Monday, May 7, 2007

Be a Brahmachari While Pursuing Knowledge

All categories of objects find themselves in a flux that traverses across different states. The turbulence of this flux can be frightening and confusing if one is not able to control himself. For establishing control one needs something that is unaffected by the currents to hold on. For man this stable support is the pure awareness that remains true and unwavering in all states. This pure awareness is the fountainhead from where all knowledge emanates. So the teacher and student meditate on the potent core of all branches of knowledge.

यश्छ्न्दसाम रृषभो विश्वरूपा: छ्न्दोभ्य अध्याम्रुतात सम्बभुवा
सा मेंद्रो मेधया स्प्रुणोतु अम्रुतास्यदेवा धारणो भूयासम
शरीरं मे विचर्षणम जिह्वा मे मधुमत्तमा
कर्माभ्याम भूरी विश्रवं
ब्रह्म: कोशो असी मेधया पिहिता:
श्रुतं मे गोपाय

This core is the sum of the immortal components of all intelligent utterances. This core of enlightenment is the divinity residing within all objects in this manifested universe. It contains the seeds for all auspicious things in the manifested universe. This core of divinity empowers the student as well as the teacher to grasp knowledge. The teacher and student, together, are trying to touch that core. This process of identification involves doing the right things with competence, without breaking the harmony of the environment. To ensure this harmony it is necessary that one receives appropriate inputs and gives out appropriate outputs. So the teacher and student pray: ‘Let that, which is also myself, the divine master of my sensibilities, enable me to touch that core formed of the immortal component of all mantras with my intellect. Let me be filled to the brim by that immortal presence. Let my body be competent for its role. Let the words uttered by my tongue be sweet. Let my ears remain wide open to listen to the good words uttered by others. I am but only a covering of the Brahman that remains hidden by my intellect. Let me process and preserve with care the inputs that reach me from all sides.’

A right input is a vector that progresses in search of Brahman, the essence of the universe. It is a brahmachari. These inputs flowing in are like the students flocking to a teacher for instructions. They get processed and are sent back in a better form. One needs these inputs so that they can be given back to the world in a more refined form. These inputs are the resources for the manifestation of Brahman. For assimilating the inputs and generating a profusion of outputs one needs processes with a very high degree of productivity. So husbanding the processes is also an important matter. So the teacher and student pray together:

आवहंती वितन्वानाम कुर्वाणा चीरमात्मना:
वासाम्सी ममगावाश्च अन्नपाने च सर्वदा
लोमशम पशुभि: सह स्वाहा
आमायंतु ब्रह्मचारिणः स्वाहा
विमायंतु ब्रह्मचारिणः स्वाहा
प्र्मायंतु ब्रह्मचारिणः स्वाहा
दमायंतु ब्रह्मचारिणः स्वाहा
शमायंतु ब्रह्मचारिणः स्वाहा

‘I aspire to draw all these inputs into me so that I can make them proliferate to provide the worldly resources to envelope divinity, along with the lively processes associated with it, with form, sustenance and sensibilities. I aspire that the processes that are capable of generating profuse emanations come to me. I aspire that the inputs directed towards the realization of Brahman come to me. I aspire that they flow out from me to all sides. I aspire that the inputs in the domain of intellect come to me. I aspire that the inputs in the domain of a disciplined mind come to me. I aspire that the inputs in the domain of consummation come to me.’

यशो जाने असानी स्वाहा श्रेयां वास्यसा: असानी स्वाहा
तं त्वा भगा प्रविशा स्वाहा
तस्मिन् सहस्राशाखेनी भागाहम त्वयिम्रुजे स्वाहा
यथापः प्रावता यन्ति यथा मासा अहर्जरम
एवं मां ब्रह्मचारिणः धातारायांतु सर्वता: स्वाहा
प्रति वेषोसी प्रमा भाहि प्रा पद्यस्वा


Knowing is to be approached with an attitude of self-surrender. The goal is to enhance one’s relevance so that extensive contribution can be made for universal welfare. The attractive power of relevance has to come from the alignment with inner divinity. Inner divinity is like a holy river that has a thousand branches. The teacher and student take a dip in this holy river and pray: ‘I aspire to acquire relevance among these people. I aspire to acquire the power to attract that comes with the alignment with divinity. I aspire to enter that auspicious presence. I aspire that that auspicious presence will descend on me. I aspire to dip myself in this holy river with a thousand branches. I aspire that like the water flowing to the ocean, like the months merging with the years, let all those inputs tending to converge to the essence of the universe come to me for merging with me. Let me be the resting place for them. Reveal yourself to me. Reach out to me and make me filled by your presence.’

A pursuer of knowledge must see and respect the glory of the central theme of what he is seeking above everything else. For him it is very important to see that a predominant part of the inputs reaching him are related to his pursuits. For this he must keep away from a life of dissipation. He must differentiate between recreation and dissipating entertainment. And he must keep all his faculties tuned to receive and properly process the desirable inputs flowing in from all sides. He must remain as a brahmachari.