क्रम मुक्ति (krama mukti) and जीवन्मुक्ति (jIvanmukti)

क्रम मुक्ति (karma mukti) as the name implies, literally means liberation in sequence (krama means in sequence), and it applies to liberation at the time of disembodiment (death) where the sequence of prArabdha karma has played out in this embodiment. जीवन्मुक्ति (jIvanmukti) on the other hand means liberation while still embodied.

Now the krama mukta has to repeatedly access the 'exit door' to liberation through dhyAnam and samAdhi, where by ascending kuNdalini shakti to the sahasrAra, the mind is brought to rest and reminded of the Absolute, and those samskAras tend to inhibit the other samskAras of avidyA. So the krama mukta daily checks the 'exit door' and reminds himself or herself of the path to liberation. On the other hand, the jIvanmukta has permanently left the 'exit door'. The mind has so completely been extinguished that complete freedom is at hand. However, this state would actually be difficult for the jIvanmukta's near and dear to comprehend and adjust to. To him, everyone appears the same, and there is no attachment to home, body, relations or wearing clothing or not wearing clothing.

But such a person is completely free and immediately and eternally in Bliss. Of course, whether one is granted one or the other is also strictly speaking not in one's hands. For me the daily reminder of sAdhanA is needed to check the path to the 'exit door', and to remove the algae of daily experience that covers up the clear water of discrimination that is so evident in sAdhanA.

Above all in sAdhanA, remember that the path of exit is up the spine through the sushUmna, and so that sushUmna needs to be activated. Both Sri RAmakRshna and SwAmi RAmA (and SwAmiJ) emphasize that this is necessary for the true Light of Knowledge to dawn.

But along the way, reading and karma are useful and necessary as well.

Kabir: Jhini, Jhini Chadariya

My mother sang this bhajan many times to me as I was growing up, but only today did I pay attention to the words and completely understand it! In a few short verses, Kabir shows his intimate direct experience of Yoga (ingla is IDa, pingla is piNGala and sushUmna nADIs), sAmkhya (gun toni), tantra (ashtakamal- eight petalled lotus), and again Yoga and VedAnta (panca tattva). You can find articles on each of these in the sAdhanaguidance website and I think they are the most important concepts that need to be directly experienced and understood on the path.

And he ends it all in a beautiful line that is sure to bring tears to the eyes of any bhakta. One can really appreciate this masterpiece now!

There is a version by the Gundecha brothers in the Dhrupad style on Youtube as well.

Jhini jhini bini chadariya.
kah ke tana, kah ke bharni, kaun taar se bini chadariya
ingla pingla taana bharni, sushumna tar se bini chadariya.
ashta kamal dal charkha doley, panch tatva, gun tini chadariya
saiin ko siyat mas dus lagey, thonk-thonk ke bini chadariya.
so chaadar sur nar muni odhi, odhi ke maili kini chadariya
das Kabir jatan kari odhi, jyon ki tyon dhar deeni chadariya.

The Lord Supreme has woven a very fine and delicate tapestry,free of impurities of any kind!
What refined and subtle yarn, what complex interlacing, He has used to weave it!
Using veins and breath His threads Twenty four hours on end, His spinning wheel turns,
Weaving the tapestry from all five essential elements.
Ten months does it take the Lord to weave his tapestry,
Using the greatest of craftsmanship, care and skill.

That exquisite tapestry is worn by the celestials,by Saints, and by human beings alike.
But they all invariably have defiled it !
Your humble devotee Kabir has worn it scrupulously and meticulously,
And is returning it to You, O’Lord, unblemished and pure !

Kabir: Chadaria Jhini Re Jhini.

झीनी रे झीनी रे झीनी चदरिया, झीनी रे झीनी रे झीनी चदरिया

के राम नाम रस भीनी चदरिया, झीनी रे झीनी रे झीनी चदरिया

अष्ट कमल दल चरखा डोले, पांच तत्व, गुण तीनि चदरिया

साइँ को सियत मास दस लागे, ठोंक-ठोंक के बीनी चदरिया

सो चादर सुर नर मुनि ओढ़ी, ओढ़ी के मैली कीनी चदरिया

दास कबीर जतन सो ओढ़ी, ज्यों की त्यों धर दीन चदरिया

jhini re jhini re jhini chadariya, jhini re jhini re jhini chadariya
ke ram naam ras bhini chadariya, jhini re jhini re jhini chadariya
ashta kamal dal charkha doley, panch tatva, gun tini chadariya
saiin ko siyat mas dus lagey, thokey-thokey ke bini chadariya
so chadar sur nar muni odi, odi ke maili kini chadariya
das kabir jatan so odi, jyon ki tyon dhar deen chadariya

In translation:

This is fine, this is fine cloth.
It is been dipped in the name of the lord
The spinning wheel, like an eight-petal lotus, spins,
With five tattvas and three guNas as the pattern.
The Lord stitched it in 10 months
The threads have been pressed to get a tight weave.
It has been worn by gods, people, and sages
They soiled it with use.
Kabir says, I have covered my self with this cloth with great care,
And eventually will leave it like it was.


This is fine, this is fine cloth.
Dyed in the Ram Nam, the name of the lord,
A spinning wheel like an eight-petalled lotus spins it,

Five elements and three qualities are its pattern.
The Lord tailored it in ten moons,
Pressed the threads to get the weft tight.
It has been worn by gods, men and sages:
They soiled it with use.
Says Kabir; I have covered myself with this cloth most carefully,
And eventually will leave it as it was before.

Reflections on a trip

A very interesting insight in meditation today, that this trip is no different from the other trip (this janma [birth] is after all another longer trip). So even if one knows that the future holds the potential for discomfort or something pleasurable in a short visit, there is no reason to either reject or be attracted to the same. The same thing is called samyagdarshana in Yoga- it is a certain equality in viewpoint. There is a verse (5.18) in the Bhagavad GItA that I was reading the other day, which captures a similar sentiment

Text 18

vidyA-vinaya-sampanne

brAhmaNe gavi hastini

shuni caiva shvapAke ca

paNDitah sama-darshinah

Translation 

The humble sages, by virtue of true knowledge, see with equal vision a learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcaste]. 

And another practical insight was also revealed. Although I could feel that the timing of this visit was not at the best time, one realizes that faith in Devi can conquer even these unsuitable conditions because Her power is what enables the planetary movements and their subsequent effects on human life. Or one may interpret that as a mind made strong by faith in Shakti can conquer the ups and downs of circumstances and situations. So it all went well.

Daily remembrance and satsang

I can understand that sometimes it is hard to set aside the right time for meditation, and I think you are doing exactly the right thing: which is finding some time during the day to either read the Gita, or listen to a stotram, or to read the autobiographies of the gurus and saints. They all accomplish the same thing- which is to remind us of the Divine around us and in us. If this can be done as often as possible, even once a day to begin with, then it is very uplifting. That is the first step towards the final goal of constant remembrance.

The daily grind in the mundane (and this word with its Latin root mundo- the world, captures the point so well) leaves us spiritually exhausted. Even conversations with friends and others often revolve around something or the other that is not altogether uplifting. In time the invigorating tonic of hearing about the Divine becomes intoxicating, and it is accessed in different ways. One of the benefits of satsang is the opportunity to discuss something uplifting, where otherwise it would be difficult to talk about anything other than the mundane.

Free will and Determinism

From Sri RamaNa MahaRshi:

Firm and disciplined inherence in the Atman, without giving the least scope for the rise of any thought other than the deep contemplative thought of the Self, constitutes self-surrender to the Supreme Lord. Let any amount of burden be laid on Him, He will bear it all. It is, in fact, the indefinable power of the Lord that ordains, sustains, and controls everything that happens. Why then should we worry, tormented by vexatious thoughts, saying: 'Shall we act this way? No, that way,' instead of meekly but happily submitting to that Power? Knowing that the train carries all the weight, why indeed should we, the passengers traveling in it, carry our small individual articles of luggage on our laps to our great discomfort, instead of putting them aside and sitting at perfect ease?

And some other thoughts on free will and determinism for sAdhaka-s

https://sites.google.com/site/sadhanaguidance/concepts-1/free-will-and-determinism

ShivAnandalahari

The ShivAnandalahari directly captures so many insights, and unsurprisingly it is composed by none other than SrI Adi ShankarAcArya himself!

It takes this mind quite a bit of time to understand and digest even one verse of it, so it is pretty amazing how people chant this at high speed like the TGV express!

Reflecting on verse or two at a time that captures a particular idea that resonates in sAdhanA and then dwelling on it is very useful. As an example, here is one that clearly informs of the folly of arduous religious pilgrimages when the mind is not truly seeking to know the true Self:


Searches and hunts the dim witted one, 

In the deep dark lake, 

In the lonely dangerous forest,

And in the broad high mountains 

For a flower to worship thee. 

It is a wonder, 

That these people do not know, 

To offer to you the single lotus, 

From the lake of ones own mind, 

Oh God who is the consort of Uma, 

And be happy at ones own place.

Difference and Reality

An insight arose in the mind on waking up:

"The least perception of difference is false perception"