In this excerpt from the Bhagavad Gita, In the Light of Kashmir Shaivism, by Swami Lakshmanjoo) he explains how to meditate and what should be our attitude . . .

DVD 6.1 (10:28 )

आरुरुक्षोर्मुनेर्योगं कर्म कारणमुच्यते  ।
योगारूढस्य तस्यैव शमः कारणमुच्यते  ॥३॥

ārurukṣormuneryogaṁ karma kāraṇamucyate /
yogārūḍhasya tasyaiva śamaḥ kāraṇamucyate //3//

Ārurukṣormuner. Munir, that yogi who is ārurukṣoḥ, who wants to rise step by step; who wants to rise step by step and meditates by successive meditation. Successive meditation does not mean that you meditate one hour in the morning, one hour in the evening–no, it is not that. [You should] go on meditating day and night. Don’t forget your meditation of thinking of the Lord with breath. Go on watching your breath, day and night. Try with all your might to watch it.

If sometime you miss [a breath], that doesn’t matter, but it does not mean that you meditate only one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening, and in the remaining period, you will do activities [such as] gupshup (idle conversation) and bakwas (nonsense) and everything. Because that impression [of worldly activity] will be stronger, that impression will subside your abhyāsa (practice). Do you understand? So you should not work in that way. Abhyāsa is to start [watching your breath] just like in chain form [i.e., continuously]. Try your best [to practice] that way.

ārurukṣormuneryogaṁ karma kāraṇamucyate /
yogārūḍhasya tasyaiva śamaḥ kāraṇamucyate //3//

Ārurukṣormuneryogaṁ. Yogam ārurukṣor muner, the one who is trying to reside in yoga abhyāsa, for how long [should he practice]? Day and night. According to his capacity, he should [practice] day and night. But the balance should be of abhyās, i.e., [abhyās should be] more in weight than the daily activities of your worldly affairs. Worldly affairs should be less in balance [in] scale. Worldly activities [should be much] less, just four anas (16 cents) in one rupee, even two annas (8 cents) in one rupee. The [remaining] period of your time must be devoted to abhyāsa, to meditation.

That is yogam ārurukṣor muni, one who wants to rise in yoga, who wants to step into yoga. Karma kāraṇam ucyate. Karma kāraṇam ucyate, karma, abhyāsa in action. You should not sit idle, you should go on walking [etc., while] practicing yoga. And it is kāraṇam, these [worldly activities] are the means (upāyas) for him. Abhinavagupta has, in a unique way, translated in two ways kāraṇam and kāraṇam. There are in two places kāraṇ and kāraṇ.

JOHN: What is this sūtra sir?

SWAMIJI: I will show you.

ārurukṣormuneryogaṁ karma kāraṇamucyate / 

There is kāraṇam first.

yogārūḍhasya tasyaiva śamaḥ kāraṇamucyate //3//

This is another kāraṇ, which has another meaning [than] the first kāraṇ, which has some other meaning. The first kāraṇa, for that beginner of yoga, [signifies] the means (upāya). And next [kāraṇ is] for yogārūḍha, [the one] who is established in yoga. [For him], kāraṇam means lakṣaṇam, these are the symptoms of a yogi. The symptoms of a yogi is that he is appeased. Kāraṇam atra lakṣaṇam and kāraṇam atra upāya.

No other commentator has commentated upon these two words, i.e., these separate [meanings] of [kāraṇam]. They couldn’t understand what is the meaning of the first kāraṇa and what is the meaning of the second kāraṇa. Second kāraṇa is for that [person] who is established in yoga; first kāraṇa is for that [person] who wants to become established in yoga, who is a beginner. For a beginner, it is the means (upāya) and for the one who is established in yoga, these are the symptoms (lakṣaṇam) and these are his qualifications.

[ārurukṣormuneryogaṁ karma] kāraṇamucyate /
yogārūḍhasya tasyaiva śamaḥ kāraṇamucyate //3//

Śamaḥ, he is appeased; he has no other thoughts. He is just like a king; he becomes just like a king, i.e., the other one who is established in yoga. The one who is not established in yoga, he has got these means (upāya), i.e., the way how to proceed for a beginner. And for that yogi who has achieved the highest state, for that it is . . .

JONATHAN: Symptoms.

SWAMIJI: Symptoms.

DVD 6.1 (17:22 )

यदा हि नेन्द्रियार्थेषु न कर्मस्वनुषज्जति  ।
सर्वसंकल्पसंन्यासी योगारूढस्तदोच्यते  ॥४॥

yadā hi nendriyārtheṣu na karmasvanuṣajjati /
sarvasaṁkalpasaṁnyāsī yogārūḍhastadocyate //4//

Na indriyārtheṣu na karmasvanuṣajjati. He will neither get involved in worldly pleasures and na karmasu, nor worldly actions. When he is not (audio missing!) involved in worldly actions, he will get rid of all withalwuy. Withalwuy [means to think], “what shall I do and what shall I not do? What can I do, what can I do? How will I achieve, how will I achieve?” This srethasreth; srethasreth means this trembling way of being.

DENISE: Insecurity.

SWAMIJI: Huh?

DENISE: Insecurity.

SWAMIJI: Insecurity. “How I can . . . I want to become God!” You told me many times, “I want to see God.” You should not get disturbed because you are yourself God. Then yogārūḍha, this is yogārūḍha, the yogi who is not trembling, who thinks that I am established already in this.

JOHN: What was that number, Sir?

SWAMIJI: Number is 4th. Asyāṁ ca buddhāvavaśyamevāvadheyam [comm.]. In this intellectual way of being, avaśyam āvadheyam, you should be alert in finding out this way for [yourself]. If you don’t find it out, it will be lost to you. Find out! With all of your might, find this out.

(source: Bhagavad Gita, In the Light of Kashmir Shaivism, by Swami Lakshmanjoo)All Content is subject to Copyright © John Hughes.

The post How to rise step by step – in the light of Kashmir Shaivism appeared first on Lakshmanjoo Academy, Kashmir Shaivism.

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