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Any expectation, any desire, any kind of an ego, any note of possessiveness — all are results of vāsanā. When the mind is freed of vāsanās, that mind becomes absolutely free.

[ After this year’s Gurupoornima and the retreat were formally over, Swamiji, as usual, asked the participants to give their impressions and feelings about the session. While the newcomers and the first timers were generally exuberant with the spiritual sublimity they experienced and expressed their happiness with the arrangements, the senior devotees spoke almost in unison about the depth and relevance of the spiritual discourses given by Swamiji. Most of them felt that Swamiji’s talk centred on the development of the seeker’s mind towards śuddha Sattva. They said that they felt enlightened by this exposure as if they had heard it from Swamiji for the first time! In fact, Swamiji had been saying just this repeatedly and often to these very disciples and devotees, for a number of years! Yet, the message seemed to have gone home to a few of them only now! What is the reason that the committed seekers do not grasp the need for purity early enough? Where is the problem? Swamiji once again brings out the answers in full clarity in this. ]

After I received Dīkṣā from my Baba, I started doing sādhanā. The sādhanā alone was considered to be the means for fulfillment of spiritual life. Whatever was to follow, I felt, should come from the sādhanā itself. I was not given to much reading and rather felt that I did not need it. Reading books, I felt, would mean making the mind dwell on a variety of thoughts – and this did not appeal to me.

All this was more than forty years ago – when I had left Calcutta and had come to Kerala. I lived in Jñānāśrama, in its unfinished building, with a single room, a main-hall, that was also meant to be the satsang hall. Throughout the day I would stay in this hall, which had no doors or window shutters, except a few pleated coconut leaves improvised as cover. There was a bare cot for resting. I would not leave the room except for food and answering the calls of nature.

Samādhi and the fruition that samādhi would bring was the summum-bonum of spiritual life to me, then. This is by and large indicated by the śāstras and the prakaraṇa granthas also. That the real Jñāna transcends samādhi, has also been explicitly mentioned in many places – but this truth does not come to the seekers’ notice. Even if it strikes one’s attention, he will not usually be able to give it the due importance.

At about this time, I received from Swami Poornananda Tirtha in Calcutta, a letter containing a number of beautiful verses from the Yogavāsiṣṭha Rāmāyaṇa. He came across these in Calcutta for the first time. Among the ślokas, one, describing the mukta, caught my eye. I started remembering it from then on:

नैष्कर्म्येण न तस्यार्थो न तस्यार्थोऽस्ति कर्मभिः ।
न समाधिजपाभ्यां वा यस्य निर्वासनं मनः ।।

naiṣkarmyeṇa na tasyārtho na tasyārtho’sti karmabhiḥ |
na samādhi-japābhyāṃ vā yasya nirvāsanaṃ manaḥ ||
(Laghu Yogavāsiṣṭha 4.28)

For him, the mukta, there is nothing to gain by ‘ naiṣkarmya ’. ‘ Naiṣkarmya ’ is that state wherein you feel you have nothing to do, nothing to be benefited by action; you are given to actionlessness, action-freeness. ‘ Na tasyartho’sti karmabhiḥ ’ – he has nothing to gain from involving in karma also. ‘Na samādhi-japābhyām vā ’ – nor by meditation or japa will he be benefited. Who? – ‘ Yasya nirvāsanaṃ manaḥ ’ — he whose mind is free from vāsanās, latent desires. For such a person samādhi is useless, karma also is useless.

This śloka held my attention from then onwards. Here is a statement which declares that when the mind becomes ‘mukta’, free from vāsanās, then that vāsanā-mukta mind is far superior to the absorption or samādhi! I already had thoughts about samādhi and its limitation, and this verse stood out significantly.

Why am I saying this today? Ever since I perceived this truth, I have mentioned this verse in many satsangs and in conversation with devotees, repeatedly explaining its meaning. The word vāsanā generally means latent desire. Desire in any form. Expectations, ego, possessiveness — all these are forms of desire. Even the desire for mokṣa is a desire! Any expectation, any desire, any kind of an ego, any note of possessiveness — all are results of vāsanā. When the mind is freed of vāsanās, that mind becomes absolutely free.

Acceptance of the world is acceptance of plurality. Acceptance of plurality means being influenced by it. And to be influenced by dvandvas (pairs of opposites) means to be afflicted by desires, ego and possessiveness. These notes alone and nothing but these very notes of your own mind are the source of your afflictions. Their disappearance contributes to spirituality. When these notes begin to fall one by one, the worldliness dissolves and godliness shines forth.

I have been emphasizing this for decades. Whenever I see a truth I give expression to it. Whether it is put in the form of vāsanā-tyāga or ego-tyāga or cultivating dis-possessiveness, or dropping expectations, I was always exposing the same truth. ‘ Anapekṣā ’, ‘ anapekṣā ’, ‘ anapekṣā ’ – I used to say several times repeatedly – anapekṣā, non-expectation, anapekṣā, non-expectation … … …

A vāsanā-free mind, is a free mind. It is a pure mind. So the purity we are talking about is not a one-faceted development. Purity means, the mind becomes vāsanā-mukta, expectation-mukta, ego-mukta, possessiveness-mukta and also mukta from any other traits.

The purity of the mind itself is Self-realization! Purity represents, manifests and reveals Self-realization. It is not that the Self is realized as something different – on the other hand, it is that the Self manifests itself in the mind and in the internal functions. In the conscious level a new radiance is felt giving rise to these pronounced changes or purification.

So, it is not that I have not been focusing on these. It is that the focus has not been perceived by the seekers – the maturity, frankness and fitness had not yet come perhaps. The manana (rumination) had not been done after hearing me. But now you say that these points have been driven home! It has been only because of repeated exposures and not because of your own effort. If the points were to be driven home and imbibed earlier, on your own, then you should have done manana years ago! But at least now, after your Swamiji repeatedly stresses and insists on these points, you feel touched by them. Very good! I am happy.

Hariḥ Om Tat Sat

[ Just as the early morning spiritual message was about to commence, Swamiji withdrew into a sublime meditative mood that soon engulfed all of us seated before him. It was a bright and calm morning, with fresh cool breeze after a passing shower. The birds and squirrels which usually clamour among themselves after being fed with biscuits and grains, were also significantly silent – perhaps reflecting the mood of the great Mahatma sitting before us. Swamiji began speaking almost in a whisper. The recorder could not pick up all the words, but to us listeners the message came with a quiet force. ]

Mind’s purity is very important. You have to attempt at this purity by and through all your actions and interactions. Instead of allowing your mind to be diverted by various interactions, the activities should be channelized in such a manner that they go on purifying the mind.

Self-realization is realization of the very Self. The Self is not a second or another product; it is yourself. You remain yourself throughout, whether you sleep, dream or wake up. Whether you are miserable or peaceful, joyous or dejected, you remain yourself. It is realization of this Self, which constantly is there, that you should aim at. It is not that the seeker produces a Self and then realizes it.

Your body produces heat. Just as you say, “I feel heat; I am hot”, you must be able to say, “I feel the Self, I am the Self”. The power or presence within you that causes radiation of heat from your body and also that from which spring forth knowledge and doubt, thoughts and emotions – that power or that presence is the Consciousness, the Self. It is to be felt. It … is … to …. be …. felt (Swamiji’s voice becomes faint) …

By virtue of watchfulness… attention … relaxation and … quietitude. … the whole body … will be engulfed … in gentle warmth, … in the warmth of joy; … this warmth of joy felt is of the Self…. It doesn’t emerge from a process of a long concentration or …. through contemplation of this or that; … it comes from watchfulness towards mind’s functions, … by remaining poised and silent.

Hariḥ Om Tat Sat

08th August 1999

– From the book – Prabhata Rashmih Volume 1