Shiva Mahimna Stotra

Shloka 25

Meaning: The great yogis who have total self-control, regulate their breaths, make their minds free from all the thought waves, and focus on the inner recess of their hearts, get a direct experience of the Ultimate Truth. With this realization, they feel as if they have taken a dip into a lake of nectar and experience infinite bliss within. As a result of this dip, their hairs stand on end and their eyes get filled with tears of joy. O Lord Shiva! This Ultimate Truth, known in the scriptures, is verily Yourself.

Reflections:

By mentioning ‘Yaminah’, Pushpadanta refers to the eight steps of Raja Yoga. They are (1) Yama, (2) Niyama, (3) Asana, (4) Pranayama, (5) Pratyahara, (6) Dharana, (7) Dhyana, and (8) Samadhi. After having mastery over the first seven steps, the yogi attains the final state of Samadhi in which the yogi experiences the Ultimate Truth.

Swami Vivekananda in his Raja Yoga had elaborately explained all these steps. These are spiritual practices for a yogi. Let us briefly remember what these steps are.

(1) Yama:  It means self-control. There are five major controls have been mentioned for us to practice. (i) ‘Ahimsa’ – not to hurt anyone through thoughts, speech, and actions.  (ii) ‘Satya’ – being truthful. (iii) ‘Asteya’ – non-stealing. (iv) ‘Brahmacharya’ – practicing celibacy and (v) ‘Aparigraha’ – to live a simple life with minimum means. It also includes not receiving any gift from anyone.

(2) Niyama:  Like Yama, this is also for the moral training. It includes five things. (i) ‘Shaucha’ – practicing cleanliness of the body, surroundings, and mind. (ii) ‘Santosha’ – developing contentment. (iii) ‘Tapa’ – austerity. To bear without complaint whatever suffering comes in the practice of Yoga. (iv) ‘Swadhyaya’ – studying scriptures, and (v) ‘Ishwara-Pranidhana’ – self-surrender to God.

(3) Asana: Developing a posture in which one can comfortably sit for a long time to meditate. Bhagavad Gia describes sitting with crossed legs with back, neck, and head aligned in a straight line.

(4) Pranayama:  To control the breathing through proper practice so it becomes smooth and slow in pace. Through this one can get control over ‘prana’, the vital forces, and then the mind.

(5) Pratyahara: Controlling the mind. First, observe and then know our mind. The more we know our mind, the better will be our control over it. Let not the mind wander around.

(6) Dharana: Learn how to focus our mind on one thing or at one point. For example, focus the mind on the lotus of the heart, which is filled with effulgent light, or focus the mind on the lotus in the brain as full of light, or focus on the various centers of Sushumna.

(7) Dhyana: Continuously focusing the mind on the Atman residing in the lotus of the heart is dhyana. It leads to the next state Samadhi.

(8) Samadhi: When the focus of the mind on the Atman is uninterrupted like an oil poured from one vessel to the other and is continuous and smooth, then we call it a state of Samadhi. Another analogy for the state of the focused mind on the Atman is the un-flickered flame of a candle in a windless environment. In that state, the mind disappears. There will not be any ‘I Consciousness’. Sri Ramakrishna says that a salt doll went to measure the depth of an ocean. As soon as it went in, it merged completely into the ocean. Thus, the ‘I’ of the person disappears in the Samadhi. After the Samadhi the person becomes enlightened. After this state one experiences infinite bliss within which is not dependent on any object.  

Pushpadanta says that yogis realize this Atman in the inner recess of their hearts. Then they take a dip into this Satchidananda Atman. It is like taking a dip into a lake of bliss. As a result, they have goosebumps, and their eyes get filled with tears of joy. Upanishads say that all possible worldly joys combined will be like a drop of the joy that yogis experience by taking a dip into the lake of Sachidananda Atman. To acquire this infinite bliss, we have to practice all the needed steps, dive deep into the inner recess of our hearts, and realize the Atman. Pushpadanta says that this Atman or Brahman is Lord Shiva.

Once Sri Ramakrishna asked Narendra: “Suppose there were a cup of syrup, and you were a fly. Where would you sit to drink the syrup? Narendra said, “I would sit on the edge of the cup and stretch out my neck to drink it.” Sri Ramakrishna asked, “Why? What is the harm of plunging into the middle of the cup and drinking the syrup?” Narendra answered, “Then I should stick in the syrup and die.” Sri Ramakrishna said to him, “My child, that is not the nature of the Nectar of Satchidananda. It is the Nectar of Immortality. People do not die from diving into It. On the contrary, they become immortal.”

Ramakrishna said, “Therefore I say, dive deep. Don’t be afraid. By diving deep into God, one becomes immortal.”

Let us pray to Lord Shiva to help us become capable of diving deep into this inner recess of our heart, into the ocean of Satchidananda, and become one with Him. Om Namah Shivaya.