Concentration and Meditation Swami Sivananda

GONCENTRATION
AND
MEDITATION
GONGENTRATION
AND
MEDITATION
Sri Swami Sivananda
67
"efutolaa
THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY
P.O. SHIVANANDANAGAR_24g 1 92
Distt. Tehri-Garhwal, Uttarakhand, Himalayas, !ndia
www. siva na n daon n e. org
I i
First Edition: 1945 Second Edition: 1959
Third Edition: 1964 Fourth Edition: 1972
Fifth Edition: 1978 Sixth Edition: 1983
Seventh Edition: 1986 Eighth Edition: 1990
Ninth Edition: 1994 Tenth Edition 1997
Elevenih Edition: 2001 TwelfthEdition: 2OO7
Thirteenth Edition: 2009 Fourteenth Edition: 2011
(2,000 Copies)
@The Divine Life Trust Society
rsBN 81-7052-007-X
ES27
PRICE: <135/-
Published by Swami Padmanabhananda for

The Divine Life Society, Shivanandanagar, and printed by
him at the Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy Press,
P.O. Shivanandanagar, Distt. Tehri-Garhwal, Uttarakhand,
Himalayas, lndia
www.sivanandaonline.org
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SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA
Born on the 8th September, 1887, in the illustrious family
of Sage Appayya Dikshitar and several other renowned saints
and savants, Sri Swami Sivananda had a natural flair for a life
devoted to the study and practice of Vedanta. Added to this
was an inborn eagerness to serve al! and an innate feeling of
unity with all mankind.
His passion for service drew him to the medical career;
and soon he gravitated to where he thought that his service
was most needed. Malaya claimed him. He hdd earlier been
editing a health journal and wrote extensively on health prob-
lems. He discovered that people needed right knowledge most
of all;dissemination of that knowledge he espoused as his own
mission.
It was divine dispensation and the blessing of God upon
mankind that the doctor of body and mind renounced his career
and took to a life of renunciation to qualify for ministering to the
soul of man. He settled down at Rishikesh in 1924, practised in-
tense austerities and shone as a great Yogi, saint, sage and
Jivanmukta.
ln 1932 Swami Sivananda started the Sivanandashram.
ln 1936 was born The Divine Life Society. ln 1948 the
Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy was organ ised. Dissem i nation
of spiritual knowledge and training of people in Yoga and
Vedanta were their aim and object. ln 1950 Swamiji undertook
a lightning tour of lndia and Ceylon. ln 1953 Swamiji convened
a 'World Parliament of Religions'. Swamiji is the author of over
300 volumes and has disciples all over the world, belonging to
all nationalities, religions and creeds. To read Swamiji's works
is to drink at the Fountrain of Wisdom Supreme. On 14th July,
1 963 Swamiji entered Mahasamadhi.
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INTRODUCTION
Concentration and meditation are the royal roads to per-
fection. Concentration leads to meditation. Fix the mind on one
gbject either within the body or without. Keep it there steadily
for some time. This is concentration. You will have to practise
this daily. Purifo the mind first through the practice of right con-
duct and then take to the practice of concentration. Concentra-
tion without purity of mind is of no avail. There are some
occultists who have concentration. But they have no good
character. That is the reason why they do not make any
progress in the spiritual line.
He who has a steady posture and has purified his nerves
and the vital sheath by constant practice of control of breath will
be able to concentrate easily. Concentration will be intense if
you remove all distractions. A true celibate who has preserved
his energy will have wonderful concentration.
Some foolish, impatient students take to concentration at
once without in any manner undergoing any preliminary train-
ing in ethics. This is a serious blunder. Ethical perfection is a
matter of paramount importance.
You can concentrate internally on any of the seven cen-
tres of spiritual energy. Attention plays a very prominent part in
concentration. He who has developed his powers of attention
will have good concentration. A man who is filled with passion
and all sorts of fantastic desires can hardly concentrate on any
subject or object even for a second. His mind will be jumping
like an old monkey.
A scientist concentrates his mind and invents many new
things. Through concentration he opens the layers of the gross
mind and penetrates deeply into the higher regions of the mind
and gets deeper knowledge. He concentrates all the energies
of his mind into one focus and throws them out upon the materi-
als he is analysing and finds out their secrets.
He who has gained abstraction (withdrawing the senses
from the objects) will have good concentration. You will have to
march on in the spiritual path step by step, stage by stage. Lay
the foundation of right conduct, postures, regulation of breath
(8)
and abstraction to start with. The superstructure of concentra-
tion and meditation will be successfulthen only.
You should be able to visualise the object of concentration
very clearly even in its absence. You will have to call up the
mentral picture at a moment's notice. lf you have good concen-
tration you c€rn do this without much difficulty.
ln the beginning stage of practice, you can concentrate on
the 'tiktik'sound of a watch or on the flame of a candle or any
other object that is pleasing to the mind. This is concrete con-
centration. There is no concentration without something to rest
the mind upon. The mind can be fixed on any object in the be-
ginning which is pleasant. lt is very difficult to fix the mind in the
beginning on an object which the mind dislikes.
Those who practise concentration evolve quickly. They
can do any work with scientific accuracy and great efficiency.
What others do in six hours can be done by one who has con-
centration within half an hour. What others can read in six
hours, can be read by one who does concentr{tion within half
an hour. Concentration purifies and calms the surging emo-
tions, strengthens the current of thought and clarifies the ideas.
Concentration helps a man in his material progress also. He
will have a very good outturn of work in his office or business
house. What was cloudy and hazy before becomes clear and
definite. Whatwas difficult before becomes easy now and what
was complex, bewildering and confusing before becomes easy
within the mental grasp. You can achieve anything through
concentration. Nothing is impossible to a man who practises
regular concentration. lt is very difiicult to practise concentra-
tion when one is hungry and when one is suffering from an
acute disease. He who practises concentration will possess
very clear mential vision.
Meditation is the only royal road to the attainment of salva-
tion or Moksha. Meditation kills all pains, sufferings and three
kinds of Taapas (fevers) and five Kleshas or sorrows. Medita-
tion gives the vision of unity. Meditation produces sense of one-
ness. Meditation is an aeroplane that helps the aspirant to soar
high in the realms of eternal bliss and everlasting peace. lt is a
mysterious ladder that connects earth and heaven and takes
the aspirant to the immortal abode of Brahman.
(e)
Meditation is the continuous flow of one thought of God or
Atman, like the continuous flow of oil from one vessel to an-
other (Tailad haravat). Med itation follows concentration.
Practise meditation in the early morning from 4 to 6
(Brahma-Muhurta). This is the best time for the practice of
meditation.
Sit in Padma or Siddha or Sukha Asana. Keep the head,
neck and the trunk in a straight line, and concentrate either on
the Trikuti, the space between the two eyebrows, or on the
heart with closed eyes.
Meditation is of two kinds viz., Saguna Dhyana (concrete
meditation) and Nirguna Dhyana (abstract meditation). In con-
crete meditation the Yogic student meditrates on the form of
Lord Krishna, Rama, Sita, Vishnu, Siva, Gayatrior Devi. ln ab-
stract meditation he meditates on his own Self or Atman.
Place the picture of Lord Hari with four hands in front of
you. Gaze at this picture steadily for five minutes and then
close the eyes and visualise the picture. During visualisation
move the mind on the various parts of Vishnu. See with the
mind His feet first, then in the following ordel legs, His yellow
silk cloth, His golden necklace set with Kaustubha gem on the
breast, the eaning, Makarakundala, then the face, then the
crown on the head, then the discus in the right upper hand,
then the conch in the upper left hand, then the mace in the
lower right hand, then the lotus in the left lower hand. Then
come down to the feet and repeat the process again and again.
Finally fix the mind either on the feet or on the face. Repeat the
Mantra, Hari Om or Om Namo Narayanaya, mentally. Think of
the attributes of the Lord such as Omnipotence,
Omnipresence, Purity, etc.
Meditate on Om and its meaning with feeling. This is
Nirguna Dhyana. RepeatOm mentally. ldentifyyourself with At-
man. Feel "l am the all-pervading immortal Self or Atman. I am
Sat-Chit-Ananda Brahman. ! am Sakshi or silent witness of
three states and all modifications of the mind. I am pure con-
sciousness, I am distinct from the body, mind and.Prana and
senses, I am the self-luminous Light of lights. I am the eternal
supreme Soul."
lf you have contentment, cheerfulness, patience, unruf-
fled state of mind, sweet voice, one-pointedness of mind, light
(10)
body, fearlessness, desirelessness, disgust for worldly things,
think that you are advancing in the spiritual path and that you
are nearing God.
O Prem! There is a place where you will neither hear any
sound nor see any colour. That place is Param Dham or Padam
Anamayam (painless seat). This is the realm of peace and
bliss. There is no body-consciousness here. Here mind finds
rest. All desires and cravings melt away. The lndriyas remain
quiet here. The intellect ceases functioning. There is neither
fight nor quarrel here. Will you seek this silent abode through
silent meditation? Solemn stillness reigns supreme here.
Rishis of yore aftained this place only by melting the mind in the
silence. Brahman shines in native effulgence.
Forget the body. Forget'the surroundings. Forgetting is
the highest Sadhana. lt helps meditation a great deal. lt makes
the approach to God easier. By remembering God, you can for-
get all these things.
Taste the spiritual consciousness bywithdrawing the mind
from the sensual objects and fixing it on the lotus-feet of the
Lord, who is ever shining in the chambers of your heart. Merge
within by practising deep silent meditation. Plunge deep. Swim
freely in the ocean of Sat-Chit-Ananda. Float in the Divine river
of Joy. Tap the source. March direct towards the fountain-head
of Divine bonsciousness and drink the Nectar. Feelthe thrillof
Divine Embrace and enjoy Divine Ecstasy. I shall leave you
here. You have attained the state of immortality and fearless-
ness. O Prem! Fear not. Shine now. Thy light has come.
Practise regular systematic meditation during the same
hours daily. You will get the meditative mood easily.
The more you meditate, the more you willhave innerspiri-
tuallife, wherein mind and lndriyas do not play. You will be very
close to the source, Atman. You will enjoy the waves of bliss
and peace.
All sensual objects will have no attraction for you now The
world will appear to you as a long dream. Jnana will dawn in
you by constiant, deep meditation.
You will be fully illumined. The curtain of ignorance will
drop now. The sheaths will be torn. The body-idea will vanish.
You will realise the significance of the Mahavakya, "Tat Tvam
Asi." All differences, distinctions, qualities will disappear. You
(11)
will.see everywhere one infinite, illimitable Atman, full of Bliss,
Light and Knowledge. This will be a rare experience, indeed.
Do not tremble with fear like Arjuna. Be bold. You will be left
alone now. There is nothing to see or hear now. There are no
senses. lt is all pure consciousness only.
Thou art Atman, O Prem. Thou art not this perishable
body. Destroy the Moha for this filthy body. Do not utter in future
"My body.'Say, "this instrument." The sun is setting now. !t is
drawing within allthe rays. Now sitfor meditation. Again have a
dive in the sacred Atmic Triveni within. Collect all the rays of the
mind and plunge within quite deep into the innermost recesses
of the heart. Give up allsorts of fears, cares, wonies and anxi-
eties. Rest in the ocean of silence. Enjoy the eternal peace.
Your old Jivahood is gone now. All tihritations have disap-
peared. lf the desires and old cravings try to hiss, destroy them
by the rod of Viveka and the sword of Vairagya.
Keep these two with you always for some time till you get
Brahmi-Sthiti (fully established in Atman).
OM is Sat-Chit-Ananda. Om is lnfinity, Eternity. Sing OM.
Feel OM. Chant OM. Live in Om. Meditate on OM. Roar OM
OM OM. Hear OM. Taste Om. See OM. Eat OM. Drink OM. OM
is Thy Name! May that OM guide you! OM! OM! OM! OM
SANTIH.
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I prostrate myself before the five-faced Lord of Parvati,

who is adorned with various ornaments, who shines like
Sphatika jewel, who is seated peacefully in lotus pose, with
moon-crested crown, with three eyes, wearing trident, Vajra,
sword and axe on the right side, serpent, noose, bell, Damaru
and spear on the left side and who gives protection from all
fears to His devotees.
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I meditate on Sri Sankaracharya who is seated in
Padmasana with Jnanamudra, who is calm, endowed with vir-
tues like Yama, Niyama, etc., whose glory is as great as that of
Lord Siva, who wears the sacred ashes on the forehead,
whose face resembles the blossomed lotus, with lotus-like
eyes, possessing sacred books in hand, who is ever adored by
people of high learning and wisdom, and who fulfils the desires
of his devotees (who prostrate themselves before him).
(13)
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I always meditate on the ever-pure, all-pervading
Pranava, Omkara, which is known by the various Srutis as the
source and support of Vedanta, as the cause of creation, exis-
tence and dissolution of this universe, which is the Soul of this
universe and which is Truth, Knowledge and lnfinity.
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I meditate on Dattatreya, the son of Atri, who has six
hands, who is with garland and Kamandalu in two hands, with
Damaru and Trisula (trident) in the other two hands and with
conch and discus in the upper two hands.
(14)
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I worship the lotus-feet of Ganesa, the son of Uma, the de-
stroyer of all sorrows, who is served by the host of Devas and
Bhuias (elementals) and others and who takes the essence of
Kapittha (a fruit resembling Bilva or stone-apple) and Jambu
fruits.
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I always take refuge in Lord Guha of six faces, who is of
deep red iolour and infinite knowledge, who has the divine
peabock to ride on, the son of Lord Siva and the leader of the
army of the Devas.
(1s)
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May that Goddess Sarasvati who is of fair complexion,
who wears a garland of snow-white Kunda flower, who wears
pure white cloth, who holds the best and sacred Vina, who is
seated on a white lotus, who is worshipped by Brahma,
Achyuta, Sankara and others, who is the cause of removing all
inertness and laziness, protect me.
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I meditate on Goddess Lakshmi who has lotus in Her
hands, who is of cheerful countenance, who bestows fearless-
ness with both Her hands, who is decked with precious jewels
of various kinds, who bestows the desired fruiis on Heidevo-
tees, who is worshipped by Hari, Siva and Brahma, who is at all
times surrounded by Saktis, and has Nidhis (treasures) known
as Sankha, Padma and Mahapadma.
(16)
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I know not anything higher than the lotus-eyed Krishna
with hands adorned with flute, looking like a heavy-laden cloud,
wearing yellow silk garment and with lips like ruddy Bimba fruit
and face shining like the full moon.
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One should meditate on Sri Ramachandra, with hands
reaching the knees, holding the bow and arrows, seated on the
lo.cke_d-up lotus posture, wearing a yellow garb, with eyes vying
with the newly blossomed lotus petals, with a pleasant gait-,
who has Sita to his left side, who is blue like the ctouds, who is
adorned with all kinds of ornaments and having a big circle of
Jata on the head.
(17)
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I meditate on the lotus-feet of Goddess Gayatri, whose
face glows with the pearls, coral, gold, blue and white jewels,
whose crown is decorated with pearls and the moon, who is the
embodiment of the sacred Truth that signifies the essence of
the Vedas, who has Her two hands as the giver of boons and
fearlessness and who holds Ankusa (trident), Kasa (whip), the
skull, Gada (club), the conch, the disc and two white lotus flow-
ers in Her hands.
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May the Sun-God (Surya) the eye of the world, who is the
bestower of all bliss, who is worshipped by Lord Hari, Siva and
other gods, who shines in the rising mountains, who shines
with jewel-decked crown, who is the lord of the planets, who
pervades the whole universe, who shines with the glow of His
lips and beautiful hair and who is endowed with divine splen-
dour, protect me.
(18)
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 7
STOTRAS 12
CHAPTER ONE
THEORY OF CONCENTRATION
1. What ls Concentration? 27
2. Where to Concentrate? 28
3. Aids to Concentration 30
4. Antarmukha and Bahirmukha Vrittis. 35
5. Know the Ways of Mind 36
6. Reduce Mind-Wandering 40
7.Tap All Powers. 43
8. Story of Concentration. 45
9. Yoga Prasnottari. 59
CHAPTER TWO
PRACTICE OF CONCENTRATION
1. Attention 61
2. Practice of Concentration 66
3. Concentration in Every Walk of Life 68
4. Gist of Yoga of Concentration 69
5. Exercises in Concentration 74
6. Concentration on a Chair 76
7. Concentration on Anahata Sounds 78
8. Trataka or Gazing 80
CHAPTER THREE
PRELIMINARIES FOR MEDITATION
1. What ls Meditation? 82
2. Necessity for Meditation. 83
3. Fruits of Meditation 84
4. Brahmamuhurta-Best Tlme for Meditation . 90
(1e)
5. Meditation Room 92
6. Places for Meditation 93
7.Cave-LifeforMeditation. .... 96
8. Preparation for Meditation 98
9. How to Meditate 98
10. When and Where to Meditate 104
11. Requisites for Meditation 105
12. Three Siftings for Meditation. 109
13. Qualifications for Practising Meditation 110
14. How Many Hours to Meditate 113
15. Aids to Meditation 114
16. Asanas for Meditation 114
17. Regularity in Meditation 116
CHAPTER FOUR
PRACTICE OF MEDITATION
1. PracticalAspect ofMeditation. 118
2. Real Rest in Meditation 120
3. Visualisation . 121
4. Yoga of Meditation. 121
5. Seclusion and Meditation 125
6. Reach the Highest Peak. 130
7. Errors in Meditation 132
8. lnstructions on Meditation 134
9. Twenty Hints on Meditation 141
10. Exercises in Meditation 143
11. The State of Meditation 146
12. Practice of Samyama 151
13. Prasnottarion Meditation 152
CHAPTER FIVE
KINDS OF MEDITATION
1. Selection for Meditation 156
(20)
2. Meditation in Different Paths 159
3. Preliminary Meditation:
(A) Meditation on a Rose 163
(B) Meditation on a Buffalo 163
(C) Meditation on Mahatma Gandhiji 165
(D) Meditation on 12 Virtues 166
(E) Meditation on Divine Songs 166
(F) Meditation on Gita Slokas 167
4. Saguna Meditation:
(A) Meditation on lshta Devatas 168
(B) Meditation on Virat Purusha 169
(C) Meditation on Gayatri 170
5. Nirguna Meditation:
(A) Meditation on ldbas 171
(B) Vedantic Meditation 174
(C) Assertions for Vedantic Nididhyasana . 175
(D) Vedantic Contemplation 175
(E) Meditation on Om 177
(F) Meditation on "Soham". 179
(G) Meditation on Mahavakyas 181
(H) Positive Meditation. 182
(l) Negative Meditation. 183
6. Saguna and Nirguna Meditation Compared 183
7. Meditation and Action. 186
CHAPTER SIX
PHYSICAL OBSTACLES IN MEDTTATION
lntroduction 188
1. Aimless Wandering 189
2. Cessation of Sadhana 189
3. Deha-Adhyasa. 190
4. Diseases. 190
5. Discussing Too Much 191
(2tl
6' Environments 192
7. Evil Company 192
8. Fault-Finding. 193
9. Habit of Self-Justification 194
10. lmpulses. 194
Food
11. lmpure and lmmoderate 194
Sadhana
12. lrregularity in 195
13. Jerks 196
Brahmacharya.
14. Lack of 196
15. Ojas 197
Niyama.
16. Lack of Yama and 197
Diarrhoea
17. Lingual 198
Preceptor
18. Need for a 198
etc.
19. Overeating, 200
20. PoorHealth 200
Friends
21. So-called 202
22. SocialNature 203
23.Tandri-Alasya-Nidta. . 203
24.Yulgar Pleasures 205
25. Wealth 205
CHAPTER SEYEN
MENTAL OBSTACLES IN MEDITATION
1. Anger 206
2.Backbiting... 208
3. Depression 209
4. Doubt (Samsaya) 210
5. Dreams 211
6. EvilThoughts 211
7. False Tushti 215
8. Fear 215
9. Fickleness . 216
10. Five Hindrances to Meditation. 216
(22l.
11. Force of Old Samskaras 217
12. Gloom and Despair 217
13. Greed 217
14. Hatred 218
15. lmpatience. 220
16. lndependent Nature . 220
17.Jealousy.. . 221
18. Lower Nature 222
19. Manorajya . 226
20. Memory 227
21. Mental Talking 229
22. Moha. 229
23. Obstacles in Yoga 230
24. Other Obstacles 231
25. Prejudice, lntolerance and Bigotry. 232
26. Rajas and Tamas 233
27. Sankalpas . 233
28. Tamas or lnertia 233
29. Three Obstacles 234
30. Trishna and Vasana . . 234
31. Vikshepa. 235
32. Vishayasakti . 236
CHAPTER EIGHT
HIGHER OBSTACLES IN MEDITATION
1. Ambition and Desire 238
3. Religious Hypocrisy (Dambha) ... 239

Pratishtha)
4. Name and Fame (Kirti and 240
5. Elementals (Bhuta-Ganas) 243
6. Vision 243
7. Siddhis. 243
8. Kashaya 245
(23l.
9. Laya 245
10. Rasasvada. 245
1 1 . Tushnimbhuta Avastha 246
12. Stabdha Avastha 246
13. Avyaktam 247
Valediction 247
CHAPTER N/NE
EXPERIENCES IN MEDITATION
1. Various Experiences in Meditation 250
2. Anahata Sounds. 254
3. Lights in Meditation 255
4. Mystic Experiences of Sadhakas 258
5. ln the Hours of Meditation 261
6. Vision of God 265
7. Feeling of Separation 266
8. Cosmic Consciousness 268
9. Blissful Experience 271
10. Mind Moves 275
11. Bhuta-Ganas. 276
12. Glimpses of the Self 276
13. Jyotirmaya Darshan 279
APPENDIX 280
GLOSSARY 285
(24)
Consentration
and
Meditation
CHAPTER ONE
What is Concentration?
1.
" Desa-bandhas-chittasya dharana"'-Concentration is
flxing the mind on an external object or an internal point. Once
a Sanskrit scholar approached Kabir and asked him, "O Kabir,
what are you doing now?" Kabir replied, "O Pandit, I am detach-
ing the mind from worldly objects and attaching it to the Lo-
tus-Feet of the Lord." This is concentration. Right conduct,
posture, Pranayama and abstraction from sensual objects will
pave a long way in achieving rapid success in concentration.
Concentration is the sixth step in the Yogic Ladder. There can
be no concentration without something upon which the mind
may rest. A definite purpose, interest, attention will bring suc-
cess in concentration.
The senses draw you out and perturb your peace of mind.
lf your mind is restless, you cannot make any progress. When
the rays of the mind are collected by practice, the mind be-
comes concentrated and you get Ananda from within. Silence
the bubbling thoughts and calm the emotions.
You should have patience, adamantine will and untiring
persistence. You must be very regular in your practices. Other-
wise laziness and adverse forces will take you away from the
Lakshya. Awell-trained mind can be fixed at will upon any ob-
ject either inside or outside to the exclusion of all other
thoughts.
Everybody possesses some ability to concentrate on
some lines. But.for spiritual progress concentration should be
developed to a very high degree. A man with an appreciable
degree of concentration has more earning capacity and turns
out more work in a shorter time. ln concentration there should
be no strain on the brain. You should not fight or wrestle with
the mind.
A man whose mind is filled with passion and all sorts of
fantastic desires can hardly concentrate on any object even for
a second. Celibacy, Pranayama, reduction of wants and
(27l'
28 CONCENTRATION AND MEDITATION
activities, renunciation of sensual objects, solitude, silence,

discipline of the senses, annihilation of lust, greed, anger,
non-mixing with undesirable persons, giving up of newspa-
per-reading and visiting cinemas, all increase the power of
concentration.
Concentration is the only way to get rid of worldly miseries
and tribulations. The practitioner will have very good health and
a cheerful mental vision. He can get the penetrative insight. He
can do any work with greater efficiency. Concentration purifies
and calms the surging emotions, strengthens the current of
thought and clarifies the ideas. Purify the mind through Yama
and Niyama. Concentration without purity is of no use.
Japa of any Mantra and Pranayama will steady the mind,
remove Vikshepa and increase the power of concentration.
Concentration can be done only if you are free from all distrac-
tions. Concentrate on anything that appeals to you as good or
anything which the mind likes best. The mind should be trained
to concentrate on gross objects in the beginning, and later on
you can successfully concentrate on subtle objects and ab-
stract ideas. Regularity in the practice is of paramount
importance.
Gross forms: Concentrate on a black dot on the wall, a
candle-flame, a bright star, the moon, the picture of OM (AUM),
Lord Siva, Rama, Krishna, Devi or your lshta Devata in front of
you with open eyes.
Subfle forms: Sit before the picture of your lshta Devata
and close your eyes. Keep a mental picture of your lshta
Devata at the space between the two eyebrows or in the heart.
Concentrate on Muladhara, Anahata, Ajna or any other internal
Chakra. Concentrate on the Divine qualities such as love,
mercy, or any other abstract idea.
2. Where to Concentrate?
Concentrate gently either on the lotus of the heart
(Anahata Chakra) or on the space between the two eyebrows
(Ajna Chakra or Trikuti), or on the tip of the nose. Close your
eyes.
The seat of the mind is Ajna Chakra. The mind can be
controlled easily if you concentrate on the Trikuti.
THEORY OF CONCENTRATION 29
Bhaktas should concentrate on the heart. yogis and

Vedantins should concentrate on Ajna Chakra.
Crown of the head (Sahasrara) is another seat for concen-
tration. Some Vedantins concentrate here. Some yogis con-
centrate on the tip of the nose (Nasikagra Drishti).
Stick to one centre of concentration. Cling to it tenaciously.
lf you concentrate on the heart stick to it. Never change it. Guru
will select a centre for concentration, if you are a itudent of
faith. lf you are a man of self-reliance, you can select a centre
for yourself.
.brows.
Bhry.Tadhya-Drishti is fixing one's eyes between the eye-
This region is Ajna Chakra. padmasana
Sit in or
Siddha-sana in your meditation room and practise this gaze
gently from half a minute to half an hour. There must not Oe tne
least violence in this practice. Gradually increase the period.
This Yogic Kriya removes Vikshepa or the tossing of mind and
develops concentration. Lord Krishna prescribes this practice
in chapter V, Sloka 27: "sparsan krifua bahir bahyan
chakshus-chaivantare bhruvoh"-"Having the outward ion-
tacts excluded and with gaze fixed between the eyebrows.,'
This is known as 'frontal gaze,'because the eyes are directed
towards the frontal bone or the bone of the forehead. you can
select yourself either this gaze or the 'Nasal Gaze.,
'Nasal Gaze'is called Nasikagra-Drishti. The gaze is fixed
at the tip of the nose. Even when you walk in the ltreet, keep
the. nas_al g_aze. Lord Krishna prescribes this in chapter Vi,
Sloka 13: "Samprekshya Nasikagram',-"Looking fixediy at the
point of the nose without looking around." This p=racticsstead-
ies the mind and develops the power of conceniration.
A Raja Yogi concentrates on the Trikuti (Ajna Chakra, the
space between the two eyebrows) which is the seat of the mind
in the waking state. You can easily control the mind if you can
concentrate on this region. Light is seen during concentration
in this.rpgion very quickly even in a day's practice, by some per-
sons. He who wants to meditate on Virat and he who wanis to
help the world should select this region for his concentration. A
Bhakta or a devotee should concentrate on the heart, the seat
of emotion and feeling. He who concentrates on the heart gets
great Ananda. He who wants to get Ananda should concen-
trate on the heart.
A Hatha Yogi fixes his mind on the Sushumna Nadi, the

middle path in thb spinal canal, and on a specific centre, viz',
the Mulidhara or Manipura orAjna Chakra. Some Yogis ignore
the lower Chakras and fix their mind on the Ajna Chakra only'
Their theory is that by controlling the Ajna chakra all the lower
Chakras can be automatically controlled. When you concen-
trate on a chakra, a thread-like connection is formed in the be-
ginning between the mind and the chakra (centre of spiritual
6nergy;. Then the Yogi ascends along the Sushuml3 fpm
Cna[ia to Chakra. Thqascent is made gradually by patient ef-
forts. Even a mere shaking of the opening of the Sushumna
causes a greatdealof Ananda (bliss). You become intoxicated.
You will entirely forget the world. When the opening of the
sushumna is shaken a bit, the Kula Kunadalini Sakti tries to en-
ter Sushumna. Great Vairagya comes in. You will become fear-
less. You will behold various visions. You will witness the
splendid Antarjyotis. This is termed "UnmaniAvastha." You will
get different Siddhis, different types of Ananda and different
[inds of knowledge by controlling and operating on different
Chakras: lf you have conquered the Muladhara Chakra, you
have conquered the earthplane already. lf you have conquered
the Manipura chakra, you have conquered fire. Fire will not
burn you. Panchadharana (five kinds of Dharana) will help you
to conquer the five elements. Learn them under a Guru who is
an adept Yogi.
3. Aids to Concentration
Concentration or Dharana is centering the mind on one
single thought. During concentration the mind becomes calm,
ser6ne and steady. The various rays of the mind are collected
and focussed on [he object of meditation. The mind is centred
on the Lakshya. There will be no tossing of the mind- one idea
occupies the mind. The whole energy of the mind is concen-
trated on that one idea. The senses become still. They do not
function. when there is deep concentration, there is no con-
sciousness of the body and surroundings. He who has good
concentration can visualise the picture of the Lord very clearly
within the twinkling of an eYe.
Manorajya (building castles in the air) is not concentra-
tion. lt is wild jumping of the mind in the air. Do not mistake
THEORYOFCONCENTRATION 31
Manorajya for concentration or meditation. Check this habit of

the mind through introspection and self-analysis.
lf you concentrate your mind on a point for 12 seconds, it
is Dharana (concentration). Twelve such Dharanas will be a
Dhyana (meditation) 12x12=144 seconds. Twelve such Dhy-
anas will be Samadhi-25 minutes and 28 seconds. This is ac-
cording to Kurma Purana. Concentration may also be directed
on the mental image of God.
The practice of concentration and the practice of
Pranayama are interdependent. lf you practise Pranayama you
will get concentration. Naturally Pranayama follows the prac-
tice of concentration. There are different practices according to
different temperaments. For some the practice of pranayama
will be easyto startwith; forothers the practice of concentration
will be easy to begin with.
When there is deep concentration you will experience
great joy and spiritual intoxication. You willforget the body and
the sunoundings. All the Prana will be taken up to your head.
Pranayama or control of breath removes the veil of Rajas
and Tamas that envelop Sattva. lt purifies the nerves (Nadis). I
makes the mind firm and steady and thereby renders it fit for
concentration. The dross of the mind is cleansed by
Pranayama just as the dross of gold is got rid of by melting.
When you study a book with profound interest, you do not
hear if a man shouts and calls you by your name. You do not
see a person when he stands in front of you. You do not smell
the sweet fragrance of flowers that are placed on the table by
your side. This is concentration or one-pointedness of mind.
The mind is flxed firmly on one thing. You must have such a
deep concentration when you think of God or the Atman. lt is
easy to concentrate the mind on a worldly object, because the
mind takes interest in it naturally through force of habit. The
grooves are already cut in the brain. You will have to train the
mind gradually by daily practice of meditation on God, or on the
Self within. The mind will not move nowto externalobjects as it
experiences immense joy from the practice of concentration.
A goldsmith converts 10 carat gold into pure gold by
adding acids and burning it severa! times in the crucible. Even
so, you will have to purify your sensuous mind through concen-
tration, reflection on the word of your spiritual preceptor and
Upanishadic sentences or meditation, Japa or silent repetition

of the name of the Lord.
Beginners will get jerks in meditation. Jerks of head, feet,
hands, arms, forearms and trunk may take place. Timid per-
sons are unnecessarily alarmed on this score. lt is nothing.
Meditation brings on changes in the cells of brain, nerves, etc.
Old cells are replaced by new vigorous cells. They are filled
with Satfua. New grooves, new channels for Sattvic
thought-currents, new avenues are formed in the brain and
mind. The muscles are therefore agitated a bit. Be courageous
and bold. Courage is an important virtue and qualification for
aspirants. Cultivate this positive quality.
Sit in a proper posture. Shut your eyes. lmagine that there
is nothing but God everywhere.
Algebra, the science of abstract numbers cannot be un-
derstood without a preliminary practice and knowledge of arith-
metic, the science of concrete numbers. Kavyas in Sanskrit
and higher Vedantic books cannot be understood without a
preliminary knowledge of Laghu and Siddhanta Kaumudis and
Tarka-sangraha. Even so, meditation on Nirguna, Nirakara
(abstract) Brahman is impossible without a preliminary practice
of concentration on a concrete form in the beginning. Approach
to the lnvisible and the Unknown is to be made through the visi-
ble and the known.
The more is the mind fixed on God the more is the strength
you will acquire. More concentration means more energy. Con-
centration opens the inner chambers of love or the realm of
eternity. Concentration is the sole key for opening the chamber
of knowledge.
Concentrate. Meditate. Develop the powers of deep think-
ing and concentrated thinking. Many obscure points will beren-
dered quite clear. You will get answers and solutions from
within.
Suka Deva had to go to Raja Janaka to get confirmation of
his knowledge and realisation. He was tested by Janaka in the
Durbar. Raja Janaka arranged for music and dancing parties all
around his palace to distract the attention of Suka Deva. There
were various kinds of shows and entertainments. Suka Deva
was asked to carry in his hand a cup of milk that was filled to the
very brim, around his palace and to make three such rounds
without allowing even a drop to fall to the ground. Suka Deva

completely succeeded in his attempt as he was fully estab-
lished in his Self. Nothing could distract his mind
Be slow and steady in concentration. By practice of con-
centration you will become superhuman.
You will have to coax the mind in the beginning just as you
coax the children. Mind is also like an ignorant chiid. Speak to
the mind. "O Mind, why do you run after false, worthless, per-
ishable objects? You will undergo counfless sufferings. Look at
Lord Krishna, the Beauty of beauties. you will get everlasting
happiness. Why do you run to hear worldly love-songs? Hear
the Bhajans of the Lord. Hear the soul-stirring Sankirtan. you
will be elevated." The mind will gradually leave its old vicious
habits and get itself fixed on the Lotus-Feet of the Lord. When it
is freed from Rajas and Tamas, it will guide you. tt will be your
Guru.
As soon as you sit for meditation chant OM 3 to 6 times.
This will drive away all worldly thoughts from the mind and re-
moveVikshepa (tossing of mind). Then take to mentat repeti-
tion of Om.
Avoid all other sense-impressions and ideas. prevent the
complications that arise out of correlated actions in the substra-
tum of the mind. Abstract the mind on one idea atone. Shut out
all other processes of mentation. Now the whole mind will be
filled with one idea only. Just as the recurence or repetition of a
thought or action leads to perfection of that thought or action,
so also does recurrence of the same process or the same idea
lead to the perfection of abstraction, concentration and medita-
tion.
. . will be very difficult to fix the mind on one thought in the
lt
beginning. Diminish the number of thoughts. Try to have the
thought fixed on one subject. lf you think of rose, you can have
allsorts of thoughts connected with rose only. you can think of
different kinds of roses that are grown in different parts of the
world. You can think of the various preparations made out of
roses and their uses. check the aimless wandering state of the
mind. Do not have thoughts at random when you think of a
rose. Gradually you can fix the mind on one thought only. you
will have to discipline the mind daity. Eternat-vigilance is
needed in thought-control.
Concentration increases by curtailing wants and desires,

by observing Mouna (silence) for one or two hours, by remain-
ing in seclusion in a room for one ortwo hours daily, by practis-
ing Pranayama, by prayer, by increasing the number of sittings
in meditation daily, by Vichara, etc.
You must try to be always cheerful and peaceful. Then
only you will have concentration'of mind' The practice of Maitri
(friendship) with equals, Karuna (compassion) towards inferi-
ors or distressed persons, Mudita (complacency) towards su-
periors or virtuous persons and Upeksha (indifference)
towards sinners orwicked persons will produce Chitta-Prasada
(cheerfulness or serenity) and destroy hatred, jealousy and
dislike (Ghrina).
Concentration will increase by lessening the number of
thoughts. Certainly it is an uphill work to reduce the number of
thoughts. ln the beginning, it will tax you much. The task will be
unpleasant. But later on you will rejoice as you will get im-
mense strength of mind and internal peace by reduction of
thoughts. Armed with patience and perseverance, vigilance, fi-
ery determination and iron-will, you can crush the thoughts
easily just as you crush a lemon or orange with ease. After
crushing them, it wilt be easy for you to root them out. Mere
crushing or suppression will not suffice. There may be again
resurrection of thoughts. They should be totally eradicated just
as loose tooth is rooted out.
Concentration can be developed by observing Mouna, by
the practice of Pranayama, self-restraint, vigorous Sadhana
and cultivating more mental non-attachment.
The practice to concentrate on the Sandhi (unction) be-
tween the Jagrat and Svapna and to prolong that Sandhi is a
difficult one. At night, sit in a quiet room and watch carefully the
mind. You will be able to get at the state of junction' Practise
regularly for three months. You will have success.
Reduce your activities. You will have more concentration
and inner life.
lf you find it difficud to concentrate your mind within a
room, come outside and sit in an open place or terrace, or by
the side of a river, or in a quiet corner of a garden. You will have
good concentration.
You press the button and light flashes out from the torch in
twinkling of an eye. Even so, the Yogi concentrates and
presses the button at the Ajna Chakra, the centre between the
two eyebrows, and the divine light flashes out immediately.
4. Antarmukha and Bahirmukha Vrittis

ANTARMUKHA.VRITTI
You will get Antarmukha-Vritti (inward-moving mind) only
after you have destroyed all the externalising powers of the
mind. The Antarmukha-Vritti is the indrawing energy of the
mind owing to increase in Satfua.
You must learn the art of making the mind introspective or
turned inward upon itself through the Yogic Kriya, Pratyahara
(abstraction). Those who know this practice can really be
peaceful. They only can be really peaceful. They only can be
really happy. Mind cannot do any havoc now. The mind cannot
externalise itself. lt can be kept inside in the Hridaya Guha
(cave of the heart). You must starve the mind by Vairagya and
Tyaga (renunciation of desires, objects and egoism).
When the outgoing tendencies of the mind are arrested,
when the mind is restrained within the heart, when all its atten-
tion is turned on itself alone, that condition is Antarmukha-Vritti.
The Sadhaka can do a lot of Sadhana when he has this inward
Vritti. Vairagya and introspection help a lot in the attainment of
this mentalstiate.
BAHIRMUKHA-VRITTI
The Bahirmukha-Vritti is the outgoing tendency of the
mind due to Rajas. Further, on account of force of habit the
ears and eyes at once run towards sound. Objects and desires
are externalising forces. A Rajasic man full of desires can
never dream of an inner spiritual life with Antarmukha-Vritti. He
is absolutely unfit for the practice of introspection.
When the vision is tumed outwards the rush of fleeting
events engages the mind. The outgoing energies of the mind
begin to play.
When you are firmly established in the idea that the world
is unreal, Vikshepa (through names and forms) and Sphurana
of Sankalpas (thoughts) will slowly vanish. Repeat constanfly
CONCENTRATION AND MEDITATION
the formulae: "Brahman alone is real. World is unreal. Jiva is

identical with Brahman." You will gain immense strength and
peace of mind through the repetition.
5. Know the Ways of Mind

Dharana is practised for stopping the modifications of the
mind.
Concentration is holding the mind to one form or object
steadily for a long time.
Kshipta, Mudha, Vikshepa, Ekagra and Niruddha are the
five Yogic Bhumikas. The Chitta or mind manifests in five differ-
ent forms. ln the Kshipta stiate, the rays of the mind are scat-
tered on various objects. lt is restless and jumps from one
object to another. ln the Mudha state, the mind is dull and for-
getful. Vikshipta is the gathering mind. lt is occasionally steady
and at other times distracted. By practice of concentration the
mind struggles to gather itself. ln the Ekagra state, it is
one-pointed. There is only one idea present in the mind. The
mind is under control in the Niruddha state.
There is externalising or objectifying power in the mind.
This leads to Bahirmukha-Vritti. The mind is drawn towards ob-
jects. Through constant Sadhana (spiritual practice) the mind
must be checked from externalising. lt must be made to move
towards Brahman, its original home.
There is no limit to the power of the human mind. The
more concentrated it is, the more power is brought to bear on
one point. You are born to concentrate the mind on God after
collecting the mental rays that are dissipated on various ob-
jects. That is your important duty. You forget the duty on ac-
count of Moha for family, children, money, power, position,
name and fame.
Mind is compared to quicksilver, because its rays are scat-
tered over various objects. lt is compared to a monkey, be-
cause it jumps from one object to another. lt is compared to
moving air, because it is Chanchala. lt is compared to a rutting,
furious elephant, because of its passionate impetuosity.
Mind is known by the name'Great Bird,'because it jumps
from one object to another just as a bird jumps from one twig to
another, from one tree to another. Raja Yoga teaches us how to
concentrate the mind and then how to ransack the innermost

recesses of our minds.
Concentration is opposed to sensuous desires, bliss to
flurry and worry sustained thinking to perplexity, applied think-
ing to sloth and torpor, rapture to ill-will.
So long as the thoughts of one are not thoroughly de-
stroyed through persistent practice, he should ever beLoncen-
trating his mind on one truth at a time. Through such
unremitting practice, one-pointedness will accrue to the mind
and instantly all the hosts of thoughts will vanish.
To remove this (tossing and various other obstactes which
stand in the way of one-pointedness of mind), the practice of
concentration on one thing alone should be made.
Mind is directly or indirecfly attached to some pleasing or
favourite ideas. Wnen you aie in Kashmir, *n"i Vor''rr"
lljoVlng the picturesque scenery of Gulmarg, Sonmarg,
Cheshmashai and Anantanag, your mind will be suddenly up-
set by shock if you receive a telegram which brings thd un-
happy tidings of the untimely demise of your only son. The
scenery will no longer interest you. you have lost the charm for
the scenery. There is ejection of attention. There is depression.
It is concentration and attention that gives you pleasure in
sight-seeing.
. "Having made Atman as the lowerArani (sacrificialwood)
and the Pranava as the upperArani, one shouid see God in se-
cret through the practice of churning which is Dhyana (medita-
-D a picture u U i sh ad.
tion)." hya n a b i n d pan
.Place of Lord Jesus in front of you. Sit in your fa-

vourite meditative pose. Concentrate genfly with open 6yes on
the picture tilltears trickle down your cheeks. Rotate th6 mind
on the cross on the chest, long hair, beautiful beard, round
eyes, and the various other limbs of His body and fine spiritual
aura emanating from His head, and so on. Think of His divine
attributes such as love, magnanimity, mercy and forbearance.
. .lt is easy to concentrate the mind on external objects. The
mind has a natural tendency to go outwards. Desire is a mode
of the emotive mind. lt has got a power of extemalising the
mind.
Fix the mind on Atman. Fix the mind on the All-pervading
pu re I ntell igence and Self-l u minous effu lgence (Svaybmjyotis)l
Stand firm in Brahman. Then you will become "Brahma-

Samstha" (established in Brahman).
Practise concentration of mind. Fix the mind on one ob-
ject, on one idea. Withdraw the mind again and again when it
iuns away from the Lakshya and fix it there. Do not allow the
mind to create hundreds of thought-forms. lntrospect and
watch the mind carefully. Live alone. Avoid company. Do not
mix. This is important. Do not allow the mind to dissipate its en-
ergy in vain on vain thoughts, vain worry vain imagination_and
vain fear and forebodings. Make it hold on to one thought-form
for half an hour by incessant practice. Make the mind to shape
itself into one shape and try to keep the shape for hours to-
gether through constant and incessant practice.
ln trying to concentrate your mind or project a thought
even, you will find that you require naturally to form images in
your mind. You cannot helP it.
Do not wrestle with the mind during meditation. lt is a seri-
ous mistake. Many neophytes commit this grave error. That is
the reason why they get easily tired soon. They get headache
and they have to get up very often to pass urine during the
course of meditation owing to the irritation set up in the
micturition centre in the spinal cord. Sit comfortably in Padma,
Siddha, Sukha or Svastika Asana. Keep the head, neck and
trunk in one straight line. Relax the muscles, nerves and brain.
Calm the objective mind. Close the eyes' Get up at 4 a.m.
(Brahma Muhurta). Do not struggle with the mind. Keep it calm
and relaxed.
By manipulating the mind you willbe able to bring it under
your control, make it work as you like and compel it to concen-
trate its powers as you desire.
ln trained Yogis you cannot say where Pratyahara (ab-
straction) ends and Dharana (concentration) begins, where
Dharana ends and Dhyana (meditation)begins, where Dhyana
ends and Samadhi (superconscious state) begins. The mo-
ment they sit in the Asana, all the processes occur simulta-
neously with electric or lightning speed, and they enter
Samadhi at their conscious wil!. ln the neophytes, Pratyahara
first takes place. Then Dharana begins. Then Dhyana slowly
commences. Before Samadhi manifests, their minds, getting
impatient and tired, drop down. Constant and intense Sadhana
with light but nutritious food will bring about sanguine success
in getting Samadhi.
Just as a very skilful archer in shooting at a bird is aware of
the way in which he takes his steps, holds the bow, the
bow-string and the arrow at the time when he pierces the bird,
thus "standing in this position, holding thus the bow, thus the
bow-string, and thus the anow, I pierce the bird" and ever after-
wards would not fail to fulfil these conditions that he might
pierce the bird, even so the aspirant should note the conditions
such as suitable food, thus "eating this kind of food, following
such a person in such a dwelling in this mode, at this time, I at-
tain to this meditation and Samadhi."
As a clever cook in serving his mastel notes the kind of
food that his master relishes and henceforward serves it and
gets gain, so the aspirant too notes the condition such as nour-
ishment, etc., at the moment of attaining meditation and Sam-
adhi and in fulfilling them gets ecstasy again and again.
A Hatha Yogi tries to concentrate his mind by having his
breath controlled through Pranayama, while the Raja Yogitries
to concentrate his mind by Chitta-Vritti-Nirodha (restraining the
various modifications of the Chitta) by not allowing the mind to
assume various shapes of objects. He does not care for control
of breath. But his breath becomes necessarily controlled when
his mind is controlled. Hatha Yoga is a branch of Raja Yoga.
Worldly pleasures intensify the desire for enjoying greater
pleasures. Hence the mind of worldlings is very restless. There
is no satisfaction and menta! peace. Mind can never be satis-
fied, whatever amount of pleasure you may store up for it. The
more it enjoys the pleasures, the more it wants them. So peo-
ple are exceedingly troubled and bothered by their own minds.
They are tired of their minds. Hence in order to remove these
botherations and troubles the Rishis thought it best to deprive
the mind of all sensual pleasures. When the mind has been
concentrated or made extinct, it cannot pinch one to seek for
further pleasure, and all botherations and troubles are re-
moved for ever and the person attains real peace.
The rays of the mind are scattered in the case of
worldly-minded persons. There is dissipation of mental energy
in various directions. For purpose of concentration, these scat-
tered rays have to be gathered by Vairagya and Abhyasa, and

then the mind must be turned towards God.
The powers of the mind are like rays of light dissipated.
The rays of the mind are drawn towards various objects. You
will have to gather them patiently through Vairagya and
Abhyasa, through Tyaga (renunciatlon) and Tapas and then
march boldly with indefatigable energy towards God or Brah-
man. When the mental rays are concentrated, illumination be-
gins.
Remove the Rajas and Tamas that envelop the Sattva of
the mind by Pranayama, Japa, Vichara and Bhakti. Then the
mind becomes fit for concentration.
Know that you are progressing in Yoga and that the Sattva
is increasing when you are always cheerful, when the mind is
even and concentrated.
6. Reduce Mind-Wandering
A scientist concentrates his mind and invents many
things. Through concentration he open the layers of the gross
mind and penetrates deeply into higher regions of the mind and
gets knowledge. He concentrates all the energies of his mind
into one focus and throws them out upon the materials he is
analysing and so finds out their secrets.'
He who has learnt to manipulate the mind will get the
whole of Nature under control.
When you see your dearfriend after six years, the Ananda
(happiness) that you get is not from the person but from within
yourself. The mind becomes concentrated for the time being
and you get Ananda from within your own self.
When the rays of the mind are scattered over diverse ob-
jects you get pain. When the rays are gathered and collected by
practice the mind becomes concentrated and you get Ananda
from within.
As mind evolves, you come into conscious relation with
menta! currents with the minds of others, near and distant, liv-
ing and dead.
When there is faith, the mind can be easily concentrated
on the subject to be understood and then the understanding
quickly follows.
lf you find it difficult to concentrate on your heart or the

space between the two eyebrows (Trikuti) or top of the head,
you can concentrate on any external object. You can concen-
trate on the blue sky, light of the sun, the all-pervading air or
ether or sun, moon or stiars.
lf you experience headache or pain in the skull, shift your
centre of concentration to any object outside the body.
lf you get headache or pain by concentrating on the Trikuti
(the space between the two eyebrows) by turning the eyes up-
wards, give up the practice at once. Concentrate on the heart.
The mind thinks of words and their meanings. While at
other times it thinks of objects. When you attempt to have
one-pointedness of mind, you must make the mind not to think
of objects and the words and their meanings.
Some medical students leave the medical college soon after
joining it as they find it disgusting to wash the pus in ulcers and
dissect the dead bodies. They make a serious blunder. ln the be-
ginning, it is loathing. After studying pathology, medicine, opera-
tive surgery morbid anatomy, bacteriology, the course will be
interesting in the final year. Many spiritual aspiranb leave off the
practice of concentration of mind after some time as they find it dif-
ficult to practise. They also make a grave mistake like the medical
students. ln the beginning of the practice when you struggle to get
over the body-consciousness, it will be disgusting and trouble-
some. ltwill be a physicalwrestling. The emotions and Sankalpas
will be abundant. ln the third year of prac.tice the mind wil! be cool,
pure and strong. You willderive immense joy (Ananda). The sum
total of pleasures of the whole world is nothing when compared to
the Ananda derived ftom meditation. Do not give up the practice
at any cost. Plod on. Persevere. Have patience (Dhriti), Ubaha
(cheerfulness), and Sahasa (tenacity, application). You will suc-
ceed eventually. Never despair. Find out by serious introspection
the various impedimenb that act as stumbling blocks in your con-
centration and remove them with patience and efiort one by one.
Do not allow new Sankalpas and new Vasanas to crop up. Nip
them in the bud through Mveka, Mchara and Dhyana.
Aman's duty consists in the control of the senses and con-
centration of the mind.
There was a workman who used to manufacture arrows.
Once he was very busy at his work. He was so much absorbed
in his work that he did not notice even a big party of the Raja
with his retinue passing in front of his shop. Such must be the
nature of your concentration when you fix your mind on God.
You must have the one idea of God and God alone. No doubt it
takes some time to have complete Ekagrata of mind. You will
have to struggle very hard to have single-minded concentra-
tion. Sri Dattatreya made the above arrow-maker as one of his
Gurus.
Even if the mind runs outside during your practice in medi-
tation, do not bother. Allow it to run. Slowly try to bring it to your
Lakshya (centre). By repeated practice the mind will be finally
focussed in your heart, in the Atman, the lndweller of your
heart, the final goal of life. ln the beginning the mind may run
out 80 times. Within six months it may run 70 times, within a
year it may run 50 times, within 2 years it may run 30 times,
within 5 years it wiil be completely fixed in the Divine Con-
sciousness. Then it will not run out at all even if you try your
level best to bring it out, like the wandering bull, which was in
the habit of running to gardens of different landlords for eating
grass but which now eats fresh gram and cotton seeds in its
own resting place.
Cottect the Rays of Mind. Just as you will have to take
back with care your cloth that is fallen on a thorny plant by re-
moving the thorns one by one slowly, so also you will have to
collect back with care and exertion the dissipated rays of the
mind, that are thrown over the sensual objects for very many
years.
lf there is any inflammatory swelling on your back with
throbbing pain, you do not experience any pain at night when
you are asleep. Only when the mind is connected with the
diseased part through nerves and thinking, you begin to
experience pain. lf you can consciously withdraw the mind from
the diseased part by concentrating it on God or any other at-
tractive object, you will not experience any pain even when you
are wide awake. lf you have a powerfulwill and strong Titiksha
(power of endurance), then also you will not experience any
pain. By constant thinking of any trouble or disease you only
augment your pain and suffering.
7.Tap All Powers

1. ln all man's struggles and attempts at achieving any de-
sired end, there is in reality no necessity at allfor him to go
in quest of external forces to aid him. Man contains within
himself vast resources, inherent power, lying untapped or
else only partially made use of.
It is because he has allowed his faculties to get scattered
on a hundred different things that he fails to achieve any-
thing great despite his inherent potentialities. lf he intelli-
gently regulates and applies them, quick and concrete
results will accrue.
3. To learn to rationally and effectively use the existing
forces, man need not wait for any striking new methods,
etc., to be invented, to guide him. Since the dawn of cre-
ation, nature herself abounds in instructive examples and
lessons to aid man in every walk of his life. Observation
willtell us that every force in nature, when allowed to flow
loosely over a wide area, moves slowly and with compara-
tively less power than it would do if gathered together in
one mass and directed through a single restricted outlet.
4. This gathering together of the scattered rays and bringing
this force to bear upon a given point,-any object, idea or
action-forms the process.
As examples of the power generated by a concentration of
force are cited (1) the sluggish and leisurely flow of a river,
damned and accumulated, rushes out with an amazing
force through the sluice, (2) the phenomenon of ton-loads
of cargo in heavy wagons being hauled or propelled by the
power of steam concentrated in the boiler of the engine,
(3) the most common domestic sight, the clattering and
displacement of the covering lid of a cauldron when the lat-
ter commences to boil very much, (4) the normally warm
sun-rays become suddenly so hot as to burn up objects
when centralised and brought into focus through the lens.
And the simple and commonest of action, where one un-
consciously uses this principle, is noticed when a man
wishing to hai! another a good distance away, automati-
cally cups his palms and shouts through them.
6. This law is equally applicable to man in al! branches of his
life's activities. With the utmost concentrated and carefu!
attention, the surgeon executes minute operations. The

deepest absorption marks the state of the technician, the
engineer, architect or the expert painter, engaged in draw-
ing the minute details of a plan, chart or sketch, where ac-
curacy is of paramount importance. Alike concentration is
displayed by the skilled Swiss workmen that fashion the
delicate parts of watches and other scientific instruments.
Thus in every art and science.
7. This is specially so in the spiritual line where the aspirant
has to deal with forces internal. The powers of the mind
are always scattered and resist attempts at concentration.
This oscillatory tendency is an innate characteristic of the
mind-stuff. Of the various methods employed to curtail
and arrest this tossing of the mind, those using the me-
dium of sound and sight, stand prominent, because these
two have a peculiar knack of catching the attention of and
stilling the mind. lt is seen how a hypnotist gently subdues
the mind of the 'subject' by making the latter gaze steadily
into his (the hypnotist's) eyes and listen to the monoto-
nous repetition of his steady, deliberate suggestions. We
have still another clue to this when we note the mother
gently croons the little child into slumber. Also the school-
master's sharp, "Now then, boys look here," whenever he
desires them to pay special attention to what he is saying,
is significant. He feels that by getting them to fix their gaze
on him, he will draw the attention of their minds as wellto
his teaching.
Therefore in the course of spiritual discipline too, the
methods of developing concentration take the form of gazing
steadily at a dot, or at the symbol of the Pranava, or the Mantra
orthe figure of the favourite chosen deity. With some others it is
done by the audible repetition of the Mantra orthe Lord's name,
or OM, or some select Kirtan tunes with regular rhythm and in-
tonation. By these means the mind gradually gets indrawn and
focussed. As this state deepens, the person slowly loses
awareness of his surroundings. The concentration, when con-
tinued, leads to the state of Dhyana or meditation, when the
practitioner tends to forget even that physical frame'
Meditation, when persisted in and perfected, brings about
the experience of superconsciousness or Samadhi, the ulti-
mate state of Self-awareness or Realisation.
8. Story of Concentration
Before you begin the practice of concentration you would
do well to know something about the subconscious mind and
its functions.
When the Chitta is conflned and flxed to a certain point or
object, this is called concentration. Agreat deal of your subcon-
sciousness is but bundles of submerged experiences which
can be brought to the surface of the conscious mind by means
of concentration.
It is an admitted psychological fact that the mental pro-
cesses by which you obtain knowledge are not merely confined
to the field of consciousness but also cover the field of subcon-
sciousness. lf you know the technique of speaking to your sub-
conscious mind and the art or science of extracting work from it
just as you would speak to your servant or a dear old friend,
then all knowledge will be yours. Yes, it is a question of prac-
tice, and practice will make you perfect.
When you are unable to solve some puzzles in metaphys-
ics, science or philosophy, ask your subconscious mind to do
the bit of work for you with the full trust and confidence and you
are bound to get the right solution from it. Command your sub-
conscious mind in the following manner: "Look here, you sub-
conscious mind! ! want the solution to this puzzle or problem
very urgently tomorrow morning. Kindly do it quickly." Let your
command be given in very clearterms, and let there be no am-
biguity about it. You will positively get the answer from your
subconscious mind the next morning. But sometimes the sub-
conscious mind may be busy otherwise and in such cases you
will have to wait for some days. You will have to repeat the
same regularly every day at a flxed time.
All that you have inherlted, all that you have brought with
you through innumerable crores of births in the past, all that
you have seen, heard, enjoyed, tasted, read or known either in
this life or in past lives, are hidden in your subconscious mind.
Why don't you master the technique of concentration and way
of commanding your subconscious mind and make full free use
of all that knowledge?
The subconscious mind is, as you have already known,
your faithful servant. When at night you retire to bed with the
thought that you should get up positively at 4 a.m., to either to
catch a train or practise meditiation, it is your subconscious

mind that wakes you up at the exact hour. Even while you are
fast asleep, your subconscious mind is at work. lt has no rest at
all. lt arranges, analyses, compares, sorts allfacts and figures,
and finally carries out your commands.
Every action, every enjoyment or suffering and, in fact, all
experiences leave in the camera-plate of your subconscious
mind subtle impressions or residual potencies which are the
root cause of future births, experiences of pleasure and pain,
and death again. Revival or repetition of any action done in this
life induces memory. But in the case of a developed Yogi, mem-
ory of previous Iives also is brought about. He dives deep within
and comes in actual contact with the Samskaras (subtle im-
pressions) of past lives. He directly perceives them through his
Yogic Vision. By means of Yogic Samyama (concentration,
meditation and Samadhi practised at one and the same
time), the Yogi gets ful! knowledge of past lives. By doing
Samyama on the Samskaras of others, he gets knowledge of
the past lives of others also. Wonderful are the powers of
concentration!
Mind isa power born of Atman because it is through mind
that God manifests Himself as the differentiated universe of
names and forms. Mind is nothing but a bundle of thoughts and
habits. As the "1" thought is the root of all thoughts, mind is only
the thought "l.'
The brain is the seat of the mind in the waking state, the
cerebellum in the dreaming stiate, and the heart in the deep
sleep state. All objects you see aboutyou, are nothing but mind
only in form and in substance. Mind creates; mind destroys. A
higher developed mind influences the lower minds. Telepathy,
mind-reading, hypnotism, mesmerism, distant healing and so
many other allied sciences bear testimony to the fact. Undoubt-
edly mind is the greatest power on earth. Control of mind be-
stows all powers.
Just as you take physica! exercises, play games such as
tennis and cricket in order to maintain physical health, you will
have to maintain menta! health also bytaking Sattvicfood, mental
recreation of an innocent and harmless nature, change of
thought, relaxation of mind by entertaining good, ennobling and
sublime thoughts and by cultivating the habit of cheerfulness.
The nature of the mind is such that it becomes that which it

intensely thinks upon. Thus, if you think of the vices and de-
fects of another man, your mind will be charged with those de-
fects and vices at least for the time being. He who knows this
psychological law will never indulge in censuring others or in
finding fault in the conduct of others. He will always praise oth-
ers. He will only see the good in others. That is the way to grow
in concentration, Yoga and spirituality.
Mind is atomic according to the lndian school of logic,
all-pervading according to the Raja Yoga philosophy, and is of
the same size as that of the body according to the Vedantic
school.
Deep sleep is not a state of inactivity. ln this state the
causal body (Karana Sarira) functions vigorously. The associ-
ated consciousness, Prajna, is also present. The Jiva (individ-
ual soul) is almost in close contact with the Absolute. Just as a
thin layer of muslin veils the face of a lady and renders it invisi-
ble to the eyes of her husband, so also a thin layer of ignorance
separates the individual soul and the Supreme Soul- Students
of Vedanta study this stiate deeply. lt has deep philosophical
significance. lt gives the clue to trace the existence of the At-
min. You rest in the warm bosom of the Mother of the world,
Rajesvari who lovingly bestows upon you peace, refreshing
vigour and strength to face the ensuing battle of daily life. But
foi tnis incomparable love and kindness of the merciful Mother
during deep sleep, life would be wellnigh impossible on this
physical plane where so many miseries, diseases, cares, wor-
ries, anxieties and fears of all sorts, torture and torment you ev-
ery moment. How miserable, gloomy and depressed you feel, if
you do not enjoy sound sleep even one night, if you happen to
forego your sleep for three or four hours by attending a night's
theatrical entertai nment!
Great Yogis like Jnanadeva, Bhartrihari and Patanjali used
to send and receive messages to and from distant percons
through mind-telepathy (mental radio) and thought-transfer-
ence. Telepathywas the first wireless telegraph and telephone
service ever known to the world. Thought travels with tremen-
dous velocity through space. Thought moves. lt has weight,
shape, size, form and colour. lt is a dynamic force.
What is this world after all? lt is nothing but the materiali-
sation of the thought-forms of Hiranyagarbha or God' You have
got waves of heat, light and electricity in science. There are

also thought-waves in Yoga. Thought has tremendous power.
Everybody is experiencing the power of thought unconsciously
to a greater or lessor degree. lf you have a comprehensive un-
derstanding of the working of the thought-vibrations, if you
know the technique of controlling the thoughts, if you know the
method of transmitting beneficial thoughts to others at a dis,
tance by forming clear-cut, well-defined, powerful thought-
waves, you can use this thought-power a thousandfold more
effectively. Thought works wonders. Awrong thought binds. A
right thought liberates. Therefore, think rightly and attain free-
dom.
Dear child! Unfold the occult powers hidden within you by
understianding and realising the powers of the mind. Close your
eyes. Slowly concentrate. You can see distant objects, hear
distant sounds, send messages to any part of not only this
world but to other planets as well, heal persons thousands of
miles off from you and move about to distant places in no time.
Believe in the power of the mind. lnterest, attention, will, faith
and concentration will bring the desired fruit. Remember that
mind is born of the Atman through His Maya (illusory Power).
Cosmic mind is universal mind. Cosmic mind is the sum
total of all individual minds. Cosmic mind is Hiranyagarbha or
lsvara or Karya Brahman. Man's mind is only a fragment of the
universal mind. Learn to merge your little mind in the Cosmic
Mind and get Omniscience and experience Cosmic Conscious-
ness.
Keep a balanced mind always. This is a very important
thing. lt is no doubt a difiicult practice, but you will have to do it,
if you wish to succeed in concentration. Keeping the balance of
mind in pleasure and in pain, in heat and in cold, in gain and in
loss, in success and in failure, in praise and in censure, in re-
spect and in disrespect, is real wisdom. This is very trying in-
deed, but if you are able to do this, you are a mighty potentate
on earth. You are fit to be adored. You are the most wealthy
man, though you are clad in loin-cloth, and though you have
nothing to eat. You are very strong, though you have a dilapi-
dated physical frame. Worldly people lose their balance even
for trifling things. They get irritated and lose their temper
quickly. Energy is wasted when one loses his temper. Those
who want to develop balance of mind should develop discrimi-
nation and practise celibacy and concentration. Those who

waste their semen get initated very frequenfly. Control and con-
centration of mind is very difficult performance, for saint
Thayumanavarl in his inimitable poem'Tejomayanandam' has
written a beautiful verse on the difficulty of controlling the mind.
This untranslatable piece roughly and freelytranslated means:
"You can control a mad elephant;
You can shut the mouth of the bear and the tiger;
You can ride a lion;
You can play with the cobra;
By alchemy you can eke out your livelihood;
You can wander through the universe incognito;
You can make vassals of the gods;
You can ever be youthful;
You can walk on water;
You can live in fire;
You can achieve all Siddhis, seated in your home;
But to be restful by control of the mind
ls rare and difficult."
The senses are your real foes. They draw you out and per-
turb your peace of mind. Do not keep company with them. Sub-
due them. Restrain them. Curb them just as you would curb
your enemies on the battlefield. This is not a day's work. lt de-
mands patient and protracted Sadhana for a very long time.
Control of the senses is really control of the mind. All the ten
senses must be controlled. Starve them to death. Do not give
them what they want. Then they will obey your orders quite im-
plicitly. All worldly-minded persons are slaves of their senses,
though they are educated, though they possess immense
wealth, though they hold judicial and executive powers. lf you
are a slave of meat-eating, for instiance, you will begin to exer-
cise control over your tongue the moment you give up the
meat-eating habit entirely for six months. You will consciously
feel that you have gained a little supremacy over this trouble-
1 Thayumanavar was a poet-saint who lived about 200 years ago in the
district of Tanjore, South lndia. His songs on Vedantia are soul-inspiring
and elevating. They penetrate deep into the hearts of the hearers. They
are very, very popular in South lndia. They are pregnant with deep, subtle,
philosophical thoughts.
some sense of tiaste which began to revolt against you some

time ago.
Be cautious, vigilant and circumspect. Watch your mind
and its modifications. Lord Jesus says, "Watch and pray."
Watching the mind is introspection. One in a million does this
beneficial and soul-elevating practice. People are immersed in
worldliness. They madly run after money and women. They
have no time to think of God and higher spiritual things. The
sun dawns and the mind runs again in its old, usual, sensual
grooves of eating, drinking, amusing and sleeping. The day
has passed. ln this way the whole life passes away. There is
neither moral development nor spiritual progress. He who does
daily introspection can find out his own defects and remove
them by suitable methods and can have gradually a perfect
control over the mind. He will not allow the intruders, lust, an-
ge1 greed, delusion and pride, to enter the mental factory. He
can practise concentration u ni nterru pted ly. Dai ly self-analysis
and self-examination is another indispensable practice. Then
only you can obviate your defects and grow rapidly in concen-
tration. What does a gardener do? He watches the young
plants carefully, removes the weeds daily, puts a strong fence
around them and waters them daily at the proper time; and so
they grow nicely and yield fruits quickly. Even so, you should
find out your defects by introspection and self-analysis and
eradicate them through suitable methods. lf one method fails,
you should take recourse to another. The practice demands pa-
tience, perseverance, leech-like tenacity, application, iron will,
subtle intellect and courage. But the reward is invaluable. lt is
lmmortality, Supreme Peace and !nfinite Bliss!
You should try to possess a serene mind. You should
practise serenity every moment of your Yogic career. lf your
mind is restless, you cannot make an iota of progress in con-
centration. Therefore the first and foremost thing that you
should possess by all means is serenity of mind. Silent medita-
tion in the morning, renunciation of desires, suitable diet, disci-
pline of the senses, and observance of the vow of silence daily
for about at least an hour will produce serenity. All vain habitual
thoughts, wild fancies, wrong feelings, cares, worries, anxi-
eties, confused ideas, and all kinds of imaginary fears must be
done away with in toto. Then and then only you can hope to get
a peaceful mind. The foundation in Yoga can well and truly be
THEORY OF CONCENTRATION 5I
laid only if the aspirant possesses sereni$ to a maximum de-

gree. Only a calm mind can grasp the truth, can see God orAt-
man, can receive the Divine Light. The spiritual experiences
will be permanent, if you have a quiet mind. Otherwise theywill
come and go.
As soon as you wake up in the moming, pray fervently to
the Lord, sing His Names, and meditate upon Him with allyour
heart from 4 to 6 a.m. Then make a determination: "! will ob-
serve celibacy today. I will speak the truth today. I will not hurt
the feelings of others today. I will not lose my temper today."
Watch your mind. Be resolute. You will surely succeed that day.
Then continue the vow for the whole week. You will gain
strength. Your will-power will develop. Then continue the vow
for the whole month. Even if you commit some mistakes in the
beginning, you need not be unnecessarily alarmed. Mistakes
are your best teachers. You will not commit the same mistakes
again. lf you are eamest and sincere, the Lord will shower His
Grace upon you. The Lord will give you strength to face the dif-
ficulties and troubles in the daily battle of life.
He who has controlled his mind is really happy and free.
Physical freedom is no freedom at all. lf you are easily canied
away by surging emotions and impulses, if you are under the
grip of moods, cravings and passions, how can you be really
happy, O sweet beloved child! You are like a rudderless boat.
You are tossed about hither and thither like a piece of straw in
the vast expanse of the ocean. You laugh for five minutes and
weep for five hourc. What can wife, Son, friends, money, fame
and power do for you, when you are under the sway of the im-
pulses of your mind? He is the true hero who has controlled his
mind. There is an adage: "He who has controlled his mind has
controlled the world.'True victory is overthe mind. That is real
freedom. Thorough rigorous discipline and self-imposed re-
strictions will eventually eradicate all desires, thoughts, im-
pulses, cravings and passions. Onlythen and not untilthen you
can expect to be free from the thraldom of the mind. You should
not give any leniency to the mind. The mind is a mischievous
imp. Curb it by drastic measures. Become a perfect Yogi.
Money cannot give you freedom. Freedom is not a commodity
that can be purchased in the Crawford Market. lt is a rare, hid-
den treasure guarded by a five-hooded serpent. Unless you kill
or tiame this serpent, you cannot have access to this treasure.
That treasure is Spiritual Wealth, that is Freedom, that is Bliss.

The serpent is your mind. The five hoods are the five senses
through which the mind-serpent hisses.
Rajasic mind always wants new things. lt wants variety. !t
gets disgusted with monotony. lt wants change of place,
change of food, change, in short, of everything. But you should
train the mind to stick to one thing. You should not complain of
monotony. You should have patience, adamantine will, and un-
tiring persistence. Then only you can succeed in Yoga. He who
wants something new always is quite unfit for Yoga. You should
stick to one place, one spiritual preceptor, one method, one
system of Yoga. That is the way to positive success.
You should have real and intense thirst for God-realisa-
tion. Then all obstacles will be obviated. Concentration will be
quite easy for you then. Mere emotional bubbling for the time
being out of sheer curiosity or for attiaining psychic powers can-
not bring any tangible result.
lf you are careless, if you are irregular in concentration, if
your dispassion (Vairagya) wanes, if you give up practice for
some days on account of laziness, the adverse forces willtake.
you away from the true path of Yoga. You will be stranded. lt will
be difficult for you to rise up again to the original height. There-
fore be regular in concentration.
Be cheerful and happy. Away with depression and gloom.
There is nothing more infectious than depression. Adepressed
and gloomy man can radiate only unpleasant and morbid vibra-
tions all around; he cannot radiate joy, love and peace. There-
fore never come out of your room, if you are depressed and
gloomy, lest you should spread the contagion all around you.
Live only to be a blessing to others. Radiate joy, love and
peace. Depression eats the very core of your being and havocs
it like a canker. lt is verily a deadly plague. Depression mani-
fests on account of some disappointment or failure, severe
dyspepsia or heated debates, wrong thinking or wrong feeling.
Separate yourself from this negative feeling and identify your-
self with the Supreme Being. Then no externalinfluence can af-
fect you. You will be invulnerable. Drive the feeling of depres-
sion and gloom at once by enquiry, singing divine songs,
prayers, chanting of OM, Pranayama, a brisk walk in the open
air, thinking of the opposite quality, viz., the feeling of joy. Try to
be happy in all states and radiate joy only towards all around
you.
Why do you weep my child? Remove the bandage from
your eyes and see now. You are surrounded by truth and truth
alone. All is Light and Bliss alone. The cataract of ignorance
has blurred your vision. Extract the cataract immediately. Put
on a new pair of glasses by developing the inner eye of wisdom
through regular practice of concentration.
It is not thought alone that determines action. There are
some intelligent people who think reasonably on the pros and
cons of a thing but when the time comes they are led astray by
temptations. They do wrong actions and repent later on. lt is
the feeling that really goads man to action. Some psychologists
lay special stress on imagination and say that it is imagination
that really determines action. They bring the following illustra-
tions in support of their view. Suppose a long plank 1 ft. broad is
placed between two turrets each 20 ft. high. When you begin to
walk on this plank, you imagine that you willfall down, and so
you actually fall down, whereas you are able to walk on the
same plank when placed on the ground. Suppose you go on a
bicycle along a narrow lane. You see a big stone on the way.
You imagine that you will hit the cycle against the stone; and so
you actually run the cycle against the stone. Some other psy-
chologists say that it is the will that determines an action. Will
can do everything. Will is soul-force. Vedantins are of this latter
opinion.
Now to come back to the subject of concentration proper,
the waves in the mind caused by thought-forms are called
Vrittis. These waves must be stilled or stopped. Then only you
can realise the Soul. A well-trained mind can be fixed at will
upon any object either inside or outside to the exclusion of all
else. The practice of concentration is a bit disgusting in the be-
ginning but will give you immense happiness after some time'
Patience and perseverance are essential. Regularity is also
necessary. The mind is compared in the Hindu Sastras to a
lake or ocean. The thoughts arising from the mind are com-
pared to the waves of the ocean. You can see your reflection
clearly on the waters of the ocean only when all the waves on
the surface subside completely and become still. So also you
can realise the Soul, the Light of lights, only when all the
thought-waves in the mind-lake are stilled.
lf you take interest in the practice of concentration, and if

you have a definite purpose, you will have remarkable progress
in concentration. The neophyte will find great interest in the
practice, when he gets some psychic experiences such as bril-
liant lights, hearing of celestial sounds, smelling of rare scents,
and so on, and when he begins to think of the prospects of be-
coming a fully developed Yogi.
Some people can concentrate on pleasant or interesting
objects only. lf they can create interest in unpleasant things
also, they can do good concentration on uninteresting things as
wel!. When the rays of the mind are gathered and collected by
practice, the mind becomes concentrated and you get Ananda
from within. The sum total of pleasures of the whole world is
nothing when compared to the bliss derived through concentra-
tion and meditation. Do not give up the practice of concentra-
tion at any cost. Plod on. Have patience, perseverance,
cheerfulness, tenacity and application. You willeventually suc-
ceed. Nil desperandum. Sri Sankaracharya writes in his com-
mentiary on the Chhandogya Upanishad: "A man's duty
consists in the control of the senses and concentration of the
mind" (Ch. Vll-xxi-1). Find out by serious introspection the vari-
ous impediments that act as stumbling blocks in your concen-
tration and remove them with effort one by one. Do not allow
new thoughts (Sankalpas) and desires (Vasanas) to crop up.
Nip them in the bud through discrimination, enquiry concentra-
tion and meditation.
Everybody does concentrate to a certain extent, when he
reads a book, when he writes a letter, when he plays tennis and
in fact, when he does any kind of work. But for spiritual pur-
poses, concentration should be developed to an infinite de-
gree. The mind is like an unchained monkey. lt has the powerof
attending to one object only at a time, although it is able to pass
from one object to another with tremendous speed, so rapidly,
in fact, that some hold that it could grasp several things at a
time. But the best philosophers and seers, Eastern and West-
ern, hold to the "Single idea" theory as being correct. lt agrees
with one's experience as well. The mind is ever restless. This is
due to the force of Rajas and passion. Concentration is neces-
sary for success in material affairs. A man with an appreciable
degree of concentration has more earning capacity and turns
out more work in less time. Need I say that the Yogic student
will be amply rewarded for his effort in concentration?
When you study a book, focus your whole mind on the
subject in hand. Do not allow the mind to see any external ob-
ject or hear any sound. Collect all the dissipated rays of the
mind. Develop the power of attention. Attention, as I have said
somewhere in the beginning, plays no inconspicuous part in
concentration. Concentration is, in fact, the narrowing of the
field of attention. lt is one of the signs of a trained will. lt is found
in men of strong personality.
Practise attention on unpleasant tasks which you have
been shrinking (on account of their unpleasantness). Throw in-
terest upon uninteresting objects and ideas. Hold them on be-
fore your mind. lnterest will slowly manifest. Many mental
weaknesses will vanish. The mind will become stronger and
stronger. The force wherewith anything strikes the mind is gen-
erally in proportion to the degree of attention bestowed upon it.
Moreover, the great art of memory is attention, and inattentive
people have bad memories.
There is a great concentration, when you play cards or
chess, but the mind is not filled with pure and divine thoughts.
The mental contents are of an undesirable nature. You can
hardly experience the Divine thrill, ecstasy and elevation of
mind, when it is fllled with impure thoughts. Every object has its
own mental associations. You will have to fill up the mind with
sublime spiritual thoughts. Then only the mind will be expur-
gated of all worldly thoughts. The picture of Lord Jesus or Bud-
dha or Krishna is associated with sublime, soul-stirring ideas;
chess and cards are associated with ideas of gambling, cheat-
ing and so forth.
The invocation of shadow gives the objects seen as well
as unseen. Undoubtedly a man becomes pure by ib very sight.
The shadow can also answer any question you may desire to
ask. The Yogic practitionerwho is able to see his own reflection
in the sky will be able to know whether his undertakings will be
crowned with success or not. Those Yogis who have realised
the benefitrs of concentration fu!!y have declared, "ln a clear
sunlit sky behold with a steady gaze your reflection; whenever
this is seen for a single second in the sky, you behold God at
once in the sky." He who daily sees his shadow in the sky will
acquire longevity. He will never meet with accidental death.
When the shadow is seen fully reflected, then the Yogic practi-
tioner gets victory and success. He conquers Prana and goes
everywhere. The practice is simple enough. One realises the
fruits in a short time. Some have realised the fruits in one ortwo
weeks. When the sun rises, stiand in such a way that your body
casts a shadow upon the ground and you are able to see it with-
out difficulty. Then steadily fix your gaze on the neck of the
shadow for some time and then look up into the sky. lf you see a
full grey shadow in the sky, it is very auspicious. The shadow
will answer any question for you. lf you do not get the shadoq
continue the practice till you get it. You can practise this in the
moonlight also.
Some people feel intense pain and agony when they suf-
fer from disease in some part of the body. The reason is not far
to seek. They always think of the disease and do not know how
to take the mind away from the affected part of the body by the
practice of abstraction and fixing the mind on some other ob-
ject. Some people feel less pain than others. Such people know
how to divert the mind from the seat of disease. Whenever
there is pain in the body, practise concentration on yourtutelary
deity, or study some philosophical books. The pain will vanish.
Concentration is purely a mental process. lt needs an in-
ward turning of the mind. lt is not a muscular exercise. There
should be no undue strain on the brain. You should not fight
and wrestle with the mind violently.
Sit in a comfortable pose. Relax all the muscles of the
body. There should neither be muscular nor emotional nor ner-
vous nor mental faculties. Still the mind. Silence the bubbling
thoughts. Calm the emotions. Put a break on the thought-pro-
cess. Do not pay any attention to the intruding thoughts. Give
the suggestion to the mind: "l do not care whether they are
there or not." ln other words, be indifferent. The intruding
thoughts will quit the mental factory soon. They wil! not cause
any trouble. This is the secret of mental discipline. lmprove-
ment in concentration will be visible only little by little. Do not be
discouraged on any account. Be regular in your practice. Stop
not the practice even for a single day. Lord Jesus says, "Empty
thyself and I shall fill thee." This process of emptying all
thoughts should be attempted after you have attained some
power of concentration. Keep yourself in a positive state al-
ways. When you wish to concentrate on a piece of work to be
done with care, you can use all your will and imagination also.
lmagination helps even concentration.
Too much physical exertion, too much talking, too much
eating, too much mixing with ladies and undesirable persons,
too much walking, cause distraction of mind. Those who prac-
tise concentration must abandon these things. Whatever work
you do, do it with perfect concentration. Never leave the work
without finishing it completely.
Celibacy, Pranayama, reduction of wants hnd activities,
renunciation of objects, solitude, silence, discipline of the
senses, annihilation of lust and greed, control of anger,
non-mixing with undesirable persons, giving up newspaper-
reading and visiting cinemas-allthese pave a long way in in-
creasing the power of concentration.
. Even if the mind runs out during concentration, do not
bother. Let it run. Slowly bring it to your object of concentration.
ln the beginning the mind may run 50 times; two years of prac-
tice will reduce the numberto20; anotherthree years of contin-
ued and persistent practice will reduce the number to nil. The
mind then will be completelyfixed on the divine consciousness.
Then it will not run out even if you try to bring it out. This is the
practical experience of those who have gained complete mas-
tery over the minds.
Arjuna had wonderful concentration. He learntthe science
of archery from Dronacharya. Adead bird was tied to a post in
such a way that its reflection was cast in a basin of water right
below on the ground. Arjuna saw the reflection of the bird in the
basin of water and aimed successfully in hitting at the right eye
of the actual bird tied to the post above.
Napoleon also had remarkable power of concentration. lt
is said that he had fullcontrolover his thoughts. He could draw
one thought from a pigeon-hole of his brain, dwell on that single
thought as long as he liked and then shove that thought back
into the pigeon-hole. He had a peculiar brain with peculiar
pigeon-holes.
hear or see a man shouting or calling you by your name. You do
not smell the sweet fragrance of flowers kept on the table by
your side. This is concentration. This is one-pointedness of
mind (Chitta-Ekagrata). The mind is fixed firmly on one thing
only. Such must be the depth and intensity of your concentra-

tion, when you think of God or Atman. lt is easy to concentrate
the mind on worldly objects because the mind takes interest in
them very naturally through force of habit. The grooves are al-
ready cut in the brain. You will have to create new grooves by
fixing the mind again and again on God. After some time the
mind will not move to external objects, for it experiences joy
and bliss within.
Some western psychologists hold: "The mind that wan-
ders aimlessly can be made to move in a small limited circle
only by the practice of concentration. lt cannot be fixed on one
point only. lf it is fixed on one point only, then inhibition of the
mind will take place. There is death for the mind. Nothing can
be achieved when there is inhibition of the mind. So there is no
use inhibiting the mind." This is not right. Complete control of
the mind can be attained when allthe thought-waves are extir-
pated thoroughly. The Yogiworks wonders by his one-pointed-
ness of mind. He knows the hidden treasures of the soul with
the help of the mighty all-penetrating search-light generated by
the one-pointedness of mind. After one-pointedness
(Ekagrata) is attained, you have to achieve full restraint
(Nirodha). ln this state all modifications subside completely.
The mind becomes quite blank. Then the Yogi destroys the
blank mind also by identifying himself with the Supreme
Purusha orSoulor Being from whom the mind borrows its light.
Then he obtains omniscience and final emancipation
(Kaivalya). These are matters that are Greek and Latin to our
western psychologists. Hence they grope in darkness. They
have no idea of the Purusha who witnesses the activities of the
mind.
Man is a complex social animal. He is a biological organ-
ism and so he is definitely characterised by the possession of
certain physiological functions such as circulation of blood, di-
gestion, respiration, excretion, etc. He is also definitely charac-
terised by the possession of certain psychological functions
such as thinking, perception, memory imagination, etc. He
sees, thinks, tastes, smells and feels. Philosophically speak-
ing, he is the image of God, nay he is God himself. He lost his
divine glory by tasting the fruit of the forbidden tree. He can re-
gain his lost divinity by mental discipline and the practice of
concentration.
9. Yoga Prasnottari
O. On what can one concentrate?
A. Concentrate on a concrete form in the beginning, on
the form of Lord Krishna with flute in hand or on the form of Lord
Vishnu with conch, disc, mace and lotus in the four hands.
O. One man told me to look constantly in a mirror on a
point in the mid-space between the two eyebrows in the reflec-
tion of my face. Can I do so?
A. You can. This is one way of concentration. But stick to
one method, to Rama's picture only. You can spiritually grow
when you concentrate on His divine form and meditate on His
qualities.
O. Why people concentrate on Saligram?
A. lt has got a power to induce concentration easily.
O. I am concentrating on Trikuti, on OM figure and on
sound. Am I right in my concentration?
A. You are right. Associate the idea of purity, Sat, Chit,
Ananda, perfection, etc., with OM. Feel you are all-pervading
consciousness. This kind of Bhava is necessary.
O. What should I do to have deep concentration of
mind?
A. Develop intense mental Vairagya. lncrease the time
of practice. Sit alone. Do not mix with undesirable persons. Ob-
serve Mouna for three hours. Take milk and fruits at night. You
will have deep concentration of mind, I assure you.
O. The disciple needs words of encouragement. Often
he wants to be in touch with his Guru. That is why I disturb you
always. May ! enquire now how the power of concentration
increases?
A. You can write to me often. Disturbance concerns the
mind. There is always peace for one who lives in the Atman
which transcends the mind. Disturbances, troubles and afflic-
tions can hardly touch such a person who lives in the spirit.
Concentration increases by curtailing your wants and desires,
by observing Mouna (silence) for two hours daily, by remaining
in seclusion in a quiet room for one or two hours daily, by prac-
tising Pranayama, by prayer, by increasing the number of sit-
tings in meditation in the evening and at night, by Vichara, etc.
O. Can Japa bring about concentration?

A. Yes. Do Manasika Japa.
O. When I try to concentrate on the Trikuti, I get a slight
headache. ls there any remedy?
A. Do not struggle with the mind. Do not make a violent
effort when you concentrate. Relax all nerves, muscles and
brain. Do gentle concentration in a natural manner. This will re-
move undue strain and consequent headache.
O. The mind is still fickle in me and flesh is weak. At-
tempts at concentration are sometimes successful, but often
end in disappointment. The purification of mind is not easy.
What do you suggest?
A.' Your Vairagya is not intense. Develop Vairagya. Do
intense Sadhana. lncrease the period of meditation to 4 hours.
Reduce your Vyavahara (activity). Go for seclusion for 3
months either to Rishikesh or Uttarakasi. Observe Mouna for
full three months. You will have wonderful concentration and
meditation.
O. Why does the Yogiwho does the Sakti-Sanchara on
his disciple ask him to give up all other kinds of Sadhana?
A. To develop intense faith, steadiness on the path and
one-pointed or single-minded devotion in one form of Yoga.
O. I am doing Japa for two hours daily and Pranayama
for half an hour. Can I have Ekagrata and Tanmayata in 2 or 3
years?
A. Yes. You can, if you are pure and sincere in your
Sadhana.
CHAPTER TWO
PRACTICE OF' CONCENTRATION

1. Attention
You must evince good interest in the practice of concen-
tration. Then only your whole attention will be directed towards
the object upon which you wish to concentrate. There can be
really no concentration without a remarkable degree of interest
and attention shown by the practitioner. You must, therefore,
know what these two words mean.
Attention is steady application of the mind. lt is focussing
of consciousness on some chosen object. Through attention
you can develop your mental faculties and capacities. Where
there is attention, there is also concentration. Aftention should
be cultivated gradually. lt is not a special process. lt is the
whole mental process in one of its aspects.
Perception alwa!,s involves attention. To perceive is to at-
tend. Through attention you get a clear and distinct knowledge
of objects. The entire energy is focussed on the object towards
which attention is directed. Full and complete information is
gained. During attention allthe dissipated rays of the mind are
collected. There is effort orstruggle in attention. Through atten-
tion a deeper impression of anything is made in the mind. !f you
have good attention, you can attend to the matter in hand ex-
clusively. An attentive man has very good memory. He is very
vigilant and circumspect. He is nimble and alert.
Attention plays a very great part in concentration. !t is the
basis of the will. When it is properly guided and directed to-
wards the internal world for the purpose of introspection, it will
analyse the mind and illumine very many astounding facts for
you.
Attention is focussing of consciousness. Attention (Ava-
dhana) plays a conspicuous part in concentration. lt is one of
the signs of trained will. lt is found in men of strong mentality. lt
is a rare faculty. Brahmacharya wonderfully develops this
power. AYogi who possesses this faculty can even fix the mind
on an unpleasant object for a very long time. lt is easy to fasten
(61)
the mind on an object which the mind likes best. Attention can
be cultivated and developed by persistent practice. All the
great men of the world who have achieved greatness have
risen up through this faculty.
Throw your entire attention into whatever you happen to
be doing at the moment. Practise attention on unpleasant tiasks
from which you have been shrinking before on account of their
unpleasantness. Throw interest upon uninteresting objects and
ideas. Hold them on before your mind. lnterestwill slowly mani-
fest. Many mentalweakness willvanish. The mind will become
stronger and stronger.
The force wherewith anything strikes the mind, is gener-
ally in proportion to the degree of attention bestowed upon it.
Moreover the great art of memory is attention; inattentive peo-
ple have bad memories.
The human mind has the power of attending to only one
object at a time, although it is able to pass from one object to
another with a marvellous degree of speed, so rapidly in fact,
that some have held that it could grasp several things at a time.
But the best authorities, eastern and western, hold to the "sin-
gle idea" theory as being correct. lt agrees with one's daily ex-
perience also.
lf you analyse carefully the mental functions or operations,
no one process can be singled out and called attention. lt is not
possible to separate attention as a distinct function. You ob-
serve something; therefore you are attentive.
Attention belongs to every state of consciousness and is
present in every field of consciousness. An attentive student in
the spiritual path can do hearing (Sravana) of the Srutis in an
efficient manner. The military officer says "attention," and the
soldier is ready with his gun to carry out his behests. An atten-
tive soldier alone can hit the mark. No one can get success ei-
ther in temporal or spiritual pursuits without attention.
There are Yogis who can do eight or ten or even hundred
things at a time. This is not strange. The whole secret lies in the
fact that they have developed their attention to a remarkable
degree. Allthe great men of the world do possess this faculty in
varying degrees.
Attention is of two kinds, viz., externalattention and inter-
nal attention. When the attention is directed towards external
PRACTICE OF CONCENTRATION 63
objects, it is called external attention. When it is directed inter-

nally within the mind upon mental objects and ideas, it is known
as internal attention.
There are again two other kinds of attention viz., voluntary
attention and involuntary attention. When the attention is di-
rected towards some external objects by an effort of the will, it
is called voluntary attention. When you have an express voli-
tion to attend to this or that, it is called voluntary attention. The
man understands why he perceives. Some deliberate inten-
tion, incentive, goal or purpose is definitely involved. Voluntary
attention needs effort, will, determination and some mental
training. This is cultivated by practice and perseverance. The
benefits derived by the practice of attention are incalculable. ln-
voluntary attention is quite common. This does not demand any
practice. There is no effort of the will. The attention is induced
by the beauty and attractive nature of the object. lndividuals
perceive without knowing why and without observed instruc-
tion. Young children possess this power of involuntary attention
to a greater degree than grown up people.
lf a man is not observant, he is not attentive. lf he ob-
serves something, he is said to be attentive. lntention, purpose,
hope, expectration, desire, belief, wish, knowledge, aim, goal
and needs serve to determine attention. You will have to note
carefully the degree, duration, range, forms, fluctuations and
conflicts of attention.
There is great aftention, if the object is very pleasing. You
will have to create interest. Then there will be aftention. lf the
aftention gets diminished, change your attention to another
pleasant object. By patient training you can direct the mind to
attend to an unpleasant object also by creating interest. Then
your will will grow strong.
!f you closely watch, you will note that you observe
different objects at different times. This perception of now one
object and now another, when the physical conditions are
constant, is known as fluctuation of attention. Attention is
changing. The objects themselves change or fluctuate but
there is no fluctuation in the observing individual himself. The
mind has not been trained to bear prolonged attention. lt gets
disgusted through monotony and wants to run towards some
other pleasing object. You may say, "l am going to attend to one
thing only," but you will soon find that even though you attempt
very hard, you suddenly perceive something else. The atten-

tion wavers.
lnterest develops attention. !t is difficult to fix the mind on
an uninteresting object. When a professor is lecturing, when
the subject is abstract and metraphysical, many people leave
the hall quietly because they cannot attend to a subjectwhich is
not interesting. But if the same professor sings and tells some
interesting and thrilling stories, al! people hear him with rapt at-
tention. There is pindrop silence. Lecturers should know the art
of attracting the minds of hearers. They will have to change the
tone to talk with force and emphasis. They wi!! have to watch
the audience and see whether they are attentive or not. They
will have to change the subject-matter for a short while and
bring in some nice stories and suitable illustrations. They will
have to look at the hearers directly in their eyes. So many
things are necessary if one wants to become a successful lec-
turer, if one wants to make the hearers attentive.
Napoleon, Gladstone, Arjuna and Jnanadeva had allwon-
derful power of attention. They could fix their minds on any ob-
ject. All scientists and occultists possess attention to a
remarkable degree. They cultivate it by patient, regular and
systematic practice. A judge and a surgeon can get positive
success in their respective professions only if they are en-
dowed with the power of attention to a high degree.
When you do any work, plunge yourself in it. Forget your-
self. Lose the self. Concentrate upon the work. Shut out all
other thoughts. When you do one thing, do not think of any
other thing. When you study one book, do not think of any other
book. Fix the mind there steadily like the arrow-maker who had
no consciousness of his surroundings. Eminent scientists are
so busy and attentive in their experiments and researches in
their laboratories that they forget to take food even for days to-
gether. Once a scientist was very busy at his work. His wife who
was living in another district had a serious calamity. She came
running up to him to the laboratory with profuse tears in her
eyes. Strange to say, the scientist was not a bit agitated. He
was so very attentive at his work that he even forgot that she
was his own wife. He said, 'Madam! weep for some more time.
Let me make chemical analysis of your tears.'
Once some gentleman invited Sir lsaac Newton fordinner.
Newton repaired to his host's bungalow and took his seat in the
drawing room. The gentleman forgot all about NeMon, took his
dinner and retired to his bed. Newton was amusing within him-
self very absorbedly on some important point of science. He did
not stir from his seat. He forgot all about his dinner and re-
mained in the same chair like a statue for a long time. The next
morning the host saw Newton in the drawing-room and then
only remembered his having invited him for dinner. He felt sorry
for his forgetfulness and apologised to Sir lsaac in a meek
voice. What a wonderful power of attention Sir lsaac NeMon
had! All geniuses possess this power to an infinite degree.
According to Prof. James we attend to things because
they are very interesting. But Prof. Piltsbury is of the opinion
that things are interesting because we attend to them or be-
cause we are likely to attend to them. We do not attend to them
if they are not interesting.
By constant practice and ever-renewed effort of attention
a subject that, in the beginning, was dry and uninteresting may
become full of interest when you master it and learn its mean-
ing and its issues. The powerof concentrating yourattention on
the subject may become stronger.
When a great misfortune has befallen you, or when you
pass in review a certain course of conduct in order to find out
the cause of failure, it may trake possession of your mind to
such a degree that no effort of the will can make you cease
from thinking over it. An article has to be written, a book is in the
process of preparation; the work is carried on even if there is
loss of sleep, and you are unable to tear yourself away from it.
The attention which began voluntarily has traken entire hold of
the field of consciousness.
lf you possess strong power of attention, anything that the
mind receives will be deeply impressed. An attentive man only
can develop his will. A mixture of attention, application and in-
terest can work wonders. There is no doubt of this. A man of or-
dinary intellect with highly developed attention can turn out
more work than a highly intellectual man who has a poor atten-
tion. Failure in anything is malnly due to lack of attention. lf you
attend to one thing at a time, you will get profound knowledge of
that subject in its various aspects. The ordinary untrained man
of the world generally attends to severalthings at a time. He al-
lows many things to enter the gates of his mental factory. That
is the reason why he has a clouded or turbid mind. There is no
clarity of thought. He cannot do the process of analysis and

synthesis. He is bewildered. He cannot express his ideas
clearly, whereas the disciplined man can attend to a subject ex-
clusively as long as he likes. He extracts full and detailed infor-
mation about one subject or object and then takes up another.
Attention is an important faculty of a Yogi.
You cannot attend to two difierent objects at a time. Mind can
do only one thing at a time. Because it moves with such a tremen-
dous velocity backwards and forwards, you think that the mind
can attend to several objects orthings at a time. You can only see
or hear at a time. You cannot see and hear at the same time. But
this law is not applicable to a developed Yogi. A developed Yogi
can do several things at a time because his will is not separate
from the Cosmic Willwhich is'all-powerful.
2. 'Practice of Concentration
Fix the mind on some object either within the body or with-
out. Keep it there steadily for some time. This is concentration.
You will have to practise this daily.
Purify the mind first through the practice of right conduct
and then take to the practice of concentration. Concentration
without purity of mind is of no avail. There are some occultists
who have concentration. But they have no good character; that
is the reason why they do not make any progress in the spiritual
life.
He who has a steady posture and has purifled his nerves
and the vital sheath by the constant practice of control of breath
will be able to concentrate easily. Concentration will be intense
if you remove all distractions. A true celibate who has pre-
served his energy will have wonderful concentration.
Some foolish, impatient students take to concentration at
once without undergoing, in any manner, any preliminary train-
ing in ethics. This is a serious blunder. Ethical perfection is a
matter of paramount importance.
You can concentrate internally on any of the seven cen-
tres of spiritual energy. Attention plays a very prominent part in
concentration. He who has developed his powers of attention
will have good concentration. A man who is filled with passion
and all sorts of fantastic desires can hardly concentrate on any
subject or object even for a second. His mind will be jumping

like an old monkey.
He who has gained abstraction (withdrawing the senses
from the objects) will have good concentration. You will have to
march on in the spiritual path step by step and stage by stage.
Lay the foundation of right conduct, postures, regulation of
breath and abstraction to start with. The superstructure of con-
centration and meditation will be successfulthen only.
You should be able to visualise the object of concentration
very clearly even in its absence. You will have to call up the
mental picture at a moment's notice. lf you have concentration
you can do this without much difficulty. ln the beginning stage of
practice, you can concentrate on the'tic-tic'sound of a watch or
on the flame of a candle or any other object that is pleasing to
the mind. This is concrete concentration. There is no concen-
tration without something to rest the mind upon. The mind can
be fixed on any object in the beginning which is pleasant. lt is
very difficult to fix the mind, in the beginning, on an object which
the mind dislikes.
Sit in lotus-pose (Padmasana) with crossed legs. Fix the
gaze on the tip of the nose. This is called the nasal gaze. Do not
make any violent effort. Gently look at the tip of the nose. Prac-
tise for one minute in the beginning. Gradually increase the
time to half an hour or more. This practice steadies the mind. lt
develops the power of concentration. Even when you walk, you
can keep up this practice. Sit on lotus-pose and practise fixing
the mind between the two eyebrows. Do this gently for half a
minute. Then gradually increase the time to half an hour or
more. There must not be the least violence in the practice. This
removes tossing of mind and develops concentration. This is
known as frontal gaze. The eyes are directed towards the fron-
tal bone of the forehead. You can select either the nasal gaze
or the frontal gaze according to your taste, temperament and
capacity.
lf you want to increase your power of concentration you
will have to reduce your worldly activities. You will have to ob-
serve the vow of silence every day for two hours or more.
Practise concentration till the mind is well established on
the object of concentration. When the mind runs awayfrom the
object bring it back again.
When concentration is deep and intense all other senses

cannot operate. He who practises concentration for three
hours daily will have tremendous psychic power. He will have a
strong will-power.
3. Concentration in Every Walk of Life

Concentration is a very important qualification for a begin-
ner in the spiritual path. Concentration is required not only in
the spiritual path but also in every walk of life. A man without
concentration is a failure in life.
Concentration in a spiritual sense means the one-pointed-
ness of the mind. lt is the fixing of one's mind on the lshta
Devata or the deity of one's choice. To attain concentration you
should drive off all useless thoughts of the world. You must be
entirely free from all base desires of a worldly nature. You
should substitute divine thoughts in their stead.
Meditation follows concentration. Samadhi follows medi-
tation. Jivanmukti state follows the attainment of Nirvikalpa
Samadhi which is free from all thoughts of duality. Jivanmukti
leads to emancipation from the wheel of birth and death. There-
fore concentration is the first and foremost thing a Sadhaka or
aspirant should acquire in the spiritual path.
Every little act demands concentration and your whole-
- hearted attention. lf you want to pass a thread through the eye
of the needle you must remove all fibres that are disjointed.
Then you must make it a single fibre and with great care and
one-pointed thought pass the thread into the needle.
When you climb a mountain or get down a steep descent
you will have to be very careful. Otherwise you will have a slip
and fall into the deep abyss below. When you ride a bicycle,
you talk to your friends on the road, a motor-car will dash
against you from behind. lf you are a bit absent-minded when
you walk on the road, you will strike against a stone and fall
down. A careless barber will cut the nose of his customer. A
careless washerman will burn the clothes of his master. A
sleepy aspirant will dash his head against the wall or fall down
prostrate on the ground. Therefore you must develop attention.
Attention leads to concentration.
Fix your mind on the work at hand. Give your complete
heart and soul to it. Let it be even a small work like peeling off
the skin on a plantain fruit or squeezing a lemon. Never do any-

thing haphazardly. Never take your meals in haste. Be calm
and patient in all your actions. Never arrive at hasty conclu-
sions. Never do a thing in haste. No work can be done success-
fully without calmness and concentration. Those who have
attained success and become great have all possessed this
indispensable virtue.
You will be successful in every attempt. You will never
meet with failure if you can do your work with perfect attention
and concentration. When you sit for prayers and meditation
never think of your office-work. When you work in the office
never think of the child who is sick or any other household
work. When you take bath do not think of games. When you sit
for meals do not think of the work that is pending in the office.
You must train yourself to attend to the work on hand with per-
fect one-pointedness. You can easily develop your will-power
and memory. Concentration is the master-key to open the
gates of victory. lf an ordinary man takes one hour to do a work,
a man of good concentration will accomplish it in half an hour
with better efficiency than the former. You will become a mighty
man.
You must know very well the science of relaxation of the
mind. You must be able to eliminate all other thoughts from the
mind. You must think of rest only. You should consider yourself
as if you were dead. Mentally repeat the names of the Lord and
think of the Ananda aspect of His attribute. You will not have
dreams. You will rest in blissful sleep. You will be refreshed
very easily. Even if you sleep for two hours you would feel quite
refreshed.
4. Gist of Yoga of Concentration

It is very difficult to say where concentration ends and
meditation begins. Meditation follows concentration. Purify the
mind first through the practice of Yama and Niyama. Then take
to the practice of Dharana. Concentration without purity is of no
use.
Concentration is steadfastness of mind. lf you remove all
causes of distraction, your power of concentration will in-
crease. A true Brahmachari who has preserved his Virya will
have powerful concentration. Attention plays a prominent part
in concentration. He who has developed his power of attention
will have good concentration. You should be able to visualise

very clearly the object of concentration even in its absence.
You must call up the mental picture in a moment's notice. lf you
have good practice in concentration you can do this without dif-
ficulty. He who has gained success in Pratyahara (abstraction)
by withdrawing the lndriyas from the various objects will have
good concentration. You will have to march in the spiritual path
step by step, stiage by stage. Lay the foundation of Yama (right
conduct), Niyama, Asana (posture), Pranayama and
Pratyahara to start with. The superstructure of Dharana (con-
centration), Dhyana (meditation), and Samadhi will be suc-
cessfulthen only.
Asana is Bahiranga Sadhana (extemal); Dhyana is Antar-
anga Sadhana (internal). When compared with Dhyana and
Samadhi, even Dharana is Bahiranga Sadhana. He who has
steadyAsana and has purified Yoga-Nadis and the Pranamaya
Kosha (vital sheath) through Pranayama will be able to con-
centrate easily. You can concentrate internally on any of the
seven plexus or Chakras or centres of spiritual energy viz.,
Muladhara, Svadhishthana, Manipura, Anahata, Vishuddha,
Ajna and Sahasrara, oron the tip of the nose, oron the tip of the
tongue or externally on the picture of any Devata, Hari, Hara,
Krishna or Devi. You can concentrate on the'tik-tik'sound of a
watch or on the flame of a candle, or on a black point of a wall,
or on a pencil or rose flower or any pleasing object. This is con-
crete concentration (Sthoola). There can be no concentration
without something upon which the mind may rest. The mind
can be fixed easily on a pleasing object such as jasmine flower,
mango or orange or a loving friend. lt is difficltlt to fix the mind in
the beginning on any object which it dislikes such as faecal
matter, cobra, enemy, ugly face, etc. Practise concentration till
the mind is well established in the object of concentration.
When the mind runs away from the object of concentration,
bring it back again and again to the object. Lord Krishna says in
the Gita: "Yato yato nischarati manas-chanchalam-asthiram,
Tatastato niyamyaitad-atmanyeva vasam nayet-As often as
the wavering and unsteady mind goes forth, so often reining it
in, let him bring it under the control of the Self."
lf you want to increase your power of concentration, you
will have to reduce yourworldly activities (Vyavahara-Kshaya).
You will have to observe Mouna (vow of silence) also for two
hours daily. A man whose mind is filled with passion and all
sorts of fantastic desires can hardly concentrate on any object
even for a second. His mind will be jumping like a balloon. Reg-
ulate and master the breath. Subdue the senses and fix the
mind on any pleasing object. Associate the ideas of holiness
and purity with the object.
You can concentrate on the space between the two eye-
brows (Trikuti). You can concentrate on the mystic sounds
(Anahata Dhvani) that you hear from your right ear. you can
concentrate on 'Om' picture. The picture of Lord Krishna with
flute in hand and the picture of Lord Vishnu with conch, discus,
mace and lotus are very good for concentration. You can con-
centrate on the picture of your Guru or any saint. Vedantins try
to fix the mind on Atman, the lnner Self. This is their Dharana.
Dharana is the Sixth stage or limb of Ashtanga yoga or
Raja Yoga of Patanjali Maharshi. ln Dharana you will have only
one Vritti orwave in the mind-lake. The mind assumes the form
of only one object. All other operations of the mind are sus-
pended or stopped. He who can practise realconcentration for
half or one hour will have tremendous psychic powers. His will
also will be very powerful.
When Hatha Yogis concentrate their minds on
Shadadhara or the six supports (the Shat-Chakras), they con-
centrate their minds on the respective presiding Devatas also,
viz., Ganesha, Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, lsvara and Sadasiva.
Control the breath through Pranayama. Subdue the lndriyas
through Pratyahara. And then fix the mind either on Saguna or
Nirguna Brahman. According to the Hatha Yogic School, a yogi
who can suspend his breath by Kumbhaka for 20 minutes can
have very good Dharana. He will have a very tranquil mind.
Pranayama steadies the mind, removes Vikshepa (distraction)
and increases the power of concentration. Those who practise
Khechari Mudra by cutting the frenum lingua and lengthening
the tongue andfixing it in the hole beyond the palate by taking
upwards, will have good Dharana.
Those who can practise concentration evolve quickly.
They can do any work with scientific accuracy and great effi-
ciency. What others do in six hours can be done by one who
has concentration within half an hour. What others can read in
six hours, can be read by one who has concentration within half
an hour. Concentration purifies and calms the surging emo-
tions, strengthens the current of thought and clarifies the ideas.

Concentration helps a man in his material progress also. He
will have a very good outturn of work in his office or busi-
ness-house. What was cloudy and hazy before becomes clear
and definite. What was difficult before becomes easy now and
what was complex, bewildering and confusing before comes
easily within the mental grasp. You can achieve anything
through concentration. Nothing is impossible to a man who
practises regular concentration. lt is very difficult to practise
concentration when one is hungry and when one is suffering
from an acute diseass He who practises concentration will
possess very.good health and very clear mentalvision.
Retire into a quiet room; sit in Padmasana. Close your
eyes. See what happens when you concentrate on an apple.
You may think of its ccilour, shape, size and its different parts
such as skin, pulp, seeds, etc. You may think of the places
(Australia or Kashmir) wherefrom it is imported. You may think
of its acidic or sweet taste and its effects on the digestive sys-
tem and blood. Through law of association, ideas of some
other fruits also may try to enter. The mind may entertain some
other extraneous ideas. lt may begin to wander about' lt may
think of meeting a friend at the railway station at 4 p.m. lt may
think of purchasing a towel or a tin of tea and biscuits. lt may
ponder over some unpleasant happening that occurred the
previous day. You must try to have a definite line of thought.
There must not be any break in the line of thinking. You must
not allow other thoughts which are not connected with the ob-
ject on hand to enter. You will have to struggle hard to get suc-
cess in this direction. The mind willtry its level bestto run in the
old grooves and take its old familiar road or old beaten path.
The attempt is somewhat like going uphill. You will rejoice when
you get even some success in concentration. Just as laws of
gravitation, cohesion, etc., operate in the physical plane, so
also definite laws of thought, such as law of continuity, etc., op-
erate in the mental plane orthgught-world. Those who practise
concentration should thoroughly understand these laws. When
the mind thinks of an object, it may think of its qualities and its
parts also. When it thinks of a cause, it may think of its effect
also.
lf you read with concentration the Bhagavad-Gita, the
Ramayana, or the 11th Skandha of Bhagavatia several times
you will get new ideas each time. Through concentration you
will get penetrative insight. Subtle esoteric meanings willflash
out in the field of mental consciousness. You will understand
the inner depths of philosophical signiflcance. When you con-
centrate on any object do not wrestle with the mind. Avoid ten-
sion anywhere in the body or mind. Think gently of the object in
a continuous manner. Do not allow the mind to wander away.
lf emotions disturb you during concentration, do not mind
them. Theywill pass away soon. lf you try to drive them, you will
have to tax your will-force. Have an indifferent attitude. The
Vedantin uses the formulae: "l don't care. Get out. I am Sakshi
(witness of the mental modifications)," to drive the emotions.
The Bhakta simply prays and help comes from God.
Train the mind in concentration on various subjects, gross
and subtle, and of various sizes, medium and big. !n course of
time a strong habit of concentration will be formed. The mo-
ment you sit for concentration the mood will come at once quite
easily. When you read a book, you must read it with concentra-
tion. There is no use skipping over the pages in a hurried man-
ner. Read one page in the Gita. Close the book. Concentrate on
what you have read. Find out parallel lines in the Mahabharata,
the Upanishads and the Bhagavata. Compare and contrast.
For a neophyte, the practice of concentration is disgusting
and tiring in the beginning. He has to cut new grooves in the
mind and brain. After some months, he will get interest in con-
centration. He will enjoy a new kind of happiness, the Concen-
tration-Ananda. He will become restless if he fails to enjoy this
new kind of happiness even for one day. Concentration is the
onlywayto get rid of the worldly miseries and tribulations. Your
only duty is to practise concentration. You have taken this
physical body to practise concentration and through concentra-
tion to realise the Self. Charity, Rajasuya Yajni are nothing
when compared to concentration. They are playthings only.
Through Vairagya, Pratyahara and practice of concentra-
tion, the dissipated rays of wandering mind are slowly col-
lected. Through steady practice it is rendered one-pointed.
How happy and strong is thatYogi, who has one-pointed mind!
He can turn out voluminous work in the twinkling of an eye.
Those who practise concentration off and on will have
only occasionally a steady mind. Sometimes the mind will be-
gin to wander and will be quite unfit for application. You must
have a mind that will obey you at all times sincerely and carry
out all your commands in the best possible manner at any time.
Steady and systematic practice of Raja Yoga will make the
mind very obedient and faithful
There are five Yoga-Bhumikas or stages of the mind viz.,
Kshipta (distracted), Mudha (dull), Vikshipta (slightly tossing),
Ekag ra (one-poi nted ), N irudd ha (contro! led or wel l-restrai ned ).
By gradual and well-regulated practice of concentration daily,
the rays of the wandering mind are collected. lt becomes
one-pointed. Eventually it is curbed properly. lt comes under
proper control.
lf the aspirant pursues what is not fitting, his progress is
painful and sluggish. He who pursues the right path gets easy
progress and quick intuition. He who has no past conditions or
Spiritual Samskaras of previous birth makes painful progress.
One who has spiritual Samskaras makes easy progress. To
one whose nature is actually corrupt and whose controlling
faculties are weak, progress is painful and intuition is sluggish.
But to one of keen controlling faculties, progress is rapid and in-
tuition is quick. !n one overcome by ignorance intuition is slug-
gish; in one not so overcome, intuition is rapid.
5. Exercises in Concentration
l. Ask your friend to show you some playing cards.
lmmediately after the exposure, describe the forms you have
seen. Give the number, name, etc., such as king of clubs, ten of
spades, queen of diamonds, jack of hearts, etc.
ll. Read two or three pages of a book. Then close the
book. Now attend to what you have read. Abandon all distract-
ing thoughts. Focus your attention carefully. Allow the mind to
associate, classify, group, combine and compare. You will get
now a fund of knowledge and information on the subject. Mere
skipping over the pages inadvertently is of no use. There are
students who read a book within a few hours. lf you ask them to
reproduce some important points of the book, they will blink. lf
you attend to the subject on hand very carefully, you will receive
clear, strong impression. lf the impressions are strong, you will
have very good memory.
tl1. Sit in your favourite meditative pose about one foot

from a watch. Concentrate on the 'tik-tik'sound slowly. When-
ever the mind runs, again and again try to hear the sound. Just
see how long the mind can be fixed continuously on the sound.
lV. Sit again in your favourite Asana. Close your eyes.
Close the ears with your thumbs or plug the ears with wax or
cotton. Try to hear the Anahata sounds (mystic sounds). You
will hear various kinds of sounds such as flute, violin,
kettledrum, thunder-storm, conch, bells, the humming of a bee,
etc. Try to hear the gross sounds first. Hear only one kind of
sound. lf the mind runs, you can shift it from gross to subtle, or
from subtle to gross. Generally you will hear sounds in your
right ears. Occasionally you may hear in your left ear also. But
try to stick to the sound of one ear. You will get one-pointedness
of mind. This is an easy way to capture the mind, because it is
enchanted by the sweet sound, just as a snake is hypnotised
by the notes of the snake-charmer.
V. Keep a candle-flame in front of you and try to concen-
trate on the flame. When you are tired of doing this, close your
eyes and try to visualise the flame. Do itfor half a minute and in-
crease the time to five or ten minutes according to your tiaste,
temperament and capacity. You will see Rishis and Devatias,
when you enter into deep concentration.
Vl. ln a lying posture, concentrate on the moon. When-
ever the mind runs, again and again bring it back to the image
of the moon. This exercise is very beneficial in the case of
some persons having an emotionaltemperament.
Vll. In the above manner, you can concentrate on any
strar you may single out from the millions of stars shining above
your head.
'
,V!!1. Sit by the side of a river where you can hear a roar-
ing sound like "OM." Concentrate on that sound as long as you
like. This is very thrilling and inspiring.
lX. Lie on your bed in the open air and concentrate on
the blue expansive sky above. Your mind will expand immedi-
ately. You will be elevated. The blue sky will remind you of the
infinite nature of the Self.
X. Sit in a comfortable posture and concentrate on any
one of the numerous abstract virtues such as mercy, compas-
sion, etc. Dwell upon this virtue as long as you can.
76 CONCENTRATION AND MEDITATION.
6. Concentration on a Chair
The subject of concentration is disgusting and tiring for
the neophyte. But it is the most interesting and beneficial sci-
ence in the world. When one advances in concentration, when
one tiakes real interest, when one has realised some benefits,
he cannot leave the practice. He cannot remain even for a day
without concentration. He becomes restless when he fails to
have the practice. Concentration brings supreme joy, inner
spiritual strength, unalloyed felicity and infinite eternal peace.
Concentration brings profound knowledge and deep inner
sight, intuition and communion with God. lt is a wonderful sci-
ence in the three worlds. I cannot adequately describe its bene-
fits.
Concentration on a chair really means getting full, detailed
knowledge of the chair, its different parts, the particular wood
out of which it is manufactured such as Devadaru, rose wood,
etc., its workmanship, its durability, its cost price, the degree of
comfort it gives for the back, arms, etc., whether the parts can
be detached and fixed again, whether it is manufactured on
modern lines and made bugproof, what sort of polish or varnish
is used to make it durable, etc. When you concentrate on the
chair, this sort of idea occupies your mind. Mind generally wan-
ders wildly at random. When it thinks of one object, in a second
it leaves that object and runs to another object like a monkey,
then to a third object and so on. lt cannot stick to one point.
When the thought runs in one definite groove continu-
ously on one subject alone like the flow of oil from one vessel to
another, then it is concentration. The aspirant should withdraw
his mind whenever it runs outside and put it in the same groove
in the same line of thought on one subject and on one idea.
This is spiritual Sadhana. This is Dharana and Dhyana. This
will result in Samadhiorthe superconscious state, the fourth di-
mension or Turiya.
The vital point in concentration is to bring the mind to the
same point of object again by limiting its movements in a small
circle in the beginning. That is the main aim. A time will come
when the mind will stick to one point alone. This is the fruit of
your constant and protracted Sadhana. The joy is indescrib-
able now. When you meditate on a chair, bring allthoughts con-
nected with the chair and dwell on these ideas. Do not allow
any other thought connected with another object to enter the

mind. There should be one line of thought. There should be one
continuity of thought like the steady flow of oil from one vessel
to another vessel, like the continuous sound of a church-bell.
There may be several ideas connected with one subject. This
does not matter. You can reduce the numberof ideas and come
to one idea of one subject. When this one idea also dies you get
the superconscious state or Samadhi. When there is one idea it
is called Savikalpa Samadhiwhich is a lower stage. When this
one idea also dies out and when there is not even a single idea,
the mind becomes blank or void. There is mental vacuity. This
is the stage of thoughtlessness of Patanjali Maharshi in his
Raja Yoga philosophy. You will have to rise above this blank
Vritti and identify yourself with the Supreme Purusha or Brah-
man, the silent witness of the mind, who gives power and light
to this mind. Then and then alone you can reach the highest
goal of life.
When you concentrate on a chair, do not allow any other
thought of different objects. Again and again bring the mind that
wanders to the object which is chair. When you meditate on a
rose, think of rose and rose alone. When you think of a book,
think all that is connected with the book and nothing outside it.
When you think of a radio or talkie, think of the radio or talkie
alone. Exhaust all matters connected with the subject on hand.
You can take any subject that is pleasing to the mind. Slowly
you can take up any subject that is displeasing to the mind by
creating interest in it again and again. You should always re-
memberthe maxim: "One thing at a time and that done well is a
very good rule as many can tell." When you take up any work,
apply your whole heart, full mind and sound to the work. Do it
with perfect concentration. What another can do in six hours
you can turn out within half an hour, smoothly and in a methodi-
cal and orderly manner. This is Yogic activity. You will be taken
for an accomplished Yogi. Even when you study, study the sub-
ject with perfect concentration. Do not allow the mind to wan-
der. You must shut out all external sounds. Fix the gaze at one
point. Do not allow the eyes to wander. When you study one
subject, do not think of a talkie or sweetmeats or a friend. The
whole world must be dead to you forthe time being. Such must
be the nature of concentration. lt will come to you after some
steady and constant endeavours. Be not troubled. Be not dis-
couraged. There will be some delay. Wait coolly and patiently.

Rome was not built in a day. lt is all a question of time. Do not
leave the practice even for a day, even when you are sick. ln
your failure lies the secret of your success and in your weak-
ness the secret of your strength. Plod on. Push on. Gird up your
loins. Ni/ desperandum. Be bold. March on courageously. Be
cheerful. A brilliant future is awaiting thee. Practise. Feel. Re-
joice. Become a Yogi or a world-figure. I can make you one.
Follow me. Be sincere and earnest. Rise up. Awake. Thy Light
has come. O my dear children of Light and lmmortality,
Brahmamuhurta is dawning now. lt is 3.30 a.m. This isthe best
time to practise concentration on Atman, memory and will-cul-
ture and to catch hold of the mind. Sit in Virasana and do rigor-
ous practice now. May success and divine glory attend on thee.
I shall take leave of you now. I shall leave you there. Melt the
bubble mind in Brahman, the ocean of Knowledge, and enjoy
Supreme Bliss.
7. Concentration on Anahata Sounds

Dharana is the intense and perfect concentration of the
mind upon some interior or exterior object or sound like
Anahata sounds, or any abstract idea, accompanied by com-
plete abstraction (Pratyahara) from everything pertaining to the
external universe or the world of senses.
PRACTISE SADHANA
Sit in Padma or Siddha Asana. Practise Yoni Mudra by
closing the ears with the thumbs. Hear the internal sound
through the right ear. The sound which you hear will make you
deaf to all external sounds. Having overcome allobstacles, you
will enter the Turiya State within 15 days. ln the beginning of
your practice, you will hear many loud sounds. They gradually
increase in pitch and are heard more and more subtly. You
should try to distinguish sounds more and more subtle. You
may change your concentration from the subtle to the gross,
but you should not allow your mind to be diverted from them to-
wards other objects.
The mind having at first concentrated itself on any one
sound fixes firmly to that and is absorbed in it. The mind
becoming insensible to the external impressions, becomes one
with the sound as milk with water and then becomes rapidly
absorbed in Chidakasa (the Akasa where Chit prevails). Being

indifferent towards all objects, and having controlled the
passions, you should, by continual practice, concentrate your
attention upon the sound which destroys the mind. Having
abandoned all thoughts and being freed from all actions, you
should always concentrate your attention on the sound, and
then your Chitta becomes absorbed in it. Just as the bee drink-
ing the honey alone does not care for the odour, so the Chitta
wnicn is always absorbed in sound, does not long for sensual
objects, as it is bound by the sweet smell of Nada and has
abandoned its fitting nature. The serpent-Chitta through listen-
ing to the Nada is entirely absorbed in it, and becoming uncln-
scious of everything, concentrates itself on the sound' The
sound serves the purpose of a sharp goad to controlthe mad-
dened elephant-Chitta-which roves in the pleasure-garden
of the sensual objects.
It serves the purpose of a snare for binding the
deer-Chitta. lt also serves the purpose of a shore to the
ocean-waves of Chitta. The sound proceeding from Pranava,
which is Brahman, is of the nature of effulgence; the mind be-
comes absorbed in it; that is the Supreme Seat of Vishnu. The
mind exists so long as there is sound, but with its cessation,
there is that state termed Turiya. This sound is absorbed in
Brahman and the soundless state is the Supreme Seat. The
mind which along with Prana has its Karmic affinities destroyed
by the constant concentration upon Nada is absorbed in the un-
siained One. There is no doubt of it. Being freed from allstates
and allthoughts whatsoever, you will remain like one dead. You
will becomqa Mukta. There is no doubt about this. The body is
certainly like a log and does not feel heat or cold, joy or sorrow.
When the spiritual sight becomes fixed without any object to be
seen, when the Prana becomes still without any effort, and
when the Chitta becomes firm without any support, you be-
come a Brahman (Brahmavid-Brah maiva Bhavati).
You may experience the tenth sound without the first nine
sounds through the initiation of a Guru. ln the first stage, the
body becomes Chin-chini; in the second, there is the
(Bhinjana) breaking or affecting in the body; in the third, there
is the (Bhedana) piercing; in the fourth, the head shakes; in the
fifth, the palate produces saliva; in the sixth, nectar is attained;
in the seventh, the knowledge of the hidden things in the world
arises; in the eighth, Paravak is heard; in the ninth, the body

becomes invisible and the pure divine eye is developed;in the
tenth, you attain the state of Para Brahman. When the Manas is
destroyed, when virtues and sins are burnt away, you shine
as the Effulgent, lmmaculate, Eternal, Stainless, Suddha
Brahman.
8. Tlataka or Gazing
Trataka is steady gazing. Write the word OM in black on
the wall. Sit in front of the drawing. Concentrate on it with open
eyes tilltears come in the eyes. Then close the eyes. Visualise
the picture of OM. Then open the eyes and again gaze till
lachrymation manifests. Gradually increase the period. There
are students who can gaze for one hour. Trataka is one of the
Shat-Kriyas (six exercises) in Hatha Yoga. Get an OM picture,
fix it on the wall and concentrate on this. Pictures are sold in the
bazaar. Trataka steadies the wandering mind and removes
Vikshepa (tossing of mind). lnstead of gazing on OM you may
gaze at a big black dot on the wall. The walls will present a
golden colour during Trataka. Or draw a big black dot on a
white paper and fix it on the wall. This will be a target for the
Yogic student to concentrate his mind upon. Gaze atthis black
dot on the paper.
You can do Trataka on any picture of the Lord either of
Krishna, Rama or Siva or on Saligram. You can sit in the chair
and gaze at the picture on the wall in front of your eyes. Trataka
is the a/pha bet of concentration. lt is the first exercise for Yogic
students in concentration.
Trataka with open eyes is followed by visualisation. Visu-
alisation is calling up of a clear mental image of anything.
Trataka and visualisation do help a lot in concentration.
The mind can also be rendered steady by doing Manasic
Puja, by thinking the attributes of the Lord and by remembering
His Lilas.
Practise Trataka for one minute on the flrst day. Then
gradually increase the period every week. Do not strain the
eyes. Do it gently with ease and comfort, as long as you can
conveniently do. Repeat your lshta Mantra, Hari Om, Sri Rama
or Gayatri during Trataka. ln some people who have weak
capillaries, the eyes may become red. They need not be
alarmed unnecessarily. The redness of the eyes will pass off

quickly. Practise Trataka for six months. Then you can tiake up
advanced lessons in concentration and meditation. Be regular
and systematic in your Sadhana. lf there is a break, take up the
deficiency or loss on the next day. Trataka removes many
eye-diseases and ultimately brings in Siddhis.
CHAPTER THREE
What Is Meditation?
1.
"Dhyanam niruishayam manah":-That state of the mind
wherein there are no Vishayas or sensual thoughts is
meditation.
"Tatra pratyayaikatanata dhyanam":-A continuous flow
of perception or thought is Dhyana (meditation). There is con-
tinuous current in the mind of one object like the flow of water in
a river (Pravaha). There is only one Vritti in the mind. lt is
Ekarupa-Vritti-Pravaha.
Meditation is the keeping up of an unceasing flow of
God-consciousness. lt is the flow of continuous thought of one
thing or God or Atman, like the continuous flow of oil (Taila-
dharavat). Allworldly thoughts are shut out from the mind. The
mind is filled or saturated with Divine thoughts, Divine glory and
Divine presence. Meditation is regular flow of thought with
regard to the object of concentration. Meditation follows
concentration.
Meditation is the seventh rung or step in the ladder of
Yoga. Yogis call this 'Dhyana.'Jnanis term this 'Nididhyasana.'
Bhaktas style this'Bhajana.'
Yama (self-restraint), Niyama (religious observance),
Asana (posture), Pranayama (restraint of breath), Pratyahara
(abstraction or withdrawal of the senses), Dharana (concentra-
tion), Dhyana (meditation), Samadhi (superconscious state or
blissful union with the Supreme Self) are the eight steps of
Yoga.
Lord Jesus says, "Empty thyself and I shall fill thee." This
corresponds to
the teaching of
Patanjali Maharshi:
'Yog a s-ch itta-v ritti - n i rod h 6 fi "-"\sgs i s restra nt (a n n
i i h iI ati o n )
of all mental modifications (functions)." This emptying process
or making the mind blank is no doubt a trying discipline. But
continued practice of an intense type will bring success. There
is no doubt of this.
(82)
PRELIMINARIES FOR MEDITATION 83
for Meditation
2. NecessitY
Meditation is the only way for attaining lmmortality and
Eternal Bliss. Those who do not concentrate and meditate are
slayers of Atman (Atmahanah!-lsa Upanishad, Mantra 3.
They are in fact living corpses and miserable wretches.
The wise cut asunder the knot of egoism by that sharp
sword of constant meditation. Then dawns supreme knowl-
edge of the Self or full inner illumination or Self-realisation. The
liberated sage has neither doubts not delusions now. All the
bonds of Karma are rent asunder. Therefore be ever engaged
in meditation. This is the master-key for opening the realms of
eternal bliss. lt may be tiring and disgusting in the beginning
because the mind will be running away from the point every
now and then. After some practice it will be focussed in the cen-
tre. You will be immersed in the Divine Bliss.
Great Rishis and sages of yore like Yajnavalkya, Udda-
laka, etc., acquired the knowledge of the Self which is a means
to secure the highest communion through intense meditation.
Just as you require food for the body, so also you require
food for the soul in the shape of prayers, Japa, Kirtan, medita-
tion, etc. Just as you are agitated when you do not get food in
time, so also you will be agitated if you do not pray in the morn-
ing and in the evening when you have kept up the practice of
prayer and Japa for some time. The food for the soul is more
essentialthan the food forthe body. Therefore do your prayers,
Japa and meditation regularly.
Just as you grow jasmine, rose, lily, honolulu and tem-
ple-flowers in your garden, so also you should cultivate the
flowers of peaceful thoughts, thoughts of love, mercy, kind-
ness, purity, etc., in the vast garden of your Antahkarana.
Through introspection you will have to water this garden of
mind and with meditation and sublime thinking remove the
weeds of vain, useless, discordant thoughts.
When you see the flower on a mango tree, you know
pretty well that you will get mangoes quickly. Even so, if you
have Santi in your mind, be sure that you will get good medita-
tion and the fruit of Jnana quickly.
Like attracts like. This is a great law. Entertain good
thoughts. Do meditation. You will attract Sadhus, Yogis and
Siddhas. You will be benefited by their vibrations. Your new

spiritual vibration will attract them.
3. Fruits of Meditation
Even lndra, the Lord of the Devas, who is rolling in abun-
dant wealth, cannot enjoy that bliss which comes to a sage who
has a Self-centred mind free from desires, who is resting in his
own Svarupa and who has equal vision for all.
Learn the science of self-control. Possess a steady mind
by constant practice of meditation. Fix your mind upon God.
You will have divine life. Lightwill shine. There will be inflooding
of all divine qualities. All negative tendencies will vanish. All
conflicting forces will be reconciled. You will enjoy perfect har-
mony, undisturbed happiness, abiding peace.
Meditation is the only real, royal road to the attainment of
salvation. Meditation kills all pains, sufferings and sorrows.
Meditation destroys all causes of sorrow Meditation gives vi-
sion of unity. Meditation induces sense of oneness. Meditation
is a balloon or the aeroplane that helps the aspirant to soar high
into the realms of eternal bliss, everlasting peace and undying
jov.
Meditation is the royal road to attain Godhead. lt is the
grand trunk road which takes the aspirant direct to the destina-
tion of divine consciousness. lt is the mystic ladder which takes
the Yogic student from earth to heaven. lt is the divine ladder of
Yogis which pushes them to the heights of Asamprajnata Sam-
adhi. lt is the step in the staircase of Chidakasa to take the aspi-
rantto the highest storey of Advaita Nishtha and Kaivalya Mukti
of Vedantins. Without it, no spiritual progress is possible. lt is
the aerial ropeway that allows the devotee to glide easily to the
other shore of Bhava Samadhi and drink the honey of Prema
and the nectar of immorality.
Regular meditation opens the avenues of intuition knowl-
edge, makes the mind calm and steady, awakens an ecstatic
feeling and brings the Yogic student in contact with the source
of the Supreme Purusha. lf there are doubts, they are all
cleared by themselves when you march on the path of Dhyana
Yoga steadily. You will yourself feel the way to place your foot-
steps on the next rung of the spiritual ladder. Amysterious inner
voice will guide you. Hear this attentively, O Yogindra!
lf you wind the watch at night, it will run smoothly for

twenty-four hours. Even so, if you meditate forone ortwo hours
in the Brahmamuhurta, you can work very peacefully through-
out the day. Nothing can disturb your mind. The whole system
will be charged with the spiritualvibrations or divine wave.
Many of your doubts will be cleared by themselves during
meditation. Some will have to wait for some time for the clear-
ance of some doubts. However much the teacher explains to
you, you cannot understand certain things at a certain time.
You will have to evolve a little more. When you have evolved,
those doubts, which tormented you three years ago will be-
come clear now.
You may have an acute pain, when you get an
appendicular colic or when you develop a big abscess. ln
sleep, you experience no pain at all. When you are under chlo-
roform, there is no pain also. Only when the mind is connected
with the body, pain manifests. lf you can detach or disconnect
the mind from the body, there will be no pain. Atman is a mass
of bliss (Anandaghana). lf you withdraw the mind from the body
and objects and fix it on Atman through constant meditation, all
pains will come to an end. Meditation is the only way which can
destroy all human miseries. There is no other way.
Real rest can be had during meditation when the mind
rests in Atman. Change of work can give rest. Remaining idle
without work and allowing the mind to wander about wildly like
a rutting furious elephant and building castles in the air cannot
bring rest.
. The man who cannot fix his mind in meditation cannot
have knowledge of the Self. The unsteady man cannot practise
any meditation. He cannot have any intense devotion to knowl-
edge of the Self or any burning longing for liberation or Moksha.
He who does not practise any meditation cannot possess
peace of mind. How can there be happiness for the
unpeaceful?
ln dream also you will begin to exercise control gradually.
You will check the mind when it does an evil act. The force of
your Sadhana done in the wakeful state will come to your aid in
the dream. This is a sign of your spiritual growth. Watch the
dream carefully.
This world is full of miseries and sufferings. lf you want to

get rid of the pains and afflictions of this Samsara, you must
practise meditation. Meditation is the pathway to Divinity. lt is
the royal road to the kingdom of Brahman. lt is a mysterious
ladder which reaches from earth to Heaven (Vaikuntha or
Kailasa or Brahmaloka), from enor to Truth, from darkness to
Light, from pain to Bliss, from restlessness to abiding Peace,
from ignorance to Knowledge, from mortality to lmmortatity.
Meditation leads to knowledge of the Self which brings about
Eternal Peace and Supreme Bliss. Meditation prepares you for
the integral experiences or direct intuitive knowledge.
Truth is Brahman. Truth is Atman. Truth is quite pure and
simple. You cannot realise the Truth without reflection and
meditation. Be silent. Know thyself. Know That. Melt the mind
in That.
Without the help of meditation you cannot attain knowl-
edge of the Self. Without its aid you cannot grow into the Divine
state. Without it you cannot liberate yourself from the trammels
of the mind and attain lmmortality. lf you do not practise medita-
tion, the supreme splendour and fadeless glories of Atman wi[l
remain hidden from you. Tear the veils that cover the soul by
practising regular meditation. Rend asunder the five sheaths
that screen the Atman by constant meditation and'then attain
the final beatitude of life.
The fire of meditation annihilates all foulness due to vice.
Then suddenly comes Knowledge or Divine Wisdom which di-
rectly leads to Mukti or final emancipation.
There are many valuable types of training of the mind,
which are essentialto mental culture, for instance, the training
of memory cultivation of reflection, discrimination, Vichara or
enquiry of 'Who am l.'The practice of meditation itself is a po-
tent clarifier of the memory. The practice of memory-culture
powerfully helps the attainment of meditation.
Meditation is a powerful tonic. lt is a mental and nervine
tonic as well. The holy vibrations penetrate all the cells of the
body and cure the diseases of the body. Those who meditate
save doctor's bilts. The powerful, sooihing waves that arise
during meditation exercise a benign influence on the mind,
nerves, organs and cells of the body. The Divine energy freely
flows like a Taila-Dhara (flow of oil from one vessel to another)
from the feet of the Lord to the different systems of the Sadhaka
(aspirant).
lf you can meditate for half an hour you will be able to en-
gage yburself with peace and spiritual strength in the bâttle of
tite toi one week through the force of this meditation. Such is
the beneficial result of meditation. As you have to move with dif-
ferent minds of peculiar nature in your daily life, get the strength
and peace from meditation and you will have no trouble and
worry then.
A Yogi who meditates regularly has a magnetic and
charming personality. Those who come in contact with him are
much-influenced by his sweet voice, powerful speech, lustrous
eyes, brilliant complexion, strong, healthy body, good behav-
iour, virtuous quality and Divine nature. Just as a grain of salt
dropped in a basin of water dissolves and becomes distributed
throughout the whole water, just as the sweet fragrance ofjas-
mine pervades the air, so also, his spiritual aura becomes infil-
trated into the minds of others. People draw joy, peace and
strength from him. They are inspired by his speech and get ele-
vation of mind by mere contact with him,
Meditation opens the door of the mind to intuitive knowl-
edge and many powers.
Meditate. Meditate. Do not lose even a single minute.
Meditation will remove all the miseries of life. That is the only
way. Meditation is the enemy of the mind. lt brings about
Mano-Nasha or the death of the mind.
The Mahatma who meditates in a solitary cave in the Hi-
malayas helps the world more through his spiritual vibrations
than ihe Sadhu who preaches at the platform. Just as sound-vi-
brations travel in the etherealspace, so also the spiritualvibra-
tions of a meditator travel a long distance and bring peace and
strength to thousands.
When the meditator becomes mindless, he pervades and
permeates the whole world. lgnorant people bring. a.false
bharge that the Sadhus who meditate in caves are selfish.
Build through regular meditation a strong spiritualfortress
and magnetic aura around you, which cannot be penetrated
even by the messengers of Maya or Satan.
Concentration of the mind on God after purification can
give you real happiness and knowledge. You are carried away
to externalobjects through Raga and Moha. Concentrate upon

God in the heart. Dive deep. Merge within.
During meditiation, when your mind is more Sattvic, you
will be inspired. The mind will be composing fine poems and
solving intricate problems of life. stamp out these sattvic Vrittis
also. This is all dissipation of mental energy. Soar higher and
higher in Atman only.
You will get the full Ananda of the Divine glory only when
you dive deep, when you merge deep into silent meditation.
When you are on the borderland of divinity of God, when you
are at the gate or threshold of God, when you are on the outer
skirts, you will not get the maximum peace and bliss.
During meditation some of the visions that you see are
your own materialised thoughts, while some others are real
objective visions.
Real Peace and Ananda manifest only when the Vasanas
are thinned out and Sankalpas extinguished. When you fix the
mind eitheron SriKrishna, Siva orAtman even forfive minutes,
Sattva Guna is infused into the mind. Vasanas are thinned out.
You feel peace and bliss during the five minutes. you can, with
the subtle Buddhi, compare this Ananda from meditation with
the transitory sensual pleasures. you willfind that this Ananda
from meditation is million times superior to sensual pleasures.
Meditate and feel this Ananda. Then you will know the reat
value.
lf an aspirant in Kashmir meditates upon his Guru or spiri-
tual guide at Uttarkasi, Himalayas, a definite connection is es-
tablished between him and the teacher. The Guru radiates
power, peace, joy and bliss to the student in response to his
thoughts. He is bathed in the powerful current of magnetism.
The stream of spiritual electricity flows steadily from the pre-
ceptor to his disciple, just as oil flows from one vessel to an-
other. The student can imbibe or draw from his teacher in
proportion to his degree of faith. Whenever the student sin-
gerely meditates upon his teacher, the teacher also actually
feels that a current of prayer or sublime thoughts proceeds
from his student and touches his heart. He who has the inner
astral sight can clearly visualise a thin line of bright light be-
tween the disciple and the teacher, which is caused by the
movement of the vibrations of Sattuic thoughts, in the ocean of

Chitta.
A sudden stroke of mystic illumination puts an end of all
the empirical existence altogether and the very idea or remem-
brance of such a thing as this world or the narrow individuality
of the spirit in this world absolutely leaves.
When the Yogi has reached the last stage of meditation
and Samadhi, all the residues of his actions are burnt
completely. He gets liberation in this very life. Then he is a
Jivanmukta.
Meditation gives a lot of spiritual strength, peace, new vig-
our and vitality. lt is the best mental tonic. lf a meditator gets irri-
tated very often, it shows he is not doing good uninterrupted
meditation. There is something wrong in his Sadhana.
Meditation develops strong and pure thoughts. Mental
images are clear-cut and well-deflned. Good thoughts are
well-grounded. Through clarification of ideas, confusion van-
ishes.
Just as sweet perfume continuously emanates from an in-
cense stick, so also the sweet perfume and divine effulgence
(Brahmavarchasa, magnetic Brahmic aura or Tejas) emanate
continuously from the face of an aspirant who does regular
constant meditation. Those who do meditation will have a calm,
serene, charming face, sweet voice and lustrous bright eyes.
Just as cultivation in a barren land or saltish earth be-
comes absolutely fruitless, so also meditation done without
Vairagya becomes fruitless.
lf you can meditate for half an hour, you will be able to en-
gage yourself with peace and spiritualenergy in the daily battle
of life for one week through the power and vigour of meditation.
The fire of meditation annihilates al! foulness due to vice. Then
suddenly comes knowledge or divine wisdom which directly
leads to Mtrkti or final emancipation.
ln contemplation you are in spiritual contact with the un-
changing Light. You are cleansed of all the impurities. This
Light cleanses the soulwhich touches it. The sun-glass is ex-
posed to the light of the sun and the straws underneath catch
flre. So within yourself, if you have an open heart devoutly lifted
up to God, the Light of His purity and love, illuminating this open
soul, will consume all your shortcomings in the fire of Divine

love. The Light brings enhanced energy and great comfort.
All the visible things are Maya. Maya will vanish through
Jnana or meditation on Atman. One should exert himself to get
rid of Maya. Maya havocs through the mind. Destruction of the
mind means the annihilation of the Maya. Nididhyasana (medi-
tation on Atman) is the way for conquering Maya. Lord Buddha,
Raja Bhartrihari, Dattatreya, Akhow of Gujarat, all had con-
quered Maya and mind through deep meditation only. Enterthe
silence. Meditate. Meditate.
Those who practise meditation willfind that they are more
sensitive than the people who do not meditate, and because of
that the strain on the physical body is enormous. Sometimes
even the advanced aspirants begin to think: "How will be the
state of God-realisation? How will God appear to me? How will
He look to my vision?" God-realisation is beyond description.
There are no means to describe it. There is perfect peace.
There is ineffable bliss. There is profound silence. Spiritual
knowledge dawns. The mind, the intellect and the senses
cease functioning. There is intuitional experience. This much
only can be said. You will have to experience this yourself in
Samadhi or superconscious state.
The mind-wandering will gradually cease through regular
meditation. Meditation will remove irritability and will also aug-
ment the peace of mind considerably.
4. Brahmamuhurta-Best Time for Meditation

O Aspirants! Get up at Brahmamuhurta and practise med-
itation. Do not fail at any cost. Brahmamuhurta is the morning
period from 3.30 a.m. to 5.30 a.m. lt is very favourable for medi-
tation. The mind is quite refreshed after good sleep. lt is quite
calm and serene. There is the preponderance of Satfua or pu-
rity in the mind at this time. ln the atmosphere also, Sattva pre-
dominates at this period.
The mind is like a blank sheet of paper or a clean tablet
and comparatively free from worldly Samskaras or impressions
at this period. Raga-Dvesha currents have not yet deeply en-
tered the mind. The mind can be moulded very easily at this pe-
riod in any way you like. You can charge the mind now easily
with divine thoughts.
Further, all the Yogis, Paramahamsas, Sannyasins, aspi-

rants and the Rishis of the Himalayas start their meditation at
this period and send their vibrations throughout the world. You
will be immensely benefited by their spiritual currents. Medita-
tion will come by itself without any effort. lt is a terrible spiritual
loss for you if you do not utilise the period in divine contempla-
tion and if you snore at this time. Do not become a
Kumbhakarna. Become a Yogi like Jnana Deva.
ln the winter it is not necessary that you should take a cold
bath. Amental bath will suffice. lmagine and feel, "l am taking a
bath now in the sacred Triveni at Prayaga or Manikarnika at
Benares." Remember the pure Atman. Repeat the formula, "l
am ever pure Soul." This is the most powerfulwisdom-bath in
Jnana-Ganga. This is highly purifying. lt burns all sins. Answer
the calls of nature quickly. Cleanse the teeth quickly. Do not
waste much time in cleansing the teeth and taking bath. Be
quick. Hurry up. Get ready soon. The Brahmamuhurta will pass
away quickly. You must utilise this precious time in Japa and
meditation.
Wash the face, hands and feet quickly. Dash cold water on
the face and top of the head. This will cool the brain and the
eyes. Sit in Siddha, Padma or Sukha Asana. Try to climb the
supreme height of Brahman, the peak of divine glory and splen-
dour.
lf you are not in the habit of getting up early, have an alarm
timepiece. Once the habit is established, there will be no diffi-
culty. The subconscious mind will become yourwilling and obe-
dient servant to wake you up at the particular time.
lf you are a subject of chronic constipation, you can drink a
tumbler of cold water or lukewarm water as soon as you get up
after cleansing the teeth. This is Usha-Pana treatment in the
science of Hatha Yoga. This will give you a good motion. You
can drink Triphala water also. Soak two Harad (Myrobalan),
two Amalaka and two Thannikkai in a tumblerful of cold water
at night. Drink the water in the morning after cleansing the
teeth. You can keep a ready powder of these three drugs and
put one or two teaspoonfuls in the water.
Cultivate the habit answering the calls of nature as soon
as you get up from bed. lf you sufier from incurable, old consti-
pation, due to old sins, do meditation as soon as you get up.
You can answer the calls of nature after finishing your moming
meditation with the help of a cup of hot milk.
As soon as you get up from bed, do Japa and meditation.
This is important. After finishing your Japa and meditation, you
can tiake to the practice of Asana, Pranayama and study of the
Gita and other religious books.
Every Sandhya time, or dusk, is also favourable for medi-
tation. During Brahmamuhurta and dusk, Sushumna Nadi
flows readily. You will enter into deep meditation and Samadhi
without much effort when Sushumna-Nadi flows. That is the
reason why Rishis, Yogis and scriptures speak very highly of
these two periods of time. When the breath flows through both
nostrils, know that the Sushumna is working. Whenever the
Sushumna functions, sit for meditation and enjoy the inner
peace of Atman or Soul.
Repeat some Divine Stotras or hymns or Guru Stotras or
chant OM twelve times, or do Kirtan for five minutes before you
start your Japa and meditation. This will quickly elevate your
mind and drive off laziness and sleepiness. Do Sirshasana or
Sarvangasana or any Asana for five minutes. Do pranayama
for five minutes. This also will make you quite fit for the practice
of meditation and removes laziness and sleepy condition.
O Man! lt is Brahmamuhurta now! Do not snore. Do not roll
in the bed. Throw away the blanket. Get up, start your medita-
tion vigorously, and enjoy the eternal bliss of the lnner Self.
5. Meditation Room
Have a separate meditation room under lock and key. This
is a srne qua non. Convert a room into a forest. Do not allow
anybody to enter the room. Keep it holy. lf you cannot afford to
have a separate room, convert a small corner of the room as
the meditation room with screens or curtains. Burn incense or
scented sticks and camphor in the morning and evening. Keep
a photo of Lord Krishna, Siva, Rama, Devi, Gayatri, Guru, Lord
Jesus or Lord Buddha. Place your seat in front of the picture.
Keep some books such as the Gita, the Ramayana, the
Bhagavata, the Upanishads, the Vivekachudamani, the yoga-
vasishtha, the Brahma-Sutras, the Bible, the Zend-Avesta, the
Koran, etc., in the room.
Decorate the room with inspiring pictures of great saints,

sages, prophets and world-teachers. Take a bath before you
enter the room. Or wash your face, hands and legs before you
enterthe room. Sit on the Asana in front of the deity. Sing devo-
tional hymns or repeat Guru Stotras. Then take to the practice
of Japa, concentration and meditation.
The room should be regarded as a temple of God. You
should enter the room with a pious and reverent mind.
Thoughts of jealousy, lust, greed and anger should not be en-
tertained within the four walls of the room. No worldly talks
should be indulged in there. For every word that is uttered, ev-
ery thought that is cherished and every deed that is done is not
lost. They are reflected on the subtle layers of ether encircling
the room where they are done and hence affect the mind invari-
ably.
When you repeat the Mantra or the name of the Lord, the
powerful vibrations are lodged in the ether of the room. ln six
months'time you willfeel peace and purity in the atmosphere of
the room. Wheneveryour mind is much disturbed byworldly in-
fluence, sit in the room and repeat the name of the Lord for half
an hour. Then you will find entire change in the mind immedi-
ately. Practise and feel the soothing, spiritual influences your-
self. You willfind a local Mussoorie, Darjeeling, Simla, Ooty in
your own house. You need not go to a hill-station for change.
Nothing is like Spiritual Sadhana or Yoga practice.
6. Places for Meditation

"One should perform his Yogic meditation in concentration
on a level place, free from pebbles, fire, wind, dust, damp-
ness and disturbing noises, where the scenery is charm-
ing and pleasing to the eyes and where there are bowers,
caves, good waterplaces which help the practice of con-
centration." i sh ad: 11 -1 0.
-Svefasvataropan
The world will not suit you for meditation when you ad-
vance in the spiritual path. There are many disturbing causes.
The environments are not elevating. Your friends are your
worst enemies. They take away all yourtime through vain talks.
It is inevitable. You are puzzled. You are worried. Then you try
to get out of the environments. To save time, money, wander-
ings, I shall mention some good places for meditation. You can
select one of these places. The place must have a temperate,

even climate, and must suit you during summer, rainy season
and winter. You must stick to one place forthree years with firm
determination. As all places combine some advantrages and
disadvantages, you will have to select that place which has
more advantages and less disadvantages. Everything is rela-
tive in this world. Even if you wanderfrom pole to pole, you can
hardly get an ideal place that can satisfy you from all view-
points. You will have to create your own spiritual atmosphere
through Japa, meditation and prayer. To get an ideal place is an
impossibility. You must not shift when you get some inconve-
nience. You must put up with it. There is no benefit in frequent
wanderings. Do not compare one place with another. Maya
tempts you in various ways. Use your Viveka and reason.
Mussoorie will appear to you most charming when you are at
Simla. Simla will appear more delightful when you are at
Mussoorie. Do not believe the mind and senses any more.
Enough; enough of theirtricks. Be on the watch to guard you off
from sense-deceptions and temptations.
First, I suggest Rishikesh and Munikireti. They are won-
derful places for meditation. They are admirably adapted. The
charm and spiritual influence are simply marvellous. You can
put up your cottage here. Uttarakasi, Brahmapuri,
Garudachatti, Nilakanth (near Rishikesh), are other nice
places. Almora, Nainital, are also good. Any village on the
banks of the Ganga, Narmada, Yamuna, is beautiful. Kulu Val-
ley and Champa Valley are quite suitable. lf you want a
cave-life, go in for Vasishtha Guha, fourteen miles from
Rishikesh. lt is a beautiful cave, where Swami Rama Tlrtha
lived for some time. Milk is available from neighbouring vil-
lages. Rama Guha in Brahmapuri near Rishikesh is another
good charming place. You can get dry rations for fifteen days
from Kali Kamliwala's Kshetra. Bamrughi Guha, nearTehri, Hi-
malayas, is a good cave. You willfind many villages near Tehri
for contemplation. Muralidhar has built up fine, pukka Kutia
with a fine garden. You also can have this. Mount Abu is a
beautifulcool place.
Cool places are needed for meditation. The brain gets
tired very soon in a hot place. !n a cool place, you can meditate
allthe twenty-four hours. You will not feel exhaustion. Mahara-
jahs of Alwar and Limbdi have built nice caves in Mount Abu
and arranged food and other conveniences for good, educated

Sadhus only. Lakshmanjhula is another good place. There is
ample space for erection of new cottages. Brahma-Varta, near
Kanpur, is a suitable place. There are many good places seven
miles beyond Mathura on the banks of the Yamuna. Uttarakasi
has beautiful, spiritualvibratory condition. You can stay in a sol-
itary place called Laksheshvar.
IMPORTANT PLACES FOR MEDITATION

1. Rishikesh (Himalayas) 13. Srinagar (Kashmir)
2. Haridwar 14. Almora
3. Uttarkasi (via Tehri) 15. Nainital
4. Kankhal (near Haridwar) 16. Bangalore
5. Badri Narayan (Himalayas) 17. Puri
6. Devaprayag (Himalayas) 18. Dwaraka
7. Gangotri (Himalayas) 19. Pandharpur
8. Ayodhya 20 Tiruvottiyur
9. Mount Abu 21. Alandi, near Poona
10. Nasik 22. Tiruvengoi Hills, Musiri, S. lndia
'11. Varanasi 23. Tirupathi Hills
1 2. Brindavan (Mathura) 24. P apanasam (Tirunelveli Dt. )
(Se/ect some secluded spots rn these places.)
Any place or village on the banks of the Ganga, Yamuna,
Cauveri, Godavari, Krishna, Tamraparni, will suit you for medi-
tation. You can select any place which has an even climate.
Of all the places, Rishikesh is the best place in the world.
The spiritual vibrations are soul-elevating. The scenery is
highly charming. lt is a beauty-spot.
Mussoorie, Darjeeling, Simla, Ooty, Kodaikanal, and all
hill-stations are cool places. They have a beautiful scenery
also. But they are Rajasic centres. They have no elevating spir-
itual vibrations. People go there for enjoyment and taint the at-
mosphere. Hence they are not suitable for meditation.
You must have some conveniences also such as library
medical aid, a railway stiation, in the beginning. You must be
able to get some fruits and milk. Otherwise it is difficult to con-
tinue your Sadhana in one place for a long time. When you are
advanced in Sadhana, when you go above body-conscious-

ness, you can remain in any place.
Solitude and intense meditation are two important requi-
sites for Self-realisation. The banks of the Ganga or Narmada,
Himalayan scenery lovely flower gardens, sacred tem-
ples-these are the place which elevate the mind in concentra-
tion and meditation. Have recourse to them.
A solitary place, spiritual vibratory conditions as at
Uttarakasi, Rishikesh, Badri Narayan, a good place and tem-
perate climate-these conditions are indispensably requisite
for concentration of mind.
7. Czve-Life for Meditation

Cave-life is extremely good. The ancient Rishis and seers
of lndia lived in the caves of Himalayas and did rigorous
Tapascharya. The temperature is quite even in caves. Caves
are very cooling. The heat of scorching summer cannot pene-
trate inside the cave. lt is quite warm in winter. All external
sounds are shut out in a cave. You can have very beautiful, un-
interrupted meditation. There is solitude in caves. The spiritual
currents are elevating. There is no mundane atmosphere
there, because modern civilisation has not penetrated there.
Such are the advantages of cave-life.
There is the beautiful Vasishtha Guha in the Himalayas,
which is fourteen miles away from Rishikesh. Maharshi
Vasishtha did Tapas here. Hence the name "Vasishthaguha."
Guha means a cave. You can get milk from the neighbouring
villages. Bamrugha Guha, near Tehri, Himalayas, is another
good cave. There are caves near Nilakanth hills six miles from
Rishikesh.
Cave-like is not suitable for aspirants who have modern
education and delicate constitution, and who are timid. lt is
meant for aspirants who have a strong sturdy frame, who are
fearless and who have intense power of endurance. Those
who have some Divya Siddhis can live there. Those who have
a good knowledge of Butis or Himalayan herbs, who have
strengthened the body by means of special Kayakalpa, who
have a body which is proof against bites of poisonous insects
or creatures by taking a course of Nimi Kalpa or purified nux
vomica, those who have Mantra-Siddhi, who have control over
wild animals, who can bear heat and cold, hunger and thirst,
those who have lost all attractions for the world, sense-objects,
work of any kind, who can meditate for a long time, who have
internal dispassion, can remain in a cave.
Some young raw aspirants with weak body and indifferent
health, in whom a ray of Viveka and dispassion has recently
dawned through study of some religious books, through some
mishap or some difficulties in life, run to the Himalayan caves
without any previous preparation or bodily and mental
discipline. Just as the mercury in the thermometer runs to 106
degrees in high fevers, so also juvenile bubbling emotion runs
lo 112 degrees to the crown of the head. lt cools down quickly.
They find it difficult to pull on there and leave the place in a few
days. For some, cave-life is not suitable. They develop some
sort of skin-diseases and pale-bloodedness owing to lack of
ventilation.
Artificial caves like Kaivalya-Guha, Ananda Kutir, with
good ventilation can be built underneath the ground in any soli-
tary place, even in your own compound or village. Two walls
with a hollow in the middle and pipes to bring in cool air and
take away hot air, will keep the cave quite cool. All real aspi-
rants who remain in the world should build one for their medita-
tion. They will be immensely benefited.
There is anotherdisadvantage in cave-life. He who lives in
the cave for a long time becomes Tamasic. He is unable to do
any kind of work. He cannot mix with people. He is terribly
afraid of multitude of people. His mind gets distracted soon if he
is in the company of a few persons, if he hears a little noise.
This is not balanced life. This is one-sided development. He
who dwells in the cave must be able to keep his balance, even
when he comes to a busy town. This is the sign of his spiritual
growth.
The real snug, well-furnished, marvellous, awe-inspiring
cave is in your heart. lt is the Hridaya-Guha of the Upanishads,
wherein Dattatreya, Sankara, and Yajnavalkya dwelt in days of
yore. Even now, modern Rishis and sages abide there, with-
drawing the outgoing senses and mind. They drink the nectar
of lmmortality there, and remain ever-blissful.
May you all dwell in this mysterious, magnificent cave in
the heart alone in communion with your lnner Self, the
secondless Brahman or the Absolute, the Goal, the Sole Ref-

uge of all!!!
8. Preparation for Meditation

Keep the head, neck and back in one straight line. Read
the 11th and 13th Slokas of chapter Vl of the Gita, wherein a
description of the Asana is given. Spread a four-folded blanket
and over this spread a piece of soft, white cloth. This will do
nicely. lf you can get a good tiger-skin or deer-skin, it is all the
more better. A tiger-skin has got its own advantages. lt gener-
ates electricity in the body quickly and does not allow leakage
of electric current from the body. lt is full of magnetism.
Face East or North. A spiritual neophyte should observe
this rule. ln facing North he is in communion with the Rishis of
the Himalayas and he is mysteriously benefited by their
currents.
9. How to Meditate
Habitual meditation and habitual silence are great assets
for you in the spiritual path. Meditation gives a lot of spiritual
strength, peace, new vigour and vitality. lf a meditator gets
irritated very often, it shows he is not having good, uninter-
rupted meditation. There is something wrong with his Sadhana
and contemplation.
You will have to meditate with a calm mind. Then only you
will enter into Samadhi quickly. lf you control the lndriyas and if
you become desireless you will have a calm mind. Keen
longing for liberation and thoughts of God will destroy all
desires. He who has a calm mind, is an Emperor or emperors,
the Shah of Shahs. The state of one who has a calm mind is
indescribable.
ln meditation and concentration you will have to train the
mind in a variety of ways. Then only the gross mind will become
subtle (Sukshma).
Whatever you meditate on in silence should be mani-
fested in daily life. You should keep up poise and harmony in
action. You will be ever peaceful. Then only you will enjoy the
real fruit of meditation.
PROCESS OF MEDITATION
Keeping the upper parts (the chest, neck and the head)
erect and equalto the (other parts of the) body, subduing within
the heart the senses together with the mind, let the wise by the
raft of Brahman (OM) cross over all the fedrful torrents of the
world.
Keeping down the senses (Pranas), subduing his desires,
and gently respiring through the nostrils, let the wise diligently
attend to the mind, as the charioteer to a cat, drawn by vicious
horses.
When in the Yogi's body, composed of earth, water, light,
air and ether, the fivefold qualities which mark concentration as
described below are manifest, then there is no disease or age
or pain for him, who has obtained the body burning with the fire
of concentration.
When the body is light and without diseases, the mind
without desire, when the colour is shining, the voice sweet and
the smell pleasant, when the excrements are few, they say, the
first degree of concentration is gained.
GENERAL HINTS
Just as you saturate the salt or sugar with the water you
will have to saturate the mind with thoughts of God, with divine
Glory, divine Presence, with sublime soul-awakening spiritual
thoughts. Then only you will be established in the divine Con-
sciousness always.
Five things are indispensable if you want to practise vigor-
ous meditation and attain Samadhi or Self-realisation quickly.
They are Mouna, light diet or a diet of milk and fruits, solitude
with charming scenery personal contact with a teacher and a
cool place.
You willenter into deep meditation only if you lead a moral
life. You may try further to build up discrimination and the other
steps in your mind. You can cultivate the mind in concentration
and can finally devote yourself to meditation. The more you
lead the moral life, the more you meditate, the greater likeli-
hood will then be for you to enter into Nirvikalpa Samadhi which
can liberate you from the round of births and deaths and can
confer on you Eternal Bliss and lmmortality.
What does Lord Krishna teach by holding the flute in His

hands? What is the symbolic philosophy of the flute? Flute is
the symbol of Om. He says, "Empty your egoism. I will play on
your body-flute. Let your will become one with My will. Take ref-
uge in OM. You will enter into My being. Hear the inner
soul-stirring music of the soul and rest in everlasting peace!"
Samadhi is possible by the practice of concentration and
meditation with light diet. Meditate for 2 or 3 hours. lf you get
tired, take rest for half an hour. Take a cup of milk and then
again sit for meditation. Repeat the process of meditation again
and again. You can have a stroll in the verandah in the evening.
Do not allow the mind to entertain any worldly thought even for
a few minutes.
Just as the student creates interest in his study of mathe-
matics or geometry, although it is disgusting in the beginning,
by imagining the advantages that he will gain by passing the
examination, so also you will have to create interest in medita-
tion by thinking on the incalculable benefits that will be derived
by its constant practice, viz.,lmmortality, Supreme Peace and
lnfinite Bliss.
When you have disinclination for work and a desire for
meditation only, you can lead a life of complete seclusion, living
on milk and fruits alone. You will have good spiritual progress.
When there is inclination for work, when the meditative mood
vanishes, take up work again. Thus by gradual practice the
mind should be moulded.
Put a piece of iron in the blazing furnace. lt becomes red
like fire. Remove it. lt loses its red colour. lf you want to keep it
always red, you must always keep it in fire. So also if you want
to keep the mind charged with the flre of Brahmic Wisdom, you
must keep it always in contact or touch with Brahmic fire of
knowledge through constant and intense meditation. You must
keep up an unceasing flow of the Brahmic consciousness.
Then you will have the Sahaja Avastha (Natural State).
lf you can meditate for half an hour, you will be able to en-
gage yourself with peace and spiritual strength in the battle of
life for one week through the force of this meditation. As you
have to move with different minds of peculiar nature in your
daily life, get the strength and peace from meditation. Then you
will have no trouble and worry.
When you are a neophyte in meditation, start repeating

some sublime Slokas or Stotras (hymns) for ten minutes as
soon as you sit for meditation. This will elevate the mind. The
mind can be easily withdrawn from the worldly objects. Then
stop this kind of thinking also and fix the mind on one idea only
by repeated and strenuous effort. Then Nishtha will ensue.
IMAGES
You must have a mental image of God or Brahman (con-
crete or abstract) before you begin to meditate. When you see
the concrete figure of Lord Krishna with open eyes and medi-
tate, it is the concrete form of meditation. When you reflect over
the image of Lord Krishna by closing your eyes, it is also con-
crete form of meditation but it is more abstract. When you medi-
tate on the inflnite abstract light it is still more abstract
meditation. The former two types belong to Saguna form of
meditation, the latter to Nirguna form. Even in Nirguna medita-
tion there is an abstract form in the beginning for fixing the
mind. Later on this form vanishes and the meditation and the
meditated become one. Meditation proceeds from the mind.
PRACTICAL GUIDANCE
During meditation, note how long you can shut out all
worldly thoughts. Watch the mind very carefully. lf it is for
twenty minutes try to increase the period to thirty or forty min-
utes and so on. Fill the mind with thoughts of God again and
again.
When the mind becomes steady in meditation, the
eye-balls also become steady. A Yogi whose mind is calm will
have a steady eye. There will be no winking at all. The eyes will
be red or pure white.
All actions whether internal or external can be done only
when the mind is united with the organs. Thought is the real ac-
tion. lf you have control over the mind by steady practice, if you
can regulate your emotions and moods, you will not do foolish
and wrong actions. Meditation will help a lot in checking various
emotions and impulses.
Concentrate and meditate on the expansive sky. This is
also another kind of Nirguna meditation. By this method of
meditation, the mind will stop thinking of finite forms. lt will
ro2 CONCENTRATION AND MEDITATION
slowly begin to melt in the ocean of peace, as it is deprived of its

contents, viz., the forms of various sorts. lt will become subtler
and subtler.
Some students like to concentrate with open eyes, while
some with closed eyes, while some others with half open eyes.
lf you meditate with closed eyes, dust or foreign particles will
not fill in your eyes. Some students prefer concentration with
open eyes. Some who meditate with closed eyes are overpow-
ered by sleep within a short time. lf the eyes are open the mind
wanders to objects in the beginners. Use your common-sense
and adopt that which suits you best. Overcome other obsta-
cles, day by day, under any circumstance.
You must be regular in your practice of meditation. Regu-
larity in meditation is a great desideratum. Rapid progress and
great success can be attained if regularity is observed by the
practitioner. Even if you do not realise any tangible result in the
practice, you must plod on in the practice with sincerity, ear-
nestness, patience and perseverance. You will get success af-
ter some time. There is no doubt of this. Do not stop the
practice even for a day, under any circumstance.
Fill the mind again and again with Sattvic and Divine
thoughts. New grooves and avenues will be formed now. Just
as a gramophone needle cuts a small groove in the plate, so
also Satfuic thinking will cut new healthy grooves in the mind
and brain. New Samskaras will be formed.
Prana is the overcoat for the mind. The vibration of the
subtle psychic Prana gives rise to the formation of thought. By
Pranayama you can improve your meditation by making the
mind more steady.
lf you keep lemon-juice or tamarind-juice in a golden cup,
it is not spoiled or tainted. lf you keep it in a brass or copper
vessel, it is at once spoiled and rendered poisonous. Even so, if
there are some Vishaya-Vrittis (sensual thoughts) in the pure
mind of a person who practises constant meditation, they will
not pollute the man and induce Vikara (passionate excitement).
lf there are sensual thoughts in persons with impure minds,
they cause excitement in them when they come across sensual
objects.
BODILY HEALTH
Asana (posture) steadies the body. Bandhas and Mudras
make the body firm. Pranayama makes the body light.
Nadi-Suddhi effects Samyavastha of the mind. Having ac-
quired these qualifications you will have to fix the mind on Brah-
man. Then only meditation will go on steadily with happiness.
At 4 a.m. do Sirshasana for 5 minutes. Then take rest for
five minutes. Then sit and meditate. You will have wonderful
meditation.
Before doing meditation, do 20 mild Kumbhakas. Then sit
for meditation. Pranayama drives away Tandri and Alasya
(drowsiness and laziness) and makes the mind steady.
Live on milk and fruits only, for a week. You will have nice
meditation. This diet makes you light and Sattuic. At night make
it a point to take half a seer of milk only. You will have good
meditation. You can overcome sleep quite easily. Heavyfood at
night brings on drowsiness quickly.
MEDITATIVE POSTURE
Those who meditate for four or five hours at one stretch
can have Asanas either Padma and Vajra or Siddha and Vajra
in the beginning. Sometimes the blood accumulates in the part
of the legs or thighs and gives a little trouble. After two hours,
change the Asana from Padma or Siddha Asana to Vajrasana
or stretch the legs at full length. Lean against a wall or a pillow.
Keep the spine erect. This is the most comfortable Asana. Join
two chairs. Sit in one chair and stretch the legs on another
chair. This is another contrivance.
This is one kind of meditation for beginners. Sit in
Padmasana in a solitary room. Close your eyes. Meditate on
the effulgence in the sun, splendour in the moon, glory in the
stars, beauty in the sky!
PRELIMINARY REQUISITES
Train the mind in a variety of ways in concentration in the
beginning. Concentrate on the Anahata sounds of the heart by
closing the ears. Concentrate on the breath with Soham repeti-
tion. Concentrate on any concrete image. Concentrate on the
blue sky. Concentrate on the all-pervading light of the sun.
Concentrate on the various Chakras of the body. Concentrate

on ttie abstract ideas of Satyam, Jnanam, Anantam, Ekam,
Nityam, etc. (Truth, Wisdom, lnfinity, One Eternal Essence).
Lastly stick to one thing only.
ln meditation do not strain the eyes. Do not strain the
brain. Do not struggle or wrestle with the mind. Relax. Gently
allow the divine thoughts to flow. Steadily think of the Lakshya
(point of meditation). Do not voluntarily and violently drive away
intruding thoughts. Have sublime Sattvic thoughts.
lf there is much strain in meditation reduce the number of
hours for a few days. Do light meditation only. When you have
regained the normaltone, again increase the period. Use your
common-sense throughout the Sadhana. ! always reiterate this
point.
10. When and Where to Meditate

Practise meditation in Brahmamuhurta. This is the best
period for meditation. Always choose that part of the day or
night when your mind is clear and when you are least likely to
be disturbed. You can have a sitting just before retiring to bed.
The mind will be calm at this time. You can have good medita-
tion on Sundays, because it is a holiday and the mind is free.
Do vigorous meditation on Sundays. You can have very good
concentration when you live on milk and fruits alone, or when
you fast. Use your common-sense always and try to bring good
outturn in meditation.
Meditate at night. A second sitting is necessary. lf you
have not got sufficient leisure you can meditate even for a few
minutes, say 10 or 15 minutes at night. You will have no bad
dreams at night. The divine thoughts will be carried during
sleep also. The good impressions will be there.
An aspirant who meditates in a solitary upstair room in a
town will have as much quiet there as in a forest. But he will not
have the congenial spiritual vibrations there as in Rishikesh,
Uttarakasi or Gangotri. Vibrations play a vital part in the eleva-
tion of mind and in producing Ekagrata of mind. ln these holy
places the vibrations of Rishis are lodged in the ethereal space
and the aspirants are highly benefited by these vibrations.
Vairagya, Sattvic Bhava and the meditative mood come by
themselves without effort or struggle in these holy places.
Some ladies got down from the train at the Rishikesh station.
The moment they saw the Himalayas they uttered: "Who is
son? Who is father? Evefihing is Maya. Evefihing is false!"
Such is the powerful influence of vibrations on the mind. lt is
only sages and Yogis who can know at once the nature of vibra-
tions of a place for meditation.
You have been given a key to unlock many of the se-
crets of life. That key is meditation. Meditate regularly in the
morning between 4 and 7 a.m. and attain eternal bliss and
immortality.
The banks of the Ganga or Narmada, Himalayan scener-
ies, lovely flower-gardens and sacred temples are the places
which elevate the mind in concentration and meditation. Have
recourse to them.
A solitary place where the climate is cool with spiritual vi-
bratory conditions is best suited for concentration of mind.
You will have a clear and calm mind in the early morning
hours. There is a spiritual influence and mysterious silence
then. All saints and Yogis practise meditation at this period and
send their spiritual vibrations to the whole world. You will be
highly benefited by their vibrations if you start your prayer, Japa
and meditation at this period. You need not exert. The medita-
tive state of mind will come of itself.
11. Requisites for Meditation

When the mind becomes Nirvishaya (free from thinking of
sense-objects and their enjoyments) it is meditation.
God has hidden Himself in this world (immanent) and is
seated in the cavity of the lotus of your heart. He is an absentee
landlord. You wifl have to seek Him through concentration and
meditation with a pure mind. This is the real play of hide and
seek.
For purposes of meditation everything is to be rendered
Sattvic. The place of meditation must be Sattvic. The food must
be Sattvic. The wearing apparel must be Sattvic. The company
must be Sattuic. Talking must be Saftvic. The sound that you
hear must be Sattvic. Thinking must be Sattvic. Study must be
Sattvic. Everything must be Sattvic. Then only good progress
in Sadhana is possible, particularly in the case of beginners
(neophytes).
r06 CONCENTRATION AND MEDITATION
REQUISITES
(a) A cool Sattvic place like Uttarakasi, Rishikesh,
Lakshmanjhula, Kankhal or Badrinath is necessary for medita-
tion, because the brain gets hot during meditation.
(b) There must be capacity for Sadhana.
(c) There must be good, Satfuic, substantial, light and nu-
tritious food.
(d) There must be a good spiritual teacher (Anubhava
Guru)to guide you.
(e) There must be good books for study.
(f) There must be burning Vairagya, burning
Mumukshutva and strong Viveka in you.
(g) You must have a sharp, subtle, calm and one-pointed
Buddhi to understiand the Brahma-Tattva or Brahma Vastu.
Then and then only Realisation is possible. Many do notgetthe
above favourable conditions for spiritual Sadhana. This is the
reason why they do not make any spiritual progress.
Meditation is possible when the mind is full of Sattva
Guna. The stomach should not be loaded. There is an intimate
connection between the mind and the food. A heavy meal is
harmful. Take a full meal at 11 a.m. and half a seer of milk at
night. The night meal should be light for those who meditate.
Every human being has within himself various
potentialities and capacities. He is a magazine of power and
knowledge. As he evolves, he unfolds new powers, new
faculties and new qualities. Now he can change his environ-
ments and influence others. He can subdue other minds. He
can conquer internal and external nature. He can enter into
superconscious state.
ln a dark room if a pot, containing a lamp inside it, is bro-
ken, the darkness of the room is dispelled and you see light ev-
erywhere in the room. Even so, if the body-pot is broken
through constant meditation on the Self, i.e., if you destroy ig-
norance (Avidya) and its effect such as identification with the
body, and rise above body-consciousness, you willcognise the
supreme light of the Atman everywhere.
Pose or Asana is really mental. Try to have a mental
Padma or mental Siddha Asana. lf the mind is wandering, you
cannot have steady body or a steady physical pose. When the
mind is steady or fixed in Brahman, steadiness of the body au-

tomatically follows.
Constantly think of God. The mind should always move to-
wards God. Fasten the mind with a fine silk-thread to the Lo-
tus-Feet of Lord Siva or Hari. Do not allow any worldly thought
to enter the mind. Do not allow the mind to think of any physical
or mental enjoyment. When it indulges in these thoughts, give it
a good hammering. Then it will move towards God. Just as the
Ganga flows continuously towards the sea, thoughts of God
should flow continuously towards the Lord. Just as the harmo-
nious sound produced from the ringing of bells falls upon the
ear in a continuous stream, so also the mind should come to-
wards God in one continuous stream. There must be a continu-
ous divine Vritti-Pravaha from the Satfuic mind towards God
through continuous Sadhana.
To think of nothing is to attain the highest contemplation.
ln Nididhyasana or profound and continued meditation,
thinking ceases. There is only one idea of "Aham Brahma
Asmi." When this idea is also given up, Nirvikalpa Samadhi or
Sahaja Advaita-N ishtha ensues.
Man tries to grasp the abstract through forms. After the
mind has been purified, an abstract image is formed in the puri-
fied mind by Sravana (listening to spiritualdiscourses and holy
scriptures) and Brahma-Chintana. This abstract image melts
lateron in deep Nididhyasana. What is left behind is Chinmatra
or Kevala Asti (Pure Existence alone).
The mind should be adored as Brahman. This is intellec-
tual worship. This is Upasana-Vakya.
Mind is Brahman or God in manifestration. Mind is God in
motion.
As Brahman is approachable by means of the mind it is
only proper to meditrate upon the mind as Brahman.
lf the readers of works dealing with Atma-Jnana, who do
take delight therein will not be hasty in longing for the fruits at
once but will meditate regularly and gradually upon them, then
the mind will by degrees be ripened and in the end, the endless
Atman will be reached.
When you read a book with absorbed interest and atten-
tion, your mind gets fixed to the ideas. Even so, in Nirguna
meditation of Brahman (formless Dhyana) the mind is fixed on

one idea, viz., that of Atman.
You want for meditation a properly trained instrument
(mind). lt should be calm, clear, pure, subtle, sharp, steady and
one-pointed. Brahman is pure and subtle and you need a pure
and subtle mind to approach Brahman.
Sit in a lonely place in the Padma, Siddha or Sukha
Asana. Free yourself from all passions, emotions and im-
pulses. Subjugate the senses. Withdrawthe mind from objects.
Now the mind will be calm, one-pointed, pure and subtle. With
the help of this trained instrument and disciplined mind,
contemplate on that one lnfinite Self. Do not think of anything
else.
Allow the one Brahmic idea to flow gently and continu-
ously. Drive out foreign or extraneous worldly ideas gently. Try
to keep up the Brahmakara Vritti by repeating OM or'Aham
Brahma Asml mentally very often. The idea of lnfinity, the idea
of an ocean of Light, the idea of all Knowledge and all Ananda
should accompany the mental repetition of OM. lf the mind
wanders, repeat verbally six times the long (Dirgha) Pranava
with3/rMatras. This process will remove the Vikshepa and all
other obstacles.
Mind feels tired after hard and protracted work. lt cannot
therefore be Atman. Atman is the storehouse of all powers
(Ananta Sakti). Mind is only an instrument of Atman. lt should
be properly disciplined. Just as you develop the physical body
through gymnastics and various kinds of physical exercises, so
also you have to train the mind through mentaltraining, mental
culture or mental drill.
Just as the salt melts in water, so also the Sattvic mind
melts in silence, during meditation, in Brahman, its
Adhishthana (substratu m).
OM is the bow, mind is the arrow and Brahman is the mark
to be aimed at. Brahman is to be hit or pierced by him whose
thoughts are concentrated. Then he will be of the same nature
(Tanmaya) with Brahman, as the arrow becomes one with the
aim when it has pierced it.
The best and the most congenial time for the practice of
meditation is unquestionably the Brahmamuhurta, i.e., from 4
to 6 a.m. That is the time when the mind is quite refreshed after
an agreeable slumber, when the mind is calm and compara-

tively pure. lt is like a clean blank sheet of paper. Only such a
mind can be moulded into whatever shape you like. Moreover,
the atmosphere also is charged with purity and goodness at
this time.
All physicalactivities should be completely suspended, all
attachments should be ruthlessly cut asunder completely for
five or six years, if you want to practise Dhyana Yoga, if you
want to realise God through concentration of mind. Newspa-
per-reading and correspondence with friends and relatives
should be completely stopped, as they cause distraction of
mind and strengthen the world-idea. Seclusion for a period of
five or six years is indispensable.
Mind exists on account of "1." "1" exists on account of mind.
"1" is only an idea in the mind. "Mind" and "l" are identical. lf "1"
vanishes, mind will also vanish and if mind vanishes, "1" will
vanish. Destroy mind through Tattva-Jnana. Destroy the "1"
through 'Aham Brahma Asml Bhavana, through constant and
intense Nididhyasana. When mind vanishes or thoughts
cease, Nama-Rupa will cease to exist and the Goal is reached.
12. Three Sittings for Meditation

At the commencement, have two sittings only, one in the
morning from 4 to 5 a.m., one at night from 6 to 8 p.m. After six
months or one year, according to your mental calibre you can
have three sittings, a third in the afternoon from 4 to 5 p.m. You
can increase the period of concentration to two hours at each
sitting. ln summer, it is rather irksome and difficult owing to per-
spiration. So, have only two sittings during summer. The loss
can be made up in winter. Winter is very favourable for medita-
tion. You willfind Rishikesh, Muni-ki-reti, admirably suitable for
contemplative purposes. Winter and early part of spring are the
best seasons for beginners to commence meditation. ln winter
the mind is not tired at all. You can meditate even tor 24 hours
without the least exhaustion. That is the reason why Sadhus
select Rishikesh for meditation in winter. The period of medita-
tion should be gradually increased with caution. The meditation
should not be by fits and starts. lt should be well-regulated and
steady. You must always use your commonsense and reason
throughoutthe Sadhana period. You should ascend the summit
of Yoga gradually, slowly, stage by stage and step by step. You

must not give up the practice even for a few days.
Meditation for one hour in the morning and for one hour in
the evening must be practised by allto start with. The hours of
practice must be gradually increased. Another important point
is that the Brahmic feeling must be kept up all the twenty four
hours. There must be an unceasing continuous flow of con-
sciousness. You must not forget the idea of "Aham Brahma
Asmi" or the Divine presence even for a single second. Forget-
fulnessof God is genuine death. lt is real suicide. lt is
Atmadroha. This is the highest sin.
13. Qualifications for Practising Meditation

Before saturating the mind with thoughts of Brahman you
will have to assimilate the divine ideas first. Assimilation first
and then saturation. Then comes realisation at once without a
moment's delay. Remember this triplet always: ASSIMtLATtoN-
SATU RAT ON.REAL SAT O N.
I I I
Your will should be rendered strong, pure and irresistible

by more Atma-Chintana, eradication of Vasanas, control of the
senses and more inner life. You must utilise every second on
Sundays and holidays to your best spiritual advantages.
lf you have tasted Rasagulla-a Bengal-sweetmeat-for
a month, mental adhesion to Rasagulla comes in the mind. lf
you are in the company of Sannyasins, if you read books on
Yoga, Vedanta, etc., a similar mentral adhesion takes place in
the mind for attaining God-consciousness. Mere mental adhe-
sion will not help you much. Burning Vairagya, burning
Mu mukshufua, capacity for spiritual Sadhana, intense and con-
stant application and Nididhyasana (meditation) are needed.
Then only Self-knowledge is possible.
Leading a virtuous life is not by itself
sufficient for
God-realisation. Constant meditation is absolutely necessary.
A good virtuous life only prepares the mind as a fit instrument
for concentration and meditation. lt is concentration and medi-
tation that eventually lead to Self-realisation.
You will find very often these terms in the Gita-
"Manmanah, Matparah." These terms connote that you will
have to give your full mind, entire 100% mind, to God. Then
only you will have Self-realisation. Even if one ray of mind runs
outside, it is impossible to attain God-consciousness.
Just as you render the turbid water pure by the addition of
clearing nut (strychnos potatorum), so also you will have to
make the turbid mind, filled with Vasanas and false Sankalpas,
pure by Brahma-Chintana (thinking and reflecting on the Abso-
lute). Then only there will be true illumination.
You must not be too hasty in longing for the fruits at once,
when you take to meditation. A young lady perambulated the
Asvattha tree (Filicus Religiosa) 108 times for getting an off-
spring and then immediately touched her abdomen to see
whether there was a child or not. lt is simply foolishness. She
will have to wait for some months. Even so, if you will meditate
for some time regularly then the mind will be ripened and even-
tually you will get Atma-Sakshatkara (Self-realisation). Haste
makes waste.
It behoves well that advanced Grihastha Yogic students
(householders)will have to stop all the worldly activities wfen
they advance in meditation, if they are really sincere. Work is a
hindrance in meditation for advanced students. That is the rea-
son why Lord Krishna says in the Gita "For a sage who is seek-
ing Yoga, action is called the means; for the same sag-e who is
entnroned in Yoga (state of Yogarudha), serenity (Sama) is
called the means." Then work and meditation become incom-
patible like acid and alkali or fire and water or light and dark-
NESS.
You must daily increase your Vairagya, meditation and
Satfuic virtues such as patience, perseverance, mercy, love,
forgiveness, purity, etc. Vairagya and good qualities help medi-
tation. Meditation increases the Sattvic qualities'
Have the one all-pervading Brahma Bhavana (feeling).
Deny the finite body as a mere appearance. Try to keep up the
feelings always.
Why do you close your eyes during meditation? -Open
your eyes, and meditate. You must keep your balance of mind
even when you are in the bustle of a city. Then only you are per-
fect. ln the beginning when you are a neophyte you can close
your eyes to remove the distraction of mind, as you are very
weak. i3ut later on you must meditrate with eyes open even dur-
ing walking. Think strongly that the world is unreal, that there is
noworld, thatthere isAtman only. lf you can meditate on Atman

even when the eyes are open you willbe a strong man. You will
not be easily disturbed. You can meditate only when the mind is
beyond allanxieties.
ln meditation and concentration you will have to train the
mind in a variety of ways. Then onlythe gross mind will become
subtle (Sukshma).
All Vrittis such as anger, jealousy, hatred, etc., assume
subtle forms when you practise Japa and meditation. They
are thinned out. They should be destroyed in toto through
Samadhi. Then only you are safe. Latent Vrittis will be waiting
for opportunities to assume a grave and expanded form. You
should be ever careful and vigilant.
Resist the fatal downward pull by the dark, antagonistic
forces through regular meditation. Check the aimless wander-
ings of the mind through clear and orderly thinking. Hear not
the false whispers of the lower mind. Turn your inner gaze to
the divine centre. Do not be afraid of the severe setbacks that
you willencounter in yourjourney. Be brave. March on boldlytill
you finally rest in your centre of eternal bliss.
ln a big city there is much bustle and sound at 8 p.m. At 9
O'clock there is not so much bustle and sodnd. At 10 p.m. it is
still reduced and at 11 p.m. it is much less. At 1 a.m. There is
peace everywhere. Even so in the beginning of Yogic practices
there are countless Vrittis in the mind. There is much agitation
and tossing in the mind. Gradually the thought-waves subside.
ln the end all mental modiflcations are controlled. The yogien-
joys perfect peace.
When you pass through a market in a big city, you will not
be able to notice small sounds, but when you sit for common
meditation with some of your friends in a quiet room in the
morning, you will be able to detect even a litfle sneezing or
coughing. Even so you are not able to find out the evil thoughts
when you are engaged in some work or other, but you are able
to detect them when you sit for meditation. Do not be afraid
when evil thoughts pass through your mind when you sit for
meditation. Do vigorous Japa and meditation. They will pass off
soon.
When you meditate, disregard the substratum awaken-
ings in the mind that arise out of the senses. Avoid carefully the
comparisons with all other cross references and memories of

ideas. Concentrate the whole energy of the mind on the one
idea of God or Atman itself without any comparison with any
other idea.
The student of Yoga should not possess much wealth as it
will drag him to the worldly temptations. He can keep a little
sum to meet the wants of the body. Economical independence
will relieve the mind from anxieties and will enable him to con-
tinue the Sadhana uninterruptedly.
14. How Many Hours to Meditate

To start with, you can meditate for half an hour in the morn-
ing from 4 to 4.30 and for half an hour at night from 8 to 8.30.
Morning time is best for meditation. The mind is refreshed after
sound sleep. Further, Sattva predominates in the system as in
the surrounding atmosphere. ln the Yoga Vasishtha, Sri
Vasishtha says, "O Rama, give /o mind for meditation in the be-
ginning; fimind for recreation; fimind for study; /omind for ser-
vice of Guru. Then/rmind for meditation; /rmind for recreation;
fumind for study; /rmind for service of Guru." Here recreation
means acts like washing, cleaning, etc. lt does not mean golf
play or rugby. This recreation is meant for relaxation of mind or
diversion of mind after concentration and meditation. Other-
wise the mind feels tired and refuses to work. Then give /rmind
for meditation; /rmind for study. lncrease the time of meditation
gradually. After two months, increase the period to one hour, 4
to 5 a.m. and 8 to 9 p.m. After a year, increase the time to 1/,
hours in the morning and 1/rhours at night. ln the third yeartwo
hours in the morning and two hours in the evening; in the fourth
yearthree hours in the morning and three hours at night. This is
for the vast majority of persons. An earnest Sadhaka with
strong vitality and subtle intellect can meditate for six hours in
the first year of his Sadhana. You must study congenial books
as the Upanishads, the Yoga Vasishtha, the Gita, Viveka
Chudamani, Avadhuta Gita along with meditation. Such study
is very elevating. Six hours'study and six hours'meditation is
very beneficial. This will eventually push you on to
N ididhyasana for twenty-four hours.
15. Aids to Meditation

Mula Bandha in Meditation: When you sit in the Asana
for doing Japa, contract the anus. This is termed Mula Bandha
in Hatha Yogic practice. This helps concentration. This practice
prevents the Apanavayu from moving downwards.
Kumbhaka in Meditation: Retain the breath as long as
you can comfortably do so. This is Kumbhaka. This will consid-
erably steady the mind and help concentration. You will feel in-
tense spiritual bliss.
Yogic Diet Take Mitiahara, Sattvic diet. Overloading the
stomach with rice, vegetable, dhal and bread brings sleep and
interferes with Sadhana. A glutton or a sensualist, a dullard or a
lazy man cannot practise meditation. Adiet of milk renders the
body very very light. You can sit in one Asana for hours to-
gether with ease and comfort. lf you feel weak, you can take for
a day or two a little rice and milk or barley and milk or any light
diet. Those who are in the field of service and who do platform
lectures and other intense spiritual propaganda activities need
solid, substantial food.
You will find very often these terms in the Gita'. Ananya
Chetah-no thinking of another; Matchitta, Nitya Yukta,
Manmanah; Ekagram Manah and Sarva-Bhava. These terms
denote that you will have to give your full mind, entire cent
per cent, to God. Then only you will have Self-realisation.
Even if one ray of mind runs outside, it is impossible to attain
God-consciousness.
Be silent. Know thyself. Know That. Melt the mind in That.
Truth is quite pure and simple.
16. Asanas for Meditation

Sit in Padma, Siddha, Svastika or Sukha Asana for half an
hour to start with. Then increase the period to three hours. ln
one year you can have Asana-Siddhi. Any easy, comfortable
posture is Asana.
PADMASANA
This is the lotus-pose. Place the right foot on the left thigh,
the left foot on the right thigh. Put the hands on the thighs near
the knee-joints. Keep the head, neck and the trunk in one
straight line. Close the eyes and concentrate on the Trikuti, the
space between the two eyebrows. This is called lotus-pose or
Kamalasana. This is very good for meditation. This Asana is
beneficial for householders.
SIDDHASANA
This is the perfect pose. This is a beautifulAsana for medi-
tation. Place one heel at the anus or Guda, the terminal open-
ing of the alimentary canal or digestive tube through which the
excreta or faecal matter is thrown out. Keep the other heel at
the foot of the generative organ and the hands on the knees.
Close the eyes. Concentrate on the Trikuti or on the tip of the
nose. Keep the head, neck and trunk in one straight line. Keep
the hands as in Padmasana near the knee joints. This Asana is
beneficial for Brahmacharins and Sannyasins.
SVASTIKASANA
Svastika is sitting at ease with the body erect. Place the
right foot near the thigh and bring the left foot and push it
between the right thigh and calf muscles. Now you will find the
two feet between the thigh and calf muscles. This is
Svastikasana.
SUKHASANA
Any easy comfortable posture for Japa and meditation is
Sukhasana. The important point is that the head and the trunk
should be straight. Here is a special variety of Sukhasana
which is very comfortable for old people.
Take a cloth 5 cubits long and fold it lengthwise. Raise the
knees to the chest level. Keep one end of it near the left knee.
Take the other end, going to the back by the left side and right
knee come to the left knee and make a knot there. Keep the
hands between the knees. As the legs, hands, back-bone are
all supported, one can sit in this Asana for a long time.
BENEFITS OF ASANAS
Asana removes many diseases such as piles, dyspepsia,
constipation, and checks excessive Rajas. The body gets gen-
uine rest from the posture. lf you are established in Asana, if
you are firm in your seat, then you can take up easily exercises
in Pranayama. This is the third Anga or part of Ashtanga Yoga

or Raja Yoga of Patanjali.
First, there is self-restraint or practice of Ahimsa, Satyam,
Brahmacharya, etc. Second, there are religious canons or ob-
servances, such as Saucha, Santosha, Tapas, Svadhyaya,
etc. Next comes Asana. When the Asana becomes steady, you
will not feel the body. When you have obtained mastery in
Asana, qualities of the pairs of opposites such as heat and cold
will not trouble you then. You must sit in the Asana on an empty
stomach. You can take a small cup of milk, tea or coffee before
doing Asana.
Asana steadies the body. Bandhas and Mudras make the
body firm. Pranayama makes the body light. Nadi Suddhi pro-
duces steadiness of the mind. Having acquired these qualifica-
tions you will have to fix the mind on Brahman. Then only
meditation willgo on steadilywith ease and happiness. For medi-
tiation, concentration and Japa, Padmasana or Siddhasana is
prescribed. For general health and keeping up of Brahmacharya,
Sirshasana, Sarvangasana, Matsyasana, Pachi mottanasana are
good.
17. Regularity in Meditation

Whatever spiritual practice you do, either Japa, practice of
Asana, concrete meditation on Saguna-Murti or Pranayama,
do it systematically and regularly every day. The reward of this
practice is immense. You will get lmmortality or Eternal life
(Amritatvam). All desires will melt there. You will get Nitya Tripti.
Meditate, meditate. Concentrate, concentrate, my dear
friends. Never miss even a single day owing to laziness. Lazi-
ness is the greatest enemy of a Sadhaka. Life is short, time is
fleeting and obstacles are many in the spiritual path. Conquer
them one by one by exertion and prayer. lf you are sincere you
will get various sorts of help from within, from without, from the
helpers of the astral plane, from Jivanmuktas who are scat-
tered in all parts of the world and from Amara-Purushas such
as SriVyasa, Vasishtha, Kapila Muni, Dattatreya of Girnar Hills,
Agastya Muni of Podia Hills, Tirunelveli.
Just as you take food fourtimes, morning, noon, afternoon
and night, so also you will have to meditate four times a day if
you want to realise quickly. You must be systematic and regular

in your meditation.
Just as cannabis indica, opium or alcohol gives you intoxi-
cation, even if you take a small quantity, and lasts for some
hours, so also the God-intoxication that you get from regular
meditation, lasts for some hours if you meditate for half an hour
daily. Therefore be regular.
When you meditate, when you develop divine or Sattvic
virtue, a spiritual road is constructed in the mind. lf you are not
regular in meditation, if your dispassion wanes, if you become
careless and non-vigilant, the spiritual road will be washed
away by the flood of impure thoughts and evil Vasanas. There-
fore be regular in your meditation. Regularity in meditation is of
paramount importance.
When you practise meditation, Japa, Kirtan, Pranayama
or enquiry, worldly thoughts, cravings and Vasanas are sup-
pressed. lf you are irregular in meditation and if your dispassion
wanes, they try to manifest again. They persist and resist.
Therefore, be regular in your meditation and do more vigorous
Sadhana. Cultivate more dispassion. They will be gradually
thinned out and eventually destroyed.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRACTICE OF MEDITATION
1.Practical Aspect of Meditation
This world is full of miseries and sufferings. lf you want to
get rid of the pains and afflictions of this Samsara, you must
practise meditation. Meditation leads to the knowledge of the
Self, which brings about Eternal Peace and Supreme Bliss.
Meditation prepares you for the integral experience or direct in-
tuitive knowledge. Meditation is the flow of continuous thought
of one thing or God or Atman. Meditation is the pathway to di-
vinity. lt is the royal road to the kingdom of Brahman. lt is a mys-
terious ladder which reaches from earth to
Heaven
(Vaikuntha-Kailasa-Brahman), from error to Truth, from dark-
ness to Light, from pain to Bliss, from restlessness to abiding
Peace, from ignorance to Knowledge, from mortality to lmmor-
tality.
Truth is Brahman. Truth is Atman. You cannot realise the
Truth without reflection and meditation. The mode of meditation
differs according to the path adopted by the aspirant. A Bhakta
practises Saguna Dhyana on the form of his lshta Devata. A
Hatha Yogi meditates on the Chakras and the presiding deities.
A Jnana Yogi meditates on his own Self. He practises
Ahamgraha Upasana. A Raja Yogi meditates on the special
Purusha who is not affected by afflictions and desires.
The mind assumes the form of the object it cognises.
Then only perception is possible. A Bhakta constantly medi-
tates on the form of his tutelary deity or lshta Devata. The mind
always takes the form of the deity. When he is established in his
meditation, when he attains the stage of Para Bhakti or su-
preme devotion, he sees his lshta Devatia only everywhere.
The names and forms vanish. Adevotee of Lord Krishna sees
Lord Krishna only everywhere and experiences the state de-
scribed in the Gita "Vaasudevah Saruam rTr:EveMhing is
Vaasudeva only.' A Jnani or a Vedanti sees his own Self or At-
man everywhere. The world of names and forms vanishes from
his view. He experiences the utterances of the seers of the
(1r8)
PRACTICE OF MEDITATION 119
Upanishads: "Saruam Khalvidam Brahma-All indeed is

Brahman."
You must have a pure mind if you want to realise the Self.
Unless the mind is set free and casts away all desires, crav-
ings, worries, delusion, pride, lust, attachment, likes and dis-
likes, it cannot enter into the domain of Supreme Peace and
unalloyed felicity-the lmmortal Abode. A glutton or a sensual-
ist, a dullard or a lazy man, cannot practise meditation. He who
has controlled the tongue and other organs, who has an acute
acumen, who eats, drinks and sleeps in moderation, who has
destroyed selfishness, lust, greed and anger, can practise
meditation and attain success in Samadhi.
You cannot enjoy peace of mind and cannot practise med-
itation if there is Vikshepa in your mind. Vikshepa is tossing of
mind. Vikshepa is Rajas. Vikshepa and desires co-exist in the
mind. lf you really want to destroy Vikshepa, you must destroy
all mundane desires and cravings through dispassion and
self-surrender to the Lord.
lf you apply fire to a green wood, it will not burn; if you ap-
ply fire to a piece of dried wood, it will at once catch fire and
burn. Even so, those who have not purifled their minds, will not
be able to start the fire of meditation. They will be sleeping or
dreaming-building castles in the air-when they sit for med-
itation. But those who have removed the impurities in their
minds by Japa, service, charity, Pranayama, etc., will enter
into deep meditation as soon as they sit for meditation. The
pure, ripe mind will at once burn with the fire of meditation.
Mind is compared to a garden. Just as you can cultivate
good flowers and fruits in a garden by ploughing and manuring
the land, by removing the weeds and thorns and by watering
the plants and trees, so also you can cultivate the flower of de-
votion in the garden of your mind by removing the impurities of
the mind, such as lust, angel greed, delusion, pride, etc., and
watering it with divine thoughts. Weeds and thorns grow in the
rainy season, disappear in summer, but their seeds remain un-
derneath the ground. As soon as there is a shower, the seeds
again germinate and sprout out. Even so, the Vrittis (modifica-
tions of the mind) manifest on the surfacd of the conscious
mind, then disappear and assume a subtle seed-stiate, the form
of Samskaras or impressions. The Samskaras again become
Vrittis either through internal or external stimulus. When the
garden is clean, when there are no weeds and thoms you can
get good fruits. So also, when the mind is pure, when the mind
is free from lust, anger, etc., you can have the fruit of good,
deep meditation. Therefore cleanse the mind of its impurities
first. Then the current of meditation will flow by itself.
!f you want to keep a garden always clean, you will have to
remove not only the weeds and thorns and other small plants
but also the seeds that lie underneath the ground which again
germinate during rainy season. Even so, you will have to de-
stroy not only the big waves or Vrittis of the mind but also the
Samskaras which are the seeds for births and deaths, which
generate Vrittis again and again, if you want to enter into
Samadhi and attain liberation or perfect freedom.
Without the help of meditation, you cannot attain knowl-
edge of the Self. Without its aid, you cannot grow into the divine
state. Without it, you cannot liberate yourself from the trammels
of the mind and attain lmmortality. lf you do not practise medita-
tion, the supreme splendour and fadeless glories of Atman will
remain hidden from you. Tear the veils that cover the soul by
practising regular meditation. Rend asunder the five sheaths
that screen the Atman by constant meditation and then attain
the final beatitude of life.
2. Real Rest in Meditation

Fatigue of the lndriyas demands rest. Hence sleep super-
venes at night rhythmically. Motion and rest are rhythmical pro-
cesses in life. The mind moves about in the avenues of the
senses through the force of the Vasana. Strictly speaking,
Dridha Sushupti is very very rare. There is subtle working of
the mind in dream also. Hence you do not get good rest in
sleep. Real rest is secured in meditation and meditation only. lt
is only Dhyana Yogis who practise meditation that can feel real
rest in meditation. The mind is fully concentrated during medi-
tation. lt is far away from objects and very near to the Atman.
There are no Ragadvesha currents during meditation owing to
absence of objects. Consequently, there is manifestation of
solid, lasting, realspiritualAnanda with complete, genuine rest.
You must feel it yourself. Then, you will agree with me. ln
Benares, there is a Hatha Yogi who does levitation. He never
sleeps at night. He sits in the Asana during the whole night. He
gets the real rest from meditation. He has dispensed with
PRACTICE OF MEDITATION t2r
sleep. You may not enjoy the rest fully in the beginning of your
practice, because at the outset there is a good deal of wresfling
between the will and Svabhava, the old Samskaras and the
new Samskaras, old habits and new habits, Purushartha and
old conduct. The mind revolts. When the mind is thinned out,
when you have reached the Tanumanasi state, third Jnana
Bhumika, you will enjoy good rest in meditation. You can then
cut short your sleep to three or four hours gradually.
3. Visualisation
Gaze at the picture of the Lord, your lshta Devata for a few
minutes and close your eyes. Then try to visualise the picture
mentally. You will have a well-defined or clear-cut picture of the
Lord. When it fades, open your eyes and gaze again. Repeat
the process five or six times. You will be able to visualise clearly
your lshta Devata or tutelary deity mentally after some months'
practice.
lf you find it difficult to visualise the whole picture try to
visualise any part of the picture. Try to produce even a hazy pic-
ture. By repeated practice the hazy picture will assume a
well-defined, clear-cut form. lf you find this difficult, flx the mind
on the effulgent Light in the heart and take this as the form of
the Lord or Devi.
Do not bother yourself if you are not able to have perfect
visualisation of the picture of the Lord with closed eyes. Con-
tinue your practice vigorously and regularly. You will succeed.
What is wanted is Prema for the Lord. Cultivate this more and
more. Let it flow unceasingly and spontianeously. This is more
important than visualisation.
4. Yoga of Meditation
ln the beginning you can meditate twice daily, from 4 to 6
in the morning and 7 to 8 at night. As you advance in your prac-
tices you can increase the duration of each sitting little by litfle
using your common-sense and discretion, and also have a
third sitting either in the morning between 10 and 11 or in the
evening between 4 and 5.
ln the Yoga-Vasishtha you will find: "The right course to be
adopted by one who is in his novitiate is this: Two parts of the
mind must be filled with the objects of enjoyment, one part with
t22 CONCENTRATION AND MEDITATION
philosophy and the remaining part with devotion to the teacher.

Having advanced a little, he should fillone part of the mind with
the objects of enjoyment, two parts with devotion to the teacher
and remaining one with getting an insight into the meaning of
philosophy. When one has attained proficiency, he should ev-
ery day fill two parts of his mind with philosophy and supreme
renunciation and remaining two parts with meditation and de-
voted service to the Guru. This will eventually lead you on to
meditation for twenty-four hours."
Sitting in your favourite meditative pose and keeping the
head and trunk erect, close your eyes and gently concentrate
on either the tip of the nose or space between the two eye-
brows or the heart-lotus of the crown of the head. When once
you have selected one centre of concentration, stick to it till the
last with leech-like tenacity. Never change it. Thus, if you have
chosen to concentrate on the heart-lotus after having tried
other centres, stick to the heart-lotus alone. Then only you can
expect rapid advancement.
Meditation is of two kinds viz., Saguna (with Gunas or
qualities) meditation, and Nirguna (without Gunas or qualities)
meditation. Meditation on Lord Krishna, Lord Siva, Lord Rama
or Lord Jesus is Saguna meditation. lt is meditation with form
and attributes. The Name of the Lord is also simultaneously re-
peated. This is the method of the Bhaktas. Meditation on the re-
ality of the Self is Nirguna meditation. This is the method of the
Vedantins. Meditation on Om, Soham, Sivoham, Aham
Brahma Asmi and Tat Tvam Asi, is Nirguna meditation.
The wise cut asunder the knot of egoism by the sharp
edge of the Self orfull illumination or Self-realisation. The liber-
ated sage has neither doubt nor delusion. All bonds of Karma
(action) are rent asunder. Therefore be ever engaged in medi-
tation. This is the master-key to open the realms of Eternal
Bliss. lt may be disgusting and tiring in the beginning, because
the mind will be running away from the point (Lakshya) every
now and then. But after some time it will be focussed in the cen-
tre. You will be immersed in Divine Bliss.
When you get a flash of illumination, do not be frightened.
It will be a new experience of immense joy. Do not turn back. Do
not give up meditation. Do not stop there. You will have to ad-
vance still further. This is only a glimpse of truth. This is not the
PRACTICE OF MEDITATION t23
whole experience. This is not the highest realisation. This is

only a new platform. Try to ascend further. Reach the Bhuma or
the lnfinite. Now alone you are proof against all temptations.
You will drink deep the nectar of lmmortality. This is the acme or
flnal state. You can take eternal rest now. You need not medi-
tate any further. This is the final goal.
You have within yourself tremendous powers and latent
faculties of which you have really never had any conception.
You must awaken these dormant powers and faculties by the
practice of meditation and Yoga. You must develop your will
and control your senses and mind. You must purify yourself
and practise regular meditation. Then only you can become a
Superman or God-man.
Every human being has within himself various potentiali-
ties and capacities. He is a magazine of power and knowledge.
As he evolves he unfolds new powers, new faculties and new
qualities. Now he can change his environment and influence
others. He can subdue other minds. He can conquer internal
and external nature. He can enter into superconscious state.
Just as the light is burning within the hurricane lamp, so
also the Divine Flame is burning from time immemorial in the
lamp of your heart. Close your eyes. Merge yourself within the
Divine Flame. Plunge deep into the chambers of your heart.
Meditate on this Divine Flame and become one with the Flame
of God.
lf the wick within the lamp is small, the light will also be
small. lf the wick is big, the light also will be powerful. Similarly if
the Jiva (individual soul) is pure, if he practises meditation, the
manifestation or expression of the Self will be powerful. He wili
radiate a big light. lf he is unregenerate and impure, he will be
like a burnt up charcoal. The bigger the wick, the greater the
light. Likewise, the purer the soul, the greater the expression.
lf the magnet is powerful, it will influence the iron filings
even when they are placed at a distance. Even so, if the Yogi is
an advanced person, he will have greater influence over the
persons with whom he comes in contact. He can exert his influ-
ence on persons even when they live in distant places.
During meditation, note how long you can shut out all
worldly thoughts. Watch your mind. lf it is for twenty minutes, try
to increase the period to thirty minutes and so on. Fillthe mind

with thoughts of God again and again.
"Though men should perform Tapas, standing on one leg
for a period of 1,000 years, it will not, in the least, be equal to
one-sixteenth part of Dhyana Yoga (meditation)."-Pingala
Upanishad.
You must daily increase your Vairagya, meditation and
Sattvic virtues such as patience, perseverance, mercy, love,
forgiveness, etc. Vairagya and good qualities help meditation.
Meditation increases the Sattvic qualities.
Considerable changes take place in the mind, brain and ner-
vous system by the practice of meditation. New nerve-cunenF,
new vibrations, new avenues, new grooves, new cells and new
channels are formed. The whole mind and the nervous system
are remodelled. You will have a new heart, a new mind, new sen-
sations, new feelings, new mode of thinking and acting and a new
view of the universe (as God in manifestation).
During meditation you will get into rapture or ecstasy. lt is
of five kinds viz., the lesser thrill, momentary rapture, flooding
rapture, transporting rapture, and all-pervading rapture. The
lesser thrill will raise the hair of the body (like the goose-skin).
The momentary rapture is like the productions of lightning mo-
ment by moment. Like waves breaking on the seashore, the
flooding rapture descends rapidly on the body and breaks.
Transporting rapture is strong and lift the body up to the extent
of launching it into the air. When the all-pervading rapture
arises, the whole body is completely surcharged and blown like
a full bladder.
"Whatever he (the Yogic practitioner) sees with his eyes,
let him consider as Atman. Whatever he hears with his ears, let
him consider as Atman. Whatever he smells with his nose, let
him consider as Atman. Whatever he tastes with his tongue, let
him consider as Atman. Whatever the Yogi touches with his
skin, let him consider as Atman. The Yogi should thus unwea-
ried gratify his organs of sense for a period of one Yama (3
hours) every day with great effort. Various wonderful powers
are attained by the Yogi, such as clairvoyance, clairaudience,
ability to transport himself to great distances within a moment,
great power of speech, ability to take any form, ability to be-
come invisible, and the transmutation of iron into gold, when
the former is smeared over with his excretion."-yogatattva

Upanishad.
Leading a virtuous life is not by itself sufficient for
God-realisation. Concentration of mind is absolutely neces-
sary. A good virtuous life only prepares the mind as a fit instru-
ment for concentration and meditation that eventually lead to
Self-realisation or God-realisation.
5. Seclusion and Meditation

Ekanath, Raja Janaka and others realised by doing spiri-
tual Sadhana while remaining in the world. The central teach-
ing of the Gita is to realise in and through the world. This is
plausible, sounds all right, but not feasible for the vast majority.
It is easier said than done. How many Janakas and Ekanaths
have you had? These people were really Yoga Bhrashtas. lt is
absolutely impossible for the vast majority.
Lord Jesus was missing for 18 years. Buddha went into
seclusion for 8 years in Uruvala forest. Swami Rama llrtha was a
recluse in Brahmapuri forest for two years. Sri Aurobindo
teaches that one should realise amidst activity, but he had shut
himself up in a closed room for 40 years. Many had taken up
seclusion during Sadhana period. You can make the beginning
in the world but when you have made some progress, you must
shift yourself up for advanced practices to a suitable place
where you willfind spiritual vibration and solitude.
As the will-power in many persons has become very
weak, as they have no religious discipline or training in schools
and colleges when they were young, as they are under the
sway of materialistic influences, it is necessary for them to go in
seclusion for some weeks, months or years to practise rigorous
Japa and undisturbed meditation.
Calm the bubbling emotions, sentiments, instincts and im-
pulses through silent meditation. You can give a new orienta-
tion to your feelings by gradual and systematic practice. you
can entirely transmute your worldly nature into Divine nature.
You can exercise supreme control over the nerve-centres, the
nerves, muscles, the five Koshas or sheaths, emotions, im-
pulses and instincts through meditation.
Those who have fixed up tleir sons in life, who have re-
tired from service and those who have no ties or attachment in
the world, can remain in seclusion for 4 or 5 years and practise

intense meditation and Tapas for purification and Self-realisa-
tion. This is like entering a University for higher studies or
post-graduate course. When the Tapas is over, when they have
attained Self-knowledge, they should come out and share their
knowledge and bliss with others. They should disseminate
knowledge of the Self through lectures, conversations, dis-
courses or heart to heart talks according to their capacity and
disposition.
A householder (Grihastha) with Yogic tendencies and
spiritual inclinations can practise meditation in a solitary and
quiet room in his own house or any solitary place on the banks
of any holy river, during holidays or throughout the year if he is
a whole-time aspirant or if he is retired from service.
lf you want to retire into solitude for the practice of medita-
tion, if you are a householder with spiritual thirsting for intense
Sadhana, you cannot all of a sudden sever your connection
with your family people. Sudden severance from worldly ties
and possessions will give you intense mental agony and in-
duce shock on your family people. You will have to break the
ties gradually. Stay for a week or a month in seclusion to begin
with. Then gradually prolong the period. Then they will not feel
the pangs of separation.
The aspirant should be free from hope, desire and greed.
Then only he will have a steady mind. Hope, desire and greed
make the mind ever restless and turbulent; they are the ene-
mies of peace and Self-knowledge. He should not have many
possessions also. He can only keep those articles which are
absolutely necessary for the maintenance of his body. lf there
are many possessions, the mind will be ever thinking of the arti-
cles and attempting to protect them. Those who want quick
progress in meditation during seclusion should not keep any
connection with the world by way of correspondence, reading
newspapers, or thinking of the family-members and posses-
sions.
He who has reduced his wants, who has not a bit of attrac-
tion forthe world, who has discrimination and dispassion, burn-
ing desire for liberation, who has observed Mouna for months
together, will be able to live in seclusion.
The aspirant should possess serenity. The Divine Light

can descend only in a serene mind. Serenity is attained by the
eradication of Vasanas or desires and cravings. He should be
fearless also. This is the most important qualification. Atimid or
cowardly aspirant is very far from Self-realisation.
The aspirant need not bother about his bodily wants. Ev-
erything is provided for by God. Everything is prearranged by
Mother Prakriti. She looks after the bodily wants of all very
carefully in a more efficient manner than they themselves
would do. Prakriti knows in a better manner what the require-
ments are and provides them then and there. Understand the
mysterious ways of Mother and become wise. Be grateful to
Her for Her unique kindness, grace and mercy.
Semen or vital juice tones the nerves and brain and
energises the system. He who has preserved his vitalforce by
the vow of celibacy and sublimated it to Ojas-Sakti, can prac-
tise steady meditation for a long period. He only can ascend the
ladderof Yoga. Without Brahmacharya no iota of spiritualprog-
ress is possible. Brahmacharya is the very foundation on which
the superstructure of meditation and Samadhi can be built up.
Many people waste this vital energy-a great spiritualtreasure
indeed-when they become blind and lose their power of rea-
son under excitement. Pitiable indeed is their lot! They cannot
make any substantial progress in Yoga.
You should have perfect control over the body through
regular practice of Asanas before you take up serious and con-
stant meditation. You cannot practise meditation without a firm
seat. lf the body is unsteady, the mind will also become un-
steady. There is intimate connection between the body and the
mind. You should not shake the body even a bit. You should at-
tain mastery over the Asana by daily practice, viz., Asana Jaya.
You should be as firm as a statue or a rock. lf you keep the
body, head and neck erect, the spinal cord also will be erect,
the Kundaliniwill rise up steadily through Sushumna. You will
not be overpowered by sleep.
lf you are well established in the practice of Pratyahara
(withdrawal of the senses), if you have the senses under your
full control, you can find perfect solitude and peace even in the
most crowded and noisy places of a big city. lf the senses are
turbulent, if you have not got the power to withdraw the senses,
you will have no peace of mind even in a solitary cave in the Hi-
malayas. Adisciplined Yogiwho has controlled his senses and

the mind can enjoy peace of mind in a solitary cave. A passion-
ate man who has not controlled the senses and the mind will be
ohly building castles in the air if he lives in a solitary cave in the
mountains.
You should steadily direct your gaze towards the tip of
your nose (Nasikagra Drishti) and keep the mind fixed in the
Self only. ln Sloka 25 ot chapter V (Gita) Lord Krishna says,
"Having made the mind abide in the Self, let him not think of
anything." The other gaze (Drishti) is Bhrumadhya Drishti or
gazing between the two eyebrows (Ajna Chakra). This is de-
scribed in the Gita (V-27). ln this Drishti direct the gaze towards
Ajna Chakra with closed eyes. lf you practise the Drishti with
open eyes it may produce headache. Foreign particles may fall
into the eyes. There may be distraction of the mind also. Do not
strain the eyes. Practise gently. When you practise concentra-
tion on the tip of the nose, you will experience Divya Gandha
(divine fragrance). When you concentrate on the Ajna Chakra,
you willexperience Divya Jyotis (divine light). This is an experi-
ence to give you encouragement, to push you up in the spiritual
path and convince you of the existence of transcendental or
superphysical things. Do not stop your Sadhana now. Yogins or
those Bhaktas who meditate on Lord Siva concentrate on the
Ajna Chakra. You can select that Drishti which suits you best.
Make the mind one-pointed by collecting all the dissipated
rays of the mind. Withdraw the mind from all sense-objects
again and again and try to fix the mind on your Lakshya or point
of meditation or centre. Gradually you will have concentration
of mind or one-pointedness. You must be patient and persever-
ing. You must be very regular in your practice. Then only you
will succeed. Regularity is of paramount importance.
You should know the ways and habits of the mind through
daily introspection, self-analysis or self-examination. You
should have knowledge of the laws of the mind. Then it will be
easy for you to check the mind-wandering. When you sit for
meditation, when you deliberately attempt to forget the worldly
objects, all sorts of worldly thoughts irrelevant and nonsensical
thoughts, will crop up in your mind and, disturb your meditation.
You will be quite astonished. Old thoughts which you enter-
tained several years ago, old memories of past enjoyments will
bubble up and force the mind to wander in all directions. You
will find that the trapdoor of the vast magazine of thoughts and
memories within the subconscious mind is opened or the lid of
the storehouse of thoughts within is lifted up and the thoughts
gush out in a continuous stream. The more you attempt to still
them the more they will bubble up with redoubled force and
strength.
Do not be discouraged. Nr7 desperandum. Never despair.
Through regular and constant meditation you can purify the
subconscious mind and can controlallthoughts and memories.
The fire of meditation will burn all thoughts. Be sure of this.
Meditation is a potent antidote to annihilate the poisonous
woddly thoughts. Be assured of this.
During introspection you can clearly observe the shiftings
of the mind from one line of thought to another. Herein lies a
change for you to mould the mind properly and direct the
thoughts and the mentalenergy in the Divine Channel. You can
rearrange the thoughts, make new association on a new
Sattvic basis. You can throw out useless worldly thoughts just
as you remove the weeds and throw them out. You can culti-
vate sublime, Divine thoughts in the Divine garden of your mind
or Antahkarana. This is a very patient work. This is a stupen-
dous task indeed. But for a Yogi of self-determination, who has
the grace of the Lord and iron-will, it is nothing.
Meditation on the lmmortal Self will act like a dynamite
and blow up all thoughts and memories in the subconscious
mind. lf the thoughts trouble you much, do not suppress them
by force. Be a silent witness as in a bioscope. They will subside
gradually. Then try to root them out through regular silent medi-
tation.
The practice must be constant. Then only one can attain
Self-realisation, surely and quickly. He who practises medita-
tion by fits and starts for a few minutes daily will not be able to
achieve any tangible result in Yoga.
How can sense-control be tested in a lonely forest, where
there are no temptations? The Yogic student of the cave (seclu-
sion) should test himself after growing sufficiently by entering
the plains. But he should not test himself every now and then
like the man who removed the young plant daily after watering
to see if it had struck deep root or not.
130 CONCENTBATION AND MEDITATION
May you all attain success in Yoga and enter into

Nirvikalpa Samadhi or the Blissful Union with the Lord by con-
trolling the senses and the mind and practising regular and
constant meditation.
6. Reach the Highest Peak

The wise cut asunder the knot of egoism by the sharp
edge of Self or full inner illumination or Self-realisation. The lib-
erated sage has neither doubts nor delusions now. All the
bonds of Karma are rent asunder. Therefore be ever engaged
in meditation. This is the master-key to open the realms of Eter-
nal Bliss. lt may be tiring and disgusting in the beginning; be-
cause the mind will be running away from the point or Lakshya
now and then. But after some practice it will be focussed in the
centre. You will be immersed in Divine Bliss.
A mysterious inner voice will guide you. Hear this very at-
tentively, dear Yogindra!
When you get a flash of illumination, do not be frightened.
Itwillbe a newexperience of immense joy. Do notturn back. Do
not give up meditation. Do not stop here. You will have to ad-
vance still further. This is only a glimpse of Truth. This is not the
whole experience. This is not the highest experience or realisa-
tion. This is a new platform for you. Stand firmly now on this
platform. Try to ascend further. Reach the Bhuma orthe lnfinite
or the Unconditioned. You will drink deep the nectar continu-
ously. This is the acme or final stage. You can take eternal rest
now. You need not meditate any more.
lf a pot with a lamp inside, which is placed in a dark room,
is broken, the darkness of the room is dispelled and you see
light everywhere in the room. Even so, if the body-pot is broken
through the practice of constant meditation on Self, i.e., if you
destroy Avidya and its effects (Deha-Adhyasa) and rise above
body-consciousness, you will cognise the Supreme Light of At-
man everywhere.
Just as the water in a pot that is placed in the ocean be-
comes one with the waters of the ocean when the pot is broken,
so also when the body-pot is broken by meditation on the At-
man, the individual soul becomes identical with the Supreme
Self.
Just as the student creates interest in his study of mathe-

matics or geometry, although it is disgusting in the beginning,
by imagining the great advantage that he will gain by passing
the examination, so also you will have to create interest in med-
itation by thinking of the incalculable benefits that will be de-
rived by its constant practice, viz., lmmortality, Supreme Peace
and lnfinite Bliss.
A man who has not seen Swami Ramakrishnananda who
lives in Badrinarayan, hears all about the personality and attrib-
utes of the Swami from a man who has actually seen him and
who knows him fully well.and then tries to visualise a mental
picture of him. Even so, the aspirant should hear all about the
invisible, hidden Brahman from the sages who have attained
Self-realisation and then meditate on the Atman or the Self.
Just as the light is burning within the hurricane lamp, so
also the Divine Flame is burning from time immemorial in the
lamp of your heart. Close your eyes, merge yourself within the
Divine Flame. Plunge deep into the chambers of your heart.
Meditate on this Divine Flame and become a Flame of God.
hear if a man shouts and calls you by your name. Then you do
not smell the sweet fragrance of flowers kept on the table in the
flower vase. This is concentration or one-pointedness of mind.
The mind is fixed firmly on one thing. You must have such a
deep concentration when you think of God or Atman. lt is easy
to concentrate the mind on a worldly object because the mind
takes interest in it naturally through force of habit. The sensual
grooves are already cut in the brain. You will have to train the
mind gradually by daily practice of concentration, by fixing the
mind again and again on the picture of God or the Self within.
You will have to cut new spiritual grooves in the mind by practis-
ing daily meditation. This mind will not move now to external
objects as it experiences immense joy from the practice of
meditation.
The practice of concentration and the practice of
Pranayama are interdependent. lf you practise Pranayama,
you will get concentration. Natural Pranayama follows the prac-
tice of concentration. A Hatha Yogi practises Pranayama and
then controls the mind. He rises upwards from below. A Raja
Yogi practises concentration and thus controls his Prana. He
comes downwards from above. They both meet on a common
platform in the end. There are different practices according to

the different capacities, tastes and temperaments. To some the
practice of Pranayama will be easy to start with; to others the
practice of concentration will be easier. The latter had already
practised Pranayama in their previous births. Therefore they
take up, in this birth, the next limb of Yoga, i.e., concentration.
7. Errors in Meditation
A mixture of Tandri (drowsiness) and Manorajya (building
castles in the air, reverie) is mistaken by aspirants for deep
meditation and Samadhi. The mind appears to be established
in concentration and free from Vikshepa (distraction). This is a
mistake. Closely watch the mind. Remove these two serious
obstacles through Vichara, Pranayama and light Sattvic diet.
Be thoughtful, careful and vigilant. Stand for 10 minutes and
dash cold water on the face and head, if drowsiness comes in.
Sometimes cupidity will stimulate a concentrated state.
You are concentrated elsewhere, but not on the Lakshya.
Watch this and withdraw the mind. Deep sleep stat'e is mis-
taken by many for Samadhi. Samadhi is a positive, real state. lt
is all knowledge. Do not make mistakes. During meditation,
when the mind passes into a calm state of Samata, when you
feel a peculiar concentration-Ananda-think you are entering
into Samadhi state. Do not disturb this state. Try your best to
keep it for a long time. Mark this state very carefully.
Know things in their proper light. Do not be deluded. Emo-
tion is mistaken for devotion; violent jumping in the air during
Sankirtana for divine ecstasy; falling down in swoon on account
of exhaustion from too much jumping for Bhava Samadhi;
Rajasic restlessness and motion for divine activities and
Karma Yoga; a Tamasic man for a Sattvic man; movement of
air in rheumatism in the back for ascent of Kundalini; Tandri and
deep sleep for Samadhi; Manorajya or building castles in the
air for meditation; physical nudity for Jivanmukta state. Learn to
discriminate and become wise.
Do not mistake Tandri for Savikalpa Samadhi and deep
sleep for Nirvikalpa Samadhi. The glory of the state of Turiya or
Bhuma is ineffable. lts splendour is indescribable. lf the body is
light, if the mind is clear, if there is cheerfulness; know that you
are meditating. lf the body is heavy, if the mind is dull, know that
you were sleeping while meditating.
There is always a complaint amongst the aspirants: 'l am

meditating for the last 12 years. I have not made any improve-
ment. I have no realisation.'Why is it so? What is the reason?
They have not plunged themselves in deep meditation into the
innermost recesses of their hearts. They have not properly as-
similated the mind with the thoughts of God. They have not
done regular, systematic Sadhana. They have not disciplined
lndriyas properly. They have not collected allthe outgoing rays
of the mind. They have not made the self-determination 'l will
realise this very second.' They have not given full 100% of the
mind to God. They have not kept an increasing flow of Divine
Consciousness like the flow of oil (Tailadharavat).
Even if you do not feel any pulse in the Sadhaka when he
is in meditation, even if the breathing stops, do not think that he
is in Nirvikalpa Samadhi. He should return with supersensual
divine knowledge. Then only it can be said that he has attained
real Samadhi. The breathing and pulse may stop from various
other causes also. lf one abstains from food and drink and
practises a little concentration or even if he sits in the Asana
steadily for some time, the breathing and pulse may stop. The
Sadhaka must have perfect awareness in meditation. There is
not much spiritual gain if he remains in a mere Jada state, even
though he is insensible to external sounds.
Once two Sannyasins were deceived by another Sadhu
who used to sit in meditation without pulse and breathing for
several hours. Later on, he turned out to be a hypocrite. He
cheated them and ran away with some money. You will have to
be very careful in your judgment.
During meditation do not allow yourself to pass into a Jada
state. Do not mistake this state for merging in the Lord or com-
munion. Remaining in a Jada state for some hours is not desir-
able. lt is like deep sleep. This will not help you in your spiritual
evolution. lf this time is spent in doing Japa, Kirtan, Mantra-writ-
ing and study of sacred books, you will have quick evolution.
Be on the alert. Watch vigilantly. lf there is real merging or real
deep meditation, you must have peace, bliss and divine knowl-
edge. You must be free from doubts, fear, delusion, egoism, an-
ger, passion and Raga-Dvesha. Some dull inexperienced
aspirants mistake this Jada state for Nirvikalpa Samadhi. They
get false contentment and stop their Sadhana.
8. Instructions on Meditation
O aspirants! Struggle hard. Make sincere efforts. Meditate
regularly and systematically. Never miss a day in meditation.
There will be a great loss if you lose even a day.
No more words! Enough of discussions and heated de-
bates. Retire into a solitary room. Close your eyes. Have deep
silent meditation. Feel His presence. Repeat His
name-OM-with fervour, joy and love. Fill your heart with
Prema. Destroy the Sankalpas, thoughts, whims, fancies and
desires when they arise from the surface of the mind. Withdraw
the wandering mind and fix it on the Lord. Now Nishtha, medita-
tion, will become deep and intense. Do not open your eyes. Do
not stir from the seat. Merge in Him. Dive deep into the re-
cesses of the heart. Plunge into the shining Atman. Drink the
nectar of lmmortality. Enjoy the silence now. I shall leave you
there alone, Nectar's sons! Rejoice, rejoice! Peace! Silence!
Glory!
O beloved Rama! You are within a strong spiritualfortress
now. No temptation can influence you. You are absolutely safe.
You can do vigorous Sadhana now without fear. You have a
strong spiritual prop to lean upon. Become a brave soldier. Kill
your foe, the mind, ruthlessly. Wear the spiritual laurels of
peace, equalvision and contentment. You are already shining
with Brahmic splendour in your face. The All-merciful Lord has
given you all sorts of comforts, good health and a Guru to guide
you. What more do you want? Grow. Evolve. Realise the Truth
and proclaim it everywhere.
Clarify your ideas again and again. Think clearly. Have
deep concentration and right thinking. lntrospect in solitude.
Purify your thoughts to a considerable degree. Still the
thoughts. Silence the bubbling mind. Just as in a surgical clinic
the assistant surgeon allows only one patient to enter the con-
sultation room and the operation theatre of a hospital, so also
you will have to allow one thought-wave only to rise from the
mind and settle down calmly. Then allow another thought to en-
ter. Drive off all extraneous thoughts that have nothing to do
with the subject matter on hand. An efficient control over
thoughts through long practice is a great help in meditation.
Watch every thought very carefully. Shut out all useless
thoughts from the mind. Your life must tally with your medita-
tion. You keep up your meditation during work also. Do not give
new strength to evil thoughts by constant thinking. Restrain
them. Substitute sublime thoughts. Control of thought is srne
qua non. You should not waste even a single thought.
Quiet the mind. Silence the thoughts. Still the outgoing
tendencies or energies of the mind. Collect all the wandering
thoughts.
Do not store in your brain needless information. Learn to
unmind the mind. Forget whatever you have learnt. lt is useless
for you now. Then only you cah fill your mind with Divine
thoughts in meditation. You will gain fresh mental strength now.
A goldsmith converts 13 carat gold into pure 15 carat gold
by adding acids and burning it several times in the crucible.
Even so, you will have to purify your sensuous mind through
concentration, reflection on the word of your spiritual preceptor
and Upanishadic sentences or meditation, Japa or silent repeti-
tion of the name of the Lord.
Positive overpowers the negative. A positive thought
drives off a negative one. Courage drives off fear. Love de-
stroys hatred. Unity annihilates separateness. Magnanimity
destroys petty-mindedness fiealousy). Generosity drives away
miserliness and greed. Keep yourself always positive. You will
have wonderful meditation.
Be silent. Know thyself. Know That. Melt the mind in That.
Truth is quite pure and simple. Solitude and intense meditation
are two important requisites for Self-realisation. Drive off nega-
tive thoughts. Become positive always. Positive overpowers
negative. You can do nice meditation when you are positive.
Whatever that elevates you, you can take it up for your ad-
vantage, just to elevate the mind and then continue your pro-
longed meditation.
lf interruption comes in your Sadhana, make up the defi-
ciency or loss in the evening or at night or on the following
morning. Meditation is the only valuable asset for you. Success
in Yoga is possible only if the aspirant practises profound and
constant meditation. He must practise self-restraint at all times,
because all of a sudden the senses may become turbulent.
That is the reason why Lord Krishna advises Arjuna, "O son of
Kunti, the excited senses of even a wise man, though he be
striving impetuously, carry away his mind. Such of the roving
senses as the mind yieldeth to, hurry away the understanding

just as the gale hurries away a ship upon the waters."
Mind is ever-changing and wandering. This wandering
habit of the mind manifests itself in various ways. You will have
to be on the alert always to check this wandering habit of the
mind. A householder's mind wanders to cinema, theatre, cir-
cus, etc. A Sadhu's mind will wander to Varanasi, Brindavan,
Nasik, etc. Many Sadhus never stick to one place during
Sadhana. The wandering habit of the mind must be controlled
by making it stick to one place, one method of Sadhana, one
Guru and one form of Yoga. A rolling stone gathers no moss.
When you take up a bookforstudy, you mustfinish it before you
take up another. When you take up any work, you must devote
your whole-hearted attention towards the work on hand and fin-
ish it before you take up another work. One thing at a time.
Those people who have not practised any Yogic discipline
or curbing of the senses, Vrittis or impurities, will find it difficult
to practise concentration and meditation. Their minds will be
ever oscillating like the pendulum of a clock. Their minds will be
ever roaming about like the wild bull or the monkey.
Do not cause pain or suffering to any living being through
greed, selfishness, irritability, and annoyance. Give up anger or
ill-will. Give up the spirit of fighting, heated debates. Do not ar-
gue. lf you quarrel with somebody or if you have a heated de-
bate with anybody, you cannot meditate for 3 or 4 days. Your
balance of mind will be upset. Much energy will be wasted in
useless channels. The blood will become hot. The nerves will
be shattered. You must try your level best to keep a serene
mind always. Meditation can proceed from a serene mind only.
A serene mind is a valuable spiritual asset for you.
An aspirant must be sensitive and yet possess the body
and nerves completely under control. The greater the sensi-
tiveness becomes, the more difficult is the task. There are
many noises which pass unheeded by an ordinary person but
which are torturous to one who is very sensitive.
Centralise your idea and develop thereby the inner power
of the Self. Centralisation of ideas will stop the outgoing habit of
the mind and will develop the powers of the mind. Centralisa-
tion of ideas means centralisation of your energy.
Energy is wasted in useless idle talks and gossiping, plan-

ning and unnecessary worry (Chinta). Conserve energy by get-
ting rid of these three defects and utilise it in meditation on God.
You can do wonderful meditation then. lf you want to do some
dynamic worldly activities for world-solidarity (Lokasangraha)
you can turn out marvellous work by conserving the energy
which leaks through useless channels.
Just as the man who foolishly runs after two rabbits, will
not catch hold of any one of them, so also a meditator who runs
after two conflicting thoughts will not get success in any one of
the two thoughts. lf he has Divine thoughts for ten minutes and
then worldly conflicting thoughts for the next ten minutes he will
not succeed in getting at the Divine consciousness. You must
run after one rabbit only with vigour, strength and one-pointed
mind. You are sure to catch it. You must have only Divine
thoughts at all times. Then you are sure to realise God soon.
He who says and imagines: "l practise deep meditation
daily," when he has not removed the evil traits or qualities or
Vikaras of the mind, deceives himself first and then others. He
is a first-class confirmed hypocrite.
lf you strain yourself in meditation and go beyond your ca-
pacity, laziness and inactive nature will supervene. Meditation
should come naturally on account of serenity of the mind in-
duced by the practice of Sama, Dama, Uparati and Pratyahara.
Atman is the fountain of energy. Thinking on Atman or the
source for energy also is a dynamic method for augmenting en-
ergy, strength and power.
Conserve the energy by talking a little, observing Mouna,
controlling anger, observing Brahmacharya, practising Prana-
yama and controlling irrelevant and non-essential thoughts.
You will have abundant energy at your disposal by having re-
course to the above practices. You can move heaven and earth
now.
Abandon ruthlessly all sensual objects. They are the
wombs of pain. Develop gradually balance of mind. Subdue the
senses. Annihilate lust, anger and greed. Meditate and behold
the imperishable Atman. Rest yourself firmly in the Self. Noth-
ing can hurt you now. You can become invincible.
PASSIONATE MAN
What does a passionate man do? He repeats the same
ignominous act again and again and fills his stomach as many
times as he can. What does an aspirant with burning passion
for Self-realisation do? He takes a little milk and repeats the
process of meditation again and again, whole day and night
and enjoys the eternal bliss of the Self. Both are busy in their
own ways. The former is caught in the wheel of births and
deaths and latter attains lmmortality. The mind can be con-
trolled by continuous practice. You must keep it always occu-
pied in divine contemplation. lf you slacken your efforts idle
thoughts will at once enter. Continuous practice only can bring
the mind under control easily.
VAIRAGYA NECESSARY
lf you wish to attain success in Yoga, you will have to
abandon all worldly enjoyments and practise Thpas and
Brahmacharya. Tapas and Brahmacharya will help you in the
attainment of concentration and Samadhi.
When you start a fire you heap some straw, pieces of paper
and thin pieces of wood. lf the fire gets extinguished quickly you
start it again several times by blowing through the mouth or the
blow-pipe. After some time it becomes a small conflagration. You
can hardly efinguish it now even with great efforts. Even so in the
beginning of meditation the beginners fall down from meditation in
their old grooves. They will have to lift up their minds again and
again and fix them on the Lakshya. When the meditation be-
comes deep and steady, they get established in God eventually.
Then the meditation becomes Sahaja. lt becomes habitual- Use
the blow-pipe of l-ivra Vairagya and intense concentration to kin-
dle the fire of meditation.
VIGILANCE
You will have to note very carefully whether you remain
stationary in the spiritual path even after many years of spiritual
practice or whether you are progressing. Sometimes you go
downwards also if you are slack in meditation. Reaction may
set in. Some practise meditation for a period of 15 years and
yet they do not make any real progress at all. This is due to lack
of earnestness, Vairagya, keen longing for liberation and in-

tense Sadhana.
lf the aspirant has the nature of being offended for trifling
things, he cannot make any progress in meditation' He should
cultivate amiable loving nature and adaptability. Then this bad
habit will vanish. some aspirants get easily offended if their bad
qualities and defects are pointed out. They become indignant
and begin to fight with the man who shows the defects. They
think the man is concocting them out of jealousy or hatred. This
is bad. Other people can very easily find out our defects. A man
who has no life of introspection, whose mind is of outgoing ten-
dencies, cannot find out his own mistakes. The self-conceit
acts as a veil and blurs the mentalvision. lf an aspirantwants to
grow, he must admit his defects if they are pointed out by oth-
ers. He must try his level best to eradicate them and must thank
the man who points out his defects. Then only he can grow in
spirituality.
A glutton or sensualist, a dullard or a lazy man cannot
practise meditation. He who has controlled the tongue and other
organs, who has an acute acumen, who eats, drinks and sleeps in
moderation, who has destroyed selfishness, lust, greed and an-
ger celn practise meditation and attain success in Samadhi.
Vikshepa is a great obstacle in meditation. Murty-
upasana, Pranayama, Trataka, chanting of Dirgha Pranava
(long OM), Manana, Vichara, Prayer, will remove this serious
impediment. Vikshepa is tossing of mind' Destroy desires. Give
up planning and scheming. Stop allVyavahara and Pravrittifor
some time.
VIPARITABHAVANA
Viparita Bhavana (wrong conception that the self is the
body and the world is a solid reality) and Samsaya Bhavana
(doubt) overpower you. Just as water leaks out into the
rat-holes in agricultural fields, so also energy is wasted in
wrong channels through Raga (attraction) for objects and un-
dercurrent and lurking subtle desires. suppressed desires also
will manifest and harass you. You will unconsciously become a
victim of those desires.
REACTION
When you begin to sweep a room that was kept closed for
six months, various kinds of dirt come out from the corners of
the room. Similarly during meditation under pressure of Yoga,
through the Grace of God, various kinds of impurities float
about on the surface of the mind. Bravely remove them one by
one by suitable methods and counter-virtues with patience and
strenuous efforts. The old vicious Samskaras revenge when
you try to suppress them. Do not be afraid. They lose their
strength after some time. You have to tame the mind just as you
tame a wild elephant or a tiger. Do not indulge in vicious
thoughts which serve as food for the mind. Make the mind
Antarm u kha (self-i ntrospective ). Su bstitute good, vi rtuous su b-
lime thoughts. Feed the mind with ennobling aspirations and
ideas. Old vicious Samskaras will be gradually thinned out and
eventually obliterated.
Untrained aspirants generally mistake their own imagina-
tions and impulses for the inner voice or Adesa (divine com-
mand). This is a grave pity. Sometimes the sight of a beautiful
form gives pleasure to the mind. After all, mind wants pleasure.
lf the mind is trained to enjoy or taste the Bliss of the formless
Brahman or the Self Who is seated in the hearts of all, by prac-
tice of meditation, it will not run to beautiful forms outside.
lf you are not able to form the image of your lshta Devata,
if you are not able to fix the mind on your tutelary deity, you may
try to hear the sound of the Mantra repeated by you or think of
the letters of the Mantra in order. This will stop mind-wandering.
This is alldue to Vikshepa. There is no magical pill more effica-
cious than solitude to remove the disease of Vikshepa or toss-
ing of mind caused by reactions of impure impressions.
Suppose the mind runs outside during meditation forty
times within one hour. lf you can make it run only 38 times it is
decidedly a great improvement. You have gained some control
over the mind. lt demands strenuous practice for a long time to
check the mind-wandering. Vikshepa is very powerful. But
Sattva is more powerful than Vikshepa. lncrease your Sattva.
You can very easily control this oscillation of the mind.
9. TiventY Hints on Meditation

1. Have a separate meditation room under lock and key.
Never allow anybody to enter the room. Burn incense there.
Wash your feet and then enter the room.
2. Retire to a quiet place or room where you do not fear
interruption so that your mind may feel secure and at rest. Of
course, the ideal condition cannot always be obtained, in which
case you should do the best you can. You should be alone
yourself in communion with God or Brahman.
3. Get up at 4.00 a.m. (Brahmamuhurta) and meditate
from 4 to 6 a.m. Have another sitting at night from 7 to 8 p.m.
4. Keep a picture of your Ishta Devata in the room and
some religious books, the Gita, the Upanishads, the Yoga
Vasishtha, the Bhagavata, etc. Spread your Asana in front of
the picture.
5. Sit in Padma, Siddha, Sukha or Svastika Asana'
Keep the head, neck and trunk in a straight line. Do not bend ei-
ther forwards or backwards.
6. Close your eyes and concentrate gently on Trikuti,
the space between the two eyebrows. Lock the fingers.
7. Never wrestle with the mind. Do not use any violent
efforts in concentration. Relax all the muscles and the nerves.
Relax the brain. Gently think of your lshta Devata. Slowly re-
peat your Guru Mantra with Bhava and meaning. Still the bub-
bling mind. Silence the thoughts.
8. Make no violent effort to control the mind, but rather
allow itto run along fora while and exhaust its efforts. ltwilltake
advantage of the opportunity and will jump around like an un-
chained monkey at first, until it gradually slows down and looks
to you for orders. lt may take some time to tame the mind, but
each time you try it will come round to you in shorter time.
9. Have a background of thought, either a concrete
background of your lshta Murty along with the Mantra or an ab-
stract background of the idea of lnfinitywith OM if you are a stu-
dent of Jnana Yoga. This will destroy all other worldly thoughts
and take you to the goal. Through force of habit the mind will at
once take shelter in this background the moment you release it
from worldly activities.
. 10. Again and again withdraw the mind from worldly ob-
jects when it runs away from the Lakshya and fix it there. This
sort of combat will go on for some months.
11 When you meditate on Lord Krishna in the beginning,
keep His picture in front of you. Look at it with steady gaze with-
out winking the eyelids. See His feet first, then the yellow silk
robe, then the ornaments around His neck, then His face, ear-
rings, crown set with diamonds on head, then His armlets,
bracelets, then His conch, disc, mace and lotus. Then come
again to the feet. Now start again the same process. Do this
again and again for half an hour. When you feel tired, look
steadily on the face only. Do this practice for three months.
12. Then close your eyes and mentally visualise the pic-
ture and rotate the mind in the different parts as you did before.
13. You can associate the attributes of God as omnipo-
tence, omniscience, purity, perfection, etc., during the course
of your meditation.
14. lf evil thoughts enter your mind, do not use your
will-force in driving them. You will lose your energy only. you
will tax your will only. You will fatigue yourself. The great-er the
efforts you make, the more the evilthoughts will return with re-
doubled force. They will return more quickly also. The thoughts
will become-more powerful. Be indifferent. Keep quiet. They
will pass off soon. Or substitute good counterthoughti
(Pratipaksha-Bhavana method). Or think of the picture of God
and Mantra again and again forcibly. Or pray.
15. Never miss a day in meditation. Be regular and sys-
tematic. Take Sattvic food. Fruits and milk will help mental fo-
cussing. Give up meat, fish, eggs, smoking, liquors, etc.
16. Dash cold water in the face to drive off drowsiness.
Stand up for 15 minutes. Tie the tuft of hair on the head with a
piece of string to a nail above. As soon as you begin to doze,
the string will pull you and wake you up. lt will serve the part of a
mother. Or lean upon an improvised swing for 10 minutes and
move yourself to and fro. Do 10 or 20 mild Kumbhakas
(Pranayama). Do Sirshasana and Mayurasana. Take only milk
and fruits at night. By these methods you can combat against
sleep.
17 . Be careful in the selection of your companions. Give
up going to talkies. Talk little. Observe Mouna for two hours
PRACTICE OF MEDITATION I43
daily.Donotmixwithundesirablepersons.Readgoodinspir-
you do
in!,'religious books. (This is negative gôod compqly if
no"t'get [ositive good company). Have satsanga. These
are all
auxiliaries in meditation.
18. Do not shake the body. Keep it as firm as a rock'
Breathe slowly. Do not scratch the body every now and then'
iave the righi mental attitude as taught by your Guru'
lg.Whenthemindistired,donotconcentrate'Givea
little rest.
20.Whenanideaexclusivelyoccupiesthemind'itis
if
transformed into an actual physical or mental state. Therefore
k;;p ine minO futly occuiried with the thought of God. and
6, you will get into Nirvikalpa Samadhi very quickly'
b"O
"foh",exert. Exert in right earnest'
Therefore
10. Exercises in Meditation

l. Place a picture of Lord Jesus in front of yoy' Sit in your
favouritemeditativepose.Concentrategentlywithopen,eyes
the
on in" picture till tears trickle down your cheeks. Rotate
mind on the cross on the chest, long hair, beautiful beard,
i"r.O and the various other limbs of His body' andline
spiritual"y"t,
aura emanating from His head, and so on. Think of His
i,i"r""ting life and the iriracles He performed and the various
and
extraordiriary powers He possessed. Then close the eyes
ir,-io ,itrrriiethe picture. Repeat the same process again and
again.
ll. Place a picture of Lord Hari in front of you. sit.again in
yourmeditativeposture.Concentrate.gently-onthepicturetill
io, tn"J iears.'Rotate the mind on His feet, legs' y.ellow silk
iobes, golden garland set with diamonds, Kaustubha gem'
etc., on"tne ch5st, earrings, then the face, the crowl of the
n""b, the disc on the right upper hand, the conch on left upper
on
nand, the mace on the rlght iower hand, and the 1otus flower
the eyes and try to visualise the
in" r"t lower hand. Then-close
fi"trr". Repeat the same process again and again'
lll. Keep a picture of Lord Krishna with flute in hands. Sit in
vour meditative pose and gently concentrate on the picture till
io, rn"O tears. Think of His feet adorned with anklets, yellow
round His neck, the necklace set
irir""t various ornaments
gem, the long garland of beautiful flowers
iritn tn" kaustubha
I44 CONCENTRATION AND MEDITATION
of.various colours, earrings, crown set with precious jewers of

priceless value, dark and long hair, sparkling eyes, tne
titaka
on the forehead, the magnetic aura round niinebo, iong hands
adorned with bracelets and armtets, and the flute in tnd nanos
Leady
to beplayed upon. Then crose your eyes and visuarise
-again
the picture. Repeat the same process ind again.
lv' This is one kind of meditation for beginners. sit in
Padmasana meditation room. crose voli ev"s Medi-
-in.your
tate on the effulgence in the sun, or the sprendour in th" ,oon
or the glory in the stiars.
v. Meditate on the magnanimity of the ocean and its infi-
nite nature. Then compare ihe ocean to the infinite Brahman,
and the waves, foams and ice-bergs to the various nir".
forms. ldentify yourserf with the oc6an. Become sirent. iipano. "no
Expand.
Vl. This is another kind of meditation. Meditate on the Hi-
malayas. lmagine that the. Ganga takes its origin in the l"v r"-
gions of Gangotri
.near Uttiarariasi, flows thrdugh neniiLsn,
Haridwar, Varanasi, and then enters into the a-ay oieengai
near Gangasagar. Himalayas, Ganga and the iea_tn"re
three.thoughts onry shourd occupy y6ur mind. First taka your
11f t9 tfle icy regions of Gangotri, ihen atong tne cJnga'anO
finally to the sea. Rotate the mind in this manner for 10 minutes.
Vll. There is a living universal power that underries ail
these names and forms. Meditate on this power wnicn is iorr-
less. This will terminate in the realisation of the Abioiute,
Nirguna, Nirakara (formless) Consciousness eventually.
vlll. sit in Padmasana. ctose your eyes. Gazesteadiry on
the formless air only. concentrate'on th6 air. Meditate on't"
all-pervading nature of the air. This leads to the realiiation ot
the nameless and formress Brahman, the one rivinj frutn.
.. lX. Sit in your meditativê pose. Close your eyes. lmagine
that there is a supreme, lnfinite Effulgence hidd6n behinJ all
these names and forms, which is tantimount to the
"rrrg"r."
of crores of suns put together. This is another torm oif.fiijrn"
meditation.
X. Concentrate and meditate on the expansive blue sky.
This is another kind of Nirguna meditation.'gy-tne pr*iorc
methods of concentration th-e mind wilt cease ttiinLinfoi iinit"
forms. lt will slowly begin to mett in the ocean of peicL,-as lt is
deprived of its contents. The mind will become subfler and sub-
tler.
Xl. Have the picture of OM in front of you. Concentrate
gently.on this picture with open eyes till tears flow profusely.
Associate the ideas of eternity, infinity, immortality, etc., when
you think of OM. The humming of bees, the sweet notes of the
nightingale, the seven tunes in music, and all sounds are ema-
nations from OM only. OM is the essence of the Vedas. lmagine
that OM is the bow, the mind is the arrow and Brahman (God) is
the target. Aim at the target with great care and just as the ar-
row becomes one with the target, you will become one with
Brahman. The short accent of OM burns all sins, the long ac-
cent gives Moksha, and the elongated accent bestows all-psy-
chic powers (Siddhis). He who chants and meditates upon'this
monosyllable OM, chants and meditates upon all the Scrip-
tures of the world.
Xll. Sit in Padmasana or Siddhasana in your meditation
room. Watch the flow of breath. you will hear the sound
"SOHAM",'So' during inhalation and'Ham' during exhalation.
SOHAM means 'l AM HE.'The breath is reminding you of your
identity with-the _Supreme Soul. You are unconsciorisly refeat-
ing Soham 21 ,600 times daily at the rate of 15 Soham-per min-
ute. Associate the idea of Purity, Peace, perfection, Love, etc.,
along with Soham. Negate the bodywhile repeating the Mantra
and identify yourself with the Mantra, the Atman or the Su-
preme Soul.
Xlll. Uddhava asked Lord Krishna, "O Lotus-eyed! How to
meditate on Thee? Tell me what is the nature of thai meditation
and what it is?" To which Lord Krishna replied, .Be seated on
the Asana that is neither high nor low, with your body erect and
in an easy posture. Place your hinds on th-e lap. Fii your gaze
ollhe tip of the nose (in order to fix the mind). purify ine tracfs
of Prana by Puraka, Kumbhaka and Rechaka, and-then again
in the reverse way (i.e., first breathe in by the left nostril, irith
the right nostril closed by the tip of the thumb, then close the left
nostril by thetips of the ring finger and the litfle finger and retain
the breath in both the nostrils. Then remove the tiflof the thumb
and breathe out through the right nostril. Reverse the process
pV breathing in through the right nostrit, then retairiing the
breath in both the nostrils and letting out the breath throug-h the
left nostril.) Practise this Pranayama gradually witti your
senses controlled.
" 'Aum' with the sound of a bell extends all over from
Muladhara upwards. Raise the 'Aum'in the heart by means of
Prana (twelve fingers high) as if it were the thread of a Io-
tus-stalk. There tet ginOu, the fifteenth vowel sound, be added
to it. Thus practise Pranayama accompanied by the Pranava
reciting the'letter ten times. continue the practice t!Lee times a
day, aid within a month you shall be able to controlthe vital air.
Tne totus of the heart has its stalk upwards and the flower
downwards (and it is also closed, like the inflorescence with
bracts of the banana flower). Meditate on it, however, as facing
upwards and full-blown with eight petals and with pericap. On
ttie pericap, think of the sun, the moon, and fire one after an-
other. Firsi meditate on all the limbs. Then let the mind with-
draw the senses from their objects. Then draw the
concentrated mind completely towards Me, by means of
Buddhi (intellect). Then give up all other limbs and concentrate
onty, My smiling face. Do not meditate on anything
on one tiring-witndraw
else. Then the concentrated mind from that and fix it
on the Akasa (ether). Give up that also and being fixedon Me
(as Brahman; tninX of nothing at all. Yo.u shall see Me in Atman,
is identicat viitn att Atmans, even as light is identicalwith an-
other light. The delusions about objects, knowledge and action
shall then completely disappear."
This is a beautiful exercise for meditation prescribed by
Lord Krishna Himself in the Bhagavata Purana.
11. The State of Meditation

Generally when you have dreamless or deep sound sleep
it is either you Oo notiemember what you dreamt of or you fall
into absohite unconsciousness which is almost death-a taste
of death. But there is the posdibility of a sleep in which you en-
ter into an absolute silence, immortality and peace in all parts of
your being and your conscio.usness merges into
bat-Chit-Aninda. You ian hardly call it sleep forthere is perfect
awareness. ln that condition you can remain for a few minutes.
It will give you more rest and refreshment than hours of ordi-
nary sieep. You cannot have it by chance. lt requires a long
training.
When your meditation becomes deep, you. generally oper-
ate through the subtle Karana Sarira (causal body) only' The
Karana Sarira consciousness becomes your normal con-
sciousness. Yogins have a normal Karana Sarira conscious-
ness. Bhaktas like Lord Gauranga, Tukaram, Tulasidas,

identified themselves with their Karana Sarira and had normal
Karana Sarira consciousness. A Bhakta too becomes one with
Brahman. He has divine Aisvarya yet he has a thin ethereal
body. He keeps up his individuality. Awhirl-pool is one with the
whole mass of the water. lt has a separate existence also. Simi-
lar is the case with the Bhakta who has a life with his Karana
Sarira.
You will have to pass through six stages of meditation and
finally you will enter into perfect Nirvikalpa Samadhi or
superconscious State. Form-perception and reflex-perception
will totally vanish. There is neither meditation nor the meditated
now. The meditator and the meditated have become one. you
will attain now the highest knowledge, eternal and supreme
peace. This is the aim of existence. This is the final beatitude of
life. You are an established sage or an illumined Jivanmukta
now. You are liberated while living. Hence you are called a
Jivanmukta. You are absolutely free from pain, sorrow, fear,
doubt and delusion. You have become identicalwith Brahman.
The bubble has become the ocean. The river has joined the
ocean, and has become the ocean. Alldifferences and distrac-
tions will totally vanish. You will experience "l am the lmmortal
Self. All indeed is Brahman. There is nothing but Brahman."
ln the beginning of meditation lights of various colours,
such as red, white, blue, green, a mixture of red and green light,
etc., appear in the forehead. They are Tanmatric lights. Every
Tattva has its own hue. Prithvi Tatfua has yellow colour. Apas
has white colour. Agni has red colour. Vayu has green colour.
Akasa has blue colour. The coloured lights are due to these
Tattvas.
Sometimes a big sun or moon or lightning-like flashes ap-
pear in front of the forehead during meditation. Do not mind
these appearances. Shun them. Try to dive deep into the
source of these lights.
Sometimes Devatas, Rishis, Nitya Siddhas will appear in
meditation. Receive them with honour. Bow to them. Get
advice from them. They appear before you to help and give you
encouragement.
When there is one Vritti alone, you will get Savikalpa
Samadhi. When this one Vritti also dies, you will get Nirvikalpa
Samadhi.
ln Samadhi, the Triputi (triad-knower, knowledge and

knowable) vanishes. The meditator and the meditated, the
thinker and the thought become one and identical. There is no
meditation in Samadhi. lt drops. The Dhyata (meditator) and
Dhyana get merged in Dhyeya (object of meditation).
Beginners will get jerks in meditation. Jerks of head, feet,
hands, arms, forearm and trunk may take place. Timid persons
are unnecessarily alarmed on the score. lt is nothing. Medita-
tion brings on changes in the cells of brain, nerves, etc. OId
cells are replaced by new vigorous cells. They are filled with
Sattva. New groups, new channels for Sattvic thought-cur-
rents, new avenues are formed in the brain and mind. The mus-
cles are therefore agitated a bit. Be courageous and bold.
Courage is an important virtue and qualification for aspirants.
Cultivate this positive quality.
For a few days probably there will be no change percepti-
ble. You willstillfeeland show irritability. Go on practising every
morning. Presently, as you say an irritable thing, the thought
will flash into your mind, unbidden, "l should have been pa-
tient." Still go on with your practice. Soon the thought of pa-
tience will arise with the irritable impulse and the outer
manifestation will be checked. Still go on practising. The irrita-
bility has disappeared and patience has become your normal
attitude towards annoyance. ln this manner you can develop
various virtues of sympathy, self-restraint, purity, humility, be-
nevolence, nobility, generosity, etc.
Only a trained mind which utterly controls the body can in-
quire and meditate endlessly. So long as life remains, never for
a moment lose sight of the object of your search and contem-
plation (Brahman), never for a moment allow it to be obscured
by any terrestrial temptation.
During the inhalation the air comes out 16 digits. When the
mind gets concentrated it will become less and less. lt will
come to 15, then 14, 13,12,10, 8 and so on. When you enter
into very deep, silent meditation, breath will not come out of the
nostrils.
There may be occasionalslow movementof the lungs and
the abdomen. From the nature of the breathing you can infer
the degree of concentration of an aspirant. Watch the breath
very carefully.
When you advance in the spiritual practice it will be very

difficult for you to do meditation and office-work at the same
time because the mind will undergo double strain. lt works in
different grooves and channels with different Samskaras dur-
ing meditation. lt finds it very difficult to adjust to different kinds
of uncongenial activities. As soon as it comes down from the
meditation it gropes in darkness. lt gets bewildered and
puzzled.lt has to work in different grooves and channels. When
you again sit for meditation in the evening you will have to
struggle hard to wipe out the newly acquired Samskaras you
have gathered during the course of the day and get a calm
one-pointedness of mind. This struggle brings in sometimes
headache. The Prana (energy) which moves inward in different
grooves and channels and which is subtle during the medita-
tion has to move in new, different channels during worldly activ-
ities. lt becomes very gross during work.
When the mind becomes steady in meditation the
eye-balls become steady. AYogiwhose mind is calm will have
a steady eye. There will be no winking at all. The eyes will be
lustrous, red or pure white.
The purifying process leads to a deeper insight into Truth.
This is the action of Grace of the Lord upon the soul in medita-
tion. ln this inflowing Grace there forthwith arises that light of
the mind into which God is sending a ruy of His unclouded
Splendour. This Light is vastly potent.
When the Sushumna Nadi is working, i.e., when the
breath flows through both the nostrils, meditation goes on with
ease and joy. The mind then is calm. There is an increase of
Sattvaguna when Sushumna is operating. Sitfor meditation the
moment the Sushumna begins to flow.
Considerable changes take place in the mind, brain and
the nervous system by the practice of meditation. New
nerve-currents, new vibrations, new avenues, new grooves,
new cells and new channels are formed. The whole mind and
the nervous system are remodelled. You will develop a new
heart, a new mind, new sensations, new feelings, new modes
of thinking and a new view of the universe (as God in manifes-
tation).
The meditation-room should be regarded as a temple of
God. Talks of profane nature should never be indulged in the
room. No vicious thoughts of rancorous jealousy, avarice are to
be entertained there. Admittance should ever be sought in it

with a pious and reverent mind. For, what we do, what we think
and we speak of, leave their impressions in the room and if no
care is taken to avoid them, they will exert their influence on the
aspirant's mind and rendering his mind perverse and restive,
make him incapable of attending to the devotion. The words ut-
tered, the thoughts cherished, the deeds done are not lost, they
are always reflected on the subtle layers of ether encircling the
room where they are done and affect the mind invariably. As
much as possible, efforts should be made to overcome them.
This is to be done for a few months only. When the habit is
changed, everything will be all right.
When the mind is Sattvic, you can get glimpses or flashes
of intuition. You will compose poems. You will understand the
significance of the Upanishads beautifully. But this stage will
not last long in neophytes. Tamas and Rajas will try to enter the
mental factory. ln the beginning the stage of progress may be
like the frog's, never steady and continuous. You may think that
you have almost reached the goal, and experience for the next
15 or 20 days nothing but disappointment. lt will be a jump from
position to position, but not a continuous development. Have
sustained, intense Vairagya and do intense protracted
Sadhana. Be under the direct guidance and in close contact
with your Guru for some years. You will have steady and contin-
uous progress.
When you experience bliss in meditation, some peculiar
sensation willdisturb you and with this disturbance the sublime
bliss will disappear. During meditation Sattva increases, but
Rajas is ever trying to overcome Sattva. You feel the peculiar
sensation of disturbance on account of entry of Rajas. The
thought of any work that you will have to do may also cause dis-
turbing sensation. Forget all works and speak to the mind. "l
have nothing more to do. I have done everything." When Satfua
increases through inquiry vigorous Sadhana and greater
Vairagya, this disturbance will vanish and you will experience
deep meditation. The bliss also will last for a long time.
Siddhas, Devas and others surrounded Uddalaka Muni.
Celestial-ladies flocked to him in great numbers. Devendra of-
fered to the Muni his Devaloka. Uddalaka totally declined to ac-
cept anything. The ladies tried to entice him by their vile
charms. They told him, "Take your seat in the celestial car. lt will
take thee to Devaloka. Here are the springs that confer
lmmortality. Here are the celestial nymphs to serve thee. Thy

rare Tapas has brought all these for thee. Here is Chintamani."
Uddalaka, the brave, resisted alltemptations and shone in ef-
fulgence. He did not long for sensual objects. After six months
the Muni awoke from his Samadhi. He would spend in one sit-
ting, days and months and even years in deep Samadhi, and
then would wake up. Baliwas statue-like in Samadhifor a long
period. Janaka remained statue-like in Samadhi for a long time.
Prahlada seated himself statue-like in Nirvikalpa Samadhi for
many years.
12. Practice of Samyama

The three-Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi-together
constitute Samyama. Samyama is the name given to the com-
bined practice of Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi at one and
the same time. By Samyama on external objects the Yogi gets
various Siddhis and hidden knowledge of the universe of
Tanmatras, etc. By concentration on lndriyas, Ahankara, mind,
etc., he gets various powers and experiences.
These three (Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi) are more
internalthan the preceding Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama
and Pratyahara. These three constitute the Yoga proper. The
five accessories are the external means of Yoga. These three
directly bring Samadhi. The other five purify the body, Prana
and lndriyas. Hence these three are called Antaranga
Sadhana.
By the conquest of Samyama comes the stage of cogni-
tion. As Samyama becomes firmer and firmer, so does the
knowledge of Samadhi become more and more lucid. This is
the fruit of the practice of Samyama. Samyama should become
very natural. Then the knowledge flashes like anything.
Samyama is a powerful weapon for the Yogi. Just as the archer
aims at the gross objects at first and then trakes to subtle ob-
jects he does great deal of practice and ascends the Yogic lad-
der rung by rung.
By Samyama on the sun comes the knowledge of the
worlds. By Samyama on the moon, comes the knowledge of
the region of stars. By Samyama on the Pole Star, comes the
knowledge of the movements of the starts. By Samyama on the
strength of elephants and others, comes their strength.
By Samyama on the signs (of others), comes the knowl-

edge of their minds. By Samyama on the relation of the earand
ether, comes the divine hearing. By Samyama on the relation
between ether and body, to the Yogi attaining the lightness of
cotton, comes the power of passage through ether (air).
By Samyama and direct perception of the Samskaras (im-
pressions of mind), comes the knowledge of the previous birth.
By Samyama on the distinctive relation between Sattva (purity)
and Purusha (the soul), comes the power of omnipotence and
omniscience. By Samyama on the Chakra (plexus) of navel,
comes the knowledge of the body.
By Samyama on the Chakra atthe pit of the throat, comes
the removal of hunger and thirst. By Samyama on the light of
the head, comes the Darshan of Siddhas.
13. Prasnottari on Meditation

Q: What is Brahma-Muhurta?
A: 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. is termed as Brahma-Muhurta.
Q: Why is it eulogised by Rishis?
A: Because it is favourable for meditation on God or
Brahman. Hence it is called Brahma-Muhurta.
Q: What are the advantages gained by Sadhakas by
meditating at this particular hour?
A: At this particular hour the mind is very calm and se-
rene. lt is free from worldly thoughts, worries and anxieties. The
mind is like a blank sheet of paper and comparatively free from
worldly Samskaras. lt can be very easily moulded at this time
before worldly distractions enter the mind. Further the atmo-
sphere also is charged with more Satfua at this particular time.
There is no bustle and noise outside.
Q: Should ! take bath before starting meditation?
A: lf you are strong enough, if you are hale and hearty, if
the weather and season can permit, if you are in the prime of
youth, take a bath either in cold, lukewarm or hot water as de-
sired. Otherwise, wash your hands, feet and face with cold wa-
ter. Do Achamanam (sipping waterwith Mantra'Om Achyutaya
Namah, Om Anantaya Namah, Om Govindaya Namah.)
Q: How to take to meditation or concentrate the mind for
Ekagrata?
A: First concentrate on the figure of Lord Hari with four

hands for one year. Then take to abstract meditation, or medi-
tation on an idea. You can meditate on these: "Om Ekam,
Akhanda, Chidakasa, Sarua-Bhuta-Antaratma-one indivisible
Atman, the lndweller of the creatures, all-pervading subtle con-
sciousness like ether."
Q: My greatest difficulty is about concentration of the
mind. The mind almost always runs away during my medita-
tion. What is the remedy?
A: Strengthen your Vairagya and Abhyasa. Again and
again you will have to bring the mind to the Lakshya. lf you can
make it run 50 times instead of 55 times, that is great achieve-
ment for you. Mouna (vow of silence) will help you a lot. ln win-
ter you have your sittings in meditation in the morning,
afternoon, evening and at night.
Q: What can I do besides Pranayama to elevate the
mind when it gets dull during meditation? May I use coun-
ter-suggestions?
A: Whenever the mind gets dull, assert: "l am Atman. I
am full of knowledge. I am Jnana-Svarupa. I am Omnipo-
tent-OM OM OM.'The mind will be elevated and fixed in your
meditation.
Q: AYogitold me while meditating on God, that he could
hear the sound of Sri Krishna's flute and the Sankha-Nada. ls it
true? lf so, how to hear it?
A: lt is quite true. Concentrate upon Krishna's picture.
You will hear those two kinds of sound. Close the ears with the
two thumbs or a ball of yellow beeswax beaten with cotton and
concentrate deeply on the sounds you hear from the right ear.
You will hear those sounds. Practise this at night.
Q: I would pray to you to give me some more instruc-
tions, some methods of Dhyana and some hints for getting
along the right path.
A: Visualise every part of Sri Krishna's body with His or-
naments, silk Pitambara, flute, etc., with closed eyes. Keep the
image steady. lf the mind runs and if you cannot bring it back to
the point, allow itto roam aboutfora while. ltwillsettle down by
itself after jumping hither and thither for some time.
Q: Why should we devote time for meditation? God is
not desirous of our prayers.
A: The goal of life is Self-realisation or God-conscious-

ness. All our miseries, birth, old age and death, can end only by
realisation of God. Realisation can be had through meditation
on God. There is no other way, my dear Rama. Therefore one
should practise meditation. God prompts us to do prayers,
Japa, etc., because He is the Preraka (He who inspires our
minds).
Q: Can I get help from God during meditation?
A: Yes. The indwelling presence that shines in your
heart is awaiting with outstretched hands to embrace the sin-
cere devotee.
Q: ls it advisable to do meditation after meals at night? A
Grihastha is so much disturbed in the evening that he scarcely
gets time to meditate.
A: Meditation at night, a second sitting, is absolutely
necessary. lf you have sufficient time at night, you can meditate
even for a few minutes, say 10 or 15, before going to bed. By so
doing the spiritual Samskaras will increase. The spiritual
Samskaras are valuable assets or priceless treasures for you.
Further you will have no bad dreams at night. The Divine
thoughts will be carried during sleep. The good impressions will
be there.
Q: What is the difference between Japa and meditation?
A: Japa is the silent repetition of the Name of the Lord.
Meditation is the constant flow of one idea of God. When you
repeat 'Om Namo Narayanaya' it is Japa of Vishnu Mantra.
When you think of conch, discus, mace and lotus-flower in the
hands of Vishnu, His earrings, crown on His head, His yellow
silk Pitambara, etc., it is meditation. When you think of the at-
tributes of God such as Omniscience, Omnipotence, etc., it is
also meditation.
Q: Give me practical instructions as to how to meditate.
A: Sit in Padma or Siddha Asana in a solitary room, keep
the head, neck and trunk in one straight line. Close your eyes.
lmagine that a big effulgent sun is shining in the chambers of
your heart. Place the picture of Lord Vishnu in the centre of a lo-
tus flower. Locate the picture now in the centre of the blazing
sun. Repeat His Mantra "Om Namo Narayanaya" mentally and
see His image in your heart mentally from foot to head, His
weapons in the hands, etc. Shut off all other worldly ideas.
Q: When I meditate, my head becomes heavy. How to

remove this?
A: Apply Amalaka oil to the head and take cold bath.
Dash some cold water on the head before you sit for medita-
tion. You will be all right. Do not wrestle with the mind.
Q: ls seclusion necessary?
A: Absolutely necessary. lt is indispensable.
Q: How long should I remain in seclusion?
A: For full three years.
Q: Can you suggest me some solitary place for
meditation?
A: Rishikesh, Haridwar, Nasik, Uttarkasi, Badrinarayan,
Kankhal (near Haridwar), Brindavan, Mathura, Ayodhya, or
Kashmir.
Q: How shall I prepare myself for contemplative life?
A: Divide your property between your sons. Keep some-
thing for yourself to keep the life going. Distribute a portion in
charity. Build a Kutir in Rishikesh and live there. Do not write
letters to your sons. Do not enter into plains. Then start medita-
tion. Your mind will rest in peace now. Do this at once. You must
hurry up.
Q: When lwas living in Uttarkasi I had good Nishtha, ex-
alted Vrittis and good Dharana. I have lost them now when I en-
tered the plains even though I do Sadhana. Why? How to raise
myself as before?
A: Contact with the worldly-minded people at once af-
fects the mind. Vikshepa comes in. Mind imitates. Bad, luxuri-
ous habits are developed. Bad environments and bad
associations play a tremendous part and produce bad influ-
ence in the mind of Sadhakas. Old Samskaras are revived. I
will ask you to run at once to Uttarkasi back again. Do not delay
even a single minute. As the mind is formed out of the subtlest
part of the food, it gets attached to that man from whom it re-
ceives its food. Do not be under obligation to anybody. Lead an
independent life. Rely on your own self.
CHAPTER FIVE
KINDS OF MEDITATION
1. Selection for Meditafion
There are different kinds of meditation. A particular kind is
best suited to a particular mind. The kind of meditation varies
according to taste, temperament, capacity and type of mind of
the individual. Adevotee meditates on his tutelary deity or lshta
Devata. A Raja Yogi meditates on the special Purusha or lsvara
who is not touched by the afflictions, desires and Karmas. A
Hatha Yogi meditates on the Chakras and their presiding dei-
ties. A Jnani meditates on his Self or Atman. You will have to
find out yourself the kind of meditation that is suitable for you. lf
you are not able to do this, you will have to consult a teacher or
preceptor who has attained Self-realisation. He will be able to
know the nature of your mind and the correct method of medita-
tion for you.
The mind assumes the form of the object it cognises.
Then only perception is possible. A Bhakta constantly medi-
tates on the form of his tutelary deity or lshta Devata. The mind
is always takes the form of the Deity. When he is established in
his meditation, when he attains the stage of Para Bhakti or su-
preme devotion, he sees his lshta Devata only everywhere.
Then names and forms vanish. Adevotee of Lord Krishna sees
Lord Krishna only everywhere and experiences the state de-
scribed in the Gita "Vaasudevah Sarvam /fi:-EveMhing is
Vaasudeva (Krishna) only." A Jnani or a Vedanti sees his own
Self or Atman everywhere. The world of names and forms van-
ishes from his view. He experiences the utterances of the seers
of the Upanishadsi"Satyam Khalvidam Brahma-all indeed is
Brahman."
Meditation is of two main kinds, viz., Saguna (concrete)
meditation and Nirguna (abstract) meditation. ln concrete med-
itation the Yogic student concentrates on the form of the Lord
Krishna, Rama, Siva, Hari, Gayatri or Sri Devi. ln abstract med-
itation he concentrates the whole energy of the mind on one
idea of God or Atman and avoids comparisons of memories
and all other ideas. The one idea fills the whole mind.
(1s6)
KINDS OF MEDITATION t57
When you see the concrete figure of Lord Krishna with

open eyes and meditate, it is the concrete form of meditation.
When you reflect over the image of Lord Krishna by closing
your eyes, it is also concrete form of meditation but it is more
abstract. When you meditate on the infinite, abstract light it is
still more abstract meditation. The former two types belong to
Saguna form of meditation, the latter to Nirguna form. Even in
Nirguna meditation there is a concrete form in the beginning for
fixing the mind. Later on, this form vanishes and the meditator
and the meditated become one.
Saguna meditation is meditation on a Murty or form of the
Lord. This is a concrete form of meditation for people of devo-
tional temperament. This is meditation with Gunas or attributes
of God. Repeat the name of the Lord or pure OM. Think of His
attributes, Omniscience, Omnipotence, Omnipresence, etc.
Your mind will be filled with purity. Enthrone the Lord in the lotus
of your heart amidst a blazing light. Mentally think of His feet,
legs, chest, head, hands and the ornaments and dress and
again come to His feet. Again and again repeat this process.
lmagine that there is a fine garden with lovely flowers. ln
one corner there are beautiful cabbage-roses. ln the second
corner there is the "lady of the night." ln the third corner there
are Champaka flowers and in the fourth, jasmine. First medi-
tate on jasmine. Then take the mind to the rose. Then to the
"lady of the night" and finally to the Champaka. Again rotate the
mind as above. Do this again and again for 15 minutes. Gross
meditation like this will prepare the mind to finer abstract medi-
tation on subtle ideas.
Have the figure 'OM' in front of you. Concentrate on this.
Do Trataka also with open eyes (steady gazing without wink-
ing, till tears flow profusely). This is both Saguna and Nirguna
meditation (with and without attributes). Keep a picture of OM
in your meditation-room. You can do Puja for this symbol of
Brahman. Burn incense, etc., and offer flowers. This suits the
modern educated persons.
This is abstract meditation on Nirguna Brahman. Repeat
OM mentally with Bhava (feeling). Associate the ideas of
Sat-Chit-Ananda, Purity, Perfection, "All-Joy I am," "All Bliss I
am."
There is no world. There is neither body nor mind. There is

only one Chaitanya (pure consciousness). I am that pure Con-
sciousness. This is Nirguna meditation (without attributes).
Meditation on Mahavakyas is tantamount to meditation on
OM. You can take up either "Aham Brahma Asmi-l am
Brahman" or "Tat Tvam Asl-That thou art." These are the
Mahavakyas or the great sentences of the Upanishads. Medi-
tiate on their signiflcance. Deny or negate or throw out the
Koshas and identify with the one essence that lies behind
them.
Meditate. Purify your mind. Practise concentration in a
solitary room. Then squeeze out the Upanishads and the Gita
from your heart. Do not depend upon imperfect commentaries.
lf you are sincere, you will understand the real Sankalpas
(thoughts) of the Rishis of the Upanishads and Lord Krishna,
what they really meant when they uttered those wise Slokas
(verses) in scriptures.
Unfold the Divinity that is lurking in your heart by concen-
tration and meditation. Do not waste your time. Do nqt waste
your life. Meditate. Meditate. Do not lose even a single minute.
Meditation will remove all the miseries of life. That is the only
way. Meditation is the enemy of the mind. lt brings about
Manonasa or the annihilation of the mind.
Meditation is of two kinds, viz., concrete and abstract. lf
you meditate on any picture of a concrete object, it is concrete
meditation. lf you meditate on an abstract idea, or any quality
(such as mercy, tolerance), it is abstract meditation. Abeginner
should practise concrete meditation. For some, abstract medi-
tation is more easy than concrete meditation.
The aspirant can take up the practice of meditation after
he is well up in Pratyahara (abstraction of lndriyas) and con-
centration. lf the lndriyas are turbulent, if the mind cannot be
fixed on one point, no meditation is possible even within hun-
dreds of years. One should go stage by stage and step by step.
The mind should be withdrawn again and again to the point
when it runs. One should reduce his wants and renounce all
sorts of wild, vain desires of the mind. A de$ireless man only
can sit quiet and practise meditation. Sattvic, light diet and
Brahmacharya are the prerequisites for the practice of medita-
tion.
KINDS OF MEDITATION 159
Consciousness is of two kinds, viz., focussing conscious-

ness and marginal consciousness. When you concentrate on
Trikuti, the space midway between the two eyebrows, your fo-
cussing consciousness is on the Trikuti. When some flies sit on
your left hand during meditation, you drive them with your right
hand. When you become conscious of the flies, it is called mar-
ginal consciousness.
Aseed which has remained in fire for a second will not un-
doubtedly sprout into leaves even though sown in a fertile soil.
Even so, a mind that does meditation for some time but runs to-
wards sensual objects on account of unsteadiness will not
bring in the full fruits of Yoga.
2. Meditation in Different Paths

Meditation is of two kinds, viz., concrete meditation and
abstract meditation. Meditation follows concentration.
The Samadhi becomes Sahaja or natural through long
practice of Nididhyasana and not through Pranayama or any
Hatha Yogic practice.
A Raja Yogi enters into the meditative mood deliberately
by practising Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara
and Dharana. A Bhakta enters into the meditative mood by cul-
tivating pure love for God. A Vedantin or a Jnana Yogi enters
into the meditative mood by acquiring the four means, hearing
the Srutis and reflecting on what he has heard. A Hatha Yogi
enters into the meditative mood by practising deep and con-
stant Pranayama.
Meditate on the form of Lord Hariwith four hands, or Lord
Krishna with flute in hand or Lord Rama with bow and arrow in
hands. This is concrete or gross meditation (Sthula Dhyana).
Meditate on silence or peace or Santi. This is abstract or subtle
meditation (Sukshma Dhyana). Meditate: "l am an embodiment
of silence or peace." This is Vedantic Nirguna Meditation or
Ahamgraha Upasana. Meditate on bliss orAnanda. This is also
abstract meditation. Choose any type of meditation according
to your temperament, taste, capacity or disposition and reach
the goal of life in this birth.
Dhyana (meditation) is of two kinds viz., Japa-Sahita
Dhyana, i.e., meditation attended or associated with Japa, and
Japa-Rahita Dhyana, i.e., meditation without any Japa or pure
meditation only. When you repeat: "Om Namo Narayanaya"

mentally or verbally, it is mere Japa. When you repeat the Man-
tra and at the same time you meditate on the form of Hariwith
conch, discus, mace, lotus, yellow cloth (Pitambara), armlets,
bracelets, etc., it is Japa-Sahita Dhyana. When you progress in
meditation the Japa willdrop by itself. You will have meditation
only. This will constitute Japa-Rahita Dhyana.
Just as the light is burning within the hurricane lamp so
also the divine flame is burning from time immemorial in the
lamp of your heart. Close your eyes, merge yourself within the
divine flame. Plunge deep in the chambers of your heart. Medi-
tate on this divine flame and become a flame of God.
Withdraw the lndriyas from the objects. Propitiate the Lord
by your Supreme Thpas. Meditate on Lord Hari, get into the
dazzling divine car and reach the supreme abode of Vishnu.
O friends, wake up, sleep no more. Meditate. lt is
Brahma-Muhurta now Open the gate of the temple of the Lord
in your heart with the key of love. Hear the music of the soul.
Sing the song of Prema to your Beloved. Play the melody of the
lnfinite. Melt your mind in His contemplation. Unite with Him.
lmmerse yourself in the ocean of Love and Bliss.
These are the signs that indicate that you are growing in
meditation and approaching God. You will have no attraction
for the world. The sensual objects will no longer tempt you. You
will become desireless, fearless, l-less, and mine-less. Deha-
Adhyasa or attachment to the body will gradually dwindle. You
will not entertain the ideas, "She is my wife," "He is my son,"
"This is my house." You will feel that all are the manifestations
of the Lord. You will behold God in every object.
The body and mind will become light. You will always be
cheerful and happy. The name of the Lord will always be on
your lips. The mind will be ever fixed on the lotus-feet of the
Lord. The mind will be ever producing the image of the Lord. lt
will be ever seeing the picture of the Lord. You will actually feel
that Sattva or purity, light, bliss and knowledge are ever flowing
from the Lord to you and filling up your heart.
The ultimate goal of human aspiration, according to
Patanjali Maharshi, the founder of Raja Yoga Philosophy, is not
union with or absorption in God, but the absolute isolation
(Kaivalya) of the Soul from matter.
Make the mind calm. Steady the intellect. Stillthe senses.

Now you will enter into deep meditation. Be vigilant. The Rajas
may try to rush in. Whip the invader ruthlessly and again attain
serenity.
ln Yoga the vision is directed inside. The outgoing senses
and the mind are restrained by the Yogi by ceaseless practice.
The Yogi controls the Vrittis orthe waves of the mind and even-
tually rests in Asamprajnata Samadhi or seedless Samadhi. He
encounters great difficulties in controlling the Vrittis. The waves
of the ocean are nothing when compared with the waves of the
mind-ocean. The very vigilant undaunted Yogi is in the seaman
or the captain of this body-steamer that is tossed about in the
terrible ocean of Samsara. He stops the mental waves through
ceaseless concentration of mind (Dharana) and meditation
(Dhyana) and eventually reaches the other shore of fearless-
ness and immortality.
When you reach the spiritual summit or thoughflessness,
you will reach the abode of lmmortality and eternal peace and
supreme bliss. Ramal Start your homeward journey. March
boldly in the spiritual path. Be not afraid of difficulties. Be bold.
Ascend peak after peak. Cross the deep ravines of subfle
Moha and pride that comes in your way. Take a long jump and
cross the mystic frontier of war. Enter now into the infinite do-
main of pure bliss and highest knowledge. Regain your old
pristine, divine glory. Rest in your Sat-Chit-Ananda Svarupa.
Understand and realise the nature and power of thoughts.
Curb the base thoughts by entertaining sublime thoughts. Tran-
scend the sublime thoughts also and enter into a thoughiless
state. ldentify yourself with pure consciousness.
Even an exceedingly sinful man, when he meditates on
the immutable Atman even for a moment, becomes an ascetic
of great purity.
Fire is generated in sacrifice by rubbing two pieces of
wood (Arani). Even so the fire of wisdom is generated by medi-
tation on the Supreme Self.
The mind is disciplined in the beginning by fixing it on a
concrete object or symbol. When it is rendered steady and sub-
tle, it can be fixed later, on an abstract idea such as "Aham
Brahma Asmi."
'l
Meditate always: am pure consciousness. am I
Sat-Chit-Ananda Brahman. I am the immutable self-effulgent,
immortal Self. I am the silent witness of the three states, viz.,
waking state, dream state, deep sleep state. I am distinct from
the body, mind, Prana and the senses. I am distinct from the
five sheaths.' You will attain Self-realisation. You will have
knowledge of the Self (Brahma-Jnana).
A Yati (anchorite) should always meditate on the Bhava
which is experienced just before sleep and at the termination of
the waking state by which only he is freed and by none else.
This is the only prop (Alambana)to get at the real Nissankalpa
or Nirdvandva state.
A desire arises in the mind. lt is gratified. Another desire
arises. ln the interval between two desires, there is perfect still-
ness of mind. The mind is free from Sankalpas and love and
hate during this interval. There is perfect peace during the
interval or Sandhi between two Vrittis of the mind'
When the mind is concentrated on Brahman (Supreme
Self), it becomes one with Brahman like camphor with the
flame or salt with water or water with milk. Mind melts in Brah-
man. Mind becomes of the nature of Brahman. Then there is no
duality. The meditator becomes Brahman. This is the state of
Kaivalya.
This microcosm and macrocosm-the three Gods
Brahma, Vishnu and Siva-are contained in OM. Allthe Vedas
and the six Darshanas are contained in OM. OM is everything'
OM is Brahman. Meditate on OM with meaning and Bhava.
Know the Brahman and be free.
You will have to pass through six stages of meditation and
finally you will enter into perfect Nirvikalpa Samadhi or
superconscious state. Form-perception will totally vanish.
There is neither meditation nor the meditated now. The
meditatorand the meditated have become one. You will nowat-
tain the highest knowledge and eternal supreme peace. This is
the final beatitude of life. You are an enlightened sage or the il-
lumined Jivanmukta now You are liberated while living. Hence
you are called a Jivanmukta. You are absolutely free from pain,
sorrow, fear, doubt and delusion. You have become identical
with Brahman. The bubble has become the ocean. The river
has joined the ocean and has become the ocean. All differ-
ences and distinctions will totally vanish. you will now experi-
ence: "l am the lmmortal Self. All indeed is Brahman. There is
nothing but Brahman."
Try to continue the Akhanda Brahmic feeling. Soar high.
Keep that state as long as you can. Get established in That.
Have Sahaja Avastha (natural Brahmic feeling) always. This
must be your aim and endeavour now.
3. Preliminary Meditation
(A) MEDTTATTON ON A ROSE
Dharana or concentration is fixing of the mind on a con-
crete object or on an abstract idea. Meditation follows concen-
tration. Meditation is an unbroken, uninterrupted or incessant
flow of ideas of the object that is being concentrated upon.
Concrete meditation on an object is necessary for an untrained
mind in the beginning. Sit in Padma, Siddha or Sukha Asana in
a room set apart only for meditation and meditate on the colour,
form, the various parts of rose such as petals, stalk, pollen, etc.,
on the various kinds of roses, as white rose, yellow rose, red
rose, cabbage rose, on the various preparations as rose water,
rose syrup, scents as Otto de Rose, essence of rose, confec-
tions as Gulkand, etc., of the diverse uses of rose as rose water
for cleaning the eyes in ophthalmia, Gulkand as a laxative in
constipation, the flowers and garlands for worship of God and
for wearing, etc., on the various virtuous properties such as its
cooling effect on the system, its carminative properties, the
price of rose and garlands of roses, the places where they are
found in abundance and various other items connected with
rose. You must exclude any other foreign thought associated
with other objects. By this concrete method the mind becomes
fit for abstract meditation. Practise for half an hour daily in the
morning at 5 a.m. for a month.
(B) MEDTTATTON ON A BUFFALO

Krishna Chaitanya, a Brahmachari in Omkar Ashram on
the banks of the holy Narmada, went to Rama Acharya and
prayed to him to teach him the method of meditation. Rama
Acharya said to Krishna, "O Krishna, meditate on Lord Krishna
having crossed legs and flute in hand, located in the midst of a
big sun in the lotus of your heart and repeat mentally the fa-
mous Krishna Mantra: 'Om Namo Bhagavate Vaasudevaya'."

Krishna Chaitanya said, "Guruji, I am quite dull-headed. I can-
not do this. This is too difficult for me. The Mantra is very very
long. Kindly suggest an easy method"'
Rama Acharya said, "O Krishna Chaitanya! Do not be
afraid. I will tell you an easy way. Hearken. Place a beautiful,
small brass idol of Sri Krishna in front of you. Sit in Padmasana.
Look at this idol, hands, legs, etc., with aftention. Do not look at
any other object." Krishna replied, "O Guruji, this is still.more
difficult. Sitting with crossed legs will give severe pain in the
hips and the knees. lf I think of the pain I cannot look at the idol.
I have to sit steadily, look with attention and mark carefully the
various parts. I cannot do more than one action at a time and I
cannot iemember more than two things at a time. O Guruji
Maharaj, kindly show me a very very easy way'"
Rama Acharya said, "O Chaitanya, place the photo of
your father in front of you. Sit in front of the photo in q1y v-vay
you like. Simply look at the figure for a short time." Krishna
bhaitanya replied, "O Guru, my protector, this is also difficult,
because I am very much afraid of my father. He is a terrible
man. He used to beat me severely. ltremble the very moment I
think of his form. My legs quiven This will never suit me' I
should say, this method is more difficultthan the previous ones.
I pray, Guruji, kindly suggest a very very simple method this
time. I will surely follow."
Rama Acharya said, "O Krishna, tell me now, which thing
do you like best?'; Krishna replied, "O Guruji, I have tended a
buffalo in my house. I have taken plenty of milk, curd and ghee
from that buffalo. I like it best of all. I constantly remember this.r'
Rama Acharya said, "Krishna, now go to this room, lock the
door. sit in a corner on a mat and constantly think and meditate
on this buffalo only to the exclusion of all other objects. Do not
think of anything else. Do this presently."
Now Krishna Chaitanya was very much pleased. With a
gay, cheerful mind he went inside the room, followed the in-
6tructions of the Guru implicitly and began to meditate on the
buffalo with one-pointed mind intensely. He did not get up from
the seat for three days continuously.
He forgot all about his food. He was unconscious of his
body and sulroundings. He was deeply absorbed in the form of
the buffalo. Rama Acharya came on the third day to the room of
Krishna to see his condition and found Krishna absorbed in
meditation. With a loud voice the Guru called out, ,,O Krishna,
how do you feel? Come outside and take your food.,, Krishna
replied, "O Guruji, I am very gratefulto you. I am in deep medi_
tation now. I cannot come out now. I am very big. Horns have
grown out of my head. I cannot get out of the small door. I like
the buffalo very much. I have become buffalo myself.,'
Rama Acharya found out that Krishna,s mind had attained
Ekagrata and was quite fit for attaining Samadhi. Rama
Acharya said, "O Krishna, you are not a buffato. Now change
your meditation. Forget the form of the buffalo (Nama and
Rupa) and meditate on the underlying essence of ine buffalo,
sat-chit-Ananda, which is your real nature." Krishna chaitanya
changed his method, adhered to Guru's instructions and
attained Kaivalya Mukti, the goal of life.
The above story goes to illustrate that meditation on any
object which the mind likes best, is very easy.
Patanjali Maharshi suggests various methods for medita_
tion as: "Meditate on the Effulgent one in the Lotus of the heart
who is beyond sorrow. Meditate on the heart that has given up
all attachment to sense-objects. Meditate on the kn6wledge
that comes in sleep." And lasfly he has introduced the Sutra
No. 39: "Yathabhimatadhyanadva-Meditate on anything that
appeals to you as good." lt will be easy to concentratJon a
thing which the mind likes best.
(c) MEDTTATTON ON MAHATMAGANDHTJT
Retire to your meditation-room. Sit in padmasana. Medi_

tate on the form, stature, height, colour of Gandhiji, his educa_
tion c.areer in England, his legal practice in Africa, his political
activities to raise the condition of tndians in Africa, his energetic
activities in non-cooperative movement in lndia, his farious
Charkha and Khaddar, his widespread preaching throughout
lndia for popularising Khaddar, his strenuous efforts tofinite
Hindus and Muslims, his exertions to uplift the degraded posi-
tion of Harijans, the untouchables, his noble ideals and iaud-
able principles, his life of absolute renunciation, Tyaga and
Sannyasa, his life of severe Tapascharya, his abstemidus na_
ture in diet, his incessant struggle in the achievement of mental
Brahmacharya, his ideals of Ahimsa and Satyam in thought,

word and deed, his facile pen in journalism, his various useful
publications in English, Hindi and Gujarati, his establishment of
a useful Ashram which trains good Karma Yogins, his strong
will and various other noble qualities. Do not allow any other
thought to enter. lf the mind runs, draw it and fix on the above
thougnts. Practise this for half an hour daily for two months'
You will learn the right technique of meditation.
(D) MEDITATION ON 12 VIRTUES

Meditate on these 12 virtues for 10 minutes daily:-
Humility in January.
Frankness (Arjava) in February.
Courage in March.
Patience in APril.
MercY (Karuna) in MaY.
MagnanimitY in June.
SinceritY in JulY.
Pure love in August.
GenerositY in SePtember.
Forgiveness in October.
Balanced state in November.
Contentment in December.
Meditate also on Purity, Perseverance, Diligence, Sahasa
and Utsaha. lmagine that you are in the actual possession of
these virtues. Say unto yourself: "l am patient. I will not get
irritated from today. I will manifest this virtue in my daily life. I
am improving." Think of the advantages in possessing this vir-
tue "Patience" and the disadvantage of irritability.
This spiritual path is rugged, thorny and precipitous- lt is
too long. The feet may become tired and bruised. The heart
may pant. But the reward is very great. You will become
immortat. Persevere, plod on diligently. Be on the alert. Be agile
and nimble like the squirrel. There are resting places on the
path. Hear the inner small voice' lt will guide you if you are pure
and sincere
(E) MEDITATION ON DIVINE SONGS

lf you are well-versed in music, go to a lonely place, sing
beautifully to your heart's content. Develop the Raga and
Ragini luxuriantly from the bottom of your heart. Forget your-

self. Forget the past and environments. This is an easy
method. Select some fine Stotras, prayers or philosophical por-
tions. Tukaram's Abhangas, Akhow's songs in Gujarati,
Tayumana Swami's songs and Tevaram in Tamil,
Brahmanandamala in Hindi, are admirably suitable for this pur-
pose. Ram Prasad, a reputed saint of Bengal, realised in this
way. Ram Prasad's songs are very famous throughout Bengal.
Ravana pleased Lord Siva through his Sama Gana played with
nerve-strings removed out of his body. Hear what Shakespeare
says on music: "The man that hath no music in him nor is
moved with concord of sweet sounds, is fit for treason, strata-
gem and spoils. The motions of his spirit are dull as night, his
affections dark as Erebus. Let no such man be trusted."
You can quite easily withdraw the mind from the objects
through singing. Singing immediately elevates and expands
mind. To fix an expanded mind on the Saguna or Nirguna Brah-
man is very easy. What is wanted here is good taste and skill in
music with purity of heart and steady practice of concentration.
(F) MEDTTATTON ON GtTA SLOKAS

Learn by heart some important Slokas in Bhagavad-Gita.
Repeat them mentally after sitting in the Asana.
1. There are some important Slokas which dwell on the
"lmmortality of the Soul" in the second chapter. you can con-
centrate and meditate on these series of ideas. you willfind this
practice very very useful.
2. Meditate on the series of ideas from the Stokas which
describe the Sthita Prajna state in the second chapter.
3. Meditate on the series of ideas from the Slokas which
describe the effects of Yoga in the sixth chapter.
deal with the attributes of a Jnani in the thirteenth chapter.
describe the nature of Daivi Sampat in the sixteenth chapter.
6. Meditate on Visvarupa-Darsan idea in the eleventh
chapter.
7. Meditate on the Slokas: "Devotee dear to me" in the
twelfth chapter.
8. Meditate on "Gunatitia" ideas in the fourteenth chapter.

I have given you 8 sets of ideas. Select any set that ap-
peals to you most. You can allow the mind to move from one set
to another.
4. Saguna Meditation
(A) MEDTTATION ON ISHTADEVATAS
This is meditation on a Murty, either Lord Krishna, Rama,
Siva or Devi. This is a concrete form of meditation for people of
Bhakti-Marga. This is meditation with Gunas, attributes of God.
Repeat His name also. Think of His attributes, omniscience,
omnipotence, omnipresence, etc. Your mind will be filled with
purity. Lord Krishna's picture with flute in hand and Lord
Vishnu's picture with conch, discus, mace and lotus are excel-
lent ones of concrete meditation. Enthrone Him in the lotus of
your heart amidst blazing light. Mentally think of His lotus-feet,
yellow silk robe, necklace set with Kaustubha gem, earrings,
crown, bracelets, conch, discus, mace and lotus, and then
again come back to His feet. Again and again repeat the pro-
cess.
Saguna meditation is meditation on a form. Select any
Murty you like best, either Siva, Vishnu, Rama or Krishna, ac-
cording to your inclination or taste. Or follow the directions of
your Guru. He will select for you the lshta Devata or tutelary de-
ity which will guide you. An archer first aims at grosser and big-
ger objects. Then takes up medium objects. Finally he shoots
at finer and subtle objects. Even so, one should take to Saguna
meditation to start with and when the mind is trained and disci-
plined well, he can have Nirakara, Nirguna meditation. Saguna
meditation is meditation on a concrete object. Nirguna medita-
tion is meditation on an abstract idea. Saguna Upasana re-
moves Vikshepa. For three or six months, practise Trataka on
any picture.
After six months' practice of Trataka, meditate on the men-
tal picture of the Murty from half to two hours only in the Trikuti
(space between the two eyebrows). See and feelthat the lshta
Devata is present in every object in the universe. When you
meditate, mentally repeat the Mantra of the Devata. Think of
the attributes of the deity, such as omnipotence, omniscience,
etc. Feel that Sattvic qualities from the deity flow towards you.
Feel that you possess this Sattuic Bhavana. You will have
Darsana of your lshta Devata in one ortwo years, if you are sin-
cere in your Sadhana. Follow this plan. This will help concen-
tration. Move the mind on the various parts of the Murty. Take
for instance the picture of Lord Vishnu with four hands and
meditate as follows. The practice of Trataka is of great use in
this Saguna meditation.
" D hyeyah sad a savitri ma nd al a madhyavarti
N a raya n ah saras4'asan asan n iv i shta h
Keyuravan makaraku ndalavan Kiriti
H ari
h i ra n m ay ava p u r-d h rita sa n kh ach akra h. "
"S a n kh ac h a krag ad a pa n e
Dva ra ka n i I ay ach yuta. "
"Meditate always on Narayana seated in the Asana of lo-
tus-flower in the midst of a lustrous sun in the lotus of heart or in
Trikutiwith golden armlets setwith diamond, with earrings, with
golden crown set with diamond, with golden necklace set with
Kaustubha gem and with golden colour, with discus, conch,
mace and lotus-flower in four hands-that indestructible
Achyuta of Dvaraka."
During meditation, move the mind on the various parts of
Vishnu. See the various parts of Vishnu. See with the mind His
feet first, then legs, then His yellow silk cloth, then His golden
Hara set with diamond, Kaustubha gem, etc., on the breast,
then the earrings, Makara Kundalas, then the face, then the
crown on the head, then the discus on the right upper hand,
then the conch on the upper left hand, then the mace on the
lower right hand, then the lotus-flower on the left lower hand.
This is the order. Then come down to the feet and start again to
the upper parts. By this method the mind will not run towards
objects.
First meditate on Virat-Purusha. Then take up Saguna
meditation. Lastly have Nirguna meditation.
(B) MEDTTATTON ON VTRAT PURUSHA

Sit in Padma or Siddha Asana in your meditation room
and meditate on the following thoughts for half an hour daily.
This is a gross form of meditation for six months.
1. Heaven is His head.

2. Earth is His foot.
3. Quarters are His hands.
4. Sun and moon are His eYes.
5. Fire is His mouth.
6. Dharma is His back.
7. Grass and herbs are His hairs.
8. Mountains are His bones.
9. Sea is His bladder.
10. Rivers are His arteries and veins'
The mind will expand now. Afterwards take to Saguna
meditation on a form of God such as Rama, Krishna or Siva.
Have this kind of meditation for a year. Then'have recourse to
Nirguna meditation on Brahman. By the practice of these vari-
ouJmethods, the mind becomes a flt instrument to take up ab-
stract meditation on an abstract idea.
(c) MEDITATION ON GAYATRI
Gayatri is the "Blessed Mother" of the Vedas. lt is a symbol
of God, ihe tord of created beings' Japa of Gayatri Mantra pro-
duces Chitta-Suddhi without which you can do nothing, nothing
in spiritual line. You can never effect an iota of spiritual prog-
ress. Gayatriis an effective universalprayer. This is also known
as Brahma Gayatri.
Om Bhur Bhuvah Svah; Tat Savitur Varenyam
Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi; Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayat.
Om Para Brahman
Bhur Bhu-Loka (PhYsical Plane)
Bhuvah Antariksha-Loka (Astral plane)
Svah Svarga-Loka (Celestial plane)
Tat Brahman; Paramatman
Savitur lsvara; Creator
Varenyam Fit to be worshiPPed
Bhargjo Remover of sins and ignorance; Glory
Devasya Of the shining one
Dhimahi We meditate
Dhiyo lntellects; Buddhis
Yo Which;Who
Nah Our
Prachodayaf Enlighten
KINDS OF MEDITATION t71
"Let us meditate on lsvara and His Glory, Who has created

this universe, Who is fit to be worshipped, Who is the remover
of all sins and ignorance. May He enlighten our Buddhis (intel-
lects)."
Retire into the meditation room after bath just before sun-
rise. Sit in your Asana and repeat the Mantra mentally as many
times as you can, but not less than 108 times and constantly
feel that you are receiving light, purity and wisdom from
Gayatri. Concentrate on the meaning of the Gayatri. This is im-
portant. Have your gaze at the Trikuti, the place between the
two eyebrows.
5. Nirguna Meditation
(A) MEDTTATTON ON |DEAS
This is meditation on Nirguna Brahman. This is
Ahamgraha Upasana. This is meditation on OM. This is medi-
tation on an abstract idea. Sit in Padmasana. Repeat OM men-
tally. Keep the meaning of OM always in the mind. Feelthat you
are the All-pervading, lnfinite Light. Feel that you are the
"Suddha-Sat-Chit-Ananda, Vyapaka Atman, Nitya Suddha
Buddha Mukta, eternally free Brahman." Feel you are
Chaitanya. Feel that you are the "Akhanda Paripurna, Ekarasa,
Santa, lnfinite, Eternal, Unchanging Existence." Every atom,
every molecule, every nerve, vein, artery should powerfully vi-
brate with these ideas. Lip repetition of OM will not produce
much benefit. lt should be through heart, head and soul. Your
whole soul should feel that you are the subtle, all-pervading ln-
telligence. This feeling should be kept up continuously.
Negate the body-idea when you repeat OM mentally.
When you chant OM, feel:
lnflnity I am OM OM OM
Al! Light lam OM OM OM
AllJoy I am OM OM OM
Al! Glory I am OM OM OM
All Power lam OM OM OM
All Knowledge lam OM OM OM
AllAnanda I am OM OM OM
Meditate on the above ideas constantly. Constant effort
with zeal and enthusiasm is indispensable. Repeat mentally
the above ideas incessantly. You will realise. You will have
Atma-Darshan within two or three years.
Will and Manana are two important factors which play a
conspicuous part in Nirguna meditation or Vedantic Sadhana.
Manana is preceded by Sravana or hearing of Srutis and fol-
lowed by Nididhyasana of a constant nature with zeal and en-
thusiasm. Nididhyasana is profound meditation. Sakshatkara
or Aparoksha realisation follows Nididhyasana. Just as the
drop of water when dropped on a hot iron is absorbed by the
hot iron, so also the mind and the Abhasa Chaitanya (reflected
consciousness) become absorbed in Brahman. The balance
left is Chinmatra or Chaitanya Matra (Consiciousness-Abso-
lute). Sravana, Manana and Nididhyasana of the Vedantic
Sadhana correspond to Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi of
Raja Yoga of Patanjali Maharshi.
By worship and meditation or Japa of Mantras, the mind is
actually shaped into the form of the object of worship and is
made pure for the time being through the purity of the object
(namely, lshta Devata). By continual practice (Abhyasa), the
mind becomes full of the object to the exclusion of all else,
steady in its purity and does not wander into impurity. So long
as the mind exists it must have an object and the object of
Sadhana is to present it with a pure one.
The sound repeatedly and harmoniously uttered in Japa
of Mantra must create or project into perception the corre-
sponding thing, Devata. The Mantras gather creative momen-
tum by repetition through the force of Samskaras.
ln Samadhi, the mind loses its own consciousness and
becomes identified with the object of meditation (Tadakara
Tadrupa). The meditator and meditated, the worshipper and
worshipped, the thinker and the thought become one. The sub-
ject and the object, Aham and ldam (! and this), Drik and Drisya
(seer and seen), the experiencer and the experienced become
one. Prakasa and Vimarsa get blended into one. Unity, identity,
homogeneity, oneness, sameness refer to Nirvikalpa Samadhi.
There are two kinds of Nirvikalpa Samadhi, viz., one in
which the Jnani sees the whole world within himself as a move-
ment of ideas, as a mode of being or a mode of his own exis-
tence, like Brahman, by resting in Brahman (Svarupa Visranti).
Brahman sees the world within Himself as His own Sankalpa or
Vivarta. So does a Jnani also. This is the highest state of reali-

sation as in the case of Lord Krishna, Lord Dattatreya, Sri
Sankara, Jnanadev and others.
Saruabh utasth am atma nam
Saruabhutani chatmani
lkshate yogayuktatma
Saruatra samadarsanah
"The self, harmonised by Yoga, seeth the Self abiding in
all beings, all beings in the Self; everywhere he seeth the
same." (Gita Vl-29).
But in the case of the man who has no realisation, he sees
the world as something outside, different and independent.
This is due to Avidya.
ln the second variety, the world vanishes from view and
the Jnani rests on Suddha Nirguna Brahman, according to
Rajju-Sarpa Nyaya (analogy of snake in the rope). When a
Raja Yogi gives up his Savikalpa Samadhi, he meets the Jnani
in Nirguna Brahman through Brahmakara Vritti.
There is a living universal Power or lntelligence that un-
derlies at the back of all these names and forms. Meditate on
this Power or lntelligence which is formless. This will form an
elementary Nirguna meditation without any form. This will lead
to the realisation of the Absolute, Nirguna, Nirakara conscious-
ness eventually.
Sit in Padmasana. Concentrate on the air. This will lead to
the realisation of the nameless and formless Brahman, the one
living Truth.
lmagine that there is a Parama, Ananta, Akhanda Jyotis
(Supreme, lnfinite effulgence) hidden behind all the phenom-
ena with an effulgence that is tantamount to the blaze of crores
of suns. Meditate on that. This is also another form of Nirguna
meditation.
Concentrate and meditate on the expansive sky. This is
also another kind of Nirguna, Nirakara meditation. By the previ-
ous methods in concentration the mind will stop thinking of fi-
nite forms. lt wil! slowly begin to melt in the ocean of Peace, as
it is deprived of its contents, viz., forms of various sorts. lt will
become subtler and subtler also.
Nirguna meditation is abstract meditation on Nirguna

Brahman. Repeat OM mentally with Bhava (feeling). Associ-
ate the ideas of Sat-Chit-Ananda-Purity, Perfection, "All
Joy I am: All Bliss I am: I am Svarupa: Asangoham-l am
unattached: Kevaloham-l am alone: Akhanda-Eka-Rasa-
Chinmatroham."
(B) VEDANTTC MEDITATTON
This is only Nirguna meditation. Meditate on the following

formulae:-
I am the all OM OM OM
I am All in all OM OM OM
I am the lmmortal Self in All OM OM OM
I am the living Truth OM OM OM
I am the living Reality OM OM OM
I am the Witness of the three states
(Aham Sakshi, Avasthatraya-Sakshi) OM OM OM
I am Light of lights
(N irakara Jyotis-Svarupoham) OM OM OM
I am Sun of suns OM OM OM
I am Existence, Knowledge, Bliss Absolute
(Sat-Chit-Ananda-Svarupoham) OM OM OM
Even in Nirakara (formless) Vedantic meditation of
Advaitins there will be an abstract mental image in the begin-
ning of Sadhana. The abstract image will vanish eventually.
When you meditate or assert, negate the three bodies and
identify yourself with the indwelling Essence. Deny the names
and forms. Do not mistake either the physical body or the mind,
the Prana, the intellect or the lndriyas for the pure Eternal At-
man. The highest Self is entirely distinct from these illusory ve-
hicles or Mayaic products. Remember this point well. Meditate
on the above ideas and bring the Bhava during work also. You
can take up any one of the above formulae according to your
taste. Bring back the mind to the point again and again if the
mind wanders. You can rotate the mind from one formula to an-
other if the mind wanders, and finally fix it on one formula only,
when the mind has become steady. The mind willbecome now
like the steady flame of a lamp in a windless place. The one for-
mula also will drop by itself. You will rest in your own Svarupa,
thoughtless state of pure bliss. Samadhi or superconscious
state will ensue now. Enjoy the Atmic bliss. Rejoice in the inner
lrnmortal Self.
(c) ASSERTIONS FOR VEDANTIC NIDIDHYASANA

I am Light of lights OM OM OM
All Purity lam OM OM OM
All Bliss lam OM OM OM
All-pervading Consciousness I am OM OM OM
Satchidananda-Svarupoham OM OM OM
Akhanda-Ekarasa-Chinmatroham OM OM OM
Bhu mananda-Svarupoham OM OM OM
Aham Sakshi (l am witness) OM OM OM
N irvisesha-Chinmatroham OM OM OM
Asangoham (l am unattached) OM OM OM
The glory of Jivanmukta, a liberated sage, is indescribable.
He is Brahman himself. Eight Siddhis and nine Riddhis roll un-
der his feet. Through Sat-Sankalpa (true resolve) he can work
wonders or miracles. Glory, glory to such Jivanmuktas who are
blessed souls on earth. May their blessings be upon you all!
(D) VEDANTIC CONTEMPLATION

Dive deep into the heart by withdrawing the mind from the
sensual objects. Kitl this illusory little "1" and know "l am He
(Soham)." Just as the drop of water loses its name and form
and joins the sea, so also the Jiva gets himself merged in the
Supreme Soul and loses his own name and form.
lf you are a very busy man and if you lead a travelling life
always, you need not have a special room and a special time
for meditation. Do "Soham" Japa and Dhyana along with the
breath. This is very easy. Or you can associate Rama Mantra
also with the breath. Then every moment of breath will become
a prayer and a meditation. Remember "Soham" or "Rama."
Feel His presence everywhere. This will suffice.
lf the mind constantly dwells on sensual objects, the con-
ception of the reality of the universe will surely increase. lf the
mind ceaselessly thinks of Atman, the world appears like a
dream. Free yourself from the base thoughts of the mind, the
various useless Sankalpas (imaginations). Make ceaseless
enquiry of Atman. Mark the word "ceaseless." This is important.
Then only there will be the dawn of spiritual knowledge.
ln Vedanta or the path of Jnana, the terms "Manana" (re-

flection) and "Nididhyasana" are very frequently used. Manana
is Vijatiya Vritti-Tiraskara (driving away all the thoughts of
worldly objects), and Svajatiya-Vritti-Pravaha (increasing the
thought-currents of God or Brahman like a steady stream).
Nididhyasana is deep intense contemplation. lt is Anatma-
Vritti-Nirodha orAtmakara-Vritti-Sthiti. The mind is perfecfly es-
tablished in the Absolute. No worldly thought will intrude now.
The contemplation is like a steady flow of oil (Tailadharavat).
ln the beginning when you are a neophyte, you can close
your eyes to remove the distraction of mind, as you are very
weak. But later on you must meditate with eyes open, even dur-
ing walking. You must keep your balance of mind at all times.
Otherwise there is no hope of perfection. Be always contem-
plating on the non-existence of this phenomenal world. Atman
only exists.
All the visible things are Maya. Maya will vanish through
Jnana, or meditation on Atman. One should exert himself to get
rid of Maya. Maya havocs through the mind. Destruction of the
mind means the annihilation of the Maya. Meditation is the only
way of conquering Maya.
It is the actions of the mind that are truly termed Kbrmas.
True liberation results from the disenthronement of the mind.
Those who have freed themselves from the fluctuation of their
minds come into possession of the Supreme Nishtha (medita-
tion). Should the mind be purged of all its impurities, then it will
become very calm and allthe worldly delusions attendant on its
births and deaths will be soon destroyed.
lf you place a big mirror in front of a dog and keep some
bread in front, the dog at once barks by looking at its reflection
in the mirror. lt foolishly imagines that there is another dog.
Even so, man sees his own reflection only, through his
mind-mirror, in all the people but foolishly imagines like the dog
that they are all different from him and fights on account of ha-
tred and jealousy.
"There is no world. There is neither body nor the mind.
There is only One Chaitanya (Pure Consciousness). I am that
Pure Consciousness." This is Nirguna meditation (without
attributes).
ln Nididhyasana (meditation) you will have to develop the

Svajatiya-Vritti-Pravaha. Make the thoughts of Brahman or Di-
vine presence flow like inundation or flood. Do Vijatiya-
Vritti-Tiraskara. Renounce the thoughts of objects. Drive them
away with the whip of Viveka and Vichara. There is struggle in
the beginning. lt is trying indeed. But lateron as you grow stron-
ger and stronger and as you grow in purity and Brahma-
Chintana, Sadhana becomes easy. You rejoice in the life of
unity. You get strength from Atman. lnner strength grows when
all the Vishaya-Vrittis are thinned out and the mind becomes
one-pointed (Ekagra).
Try to identify yourself with the eternal, immortal, ever
pure Atman that resides in the chambers of your heart. Think
and feel always: I am the ever-pure Atman. This one thought
will remove all troubles and fancifulthoughts. The mind wants
to delude you. Start this anti-current of thoughts. The mind will
lurk like a thief.
(E) MEDITATION ON OM
OM (Pranava) is a ferry-boat for men who have fallen into
the never-ending ocean of mundane life. Many have crossed
this ocean of Samsara with the help of this ferry-boat. You can
also do so if you will meditate constantly on OM with Bhava and
meaning and realise the Self.
OM is the only symbolforthe lmmortal, All-pervading Self
or Atman. Think of OM to the exclusion of everything else. Shut
out all mundane thoughts. They may again and again recur.
Again and again generate thoughts of the pure Self. Associate
ideas of purity, perfection, freedom, knowledge, immortality,
eternity, infinity, etc., with OM. Repeat OM mentally.
Om is everything. Om is the name or symbol of God,
lsvara or Brahman. OM is your real name. OM covers all the
threefold experiences of man. OM stands for all the phenome-
nalworlds. From OM this sense-universe has been projected.
The world exists in OM and dissolves in OM (AUM). "A" repre-
sents the physical plane, "U" represents the mentral plane and
astral planes, the world of spirits, all heavens, "M" represents
the deep sleep state, and all that is unknown even in your
wakeful state, all that is beyond the reach of the intellect. Om
represents all. OM is the basis of your life, thought and

intelligence.
All words which denote the objects are centred in OM.
Hence the world has come from OM, rests in OM and dissolves
in OM.
OM is the symbol of Brahman or the Supreme Being. Medi-
tate on OM. When you think or meditate on OM, you will have to
think of Brahman, the thing signified by the symboi.
Association with OM is to become one with the thing
si g n ifi ed. " Tad -j a pas-tad a rth a-b h ava n a m." Try to identify you r-
self with the All-blissful Self when you think or meditate or chant
OM and negate the five Kosas as illusory adjuncts created by
Maya. You have to take the symbol OM as Sat-Chit-Ananda
Brahman or Atman. This is the meaning. During meditation,
you should feelthat you are all purity, all light, all-pervading ex-
istence, etc. Meditate on the Self daily. Think you are different
from mind and body. Feel "l am Sat-Chit-Ananda Atman-l am
all-pervading consciousness." This is the Vedantic meditation.
Meditate on OM till you attain Samadhi. lf your mind gets
distracted by Rajas and Tamas, practise Dharana (concentra-
tion) and Dhyana (meditation) again and again.
"Having made one's body or the lower self, the lower
fire-stick, and Pranava (OM) the upper, by the friction of contin-
ued practice (Abhyasa) of meditation one should see God (At-
man) hidden within." Upanishad.
-Syefasyatara
O Rama, you are now living in the Himalayas. Be in tune
with the Nature's Lord. The lofty peaks will whisper to you the
secret of life eternal. The gurgling streams around you will sing
the song of Omkara to you. Fix your mind in Pranava-Dhvani
and enter into sublime communion easily. Nature will reveal to
you her closely guarded secrets. Take lessons from her. Feel
your unity or oneness with the snow-clad peaks, the glaciers,
the refreshing Himalayan breeze, the rays of the sun, the blue
sky, the glittering stars, etc.
May you all rest in the non-dual Brahman and taste the
nectar of immortality. May you all reach the fourth state of bliss
(Turiya) by analysing the experiences of the waking, dream
and deep sleep states. May you all have a comprehensive un-
derstanding of Omkara or Pranava and the Amatra. May you all
enter the soundless OM by transcending the sounds A, U and
M. Mayyou allmeditate on OM and attain the goalof life, the ul-

timate Reality, SatChit-Ananda Brahman. May this OM guide
you. May this OM be your centre, ideal and goal. May the se-
cret and truth of Mandukya Upanishand be upon you all, OM
oM oM!!
(F) MEDTTATTON ON "SOHAM"
"Soham" means "He I am" or "l am He", "l am Brahman."
"Sah" means "He." "Aham" means "1." This is the greatest of all
Mantras. This isthe Mantra of Paramahamsa Sannyasins. This
is an Abheda-Bodha-Vakya which signifies the identity of Jiva
or the individual soul and Brahman, the Supreme Self. This
Mantra comes in the lsavasya Upanishad: "Sohamasmi."
Soham is only OM. Delete the consonants S and H. You
get OM. Soham is modified Pranava or OM. Some like'Soham'
better than 'OM.' Because they find it convenient and easy to
associate it or mix it with the breath. Furtherthere is no effort in
doing Japa of this Mantra. lf you simply concentrate on the
breath, if you simply watch the breath, that is quite sufficient.
Meditation on 'Soham' is same as meditation on OM.
Some repeat a compound Mantra "Hamsah SohanpSoham
Hamsah." Before you practise Soham Dhyana or meditiation on
"Soham" you must practise the Neti-Neti (not this, not this) doc-
trine. You must negate or deny the body and the other Koshas
by repeating "Naham ldam SariraJn"-"rtf1sJn Etat Na." ") am
not this body, mind or Prana. I am He, I am He-Soham,
Soham!"
Repeat this Mantra mentally. You should feel with all your
heart and soul that you are the All-pervading, Omnipotent,
All-blissful Soul or Brahman. This is important. Then only the
full benefits of meditation or Japa of this Mantra will be realised
by you. Mere mechanical repetition will not help you much. lt
has its own benefits. But maximum benefits can only be real-
ised in feeling. Feeling is Self-realisation.
lf intellect tries to feel, "l am Brahman, I am Omnipotent"
and the Chitta tries to feel, "l am a clerk in the chief court; I am
weak; ! am helpless. What shall I do for money for my daugh-
ter's marriage? Iam afraid the judge willfine me," realisation is
not possible. You must destroy allwrong Samskaras or impres-
sions, all false imaginations, all weaknesses, all superstitions
and all vain fears. Even if you are in the jaws of a tiger, you must
powerfully roar-"Soham, Soham, Soham, I am not this body!"
Then only you are a real Vedantin. Even if you have nothing to
eat, even if you are in the roll of unemployment, you must say
with great force and power, "Soham, Soham." You have been
spoiled by the mind and by Avidya (ignorance). lt is Avidya, it is
mind that has brought one to this limitation through identifica-
tion with this body. Pierce the veil of ignorance. Tear the five
sheaths. Remove the curtain of Avidya or nescience, which is a
great nuisance. Rest in your own essential Satchidananda
Svarupa through the force of Meditation on 'Soham'Mantra!
The Jiva.or the individual soul is repeating this Mantra
21,600 times within 24 hours. Even during sleep the
Soham-repetition goes on by itself. Watch the breath very care-
fully and you will know this. When you inhale the breath, the
sound 'So'is produced. When you exhale, 'Ham'is produced.
This is termed Ajapa-Mantra because this is done without mov-
ing the lips along with the breath. Repeat'So'mentally when
you inhale, 'Ham' mentally when you exhale. Practise this for
two hours in the morning and evening. lf you can repeat for 10
hours, it is allthe more good. You must practise meditation for
full 24 hours when you advance on the path. Study Hamsa
Upanishad. You willfind real rest during meditation. There is no
necessity for sleep.
The repetition of the compound Mantra "Hamsah Soham
Hamsah," creates a deeper impression. The late fa-
-Soham
mous Sri Sheshadri Swami of Tiruvannamalai used to repeat
this compound Mantra. When he moved alone in the streets
and bazaar he repeated this Mantra. He meditated on this com-
pound Mantra. We say'God is Love-Love is God.'Similarly
repetition of 'Hamsah Sham-Soham Hamsah,' gives more
force. This intensifies the force of the Mantra. The aspirant gets
more internal strength from the Atman or the Soul-force. His
conviction grows stronger. This sort of repetition corresponds
to the repetition of the Mahavakya, "Aham Brahma Asmi.
Brahmaivahamasmi-l am Brahman. Brahman am 1."
"Anal Haq" of the Sufi-Fakirs corresponds to Soham of the
Paramahamsa-Sannyasins. Guru Nanak highly extols this
Mantra.
Your duration of life is counted really by so many'Soham'
breaths in the light of Yoga. lt is not really made up of so many
years. By the practice of Pranayama, you save the

Soham-breaths and thus can prolong your life.
ln the beginning of your practice, simply watch the breath
every now and then. Meditate for one hour in a closed room on
Soham with Bhava and meaning. You can watch the breath
with silent Soham-repetition while sitting, standing, eating, talk-
ing, bathing, etc. This is an easy method of concentration.
Soham is the breath of life. OM is the Soul of breath. Elimi-
nate'Ha'and substitute'1.'Soham will become'So I am.'lf you
concentrate on the breath you will notice that the breath is
gradually becoming very very slow when concentration be-
comes deep. Gradually the repetition of Soham will drop when
there is deep concentration. The mind will become very calm.
You will enjoy. Ultimately you will become one with the
Supreme Self.
(G) MEDTTATION ON MAHAVAKYAS

Mahavakyas are the sacred sentences of the Srutis. They
are four in number:
1. 'Prajnanam Brahma.'
2.'Aham Brahma Asmi.'
3.'Tat Tvam Asi.'
4.'Ayam Atma Brahma.'
The first is in Aitareya Upanishad of Rig-Veda. The sec-
ond is in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad of Yajur-Veda. The third is
in Chhandogya Upanishad of Sama Veda. And the fourth is in
Mandukya Upanishad of Atharvana Veda.
The first is a Lakshana Vakya which gives a definition of
Brahman and imparts Tatbodha-Jnana. The second is an Anu-
bhava Vakya that gives Sakshi-Jnana. Third is Upadesha
Vakya and bestows Siva Jnana. Guru instructs the disciple.
Fourth is Sakshatkara Vakya which confers Brahma-Jnana.
You can take any Mahavakya and meditate on it as you do on
oM.
Meditation on Aham Brahma Asmi: Constantly feel that
you are the Suddha Sat-Chit-Ananda Vyapaka Atman (Pure,
Existence Absolute, Knowledge Absolute, Bliss Absolute,
Alf-Pervading Brahman), when you repeat mentally: "Aham
Brahma Asmi." Lip repetition will not produce much benefit.
You must intensely feel from the subjective heart. Gradually,

you will be taken to superconscious state through deep feeling.
Sit in yourAsana on a fourfold blanket. Face North or East
and constantly feel:
1. lnfinity I am.
2. Eternity !am.
3. lmmortality lam.
Meditation on Mahavakyas is tantamountto meditation on
OM. You can take either 'Aham Brahma Asml or'Tat Tvam Asl
Mahavakya, and meditate on its significance. Negate or throw
out the Koshas yourself and identify with the one essence that
lies behind them.
Meditate. Purify your mind. Practise concentration in a
solitary room. Then squeeze out the Upanishads and the Gita
from your heart. Do not depend upon imperfect commentaries.
lf you are sincere, you will understand the real Sankalpa of the
Rishis of the Upanishads and Lord Krishna, you will know what
they really meant when they uttered those wise Slokas.
Unfold the Divinity that is lurking in your heart by concen-
tration and meditation. Do not waste your time. Do not waste
your life.
(H) POSTTTVE MEDTTATTON

1. I am the All (Saruatva)
2.1am in All (Saruatmaka)
Meditate on the above ideas. ln this meditation, the body
and the world are taken as Brahman. As expressions of
Brahman they are included. lt is highly preposterous to think
that Brahman is by itself full of Ananda and that which is
expressed out of Brahman is full of misery pain and sorrow.
Pessimism should be shunned. lt is the Jiva Srishti that is at the
bottom of all pain and misery. There is nothing wrong in lsvara
Srishti. lsvara Srishti does not give the least pain. On the con-
trary it is Kama, Krodha, idea of mine, thine, "l am the doer"
etc., that cause all trouble. This is due to Ajnana which causes
identification with the limited mind.
Repeat the above idea mentally at alltimes. Feelyou are
the All. Feel that your Shakti is working in all bodies. Constantly
dwell on these ideas: "The whole world is my body. All bodies
are mine. All lives are mine. All pains are mine. All joys are
mine." Jealousy, anger, hatred, egoism all will vanish. !n the
Samadhi of positive meditation, the Jnani sees within himself
the world as a movement of ideas. He is both Saguna and
Nirguna.
(l ) N EGATIVE MEDITATION
"l I
am not the body. am not the mind. am I
Sat-Chit-Ananda Svarupa." Meditate on the above ideas con-
stantly. Feel you are the Sat-Chit-Ananda Svarupa always, all
through twenty-four hours. Negate the body-idea. lncessant
Sadhana is necessary to remove Deha-Adhyasa which is due
toAnadisamskaras (beginningless impressions). lf you can go
above the body-consciousness, if you can leave the body at
will, three fourths of your Sadhana is over. There is a little bal-
ance only. Then, there remains only the drawing of the curtain,
removal of the veil of Avidya. That can be done quite easily.
Even when you move about, even when you are at work, al-
ways feel that you are all-pervading, infinite Brahman. This is
important. Thinking, concentration and efforts to separate your-
self from the body should go together. ln negative meditation,
the Jnanidwells in Suddha, Nirguna Brahman. He has no con-
sciousness of the world.
6. Saguna and Nirguna Meditation Compared

lsa, Prasna, Katha, Tapaniya and other Upanishads elab-
orately treat the method of contemplation of Brahman, as de-
void of qualities. Badarayana, in a chapter of Brahma-Sutras
which deals with the nature of qualities of Brahman, mentions
positive attributes like ioyful,' 'intelligent,' etc., as well as nega-
tive attributes like'measureless,' lcolourless,' etc. Both kinds of
attributes are referred to the absolute and yet the contempla-
tion of such a Brahman can be called Nirguna-Upasana or
meditation on conditionless Brahman. The chief distinction
between the contemplation of the conditioned (Saguna) and
unconditioned (Nirguna) Brahman is that in the formerthe dev-
otee looks upon it as really connected with those attributes,
while in the latter, positive and negative qualities are not
viewed as essentially connected with it, but as suggesting its
absolute nature. Hence, joyful etc., do not enter into the es-
sence of the contemplated Brahman but act as a gateway for
grasping its true nature. ln the contemplation of the conditioned

Brahman, those and similar other properties form a part of the
contemplation.
The term Nirguna does not mean that Brahman is a nega-
tive concept, the Brahman is a non-entity or zero. lt means that
the qualities found here in limitation, are found illimitable in
Brahman. lt means that the attributes are Brahman's essential
nature or His Svarupa. lt means that Brahman does not pos-
sess perishable qualities of matter like the blue colour of a cloth
but possesses all auspicious qualities (Sarva-Kalyana-Gunas).
Brahman is Nirguna-Guni. So also, by Nirakara, it does not
mean that Brahman is formless. lt means 'He has not got a lim.
ited form as that of objects, but has a form unimaginable.'What
form can you attribute to inflnity? Many have a crude idea of
Brahman. They say "Brahman is a block of stone because He
has no qualities. He is a regular void, a zero." No. No. They are
entirely mistaken. They have not made Sadvichara. They have
various doubts. They have a gross intellect which is unfit for
philosophical investigation (Vichara), discrimination, reflection,
ratiocination, etc. They have not studied the infallible
Upanishads, the right means of knowledge, the right source of
wisdom which gives an accurate knowledge of Brahman.
Upanishads are infallible, because they appealto the reason of
every thinker, every philosopher. They tally with the experi-
ences of realisation. Hence they are infallible. Their authority is
more valid than that of perception or inference. Brahman is ex-
tremely subtle. He is finer than a thousandth part of a point of a
hair divided into a thousand parts. A subtle, calm, pure,
sharp-pointed, clear and one-pointed Suddha Buddhi is
needed for understanding and meditating on Brahman. They
suffer from Samasya-Bhavana, doubts regarding the validity of
the Upanishads, and the true nature of Brahman. They should
purify the mind by selfless service, should study the
Upanishads, should develop the four means of qualifications,
should have constant Satsanga. Then, they will have
intellectual conviction and intellectual grasp of Brahman. By
Sravana, by Manana and by Nididhyasana they reach Brah-
man. This is the royal road. So, Brahman is full of auspicious
Gunas. He is a lump of luminosity. He is Prajnana-Ghana. He is
a solid mass of knowledge. He is really more solid than the Hi-
malayas. Knowledge is more heavy and more concrete than a

huge block of stone.
ln Saguna meditation, the devotee considers himself as
entirely different from the object of worship. The worshipper
makes a totial, unreserved, ungrudging, self-surrender to the
Lord. He respects, honours, adores the Lord and depends on
Him for everything, for food, protection and his very existence.
He looks always for help of any sort from the lshta Devata.
There is nothing independentfor him. He is an instrument in the
hands of the Lord. His hands, legs, senses, mind, Buddhi,
physical body belong to the Lord. A devotee does not at all like
the idea of Jnana or merging. He likes to have his separate en-
tity as a servant and to serve, worship and love the Lord al-
ways. He does not like to become sugar as a Jnani, but like to
taste sugar and eat sugar. This method of worship is one of
contraction. Suppose there is a circle. You have a position in
the centre. You contract yourself to a point and merge in the cir-
cumference. This is Saguna meditation. This is suitable for
people of emotional temperament. Vast majority of persons are
fit for this line of worship only.
ln Nirguna meditation, the aspirant takes himself as
Brahman. He denies and sublates the false adjuncts or ficti-
tious environments as egoism, mind and body. He depends
upon himself and upon himself alone. The aspirant asserts
boldly. He reflects, reasons out, investigates, discriminates and
meditates on the Self. He does not want to taste sugar but
wants to become a solid mass of sugar itself. He wants merg-
ing. He likes to be identicalwith Brahman. This method is one
of expansion of lower self. Suppose there is a circle. You have
a position in the centre. You so expand by Sadhana to a very
great extent that you occupy the whole circle, and envelop the
circumference. This method of meditation is suitable for per-
sons of fine intellect, bold understanding, strong and accurate
reasoning and powerfulwill. Only a microscopic minority of per-
sons is fit for this line of meditation.
It is comparatively easy to meditate on'Aham Brahma
Asml when you are seated in a steady posture in a solitary
closed room. But it is very very difficult to keep up this idea
amidst crowded surroundings, while the body moves. lf you
meditate for one hour and feel that you are Brahman, and if you
feel for the remaining twentythree hours that you are the body,
the Sadhana cannot produce the desired result. So, at all

times, you must try to keep up the idea that you are Brahman.
This is very very important.
A worldly mind needs thorough overhauling and a com-
plete psycholog ical transformation. Concentration a nd medita-
tion bring about the construction of a new mind, with a new
mode of thinking. Contemplative life is diametrically opposite to
worldly life. lt is an entire change altogether. Old Vishaya-
Samskaras have to be thoroughly annihilated through constant
and intense practices carried on with zeal lor a long time and
thereby new spiritual Samskaras have to be created.
7. Meditation and Action

Man consists of Atman, mind and body. The Atman has
two aspects, changeless and changing. The latter is called the
world and the former God. World also is nothing but God in
manifestation. God in movement is the world. Notthatthe world
does not exist, it has a relative existence.
Atman is all-pervading, all-blissful, all-powerful, all-know-
ing, eternally perfect and pure. lt assumes these names and
forms called the world (Nama Rupa Jagat) of its own free wilt.
There is no desire, because there is no outside object. This will
is called Shakti. lt is Atman in action. ln Nirguna Atman, the
Shakti is static. ln Saguna, it is dynamic. Atman has no desire,
because it is perfect, and because there is nothing which is ob-
jective to the Atman. Desire implies attraction, which presup-
poses imperfection. lt is the very negation of will which is
decision for action from within. The Atman wills and the
universe comes into being. The will of the Atman upholds and
governs the universe. Human beings are driven hither and
thither by egoism, desires and fears due to identification with
the limiting adjunct of mind and body. This idea of limitation is
called egoism.
The realisation of oneness in all existences, manifested
and unmanifested, is the goal of human life. This unity already
exists. We have forgotten it through ignorance. The removal of
this veil of ignorance, the idea that we are confined within the
mind and the body, is our chief effort in Sadhana. lt logicallyfol-
lows that to realise unity, we must give up diversity. We must
constantly keep up the idea that we are all-pervading, all-pow-
erful, etc. There is no room here for desire because in unity
KINDS OF MEDITATION r87
there is no emotional attraction, but steady, persistent, calm,

eternal bliss. Desire for liberation is terminological inexacti-
tude. Liberation means attainment of the state of infinity. lt al-
ready exists. lt is our real nature. There can be no desire for a
thing which is your very nature. All desires for progeny, wealth,
happiness in this world or in the next and lastly even the desire
for liberation should be completely annihilated and all actions
guided by pure and disinterested will towards the goal.
This Sadhana-the constant attempt to feel that you are
the all-can be practised or rather ought to be practised in the
midst of intense activity. That is the central teaching of the Gita.
It stands to reason also. Because God is both Saguna and
Nirguna, with form and without form. Let the mind and the body
work. Feel that you are above them, their controlling witness.
Do not identify yourself with the Adhara (support for mind and
body), even when it is employed in activity. Of course medita-
tion in the beginning has to be resorted to. Only an exception-
ally strong-willed man can dispense with it. For ordinary human
beings, it is an indispensable necessity. ln meditation, the
Adhara is steady. So the Sadhana, the effort to feel Unity is
comparatively easy. ln the midst of activities, this effort is diffi-
cult. Karma Yoga is more difficult than pure Jnana Yoga. We
must, however, keep up the practice at all times. That is abso-
lutely essential, otherwise the progress is slow; because, a few
hours'meditation on the idea that you are the alland identifica-
tion with mind and body for a greater portion of the day, do not
bring about rapid or substantial advance.
It is much better to associate the word-symbol, OM, with
the idea. From time immemorial, this symbol has been used for
expressing the idea of unity. So the best method is to repeat
this word OM and meditate on its meaning at all times. But we
must set apart some hours for meditation, pure and simple, in
the morning and in the evening.
CHAPTER SIX
PHYSICAL OBSTACLES IN MEDITATION
Introduction
Just as volunteers come in front and obstruct the path of
those who want to enter a conference pandal without tickets,
so also the old Samskaras of enmity, hatred, lust, jealousy,
fear, honoul respect, etc., assume definite forms andobstruct
the path of aspirants.
An intelligent and comprehensive understanding of the
various obstacles that act as stumbling blocks in the-path of
God-realisation is indispensable. Then-alone the aspirant witt
find it easy to conquer them one by oie. Just as the sailor sails
in and out of a harbour along a dangerous coast with the help of
a pilot, so also the aspirant with the help of a detailed knowl-
edge of these obstacles, and the methods to conquer them will
be able to steer clear the ocean of spirituality. Hence,l have
given a very lucid exposition of the various obstacles and effec-
tive methods to conquer them.
The aspirant comes across various kinds of obstacles
when he practises meditation. lf he has an intelligent and com-
prehensive understanding of the various obstacles that stand
in his way to God-realisation, and the suitable methods to con-
quer them, he can tread the spiritual path easily and overcome
the obstacles without much difficulty.
The real and serious obstacles to meditation are from
within only. They do not come from outside. Train the mind
properly.
Be courageous friends! You will come across various ob-
stacles when you endeavour to control the mind and enter into
deep meditation and Samadhi.
Aspirants are requested to go through these very carefully
-
often and often when they encounter difficulties in the path.
Every aspirant will have to face various sorts of difficulties
in the spiritual path. Buddha, Uddalaka and Sikhidhvaja experi-
enced great difficulties. You need not be discouraged on this
score. Nil Desperandum. Never despair. Failures are stepping
(188)
PHYSICAL OBSTACLES IN MEDITATION 189
stones to success. Muster all your strength and courage and

march afresh in the path with redoubled vigour and energy.
Take some rest now.
No impediment can stand before a man of fiery determina-
tion and iron will.
Perfection cannot be attained in a single birth alone. The
perfected sages are the products of the sum total of virtuous
actions done in several births. Lord Krishna says in the Gita,
"The Yogi, labouring with assiduity, purified from sin and per-
fected through manifold births, reacheth the supreme Goal!"
(Chap. Vl-45).
Wandering
1. Aimless
Some aspirants have gotthe habit of wandering aimlessly.
They cannot stick to one place even for a week. The wandering
habit must be checked. They want to see new places, new
faces and want to talk with new people. A rolling stone gathers
no moss. A Sadhaka should stick to one place at least for a pe-
riod of twelve years (one Tapas period). lf his health is delicate,
he can stay for six months in one place during summer and
rainy seasons and in another place for six months during win-
ter. During winter he can stay either at Rajpur (Dehra Dun) or
Rishikesh. During summer he can go to Badrinath or
Uttarakashi. Sadhana suffers if one wanders constantly. Those
who want to do rigorous Tapas and Sadhana must stay in one
place. Too much walking produces weakness and fatigue.
2. Cessation of Sadhana
The aspirant is very enthusiastic in his Sadhana in the be-
ginning. He is full of zeal. He takes a great deal of interest. He
expects to get some results or Siddhis. When he does not get
these results, he gets discouraged. He loses his interest in his
Abhyasa and slackens his efforts. He gives up his Sadhana
completely. He loses his faith in the efficacy of the Sadhana.
Sometimes the mind gets disgusted with one particular kind of
Sadhana. lt wants some new kind of Sadhana. Just as mind
wants some variety in food and other things, so also it wants
variety in the mode of Sadhana. lt rebels against monotonous
practice. The aspirant should know how to coax the mind on
such occasions and to extract work from it by a little relaxation
of mind. The cessation of Sadhana is a grave mistake. Spiritual
practices should never be given up under any circumstances.

Evilthoughts willbe everwaiting to enterthe gates of the men-
tal factory. lf the aspirant stops his Sadhana, his mind will be
Satian's workshop. Do not expect anything. Be sincere and reg-
ular in your daily routine, Tapas and meditation. The Sadhana
will take care of itself.
Mind your own daily business. The fruit will come by itself.
Let me repeat here the words of Lord Krishna-"Thy business
is with the action (Tapas, Sadhana and meditation) only, never
with its fruits; so let not the fruits of action be thy motive, nor be
thou to inaction attached." Your efforts will be crowned with
sanguine success by the Lord. lt takes a long time for purifica-
tion of the mind and getting a one-pointed mind. Be cool and
patient. Continue your Sadhana regularly.
Be careful in the selection of your companions. Undesir-
able persons easily shake yourfaith and belief. Have fullfaith in
your spiritual preceptor and the Sadhana which you are pursu-
ing. Never allow your own convictions to be changed. Continue
your Sadhana with zeal and enthusiasm. You will have quick
spiritual progress and you will ascend the spiritual ladder step
by step and reach the goal ultimately.
3. Deha-Adhyasa
When you go in seclusion for intense Tapas and medita-
tion orwhen you practise intense meditation in a quiet room, do
not bother much about your shaving. Let the hair grow. These
mechanical thoughts such as thoughts of shaving, etc., will pro-
duce great distraction in your mind, and interfere with the conti-
nuity of Divine thoughts. Do not think much of the body, bread,
clothing, etc. Think more of God or Atman.
4. Diseases
Diseases are generated in the body through sleeping in
daytime, late vigils overnight, excess of sexual intercourse,
moving in crowd, the checking of the urine and the excreta, the
evils of unwholesome food, laborious mental work, lack of reg-
ular exercise, etc.
lf the Yogic student develops some diseases on account
of his failure in observing the laws of health and indiscretion, he
says, "My diseases have arisen from the practice of Yoga."
Then he will discontinue his practice. This is the first obstacle of

Yoga.
This body is an instrument for attaining God-realisation. lf
you do not possess good health, you cannot do any rigorous
Yoga-practice and meditation. Therefore keep this body
healthy and strong by regular exercise, practice of Asanas and
Pranayamas, wholesome food, sunbath, fresh air, cold bath,
etc.
Just as clouds screen and obstruct the sun, so also the
cloud of sickness stands in your way. Even then you must not
leave the practice of Japa, concentration and meditation.
These small clouds of sickness will pass off soon. Give the sug-
gestions to the mind, "Even this will pass away." Just as you do
not leave your food even for a day, so also you should not leave
your spiritual practice even for a day. The mind is ever.ready to
deceive you and stop you from the practice of meditation. Do
not hearthe voice of the mind. Hearthe sweetvoice of the sogl"
Meditation itself is a tonic, and a panacea for all diseases.
lf you are seriously ailing you can do Japa and light meditation
while lying on the bed.
5. Discussing Too Much

Some people in whom the reason has developed have got
the habit of entering into unnecessary controversies and dis-
cussions. They have got Tarkika Buddhi. They cannot remain
quiet even for a second. They will create opportunities for
heated debates. Too much discussions end in enmity and
hostility. Much energy is wasted in useless discussions. lntel-
lect is a help if it is used in the right direction of Atmic Vichara.
lntellect is a hindrance if it is used in unnecessary discussions.
lntellect takes the aspirant to the threshold of intuition. Thus far
and no further. Reason helps in inferring the existence of God
and finding out suitable methods for Self-realisation. lntuition
transcends reason but does not contradict reason. lntuition is
direct perception of Truth. There is no reasoning here. Reason-
ing concerns matters of the physical place. Wherever there is
'why' and 'wherefore,' there is reasoning. ln transcendental
matters which are beyond the reach of reason, reason is of no
use.
lntellect helps a lot in reflecting and ratiocination. But peo-

ple in whom reasoning is highly developed become sceptical.
Their reason becomes perverted also. They lose faith in Vedas
and in the teachings of Mahatmas. They say, "We are rational-
ists. We cannot believe anything which does not appeal to our
reason. We do not believe the Upanishads. We reject anfihing
that does not come within the domain of reason. We have no
faith in God and Sat-Gurus." These so-called rationalists are a
type of atheists only. lt is very difficult to convince them. They
have an impure, perverted reason. Thoughts of God cannot en-
ter their brains. They will not do any kind of spiritual Sadhana.
They say, "Show us your Brahman of the Upanishads, or lsvara
of the Bhaktias." Those who are of doubting nature will perish.
Reason is a finite instrument. lt cannot explain many mysteri-
ous problems of life. Those who are free from the so-called ra-
tionalism and scepticism can march in the path of
God-realisation.
Give up arguing. Become silent. Look within. All doubts
will be cleared. You will get a flash of divine knowledge. The
pages of the internal book of divine knowledge will be clearly
revealed to you. Practise this and feel.
Aspirants should not indulge in sundry talks and miscella-
neous thoughts just to ease the mind. They should be serious.
They should think and talk of God alone.
6. Environments
Uncongenial atmosphere, unfavourable environments
and obstacles will help you only in carrying on the struggle
more vigorously and diligently. You will evolve quickly and de-
velop strong will-power and great power of endurance.
7. Evil Company
The effects of evil company are highly disastrous. The as-
pirant should shun all sorts of evil company. The mind is filled
with bad ideas by contact with evil company. The little faith in
God and scriptures also vanishes. A man is known by the com-
pany he keeps. Birds of same feather flock together. These are
all proverbs or wise maxims. They are quite true. Just as a
nursery is to be well-fenced in the beginning for protection
against cows, etc., so also a neophyte should protect himself
very carefully from foreign evil influences. Otherwise he is ru-
ined totally. The company of those who speak lies, who commit
adultery theft, cheating, double-dealing, who are greedy, who
indulge in idle talks, backbiting, talebearing, who hlve no faith
in God and in the scriptures, etc., should be stricfly avoided.
The company of women and of those who associate with
women is dangerous.
Bad surroundings, obscene pictures, obscene songs,
novels that deal with love, cinemas, theatres, the sight of pair-
ing of animals, words which give rise to bad ideas in tne mind,
in short anything that causes evil thoughts in the mind consti-
,,We
!ute.evil company. Aspirants generally complain, are doing
Sadhana for the last fifteen years. We have not made any solid
spiritual progress." The obvious answer is that they have not to-
tally shunned evil company. Newspapers deal wiin att sorts of
worldly topics. Aspirants should entirely give up reading of
newspapers. Reading ofnewspapers kindles worldly
Samskaras, causes sensationalexcitement in the mind, makei
the mind outgoing, produces an impression that the world is a
solid reality and makes one forget the Truth that lies under-
neath these names and forms.
8. Fault-Finding
This is a detestable old habit of man. lt clings to him tena-
ciously. The mind of the aspirant who always tries to poke his
nose into the affairs of other men is always outgoing. How can
he think of God when his mind is ever engaged in flnding the
faults of others? lf you spend even a trac[ion of the timJtnat
you waste, in finding your own faults, you woutd become a
great saint by this time. Why do you care for the faults of oth-
ers? lmprove yourself first. Reform yourself first. purify yourself
!1st. Wagh the impurities of your own mind. He whb-applies
himself diligently to his spiritual practices cannot find even a
single second to look into the affairs of others. lf the fault-find-
ing nature dies, there will be no occasion for criticising others.
Much time is wasted in backbiting, talebearing, icandal-
mongering, etc. Time is most precious. We do not know when
Lord Yama willtake away our lives. Every second must be uti-
lised in Divine Contemplation. Let the world have its own ways.
Mind your own affairs. Clean your mental factory. That man
who does not interfere with others is the most peaceful man in
the world.
9. Ilabit of Self-Justification
This is a very dangerous habit for an aspirant. lt is an
old-standing habit. Self-assertion, self-sufficiency, obstinacy,
dissimulating, speaking falsehood are the constant retinues or
attendants of self-justification. He who has developed this can
never improve himself as he will never admit his faults. He will
always try his level best to justify himself in various ways. He
will not hesitate to tell several lies to support his false state-
ments. He will tell one lie to cover another lie, and he will speak
lies ad infinitum. The aspirant should always admit his faults,
mistakes, weaknesses, etc., then and there. Then only he can
improve quickly.
l0.Impulses
lmpulses disturb meditation. All obscure subconscious
impulses should be controlled by the intellect and the will.
Sex-impulse and ambition are two great disturbing factors
in meditation. They carry on guerrilla warfare. They attack the
Sadhakas again and again. They appear to be thinned out for
sometime. They get revived often. They should be extirpated
by great efforts, Vichara, Viveka (power of discrimination be-
tween Atman and Anatman, Self and non-Self) and
Sivoham-Bhavana.
ll..Impure and Immoderate Food

Aharash u dd h au sattvash udd h i h ;
Sattvashuddhau dhruva smritih ;
Smritilabhe saruagranthinam vipramokshah
U Panishad: 7 -26-2.
-ChhandogYa
"ln pure food there is a pure nature, in a pure nature there
is firm fixation of memory, in a firm memory there is release
from all knots (of the heart)."
Mind is formed out of the subtlest portion of food. lf the
food is impure, the mind also becomes impure. This is the dic-
tum of sages and psychologists. Food plays an important part
in the evolution of mind. lt has direct influence on the mind.
Meat, fish, eggs, stale, unwholesome food, onions, garlic, etc.,
should be avoided by spiritual practitioners as they excite
passion and anger. The food should be simple, bland, light,
wholesome and nutritious. Liquors and narcotics should be
strictly abandoned. Chillies, condiments, spiced dishes, pun-

gent articles, hot things, things that are sour, sweetmeats, etc.,
must be rejected.
ln the Gita you will flnd: "The foods that augment vitality,
energy, vigour, health, joy and cheerfulness, are delicious,
bland, substantial, agreeable, and dear to the pure. The pas-
sionatg desire foods that are burning, and which produce pain,
grief and sickness. That which is stale and flat, putrid and cor-
rupt, leavings and also unclean, is the food dear to the
dark"-(Ch. XVlll-8, 9, 10). Aspirants should not overload the
stomach. Ninety per cent of diseases take their origin in im-
moderation in diet. People have developed a strong habit of
eating more food than what is actually necessary from their
very boyhood. Hindu mothers stuff the stomachs of their chil-
dren with too much food. This is not the way of caressing and
loving children. Overloading brings drowsiness and sleep im-
mediately. lf there is no hunger, you must not take any iood.
The night meals should be very light for Sadhakas. Half a seer
of milk with one or two plantains is quite sufficient. overloading
is the chief factor in bringing night-pollutions. sannyasins and
aspirants should take their Bhiksha from the hands of those
householders'who earn their livelihood by honest means.
12. Irregularity in Sadhana

This is also a great obstacle in the path of realisation. Just
as a man is regular in taking his food, so also he must be stricfly
regular in his Sadhana. He must get up punctually at 3.30 or 4
a.m. and dtart his Japa and meditation. One can g6t tne medita-
tive mood quite easily without effort if he does his sadhana in
fixed hours, both morning and night. ln winter one can have
four sittings. One should have the same pose, the same room,
the same seat, the same Bhava or the same mental attitude
and the same hours for meditation. Everybody should have his
daily routine or Dinacharya and should strictty ad.here to it at all
costs. Leniency to the mind will upset the whole programme.
One should meditate regularly. He should do the-spiritual
Sadhana untiringly with indefatigable energy, asinine paiience,
adamantine will and iron determination. Then Only sure suc-
cess is possible. Meals should be taken at regular hours. One
should go to sleep at fixed time and get up at fixed time. See
how the sun is very regular in its rising and daily work!
13. Jerks
ln the beginning of your practice you may get jerks of
hands, legs, trunk and whole body. Sometimes the jerk is very
terrible. Do not be afraid. Do not be troubled. lt is nothing. lt can
do nothing. lt is due to sudden muscular contraction from new
Pranic influence or new nerve stimuli. Remember that new
nerve-currents are formed now owing to the purification of
Nadis from Sadhana. The jerks will pass off after some time' At
times there is tremor of the body during meditation. This is due
to the Prana being taken up to the brain in the process of medi-
tation from the trunk, etc. Do not be afraid. Do not stop the med-
itation. You will have to pass through all these stages. When
you get these, you are improving. You are progressing. Plod on
-persevere.
ind Be cheerful. Help is from within, from the
Antaryamin, from the Sakshi, from Kutastha-Pratyag-Atman.
These are all new sensations. During meditation, some people
draw inspiration and compose beautiful poems. Record them, if
you get this poetic insPiration.
Lack of Brahmacharya
14.
No spiritual progress is possible without tlre practice of
celibacy. The semen is a dynamic force. lt should be converted
into Ojas or spiritual energy by pure thoughts, Japa and medi-
tation. Those who are very eager to have God-realisation
should observe unbroken celibacy strictly. Householders break
theirvows owing to theirweakness and hence do notfind much
advancement in spiritual path. They rise two steps in the spiri-
tual ladder and fall down immediately to the ground by lack of
celibacy. This is a sad mistake. They should sleep separately.
They should be very serious. They should understand clearly
the lravity of the situation. Taking a vow is a very sacred act- lt
must be kept up at allcosts. Man only is the realculprit. He vio-
lates rules and laws. Women have got greater self-restraint
than men, though Sastras say that they are eight times more
passionate than men.
Remember the advantages of Brahmacharya and evils of
loss of semen. Wastage of semen brings nervous weakness,
exhaustion and premature death. Sexual act destroys vigour of
mind, body and lndriyas and annihilates memory, understand-
ing and intellect. This body is meant for God-realisation' lt must
be well utilised for higher, spiritual purpose. lt is very difficult to
PHYSICAL OBSTACLES IN MEDITATION t97
get a human birth. Remember those Brahmachari-Saints who

had earned undying reputation and glory. you can also achieve
greatness if you preserve this vital energy and utilise it for di-
vine contemplation. You are not crawling now. you have learnt
to stand up and walk. You are a man. Behave like a real man.
Observe the vow of Brahmacharya stricily. Let your wife also
understand and realise the importance and glory of
Brahmacharya. Get for her religious books for daily stuOy. Rsk
her to fast on Ekadasi and to do Japa of any Mahtra 21,600
times daily. Take refuge in God's name and Japa. Allobstacles
will be removed, and you can keep up this sacred vow.
St. Paul said, "lt is good for a man not to touch a woman.,,
Lord Buddha said, "Awise man should avoid married life as if it
were a burning pit of live coal."
15. Ojas
Ojas is spiritual energy that is stored up in the brain. By
sublime thoughts, meditation, Japa, worship and pranayama
the sexual energy can be transmuted into Ojas Shakti anO Ue
stored up in the brain. This energy can be utilised for divine
contemplation and spiritual pursuits.
Anger and muscular energy can also be transmuted into
Ojas. A man who has great deal of Ojas in his brain can turn out
immense mentalwork. He is very intelligent. He has a magnetic
aura in his face and lustrous eyes. He can influence peo[te Oy
speaking a few words. A short speech can produce tremen-
dous impression on the minds of hearers. His speech is thrill-
i1S. He has an awe-inspiring personality. Sri Sankara, an
Akhanda-Brahmacharin, worked wonders through his power of
Ojas. He did Dig-vijaya and held controversies and heated de-
bates in different parts of lndia with the learned scholars
through his power of ojas. AYogi always directs his attention to
the accumulation of this divine energy by unbroken chastig.
16. Lack of Yama and Niyama

You are not able to enter into Samadhi because you are
not able to practise meditation. You are not able to do piofound
meditation because you are not able to fix the mind sieadily or
concentrate. You are not able to concentrate properly because
you are not able to practise Pratyahara or the withdrawal of the
senses from the objects thoroughly. you are not able to practise
Pratyahara thoroughly because you have not obtained mastery

over Asana and Pranayama and you are not established in
Yama and Niyama, which are the foundation of Yoga'
7. Lingual Diarrhoea
Too much talking is one of the bad habits which lessen the
spiritual power. lf a man talks too much he suffers from diar-
rhoea of the tongue. Quiet people cannot sit even for a second
in the company of those loquacious or garrulous people. They
will talk five hundred words per second. T.here is an electric
talking-dynamo in their tongues. They are restless people. lf
you lock these people for a day in a solitary room, they will die.
Much energy is wasted by too much talking. The energy that is
spent in talking must be conserved and utilised for divine con-
templation. The Vak-lndriya distracts the mind considerably. A
talkative man cannot dream of having peace even for a short
time. As aspirant should talk only a few words when necessary
and that too on spiritual matters only. Atalkative man is unfit for
the spiritual path. Practise Mouna daily for two hours and espe-
cially during meals. On Sundays observe full Mouna for 24
hours. Do a lot of Japa and meditation during Mouna. The
Mouna that is observed during meditation cannot be taken as
vow of silence. Then sleep also should be taken as Mouna.
Mouna should be observed by householders at such a time
when there are great opportunities for talking and when visitors
come to meet. Now only the impulse of speech can be
checked. Ladies are very talkative. They create troubles in the
house by idle talks and gossiping. They should observe Mouna
particularly. You should speak measured words only. Too much
talking is Rajasic nature. Great peace comes by observance of
Mouna. By gradual practice, prolong the period of Mouna to
three months.
18. Need for a PrecePtor

"lf these Truths have been told to a high-souled one, who
has supreme devotion to God and as much devotion to his
Guru or preceptor as to God, then only they will shine
forth, then only they will shine forth indeed."
svata ro pan i sh a n d : V I -23.
-Svefa
The spiritual path is thorny, rugged and precipitous. lt is
enveloped by darkness. The guidance of a Guru who has al-
ready trodien the path is imperatively necessary. He will be

able to throw light and remove the obstacles in the path. The
knowledge of the Self is revealed through parampara and
handed down from Guru to the disciple in succession.
Matsyendranath taught Brahma-Vidya to Nivrittinath. Nivritti-
nath gave the knowledge to Jnanadev, and so on. Gaudapada
initiated Govindapada into the mysteries of Kaivalyam.
Govindapada instructed Sankaracharya. Sankaracharya in-
structed Sureshvaracharya and so on.
The spiritual path is quite different line altogether. lt is not
like writing a thesis for M.A. examination. The help of a teacher
is necessary at every moment. Young aspirants become
self-sufficient, arrogant, and self-assertive in these days. They
do not care to carry out the orders of a Guru. They do not wish
to have a Guru. They want independence from the very begin-
ning. They apply in an absurd mannerwith a perverted inteliect
the'Neti-Neti' doctrine and Bhaga-Tyaga-Lakshana in the case
of Guru also and say: "Saruam Khalvidam Brahma-Na Gurur
Na Sishyah-Chidananda Rupah Sivoham Sivoham." They
think they are in the Turiya Avastha, when they do not know
even the A.B.C. of spirituality of truth. This is the phitosophy of
Asuras or devils or Satans. They mistake licentiousness or
"having their own ways and sweet will," as freedom. This is a
serious, lamentable mistake. That is the reason why they do
not grow. They lose the faith in the efficacy of Sadhana and in
the existence of God. They wander about in a happy-go-lucky
manner without any aim from Kashmir to Gangotri and from
Gangotrito Rameswaram, talking some nonsense on the way,
something from Vichar Sagar, something from panchadasi,
and posing as Jivanmuktas.
He who lives under the guidance of a Guru for twelve
years, who carries out implicitly the orders of the Guru, who
serves the Guru sincerely taking him for para Brahman, can re-
ally improve in the spiritual path. There is no other way for spiri-
tual progress. So long as there is world, there are spiritual
teachers and spiritual books. The number of Jivanmuktas may
b9 less in Kali Yuga than in Satya Yuga. lf you cannot get an
ideal Guru, you can tiake even a senior aspirant who has been
treading the path of realisation for some years, who is straight-
forward and honest, who is selfless, who is free from pride,
egoism, who has good charactel who has knowledge of
Sastras, as your Guru. Live with him for some time. Study him
carefully. lf you are satisfied, take him as.your preceptor and
follow his instructions strictly. After you have accepted him
once as your Guru, never suspect him and never find fault with
him. Do not change the Guru very often. You will be bewildered.
You will get different conflicting ideas. Everybody has got his
own Sadhana. You will find no improvement if you change fre-
quently your method of Sadhana. Stick to one Guru and stick to
his instructions. Stick to one method. You will evolve quickly.
Single-minded devotion to Guru, ideal, one kind of Sadhana
and whole-hearted application are indispensable requisites for
God-realisation.
Beware of pseudo-gurus. They are knocking about in
abundance in these days. They will exhibit some tricks or feats
to attract people. Think that those who are proud, who are
roaming aboutto make disciples and to amass money, who talk
of worldly matters, who speak untruth, who boast of them-
selves, who are talkative, who keep company with worldly peo-
ple and women, and who are luxurious, are impostors. Do not
be deceived by their sweet talks and lectures.
ln this connection it will not be out of place to mention the
story of a man who was in search of a Sadguru. He found out at
last one Sadguru. The student asked the Guru, "O venerable
Sir, give me Upadesha." The Guru asked, "What sort of
Upadesha do you want?" The disciple asked, "O Beloved Mas-
ter!Who is superior;disciple or Guru?" The Guru said, "Guru is
superior to disciple." The disciple said, "O Beloved Guru! Make
me a Guru. I like that." Such disciples are plenty in these days.
19. Overeating, etc.

Overloading the stomach, work that produces fatigue or
overwork, too much talking, taking heavy food at night, too
much mixing with people, are obstacles in the path of Yoga.
You should not practise Yoga when you suffer from dyspepsia,
sour belching, vomiting, diarrhoea or any other disease, and
also when you are too much depressed or fatigued.
20. Poor Health

God-realisation is not possible without Sadhana or spiri-
tual practice. Spiritual practice is not possible without good
health. A sickly, dilapidated body stands in the way of doing
Abhyasa or discipline. The aspirant should try his level best to

keep good health always by regular exercise, Asana,
Pranayama, moderation in diet, walking, running in open air,
regularity in his work, meals, sleep, etc. He should avoid drug-
ging as much as possible. He must take recourse to na-
ture-cure such as fresh air, wholes6me food, cold bath and
dietetic adjustment. He should always keep a cheerful attitude
of mind under all conditions of life. Cheerfulness is a powerful
mental tonic. There is intimate connection between body and
mind. lf one is cheerful, the body is also healthy. That is the rea-
son why doctors now prescribe laughing three times daily in the
treatment of diseases.
Some foolish aspirants refuse to take medicine when they
are ailing seriously. They say, "lt is Prarabdha. We should not
go against Prarabdha. Taking medicine is against the Will of
God. Body is Mithya. lt is Anatman. lf I take medicine it witl in-
crease Deha Adhyasa or body-idea." This is foolish philosophy.
Take medicine. Do Purushartha. Leave the results to
Prarabdha. This is wisdom. These foolish people unnecessar-
ily torture the body, allow the disease to strike deep root and
spoil their health. They cannot do any Sadhana. They ruin this
instrument by a wrong conception of Vedanta. Vedanta says,
"Have no attachment forthis body. But keep it clean, strong and
healthy for constant, rigid Sadhana. This body is a boat to cross
to the other shore of immortality. lt is a horse to take you to the
destination. Feed the horse well-but give up'mineness'." Tell
me friend, which is better? To take a purgative, to take some
medicine for a couple of days, to tide over difficulties in a few
days and to start again Sadhana quickly or to neglect the dis-
ease, not to take any medicine, to allow the disease to assume
a grave form, to suffer for a month or two by negligence, to
make the disease chronic and incurable, and to allow the
Sadhana to suffer for a month?
There is a class of people in lndia called the Rasayanas.
They try to make the body strong and healthy by hking
Siddha-Kalpas. They claim that this body can be made immor-
tal. They say, "This body is an instrument for God-realisation.
No realisation of God is possible without a healthy and strong
body. Man makes some progress in Yoga and dies before he
attains perfection. He takes another birth and then practises
Yoga for some years and then dies again. In this way much
time is lost in recurring births and deaths. lf the body is kept

strong and healthy for a long time, a man can have God-reali-
sation in one birth alone." Therefore they prescribe Kalpas
made up of nim-essence, nuxvomica, gold, arsenic, sulphur,
mercury, etc. No disease can entei a body which is rendered
adamantine by a course of these tonics. They begin spiritual
Sadhana after making the body quite strong and healthy in the
beginning.
21. So-called Friends

The so-called friends are your real enemies. You cannot
flnd even a single, unselfish friend in this universe. Your real
friend in need who attends on you sincerely is God, the
lndweller of your heart. Worldly friends come to you to get
money and other comforts when you are rolling in Rolls Royce,
when you have got plenty of money. When you are in adverse
circumstances, no one will care to look at you. Even your sons
and wife willforsake you. This world is full of avarice, hypocrisy,
double-dealing, flattery untruth, cheating and selfishness. Be
careful. Friends come to have idle talk with you and to waste
your time. They have no idea of the value of time. They want to
pull you down and make you worldly. They will say, "Friend,
what are you doing? Earn money as much as possible. Live
comfortably now. Eat, drink, be merry. Let us go to talkies.
Today there is a good new American Hollywood production
running at so and so theatre. There is beautiful American
dance. Who knows about the future? Where is God? Where
is heaven? There is no rebirth. There is no Mukti. lt is allgup
and gossip of Pandits. Enjoy now. Why do you fast? There is
nothing beyond this world. Give up all Sadhana and medita-
tion. You are wasting your time." You will get such sorts of
advices from such worldly friends. Cut off all connections
ruthlessly. Do not talk to any of your friends, however sincere
he seems to be. Hide yourself away. Live alone at all times.
Trust in that lmmortal friend only who dwells in your heart.
Then alone you are perfectly safe. He willgive you whatever
you want. Hear His sweet counsel from within with
one-pointed mind and follow.
22. Social Nature

Social nature is good for doing Karma Yoga. But it is ex-
tremely bad for practising Dhyana Yoga. lt drags you out. lt
makes your mind restless. lt invites many friends who disturb
you in a variety of ways.
23. Tandri-Alasya-Nidra
Tandri is half-sleepy state. Alasya is laziness. Nidra is
sleep. Laya also means sleep. Alasya and Tandri are the pre-
cursors of sleep. These three are great obstacles in the path of
realisation. Sleep is a powerful force of Maya. lt is Nidra-Sakti.
Laya or mental inactivity is a state which is equivalent to
deep sleep. This is as much a source of evil as passion. Wake
up the mind in Laya.
You will be imagining that you are meditating. The mind
will immediately run through the old grooves into the
Mula-Ajnana for resting in the twinkling of an eye. You will be
doubting: "Did I go to sleep? Or did I meditate now? I think I had
a small nap, as lfeel heaviness of lids and body now." Sleep is
the greatest obstacle as it is very powerful. Even though a
Sadhaka is very careful and vigilant, yet it overpowers him
somehow or other. This is a very strong habit. lt takes time and
demands great strength of will to tear this old habit.
Arjuna is called Gudakesa or conqueror of sleep. Lord Sri
Krishna addresses him, "O Gudakesa!" Lakshmana also had
conquered sleep. Besides these two persons who had con-
quered sleep, we have not heard of anyone. There are people
who have reduced the sleep to 2 or 3 hours. Even Yogins and
Jnanins sleep for two or three hours. Sleep is a psychological
phenomenon. Brain needs rest at least for a short time. Other-
wise man feels drowsy and tired. He can neitherwork nor medi-
tate. The sleep of a Jnani is different from the sleep of a worldly
man. ln a Jnani the powerful Samskaras of Brahma-Abhyasa
are there. lt is something akin to Brahma-Nishtha. One should
be careful in reducing his sleep.
This is the way to reduce your sleep. Reduce it gradually.
Forthe firstfour months go to bed at 11 p.m. and get up 4 a.m.
Have sleep for five hours. For the next four months go to bed at
12 p.m. and get up at 4 a.m. Have sleep for four hours. For the
nextfour months go to bed at 12 p.m. and get up at 3 a.m. Thus

gradually reduce the hours of sleep.
Sadhakas can gain time for their Sadhana by reducing
sleep. The practice of reducing sleep will be very troublesome
in the beginning. When the habits are changed, it will be pleas-
ant in the end.
Give up rice and heavy mealat night. Take lightfood, such
as milk and fruits at night. You will be able to get up in the early
morning. Sleep will not overpower you during meditation.
Tamas enters and sleep supervenes an hour after you have
started meditation.
Practise Sirshasana, Sarvangasana, Bhujangasana,
Salabhasana and Dhanurasana. Do a little Pranayama
before you start meditation. You will not become sleepy during
meditation.
Sometimes during the course of meditation the mind sud-
denly slips into its old grooves for sleeping. Aspirants think that
they are meditating while they are actually sleeping. Dash cold
water on the face. Stand up and sing, and do vigorous Kirtan for
five orten minutes. You can drive off sleep easily. Keep the light
burning if sleep comes in.
When meditation becomes habitual, when the habit of get-
ting up at 4 a.m. is well established, when you take light food at
night, sleep will not trouble you at all during meditation. When
sleep tries to overpower you, repeat the Mantra loudly for some
time. Sit in Vajrasana.
Aspirants do meditation in the morning for one hour be-
tween 4 and 5 a.m. Then they are overpowered by sleep. They
begin to sleep again after 5 a.m. This is a general complaint. Do
10 or 20 rounds of Pranayama at 5 a.m. Do Sirshasanator 2
minutes. Again you will be fresh for meditation. Use your com-
mon-sense always. The old habits may recur again and again.
Tear it off again and again by suitable practices, by strength of
will, by prayer, etc. The practice of keeping vigil on Sivaratri and
Sri Krishna Janmashtami is highly commendable. The Chris-
tians also keep vigil on Christmas and New Year's nights.
During meditation, sleep overpowers the aspirant. He be-
gins to doubt whether he was meditating or sleeping. lf one is
really meditating, his body will be light and his mind will be
cheerful. lf he is sleeping, the body will be heavy, the mind will

be dull and the eye-lids will be heavy.
24. Vulgar Pleasures

Scents, soft beds, novel reading, dramas, theatres, cine-
mas, vulgar music, dancing, flowers, company of women,
Rajasic dlet, all these excite passions and cause disturbance of
the mind. Too much salt, too many chillies, too many sweets
cause intense thirst and disturb meditation. Too much talking,
too much walking, too much working and too much mixing dis-
turb the mind in meditation.
25. Wealth
Artha (wealth) is really Anartha (evil). To earn wealth is
painful. To protect the wealth is still more painful. lf wealth is re-
duced, it is also painful. lf it is lost, it gives unbearable pain. You
cannot earn and amass wealth without doing great sins.
Wealth brings much anxiety. Therefore, shun wealth.
Retired officers remain on the banks of Ganga and
practise Japa and meditation for several years, but they do not
make any solid progress. Why? Because they utilise their big
pension for themselves, and for their sons and daughters. They
do not spend it in charity. They depend upon money for
everything.
Let them spend alltheir money in charity and rely on God.
Let them live on Bhiksha. They will surely have solid spiritual
progress.
CHAPTER SEVEN

1. Anger
It is a gate to hell. lt destroys the knowledge of Self. lt is
born of Rajas. lt is all-consuming and all-polluting. lt is the
greatest enemy of peace. lt is a modification of lust. Just as
milk is changed into curd, so also lust or desire becomes trans-
muted into anger. When a man's desire is not gratified, he be-
comes angry.Then his mind becomes confused. He loses his
memory and understanding. He perishes. A man when he is
angry will talk anything he likes and do anything he tikes. He
commits murder. Ahotword results in fighting and stabbing.He
is under intoxication. He loses his senses forthe time being. He
does not know what he is exactly doing. He is a prey to anger.
He is under the sway of anger. Anger is a form of Sakti or Devi.
ln Chandipatha you willfind:
"Ya d evi sa rua-b
h ute sh u krod h a ru pe n a sa m sth ita
Namas-tasyai namas-tasyai namas-tasyai namo namah."
"l bow to that Devi who is seated in all beings in the form of
anger."
Resentment, indignation, fury wrath and irritation are all
varieties of anger according to degree or intensity. lf a man
wants to correct another man and uses slight anger unselfishly
as a force to check and improve him, then it is called 'righteous
anger.'Suppose a man molests a girl and tries to outrage her,
and a by-stander becomes angry towards this criminal, then it
is called 'righteous indignation.'That is not bad. Only when the
anger is the outcome of greed or selfish motives, it is bad.
Sometimes a religious teacher has to express a little anger out-
wardly to correct his disciples. This is also not bad. One has to
do it. But he should be cool within and hot and impetuous
outside. He should not allow the anger to take deep root in his
Antahkarana for a long time. lt should pass off immediately like
a wave in the sea.
lf a man becomes irritable for trifling things very often, it is
a definite sign of mental weakness. One should control
(2o6)
irritability by developing patience, Vichara, Kshama, love,

mercy and spirit of service. When anger is controlled it be-
comes transmuted into an energy that can move the world. lt
becomes changed into Ojas, just as heat or light is changed
into electricity. Energy takes another form. lf an aspirant has
controlled anger completely, half of his Sadhana is over. Con-
trol of anger means control of lust also. All vices, evil qualities
and wrong actions take their origin in anger. lf anger is con-
trolled all bad qualities die by themselves. He who has con-
trolled anger cannot do any wrong or evil actions. He is always
just. An easily irritable man is always unjust. He is swayed by
impulses and emotions. Too much loss of semen is the chief
cause for irritability and anger. The root cause for anger lies in
egoism. Through Vichara, egoism should be removed. Then
only can one control anger completely to the very root. Through
development of the opposite virtues such as Kshama, love,
Santi, Karuna and friendship it can be controlled to some ex-
tent. The force can be reduced. Jnana only completely fries all
Samskaras. But practice of Mouna is of great help in controlling
anger. lt is very difficult to say when a man will be thrown into a
state of fury. All of a sudden he gets a terrible fit of anger for tri-
fling matters. When the anger assumes a grave form, it be-
comes difficult to control. lt should be controlled when it
assumes the form of a small ripple in the subconscious mind.
One should watch the mind carefully, whenever there is a sign
of irritability. Then it becomes very easy.
When a man is furious, he has lost all control. Anger gains
strength by repetition. lf it is checked, man gains strength of will
gradually. An aspirant should direct all his attention towards
conquest of his powerful enemy. Sattvic food, Japa, meditation,
prayer, Satsanga, Vichara, service, Kirtian, Brahmacharya,
Pranayama-all will pave a long way in eradicating this dire
malady. Acombined method should be adopted in its removal.
When a man abuses, you tryto keep quiet. Bearthe insult. You
will gain strength. Check the impulses and emotions to begin
with. Whenever there is likelihood of a burst of anger during
conversation or debate, stop your speech. Always try to speak
sweet and soft words (Madhura and Mridu). The words must be
soft and the arguments hard, but if the words are hard, it will
bring discord. lf you find it difficult to control anger, leave the
place at once and take a brisk walk. Drink some cool water
immediately. Chant OM loudly for 10 minutes. Smoking,

meat-eating and drinking of liquors make the heart very irrita-
ble. Therefore they should be completely abandoned. Tobacco
brings diseases of heart. lt gives rise to 'tobacco-heart'which
gets easily irritated.
Be careful in the selection of companions. Talk little. Mix
little. Plunge yourself into spiritual Sadhana. Think that the
world is a long dream; that the world is Mithya. This will prevent
anger. Make Vichara: "What is abuse? What do I gain by get-
ting angry? lt is only wasting of energy and time. I am not body.
The Atman is the same in all." This will completely remove an-
ger. Anger spoils the blood. lt throws various poisons into the
blood.
lnstances are recorded of women who have killed children
by nursing them with breast milk when they were in a fit of an-
ger. ln the light of modern psychology all diseases take their or-
igin in anger. Rheumatism, heart diseases and nervous
diseases are due to anger. The whole nervous system is com-
pletely shattered by one flt of anger. lt takes months before it is
restored to normal equilibrium.
2. Backbiting
This is a dirty, abominable habit of petty-minded people.
Almost all are victims of this dire malady. This has become an
ingrained habit of narrow-hearted, mischievous people. This is
a Tamo-Guna Vritti. The Lila of this world is kept up by this evil
habit of man. lt is Maya's strong weapon to spread restless-
ness throughout the world. lf you see four men sitting in a
group, think that some backbiting is surely going on there. lf
you behold that four Sadhus are talking, you can at once infer
without any shadow of doubt that they are backbiting against
some person or other. The Sadhu will be talking: "The food of
that Kshetra is very bad. That Swamiji is a very bad man."
Backbiting is more prevalent amongst the so-called Sadhus
than amongst householders. Even educated Sannyasins and
householders are not free from this dreadful disease. A real
Sadhu who is engaged in contemplation willalways be alone.
The root cause of backbiting is ignorance or jealousy. The
backbiter wants to pull down or destroy the man who is in a
prosperous condition by false vilification, slander, calumny,
false accusation, etc. There is no other work for a backbiter
except scandal-mongering. He lives on backbiting. He takes

pleasure in backbiting and mischief-making. This is his Sva-
bhava. Backbiters are a menace to society. They are worst
criminals. They need capital punishment. Double-dealing,
crookedness, diplomacy, chicanery, quibbling, tricks and
artifices are the retinues of backbiting. A backbiter can never
have a calm, peaceful mind. His mind is always planning or
scheming in wrong directions. An aspirant should be absolutely
free from this dreadful vice. He should walk alone, live alone,
eat alone and meditate alone. lf a man who has not removed
jealousy, backbiting, hatred, pride, selfishness says, "l am
meditating for six hours daily," it is all nonsense. There is no
hope of getting a meditative mood even for six minutes unless
a man removes allthese evilVrittis and purifies his mind first by
selfless service for six years.
3. Depression
Very often depression comes in meditation in neophytes
owing to the effect of previous Samskaras, influence of astral
entities, evil spirits, bad company, cloudy days, bad stomach
(indigestion) and loaded bowels. Treat the cause. Remove the
cause. Do not allow depression to overpoweryou. lmmediately
take a brisk long walk. Run in the open air. Sing divine songs.
Chant OM loudly for one hour. Walk along the seaside or
river-side. Play on the harmonium if you know the art. Have
cheerful thoughts and good laughing. lf necessary you can
take purgative and a dose of carminative mixture.
Do some Kumbhakas and Sitali Pranayama. Drink a small
cup of orange juice or hot tea or coffee. Read some of the ele-
vating portions of Avadhoota Gita and the Upanishads.
When depression comes and troubles you, the mind will
revolt. The lndriyas will pull your legs. The undercurrent
Vasanas will gush to the surface of the mind and torment you.
Sensuous thoughts will agitate the mind and try to overwhelm
you. Be bold. Stand adamant. Face these passing shocks.
Keep your mind cool. Do not identify yourself with these obsta-
cles. lncrease your period of Japa and meditation. Strengthen
Vairagya and discrimination too. Pray fervently. Live on milk
and fruits. All these obstacles will pass away like a rent cloud.
With the removal of all troubles you will shine gloriously. The
2to CONCENTRATION AND MEDITATION
improvement will be known to you. There will be a change in

the mind, in speech and in allactions.
4. Doubt (Samsaya)
An aspirant begins to doubt whether God exists or not,
whether he will succeed in his God-realisation or not, whether
he is doing his practices rightly or not. Lack of faith is a danger-
ous obstacle in the spiritual path. The student slackens his ef-
forts when these doubts crbp up. Maya is very powerful.
Mysterious is Maya. lt misleads people through doubting and
forgetfulness. Mind is Maya. Mind deludes people through
doubting. Sometimes he gives up his Sadhana altogether. This
is a serious mistake. Whenever doubt tries to overpower any
student he should at once take recourse to the company of Ma-
hatmas and remain with them for some time under the influ-
ence of their currents. He should clear his doubts by
conversing with them. Generally an aspirant starts his
Sadhana with expectation of so many Siddhis within a short
time. When he does not get them he gets dejected and stops
his practices. This is the trouble in almost all cases. He thinks
that Kundalini will be awakened within six months and he will
have clairvoyance, clairaudience, thought-reading, flying in the
air, etc. He entertains so many fantastic and queer ideas.
There are various kinds of impurities in the mind. lt takes a
long time for purification of the mind and getting a one-pointed
mind. Concentration is a question of practice for several lives.
Concentration is the most difficult thing in the world. One
should not get dejected after some practice for some months or
one or two years. Even if you do a little practice, the effect is
there. Nothing is lost. That is the immutable law of nature. You
will not be able to detect the little improvement that has come
out of a little practice as you have no subtle and pure intellect.
You must develop virtues: Vairagya, patience and persever-
ance to a maximum degree; you must have an unshakable
conviction in the existence of God and in the efficacy of spiritual
practices. You must have a strong determination: "l will realise
God right now in this very birth, nay in this very second. lwill
realise or die."
Doubts are of three kinds, viz., Samsaya Bhavana,
Asambhavana and Vipareeta Bhavana (wrong feeling that the
Self is the body and the world is a solid reality). Sravana (hear-
MENTAL OBSTACLES IN MEDITATION 2tr
ing of the scriptures), will remove Samsaya Bhavana. Manana
(meditation) will remove Asambhavana. Nididhyasana (pro-
found meditation) and Sakshatkara (realisation) will remove
Vipareeta Bhavana.
Doubt or uncertainty is a great obstacle in the path of
Self-realisation. lt bars the spiritual progress. This must be re-
moved by Satsanga, study of religious books, Vichara and rea-
soning. lt will again and again raise its head to mislead the
aspirant. lt should be killed beyond resurrection by certainty of
conviction and firm, unshakable faith based on reasoning.
Doubt is your great enemy. Doubt causes restlessness of
mind. Destroy all doubts through Vichara and Jnana.
Do not bother about the doubts. There is no end for
doubts. Purify your hearts. Go on vigorously with the purifica-
tion processes, such as Japa, meditation. Meditate regularly.
The doubts will be cleared by themselves in a mysterious man-
ner. The great teacher or lnner Ruler is with you. He will illu-
mine you and remove your doubts.
5. Dreams
Various sorts of fantastic dreams trouble some aspirants
very much. Sometimes there is a mixture of meditation and
dreams. As the phenomenon of dreams is very peculiar and in-
explicable, it is very difficult to control dreams unless you wipe
out all the Samskaras in the Karana Sarira (causal body) and
control all thoughts. As you grow in purity, Viveka and concen-
tration, dreams will decrease.
The presence of dreams denotes that you are not yet
well-established in deep meditation, that you have not removed
Vikshepa (tossing of the mind) and that you have not done
constant intense Sadhana.
Evil Thoughts
6.
Suppose the evil thoughts stay in your mind for twelve
hours and recur every third day. lf you can make them stay for
ten hours and recur once in a week by daily practice of concen-
tration and meditation, that is a decided improvement. lf you
continue your practice, the period of stay and recurrence will be
gradually lessened. Eventually they will disappear altogether.
Compare your present state with that of last year. You will be
2t2 CONCENTRATION AND MEDITATION
able to find out your progress. The progress will be very slow in
the beginning. lt will be difficult for you to gauge your growth
and progress.
Your mind will sometimes shudder when evil thoughts en-
ter your mind. This is a sign of your spiritual progress. You are
growing spiritually. You will be much tormented when you think
of your evil actions committed in the past. This is also a sign of
your spiritual upheaval. You will not repeat now the same ac-
tions. Your mind willtremble. Your body will quiverwhenever a
wrong Samskara of some evil action urges you to do the same
act through force of habit. Continue your meditation with full
vigour and earnestness. All memories of evil actions, all evil
thoughts, all evil promptings of Satan will die by themselves.
You will be established in perfect purity and peace.
An aspirantcomplains, "As lcontinue my meditation, layer
after layer of impurities is rising from the subconscious mind.
Sometimes they are so strong and formidable that I am bewil-
dered as to how to check them. I am not perfectly established in
truth and Brahmacharya. The old habits of speaking lies and
lust are still lurking in my mind. Lust is troubling me vigorously.
The very idea of women agitates the mind. My mind is so sensi-
tive that I am not able to hear or think of them. As soon as the
thought comes in the mind, all the hidden Samskaras of lust
rise up. As soon as these ideas come in my mind, the medita-
tion as also the peace of the whole day is spoiled. I advise my
mind, coax it, frighten it, but it is of no avail. My mind revolts. I
do not know how to control this passion. lrritability, egoism, an-
ger, greed, hatred, attachment, etc., are still lurking in me. As
far as I have analysed the mind, lust is my chief enemy and it is
very strong one, too. I request you to be kind enough to advise
me as to how to get rid of the same."
ln the beginning all sorts of evil thoughts will arise in your
mind as soon as you sit for meditation. Why does this happen
during meditation, when you attempt to entertain pure
thoughts? Aspirants leave their spiritual practice of meditation
on account of this. lf you try to drive a monkey, it attempts to
pounce upon you with vengeance. Even so, the old evil
Samskaras and old evil thoughts try to attack you with ven-
geance and with redoubled force only at the time when you try
to raise good, divine thoughts. Your enemy endeavours to re-
sist you vehemently when you try to eject him out of your
MENTAL OBSTACLES IN MEDITATION 213
house. There is law of resistance in nature. The old evil

thoughts assert and say, "O man! do not be cruel. You have al-
lowed us to stay in your mental factory from time immemorial.
We have every right to abide here. We have helped you up to
this time in all your evil actions. Why do you want to oust us
from our dwelling place? We will not vacate our abode." Do not
be discouraged. Go on with your practice of meditation regu-
larly. These evil thoughts will be thinned out.
Eventually they will all perish. Positive always overcomes
the negative. This is the law of nature. Negative evil thoughts
cannot stand before positive good thoughts. Courage over-
comes fear. Patience overcomes anger and irritability. Love
overcomes hatred. Purity overcomes lust. The very fact that
you feel uneasy now when an evil thought comes to the surface
of the mind during meditation, indicates that you are growing in
spirituality. ln those days you consciously harboured allsorts of
evil thoughts. You welcomed and nourished them. Persist in
your spiritual practices. Be tenacious and diligent. You are
bound to succeed. Even a dull type of aspirant will notice a mar-
vellous change in him if he keeps up the practice of Japa and
meditation for 2 or 3 years in continuous stream. Now he can-
not leave the practice. Even if he stops his practice of medita-
tion for a day, he will actually feel that he has lost something on
that day. His mind will be quite uneasy.
Passion is lurking in you. You may ask me the reason why
you become frequently angry.Anger is nothing but the modifi-
cation of passion. When the passion is not gratified, it assumes
the form of anger. The real cause for anger is ungratified pas-
sion. lt expresses itself in the form of anger when you deal with
the mistakes of your servants. This is an indirect cause or ex-
ternal stimulus for its expression. Raga-Dvesha currents are
not thoroughly eradicated. They are only attenuated or thinned
out to some extent. The lndriyas or senses are yet turbulent.
They are subjugated to a small degree. There are still under-
currents of Vasanas and Trishnas. The outgoing tendencies of
the senses are not totally checked. You are not established in
Pratyahara. The Vrittis are still powerful. There is no strong and
sustained discrimination or dispassion. The aspiration for the
Divine has not become intense. Rajas and Tamas are still do-
ing havoc. There is only a small increase in the quantity of
Sattva. Evil Vrittis are not thinned out. They are still powerful.
Positive virtues have not been cultivated to a considerable de-

gree. That is the reason why you have not attained perfect con-
centration. Purify the mind first. Concentration will come by
itself.
Worldly thoughts will trouble you a lot in the beginning of
your meditation. lf you are regular in meditation, these thoughts
will gradually die by themselves. Meditation is a fire to burn
these thoughts. Do not try to drive all worldly thoughts. Enter-
tain thoughts concerning the object of meditation.
Watch your mind always very carefully. Be vigilant. Bb on
the alert. Do not allow waves of irritability, jealousy, angel ha-
tred and lust to rise from the mind. These dark waves are ene-
mies of meditation, peace and wisdom. Suppress them
immediately by entertaining sublime and divine thoughts. Evil
thoughts that have arisen may be destroyed by originating
good thoughts and maintaining them by repeating any Mantra
or the name of the Lord, by thinking on any form of the Lord, by
practice of Pranayama, by singing the name of the Lord, by do-
ing good action and thinking of the misery that arises from evil
thoughts. When you attain the state of purity, no evil thoughts
will arise in your mind. Just as it is easy to check the intruder or
enemy at the gate, so also it is easy to overcome an evil
thought as soon as it arises. Nip it in the bud. Do not allow it to
strike deep root.
ln the beginning of your practice of thought-control, you
will experience great difficulty. You will have to wage war with
them. They will try their level best for their own existence. They
will say, "we have every right to remain in this palace of mind.
We have a sole monopoly from time immemorial to occupy this
area. Why should we vacate our dominion now? We will fight
for our birthright till the end." They will pounce upon you with
great ferocity. When you sit for meditation only, all sorts of evil
thoughts will crop up. As you attempt to suppress, they want to
attack you with redoubled force and vigour. But positive always
overcomes the negative. Just as darkness cannot stand before
the sun, just as the leopard cannot stand before the lion, so
also allthese dark, negative thoughts, these invisible intruders,
enemies of peace, cannot stand before the sublime thoughts.
They must die by themselves.
When you are very busy in your daily work, you may not
harbour any impure thoughts; but when you take rest and leave
the mind blank, the impure thoughts willtry to enter insidiously.

You must be carefulwhen the mind is relaxed.
. 7. False Tushti
The Sadhaka gets some experience during the course of
his Sadhana, sees wonderful visions of Rishis, Mahatmas, as-
tral entities of various descriptions, etc. He hears various melo-
dious Anahata sounds (Nada). He smells Divya Gandha' He
gets the powers of thought-reading, foretelling, etc. The
Sadhaka now foolishly imagines that he has reached the high-
est goal and stops his further Sadhana. This is a serious mis-
take. He gets false Tushti or contentment. These are all
auspicious signs that manifest on account of a little purity and
concentration-. These are all encouragements which God gives
as a sort of incentive for further progress and intense Sadhana'
The aspirant gets more strength of conviction by having these
experiences.
8. Fear
This is a very great obstacle in the path of God-realisation'
Atimid aspirant is absolutely unfitforthe spiritualpath. He can-
not dream of Self-realisation even in one thousand births. One
must risk the life if he wants immortality. The spiritual wealth
cannot be gained without self-sacrifice, self-abnegation. Afear-
less dacoit who has no Deha-Adhyasa is fit for God-realisation.
Only his current will have to be changed. Fear is an imaginary
non-entity. lt assumes solid forms and troubles the aspirant in
various ways. lf one conquers fear, he is on the road to suc-
cess. He has almost reached the goal. Tantrika Sadhana
makes the student fearless. There is one great advantage in
this line. He has to make practices in the burial ground, by sit-
ting over the dead body at midnight. This kind of Sadhana em-
boldens the student. Fear assumes various forms' There are
fear of death, fear of disease, scorpion-phobia, fear of solitude,
fear of company, fear of losing something and fear of public crit-
icism in the form of "what will people say of me?"
Some are not afraid of tigers in the forests. Some are not
afraid of gunshots in the battlefield. But they are awfully afraid
of public Lriticism. Fear of public criticism stands in the way of
the aspirant in his spiritual progress. He should stick to his own
principles, and own convictions, even though he is persecuted
2t6 CONCENTRATION AND MEDITATION
and even though he is at the point of being blown up at the

mouth of a machine-gun. Then only he will grow and realise. All
aspirants suffer from this dire malady, fear. Fear of all sorts
should be totally eradicated by Atma-Chintana, Vichara,,devo-
tion and cultivation of the opposite quality, courage. Positive
overcomes negative. Courage overpowers fear and timidity.
It took me many years to understand thoroughly the secret
subtle workings of the mind. Mind havocs through the power of
imagination. lmaginary fears of various sorts, exaggeration,
concoction, mental dramatisation, building castles in the air,
are all due to the power of imagination. Even a perfect, healthy
man has some imaginary disease or other due to the power of
imagination of the mind. A man may have a little weakness or
Dosha (fault). When he becomes your enemy, you at once ex-
aggerate and magnify his weakness and Dosha. You even su-
perimpose or concoct many more weaknesses and Doshas.
This is due to the power of imagination. Much energy is wasted
on account of imaginary fears.
9. Fickleness
Fickleness of mind is a great obstacle in meditation. Light
Sattvic diet and the practice of Pranayama will remove this
state of mind. Do not overload the stomach. Walk briskly in your
compound hither and thither for half an hour. As soon as you
have made a firm resolve, you must carry it out promptly at any
cost. This will remove fickleness of mind and develop your
will-power.
10. Five Hindrances to Meditation

The five hindrances to meditation, viz., sense-desire,
ill-will, sloth and torpol flurry and worry and perplexity should
be removed. For, when these are not removed, meditation can-
not arise. The mind that lusts after many things through
sense-desire, is not concentrated on one object or being over-
come by sense-desire, it does not enter in meditation in order
to put away the sensuous element. The mind that is harassed
by ill-will concerning an object does not leave it at once. The
mind that is overcome by sloth and torpor is unwieldy. Ob-
sessed by worry and flurry it does not repose but flirts about.
Struck by perplexity, it does not go on the path that leads to the
attainment of meditation and Samadhi.
11. Force of Old Samskaras

When the aspirant does intense Sadhana to obliterate the
old Samskaras, they try to rebound upon him with vengeance
and with redoubled force. They take forms and come before
him as stumbling blocks. The old Samskaras of hatred, enmity,
jealousy, feelings of shame, respect, honour, fear, etc., assume
grave forms. Samskaras are not imaginary non-entities. They
turn into actualities when opportunities crop up. The aspirant
should not be discouraged. They will lose their force after some
time and die by themselves. Just as the dying wick burns with
intensity before it gets extinguished, so also those old
Samskaras show their teeth and force before they are eradi-
cated. The aspirant should not get unnecessarily alarmed. He
will have to increase the force or momentum of spiritual
Samskaras by doing Japa, Dhyana, Svadhyaya, virtuous ac-
tions, Satsanga and cultivation of Sattvic virtues. These new
spiritual Samskaras will neutralise the old vicious Samskaras.
He should be intent on his Sadhana. He should plunge himself
into his spiritual practices. This is his Kartavya or duty.
When you again sit for meditation in evening, you will have
to struggle hard to wipe out the new worldly Samskaras that
you have gathered during the course of the day and get a calm
one-pointed mind again. This struggle brings in headache. The
Prana which moves inwards in different grooves and channels
and which is subtle during meditation has to move in new and
different channels during worldly activities. lt becomes very
gross during work. During meditation, the Prana is taken up to
the head.
12. Gloom and Despair

Just as clouds screen and obstruct the sun, so also the
cloud of gloom and despair will stand in your way of practice.
Even then you must not leave the practice of Japa, concentra-
tion and meditation. These small clouds of gloom and despair
will pass off soon. Give the suggestion to the mind: "EVEN
THIS WILL PASS AWAY.'
13. Greed
First comes Kama. Then comes anger. Then comes
greed. Then comes Moha. Kama is very powerful. So promi-
nence is given to it. There is intimate connection between

Kama and Krodha. Similarly there is close relationship be-
tween greed and Moha. A greedy man has got great Moha for
his money. His mind is always on the money-box and the bunch
of keys he has tied on his waist-cord. Money is his very blood
and life. He lives to collect money. He is a gatekeeper only for
his money. The enjoyer is his prodigalson. Money-lenders are
the favourite tools of ourfriend, greed. He has taken his strong-
hold in their minds. They are the Shylocks of the present day.
They suck the blood of poor people by taking enormous intei-
est (25 per cent, 50 per cent and even 100 per cent at times).
Cruel-hearted people! They pretend to show that they are of
charitable disposition by doing acts such as opening of
Kshetras, building temples, etc.
Such acts cannot neutralise their abominable sins and
merciless acts. Many poor families are ruined by these people.
They do not think that the bungalows and palaces in which they
live are built out of the blood of these poor people. Greed had
destroyed their intellect and made them absolutely blind. They
have eyes but they see not. Greed always makes the mind
restless. A man of one lakh of rupees plans to get ten lakhs. A
millionaire schemes to become a multimillionaire. Greed is
insatiable. There is no end to it. Greed assumes various subfle
forms. A man thirsts for name and fame and applause. This is
greed. A sub-judge thirsts for becoming a High Court Judge. A
third-class magistrate thirsts for becoming a first-class magis-
trate with full powers. This is also greed. A Sadhu thirsts for get-
ting psychic Siddhis. This is another form of greed. A Sadhu
thirsts for opening several Ashrams in different centres. This is
also greed. A greedy man is absolutely unfit for the spiritual
path. Destroy greed of all sorts by Vichara, devotion, medita-
tion, Japa, Dhyana, Santosha, integrity, honesty, disinterested-
ness and enjoy peace.
14. Hatred
This is the deadliest foe of an aspirant. lt is an inveterate
enemy. lt is an old-standing associate of the Jiva. Ghrina, con-
tempt, prejudice, sneering, taunting, teasing, ridiculing, mock-
ing, frowning and showing wry faces are all forms of hatred.
Hatred bubbles out again and again. lt is insatiable like lust or
greed. lt may temporarily subside for some time, and may
again burst out with redoubled force. lf the father dislikes a

man, his sons and daughters also begin to hate that man with-
out any rhyme or reason whatsoever, although that man has
not done them any wrong or injustice. Such is the force of ha-
tred. lf any one even remembers the figure of a man who has
done him some serious injury some forty years ago, at once ha-
tred creeps into his mind and his face shows clear signs of en-
mity and hatred.
Hatred develops repetition of hatred-Vritti. Hatred ceases
not by hatred but by love only. Hatred needs prolonged and in-
tense treatment as its branches ramify in various directions in
the subconscious mind. lt lurks in different corners. Constant
selfless service combined with meditation for a period of twelve
years is necessary.An Englishman hates an lrishman and an
lrishman hates an Englishman. A Catholic hates a Protestant
and a Protestant hates a Catholic. This is religious hatred.
There is communal hatred. One man hates another man at first
sight without any reason. This is Svabhavika. Pure love is un-
known in this world amongst worldly people. Selfishness, jeal-
ousy, greed and lust are retinues of hatred. ln Kali Yuga the
force of hatred is augmented.
A son hates his father and sues him in the court. The wife
divorces her husband. This has come to stay even in lndia. ln
course of time divorce courts also will be established in lndia.
Where is the Pativrata-Dharma of Hindu ladies? Has it disap-
peared from the soil of lndia? ln lndia marriage is a sacrament.
It is a sacred act. lt is not a regular contract as in the West. The
husband holds the hand of his wife, both look at Arundhati star
and take a solemn pledge before the holy fire. The husband
says, "l shall be as chaste as Rama and promise to live with
you peacefully, procreating healthy intelligent offspring. I shall
love you till I die. I will never look the face of another lady. I will
be true to you. I shall neverseparate myself from you." The wife
in return says, "l shall be unto you like Radha unto Krishna, like
Sita unto Rama. I shall serve thee till the end of my life in sincer-
ity. Thou art my very life-Thou art my Prana-Vallabha-l shall
realise God by serving thee as God." Look at the horrible state
of present-day affairs. Absolute freedom should not be given to
Hindu ladies. Manu says, "Hindu ladies should always be kept
under control." This deplorable state of affairs is due to
so-called modern civilisation and modern education.
Pativrata-Dharma has gone. Ladies have become independ-

ent. They forsake their husbands and do whatever they like.
Culture does not consist in husband and wife walking on Mount
Road and Marina Beach, holding their hands or placing their
hands on the shoulders. This is not real freedom. This is vile
imitation. This is unbecoming of Hindu ladies. This fashionable
habit will unsex the Hindu ladies and destroy the feminine
grace and modesty which are their characteristics and which
adorn them.
Pure unselfish love should be cultivated. One should have
. fearof God. Solomon says, "Fearof the Lord is the beginning of
wisdom." Service with Atma-Bhava can remove hatred com-
pletely and bring in Advaitic realisation of oneness of life.
Ghrina, prejudice, contempt, etc., will completely vanish by
selfless service. Vedanta in daily life when put into actual prac-
tice can eradicate all sorts of hatred. There is one Self hidden in
all beings. Then why do you frown at others? Why do you treat
otherswith contempt? Why do you divide and separate? Real-
ise the unity of life and consciousness. Feel Atman every-
where. Rejoice and radiate love and peace everywhere.
l5.Impatience
When you sit in Asana for meditation, you want to get up
soon not on account of pain in the legs but on account of impa-
tience. Conquer this undesirable negative quality by develop-
ing patience gradually. Then you will be able to sit for three or
four hours at a stretch.
The aspirant who wants to attain Samadhi should have
patience like that of the bird Tittibha which tried to empty the
ocean with its beak. Once he makes a firm resolve, gods will
cgnte to his help in the same way as Garuda came to the help
of Tittibha. Help invariably comes from all beings in a righteous
act. Even the monkeys and squirrels helped Rama to rescue
Sita. He who is endowed with self-control, courage, prowess,
fortitude, patience, perseverance, strength and skill, can
achieve anything. You should never give up your attempt even
if you face insurmountable difficulties.
16.Independent Nature
Some do meditation for some years independenfly. Later
on they actually feel the necessity of a Guru. They come across
some obstacles in the way. They do not know how to proceed

further and how to obviate these impediments or stumbling
blocks. Then they begin to search for a master. A stranger in a
big city finds it difficult to go back to his residence in a small av-
enue even in broad daylight, though he has walked half a
dozen times. When difficulty arises even in the case of finding
out the way in streets and roads, what to speak of the difficul-
ties in the razor-path of spirituality when one walks alone with
closed eyes!
Do not allow the mind to move in old ruts, grooves and av-
enues. When it falls down during meditation, elevate it at once.
Generate new divine vibrations and thought-waves. Pray. Re-
peat the Gita-Slokas!
Energy is wasted in useless thinking. Conserve the men-
tal energy by driving useless, obnoxious thoughts. Then you
will improve in your meditation.
Just as water when it leaks into the rat-holes instead of
running into the proper channels in agriculturalfields becomes
wasted and does not help the groMh of plants, fruit-bearing
trees, grain, etc., so also the efforts of an aspirant in meditation
become a wastage if he has not the virtue-Vairagya. He gets
no progress in meditation.
lf the mind constantly dwells on sensual objects, the con-
ception of the reality of the universe will surely increase. lf the
mind ceaselessly thinks of Atman (Absolute), the world ap-
pears like a dream.
17. Jealousy
This is also a great obstacle. Even Sadhus who have re-
nounced everything, who live with one Koupeen only in the
caves of Gangotri and Uttarkasi in the Himalayas are not free
from this evil Vritti. Sadhus are more jealous than the house-
holders. Their hearts burn when they see some other Sadhu in
a flourishing condition, when they notice that the neighbouring
Sadhu is respected and honoured by the public. They try to vil-
ify the neighbour and adopt methods for his destruction or elim-
ination. What a sad sight! What a deplorable spectacle!
Horrible to think! Dreadful to imagine! When the hearts burn,
how can you expect peace of mind? Even highly educated peo-
ple are very mean and pefty-minded. Jealousy is the worst en-
emy of Peace and Jnana. lt is the strongest weapon of Maya.

Aspirants should always be on the alert. They should not be-
come slaves of name and fame and jealousy. lf there is jeal-
ousy, he is a small, little being only. He is far from God. One
should rejoice at the welfare of others. One should develop
Mudita (complacency) when he sees others in prosperous con-
dition. He should feel Atma-Bhava in all beings. Jealousy as-
sumes various forms such as lrshya, Asuya, Matsarya, etc. All
forms of jealousy must be totally eradicated. Just as milk bub-
bles out again and again during the process of ebullition, so
also jealousy bursts out again and again. lt must be entirely
rooted out.
18. Lower Nature

l. The petty, obstinate egoism which actuates the human
personality is a serious obstacle in meditation or the path of
Self-realisation. This little self-arrogating principle supports its
surface-thoughts and dominates its habitual ways of feeling,
character and action. This is Rajasic and Tamasic egoism
which conceals or covers the higher, divine, Sattvic nature. lt
veils the self-luminous, lmmortal Soul or Atman.
You may have aspiration for the Truth. You may be en-
dowed with devotion. You may possess a willto overcome the
obstacles and hostile forces. lf the little ego asserts or persists,
if the external personality has not consented to change or
transformation, you cannot have rapid progress in the spiritual
path. lt will have its own ways and inclinations.
The lower nature must be thoroughly regenerated. The
habitual lower personality of the Sadhaka must be entirely
changed. lf this is not done, any spiritual experience or power is
of no value. lf this little ego or human personality persists in re-
taining its petty, limited, selfish, ignoble, false and stupid hu-
man consciousness, any amount of Tapas or Sadhana will bear
no fruit. This means that you do not really thirst for God-realisa-
tion. lt is nothing more than idle curiosity. The aspirant says to
the preceptor, "l want to practise Yoga; I want to enter into
Nirvikalpa Samadhi; I want to sit at your feet," but he does not
want to change his lower nature and old habits. He wants to
have his own ways and old habits, old character, behaviour and
conduct.
lf the aspirant or Yogic student declines to change his

petty, lower nature or if he refuses even to admit the need for
any change of his lower, habitual personality, he can never
make even an iota of real spiritual advancement. Any partial or
temporary elevation, slight occasional aspiration during some
exalted moments, any momentary spiritual opening within,
without any true or radical transformation of the lower nature or
habitual little personality, is of no practical value.
This change of the lower nature is not easy. The force of
habit is ever strong and inveterate. lt demands great strength of
will. The aspirant often feels helpless against the force of old
habits. He will have to develop his Sattva and will to a consider-
able degree by regular Japa, Kirtan, meditation, untiring self-
less service, Satsanga. He must introspect and find out his own
defects and weaknesses. He must live under the guidance of
his Guru. The Guru finds out his defects and points out suitable
ways to eradicate them.
ll. lf the lower nature or old personality becomes obsti-
nate, self-assertive, and if it is supported and justified by the
lower mind and will, then the matter becomes very serious. He
becomes incorrigible, turbulent, unruly, arrogant and imperti-
nent. He breaks all the rules and disciplines.
Such an aspirant clings to his old self. He has not surren-
dered himself either to the Lord or to a personal Guru. He is
ever ready to revolt against any man for little things. He will
never obey. He is not willing to receive any spiritual instruction.
He is self-willed, self-satisfied and self-sufficient. He is not
ready to accept his weaknesses and defects. He thinks that he
is a flawless man of great achievements. He leads a
happy-go-lucky life.
The old personality asserts itself with the past forms of
lower nature. He asserts and follows his own crude and egois-
tic ideas, desires, fancies, at convenience. He claims the right
to follow his own human, unregenerate, Asuric, or diabolical
nature with all untruthfulness, ignorance, selfishness, rude-
ness, and to express all impure stuff in speech, action and be-
haviour.
He argues vehemently and defends himself in a variety of
ways and paints in special colours. He tries to continue his past
habitual ways of thinking, speaking and feeling.
He professes one thing and practises another thing. He

tries to force his wrong views and opinions on others. lf others
are not willing to accept his wrong views, he is ready to fight
against them. He at once stands up in revolt. He asserts that
his views only are correct and that those who try to oppose his
views are unjust, unreasonable and uneducated. He tries to
persuade and convince others that his views are very reason-
able and that his ways of actions are the right ways of actions
for all and that his ways and views are in full accordance with
the science of Yoga. Marvellous people they are! Really the
world is not in need of such wonderful people in abundance!!
lf he is really frank with himself and straightforward to his
Guru, if he really desires to improve himself, he will begin to
realise his folly and defects and recognise the source and na-
ture of the resistance. He will soon be on the direct road to cor-
rect and change himself. But he prefers to conceal his old
Asuric nature, his old diabolical thoughts under some justifica-
tion or excuse or other shelter.
lll. The self-assertive, arrogant Sadhaka tries to make a
figure in society. He wants to maintain a position and prestige in
the society. He poses himself that he is a great Yogi and pos-
sesses several Yogic powers. He claims the part of a superior
Sadhaka or an advanced Yogi with great knowledge and
experience or Nirvikalpa Samadhi. These defects of vanity,
arrogance and Rajasic utterances are present in most persons
on a smaller scale.
He is unwilling to obey the orders of his Guru and to re-
spect elders and superiors. He is ever ready to break
discipline. He has got his own ideas and impulses. The habit of
disobedience and disregard of discipline is ingrained in him. He
sometimes promises that he will be obedient to his Guru and el-
ders, but the action done is frequently the very opposite of his
promise. Non-observance of discipline is indeed a serious ob-
stacle to the Sadhaka. He sets the worst possible example to
others.
He who is disobedient, who breaks the discipline, who is
not straightforward to his Guru, who cannot open his heart to
his preceptor or spiritual guide, cannot be benefited by the help
of Guru. He remains stuck in his own self-created mire or mud
and cannot progress in the divine path. What a great pity! His
lot is highly lamentable indeed!!
He practises dissimulation. He plays the hypocrite. He

pretends falsely. He exaggerates things. He makes a false use
of his imagination. He conceals his thoughts and facts. He does
distortion and denies any concealment of facts. He denies pos-
itively certain facts. He tells terrible, deliberate lies. He does
this to cover up his disobedience or wrong course of action to
keep up his position and to have his own ways or indulge in his
old habits and desires.
He himself does not know what he is exactly doing as his
intellect is clouded by impurity. He does not know what he
means and does not mean what he says.
He never admits his faults and defects. Even if anyone
points out his defects for correcting him, he feels extremely
annoyed. He wages war against him. He has more brute in him.
He has got the most dangerous habit of self-justification.
He always tries to justify himself, to stick to his ideas, to main-
tain his own position or course of action by bringing any kind of
foolish, inconsistent arguments, clever tricks or devices. He
misuses his intellect to support his own foolish actions. These
defects are common in some in a lesser, in others in a greater
degree.
lV. lf he feels even a little bit for his present deplorable
condition, if he attempts to show even a slight improvement, if
there is a little receptive attitude, he can be corrected. He can
have progress in the path of Yoga. lf he is obstinate and
pig-headed, if he is absolutely self-willed, if he deliberately
shuts his eyes or hardens his heart against the Truth or Divine
light, no one can help him.
The aspirant should give his full consent with all his being
(Sarva Bhava) for the change of his lower nature into divine na-
ture. He must make total, unreseryed, ungrudging self-surren-
der to the Lord or Guru. He must have the true spirit and right
abiding attitude. He must make the right persistent
endeavours. Then only the real change will come. Mere nod-
ding the head, mere professing, mere saying 'yes'will not serve
any purpose. lt will not make you a Superman or Yogi.
Yoga can be practised only by those who are very earnest
about it and who are ready to annihilate their little ego and its
demands. There is no half-measure in the spiritual path. Rigid
discipline of senses and mind, rigorous Tapas and constant
meditation are necessary for the attainment of God-realisation.

The hostile forces are ever ready to overwhelm you if you are
not vigilant, if you give the least sanction or the smallest open-
ing to them. Yoga cannot be practised if you cling to your old lit-
tle self, old habits, old unregenerate self-assertive lower
nature.
You cannot lead a double life atthe same time. Pure divine
life, life of Yoga, cannot co-exist with mundane life of passion
and ignorance. Divine life cannot conform to your own little
standards. You must rise above petty human level. You must
raise yourself to a higher level of divine consciousness. You
cannot claim freedom for your petty mind and little ego if you
want to become a Yogi. You should not affirm your own
thoughts, judgment, desires and impulses. The lower nature
with its retinue, viz., arrogance, ignorance and turbulence
stands in the way of descent of the divine light.
Become a true, sincere aspirant in the path of Yoga. Kill
this lower nature by developing the higher divine nature. Soar
high. Get yourself ready for the descent of the divine light. Pu-
rify and become a dynamic Yogi.
May the blessings of great Yogins be upon you all!
19. Manorajya
Manorajya is building castles in the air. This is a trick of the
mind. Look at this wonder! The aspirant is meditating in an iso-
lated cave in the Himalayas. He plans in the cave: "After finish-
ing my meditation, I must move about in San Francisco and
New York and deliver lectures there. I must start a centre of
spiritual activity in Columbia. I must do something new to the
world. I must do something which none has done up to this
time." This is ambition. This is egoistic imagination. This is a
great obstacle. This is a powerful Vighna. This will not allow the
mind to rest even for a second. Again and again there will be
resurrection of some scheme, speculation or plan or other. The
aspirant will be thinking that he is having deep meditation, but if
he closely watches his mind through introspection and
self-analysis, it will be a pure case of building castles in the air.
One Manorajya will subside and another will crop up in the
twinkling of an eye. lt will be a small Sankalpa or ripple in the
mind-lake. But it will gain tremendous force within a few min-
utes by repeated thinking. The power of imagination is tremen-
dous. Maya havocs through the power of imagination.

lmagination fattens the mind. lmagination is like musk or
Siddha-Makaradhvaja. lt renovates and vivifies a dying mind.
The power of imagination will not allow the mind to keep quiet
even for a second. Just as swarms of locusts or flies come forth
in a continuous stream, so also currents of Manorajya will
stream forth incessantly. Vichara, discrimination, prayer, Japa,
meditation, Satsanga, fasting, Pranayama and practice of
thoughtlessness, will obviate this obstacle. Pranayama checks
the velocity of the mind and calms the bubbling mind. A young
ambitious man is unfit to remain in a solitary cave. He who has
done selfless service in the world for some years, and who has
practised meditation for several years in the plains in solitary
rooms can live in cave. Such a man only can really enjoy the
solitude of Himalayan retreats.
When you constantly contemplate on the meaning of the
Mahavakya "Aham Brahma Asmf' ot "Tat Tvam As/' through
the process of Maha Vakyanusandhana, allthe Vishayas (see-
ing, hearing, touching, tasting and smelling) will stop. But ow-
ing to the force of Samskaras, Manorajya (building castles in
the air) will continue. Sleep also will intervene. lf you are alert
and if by protracted efforts and incessant, vigilant
Svarupa-Chintana (meditation on Brahman) you get overthese
two obstacles, the steady Brahmakara Vritti and Brahma Jnana
willdawn in no time. Ajnana willvanish. You will be established
in Sahaja-Paramananda state. All Sanchita (accumulated)
Karmas will be burnt up in the fire of wisdom.
20. Memory
When you sit for meditation, thoughts of your friends and
office-work, memory of conversation that took place in the pre-
vious evening with your friends and relatives will disturb your
mind and cause distraction. You will have to withdraw the mind
again and again cautiously from these extraneous worldly
thoughts and try continuously and fix it on your Lakshya or
point. You will have to disregard and ignore the worldly
thoughts. Be indifferent. Do not welcome these thoughts. Do
not identify yourself with these thoughts or ideas. Say within
yourself, "l do not want these thoughts. I have nothing to do
with these thoughts." They will vanish gradually.
You may be living in a solitary cave in the Himalayas. You

may be practising meditation. lf the memory of your past expe-
riences in the plains comes, if you allow the mind to dwell on it
again and again, you are living actually on the plains only,
though your abode is in the solitary retreats of the Himalayas.
Further you do not lead the perfect divine life in the cave, be-
cause you lead the past worldly life again and again subjec-
tively in the sacred cave. Thought is the real action.
When you climb the ladder of Yoga, when you walk in the
spiritual path, do not look back, do not remember your past ex-
periences; kill all memory of your past experiences. Build up
your mental Bhava 'l am Brahman'strongly. Strengthen it. Gen-
erate again and again Brahmakara Vritti. Keep it steady by reg-
ular and constant meditation. A single thought of your past
experience will give a new lease of life to the thought-image or
memory-picture, rejuvenate and strengthen it and will pullyou
down. lt will be difficult for you to climb up again.
lf the memory of past experiences recurs again and again,
the old mental images will be energised or galvanised. They
will express themselves with redoubled force again and again.
They will crowd together or come in packs or in multitudes or in
a party and attack you with formidable vehemence. Therefore,
look not back. Destroy memory of past experiences by remem-
bering God.
Be concerned yourself with the present only. Do not look
back upon the past or the future. Then alone you will be happy.
You will be free from cares, worries and anxieties. You will have
a long life. Destroy the Sankalpas through strenuous efforts.
Meditate ceaselessly upon that Satchidananda Brahman and
attain that Supreme-immaculate seat. May you irosper glori-
ously! May you live drowned in the ocean of Brahmic bliss in an
illumined state!
Exercise Vichara and Viveka in your attempts. Do not
think of the past and future. The past days of boyhood, your
days of schooling are all dreams when you are at fofi. The
whole life is a Deergha-Svapna (long dream). The past is a
dream to you now. The future also will be the same hereafter.
You will have to dealwith the present only. You will have to cut
down the two wings of the mind-bird, two wings representing
the past and the future. But it will flutter about as there is the
present. Keep off all external impressions. Stop the Vrittis. Si-
lence the mind. Restrain the modifications of the mind. Con-

centrate. Overcome the multiplicity of ideas that result from the
impressions. Give now a good food to the mind-some sublime
thoughts of the Gita, Avadhoota Gita, meaning of OM, to reflect
upon. After sometime the luring present also will vanish. The
mind will become perfectly serene and tranquil. The highest
knowledge of the Self will dawn in your pure mind. You will rest
in Brahman, the Adhishthana, the source, support, the basis
and background for everything. You will get Jnananishtha or
Svarupasthiti (Sat-Chit-Ananda State).
21. Mental Talking

During meditation, you will be frequently talking to some-
body mentally. Stop this evil habit. Have a careful watch over
the mind.
22.Moha
Here comes another great obstacle which troubled even
Sri Sankara. He had to attend the sick-bed and funeral rites of
his mother, though he was a Sannyasin. A great sage,
Pattinattu Swami of South lndia, sang when his mother died:
"There was flre at first in Tripura-Samhara. Then there was fire
in Lanka by Hanuman. Now the death of my beloved mother
has caused burning fire in my stomach and heart. Let me also
apply fire to this corpse of my mother." Moha is infatuated love
for one's own body, wife, children, father, mother, brothers, sis-
ters and property. Moha, like greed, takes various subtle forms.
The mind gets attached to one name and form or other. lf it is
detached from one name and form, it clings tenaciously to an-
other name and form.
Look at the Moha of monkeys. lf the baby-monkey dies,
the mother-monkeywill carry the dead skeleton fortwo orthree
months. Such is the power of Moha! Mysterious is Maya! lf the
father receives a telegram that his only son is dead, he gets im-
mediately a shock and faints. Sometimes he dies also. This is
the power of Moha. The whole world runs through Moha. lt is
through Moha one is bound to the wheel of Samsara. One gets
pain through Moha. Moha creates attachment. Moha is a kind
of powerful liquor that brings intoxication in the twinkling of an
eye. Even Sannyasins develop Moha for their Ashram and dis-
ciples. Moha should be eradicated by Viveka, Vairagya,
Vichara, Atma-Chintana, devotion, seclusion, study of

Vedantic literature, etc. Moha can only be removed in toto by
renunciation and Sannyasa and Self-realisation.
You never wept when millions of people died in the world
war. But you weep bitterly when yourwife dies. Why? Because
you have Moha for her. Moha creates the idea of 'mineness.'
Therefore you say: "my wife, my son, my horse, my home." This
is bondage. This is death. Moha creates infatuated love for
sensual objects. Moha produces delusion and perverted intel-
!ect. Through the force of Moha, you mistake the unreal, dirty
body for the real, pure Atman; you take the unreal world as a
solid reality. These are the functions of Moha. Moha is a strong
weapon of Maya.
23. Obstacles in Yoga

(F rom' Rajayoga' of Patanjali)
Disease, dullness, doubt, carelessness, laziness, indo-

lence, worldly-mindedness, sensuality, mistaken notion or illu-
sion, missing the point, instability, causing distractions of the
mind, these are the obstacles.
Diseases arise through the disturbance in the equilibrium
in the three humours viz., wind, bile and phlegm. lf there is
more phlegm, the body becomes heavy. You cannot sit for a
long time in the Asana. lf there is more Tamas in the mind, you
become lazy. Diseases may be due to irregularity in taking
food, unwholesome food that cannot agree with the system,
late vigil overnight, loss of seminal energy, checking the urine
and faeces. Diseases can be removed by the practice of
Asana, Pranayama and physical exercises, meditiation, dietetic
adjustment, fasting, purgatives, enema, bath, sun-treatment,
sufficient rest, etc. First diagnose the case and find out the
cause of the disease and then try for a remedy or consult some
doctors.
ln Styana, the person is unfit to do any practice on account
of inexperience in the line and lack of Samskaras of previous
births. lt is indisposition of the mind to work. Dullness, laziness,
etc., can be eradicated by Pranayama, Asana and active hab-
its. Doubt is whether it is this or that. Such indecisive notion is
doubt. The Yogi is not able to proceed further in the path of
Yoga. He will doubt whether all that is said in the Yoga Sastras
is true or not. This can be dispelled by right knowledge, Viveka,

Vichara, study of scriptures and by Satsanga with Mahatmas.
Avirati is that tendency of the mind which unceasingly
longs keenly for one or the other kind of sensual enjoyment on
account of attachment. This is destroyed by Vairagya, looking
into the faults of worldly objects and worldly life, such as imper-
manence, diseases, death, old age, miseries etc., and constant
Satsanga with dispassionate Mahatmas and study of books on
Vairagya.
Branti-Darshana is mistaking an undesirable state as the
most desirable one due to illusion. Missing the point is going
astray from the right path, Samadhi, and falling into the
clutches of Siddhis. Mistaken notion is removed by Satsanga
with Yogins. Missing the point and instability are removed by
developing more Vairagya and doing constant and intense
Sadhana in seclusion. Anavasthitatva or instability is that fick-
leness of the mind which does not allow the Yogi to remain in
the state of Samadhi, even though he has reached it with great
difficulty. Maya is powerful. There is many a slip between the
cup and the lip. These obstacles do not come to those who do
Japa of OM as stated in Sutra 28 of Chapter !1.
When slight difficulties appear, do not stop the practice.
Find out suitable means to eradicate the obstacles. Plod on till
you get the highest Asamprajnata Samadhi. Success is bound
to come if you are sincere and steady in Sadhana.
24. Other Obstacles

lf you can give up idle talks and gossiping and idle curios-
ity to hear rumours and news of others and if you do not meddle
with the affairs of others, you will have ample time to do medita-
tion. Make the mind quiet during meditation. lf worldly thoughts
try to enter the mind during meditation reject them. Have
steady devotion to truth. Be cheerful. lncrease the Sattvic ma-
terials in you. You can enjoy everlasting bliss.
Environments are not bad, but your mind is bad. Your
mind is not disciplined properly. Wage a war with this honible
and terrible mind. Do not complain against bad environments
but complain first against your own mind. Train your mind first.
!f you practise concentration amidst unfavorable environments,
you will grow strong, you will develop yourwill-force quickly and
you will become a dynamic personality. See good in everything

and transmute evil into good. This is realYoga. This is the real
work of a Yogi.
Leakage of energy, hidden undercurrent of Vasanas, lack
of control of senses, slackness in Sadhana, waning of
dispassion, lack of intense aspiration, irregularity in Sadhana
are the various obstacles in the path of concentration.
25. Prejudice, Intolerance and Bigotry

Prejudice is unreasonable dislike for something or some
person. Prejudice makes the brain callous. The brain cannotvi-
brate properly to grasp the things in their true light. One cannot
endure honest differences of opinion. This is intolerance. Reli-
gious intolerance and prejudice are great obstacles in the path
of God-realisation. Some orthodox Sanskrit Pandits strongly
think that only Sanskrit-knowing people will have God-realisa-
tion. They think that English-knowing Sannyasins are barbari-
ans and they cannot have Self-realisation. Look at the thick
foolishness of these bigoted Pandits! lncorrigible, petty-
minded, narrow-hearted, crooked sectarians! lf one has preju-
dice against Bible or Koran, he cannot grasp the truths of these
books. His brain becomes hard, stony and callous. A man can
realise by studying and following the principles that are laid
down in Koran, Bible or Zend Avesta or the Pali books of Lord
Buddha.
Aspirants should try to remove prejudice of all sorts. Then
only they can see truth everywhere. Truth is not the sole mo-
nopoly of the Sanskrit Pandits of Varanasi or the Vairagi of
Ayodhya. Truth, Rama, Krishna, Jesus are the common prop-
erty of all.
Sectarians and bigoted people confine themselves to a
small circumscribed circle or area. They have no large heart.
They cannot see the good points in others on account of their
jaundiced vision. They think that their principles and doctrines
only are good. They treat others with contempt. They think that
their Sampradaya only is superior to others and that their
Acharya only is a man of God-realisation. They always fight
with others. There is no harm in praising one's own Guru and
sticking to his principles and teachings. But one should pay
equal regard to the teachings of other prophets and other
saints. Then only the feeling of universal love and universal
brotherhood will manifest. This willeventually lead to the reali-

sation of God or Atman in all beings. Prejudice, intolerance,
bigotry sectarianism should be thoroughly eradicated. Preju-
dice and intolerance are forms of hatred.
26. Rajas and Tamas

Rajas and Tamas try to obstruct meditation. The mind that
was calm owing to the preponderance of Satfua during the
course of meditation, begins to tremble and quiver owing to the
entry of Rajas in excess. Sankalpas (imaginations) increase in
number. Restlessness increases. Thoughts of action manifest.
Planning and scheming come in. Take a little rest. Again do
Japa. Pray and meditate. Take a little walk.
27. Sankalpas
Free yourself from the base thoughts of the mind, the vari-
ous useless Sankalpas (imaginations). Make ceaseless en-
quiry of Atman. Mark the word 'ceaseless.' This is important.
Then only there will be dawn of spiritual knowledge. The
Jnana-Surya (the Sun of Knowledge)will arise in the firmament
of Chidakasa (knowledge-space).
28. Tamas or Inertia

A microscopic minority only is fit for wholetime meditation.
People like Sadasiva Brahman and Sri Sankara only can
spend the whole time in meditation. Many Sadhus who take to
Nivritti Marga have become completely Tamasic. Tarnas is mis-
taken for Sattva. This is a great blunder. One can evolve beau-
tifully by doing Karma Yoga in the world if he knows how to
spend his time profitably. A householder should seek the ad-
vice of Sannyasins and Mahatmas from time to time, draw a
daily routine and adhere to it strictly amidst worldly activities.
Rajas can be converted into Sattua. lntense Rajas takes a
Satfuic tum. lt is impossible to convert Tamas all of a sudden
into Sattua. Tamas should be first turned into Rajas. Young
Sadhus who take to Nivritti Marga do not stick to routine. They
do not hear the words of elders. They do not obey the orders of
the Guru. They want absolute independence from the very be-
ginning. They lead a happy-go-lucky life. There is no one to
check. They have their own ways. They do not know how to
regulate the energy and how to chalk out a daily programme.
They aimlessly wander about from place to place. They

become Tamasic within six months. They sit for half an hour in
some Asana and imagine that they are realised souls. lf an as-
pirant who has tiaken to Nivritti Marga finds that he is not evolv-
ing, that he is not improving in meditation, and is going into
Tamasic state, he should at once take up some kind of service
for some years and work vigorously. He should combine work
along with meditation. This is wisdom. This is prudence. This is
sagacity. Then he should go in for seclusion. One should use
his common-sense throughout his Sadhana. lt is very difficult
to go out of Tamasic state. ASadhaka should be very cautious.
When Tamas tries to overtake him, he should immediately do
some sort of brisk work. He can run in the open air, draw water
from wells, etc. He should drive it off by some intelligent means
or other.
29. Three Obstacles

When young aspirants take to absolute solitude and si-
lence, they will have to face boldly three obstacles viz., depres-
sion, building castles in the air (Manorajya, Rasasvada) and
hatred for householders, men and women. They become mis-
anthropes. They should entertain cheerfulthoughts. Watch the
mind very often and radiate pure love for all. lf one method
does not help you in keeping up your Brahmacharya, you
should take recourse to combination of various Sadhanas such
as prayer, meditation, Pranayama, Satsanga, Sattvic diet, soli-
tude, Vichara, Sirshasana, Sarvangasana, Uddiyana Bandha,
Nauli, Asvini Mudra, Yoga Mudra, etc. Then only you will be
successful.
30. Tfishna and Vasana

Desire or Trishna (thirsting for objects) is the enemy of
peace. There cannot be an iota of happiness for a man who is
thirsting for sensual objects. When this thirsting dies, man en-
joys peace. Now only he can meditate and rest himself in the
Self.
The Vasanas are very powerful. The senses and the mind
are very turbulent and impetuous. Again and again the battle
must be fought and won. That is the reason why the spiritual
path is called the razor-path in Kathopanishad. There is no diffi-
culty for a man of strong determination and iron will even in the
razor-path. Strength comes from within at every step.
Constant effort, or ceaseless striving is necessary if you
want to realise God. Vasanas, desires and Trishnas (cravings)
and old worldly Samskaras (impressions) are obstacles in the
path. The inner battle has to be fought again and again.
31. Yikshepa
Vikshepa is tossing or oscillation of the mind. This is an
old habit of the mind. This is distraction of the mind. All Sa-
dhakas generally complain of this trouble. The mind never
stays at a fixed point for a long time. lt jumps hither and thither
like a monkey. lt is always restless. This is due to the force of
Rajas. Whenever Sri Jayadayal Goenka came to me for an in-
terview he used to put always two questions: "Swamiji, what is
the remedy to control sleep? How to remove Vikshepa? Give
me easy and effective method." My answer was: "Take light diet
at night. Do Sirshasana and Pranayama." Sleep can be con-
quered. Trataka, Upasana, Pranayama and Yoga will remove
Vikshepa. lt is better to have a combined method. This will be
more effective.
According to Patanjali Maharshi, disease, mental inactiv-
ity, doubt, indifference, laziness, the tendency to go after
se n se-e njoyments, stu por, false perception, non-atta n ment of
i
concentration, and falling away from that when attained on ac-

count of restlessness, are the main obstructing distractions. He
prescribes Pranayama for destroying Rajas which induces
Vikshepa and for getting one-pointed mind.
lf you remove the oscillation of the mind, you will get
one-pointedness of mind or Ekagrata. Ekagrata is a thing un-
known to many. Max Muller writes: "Ekagratia is impossible for
us (Westeners), when our minds are diverted in various direc-
tions through newspapers, teleg rams, postal comm un ications,
etc." Ekagrata is an indispensable condition in all religious and
philosophical speculations, and in Nididhyasana.
ln the Gita, Lord Krishna prescribes a Sadhana for remov-
ing Vikshepa: "As often as the wavering and unsteady mind
goeth forth, so often reining it in, let him bring it under the con-
trol of the Self. Abandoning without reserve all desires born of
the imagination, by the mind curbing in the aggregate of the
senses on every side. Little by little let him gain tranquillity by

means of reason controlled by steadiness; having made the
mind abide in the Self, let him not think of anything."-Chapter
vt-24,25,26.
Trataka is an effective method in destroying Vikshepa.
Practise this for half an hour on a picture of Lord Krishna or on a
black point on the wall. At first do this for two minutes and grad-
ually increase the period. Close the eyes when tears come.
Look steadily at the object without winking. Do not strain the
eyes. Look gently. There are students who can do Tratakafor 2
or3 hours. Forfulldescription read my book "KundaliniYoga."
A weak aspirant, though he may be strong in concentra-
tion, is overcome by idleness. But a strong aspirant, if he is
weak in concentration, is overpowered by Vikshepa or tossing
of mind. Concentration and energy should therefore be
well-balanced.
32. Vishayasakti
Vishayasakti is intense desire or attachment to sensual
pleasures or sense-objects. This is the greatest of all obsta-
cles. The mind refuses to leave completely the sensual plea-
sures. Through the force of Vairagya and meditation, the
desires get suppressed for some time. All of a sudden the mind
thinks of sensual pleasures through the force of habit and
memory. There arises mental disturbance. Concentration de-
creases. The mind moves outwards in sensual objects. ln the
Gita you will find: "O son of Kunti, the excited senses of even a
wise man, though he be striving, impetuously carry away his
mind. Such of the roving senses as the mind yieldeth to that
hurries away the understanding, just as the gale hurries away a
ship upon the waters."-Chapter ll-60, 67. "The objects of
senses, but not the relish for them turn away from an abstemi-
ous dweller in the body; and even relish turneth away from him
after the Supreme is seen."-Chapter ll-59.
Some desires lurk in the corners of the mind. Just as old
dirt from the corners of the room comes out when you sweep,
so also through the pressure of Yogic practices, these old lurk-
ing desires come out to the surface of the mind with redoubled
force. The Sadhaka should be very careful. He should be ever
watching the mind vigilantly. He must nip the desires in the bud
by developing his Vairagya, Viveka and increasing his period of
Japa, and meditation. He must observe Akhanda Mouna and

do vigorous meditation, and Pranayama. He should live on milk
and fiuits for40 days. He should observe fast on Ekadasi days.
He should give up mixing with anybody completely. He should
never come out of the room. He should plunge himself deep
into the Sadhana. Kashaya means hidden Vasana. This comes
under the category of Vishayasakti. Worldly ambitions of all
sorts can be included under this heading. Ambition makes the
mind very restless. Man should have the one laudable ambition
of getting Self-realisation.
CHAPTER EIGHT

Ambition and Desire
1.
Whenever d'esires trouble you, try to attain Vairagya by
looking into the defects of sensual !ife. Cultivate dispassion or
indifference to sensual pleasures. Think that enjoyment pro-
duces pain and various troubles and everything is perishable.
Withdraw the mind again and again from the objects and fix it
on the lmmortal Self or the picture of the Lord. When the mind
attains a state of equanimity, when it is freed from distraction
and Laya, do not disturb it.
Ambitious objects, desires and various disturbing
thoughts are other obstacles. Destroy desires by Vichara, con-
trol of lndriyas, Vairagya, Viveka and Brahmacharya. Do not
plan. Do not imagine. Do not try to fulfil them. Be indifferent. An-
nihilate emotion. Do not be attached to desires. Desires are
powerless in the absence of emotions and attachment. They
dwindle and die. Find out the causes of disturbing thoughts and
remove them one by one. Watch the mind carefully. Dwell in
solitude. Do not mix. Have patience, Utsaha and courage. lf
you find great interest and happiness in meditation, if you are
progressing, stop study also for some time. Study also is a
Vishaya. God is not in books. He can be reached only by con-
stant meditation. Erudition is to gain applause in society. Avoid
pedantry. Sometimes the mind feels tired. Then take complete
rest. Do not strain the mind. Go in for evening stroll along the
seaside, along the banks of Ganga or any other delightful spot.
Chant OM. Feel OM. Hum Om. Reduce the period of medita-
tion for a couple of days. Use your strong common-sense and
hear the voice from within often. Observe the moods of the
mind. The two currents, Harsha and Soka, are moving in the
mind. When you are depressed, go in for a good walk. Close
the books. Think of sublime thoughts. Feel you are alljoy. Re-
member that these are all Dharmas of the Upadhi and they do
not belong to the thing itself-ATMAN. They will pass away
quickly.
(238)
2. Moral and SPiritual Pride

As soon as aspirant gets some spiritual experiences or
Siddhis, he is puffed up with vanity and pride. He thinks too
much of himseif. He separates himself from others. He treats
others with contempt. He cannot mix with others. lf any one has
some moral qualifications such as spirit of service or self-sacri-
fice, or Brahmacharya, he will say: "l am an Akhanda-
Brahmachariforthe lasttwelve years. Who is pure like myself?
I lived on leaves and gram for four years. I have done service in
the Ashram for ten years. No one can serve like myself." Just
as worldly people are puffed up with the pride of wealth, so also
Sadhus ind aspirants are puffed up with their moral qualifica-
tions. This kind of pride is also a serious obstacle in the path of
God-realisation. lt must be eradicated thoroughly. As long as a
man boasts of himself, so long he is the same little Jiva only. He
cannot have Divinity.
3. Religious HYPocrisY @ambha)

There are as many fashions in Sadhus as there are in
worldly persons. Just as hypocrisy prevails in the worldly per-
sons, so also hypocrisy manifests in aspirants,.Sadhus.and
Sannyasins who have not completely purified the lower nature.
They pretend to be what they are not in reality. They pose as
big Mahatmas and Siddha-Purushas whel they do not know
evLn the alphabet of Yoga or spirituality. They put on serious
Sunday-faces which some Christian Missionaries sometimes
assum-e on Sabbath days. This is a dangerous Vritti. They
cheat others. They boast and brag too much of themselves.
They do mischief wherever they go. They practise hypocrisy to
get iespect, honour, good food and clothing and to cheat cred-
Itous simpletons. There is no greater crime than trading in reli-
gion. This is a capital sin. Householders can be excused. But
fre cannot excuse the aspirant$ and Sadhus who are treading
the path of spirituality and who have renounced everything for
God-realisation. Religious hypocrisy is more dangerous than
the hypocrisy of wortdly persons. A long drastic course of treat-
ment is needed for its eradication. A religious hypocrite is very
far away from God. He cannot dream of God-realisation. fhick
Tllakas, elaborate painting of the forehead, wearing of too
many Tulasi and. Rudraksha Malas on neck, arms, forearms
and ears are some of the external signs of religious hypocrisy.
4. Name and Fame (Kirti and pratishtha)

One can renounce even wife, son, property, but it is diffi-
cult to renounce name and fame. pratishiha is established
name and fame. This is a great obstacle in the path of
God-realisation. This brings downfall in the end. This does not
allow the aspirant to march forward in the spiritual path. He be-
comes a slave of respect and honour. As soon as the aspirant
gets some purity and ethical progress, ignorant people fl6ck to
him and pay homage and salutations. The aspirant
lets puffed
up with pride. He thinks he is a great Mahatma now. He be-
comes eventually a slave of his admirers. He cannot notice his
slow downfal!. The moment he mixes up freely with household-
ers, he loses what little he had gained during eight or ten years.
He cannot influence the public now. The admirers also leave
him because they do not find any solace or influence in his
company.
. _The people imagine that the Mahatma has got Siddhis
and they can get wealth and children through his grace, and
roots for removal of diseases. They always approach a Sadhu
with various motives. The aspirant through bad association
loses his Vairagya and Viveka. Attachment and desires crop up
now in his mind. Therefore an aspirant should hide himseif ai-
Iays.. Nobody should know what sort of Sadhana he is doing.
He should never attempt to exhibit any Siddhi. He shoutd bL
very humble. He should pass for quite an ordinary man. He
should not accept any rich present from householders. He will
be affected by the bad thoughts of those who offer presents. He
should never think that he is superior to anybody. He should al-
ways treat others with respect. He should not treat others with
contempt. Then only respectwillcome by itself. He should treat
respect, honour, name and fame as dung or poison. He should
wear disrespect and dishonour as a golden necklace. Then
only he will reach the goal safely.
Building Ashrams and making disciples bring about the
downfall of the aspirant. They are also stumbling-blocks in the
path of God-realisation. The aspirant becomes another sort of
householder. He develops institutional egoism. He gets at-
tached to the Ashram and disciples. He gets Mamata
(mineness) for the building and Chelas. He has the same
cares, worries and anxieties for running the Ashram and maga-
zine and feeding his disciples. He develops slave mentality a-nd
HIGHER OBSTACLES IN MEDITATION 241
weak will. Thoughts of the Ashram revolve in his mind when he

ip il " dying condition. Some Ashram is nicely conducted by
the 'spiritual head' of the institution while he is alive. When h6
passes away, the disciples who are petty-minded fight amongst
themselves. Cases in the courts are going on. The Ashram be-
comes a fighting centre afterwards. Ashram-owners have to
flatter the donors and have to appeal for funds very often. How
can thoughts of God remain in his mind when one has his mind
fixed on collection of money and developing the Ashram?
Those who have started the Ashram may say now: "We are do-
ing good to the people in various ways. We are having retigious
classes daily. We feed poor people in various wayi. We are
training religious students."
It is quite true that an Ashram that is run by a selfless dy-
namic Yogi and a realised Jivanmukta is a dynamic centre of
spirituality. lt is spiritual nucleus for the spiritual uplifr of thou-
sands of people. Such centres are needed in ail parts of the
world. Such Ashrams can do immense spiritual good to the
country. But such ideal Ashrams with ideal spiritual heads to
run the institution are very very rare nowadays.
The founders of the Ashram in course of time become un-
consciously slaves of worship and puja. Maya works in various
ways. They are quite eager that people should drink their
Charanamrita. How can a man who has the Bhava that he
should be worshipped as Avatiara serye the public? Workers
are petty-minded. They fight amongst themselves for trifling
matters and disturb the peaceful atmosphere of the Ashram.
Where is peace in the Ashram then? How can outsiders who
visit the Ashram for getting Santi enjoy peace there?
The founders of the Ashram should live on daily Bhiksha
from outside. They should lead an ideal life of- absolute
self-sacrifice, a life of ideal simplicity, like the late Karikamliwala
of Rishikesh who carried water-pot on his head for the Ashram
and who lived on Bhiksha from outside. Then only they can do
real good to the people. Founders of the Ashram shoujd never
appeal for funds to the public. lt brings great discredit to those
who tread the path of God-realisation. lt is another way of re-
spectable begging. The habit of begging destroys the subfle,
sensitive nature of the intellect and those who appeat for funds
frequently do not know what they are exacily Ooing, just as the
lawyers and those who visit the houses of ill-fame have lost the
discriminative faculty of finding out the truth from untruth, purity

from impurity.
'money.lntelligent people use intelligent methods for col-
lecting Nowadays there are intelligent thieves. who
knock-away the money in tram-cars by giving morphine injec-
tion. The foilowing one is an intelligent way of modern begging'
An intelligent young educated boy boards the train with a
dozen printeo cards in his hands and distributes them to the
passengers. There it is written: "l am the grand-son of the
bewan6f Mysore. My father died all of a sudden. My mother is
aged 85. One brother is dumb. Another is blind. Kindlyhelp me
wlth some money." This is begging on modern lines. He never
stretches a plate or bowl for begging nor tralks anything. But he
distributes irinted cards. He appears with neat open coat, col-
lar, tie, shirt, pants and Ell-wood hat. He collects some money'
gets back the cards, quietly walks down and then enters an-
6ther compartment. Begging kills Atma-Balam. lt produces
wrong impiession on the minds of the public. Where is freedom
if on6 bdgs? People have lost faith in the founders of the
Ashram. lianything comes by itself without asking, it can be ac-
cepted. Then you can do some work inde-pendently. House-
hoiders who conduct Ashrams can appeal for funds.
It is very difficult to get good workers for the Ashram' Then
why do you 6other aboui OuitOing Ashrams when you have-nei-
thei money, nor workers nor dynamic, spiritual force?.Keep
quiet. Do meditation. Evolve yourself. Mind yourown business'
Reform yourself flrst. How can you help others when you your-
self grofe in darkness, when you are blind? How can a blind
man-lead another blind man? Both will fall in the deep abyss
and break their legs.
Power, name, fame and wealth stiffen the ego. They
strengthen the personality. Hence renounce them if you want to
attain lmmortality and Eternal Peace.
Lastly, I have to point out that though we have not got at
present the first-class type of Ashrams, yet there .are- good
Ashrams of the second-Class type that are run by noble, Sattuic
souls, who do great service to the country in a variety of ways,
bring out vatuable philosophical books and train students in the
praitice of meditaiion and Yoga. They render selfless service.
Their works are to be greatly congratulated indeed. lt is the
duty of rich people to render them spontaneously financial.and
all iorts of'heip. May God bestow on them inner spiritual
strength to disseminate their message of love, service and

peace! My silent homage and salutations to these rare, exalted
and selfless souls!
5. Elementals (Bhuta-Ganas)
Sometimes, these elementals appear during meditation.
They are strange figures, some with long teeth, some with big
faces, some with big bellies, some with faces on the belly and
some with faces on the head. They are inhabitants of the Bhuta
Loka. They are the attendants of Lord Siva. They have terrify-
ing forms. They do not cause any harm at all. They simply ap-
pear on the stage. They come to test your strength and
courage. They can do nothing. They cannot stand before a
pure, ethical aspirant. Repetition of OM will throw them at a dis-
tance. You must be fearless. A coward is absolutely unfit for the
spiritual line. Develop courage by constantly feeling you are
Atman. Deny and negate the body-idea. Practise
Nididhyasana always.
6. Visions
Visions and experiences come and go. They are not in
themselves the culminating point in the Sadhana. He who atta-
ches much importance to these small visions does not march
swiftly on the path. Therefore abandon the idea of these experi-
ences. The final experience, intuitional and direct, of the Su-
preme alone is the true one.
Rise above the visions. The vision that you see in medita-
tion is a hindrance in the path to Samadhi or God-realisation.
When you see them, the mind will be fixed on these visions
throughout the day instead of on God. Avoid these visions and
the thought of them. Be indifferent. Substitute the thought of the
Lord.
7. Siddhis
There are nine Riddhis and eight major Siddhis and eigh-
teen minor Siddhis. The eight Siddhis are Anima (atomic size),
Mahima (colossalsize), Garima (excessive bulk), Laghima (ex-
treme lightness), Prapti (attainment of whatever you desire),
Prakamya (unhampered will), lsitva (Lordliness) and Vasitva
(contro! over everything). Riddhi means affluence. lt is inferior
to Siddhi.
Do not think too much of psychic Siddhis. Clairvoyance

and clairaudience are not worth having when far greater illumi-
nation and peace are possible without the Siddhis than with
them.
Desire for powers will act like puffs of air which may blow
out the lamp of Yoga that is being carefully tended. Any slack-
ness in feeling it due to carefulness or selfish desires for
Siddhis will blow out the little spiritual light that the Yogi has kin-
dled after so much struggle and will hurl the student down into
the deep abyss of ignorance. He cannot rise up again to the
original height which he ascended in the hill of Yoga. Tempta-
tions are simply waiting to overwhelm the unwary student.
Temptations of the astral, mental and Gandharva worlds are
more powerful than the earthly temptations.
Various psychic Siddhis and other powers come to the
Yogiwho has controlled his senses, Prana and mind. They are
stumbling-blocks. They allure the Yogic students. Sadhakas
should be very careful. They should shun them ruthlessly as
mere trifles or worthless things.
lf you practise regular meditation and concentration, you
are bound to get some psychic powers. You should not use
these powers for base and selfish purposes, for gaining some
material end or other. You will then face a downfall. You will be
punished by Mother Nature. Action and reaction are equal and
opposite. Every wrong action is bound to cause reaction. I
again and again seriously warn you. Beware! Power, women,
money and erudition act as powerful intoxicants. The pos-
sessor does not know what he is exactly doing. His intellect be-
comes turbid. His understanding gets clouded. You will not be
tempted by these powers if you are established in the practice
of Yama or self-restraint.
There is no such thing as miracle or Siddhi. An ordinary
man is quite ignorant of higher spiritual things. He is sunk in
oblivion. He is shut up from higher transcendental knowledge.
So he calls some extraordinary occurrences or events as
miracles. To a Yogi who understands things in the light of Yoga,
miracle is nothing. Just as a man of the village is astonished
when he sees an aeroplane or a talkie picture for the first time,
so also a man of the world is stunned when he witnesses an
'extraordinary'spectacle for the first time.
8. Kashaya
Kashaya is the subtle influence in the mind produced by
enjoyment and left there to fructify in time to come and distract
the mind from Samadhi. This is a serious obstacle in medita-
tion. lt does not allow the Sadhaka to enter into Samadhi
Nishtha. lt induces the subtle memory of pleasures enjoyed. lt
is hidden Vasana. From the Samskaras, Vasanas originate.
Samskara is the cause and Vasana is the effect. lt is a king of
Mala (impurity of mind).
Kashaya means colouring. Raga, Dvesha and Moha are
the Kashaya or colouring of the mind. Constant Vichara cou-
pled with Brahma-Bhavana is the only potent remedy to eradi-
cate this dire malady, Kashaya.
9.Laya
Wake up the mind in Laya. Even though you have con-
quered Laya and distraction by repeated practice by Vairagya
and Jnanabhyasa or Brahma-Chintana, yet the mind will not
enter a state of perfect balance or serenity. lt will be in an inter-
mediate stage. The mind is still not freed from Raga or attach-
ment which is the seed of all its activity in the direction of
external objects. There is still lurking passion or hidden
Vasanas or Kashaya. You will have to restrain the mind again
and again by Vichara and do rigorous meditation and practise
Samprajnata or Savikalpa Samadhi. Finally, you must rest
yourself in Asamprajnata or Seedless Samadhi (Nirbija
Samadhi).
10. Rasasvada
Rasasvada is another kind of experience. lt is bliss that
comes from lower Savikalpa Samadhi. The Sadhaka who has
experienced this supersensual bliss imagines that he has
reached the final destination and gives up his Sadhana. Just as
a man digs the earth very deep to find out the most precious
treasure and gems, just as a man is not satisfied with petty
things he has found out just beneath the surface of the ground,
so also the Sadhaka should continue his Sadhana till he gets
the unconditioned Bhuma, or highest goal of life. He should
never be satisfied with Alpam or lower experiences. He should
compare his experiences with the highest experiences of
sages that are described in the Upanishads and find out

whether they exactly tally with them or not. He should exert till
he reaches the Jnana Bhumika, till he becomes a
Brahma-Varishtha. He should struggle till he gets the innerfeel-
ing of Aptia-Kama, Krita-Kritya, and Prapta-Prapya. "l have ob-
tained all desires. I have done everything. I know everything.
There is nothing more to be known. There is nothing more to be
obtained."
This obstacle (Rasasvada) prevents the Sadhaka from
enjoying the highest Nirvikalpa Bliss. Vichara, discrimination,
prayer, Pranayama, further earnestness and struggle in medi-
tation will remove the above obstacle.
11. Tushnimbhuta Avastha

Sometimes the mind remains quiet for a short time. You
willfind neither Raga nor Dvesha in the mind. This silent state
of the mind is called Tushnim Avastha. lt occurs in the Jagrat
state. The aspirant mistakes this for Samadhi. This is a neu-
tral state of the mind. This is an obstacle in the path of
God-realisation. He should overcome this state of mind by
careful introspection and vigorous meditation. A Sadhaka
through experience and acute acumen can find out exactly the
nature of the various states of the mind. He should adopt effec-
tive methods to control those states. Mere study of books will
not help him much. Experience and practice will do him much
realgood.
12. Stabdha Avastha

Stabdha Avastha is another kind of mental state. lt is stu-
pefaction arising from fear or wonder. !t is akin to Tushnim
Avastha. This is also another obstacle in the path. When you
experience some astounding news the mind gets stunned for
some time. This is Stabdha Avastha. Tushnim and Stabdha
Avasthas are Jada strates. There is no perfect awareness. The
mind remains like a log of wood in a state of inertia. lt becomes
unfit for active meditation. When these states prevail, there is
heaviness of body. The mind is dull. There is lack of cheerful-
ness. The mind also becomes dull for the time being. The stu-
dent can find out these strates by these symptoms. An
intelligent Sadhaka who practises meditation daily can easily
find out the different states into which the mind passes. A be-
ginner finds meditation dry in the beginning. But an advanced

studentwho has an intelligent and comprehensive understand-
ing of the nature of the mind and its operations and the laws of
the mental plane willfind meditation very interesting. The more
he meditates, the more he gains controlof the mind. He can un-
derstand the nature of the Vrittis and the different mental
states. He can control them. He will actually feel that he is gain-
ing inner spiritual strength and that he cannot be easily swayed
by the mind now
Avyaktam
13.
When you practise Samadhi, many obstacles such as
sleep, laziness, break of continuity, confusion, temptation, in-
fatuation, desire for worldly pleasure and feeling of blankness
will assail you. You must be on the alert. You must be vigilant
and circumspective. You will have to get over these impedi-
ments step by step through patient dauntless efforts. You will
have to cross the void also. What appears to you as a void
when all the Vrittis have perished is not really a void. This is
Avyaktam. Cross this void also. lt will try to overpower you. You
are left alone now. You have nothing to see and nothing to hear.
There is none to cheer you. You will have to depend on your-
self. Presence of mind is needed at this criticaljuncture. Draw
courage and strength from within. Sage Uddalaka also en-
countered much difficulty in crossing this void.
Valediction
O My Dear Aspirants! I send you the thought-currents of
Peace from the peacefulatmosphere of the sacred Himalayas,
the abode of Rishis.
God is Santi Svarupa (Embodiment of Peace). Srutis em-
phaticafly declare: "Ayam Atma Santah-This Atman (Self) is
Silence." Desire is the greatest enemy of Peace. Desire causes
distraction of various sorts. There is no Peace for him who has
no concentration. There can be no happiness for the
unpeaceful. ln the Supreme Peace all pains, sorrows, miseries
and tribulations vanish for ever.
Dear brothers! Children of lmmortality! Plod on. Push on.
Do not look backward. Forget the past. Forget the body and
world. But forget not the centre. Forget not the source. A glori-
ous brilliant future is awaiting you. Purify. Serve. Love. Give.
Live in Om. Feel always and everywhere the lndwelling,

All-pervading Presence. Realise the Self. Rest in the magnani-
mous Ocean of Peace, in the stupendous Sea of Stillness.
Drink the nectar of lmmortality. May the lndwelling Presence be
yourCen(re, ldealand Goal. Mayjoy, Bliss, lmmortality, Peace,
Glory and Splendour abide with you for ever.
Nectar's Sons! I have placed before you in detailallobsta-
cles that stand in the way of God-realisation and have sug-
gested various effective methods to remove these obstacles.
Stand up now like an undaunted spiritual soldier in the
Adhyatmic battlefield. Become a spiritual hero of great intrepid-
ity and unique chivalry. Get over the obstacles fearlessly one
by one and manifest divine glory splendoul purity and sanctity.
Wait patiently with a calm and serene mind for results. Do not
be hasty, rash and impetuous. Allow proper time for regenera-
tion and renovation. Nil desperandun+Never despair. Wear
the Vairagya-coat of arms. Wield the shield of Viveka. Hold the
banner of faith. March boldly and cheerfully with the band of
BHUM BHUM BHUM; OM OM OM; RAM RAM RAM; SHYAM
SHYAM SHYAM. Stop not till you drink the elixir of immortality
to heart's content. Stop not, dear Sadhakas, till you enter the
immortal realms of eternal sunshine, undecaying beauty, un-
fading ecstasy, supreme bliss, inflnite joy, unalloyed felicity and
unbroken peace. This is your final destination. You can take
eternal rest now. This is your goal. This is your highest aim and
purpose of life. Rest now in everlasting peace, friends! Good-
bye unto you all. Clear yourselves. Share this rare panacea
with your brothers. Elevate them. This noble and stupendous
selfless work is awaiting you now in the grand plan. Fulfil the
Divine Will and become a Buddha of undying fame. Salutations
unto you all!
When a bee finds that its feet are stuck in the honey, it
slowly licks its feet several times and then flies away with joy.
Even 5o, extricate yourself from the mind's sticking and cling-
ing to this body and children owing to Raga and Moha (attach-
ment and attraction) through Vairagya (dispassion) and
meditation. Fly away with joy from this cage of flesh and bone
to the source, Brahman or Absolute!
No more words. Enough of discussions and heated de-
bates. Retire into solitary room. Close your eyes. Have deep si-
lent meditation. Feel His presence. Repeat His name OM with
fgrvo_ur,joy and love. Fill your heart with Prema (love). Destroy
the Sankalpas, thoughts, whims, fancies and desires when
they arise from the surface of the mind. Withdraw the wander-
ing mind and fix it upon the Lord. Now, Nishtha, meditation will
become deep and intense. Do not open your eyes. Do not stir
from your seat. Merge in Him. Dive deep into the innermost re-
cesses of the heart. Plunge into the shining Atman (Soul)
within. Drink the nectar of lmmortality. Enjoy the silence now. i
shall leave you there alone. Nectar's sons, Rejoice! peace,
Peace! Silence! Glory Glory!
CHAPTER NINE
1. Various Experiences in Meditation
l. ln the beginning of meditation, lights of various colours,
such as red, white, blue, green, a mixture of red and green
lights, etc., appear in front of the forehead. They are Tanmalric
lights. Every Tattva has its own hue. Prithvi Tattva has yellow
colour. Apas Tattva has white colour. Agni has red colour' Vayu
has green colour. Akasa has blue colour. The coloured lights
are due to these Tattvas only.
Sometimes a big sun or moon, or lightninglike flashes ap-
pear in front of the forehead during meditation' Do not mind
these appearances. Shun them. Try to dive deep into the
source of these lights.
Sometimes Devas, Rishis, Nitya Siddhas will appear in
meditation. Receive them with honour. Bow to them. Get ad-
vice from them. They appear before you to help and give you
encouragement.
ln the beginning of meditation and concentration you will
see in the centre of the forehead a resplendent, flashing light.
This will last for half or one minute and then disappear. The
light will flash either from above or sideways. Sometimes a sun
oi 6 inches or 8 inches in diameter with or without rays will be
seen. You will see the form of your Guru or Upasya-Murty also.
When you get glimpses of the Self, when you see the blaz-
ing light, when you get some other extraordinary spiritual expe-
riences, do not fall back in terror. Do not give up the Sadhana.
Do not mistake them for a phantom. Be brave. March boldly
with joy.
ll. What sort of dreams do you get? What kind of thoughts
arise in your mind as soon as you wake up, when you are alone
in the room, when you walk in the streets? Are you able to keep
up the same state of mind you have during meditation in a
ciosed room when you walk in the street also? lntrospect and
closely watch your mind. lf the mind is perturbed when you
walk in the streets, you are still weak, you have not advanced in
(2so)
EXPERIENCES IN MEDITATION 25r
meditation, you have not grown in spirituality. Continue the

meditation vigorously. An advanced student will have thoughts
of Brahman even in dream.
Understand the power of silence. The power of silence is
infinitely greater than lectures, talks, orations and discourses.
Lord Dakshinamurti taught the four youths, Sanaka,
Sanandana, Sdnatana and Sanatkumara through silence. The
language of silence is the language of God. The language of si-
lence is the language of heart. Sit silently and restrain the men-
tal modifications. Sit silently and send out the inner spiritual
force to the world. The whole universe will be benefited. Live in
silence. Become silent. Rest in silence. Know the Self and be
free.
When you sit for meditation in the morning send out your
love and peace to all living beings. Say: Saruesham Santir
Bhavatu: May peace be unto all. Saryesham Svasti Bhavatu:
May prosperity be unto all. Lokah Samasfah Sukhino
Bhavantu: May happiness be unto the whole world.
ln the peace all the pains are destroyed; for the intellect of
the tranquil-minded soon becomes steady. When the mental
peace is attained, there is no hankering after sense-objects.
The Yogi has perfect mastery over his reason. The intellect
abides in the Self. lt is quite steady. The miseries of the body
and the mind come to an end.
During meditation you will have no idea of time. You will
not hear any sounds. You will have no idea of environments.
You willforget your name and all sorts of relationship with oth-
ers. You will enjoy peace and bliss. Gradually you will rest in
Samadhi.
ln the beginning, the aspirant remains in a state of bliss for
some time. He comes down. By constant practice of incessant
meditation, he continues to remain in that exalted state forever.
Later on, the body-idea completely vanishes.
When you enter into deep meditiation, you will have no
consciousness of your body or surroundings, you will have
equanimity of mind. You will not hear any sound. There will be
stoppage of upgoing and down-going sensations. The con-
sciousness of egoism will also gradually vanish. You will expe-
rience inexplicable joy and indescribable happiness. Gradually,
reasoning and reflection also will cease.
When you enter the silence through deep meditation, the

world outside and all your troubles will drop away. You will en-
joy supreme peace. ln this silence is Supreme Light of lights. ln
this silence is undecaying Bliss. ln this silence is real strength
and joy.
When you practise rigorous meditation, Kevala
Kumbhaka or natural retention of breath without Puraka (inha-
lation) and Rechaka (exhalation) will come by itself. When
Kevala Kumbhaka comes, you will enjoy immense peace and
you will have one-pointed mind.
The visions of the Rishis concerning the soul and such
other transcendental matters, manifest themselves to one who
is devoted to the constant duties prescribed by the Srutis and
the Smritis, who is unselfish and who seeks to know the
Supreme Brahman.
During deep meditation, the aspirant forgets the external
world first and then the body.
That feeling of rising up during meditation is a sign that in-
dicates that you are going above body-consciousness. You will
feel a peculiar Ananda (bliss) also when you experience this
feeling. ln the beginning this feeling of rising up will last for a
minute only. After a minute you will feel that you have come
back to normal consciousness again.
You will enjoy a sort of higher type of indescribable peace
during your meditation. But it will take a long time to get real
spiritual experiences or merge the mind in your Lakshya or
chosen object of meditation or get over body-consciousness
completely. Be patient. Persevere. You will succeed.
The attainment of cosmic consciousness is permanent in
realised souls. lt is like a glimpse in the beginning. Through
steady meditation, it becomes permanent or natural.
lll. Concentration is fixing the mind on any point, external
or internal. During meditation the mind becomes calm, serene
and steady. The various rays of the mind are collected and fo-
cussed in the object of meditation. The mind is centred on the
Lakshya. There will be no tossing of the mind. One idea occu-
pies the mind. The whole energy of the mind is concentrated on
that one idea. The senses become still. They do not function.
Where there is deep concentration, there is no consciousness
of the body and surroundings. He who has good concentration
can visualise the picture of the Lord very clearly within the
twinkling of an eye.
Do not try to drive away the unimportant thoughts. The
more you try the more they will return, and the more they will
gain strength. You will tax your energy. Become indifferent. Fill
the mind with divine thoughts. They will gradually vanish.
All Vrittis or mental modifications such as anger, jealousy,
hatred, etc., assume subtle forms when you practise medita-
tion. They are thinned out. They should be eradicated in toto
through Samadhi or blissful union with the Lord. Then only you
are quite safe. Latent Vrittis will be waiting for opportunities to
assume a grave and expanded form. You should be very care-
ful and vigilant.
When your meditation becomes deep, you will lose con-
sciousness of the body. You will feel that there is no body. you
will experience immense joy. There will be mental conscious-
ness. Some lose sensation in the legs, then in the spinal col-
umn, the back, the trunk and the hands. When the sensation is
lost in these parts, they feel that the head is suspended in the
air. The mind may try to run back in the body.
Do not mistake a little concentration or one-pointedness
of mind for Samadhi. Simply because you have risen a litfle
above body-sensation on account of a little concentration, do
not think that you have attained Samadhi.
Samadhi or superconscious state is the highest goal
which one can attain through meditation. lt is not a thing that
can be attained through a little practice. To attain Samadhione
should observe strict Brahmacharya, dietetic restrictions and
must have purity of heart. lf these are not attained there is no
possibility of attaining that state. These preliminary qualifica-
tions should be grasped well and then only one must try to en-
ter the portals of Samadhi. None can enter Samadhi unless he
is himself a great devotee of the Lord. Otherwise the so-called
Samadhi becomes Jada to him.
The state of Samadhi is beyond description. There is no
means or language to give expression to it. Even in worldly ex-
perience, you cannot express the taste of an apple to one who
has not tasted it nor the nature of the colour to a blind man. The
state is All-bliss, Joy and Peace. This much only can be said.
One has to feel this himself.
When you practise meditation, worldly thoughts, cravings

and Vasanas are suppressed. lf you are irregular in meditation
and if your dispassion wanes, they try to manifest again. They
persist and resist. Therefore, be regular in meditation and do
more vigorous Sadhana. Cultivate more dispassion. They will
be gradually thinned out and eventually destroyed.
You can ford over the boisterous ocean of the world
through meditation. Meditation will save you from all sorrows.
Therefore be regular in your meditation.
2. Anahata Sounds
Anahata sounds (or the melody) are the mystic sounds
heard by the Yogi at the beginning of his cycle of meditation.
This subject is termed Nada-Anusandhana or an enquiry into
the mystic sounds. This is a sign of purification of the Nadis or
astral currents, due to Pranayama. The sounds can also be
heard after the uttering of the Ajapa Gayatri Mantra, "Hamsah
Soham," a lakh of times. The sounds are heard through the
right ear with or without closing the ears. The sounds are dis-
tinct when heard through closed ears. The ears can be closed
by introducing the two thumbs into the ears through the pro-
cess of Yoni Mudra. Sit in Padma or Siddha Asana, close the
ears with right and left thumbs, and hear the sounds very atten-
tively. Occasionally, you can hear the sounds through the left
ear also. Practise to hear from the right ear only. Why do you
hear through the right ear only or hear distinctly through the
right ear? Because of the solar Nadi (Pingala) which is on the
right side of the nose. The Anahatia sound is also called
Omkara Dhvani. lt is due to the vibration of Prana in the heart'
rEN KINDS OF SOUNDS

Nada that is heard is of 10 kinds. The first is Chini (like the
sound of the word Chini); the second is Chini-Chini; the third is
the sound of bell; the fourth is that of conch; the fifth is that of
Tantri (lute); the sixth is that of Tala (cymbals); the seventh is
that of flute; the eighth is that of Bheri (drum); the ninth is that of
Mridanga (double drum) and the tenth is that of clouds, viz.,
thunder.
Before thou settest the foot upon the ladder's upper rung,
the ladder of the mystic sounds, thou hast to hear the voice of
thy inner God (Highest Self) in 7 manners. The first is like the
nightingale's sweet voice chanting a song of parting to its mate.
The second comes as the sound of a silver cymbal of the
Dhyanis, awakening the twinkling stars. The next is as the me-
lodious plaint of the ocean-sprite imprisoned in its shell. And
that is followed by the chant of Veena. The fifth sound of
bamboo-flute shrills in thine ear. lt changes next into a trum-
pet-blast. The last vibrates like the dull rumbling of a thun-
der-cloud. The seventh swallows all the other sounds. They
die, and then are heard no more.
3. Lights in Meditation
Various kinds of lights manifest during meditation owing to
concentration. ln the beginning, a bright white light, the size of
a pin's point willappear in the forehead in the Trikuti, the space
between the two eyebrows, which corresponds tentatively to
the Ajna-Chakra of the astral body. You will notice, when the
eyes are closed, different coloured lights, white, yellow, red,
smoky, blue, green, mixed lights, flashes like lightning, like fire,
burning char-coal, fire-flies, moon, sun, stars. These lights ap-
pear in the mental space, Chidakasa. These are all Tanmatric
lghts. Each Tanmatra has its own specific colour. prithvi (earth)
Tanmatra has a yellow-coloured light; Apas (water) Tanmatra
has a white-coloured light; Agni (fire) Tanmatra has a red-col-
oured light; Vayu (wind) Tanmatra has a smoky light; Akasa
(sky)Tanmatra has a blue light. Yellow and white lights are very
commonly seen. Red and blue lights are rarely noticeable. Fre-
quently there is a combination of white and yellow lights. ln the
beginning, small balls of white light float about before the
mind's eye. When you first observe this, be assured that the
mind is becoming more steady and that you are progressing in
concentration. After some months, the size of the light will in-
crease and you will see a full blaze of white light, bigger than
the sun. ln the beginning, these lights are not steady. They
come and disappear immediately. They flash out from above
the forehead and from the sides. They cause peculiar sensa-
tions of extreme joy and happiness and there is an intense de-
sire for a vision of these lights. When you have steady and
systematic practice of two or three hours in the morning, and
two to three hours at night, these lights appear more frequenfly
and remain steadily for a long time. The vision of the lights is a
great encouragement in Sadhana. lt impels you to stick

steadily to meditation. lt gives you strong faith also in super-
physical matters. The appearance of the light denotes that you-
are transcending the physical consciousness. You are in a
semi-conscious state when the Iight appears. You are between
two planes. You must not shake the body when these lights
manifest. You must be perfectly steady in the Asana. You must
breathe very very slowly.
TRTANGLE (LTGHT) lN THE FACE
One whose food is moderate, whose anger has been con-

trolled, who has given up all love for sociefi who has subdued
his passions, who has overcome all pairs (heat and cold, etc.),
who has given up his egoism, who does not bless anyone nor
take anything from others-such a man during meditation ob-
tains it (the triangle) in the face.
LIGHT FROM SUSHUMNA

"Vishoka Va Jyotismati." (Chap. l, Sutra 36. Patanjali-
Yoga-Sutras). "You can attain Samadhi by meditation on the
Effulgent One Who is beyond all sorrow."
Sometimes, during meditation you will see a brilliant daz-
zling light. You will find it difficult to gaze on this light. You will be
compelled to withdraw your mental vision from this light. This
dazzling light is the light emanating from the Sushumna in the
heart.
FORMS IN THE LIGHTS

You will see two kinds of forms (1) lustrous forms of
Devatas, (2) physical forms. You will see your lshta Devata or
tutelary deity (guiding Devata) in handsome dress and with var-
ious, valuable ornaments, flowers, garlands, with four hands
and weapons. Siddhas, Rishis, etc., appear to encourage you.
You will find a huge collection of Devatas and celestial ladies
with various musical instruments in their hands. You will see
beautiful flower-gardens, fine palatial buildings, rivers, moun-
tains, golden temples, sceneries so lovely and picturesque as
cannot be adequately described.
EXPERIENCES IN MEDITATION 257
DMZLING LIGHTS
Sometimes, during meditation, you will get very powerful,
dazzling lights, bigger than the sun. They are white. ln the be-
ginning, they come and fade away quickly. Later on, they are
steady, they become fixed for 10 or 15 minutes or half an hour
according to the strength and degree of concentration. For
those who concentrate on the Trikuti, the space between the
two eyebrows, the light appears in the forehead in the Trikuti,
while for others who concentrate on the top of the head,
Sahasrara Chakra, the light manifests on the top of the head.
The light is so powerful and dazzling sometimes, that you have
to withdraw yourself from looking at it and break the meditation.
Some people are afraid and do not know what to do and how to
proceed further. They come to me for instructions. I tell them
that this is a new sensation which they have not hitherto experi-
enced. By constant practice, the mind engaged in concentra-
tion will be used to it, and the fear will vanish. I ask them to go
on with the practice. Some people concentrate on the heart,
some on Trikuti, and some on the top of the head. lt is a ques-
tion of personal traste. lt is easy to control mind by concentrat-
ing on the Trikuti. lf you are used to fix on the Trikuti, stick to it
always. Do not make frequent changes. Steadiness is very
necessary. The beings and objects with whom you are in touch
during the early period of meditation belong to the astral world.
They are similar to human beings minus a physical overcoat.
They have desires, cravings, love, hatred, etc., just as human
beings have. They have fine bodies. They can move about
freely. They have powers of materialisation, dematerialisation,
multiplying, clairvoyant vision of an inferior order. The lustrous
forms are higher Devatas of mental or higher planes who come
down to give you Darshan, and encourage you. Various Saktis
manifest in lustrous forms. Adore them. Worship them. Do
mentral Puja as soon as they give you Darshan. Angels are be-
ings of mental or higher planes. They also dppear before your
mind's eye.
Sometimes, you will feel an invisible help, possibly from
your lshta Devatia when you are actually pushed from the phys-
ical body into the new plane. That invisible power assists in
your separating from the body and going above body-con-
sciousness. You will have to mark carefully all these opera-
tions.
Do not waste your time in looking at these visions. This

is only a curiosity. These are all encouragements to convince
you of the existence of superphysical, metaphysical realities
and the solid existence of Brahman. Drive these pictures. Fix
yourself on the goal-Lakshya. Advance. Proceed seriously
and energetically.
As soon as you retire for sleep, these lights manifest
themselves without any exertion on your part. Just when you
are going to transcend the physical consciousness, just when
you are drowsy, these lights appear without your effort. Also in
the morning, before you get up, in the transitiona! stage,
half-asleep, half-awake, you will get again these lights by them-
selves without attempt.
Sometimes, during meditation, you willsee an infinite blue
sky, ethereal space. You will see yourself in the blue space as a
black dot. Your form will appear in the centre of the light some-
times. Sometimes, you will notice highly vibratory rotating par-
ticles in the light. You will see physical forms, human forms,
children, women, adult males, Rishis with beards, Siddhas and
lustrous Tejomaya forms. Visions are either subjective or ob-
jective, your own mental reactions or of realities on flner planes
of matter. Universe consists of planes of matter of various
grades of density. Rhythmical vibrations of Tanmatras in vari-
ous degrees, give rise to the formation of various planes. Each
plane has its things and beings. Visions may be of these things
or beings. They may be purely imaginary. They may be
crystalisation of your own intense thinking. You must discrimi-
nate in Yogic practices. Reason and common-sense must be
used throughout.
4. Mystic Experiences of Sadhakas

"l had some peculiar sensation near my solar plexus in my
meditation some three years back, that is to say, I noticed the
whirling sensation of a flywheel rotating around. Then I came
across some peculiar sights. I saw with the physical eyes a sort
of white or blue hue of light all around the people's head and
also on the surface of the buildings. When I gaze at the open,
grand expanse of sky in daytime I notice a living worm-like
white light moving hitherand thither. When lwork intently in my
office, white shining lights flash across my eyes. Sometimes lit-
tle sparks of light are noticed on my books. This gives me a pe-
culiar joy and I begin to chant the name of the Lord: 'Sri Ram,
Jaya Ram, Jaya Jaya Ram.' Nowadays when I am cycling to
my office a round light-like ball is seen and is visible till I reach
my destination. The same thing appears at times when I gaze
at the beautiful Akasa." ......... "S.'
"l meditated for five hours daily for a month in Gangotri.
One day I had a great deal of dejection for two hours. I could
not find any peace. I found it difficult to bear the mood of dejec-
tion. I then sat on the bank of Ganga and began to meditate
upon Mahatma Gandhiji. lt gave me solace then. After a few
days I saw meditating on Sri Ramachandra for one and a half
hour. This Saguna meditation automatically turned into a
Nirguna type. lfelt perfect Santifor 10 minutes. My mind was
fully engrossed in the meditation on OM. This continued for half
an hour. One day I had a different kind of experience. I opened
my eyes after meditation. lfound everything as Brahman with-
out the help of reasoning. I had this mood the whole day. A
Brahmachari spoke to me for one hour on that day. I was only
hearing but my mind did not aftend to his speech. lt remained in
the same mood. I could not recollect even a word of his speech.
"On another occasion I meditated for half an hour. I had a
very ecstatic mood. But owing to some distraction from sounds
from outside, the ecstratic mood dropped down. Again I began
to meditate. I saw a beautiful light at the bottom of my heart. As
soon as that light disappeared, I began to weep unconsciously.
Somebody came to me and called me by my name. I did not
know anything. He shook my body. I stopped weeping a little
and looked at his face and wept again and again for 25 min-
uV."
utes." .........
"l observed Mouna as a trial for the first time from26-2-32
to 4-3-32;'
"Mistakes"t-Occasionally I had to express my ideas by
gestures. On the last three days I uttered the words 'Yes,'
'enough,''what' absent-mindedly. I had the wrong imagination
as if there was pain in the jaws. I had a great curiosity for speak-
ing.
"ff,sJ7sfifs"'-l was able to do more work, reading, Japa
and meditation for a longer period than usual. I could not sleep
before midnight. The ideas of books were rolling on till mid-
night. No room for anger and irritability. I was not able to get
anything by heart. I tried to get by heart a few Slokas but could

not. lt was due to my previous habit of uttering once or twice
loudly. ........."Ram."
'l did Pranayama for a month and then began to hear
some sweet melodious sounds or Nadas of different sorts, viz.,
flute, violin, bell-sound, Mridang, sounds from cluster of bells,
conch sound, drum sound, sound of thunder, sometimes from
right earonly, while at othertimes from both the ears." ......"N.'
"During concentration I used to smell extraordinary sweet
fragrance and good smel!." ........uR."
"l used to see during meditation in my Trikuti a blazing
sun, a dazzling light and brilliant stdr. The vision was not steady
at all." ........"G.'
"l used to have Darshan of some Rishis in my Trikuti dur-
ing the course of concentration. I used to see my lshtiam, Lord
Krishna, with flute in his hands." ......... "S."
"l used to see at times coloured lights, red, green, blue
and white in Trikutiduring my meditation. Sometimes I used to
see a blue expansive sky. I myself appeared as a dot in that
blue sky."
"During meditation I used to see several Devatias and
Devis with lustrous Tejomaya bodies with beautiful ornaments."
........"R.',
"Sometimes during meditation I used to see a big void
only."......... "T."
"During concentration I used to see my own face in the
centre of a big light. Sometimes I used to see the faces of my
friends. I could clearly recognise them." ......... "R."
"l used to feel a current of electricity passing from my
Muladhara to the back of the neck when I sat for meditation.
Even at ordinary times I used to feel this." ......... "K."
"During meditation some astral entities with ghastly hid-
eous faces and long teeth, black in colour used to threaten me.
But they did not do any harm." ........ "4."
"When I sat for meditation I used to get jerks of the legs
and hands. Sometimes my body used to jump from one place
to anothgr." ......... "M."
"l used to see palatial buildings, rivers, mountains and
gardens during my meditation." ......... "S."
EXPERIENCES IN MEDITATION 26r
"l used to meditatewith open eyes. One night Isaw in front
of me a brilliant light. tn the centre of the libht I saw Lord
Krishna with flute in hand. My hair stood on -end. t became
speechless. I was struck with awe and wonder. lt was 3 a.m.',
ata tt
......... D.
.. _"One day I had deep meditation. I separated myself actu-

ally from the physical body. ! actually saw it as a slough thrown
out. I was floating in the air. I had a peculiar sensation of a mix-
ture of extreme joy and extreme fear. I stayed in the air for a
couple of minutes only. Owing to great fear I suddenly entered
back into the physical body. I slowly glided with a pecutiar sen-
sation.into the physical body. The experience was thrilling."
!(A rt
......... 5.
UDDALAKA'S EXPERIENCE
The sage Uddalaka was not able to master Samadhi
which leads one into the blissful realm of Reality, because the
monkey-mind jumped speedily from one branch to another
sensual objects. He seated himself in padmasana and uttered
Pranava (OM) with high-sounding intonation. Then he started
his meditation.
He forcibly controlled his mind. With great difficulty he
separated the senses from the objects. He dissociated himself
completely from all external objects. He closed the avenues of
the body. He fixed his mind on the heart. His mind was freed
from.allV_ikalpas. He destroyed allthoughts of objects just as a
warrior kills with his sword his foes who rise against him again
and again.
He saw before him a radiant light. He dispelled Moha. He
passed through the stage of darkness, light, steep and Moha.
He eventually reached the stage of Nirvikalpa Samadhi and en-
joyed perfect calmness. After six months, he woke from his
Samadhi. He would spend in one sitting, days, months and
even years in deep Samadhiand then wake up.
5.In the Hours of Meditation

Brahman, Self, Purusha, Chaitanya, Consciousness,
God, Atman, Immortality, Freedom, perfection, peace, Bliss,
Bhuma or the Unconditioned, are synonymous terms. lf you at-
tain Self-realisation alone, you will be freed from the round of
births and deaths and its concomitant evils. The goal of life is
the attainment of final beatitude or Moksha. Moksha can be at-
tained by constant meditation in the heart that is rendered pure
and steady by selfless service, Japa, etc.
Reality or Brahman can be realised by man. Many have
attained Self-realisation. Many have enjoyed the Nirvikalpa
Samadhi. Sanl<ara, Dattiatreya, Mansoor, Shams Tabriez, Je-
sus, Buddha were all realised souls who had direct perception
of the Truth or cosmic vision orAparokshanubhuti. But one who
has known cannot communicate it to others for want of means.
Even the knowledge acquired by the five senses, which are
common to all, cannot be communicated to others. You cannot
tell the taste of sugarcandy to a man who has never tasted it;
you cannot communicate the idea of colour to one born blind.
All that the teacher can do is to tell his disciple the method of
knowing the Truth or the path that leads to the unfoldment of
intuitional faculty.
These are the signs that indicate that you are growing in
meditation and approaching God. You will have no attraction
for the world. The sensual objects will no longer tempt you' You
will become desireless, fearless, 'l'-less and 'mine'-less.
Deha-adhyasa or attachment to the body will gradually dwin-
dle. You will not entertain the ideas, "She is my wife; he is my
son; this is my house." You willfeelthat all are manifestations of
the Lord. You will behold God in every object.
The body and mind will become light. You will always be
cheerful and happy. The name of the Lord will always be on
your lips. The mind will be ever fixed on the lotus feet of the
Lord. The mind will be ever producing the image of the Lord. lt
will be ever seeing the picture of the Lord. You will actually feel
that Sattva or purity, light, bliss, knowledge and Prema are ever
flowing from the Lord to you and filling up your heart.
You will have no body-consciousness. Even if there be
body-consciousness, it will be in the form of a mental retentum.
Adrunkard may not have full consciousness that he has a cloth
round his body. He may feel that something is loosely hanging
from his body. Even so, you have a feeling of the body. You will
feel that something is sticking to you like a loose cloth or loose
shoes.
You will have no attraction for the sex. You will have no
sex-idea. Woman will appear to you as manifestation of the
Lord. Money and gold will appear to you as pieces of stone.
You will have intense love for all creatures. You will be abso-
lutely free from lust, greed, anger, jealousy, pride, delusion, etc.
You will have peace of mind even when people insult you, beat
you and persecute you. The reason why you are not perturbed
is that you get immense spiritual strength from the lndweller or
the Lord. Pain and pleasure, success or failure, honour or dis-
honour, respect or disrespect, gain or loss are alike to you.
Even in dreams, you are in communion with the Lord. You
will not behold any worldly pictures.
You will converse with the Lord in the beginning. You will
see Him in physicalform. When your consciousness becomes
cosmic, conversation will stop. You will enjoy the language of
the silence or the language of the heart. From Vaikhari (vocal
speech), you will pass on to Madhyama, Pasyanti and Para
(subtle forms of sounds) and eventually you will rest in sound-
less Omkara or soundless Brahman.
Dispassion and discrimination, serenity, self-restraint,
one-pointedness of mind, Ahimsa, Satyam, purity, forbear-
ance, fortitude, patience, forgiveness, absence of anger, spirit
of service, sacrifice, love for all, will be your habitual qualities.
You will be a cosmic friend and benefactor.
During meditation you will have no idea of time. You will
not hear any sound. You will have no idea of the environments.
You will forget your name and all sorts of relationship with oth-
ers. You will enjoy perfect peace and bliss. Gradually you will
rest in Samadhi.
Samadhi is an indescribable state. lt is beyond the reach
of mind and speech. ln Samadhi or the superconscious state
the meditator loses his individuality and becomes identicalwith
the Supreme Self. He becomes an embodiment of bliss, peace
and knowledge. So much only can be said. You have to experi-
ence this yourself through constiant meditation.
Contentment, unruffled state of the mind, cheerfulness,
patience, decrease in the excretions, sweet voice, eagerness
and steadiness in the practice of meditation, disgust for worldly
prosperity or success and company, desire to remain alone in a
quiet room or in seclusion, desire for association with Sadhus
and Sannyasins, Ekagrata or one-pointedness of mind are

some of the signs which indicate that you are growing in purity,
that you are prospering in the spiritual path.
You will hear various kinds of Anahata sounds, of a bell, a
kettle drum, thunder, conch, Veena or flute, the humming
sound of a bee, etc., during meditation. The mind can be fixed
in any of these sounds. This also will lead to Samadhi. You will
behold various kinds of colours and lights during meditation.
This is not the goal. You will have to merge the mind in that
which is the source of these lights and colours.
Astudent in the path of Vedanta ignores these sounds and
lights. He meditates on the significance of the Mahavakyas of
the Upanishads by negating all forms. "The sun does not shine
there, nor do the moon and the stiars, nor does this lightning
shine and much less this fire. When He shines, everything
shines after Him; by His light all these shine." He meditates,
also like this: "The air does not blow there. The fire does not
burn there. There is neither sound nor touch, neither smell nor
colour, neither mind nor Prana in the homogeneous essence.
Asabda, Asparsa, Arupa, Agandha, Aprana, Amana, Atindriya,
Adrishya, Chidanandarupa Sivoham, Sivoham. I am blissful
Siva, I am blissful Siva."
Be a spiritual hero in the Adhyatmic battlefield. Be a
brave, undaunted, spiritual soldier. The inner war with the
mind, senses, Vasanas and Samskaras is more terrible than
the externalwar. Fight against the mind, senses, evilVasanas,
Trishnas, Vrittis and Samskaras boldly. Use the machine-gun
of Brahma-Vichara to explode the mind efiiciently. Dive deep
and destroy the undercurrents of passion, greed, hatred, pride
and jealousy, through the submarine or torpedo of Japa of OM
or Soham. Soar high in the higher regions of bliss of the Self
with the help of the aeroplane of Brahmakara Vritti. Use the
'mines'of chanting of OM to explode the Vasanas that are hid-
den in the sea of subconscious mind. Sometimes move the
'tanks'of discrimination to crush your ten enemies, the ten tur-
bulent senses. Start the Divine League and make friendship
with your powerful allies viz., dispassion, fortitude, endurance,
serenity, self-restraint, to attack your enemy-mind. Throw the
bomb of "sivoham Bhayana" to destroy the big mansion of
body and the idea "lam the body," "l am the doe/'and "l am the
enjoyer." Spread profusely the gas of "Sattva" to destroy your
internal enemies viz., Rajas and Tamas quickly. "Black-out" the

mind by destroying the Vrittis or Sankalpas by putting out all the
lights or bulbs of sensual objects so that the enemy 'mind'will
not be able to attack you. Fight closely against your enemy
'mind' with the bayonet of one-pointedness (Samadhana) to
get hold of the priceless treasure or Atmic pearl. The joy of
Samadhi, the bliss of Moksha, the peace of Nirvana are now
yours, whoever you may be, in whatever clime you are born.
Whatever might be your past life or history work out your salva-
tion. O beloved Rama, with the help of these means come out
victorious right now, this very second.
6. Vision of God
You will sometimes see a vast bright golden light. Within
the light you will see your lshta Devata in front. Sometimes you
willsee yourself within the light. You willsee a gotden-cotoureO
light all around.
You may see your lshta Devata as big as a mountain shin-
ing like the sun. You may see the figure during eating, drinking
and working. When you enjoy the bliss of this vision, you will
experience no taste for food while eating. You will simply swal-
low the food. You will hear continuous ringing of the Veena. You
-rnay see the blazing light of the sun.
The object of your meditation will come before you much
quicker if you practise regular meditation. You will feel as if you
are covered by the objeCt on which you meditate. You witl bee
as if the whole space is illumined. Sometimes you will experi-
ence the sound of ringing bells. You will feel the inner peace of
the Soul.
You will see all sorts of beautiful colours. Sometimes you
will behold a beautiful garden with charming scenery. Some-
times you will see saints and sages. Full-moon and crescent
moon, sun and stiars, will appear. You will see light on the wal!.
When you getthese experiences, when you behold these
visions, you will feel peculiar indescribable bliss. Do not get
false contentment. Do not stop your Sadhana and meditation
thinking that you have attained the highest realisation. Do not
attach much importance to these visions. You have attiained
only the first degree of concentration. The highest goal or reali-
sation is profound Silence or Supreme Peace, wherein all
thoughts cease and you become identical with the Supreme

Self.
He who does Japa, Pranayama and meditation, feels
lightness of the body. Rajas and Tamas are decreased. The
body becomes light.
The sudden jerks in meditation come especially when the
Prana becomes slow and the outward vibrations make the
mind come down from its union with the Lord to the level of
physical consciousness.
The mind becomes very subtle by the practice of Japa,
Kirtan, meditation and Pranayama. The power of thinking also
gets developed.
You will hear the melodious sound of OM during medita-
tion. You wil! see the form of your Guru.
May you attain this final beatitude or ineffable Brahmic
seat of eternal splendour and everlasting bliss through con-
stant meditation!
7. Feeling of Separation
During the course of practice, one day you will feel that
you have separated yourself from the body. You will have im-
mense joy mixed with fear, joy in the possession of a new, light,
astral body, fearowing to the entry in a foreign, unknown plane.
At the very outset, the new consciousness is very rudimentary
in the new plane, just as in the case of a pup with newly opened
eyes in the eighth or tenth day on the physical plane. You will
only feel that you have a light airy body and will perceive a rotiat-
ing, vibratory limited astral atmosphere with illumination of
golden lights, objects, beings, etc. You may feel you are rotat-
ing or floating in the air and consequently there is the fear of
falling.
You will never fall; but the new experience of subtlety gen-
erates novel feelings and sensations in the beginning. How you
leave the body, remains unknown at the outset. You are sud-
denly stiartled, when you have completely separated, and when
you enter into the new plane, sometimes with blue-coloured
sphere around, sometimes with partial illumination (Prakasha)
mixed with darkness while at other times with extremely bril-
liant golden, yellow diffused illumination. The new joy is inex-
pressible and indescribable in words. You will have to actually
feel and experience yourself (Anubhava). You will have to eat

yourself. You are unaware of how you have left the body' but
you are fully conscious of your returning. You gently feel a.s if
you glide on a very smooth surface; as if you enter smoothly,
genttytfrrough a smallwhole of fine tube with an airy light body-
You have an airy ethereal feeling. Just as air enters through
the crevices of a window, you enter with the new astral body
into the physical body. lthink I have expressed the idea lucidly.
When y6u have returhed, you can markedly differentiate the life
in the gross and subtle planes. There is an intense craving to
regainlhe new consciousness and to remain in that state al-
wiys. You are not able to stay for a period longer than 3, 5 or 1 0
minutes in the new region. Further, you can hardly leave the
body at will, through simple willing, in the beginning.' By
chance, through efforts, you are able to separate from the body
in a month in the course of Sadhana. lf you plod on with pa-
tience, perseverance and firmness, you will be able to leave the
body aiwill and stay for a longer time in the new plqne with the
newsubile body. You are quite safe from the identification with
the body. You have made conquest of Deha-Adhygsa, only if
you can-leave the body at will and only if you are able to stay in
the new region for 2 or 3 hours. Your position is quite secure
then and not othenruise. Mouna or the vow of silence, solitude,
living alone are stne qua non to achieve this end. lf circum-
stanLes prevent you to observe Mouna, strictly avoid long talk,
big talk, tall talk, all unnecessary tialks, all sorts of vain discus-
sions, etc., and withdraw yourself from society as much as pos-
sible. Too much talk is simply wastage of energy. lf this energy
is conserved by Mouna, it will be transmuted into Ojas or spiri-
tual energy which will help you in the Sadhana. Speech is
Tejomaya Vak according to Chhandogya Upanishad' The
gr6ss pbrtion of fire goes to constitute bone, the middle portion
[o form marrow; and the subtle portion of fire to form speech'
So speech is a very powerful energy. Remember this, remem-
ber this, remember this always. Observe Mouna for 3 months,
6 months or 1 year. lf you cannot do for months continuously-
observe for a d-ay in a week, just as Sri Mahatma Gandhiji did.
You must draw inspiration from Mahatmas like Sri Krishna
Ashramji Maharaj who is now living absolutely nude forthe.last
many y6ars in the icy regions of Himalayas, near the origin of
the Gdnga, Gangotri. He is observing Kashta Mouna, a rigid
vow of silence for many years. (ln Kashta Mouna you do not
communicate your thoughts to others even in writing or by

signs). Why not you also become a Krishna Ashram of wide re-
pute and glory? After continuous, hard practice, you will be able
to separate yourself from the body, veryfrequenfly. There is es-
tablished a habit. As soon as you silence the thought, and calm
the mind, the mental habit of slipping from the physical body
supervenes automatically. There is no difficulty then. The mind
enters the new groove and appears on a new stage or platform.
ASTRAL JOURNEY
You can simply, by mere willing, travel to any place you
like with the astral body (astral travel, astraljourney) and there
materialise by drawing the necessary materials either from
Asmita (Ahamkara) or the universal storehouse-ocean of
Tanmatras. The process is very simple to occultists, and yogins
who know the rationale, the detailed technique of the various
operations, albeit it seems extraordinary to poor mundane
creatures with diverse emotions, passions and attachment.
Thought-reading, thought-transference also can be quite eas-
ily performed by those who can function with the astral body.
Concentrated mental rays can penetrate opaque walls, just as
X-rays pass through bones.
MATERIALISATION
You first separate yourself from the body, then you identify
yourself with the mind and then you function on the mental
plane, with this fine body, just as you do on this earth plane.
Through concentration, you rise above body-consciousness;
through meditation, you rise above mind; and finally through
Samadhi, you become one with Brahman. These arsthe three
important, Antaranga Sadhanas (internal means), in the
achievement of flnal beatitude.
8. Cosmic Consciousness
This exalted, blissful experience comes through intuition
or Samadhi. The lower mind is withdrawn from the external, ob-
jective world. The senses are abstracted in the mind. The indi-
vidual mind becomes one with the cosmic mind or
Hiranyagarbha or the Oversoul, the Soul of the Universe, the
one common thread-soulorSutratma. The function of the intel-
lect, the objective mind and the senses are suspended. The
Yogi becomes a living soul and sees into the life of things
through his new divine eye of intuition or wisdom.
The state of Cosmic Consciousness is grand and sublime'
It is beyond description. The mind and speech return from it
baffled, as they are not able to grasp and describe it. The lan-
guage and words are imperfect. lt induces awe, Supreme Joy
and Highest Unalloyed Felicity, free from pain, sorrow and fear.
This is divine experience. lt is a revelation of the Karana Jagat,
the causal world wherein the types are realised directly.-
Sri Sankara, Dattatreya, Vama Deva, Jadabharata,
Mansoor, Shams Tabriez, Madalasa, Yajnavalkya, Ram Das,
Tulasi Das, Kabir, Hafiz, Tukaram, Mira, Gouranga,
Madhvacharya, Ramanujacharya, Lord Jesus, Lord Buddha,
Lord Mohammed, Lord Zoroaster, had experience of Cosmic
Consciousness.
The Yogi who has experience of Cosmic Consciousness
acquires all Divine Aishvaryas. He attains many kinds of
Siddhis or powers, which are described in Srimad Bhagavata
and Raja Yoga of Patanjali Maharshi.
Arjuna, Sanjaya and Yasoda had the experience of Cos-
mic Consciousness. Yasoda saw the whole universe within the
mouth of Bala Krishna.
The Gita describes the state of cosmic consciousness
through the mouth of Arjuna in these words: "Thy mighty form
with many mouths and eyes, long-armed, with thighs and feet
innumerable, vast-bosomed, set with many fearful teeth, radi-
ant, Thou touchest heaven, rainbow-hued, with open mouths
and shining vast-orbed eyes on every side, all-swallowing, fi-
ery-tongued, Thou lickest up mankind devouring all into Thy
gaping mouths, which are tremendous-toothed and terrible to
see. Some caughtwithin the gaps between Thyteeth, are seen
with their heads to powder crushed and ground."
ln France, Professor Bergson preached about intuition
which transcends reason but did not contradict it.
This new experience bestows new enlightenment which
places the experiencer on a new plane of existence. There is
an indescribable feeling of elation and indescribable joy and
Bliss. He experiences a sense of universality, a Consciousness
of Etemal Life. lt is not a mere conviction. He actually feels it.
He gets the eye Celestial.
The Jivahood has gone now. The little 'l'has melted. The
differentiating mind that splits up has vanished. All barriers, all
sense of duality, differences, separateness have disappeared.
There is no idea of time and space. There is only eternity. The
ideas of caste, creed and colour have gone now. He has the
feeling of Apta-Kama (one who has obtained all that he de-
sires). He feels, "There is nothing more to be known by me." He
feels perfect awareness of superconscious plane of Knowl-
edge and intuition. He knows the whole secret of Creation. He
is Omniscient. He is a Sarva-Vit or Knower of all details of Cre-
ation.
Absolute fearlessness, desirelessness, thoughtlessness,
l-lessness, mine-lessness, angerlessness, Brahmic aura in the
face, freedom from Harsha and Shoka are some of the signs
that indicate that the man has reached the state of
superconsciousness. He is also always in a state of perfect
bliss. You can never see anger, depression, cheerlessness and
sorrow in his face. You willfind elevation, joy and peace in his
presence.
Cosmic consciousness is perfect awareness of the one-
ness of life. The Yogi feels that the universe is filled with one
life. He actually feels that there is no such thing as blind force or
dead matter and that all is alive, vibrating and intelligent. This is
the experience of scientist Bose also. He has demonstrated it
th rough laboratory experiements.
He who has cosmic consciousness feels that the universe
is all his. He is one with the Supreme Lord. He is one with the
Universal knowledge and Life. He experiences bliss and joy
beyond understanding and description. ln the moment of
illumination or great spiritual exaltation he has the actual divine
universal vision. He is conscious of being in the presence of
God. He sees the lightof God's countenance. He is lifted above
the ordinary plane of consciousness. He reaches a higher state
of consciousness. He has a cosmic or universal understanding.
He has developed the cosmic sense. The human soul is revolu-
tionised.
He does not worry about death or future, about what may
come after the cessation of the life of the present body. He is
one with Eternity, lnfinity and lmmortality!
During illumination the floodgate of joy breaks' The Yogi is

inundated with waves of indescribable ecstasy. Bliss, lmmortal-
ity, Eternity, Truth, Divine Love become the core of his being,
the essenie of his life, the only possible reality. He realises that
the deep, everlasting fountain of joy exists in every heart, that
the immortal life underlies all beings, that this eternal, all-em-
bracing, all-inclusive love envelops, supports and guides every
particle, every atom of creation. Sin, sorrow, death are but
words now for him without meaning. He feels that the elixir of
life, the nectar of immortality is flowing in his veins.
He feels no need for food or sleep. He is absolutely
desireless. There is a great change in his appearance and
manner. His face shines with a radiant light. His eyes are lus-
trous. They are pools of joy and bliss. He feels that the entire
world is OitheO in a sea of satisfying love, or immortial bliss
which is the very essence of life.
The whole world is home to him. He could never feel
strange or alien to any place. The mountains, the distant lands
which he has never seen would be as much as his own, as the
home of his boyhood. He feels that the whole world is his body.
He feels that all hands, all feet are his.
Fatigue is unknown to him. His work is like child's play,
happy and care-free. He beholds only God everywhere' Chair,
table, tree have a Cosmic signiflcance. His breath will stop
completely sometimes. He experiences Absolute Peace. Time
and space vanish.
Cosmic Consciousness is an inherent, natural faculty of
all men and women. Training and discipline are necessary to
awaken the consciousness. !t is already present in man' lt is
inactive, or non-functioning in the majority of human beings on
account of the force of Avidya or ignorance.
May you all attain the State of Cosmic Consciousness,
your birthright, centre, idea! and goal, through association with
the sages, purity, love, devotion and Knowledge!
9. Blissful Experience
Samadhi or blissful divine experience arises when the ego
and the mind are dissolved. lt is a state to be attained by one's
own effort. !t is limitless, divisionless and infinite, an experience
of being and of pure consciousness.. When this experience is
realised, the mind, desires, actions and feelings of joy and sor-
row vanish into a void.
The ultimate Truth or Brahman orthe Absolute can be ex-
perienced by all persons by regular practice of meditation with
a pure heart. Mere abstract reasoning and study of books will
not do. What is wanted is direct experience. The direct experi-
ence is the source for higher intuitional knowledge or divine
wisdom. This experience is superconscious or transcendental.
There is neither the play of the senses nor the intellect here.
This is not an emotional experience. The senses, mind and in-
tellect are at perfect rest. They do not function a bit. This expe-
rience is not an imaginary experience of a visionary dreamer. lt
is not a reverie. lt is not a hypnotic trance. lt is a solid living
Truth like the Amalaka fruit on the palm of your hand. The third
eye or the eye of wisdom (Jnana Chakshus) is opened in the
experiencer. The extraordinary experience comes from cogni-
tion through the spiritual eye or the eye of intuition. This eye of
wisdom can be opened when the senses, mind and intellect
cease functioning. The Jnana Chakshus can only be opened
by eradicating completely all desires, wrath, greed, pride, ego-
ism and hatred.
There is neither darkness nor void in this experience. lt is
all light. There is neither sound nor touch nor form here. lt is a
magnanimous experience of unity or oneness. There is neither
time nor causation here. You become omniscient and omnipo-
tent. You become a Sarvavit or all-knower. You know every-
thing in detail. You know the whole mystery of creation. you get
immortality, higher knowledge and eternal bliss.
All dualities vanish here. There is neither subject nor ob-
ject. There is neither Sakara nor Nirakara. There is neither
meditation nor Samadhi. There is neither Dvaita nor Advaita.
There is neither Vikshepa nor one-pointedness. There is nei-
ther meditator nor the meditated. There is neither gain nor loss.
There is neither pleasure nor pain. There is neither East nor
West. There is neither day nor night.
Samadhi is of various kinds. The Samadhi that is induced
by the practice of Mudra and Pranayama (Kumbhaka) is Jada
Samadhi. There is no awareness here. The Yogi can be buried
for six months in a box beneath the earth. lt is like deep sleep.
The Yogi does not return with superintuitional knowledge. The
Vasanas are not destroyed by this Samadhi. The Yogi will be

born again. This Samadhi cannot give liberation.
Then there is the Chaitanya Samadhi. The Yogi has per-
fect awareness. He comes down with divine knowledge. He
gives inspired talks and messages. The hearers are much ele-
vated. The Vasanas are destroyed by this Samadhi. The Yogi
attains Kaivalya or perfect freedom.
The Samadhi experienced by a Bhakta is Bhava Sam-
adhi. The devotee attains the state through Bhava and
Mahabhava. The Raja Yogigets Nirodha Samadhithrough de-
struction of Sankalpas (Chlttavrittinirodha). The Vedantin at-
tains Bhava Samadhi through negation of the illusory vehicles,
or Upadhis such as body, mind, senses, intellect, etc. For him
the world and body are unreal or Mithya. He passes through
the stages of darkness, light, sleep, Moha and inflnite space
and eventually attain infinite consciousness.
Again there are two other varieties of Samadhi, viz.,
Savikalpa or Sabija or Samprajnata and Nirvikalpa or Nirbija or
Asamprajnata Samadhi. ln the first variety there is Triputi or the
triad, viz., knower, knowledge, knowable or seer, sight and
seen. The Samskaras are not destroyed. ln the latter the
Samskaras are totally fried or destroyed. There is no Triputi in
Nirvikalpa. Savikalpa, Nirvichara, Saananda are varieties of
Savikalpa Samadhi.
When you are established in the highest Nirvikalpa Sama-
dhi you have nothing to see, nothing to hear, nothing to smell
and nothing to feel. You have no body-consciousness. You
have full Brahmic Consciousness only. There is nothing but the
Self. lt is a grand experience. You will be struck with awe and
wonder.
A Bhakta who meditates on the form of Lord Krishna will
see Krishna and Krishna only everywhere when he is estab-
lished in Samadhi. All other forms will disappear. This is one
kind of spiritual experience. He will see himself also as Krishna.
Gopis of Brindavan, Gauranga and Ekanath had this experi-
ence. Those who meditate on the all-pervading Krishna will
have another kind of cosmic experience. Arjuna had this kind of
experience. He had consciousness of the whole Virat. He had
cosmic consciousness.
lf you meditate on Hiranyagarbha, you will become

identical with Hiranyagarbha. You will have knowledge of
Brahmaloka. You will also have cosmic consciousness. The
experience of Savikalpa Samadhi of a devotee and Raja Yogi is
the same.
The transcendental experience is also called by the name
Turiya or the fourth state. The first three states are 'waking,'
'dreaming' and 'dreamless sleep' and the fourth state is
'Turiya.'The first three states are common to all. The fourth is
latent in every human being. When you are established in the
fourth state, when you experience the transcendental state of
Brahmic consciousness, the Truth, which had been before but
as an intellectual abstraction, becomes a living reality definitely
experienced by you.
Various names such as Samyag Darshan, Sahaja
Avastha, Nirvana, Turiyatita, Aparokshanubhava, Brahma-
Sakshatkara, Nirvikalpa Samadhi, Asamprajnata Samadhi, are
given to this transcendental state, but all of them unmistakably
point to the same goal. Real spiritual life begins after one en-
ters into this state of superconsciousness.
You will realise at all times and under all circumstances
that you are identical with the invisible existence, knowledge
and bliss; that you pervade all persons and objects; and that
you are beyond all limitations. lf you have the knowledge of the
Self or Brahman at all times without any break, then you are es-
tablished in the Self. This is a state to be experienced within but
cannot be expressed in words. This is the flnal state of Peace,
the goal of life. This experience will give you freedom from all
forms of bondage.
Some aspirants mistake'deep sleep state'and the state of
Tandri or 'half sleep' state for Nirvikalpa Samadhi. This is a
terrible mistake. lf you experience Samadhiof any kind, you will
have supersensual knowledge. lf you do not possess any
intuitional knowledge, be sure that you are far from Samadhi.
You can experience Samadhi only when you are established in
Yama, Niyama or Sadachara and when you have a very pure
heart. How can the Lord be enthroned in an impure heart?
Samadhi comes only after constant and protracted practice of
meditation. Samadhi is not a commodity that can be obtained
easily. Those who can really enter into Samadhi are very, very
rate.
ln Samadhi or Superconsciousness the Yogic practitioner

gets himself merged in the Lord. The senses, the mind and the
intellect cease functioning. Just as the river joins the ocean, the
individual soul mixes with the Supreme Soul. All limitations and
differences disappear. The Yogi attains the highest knowledge
and eternal bliss. This state is beyond description. You will
have to realise this yourself.
Taste the immortal sweetness of the beautiful life in the
Self within. Live in Atman and attain the blessed immortal
State. Meditate and reach the deeper depths of eternal life, the
higher heights of divine glory and eventually attain the full glory
of union with the Supreme Self. Now your long wearisome jour-
ney terminates. You have reached your destination, your sweet
original home of everlasting peace, the Param Dham.
10. Mind Moves

After a short practice of meditation you will feel that body
gets lighter in a short time, say 15 or 30 minutes after you have
taken your seat in Padma, Siddha or Sukhasana, according to
taste and temperament. You may be semi-conscious of the
body also. There is great deal of happiness owing to concen-
tration. This is happiness resulting from concentration-con-
centration-Ananda-which is quite different from sensual
pleasures. You must be able to differentiate these two plea-
sures through the Buddhi, rendered subtle by constant
Abhyasa, meditation. Dharana and Dhyana have a power to
sharpen the intellect. Atrained Buddhican colnprehend subtle,
philosophical, abstruse problems beautifully well. A disciplined
Buddhi that can carefully differentiate concentration-Ananda
and Nididhyasana-happiness, will naturally run daily to enjoy
this kind of new happiness, Vasana-Ananda. Such a mind will
loathe sensual pleasures. There will be extreme abhorrence,
and positive aversion to objects. lt is but natural, because this
kind of happiness is more lasting, sustained, self-contained
and real, as it emanates from Atman. You can distinctly feelthat
the mind is moving, that it is leaving its seat in the brain and that
it is trying to go to its Yathasthana (original seat). You know that
it has left its old groove and is now passing the new groove in
the avenue. As a result of meditation, new channels are formed
in the brain, new thought-currents are generated and new
brain-cells are formed. There is a transformed psychology alto-
gether. You have got a new brain, a new heart, new feelings,
new sentiments and new sensations.
11. Bhuta-Ganas
Sometimes, these elementals appear during meditation.
They are strange figures, some with long teeth, some with big
faces, some with big bellies, some with faces on the belly,
some with faces on the head. They are inhabitants of the Bhuta
Loka. They are Bhutas. They are supposed to be the atten-
dants of Lord Siva. They have tenifying forms. They do not
cause any harm at all. They simply appear on the stage. They
come to test your strength and courage. They can do nothing.
They cannot stand before a pure, ethical aspirant. Repetition of
a few Omkaras will throw them at a distance. You must be fear-
less. A coward is absolutely unfit for the spiritual line. Develop
courage by constantly feeling you are the Atman. Negate the
body-idea that is inveterate. Practise, practise, Nididhyasana,
Nididhyasana always, all the 24 hours. That is the secret. That
is the key. That is the master-key to open the treasury of
Sat-Chit-Ananda. That is the corner-stone of the edifice of
Bliss. That is the pillar of the edifice of Bliss. That is the pillar of
the mansion of Ananda. Vinayakas are types of elementals.
12. Glimpses of the SeIf

By experiences, pleasant and painful, man gathers mate-
rials and builds them into mental and moralfaculties.
As a merchant closing the year's ledger and opening a
new one does not enter in the new one all the items of the old
but only its balances, so does the spirit hand over to the new
brain his judgments on the experiences of a life that is closed,
the conclusion to which he has come, the decisions to which he
has arrived. This is the stock handed over to the new life, the
mental furniture for the new dwelling, a real memory.
The mind which ever rises and falls with the ebb of de-
sires, fancies this illusory universe to be true through its
ignorance; but it should be informed of the real nature of this
world, then it will cognise it to be Brahman itself.
During meditation you may experience that you are rising
from your seat. Some experience that they fly in the air.
Various persons get various spiritual experiences. There

cannot be a common experience for all. lt depends upon the
temperament, mode of Sadhana, place of concentration, and
various other factors. Some hear melodious sounds in the
ears. Some see lights. Some getAnanda (spiritual bliss). Some
get both Prakasha and Ananda.
lf there is any error in Sadhana (meditation), at once con-
sult the senior Sannyasins or realised souls and remove the
mistake. lf your general health is sound, if you are cheerful,
happy and strong physically and mentially, if the mind is peace-
fuland unruffled, if you getAnanda in meditation and if yourwill
is growing strong, pure and irresistible, think that you are im-
proving in meditation and everything is going on all right.
The Divine Light comes not through open doors but only
through narrow slits. The aspirant sees the ray as a sunbeam
passing through a chink into a dark room. lt is like a "flash of
lightning." This sudden illumination chokes all sounds of words.
The aspirant is spellbound in ecstasy and awe. He trembles
with love and awe, just as Arjuna did when he had the
Visvarupa Darshan of Lord Krishna. So bright and glorious is
the Light environing the Divine that the initiate is dazzled and
bewildered.
This is a kind of vision one occasionally gets during medi-
tation. You may behold a dazzling light with abrupt motion. You
may behold a head of marvellous form, of the colour of a flame,
red as fire, and very aMulto look at. lt has three wings of mar-
vellous length and breadth, white as a daz,ling cloud. At times
they would beat tenibly and again would be still. The head
never utters a word, but remains altogether still. Now and again
there is beating with its extended wings.
During meditation the colour of lights that you see varies
according to the nature of Tattva that flows through the nostrils.
lf there is Agni Tattua you will see red-coloured lights. lf Akasa
Tattva flows you will have blue-coloured lights. lf Apas Tattva
(water) prevails you will see white-coloured lights. lf there is
PrithiviTattua you will have yellow lights. lf there is Vayu Tattva
you will see black colour. You can change the Tattva by various
ways. But the best way is by thought. "As you think, so you also
become." When the Agni Tattva flows, think intensely of Apas
Tattua. Apas Tattva will begin to flow soon.
lf you get experiences of the glimpses of Self during in-

tense meditiation, if you see a blazing light during meditation,
and if you get spiritual visions of angels, archangels, Rishis,
Munis, Devatas and any other extraordinary spiritual experi-
ences, do not fall back in terror. Do not mistake them for phan-
toms. Do not give up the Sadhana. Plod on diligently. Break veil
after veil.
March on boldly. Do not look back. Cross the intense void
and darkness. Pierce the layer of Moha. Melt the subtle
Ahamkara now Svarupa wil! shine by itself. You will experience
the Turiya (Arudha state).
Sometimes bad spirits will trouble you. They may have
ugly fierce faces with long teeth. Drive them with your strong
will. Give the word of command "Get out." They will go away.
They are vampires. They are elementals. They will not do any
harm to the Sadhakas. Your courage will be tested here. lf you
are timid you cannot march further. Draw power and courage
from Atman within, the inexhaustible source (Avyaya). You will
come across very good spirits also. They will help you a lot in
your onward march. These are all Vighnas or obstacles in the
way.
Aspirants are eager to get spiritual experience soon. As
soon as they get them, they are afraid. They are aMully
alarmed when they go above body-consciousness. They enter-
tain a passing wonder whether they will come back again or
not. Why should they be afraid at all? lt does not matter much
whether they return to body-consciousness or not. All our at-
tempts are mainly directed towards getting over this body-
consciousness and being one with the higher spiritual con-
sciousness. We are used to certain limitations. When these lim-
itations suddenly drop away we feelthatthere is no definite base
left to stand upon. That is the reason why we are afraid when we
go above the body-consciousness. That is a novel expeilence.
Courage is needed. Courage is an indispensable requisite. Sruti
says: "Nayamatma Balahinena Labhyah."This Atman can hardly
be attained by weak (timid) persons. All sorts of forces have to
be encountered on the way. Adacoitor an anarchist can easily
realise God because he is fearless. Apush in the right direction
is only necessary for him. How Jagai and Madhai, rogues of the
first water, became very good saints? They pelted stones at
Nityananda, the disciple of Lord Gauranga. Nityananda won
them by pure divine love. Dacoit Ratnakara became sage

Valmiki.
13. Jyotirmaya Darshan

When you advance in meditation you can see your lshta
Devata in physicalform. Lord Vishnu willgive you Darshan with
four hands; Lord Krishna willappear before you with flute in His
hands; Rama with bow and arrow in his hands; Lord Siva with
trident and Damaru.
Sometimes the Lord will come before you in the form of a
beggar or sick man with dirty rags. He may appear before you
in the form of a coolie or a man of low caste. You must have the
keen sense to detect Him. Your hairwill stand on end when you
meet Him.
He appears in your dreams. Lord Ganesha comes in the
form of an elephant in dreams. Devi appears in the form of a girl
in your dreams.
During deep meditation you will have Jyotirmaya
Darshan. You will behold a huge pillar of light. You will see infl-
nite light and you will merge yourself in it. You will be struck with
awe and wonder.
lf you worship Lord Krishna intensely and constantly, you
will see only Lord Krishna everywhere.
A Yogi should always avoid fear, anger, laziness, too
much sleep or waking and too much food and fasting. lf the
above rule be welland strictly practised each day, spiritualwis-
dom will arise of itself in three months without doubt. ln four
months, he sees the Devas; in five months, he knows (or be-
comes) Brahmanishtha and truly in six months attains Kaivalya
at will. There is no doubt.
APPENDIX
Concentration Tests
Tiruvalluvar, a Tamil Saint of South lndia, one day put on
the head of his wife a shallow plate containing watel and asked
her to move along a procession of dance, music and variety of.
plays, with instructions that her head would be cutoff, if a single
drop of water should fall to the ground. The procession started
from the front door of the grand temple of Srirangam,
Trichinopoly. Tiruvalluvar's wife accompanied the procession
with the plate of wateron the head. Herwhole Prana, full mind,
complete heart, her full being, were all perfectly centred on the
plate of water. The procession marched through the 4 streets 3
times and at last terminated at the front gate wherefrom it had
commenced. The woman managed to bring back the plate of
water in entirely without allowing a single drop to fall on the
ground. Tiruvalluvar asked his wife "O Sarasvati Devi, did you.
hear the band, the music and play of the flute that accompanied
the procession?" She said, "No." "Did you see the fire-works?"
She said, "No." "Where was the mind, then?" She said, "My
Lord, it was all on the plate of water. I knew nothing, nothing. I
heard nothing, nothing. I saw nothing, nothing. I thought noth-
ing, nothing. I had one strong concentrated idea of the plate of
water only."
"Now look here, Sarasvati, that must be the condition of
your mind during meditation also. lt is termed Ekagrata,
one-pointedness. There must be undivided attention, undi-
vided energy, everything being centred upon God. Then only
you will see God. You willdwell in God."
Story of Arjuna
(DEXTEROUS ARCHERY)
(Drona tested the power of concentration of the
Pandavas. A basin of water was placed on the ground. A bird
was being rotated above. The archer should shoot at the bird
by looking at the reflection in the water.)
(280)
APPENDIX 287
Drona'. "O Yudhishthira, what do you see?"

Yudhishthira: "O Acharya, I see the bird to be aimed at, the
tree on which the bird is sitting and I see yourself also."
Drona: "What do you see, Bhima?"
Bhima: "l see the bird, the tree, yourself, Nakula,
Sahadeva, the tables and chairs, etc."
Drona: What do you see, Nakula?"
Nakula: "1 see, the bird, the tree, yourself, Arjuna, Bhima,
the garden, the streamlet, etc."
Drona: "What do you see, Sahadeva?"
Sahadeva: "1 see the bird to be aimed at, yourself, Arjuna,
Bhima, Yudhishthira, the horses, carriages, allthe lookers on,
several cows, etc."
Drona: "Now then, Arjuna, what do you see?"
Arjuna: "O Revered Guru! I see nothing but the bird to be
aimed at."
You must have the one-pointed (Ekagrata) concentration
of Arjuna for purposes of meditation by removing Vikshepa
(tossing of the mind) through Upasana of Yoga. Trataka and
Pranayama are other aids to develop concentration.
Suka Deva
SriSuka Deva, son of SriVyasa, was notsatisfied with the
answers given by his father to his certain philosophical ques-
tions. Sri Vyasa sent his son to Raja Janaka of Mithila.
Suka Deva was waiting at the gate of the palace of Janaka
for three days without taking any food. Janaka wanted to test
Suka Deva whether he had balanced mind and equal vision.
Afterthree days Suka Deva was taken to the harem and given
palatable dishes and dainties. Several ladies served him. He
was neither depressed by his being kept at the gate without
food and attendance nor elated by the royal treatment within
the harem. He had the same balanced mind on the two differ-
ent occasions.
Then Janaka wanted to test Suka Deva's power of con-
centration. He gave him a cup which contained oilto the very
brim and asked him to take this cup round the Mithila city and
bring it back without allowing a drop to fall on the ground.
Janaka arranged for musical and dancing parties all round the
city.
Suka Deva took the cup in his hand and brought it back
without allowing even a drop of oi! to fall on the ground, as he
had intense concentration and abstraction of the senses. He
was not a bit attracted by external sounds and objects, as he
was well-established in Pratyahara. His mind was everfixed on
the cup of oil.
You must have the same power of concentration as that of
Suka Deva.
The Arrow-Maker
An arrow-maker was very busy in making the arrows. He
was wholly absorbed in his work. He had intense concentra-
tion. Once a king and his party passed in front of his workshop.
As his mind was wholly absorbed in his work, he did not notice
at all the party of the king and his retinue. You must be en-
dowed with the same power of concentration at that of the ar-
row-maker.
Lord Dattatreya learnt concentration of mind from the ar-
row-maker. He took him as one of his Gurus.
Having controlled the breath and practised firmness in
seat, you should, like the archer, take your aim, fix or centre the
mind on the Supreme Self. The mind should be entirely ab-
sorbed in the object of contemplation. Having your mind en-
tirely absorbed in the Atman, you will not see anything else at
that time, inside or outside, just as the arrow-maker with his
mind absorbed in making the arrow did not see the king pass-
ing by his side.
Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon Bonaparte was a man of great concentration.
His success was all due to the power of concentration. He suf-
fered from various diseases such as epileptic fits, brody cardia
or slowness of heart's action, etc. But for these maladies, he
would have proved still more wonderfuland powerful. He could
sleep at any time he liked. He would snore the very moment he
retired to bed. He would get up to the very houl nay to the very
second. This is a kind of Siddhi. He had, as it were, different pi-
geon-holes in the brain, just as they have in post offices, pigeon
APPENDIX 283
holes for sorting letters. He had no Vikshepa, or shilly-

shallying. He had highly developed Ekagra Chitta, one-pointed
mind, of a Yogi. He could draw, as it were, any single thought,
from the brain pigeon hole, dwell on it as long as he liked, and
could shove it back when finished. He would sleep very
soundly at night amidst busy war, would never worry a bit at
night. This was all due to his power of concentration. He never
acquired these powers either by Trataka practice or "target
shooting." He was a born Siddha in one sense-Yoga
Bhrashta, fallen from Yoga practices during the previous birth.
Law of Association
When you go for an evening walk to Lawrence Garden,
you meet daily two college boys. Henry and Thomas. One day
you see Henry only. Thomas does not turn up. As soon as you
see Henry the image of Thomas comes in your mind through
the law of association.
When you think of river Ganga, you may think of Yamuna
and Godavari. When you think of rose, you may think of Jas-
mine. When you think of apple you may think of mango. This is
the law of association.
You can develop your memory through association of
ideas and objects. "Pav" means quarter in Hindi language.
Keep the letter image P-A-V in your mind. You can remember
easily the three limbs of Navavidha Bhakti, viz., Padasevana,
Archana and Vandana, which begin with the letters P-A-V. Sim-
ilarly you can link various ideas in your mind through letter im-
ages and word images. Those who have cultivated this habit in
this birth are endowed with very good, retentive memory.
lf you can carefully watch the mind-wanderings, you will
find that there is an intimate connection between one idea and
another though the mind wildly wanders about like an un-
chained monkey. The law of association operates always
though the links are broken. The mind may think of a book, then
the bookstallwherefrom Mr. John purchased it, then the friend
whom he met at the railway station when he was purchasing
the book, then of the railways and of the directors of the rail-
ways who lived in London. The thought of London may bring in
the idea of skating. From skating it may jump to Alps. lt may
think of pine trees, sanatorium and open air treatment. The
thought of a pine tree will bring in the remembrance of Almora
in lndia and its vicinity where pine trees grow. The thought of
Almora will bring in the thought of Swami Vivekananda who
founded the Advaita Ashram at Mayavati near Almora. lt may
entertain some Divine ideas of concentration and meditation,
and of Advaita Brahman. Then suddenly it may drop into sen-
sualgrooves. lt maythink of the prostitutes in Almora. ltwillen-
tertain lustful thoughts.
Allthese willtake place within the twinkling of an eye. The
mind works and moves in a tremendous speed that is impossi-
ble to imagine. lt catches one object and fabricates one idea
and through association, it leaves this object and this idea and
jumps to another object and another idea. There is a sort of
concentration all throughout its wanderings, though the con-
centration is not a continuous one.
GLOSSARY
A
ABHANGA: A devotional poetic composition.
ABHASA: Reflection.
ABHYASA: Practice.
ACHARYA: Teacher; Preceptor.
ACHYUTA: lmmutable-Lord Vishnu.
ADESA: Command.
ADH ISHTHANA: Substratum.
ADHYASA: Mutual identification or superimposition.
ADHYATMIC: Spiritual.
ADRISYA: Unperceived by the eye.
ADVAITA: Non-dual; Non-duality.
AGANDHA: Without smell.
AGASWA MUNI: Name of a sage.
AGNI: Fire.
AHAM: 'l'or ego.
AHAM BRAHMAASMI:'l am Brahman.'
AHAMGRAHA: A kind of meditation in which the aspirant
identifies himself with Brahman.
AHAMKARA: Ego; Pure Ego.
AHIMSA: Non-violence.
AISVARYA: Divine attributes like wisdom, renunciation,
power, etc.
AITAREYA: Name of an Upanishad.
AJAPA: Repetition of "Soham" Mantra.
AJNA: Spiritualcentre between the two eyebrows.
AJNANA: lgnorance.
AKASA: Ether.
AKHANDA: lndivisible.
AKHOW: Name of a sage.
ALAMBANA: Support.
ALASYA: Laziness.
ALPA: Little; Small.
AMALAKA: The lndian gooseberry.
AMANA: Mindless; Thoughtless.
(28s)
^ AMATRA: Having no measure; Transcendental.

AM R TATVA:
I I m mortal ity.
ANAHATA: Mystic sound heard by Yogis.
ANAHATA CHAKRA: One of the Yogic centres (heart).
ANANDA: Bliss.
ANANDAGHANA: Mass of Bliss.
ANANTA: Endless.
ANANTANAG: Name of a place.
ANARTHA: Evil; Wrong; Calamity
ANATMA: Not-Self.
ANGA:Alimb;Apart.
ANTAHKAMNA: lnternal instrument such as mind, intellect,
ego and the subconscious mind.
ANTARANGA: lnternal.
ANTARJYOTIS: lnner light.
ANTARMUKHA: lntrospective; Gaze turned inwards.
ANTARYAMIN: lnner ruler.
ANUBHAVA: Experience.
APANAVAYU: Down-going breath; The nerve-current which
governs abdominal region and does excretory function.
APAROKSHA: lmmediate.
APAS: Water.
APRANA: Without Prana (life-breath).
APTA-KAMA: One whose desires have been fulfilled;
a realised sage.
ARANI: A sacrificial wood.
ARCHANA: Offering of flowers etc., at the time of worship.
ARJAVA: Strai g htfonruard ness.
ARJUNA: Name of a great devotee of Krishna, who was
taught the Gita; ohe of the Pandava brothers.
ARTHA: Wealth.
ARUDHA: Ascended; in a state of culmination; established.
ARUNDHATI: Name of a star.
ARUPA: Formless.
ASABDA: Soundless.
ASAMPRAJNATA: Highest superconscious state where the
mind is completely annihilated and Reality experienced.
ASANA: A bodily pose or posture.
ASANAJAYA: Mastery over Asana.
ASANGOHAM: 'l am unassociated'; a formula for meditation.
ASHRAM: A hermitage; monastery.
ASHTANGA: Eight limbs.
GLOSSARY 287
ASMITA: Pure ego; self-consciousness.

ASPARSA: Touchless.
ASURA: Demon.
ASUYA: Jealousy.
ASVATTHA: The sacred peepaltree.
ASVINI MUDRA: A kind of Hatha Yoga practice.
ATHARVANA: Name ofa Veda; name ofa sage.
ATINDRIYA: Beyond the reach of the senses.
ATMAN: The Self.
ATMADROHA: Enmity with the Self.
ATMAHANA: Killer of the Self.
ATMIC-TRIVENI: The Soul compared to Triveni (Triveni is a
sacred confluence of three rivers).
ATRI: Name of a sage.
AUM: Sacred monosyllable; symbol of Brahman.
AUROBINDO: Name of the famous sage of Pondicherry.
AVADHANA: Attention.
AVADHUTA GITA: A book containing the teachings of
sage Dattatreya.
AVASTHA: State.
AVATARA' lncarnation of God.
AVIDYA: lgnorance.
AVIRATI: Non-dispassion; sensual indulgence.
AWAKTA: U n man ifest-th ree G u nas (q ual ities born
of nature) in a state of equilibrium.
AWAYA: lnexhaustible.
B
BADARAYANA: Name of the author of the Brahma-Sutras.
BAHIRANGA: External.
BAHIRMUKHA: Outgoing; inclined towards
outward consciousness.
BALA: Strength.
BALA KRISHNA: Child Krishna.
BALI: Name of a demon king who attained wisdom.
BANDHA: A kind of Hatha Yoga practice.
BENARES: A holy pilgrimage centre of Hindus, now called
Varanasi in U.P., lndia.
BHAGA-TYAGA: A logical method adopted to establish the
identity of Jiva (soul) and lsvara (God) by partly
abandoning their surface attributes.
BHAGAVAD-GITA: A scripture containing Lord Krishna's

teachings.
BHAGAVATA: Name of a Purana (sacred work dealing with
the doctrines of creation, etc.).
BHAJAN: Devotional song.
BHAKTA: Devotee of God.
BHANJANA: Breaking,
BHARTRIHARI: Name of a sage.
BHAVA(NA): Feeling; mental attitude.
BHAVA SAMADH!: Superconscious strate attained by intense
divine emotions.
BHEDANA: Piercing.
BHIKSHA:Alms.
BHIMA: Name of a Pandava (Arjuna's brother).
BH RANTI-DARSANA: Mistaken notion.
BHRUMADHYA: Between the two eyebrows.
BHUJANGASANA: Cobra pose of Hatha Yoga.
BHUMA: Unconditioned Bliss.
BHUMIKA: Stage.
BHUTA-GANAS; BHUTAS: Elementals.
BHUTA-LOKA: The world of elements.
BIMBA: A kind of fruit.
BINDU: Point which denotes 'n'or'm'vowel sounds
in Sanskrit.
BRAHMA: Creator.
BRAHMACHARYA: Practice of celibacy.
BRAHMA-CHINTANA: Constant meditation on Brahman.
BRAHMAKARAVRITTI: The sole ultimate thouoht of
Brahman to the exclusion of alt other thougits.
BRAHMA-LOKA: The world of Brahma.
BRAHMA-MUHURTA: Period from 4 a.m. to 6 a.m.
BRAHMAN: Absolute.
BRAHMASAMSTHA: Grounded in Brahman.
B RAH MA-SUTRAS : Classical Vedantic scri ptu re.
BRAHMAVARCHAS: Magnetic Brahmic aura.
BRAHMAVID: A knower of Brahman.
BRIHADARANYAI(A: Name of an Upanishad.
BUDDHA: Name of Siddhartha Gautama after he attained
illumination; the Founder of Buddhism.
BUDDHI: lntellect.
BUTI: Herb.
GLOSSARY 289
c
CHAITANYA: Pure Consciousness.
CHAKRAS: Centres of energy in the human system.
CHAKSHUS: Eye.
CHANCHALA: Unsteady; fickle.
CHANDIPATHA: Hymns in the praise of Goddess Chandi.
CHARANAMRITA: Nectar of the feet; water sanctified by the
feet of a holy man.
CHAKRA: Spinning wheel.
CHELA: Disciple.
CHESHMASHAI: Name of a place in lndia.
CHHANDOGYA: Name of an Upanishad.
CHIDAKASA: The ether of Pure Consciouseness;
Unbounded lntelligence; Brahman.
CHINI-CHlNl: Sound of tinklets.
CHINMATRA: Consciousness alone.
CHINTA: Sorrow; worry.
CHINTAMANI : Wish-yielding gem.
CH I NTANA: Thinking; refl ecting.
CHITTA: Mind-stuff; subconscious mind.
D
DAIVI: Divine.
DAMA: Control of senbes.
DAMARU: A sort of small drum in the hand of Lord Siva.
DARJEELING: Name of a place in Bengal, lndia.
DARSANA:Vision.
DATTATREYA: An ancient sage.
DEHA: Body.
DEVAS: Gods.
DEVATA: Deity.
DEVI: Goddess.
DHANURASANA: Bow pose of Hatha Yoga.
DHARANA: Concentration.
DHARMAS: Characteristics.
DRIDHA SUSHUPTI: Deep sleep.
DHRITI: Firmness; (spiritual) patience.
DHVANI: Sound.
DHYANA: Meditation.
DHYANABINDU UPANISHAD: Name of an Upanishad.
29O CONCENTRATION AND MEDITATION
DHYATA: Meditator.
DHYEYA: Object of meditation.
DIG-VIJAYA: Conquest of the quarters (world) either
military or cultural.
DINACHARYA: Daily activity.
DIRGHA: Prolonged.
DIWA: Divine.
DRIK: Seer.
DRISHTI: Seeing.
DRISYA: Seen.
DRONA, DRONACHARYA: Teacher of the Pandavas and
Kauravas.
DURBAR: Court of a king.
DVAITA: Dualism.
DVARAKA: Name of a place in lndia.
DVESHA: Repulsion; hatred; dislike.
E
EKA: One.
EI(ADASI: Eleventh day of the Hindu lunar fortnight.
EI(AGM: One-pointed.
EKAGRATA: One-pointedness of mind.
EKANATH: Name of a saint.
EKARUPA: Uniform.
EKARASA: Homogeneous.
F
FAKIRS: Muslim and Sufi saints.
G
GADA: Mace.
GANDHA: Fragrance.
GANDHARVA: Being of the psychic plane.
GANESA: Name of the deity of the remover of obstacles;
first-worshipped god.
GANGA: River Ganges.
GARUDA: A bird.
GAUDAPADA: Name of a sage.
GAURANGA: Name of a saint.
GAYATRI: One of the most sacred Vedic Mantras; goddess.
GLOSSARY 29r
GHANA: Mass.
GHRINA: Hatred.
GITA: Renowned sacred text "Bhagavad-Gita."
GOPIS: Girl devotees of Lord Krishna.
GRI HASTHA: Householder.
GUDA: Anus.
GUHA: Cave.
GUJARAT Name of a state in lndia.
GULKAND: A confection of roses.
GUNA: Quality born of nature.
GUNATITA: Beyond the Gunas (quality of nature).
GURU: Teacher; preceptor.
H
HANUMAN: A monkey devotee of Lord Rama.
HARI: Lord Vishnu.
HARIJANS: The untouchable class.
HARSHA: Exhileration; joy.
HATHAYOGI: One who practises Hatha Yoga or one who is
adept in it.
HIRANYAGARBHA: Cosmic mind.
HRIDAYA: Heart.
!DAM: This.
INDRA: The Lord of gods; the ruler of heaven.
INDRIYAS: Senses.
IRSHYA: Jealousy.
ISA: Name of an Upanishad.
ISHTA-DEVATA: Chosen or tutelary deity.
ISHTA MANTM: The Mantra of the chosen or tutelary deity.
ISVARA: Lord; God.
J
JADA: lnert; insentient.
JAGAI: Name of a saint.
JAGAT World.
JAGRAT: Waking state.
JANAKA: Name of a royal sage.
JANMASHTAMI: Lord Krishna's birthday.
JAPA: Repetition of Lord's Name.

JATA: Matted hair.
JIVANMUKTA: One who is liberated in this life.
JIVANMUKTI: Liberation in this life.
JNANA: Knowledge; wisdom.
JNANADEVA: Name of a Maharashtra saint.
JNANAMUDRA: Symbol of wisdom shown in hands.
JNANINS: The wise.
K
I(ABIR: Name of a saint.
KAILASA: Mount Kailasa.
KAIVALYA: Emancipation; state of absolute independence.
KALI YUGA: Age of Kali-the dark evil present age.
KALPAS: Medicines intended for longevity and health.
KALYANA: Auspicious.
I(AMA: Lust; desire.
KAMALASANA: Lotus pose.
KAMANDALU: Avesselcarried by Hindu monks for
keeping water.
KAPILA MUNI: Founder of Sankhya system of philosophy.
KARANA: Causal.
KARMA:Action.
KARTAVYA: Duty.
KARUNA: Compassion.
KARYA: Effect.
KASHAYA: Hidden desires.
KASHMIR: Name of a state in lndia.
KASHTHA MAUNA: Observing silence in which thoughts are
not communicated to others even in writing or by signs.
KATHA: Name of an Upanishad.
KAUPIN: Loincloth.
KAUSTUBHA: Name of a gem worn by Lord Vishnu on His
breast.
KAWAS: Poems.
KAYAKALPA: Medical treatment for increasing longevity.
KEVALA: Alone.
KEVALAASTI: Pure existence alone.
KEVALOHAM: "l am Absolute."
KHADDAR; KHADI: Hand-woven cloth.
KHECHARI MUDRA: A kind of Hatha-Yogic practice.
GLOSSARY 293
KIRTAN: Singing devotional songs.

KLESA: Affliction.
KORAN: Holy scripture of the Muslims.
KOSA:Asheath enclosing the Soul.
KRISHNA: lncarnation of Lord Vishnu; teacher of the Gita.
KRITA-KRITYA: One who has done everything;
a liberated sage.
KRIYA: A type of exercise in Hatha Yoga.
KRODHA: Anger.
KSHAMA: Forgiveness.
KSHETRA: Place where food is distributed to Sannyasins.
KSHIPTA: Wandering state of mind.
KULA KUNDALINI: The primordial cosmic energy located
in the individual.
KUMBHAKA: Retention of breath.
KUMBHAKARNA: Brother of the demon king Ravana
used to for six months.
-he A kind of sleep
KUNDA: jasmine flower.
KUTASTHA: lmmutable; Brhaman.
L
LAGHU SIDDHANTA KAUMUDI: A Sanskrit grammar text.
LAKSHANA: Definition.
LAKSHMANA: Brother of Lord Rama.
LAKSHYA: Goal; target; point of concentration.
LANKA: Ceylon.
LAYA: Merging; dissolution.
LILA: Play; sport.
LOKASANGRAHA: Solidarity of the world.
M
MADHAI: Name of a saint.
MADHURA: Sweet.
MADHYAMA: Middle.
MAHABHARATA: A Hindu epic.
MAHARSHI: Great sage.
MAHATMA: Great soul.
MAHAVAKYAS: Great sentences of the Upanishads.
MAITRI: Friendship.
MAKARA KUNDALA: Earring of Lord Vishnu.
MALA: lmpurities like lust, greed, anger, etc.

MAMATA: Mineness; attachment.
MANANA: Reflection.
MANAS: Mind.
MANASIKA: Mental.
MANDUKYA: An Upanishad.
MANIKARNIKA: A Ganga-bank in Kasi.
MANIPURA:AYogic centre situated in the region
of the navel. "
MANMANAH: With mind fixed on Me (the Lord).
MANO-NASA: Destruction of mind.
MANORAJYA: Building castles in the air.
MANSOOR: Name of a Sufi sage.
MANTRA: Sacred syllable or word, or set of words through
the repetition and reflection of which one attains
perfection.
MANU: A divine sage regarded as the father of the
human race.
MATPARAH: Devoted to Me (the Lord).
MATRAS: Units; syllables.
MATSARYA: Jealousy.
MATSYASANA: The fish-pose of Hatha Yoga.
MATSYENDRANATH: Name of a Yogi.
MAUNA: Vow of silence.
MAYA: The illusive power of Brahman.
MITAHARA: Moderate diet.
MITHYA: False.
MOHA: lnfatuation.
MOKSHA: Liberation.
MRIDANGA: A kind of drum.
MRIDU: Soft.
MUDHA: Dull and forgetful state of mind.
MUDITA: Cheerfulness.
MUDRA: Certain class of Hatha Yogic exercises.
MUKTA: Liberated.
MUKTI: Liberation.
MULA-AJNANA: Primal ignorance which contains
all potentialities.
MULA BANDHA: A Hatha Yogic exercise.
MULADHARA: Yogic centre situated in the base of the spine.
M U M U KS H UTVA: Aspi ration for God-real isation.
MUNI: Saint.
GLOSSARY 29s
MURTI: lmage or picture.

MURTI-UPASANA: Worship of image.
MUSSOORIE: A hill-station in lndia.
N
NADA: Mystic sound.
NADI: Nerve; psychic current.
NADI-SUDDHI: Purification of the nerves.
NAKULA: A Pandava-younger brother of Arjuna.
NAMA.RUPA: Name and form.
NAMO: Salutation.
NANAK: Name of a saint whose last successor founded
Sikhism.
NARAYANAYA: To Lord Narayana.
NASIKAGRA: The tip of the nose.
NAULI: A Hatha Yogic exercise.
NAVAVIDHA: Nine types.
NETI NETI: Not this, not this.
NIDIDHYASANA: Profound and deep meditation.
NIDRA: Sleep.
NIRAKARA: Formless.
NIRBIJA: Seedless.
NIRDVANDVA: Beyond the pairs of opposites such as
pleasure and pain.
NIRGUNA: Without attributes.
NIRGUNO-GUNI: Brahman who possesses transcendental
qualities.
NIRODHA: Restraint.
NIRUDDHA: Controlled.
NIRVANA: Liberation; final emancipation.
NIRVICHARA SAMADHI: Superconscious state where there
is no mind or Triputi.
N I RVISHAYA: Without object.
N RVI KALPA-SAMADH I : Superconscious stiate where there is
I
no mind or Triputi.
N ISHTHA: Steadfastness.
NISSANKALPA: Free from thoughts and imaginations.
NITYA: Eternal.
NIVRITTI MARGA: The path of renunciation.
NIYAMA: The second step in Raja Yoga; observance.
o
OJAS: Spiritual energy.
OM (KARA):The sacred syllable symbolising Brahman.
OOTY: A hill-station in lndia.
P
PADAM ANAMAYA: Painless seat of Brahman.
PADA SEVANA: Service of the feet of the Lord.
PADMA: Lotus.
PADMASANA: Lotus pose.
PALI: A language in which sacred books of Buddhism are
found.
PANCHADASI: A book of Vedanta philosophy written by
Swami Vidyaranya.
PANCHADHARANA: Five kinds of concentration of the five
elements.
PANDITS: Men of wisdom.
PAM-BRAHMAN : Absolute.
PARA: Supreme.
PARAM DHAMA: Supreme abode.
PARAMAHAMSA: The highest class of Sannyasins.
PARAMPARA: Succession.
PARAVAK: Transcendental sound; a mystic sound.
PARIPURNA: Full; perfect.
PARVATI: Lord Siva's Consort.
PASCHIMOTTANASANA: A Hatha Yogic pose.
PASYANTI: The subtle state of sound.
PATANJALI: The author of Yoga-Sutras.
PATIVRATA: A chaste woman devoted to her husband.
PAV: Quarter.
PINGALA: A psychic nerve-current which terminates in the
right nostril; it is heating in its effect (Solar nerve).
PITAMBARA: Yellow cloth.
PRAHLADA: Name of a demon devotee of Lord Hari.
PRAJNA: lntellect; Consciousness.
PRAJNANA: Consciousness.
PRAKASA: Light; luminosity; brightness.
PRAKRITI: Nature.
PRANA: Vital energy; life-breath.
PRANAVA: The sacred syllable Om.
GLOSSARY
PRANAYAMA: Practice of breath-control.

PRAPTI-PRAPYAM: The experience that "l have obtained
everything."
PRARABDHA: The portion of Karma (action) that determines
one's present life.
PRASADA: Cheerfulness; tranquillity.
PRASNA: An Upanishad.
PRATISHTHA: Reputation.
PRATI PAKSHA: Opposite.
PRATYAK: lnner.
PRATYAHARA:Abstraction; fifth step in Raja Yoga.
PRAVAHA: Continuity.
PRAVRITTI : Extrovert life.
PRAYAGA: A place of pilgrimage in lndia.
PREMA: Divine Love.
PRERAKA: Prompter; inspirer.
PRITHIVI: Earth.
PUJA: Worship; adoration.
PURAKA: lnhalation.
PURANA: Sacred works dealing with the doctrines of
creation, etc.
PURUSHA: The Supreme Being.
PURUSHARTHA: Human effort.
R
RADHA: The name of a devotee who had transcendental
love for Lord Krishna.
RAGA: Attachment.
RAGA; RAGINI: A musical mode.
RAJA: King.
RAJA YOGA: A system of Yoga generally taken to be the one
propounded by Patanjali Maharshi, i.e., Ashtanga Yoga.
RAJAYOGI: One who practises Raja Yoga.
RAJAS: One of the three qualities of Prakriti which generates
passion and restlessness.
RAJASUYAYAJNA: A sacrifice performed by a monarch as a
mark of his subduing all other kings.
RAJESVARI: God in the aspect of Mother of Universe.
RAMA (CHANDRA): Lord Rama; incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
RAMATIRTHA: A saint.
RAMAYANA: A holy narrative of Lord Rama.
RASASVADA: Tasting the bliss of lower Samadhi.

RASAYANAS: A class of people who try to make the body
strong and healthy by taking special medicines.
RATNAKAR: Sage Valmiki in his early life as a dacoit.
RECHAKA: Exhalation of breath.
RIDDHIS: Nine varieties of extraordinary exaltation.
RIK: Rig-Veda (one of the four Vedas).
RISHI: Sage.
RISHIKESH:Asacred place in the Himalayas.
RUDM: Lord Siva.
RUDRAKSHA: A kind of berries, seeds of which are worn by
religious sects as rosary.
S
SANANDA: With bliss (a kind of Samadhi).
SABIJA: With seed; a Samadhi wherein the seed of Karmas
(actions) is not destroyed.
SADACHARA: Right conduct.
SADASIVA: The presiding Deity of the thousand
petalled-lotus in the crown of the head.
SADHAKA: (Spiritual) aspirant.
SADHANA: Spiritual practice.
SADHU: Pious man; Sannyasin.
SAGUNA: With attributes.
SAHAJA: Natural.
SAHASA: Tenacity; application.
SAHASRARA: A Yogic centre called thousand petalled-lotus
in the crown of the head.
SAHADEVA: A Pandava-brother of Arjuna.
SAKARA: With form.
SAKSHATKARA: Direct realisation.
SAKSHI: Seer; witnessing principle.
SAKTI: Power; Divine energy.
SALABHASANA: A Hatha Yogic exercise.
SALIGRAMA: A shell used for meditating upon Lord Vishnu.
SAMA: Serenity; control of mind.
SAMA GANA: Hymns of the Sama Veda.
SAMADHI: The state of superconsciousness.
SAMATA: Balanced state of mind.
SAMPAT: Wealth; virtues.
SAMPRADAYA: Cult.
GLOSSARY 299
SAMPMJNATA: Lower Samadhi with the triad of meditator,

meditation and the meditated.
SAMSARA: The process of worldly life.
SAMSAYA: Doubt.
SAMSKARA: lmpression.
SAMYAMA: Concentration, meditation and Samadhi
practised at one and the same time.
SAMYAVASTHA: State of equilibrium.
SANCHARA: Movement.
SANCHITA:Accumulated action due to previous births.
SANDHI: Junction.
SANDHYA: Dusk.
SANKALPA: Thought; imagination.
SANKARACHARYA: The well-known teacher of Vedanta
philosophy.
SANKHA NADA: Sound produced by conch.
SANKIRTAN: Singing of divine songs.
SANNYASINS: Those who have embraced the life of
complete renunciation.
SANTA: Peaceful.
SANTI: Peace.
SANTOSHA: Contentment.
SARASVATI: Goddess of speech.
SARIRA: Body.
SARVA: All.
SARVA-VIT: Knower of all; a liberated sage.
SARVANGASANA: A Hatha Yogic exercise.
SASTRA: Scripture.
SAT Existence absolute.
SAT-CH IT-ANAN DA: Existence-Knowled ge-Bl iss Absolute.
SATTVA: Purity<ne of the three qualities of nature.
SATYA:Truth.
SATYAYUGA: The age of predominating in piety and
righteousness.
SAUCHA: Purity.
SAVIKALPA: Lower Samadhiwith the triad of meditator,
meditation and meditated.
SESHADRI: Name of a sage.
SHAMS TABRIEZ: Name of a Sufi sage.
SHAT-CHAKRAS: The six mystic centres through which
Kundalini passes.
SHYAMA: Lord Krishna.
3OO CONCENTRATION AND MEDITATION
SIDDHANTA: Established tenet of doctrine.

SIDDHASANA: A pose for meditation.
SIDDHI: Psychic power.
SIRSHASANA: Topsy-turvy pose of Hatha Yoga.
SITA: The devoted wife of Lord Rama.
SITALI: A breathing exercise with cooling effect.
SIVA: Lord Siva-bestower of auspiciousness on
His devotees.
SIVARATRI: A Hindu festival dedicated to Lord Siva.
SKANDHA: Chapter.
SLOI(A: Verse.
SOHAM: "l am That."
SOKA: Sorrow.
SPHATIKA: Crystal.
SPHURANA: Rising (of thought).
SRAVANA: Hearing.
SRI: Auspiciousness-a name is qualified by putting "Sri"
before it as a mark of courtesy and auspiciousness.
SRISHTI: Creation.
SRUTIS: Upanishads; revelations; Vedas.
STABDHA: Stupefied state of mind.
STHITA: Established
STHULA: Gross.
STOTRA: Hymn.
STYANA: Sloth; idleness; indisposition of the mind to work.
SUDDHA: Pure.
SUFI: A Mohammedan sect.
SUKA DEVA: Name ofa sage.
SUKHA: Bliss.
SUKSHMA: Subtle.
SUSHUMNA: The Yogic nerye through which
Kundalini passes.
SUTRA:Aphorism.
SUTRATMA: Cosmic mind; the immanent Deity of the totality
of the subtle bodies.
SVARUPA: Essence; the essential nature of Brahman.
SVABHAVA: One's own nature due to impressions of the past
actions.
SVADHISHTHANA: The second of the six Chakras according
to Hatha Yoga.
SVADHYAYA: Study of scriptures.
SVAJATIYA: The idea of one's own essential nature.
GLOSSARY 301
SVAPNA: Dream.
SVASTIKA: A Hatha Yogic pose for meditation.
SVAYAMJYOTIS: Self-l ight; Atman.
SVETASVATARA: An Upanishad.
T
TADAKARA; TADRU PA: Identification.
TAILADHARAVAT Like continuous flow of oil.
TAMAS; TAMO-GUNA: One of the three qualities of nature
which generates inertia, laziness, dullness
and infatuation.
TANDRI: Drowsiness; half sleep state.
TAN MATRA: Rudimentary elements.
TANMAYA (TA): State of absorption.
TANTRIKA: Belonging to Tantra which is a path of Sadhana
laying great stress upon repetition of Mantra and other
esoteric meditations.
TANUMANASI: Thread-like state of mind.
TAPANIYA: Name of an Upanishad.
TAPAS: Austerity.
TAPASCHARYA: Practice of austerity.
TARKA-SANGMHA: A book of logic.
TARKIKA: Logician.
TAT TVAM ASI: "Thou art That"-a great sentence.
TADBODHA: Knowledge of the nature of Brahman.
TATTVA: Essence; principle.
TEJAS: Spiritualaura.
TEJOMAYA: Full of light; resplendent.
TEVARAM: Songs of the South lndian mystics.
TILAKA: A mark on the forehead.
TIMSKARA: Disrespect; insult.
TITIKSHA: Endurance; bearing with equanimity heat and
cold, pleasure and pain, etc.
TITTIBHA: A bird.
TIVRA: lntense; keen; sharp.
TUSHNIM: Neutral state of mind, which is an obstacle in
meditation.
TRATAKA: Steady gazing.
TRIKUTI: The space between the two eyebrows.
TRIPHALA: An Ayurvedic medicine.
TRIPTI: Satisfaction.
3O2 CONCENTRATION AND MEDITATION
TRIPURA SAMHARA: Destruction of demons Tripuras by

Lord Siva.
TRIPUTI: The triad-see1 sight and seen.
TRISHNA: Thirsting for objects; craving after sense-objects.
TRIVENI: The place where the three holy rivers Ganga,
Yamuna and Sarasvati meet.
TUKARAM:Asaint.
TULASI: Holy Basil plant.
TULASIDAS: The saint author of the Hindi Ramayana
(Ramcharitmanas).
TURIYA: Superconscious state.
TUSHTI: Contentment.
TYAGA: Renunciation (of egoism, desires and the world).
U
UDDALAKA: A great Rishi (sage) of yore.
UDDHAVA: Afriend and great devotee of Lord Krishna.
UDDIYANA-BANDHA: A Hatha Yogic exercise.
UMA: Lord Siva's Consort.
UPADESA: lnstruction.
UPADHI: Limiting adjunct.
UPANISHAD: Revelation; text dealing with Ultimate Truth
and lts Realisation.
UPARATI: Satiety in the enjoyment of sense-objects.
U PASANA VAKYA: A sentence for meditation.
UPASYA: Object of devout meditation.
UPEKSHA: I ndifference.
USHA-PANA: Drinking water in the morning as soon as one
gets up after cleaning the teeth. This is Hatha Yogic
treatment for constipation.
UTSAHA: Enthusiasm.
UTTARAKASI: A place in the Himalayas.
V
VAIKHAR]: Articulate form of sound.
VAIKUNTHA: The abode of Lord Vishnu.
VAIRAGYA: Dispassion.
VAJRA: Thunderbolt.
VAJRASANA: A Hatha Yogic pose.
VAK: Speech.
GLOSSARY 303
VAK-INDRIYA: The organ of speech.

VAKYA: Sentence.
VALLABHA: The Lord; Master.
VALMIKI: The holy sage and author of the Sanskrit
Ramayana.
VAN DANA: Adoration ; worship.
VARADANDA: The staff of blessings.
VASANAS: Subtle desires.
VASTU: Reality.
VAYU: Wind.
VEDANTA: The school of Hindu thoughts (based primarily on
the Upanishads).
VEDANTINS: Those who follow the path of Vedanta.
VEDAS: The highest authority among the Aryans of lndia.
VICHAM-SAGARA: Book treating with Vedanta phitosophy.
VICHARA: Enquiry into the nature of Brahman.
VIGHNA: Obstacle.
VIJATIYA: Relating to not-Setf; thoughts of worldly objects.
Vl l(AM: Passionate excitement.
VIKSHEPA: The tossing of mind.
VIKSHIPTA: Scattered; gathering mind.
VIMARSA: Dissatisfaction; displeasure.
VINA: A musical instrument
VIPARITA: Contrary.
VIRASANA: A Hatha Yogic pose.
VIRAT: Macrocosm; Lord in His form as the manifested
universe.
VIRYA: Seminal energy.
Vl S HAYAS : Sense-objects.
VISHNU: Lord Vishnu-the preserver and sustainer.
VISRANTI: Resting.
VISUDDHA: Pure.
VISVARUPA: Cosmic form.
VIVARTA: lllusory appearance; apparent change.
VIVEI(A: Discrimination.
VIVEKACHUDAMANI: A Vedantic book.
VRITTI: Thought-wave; mental modiflcation.
VRITTINIRODHA: Control of thought-waves.
VYAVAHARA: (World ly) activity.
3O4 CONCENTRATION AND MEDITATION
Y
YAJNAVALKYA: A great sage of yore.
YAJUS: Yajur-Veda.
YAMA: First step in Raja Yoga; non-violence,
truthfulness, etc.
YATI: An ascetic or a Sannyasi or a monk.
YOGA: Union; union with the Supreme Being-any course
that makes for such union.
YOGA BHRASHTA: One who has fallen from the high state
of Yoga in his previous birth.
YOGARUDHA: One who is established in Yoga.
YOGAVASISHTHA: A monumental work on Vedanta.
YOGI: One who practises Yoga.
YOGINDRA: Lord of Yogis.
YONI MUDRA: A Hatha Yogic exercise.
YUDHISHTHIRA: The eldest of the Pandavas-
Arjuna's brother.
z
ZEND AVESTA: The holy scripture of the Persians.
ffi

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GONCENTRATION

@The Divine Life Trust Society

Published by Swami Padmanabhananda for

I prostrate myself before the five-faced Lord of Parvati,

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3. Religious Hypocrisy (Dambha) ... 239

activities, renunciation of sensual objects, solitude, silence,

Bhaktas should concentrate on the heart. yogis and

A Hatha Yogi fixes his mind on the Sushumna Nadi, the

Manorajya for concentration or meditation. Check this habit of

Upanishadic sentences or meditation, Japa or silent repetition

without allowing even a drop to fall to the ground. Suka Deva

Concentration increases by curtailing wants and desires,

4. Antarmukha and Bahirmukha Vrittis

the formulae: "Brahman alone is real. World is unreal. Jiva is

5. Know the Ways of Mind

concentrate the mind and then how to ransack the innermost

.Place of Lord Jesus in front of you. Sit in your fa-

Stand firm in Brahman. Then you will become "Brahma-

tered rays have to be gathered by Vairagya and Abhyasa, and

lf you find it difficult to concentrate on your heart or the

7.Tap All Powers

attention, the surgeon executes minute operations. The

catch a train or practise meditiation, it is your subconscious

The nature of the mind is such that it becomes that which it

got waves of heat, light and electricity in science. There are

nation and practise celibacy and concentration. Those who

some sense of tiaste which began to revolt against you some

laid only if the aspirant possesses sereni$ to a maximum de-

That treasure is Spiritual Wealth, that is Freedom, that is Bliss.

lf you take interest in the practice of concentration, and if

only. Such must be the depth and intensity of your concentra-

O. Can Japa bring about concentration?

PRACTICE OF' CONCENTRATION

objects, it is called external attention. When it is directed inter-

very hard, you suddenly perceive something else. The atten-

clarity of thought. He cannot do the process of analysis and

subject or object even for a second. His mind will be jumping

When concentration is deep and intense all other senses

3. Concentration in Every Walk of Life

the skin on a plantain fruit or squeezing a lemon. Never do any-

4. Gist of Yoga of Concentration

will have good concentration. You should be able to visualise

tions, strengthens the current of thought and clarifies the ideas.

tl1. Sit in your favourite meditative pose about one foot

any other thought connected with another object to enter the

couraged. There will be some delay. Wait coolly and patiently.

7. Concentration on Anahata Sounds

absorbed in Chidakasa (the Akasa where Chit prevails). Being

arises; in the eighth, Paravak is heard; in the ninth, the body

alarmed unnecessarily. The redness of the eyes will pass off

Siddhas. You will be benefited by their vibrations. Your new

lf you wind the watch at night, it will run smoothly for

This world is full of miseries and sufferings. lf you want to

to externalobjects through Raga and Moha. Concentrate upon

movement of the vibrations of Sattuic thoughts, in the ocean of

soul, will consume all your shortcomings in the fire of Divine

4. Brahmamuhurta-Best Time for Meditation