Guruji Guides Us On…Living In Vairagya 

By  – Poojya Guruji – Shree Rishi Prabhakarji

Q:  What  is  meditation? 

Guruji: The English word ‘meditation’ has three different meanings in  Sanskrit. 

There is no absolute one word translation for the word meditation. In Sanskrit, we call it Dharana, Dhyana  and  Samadhi. 

In English, these three different processes are clubbed together into simply ‘meditation’ for e.g. They call  prayer – ‘meditation’.  

Dhyana 

Prayer is actually ‘Dhyana’, which is something that is done. It is not Samadhi, because in Samadhi there is nothing to be done. A prayer  could be called ‘Dhyana’! and a Japa comes very  close  to  being  in  Dharana. 

Samadhi – the  First  Step 

You will understand these processes step by step. First you go into Samadhi, and then we will slowly teach you what is Dhyana, and then slowly you will come to Dharana. Right now all our SSY students are very good in Samadhi. They do not know about Dhyana or Dharana. If you come to one of our Padyatras you will come to understand what   is  Dharana. 

 Learning  to  Focus 

Once you give Dharana and   Dhyana to people who have done Samadhi, their mind becomes very focused. They will be able to accomplish things very easily. They will be able to focus on things      very easily. Right now, all of you are very good at de-focusing but not at focusing. For this you require some training. The best training for this    is  by  coming  for  Padyatras. 

If you come for a few Padyatras you will understand the power of Dharana you will become very, very  strong.  

Beyond  the  Body 

When you participate in a Padyatra you will come to a  state where you do not have any body anywhere. The body simply walks without you thinking, then Dharana begins. When there is total Nobodiness physically, mentally, spiritually in every  way  you  are  a  total – Nobody. 

You can lie down anywhere. Right now we have a lot of conditional   self and this brings you down to    the level of Annamaya Kosha and then it is solidified. So, you have to have certain kind of food only. You get sleep in certain places only, you can  walk  this  way  only.  

Everything is conditioned. But as soon as you come for a Padyatra  and start walking, the only thing  that is in the mind is ‘Om Namah Shivaya, Om Namah Shivaya’. As you  chant, ‘Om Namah Shivaya or Om Namoh Bhagwate Vasudevaya’ your mind is totally clear. There is nothing in the head. It becomes totally  clear,  out  of  the  Dharana  procedure. 

In Samadhi,  we clear the mind in a different way. In Dhyan and Dharana we clear it differently. But now since you are all masters in Samadhi, then Dhyan and Dharana come very easily to you. But assistance  is  required  for  Dharana. 

Padyatra is important. During the Padyatra, as you walk   along, the whole body becomes  totally  free.  

What does this mean? You don’t   have any more control, it is on its own and when the mind is no more controlling your body, when the  body is moving by itself, then you will be able to lie down anywhere.  It is so tired that any place is okay. You will just lie down, you won’t require  pillows, cushions,  nothing. 

Living  in  Vairagya 

Very fantastic changes take place in your personality. You will know that you will be able  to survive in the world on very little, may be just two pairs of clothes. When you come for the Padyatra you will realize that   just two pairs of clothes are  enough. 

You require very little food and   that too you do not have to purchase. People in the villages and towns will give you food, shelter  and will look after you nicely, because this country is so fantastic that anybody doing sadhana is  looked  after  by  the  society. Then you start to realize that you probably can spend your whole life doing  Padyatra  alone.