Preconditions for the Sǎdhanǎ of the Prǎñamaya Kośa
Friends, as at the beginning of this talk, I had mentioned that five boons, in fact, five god-forms (divine powers, devatas) themselves are present in your own self, as the panca kosas – five sheaths on the consciousness-force of your being. If you pay attention, dedicatedly endeavor, and succeed in the sadhana of awakening (activating their sublime powers) these five devatas, then you will succeed in every worthwhile achievement that you pray to be blessed by the deities (symbolic representations, idols of devatas) whose idols you keep worshipping via varieties of rituals. But you don’t seem to care. You believe only in sacraments; you prefer to run after superficial efforts.
You do not recognize (the real power of) even the annamaya kosa, which is manifested in the physical sheath of your being. Even those who at least care for physical fitness also keep their efforts confined to some physical exercises and simple means of ‘healthy diet.’ I have discussed in detail the prerequisites and measures through which you may initiate and gradually progress in the sadhana of this kosa. I have also told you about those who succeeded and made glorious history through these efforts. Greater achievements and
supernatural potentials may also be accrued by higher-level sadhanas of this kosa. However, unless you follow the elementary steps, you won’t have eligibility to ascend to higher levels.
The panca kosas (named successively as annamaya, ….., to Anandamaya) are sequentially deeper (like the layered structure of sheaths or shells – each within the previous; the fifth within the fourth, the fourth within the third, …., etc.) more sublime, significantly more powerful, and more intractable to reach.
The pranamaya kosa is subtle; it is more sublime than you can ever imagine. The science, the method, to ‘experiment’ on it, the sadhana procedure to awaken/activate it too, is profound and beyond the grasp of the human mind till the latter is spiritually refined.
I will therefore not discuss the science or sadhana procedures of awakening the pranamaya or the more sublime kosas. I will explain those deeper aspects and write about my sadhana
experiments in this science for the knowledge and adequate guidance of the deserving sadhakas as and when appropriate. If you are a true seeker of this knowledge, try to fulfil all the prerequisites first and make yourself worthy.
Awakening of the immense but latent power of prana and its upward ascent (through the extrasensory energy nuclei – called the sat cakras in the science of yoga) along the susumna nadi is what is referred to in the science of yoga and spirituality as – Kundalini Jagarana. Most often, the seekers of spiritual progress through yoga-sadhana are eager to accomplish Kundalini Jagarana. Many such seekers also come to me. They think that a siddha, an adept spiritual master, can awaken the Kundalini (prana sakti) of a disciple simply by keeping his/her hand on the head of the disciple. Well, a spiritually empowered noble Guru can transmit deep knowledge and sublime capabilities of sadhana and even supernatural powers in the deserving disciple as when it is appropriate. Narendra (original name of Swami Vivekanand) was a spiritually elevated sadhaka, a worthy disciple. He often used to urge his Guru Swami Ramakrishna Paramhansa to teach him the process of ultimate realization.
But the latter usually evaded responding. Instead, he engaged Narendra in some activities of altruistic services or deferred the discussion to later. Sometimes he kindly assured Narendra that he would provide all knowledge, the absolute light, at the right time.
Indeed, before shedding off his physical body, Ramakrishna one day called Narendra near him and kept his right hand on the latter’s head. Narendra fell into a trance-like state; he felt as if the entire world, the whole cosmos, is illuminated and rotating inside his head. He experienced immense light and power in his mind. A few minutes later, everything became normal. Ramakrishna then told him — ‘Now I am devoid of all my (supernatural) powers, all my (supramental) knowledge; whatever I had, I have transferred all that (treasure of spiritual attainments) to you.’
So you see that a noble disciple can attain everything from a noble Guru. Like a mother eager to feed her hungry child, a noble Guru also is keen to bless a deserving disciple. The
world is not deprived of such saintly souls, great spiritual masters. They also seek the deserving disciples to help the latter’s spiritual progress. However, despite having her udders filled with milk, a cow cannot offer it to a puppy. Similarly, a Guru cannot bestow his/her knowledge and powers on an unsuitable disciple. The disciple must first have the necessary eligibility to grasp the superior knowledge and attain and righteously use the sublime powers.
Enhance Your Eligibility, Improve Your Abilities
Before you aspire or seek spiritual knowledge and success in your spiritual endeavors (sadhana), you must check whether you deserve it? Unless you have the eligibility to initiate a higher-level, arduous sadhana, how can you do it? If you can’t even follow its basics, how can I teach/guide it to you completely? How can I bless you with something you don’t deserve? I would like to underline the term “deserving” here.
Recall that the refinement crucial for spiritual progress begins with the control and purification of the sensory and cognitive faculties. It can’t progress until the mind (including intellect and emotional core) is purified of all vices, passions, cravings, agilities, unchecked excitations, habits, untoward mental assimilations, convictions, negativities, illusions, egotistic and selfish tendencies, etc. Purification will not be effective and lasting unless supported by simultaneous sincere attempts of the prudent discipline of the mind-body system, cultivation and growth of righteous thinking, character-building, and inner enlightenment. I have elaborated on some such prerequisites as part of the sadhana
of the annamaya kosa. [Other disciplines and practices are guided with practical training in the sadhana courses here.] Sincere effort to enhance your eligibility and to augment your abilities is itself a sadhana. Great achievements require great efforts as well. When Parvati was doing sadhana to marry Lord Siva, she did extremely arduous devout tapa; such was her inner urge, firm determination, and courage that she was ready to continue it even in future lives.
Referring to her epochal tapa-sadhana, it is mentioned in the “Ramacharit Manas” that once the Saptrishis (the seven great sages of the Vedic times) came to examine her sincerity. They tried to convince her to stop doing this tapa. Parvati humbly responded — “Janma Koti Lagi Ragar Hamari! Baraun Sambhu Na Ta Rahaun Kunvari ||” (meaning: I can wait for lakhs of births (lives), but I will marry only Siva, else, will remain unmarried forever.)
This is the kind of dedication; this is a kind of courage; this is the kind of inner urge essential to march towards great goals. Do you have even a fraction of that? You desire spiritual gains, but you don’t dare to put even a few steps ahead on the challenging path. Even if you somehow begin, the family members, friends, and the so-called well-wishers will pull you back, as they think you will harm yourself. They don’t want you to follow the path against worldly trends. Every hindrance, every hardship, bursts the bubble of your ‘resolution.’ You will have to overcome it. Don’t attempt to jump to success quickly; take small steps but in the correct direction. Success in little efforts will enhance your confidence and motivation to
proceed further. If you have an urge to follow the path of tapa-sadhana, you will gradually and certainly progress.
The purpose of this discourse is to make you aware of the necessary preparations, the disciplines, and refinement through the prerequisite sadhanas that I have discussed at
length. The awakening of the first kosa is of utmost importance for further progress. As I have already informed you, successful completion of the sadhana of annamaya kosa is crucial to commence the sadhana of the pranamaya kosa.
Your pranamaya kosa is a unit, a component of your subtle body. It is the sublime ‘reservoir’ of your prana-sakti. The vital energy you feel through inhalation (of oxygen) during every cycle of your breath, the bio-electricity flowing through your neuronal circuits and other (bio)molecular systems, is only a naturally manifested function of your prana-sakti (Vital spiritual power, the source of life-force).
This power works in your physical as well as the mental body (Manomaya Kosa). Not only your vigor, bio-energy, bioelectricity, but also your courage, valor, vivacity, unflinching
firmness for altruistic ideals, etc., are all expressions of this power. This power is immense, mightier than the force of a rocket propulsion or the most powerful weapon on this earth.
Remember that you also have this source hidden within you; try to be self-dependent, hardworking, and courageous. If you are determined and brave, nothing can hinder your
march towards your chosen goals. The scriptural story of the Herculean courage and unflinching endeavor of a plover (to fetch up all water from a sea to protect its eggs) so nicely illustrates this fact!
Sacrifice for Nobel Ideals is the Greatest Triumph
It is this prana-Sakti that empowers great personalities to make great sacrifices. Wouldn’t you call the crucifixion of Jesus Christ an immortal victory? Mahatma Gandhi never compromised with his ideals of truth and nonviolence; he was assassinated. Would you call this his victory or defeat? Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi was killed (by the Britishers) because of his untiring fight for India’s freedom; many-many martyrs like him, donated their precious lives to
protect their nation. Was it their defeat or victory? Indeed, there could be no triumph higher than such great sacrifices. It is this level of enormous courage coupled with absolute dedication to the noble cause, to the great ideals, that accounts for immortal glory. This is
the most precious use of the boon of prana-shakti.
Akhand Jyoti Magazine 2021 Sept-Oct