What Is Your Style Of Meditation

A concise summary of Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 2 Chapter 1

The dialog between Sage Suka and Parikshit begins now. This dialog took place at the banks of Ganges about 5000 years ago at a place called Shukratal. This historical place is 86 Kms before you get to Haridwar on Delhi-Haridwar route.

Sage Suka begins by responding to the following 3 questions:

1. What should a man hear, chant and worship?

2. What should a man do who is about to die?

3. What is the approved method of practicing “Dharana”, which is the 6th step in process of Ashtanga Yoga?

The questions were answered by the sage in the way it were asked:

What should a man hear, chant and worship?

The sage begins by saying that the process he is going to describe in response to this question is ideal for someone who is in a householder’s life and has attachments. This method is even relished by someone like him who had already attained liberation by firmly establishing himself in the meditation of Brahman (formless spiritual energy) aspect of God.

• One should hear about, chant his names and worship the Supreme Person, Lord Hari. He is the reliever of bondage, of Samsara (the cycle of repeated birth and death)

• One becomes gradually fearless through this method

• Lord Narayana should be remembered at the moment of death

• The lilas (activities) and qualities of Lord Krishna should be discussed

• Meditate upon Vishnu (Paramatma) in your heart

• Anyone in any condition of life can gain detachment quickly through this method

What should a man do who is about to die?

A man who is detached from householder life and detached from pleasure should adopt this method at the end of life.

• Renounce home

• Bathe in holy waters at a sacred place

• Sit in a secluded place on a seat that follows Yoga principles

• Repeat in mind the great syllable “AUM”

• Practice control of breath

• Withdraw all senses by trying to engage the mind on an auspicious object

• Meditate on the feet of the Lord Hari

What is the approved method of practicing “Dharana”?

Dharana means Deep Concentrative Meditation. The sage says that this method should be followed by someone who has full control over one’s breath, mind, and senses and fix one’s mind on the Universal Form of the Lord (Virat Rupa).

Lord Krishna showed his Universal Form in multiple instances. The descriptions of the form in these instances is as observed by the observer.

• The Universal Form showed to Mother Yashoda in his mouth

• The Universal Form showed to Arjuna on the battlefield

• The Universal Form showed to Bhisma in Hastinapur’s Royal Court when Duryodhana tries to arrest the Lord

However, the Universal Form described here is the conceptual form of the Lord. It is said that Lord Brahma gained the knowledge to create various material manifestations (beginning with water) by performing this style of meditation.

• The Supreme Lord’s body is the Universe which looks like an egg and is covered with 7 layers of material elements (earth, air, fire, water, space, material energy, and false ego)

• The realms of hellish beings or hell are considered to be his legs

• The realms of humans, animals, and plants are considered to be his hips

• The realms of gods or heaven are considered to be his upper body

• The realm of Lord Brahma is considered to be his head

• The gods are his arms

• The cardinal points are his ears

• The sound is his auditory sense

• The two Ashvini Kumaras (physicians of gods) are his nostrils

• The fragrance is his sense of smell

• His mouth is the burning fire

• The Sky is his eyes

• The Sun is his sense of sight

• The day and night are his eyelids

• The water is his sense of taste

• The Vedas are his third eye

• Lord Yamaraj is his teeth

• Maya, illusion is his laugh

• Modesty is his upper lip

• Greed is his lower lip

• The path of righteousness is his chest

• The unrighteous path is his back

• Prajapati’s like Viswakarma and Daksha are his penis

• Mitra and Varuna are his testicles

• The rivers are his arteries

• The trees are hairs on his body

• Time is his movement

• The gunas (goodness, passion, and ignorance) are his attributes

• The twilight is his garment

• The unmanifest material energy is his heart

• The Moon is his mind

• Lord Shiva is his internal organs

• The birds are his expressions

• The Manu’s are his comprehension

• The human race is his dwelling place

• The Apsaras (heavenly female beings) are his musical notes

• The priests are his mouth

• The leaders are his arms

• The merchants and farmers are his thighs

• The irreligious materially desired humans are his feet

• The various manifestations in the Universe are the principle of his intelligence

The Supreme Lord is infinite. Everything that is manifest is a part of him (Universal Form), He is in Everything and Everyone (Paramatma) and He is eternally present outside of the material manifestation (Bhagavan). The Vedas use the analogy of water; it is present in our body but it also exists outside of our body in the form of oceans, rivers, and lakes. Similarly, the Lord is present in everything, everything in him and he is outside of everything simultaneously.