THE GURU!

SELF REALIZATION

Of all the knowledges around the World
 Self-Realization is the  Best!

According to Indian philosophers, self is the Purush or Purusha; realization is the knowledge or the consciousness of this Purusha within every human being, and it is the most important aspect of every seekers of God to attain Mukti (salvation). For those who believe in karma samsara, Self Realization is the only way to liberate themselves from the cycle of birth and death.

MAN MADE MARGAS TO REALIZE PURUSHA:
The religious life of many Indians is focused on devotion to gods and goddesses through rituals at homes and in shrines. More philosophically-minded people ignore these gods altogether and seek Realization of the Self through intense meditation. Still others focus primarily on fulfilling the social and moral duties appropriate to their position in life. 

These three approaches are regarded as equally important, and they are formally recognized as threefold margas (paths) to liberation: bhaktimarga (the path of devotion), gnanamarga (through the path of knowledge ‘sankhya’ or through philosophy ‘yoga’ and ‘meditation’), and karmamarga (the path of works and actions).

Those who want to follow the path of devotion are the majority and their aim is to try and please God through different types of rituals including poojas, offering special prayers & gifts during festivals, doing dharma, undertaking pilgrimages, participating in kumba-melas, taking up vows and penances, walking on fire, offering yagnas, rolling for miles, even sacrificing animals etc.

Purpose of Yoga: The goal of Yoga is to achieve union with self, the little self and the True Self. It is a process of awakening to the preexisting union between Aathma (soul) and Brahma (Creator), Jeevathma and Paramathma, or the realization of Purusha standing alone as separate from Prakrithi. Buddhist philosophy teaches that the self does not have absolute boundaries.

The author of the yoga system, Shri Patanjali, says that it is a system of moral and physical exercises (Yoga Sutra 1:1,2). Patanjali teaches eight steps. 1. Yama (moral conduct): fulfilled by noninjury to others, truthfulness, nonstealing, continence, and noncovetousness. 2. Niyama (religious observances): prescripts are purity of body and mind, contentment in all circumstances, self-discipline, self-study (contemplation), and devotion to God and guru. 3. Asana (right posture): the spinal column must be held straight, and the body firm in a comfortable position for meditation. 4. Pranayama (control of prana): the subtle life currents. 5. Pratyahara (withdrawal) of the senses from external objects. 6. Dharana (concentration): holding the mind to one thought. 7. Thyana (meditation). 8. Samadhi (superconscious experience).

In the final stages of Samadhi, the yogi is supposed to have attained miraculous powers such as raising into the sky, walking on water, conquering lions, leaving his body and entering into the dead bodies of any form etc. Through this system of yoga and meditation, the soul is expected to merge with the Purusha without the grace of God; and it is also believed that, through the individual practice alone one can attain divine status.

Kriya Yoga: Kriya Yoga (union with the Infinite through a certain action or rite) is a technique of relaxation, meditation and concentration which leads to a personal experience with God. When the inner peace arrives, one can then feel God’s overwhelming presence and reach greater clarity. The body and mind will then be trained and the soul will eventually be liberated and truly freed.

It is to free man from the effects of karma resulting in everlasting remains. It is done through the realization of oneself, and thereby realizing God and the love for God. It helps them to recognize the beauty within, and the magnificence of their spirit. Most of the people seek satisfaction from what they see, but this provides no relief and the longing continues. But by focusing on the internal, rather than the external, one can get complete relief from all desires.

It is also meant to encourage the establishment of individual temples of God in the hearts of men, to liberate man from his threefold sufferings: physical, mental and spiritual, to promote plain living and high thinking, to spread the spirit of brotherhood among all people by teaching the eternal basis of their unity: kinship with God, to demonstrate the superiority of mind over body, of soul over mind, to overcome evil by good, sorrow by joy, cruelty by kindness, ignorance by wisdom and above all to attain direct personal experience with God.

Kriya Yogi mentally directs his life energy to revolve around the six spinal centers (medulla, cervical, dorsal, lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal plexus) which correspond to the twelve astral signs of the zodiac, the symbolic Cosmic Man. One-half minute of revolution of energy around the sensitive spinal cord of man effects subtle progress in his spiritual evolution; that half-minute of Kriya equals one year of natural spiritual unfoldment.
 
Hatha Yoga: The purpose of Hatha Yoga is to locate and activate the chakras (centers of energy), thereby raising the kundalini (dominant spiritual power). This in turn is believed to help remove blockages (diseases) in the mind and body. 

Hatha yoga attempts to balance mind and body via physical postures and exercises (asanas), controlled breathing, and calming of the mind through relaxation and meditation. Asanas teach poise, balance & strength and were originally (and still) practiced to improve the body’s physical health and clear the mind in preparation for meditation in the pursuit of enlightenment.

Kundalini Raising: The practice of kundalini yoga centers on raising the kundalini, or dormant psychic energy, through the body’s seven major chakras, or centers of consciousness. The seven chakras are: Muladhara chakra - base of the spine, Svadhishthana chakra - near the genital organs, Manipura chakra - behind the navel, Anahata chakra - at the heart, Vishuddha chakra - at the throat, Ajna chakra - behind the point between the eyebrows (the “third eye”), Sahasrara chakra - the cerebral cortex.

Each chakra is associated with a different set of psychic powers and spiritual experiences. For example, accessing the vishuddha chakra in the throat bestows powers of telepathy and prophecy, while activating the ajna chakra on the forehead brings universal knowledge. Specific colors and sounds are also associated with the chakras and used to activate them. 

Transcendental Meditation: The Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique involves reciting of a mantra through which the mind is brought to the source of thought, the settled state of the mind - Transcendental Consciousness - pure consciousness, self-referral consciousness, which is the source of all creative processes. It is believed that through this technique, the individual’s awareness settles down and experiences a unique state of restful alertness. As the body becomes deeply relaxed, the mind transcends all mental activity to experience the simplest form of awareness - Transcendental Consciousness, where consciousness is open to itself. This is the self-referral state of consciousness. 

The Transcendental Meditation as taught by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi claims that TM is the only way for salvation and it provides heaven in earth. It uses seven words such as Jagrata centana (walking); swapna cetana (dreaming); sushupti cetana (sleeping); toorya chetana (transcendental consciousness); tooryateet cetana (cosmic consciousness); bhagavat centana (God consciousness); and brahmi cetana (Unity consciousness). Even though the TM organization claims that their mantras are meaningless sounds with known physiological effects, the mantras are in fact names of a Hindu deity.

VEDIC REQUIREMENTS OF SELF REALIZATION:
Katha Upanishad 65:8 says, Avyaktatuparah purushoyagnatva muchyatae: One who knows Purusha becomes free and attains immortality. Viveka Chudamani verse 6 says;
Vadhanthu shastrani yadhanthu devane, Kurvanthu karmani bajanthu devata,
Aatmaikayodena vinabpi mukitha, na chityathi bhramma shathanthrashpi.

Let them quote scriptures and sacrifice to gods; let them observe rituals and worship devatas (gods); but there is no liberation at all; no, not even in a hundred lifespan of Brahma put together, until the identity of one’s self with the Divine Self is realized. Again verse 56 says:

“na yogena na sankhyena karmanano na vidhya brahaat maikatva bodena moksha sidyate naanyata”
Neither by yoga, nor by knowledge, nor by karma or by learning, but by the realization of one’s own identity with God is liberation possible, and by no other means. Svetaasvatara Upanishad 3:8 says:
 
Vedaaha metam purusham manantam Aaditya vamam tamasah-h parastat
tameva viditvati mutu meti naanyah panthaa vidyate-ayanaaya
I know the mighty Purusha of the color of the sun beyond the darkness. Only in knowing Him does one Passover death. There is no other way leading to eternal life.