aishwarya Yoga Of The Lord”) “ऐश्वर्य योग”
Bhagavan Sri Krishna while expounding the Geeta, speaks of Aishwarya Yoga – Yoga of Majestic Affluence (Ch. 9 – 5). Sri Dnyaneshwar Maharaj elucidates it while furnishing simple and convincing metaphors.
To begin with he reiterates importance of Jnyana, which is Atma-Jnyana, Brahma-jnyana or Knowledge of The Self (Swaroopa-Jnyana). It bestows ever-lasting, eternal bliss.
Aishwarya Yoga explains exact format of the non-dual Divine Principle as well as true nature of Nature, exact status of ‘beings’ in Nature and relationship of ‘beings’ with the ‘Creator’.
Lastly, it emphasises unsullied unique Devotion.
It would be interesting to note at this juncture that Chapters 2, 3, 5, 7 and 8 are solely devoted to rational knowledge acceptable to Buddhi or intellect. Likewise, the ninth chapter is an invitation for the Knowledge Savvy aspirants.
While the Lord explains uniqueness of this Yoga to Arjuna, the latter has a natural but intelligent query to make. He asks as to why the common folk never sought it in spite of that being so simple, easily available and best ! Is it not strange, this indifference to such supreme knowledge ? The Lord agreed and said, it is because beings engrossed themselves in external joys and pleasures due to subservience to senses. In fact, entire visible world is an extension, expansion of One Single Whole ! (‘Ekoham bahoosyam’) . All beings are in Me, but I Am not in them. (This statement of the Lord can be understood through a simple metaphor as explained by Sri Dnyanadev. Froth is present in water but there is no water in froth.)
Then, how to understand it ? The Lord says it can be understood by transcending Maya, looking beyond without recourse to imagination.
It is said that one sees whatever is imagined ; ‘the eyes do not see what the mind does not know’! Likewise, the world becomes visible when one thinks about the world. In fact there is neither ‘existence’ nor ‘actuality’ of the universe; it ‘appears’ to ‘exist’ or ‘real’ by virtue of imagination.
The Lord emphasises that He dons vesture of the Universe being Universe Himself. Sri Dnyanadev puts forth another simile- Mirage appears because of Sun-rays, which becomes non-existent without those. It means Sun is the basis for mirage. Likewise, ‘beings’ appear by virtue of the Lord as the basis. In fact, there is no distinction between ‘beings’ and the Lord ; both are One , just as Sun and its splendour are one and the same being inseparable.
The Lord says that entire genesis or dissolution of beings is a manifestation of ‘imagination’, not Him ! He further exhorts to abandon this element of imagination through self-experience and become part of Him, mingle in Him so as to experience entire Nature as himself all the way. Therefore it becomes necessary to get over slumber of imagination and ever remain aware of one’s own Real Self !
Prakruti , Maya or Nature takes on the role of genesis, sustenance or dissolution of the world at My behests ; I need not ‘do’ anything, the Lord says. However, I Am always required just as the King is necessary to build an empire without his physical activity or toiling involved therein. Or else, entire activities take place in the light of lamp in some household, the lamp remaining indifferent and just a witness ! Similar is the case with Me; even while entire worldly activities take place at My behests, I Am aloof of those and therefore those actions do not bind Me !
Nevertheless , without understanding this tenet beings look at Me through gross vision and consider Me as having a human body. Those fools give Me a name and accuse Me of ‘doing’ activity; they even incriminate birth or death unto Me! All this is indeed contrary knowledge (विपरीत ज्ञान)
Life of such foolish people is indeed wasted; what is more, their entire learning and even ordained duties are in vain ; nothing remains after their death. However, there are a few that worship Me with pure conscience ; they lovingly venerate Me considering entire universe as My Form and Serve Me dispassionately by virtue of Knowledge about Me.
They pursue devotion unto Me through Keertan, Namamaran ; they attain salvation even without undertaking arduous path of Hatha-Yoga or Ashtanga yoga.
There are some that worship Me through Jnyana-Yajnya and they recognise My non-dual form by virtue of their knowledge borne out of duality ! They now know that even while things and beings are many , there is only One, which is Me !
Thus, I Am behind everything and the eight-fold Prakruti gives birth to universes under My aegis. I Am verily the primal sound Aum as well as entire Vedas. I Am the place where primal seed of the universe that lies dormant in Unmanifest form .
However, how unfortunate are those who do not recognise My all-pervasiveness, My omnipotence, omnipresence and omniscience ! Blind faith and devotion is of no avail to understand My true nature ; it is only exact knowledge (यथार्थ ज्ञान) that can unravel My mystery. After all, what is the use of strong wings if the eagle happens to be blind ?
Thus, the Lord explained His Aishwarya Yoga to all of us Arjunas !!
Jai Sairam
18 July 2017
Pune
