October 18, 2009

Q: We studied a chapter on Meditation in Self-Unfoldment book where terms of meditation (dhyaanam, ध्यानम्), thoughtlessness (samaadhi, समाधि) were briefly mentioned. Can you please explain the terms dhyaanam, savikalpa samaadhi (सविकल्प समाधि) and nirvikalpa samaadhi (निर्विकल्प समाधि)?

Question came up during class-room discussions. Study Group: Self-Unfoldment, Moderator: Venu/Babu
A: Thoughtlessness is not to be taken literally. Mind is just the flow of thoughts. While practicing meditation, the thoughts are gradually reduced. A stage will come when there will be no more thoughts. First, one reaches Savikalpa Samadhi, where there is still the awareness that one is meditating. One senses the calmness but is conscious of the stage of Samadhi. After more practice, even this notion is no more. Gurudeo used to explain that even the last thought has been 'thoughted' when one reaches the state of Nirvikalpa Samadhi. It is somewhat similar to falling asleep: one is not aware when that happens. Except that in Samadhi, there is complete alertness while in sleep there is ignorance.
Q: In Yaksha Prashna, King Yudhishtira gives the following answers for a couple of questions asked by Yaksha. Can you please elaborate on the answers?
Q1. What is heavier than earth?
A1: Mother.

Q2: What is taller than the sky?
A2: Father.

Gopal Babu, Study Group: Self-Unfoldment

A1: Heavy, by definition is something difficult to lift and carry. Runa (ऋण), the indebtedness is very heavy. One’s indebtedness to one’s mother, for all the sacrifices she has made is indeed so hefty, that it is more difficult to repay it than lifting the earth.
A2: A child always looks up to her father; the ideal that she wishes to match. One’s ideal needs to be so lofty, that one could possibly never reach it. However, the attempts to reach it makes one learn, build a better person. That is why a father is said to be taller than sky.



Q: in the 10th chapter of Geeta, while expounding that He is the best one in any domain, Bhagawaan says he is Dhananjaya among Pandavaas. Why not Yudhisthira, who is Dharma incarnate?
Diwakar, Study Group: Self-Unfoldment


A: One reason is to make Arjuna happy as Bhagawaan is addressing Arjuna and not Yudhisthira. Another reason is that even though Yudhisthira is son of Dharma, he had a weakness. He could not resist a play of dice, gambling (द्युत). This weakness caused him much loss. Loss of wealth, kingdom and even wife. Because of this major weakness he is not sited as the best. Whereas, as a warrior, there were none equal to Arjuna. He was a hero, the finest soldier. Most capable protector of Dharma.




Q: The values offered by Geeta, Hinduism are truly timeless and priceless. In spite of the advanced thinking of the religion and Gurus, why is India and Hinduism so backwards in terms of women’s rights and emancipation of the caste system?

Uma Balasubramanyan, Study Group: Self-Unfoldment




A: I think that women’s rights are most advanced in India. We have had a woman prime minister for twenty years. In our society, a woman is considered a mother and all that is noble and sacred is also considered mother. No society has glorified mother more than Indian. Now, there are certain cases of maltreatment of women, system of dowry etc. These are societal evils and not defects of the religion and culture.



We will talk about the caste system during the fourth chapter of Geeta. In brief, the caste system in theory is not the problem but as practiced it has become malevolent. The tendency to look down on other humans, the conceit that - I am of high caste and you of low - is the source of evil. That is personal, individual human folly and does not have Hindu religious sanction.




Q: In Vasana chapter, could you please elaborate on Action-less Action.
Vidya Vishvanathan, Self Unfoldment (second successful year). Moderator Keshav Murthy).



A: Action presupposes desire because without desire, one does not undertake action. Action means desire. So, action-less means desire-less. When a person performs an action which is action-less, he carries out action motivated by selfless desire. Such desire for the welfare of society is not considered harmful. That is why even jeevanmuktta purushas (जीवन्मुक्त पुरुष) are found to be working vigorously. In Geeta, Bhagwaan tells Arjuna, perform actions mandated by your duty, not for your own sake, but with a view to protecting the masses.


कर्मणैव हि संसिद्धिं आस्थिता जनकादयः
लोकसंग्रहम एवापि संपश्यन कर्तुं अर्हसि ||३:२०||