The purpose of this blog is to share my interest in the Bhakti ras as it manifests in the life of medieval princess and Lord Sri Krishna's devotee, Meera. The content of the blog springs from my attempt to translate from Hindi language a text called "Meera Sudha Sindhu" by Swami Anandsvarup, written around 1960.
Radha is not a separate personality.Sri Krishna Himself became two – one is Radha
form and one, Krishna, Vedas declare. Just as Sri Krishna appeared, so she also
descended. They reside in heart.Her body
is not made of five elements.Radha is
only bliss (ananda matra). Ras is greater than Anand. There is Anand and there
is Rasa. The bliss of Formless God that a jnani gets, greater than that is
Divine Love or Prem Rasa that a devotee gets. Divine Love is condensed essence
of bliss.
Sat, Chit, Anand are the three aspects of God. The core
essence of Anand is Hladini Shakti and Prem (Divine Love) is the core essence
of Hladini Shakti. That is why the great teachers have said that if you
multiply Brahma-Anand (bliss of Formless God) by a parodh (a parodh means 1
followed by 17 zeros) it will not compare to even a drop of Prem-Ananda. Such
is the Rasa or bliss of Divine Love.
And there are classes even within Ras. Ahead of Prem Bhakti
is Sneha Bhakti, then Maan Bhakti, Prananya Bhakti, Raag Bhakti, Anurag Bhakti,
Bhav Bhakti and then Mahabhav Bhakti, the ultimate stage. Mahabhav is also of two kinds: Rudh Mahabhav
and Adhirudh Mahabhav. Adhirudh Mahabhav
is of two kinds: Modan and Mohan. And
there is another bhav distinct from all these is a bhav called Madankhya
Mahabhav. No saint has attained this bhav even in Golok. Not even RadhaRani’s most personal associate –
Lalita, Vishakha etc. have attained it. This state exists only with Radha Rani.
That is, Radha Rani only heard the name ‘Krishna’ and became fully surrendered.
She simply heard the flute and became fully dedicated. She simply saw his
picture and went into a divine trance. This is Madanakhya Mahabhav. So the One possessing the supreme state of Madanakhya
Mahabhav, that supreme power is Radha. Such an indescribable, divine, supreme
entity is Radha, who appeared in the lap of Mother Kirti !
Unlimited happiness, the divine bliss that a mother gets
even the father does not get, the siblings get even less and rest of the public
in Braj get even lesser. But even the lesser amount of it is countless times
that of Brahma Ananda.Forget about
competing with mother Kirti, but even if a donkey of Braj gets a vision of
Radha Rani, that Ras is still be greater than countless billions of
Brahma-ananda. Such a Radha Rani appeared in mother Kirti’s home.
When something auspicious happens, the Vedas mantra are
recited, especially the ‘Swasti’ recitation
स्वस्ति न इन्द्रो
वृद्धश्रवाः । स्वस्ति नः पूषा विश्ववेदाः ॥
svasti na indro vṛddhaśravāḥ |
svasti naḥ pūṣā viśvavedāḥ ||
May Indra, who is provided with great speed, has good will toward us. |
May Pusha, who knows the world, has good will toward us. ||
Brahma himself came to recite verses. Brahma found out by Radha Rani’s
grace that She, the supreme power is coming to our world and Her Bliss, Love
will shower like it has never showered before. So Brahma came to recite the
‘Swasti’ mantra. When Brahma came, the four Vedas said, ‘O’ Brahma, you are
going! Why should we be left behind?’ The four Vedas themselves recited the
mantras. So the four Vedas also arrived. They are so overjoyed that they could
not control themselves, so they came without being called to welcome Radha
Rani.
Prakati Kirti Kumari, Kirti Ghar !!
Brahmadik Swastaya patth kara
Astuti kar sruti cari, Kirti Ghar
Prakati Kirti Kumari, Kirti Ghar !
Now saints to sing Her glories also came. Narad and others glorify Her by
singing her virtues: Radha rani is like this, She bestows grace etc.
Parakati Kirti Kumari, Kirti ghar !
Naradadi, Virdavali gavata
Kahi jaya Bhanu dulari, Kirti ghar
Parakai Kirti Kumari, Kirti ghar !
So the Vedas praised and sang glories. Lord Shiva came to dance – tandava
dance that occurs in trance.
Tandava nirtaya karat Shiv Shankra
Sudhi budhi dina bisari, Kirti ghar
Parakati Kirti Kumari, Kirti ghar !
Who will do the Aarti? There are three great powers: Brahma, Vishnu,
Shankar. Their Hladini shakti (power of love-bliss) – Uma, Rama, Brahmani – all
3 arrived and performed divine aarti and took part in welcoming Radha Rani.
Uma, Rama, Brahmani adika
Aarti Kumari uttari, Kirti ghar !
Prakati Kirti kumari, Kirti ghar.
Some Paramhamsa, ultimate jnanis absorbed in Brahmanand, also reached
there. They kept looking at Her. Their brahm-samadhi turned around and became
Prem-samadhi. When they regained consciousness, they just said one word –
‘Balihaar’, meaning we sacrifice our Brahmanand on this divine form. They could
not say anything else, but one word, ‘Balihaar’. Because the Brahmanand that
those souls had acquired was on the basis of the mind. They realised Brahm when
the mind still existed, and when the mind was finished, then only the existence
remained, i.e. only the soul remained and the soul merged into God. Now who is
left to experience? When the mind still existed, they could not experience the
Formless God and when they suffered the karmas and finished the mind, then the
time came to realize Brahm. But how can the poor souls experience Brahm without
the mind? He does not even have a mind or intellect – forget body or senses. So
there were a few rare jnanis who received grace from a Rasik saint so that they
could experience Ras of divine personal form of Brahm. The rest of the souls
merge into Brahm forever.
As a devotee progresses on her path, she starts experiencing the grace of God in one form or another. This invisible divine grace is the melodious sound of the Flute. Devotees experience the melodies depending on their particular beliefs. It is not impossible for a dedicated devotee to hear Sri Krishna's flute or murali. Anyone worshipping with the sentiments of Gopis or Radha can experience this. Sri jayadev, Namdev, Sri Narsinha Mehta, Sri Chaitnya Mahaprabhu and Meerabai are such saints to be graced thus.
Even the insentient Nature becomes full of vitality due to the melodies of His flute. A gopi, while cooking for her family, request Krishna thus:
Hey Murare! Please do not play your flute when I am cooking because as soon as the melodies flow, these dried sticks in my clay oven get wet with emotions and the flame goes out and I cannot cook.
In fact, without flute the whole splendour of Braj is nullified. Even Veda Vyas felt the need to assign a separate chapter called 'Venu Geet' in his Srimad Bhagvat to stress the glories of Krishna's Flute. In some twenty incantations, Veda Vyas has narrated the extraordinary effect of murali or bansi - the flute. Gopis express their sentiments about the flute thus:
O friend! I wonder what good deeds have this flute done to freely savour the divine nectar of Damodar's lips by being attached to them. And it drinks all the nectar, leaving nothing behind!
And again: गोविन्द वेणु मनुमत मयूर नृत्यं । प्रेक्श्यादृसत्त्व परतान्य समस्त स्तवम् ॥ The deer are dancing rapturously listening to Govind's flute. Seeing them dancing the rest of creatures in the mountains are becoming listless with sheer bliss.
Those who were sitting beside their husbands and the nymphs flying above in their planes when listen to the extraordinary melodies of the flute, become exultant with love and lose self-control and the flowers from their hair fall on the ground and they become completely unaware of their dresses.
The cows listen to the flute by raising their ears as if they are collecting this nectar in a container and by taking Govind from their eyes into their hearts are shedding tears of happiness. Thus they forget grazing the grass. Likewise the calves listening to the flute with the containers of their ears forget sucking the udders, the milk starts flowing out of their mouths.
Listening to the Lord's flute, the rivers get passionate and stop flowing. They scoop up lotus flowers with their waves to offer to Govind's feet and thus embrace Him. During the Raas Leela the influence of flute is indescribable. The pure melodies of flute overwhelming Vrindavan, penetrates the heavens, delighting the musicians there, it amazes the Prajapati, the Brahma himself. It delights the nagas, the sheshnagas and other kings of the serpents, trembling snake's thousands hoods, the music from the flute pervades the skies.
Listening to the music, gopis leave all their household duties behind and run towards Krishna. They become so pitiable due to their enchantment. They forget about their bodies, mind, speech, and do not complete what they are about to do. In fact, just by mere listening to the flute makes one give up all the cares and concerns of this material world. To redress this, one gopi says to another:
सुनती हो कहा भज जाहु घरै ,
बिध जाओगी नैनन के बानन में ।
यह बंशी निवाज भरी विष सों ,
बगरावत है विष प्रानन में ॥
अबहीं सुधि भूली हो भोरी भटू ,
भँवरो जब मीठीसी तानन में ॥
कुलकान जो आपनि राख चहो,
दै रहो आँगुरी दोउ कानन में ॥
Is there any limit to the extraordinary fortune of this flute? The sight of Sri Krishna is so literally unobtainable for us gopis, this flute enjoys the delicate touch of Shyam Sundar and daily drinks the nectar of his lips. They cannot endure the glories of this proprietor of Shyam's love and attention.
Sri Radha says:
मोरपखा सिर ऊपर राखी हों,
गुणज की माल गरै पहिरौगी ।
ओढ़ी पीताम्बर ले लकुटि बन,
गोधन ग्वालन संग फिरौगी ।।
भाव तो सोई मेरो 'रसखान' सो,
तेरे कहे सब स्वांग करौगी ।
पै या मुरली मुरली धरकी,
अधरान धरी अधरा न धरौंगी ॥
This last line 'adhran dhari adhra na dhrungi' sums up the envy gopis have for the flute's closeness to Krishna.
Gopis withdraw from the world and relatives as soon as they hear the music of Govind's flute and become anxious to see Him. All the doubts, fear, shame and hesitation melt away with one note. There is no desire in their hearts, either of sense-gratification or of self-satisfaction. Their hearts are pure. Thus they attain Sri Krishna' love, leaving those close human bonds which are very difficult to give up.
The sound of Sri Krishna's flute is indicative of the supremacy of music and its pervasive presence. It can also be said that sound pervades all the visible and invisible activities of origin, sustenance and involution of our cosmos and are controlled by the sound too. Therefore, sound is music.
Song, musical instrument, and dance are the essential parts of Maharaas or cosmic dance. Music presides over this show. Maharaas happens daily on the cosmic plane. It may seem different from the viewpoint of a knower or jnani.
Meera has written many poems on 'banshi' or flute. For Meera, eternal beloved of Krishna, brajbhav is her soul and flute is her life. The sound of flute flowed in her veins and her ears only heard the flute.
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1.
The sanvara of Braj has won my heart
by playing on his flute.
The green stick erupted from a rock
If I had known I would have
broken it.
This flute is only little in size
but has become invaluable
when Krishna played it.
I went to worship the Peepul tree
for the well-being of my family
worshipping to Peepul
I got Hari
got two birds with a stone.
2.
Maharaj played his flute
on the banks of Yamuna
Maharaj played
Ghanshyam played!
I was sound asleep on my bed
I woke up suddenly
and came running to Gopal
gave up son, husband, mother and sister-in-law
to love just you
In the bowers of Vrindavan
gopis go about running.
O the God of love (raas bihari)
let us play Raas
Meera, the servant of Shyam
is endearing to all the saints.
Why delay, we are ready to go.
3.
Giridhar's bansi is so sweet.
For you I have planted saffron
flowers in the garden, my Lord.
For you I have got a palace built
with sixty-four windows.
Radha looks through those windows
looking out for Giridhari below.
For you I have made the bed
you are man, I the wife
Let us play chess, my Lord
you be the board, I the dice.
If my Lord gets hungry
I be the delectable food
If my Lord feels thirsty
I will bring a glass of Ganga
Meera's lord is Giridhar Nagar
I surrender to your feet.
3.
The sweet notes of the flute
have pierced my heart
I was carrying out the chores
and ran listening to your flute
O friend, I have forgotten to eat
and drink
and haven't slept for days
Meera's immersed in the ways
of Krishna day and night.
4.
the sounds of flute
o friend, have stolen my heart.
It played in Gokul
played in Vrindavan
and in Mathura city.
You are the lad of Nand baba
I am Vrishbhan's daughter
I will cut down all the bamboos
of Madhuban
there won't be any flute any more.
Meera's Lord is Giridhar Nagar
I adore your lotus feet.
5.
O sweetheart, I saw Ghanshyam, thus!
Playing melodious Kalyan.
I stood transfixed and so
the cows stood.
He wove such a magic
I forgot my work
When the tunes reached my ears
I lost consciousness
He stole my all
the giver of pain of separation
Meerabai found her love
by devoting her life to Giridhar
Focussing on the path
I lost my body and found Him.
Human beings suffer a lack of freedom and happiness. Delivering yourself from this eternal need for liberation and endless happiness is yoga or union. To be detached, blissful, and stable like God is the goal of a yogi. Such an ascetic striving for that state is called a yogi. A devotee is also an ascetic.
A yogi is better than mere ascetics. He is even better than a knower of scriptures and those who perform actions to satisfy worldly desires. Therefore, hey Arjun, be a yogi.
Among all the yogis, those devoted ones are specially dear to me who sing my glories unceasingly having attached their mind unto me.
The word 'yoga' is made up of root 'yuj' (yujyate:samyog) which means to unite, to relate, meeting etc. In other words, we can say that if there is a want of something, its fulfilment or completion is called yoga. As there are many needs so there are many yoga too. But, generally, in human beings there is a lack of eternal happiness and freedom. Therefore, yoga is that which get rid of this lack of eternal bliss and freedom. As God is the only source that is eternally free and blissful in nature, the union of individual soul and supreme soul is called yoga. And the person who practices the methods to achieve this ultimate goal is called a yogi.
The Yoga shastra or the yogic science is of infinite significance. It has been extolled in the Vedas, the Upanishads and all the Puranas. In Geeta, Sri Krishna has endorsed it so many times. Among all the yogic texts, Patanjali's Yoga Sutra is of great importance. It is an extraordinary text by Maharishi Patanjali. It lights the path to our ultimate goal and describes the system to practice it is based on everyday experience. It lays down the psychological principles in succinct aphorisms.
Nothing remains to be known once we know the principles of yoga. For example, the nature of mind, the nature of the faculty of decision and choice, how to control mind by force (hatha) that enables one to unlock the secrets of the universe - all these have been explained in Yoga philosophy.
The doors of yoga science are open to all religions, sects, whether one is an atheist or an agnostic. Whoever has born into this material world has a right to liberate herself from suffering - this is the basic principle of yoga.
We are not here to amass wealth and luxuries only. Those who have this goal in mind cannot progress on the spiritual path. Man is entangled in this material world due to his selfishness and material desires. This is the cause of ignorance. Having a complete control on mind and nature through yoga practices strengthens one spiritually. When we experience disappointments and instability of mind, then we realise the unity of individual and universal mind and experience undying will power. Various achievements are nothing compared to this.
Self-realization, by calming mind and making it stable by turning away from material entanglements, is the goal of yoga. There are eight steps of yoga - self-control or yam, method or niyam, posture or aasan, breath-control or paranayam, self-withdrawal or pratyahar, perseverance or dharna, meditation or dhyana, complete withdrawal by one-pointed meditative absorption or Samadhi. A one progresses in following these steps the mind becomes increasingly pure and spiritual knowledge dawns. This Ashtang (eight parts) yoga includes all other yogas like mantra yoga, karma yoga, gyan yoga, hatha yoga, laya yoga, bhakti yoga, dhyan yoga, and Samadhi yoga. It is essential to keep on the path without getting distracted by small achievements it may entail.
One who follows this path of yoga is called a yogi. Jogi is a degenerate term of yogi. The word jogi is connected with Natha (नाथ ) sect. This sect is based on the worship of Shiva. All the mantra (incantations) and tantra (mechanisms) trace their origins to Shiva, hence he is called the Adinatha or the eternal consort or supporter. It is said that Shiva revealed these highly mysterious yogic princples to Parvati. The prominent saint of Maharashtra, Nirvitinath was a great yogi. Saint Gyaneshvar received his spiritual training from him. In his geeta(song) text called 'Gyaneshvari', he traces his lineage thus: Adinatha, Matsyendranath, Gorakhnatha, Gahninatha, Nivritinatha, Gyaneshvar. The eleventh century has been called the age of Gorakhnatha. From then on the Natha sect produced literary works on yoga in Hindi.
Yogic literature in Sanskrit has been around from ancient times and some of the works have been written by the Natha sect too. There has been a constant flow of the Hindi literature based on the philosophy of the Formless (nirguna) and qualitative (sagun) Universal reality. Mostly the non-qualitative or nirguna strain of works are associated with the principles of yoga. Saint Kabir, Raidas, and Dudaji wrote and sang about nirguna principles of the universal truth.
In short, the popularity of nirguna philosophy had its influence on Meerabai's poetry too. But being intoxicated with the love of Krishna, a Gopi from previous life, Meera spent her life absorbed in the worship of the qualitative form of Krishna. The devotional love of Radha-Krishna described by the poet Jayadev in his 'Geeta Govinda' had its influence on her poetry. Her extraordinary devotion was in no way less than the Natha tradition in its impact on her times and beyond.
Maharishi Patanjali has described God thus: क्लेश कर्म विपाकाश्ये रप्राम्रष्ट: पुरुष विशेषः ईश्वरः॥ The one who is devoid of life and death generating desires, is God. This God is Meera's jogi. He is detached, untouched, and un-associated. She had the image of 'ramta jogi' (of her times in mind when she found herself engrossed in no-qualitative or nirguna Samadhi or meditation. Therefore, she has extensively written about the signs and symbolic instruments of a jogi like these - seli (सेली ), khappar (खप्पर), kundal (कुण्डल) sideburns, jataa (जटा) or matted hair , kanthaa (कंठा) or thick metal neclace, bhagvaa bhesh(भगवा भेष ) or orange robes, deer-skin (मृगछाला), posture (मुद्रा) , and meditating on void or alakh (अलख). Because even Shyam sundar visits Radha and Meera in this attire of a jogi. And Meera too is ready to give up her palace, luxuries and everything to follow her jogi. Her verses depict these sentiments. Her lover Krishna is yogeshwar, God of yogis and is eternally detached, and non-dual for union with whom she pines and cries throughout her life. At last His grace was bestowed on her.
In this section, there are poems that are based on her goal to achieve this union with her Lord. It can be said that her mysticism, her sentiments of worshipping the non-qualitative God come out clearly in this section. To be anxious and cry out in the absence of Sadguru or jogi, a desire to see them, to lead a life of jogi or hermit are the emotions visibly present in these poems where she prays to her Formless God.
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'Jogi' in Meera's words
The whole universe is a manifestation of Sat, Chit and Anand (Truth, consciousness and bliss) Lord who is omnipresent in equal measure. He is unattached and untouched. He is called a jogi due to His detached nature. But this is not the subject of crude senses. Even Vedas have stated their inability to describe Him in words' Neti Neti' or Not this, Not this. How can anyone understand His mysterious nature. It is natural for the individual soul separated from the blissful Universal being to get anxious and yearn to unite with Him. But this is extremely difficult due to various obstacles on the path. In other words, loving this jogi is like bringing hardships on oneself. But one who forgets her dearmost friend is not a friend in real terms. There is no expectation of personal gain from this Jogi. One who leaves you in lurch cannot be trusted. Is this real friendship? In Meera;s words:
मैं तो जाणूँ जोगी संग चलेगा, छोड़ गया अधबीच । I thought the Jogi will stand by me, but He has left me in the middle. Her worship of qualitative or sagun God shows her as a Gopi from past life who has been abandoned. She fell in love with the idol of Krishna in her childhood and in youth He visited her as a Jogi and left her again. All these visitations of Jogi to Meera are expressed in her poems. She expresses her unbounded ecstatic bliss upon seeing Him.
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1.
When will you think of me,
O wandering, divine Ram?
I am sat in meditation,
following the rules of devotion.
I thought you would stand by me,
but you've deserted me already.
Jogi comes and goes
He is no one's friend.
Meera says, Lord Giridhar Nagar
I meditate on your feet.
2.
Send my salutation to Jogi.
I won't go to see Him
I wear matted hair,
listen to saints and wear Kantha
The lines in my fingers have worn away
counting the days of your visit.
I carry rosary beads
and a begging bowl in hands.
Like a jogin I look for you
everywhere, just to be with you.
My spirit is with Sanvariya
here is only an empty shell.
Who can stop me,
I have left my people
to practice asceticism.
Meera is distraught due to separation
Someone takes me to Him.
3.
In a deserted jungle
the Jogi stays alone
A cow is tied to a rock
He gets the butter
the world gets remainder
the puppeteer plays the show thus.
He makes them sing, dance and
arranges the Union.
The Formless bread is most substantial
He only enjoys that.
Bai Meera's Lord, Giridhar Nagar
I meditate on your feet.
4.
O' Jogi, do not leave me, don't go!
devotional service is very difficult
show me the way
burn me with your hands
using these incense sticks
and smear those ashes on yourself
Meera says to Giridhar Nagar
merge my life in yours!
We all experience various emotions due to good or bad times, benevolence or obstacles, hopes or disappointments, of meeting or separation, happiness or sorrow, enthusiasm or depression. A devotee too experiences these emotions of bliss of God's grace or the pain of pining in His absence. These varied emotions are the colours that signify Holi in the true sense.
To welcome the advent of Spring, there is a tradition of worshipping the god of Fire, and this was considered to be the Holika-dahan or burning Holi. There is the Pauranik (mythic) story of the devotee Prahlad and Holika. When the different plans to kill Prahlad failed, his father Harinyakashyapu ordered Holika to take Prahlad in her lap and sit on bonfire. Holika had the boon which made her impervious to fire. But she herself gets burned and dies and Prahlad comes out unscathed. so Holi is celebrated as a symbol of the protection of dedicated devotees. Also, there has been a tradition in ancient India of celebrating the advent of different seasons - be it spring or winter. The festival of Holi has a special place among festivals. There are many references to Holi festival in ancient Sanskrit literary texts.
In spring, the nature is in its full glory. The buds start to break and beautiful colourful flowers bloom everywhere. Their intoxicating fragrance fill the air making us ecstatic, birds sing on the blossoming mango trees, the hoots of cuckoos drives one mad, the yellow carpeted mustard fields adorn the fields, the lotus flowers bloom and the bumblebees hum sitting on them and the lukewarm winds full of fragrance have the strange mesmerising effect on human mind and the rest of creation.
People sing and play with dry and wet colours using water guns to celebrate Holi. They visit friends and relatives in groups. Mostly Vaishnavas (a sect based on the pastimes of Radha-Krishna) celebrate this festival to commemorate the sweet leela of Sri Radha, Krishna and Gopis some 5000 years ago in Braj. The Holi of Barsana (the birth place of Radha), therefore, holds special significance. It is called the Rangili Holi.
We will read Meerabai's poems on Holi in this section. Most of the poems that Meera wrote on Holi describe Radha-Krishna's Holi-leela. There are some poems on meeting one's beloved and some on pining away in his absence. The woman whose beloved is not present during Holi can hardly enjoy it and she remembers their past meetings and feels her beloved's absence with greater intensity.
Whatever goes on in the vast cosmos can also be called Holi. Like the Holi that people celebrate, this cosmic Holi is also imbued with the various dual emotions of happiness-sadness, virtue-vices, love-hatred etc. One has to overcome these dualities of mind with various practices to attain the blissful state where the individual soul and the Higher soul merge into One. This union of individual self and Supreme Self is called the play of Holi. Therefore, whatever a devotee does and experience to attain this goal of Union with the Divine, all those sentiments and sensibilities are Holi in a way. Keeping this in view, Meera exhorts people to utilize this extremely rare human birth and the transient youth and establish themselves in the love of God.
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1.
With who shall I play Holi?
My lover has forsaken me.
I rejected rubies and pearls
and wear a necklace of Tulsi beads.e.
Food and home do not make me happy,
without my beloved, I am going mad.
Why do I suffer this rejection?
Now you have bestowed your love on others.
Why di you love me first?
Many days have passed
and you have not returned.
I am getting increasingly restless.
Who can this deserted talk to?
Like vine without water
my soul remains thirsty without Shyam.
Reveal yourself, O my Lord!
I am your follower life after life.
I stand here
waiting for your sighting.
2.
O friend, I will play Holi with my Giridhar Nagar.
I colour my lover in the dye of love
I will colour Him with the hues of my mind
and will dance thus imbued.
I will cuddle Shyam covered in saffron colour.
I will play Holi with my lover
smearing the dust of His feet on my forhead
Servant Meera, Lover Giridhar,
He is mine for life.
पुरानन को पार नहीं वेदन को अंत नहीं,
वाणी तो अपर कहाँ कहाँ चित्त दीजिये ।
लाखन की एक कहूँ कहूँ एक क्रोरन की,
सब ही को सार एक राम नाम लीजिये ॥
पढ़ने की हद समझ है समझन की हद ज्ञान ।
ज्ञान की हद हरी नाम है यह सिद्धांत उर आन ॥
Remembering the name of the one you adore by chanting, even remembering through every breath eliminates the influence of this elemental world and soaks the devotee in the name of God. This is the supreme way to attain God, the goal of life.
अनंत शास्त्रं बहुलाश्च विद्या,
अलुश्च कालो बहु विघ्नताच ।
यत्सार भूतं तदुपासनीयं,
हंसो यथा क्षीर मिवाम्बु मध्यात् ॥
There are endless scriptures, countless stores of knowledge, the time is short and many obstacles. In such circumstances, our worship should be like that of a swan which only drinks milk leaving the water behind.
The worship can be either of a God' divine Form or of the Formless omnipresence, the name is of supreme importance and should be practiced. In Navdha bhakti (or nine steps of devotion), listening to the divine name, chanting divine name, and remembering divine name, are the three essential steps laid down. The supreme devotee, Narad muni has also emphasized the importance of remembering Lord's name in his 'Narad Bhakti Sutra', thus: 'नारदस्तु तदर्पिता खिलाचरता तद्विस्मरणे परम व्यकुलतेति ॥' Chanting Pranav sound or Om is of paramount importance in the worship of the Formless (Nirguna). One can experience God by saying Om or Pranav (प्रणव). Pranav is made up of two syllables, 'nav नव' and 'par पर '. Nav means earth, water, fire, air, space, mind, intellect, ego and living being. The whole cosmos is made up of these nine or nav elements. And whatever is beyond (par) these nine elements is God, that is Pranav. The practice of chanting divine name takes a beginner to the supreme state of self-realization.
Goswami Tulsidas says:
कहौं कहां लगी नाम बढ़ाई ।
राम न सकहि नाम गुण गाई ॥
कलजुग केवल नाम अधारा ।
सुमिरि सुमिरि भव उतरहु पारा ।।
इहि इहि काल न साधन दूजा ।
योग यज्ञ जप तप व्रत पूजा ॥
What is so great about anyone who cannot recite His name. In this age of Kali, only the divine name will carry you across this worldly ocean of suffering. However much you do yogic practices, rituals, penances, fasting or praying, they are of no use if you do not recite God's name.
Guru Nanak also says:
नानक दुखिया सब संसारा ।
सो सुखिया जिन नाम अधारा ॥
Nanak, the world is suffering. Only the one who has established himself in the name of God is truly blissful.
Meerabia has also sung the glories of Lord's name. As per Narad Bhakti Sutra:
Meera, too, intoxicated with the ambrosial nectar of His love, longs to see His attractive form, listen to only His flute that stimulates the varied emotions of divine love, the tongue only wants to recite His name, and the heart only wants to meditate on His blissful presence. She wants to always think of Him. In this way, her ardent devotion broke out in the form of devotional poems that helped and is helping even today many people cross this sea of suffering.
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1.
I have found the jewel of Ram name!
My Satguru has given me this invaluable thing,
accepted me showering his grace.
I have found the treasure of all lifetimes
by losing everything of this world.
It never gets spent
nor does it get robbed,
only multiplies day by day.
In the boat of truth, the boatman is guru
I crossed this ocean of wants.
Meera's Lord is Giridahar Nagar,
joyously singing His glories.
2.
O Mind, drink the nectar of Ram name!
Give up bad company
associating with saints daily
listen to the stories about Hari!
Let go of lust, anger, lethargy,
and worldly attachements.
Meera's Lord is Giridhar Nagar
soak yourself in the dye of Hari.
3.
Why don't you sing Hari name?
Feet are there to go to pilgrimages,
hands to help others
teeth to beautify your countenance,
tongue to sing Ram.
You have been given eyes to see Ram
ears to listen to wisdom.
Meera's Lord is Giridhar Nagar
meditate on Hari's feet.
4.
I have sown the crops of
the treasure of the name of Ram.
I ploughed my mind with name.
The first year I got the crop of
the sands of Ganga-Yamuna.
The seeds of Ram name
yielded pearls and diamonds.
Contolling the in-coming and out-going breath
saints do their yogic practices.
In the middle of the crown
there is a swan and you can see
a bright light
I ploughed the fields using
the oxen of mind and body
Meera's Lord is Giridhar Nagar
only adore His feet.
5.
Keep the name of Ram in your heart
say it as soon as you wake up.
Till the land of your mind
with the name of Ram
sing His name with the
interest you get from this crop.
Ram name is a love potion
fill your cups to the brim and drink.
Never utter bitter words
only say what's endearing to others
Meera's Lord is Giridhar Nagar
always meditate on Hari's feet.
6.
This world is an illusion
go and rob the treasure of Ram name.
It is going free, why don't you do a raid.
The one who loots,
finds unbounded love
that breaks the mould of illusory world.
One who controls her mind
and wins over the senses
reaches Vaikuntha.
Due to Lord's Maya
though you appear awake
you are indeed asleep!
Mother, father, family and clans
are all false associations.
Meera's lord is Giridhar Nagar
rob the ambrosial nectar of Lord's feet.
It is extremely difficult to progress on the spiritual path without the help of a spiritual teacher. In fact, it is not an exaggeration to state that an unending bliss and realisation of our primordial blissful nature can only be realised by the help of a spiritual instructor.
The philosophers and authors of Shastras have glorified the guru in these three stanzas which are extensive, mysterious, and respectful:
Salutations to the guru who imparts divine sight with the kohl stick of knowledge and dispels the darkness of individuals blinded by ignorance of attachments.
Salutations to the guru who is Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshvar. Not only this he is verily the transcendental Lord.
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There is a lack of freedom and bliss in human beings. We use our logic and intellect to find a solution to fulfil this lack but only get more entangled in sorrow. The sages have always taught us that this world is transient, meaningless, and full of suffering. The scriptures state this too. But until and unless we experience it ourselves we hold fast to our belief that the happiness and fulfilment only lie in the outside world. We are only entitled to perform our duties, the results are not in our hands. Chasing material happiness only lead to suffering in the end. Only when we realise this that we start seeking timeless tranquillity and turn towards attaining ultimate and lasting bliss. But we realise our insignificance due to our selfish nature, false attachments, tendency to temptations and cravings. We cannot sustain a balanced mind owing to these characteristics of our minds. We fail again and again in our endeavours to attain the goal of lasting happiness. Finding this, we take refuge in a wise person who can show us the way, and in the end we become free from ignorance and attain bliss by following the practices laid out by the guru.
In everyone's life there comes a time when one thinks of taking refuge in a guru. 'अथा तो-ब्रह्म जिज्ञासा', according to this sutra or rule, first of all an individual should have a burning desire to seek the highest good. Only then he can progress on the spiritual path by following his guru's instructions. Whenever we experience bitterness or scarcity in the world, it is only then that we truly become inquisitive to understand the nature of this cosmos. There is no one in this world who does not have a teacher, directly or indirectly.
A guru is steadfastly devoted, a repository of divine knowledge and practical experience and is fully accomplished. It is for such luminaries that Sri Krishna says in Geeta:
Hey Arjun! After offering obeisance to the guru who has transcendental knowledge, know the ultimate truth by asking questions with a pure mind. The wise one who knows the secret of the universe will impart this knowledge to you.
Sri Shankracharya, in his book 'Vivekchudamani' relates the manner in which to ask for guru's help.
Serve the guru with humility, respect and devotion. When he is pleased, go near him and ask your questions in this way:-
कथं तरेयं भवसिंधु मेतं कावागतिर्मे कतमोसत्यु पायः ।
जाने न किञ्चित कृपयाव मां भो संसार दुःख क्षतिमातनुष्व ॥
'How will I cross the ocean of this world?' 'What will happen to me?' What measures shall I take to search the truth?' 'I do not know anything. Lord! please protect me and show me the path to eradicate my ignorance.'
To have a guru, the aspirant should be full of devotion, ready to serve him and of good character. He should be God-oriented. When he has made himself a true disciple and worthy receptacle, it becomes easy to get a teacher with the grace of God.
Meera has written many poems on the importance of a guru. In them she has stated God as her Guru. In fact, she did not need a guru. Her unparalleled devotion to Krishna where she considered herself to be a Gopi from a previous life does not demand a guru. It is not wrong if the lover considers beloved her guru or the wife sees husband her guru. A devotee surrenders to God according to her particular sentiment. Sri Krishna says in Geeta: As her sentiment, so be her. Meaning, one becomes or attains what one's faith is.
In fact, God is everyone's guru as He is eternal, primordial and unchanging.
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1.
Devoted to the feet of my Guru,
I like nothing else in this
illusory world.
I am not worried about deliverance, as
all earthly concerns have evaporated.
Meera's Lord, O' Giridhar Nagar
my only care is serving the Guru.
2.
My Sadguru! please come soon
to rain down sheer bliss.
There is only suffering
in separation from you.
I feel dejected.
I call for you like a cuckoo
who does not know anything else.
The lion of separation torments me
Nothing appeases this pain.
Like mercury does not absorb water
so this world does not make any sense to me.
I am sad without seeing you.
I cry like a skylark that does not like the night
and cries out for the day.
When will that day come
when my sadguru comes to my house?
Meera, the servant of her guru, says
she has thirst only for the dust of Guru's feet.
3.
I am filled with bliss
since I met my beloved in a flash.
Beloved met and blessed me
showing me Hari!
Gaining the metaphysical knowledge
from Sadguru, I meditated thus.
Meera's Lord is Giridhar Nagar
My mind is absorbed in Him.
4.
The arrow that my sadguru shot
has crossed over me.
The spear of separation has pierced my heart,
anxiety has been unleashed on me.
The shackle of love enchains my heart.
No one but my beloved
knows this pain.
How can I describe it I feel so helpless, my friend?
Tears roll down my eyes.
Meera says her life is ready to desert her body
if she does not see her Lord !
5.
I am intoxicated with Ram.
His love is pouring down
drenching me through.
All around the lightening is crackling
the clouds thundering.
Sadguru, imparting me the secret
has opened the door of illusion
The soul which is everywhere
is truly distinct
Lighting this lamp I reach the
unreachable void.
Meera. the servant of Ram
surrenders herself.
6.
Meera's heart is enamoured of the wide, blue Boundless
whenever it shows itself as my true home
tears flow unceasing.
The pain grows every moment
when this sweet arrow pierces my heart.
I cannot sleep, day or night
don't feel like eating or drinking.
Such is this pain of separation
it keeps me awake at night.
I wish there was such a physician
somewhere, native or foreign
the one who knows the truth
whom I can tell my pain
and never fall prey to it after that.
I found my guru, Raidas
who blessed me, showing the Infinite.
My pain has gone
I have found my beloved
Meera meditated on nothingness
and understood her true home.
7.
O' Mother, I have found the gem of Ram name.
I take shelter in my guru's feet.
Having given up the vices of
lust, anger and greed,
fortitude and contentment have taken roots in my heart
I have surrendered my mind, body and soul
to gain the most valuable thing in life.
Building the ship of Ram name
I cross this ocean of suffering.
Sixty-eight shrines are in the feet of a guru
I take a plunge in this Ganga.
Meera's lord is Giridhar Nagar
Mother, I offer my prayers to my guru.
