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The Divine Realization of Sri Lahiri Mahasaya
Only through the Grace of Guru-Tattva, it becomes possible for someone to start meditating on the experience of One-Self with Brahman (Atma-Anubhava). To one who seeks nothing less than the union with Brahman, the path is very hard; but always wonderful surprises await him in every corner of his journey.
Often a Jnani is very misunderstood. Many people think that the main activity of a Jnani is merely to study the scriptures and take part in long and arid intellectual debates about the nature of Brahman.
Sri Lahiri Mahasaya is one of the few exponents of the concept that a Jnani is, first of all, a Yogi – as is declared by the Bhagavad Gita – and seriously committed to the full realization of the Self, through the practice of Kriya yoga, yamas, niyama and the performance of his own dharma.
Buddha had discredited the Sanatana Dharma by never having found a Brahmin who has seen Brahman and the Devatas. Buddha died without ever having known a real Jñani, as Sri Lahiri Mahasaya.
More than just seeing Brahman and Devatas – in the plan of the duality – the Jñani enters their spiritual forms (consist of Ananda-maya-kosha) and see through their eyes. The Jñani does not do this through the use of yogic powers, but by being conducted through the Guru-Tattva, which is the sole agent of this spiritual experience.
By sharing the internality of the Devatas and doing him dip into their spiritual nature, the Guru-Tattva aims to focus the Jñani’s awareness on pure I AM – the Atman – which is the only substance in common behind all names and forms. The jnani understands irrefutably that the essence of his individual soul – the Atman – is One with Brahman – the Universal Atman that is within all living entities.
The Guru-Tattva, this Spiritual Principle to whom Sri Lahiri Mahasaya called “Babaji”, is not intended to set any hierarchy between the Devatas, based on outward signs such as power, fame, beauty, opulence, etc. – as did Madhvacarya. Or establish a hierarchy of universes, as taught by the masters of Radhasoami movement, culminating in a Personal God (similar to Allah and Yahweh). The Guru-Tattva or “Babaji” is only interested in the inner experience of the Atma-Brahman.
We know very confidentially that the Guru-Tattva has chosen some Devatas to serve as mediators of internal experiences of the Jnani – Soma, the ruler of the Moon and Amrta, Bhrhaspati, the priest of Devatas, the Maruts, Vayu, Garuda and Shesha-Naga. At the top of the celestial hierarchy, the mysterious and omnipresent form of Siva that manifests in and out of all other forms, and the Catur-vyuha (forms of Vasudeva, Sankarshana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha).
The Divine Realization of Sri Lahiri Mahasaya allowed him to “enter” in each of these transcendental forms and see – with their eyes – the transcendental activities of the Devatas. With Soma mounted on an antelope, he flew by Bengal forests; with the winged beings as the Maruts he contemplated the Indra’s sky; with Garuda, he supported over his back the feet of Vishnu and led him to the sacred mountains; with the powerful arms of Sankarshana, he held the Universes, and with Vasudeva (Sri Narayana) he sat in the Causal Ocean.
Brahman – that is the very Self or Purusha behind all forms – is the only unchanging and perpetual reality that flows from within, free from all Upadhis (sheaths) permeating all of the Jivas and Devatas. Brahman has no “heaven” or Heavenly Abode; Brahman is not above Catur-vyuha or below the Supreme Lingan. Brahman is always within, in the Atman. Although his bodily manifestation is in the heart (hrdaya-Atma, which is activated by the Second and Third Kriyas), Brahman is Pure Spirit, is Sat-Chid-Ananda.
Practice of Kriya Yoga is really to enter into the microcosmic and wonderful journey towards the Self (Atman). In muladhara, you become Ganesha, in the Svadhisthana, you become Vishnu mounted on Garuda; in Manipura, you become Siva, and so on. Through Khechari, you become a Marut, through pranayama, you become the Vayu himself.
The sacred syllable Om is the sound manifestation of Brahman, recalling the unique essence that permeates all these names and forms.
At some point, you should get rid of even the garments of the Devatas (ananda-maya-kosha) and focus attention only on the pure Self, the Atman. And when the kriyavan reaches this Dhyanam, there will only be the Bhava of Pure Being. The kriyavan becomes a Atmamayi – A Jnani absorbed in the Atman. This is the state of Stillness or Paravastha. The kevala-kumbhaka is the material expression, an outward sign of this inner realization.
Peace, Joy and Blessings!
Author: Yogi Professor Ramdas Prabhuji, Disciple of Shri Maheshwari Prasad Dubeyji in Shri Panchanan Lineage of Lahiri Mahasaya Kriya Yoga.
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