Every university has four kinds of teachers. The first set of teachers give marks in exams based on the name or face of the student, irrespective of what they write in exams. Even the best universities have such teachers to some extent at least. If you are in their good books, you will become the topper, otherwise good luck with your career! The second set of teachers give marks based on how precisely the students remember what was written in the notes given by the teacher. These teachers basically don't encourage thinking and mainly promote rote memorisation. The third set of teachers discourage memorisation and give marks for original thinking and creative problem solving. The concepts of God that different human beings have can also divided into similar categories. Some people think that God will be pleased with them just because of their name or family background or community to which they belong. Some others believe that God will be pleased with them just because they do as S/He says. Then there are also others who believe that God will be pleased with them because they apply their own rational thought and perform good actions for the welfare of all, and will grant them an eternal abode in the heavens above. Although these three categories are different, they are all about performing some actions to get some material benefits and pleasures in different ways. But who among them is actually right about the concept of God?
Although Hinduism has had a conception of God right from its inception, its meaning has evolved over the centuries. In the Vedas, we mostly find mention of various Gods like Indra, Vayu, Agni, etc who bestow various kinds of boons on those who pray to them in specific ways. Vedas also mention Vishnu and Rudra, but keep them on the same pedestal as the other Gods. Then slowly, as Hinduism evolved, it led to the emergence of a higher set of Gods called Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh and others like Indra were relegated to a lower category. Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh also got their own personal continents called Brahmaloka, Vaikuntha and Kailasha, respectively, while other Gods like Indra and Vayu had to live together in Swargaloka. Of course, Hinduism also has a concept of Goddesses like Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati who are as powerful as the Gods, and there are numerous mythological stories of these Goddesses killing the demons single handedly.
Hindus have never believed in the first kind of God mentioned above, who grants boons just because of your name or family or community. Every boon in Hinduism has Karma for its basis, no matter which caste or jati or varna you belong to. If you want a certain boon from a certain God, you have to perform the necessary action in the form of Yajna (a ritual). That way its very meritocratic from its very foundations. However, this Vedic view was still a very primordial understanding of God, which considerably evolved as time progressed. We see this progression in the Bhagavad Gita, where Krishna tells Arjuna about all the different paths of Yoga and asks him to think for himself and chose the path of Dharma as per his own understanding. Gita does not talk about any worldly benefits but about the human existence at a very deep level. Arjuna is not being asked by Krishna to fight the war to get some kingdom or some wealth or a seat in the heavens above, but for the establishment of righteousness. This shows the evolution of the human mind from amassing personal benefits through necessary effort to completely dedicating itself for the welfare of society.
Selfless work done for others without personal motives is a great cleanser which washes away very deep layers of our ignorance, and has been highly emphasised by Vivekananda as a path towards spiritual progress. However, a question arises whether this or any other kind of effort is sufficient for achieving the goal of all spiritual effort, which is an experience of Samadhi. The answer is to be found in the most authoritative text on this subject, which is the Patanjali Yoga Sutras. In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali describes various ways of reaching Samadhi, and in verse I.23 says one of the ways is devotion to God:
ईश्वरप्रणिधानाद्वा ।। PYS I.23 ।।
In Hinduism, there is the concept of Devas and Devis like Indra, Vayu, Agni, Vishnu, Durga, Lakshmi, etc who grants various boons and benefits to whose who pray to them in certain ways, but much beyond this is the concept of Ishwara which Patanjali describes in this Yoga Sutra. The words Devas and Devis can be translated to Gods and Goddesses, but strictly speaking, the word "Ishwara" is a Sanskrit non-translatable and the word God is too shallow to describe its true meaning.
Starting from I.23, Patanjali dedicates six more verses to "Ishwara" which shows its importance in the Yogic process. However, the way this concept is introduced in I.23, it seems to be an optional belief, which can be ignored by Yogis who prefer other paths of Yoga. However, in Yoga Sutra II.32, Patanjali talks about 5 Niyamas (observences), which are essential ingredients in the practice of Yoga and one of these Niyamas is devotion to Ishwara:
शौचसंतोषतपः स्वाध्यायेश्वरप्रणिधानानि नियमाः ।। II.32 ।।
The observences are cleanliness, contentment, austerity, study of scriptures, and devotion to Ishwara.
Interestingly, after this Sutra, Patanjali describes each Niyama and the benefits which accrue from their practice. And in verse II.45, he talks about devotion to Ishwara and its benefit:
समाधिसिद्धिरीश्वरप्रणिधानात् ।। II.45 ।।
From submission to Ishwara comes the perfection of Samadhi.
Here Patanjali clearly indicates that all the other things one may do in the practice of Yoga lead to spiritual progress, but the final experience of Samadhi can be achieved only through submission or devotion to Ishwara. And this is also the proper definition of Ishwara. In other words, among all the experiences a human being can have, Samadhi is the most special and unique of all, and achieving the state of Samadhi needs devotion to a special being called Ishwara. So the obvious next question is, how does one cultivate this devotion? Patanjali answers that in Yoga Sutras I.27 and I.28:
तस्य वाचकः प्रणवः ।। I.27 ।।
Ishwara is designated as pranava, the primordial sound (Om).
तज्जपस्तदर्थभावनम् ।। I.28 ।।
Its repetition and the contemplation of its meaning should be performed.
This is a simple and clear path shown by Patanjali which takes us to the most exquisite experience a human being can ever have! The only hurdle to the path is our own ignorance which prevents us from understanding and accepting this clear guideline given by Patanjali and many other Rishis throughout Indian history. The concept of Ishwara may sound complicated at first sight due to many different versions in different Hindu texts and different schools of thought. But in the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali offers a very clear meaning of Ishwara free of all confusion.
Whether Ishwara lives in our heart or pervades the whole universe is not important. Whether Ishwara knows everything or knows nothing is not important. Whether Ishwara controls our lives or grants us free will is not important. The only thing important is that repetition of pranava, the primordial sound, and contemplation of its meaning will take us to the highest experience we can ever have. This also brings us back to the four kinds of teachers we began with. We already know of the three kinds of teachers and the corresponding three kinds of Gods. The fourth kind of teacher corresponds to Ishwara who helps us in going beyond examinations, judgements and mark sheets, and helps us in seeing reality free from all ignorance. Such teachers are rare indeed, but if you find one, make sure you make best use of the opportunity!
Now although the concept of Ishwara becomes important if one is seeking to experience Samadhi, what about others? There are anyways very few people who can reach that experience, and so does it mean that the concept of Ishwara is irrelevant for the vast majority of people? It is important to understand here that the pursuit of Samadhi is very meaningful even from a practical perspective. Unlike other mental experiences one can have through various means, Samadhi is not about a particular experience but about being free from all distortions and delusions created by the mind, and being able to see reality as it is. So thinking of that state and making efforts in reaching it helps us in seeing reality more and more clearly. We may never be free of all delusions of the mind, but the more we are free of it, the better our lives will be at a very practical level since we will be able to take much better decisions on a daily basis. And as Patanjali says, the best way to achieve this clarity of mind and freedom from delusions is to repeat the name of Ishwara and contemplate on its meaning.
हरे राम हरे राम,
राम राम हरे हरे ॥
हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण,
कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे ॥
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