SWAMI  SWAROOPANAND (PAWAS)-A COSMIC CITIZEN. (4) 

Nowadays you open a newspaper, or put the TV on, and all you see is news about scams, crime, corruption, suicides by farmers as well as by affluent due to despondency. There is a noticeable spurt in divorce cases / live in relationships. Now, to top it all there is this sleazy IPL spot fixing which is getting murkier with each passing day. This to my mind is happening primarily due to our brazen attempt to ape Western culture, giving rise to consumerism, causing disparities. This is fuelling propensity for unaccounted easy money, to meet demands beyond means.  The prevailing situation reminds me of Swamijee’s  words-

“यंत्र -युगें घोर माजला आकांत।बळावला प्रांत दुर्जनांचा॥२३०/१ ॥

लोभ अहंकार वाढती अपार । नीति-धर्मा थार नुरे कोठें ॥२३०/३ ॥

पाशवी संस्कार घालिती ते पिंगा।गुप्त झाली गंगा मानव्याची॥२३०/४

बाह्य सुखालागी धांवतो हा जीव । यंत्र -युगें हांव वाढविली   ॥२२९/१॥

अंतरींच्या सुखा होउनी पारखा । दुखाःचिया नरकामाजीं पडे॥२२९/२॥

(Swamiji says- Industrialisation / advent of Science, is causing anarchy due to misuse of inventions for greed of power & ego. Morals have been thrown to the winds. Human values have gone to dogs and bestial spell has cast all round. Human beings are out to seek skin deep joy through novel devices, which has made their lives miserable, ruining inner happiness).                                           
Research oriented phenomenal progress in all technological, medical, and nuclear fields, in the present era, their fall out and apprehension of its possible misuse has brought us on the brink of a similar situationagain.                                                    Swamijee was not averse to research to make life easier which can be seen from his words of wisdom, that are relevant even today. He says—

“ साधाया कल्याण नाना शोध जाण । लाविती विज्ञान शास्त्रवेत्ते ।

अंतरीं  सद्भाव असेल जागृत । तरी यंत्रें हित स्वामी म्हणे ॥” ८१/३-४॥

 ( He says, scientists undertake research for the welfare /  well being of mankind. These can make the world a better place provided intentions of its users are good and they stick to these honestly.)
Equally important is his warning contained in “Amritdhara” Sakis- 77,78 & 79 of which, i am quoting only one, to avoid post being lengthy. He says-
“ समानता मानव-धर्माचा नसेल भक्कम पाया । तरी इमारत यंत्र -युगाची उठेल मनुजा खाया ॥”  अ. धारा / ७७ ॥
(He says- If equality is not  the unshakable cornerstone; edifice of industrialisation, will prove to be devil for the mankind)
Looking at the period when he wrote these verses, and the recent bloodbath at Bastar by Maoist Naxals, Swamiji’s words, sound prophetic. It is also a grim reminder of the fact, that, there is no letup in Red terror.
However, we should not feel disappointed / gloomy about the future. Ways of God Almighty are inscrutable. He ensures checks and balances in everything & everywhere. We got to look around and spread the good word. Responsibility for  this lies more on electronic and print media,as well as on cinema and theatre.
There are a number of examples of group amelioration where villages like Ralegan Siddhi, Hivre Bazar, and more such villages in Maharashtra have become the seeds of hope  and emerged as role models.
I will specifically refer to Hiware Bazar, as a case study was undertaken by Dr. Kailas N Bavale, who presented his research paper during 2nd International Conference on Management at Malaysia held on 11 & 12 June 2012 and is available for anyone to read on the internet. This entire paper is worth reading / studying. Table 2 on page 8 is most important which contains total of 19 resolutions passed between 1989 to 2009 by the Gram Panchayat ( Village Council ). Resolution numbers 7, and 19 which are  “ Implement Saint Gadgebaba” and “ No family of the village will be below poverty line and landless” respectively caught my attention.
The link to this is:-www.intrnationalconference.com.my/proceeding/2nd_icm2012
 On individual front, we have examples of persons like Sh. Anna Hazare, Dr Abhay Bang, Dr. Mrs Rani Bang, Smt Sindhutai Sakpal and Amte family, who are epitome of asceticism, where three generations have set an example of service to humanity.
This happens when a person thinks beyond himself / his bodily existence, has broadened his vision / outlook, has widened his horizons and thoughts.
In the concluding line of Sanjeevani Gatha verse number 186  which we discussed in the previous post,  Swamiji says—
 “स्वामी म्हणे झालो मी चि चराचर। नांदतो  साचार एकला चि”|                 
These lines may sound far fetched or unrealistic, but truly speaking , this is being Cosmic. This is mysticism / direct experience of God. ( अपरोक्ष अनुभव). An evolved, self realised individual ( व्यक्ती - सूक्ष्म- Microcosm ) like Swamiji, who has merged with Cosmos, turns  Macrocosmic( व्यापक- चराचर).  It is his experience, that becomes vocal then
(स्वामी म्हणे झालो मी चि चराचर।) He therefore states ( नांदतो  साचार एकला चि | ).                       
These lines are empirical and should not be dismissed as a fantasy, or a poetic conjecture.                       
Microcosm and macrocosm is an ancient Greek Neo Platonic schema of seeing the same patterns reproduced in all levels of the cosmos ( जे पिंडी तें ब्रम्हांडी). Socrates talks about "आत्मा”, and so does his disciple Plato. Plotinus was an Egyptian philosopher and saw material things and ideal forms as divine creations. This thought is known as the emanation theory, and is closest to our non-duality concept.
The idea is to see beyond the barriers that separate you from everything else, as reality emanates from the Supreme / Divine being, and individuality are essentially seen as an illusion.                                                                                         
In verse number 109 of the same book, Swamijee  says –

“ नांदतो एकला विश्वीं माझा मीच । मज उंच नीच नाही कोणी ।।१।।                   

विश्वीं नाही दुजे ह्यास्तव सहजें । मत्सर नुपजे चित्तामाजी ।।२।।
सांडोनिया मज गेले काम क्रोध । होतां निज बोध अंतर्यामीं ।।३।।

स्वामी म्हणे मन जाहलें तल्लीन । आतां नारायण अंतर्बाह्य।।४।” सं. गाथा/१०९ ॥

(Being  the sole occupant of the World, superiority / inferiority complex ceases to exist for me. My heart breeds no jealousy being alone. Consequent upon this (self) realisation passion and anger have vanished . Filled by Narayan ( Lord VISHNU / The SUPREME ) inside-out i am in ecstasy.”)
We think differently, because from the time we get up in the morning, all our activities / transactions are physical / body related. Our cognitive development is universal. We are, therefore, conditioned to connect every aspect / activity of human life to our bodies including phenomena of birth or death,  which in reality is merely an emergence from / merger in the unbroken /undivided whole, “आत्मरूप / (चैतन्य)”.  Being blessed with a human form our aim should be to manifest this divinity within. Swami Vivekanandaji says-  “ Each soul is potentially divine. The goal is to manifest this divinity within, by controlling nature external and internal.”
In our daily life we experience that human body is perishable, but we conveniently turn blind eye to this irreversible fact of our lives and behave as if we are immortal. India  lost a number of its celebrities, in the year 2012.   They were all very renowned / internationally acclaimed legendary figures. None of us can forget them for years to come.They include-- Rajesh Khanna, Dev Anand, B R Chopra, Balasahib Thakare, Bharat Ratna Pandit Ravi Shankar, Jagajit Singh and more.
Most of us would have also seen funeral procession of some of them on TVs. We see that the body / form  which  we recognised as “ Rajesh Khanna”  “ Dev Anand ” and so on so forth is lying there right in front of our eyes, still we would all say he is no more. What is missing from the mortal remains is the "आत्मरूप (चैतन्य)".
 We have similar experience in our day to day lives, when someone in the family or neighbourhood dies. However, it is only the realised /evolved who come to grips with the fact, that, the real “self ” is not our body / form, but  the all pervasive, omnipotent, indestructible / immortal  “आत्मरूप / (चैतन्य)”. It is for this reason that we need a Sadguru, who can change our mindset.
Swamijee conveys this fact in “Amritdhara” poetically but succinctly as under
'मी मी' म्हणसी परी जाणसी काय खरा 'मी' कोण। असे  ' काय '  मी  'मन ' ' बुद्धी ' वा  ' प्राण ' ? पहा निरखोन ।।  प्राण बुद्धि मन काया माझी परि मी त्यांचा नाही । तीं हि नव्हती माझी कैसें लीला कौतुक पाही !।। गूढ न कांहीं येथ सर्वथा अर्थ उघड वाक्याचा । जाण चराचरिं भरुनि राहिलों मीच एकला साचा

।।अ.धा. ११२-११३-११४।।

(We keep using  the vowel “ I ” often, but do we really know who “ I ” am?  If we analyse logically, we will realise, that, though we keep saying my body, my mind, my intellect , “ I ” am none of these. In the concluding Sakee Swamiji says it is not at all enigmatic but crystal clear that  the “ Real Self ” is  the all pervading , omnipresent, “आत्मरूप / (चैतन्य)”.  The word “ वाक्याचा ” here,  means,  “  महावाक्याचा ”.  Swamiji lived the experience of
“जाण चराचरिं भरुनि राहिलों मीच एकला साचा ”. His " I " extended to the Universe, Canvas of his " I " expanded to the Cosmos, hence this Cosmic citizen states “नांदतो एकला विश्वीं माझा मीच। मज उंच नीच नाही कोणी” 
Suresh Ranade - ranadesuresh@gmail.com

SWAMI  SWAROOPANAND (PAWAS)- 
A COSMIC CITIZEN.  (3)

 I feel especially happy today while uploading this post as this day marks 110th birth anniversary of my Sadguru Swami Swaroopanandjee. He was born on Margashirsh Vadya Dwadashi at Pawas on 15th Dec 1903.     

 This is the third post  under  this title. 

 In the previous blog- post of Sep 20, we talked about the term “आत्मरूप”. 

 In the concluding paras i mentioned about  “Swaroop Patra Manjusha” and  three  letters ( 63,64 & 65) from that compilation. 

 In each one of these Swamijee writes about “साक्षित्व ”, besides his advice on,  “ सो s हं ", SOHAM   (" सः  अहं ", “I am that"),  breathing based meditation  technique. 

 “साक्षित्व ”, is another key word in the process of self realisation. Gurudev R.D Ranade always said“Self realisation, is a process and not an event ”. 

 “ साक्षित्व ”, simply speaking means,  being mindful / a witness, in whatever one does. Remaining consciously aware about your each action. Looking at all your activities dispassionately, in a detached way, as a third person. This way, slowly and gradually, one learns not to take credit for his achievements nor blame someone else for his failures. Ego is like cataract causing vision problems by clouding  the lens in your eye. The only way to have a clear picture is to remove it.  The central  idea of most of the meditation techniques including Vipassana is, to imbibe “साक्षित्व ”, One can achieve it by,  regular practice of , “  सो s हं साधना  ”.  However, it must be remembered, that,“ सो s हं -  साधना  ” should not be taken as  an ultimate goal. It is a ladder to attain  " अद्वैत " ( Non duality). 

“Amritdhara”, which is a compilation of 162 Sakees, by  Swamijee, is a chronology of the process of  his self realisation / enlightenment from that of a seeker. The following Sakees are very illustrious in this regard---

“सो s हं  तेंही अस्तवले ते नाही भोगिले माते | सो s हं- दर्शन अनुभविले ते लिहूनी ठेविले येथे ||” 

( I have gone past “सो s हं”. I have only narrated my experiences during meditation)  

“अद्वय-भक्ति  येता हातीं सरली यातायाती | बुडतां अमृतीं मरण तरी का संभवेल कल्पांतीं” || 

(Non-duality experience gets you rid of the concept of birth/death.Hence no death)  

“मी-तूपण अस्तवले आलें साधनेस पूर्णत्व | कणकणIत कोंदले एकले एक नित्य सत्तत्त्व ||             ( अ.धा.१५५.१५७.१६०). 

( It is the end of duality, of HE and I, as everywhere it is only, “ आत्मतत्व”/ “आत्मरूप”.

“  सो s हं   साधना  ” SOHAM should be used like a pole in the pole vault to catapult oneself, in this case beyond the level of sensory organs, after which the pole is abandoned. Here, going beyond  the level of “सो s हं  साधना”  for merger in Universal consciousness.  This going beyond is qualitative and not quantitative. It is a journey from " अहं ब्रम्हास्मि” to " सर्वं खल्विदं ब्रह्म ", as explained by  Lord Krishna  to Arjuna in the following verse of Geeta-----         

" बहूनां जन्मनामन्ते ज्ञानवान मां प्रपद्यते |वासुदेवः सर्वं इति स महात्मा सुदुर्लभः ||

 गी ७/१९ " 

 ( After a number of births {manifestation in human form } an evolved person merges in / attains ME ( God), because he sees Vasudev ( God ) in everything /and everything in God ).  

When “I”,“अहं” is eliminated  from “ सो s हं ”, subject- object split vanishes and what remains is only “ सः ” (Vasudev / The Supreme.)

In the backdrop of this let us analyse verse number 186 from Sanjeevani Gatha, where Swamijee says-

“ दीन मी अभागी होउनी भिकारी । कैसा दारोदारी हिंडतसे ।। १।। 

मी चि भाग्यवंत होउनी सधन । वाटीतसे अन्न याचकांते ।।२।। 

मी चि नर- नारी संन्यासी संसारी । नाना वेषधारी । मी चि एक ।।३।। 

 स्वामी म्हणे झालो मी चि चराचर । नांदतो  साचार  एकलाचि ।। ४।।” सं. गा. १८६   

( Swamijee says he sees himself in the downtrodden beggar going from door to door , as also in the rich distributing food to the needy. He sees himself in a sage,  a family man, a male, a female. Swami says in different garb it is only he, {in the ATMAROOP form } who is all pervading. )

What Swamijee has written in the ballad above is not fiction, nor an imagination expressed through poetic version. It is a spontaneous flow of an intense experience.This literally is an audience of the Supreme in "अनंत वेषे, अनंत रूपे". ( In infinite attire and looks ). 

 " जेथें जेथें माझें  ।  हिंडेल हे मन  ।  तुझेचि दर्शन ।  तेथे होवो ।।

 तुजविण देवा । न दुजी वासना । शिवो माझ्या मना । कदा  काळीं  ।। "

सं.गा. २४६/ १ - २

 (Here Swamijee says, wherever my mind wanders let me have only your audience. Oh God let no other passion except you ever cross my mind.)

In his commentary on verse number 19 from 7th chapter of Bh. Geeta quoted  ibid, in one of the Ovis Saint Dnyaneshwar says--

हे समस्तही श्री वासुदेव । ऐसा प्रतीती रसाचा वोतला भाव । 

म्हणोनि भक्तामाजी राव । अणि ज्ञानिया तोचि  ।। ज्ञा. ७ / १३६      

( He who perceives /experiences everything to be Vasudeva ( Atmaroop) overwhelmingly, is the realised soul as well as a devotee par excellence. ) Swamijee being such realised / evolved soul says--

                         

एक वासुदेव नांदे चराचरी । त्याविण  दुसरी वस्तू नाही ।। 

वासुदेव येथे वासुदेव तेथे । व्यापितो सर्वांते वासुदेव  ।। सं . गा. १५१ / १ - २।।

वासुदेवाविण विश्वी नाही दुजे। नांदतो सहजे एकलाचि  ।। 

अणुअणूतून राहिला भरून । सकळ संपूर्ण वासुदेव  ।।सं.गा. १४८ /२ -३                           

He saw Vasudeva ( personification of Atmaroop) in everything, including himself, and everything in Vasudeva. 

It is well known, that, Dnyaneshwari, a commentary on Bh. Geeta’s 700 verses by Sant Dnyaneshwar runs in 9033 Ovis in olden day  Marathi of 12th century. By far this is the best commentary on Bh.Geeta. It has been translated in over 15 languages, including few foreign languages. Swamijee transformed it in 16,061 Abhangs in two volumes, which is easily discernible to a present day Marathi reader. The best thing is though he changed the meter of this magnum opus, it has been equally  perspicuous as that of the “Dnyaneshwari”, as he has not disturbed the spirit, contents, as well as the texture of the original work.

Swamijee has unfolded before us the road map of eternal happiness & peace through his abundant and rich literature. Today he may not be amongst us bodily but his energy form (" चैतन्यरूप") continues to be the ruder and guiding force for hundreds of his disciples and followers like me till date.

The following verses from Swamijee’s Abhang Dnyaneshwari, appear to be describing his persona-- 

तैसे त्याचे चित्त । काय सांगूं  फार । देखे चराचर । मद्रूप चि  ।।  

मजपासोनियां  । किटकापर्यंत । एक भगवंत । दुजें नाहीं ।।

तत्क्षणीं  मी विश्व --। रूप भगवंत । आकळें निभ्रांत । तयालागीं ।।

ऐसें होता ज्ञान । मग आपोआप । माझें विश्वरूप । दिसे तया ।। 

अ.ज्ञा. ११/१३७२-७५।।

तैसे जेणे मज । जाणोनी तत्वतां  । सांडिली सर्वथा  । भेद - बुद्धि ।। 

आपणासकट । सर्व हि ते मीच । जाणोनि हे साच । म्हणे जो का ।। 

स्वयंसिद्ध सत--चित ।आनंद --निधान । सर्वत्र  संपूर्ण । मी च एक ।। 

तयालागीं  ज्ञान । झालें सर्व कांहीं  । ऐसे बोलणेहि  । तोकडेच ।।

की  तो ब्रह्मरूप । जाहला म्हणोन । तया द्वैतभान  । नाही कोठे ।। 

अ. ज्ञा. १५/१०११-१०१५ ।।  

( In short  it describes a person who has transcended duality and has turned Cosmic heart and soul (“ जीव ब्रम्हैक्य योग”)  

Swamijee was a living example of  such a state therefore he says ---                                                                           

            “  स्वामी म्हणे झालो मी चि चराचर । नांदतो  साचार  एकलाचि ।।”

सं. गा. १८६ /४  ||