SIDDHA MEDITATION

Prof. Dr. Bipin Bihari Swaroopa

If we are going to realize this state of oneness at the end of our practice of meditation, why should we not understand it at the beginning and practice meditation with the awareness that everything is Siva? This is how the great beings meditate, and if we also learn to see with this awareness, our meditation will be great. To meditate in this way, we do not have to undergo any difficulties. We do not have to make the mind still. We do not have to close our eyes. Utpaladeva, the great sage and philosopher of Kashmir Shaivism says: “One who is constantly aware that this entire universe is his own glory retains his divinity even if thoughts and fancies play in his mind.”

Truly speaking, everything is Consciouness. It is only because of our sense of limited individuality that we see things differently. A man is Consciousness, a woman is Consciousness, a dog is Consciouness, a donkey is Consciousness, a stone is Consciousness and a mountain is Consciousness. This is true understanding. This is the knowledge we obtain through meditation, and the moment we obtain this knowledge, we begin to understand everything as it is.

In order to rid yourself of the feeling of limitation and obtain this understanding, you should practice the sadhana of Siva. You should understand, “I am Siva-God. It is God who is meditating and all the objects of our meditation are God. My sadhna is God, and everybody and everything I see is God.” For a long time, you have had the awareness, “I am an individual being, I am small, I am limited.” This is why it is difficult for you to accept immediately the awareness, “I am God.” All your life, you have been hearing that you are a sinner, your teachers, all the holy books, and people persuing different religious paths have been telling you that you are a sinner, and you have come to believe it. In this way, you impose the idea of sin onto the Self, which is totally pure and free of sin. It is because one has this wrong understanding that one identifies oneself with the wrong things. That is why one cannot uplift oneself; that is why one cannot have faith in the Self or become one-pointed on the Self. Kashmir Shaivism teaches that when one begins to think, “I am this, I am that, I am a sinner, I am an inferior person.” One becomes poor in sakti, and that is how one becomes an individual being.

In Vedanta, this is often explained by a story. One day, a washerman took several donkeys to a forest to graze them. There he came upon a lion cub: he did not know that it was a lion, and he brought it home with him. The lion cub grew up with the donkeys. Living in their company, he began to repeat the donkey mantra, hee-haw, hee-haw, to eat with them, and to travel back and forth to the river, carrying fitlhy laundry. As the lion grew up, he thought of himself as a donkey and shared the donkey’s habits and their ways.

One day when he was grazing on the river bank with his donkey brothers, another lion came along to drink from the river. While this lion was drinking, he suddenly caught sight of the young lion in the midst of the donkeys. The old lion was shocked to see his brother in such a pitiful condition. He moved closer to him and said, “Brother, what are you up to?”

“I am with my brothers.” said the young lion.

“How can you call them brothers? They are asses and you are a lion. Come with me and look at your reflection in the water. Look at your reflection and my reflection, and see if there is anything similar about us.”

The young lion gazed down at his reflection and saw that he looked just like the old lion.

“Are they your brothers or am I your brother? Now stop going hee-haw and start roaring!”

The young lion began to roar, and all the donkeys ran away.

The two lions ran into the forest. The young lion had been transformed from a donkey to a lion; he had become free. 

Actually, the lion cub had never been a donkey. He had only thought he was a donkey, and this is exactly the situation we are in. We are not donkeys. We are not limited, imperfect being. We are not sinners. We never became small; we only believe we are small. So we must discard this belief and become aware of our own strength. Kashmir Shaivism says that when citi, universal Consciouness, accepts limitations, it begins to believe itself to be bound, just as citi becomes smaller and smaller by descending from its status as pure Consciousness and becomes a limited individual soul, when it reverses the process, it can become greater and greater and regain its original nature. It is only our awareness that has to be changed. We never became donkeys and we never can become donkeys because we are the pure Self.

To rid yourself of wrong understanding, you do not have to do anything new. All you have to do is meditate. The fact is that you meditate not to attain God, but to become aware that God is within you. Kashmir Shaivism says : nasivam vidyate kvacit, “Nothing exists that is not Siva.” Where is that place where there is no Siva? Where is that time where there is no Siva? So even if you experience duality, even if you see diversity around you, consider yourself to be Siva. Understand that it is Siva who is eating, Siva who is the food that is eaten. Siva who gives, and Siva who takes. It is Siva who does everything. The entire universe is the glory of Siva, the glory of the self.

About the writer : Professor Dr. Bipin Bihari Swaroopa is the University professor of Chemistry (Retired). He has a deep interest in spirituality. This is the reason that the priceless nectarine that he obtained by churning from the ocean of the spitiruality in the last 40 years, has now come to you in the form of a book. After ‘Atma Gyan’, ‘Ishwar Darshan Kaise’  and ‘Mrityu, Parlok aur Punarjanma’ (All in Hindi), this is his fourth book.

In 1980 Professor Bipin Bihari Swaroopa was awarded Ph.D., in Chemistry by Patna University under the guidance of international renowned Professor of Patna University, Dr. J.N. Chatterjee D.Sc., F.N.A. Dr. Swaroopa’s research papers have been published in top journals of India, Germany and America. He synthesized more than hundred new organic compounds. Some of his compounds were found to be biological active. One of his compounds (Alkaloid of Harman series) was reported to be useful as a drug for central nervous system with no side effect. Some of his researches have been included by UGC Delhi in the syllabus of M.Sc.

Apart from chemistry, even in the field of spirituality he memorizes the entire Bhagwadgita and the divine Sahasranama and recites it every day in the early morning 3 am to 6 am (Brahmamuhurta). His all the four books will prove to be a milestone in the world of spirituality, it is my complete belief. Along with this, it can also help you in building a clean society.