FROM STATEMENTS TO STATES
“Aano bhadraah kratavo yantu vishvatah”, says the Rig Veda. It means, let noble thoughts come to us from everywhere.
The ananda aspect of existence is always there in every being, although it is apparently hidden. The sat and chit aspects need the clarity of the waking state. The ananda aspect though, is instantly experienced in deep sleep as it surges from within like water gushing forth from a spring. Bhagavan gave great importance to focusing attention on experiencing the ananda aspect of deep sleep.
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Bhagavan has stated, “One is ever in deep sleep only”. Experiencing this state, where the world is not seen, prepares us for plunging into a deeper state and realize the Truth. In more than ninety places in Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi, Bhagavan cites the example of deep sleep. He thus drives home the importance of experiencing our own true state of silence, ananda, stillness, peace, fullness and non–duality. These are available to everyone in deep sleep, daily. The moment our attention is fully directed to the ananda aspect of deep sleep, we have won half the battle. And this happens purely due to the guru’s grace.
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There is a person known as the ‘walking–no–talking’ Swami, who goes round Arunachala Hill whenever he happens to be there. It is pure joy, just to look at him. Alone he dances, around the mountain – day and night! (This Swami left his body some ten years ago).
Once, I confronted him saying, “Swami! You are ever immersed in Ananda (bliss). Why don’t you give us that ananda in which you are always soaked and saturated?” He burst out laughing. Then he gesticulated in a powerful way, pointing his hand towards Arunachala, as if to convey, “What else is there, except ananda ? That which IS, is only ananda. Every one is submerged only in it, as if under a deluge of water. Also, who is to give ananda and to whom?” He laughed again.
Waves of ecstasy reigned and looking at him, instantly filled me with bliss! This experience of bliss was the direct blessing of the ‘walking-no-talking-Swami’. And, it happened without a word being uttered by him.
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Recently, in August, 2005, at Nagore, the only Sufi center in India, where I am told Sufi masters still live, my friend and I were blessed to be in the presence of a Sufi master.
In his presence, we were transported as it were, into a different world of ananda. I expressed to him our great joy to be in the proximity of a true Sufi master. In all seriousness, he said, “God is an enormous, gushing, sacred river. Seekers need to bathe in it. We saints are like bathing ghats with well built steps to help them reach the river and safely bathe in it. Plunging within into one’s Heart, is synonymous with taking bath in the river. The guru’s instructions are the ghats. Ananda or bliss is God, the river.”
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As seekers, we should humbly receive the profound statements of sages without interference from the analytical mind. These statements then, will instantly become our own state of experience.
Let statements come to us from any one, from anywhere and in any form. Let us make them into our own states. By listening to them in silence!
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