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ONE
Things Seen in Symbols
WHAT
is dhyāna? Ordinarily, when a man
is absorbed in thought and dead to all that is going on around
him, he is supposed to be in dhyāna. Or concentration of the
whole thought on a single object to the exclusion of every other,
is called dhyāna. But neither of these ideas corresponds exactly
with the whole truth; they represent only particular stages of the
process of meditation. Dhyāna is a wide term covering a number
of processes which rise from ordinary attention to nirvikalpa
samādhi.
The distinguishing feature of dhyāna is that it puts out a
steady force of knowledge on the object of knowledge. When
this process is successful, when there is a steady demand on the
object to give up its secret, it is called by Patanjali samyama.
Even when it is only partially successful, it is called dhyāna.
Ordinary thought is not dhyāna. Ordinary thought is simply
the restlessness of the mind playing with associations, speculations, trains of reasoning. In order to have
dhyāna, the restlessness of the mind must be utterly settled, the intellect must become
like a calm and waveless sea, not a ripple on its surface.
The principle is that all knowledge is in oneself, in the
knower. The knower is in myself; he is also in the object of
knowledge, e.g., a stone or a tree. By dhyāna the veil of ignorance,
the chaos of misunderstandings which interfere between the
knower in me and the knower in the tree or the stone is removed;
we enter into relation with each other; we are in Yoga. All
knowledge about the stone is in the stone itself; in dhyāna it comes into my mind. When it comes into my mind, the knower
in me says: "It is true, the knowledge is in me also and I see it
there." Or, if there is a mistake, he says, "There is a mistake, the
mind is interfering; the knowledge is in me and I see it otherwise."
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The whole world is one. The knower in the stone and the
knower in myself are one; I am He. It is God in me. God in the
stone. The knowledge in me and the knowledge in the stone are
one; I am that. It is God in me. God in the stone. The stone is
an object of knowledge, I am also an object of knowledge. These
two also are one. God as myself. God as the stone. God is the
only object of knowledge, there is no other. God is the only
knower, there is no other. God is the knowledge also. Jñāta, jñānam, jñeyam, they are one.
The mind creates difference. When there is disturbance on
the waters, there are many waves, and each wave cries, "I am I,
I am I; you are you; we are different." When the sea sinks to
rest, the waves as they go inward, no longer cry, "I am I", but
"I am He". The still and waveless sea, that is a delightful and
beautiful condition. The stormy, myriad-crested ocean, that also
is a very beautiful and delightful condition. Only let the waves
have the knowledge, let them say, "I am I for the sake of delight;
you are you for the sake of delight. But also you are I, I am you.
And both you and I are He." That is jñānam, that is Yoga.
The still sea is a condition, and the thousand waves are a
condition. He who is the sea, is more than disturbance, more
than stillness. He contains All. He is All. Even the infinite sea
is only one of His manifestations.
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– 451
TWO
Things Seen in Symbols
THERE
are four who are Beyond and they
rule the mighty game of evolution. It is they who build the
universe with their thoughts and imaginations. Vishnu or Virat
puts them in front each in turn and they govern each a cycle. All
the sons of immortality come forth from them and return to
them, all the children of Earth are their portions. One stands in
front, the others incarnate to help him. They are God Himself in
His fourfold manifestation. Once in each caturyuga they come
down together — the caturvyūha, Srikrishna, Balarama, Pradyumna, Aniruddha.
*
Srikrishna contains all the others and puts them out from
His being. He is Ishwara, Shiva, Brahma, Vishnu. Lordship is
His manifestation, Might and Wisdom are His guṇas. Balarama
is the second Power. Force is His manifestation; strength and
wrath are His attributes. Pradyumna is the third Power. Love
is His manifestation; sweetness and delight are His attributes.
Aniruddha is the fourth Power. Desire is His manifestation;
bodily enjoyment and worldly reason are His attributes.
*
Srikrishna is the Brahmin served by the Kshatriya. He has
the divine Knowledge and uses His might under the guidance
of the Knowledge. Balarama is the Kshatriya. He allows Srikrishna in Him to guide His strength and wrath, but He does not
guide them Himself, He enjoys them. He is Rudra. Pradyumna
is the Vaishya. He is for dāna, prema, karuṇā. He gives Himself to men and buys their love in exchange. He is the uni-
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– 452
versal philanthropist. He is the sweet and throbbing heart in
things. Aniruddha is the Sudra. He is the kāmin, the bhogin,
the scientist, the user of material means, the democrat, the
leveller.
*
The Satya is full of Srikrishna; it is the Golden Age when
men are full of might and wisdom. The Treta is full of Balarama;
the Chakravarti Raja is the incarnation of the Treta; it is full of
great wars and mighty sacrifices. The Dwapara is full of Pradyumna. He prepares in the Dwapara the love which supports
men through the Kali. Aniruddha, the Sudra reigns in the Kali.
He breaks the ancient moulds. He shatters to pieces the ācāra,
He questions everything, destroys everything, levels everything,
rebuilds everything. He is a Sudra and has the passion for work
and service; He puts off lordship in order to become the divine
Slave of humanity.
*
For each of Them is not simple in Himself, but contains
the other three and their attributes; only His own are usually
foremost. Each is not a part but God Himself in His fullness.
They are not different, but the same, Four who are One, One
who is Four. That One is Srikrishna.
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– 453
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