- SWAMI  SWAROOPANAND (PAWAS)-

A COSMIC CITIZEN.(2)

This is the second article in the series of four.  At the outset I would like to explain few points which I consider essential as a prelude to Swamijee’s Abhang that we will contemplate on in the present article.

In my earlier blog- post of May 2012, I have used the terms birth and death,as referred to in the common  parlance.

Otherwise, in non duality concept, (ADWAIT) birth and death become meaningless.There, it is merely, an Emergence from, and Merger in the undivided/unbroken whole/ocean of consciousness. Death is an in built mechanism, organized in the  creation (birth) to enable the individual consciousness to merge in the holistic consciousness.

In Dnyaneshwari saint Dnyaneshwar very emphatically drives home this concept through metaphors galore. One such example is Ovi number 121/14 where Lord Krisna says -- 

 “ नाना कल्लोळ परन्परा | संतति  जैसी सागरा |

आम्हा आणि चराच्ररा | संबंधु   तैसा ॥"

(“Universe is to me what multitudes of waves are to the ocean.”)

If each wave thinks of its own form, (shape, size, intensity, etc.) then each may have feeling of individual entity, albeit, illusory, as all of them eventually merge in the same water of which they were/are a part and from where these emerge.

According to Bh. Geeta, events of birth-- death as ordinarily understood are fictitious. Bh. Geeta stanza  2/28 says--

“ अव्यक्तादीनि भूतानि  व्यक्त मध्यानि भारत ” ।गीता २/२८।

(The journey of a living being, is from Un-manifest  to Un-manifest).

In the recent past, words “NEVER BORN, NEVER DIED”,  are found written in golden letters on a marble plaque at Chang Tzu hall of OSHO Commune at Pune which house OSHO’s ashes. More importantly,  “OSHO” , the modern mystic himself,  had, reportedly, given directions to his disciples to do so, prior to his leaving the mortal body, thus becoming immortal, through his message for the posterity.

   Swamijee had said, “He will be here forever in subtle (energy) form,even after his bodily departure.”

   As regards bodily existence, Swamijees says –

“ मजसि ह्या जगत रंगभूमिवर जसे दिले त्वां सोंग |

करीन संपादणी तशी मी राहुनिया  निसं:ग ” ||

The above Saki aptly describes the phenomena of birth. 
In the light of the foregoing, we may term, birth as an Entry and death an Exit from the stage of the world.

We should perform the designated role sincerely and to the best of our ability, dispassionately and in a detached manner.

The next point is about “God particle”. By now we all know, that, discovery of a new subatomic particle the “ Higgs Boson”, is popularly known as the “God Particle”. As per Hindu mythology, every particle has God, in it.

        (कण कण मे भगवान ). Here, I am also reminded of a couplet in Urdu which says-   

“ या-रब शराब मुझे पीने दे मस्जिद मे बैठकर ।

या मुझे वह जगह बता दे जहां ख़ुदा ना हो।”

                                       

    I referred to the term “God Particle” just to indicate that Scientists too, unwittingly, refer to God.

  In this article we will discuss  Abhang (stanza) number 74 from Sanjeevani Gatha, which reads as under-

“  पडे त्यासी पडो विश्वाचे हे कोडे। आम्हासी उघडे आत्मरूप |

एक आत्मरूप सर्वत्र संचले | नाही त्यावेगळे दुजे काही।

जळीं स्थळीं काष्ठी पाषणी संपूर्ण | आत्मरूप जाण प्रकटले।

आत्मरूप दृष्टी आत्मरूप सॄष्टी | आत्मा पाठी पोटी स्वामी म्हणे।|"

        ( Swamijee says--  Let origin of Universe be a mystery for those who so choose,for me it is clearly manifestation of “Atmaroop”. It is all pervading, and no existence is exclusive of it. Be it in any  form ( Natural elements) , it is all a manifestation of the“Atmaroop”. With change in vision,(Shift in Gestalt) one will see the entire World as “Atmaroop”, and omnipotent “ATMA” everywhere.

    The word “Atmaroop” appearing at five places in the above stanza, is an all important key word in Vedic Philosophy.

  The opening sentence of “Dyaneshwari”, the famous treatise on Geeta, contains the word, “Atmaroopa”.  Swami Swaroopanand’s “Abhang Dnyaneshwari”, commences with the word “Atmaroopa”. A visitor to Pawas can still see a photo frame, which is there for nearly seven decades now, with the words- 

“अहं आत्मा हे कधीचि विसरु नये।” - दासबोध. 
written on it in Swamijee’s room, in “Anant Niwas”, Swamijees abode for forty years.  This has been the hallmark and guiding principle of Swamijee’s entire life,and his teaching to his followers. This advice is the corner stone of his literature, which is replete  with the term “Atmaroopa”. 
The terms  “Atma”,“Atmaroopa” are abstract and can not be easily discerned. 
In “Kathopanishad”, the principle of “Atmavidya” and how one can attain it has been elaborately explained by way of a parable. It is in the form of dialogue between Yama and Nachiketa, who asks three questions to Yama, in lieu of three wishes granted to him  by Yamadharma.  In  his detailed  reply  to  young  Nachiketa’s third question regarding  the phenomena of  death,  in  one of the stanza Yamadharma says--

“  नायमात्मा प्रवचनेन लभ्य:, न मेधया न बहुना श्रुतेन ।

यमेवैश वॄणुते तेन  लभ्यः तस्येश आत्मा विवॄणुते तनुं स्वाम ॥” 

(This means, “Atma”, can not be realised/attained by ( merely) listening to discourses on, or studying  Vedic scripures nor by intellect. That unfolds itself in an individual of it’s choice.)

      We should not however, get an impression that it is impossible to achieve, “Atmavidya”/” Atmaroop”.  I am giving below names of few famous saints from Maharashtra with well known quotes from some of them who attained “Atmasthiti ”/”Atmaroop”. 

“ दर्पणी पहाता रूप । न दिसे वो आपुले । बाप रखुमादेवीवरे विट्टले । मज ऎसे केले ।” 

by Sant Dnyaneshwar, 

“ तीर्थ विट्टल, क्श्रेत्र विट्ठल । देव विट्ठल, देव पूजा विट्ठल ।" - सं. नामदव 

“ कांदा मुळा भाजी अवघी विठाई माझी ।" - सावता माळी । 

“ विष्णुमय जग । वैष्णवांचा धर्म । भेदभाव भ्रम । अमंगळ ।" - सं. तुकाराम । 

“देह्बुद्धी ते आत्मबुद्धी करावी, सदा संगती सज्जनांचि धरावी।" 

“आत्मबुद्धी निश्चयाची तेची दशा मोकशची, अहं आत्मा हे कधीचि विसरु नये।” - स. रामदास ।

  They represent cross section of the society, irrespective of caste, colour,or creed. While there are erudite like Ex VC  Gurudev Ranade, they also include illiterate housewives like  Bahinabai and Janabai. and blind saint Gulabrao Maharaj.

   In fact, “Atmatatva” is present in anything and everything that has a shape and is visible. However, it is in a dormant form, except in human beings, who have the potential to manifest this divinity. We should remember that,“The formless”, dwells as an image in the mirror of that form, as a life/shape supporting agent. The following stanzas from “Dnyaneshwari”  which are self explanatory will make it clear 

“ म्हणे परमात्मा म्हणिपे । तो ऎसा जाण स्वरुपें । जळीं जळें न लिंपे । सूर्यु जैसा ॥ १३/१०९३ ॥ 

तैसा आत्मा देहीं । आथि म्हणिपे हें काहीं । साचें तरी नाहीं । तो जेथिंचा तेथें ॥ १३/१०९५॥ 

आरिसां मुख जैसें । बिंबलिया नाम असे । देहीं वसणें तैसें । आत्मतत्वा ॥१३/१०९६॥”

I would call the “Atmatatva”,  a “Common Factor of Existence” or an “Energy Constant”.

       “Atmatatva” within us gets clouded by attachment to our name, fame, looks, status etc. This illusion distances us from our real self.  We are a part and parcel of the “ Atmatatva”. We should constantly remind ourselves of this fact to imbibe it in our system, by practsing “सोहं , I AM THAT ” meditation technique. This is the way to discern the “Atmatava”. Kathopanishad, says----

“ ॥ मनसा एव इदम आप्तव्यम, न इह नाना अस्ति किंचन ॥”

What it precisely means is, that, though you may be seeing innumerable things around you that your eyes can catch, you have to visualise and appreciate their interconnectedness, all these being the manifestation of, “THAT ATMATATVA”.

Swami Swaroopanand, was confined to bed for good 40 years. He guided thousands on the path of self realization besides leaving behind him a treasure of spiritual treatise  for generations to come.

Compilation of Swamijee’s letters to his followers  titled “ Swaroop Patra Manjusha”. is one such book I would specially recommend to all seekers of self realisation. His advice in his letters number 63, 64 & 65 is the crux. I am quoting below, first three stanzas from letter number 63- -  Swamijee says---

 “ नाभीपासूनि ब्रह्मरंध्रांत । सोहं ध्वनि असे खेळत ।

 तेथें साक्षेपे देऊनि चित्त । रहावे निवान्त घडिघडी ॥

घडिघडी करावा विवेक । देहदि प्रपंच मायिक ।

सत्य नित्य शाश्वत एक | असे निःशंक आत्मरूप ।|  

आत्मरूपी दॄढ विश्वास । आत्माचि मी हा निदिध्यास ।

साक्षित्वे साहोनि सुख दुःखास ।

करावा अभ्यास नित्यनेमें ॥”  ॥स्व.प.मंजुषा ६३/१ ते ३ ॥

              

               Swamijee always walked the talk. He only preached what he himself practised. Quoting own experience he says—

“भेद-भाव मळ गेला अमंगळ । झालो मी निर्मळ आत्मरूप ”॥ सं.गा.४३/३

“ म्हणता माझा देह  मी तो नव्हे देह । आहे निःसंदेह, आत्मरूप”॥ सं.गा. २१९/१.

Having become “Atmaroop” himself, Swamijee says with conviction---  

“  पडे त्यासी पडो विश्वाचे हे कोडे। आम्हासी उघडे आत्मरूप |

एक आत्मरूप सर्वत्र संचले | नाही त्यावेगळे दुजे काही।

जळीं स्थळीं काष्ठी पाषणी संपूर्ण | आत्मरूप जाण प्रकटले।

आत्मरूप दृष्टी आत्मरूप सॄष्टी | आत्मा पाठी पोटी स्वामी म्हणे।|

                               

- SWAMI SWAROOPANAND ( PAWAS)-

         A COSMIC CITIZEN.(1)

After an interval of nearly two years, i felt a strong urge to write about my master, Sadguru Swami Swaroopanand, a COSMIC CITIZEN, in the true sense of the word. I intend to elaborate taking one of his Abhangs,in one article, from “Sanjivani-Gatha”, (a collection of Swamijee’s 261 verses) in the light of quantum physics and quantum consciousness, as understood by me, in a series of four articles. It is not just because it may appeal to the present day readers that i am mentioning about quantum physics. I am doing so because, now, I feel convinced about what Swamijee has written. I must admit, that, till date, i had taken it as Gospel truth, coming as it were, from the master’s pen, and due to similar such experience; writing by Sant Tukaram.

(Tukaram Gatha- देव झाले अवघे जन || 3122/1, अंगीं

भरले देवाचे वारे। देव जगचि दिसे सारे || 4168/2- etc.)

Having read a number of books, and having gone through a number of articles on the internet, which explain quantum physics,quantum mechanics, quantum consciousness etc. in the context of “God”,“Mysticism”,“ Mystic experiences”, my rational belief about some of Swamijee’s verses, (particularly, Verse numbers-74,91,109,186 and 199 from Sanjeevani Gatha) about which i will be writing subsequently, or Saint Tukaram’s writing in the above mentioned Abhangas,has changed into empirical one. I sincerely feel that, his experience can be explained scientifically. In this article, i will dwell on Verse number 199.

Verse Number 199 reads as under-

असो कोणी चोर असो कोणी साव ।

तोचि दिसे देव मजलागीं ॥ १॥

उंच-नीच सान-थोर सुष्ट-दुष्ट ।

ऐसा झाला नष्ट भेदभाव ॥२॥

नाम रूप वर्ण हारपलीं पूर्ण ।

राहिलों लक्षून आत्म-रूप ॥ ३॥

स्वामी म्हणे आतां कैचें जगद्भान ।

रंगलेंसे मन आत्म।रामीं॥४॥

(Meaning - Thief (from the common man’s/

general point of view) or a gentleman, both appear God to me. Discrimination between rich or poor, young or elderly, pious or wicked ceases to exist. Name, appearance, colour does not matter, as i see all these pluralities as manifestation of that all pervading consciousness, “Atman”. The ecstasy of merging in the undivided whole, has rendered the material world based on mundane distinctions obsolete.) There are many related references by Nobel laureate R.Tagore in Gitanjali and elsewhere. Before proceeding further, I would like to say, that when i use the word “GOD”, simply put, i am only referring to that single supreme power, infinite energy, which---

Grants Our Days/Grants Our Death to us. Interestingly, the last piece of the current theory of matter, called “Higgs boson”, is also popularly known as “GOD” particle. We may call it, “Rama”, “Krishna” ,“Allah”, “Mohammed”, “Jesus”, or by any other name. It does not matter. No one can deny, that, birth or death is neither in the hands nor under the control of any human being, and is therefore UNCERTAIN.

Truly speaking i would call this, a “Principle of

uncertainty”. For ordinary human intelligence the world may appear to be full of paradoxes and utter confusion. No one will still deny that there is an unknown implicit order (call it an encoded or implicate order, as mentioned by David Bohm) to the entire existence, whose controller is not seen. He is however surely felt, every instant, as we breathe in and

breathe out.

Ancient Hindu Scriptures, primarily Vedas as well as Upanishads,have no doubt, unequivocally, affirmed that the real “Self/Atman” ( द्रष्टा), is distinctly, different than the observer and the observed. All animate/inanimate objects that are visible, is a manifestation of that all pervading, unmanifest “Atmaroop”.(ईशा वास्यम जगत सर्वम).

The phenomenal world is the world as it appears to our senses. The noumenal world is the world as it actually is, a transcendent unity. It is not discernible ordinarily, however, an evolved, realised person can have a transcendent understanding of a unified reality. We may call this, categories or levels of understanding. Question is, can this be scientifically explained, and are we aware of any such human being, in our memory who has experienced it.

I would affirm,that, not only have i known/ seen such a savant, but have been lucky enough to have been blessed and initiated by him. What we have to understand and appreciate, is the level/state in which realised/ enlightened human beings like Swamijee, exist. Their experience, comprehension acts non-spatially and non temporally. The waves of their enlightenment are animated waves of “KNOWLEDGE”.

There are two forces working in our sub-holistic being; intensified consciousness as our “Self” and its complementary rarefied consciousness as energy or material field. The interaction and inter-penetrations of these two fields, give rise, not only to one’s biological form but to his entire surroundings or say environs.

The comprehension or better say perception of evolved souls like Swamijee therefore differ from that of a common man, whose understanding is based on the observer and the observed relationship. All human beings ordinarily, (blindly) accept, what he sees/what meets the eye, simply because we are conditioned, in such a way, that, seeing is believing. We may call this collective unconscious (Call it Avidya or Maya?) but the fact remains, that, our observations have a Universal consensus.

The enlightened person, however, is impervious, to distinction of form as well as its characteristics. The state of choiceless awareness that he is in, is on a different plane altogether. His awareness is no longer fragmented but holistic. Here, i am reminded of the words of Swami Vivekanand, who said, “ Every soul is potentially DIVINE. The goal is to manifest this divinity within”. Here we must remember, that, we are considering potentialities of consciousness, which are infinite.

Swamijee through his relentless meditation had achieved this goal. Having totally shed his individual ego, having erased from his mind, his name & form related identity, he experienced the “dark night of the soul” (effacement of the individual ego), on 21 July 1934.This metamorphosis bestowed him with divine vision. (Divya Drishti). Eyesight sees the form, whereas such vision, transcends the form to perceive the formless, omnipotent, all pervading infinite energy, which sustains all forms. Here, it is essential to explain the term “ FORMLESS”. It does not merely mean which does not have form. It goes far beyond this negative assertion to indicate that supreme eternal being which cannot be reduced to any one or all forms put together.

In this state, ordinary awareness takes a quantum and qualitative leap and transcends to that self aware undivided/unfragmented being.( अविभक्तम, विभक्तेषू ) He believed in Chidvilaswad, Poornawad, (ॐ पूर्णम अद: पूर्णम ईदम।---)( A shade of Monism) like his mentor Saint Dnyaneshwar. He believed that, the Holistic Essence can not

be divided into parts and is interconnected through all existence.

On 20 March 1935, Swamijee wrote, “Nourished by the Nectar of Thy Knowledge, Clad in the robe of Thy love, Before Thee I dance, O Mother, In the Temple of Eternity.” He had become one with the eternal being, the creator. Experience of mystics are beyond sensory organs, and truly speaking, these can never be understood through words.These are to be perceived. We should accept, these being Universally true.

Here it will be quite interesting to know remarks of legendary Scientist, Dr.Einstein, who said, “It is dangerous to say that one should only speak about observable quantities. Whether you can observe a thing or not depends on the theory which you use. It is the theory which decides what can be observed”. These remarks proved very useful to Werner Heisenberg, pioneer of the “Uncertainty principle”, as mentioned by him in his research. He stated that quantum possibilities, reside in a domain outside space and time.

However, as remarked by Einstein, “ The most incomprehensible thing about nature is it is comprehensible”.

Mystics & Scientists apart even an ordinary person’s identity/reference horizon widens as one moves farther/higher from his earlier place/state.

Let us take the example of our Indian Cosmonaut Wg Comdr Rakesh Sharma and his two other Russian companions, aboard Soyuz T-11, who were in the orbit. If they were to be asked, by an alien, where did they belong to, they would all say in one voice, that, they come from planet Earth, instead of saying from India or Russia. Be it material or spiritual, progress/ evolution brings about a cognitive shift, making our vision, perspective broader. Scientific approach, is based on the hypothesis, that, everything consists of matter, energy and their interactions.

Scientists can now describe behaviour of even subatomic particles. What started with micro, with passage of time, now, holds true even for macro.( As per Upanishadic thought micro is macro and vice versa.(सूक्श्म तेचि व्यापक) Classical Physics studies each part of the universe as separate, and holds that nothing travels faster than light. Quantum physics, however, suggests, that, instantaneous communication between entangled particles, is possible. (As hypothesised and subsequently proven by the “EPR experiment” ) The other idea at the heart of quantum physics is, connectedness. Everything connects with everything else. Quantum physics, has proved that, matter exhibits properties of particles as well as waves, known as wave-particle duality. This concept also shows that waves of quantum

objects are waves of possibilities.

There are many conflicting approaches and interpretations. I intend to refer to certain accepted premises of Quantum Physics, only to indicate that experience of Swamijee and that of others like him may not be dismissed as airy fiction or metaphysics and relegated to “mysticism”.

With the advent of quantum physics, concept of consciousness, as an epiphenomenon ( a secondary phenomenon, considering it to be a brain function as many neurophysiologists feel) is almost outdated. It was compatible with classical physics where observer & the observed were treated as separate. Quantum Physics has altered this position. It is accepted that, consciousness, is an integral part of the universal reality. When once we accept primacy of consciousness then it is easy to understand, that, quantum possibilities are truly speaking, possibilities of consciousness.

Now let us take a gestalt picture depicting, “A young lady as well as an elderly woman”. When your eyes see the young woman the old woman disappears from your eyesight and vice-versa. You will realise that a choice in your perspective makes switch in perception. You are looking at the same picture and both the possibilities are present in you. Your eyes see what they choose to see to Last year when we were with our daughter practicing & settled in USA, we were suggesting to her, that, they should apply for dual citizenship being PIO ( People of Indian

Origin). In retrospect, now i feel, that, having merged with PIO(Place of Infinite/Intelligent Origin) ( What Swamijee has ref to as Temple of Eternity), Swami Swaroopanand is a Cosmic Citizen in real sense. The union automatically abandoned DUALITY, generated due to bodily, individual identity. 

In the second line of stanza number 43 of Sanjeevani Gatha Swamijee has written--

( नाम रूप कुळ सांडॊनि सकळ, झालो मी केवळ आत्मरूप।) 

He viewed only the underlying “DIVINITY” in everything that he saw. Swamijee’s Consciousness turned Cosmic, resulting in, his seeing reflection of his eternal being, in everything that he saw. Quantum state of his mind resonated with the cosmic potentiality of consciousness. The OBSEVER became the OBSERVED. I can’t help reproducing line numbers, 159 and 170 from Swamijee’s Abhang Dnyaneshwari Chapter- 5 

"आपुले स्वरूप ।ब्रह्मरुप जैसे। देखती ते तैसे।विश्वाचेहि।

जरी अहंभाव।तरी दिसे भेद। समूळ उच्छेद झाला। त्याचा।"

Therefore Swamijee says-

असो कोणी चोर असो कोणी साव ।

तोचि दिसे देव मजलागीं ॥ १॥

स्वामी म्हणे आतां कैचें जगद्भान ।

रंगलेंसे मन आत्म।रामीं॥४॥