समाधि। Samadhi

 Samadhi 

Samadhi is interpreted differently by different schools of thoughts. Vedanta and Yoga have different views on Sanadhi. Adwaita Vedanti may say the Atma is the Samadhi. The knowledge which burns all desires that is Samadhi. I am Brahman (अहं ब्रह्मास्मि) is Samadhi. समाधि संविद उत्पत्तिः परजीवैकताम् प्रति। The knowledge that leads to oneness of Jiva and Brahman is called Samadhi.  

After listening the sermons of Sage Astavakra, King Janak expresses his understandings through verses and conclude that:

एवमेवाहमास्थितः। 

एवम् एवा अहम् आस्थितः। 

I am abiding in myself (स्वरूप) (ATMA/Brahman/Shiva). 

The problem is in the superimposition over the “I”, the Atma-चैतन्य. One is therefore hast to first work on the identification of the problem before going for the solution. Let’s take few examples. If we are hungry, hunger is our problem that can be solved by eating food. If we are thirsty, drinking water solves it. If feeling heat, on the AC, if feeling cold on the heater and solve the problem. If tired or get exhausted physically, take rest. If illness has come, take medicines. These problems can’t be solved/cured by chanting Bgajanas or reading scriptures. Other remedies won’t help in solving physical problems. Similarly if mind is disturbed meditation is the solution. One should be very clear on one’s problem and accordingly select the means to solve it. This is called साधन-साध्य विवेक। 

So where is that ‘I’ in which I am to abide myself? 

Am I a body or the body is mine? I as a body has location (relative), has birth, diseases, senility and death. Therefore, I am as a body abide by the देश and काल both. 

Am I a mind? That is pushing me in the notion of हेय (to be given up) and उपादेय (to be taken up). What and do people give up? I won’t drink tea or coffee. I shall fast once in a week or in a pious month. I shall not eat sweets. I shall not eat ghee. I shall put down my papers from the job. I shall join or leave the NGO. I shall leave my family and live in Ashram or on forest. What do I give up? I give up the superimposition not the Atma. I as Atma can’t be given up.

The mind initially runs after material world outside to gain happiness by using all the senses of शब्द स्पर्श रूप रस गंध. But when it realises that nothing is working and the thirst of happiness remains as it is, it starts reading scriptures and follows instructions, chants mantras, does mala-japa, performa yagya, visits religious places, listens satsanga, attends Shibirs, and when all says that go inside deep into your heart, it starts meditation in search for the happiness. But he is unaware, who is meditating? Is the meditator real or unreal? Like outside search, the mind couldn’t get any clue from inside too and get tired or frustrated. How could it reaches to the self which is beyond the five senses and the intellect? With mind out or in ‘I’ can’t be caught. 

What and how do one takes up (उपादेय)? Study, get a job or business, buy a car, purchase a house, get married, hv children, get promotion, title, prestige, perks, etc. All these can be acquired but the I, Atma can’t be acquired, ‘I’ can’t be given up. 

Like the superimposition of the संसार from external world to be dropped, one day the superimposition of the आध्यात्म (जप तप etc) have to be dropped because Atma is neither in or out. It is there as it is, omnipresent, omniscient. 

There is nothing to take up and nothing to give up for Atma to attain the freedom and happiness.  Freedom is his form. ‘I’, the Brahman, the Atma, the Shiva abide in my own self. By cutting off all other identities as body, speech, mind, etc, the I realise its true self-the चैतन्य, सर्वात्म. In fact, the superimposition of body, mind over the ‘I’ is the bondage and to remove these false identity of body, speech, mind, etc, the real ‘I’ shines out instantly which is नित्योदित hv neither born nor die. It’s the destination where even a step of movement is not required but many walk throughout their life or lives but not reached. 

एवमेवाहमास्थितः। 

Punamchand 

22 December 2022