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Forms of meditation

CHENNAI: The scriptures have prescribed different Upasanas (forms of worship) to realise the Self (Atman) to suit different spiritual seekers. An important Upasana is contemplation on the Pranava, “Om”. Just as a consecrated image of a deity is worshipped as the gross form of the Supreme Being, who has both the aspects of Nirguna (transcendent without form) and Saguna (with form and attributes), so also can the Pranava be meditated upon in both ways.

In his discourse, Sri N. Veezhinathan said Om was a Mahavakya — an aphorism indicating the identity of the individual Self (Atman) and the Absolute, Brahman. The Mandukya Upanishad deals with the Pranava in detail. Om is recommended as the most suitable for monks for meditation. Om comprises three syllables (A, U, M) and they correspond to the three states of human consciousness—waking, dream and sleep.

As the state of Self-consciousness transcends these three known states of consciousness it is called “Turiya”. For those who cannot meditate on Om in the abstract, scriptures have explained that it can be meditated on its Saguna aspect. Krishna taught Arjuna how meditation on Pranava must be done in the Bhagavad Gita, “Established in spiritual communion by shutting out all sensations, concentrating on the centre of the heart, and drawing up the vital energies to the head, one should meditate on Me, along with the utterance of the Mantra Om denoting the one indestructible Brahman. Departing from the body in this state one attains liberation.”

Liberation is often described as ‘attainment’ of Self-realisation for want of a better way of expressing it. But, strictly speaking there is nothing to be attained. In bondage the Self is concealed to one’s direct experience because of ignorance and when knowledge (Jnana) dispels ignorance, the Self is revealed in its pristine splendour. So it is an experiential process which can be understood only when an individual has the experience, and language has its limitations to express it. The Lord has assured in this context that He is easily attainable for those who always remember Him and with an undivided mind contemplate on Him.

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