Real Yoga

Volume 3, Bhakti Yoga

by Swami Vivekananda (1894)

FYI

But we are now considering not these Mahâ–purushas^*, the great Incarnations, but only the Siddha–Gurus (teachers who have attained the goal); they, as a rule, have to convey the gems of spiritual wisdom to the disciple by means of words (Mantras<.em>) to be meditated upon. What are these Mantras? The whole of this universe has, according to Indian philosophy, both name and form (Nâma–Rupa) as its conditions of manifestation. In the human microcosm, there cannot be a single wave in the mind–stuff (Chittavritti) unconditioned by name and form. If it be true that nature is built throughout on the same plan, this kind of conditioning by name and form must also be the plan of the building of the whole of the cosmos.

* Mahâ–purushas means great soul or great spiritual person.

यथा एकेन मृत्पिण्डेन सर्वं मृन्मयं विज्ञातं स्यात्

— As one lump of clay being known, all things of clay are known, so the knowledge of the microcosm must lead to the knowledge of the macrocosm. Now form is the outer crust, of which the name or the idea is the inner essence or kernel. The body is the form, and the mind or the Antahkarana^* is the name, and sound–symbols are universally associated with Nâma (name) in all beings having the power of speech. In the individual man the thought–waves rising in the limited Mahat or Chitta (mind–stuff), must manifest themselves, first as words, and then as the more concrete forms.

* Antaḥkaraṇa (Sanskrit: Antahkarana) means the inner instrument or the inner psychological system of the mind in Hindu philosophy.

Antahkarana is the inner instrument through which we think, feel, and perceive.

In the universe, Brahmâ^* or Hiranyagarbha^† or the cosmic Mahat^‡ first manifested himself as name, and then as form, i.e. as this universe. All this expressed sensible universe is the form, behind which stands the eternal inexpressible Sphota^**, the manifester as Logos or Word. This eternal Sphota, the essential eternal material of all ideas or names is the power through which the Lord creates the universe, nay, the Lord first becomes conditioned as the Sphota, and then evolves Himself out as the yet more concrete sensible universe.

* Brahmâ refers to the creator of the universe.

† Hiraṇyagarbha (Sanskrit: Hiraṇyagarbha) is a concept that means the Golden Womb or Golden Cosmic Egg. It refers to the cosmic seed or source from which the universe is born.

‡ Mahat is a key concept especially in Sāṅkhya and Vedanta, meaning the great principle or cosmic intelligence.

** Sphota is a concept in linguistic and philosophical traditions of India, particularly in Vyākaraṇa (grammar) and Vedanta. It refers to the manifestation of meaning or the primordial sound that gives rise to language and understanding.

This Sphota has one word as its only possible symbol, and this is the ओं (Om).

And as by no possible means of analysis can we separate the word from the idea this Om and the eternal Sphota are inseparable; and therefore, it is out of this holiest of all holy words, the mother of all names and forms, the eternal Om, that the whole universe may be supposed to have been created. But it may be said that, although thought and word are inseparable, yet as there may be various word–symbols for the same thought, it is not necessary that this particular word Om should be the word representative of the thought, out of which the universe has become manifested. To this objection we reply that this Om is the only possible symbol which covers the whole ground, and there is none other like it. The Sphota is the material of all words, yet it is not any definite word in its fully formed state. That is to say, if all the peculiarities which distinguish one word from another be removed, then what remains will be the Sphota; therefore this Sphota is called the Nâda–Brahma, the Sound–Brahman.

Now, as every word–symbol, intended to express the inexpressible Sphota, will so particularise it that it will no longer be the Sphota, that symbol which particularises it the least and at the same time most approximately expresses its nature, will be the truest symbol thereof; and this is the Om, and the Om only; because these three letters अ उ म (A.U.M.), pronounced incombination as Om, may well be the generalised symbol of all possible sounds. The letter A is the least differentiated of all sounds, therefore Krishna says in the Gita अक्षराणां अकारोऽस्मि — I am A among the letters.

Again, all articulate sounds are produced in the space within the mouth beginning with the root of the tongue and ending in the lips — the throat sound is A, and M is the last lip sound, and the U exactly represents the rolling forward of the impulse which begins at the root of the tongue till it ends in the lips. If properly pronounced, this Om will represent the whole phenomenon of sound–production, and no other word can do this; and this, therefore, is the fittest symbol of the Sphota, which is the real meaning of the Om. And as the symbol can never be separated from the thing signified, the Om and the Sphota are one. And as the Sphota, being the finer side of the manifested universe, is nearer to God and is indeed that first manifestation of divine wisdom this Om is truly symbolic of God. Again, just as the One only Brahman, the Akhanda–Sachchidânanda^*, the undivided Existence–Knowledge–Bliss, can be conceived by imperfect human souls only from particular standpoints and associated with particular qualities, so this universe, His body, has also to be thought of along the line of the thinker's mind.

* Akhanda–Sachchidânanda represents the undivided, all–encompassing nature of Brahman (the ultimate reality) in its true form.

Akhanda = undivided, indivisible, whole.

Sat = being, existence, truth.

Chit = consciousness, awareness.

Ānanda = bliss, happiness.

This direction of the worshipper's mind is guided by its prevailing elements or Tattvas^*. The result is that the same God will be seen in various manifestations as the possessor of various predominant qualities, and the same universe will appear as full of manifold forms. Even as in the case of the least differentiated and the most universal symbol Om, thought and sound–symbol are seen to be inseparably associated with each other, so also this law of their inseparable association applies to the many differentiated views of God and the universe: each of them therefore must have a particular word–symbol to express it. These word–symbols, evolved out of the deepest spiritual perception of sages, symbolise and express, as nearly as possible the particular view of God and the universe they stand for. And as the Om represents the Akhanda, the undifferentiated Brahman, the others represent the Khanda^* or the differentiated views of the same Being; and they are all helpful to divine meditation and the acquisition of true knowledge.

* Tattvas means principles, elements, or truths.

† Khanda can refer to a part or a section of something. It's used to indicate a fragment or segment of a larger whole.

Gauni (Preparation): DefinitionBhakti Narada karma raja Shandilya Vyasa Sutras jnana gnana love hinduism christians Mohammedanism muslims islam christianity Nishtha gauni prepatory Sutra avrittirasakridupadeshat Bhagavan Shankara Shruti atman liberation vedas Sutra of Patanjali Ishvara pranidhanadva supreme atman Brahman

Gauni (Preparation): IshvaraIshvara satchitananda sat chit ananda Brahman Absolute Reality Sutras pada Moksha Jiva aphorism Kshatras Varuna Soma Rudra Parjanya Yama Mrityu Ishâna Atman Ramanuja Advaita brahman not this not this Shrutis Sankhyas Samkhyas Bhagavata Purana Prahlada gopis krishna Acharya Shankara Vyasa Varaha Purana Madhvacharya

Gauni (Preparation): Spiritual Realisationbhakti bhakta realization realisation god moksha gauni para Ishtapurta

Gauni (Preparation): The Need of Guruguru spiritual Shishya student teacher fools blind leading the blind

Gauni (Preparation): Qualifications of the Aspirant and the Teacherguru teacher sun purity bible vedas koran Bhagavân Ramakrishna mango bhakta mango leaves counting twigs Shantih shanti sine qua non sin religion Himalayas the Alps the Caucasus Tibet gobi

Gauni (Preparation): Incarnate Teachers and IncarnationShri Krishna Bhagavata omnipotence omnipresence Avataras of Ishvara Paramahamsa buffalo fish Bhagavan Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa big talker man on the street

Gauni (Preparation): The Mantra: Om: Word and Wisdommantra Chittavritti nama rupa name and form Sphota Brahma Hiranyagarbha Mahat om aum krishna Akhanda-Sachchidânanda Tattvas

Gauni (Preparation): Worship of Substitutes and ImagesPratikas Pratimas Brahman Bhagavan Ramanuja akasha Devas Shankara Karma omnipresent Vidya Ishvara Shrutis Smritis Vishishtâdvaitin Adityas Brahma Sutra Bhasya Vedantism Buddhism Christianity islam Mohammedans Protestantism agnostics August Comte Drishtisaukaryam

Gauni (Preparation): The Chosen IdealIshta Nishtha bhakta vedanta home of truth ocean of bliss maya Svati Hanuman Ramayana Tulasidasa

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