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From the Bhakti List Archives

Madhavakkannan V • August 30, 1998 


Sri:

Dearest Sisters and Brothers,

There is a interesting query on DhyAnA which Sri mani reproduced. (as 
given below)
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This is with respect to your post on how to concentrate. As you have
   rightly pointed out, the mind just would not stay still, would it?
   I went through so many responses and was quite amazed to find
   references to:

   1. Sri Ramakrishna
   2. Sri Sankaracharya
   3. Sri Ramana

   and their teachings/notes on dhyAna. Moreover the commonality among
   them is that all are advaitins propagating the ashtanga yoga process
   for self-realization. (References to pranayama techniques, etc.)

   Why is that Sri Vaishnavas have to refer to all these saints for
   successfully situating themselves in dhyAna? Are there no references
   in Swami Desikan's literature on this subject matter?

A very valid question, and one to which I have no response.
Why is there such a paucity of information concerning such
simple matters as sitting down and concentrating on God in
our sampradAya granthas? Or perhaps are there such texts
for beginners, and they have not come to the light of day
yet?

Members in the know are requested to respond.

Mani
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adiyEn's humble submission of what I opine as a response:

Our Sri vaishnava AchAryAs have repeatedly been mentioning with various 
verses and commentaries that it is only for Sriman Narayana 
preethyartham we do all that we need to do. There is nothing that needs 
to be done for us, for our fruits; for our enjoyment. (as also described 
very beautifully by Sri Mani in his sandhyavandhanam reply on Satvika 
tyAgam)

Even during Gayathri japam, astAkshara japam, as pointed out by Sri 
Vijay Srinivasan and others, we can carry out the japams, while we 
mentally can perform kaimkaryams to Divya Dampatis, like bathing Them, 
dressing Them, eating with Them (after offering to Them), (we can even 
try to imagine eating from Their plates after They have been offered and 
They had eaten- That will make Them feel more happy and smiling at Their 
children's love and preethi. )

As long as it is all done on pleasing Emperumaan- do we need to get non- 
vacillating mind to get AthmAnubhavam, to get our kundalini raised, to 
get trances, etc.. ? UNNum cHoRu, parugum neer, thinnum veRRIlai ellam 
kaNNan- do we need to meditae looking at the tip of the nose? If we 
utter Dvayam, while we carry out our usual non- religious other 
activities (that we are tied down to the karmA), is that not okay to 
please Him?

(Lastly, under this pretext, Dearest Sisters and Brothers, are we 
misleading  ourselves in not doing dhyAnam or meditation? I don't know-  
I may be wrong. Please forgive if there is anything wrong in my above 
statements. Erudite members- please throw more light and clarify our 
doubts.)
  

Ram Ram

With Best Regards

NarayaNa dAsan madhavakkannan


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