The
Self, which is the Essential Nature of the seeker, is not realized by him only
because of his ego and its illusion in him.
As an ego, he is pre-occupied with his own miseries and his
understanding is clouded by Tamas and shattered by Rajas. When these two moods-of-the mind are
sublimated, contemplative-ness increases in the mind, and the contemplative
mind, during moments of its meditation, cannot avoid discovering its own
illusions and the Eternal Reality behind them all. Such perfect students shine in inner glory of
their directly experienced Spiritual Essence. (AG 18.6)
In
the liberated one, his mind is completely dissolved. Not even Sattva expresses through it; Rajas
that creates delusion and dreams has departed; Tamas that veils the intellect
from the perception of Reality has been pulled down.
The
inertia (Tamas) veils the intellect and then the mind becomes agitated (Rajas)
with its projections and imaginations.
Pure “Non-apprehension” of the Reality is created by Tamas and the “Mis-apprehension”
are produced by the Rajas. When these
two factors are controlled through Sadhana, the Sattva predominates in the mind
and makes it more and more contemplative.
In
the zenith of meditation, when even the last traces of Rajas and Tamas are
ended, there the pure Sattvic-mind transcends itself and merges with the
Infinite Consciousness. Maya is crossed
here. Avidya is ended. In pure wisdom
revels the Wise-man. (A.G18.20)
**
About
this, Swami Krishnananda (Sivananda Ashram) says that even though we regard
Sattva guna as a very desirable one, “Sattva too is a subtle medium of
obstruction”. Because “It acts in a
double form – as complacency or
satisfaction with what has been achieved and an ignorance of what is beyond”.
He
explains this through an example:
“We
always praise Sattva and regard it as a very desirable thing. But it is like a
transparent glass that is placed between us and the Truth. You can see through
it, but you cannot go beyond it because though the glass is transparent, it can
obstruct your movement. It is not like a brick wall, completely preventing your
vision, as Tamas does; it is not like a blowing wind which simply tosses you
here and there, as Rajas does; it is a plain glass, through which you can have
vision of Reality, but you cannot contact Reality nevertheless”.
Swamiji
also explains that these two aspects of Sattva have to be “dispelled by the power of higher wisdom”.
“Action, contemplation and knowledge are the three stages through which we have to pierce through the veil of Prakriti, or the three Gunas.”
All
this is a total movement and there is an internal interconnection of beings,
like every thread in a cloth being connected with every other thread. That is why salvation is universal, it
is not individual. When you attain to the Supreme Being, you become the
Universal Being.
The
spiritual practice of a Sadhaka is, therefore, to attain God-Realization, by confronting
the three forces of Tamas, Rajas and Sattva, gradually, stage by stage, in
their cosmic significance, always keeping in mind that we are not ‘islands’ and
are connected with everything”.
**
Note:
When we proceed further and the senses are brought under control, all the three
gunas are dissolved and a meditative mind rises above to a thoughtless state (Savikalpa
Samadhi).
**
Additional reading
Astavakra Gita -Commentary by Swami Chinmayananda
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