Attaining Ultimate Liberation by
Nirguna-Upasana
Divine Life
Society Publication: Chapter 9- The Philosophy of
the Panchadasi by Swami Krishnananda
Upasana may not be the direct
cause of Brahman-Experience, but it leads the seeker to the acquisition of that
knowledge which is the direct cause of liberation. Here, we have to concede
that Japa of Mantras, devout worship of images, and so on, are also means for
spiritual perfection in the end, though not the direct means.
Fully perfected
Nirguna-Upasana ends in the absorption of the Universe in Consciousness, which
is simultaneous with the direct perception that the Atman is Brahman. This is
knowledge of Truth, which one acquires by the laborious practices of meditation
on the Absolute Brahman, with such attributes as Nirvikara or Changeless;
Asanga, or unattached; Nitya, Eternal; Svaprakasa, or Self-luminous; Eka, or
One alone; Purna, or Full; Bhuma or the Plenum; etc., which are only ideas in
the beginning but become realities in the end, as the embodiment of the
Universal Atman itself. It is towards this end that the practice of Yoga has been
enjoined on the aspirants. One should not, here, mistake the lower stages for
the final end to be reached, and there should be no stagnation at any lower
stage with the wrong feeling that it is the goal.
Upasana, as a soul-filled
approach, is prescribed for those who enter into the more difficult means of
directly meditating on the higher realities. Yoga as concentration of mind is
prescribed as a secondary means, by which the dross of the mind is removed and
it is steadied to enable it to reflect Truth.
For the higher minds Samkhya
(knowledge of the Absolute Truth by discrimination between the universal Self
and the not-Self) is prescribed, and for the lower ones Yoga (concentration).
When Samkhya and Yoga are understood in their true sense, they lead to the same
goal, says, the Bhagavadgita.
One whose practice, whether by
Samkhya or by Yoga, is not adequately mature in one life, may have its
completion at the time of his death, and, if this is not practicable on account
of the working of obstructing Karmas, knowledge will dawn in the next life, or
a future life. Knowledge usually should dawn at least in Brahma-loka, and there
the final liberation is to be attained.
Whatever is the last thought
of the individual at the time of death shall be the determining factor of one’s
rebirth, because the last thought is the quintessence of all the thoughts one
has been cherishing throughout one’s life, and it is but natural that at the
time of the death of a body the Pranas should stand collected and projected
towards the region whose experience shall be the materialization of one’s last
thought. This is equal to saying that what one does in the present life shall
fashion the nature of one’s future life. It does not mean that the last thought
can be anything other than what one has been thinking throughout life.
Moksha is the immediate
non-objective experience of Brahman on which one has been meditating all along
with intense devotion. By the force of Upasana, the primeval ignorance of the
Jiva is dispelled, and Brahman is attained. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad states
that in the case of the desireless one, who has no other desire but the desire
for the Atman, the Pranas do not depart. They do not get directed to any region
or realm like projectiles, as they do in the case of ordinary mortals, but they
dissolve then and there into the Substance of Brahman. Upasana leads to Jnana,
the supreme achievement in life.
By the practice of unselfish
Upasana, Moksha is attained, is the teaching of the Upanishad, and that by
Upasana attended with desire, Brahma-loka is attained. One who meditates on the
different constituents of Omkara, identifying them with the Brahman in Saguna
form, passes through the region of the Sun, and having then reached the
Brahma-loka, is finally liberated by the end of time when there is cosmic
dissolution (Pralaya). He who meditates thus, transcends all realms and attains
the ultimate liberation gradually, and so it is called Krama-mukti, or
Progressive salvation.
There, in Brahma-loka, by the
force of the Upasana practiced previously, one attains to Truth and returns not
to this world again. He is finally liberated. There is only ascent and no
reverting to the mortal world, as a result of desireless meditation.
Thus, summing up, we may say that
liberation may be possible either here immediately, now, or at the time of the
dropping of the body, or it may be even after one’s having attained
Brahma-loka. Here, what determines the attainment is the nature of the Upasana.
This fact is also emphasized in the Atma-Gita, where we are told that one
should resort to continuous meditation on the nature of the Atman when
discriminatory enquiry and investigation into the truths of things by direct
approach is found difficult due to impurity of mind, fickleness of intellect,
etc. Nevertheless, one should engage oneself in the practice, without the least
trace of doubt in the mind, even though the realization may not be near at
hand.
At the proper time the realization
shall come and there should be no impatience in this regard. As in digging out
a treasure from the earth the stones etc., from above are removed with the help
of instruments, so by setting aside the stone of the body and digging the earth
of the mind with the spade of the intellect, one obtains the treasure of the
Atman within.
Meditation is imperative in
the case of every seeker even if there is no immediate experience. Let there be
the confidence that what we are seeking for is our essential nature and,
therefore, naturally, it should be much easier to realize it than to acquire
other things which are extraneous to our nature. There will be felt within in
the case of meditation an uncommon tranquility and peace of mind, a joy and a
sense of power which cannot be had in this world. By overcoming attachment to
the body in this manner, by protracted meditation on the Atman which is the
Absolute, the mortal becomes the immortal and there is Sadyo-mukti, or
instantaneous experience of the Supreme Being. (Verses 1-158)
Excerpts from:
Chapter 9: The Philosophy of
the Panchadasi by Swami Krishnananda
If you would like to purchase the print edition, visit:
If you would like to contribute to the dissemination of
spiritual knowledge please contact the General Secretary at:
No comments:
Post a Comment