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.
