Conversations—Guru-vāchaka-kovai 4: Upāsanā (Worship)
Channel: Consciousness Research Centre
Date: 2022-01-07

Upāsanā means worship—that is, clinging to God through body (by doing pūjā), through speech (by doing japa or reciting stotras) or through mind (by doing dhyāna).

512. Though the non-dual knowledge [advaita-jñāna] is difficult to attain, it becomes easy to attain when the true love, bhakti, for the Feet of the Lord [Śiva] becomes intense, since His Grace, the revealing Light which dispels ignorance, then begins to flow.

513. By firmly fixing with love the Feet of the Lord in the Heart, one can sever the bondage of delusion; and by so cutting the bondage, one can behold the true Light of supreme knowledge, one’s Heart-lotus having blossomed.
Readers should here remember the teaching of Śrī Bhagavān that Self alone is denoted by the terms ‘the Feet of God’, ‘Grace’, and so on.

515. In order to sever the strong, long-standing and false bondage and be saved, without wasting any time, meditate always with rousing and intense love on the golden Lotus Feet of the Lord.

Sadhu Om: "Ever practise meditation upon Self [ātmā-dhyāna] and achieve the supreme bliss of Liberation," says Śrī Bhagavān in the concluding chapter of Vichāra-Saṅgraham. Thus, we should understand that meditating upon Self is what is recommended in this verse.

516. The true form [nature] of God [Self] cannot be understood except by the mind which stands firmly still in niṣthā [Self-abidance or samādhi]. Therefore, without allowing the mind either to wander as a vagabond [i.e. to undergo waking and dream – sakala] or to fall into lāya [i.e. to fall into sleep – kevala] due to tiredness, train the mind to be conscious and still on one target [Self].

Sadhu Om: It is indicated in this verse that making the mind still, that is, keeping it unaffected by sakala (the state of manyness) and kevala (the state of nothingness), is what is called niṣthā or samādhi.

517. Give up all attachments towards the petty sense objects [viśāya], which are caused by the delusion ‘I am this fleshy body’. The silent mind [thus stilled by renouncing sense-objects] is the pure maṇi-liṅgam [superior form of Śiva-liṅgam]. If this is adored [i.e. if this mental silence is carefully preserved with great love, which is the real worship of it], it will bestow unending bliss.

519. It is very rare to get full faith in One [God or Guru]. If such a faith blossoms in the heart [due to past merits], do protect and nourish it, since it is similar to a newborn baby, without spoiling it by giving room to any doubts or suspicion, just as, if one possessed the Kāmadenu, one would bring it up with great care and love.

Sadhu Om: The Kāmadenu is a divine cow which will give one whatever one desires. Likewise, complete faith in God or Guru will bestow anything and everything upon a devotee. Such is the wonderful power of faith.