A Study of the Bhagavata Purana or Esoteric Hinduism Part 2

This is Virat Purusha. This is how the Universe-aspect of Purusha is realised in meditation, more as a means of concentration, than as the end. When the mind is sufficiently fixed by Dharana or contemplation of Virat Purusha, it has next to meditate on the Purusha in the heart.

SKANDHA II.

THE PURUSHA IN ALL HEARTS.

*SKANDHA II., CHAP. 2.*

Some meditate within their own body on the Purusha of the size of _pradesa_ (the s.p.a.ce of the thumb and forefinger) in the s.p.a.ce covered by the heart, who dwells there. He has four hands containing Sankha (conch), chakra (a sharp circular missile), Gada (club) and Padma (lotus). His face is smiling, His eyes are as wide as lotus petals, and His cloth is yellow as the filament of the Kadamba flower. His armlets glitter with gems and gold. His crown and earrings sparkle with brilliant stones. Adepts in Yoga place His feet on the pericarp of the full blown lotus in the heart. With Him is Sri (Lakshmi). The Kaustubha gem is on His neck. He is adorned with a garland of ever blooming wild flowers. His hair is curling and deep blue. His very look is full of kindness to all.

As long as the mind is not fixed by Dharana, meditate on this form of ishvara, with the help of thy imagination. Concentrate your mind on one limb after another, beginning with the feet of Vishnu and ending with His smiling face. Try to grasp every limb in thought and then proceed to the next-higher. But as long as Bhakti or Devotion is not developed, do not fail to contemplate also on the Universe aspect of Purusha.

THE DEATH OF THE YOGI AND AFTER.

*SKANDHA II., CHAP. 2.*

When all desires are controlled by meditation, and the Yogi is lost in the contemplation of Vishnu, he sits in proper posture, pressing his feet against the a.n.u.s and perseveringly draws the vital air upwards to the six centres. He draws the air in the navel centre (Manipur) to the cardiac plexus, thence to the plexus beneath the throat (Visuddha), thence gradually by intuition to the root of the palate. (Sridhara Svami calls this last the higher part of Visuddha chakra, and remarks that the vital air is not displaced from that position. This may be called the pharyngeal plexus.) Thence he takes the vital air to Ajna chakra, which is situated between the two eye-brows. Then he controls the seven holes (the ears, the eyes, the nostrils and the mouth). He then looks steadily for half a Muhurta, and if he has not a trace of desire left in him gives up the body and the Indriyas, pa.s.ses out through the Brahma-randhra and attains the state of Vishnu.

[It will be noticed above that six plexuses are mentioned other than the Sacral and the prostatic.

In the death of the desireless Yogi, there is no record of thereafter, for nothing is known beyond our cosmos.]

"But, O king," said Suka, "if the Yogi seeks for the highest cosmic state or for the roamings of aerial Siddhas over the whole of cosmos, in full control of the eight Siddhis, he will then take his Manas and Indriyas with him. It is said that these Masters of Yoga can move both inside and outside Triloki, for their Linga Sarira consists of the atoms of air. The state attained by those that acquire Samadhi by Upasana, Tapas and Yoga cannot be reached by Vedic Karma. In s.p.a.ce when the Yogi moves towards the Brahma Loka or Satya Loka, he first goes by means of his Sushumna Nadi to Vaisvanara or the fire-G.o.d for the Sushumna by its light extends beyond the body. His impurities being all washed away, he goes upwards to the Sisumara Chakra of Hari (_i.e._, up to the highest point of Triloki, as will be explained afterwards). Then crossing that Chakra of Vishnu, which is the navel of the Universe, he reaches the Mahar Loka with his pure Linga Sarira. There the dwellers of Svarga cannot go. Mahar Loka is the abode of Brahmavids, where Bhrigu and other adepts who live for a whole Kalpa dwell.

"The Yogi remains in Mahar Loka till the end of the Kalpa, when, seeing the Triloki burnt up by fire from the mouth of Ananta or Sankarshana, the fires reaching even Mahar Loka's he moves towards the abode of Paramesthi (Satya Loka or Brahma Loka). This highest Loka lasts for two Pararddhas and is adorned by the chariots of the kings of Siddhas. There is no sorrow in Brahma Loka, no infirmity, no death, no misery, no fear of any kind. But the Yogi suffers from mental pain caused by sympathy with those that suffer for their ignorance of the supreme state in the recurrence of births with their endless miseries.

"There are three courses for those that go to Brahma Loka. Some by the excellence of their merits get responsible cosmical positions at the next Kalpa. Others remain in the Brahma Loka till the end of the cosmos or Brahmanda. The Upasakas of Bhagavan however may at their will pierce through the cosmos or Brahmanda and reach the trans-cosmic plane of Vishnu. The text goes on to say how this is done. The cosmos consists of seven Patalas and seven Lokas, together forming the fourteen-fold Bhuvana, which extends over 50 Krores of Yojanas (1 Yojana = 8 miles).

Surrounding this is a covering of the earthy principle, such as was not used up in the formation of the cosmos, extending over one krore of yojanas. (According to some this covering extends over 50 krores of yojanas.) The second cover is of water, extending over ten times as much s.p.a.ce as earth, the third of fire, the fourth of air, the fifth of akasa, the sixth of Ahankara, the seventh of Mahat, each covering ten times as much s.p.a.ce as the one preceding. The eighth cover is Prakriti, which is all pervading. The Linga Sarira of the Yogi in pa.s.sing through the earthy cover, becomes earthy, through water becomes watery, and through fire, fiery. With the fiery body he goes to the air cover and with the airy cover to the akasa cover. He pa.s.ses also through the Tanmatras and senses them. He pa.s.ses through Prana itself and becomes all action. Having thus crossed the Sthula and Sukshma coverings, the Yogi reaches the sixth covering that of the Transformable or Ahankara Tatva, which is the absorber of the Tanmatras and of the Indriyas.

Thence he goes to Mahat Tatva and thence to Pradhana, where all the Gunas find their resting place. Then becoming all Pradhana himself full of bliss, he attains with the exhaustion of all _upadhis_ the trans-cosmic Atma, which is Peace and Bliss.

"These are the two ways to Mukti, the one prompt and the other deferred as sung in the Vedas."

The following Diagram may be of some help in understanding the above: -

[Ill.u.s.tration: A diagram of concentric circles with P at the center and M' the outermost, with the Key below working inwards.]

KEY TO THE CIRCLE.

M' = Mahat cover 1,000,000 Krores or 50,000,000 Krores Yojanas.

A" = Ahankara cover 100,000 or 5,000,000 Krores Yojanas.

A' = akas cover 10,000 or 500,000 Krores Yojanas.

V = Vayu cover 1000 or 50.000 Krores Yojanas.

T' = Tejas cover 100 or 5000 Krores Yojanas.

A = apas cover 10 or 500 Krores Yojanas.

E = Earth cover 1 or 50 Krores Yojanas.

S'= Satya Loka

T = Tapas Loka

J = Jana Loka

M = Mahar Loka

S = Svar Loka

B' = Bhuvar Loka

B = Bhur Loka

P = Seven Patalas

S' to P = 50 Krores Yojanas.

A' to E = Includes Tanmatras, Indriyas and Prana.

Prakriti surrounds the whole circle.

WHAT MEN ARE TO DO AND WHAT THEY ARE NOT TO DO.

*SKANDHA II. CHAP. 3.*

This was the second part of Pariks.h.i.+t's question, and to this general question, the answer is also general. Those that want divine glory wors.h.i.+p Brahma. Those that want their Indriyas to be powerful wors.h.i.+p Indra and so on. But those that are desirous of Moksha must practise Bhakti Yoga towards the supreme Purusha. Of all Upasakas, this is the only means of attaining supreme bliss, unswerving Bhakti or devotion to Bhagavan and the company of Bhagavatas.

THE BHAGaVATA PURaNA AS RELATED BY BRAHMa TO NaRADA.

*SKANDHA II. CHAP. 4-6.*