by Sri Bimal Mohanty
VOL No. 60
February 2006

 


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MANAH, MANAH, MANTRAH, MAUNATVAM- Part 3. Some discussions on mind, mantra and silence of mind.
Based on the lectures by Sri Bimal Mohanty

(For Part 1&2 please refer AHWAN December 2005 and January 2006 issues)

What is ‘Silence’ or maunatvam? Before we go to link maunatvam with mantra, it is better that we clear what we understand by silence, its concept.

Commonly, we understand silence as absence of all sounds. Is such a thing ever possible? Sound is produced by vibration or movement in a medium. So the two things, vibration and medium are necessary to produce sound, and only the absence of both is considered soundlessness.

We have learnt that the entire creation around us is sustained by action. It is dynamic. There is no place or no time when some action is not taking place. Even our thoughts are actions.

If there is action, there is vibration. So the state of ‘no vibration’ is non existent in the creation.

What about medium? Is there a state of no medium at all? Brahman is all pervading. The Brahman is everywhere. He is ever present as the space – the akasha or the byoman. That medium may be too subtle and beyond the limits of our normal sensory perceptions, but nevertheless its presence is there.

If vibration and medium are always present, can there ever be a soundless state? Hence there is always sound, the sound of The Brahman. That sound may be beyond our audible range, beyond the limited range of our faculties and consciousness. But when the level of consciousness rises, the limitations of our sensory and mental capabilities are expanded we ‘hear’ this sound of Brahman. This everpresent divine sound or nAda envelops us as it envelops the entire creation of Brahman.

So what shall we understand from maunatvam or silence of the mind?

Different movements or vibrations, including vibrations produced by our thoughts, produce different sounds. At the gross physical level we live amidst cacophony. The untrained mind, by nature, oscillates and hops around all such sounds (as it can never remain in one subject very long), and is never without a thought. It has thoughts after thoughts flashing within it and thus always vascilating and distracted. It has no focus. With lost focus it is a wanderer and its actions produce no tangible benefit.

YogasadhanA demands that the mind ought to be non-vascilating and distraction less like a nonflickering lamp in a windless place. YathA deepah nivAtasthah na ingate. The mind has to be always in a state of steady focus without being distracted by the unnecessary sounds around.

But what is or should be the focus of the mind? We have discussed and learnt that yoga is nothing but focusing everything – thoughts, works, knowledge – on one source that is God or Brahman. When our focus is not Brahman everything else is wayward distractions that slow down our evolutionary progress.

The purpose of Yoga is to draw back the mind to its focus.

The concentrated focus of mind on God alone, by elimination of all other thoughts is the nature of true silence. In yoga, the state of samadhi, where the mind is one with the object of your sadhana and you are oblivious of any other mental activity, is the true silent state.

We say silence is golden. But it should be understood that it is not mere a soundless state of a deaf person that we are talking about. We are talking of a focus state of mind by elimination of all distractions.

Silence in YogasadhanA is not meant to be total absence of sound, but a state focused on the primordial sound the BrahmanAda meaning thereby the Brahman alone.

Mantras are not supposed to be recited in rapid succession. With every mantra there is a pause of silence, which is as important as the body of the mantra itself. A world of change takes place during this pregnant silence.

Let us reflect upon that all-important one word mantra, which is Om- the first amongst all mantras. (Readers will do well to revisit the articles “Attempts to describe Brahman, Chapters 8 & 9 in December 2003 and January 2004 issues of AHWAN, where we elaborated on Om. The four pAdas or sections of Om, the A, U, M and the following silence)

The original sound or Brahmanada is believed to be the primeordeal sound which emanated from the Lord when he started the creation of the phenomenal universe. It is Om . When Om emanated from the breath of Brahman the Shakti or power was released to create. Om is the trigger of creation and everything follows after Om. Om is the first or adimantra. The mantra of all mantras. It is at the fourth stage of silence after A, U,and M, the true realization of Om happens. We begin with our vak or speech faculty to explore its power. We use our ears to listen to its vibrations. But soon find out the futility and limitations of these faculties to comprehend Om. What is then the use? Om lies beyond the limitations of our physical faculties. What is the point in approaching it with these grossly limited tools? So mind becomes silent. The muni realizing this becomes mauna. It is then in that silence, Om the mantra, Om the Brahman, slowly starts revealing itself. …. Tanusvam brnute. In that concentrated deep silence gnosis dawns.

In the practical life one can have a crude glimpse of the truth behind this concept also. Many sadhaks will tell you that they have received many flashes of understanding while meditating mostly during early mornings known as the auspicious amritbela. Our scriptures also recommend the effectiveness of doing meditation during this amritbela or Brahmabela. This is the time when the phenomenal world is most silent. The sun has not yet arisen to activate the world into its motions. Our physical body is yet to get sucked into the daily chores of the day. The pervading calmness and silence sensitizes our physical faculties- free from distractions and vikshepas. It is simply easier to remain focused. That situation is most conducive to grasp the intricacies of knowledge. Silence is the characteristic of this period.

After recitation listen to the mantra in silence. The concept of Brahma nAda- the natural frequency of harmony of the universe. Mantra in its purest form supplements and is in resonance with this natural frequency of Brahman and thus enhances the positive vibrations for the common good, and brings the reciter closure to Brahman. Listen to it closely. Listen to that eternal sound of Brahman, that brahmanada. Feel the closeness to that supreme self, for the primary purpose of all mantras is to bring the aspirant nearer to Brahman. Bliss or Ananda increases with this progressive proximity. Reciting a mantra invariably makes the reciter feel happy and peaceful. When we say at the end Om Shantih shantih Shantih, it is in remembrance of the Lord and the bliss of peace is not merely uttered, it is felt.

One does not have to be a great sadhak to feel it. Everyone can feel it in small or large measure depending upon his level of consciousness. Only sincerity and faith – shraddha- is needed. Mantras have that power packed within them.

What is said about Om is also applicable to all mantras.

In the intervening silence between and after the process of mantra sadhnA, the sadhak also has to dwell upon the DevatA and the Rishi who are normally associated with the mantras. A mantra is dedicated to a particular Devata. This is again a beautiful concept for keeping the mind on track as part of the tapasya of mind. Although all our prayers are eventually addressed to the one and only Brahman, it is quite likely that in the vastness of the Brahman, one’s mind and its focus may get diffused. In the journey to reach the Lord, a man’s needs are unaccountable. At every step he needs guidance, he needs the Lord’s grace. And in every step his needs are different. Being different, you have to address your prayer to that particular aspect of the Lord which relates to it. What are Devats really? They are projections of a particular aspect of the same Brahman’s grace or power. By focusing on the Devata the sadhak keeps himself focused on the need of the hour and its remedial power with reverence to that power.

Without Roopa smaran or fixing the mind on an objective form, progress in concentration of mind is extremely difficult, how much one may try. Without that element of concentration, mantra sAdhana becomes a wasteful exercise. Silence or maunata provides the much needed assistance to the mind to reach that stage. The pause of silence is an integral part of mantra sAdhana where that aspect of Brahman in the form of a particular Devata is contemplated upon.

What about Rishis? Humans are great doubting Thomases. Our minds need assurance. A Rishi associated with a mantra is that sage and seer who had the direct experience of the effectiveness of a mantra. They are tapasvis who have practiced the knowledge they talk about, by working upon their own body, mind and psyche. Like a pupil starts with faith and trust to whatever his teacher tells him, we show our trust on the Rishi, hoping that his experience will also be ours’ one day.

People also wonder as to what is the best mode of doing mantrasAdhanA? Standing, sitting, dancing we have seen all of that.

The external environment and the mental state of the Sadhak decide which mode of mantra sadhanA he is most comfortable with. If the mind is not comfortable, it will not accept any forced mode and will select its own mode. It is unnecessary to argue which mode is better. Each has its own place depending upon the physical and mental conditions of the sadhak.

Only one ‘test’ is conclusive. Does it make you feel closer and ecstatic (chinmay) about the Lord? If it does, then sing, dance, shout or dwell in silence. All will produce the desired result.

But whichever manner the sadhak choses to address the Lord, it is not difficult to understand that there has to be the element of purity and sincerity of mind. Mantras are the prayers of the soul. Prayers can not be just utterances of a wayward and casual mind. In other words a sanctified and clean mind is part and parcel of mantra sadhana. This sanctification is achieved by tapasya or practice of austerity of mind. How is this tapasya of mind developed? Let us reflect on what Lord Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita. Out of the five characters of the tapasya of mind, one is practice of silence. Maunam…. mAnasam tapah ucyate. That is how important maunatA is in Yoga. Saints like Ramana Maharshi, Sri Aurobindo, and many other great souls who did and even do today their sadhanA away from the worldly glitter, exemplify this aspect.

There is another wrong conception most people carry about optimization of mantra’s effect on us and all around us. They feel that if one recites or listens to mantras for long periods on a regular basis, that will be all for its beneficial effects to flow. Mantras always bring benefits, but this way the result is in a very small measure. The real effect of mantra takes effect when the sadhak’s mind or manah gets united with mantra, the antahkarana cooperates and the sadhak engages himself in self introspection.

What am I saying? Do I believe in what am I saying? Am I making efforts to allow the mantra influence my body, mind and psyche? Do I feel the change in me?

This kind of serious self-introspection is essential in mantra sadhana. And such introspection can only be done in deep ‘silence’. Silence is the crucible in which mantra’s effectiveness is tested. Days and days of mantra sadhana has little effect without the aspirant’s own contribution to change himself. Self introspection in silence is the way to do it. Silence is not the resting respite for the mind from its sadhanA. What the sadhak utters during the recitation, in the silence alone, he becomes conscious of it.

Mantra chanting is the way you speak to God, Maunatva is when you listen to God through the voice of your inner soul. Mantra leads to maunatva.

Apart from being an essential part of a mantra itself, and in addition to be recognized as the tapasyA of the mind, silence or maunatva is an essential element in the entire yoga process, especially in the advanced stages. It is the very prAna or life force of yoga right upto samAdhi and even thereafter. This is how it assists the sadhak.

We have discussed earlier that we human beings are not one dimensional but multidimensional entities. We have in sanatan philosophy this concept of panchakosha or the five successive koshas or sheaths that constitute the abode of self within us.

The process of yogasadhanA is to transcend these sheaths, along with the rise of consciousness. Only after transcending these sheaths with their characteristic shortcomings, we shed the shackles of Maya, attain the state of absolute purity and then come face to face with our original state – the satchidananda.

Rightly according to our seers, this is difficult task like walking on the sharp edge of sword.

With silence only we ascend the ladder of the panchakoshas. When the physical motions of the food sheath or the annamay kosha is withdrawn from all distractions and focused on the search for Brahman, we enter the prAnamay kosha. The demands of the physical body associated with the food sheath have to be ‘silenced’, - known as indriya nigraha, so that the mind can turn to the life force or prAna which gives the strength to our indriyas or sense organs. The mind so to say dwells now in the prAnamay kosha – the sheath of the vital breath, and is occupied controlling and directing it. When the breath is stabilized and controlled – that is its silence. Being free from agitations, the mind does not have to be bothered about the demands of the physical and vital body and does what its nature tells it do- to think of the satchdananda its real state of our freedom. The second door of our prison of dark ignorance is now open and we step into the manomay kosha- or the mental sheath.

The nature of the mind is to expand and it eventually does its best to lead us into the realm of pure knowledge the jnanamay kosha. It is not difficult to understand that when knowledge is acquired, the door to Anandamay kosha, the pure bliss sheath opens. All this transcending of the soul happens when kosha after kosha get purified by the silence that frees them from the pushes and pulls of their distracting forces. The fretters fall off- chinnanti hriday granthi- the single minded focus, the ekandrikaran of all dimensions of our existence rests on Brahman alone. – (concluded.)

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