Katha Upanishad part 5: the mystical tree of life and Brahman

 Hari Aum.

I will discuss here the final portion of the Katha Upanishad. Before this, I will very briefly summarise what we have covered so far. 

The opening of the Upanishad begins with the young boy Nachiketas seeking knowledge.

 

Lord Yama, his Guru, first puts him to the test. Nachiketas' qualifications for seeking knowledge are examined-- does he have viveka (spiritual intelligence) and vairagya (disinterest in material objects as a result of true yearning for the spiritual Truth)? His statements suggest he does-- he turns down tempting offers of wealth and power, of pleasure, family, name and fame. He vows that he will accept nothing less than the Highest-- he declares he must have that and that alone. Thus, he demonstrates that he is a first class spiritual seeker. He has chosen the path of goodness (shreyas marga) over the path of pleasure/worldly delights (preyas marga).

Lord Yama then, pleased with his excellent and sincere disciple, teaches him the secrets of life and death, and about That which lies beyond. 

The human body is described, a wondrous instrument, uniquely designed to allow the Spirit within to manifest Itself and be known to the human heart and mind. Various analogies are used to describe the union of Spirit and Matter that produce the human being-- the chariot yoked to restless horses, and the city of eleven gates.

The Self residing within the human heart, the goal of human life is described. It is Om, It is a mystery, imperceptible to the senses yet enlivening them all. Its nature is a splendour of a sort unimaginable. It is the Light of all lights, the highest and best of all that exists. It is to be known-- but not through those restless senses, but rather via the purified intellect and calm mind. 

It is available to all, yet only known by the one who desires to know It most ardently, most earnestly and sincerely. It is so close, and yet so far. Although It is the heart of each one of us, the core of our very being, of our very existence, It is shrouded in mystery, hidden from us. We can attain It, but we must make ourselves deserving of It, we must persuade It to reveal Itself to us, to earn Its grace.

That Higher Self, that is everywhere, is visible only to the one who has developed the correct vision, the right perspective on life-- the ability to see unity in diversity, to recognise the Self that has manifested as the entire universe and as ourselves who reside within it.

So, having summarised what we have learned so far, let us now move forward and study the final portion of this Upanishad.

Lord Yama now says to Nachiketas:

The universe can be likened to a mystical tree which has its roots above and branches below (Sri Krishna also describes this tree to Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita). The roots are Brahman, the origin, which is hidden and unmanifest. The visible branches that extend below is the universe of matter, of diverse names and forms. This is Brahman manifesting as matter, as ourselves. All the worlds exist within this mystical tree of life (the 'Ashwattha' tree in Sanskrit).

Brahman, though unseen, is the commander and upholder of this tree. The various forces of nature operate under His command. By His will and power, the fire burns, the wind blows, the sun shines, and creatures are born and die. He is the giver of Justice, He is the upholder of dharma (goodness/righteousness), and is therefore likened to a divine thunderbolt. (He does not permit unrighteousness to take hold in His Creation. He ensures that dharma ultimately always prevails). Due to fear of this Divine thunderbolt or His justice, the laws and forces of Creation/Nature (controlled by His divine energies, the devas) act in a precise and orderly manner.

Brahman is to be known by the human being before the body dies. (Note that this is not a state to be reached in the afterlife but rather, a state of consciousness to be reached while very much alive and within the human body). One who succeeds in attaining Him discovers one's true nature as immortal and experiences the bliss of this realisation. One who does not attain Him, however, will be reborn again in the world of matter (based on one's karma and then experience worldly joys and sorrows).

Lord Yama then states that higher than the senses is the mind. And higher than the mind, is the intellect. Higher than the intellect is cosmic intellect. Higher than the cosmic intellect is the Unmanifest. Higher yet than the Unmanifest is the Purusha (Brahman), the all-pervading One. 

He says that Brahman cannot be seen by the eye (He is the origin of the eye, and transcends it). He can, however, be experienced by the higher spiritual mind, the spiritual heart.

When the senses, mind and intellect are calm and still (the state of meditation), then Brahman can be perceived. 

He further says that the state of yoga, is the state of control of the senses. One must be watchful of the mind, as this state of yoga can come and go (therefore the spiritual seeker is advised to be cautious and self-aware).

When all worldly desires cease, then one attains Brahaman. This is the state in which all knots in the heart are cut asunder, and one becomes aware that one is immortal. 

Lord Yama declares that there are one hundred and one channels of prana (energy) that travel from the heart space (within the astral/energy body) in various directions (these channels are called 'nadis' in Sanskrit). 

Of these, one channel (the sushumna nadi) travels upwards from the heart space to the crown of the head (to the mystical 'eleventh gate' mentioned previously). The one who has attained immortality while living, departs the body by the eleventh gate at the time of death. Others, bound by various desires, leave via the other 'gates' and are reborn.

The Supreme Being, Purusha, resides in the heart of every being. One must strive to draw Him out just as one carefully dissects out the core of a plant from its outer layers (the stalk from a reed). He is pure and deathless, bright and immortal.

Nachiketas listened attentively to the entire teaching of Lord Yama. Having done so, he grasped their subtle essence and attained knowledge of his own true spiritual nature; he attained Brahman.

The Upanishad concludes with the declaration that, like Nachiketas, anyone who sincerely strives to know Brahman will succeed in their endeavour. 

Please see below for a link to an article by Sivananda where he explains the essence of the Katha Upanishad:

https://www.sivanandaonline.org/?cmd=displaysection&section_id=582

By the grace of God, may we all become like Nachiketas, true spiritual seekers, and thus also attain knowledge of our own true, immortal nature as one with Brahman.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

 

Yantras and their role in meditation

 Hari Aum.

I thought I would write an article on my understanding of yantras and their role in meditation (including with mantras). I am no scholar on this subject (which is related to the spiritual path of Tantra) but I have a basic understanding which may be helpful to anyone completely unfamiliar with the subject.

A simple translation of the Sanskrit word 'yantra' is 'instrument'. However, the actual meaning of yantras used in worship is far greater than that.

A yantra is a specific geometrical pattern. It is said to represent the body of a deity, a manifestation of God (just as a mantra is the deity in the form of sound audible to the ear, the yantra is the deity in a form visible to the eye). 

Like a mantra, therefore, it is a means of connecting to the deity. Just as there are various mantras for different forms of God, so also there are various yantras for these different forms (and just as one cannot make up a mantra, similarly one cannot make up a yantra). These are fixed, specific geometrical patterns unique for the various personal forms of God, both masculine and feminine (as mantras are said to have been revealed to seers in meditation, so also with yantras).

One can meditate on a yantra just like one can meditate on a mantra. Yantra meditation may involve visualisation of the geometrical pattern with the recognition that this is the body of the deity in a particular form. Or it may involve gazing at a physical representation of the yantra e.g. engraved on copper, or a constructed from various materials such as bronze, crystal and so on. 

One would cultivate the same devotion and reverence when gazing upon a yantra as one would when looking at an idol representing the deity or when reciting a mantra (cultivation of devotion is the key for success in working with yantras as with any other form of worship of the Divine). 

One can perform worship (e.g. puja) to a specific form of God using His/Her yantra. Here, the yantra can be used to invoke the presence of God (instead of an idol). One can offer lights, incense, sweets, flowers and so on. Appropriate mantras can be chanted while doing so. Or, for a simple worship, one may simply chant a single mantra of the deity while making these offerings.

Many years ago, while visiting my father in Delhi, I asked a priest to perform a Sudarshana homam (sacred fire ritual to an aspect of Narayana). Afterwards, I obtained a small Sudarshana yantra from a local shop and have had it at home with me ever since (kept within my mini wooden home-temple). 

More recently, I was reflecting upon the various methods of worship of the personal form of God, and thought it would be interesting to include some regular yantra meditation and worship. I therefore obtained a Vishnu yantra engraved on a small square piece of copper. I have framed this and kept it on my bedside table. I hold it in front of me and gaze upon the pattern sometimes (as a substitute for manasik puja) as I do my daily ashtakshara mantra japa. This adds some variety to my practice and is particularly helpful if the mind is wandering a bit too much for inner/manasik puja.

I also thought it would be nice to obtain a yantra for the Divine Mother. I initially thought of getting a Lakshmi yantra (as I have been doing a small daily worship of Her in recent months) but could not easily find this for sale online. I then found that many people worship Her via the famous Sri Yantra (which is an important aspect of the Sri Vidya spiritual path). 

As even those who are not Sri Vidya practitioners can worship the Mother via this yantra, I recently purchased a Sri Yantra online. It is small (palm-sized), made of bronze and three-dimensional, in the shape of a pyramid (rather than engraved on to metal like my other two yantras).

The Sri Yantra is an extraordinary yantra and much has been written about it online by people who are far more expert in the subject than I am. I will therefore just write a few lines about this here. The Sri Yantra is said to be the body of the Divine Mother. It is an elaborate pattern comprising various intersecting triangles, and also circles and squares. In the very centre, is a dot (or 'bindu'). The dot represents the Mother in Her full, universal, all-powerful aspect. The surrounding patterns represent numerous different aspects and energies related to Her. 

The entire structure represents the whole universe and also ourselves (as a microcosm of the macrocosm). There are various ways of worshipping the Mother via the Sri Yantra. The Sri Vidya method mentioned earlier is a particularly wonderful and elaborate method which involves worshipping the Mother in many forms (in a specific sequence leading up to Her worship as Lalita Tripura Sundari). 

My Guru, Sivananda, says this method of worship must be learned from a Sri Vidya Guru (and should not be taken up on one's own as it is complex and the mantras involved may awaken the Kundalini rapidly which may be difficult to handle on one's own. A Guru is an absolute must right from the outset on this particular spiritual path).

However, other equally effective and popular mantras for the Divine Mother can be recited while worshipping Her with the help of yantras. Examples include the navarna mantra and mantras for Lakshmi, Durga and Sarasvati. 

I performed a small worship of the Mother with the Sri Yantra recently and felt very contented afterwards. It was strangely like the feeling one has after eating a particularly satisfying meal. My worship involved creating a small altar with idols of the Mother and Krishna along with a picture of Sivananda. I lit a lamp and some incense and placed some fruit before Them.

I then worshipped my little Sri Yantra by making offerings of water, milk and honey, and also turmeric, sandalwood powder and kumkum (a special red form of turmeric that the Mother is said to be fond of). I recited the navarna mantra many times as I did so. 

The direction in which one makes the offerings to Sri Yantra is said to be important. If one goes from the outside to the inside (from the squares and circles to the dot in the middle), this is said to give spiritual benefits (one is going inwards as it were). On the other hand, if one goes from the inside (the bindu) towards the outer structures when making the offerings, this is said to yield material results.

I was performing the Sri Yantra worship for both spiritual and material benefits and so I performed the worship in both directions (the main material benefit was for the maintenance and improvement of my health which was very troublesome in the past year or so). I prayed for  myself, my family and also the world at large. 

Spiritual benefits were obviously for more devotion/bhakti and also for spiritual progress and attainment of the spiritual goal for both myself and for all. In addition, a request for world peace, cessation of war, and for vanquishing those forces opposed to Her/the Divine (both within and without). 

At the end, I made the well-known prayers of apology for any errors inadvertently made in the worship with a request to Her to make these good (from the Devi Bhagavatam, the book of the glories of the Goddess). 

"Mantra hinam, kriya hinam, bhakti hinam, Sureshvari,

Yat pujitam mayaa Devi, paripurnam tad astu mey"

Which broadly means, 

"Whatever omissions have been made in the recitation of mantra, performance of actions of worship and devotion, these please correct/make good, O Goddess".

Finally, as is recommended by the Gurus (in order to recognise that all worship is ultimately conducted by the grace of the Divine alone and thus create a sense of humility), I offered the sense of doership to the Divine with the prayer "Om Sarvam Shri Durgarpanamastu, Om Sarvam Shri Krishnarpanamastu, Om Sarvam Shri Sivanandarpanamastu". (Meaning I offer all to Durga, to Krishna, to Sivananda).

I would highly recommend exploring yantras for anyone interested in the subject. This is a useful way of expanding one's bhakti yoga practice and complements mantra japa very nicely. I am planning to perform Sri Yantra puja more often after this recent yantra puja as it was a very enjoyable and positive experience.

Om Aim Hrim Klim Chamundayai Vicche.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

Devotion and the purpose of life

 Hari Aum.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Yogis are fond of musing upon the purpose of life. "Why do we exist?", they ask. "What is all this about?" The spiritual answer is the usually the same-- we exist to attain self-realisation i.e. a state of wisdom, bliss and peace beyond the sphere of worldly suffering. Of course, we all know that the spiritual path is a long, and sometimes dreary road, but we still continue plodding along it because we feel deep-down that it will be worth it in the end (we just know it in our bones, as it were).

I was reading a bit of the Bhagavatam today-- the section where Krishna is teaching Uddhava about the value of devotion. Uddhava asks Him which spiritual path is the most effective. Krishna replies that the success of various spiritual practices, including the entire range from mantra recitation and selfless service to control of the senses and meditation, all rest upon the cultivation of devotion. Without devotion to God or the Higher Self, all these are about as useful as a car without wheels-- completely pointless. Devotion, He says, is the life breath that enlivens all spiritual practices, it ensures spiritual success. Through devotion alone, the mind is transformed from rajas and tamas (negative qualities) to sattva (goodness). 

And, He says, nothing generates devotion so well as the company or contact with the wise (or Self-realised souls; this is known as 'satsang' in Sanskrit). Their mere presence, He says, has the effect of uplifting and transforming one's very nature. Sivananda says that this spiritual contact can be had by a mixture of meeting self-realised souls (if one is fortunate enough to be able to) and also by reading their books. This combination, he says, will have a potent, transformative effect on the mind.

Sivananda and other Gurus also praise the path of devotion, calling it the 'path of sweetness'. Although they acknowledge that all spiritual paths (whether related to devotion, selfless action, meditation or contemplation) can be challenging, the yogis declare that the path of devotion excels as it is 'sweet in the beginning, sweet in the middle and sweet in the end'. 

Unlike other paths which may feel arduous, lonely and terrible at times, the path of devotion involves cultivating the company of God, and walking with Him/Her the whole way, from beginning to end. And as He/She is described as supremely sweet, the devotee experiences increasing levels of bliss on this path. Even in the midst of the most dreadful situations in life, whether it be illness, loss of dear ones, work-related issues, national and global problems, no matter what the calamity, the devotee feels secure holding the hand of God. 

It is a bit like a calf or other animal tied to a tree. The calf may wander about a little in different directions, but it cannot go too far from the tree. Similarly, the mind, tied with the rope of devotion to the holy feet of God, may wander hither and thither depending upon one's life events and past 'samskaras' (or thought impressions), but ultimately it cannot travel too far from God and always returns to Him/Her. 

I was reflecting a little upon this subject today (as it was a relatively quiet day spent at home due to my family coming down with a seasonal viral illness). To lift my spirits and ease my symptoms, after my daughter went off to bed this evening, I prepared a cup of herbal tea and sat down to watch some Bharatanatyam dance. 

I watched a few performances that had been put up online by the dancers, and after a while, I found myself exclaiming inwardly "Rama, Rama! What a performance! How beautiful, how excellent, how positively divine!" For a short while, the world was forgotten, the annoying viral symptoms did not bother me, and I felt completely blissed-out (contemplating the meaning of the songs while watching the dance is truly an amazing experience). 

"I get it", I found myself saying mentally to God, "this is why I exist, why people exist. We exist so that we can experience the bliss of devotion to You! If we were constantly in a state of Advaitic oneness, there would be nobody to experience God as we would all be one with Him/Her." (This view has been expressed by various yogis over time but this was an occasion when I really felt the truth of their words). And of course, devotion is an ever-increasing experience on the spiritual path. We keep walking and at different stages, experience different manifestations of devotion; the beauty is that, as the yogis say, it has so many layers and flavours. 

And even a few brief moments of devotional feeling-- whether it be created by mantra or kirtan or dance or anything else-- even those brief moments create a bliss that cannot be matched by worldly pleasures. It is like comparing a real rose with an artificial one; they simply cannot be compared. To use another analogy based on sweets (which remain a favourite, despite my attempts at self-discipline), it is like comparing a delicious, moist chocolate cake with a piece of stale, and possibly mouldly, bread. Ewwww, one would say! There is just no comparison.

All spiritual paths are of course wonderful. But those of us who like the path of devotion, would choose no other for we feel the bliss of the path we walk. And we know, deep down, that despite the various life situations that we encounter, this path is only going to get sweeter the more we continue upon it.

And as devotees, we know that, just as Shakespeare famously wrote "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet", God by any other name is also equally sweet. Sivananda said that true devotees will appreciate all names and manifestations of God even if they have their own personal favourite (on this path, one cannot help but appreciate the devotion of others to their own favourite forms; there cannot be any conflict with anyone on the path of bhakti as we know we are all are ultimately walking towards the same One, who has all forms and is also formless, beyond all form). 

On that happy note, I wish all of you a lovely Easter. May God bless us all with true devotion and the bliss associated with this.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

P.S. There is an eclipse coming up next week on April 19 and another in May. These are very good times to do mantras and prayers for world peace. 

P.P.S. Just sharing some more Bharatanatyam videos:

1. In praise of Narayana:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lxi9hJuETI

2. Bhaja Govindam (the famous Vedantic poem by Adi Shankaracharya; will write a post on this sometime as it is inspiring and thought-provoking):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_W9XPZc2-k

3. In praise of the Varaha avatar of Narayana:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfKuzsc3nqM

Hari Aum Tat Sat.