Inner Engineering by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev

Inner Engineering is another eye-opening book by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev. Boundariless unity with everything around us is not just a theory but an experiential reality, and to realize this, we need to get in touch with our energy bodies (praanamaya kosha). This then opens the door to the highest and subtlest dimensions of reality. All we need to do to get in touch with our life energies is put a tiny bit of distance between ourselves and our bodies and minds. As the overwhelming hold of mind and body weakens, one starts getting in touch with the energy body. This is the purpose of all preparatory exercises in yoga, and perhaps the purpose of all religions and paths too. 

The book is split into two main parts. The first gives a glimpse of the goal and the second and larger section deals with the path, I.e., how to prepare the body, mind and our energies so that they may help rather than hinder our progress. Throughout, some very simple "saadhanaas" or practices have been added for those who don't want to stop at just the reading of the book. Almost all these are very simple and most don't even require much time per day. 

The goal part starts with a bit about Sadhguru's childhood, and there is mention of a little extra sensory perception that had started developing even then. These aspects are brought out in greater details in a biography by Arundhati Subramaniam and therefore that biography is also a must-read of sorts. As a boy, Sadhguru was physically strong and loved climbing up walls of wells (drinking water was drawn from wells in many places in those days). Once, Malladihalli Swamy - a famous hathayoga practitioner and teacher who was already in his seventies at that time - saw the boys at play and decided to impress Sadhguru by climbing the wall even faster than Sadhguru himself could. Awe-struck, Sadhguru asked how this was possible and Malladihalli Swamy then offered to teach him some hatha yoga exercises. Sadhguru says that once he started the exercises, his body would be up very early every morning like clockwork - whereas until then, he had been the perpetual late riser. More importantly, he adds later in the book, much later in life he also realized that the physical benefits were far from all - rather, the hatha yoga practices are designed to help the body and mind develop higher capabilities too. 

There is mention of the famous incident on Chamundi hill - his first experience of samadhi, at least in this life. To use his famous words, until then, he thought of himself as located in the body and so there was a clear demarcation between the "me" and the "you". The Chamundi hill type experiences happened often afterwards too, and these were associated with other experiences like a flooding of memories from past lives, etc. There is a clear emphasis on taking responsibility for everything that we are and will be, and Sadhguru goes into some length to clarify what responsibility does and does not mean. Our ability to act in particular situations may be limited, but this should not diminish our sense of responsibility for whatever is happening around us. In a sense, all human experience is self-created, so taking total responsibility is a must. 

The goal part ends with a chapter on yoga itself. The five sheaths or bodies are mentioned (annamaya kosha, etc.). The "food body" and "mental body" are part of our common experience and so is the energy body, to an extent. Beyond this is the knowledge body, which is a link between the physical and non-physical aspects of reality and finally, the "bliss body" is discussed, which is completely non-physical. Sadhguru says that in this dimension, one is not available to the processes of time, and when in touch with this, yogis have been known to survive for large amounts of time without any physical support. Towards the end of the book, of course, he adds that once the practitioner is out of these states, body and mind again need to be cared for. While the sheaths may be beyond our current experience, yoga does not require people to work with the unknowns. Working with the physical body to attain to yoga is part of what is called karma yoga, working with emotions is part of bhakti yoga, working with the intellect gives jnana yoga and working with life energies is part of kriyaa yoga. In most cases, some combination of these methods is required, or in other words, all these four aspects of personality need to come together for the higher unity to be realized experientially. Yoga (and perhaps all methods) creates a science around these preparatory disciplines which help prepare body, mind and the energy systems to work towards the goal, rather than pulling them back into their deep-rooted identification with mind and body. 

Here, readers of Krishnamurti may worry about whether there is a contradiction between yoga or other disciplines pursued as a method, and Krishnamurti's teaching that "Truth is a pathless land". While the present author has only read a few books by K and is not an authority on K's writings , there is at least one serious interpretation which shows that there is no contradiction. A path implies a set method, and sincerity of purpose itself requires that practitioners be open to changing methods when necessary in the interests of the goal. Closer home, if a musician felt the need to work on his back to prevent backaches, and reduced hours at practice for a few years in favor of going to the gym, would we say that he is an aberrant and a delinquent and should not have done that? Or, if elections are to determine who rules, would we object to a particular election being disqualified in light of evidence of malpractices? Or, fearing too much flexibility and the resulting possibility of mischief, if a religious practitioner chose to never marry, would we call it hypocrisy and always condemn? Similarly, perhaps, sincerity itself demands that paths be adjusted as per the requirements of different practitioners. And once we make things flexible, they are not strictly set "paths", although they may still help. Finally, no system, including yoga, says that a sequence of steps necessarily leads to enlightenment. The ground realities are complex, and all that they claim is that these practices can be enablers and may help. Beyond that, no system promises enlightenment with guarantees. So in both these senses, there is no contradiction between the paths being helpful and truth being a pathless land. In fact, if we were speaking sincerely, it could not be otherwise. 

In the next part of the book, many helpful details have been provided to keep the body and mind in a healthy and conducive state, so that they work for the goal. Some pieces of advice are things we've heard everywhere just from a health perspective, but there are other suggestions too. Breathing techniques are useful not only from a health perspective but also in expanding awareness and consciousness beyond sense perceptions. Since yoga considers everything material to be a play of five basic elements (loosely translated as the earth, air, water, ether and fire), so cleansing of the 5 elements in the body, through one practice or the other, is an essential component of most yogic practices prescribed to aspirants. The sanskrit term is "bhuta shuddhi", I.e., cleansing of the elements. The practices need not always be complex - simpler practices like considering everything we use in our work or worship as holy also go a long way. 

Both in the context of mind and body, Sadhguru advises that it is good to remember that there is an inherent longing for cosmic unity too (other than inertial tendencies which create structure and stability, but in excess, may lead to lethargy and delusion). This insatiable longing differentiates man from animals, and cannot be satisfied merely by excessive consumption or activity. This is where yoga and similar practices come in. They can control ill effects of these longings in practitioners and also help prepare the body and mind for the final satisfaction - the experiential reality of boundariless unity. 

With the mind, the main advice is to check what we are identified with, because intellect then gets used as a sharp instrument to protect that identification. A tiny bit of distance between ourselves and our identities as bodies, minds, role models of this or that kind, practitioners of this or that kind, etc., is helpful so that the reality of beyond - the energy body and related doors - can come into the field of actual experience. These days we are so obsessed with thought and mind that our psychological reality has no relationship with our existential reality either. 

After body and mind, the book goes into what can be done on the energy level. The energy body is not experienced by indulgence in matters of body or mind, although this does not mean that we should not be involved with the things of the body or mind. Other than meditative practices, related practices like awareness of our compulsive tendencies also help in a big way. However, energy work is quite real, and activation of the throat chakra, for example, creates powerful personalities which may require some control too. This is why Sadhguru says that he worked for over twenty years to modify the shambhavi mahamudra in a way such that the deeper spiritual benefits would remain, but the possibility of misuse of the power created would be eliminated. Other than working with the chakras mentioned in the yogic and tantric literature, there is also a long-standing tradition in India of consecrating temples and idols so as to imbue them with the right kind if energy to help people in different ways in their lives. Idols are mostly consecrated with powers of only one or two main chakras, and therefore help people in particular ways only. For example, the muladhaar chakra, literally, the foundation or base, helps determine the life span and stability of life in general, while the ajna chakra, between the eyebrows, helps in intellectual liberation. Sadhguru's lifetime achievement - the dhyaanalinga - is the only idol with all 7 major chakras awakened. Consecration, says Sadhguru, requires no further maintenance if done by "prana pratishthaa". While prana pratishthaa is a commonly known practice, Sadhguru emphasises that it involves consecration by one's life energies and so it is clear to the reader that the true process is best handled by someone who has experience of the energy body and expertise to use it. When idols are consecrated only by mantras, etc., he says, regular maintenance is required, else the receding energy can even harm people in the vicinity. In another book, he has added that with the bhakti movement in medieval times, this science of consecration went on the decline and idols were then established by devotees not as consecrated centres of energy but as a celebration of their devotion. Therfore, it is quite possible that the argument about receding energy may not apply to a large number of temples currently in place in India. 

About prana pratishthaa of idols and consecration of temples and spaces in general, it is well accepted that they are not described in the Vedas themselves - where the fire rituals (yagyas) dominate. These practices are described in what are called the Aagama shaastras. There are 3 sections of these shaastras - Shaivite, Vaishnavite and Shaakta (from shakti or devi). Each section constitutes of dozens of books, so the main Aagamas total up to more than a hundred and there are other minor aagamas too. The shaakta aagamas alone constitute the "tantras", but sometimes the entire set of Aagamas are also referred to as "tantras". Although evidence of these books being available goes back to only about the first millennium AD, it is interesting to note that the Vaikhaanas aagamas are attributed to very famous rishis like Atri, Bhrigu, Kashyap and Vasishtha, all of whom are Vedic rishis, with mantras attributed to them in the RigVeda too. There are also stray references to Rishi Vaikhaanasa and a sect by that name in a few ancient texts, so it is possible that parts of the Aagamas are older. 

All the Aagama traditions pay homage to the Vedas and accept the Vedas to be the supreme authority, so there is no conflict in hierarchy relative to the Vedas. Sects going by the Vaikhaanasa name are folowers of the Krishna YajurVeda. Whatever the antiquity of these books and sects, they are quite numerous in number, and mostly follow a standard format with jnana (knowledge), yoga, kriyaa (rituals including temple worship), and charyaa ( rules of ethical conduct) included in each text. It would be quite difficult to try to gather all consecration rituals from these books in a short while, but the essential procedures are available in short worship books available in the market too. 

So energy work was extremely popular in India at one time, and these Aagamas are the texts which describe these procedures. Wikipedia has information on these traditions. As for Sadhguru, he himself is an expert at consecration, and seems to perform prana pratishthaa directly using life energies. Such energy centres can also be used to assist on the path, although none of it may be necessary for the advanced seeker. He believes that energy work came to disrepute due to occultists using it for personal gain rather than spiritual upliftment, but in itself, even the occult is just a technology, so it is not good or bad by itself. Body, mind and energy work - including some of the grandest terms in yoga like nirvikalpa samadhi - have all been described so simply and logically in the book that it seems natural to conclude that every word has come from direct experience. And this includes those lines where he asks us to not force logic on ourselves in situations where it is not required 

Sadanand Tutakne

Agni, the Creative Flame: Part 3

The 6th essay in the book by Feuerstein and Miller supports their thesis that Agni is the most enigmatic and dynamic of all ghe dieties in the RigVeda, and although western commentators may have overlooked it, it is clear from the mantra portion of the RigVeda itself that the deeper and sublter forces represented by the fire element were not unknown to Vedic rishis. In fact, very often, the mantras indicate a sublter meaning, and extremely literal translations are not sufficient. At the outset, they mention that Agni represents so many different things - at the very least, it stands for the warmth which sustains creation (sub-atomic forces), the fire of destruction, the flame of purification and the flame of love. Across nations and over the ages, it has held its special place. Deuteronomy says "The Lord is a consuming fire". The Lord descended on Mount Sinai in a fire, and only Moses could stand this fire. He had to veil his face when he turned to talk to other common folk because they would otherwise have fled in terror. The prophet Elijah was taken up to the heavens in a fire. In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit manifested as tongues of fire at Pentacost and illumined each apostle with divine light. In the Vedas, water was the element chosen to represent matter, the great nurturing mother, while the seed of life within the mother was represented by fire, Agni. The authors say that a deep spiritual experience underlies this special place given to the fire element, and that the richaas (mantras) of the RigVeda show that the rishis implied these deeper meanings often. In fact, the cryptic statements in some mantras point to whole science underlying the praises and exaltations, which has unfortunately gone unnoticed in western commentaries. 

Here, I would like to remind readers that the ancient Indian tradition talks of all manifest creation as arising from the five basic elements - translated loosely as earth, water, fire, air and space. Since all material creation comes from their combinations, it seems obvious that a rishi praising external gross water or fire or air would also be implying the subtle nature of the deity. Perhaps to some Indians, therefore, such subtler interpretations would not be surprising at all. I believe the confusion is because the mantra portion of the Vedas was used, historically, for collective yajnas (fire sacrifice rituals), and therefore, a large number of mantras pray for peace, prosperity, children, cattle, horses, protection, wisdom and happiness. This is why the mantra portion in the samhitaas is called the ritualistic portion (karma kaanda). On the other hand, the upanishads speak almost exclusively about self-realization, the supreme Truth, and the meditative practices required on the inner path, so the upanishads are called the knowledge part (jnaana kaand). This segmentation has probably led to the belief that the mantras, being older, are merely "songs of cowherds", while the later upanishadic texts are written by a society capable of philosophy and scientific knowledge. This is an extreme view and is found wanting when we focus attention on the numerous instances in the mantras where literal meanings simply do not apply and a subtler interpretation has to be explored. 

The authors mention that at least 3 different forms of external, physical fire are mentioned in the hymns of the RigVeda - fire by friction, solar fire and electric fire (lightening, etc.). However, western (and some eastern) commentators have often failed to notice that along with the literal physical meaning, each type of fire also has its symbolic and spiritual significance. The three births of Agni and his three abodes have been mentioned in several places in the RigVeda. The Brihad-devataa of Shaunaka mentions the three ramifications of Agni as Agni in this world, Indra and Vayu in the middle regions and as Surya (Sun God) in the heavens. These regions are also to be understood as the material, spiritual and intermediate realms. So when RigVeda 1.59.2 (Mandala 1, 59th sukta, 2nd mantra) talks of Agni as the forehead of the sky and the navel of the earth and the messenger between them, it also implies the uniting of the opposite poles in the awakened man, besides the fact that the Sun above and the sacrificial fire below on the earth are both essentially Agni's forms and Agni himself performs the role of the link between them too. So agni does not only represent fire, heat and electricity or the fire of creation, warmth and destruction, but also the inner fires, and in particular, efforts made by the seeker on the spiritual path. 

The authors have quoted several mantras from the RigVeda in particular, to support this. Some mantras do not even allow a purely physical interpretation. For example, RigVeda 4.1 (1st sukta of the 4th mandala), by Vamadev Gautam is considered to be highly symbolic. The 13th mantra of the sukta talks of how our forefathers freed milk-giving cows (go, in sanskrit) from dark caves. The 15th mantra of the same sukta says that the cows were freed by chanting holy mantras in the name of agni, which helped open the blocked door of the cave where they were held. The forefathers were desirous of cattle and hence did this, says the earlier (13th) mantra. Even common people today are aware that the sanskrit word "go" also means rays of light, and has forever been a symbol of spiritual illumination in literature. With this in mind, the symbolic meaning of these verses becomes absolutely clear. The writers note that the 4th mandala is considered to be among the most ancient of the vedic mantras, implying that this symbolism in the vedas cannot be dismissed as a much more recent addition. 

While the authors have referred to numerous mantras in their support, let me point to a few others which are even more explicitly spiritual and cannot be called songs of cowherds desirous of health and progeny. RigVeda 1.36.1, by Kanva Ghaur, says that we, the performers of these yagyas, by our subtle mantras, describe that greatness which develops the divinity in man, and that this greatness has been praised by rishis everywhere. Sri Aurobindo's translation (added below) also attests to the fact that the mantra talks of spiritual search, not cattle or riches. 

"The master of many peoples who labour towards the godhead, we seek for you with words of perfect expression, Agni whom others also everywhere desire." (- from Hymns to the Mystic Fire) 

Similarly, Sri Aurobindo has mentioned RigVeda 1.164.39 in his introduction to "Hymns to the mystic fire". In this mantra, rishi Dirghatamas says that the indestructible hymns fill the entire sky (ether) and all gods reside in them. Moreover, he adds - for those who do not know this, whst can the rik (vedic hymns) do? 

Another example is from from RigVeda 10.85.3, where the rishikaa (lady rishi) Suryaa Saavitri says that in preparing and drinking the juice from the soma plant, people think they know Soma, but the real Soma known to the wise knowers of Brahman - that is never drunk. 

These examples are not all. In other places too, the poets of the mantras have indicated that the real meaning is different from the literal one. Sri Aurobindo has also mentioned in his introduction mentioned above that the way "go" means light and stands for spiritual illumination, so does the vedic horse symbolize spiritual power. The vedic fire ritual also stands for the ritual between the heavens and the earth, and as mentioned earlier, the sky often stands for the spiritual sky and earth for material creation. The bull's lair, therefore, must be interpreted as the home of the gods, otherwise we would be ignoring how many times Indra has been called a great bull in the vedas. 

The list goes on, and the authors of the essay make no mistake in pointing out that in light of numerous such suggestions, many seemingly simple mantras also need to be re-interpreted. In case of Vamadeva in the 4th mandala, for example, they point out that simply the use of the words "chakrapanta dhi-bhih" for praying with vedic mantras, suggests the use of mantras as chariots which take the chanters to higher realms. This idea of mantras as chariots was certainly present in those days, according to the expert authors. The fire "produced by rubbing lotuses" hardly has any interpretation unless we think of either the puranic tale of creation from the lotus which arose from Vishnu's navel, or of the energy centres (chakras) in the human body which are symbolized as lotuses everywhere in later tantric and yogic literature. Agni must therefore be understood as the fire of penances, or spiritual practices in general, and in this sense, agni is not just the beginning and end of material creation, it is also the heart of RigVedic religion. 

So the authors have supported their view with dozens of quotations and we may agree that the mantra portion of the vedas may need to be interpreted keeping in mind these symbols. However, it is well accepted that going by the number of mantras dedicated to them in the RigVeda, Indra was probably number one and Agni, the "number two" of the vedic deities. Surely, Indra and all other gods have also been called sustainers of creation, omnipresent, etc., in addition to specific roles given to their personified images. Then why do these authors not pick Indra and Agni both as the heart of religion? While guessing comes with its risks, it is likely that Indra, being the cow which was milked by the great powers in different ways to create the material universe, may have come to be associated with the "passive Brahman" from whom all creation arose. Possibly, only in his fire form, as Agni, could Indra reside in dualistic or manifest creation, and help in the work of liberation. As they say in India, the path to all the higher realms opens only with the blessings of the "devi", the mother goddess. It is easy to pray to the devi because she is present to the seeker as a mother who understands her children's needs. It is not possible to simply jump from dualistic reality to the supreme non-dual One, without this intermediate stage, and religion is needed mostly for these intermediate seekers. Maybe this is why none but Agni, the Fire God, the symbol not only of physical but also of spiritual effort and desire, could be called the Heart of RigVedic religion. 

Sadanand Tutakne

Shiva: Dark Matter, God and First Yogi

Adiyogi is thus variously described in a recent book by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, co-authored with Arundhati Subramaniam. The book itself is called "Adiyogi". The main ideas are from Sadhguru but the co-author gets all credit for the masterly exposition and fine description of the questions and context. Fine here is in the sense of "refined", a superlative term. Not just average. Some themes from the book are outlined below. 

1. Shi-va, according to Sadhguru, literally means "that which is not". A no-thing, with the hyphen being very important. This no-thing is the lap in which creation occurs. Yogic tradition, he says, has always held that beyond creation lies this realm of stillness, which is the substratum of all creation. It is interesting to see that modern scientists also now believe that some unseen dark energy is the source of creation which holds and shapes the perceived part of creation. While this point is impactful, it is equally important to also remember Adiyogi in his manifest forms. One is that of a God, around whom many myths may have been created, probably with lots of symbolic meaning. Equally important is his role as a yogi walking this earth, taking up a human form, training the seven great sages in the sciences of self realization and liberation, sending them to different continents to teach future generations, and leaving behind a gigantic repository of spiritual knowledge in the rocks of Kailash (mansarovar), Kailash of the south (Velliangiri mountains) and maybe other places too. This repository too, like the "inner intranet", is accessible to Sadhguru, and if there was a point to it, he could probably trace even the details of the personal life of Adiyogi from what remains still in those rocks. However, it seems more prudent to spend hours downloading the limitless spiritual knowledge and technology which has been left behind. Some of this knowledge/technology, he says, is for advanced yogis who have direct experience of higher realms, but it is very reassuring to note that a whole lot of it is also knowledge meant for those without any deeper spiritual realization. As recorded in the Shiva sutras, Shiva explained several paths to liberation to his wife and consort, Parvati. This is because although his own human body may have been only "taken on" or created by him, he was acutely aware of the possibilities and limitations of the human beings around him, and was clearly concerned with providing them with the knowledge and technology to transcend. Sadhguru says that a human yogi could spend a lifetime studying a small strand of what Adiyogi has left behind in these rocks. Adiyogi therefore remains way above the humans, although he uses humans like Sadhguru to transmit constantly. Those who have raised their consciousness enough can receive and understand the transmission itself, and others can learn from the re-transmission, so to speak, via the human gurus. 

2. The need to re-tell Shiva's story is because the world needs it today. The threat to human evolution, he says, is less from the illiterate than from the so-called educated. The intellect, he says, works like an axe and is successful in cutting everything down via divisive reasoning. It is essential in places, of course. However, many things in life require a finer instrument. Stitching with a knife only leaves a cloth in shreads. Similarly, we need an elevation in human consciousness today because consciousness is fundamentally an inclusive phenomenon. Yoga is therefore for those whose "selfishness" is unlimited and includes everything and everyone. As it is natural to fix a hurt arm or toe, it then becomes natural and normal to fix what needs to be fixed. 

3. The legend about the destruction of the three cities, Tripura, may have a psychological interpretation. The Tripura cities were created by power-hungry occultists. When their exploitation knew no bounds, the problem was brought to Adiyogi's notice. The three cities had to be aligned in a straight line and destroyed together, otherwise they re-generated themselves. So Adiyogi waited for the alignment to be perfect, and then just lifting his eyebrows, shot an arrow from his third eye which brought the three down together. Similarly, says Sadhguru, pride arises due to an erroneous sense of individual importance. This gets fuelled by greed and when it is threatened, gives rise to fury. The three devils have to be conquered together. Once the scattered energies are aligned together, they can be understood and shot down together by the adept master. Even the negative feelings, says Sadhguru, have no autonomous existence and are part of the larger flow of life energies. When they are understood together as such, they can be transcended, but not in isolation. The entire foundation of divisive consciousness has to be shot down together. It is not done piecemeal. 

4. When Sadhguru camped overnight at Kumar Parvat, he couldn't help his body straightening up and dismantling the small tent he was sleeping in. It seems Kartikeya, one of Shiva's sons, after some years of fighting every injustice he could find, gave up his body here in a standing position. It took Kartikeya a little time to understand that in a state of rage, anything different from one's own notions can seem unfair. Therefore, to pledge to undo every wrong in that state of mind would mean killing everyone except oneself. In a sense, the inner demons are also as powerful as the outer ones. Therefore, at some point, he decided to stop killing the outer demons and focus on the inner one. 

5. Legend says that Shiva roared when his "feminine energy", Shakti, recoiled and pierced into his chest. The roars finally led to manifest creation. Sadhguru says the 112 physical chakras suggest that Shiva roared 112 times. The two further chakras are non-physical, and much more difficult to realize. Interestingly, scientists also theorize that there may have been multiple big bangs which led to creation. A series of bangs can easily sound like a roar - like a car engine without a manifold, says Sadhguru. So the one who roared, the "Rudra", could be getting studied by scientists as a series of bangs which started off creation. 

6. Creation is from sound and every form has a corresponding sound. Some sounds therefore have direct power over material creation. This realization us the basis of mantra science and these root sounds are also the foundation from which the Sanskrit language later developed. 

7. The story of the "human" life of the great teacher told in the book sounds familiar to what we hear in the puranas. Only, they are often explained in very modern and scientific ways and language. Additinally, many may find it very informative to know why Shiva is also called lord of trees (Vrikshanath), lord of time (Kalpeshwar, Kala Bhairav, and Maha Kaal), the one facing south (Dakshinamurti), and not the least, Sadhguru's 50 percent partner in all his endeavours.

Sadanand Tutakne 

Turiya, the Transcendental State

Sri M., the living Nath yogi, has published a sequel to his autobiography. As with the original book, the sequel also mentions wonderful and marvellous events, including glimpses of past lives, astral travel, etc., which stretch our notions of "human" capabilities. Yet, what elicits the deepest gratitude from the reader is the record of some of his conversations with his guru, Maheshwarnath Babaji. Once we are convinced that the advanced yogis have a greater perception or understanding, the inevitable question arises as to how we can develop our own understanding. Here, the inspiration from the amazing is bolstered by the reassurance from experience, and gives the reader a new ray of hope that maybe he/she too could perhaps understand. In some of these conversations, Sri M mentions what Maheshwarnath Babaji told him about the ego, the right kind of practice, and the connection with the supreme witness consciousness (Turiya of Mandukya Upanishad). 

While the mention of Turiya in the Mandukya Upanishad is well known, Wikipedia adds that the same idea is also found in other and older Upanishads. Briefly, people are normally aware of only 3 main states of consciousness - the waking state, the dream state and deep (dreamless) sleep. The upanishads state that beyond these three, there is a fourth (chaturiya, from which perhaps the word turiya is derived) which is the substratum of the three and bears witness to the activities in the other three states. Once, during his stay with his guru, Sri M asked the guru to explain these references to the Turiya state and the answers given by his guru have been retold in the book. The answer is related to the answers on meditation and the identity of the observer and the observed (as Krishnamurti put it). The observer and the observed are nothing but a group of thoughts (or, parts of the same brain) differentiating themselves from some others. Inasmuch as both sets of ideas arise and play within the human brain, the grouping is somewhat arbitrary and it is clear that they are all part of the larger field of thoughts within the brain. Realizing this deeply, it seems the sages could "see" the rightful place of the individual ego as but a small bubble within the larger field, and this helped them attain a state of consciousness in which the field was primary and the ego was of no essential importance. This larger field, as it happens, is universal and at a different level, is also an ultimate witness to all states of consciousness through which the individual passes. Therefore, it is what people call the "Atman"(self or soul) and this Atman is also the universal Brahman. 

Other parts of the book are equally helpful, at different levels. In some chapters, Sri M describes his astral travels and experiences in the dream state. Sometimes, other powers are discussed - like that of disappearing by controlling the light absorbed by the body or by the much more difficult method of disintegrating and later re-integrating the root forces that constitute the body. Similarly, in one chapter, the story of Sadhu Ananda is described - an IIT engineer who gave up a comfortable career for self-realization but still could attain to the deeper realizations and samadhi exoeriences which he wanted to have. He had all but given up hope and was naturally quite disillusioned until one fine day, an elderly master yogi visited him from nowhere, and agreed to stay one night at his cottage. After finally experiencing deep samadhi, Sadhu Ananda remained a wanderer and years later, left for even higher and more difficult-to-scale regions of the Himalayas. These parts clearly inspire and are most needed by people who cannot do without some proof of the impact the practices can have.

Some other chapters provide practical tips - like the story where a master tells the disciple to stretch the mind like the strings of a musical instrument (neither too little, nor too much). The guidance goes a long way in preventing devotees from going to dangerous extremes. Similarly, the chapter where he is astrally taken to a cave which contains remnants of an extraterrestrial visit forces us to rethink some basics we take for granted. Stories from his own past lives remind us of the laws of karma and profess the idea of transmigration of the "soul". Equally importantly, they bring out not only the trancendence of many famous gurus (like Ramakrishna Paramahansa) but also their deep sympathy and kindness for their fellow human beings.

Sadanand Tutakne

Agni, the Creative Flame - Part II

In the last essay, I boldly declared that the reason why the authors suggested a new classification of the eight limbs of Patanjali's Yoga was that they wanted readers to look carefully at the more limited meaning of "tapas" - i.e., tolerance of "dualities". Further reading of the other essays, however, suggests that it could be simply that the authors were so in awe of the deeper and wider meaning of the Vedic "agni", the source of heat, light, and therefore, also the essence of any "tapasya", that they felt that "tapa" (literally, heat) should be given the most prominent place in all Vedic discussions, including discussions of Patanjali's yoga! Indeed, even the creation of the universe has been said to have been from the original "tapas" of the Universal One - therefore, how could we ever allow "tapas" to be called only one of the many rules (niyamas) of yoga! While the larger meaning of tapas is the more commonly understood one today (including any austerities done for spiritual purposes), people may not have realized how deep the meaning of this term is in the Vedas. Even the primordial "desire" which led to the creation of the universe is included within the purview of the words "tapas" and "agni" - although that was the tapas of the Almighty One (on it own Self, if we may put it that way). In another essay, therefore, they place "agni" (fire, literally) at the "heart of RigVedic religion". To wit, even Patanjaliji should not have used this great word in a limited sort of way! 

Let us look at essays 3-5 of the book today. 

3. The Hymn of Creation

(a) The famous "Naasadeeya sukta" has 9 stanzas. According to the authors, commentators who find no real meaning in it merely lack depth of understanding. In the first stanza, when it says "The Unmanifest was not then, or the Manifest", it refers to being and non-being as we know it, not in an absolute sense. It is clear from the other verses that the rishi is not suggesting that there was no life or being of any kind earlier - only that it was not "truth" or "being" as we know it. The line clearly anticipates the Samkhya idea of evolution and involution, as also the ideas regarding the "days" and "nights" of Brahmaa. Describing the impersonal One as "self-moved" and "pulsating" in the second stanza makes it clear that the rishi wanted to convey the idea of a "living being". After all, "breath" is the main characteristic of life, although breath itself may be caused by deeper "movements", expansions and contractions which we may not be able to perceive normally. 

(b) In the third stanza, there is mention of "flame-power" bringing into existence that which emerged from the void which enveloped it - a clear indication of what "tapas" meant to the rishis. The larger void has been described as "salilam" (the depths, or the waters) here, clearly showing how the oceans and "waters" in general referred often in the Vedas to space in general, and even more precisely to that original indeterminate material of "nature" into which the germ of life was placed by the Creator. Again, this is by way of explanation - we are not suggeting that the stanza betrays a dualistic viewpoint (of consciousness being different from "inert" nature). In describing how flame-power brought something into existence, the authors mention Sri Aurobindo's explanation - that consciousness, by tapas (penance, meditation, concentration, heat), brings about that which is concealed within itself. They add that such explanations cannot easily be provided by people who are not masters of meditation - therefore, it is quite natural that commentators who never took the help of modern day seers like Sri Aurobindo could never quite interpret this verse well. Similarly, they refer to the Maitrayaniya upanishad, where it is said that the Divine One generated heat, and the heat is a person and the person is the universal fire (agni). The qualification of heat as a person, according to the authors, is simply a way of making clear that the first born (Agni) was / is an intelligent force, not inert matter. 

(c) The fourth stanza uses the word "kaama" (desire) for the reason why the Impersonal One started His creation. However, this desire should not be thought of as being as limited as sensual human desires. Desire has been used here in the highest sense - it is the root propelling force, even called the seed of mind (mind being the faculty of discrimination). In the Atharvaveda, the authors say, Agni (fire) has also been called kaama, who is the creative desire and the first born too. Desire here, therefore refers to the expression of the "tapas" of the Universal One, the flame by which "That" brought forth creation from within Itself. (We all do a bit of this in our dreams, but that is at an extremely small scale, relatively, and moreover, our dreams are mostly unconscious too. Therefore, the analogy may not be correct for that reason as well.) The stanza then mentions that the seers, by searching their hearts, found the kinship between the created and the uncreate. The authors explain that matter is energy and energy may ultimately be "mind-stuff". Thus, the manifest is rooted in the unmanifest - it is brought forth in evolutionary cycles and resolved back into the original force(s) in the involutionary cycles. 

(d) The fifth stanza introduces some manifest differentiation into the One, mentioning mighty powers and "seed-bearers". There was "energy below, will above". In fact, there was now an above and a below, says a verse. The last two stanzas ask who at all could know this, given that the Gods themselves came into existence after this? Perhaps He who surveys this entire universe may know, or maybe even He may know not! The authors mention that the use of the personal He (as opposed to the impersonal "That") is important, because although "He" is the great surveyor of the manifest universe, the impersonal "That" is even higher. The purpose is to place the "That" at the very highest 

levels humans can ever conceive of - even higher than the Almighty of the manifest universe. 

4. The Meaning of Suffering in Yoga

(a) As mentioned earlier, this essay talks about the view of suffering in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. Tendencies (vrittis) are either conditioned by ignorance (kleshas) or not conditioned by ignorance. The kleshas are themselves of 5 kinds, but with the first one being the root cause of all others. They are - avidya (ignorance), asmita (I-am-ness), raga (attachment), dvesha (aversion) and abhinivesha (thirst-for-life). Action conditioned by ignorance brings about cycles of rebirth and sorrow. Ignorance leads to identification of the seer with the seen, which is the direct cause of suffering. Suffering, according to Patanjali, arises in consequences, heat (mental vibrations which cause suffering) and sub-concious impressions, and also because of the opposite movements of the gunas (primary energies). Therefore, says Patanjali, everything is nothing but sorrow to the one who discrimminates. The grosser aspect of the klishta vrittis (tendencies conditioned by ignorance) are eliminated by meditation (dhyaana), but the subtler aspects are only eliminated by the highest states of samadhi. 

  

(b) The authors add that while the tendencies not conditioned by ignorance (aklishta vrittis) are helpful in countering ignorance, they too lie within the sphere of ignorance. Therefore, in the ultimate endeavour, they too need to be dissolved. Of course, many of these ideas have been found useful in psychotherapy too, although the purpose of yoga is higher. 

5. Forerunners of Yoga: The Kesin Hymn 

RigVeda X.136 has seven verses, which seem to describe the amazing "long-haired ones". Although the "long--haired one" is  term which has also been used for the Sun in the Vedas, that meaning does not apply here. Many of the 7 verses explicitly talk about the "munis" (monks, people who perform austerities), and that meaning applies to the first verse as well. The amazing powers described in some verses are also, thereby, not powers of the Sun God, but powers of these "munis" who have been described here. Even if we allow for some debate about the first verse, the other verses make it clear that the munis were considered exceptionally advanced and remind us of some of the powers that Patanjali too has described in the Yoga Sutras. Comparing the Sun God to munis - if the other meaning of "kesi" is to be taken all the way - itself makes it clear that the munis were considered to be highly advanced in their spiritual achievements and worldly powers. 

(a) The first verse says that the long-haired one endures heat (agni), poison and the two worlds. He sees the world and the heavens and is said to be that light. Poison here surely suggests tolerance to the "poison of the world", but could also refer to the ability to physically withstand some amount of actual poison.The use of the term "svar" when talking about their gaze suggests that the verse refers to their wisdom (vision), which was not limited to a worldly kind of wisdom. The second verse adds that they glide with the wind when the gods penetrate them. This gliding probably does not refer to physical gliding, but to the power - mentioned later by Patanjali too - of being able to project the subtle body out of the physical, via meditative techniques. In the third verse, the rishi of the verse confirms the point by saying clearly that the mortals only behold the physical bodies of "us munis". 

(b) The fourth verse talks of the muni as traversing the middle region, divinely impelled, and being the friend of every god due to his piety. The "middle region" is a translation of "antariksha", which ordinarily means space or sky. Here, as per Sri Aurobindo, it refers to a middle plane of consciousness which is subtler than the gross consciousness of the material world (the "earth"), yet not as refined and subtle as the consciousness in the highest spiritual worlds (svar-loka). From these middle regions, it is clear how the sage flies, shining down on all forms (on the earth). The next verse seems to confirm this, saying that the muni is the "wind's steed", friend of the Lord of Life and that he dwells within "both oceans, the upper and the lower". Not knowing about yogic methods of control of life energy, some commentators write that this verse refers to the Sun God, who is the "wind's steed". However, other commentators have pointed out that methods of breath control as part of penances (tapas) were well known in the Vedic times - and in fact, other than the rishis (who may have been more "insiders" and householders), at least 3 groups of ascetics were known at that time - the munis, the vraatyas and the brahmachaaris. Thus, it would not be surprising if the term "wind's steed" referred to the munis' knowledge and mastery of the life force, "praana", or "breath", simply. Similarly, when the sixth verse talks of the kesin wandering in the path of nymphs (apsaras) and angels (gandharvas), it seems the rishi is taling of a subtler cosmos in which they muni rode / glided, impelled by the divine force. According to the authors, apsaras and gandharvas are surely not earthly creatures. 

(c) The seventh verse mentions how the Lord of Life churned for the kesin, that which was "unbendable", when the kesin drank "from the poison cup" in presence of Rudra. According to the authors, this is hardly about a cult of drinking monks, it rather refers to the yogic practices where the "praana vaayu" pounds the "taamasic" (inertial) element of the body and prepares the for something higher. In Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva is said to have held the poison which came out of the churning of the oceans in his throat. The churning of the ocean is a great symbol for the preparation of body and mind for higher yoga. When the verse talks of the muni drinking with Rudra, it probably refers to the self-mastery of the munis, which made them "one with Rudra", or "godly" in nature. It also clearly symbolizes the muni taking on the suffering of the world upon himself, thereby, sharing the poison of Rudra, so to speak. Although times have changed, sages did - and even now continue to - take upon themselves the sins or sufferings of the world, to alleviate the karma of the world. 

Sadanand Tutakne

Agni, the Creative Flame - Part I

Some books cannot be summarized. Even if some attention is paid to the details, the summary would not reflect the sheer linguistic skills of the scholars, their attitude towards the subject, the depth of their knowledge and of the "life" they bring to "dry philosophy" in their essays. One such set of scholarly essays is compiled in a book called "The Essence of Yoga", by Georg Feuerstein and Jeanine Miller. It seems the book was first published in 1971. It contains seven essays, some by Feuerstein, some by Miller, and one written jointly. These writers can provide more appropriate translations (given the context) of many Sanskrit words compared to what others in the field have provided and also have a devotee's love for their subject, which enables them to accept that many of the Vedic rishis were probably people of considerable spiritual experience and understanding, just as many of the saints in the Christian tradition are known to have been. All this cannot be captured by a simpleton like the present author whose use of language has been restricted mainly to logical analyses and social communication essential for survival. Nevertheless, I here try to bring out a few key themes in their essays - especially those points which immediately caught my attention. At one level, this may just be a way to spend a Saturday, but at another level, it is motivated by the same creative fire which drives achievement in the market economy. The outer and the inner fire are basically the same; the grosser and the subtler fire are essentially one, and according to these scholars, when the rishis/rishikaas talked of the one, they typically implied the other too. This is to be expected - when we are constantly involved in an endeavor, our other communication typically keeps coming back to that one central idea. We mean to convey both ideas even though the metaphor is something external or different from the central idea. So was it with those sages. Grave mistakes of interpretation can be avoided by simply keeping this in mind when reading some of the ancient texts. 

A brief listing of the contents of the book is as follows. 

Essay 1: The Essence of Yoga

Here, the eight-fold path of Patanjali has been outlined with short explanations. As in other essays, the explanations are backed by numerous quotations and original thoughts. 

Essay 2: Some Notes on RigVedic Interpretation

Criticizes some early modern translations and interpretations as being too literal and therefore often missing the main point (any deeper meanings). Agrees more with the likes of Sri Aurobindo, who also argued against the same. 

Essay 3: The Hymn of Creation

Translation and detailed commentary on the famous "Naasadeeya Sukta" of the RigVeda. 

Essay 4: The Meaning of Suffering in Yoga

Explains the idea that separative tendencies (forgetting the Universal One) lead to "non-meritorious" action which makes for repetitive cycles of birth and death. Also the nature of this sorrow and the root cause - the identification of the seer with seen.  

Essay 5: Forerunners of Yoga: The Kesin Hymn 

Translation and commentary on the "Kesin Hymn" of the RigVeda. The sadhus mentioned in the Kesi hymn seem to be accomplished masters who lived more like the ascetic (renunciate) yogis of later periods. 

Essay 6: The Heart of RigVedic Religion: Agni, Flame Divine

Mentions at least 3 forms of Agni (fire) in the Rigveda, bringing out the deep symbolism prevelant throughout the Vedas with numerous examples. This needs to be acknowledged and kept in mind to arrive at any reasonable interpretation of many of the hymns. Early modern translators / commentators often got it completely wrong because they refused to look beyond the literal meaning. 

Essay 7: Meister Eckehart - Mystic or Yogin? 

Brings out parallels between the teachings of Meister Eckehart and advanced teachings of Yoga and Vedanta. In the process, makes some memorable remarks about yoga too. 

Today, I take up only the first 2 of the essays and also do not attempt to summmarize the entire commentary. Only a few bullet points are added about those parts which appealed most to me. 

1. The Essence of Yoga

(a) Mentions Jean Gebser's views on the evolution of human consciousness, according to which, man's consciousness passed through four mutations. The archaic level was where the soul was almost asleep. Next was the phase of magical consciousness, in which man perceived some aspects of nature more than he does today, while other aspects were perceived less, compared with today's consciousness. Next came mythical consciousness and finally today we are in the "mental" mutation phase. Gebser also mentions a fifth - integral consciousness. The main point is that man's capabilities and perception of nature was in some aspects more in the earlier phases - and legends about his fall from paradise ages ago refer to these mutations, whereby some aspects directly experienced then, were lost as society evolved. While some of these "powers" are not given prominence in Yoga, these changes were a prime motivation behind man's religious experiments. The "lost paradise" that man has been trying to win back - though not in the old fashion when the links to the heavens were unconscious - has its roots in some actual experiences and changes that man witnessed over the course of his evolution. 

(b) Although yoga is used and discussed often in the context of psychotherapy and physiotherapy, it is interesting to note that the yogic texts mostly require the practitioner to be of sound mind and body to start with. Thus, these yoga texts were not intended mainly for these purposes. Rather, the purpose was to help the holistic development of the already healthy man, with each step "de-humanizing" the personality a bit more, to allow the "divine" personality to manifest and flourish in its place. 

(c) The eight members (limbs) of Patanjali's Yoga are then described. Their brief descriptions are as follows. 

Yama - ethical precepts regulating social life

Niyama - ethical precepts with regard to the inner (individual) life

Aasana - bodiy posture

Praanayaama - control of life energy 

Pratyaahaara - withdrawal of the senses from the outer world 

Dhaaranaa - 'binding' of the mind, usually translated by concentration

Dhyaana - [concentrated] reflection, usually called meditation

Samaadhi - 'unification', best rendered as enstasis. 

Now within niyamas, we have 5 precepts, one of which is "tapa", typically translated as "penances" or ascetic exercises. Here the authors mention that they would like to propose another classification of the eight limbs, in which all the following members (Asana to Samadhi) could be classified within "tapas". Given several books where this word has been used to describe austerities in general, clearly, there is a case for what they say. In fact, all yoga, all ascetic practices are often clubbed together under the banner of "tapash-charyaa" when people use that term these days. Hence the authors' proposal is not wrong, going by that meaning. However, tapas also has a slightly limited meaning, mentioned in the celebrated Vyaasa-commentary (this is said to be a different Vyasa, not the author of the Mahabharata) and also mentioned by Sri Sri Swami Yukteshwar Giri, guru of Paramahansa Yogananda. Tapas, in this literature, refers to tolerating "dwandwa" (dualities), where dualities have been explained by examples like heat and cold, hunger (fasting), vows of silence, etc. The scholars who have quoted from innumerable texts - including the Vyaasa commentary - have also mentioned this limited meaning in their discussion. If this limited meaning is used, then clearly, the later limbs (Asana to Samadhi) are not necessarily included fully under tapas. Yet they propose their alternative classification, as if it is not clear that it simply depends upon what meaning of "tapas" we use. Could it possibly be that they overlooked the fact that the entire discussion revolves around this small detail - regarding how broadly we define tapas? Possibly, but I offer a different explanation. With the meaning of "tapas" having become so wide these days, readers would naturally have a tendency to forget the smaller meaning - "tolerance of the dualities". This is not an acceptable state of affairs because tolerance of the opposites can be such an essential "tool" in the practitioners' toolkit that it needs to be highlighted and brought to the fore in public memory. By pretending that the matter is bigger than a mere play upon which meaning we use, and by exhorting readers to decide on the classification by looking at the references themselves, the scholars have attempted to highlight the importance of this "tolerance of dualities", because they understand and believe in its special place throughout yogic practice. This ties in well with their very reverent approach to the text and to the Vedic literature in general too. 

(d) In explaining the term "Ishwar" or "God" in the text, they make it amply clear that the philosophical discussions on the exact nature of God mentioned in the text are more side-issues than of great importancce. One must remember that in yoga, the practical experience was the goal, not how beautifully the cosmology behind the practice was presented to the intellectual. Although people have made a big deal of the "dualism" in Patanjali's book (purusha and Ishwar being different inasmuch as Ishwar has special characteristics), this is not really the purport of the book. Even self-realized Vedantic (Advaitic) teachers maintain that multiplicity is retained in the Universal One, only the separative consciousness is abandoned. Therefore, portraying yoga as being essentially dualistic seems like a misinterpretation. (Here, we should keep in mind that according to Shrimat Swami Hariharaananda Aaranya, the Shvetaashwatara Upanishad is known to belong to the ancient yogic tradition, and anyone who has read a translation cannot but agree that the Shvetashwatara is a wholly Advaitic text. The portrayal of all yoga as being dualistic therefore does seem to be a misinterpretation, in the ultimate analysis.) 

2. Some Notes on Rigvedic Interpretation

(a) Early modern western (and in a few cases, eastern) commentators were too literal. Only recently, with Jean Herbert, do we see the beginning of an endeavor to understand the Vedas with the help of modern Hindu sages and seers, which is essential given that innumerable sources point to the rishis being people of immense spiritual realization and understanding. Ignoring the Indian tradition and stopping at literal meanings of words was also fueled by a prejudice - in academic scholars - regarding the capabilities of primitive man. This is reflected in the case of a drawing made by an Australian aboriginal in which the head of a man was drawn without a mouth. Scholars attributed this to the non-sophistication of the artist - rather than accepting that the artist could sketch as well as anyone else, but did not draw the mouth due to some notion of aesthetic beauty. The same prejudice, say Feuerstein and Miller, can be seen in many translations and interpretations of the Vedas. Some of the western commentators seem to have accepted the "seer" status of many Christian saints, when writing about the Christian scriptures, but never showed the willingness to accept that the same is said of several vedic rishis. It is heartening to see that these trends are now beginning to decline. 

(b) Psychologists like Jung have helped cure some of this prejudice by teaching that myth is a necesary stage between conscious and unconscious cognition and that ancient myths are a revelation of divine life in man. Here, let us recall Paramahansa Yogananda's comment that although epics may be consistent at several levels, it is the psychological interpretation of the epics which was considered to be the most important in his circles (e.g., his guru and guru' guru). Clearly, vedic rishis would also 

have used symbols and myths to express some truths which they "saw". Let us also recall that Yaska's Nirukta is a commentary on the Nighantu, in which sage Paraashar compiled the several different meanings that the Vedic rishis attributed to any single word (say, "go") in the vedas. Why would the Nighantu / Nirukta be an essential part of any vedic study, if the words carried only their "usual" meanings in most cases? Clearly, not only do words have different meanings in different contexts, but more than one meaning (say material and spiritual) was often conveyed by the rishis in the same verse. Yes, the scholars agree that all rishis might not have attained to the same exalted state and that many of the 1,028 hymns (adding up to a total of more than 10,000 verses) in the Rigveda do seem to be purely mundane verses with no additional symbolic interpretation but this still does not mean that there aren't "enough" verses with a clear spiritual / deeper symbolism. Even in the simpler verses, say the authors, when describing the most mundane of things like throwing dice, an ethical undertone is clearly visible in the verses throughout the Vedas. It is time to approach the subject accepting the exalted states of realization where the rishis came from, and the authors hope to prove, using the numerous examples in the literature, that such interpretations fit the Vedic verses rather well. 

Sadanand Tutakne