[Advaita-l] A Vishnu stuti authenticated by Shankara bhagavatpAda

[Sujal Upadhyay]

.. and as mind becomes pure, it can no more indulge into denigration of any
deity. sattva guNa does not allow us to think destructively.

OM



On Sun, Aug 14, 2016 at 10:02 PM, Sujal Upadhyay <sujal.u at gmail.com> wrote:

> --- Thought this copy was not send to Advaita-L, hence sending it once
> again ---
>
> Namaste Raghava ji
>
> || OM ShI rAmachandrAya namaH ||
>
> Please do not consider chanting auspicious name of SrI hari or SrI Siva as
> an insult to Brahman. They are indeed Brahman, but have manifested for sake
> of us in a form by using mAyA. IMHO advaita does not ask one to drop
> everything from day one. yoga, karma KANDa, chanting holy names of SrI
> hari, etc are equally important. However advaita maintains that having
> darshan of any form of Ishvara is not the final destination.
>
> The journey of a bhakta and advaitin has many common points. Both have to
> change their presupposed opinion about jagat. Do dosha darshan and must
> have burning desire for liberation. bhakta has intense desire for darshan
> of IshTa devatA. Mind needs any vishaya i.e. object to think about, to
> visualize, to focus upon. Mind cannot stay without any vishaya. Either mind
> longs or clings to worldly objects or with Ishvara. Staying immersed in
> lIlA-s (Leela) of bhagavAna, will help remove all worldly thoughts, and
> their attachments in mind. Mind can either think of samsAra or Ishvara.
> When it thinks or contemplates on any form or one absolute Brahman, in
> either case, one forgets oneself as a separate identity. The attraction of
> a bhakta towards Ishvara is so intense that it can no longer bear
> separation from beloved Ishvara. Finally Ishvara gives darshan. Since
> samsAra is already been uprooted from the mind of bhakta, it is very easy
> for such pure mind to enter into nirvikalpa samAdhi. Since bhakta is
> unconditionally surrendered to IshTa devatA, bhagavAn will himself take his
> devotee to the highest plane of consciousness and abide him/her into his
> formless nirguNa aspect. bhakta has not to do anything. It is by the grace
> of Ishvara that bhakta either finds a guru or Ishvara himself abides him to
> non-dual state.
>
> In case of an advaitin, one has to stay focused on the goal of abiding in
> one's true nature. But since one is not aware of it i.e. does not
> experiences himself as Brahman, one has to accept duality and must
> surrender to a higher authority i.e. Brahman with abheda bhAvanA. Though
> one often talks about merging, uniting, etc with Brahman, in reality, one
> simply negates non-self and finally the 'I' is left alone. This 'I' is none
> other than supreme Self - Brahman. Wise say, knower of Atman is Atman
> itself.
>
> When one has to shift from sAkAra to nirAkAra bhakti, certain statements
> like form is finite, etc are made so that one can cross the ocean of mAyA.
> Just like vedic rites and rituals are important and bring inner purity, but
> still upon reaching certain purity are to be dropped, so also a smArta or a
> bhakta has to drop sAkAra upAsanA and proceed ahead to contemplate on
> absolute Brahman.
>
> My own journey was from Asana + prANAyama (to get good marks in exam :) )
> --> Asana + prANAyama + KuNDalini yoga --> kuNDalini yoga + rAma nAma japa
> (and hanumAna bhakti and japa) --> rAma bhakti --> OM chanting
>
> Be it worshiping or doing japa of any form of Ishvara or be it
> contemplation on nirguNa Brahman, in either case, losing one's individual
> identity and merging in Brahman and staying in peace is what is important
> says Sri Ramana Maharshi.
>
> IMO, shAstra-s are to be diligently studied until one has attained dhyeya
> siddhi. One is very near to Brahman and has no interest in samsAra. viveka
> and strong vairAgya are very important along with mumukshutva. More the
> vairAgya, less are problems in our spiritual progress.
>
> Hence one must study shAstra- with the intention of them giving us
> clarity, establishing mithyAtva of samsAra, destroying jIva-shRSTi and
> progress in meditation. If one can easily contemplate on Brahman without
> must interference of thoughts or power of thoughts is fickle, not strong
> enough to push mantra or neti-neti aside and take center stage and drag our
> mind into it, then one is progressing. As one progresses, quality of
> meditation increases and the blank state is experienced, initially for
> fraction of seconds, then the time frame increases. Also the sleep hours
> decreases, we one does not dream, afterall why mind thinks of that which is
> not real? Mind is at peace with no impulse to do anything for society or
> get involved in anything that is not necessary.
>
>
> OM
>
> Sujal
>
>