0. The Supreme Being, also called the Supreme Soul, the Supreme Sovereign, or God, is one only, infinite, omnipresent entity that does neither die nor is born, one that permeates through all types of creation and, yet, retains its pure state transcending all of these. He cannot be perceived by any of our outer or inner organs – five organs of action (hands, legs, mouth, and two excretory organs), five sensory organs (eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin) and four internal organs namely, mind, intellect, chitta and ego.
1,2,3,4. All creation has evolved out of (and within) the Supreme Being or God and could be broadly divided into two types
– i) ‘Jad’ or inert or non-conscious or perishable creation and ii) ‘Chetan’ or conscious or imperishable or eternal creation. The perishable or ephemeral creation can be further sub-divided into four levels of creation namely, ‘Sthûla’ (gross), ‘Sûkshma’ (astral or subtle) ‘Kâran’ or Causal and ‘Mahâkâran’ (Supra-causal) creations. The perishable or ephemeral creation is classified as ‘Jad’ or non-conscious because it does not possess consciousness of its own but is rather made to act like one by some other immanent conscious entity. Were that conscious current to withdraw itself from any specific portion of non-conscious creation, that part would be dissolved and would cease to exist. Beyond the Perishable creation lies the ‘Chetan’/ ‘Kaivalya’ or Conscious/ Imperishable/ eternal creation that is variously known as ‘Hiranyagarbha’ (Golden Womb), ‘Satlok’ (True World) or ‘Sachkhand’ (True or Eternal Realm). This realm lies closest to, being in direct contact with, the Supreme Being. Having directly sprung from Him, it is capable of pulling its perceiver to its Source that is the Supreme Being Himself. Scripture says when God or the Supreme Sovereign alone existed and had a sweet will to become many, this will emanated out of Him in the form of a conscious vibration or conscious current. This vibration, as it flowed outwardly, started progressively shedding its subtlety leading to formation of a number of non-conscious regions or realms of creation broadly classified into afore-mentioned four levels of non-conscious creations.
5. The whole of non-conscious or inert nature consists of an inter-mix of three attributes or qualities namely, ‘sat’ or ‘satogun’ (here ‘sat’ means virtuous, righteous or positive and ‘gun’ means attributes/qualities/propensities), ‘raj’ or ‘rajogun (mundane or worldly disposition) and ‘tam’ or ‘tamogun’ (darker passions or negative tendencies). The dominance of any one of the three attributes decides the nature of that creation or mind. The highest level of non-conscious creation, ‘Mahâkâran Prakriti’ (Supra-causal Nature) has all the three attributes held in perfect equilibrium, equal proportion, and, therefore, is an inactive realm where no activity of any type takes place (hence, this is also called Equilibrial Primordial Nature). The ‘Kaivalya Mandal’ or ‘Chetan Mandal’ or Conscious Sphere lies beyond all the non-conscious spheres and is, thus, free of attributes or qualities. It is, therefore, also called ‘nirgun’ (attribute-less) plane of creation. The Supreme Being lives beyond both the attributed or non-conscious or classified nature as well as the attribute-less or conscious or unqualified nature.
6. All the four non-conscious planes of creation are ever-changing in their composition and are, therefore, not constant. The conscious plane of creation, however, is unchanging, uniform or constant.
7. Five objects in the world perceived by the five sensory organs are: i) form (perceived by eyes), ii) sound (heard with ears),
iii) grasped by nose), iv) taste (perceived by tongue) and v) touch (sensed by skin).
8. Kaivalya refers to the sphere of pure consciousness. It is also termed ‘Chetan Mandal’, ‘Satlok’, ‘Sachkhand’, Hiranyagarbha etc. In this region the soul is stripped off all the four non-conscious layers and it can clearly see the Supreme Being or God.
9. So long as there is even a single layer left that keeps covering the soul, dualism and dichotomy cannot end. Even in the Realm of Pure Consciousness there is thin transparent veil left as a result of which the soul can see the Supreme Being or God as a separate entity from itself, thus, leaving the thinnest scope of dualism. It is only after the soul, drawn by the attraction of the purely conscious unstruck sound, reaches the centre of the latter that it merges into the one only Supreme Being to be one with Him ending all kinds of dualism.
10. As mentioned earlier, the Supreme Being, when He alone and nothing else existed, had a sweet will or playful mood (in Hindi it has been called ‘mauj’, a word which is very difficult to translate) to become many. This sweet will sprang forth as the Primal Current/Vibration/Sound/Word which became the material cause of all that was subsequently created. When this Primeval Word/Current/Vibration/Sound or True Name issued from God, there was no other entity that existed. Thus, this Primal/ Quintessential Sound is called “anâhat nâd” or “anâhat shabd” or Unstruck Sound/Word/Melody (‘anâhat’ implies unstruck and ‘nâd’ or ‘shabd’ means sound or word). All other sounds, howsoever grand or lofty those might be, result from striking/collision/rubbing of two or more things and, hence, are known as “âhat shabd or nâd” (‘âhat’ means struck and ‘shabd’ or ‘nâd’ means sound or word). When the Quintessential Sound/Word/Current issued forth from God, there was no other entity in existence and, therefore, no striking/collision could have taken place; hence, the name “Unstruck Sound/Melody/Word/Vibration”.
11. So long as dualism remains, ‘triputî’ or triad remains. Examples of ‘triputî’ are “seeing, seer and seen object”, “listening, listener and sound”, “knowing, knower and knowledge”, “smelling, smeller and smell” etc. This triad continues up to the zone of Pure Consciousness where the soul is the seer (observer) that sees the Supreme Being/God.
12. ‘Om’ or ‘Aum’ is another name for the Primal Quintessential Unstruck vibration or Pure Consciousness. The Supreme Being lies even beyond ‘Om’. ‘Soham’ is a compound word formed of two words ‘So’ (That or He) and ‘Aham’ (I). Thus, ‘Soham’ implies ‘I am That (referring to God)’. ‘Soham’, in the present contest, refers to the characteristic sound of the Equilibrial Supra-causal Sphere, also called the Spiralling or whirling cave.
13. ‘Sachchidânanda’ is a compound Sanskrit word made up of three words, ‘sat’ (eternal), ‘chit’ (conscious) and ‘ânand’ (bliss). The Kaivalya sphere or the Sphere of Pure Consciousness is marked by eternally conscious bliss.
14. The Supreme Being/ God pervades, fills or indwells all levels of creation – conscious as well as non-conscious. These levels of creations including all creatures and objects contained
therein are ‘pervaded’. Everything else (other than the supreme Being) that exists is, in fact, a manifestation of that Supreme Being only, for everything is formed by the Primeval Word. However, God exists, in His pure state, beyond all kinds of creations, where nothing but God and God only is. The very notion of ‘pervasiveness’, therefore, makes sense only so far as there is something to be pervaded and something else that pervades. However, when God alone is left, there is nothing else available that could be pervaded and, hence, the very concept of, or the word, ‘pervasion’ (or, for that matter, ‘pervasiveness’) just makes no sense. Therefore, it is said that God, in His pure state, is both beyond the pervaded and the pervading (that part of the Supreme Being that fills a creation is called ‘Brahm’ or pervading God).
15. All types of non-conscious creations have been formed by, or bred by Kaivalya or Conscious Sphere or the Quintessential Unstruck Sound which is the material cause of all creations. Hence, the Realm of Primal Unstruck Sound is said to be the ‘Hiranyagarbha (Golden Womb – ‘Hiranya’ mean gold and ‘garbha’ implying as womb) out of which everything was born. (“In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with the God. …all that was made was made by the Word” – The Bible)
16. The Quintessential Primeval Unstruck Vibration that emanated from the Supreme Being is called ‘sat shabd’ (True Word) or ‘sat nâm’ (True Name ) as it is unchanging and uniform.
17. A true sant or Guru becomes one with the Supreme Being in the state of deep meditation called ‘samâdhi’ and, hence, is the ocean or repertoire of all wisdom. Having got the highest wisdom when he descends from the state of ‘samâdhi’ (deep trance), he moves around the world to disseminate the truly beneficent wisdom among people just as clouds having taken water from the ocean distribute the same to different places around the earth in form of precipitation. Therefore, sants are called as both the repertoire or ocean as well as clouds of wisdom.
18. A true Guru is one who has himself swam across the ocean of existence (birth & death) and is capable of ferrying others, too, to the other side – beyond transmigration.
19. Burst of eternal and imperceptible sound.
20. Divine Song
21. Word God (as this Word/Sound/Vibration created all the non-conscious realms, it is also regarded as Divine. (“In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with the God. The Word was God. All that was made was made by the Word” – The Bible
22. Sacred and mystical name of God.
23. True word/name/God
24. “Surat Shabd Yoga” is made up of three words ‘Surat’ (one of the several meanings of ‘Surat’ is soul), ‘shabd’ (word/ sound/vibration) and ‘yoga’ (union). Thus, “Surat Shabd Yoga” refers to the technique of meditation that connects or unites the Soul with the Primal Unstruck Sound that, ultimately, leads its perceiving soul to its source, the Supreme Being.
25. All the living beings have been broadly classified into four genera or categories based on their type of origin namely, the oviparous (birds), viviparous (man, animals, rodents etc), flora (generally fixed to a place and born out of the Earth) and heat-born (insects like lice, bugs, insects automatically produced in food grains stored for an extended duration).
26. Internally chanting of a sacred mantra, internally visualising the form of the desired deity or Guru, and Yoga of Inner Light and Sound.
27. Stilling sight at the Third eye/Tenth Door/ Sushumnâ/ Ajnâ Chakra/ Third Til/ Til/ Inner Door located in the centre of the two eyes. This is also called Yoga-Heart-Circle by yogis. This art or technique is called “vindu/bindu dhyân” or “drishti yoga” or the Yoga of Inner Light.
28. An accomplished Guru is one who has become one with the Supreme Being, and manifest himself, on the subtler planes, as light and sound that a meditator perceives within while practising the Yoga of Inner Light and Sound.
29. Ârtî refers to a religious ritual, frequently performed in India, performed in adoration of a deity or an outstanding personage by circular movement of a dish (generally circular plate) containing a lighted lamp, flowers, fruits and grains of rice etc.
30. This physical body of ours is called ‘piG’ or microcosm. The region beyond the Third Eye or Sushumnâ is called the ‘Brahmând’ or Macrocosm. Sometimes, the outer gross/ physical Universe is also referred to as ‘Brahmând’ (Cosmos or Universe).
31. Sea of transmigration of repeated births and deaths i.e., this ephemeral world.
32. Six defilements of mind are: lust/desire, anger, pride/ vanity/vainglory, greed, infatuation and envy/jealousy. The Supreme Being or God is omnipresent. There is no place where He is not present. Thus, because no space could be identified or thought of as devoid of Him, He has no room (or empty space to move in any direction, in any manner whatsoever). Therefore, He is absolutely still or motionless. Maharshi Mehî defines, therefore, a sant as one who has attained to the state of perfect stillness or motionlessness or quietude or Supreme Being/ God.
34. There exists nothing else other than the Supreme Being Himself (whatever is thought to exist is simply a manifestation of His). So what could He desire for? Thus, He has to be considered as absolutely desire-less.
35. A name is formed or a word or sound or, in other words, vibration. God, in His true form, is motionless/vibration-less/soundless/nameless. He, thus, cannot be ascribed any name.
36. Mind and intellect are non-conscious or inert of their own, by their very nature, while God is even beyond consciousness. Therefore, He is said to be inaccessible (to either mind or intellect).
37. God is infinite in expanse. If his somehow His beginning or end could be demarcated, He would no longer remain infinite. To even locate the middle or centre of something its extremities or ends or boundary must be known. He being infinite, is centre could not be marked. It is in this sense of reference to His infinitude that sometimes it is said of Him, “God is whose centre is everywhere, circumference nowhere!”
38. Lord Ram and Krishna are believed to be incarnations of Lord Vishnu (deity responsible for sustenance of a particular universe) whose whereabouts are located in realm of non-conscious nature. Hence, God (as He is beyond non-conscious as well as conscious nature) cannot be even Lord Ram or Krishna.
39. That part of the Supreme Being that fills and regulates a particular Brahmând or Macrocosm or Universe is called Brahm. Where all macrocosms end and there is nothing to be filled or regulated, even the epithet of Brahm could not be ascribed (to God or the Supreme Being).
40, 41. God is everywhere. Nothing exists, or can exist, beyond or outside Him. Hence, everything is contained in, or accommodated within Him only. Thus, He is larger than the largest. Again, because He is everywhere, He must be present within the tiniest pores of anything & everything. Thus, He is all-pervading and, consequently, tinier (smaller) than the tiniest (smallest).
42. Monkey catchers contrive an interesting ploy or device to trap a monkey. They keep dessert or sweet balls in a vessel with a narrow neck that is large enough to let in the empty hand of a monkey but small enough to disallow a filled fist. He keeps the vessel with sweets within at a suitable place in a forest and hides. The monkey finding the sweet balls kept within the vessel slides his hand inside it. As he holds the sweet in his fist and tries to take it out his hand gets stuck inside. If he drops the sweet, he can easily take out his hand. However, the foolish monkey thinks that the vessel has gripped his hand (while it is he, the monkey, who has caught the vessel and not the vessel which has caught him) and is nabbed by the monkey- catcher who, then, trains him in trick-play to earn his livelihood. The monkey could have easily fled away had he left the sweet ball and taken out his empty hand. Likewise, say sants, we, ordinary mortals, grip the illusory world, the sensory objects ourselves, but keep foolishly thinking that the world or illusion has had a devilish grip over us and kept us imprisoned.
43. Inner light and Sound are real ambrosia/elixir/nectar that impart immortality to the one who sips them (or, one who perceives these within by practising inner meditation). The one who sees the divine light rises above the gross nature and, subsequently, also the Astral or Subtle nature. All his/her defilements or frailties of mind are destroyed. In light one perceives inner sounds, too. The one who catches hold of the inner sounds goes on transcending, progressively, even the Causal, Supra-causal and, ultimately, even the Conscious Nature and, thus, becomes immortal by merging into, and becoming one with, God or the Supreme Being. Therefore, the inner light and sound are said to be true ambrosia/elixir/nectar.
44. It is said that black bee, when it catches an insect, hums or buzzes so strongly or terrifyingly in front of it that the insect also turns into a black bee. This metaphor is used here to imply that a true Guru (black bee) metamorphoses a genuine disciple (insect) also into a Guru.
45. Sants as well as Scripture say that liberation has to be earned while living in the human body by practising, regularly & assiduously, inner meditation. He, thus, learns to go past even the Conscious nature into where the Supreme Being alone is. Having accomplished this, when it is the time to depart (or leave this human body) this planet, he, by using the meditation technique, raises him beyond all the planes of nature and becomes completely liberated. Such a one can never be compelled to come back into this body or any other body again. However, if the meditation is not fully accomplished in the current lifespan, he will get human birth again and again wherein he will take ahead his meditation till he secures complete liberation. That is also to say that if liberation has not been secured in the current lifespan, he will have to take rebirth. Liberation post-death comes to him/her alone who has mastered it in this very, or current, lifespan. And, hence, it is often remarked by sants (like Sant Kabîr, Sant Dâdû Dayâl, Sant Paltû Sâhab, Maharshi Mehî etc.) as well as Scripture, “If you have not liberated yourself while in this very life, there is no liberation awaiting you following death either!”
46. Past, present and future
47. Pâtâl (nether world), Prithvî (the Earth) and Swarg
(heaven)
48. By practising, and progressing in meditation, the meditator can become finer than the finest, tinier than the tiniest, subtler than the subtlest. Thus, being finer than the mind he/she could easily penetrate the others’ minds (just as water can penetrate soil) and read their thoughts or what is going on in their minds just the same way we can clearly see things kept in an almirah with transparent glass panes.
49. The word ‘Satsang’ is formed of two words ‘Sat’ (truth) and ‘Sang’ (company or union or unification). Thus, Satsang, in the strictest sense of the term, implies union with Truth that is, the Supreme Being or God.
50. As one registers progress in inner meditation, supernatural powers naturally come to him/her like ability to become as tiny or light as needed, to grow as large or heavy, to move through walls or partitions. These are, in fact, lures or traps or baits, to distract the meditator from the path to liberation, or test his yearning for liberation. A true seeker, genuinely motivated by the intense desire to seek liberation from the painful bondage of transmigration, completely ignores such temptations and moves ahead.
51. Impression on chitta (individual consciousness) of whatever we do – either by our thoughts or actions.
52. Two apertures of eyes, two openings of ears, two nostrils, mouth, and one passage each for excretion of solid and liquid waste – these are together called as nine (outer) doors/ gates (sometimes, nine windows, too).
53. Ten external organs (five organs of action and five organs of senses) and four internal organs (mind, intellect, chitt and ego)
54. Realm of True Sound or Word.
55. “Jîv” here refers to the un-liberated individual soul attached with other conscious and non-conscious or inert bodies.
56. The eyes appear to be seeing, but actually these derive the power to see from the current of consciousness connected to God. If that current of consciousness leaves the eyes they are rendered useless. Hence, the God, whose current of consciousness keeps pervading all our senses, has been referred as the spark or the jewel of eyes.
57. Individual Soul is also called Jîvâtmâ. It refers to the un-liberated Individual Soul. The Pure Soul when attached with the ephemeral antahkaran or internal organs (Mind, Intellect, Chitta and Ego) is termed as Jîvâtmâ or Un-liberated Individual Soul. Though the Soul is unchanging, indestructible and beyond changing states of pain & pleasure, the Jîvâtmâ because of its association with the mind, intellect etc becomes trapped into a state of illusory bondage and also experiences pain & pleasure and undergoes the painful transmigratory cycle. If the Individual Soul can, tactfully, shed all the illusory veils that keep it shrouded it comes into its pure state which is the same as that of the God ending all dualistic experiences. That tact which helps the Soul regain its free state is inner meditation.
58. Terms like length, width, depth, straight, curved etc. can be applied to objects whose limits or boundaries could be located or identified. These terms, quite naturally, cannot be used in reference to the Supreme Being who is limitless both in time as well as space.
59. The Supreme Being fills everything and everybody completely and continues to extend or exist even beyond, infinitely in every direction. What shape could be ascribed to such a being – He is shapeless.
60. The parts of the Supreme Being filling and regulating mind, intellect, Supra-causal nature and Conscious nature respectively are called Mind Brahm, Intellect Brahm, Supra-causal Brahm and Conscious Brahm.
61. In Purânas and other Hindu religious books we often find references to ten or twenty-four different incarnations of Lord Vishnu. The ten ‘avatâra’ or incarnations in chronological order are Matsya (fish), Kûrma (tortoise), Varâha (boar), Narasimha (Half Man and Half Lion), Vâmana (dwarf), Parashurâma, Râm, Krishna, Buddha and Kalki (yet to come). Similarly, the twenty-four incarnations, chronologically, are Âdi Purusha (Primordial Man), Four Kumâras (four young yogîs), Varâha (boar), Sage Nârada, Nar-Nârâyana (twin sages), Kapila, Dattâtreya, Yagya/Yajna, Rishabha Deva, Prithu, Matsya (fish), Kûrma (tortoise), Dhanvantari (Lord of Medicine), Mohinî (enchanting woman), Narasimha (half man/half lion), Vâmana (dwarf), Parashurâma (axe wielding sage), Vyâsa Deva, Râm, Balarâm, Krishna, Buddha and Kalki (incarnation yet to take place).
62. In upanishadic literature, there is a conversation between two sages named Vâhva and Vâskala during which Sage Vâhva describes the Supreme Being as the silent one.
63. Primordial Nature is the Equilibrial Primal Non-conscious Nature where all the three attributes or qualities are present in exactly equal proportions, thus, not allowing any activity of any kind. Even ‘buddhi’ (intellect) needs some activity to act. Since, the Primordial Equilibrial Nature lies beyond the intellect, it is said to be Unintelligible.
64. Purely Conscious or Unstruck Word/Sound/Vibration.
65. Four states in which the Soul can transit are: waking, dreaming, deep sleep and Turiya (trance)
66. Four varnas as indicated in Vedic (Hindu) caste system namely, Brâhmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shûdra.
67. To come to a particular place implies that some time ago it (that who is coming) was at some other place and not at that particular place. Similarly, to depart from a particular place means that it (that who would be departing) would be no longer there at that particular place after some time. The Supreme Being, however, is present everywhere all the time. Hence, He can neither come to some place nor can He depart from any place whatsoever.
68. To be a ‘Speaker’ another listener is required. Similarly, a ‘Listener’ needs another ‘Speaker’. That is, both these terms involve dualism of some kind. The Supreme Being, however, is non-dual. He is one only. So, even these two terms have no relevance in respect of the Supreme Being in His true nature.
69. A type of literary style of poetry
70. A type of literary style of poetry
71. Âsan means, here, a small square piece of mat, carpet, cloth sheet etc. on which a meditator sits for meditating.
72. Pratyâhâr refers to the process or practice of bringing the mind back, again & again, to focus on its target every time it strays away to other thoughts.
73. Dhâranâ, in the context of inner meditation, refers to the state of mind wherein it stays focussed on the target for a very short span of time.
74. Vindu means a geometrical entity that occupies no space that is, has neither length nor breadth nor thickness. It is impossible to have or construct a point in the outside physical world. Therefore, we have to imagine a point in geometry. However, a real and refulgent point is seen by the meditator in the inner sky (with closed eyes) where the lines of sight of the two eyes meet. Such a point is called a vindu.
75. Nâd is a general term used to denote the large variety of sounds that are heard in the inner sky by a meditator who is able to concentrate his/her attention within in a vindu or point.
76. The word ‘Surat’ is used in many different connotations. It, mainly, is used to refer to the individual Soul. Here, it implies attention or current of consciousness.
77. Tenth Door, The Third Eye, Ajna Chakra, or the Sushumnâ
78. Full moon is seen in the region of Sahasrâr or the Thousand-Petalled Lotus.
79. Sun is visualised in the region of Trikuti that lies beyond the Sahsrâr or the Thousand-Petalled Lotus.
80. It essentially takes a unique central sound (vibration) for any sphere/realm of creation to be formed. There are five broad spheres of creation – four none conscious creations namely, Gross, Astral, Causal and Supra-causal and one conscious sphere namely, Kaivalya or Chetan or Purely Conscious Sphere. Sants have called each characteristic central Sound/Vibration responsible for the formation of a particular Plane/Sphere/Ream of creation as ‘naubat’. Thus, there are five central sounds or naubats in the whole of creation.
81. An intoxicant similar to other drugs like heroin, opium, hemp etc.
82. Inner walls refer to the three inner veils or domains of darkness, light and sound. God in His pure pristine state lives in Soundlessness beyond these three realms. Hence, his realm is also called as “trayavarg par” (beyond three classes).
83. The word ‘Râmnâm’ is formed of two words ‘Râm’ meaning “all-pervading” and ‘nâm’ meaning name or sound. Thus, Râmnâm refers to the one only all-pervading Quintessential Unstruck Conscious Sound/Vibration/Word/Name of the Supreme Being.
84. As the meditator gazes fixedly, in the inner sky, in front of the centre of the eyes following the technique as taught by an adept Guru, he pierces the gross creation by entering through what is variously termed “Âjnâ Chakra”, ‘Sushumnâ’, the Third Eye/Til, The Single Eye, The Tenth Door/Gate etc. From here begins the state or Zone of Turiya which starting from the Âjnâ Chakra extends up to the Realm of Quintessential Unstruck Melody or Pure Consciousness; the transcendental Supreme Being in His pure form lies beyond the Plane of Pure Consciousness. The realms/zones encountered by a practitioner of inner meditation beginning from the Âjnâ Chakra could be listed as i) Sahasrâr/ Sahastra-Dal-Kamal (Thousand-petalled Lotus) where Moon is sighted within, ii) Trikutî where the meditator visualises spotless Sun, iii) shûnya (Void), iv) Mahâshûnya (Greater Void), v) Bhanvar Gufâ (Spiralling or Whirling Cave) or Mahâkâran (Supra-causal or Equilibrial Primordial Nature), and vi) Satlok/ Sachkhand (True World) or Hiranyagarbha (Golden Womb) or Kaivalya/ Chetan Mandal (Zone of Pure Consciousness or Samashti Prâna (Universal Life Force). The Supreme Being is clearly visualised as the meditating Soul rises into the Sphere of Pure Consciousness though a very thin veil separating the Soul from the Supreme Soul still remains. Unity or identity or merger with the Supreme Being is attained only after even the last Realm that is, the Realm of Pure Consciousness is transcended. Thus is bhakti (meditation or worship) completed or perfected resulting into complete liberation or salvation.
85. Each of the five elements constituting the gross universe possesses its own distinct colour viz. Earth/Clay – Yellow, Water – Red, Fire/Heat – Black, Air – Green and Sky/Space – White. A meditator clearly sees each of these five unique colours of the five elements separately within.
86. Close the eyes
87. Baba Devî Sâhab (1841-1919) was the Guru of Maharshi Mehî Paramhans (1885-1986).
88. The Ganga, the Yamuna and the Sarasvatî are three sacred rivers of India. The place where these three meet each other is a renowned and highly revered place of pilgrimage (crown of all pilgrim centres) namely, Prayâg (Allahabad, in the northern province of Uttar Pradesh), which is thronged every year by millions of devout adherents of Vedic religion in a widely held belief that taking a dip at this propitious confluence washes away all the sins of the bather. Sants, however, say that the real Prayâg or the holy confluence lies within each one of us in the mid of two eyes. The Ganga, the Yamuna and the Sarasvatî are also the names given to three principal yogic or psychic nerves within namely, the Idâ, the Pinglâ and the Sushumnâ. He who bathes within at this junction, that is, meditates or focusses his attention at this point of convergence, is verily absolved of all the sins.
89. A cubit is a measure of distance equal to the average width of a finger.
90. Gayatrî means song, a Divine Song. It is one of the most hallowed Vedic hymns or mantras said to be envisioned and empowered by Sage Vishwamitra. This mantra is an invocation of Divine Light that can roast all our sins.
91. The popular Gayatrî Mantra, repeatedly chanted and written on a paper as a sacred routine by many in India, is an alphabetical mantra that can be pronounced or written as a combination of alphabets. However, there is one more Gayatrî, the Divine Song, rendered by the God that cannot be written or pronounced and is happening all the time unceasingly. That Gayatrî is phonetic or onomatopoeic and can only be meditated upon. That directly issues forth from the Almighty God as a stream or current of pure consciousness. The one, who can absorb attention completely on this current, rises above all the worldly woes resulting out of the compulsory transmigratory cycle. Thus, that phonetic Gayatrî is a real liberator in the true sense of the term.
92. Five planes of creation viz. Gross, Astral, Causal, Supra-causal and the Conscious Spheres.
93. The “yoga hridayavritt” or the “Yoga Heart Circle” in sants’ references refers to the Âjnâ Chakra or the Sushumnâ or the Third Eye. The centre of this circle is an absolute radiant point that comes into sight as the two currents of sight of the two eyes converge in the dark inner void ahead (If we close our eyes and see right in front of the centre of eyes, initially we see a vast expanse of darkness. However, if learning the right skill from an adept Guru we try to gaze right in front with collected vision, a refulgent point automatically rises.)
94. When we try to meditate and still our gaze in the inner dark void, the gaze is not easily stilled initially. It rather keeps wavering. But if we keep practising assiduously and faithfully, the fidgetiness progressively reduces. When it becomes absolutely stilled, a shining black point, which subsequently turns into a refulgent white point, appears.
95. The Supreme Being, the Almighty God .
96. Traditionally a jail or a prison in India has a large campus or premise having a number of cells in each of which is kept imprisoned a prisoner. Sants have likened this world to a jail wherein each body of a creature is a cell in which an individual soul is incarcerated. To break free of this jail is the liberation of the Soul. Sadguru Maharshi Mehî Paramhans would say, the Supreme Being has wonderfully designed His creation in that there is a very strong correlation between the outer world and our body. He would say that the level of the world we live and conduct in is the same as the level of the body we (the soul) inhabit. For instance, we currently live in the gross body, so we are aware of the gross body as well the gross world around us in which we conduct, and can travel from one place to another. If, by learning the needed tact, we can go beyond this gross body of ours into our astral body, we will become aware of the astral world around and be able to see or move through the same. Then again, moving this way, if we could cross over still further into the causal, supra-causal and Kaivalya/ conscious body, we would move into and be aware of the causal, supra-causal and conscious planes or spheres of Creation respectively. And, finally, if we transcend even the Kaivalya Sharîr (Conscious or Chetan Body) we would be absolutely free of all the bodies, of all the prisons and merge with the God to be one with Him. This would be total liberation or freedom from the prison. Those who attain this state are called “Jivanmukta” (liberated in life).
97. To move within or beyond the gross body one has to close both eyes and intently gaze, as taught by an accomplished Guru, in front in the dark void without letting the sight waver sideways or in any other direction. This is tantamount, says Maharshi Mehî Paramhans, to taking a firm position in the front and battling the restive & formidable foe that is, our own mind.
98. It is common experience of anyone who tries to meditate that the mind or attention keeps frequently slipping from the target – be it the chanting of a mantra, visualising internally the form of desired deity or Guru, or trying to focus one’s gaze in the front. A meditator has to be aware of the fidgety character of the monkey – mind and keep trying to apply it back, again & again every time it strays, to the desired target – this act or process is known as Pratyâhâr. Thus, in the initial stages of meditation it has to be a constant & conscious struggle against the restiveness of the mind. But once the mind begins to get a taste of the bliss that lies within, this task of counselling the mind becomes progressively easier as the mind itself, having tasted the joy, becomes eager to sink into that experience again & again and becomes our fondest friend.
99. This has reference to the Drishtii Yoga or the Yoga of Inner Light that consists in gazing intently in the inner dark void and trying to collect & focus the vision into a point. When that happens, the soul along with the mind pierces or enters through that Point-hole to move into the realm of resplendence. So, the Point Route here, in this verse, is a reference to the Sushumnâ/ Âjnâ Chakra/Third Eye/Single Eye/Tenth Door/Shiva Netra.
100. Beyond the formed creation or the Domain of Light lie the Zones of Sound as suggested by Maharshi Mehî Paramhans in a schematic sketch of Inner Cosmology. Beyond Trikutî, up to where the domain of Light extends, there lie a number of zones of Sound namely, shûnya (Void or what Sufi mystics call as Lahût), Mahâ shûnya (Greater Void or Hahût of Sufis), Bhanwar Gufâ (Spiralling or Whirling Cave or Hûtal Hût of Sufis) and the highest or loftiest realm of Kaivalya/Chetan Mandal or Hiranyagarbha (Zone of Pure Consciousness or Hût of Sufis). The sounds of zones lower than that of the Pure Consciousness or Kaivalya Mandal are broadly categorised as “Âhat Shabd (‘Âhat’ meaning ‘Struck’ and ‘shabd’ meaning ‘Sound/Word’)” (that is, Words or Sounds produced due to striking/collision/rubbing of more than one things) or also as “Anhad Nâd” (Words or Sounds countless or limitless in variety – ‘Anhad’ meaning limitless or countless and ‘Nâd’ meaning word/sound/vibration), while the Sound of the Kaivalya Mandal (Plane of Pure Consciousness) is only one and unique and is called Anâhat Shabd/Nâd (Unstruck Name or Word or Sound as it directly emanates from the One Only God) or Sâr Shabd (Quintessential Sound). The Quintessential Unstruck Sound, more popularly known as Aum/ Om, is directly and ever-connected to God and, hence, is capable of leading unto Him and liberate completely.
101. Sandhyâ is defined as the meeting or junction time. Vedic tradition refers to three sandhyâs daily – dawn (when night and morning meet – end of night time and beginning of day), mid-day or noon (meeting of pre-noon and after-noon – end of upward journey and beginning of downward journey of the Sun) and dusk (meeting of day and night). The union or balancing or wedding of the yogic channels namely, Iâ and Pinglâ in the central channel, Sushumnâ is also called Sandhyâ by yogis.
102. Eyes, ears and mouth are implied here by the phrase “outer doors” (also, three doors). Santmat way of meditation consists in sitting erect with spine held in a straight line and keeping mouth, eyes and ears closed.
103. The yogic nerves or channels I â and Pinglâ are also called by yogis as Moon and Sun representing dark or tâmasic and worldly or râjasic propensities.
104. The currents of sight in the two eyes, also known as Idâ and Pinglâ during meditation have to be converged in one point in one central channel called Sushumnâ. So “one house” here refers to the Sushumnâ.
105. God in his pure state is said to lie beyond all nature or planes of creation, even beyond the plane or sphere of Kaivalya or Chetan or Pure Consciousness. So, the God is said to be turîyâtît (Beyond Turiya) or Kaivalyâtît (Beyond Kaivalya). The Realms of Alakh (Invisible), Agam (Unintelligible) and Anâm (Nameless) belong to the God’s pure state.
106. The Only God Who is bliss & bliss only - eternal & conscious bliss.
107. ‘Mehî’ or ‘Mahîn’ means extremely tiny or sharp, or subtle.
108. The Quintessential Unstruck Primordial Vibration/ Word/Sound/Melody/Name emanating directly from the God is so captivating that it pulls the Soul along like a very powerful magnet attracts a piece of iron. The Soul drawn by the charm of, and completely lost in, that melody is pulled along to the origin of the melody which is the Supreme Being or God Himself.
109. Etymologically ‘Râm’ means that which permeates through everything, that which is immanent in even the minutest interstices of the universe. The Quintessential primal vibration pervades through each & every pore of the creation, through whatever exists at all levels of the creation and is, therefore, the very essence of all that exists in whatever form – hence the name “Shabd Brahm” (Sound God/Lord). It is in this connotation that that Primeval Vibration/Sound/Name has also been called as Râm. If that vibration is withdrawn, for even a sextillionth fraction of a second, from any part of the creation that part would instantly get dissolved or get to a state of ‘laya’ (involution).
110. Indian scripture recognises four classes of sound namely ‘Parâ’, ‘Pashyanti’, ‘Madhyamâ’ and ‘Baikharî’. The sound we produce while speaking first rises from the navel and is called ‘Parâ’. When this sound reaches the heart, it is known as ‘Pashyanti’. Rising further when it reaches the throat, it is termed as ‘Madhyamâ’ and, finally, as it is thrown out of the mouth and scatters in all directions, is pronounced after striking different portions within the mouth it is known as ‘Baikharî’.
111. The Primal Vibration/Sound is known as ‘anâhat’ (not ‘âhat’ – the word ‘âhat’ refers to something that is struck or hit or is rubbed along). Any other sound or vibration or word, except the Primal Vibration, is produced as a result of mutual collision or striking or rubbing of two or more objects and, therefore, is ‘âhat’ (struck). However, that ‘anâhat’ word or sound was produced, sants & scriptures pronounce, directly from the God when nothing else but God alone existed. Hence, that sound/vibration/word/name is called ‘anâhat’ or unstruck sound (as two entities simply didn’t exist then). It can neither be pronounced/ chanted, nor be expressed or written as an alphabet or combination of alphabets. Hence, it is termed non-alphabetical name/word/sound.
112. The Primal Unstruck Sound, as it directly springs from the Omniscient God, is purely conscious sound; all other realms of creation are formed of this very sound and, hence, are ‘Jad’ or non-conscious or inert by themselves. The Plane or Domain of the Primal Sound lies above all other planes of creation, beyond the spheres of Karma (karmic laws apply only up to where the Sphere of Karma or ‘Karma Mandal’ extends) and, therefore, once the Soul grasps the current of the Primal Melody, it transcends the domain of karma (actions which, when performed with a sense of doership, are the reason or seed for rebirth and subsequent death, again & again) and, thus, also rises beyond the cycle of birth & death.
113. Yam or Yamarâj is the name of Hindu deity or Lord
of Death.
114. Dam implies “control over indriyas (organs of action & senses)”. This is accomplished by the practice of Drishti Yoga (Yoga of Inner Light). When the attention is focussed in the infinitesimal point in the centre of the two eyes or the Âjnâ Chakra, consciousness rises above or beyond the gross body & organs and, thus, all the organs are rendered ineffective.
115. “bam” refers to mind-control which is effected by mastery of Nâdânusandhân or Surat Shabd Yoga (Yoga of Inner Sound). The Domain of the Quintessential Unstruck Sound (anâhat nâd or sâr shabd), the zone of pure consciousness, lies beyond all the four non-conscious or inert realms namely gross, astral, causal and supra-causal realms. The non-conscious or inert or ‘Jad’ regions are qualitative or made up of three attributes/ qualities viz. ‘sat’, ‘raj’ and ‘tam’ and so is the mind whose activity and existence is, therefore, limited to the non-conscious or inert spheres. For the Soul that has risen into the realm of Quintessential Unstruck Sound, the non-conscious or inert mind also is rendered useless and is completely subjugated. This is the key to mind-control and meditation.
116. Five koshas have been named as ‘annamay’, ‘prânamay’, ‘manomay’, ‘vigyânmay’ and ‘ânandmay’ koshas.
117. Four fruits namely, arth (wealth), dharm (religiousness), kâm (worldly wishes) and moksha (liberation).
118. Trinity refers to the three chief deities of Hindu religion namely, Lord Brahmâ (the deity of creation), Lord Vishnu (the sustaining deity) and Lord Shiva (the deity responsible for destruction or dissolution).
119. In Hindu scriptures references are found to the existence of 330 million different deities (gods & goddesses).
120. ‘Pûrn Brahm’ refers to that part of the Supreme Being or the one only God that fills and regulates the whole of creation; the God in His pure form lies beyond all creation.
121. Form, Taste, Smell, Touch and Sound are the five ambassadors of gross creation. The beholder of the Divine Fire (Light) rises beyond these. Guru teaches the tact to behold the Divine Light within and, thus, rise above (or, in a sense, to scorch) these five ambassadors.
122. Ten ‘indriyas’ (organs) including five organs of action (hands, legs, mouth, and the two excretory organs) and five organs of senses (eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin) and four internal ‘indriyas’ (organs) known collectively as ‘antahkaran’ consisting of mind, intellect, chitt and ego.
123. Yam usually refers to righteous living involving observance of five principles as enlisted by Sage Patanjali (see 136 for the list) in his famed book of aphorisms.
124. Niyam again refers to five rules to be observed, as enlisted by Sage Patanjali, to accomplish the true purpose of life that is, Self-Realisation.
125. Moradabad (Muradabad) is a town in Uttar Pradesh province of India.
126. Atai is a locality in the town of Moradabad.
127. This is known as the act of Mânas Jap. It consists in chanting internally or mentally the sacred mantra given by the Guru without moving the tongue or lips. This results in concentration of mind preparing it for still finer modes or stages of inner meditation.
128. This is called Mânas Dhyân. Having done the chanting of the gross mantra successfully, this is a succession to a relatively less gross form of meditation wherein it is tried to internally visualise the image of the desired deity or Guru. When this stage is accomplished perfectly, the form of the deity or Guru should appear within in full clarity as it is seen in the outside world.
129. Also known as Til Dwâr or the Dasham Dwâr or the Tenth Gate or the Third Eye or the Single Eye or Sushumnâ or Âjnâ Chakra or Shahrag or the Shiva Netra, it is the meeting point of the gross and astral creations. The one who can still one’s gaze or attention at this bindu or the radiant point moves through this ‘narrow gate’ into the astral world. Hence, it is called as Bindu Dhyân (meditating upon the radiant infinitesimal point) or Shûnya Dhyân (Meditating in Void) or Sushumnâ Dhyân (Meditating upon/ in the Sushumnâ) or Drishtii Yoga (Yoga of Inner Light) or Shâmbhavi Mudrâ (Gazing Posture of Shiva) or Vaishnavî Mudrâ (Gazing Posture of Vishnu).
130. Five main spheres of creation have been described by sants and scriptures – Sthûl (Gross), Sûkshma (Astral), Kâran (Causal), MahâKâran (Supra-causal) and Kaivalya/ Chetan (Conscious) spheres. Each sphere is, sants say, formed by its unique characteristic vibration/sound/word called “Kendrîya Dhwani” or Central Sound or “Naubat”.
131. Upon penetrating the Sushumnâ or Âjnâ Chakra one rises from gross darkness into the realm of light. Within this light innumerable sounds called “anahad dhwani” (unlimited or countless varieties of sound) are heard (“vindupîthham vinirbhidya nâdalingamupasthitam” meaning “Penetrating the seat of Point Sound appears”) the loftiest of which is the “anâhat nâd/ dhwani” (Unstruck Sound), or “Sâr Shabd” (Quintessential Sound) or “Brahma Nâd” (Sound or Word of God), or “OM”, or “Udgîth” (Song of God), or “Pranav”, “Sat Shabd” (the True Word) that originates directly from the Supreme Being or the One Only God.
132. After the realm of Light ends, only zones of Sound lie beyond. It is these sounds only that guide and escort the perceiving soul to its final destination – merger with the Supreme Sovereign Lord, Parmâtmâ, God which is the Ultimate Goal of devotion or meditation or spiritual practice.
133. eighty four lakh (8.4 million) types of life form that are said to exist in creation.
134. The attitude or approach of “this is ‘mine and that is ‘yours’” brings in the feeling of infatuation, ownership or doership that becomes the cause of bondage leading into the trap of transmigration.
135. According to the principles of Sage Patanjali niyams are preparation for meditation and consists in purity, contentment, austerity, self -study and meditation on God. According to hath-yoga doctrine niyams are ten consisting of austerity, contentment, belief (theism), charity, God-worship, listening to principles (of devotion), modesty, understanding, chant and oblation.
136. According to Sage Patanjali yams, again preparatory pre-requisites for meditation, are five in number: truthfulness, non-violence, non-stealing, continence/celibacy and non-hoarding or possession-less-ness. Hath-yoga enlists ten yams namely, truthfulness, non-violence, non-stealing, continence, kindness, rectitude, forgiveness, patience, temperance in food and purity.
137. Kinnars are mythical creatures similar to gods having heads of horses
138. The right skill for practicing inner meditation (consisting of steps like internal chanting, internally visualising Guru’s form, Yoga of Inner Light and the Yoga of Inner Sound).
139. Rectitude consists in Abstention from lying, stealing, adultery, intoxicants and violence.
140. He who can focus his currents of sight, that are otherwise usually scattered in the two eyes, into a single point in the inner void (that is seen within as a result of closing our eyes), acquires farsightedness and is able to see anywhere in the gross as well as astral universe by remaining seated in a single place. The Upanishad says, “Bindaumanolayamkritvâ dûrdarshanamâpnuyât” (focussing attention in a point begets farsightedness). This focussed vision has been referred to here as the telescope of single-pointed-ness as it empowers its practitioner with the ability to see far and wide.
141. The telescope here refers to the worldly or physical telescopes (optical/radio devices designed to see distant objects in the gross cosmos). For a person who, by dint of meditation has focussed his sight in a single point and, thus, has acquired the ability to see anywhere in the macrocosm, such physical telescopes are rendered meaningless, as toys meant for kids’ play.
142. Yoga means union/joining together.
143. Surat, here, refers to the individual soul.
144. Shabd here implies the Quintessential Unstruck Primal Sound Current or Vibration. The Soul that has got hold of the Primordial Sound Current is pulled along to the centre or source from where the Sound Current keeps springing forth, that is none other than the God Himself. And, thus, union (yoga) of Soul (surat) with the Primeval Word (shabd or sârshabd) leads to union of the Soul with the Supreme Soul or the One Only God. Any other yoga is insignificant in its comparison.
145. To realise Self/God/One’s own true nature is the main task of the human birth, the most important goal of having been blessed with human life.
146. Other painful or risky self-mortification exercises or austerities such as hatha yoga or control of breath.
147. “Five” refers here to the five elements (soil, water, fire/heat, air and space) of which this body and the world are made.
148. “Three” implies here the three attributes/qualities/propensities namely rajogun (worldly/mundane propensities), tamogun (dark or negative propensities) and satogun (virtuous tendencies). The creation with attributes extends up to the Equilibrial Primordial Nature or the MahâKâran (Supra-causal Realm). The domain of True Word/Name or Pure Consciousness or the Kaivalya/Chetan Region lies beyond the creation with attributes.
149. The gross, astral, causal, supra-causal & conscious bodies.
150. Three non-conscious or inert bodies namely, Gross body, Astral body and Causal body.
151. Broadly, there are two types of nature namely, aparâ prakriti (non-conscious or inert nature) and parâ prakriti (conscious nature) .
152. Please see Poem No. 38 wherein seven types of Brahma have been described.
153. To find out Self (who am I), or to realise the true nature of Self that is selfsame with the Supreme Being or God and, thus, attain complete liberation from all the sufferings or pain (which is inevitable so long as we are trapped in the cycle of transmigration) is the principal task to be performed with this human body we have been gracefully given by Him.
154. Shutting the eyes, mouth and ears
155. A dish holding a lamp, burning ghî (clarified butter), incense sticks and other such articles. The ritual or process of showing or waving of such dish in a series of circles to a deity or respected person is also known as ârtî.
156. Sweets, pudding etc offered to a deity during worship.
157. The spiritual practitioner of the Yoga of Inner Light & Sound comes to visualize stars, the Moon, the Sun and innumerable other mesmerizingly colourful forms of light in the inner sky in the course of meditation. Sant Tulsi Sâhab compares the various celestial bodies seen within to fruits, flowers, small grains, shining pearls, and fragrant essence – the various articles used in traditional ârtî performed in outside gross world. The inner Sun and Moon are like the fruits & flowers, the numerous luminous stars can be thought of as small grains (akshat), various other forms of light sighted within are analogous to desserts, leaves, camphor, betel leaves & nuts, pieces of sandalwood, pearls and other colourful fragrant fumes & incense – all these kept on the plate, dish, salver or platter that is, the inner sky itself.
158. Just as a tiny fish can swim upstream countering so easily & spontaneously even very strong & turbulent currents of water, the soul/spirit (along with the mind in initial stages) also ascends upwards in the inner sky in a direction opposite to the current of sound flowing downwards and, therefore, has been likened to a tiny fish by sants. Thus, the method of ‘surat shabd yoga’ or ‘nâdânusandhân’ or the Yoga of Inner Divine Sound is also referred to as the ‘mîn mârg’ or the path of the fish.
159. Just as the black bee is lost completely in the sweet fragrance of, and gets willingly trapped within, a lotus flower, the focused surat (soul) plays in the inner sky joyfully, captivated by the fragrance of divine sound.
160. Quintessential Sound.
161. Inner Light & Sound – imperceptible to the senses
162. In Hindu Scriptures there is a mention of a mythical bird named ‘alal’ which is said to live pretty high above in the sky. This bird never comes down to the earth and lives always in the high sky. The eggs the ‘alal’ lays begin to fall down towards the earth. However, these eggs are laid at such great heights that before these can reach the earth’s surface, their hatching period is over and the young kids come out of them and fly back towards their homes high above in the sky. Using the allegory of the ‘alal’ Sant Tulsi Sâhab advises our individual souls, who have come from their abode located in the highest region, to climb back, to fly back through meditation, to those greatest heights where lies our own true native abode, the Realm of the God.