SURE WAYS TO SUCCESS IN LIFE AND GOD-REALISATION BY SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA

(Message 5)

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CHAPTER TWO
RAJA YOGA

PRACTICE OF RAJA YOGA

I

The word Yoga comes from a Sanskrit root `Yuj' which means `to join'.
By practice of Yoga, the individual soul (human being) is united with
the Lord or God. Yoga means union with God.

Union with God is the goal of human life and human endeavour. It
should be the be-all and end-all of our existence. It is the Summum
Bonum. Yoga kills all sorts of pain, miseries and tribulations. Yoga
frees you from the Samsaric wheel of births and deaths. Yoga gives
you various Siddhis, and Mukti through Jnana. Drink the elixir of
nectar of immortality, and become a Yogi. Therefore you find in the
Gita: "tasmat yogee bhava arjuna" (Ch. vi, 46).

Yoga teaches us how to curb the outgoing tendencies of the mind and
attain the pure state of bliss by going beyond the mind. Yoga teaches
how to transmute the unregenerate nature and attain the state of
divinity. Raja Yoga aims at controlling all thought waves or mental
modifications. Hence it is called Raja Yoga, which means "King of all
Yogas."

Horses and dogs possess minds; but, they have neither discrimination
nor intelligence nor Vichara-Sakti. Hence it is not possible for them
to attain freedom. Ignorant people identify themselves with the body,
mind and the Vrittis of the mind. The mind and body are mere
instruments. The real man is, of course, behind the mind. If you
become one with the mind, body, and the Vrittis, you get various
sorts of misery and suffering. The whole universe is created by the
Vrittis of the mind alone. If these mental waves or thought-waves
subside, you can attain the absolute state, the state of highest
bliss and peace. Just as you can clearly see the bottom of a lake
when the ripples and waves on the surface subside, even so, you can
cognise your real Self when the Vrittis that agitate the mind
subside. Just as soap cleanses the physical body, even so Japa of any
Mantra, Dhyana and Kirtana, together with the practice of Yama and
Niyama, cleanse the mind of all its impurities. Just as you nourish
the physical body with food, even so, you will have to give good food
for the mind, and spiritual food for the soul.

When your business collapses or fails, when you are immersed in grief
by the untimely death of your only son, and when you hear some
shocking news that has much to do with your life, you get emaciation
of body though you eat nourishing substantial food. You feel
tremendous internal weakness. This clearly proves that mind exists
and cheerfulness is an infallible mental tonic. When a lady is deeply
engaged in the management of her daughter's marriage, she forgets to
take her food. But she is always happy. Her heart leaps with joy. Joy
and cheerfulness are powerful tonics for her mind! She feels inner
mental strength and happiness, although she does not take her food.

Possession of powers causes intoxication of mind. He who possesses
powers always misuses them. He wants to command, control and domineer
over others. It is very difficult to renounce position and power.
That is the reason why Raja Yoga philosophy teaches aspirants to
practise Yama and Niyama in the beginning. He who is established in
Yama and Niyama will not misuse his powers. He cannot command others.
He will be humble. He will have the spirit of service and self-
sacrifice.

Chalk out a programme of life. Draw your spiritual routine. Stick to
it systematically and regularly. Apply yourself diligently. Waste not
even a single precious minute. Life is short. Time is fleeting.
That "tomorrow" will never come. Now or never. Stand up with the firm
resolve: "I will become a Yogi in this very birth, this very moment."
Gird up your loins. Do rigid, constant Yoga Sadhana or Abhyasa. Walk
along the path of Yoga in the footsteps of Jnanadeva, Gorakhnath,
Sadasiva Brahman and Trilinga Swami.

If you are really very sincere in your practice, and if your mind is
filled with Vairagya or dispassion and keen longing for Liberation,
you will reach the goal of perfection within six years. There is no
doubt about this.

II

Chitta is the mind-stuff (mental substance). It takes various forms
or shapes. These forms constitute Vrittis. It gets transformed or
modified (Parinama). These transformations or modifications are the
thought-waves, whirlpools or Vrittis. If the Chitta thinks of a
mango, the Vritti of a mango is formed in the lake of the Chitta at
once, then and there. This will subside and another Vritti will be
formed when it thinks of milk (Milk-Vritti). Countless Vrittis are
arising and subsiding in the ocean of Chitta. These Vrittis cause
restlessness of mind.

Why do Vrittis arise from the Chitta? Because of Samskaras and
Vasanas. If you annihilate all Vasanas or desires, all Vrittis will
subside by themselves.

When a Vritti subsides, it leaves a definite impression in the
subconscious mind. It is known as Samskara or latent impression. The
sum total of all Samskaras is known as Karmasaya (receptacle of
works). This is called Sanchita Karma (accumulated works). When a man
leaves this physical body, he carries with him his astral body of
seventeen Tattvas and the Karmasaya as well to the mental plane. This
Karmasaya is burnt in toto by the highest knowledge obtained through
Asamprajnata Samadhi.

That place where you can get concentration of mind is the right place
for your meditation and Yogic practices. This is the general rule.
During concentration, you will have to collect carefully the
dissipated rays of the mind. Vrittis (whirlpools or thought-waves)
will be ever rising from the ocean of Chitta. You will have to put
down the waves as they arise. If all the waves subside, the mind
becomes calm, serene and tranquil. Then alone the Yogi enjoys peace
and bliss. Therefore, happiness lies within. You will have to get it
through control of mind; and not through money or women or children,
or name and fame, rank and power.

There must be constant endeavour to keep the mind on one point. As
soon as the mind wanders away from the point, you will have to bring
it back to the same point. This is Abhyasa or Yogic Practice. Check
the intellectual function of the Chitta by Abhyasa (practice), and
the emotional side of the mind by Vairagya (dispassion). Then alone
the mind will become calm. Then alone it will come under your control
quite easily.

Purity of mind leads to perfection in Yoga. Regulate your conduct
when you deal with others. Have no feeling of jealousy or hatred
towards others. Be compassionate. Do not hate sinners. Be kind to
all. Prostrate before everybody. Develop complacency towards
superiors. The success in Yoga will be rapid if you put in your
maximum effort and energy in Yogic practices. You should possess a
keen longing for Liberation, and intense Vairagya as well. You must
be sincere and earnest.

Intense and constant meditation is necessary for entering Samadhi. By
continence, devotion to Guru and steady practice, success in Yoga
comes after a long time. The aspirant should always be patient and
persevering. He who takes to Nivritti Marga or the path of
renunciation, generally becomes lazy after sometime, as he does not
know how to utilise the mental energy and follow the instructions of
his Guru and keep up a daily routine. He gets Vairagya, but he has no
experience of the spiritual line. He does not make any real spiritual
progress in the end.

If the Yogic student who practises regular meditation is gloomy,
surely, there is some error in his meditation. If he is depressed and
weak, surely something is wrong somewhere. Meditation makes a man
strong, cheerful and healthy. If aspirants themselves are gloomy, how
can they radiate joy, peace and strength to householders or
Grihasthas? Grihasthas seek the company of Mahatmas for peace and
Ananda. A cheerful, ever-smiling countenance is a sure sign of true
spiritual and inner divine life.

Just as there are steps in the ascending staircase, so also there are
steps in Yogic Samadhi. Savitarka, Nirvitarka, Savichara, Nirvichara
and Sasmita, are all steps in the Yogic ladder. One has got to master
all these lower Samadhis before he can reach the final blissful
Asamprajnata Samadhi. There are some developed souls who are in a
state of Samadhi from their very births. They have not acquired this
by any exertion on their part in this birth. They are called born-
Siddhas. They had finished their Sadhanas in their previous births.
In some special cases, it is quite possible for one to obtain the
higher stages of Yoga in the very beginning, through the grace of
God. Jnanadeva of Alandi reached higher stages of Yoga from his very
boyhood. When he was a boy, he touched a buffalo. The buffalo
repeated the Vedas. Ramalinga Swami of Vadalur in South India — the
illustrious author of Arutpa — also attained the higher stages of
Yoga at the very outset. But, such instances are, indeed, rare. In
the vast majority of cases, persons must proceed step by step and
stage by stage in Yoga.

Master every stage of Yoga. Gradually ascend the successive stages
boldly and cheerfully. Do not talk of taking up higher step before
completing the lower one. This is the right royal road to true
meditation and Samadhi.

The sum total of knowledge of this universe is nothing when compared
to the spiritual knowledge that is obtained through Self-realisation.
Worldly mundane knowledge is false knowledge. If the Yogic student
attains Dharma-Megha Samadhi (cloud of virtue), there is no fear of
his falling down. Nothing can tempt him. There is no more evil or
pain for him. This state can come only when the Yogi rejects all
powers ruthlessly. There is a particular kind of spiritual
illumination. The Yogi then attains peace, purity, satisfaction and
spiritual bliss.

Just as fire burns a heap of dried leaves or grass, even so, the fire
of Yoga burns all Karmas in toto. The Yogi attains Kaivalya (absolute
freedom). Through Samadhi, he gets intuition. Real knowledge flashes
in him in a second. Now the present alone exists for him. The past
and future are lost.

He who has firm faith in the Srutis and Sastras, who has right
conduct or Sadachara, who is constantly engaged in the service of his
Guru, who lives in the company of sages, who has intense Vairagya, —
and last but not the least — who is free from lust, anger, Moha,
greed and vanity, can easily cross the ocean of Samsara and attain
Samadhi soon.

Neti, Dhauti, Basti, Nauli, Asanas, Mudras and Bandhas keep the body
healthy and strong and under control. But they are not the be-all and
end-all of Yoga. One should practise Dhyana (meditation). Meditation
will culminate in Samadhi and Self-realisation. He who practises
Hatha Yogic Kriyas is not a Purna-Yogi (full-blown Yogi). He alone
who has entered into Asamprajnata Samadhi is a Purna-Yogi. He is
absolutely independent (Svatantra-Yogi).

MENTAL FACTORY

My silent adorations and prostrations to the Proprietor, the Inner
Ruler, the Superintendent, the Supreme Head, the President-Founder,
the Silent Sakshi and the Governor of this wonderful mental factory!
Brahman (Absolute) is the Silent Sakshi of this factory.

Hiranyagarbha is the Supreme Director of this factory. Every man has
his own mental factory. Hiranyagarbha is the sum total of all minds.
He has to manage and supervise the whole cosmic factory.

He who dwells within the mind, who is within the mind, whom the mind
does not know, whose body the mind is, and who rules the mind from
within, is thy Self—Inner Ruler, Immortal. Salutations to this Inner
Ruler who illumines the minds and the mental factory!

Just as a peace of iron moves in the immediate presence of the
magnet, even so, this insentient mind moves and works in the presence
of the Inner Ruler. This point has not been properly understood by
the Western psychologists, rationalists, free thinkers, communists,
socialists, etc. Hence they are always restless and are groping in
darkness. The vibration of psychic or subtle Prana manufactures
thoughts in the mind.

How wonderful is the vast factory of Henry Ford! He has understood
rightly the value of time. Time is money for him. He has no breathing
time. He is ever absorbed in his business affairs. His one idea is
the manufacture of motor cars. If this mental energy was directed
towards God, he would have become one of the most powerful Yogins
this world or the next has ever produced. He has wonderful
concentration. But his mind is working in the opposite direction, in
a separate groove or avenue. He is an unconscious, eternal Raja Yogi.
Glory unto Henry Ford! Glory unto his liberality, kind-heartedness
and magnanimity! He takes great care of his labourers very wisely. He
gives them good wages. He affords them proper medical help. He gives
pension to those who have lost one arm or one leg, and is very kind
to them. He is very merciful. One will be astonished to survey his
magnanimous factory. How active and alert are the workers there! How
quickly work is being turned out there! People are so much busy that
they are not able to feel the presence of others. When once King
Edward VIII was Prince of Wales, he visited this factory. The moment
he entered the factory, fresh ore was taken, melted, and all the nuts
and other parts of a car were manufactured in his immediate presence
then and there. Everything was nicely fitted, a nice car was produced
and presented to the Prince before he left the factory! What a
wonderful work this is!

Still more wonderful is the present-day radio station and wireless
telegraphy which has connected the world and has made communication
very, very easy, which silently preaches about oneness of life,
oneness of energy, oneness of consciousness; and which silently
proves the Upanishadic utterances and experiences of the Eastern
sages of yore, viz., "ekameva adviteeyam brahma. One without a
second." The voice of one lecturer or singer is heard by all the
people of the world at one and the same time. There is physical
clairaudiance; and the television will bring in physical clairvoyance
as well. The hearts of all people are united when radio operates.
They feel oneness. All share the talented gifts of one man. The radio
bespeaks in clear terms the glory, reality and actuality of Sankara's
Advaita philosophy. The study of radio elevates a man of thinking to
lofty heights and brings home to his mind the idea of universal love
and service, killing all ideas of separateness, difference, dualities
and divisions. It rings the message of the Upanishads, the message of
unity, oneness, sameness, identity and homogeneity. The microphone
magnifies, amplifies and intensifies the sound-waves and sends them
with a tremendous velocity in all directions through the medium of
ether. In a second, the waves travel seven times round the whole
world. How marvellous! Messages or songs are broadcast throughout the
world; and the whole world rejoices. This is Vedanta. This is
Advaita. This is Jnana Yoga. The radio is the external symbol of
Vedanta or Brahman.

Now I will take you to the description of the most wonderful mental
factory, which is very close to you, and which is a wonder of
wonders. Even a rank materialist, if he is very sincere, will be
turned within a second into a perfect theist if he were to close his
eyes for a second and seriously reflect on the working of this
marvellous factory. The Kena Upanishad starts with the philosophy in
the opening lines: "Who is the Director of this mind? Who gives light
and power to this mind?" Then it goes on, saying: "Brahman (Existence-
Absolute, Knowledge-Absolute and Bliss-Absolute) is the Mind of
minds, Prana of Pranas, Eye of eyes, Ear of ears." What a bold
philosophy! It at once raises a man to sublime and lofty heights. It
brings an immediate and unerring solution for all difficult problems
of life. The four Mahavakyas—Prajnanam Brahma, Aham Brahma Asmi, Tat
Tvam Asi, Ayam Atma Brahma—infuse power and joy into the hearts of
hearers. They produce drastic changes in the life of a person. It has
made me an Emperor of emperors and a King of kings. It has made me a
Shah of shahs. Now I laugh at the vain pomp, empty glory and the
artificial miserable life of rich men. Now I fully realise the glory
of the utterance of Sankara. "kowpeenavantah khalu bhagyavantah,"
which means that that man with one loin cloth or Kowpeen is the
happiest man in the world. I now fully understand the splendour of
Bhartrihari's soliloquy: "I wish to rejoice in my own Atman by
meditating on my Ishtam, Lord Siva, sitting on a block of stone on
the sacred banks of the Ganga, alone with a Kowpeen, having my hands
as the bowl for food, the sky as the canopy, hands as the pillow, the
rags as my cloth, the skin as my upper garment, the cave as my
dwelling place, mother earth with green grass and flowers as my
velvety carpet, the roots as my food, and the Holy waters of the
Ganga as my royal beverage."

Now tell me honestly, dear friends, who is the happiest man on this
earth? Is it a rich landlord, or a Yogi who is contemplating on the
banks of the Ganga in the Himalayas with a single Kowpeen? Now just
hear the story of a rich baron who gave an interview to a clergyman.
The baron said to the clergy man: "Having heard of my wealth, you
have come to see what sort of life I am living. I am the most
miserable man on the surface of this earth. I suffer from all sorts
of cares and anxieties. I do fully realise the significance of that
wise saying: `Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown'. I do not
get any sleep. I suffer from Diabetes, Gastritis, Neuritis,
Nephritis, Enteritis, Appendicitis, and ever so many other `itis. I
have consumed the medicines of the Merck's and Parke Davis'
laboratories. Still I have not found any relief. I am hungry and yet
I cannot take any food. I have to live on oat-meal porridge. When I
look at sweetmeats or oranges, I am tempted to eat, but the doctors
prevent me from eating. They say that the percentage of sugar, and
the tension of pressure in my blood, will increase. Hear another part
of my story! I am guarded day in and day out by my sentries on every
side. I am the worst kind of prisoner. I now fully realise and
believe the theory of Karma and transmigration of soul of the Hindus.
I am praying to God that He may be graciously pleased to give me the
birth of a care-free Yogi with a Kowpeen alone, so that I may be able
to practise Yoga on the banks of the Ganga in the Himalayas. I do not
want this wretched wealth which is the greatest enemy of real, inner
spiritual peace and happiness and the bliss of the Self."

This is certainly not a digression. Now I shall come to the mental
factory back again. In the above pages I have shown that there is a
Director of this mental factory, and that the direct perception of
this Director through purification of mind and spiritual practices of
concentration and meditation can bring about Self-realisation,
freedom, perfection and immortality. I have to hammer on your mind,
over and over, the importance of Self-realisation which and which
alone can bestow on you real bliss; and about the existence of God or
Atman who is the source for this mind, will and memory, and who gives
light and power to this little mind. Do not forget this point.
The eyes and ears are the gatekeepers of this wonderful mental
factory. They are the `way in'. Mouth is the `way out'. The eyes and
the ears bring inside the mental factory matters for manufacture.
Light-vibrations and sound-vibrations are brought inside through
these two avenues. They are first made into `percepts' by the mind.
The mind presents these `percepts' to the intellect. The Buddhi
(intellect) converts these `percepts' into `concepts' or ideas. These
ideas are expressed by the outside gatekeeper, viz., Vak-Indriya (the
organ of speech). Just as the raw sugar-cane juice is treated with so
many chemicals and passes through various settling tanks and is
packed as pure crystals, just as ordinary clay mixed and treated with
plaster of Paris, etc., passes through settling tanks and is made
into jugs, jars, plates, cups, etc., just as crude sand is turned
into beautiful glassware of various sorts in a glass factory, so
also, mere light vibrations and sound vibrations are turned into
powerful ideas or `concepts' of various description in this wonderful
mental factory.

The external physical eyes and physical ears are only mere
instruments. They are Bahya-Karanas only. But the real visual and
auditory centres are in the brain and in the astral body. These
centres are the real Indriyas. Understand this point well. The Buddhi
receives the materials from the mind and presents them to the Purusha
or Atman who is behind the screen. Buddhi is the prime minister. He
is closer to Purusha than the mind, as he is the prime minister. Mind
is the commander and has the five soldiers, the five Karma Indriyas,
to execute his orders. He is the advocate who places the facts before
the judge, Buddhi. The mind is the head clerk of the mental factory.
He has ten clerks, five Jnana Indriyas to bring news and facts from
outside, and five Karma Indriyas to execute his orders. As soon as
the facts are placed by the intellect before the Purusha, there
flashes out egoism or Ahankara. The Buddhi receives back the message
from the Purusha, decides and determines, and gives back to the mind
for execution. The five Karma Indriyas, viz., Vak, Pani, Pada,
Upastha and Guda or Payu (speech, hands, feet, genitals and anus)
execute the orders of the mind who is their master.

Antahkarana or inner instrument is a broad term which includes mind,
intellect, memory and Ahankara (egoism). The one Antahkarana assumes
different names, just as the same man assumes the name of a `judge',
when he works as a judge in law-courts; `president', when he serves
in a society or association; `chairman', when he presides in a
meeting; and `store-keeper', when he is in charge of stores. When you
pass along a mango garden, the mind does Sankalpa-Vikalpa (will and
doubt). It thinks whether it is a good mango or not. The Buddhi comes
to its aid. It determines and says: "This is a good mango. This is a
good Kalmi variety." The Chitta does Anusandhana. It says: "I will
find out the methods to get the mangoes. I will enquire who is the
gardener. I will purchase from him." Ahankara self-arrogates: "I must
have this mango at any cost." Then the mind gives the execution to
the Karma Indriyas—feet. The feet take the man to the gardener.
Ahankara purchases the mango and eats. The impressions of the mango
remain in the mind and a Vasana is formed in the mind. The thought of
enjoyment comes to the mind later on, through memory in the form of
subtle Vasana, produces Sankalpa (thought), and troubles the man
again to enjoy the mango. This cycle of things, viz., desire, thought
and action is going on from eternity to eternity and has brought
bondage to man. When the Vasana is repeated several times, it becomes
a strong passion or desire. The man finds it difficult to control
passion, and becomes a slave to passion and Indriyas. A strong sense-
hankering is called a Trishna. The difference between desire and
Vasana is that the Vasana is subtle and hidden in the subconscious
mind, whereas the desire is gross. The pleasure derived from the
enjoyment of an object brings attachment in this mind. Attachment is
death. Attachment is Moha. The man who is full of sense-Vasanas is
tied to various objects. Escape becomes well nigh impossible for him.
Escape is possible only by destroying these knots by knowedge of the
Witness or Director of this mental factory who has kept up this show
inside.

If you can clairvoyantly visualise the inner working of this mental
factory, you will be dumb-founded. Just as in the telephone-office of
a big city, various messages come from diverse houses and firms to
the central station, and the central operator plugs, connects and
disconnects the various switches, so also, the mind plugs, connects
and disconnects. When you want to see a thing, the mind puts a plug
in the other four centres of hearing, smelling, tasting and feeling.
When you want to hear something, the mind plugs the other four
centres. The mind functions with tremendous speed which is
unimaginable. You can clearly see the numberless pigeon-holes in the
subconscious mind or Chitta where various sorts of things are
recorded in perfect order. They are classified, grouped and labelled
with accurate and precious denominations. You will see that the
subconscious mind works with tremendous activity and precision, just
as the head-sorter of the R.M.S., in the Punjab Mail train works. One
impression rises up as a thought-wave and comes to the surface of the
mind for tickling the Jiva into action. You will see various colours
of thoughts. If there is a spiritual or holy thought, you will find
the thought tinged with beautiful yellow colour. If there is thought
of anger, dark red arrows will shoot out from the mind. Various
shades of colours will be seen according to the nature of thought.
You will find perfect order in cosmos. The working is very smooth and
harmonious, because there is the Antaryami behind. He directs and
guides. Just as in the presence of a king, the minister and other
officers work smoothly, so also, the mere presence of the Inner
Ruler, the indwelling, interpenetrating Presence, the mind and other
inner faculties work without any kind of friction.

There are different regions for sentiments, emotions, instincts and
impulses. There are highlands and lowlands in the mind. There is the
spiritual plane, and there are the planes of instinctive mind and
intellect. There is the region of Suddha Manas; and there is the
region of Asuddha Manas, the region of the instinctive or lower mind.
On one side, the will steps in to execute a certain strong desire of
the mind; and the various other faculties, such as memory and Dharana
Sakti (power of judgment and reflection), will stand behind, in a
disciplined array, to help their master—will. After the will has
executed one order, imagination will come forward and speculate one
scheme. Memory will help imagination. The three Gunas, various modes,
and the thirteen evil Vrittis, viz., lust, anger, etc., will show
their faces in different colours. Just as, in a talkie, the actors
come and go with marvellous rapidity, the various faculties come to
the scene, work and retire to their respective quarters and rooms for
rest. The scene is simply thrilling and magnanimous. Words cannot
describe. You will have to develop this clairvoyant astral sight
through purification and concentration. Even if you practise
introspection and self-analysis or self-examination in the morning at
4 a.m., by sitting on Virasana or Padmasana in a quiet room, you will
fully understand the working of this mental factory and the menagerie
that goes on in the circus of the mental plane.

In conclusion, friends, forget not the Director of this mental
factory who is your own Inner Self. He is awake even when this mental
factory is temporarily closed at midnight. Try to meet Him by
purifying the mind and by the practice of regular concentration.
Develop all powers or faculties of the mind and get sanguine success
in your life, and eventually merge in Him. May that Director of this
mental factory guide you!