Asserted Topics:
The practice of Yog for internalizing the murti of Bhagwan.
Key Points:
- All means of spiritual welfare are encompassed in the satsang of a Sant with the thirty virtues.
- A devotee should first attempt to hold the complete murti of Bhagwan within. Practicing concentration on Bhagwan through the senses leads to absorbing His murti into one’s heart.
- By holding the murti within, one’s inner desires, attachments, and aversions are eradicated.
Explanation:
In this Vachanamrut, Muktanand Swami begins by asking a question: “What is the single technique that a devotee, following the path of devotion to Bhagwan, should adopt to encompass all means of spiritual attainment?” Maharaj replies, “The satsang of a Sant endowed with thirty virtues, held in mind, action, and speech, includes all means of spiritual welfare.”
Here, a doubt may arise as Maharaj seems to give varied answers in different Vachanamruts. In Vach.G.M.12, He highlights Purush-prayatna (personal effort) as the greatest means. In Vach.G.M.66 and Vach.G.F.33, He emphasizes firm Ashro (faith in Bhagwan) as supreme. Without clarification, these could seem contradictory. How should one understand this?
The resolution is that Maharaj’s words do not contradict each other, as they apply to different domains. Three elements are crucial for attaining Bhagwan: (1) the Jivatma‘s (soul’s) intense personal effort, (2) the goal itself, i.e., the immense greatness and rarity of Bhagwan, and (3) a means of connection between the two—namely, the satsang of a Sant with Sadhu-gun (saintly virtues).
In each of these, different supporting elements are encompassed. However, the Vachanamrut implies that one element within each division suffices to encompass the others. Sant-samagam without personal effort does not lead to salvation; nor does personal effort without Ashro. The primary intention of the Vachanamrut is to highlight the importance of fulfilling one of these divisions completely. Thus, the three elements complement each other, with no contradiction among them.
True Purush-prayatna, combined with Sant-samagam, reinforces Ashro. Sant-samagam without Ashro could undermine it. Similarly, steadfast Ashro, along with Sant-samagam, does not hinder personal effort; rather, it accelerates it toward Parmatma (Supreme Being). Thus, Maharaj affirms that all means are included in the satsang of a Sant with thirty virtues.
Afterward, Shreeji Maharaj asked a question: “How should an ekantik bhakta (single-minded devotee) of Bhagwan practice so that he holds the visible murti (manifest form) of God—when on earth, this would be Maharaj’s murti, or at present, the murti of Harikrishna Maharaj established in temples—within his internal disposition, meaning, in his hruday-vritti (heart’s inclination)? How should he train his mind to merge with the murti, both internally and externally? And how should he keep his mind steadfast, unaffected by distraction or lethargy?” This was a six-part question, to which the santo responded to the best of their understanding.
Then Maharaj provided His own answer. Here, it is helpful to understand the underlying process. Just as an electric current flows from a large power station to a small transformer and then to a household meter, ultimately lighting the home, in the same way, the current of the soul’s consciousness emerges as an inclination, flowing outward through the antahkaran (inner faculty), which is composed of four parts: man (mind), buddhi (intellect), chitt (consciousness), and ahankar (ego). This current passes through the golak (gross physical organs) of each of these, making them conscious and active, then proceeds outward to the sensory organs and the objects they perceive, taking on specific inclinations like manovritti (thoughts), chitt-vritti (memory), and so on.
Here, Bhagwan’s murti is the external object of focus. The practice should be such that, initially, the mind is stabilized upon the external murti. Then, that same inclination, along with the murti, should be drawn inward and fixed within the heart. Finally, it should be brought back outward to focus on the murti outside. The goal is to develop proficiency in all three types of focus. To explain this process more clearly, Maharaj gave the example of a water fountain. This practice involves two types of inclinations: one where the vritti is stabilized in the murti residing within one’s soul, and the other where the vritti is held on the murti outside, viewed through the eyes. When focusing on the external murti, one should contemplate it as a complete, undivided form from head to toe, rather than focusing on individual parts.
The practitioner must first stabilize the complete murti within his heart; only then can contemplating individual features become beneficial. When one possesses general knowledge of something, only then can its specific knowledge provide joy. Without this general knowledge, specific understanding neither becomes feasible nor fulfilling. Thus, contemplating the complete murti corresponds to general knowledge, which is why Maharaj instructs to focus on the entire murti together. According to Yog, samadhi (trance) is always on an object of comprehensive knowledge, not on individual parts. Similarly, dharana (concentration) is on a complete, embodied personality. Hence, meditation should also be on the entire personality of Bhagwan. When one has fully absorbed the complete murti in one’s consciousness, focusing on individual features becomes effective. However, without having established the complete murti in consciousness, focusing on individual features will not yield the intended joy. Thus, the process begins by meditating on the entire murti. Once this is achieved, one may, while maintaining focus on the whole murti, meditate on individual features, then on ornaments, and so forth. Afterward, one can meditate on Bhagwan in His divine brilliance, along with the muktas (liberated souls) present in His abode. According to Maharaj’s approach aligned with Yog-shastra, this is the correct method of worship.
If someone believes that visualizing individual features first will reveal the entire murti, this approach is incorrect. For example, two people destined to be married imagine the complete form of each other before their wedding. Similarly, one should contemplate Bhagwan’s murti as a complete form, perceived first through the eyes, and later realized through other senses as well. This approach provides a unique experience of the murti and brings success in focusing on it. After reaching a perfected state, a person may practice differently, but this is not possible for a beginner. Therefore, Maharaj instructs to focus on the complete murti, as one would view a mountain or a grand temple from afar. First, keep the external murti at a distance of 8-10 feet, then bring it closer to the tip of the nose, and again, take it farther, then bring it to the midpoint between the eyebrows and finally internalize it within. Fix it within one’s chaitanya (consciousness) and observe it without fluctuation or doubt. If any distraction arises, bring it outside, move it further away, move it side-to-side as if adjusting a kite, bring it closer, and fix it within. Such yoga-kala (meditative practice) cultivates proficiency in holding the murti within.
If one cannot initially capture the murti (divine form) within the inclination of the mind, then one should focus on the chosen murti—the one whose darshan brings joy or the one most dear to one’s heart—with a steady gaze. As you observe it with concentration, gradually close your eyes while visualizing it clearly. Test whether the image of the murti remains clear with closed eyes. If certain parts do not appear distinctly, open your eyes momentarily to focus on those areas again with increased concentration. Then close your eyes once more, standing in front of the murti and practicing until the vritti (focus) fully holds the image. With regular practice, according to the method Maharaj explains in this Vachanamrut, one can hold the murti within the heart, and peace will pervade the soul.
Maharaj instructs that if, in the course of holding the murti, one feels laziness or sleepiness, then one should pull the murti farther away using the vritti and then bring it closer, moving it side-to-side. Just as children play with a kite, sometimes pulling it up high, sometimes bringing it near, one should become alert through this yoga-kala (meditative exercise), overcoming laziness and sleep. When drawing the murti inward, the internal image already present in the heart merges with the external image being brought in, creating a single unified vision. This practice, using the focus of the eyes, refines yoga-kala. Sadguru Gopalanand Swami also speaks on this topic in Prakran 2, Vat. No. 34, where he explains, “When does attachment to the five sensory pleasures dissipate from the jiva (soul)? It occurs when, repeatedly, the soul contemplates in reverse, constantly focusing on Bhagwan’s murti and developing detachment. How should one hold Bhagwan’s murti? Picture Bhagwan walking towards you and feeling His murti through touch. As you maintain contact with His murti, you gradually discard identification with the body through the philosophy of Sankhya, while integrating Bhagwan’s murti within the soul. This way, as the physical sense fades, only Bhagwan’s murti remains within. Then, bring that internal murti back outward and imagine Bhagwan walking toward you, adorned with splendid ornaments. Observe Him intently with your eyes, and slowly draw that image inward, discarding the bodily and sensory identifications.”When only Bhagwan’s murti remains in the jiva, free from any other shape, one brings it back out. Then, picture Bhagwan singing as He walks toward you, and bring that into the jiva through the sense of hearing. Repeating this practice with all five senses, with the four components of the antahkaran, and, eventually, by dismissing all other faculties, one holds Bhagwan’s murti in the jiva alone through repetitive focus and reverse contemplation. Only then do the attachments in the jiva dissipate, and no other remedy—even if countless—can remove these attachments as effectively. Maharaj also emphasizes practicing yoga-kala in this way with the murti. If disturbances like illness or grief arise during this practice, one should become even more alert, using yoga-kala to dispel the disturbance without allowing it to disrupt the meditation on Bhagwan’s murti.