Source:
Laya Yoga Sadhana and
Anahata soundsSit in Padmasana or Siddhasana or Sukhasana. Close the ears with the thumbs using Shanmukhi Mudra. Hear the Anahata sound attentively. Occasionally you can hear the sounds through the left ear also. Practise to hear from the right ear only. Why do you hear distinctly through the right ear only? Because of the solar Nadi; Pingala on the right side of the nose. The Anahata sound is also called Omkara Dhvani. It is due to the vibration of the Prana.
Do Japa (Ajapa Japa) of Soham with breath or Japa of any Mantra. Practise Pranayama for one or two months. You will hear the ten Anahata sounds clearly, and enjoy the music of the soul. Abandon all worldly thoughts. Collect the dissipated rays of the mind and concentrate them on the Anahata sound. Practise Yama (self-restraint) or Sadachara (right conduct),
Nada or Anahata that is heard is of ten kinds.
1) chini (like the sound of the word "chini")
2) sound of the word "chini-chini"
3) sound of bell
4) sound of conch
5) sound of tantri (lute)
6) sound of tala (cymbals)
7) sound of flute
8) sound of Bheri (one drum)
9) sound of mridanga (double drum) and
10) sound of thunder
You can experience the tenth so without the first nine sounds through the initiation of a Guru. Gradually you will have to change your concentration from gross sound to the subtle.
Before you set your feet upon the higher rungs of the ladder of Nada Yoga, you should practise to hear the voice of your inner God in seven manners -
1) The first is like the nightingale's sweet voice
2) the sound of a silver cymbal of the Dhyanis, awakening the twinkling stars
3) the melodious plaint of the ocean-sprite imprisoned in its shell
4) followed by the melodious note of Vina
5) The fifth sound of bamboo-flute shrills in your ear. It changes next into a trumpet-blast
6) The last vibrates like the dull rumbling of a thunder-cloud
7) The seventh swallows all the other sounds. They all die, and then you will be able to hear the subtle music of the inner Spirit
You will get knowledge of hidden things in the seventh. In the later stages you will hear Paravak and develop the divine eye. And lastly you will attain the Para Brahman.
The sound entraps the mind. The mind becomes one with the sound as milk with water. It becomes absorbed in Brahman or the Absolute.
You cannot have any tangible result in the path of Laya Yoga without purification of the heart. You will have to purify your heart first by untiring selfless service, Kirtan, Japa, meditation, cultivation of divine virtues and thereby eradicating the negative qualities. You will have to equip yourself with the four means, and practise the Laya Yoga Sadhana. Then alone you will attain the seat of Eternal Bliss and Immortality.
PRANAVA SADHANA
Pranava (OM) is a ferry-boat for men who have fallen into the never-ending ocean of mundane life(Seekazhi temple - Thoniappar). Many have crossed this ocean with the help of this ferry-boat. You can also do so if you meditate constantly on OM and live in the spirit of OM.
OM is the only symbol for that Immortal, All-pervading Self. Think of OM to the exclusion of everything else. Shut out all mundane thoughts. They may, of course, recur again and again. But you will have to generate the thoughts of the pure Self repeatedly. Associate the ideas of purity, perfection, freedom, knowledge, immortality, eternity, infinity, etc., with OM. Repeat OM mentally.
Constantly meditate upon the following thoughts and repeat mentally:
All-pervading ocean of light
I am, OM OM OM
Light of lights
I am, OM OM OM
Sun of suns
I am, OM OM OM
Infinity
I am, OM OM OM
Pure Chit (Consciousness)
I am, OM OM OM
All-pervading, infinite Light
I am, OM OM OM
Vyapaka paripurna
I am, OM OM OM
Jyotirmaya Brahman
I am, OM OM OM
Omnipotent, omniscient
I am, OM OM OM
All-bliss, all-purity
I am, OM OM OM
All-glory, all-joy
I am, OM OM OM
All-health, all-peace
I am, OM OM OM
Remember always the last word of Advaita, "TAT TVAM ASI”—That thou art. Feel as such. Recognise as such. Realise your real identity with the all-blissful.
Association with Om is to become one with the thing signified. “Tat-Japah tadartha bhavanam." Try to identify yourself 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 feel that you are all-purity, all-light, all-pervading existence etc. Meditate on the Self daily. Think that you are entirely different from the mind or body. Feel: I am Sat-Chit-Ananda Atman, I am all-pervading consciousness. This is the Vedantic meditation.
Meditation on OM with Bhavana and meaning leads to realisation or Brahma-Jnana. This is the Jnana Yoga. Besides A,U,M and Ardha-matra, there are four other parts of OM, viz., Bindu, Bija, Sakti and Santi. The latter four have to be felt through Bhavana or feeling during meditation. Laya Chintana of OM leads to Advaita Nishtha or Nirvikalpa Samadhi.
(a) Visva gets Laya or dissolution in Virat: Virat in “A”.
(b) Taijasa gets Laya in Hiranyagarbha: Hiranyagarbha in "U".
(c) Prajna gets Laya in Isvara: Isvara in "M”.
Turiya is common to both Jiva and Isvara. "A” Matra gets Laya in Kutastha—Jiva-Brahmaikyam—oneness of Jiva and Brahman. Thus you will have to realise your identity with supreme Self through such Pranava Sadhana.
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 understanding of Omkara, or Pranava and the "A" Matra.
May you all enter the soundless OM by transcending the sounds of A, U and M.
May you all meditate on OM and attain the goal of life, The Ultimate Reality.
May this OM guide you.
May this OM be your centre, ideal and goal!
Jnana Yoga Marga
Sadhana chatushtaya
Those who take up the path of Vedanta or Jnana Yoga should acquire first the four means of salvation (Sadhana Chatushtaya)–Viveka, Vairagya, Shat-Sampat and Mumukshutva. Viveka is discrimination between the real and unreal. Vairagya is indifference to sensual enjoyments. Shat-Shampat is the sixfold virtues, Sama, Dama, Uparati, Titiksha, Sraddha and Samadhana. Then they approach a Brahma-Nishtha guru who has realised the Supreme Self and hear the Srutis from him. Then they reflect and meditate on the Self and attain eventually Atma-Sakshatkara.
Raja Yoga Marga
The students of Hatha Yoga should try to awaken the Kundalini Sakti that lies dormant in the Muladhara Chakra by Mudras, Bandhas, Asanas and Pranayamas. They should try to unite the Prana and Apana and send the united Prana-Apana through the Sushumna Nadi. Heat is increased by retention of breath and Vayu ascends up along with Kundalini to the Sahasrara Chakra through the different Chakras. When Kundalini is united with Lord Siva at the Sahasrara Chakra, the Yogi attains supreme peace, bliss and immortality.
A Raja Yogi slowly ascends the Yogic ladder through the eight steps. He gets ethical training in the beginning to purify himself by the practice of Yama and Niyama. Then he steadies his posture. Then he practises Pranayama to steady his mind and to purify the Nadis. Then by the practice of Pratyahara, Dharana and Dhyana, he gets Samadhi. Through Samyama, he gets different Siddhis. He restrains all the mental modifications that arise from the mind.
Bhakti Yoga Marga
Those who follow the path of devotion should do Japa, read the holy scriptures such as the Bhagavata or the Ramayana. By the practice of Nava Vidha Bhakti, the Bhakta should develop Bhakti to a very high degree. Sravana, Smarana, Kirtana, Vandana, Archana, Padasevana, Sakhya, Dasya and Atma-Nivedana are the nine methods to develop Bhakti. Bhaktas should observe Vrata, Anushthana and do prayers and Manasic Puja. They should serve others, realising that the Lord resides in the hearts of all. This is the Sadhana for those who tread the path of Bhakti Yoga.
Karma Yoga Marga
Those who follow the path of Karma Yoga should do disinterested selfless service to the suffering humanity and society in various ways. They should surrender the fruits of action to the Lord as Isvararpana. They should give up agency by realising that they are the instruments in the hands of God. They should get rid of their selfishness and control their Indriyas. They should completely consecrate their lives in the service of humanity. They should consider that the whole world is a manifestation of the Lord. If they serve people with such a Bhava, their hearts get purified in the long run. Eventually they get knowledge of the Self through Chitta Suddhi. This is the Sadhana for the Karma Yogins. This is very important for all beginners in the spiritual path. This is not the goal itself.
NIRGUNA DHYANA SADHANA: THE SIX METHODS
A strong will and Manana are the two important factors that play a conspicuous part in Nirguna Dhyana Sadhana or the Vedantic Sadhana. Manana is preceded by Sravana or hearing of the Srutis; and ultimately followed by Nididhyasana of a constant nature with zeal and enthusiasm. Nididhyasana is pro-found meditation. Sakshatkara or Aparoksha realisation is Nididhyasana. Just as a 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 Chaitanya or the Consciousness-Absolute. Thus through this process of Sadhana-Chatushtaya, Sravana and Manana one can qualify himself for the practice of Nirguna Dhyana Sadhana.
In Nirguna Dhyana, the mind loses its own consciousness and becomes identified with the all-pervading, formless, name-less, attributeless One Absolute-undivided-unmanifest-Infinite Existence. The meditator and the meditated, the thinker and the thought, Aham and Idam (I and this) become one. This is the final stage of Nirguna Dhyana Sadhana. The world vanishes from the view of the meditator and he rests on the Suddha, Nirguna Brahman.
This Sadhana is practised in six ways. They are:
1. Neti-Neti method
2. Sakshi method
3. Avaya-Vyatireka method
4. Bhaga-Tyaga Lakshana method
5. Laya-Chintana method
6. Meditation on Om with Tadrupa-Tadartha Bhavana
Practise them constantly with adamant will and zeal.
1. Neti-Neti method—Not this, not this. This is the method of negation. The Upanishads proclaim, this physical body is not the Atman or Brahman, this Prana is not the Atman or Brah-man, this mind is not Atman, this Buddhi (intelligence) is not At-man, this Anandamaya Kosa is not the Atman (Neti Neti). Therefore, the balance left after negating or sublating these false, illusory, limiting adjuncts, which are superimposed on At-man, is Suddha, Vyapaka, Sat-Chit-Ananda Atman. You are in reality this Atman. This is the process of explaining by Nishedha.
2. Sakshi method—Sakshi means witness. You will have to introspect and watch the Vrittis. You will have to separate yourself from the Vrittis of the mind by not identifying yourself with them. You should remain as a Sakshi without being affected by the Vrittis. That idea of witness must become deep-rooted by constant repetition and feeling. You will become impersonal eventually. The Jiva-Bhavana will vanish in toto. Even during work you must be a Sakshi for all actions that you do. In reality it is the mind and its senses that do everything. You are the witness only. You must always entertain this idea. Constantly re-peat the 8th Sloka of Chap. V in the Gita—"I do not do anything, should think the harmonised one, who knoweth the essence of things, seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, moving, sleeping and breathing." The senses move among the objects of the senses.
3. Anvaya-Vyatireka method—Every object has 5 parts Rupa, Asti, Bhati, Priya, nama, roopa —name, form, existence, knowledge and bliss. Names and forms are illusory. They belong to Maya. Asti, Bhati, Priya are the Svarupa of Brahma They are real. Asti, Bhati, Priya means 'Sat-Chit-Ananda; Names and forms differ, but the Asti, Bhati and Priya are the same same in all. They are the attributes of Atman. Names and form; are Vyatireka. Asti, Bhati and Priya are Anvaya. Through-Anvaya-Vyatireka Yukti you will have to eliminate the name and form and take out (realise) the Asti, Bhati, Priya Atman that is hidden in all objects. This is, of course, the means to attain the final stage of Nirguna Dhyana Sadhana, where you identify yourself with the attributeless Self. Through constant thinking and force of meditation, the names and forms will vanish. Asti, Bhati, Priya alone will shine everywhere. Practise this always, even while you are at work.
4. Bhaga-Tyaga-Lakshana method—This concerns the 'Tat Tvam Asi' Mahavakya. There are two kinds of meanings of Tat and Tvam. The first is literal meaning, i.e., Tat is lsvara, and the second is indicative meaning i.e., Tat is Brahman. The first meaning of Tvam is Jiva, and the second meaning of Tvam is Kutastha, identifying with the Brahman. You will have to eliminate the Upadhi Avidya, its Dharmas and the reflected Chaitanya in Avidya in the case of Jiva and the Upadhi Maya, its Dharmas and the reflected Chaitanya in Maya in the case of lsvara. You will have to take out the common essence for both Jiva and lsvara and show identity with them. This is Bhagatyagalakshana. You will have to cull out the common essence. You can now meditate on the identity of Jiva and Brahman through the above method.
5. Laya-Chintana method—Laya means involution of the effect into the cause. There are three kinds of practice. The first is, that you will have to think that the mind is merged in Buddhi, Buddhi in Avyaktam, and Avyaktam in Brahman. The second is, that you should think that the earth gets merged in water, then water in fire, fire in air, air in Akasa (ether) and Akasa in Avyaktam and Avyaktam in Brahman. The third process is, that you should think that Visva (microcosm) gets merged in Virat (macrocosm), Taijasa in Hiranyagarbha, and Prajna in Isvara. The Kutastha becomes one with Brahman. Thus here you see, that all the external elements or the attributes gradually gel merged in the One common Source i.e., the Brahman. You go back to the original source, the Brahman who is the womb tor all minds and Pancha-Bhutas. Finally you rest in the Brahma''„ alone.
6. Meditation on OM with Tadjapa-Tadartha Bhavana-- you associate yourself with OM on the ideas of purity, perfection peace, infinity etc., as it has been described in "Pranava sadhana.
