Message of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – Navaratri day 4 – September 24, 2017
Courtesy: FB Page Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji
Sri mātre namah
Kātyāyani Mahāmāye bhavāni bhuvaneśwari
Samsāra sāgare magnaṃ mām uddhara kŗipāṃaye
In the form of Pure Consciousness (Chaitanya), Divine Mother resides within every living entity. She is the empress who rules the living entities as well as their senses (indriyas). She enlivens the entire universe.
The word ‘prāṇa’ also refers to the senses (indriyas). Based on this inference, Mother Goddess blesses with the 11 sense organs i.e. the 5 organs of action (karmendriya), the 5 organs of perception (jnanendriya) and mind. Since neither origin of life-force (prāṇa) nor its ending are known, carefully observing the life-force will render life fruitful. This is what Mother Goddess preaches.
If this Mother is glorified with the mantras Oṃ prāṇādāyai namah and Oṃ prāṇarūpiṇyai namah, accomplishment in Yoga (Yoga-siddhi) can be achieved. Good health will be restored. Mind will be strengthened. Diseases will be dispelled. Longevity and mental well-being will be obtained. All the divine energies which exist within the different limbs of the body will be awakened.
When the spiritual aspirant undertakes Prāṇopasana (worship of the life-energy), the Yogic-energy begins to travel upward starting from the base spiritual centre (Mooladhāra) towards the highest spiritual centre (Sahasrara, located at the top of the head) via the subtle astral nerve called Suṣumna nāḍi. Lalita Sahasranama extols this Mother as Nābhyālavāla-romāli-latā-phala-kucadvayī. In this name, the essence of the subtle astral nerve called Suṣumna nāḍi has been explained.
In this connection, let us recapitulate a story from the Prashnopanishad, which highlights the value of the life-energy (prāṇa).
A person was sleeping. His sense organs assembled and began to discuss about the value, speciality and importance of their respective roles in his body. The tongue was the first to address the meeting. It said, “My dear friends, it is only due to me that a human being can speak. In the absence of this ability, the person becomes speech-impaired. I alone am responsible for his ability to read and acquire knowledge. From this it can be deduced that I am superior to you all”.
Upon hearing this, the legs instantly retorted, “O tongue. Be quiet. By helping the person walk, we ensure that the food he eats is properly digested. We are the cause for the body movement. If the body remains without movement, it will be diseased. Hence, we are the most important organ in this body”.
Hearing this, the hands responded, “Aha, my dear friends. You will be ruined if you declare your supremacy. A human being is able to eat and drink solely because we exist. Can you imagine his existence in our absence?”
The organs of excretion retaliated by saying, “Some portion of the food eaten necessarily converts into stools. At that point, it becomes imperative to flush out this waste from the body. Hence, our task becomes the most prominent within the body. Understand that in our absence, the body will disintegrate”.
Now the organ of reproduction retorted, “Enough of this discussion! We are the cause for reproduction. In our absence, can living entities exist in the first place?”
Hearing this, the skin said, “My friends, please take note of us. We protect the body right from the moment of birth of the entity till his death. In addition to protecting the skin, we also provide the pleasure called sense of touch. From this it is clear that we are the most supreme”.
The eye immediately reacted, “How dare you all boast in my presence? Don’t you know that in the absence of eyes the living entity cannot even perceive this world? Can this body sit, stand, eat, walk or live? From this it is to be deduced that we are the most supreme.”
The ears replied, “Stop this argument. All of you are preaching great philosophy. Nonetheless, in the absence of the ability to hear, everything is a sheer waste. We cause bliss to the body. Hence it is high time you recognized our supremacy”.
The tongue retorted, “Due to my presence, the person enjoys the taste of the food he eats. In my absence, this body will be devoid of life. Can any of you function in a lifeless body? Hence understand clearly that I am the most supreme”.
The nose said, “My dear friends, so far I have been patiently listening to all your tall claims. But do you know that it is I who breathes air? I energize every cell within the body through this act. Undoubtedly I am the most supreme amongst us all”.
The mind said, “My dear organs of action (karmendriya) and organs of perception (jnanendriya)! Please bring this argument to a halt. Now look at me and hear me speak. All of you are aware that only when mind exists, everything exists. In the absence of mind, the living entity ceases to exist., Veterans who have mastered the Puranas as well as the Vedas as well as great Yogis profusely extol me as the sixth sense-organ. Hence all of you must accept my supremacy”.
At this juncture, the presiding deity of life-force (Prāṇa-devata) manifested before them and said, “My dear friends, all of you are undoubtedly important. However please introspect- who is it that exists within each of you? I have divided myself as the five basic elements, the five organs of perception, the five organs of action, the hordes of living and non-living entities which have name and form. I alone manifest as everything”.
These words were not palatable to the members of that assembly. Deciding that they would learn only through practical experience, life-energy exited from that body. Although the organs of perception, the organs of action, mind and the upa-praṇas determinedly decided to hold on to the body and tried their best, it was of no avail. All of them turned lifeless. They had no choice but to follow the life-energy. The body turned into a corpse.
After travelling for some time, the life-energy understood that all the organs had learnt their lesson. It re-entered the body. Immediately all of them happily went back to their designated positions and actions. Having understood the significance of life-energy, they now greatly extolled it.
As it is the Divine Mother who exists as this life-energy, we must, through the process of Yogic-pursuits observe our breath. Gradually we should learn to monitor and control it.
Just as mother fish controls and monitors her babies merely through her gaze, through disciplined Yogic-austerities learn to fix your gaze upon the life-energy. Mother Goddess herself incarnated as Meenakshi, whose eyes resembled a fish. May Mother Meenakshi bless all of you with the ability to monitor your breath! May She bless you with good health and longevity!
Sri Mātre namah