You must elevate your thinking and always identify yourself with Atma, giving up the false identification with the body. This is the proper attitude for worship. Worship in Sanskrit is Upasana, which means sitting nearly. But it is riot enough to just sit close and be near. The frog sits on the lotus but does it benefit from the sweet nectar that is in the lotus? Just being near is of no use you must also be dear. You must be able to suck the honey.
Upasana refers to sitting near and also being very dear to the Lord. If you are close to the Lord, if you become dear to him, then you will get his love. Soon all the bad qualities in you will vanish away and be replaced by the good qualities that God embodies. Develop your love so that you may get even nearer and nearer and dearer and dearer to God. The easiest way to get closer to God is to remember him in whatever you see, whatever you say and whatever you do. Think only of God and how to get nearer and dearer to Him. (DBG, p. 101)
Upasana means the acquisition of the Presence of the Divine, the achievement of the Bliss of adoration. Vedic tradition sanctions four paths as legitimate and fruitful to win this achievement. They are called Satyavati, Angavati, Anyavati and Nidanavati. We shall consider these in some detail.
Satyavati:
Sathyavati proclaims that Divinity pervades the entire cosmos, just as sweetness is present in every drop of syrup and butter in every drop of milk. The sages of yore had the vision of Divinity in all the beings and in all the forms. Just as the screen is the basis for the pictures projected on it, Divinity is the fundamental basis for the entire creation but is itself unnoticed. The screen permeates all the pictures projected on it; likewise, Divinity pervades the entire creation. Hence the Sathyavati mode of worship is based on the omnipresence of Divinity. It demonstrates unity in diversity. It echoes the Vedic dictum: Ekam sat viprah bahudha vadanthi (God is one, but scholars refer to Him by many names). God is the embodiment of truth. That is why the ancient rishis] (sages) extolled him as Satya swarupa. Trikalabadhyam Satyam (Truth is changeless in all the three periods of time). Such truth shines forth in everybody as love. When you fill your heart with love, you will become love personified. (SSS Vol.32 Part II, pp. 114-116)
The scripture defines the Divine thus: ‘Sarva Vyapinam Aatmaanam, Ksheere sarpithiva arpitham’ - The Atma is immanent everywhere, just as ghee interpenetrates every drop of milk. When the seeker pursues the Truth with this conviction urging his endeavour, his sadhana is called Satyavati (Truth-based). ‘Maya thitham idam sarvam, jagadavyaktha moorthinaa’, the Lord declares, ‘In My latent form, I am in the entire Creation, operating the mystery. See in Me all this, see all this as Me’. When one succeeds in this effort the Satyavati path will lead to success. ‘I shall be visible to you as all this and in all this’, the Lord assures. The Lord promises this vision of immanence and transcendence to whomsoever persists with sincerity on this Satyavati path. (SSVahini, p. 236)
Angavati:
The Universal being is the Fire, the Wind, the Sun, the Moon and all else. He is the breath that sustains life in all beings. He is the fire that illumines all. He is the rain that feeds the plants that provide sustenance. So, He can be adored either as fire (Agni) or as wind (Vayu) or as rain (Varuna), as having graciously assured all those beneficent forms. This approach through the benign manifestations or Angas, is the Angavati path. Anga means a limb, a fact, a feature. (SSVahini, p. 237)
Angavati refers to the worship of the five elements—earth, water, fire, air, and ether— considering them as manifestations of the Divine. The earth bears the burden of mighty mountains, vast oceans, dense forests, villages, towns, and cities. Likewise, the remaining four elements are also responsible for the sustenance of creation. (SSS Vol.32 Part II, pp. 114-116)
The Bharatiyas (Indians) extol earth as Bhudevi (mother earth), water as Gangadevi (goddess of water), fire as Agnideva (god of fire), and air as Vayudeva (god of wind) and offer their salutations to them. (SSS Vol.32 Part II, pp. 114-116)
Anyavati:
Anyavati refers to picturing the many faceted Divinity in various names and forms and worshipping them. For example Shiva is described as Pinakapani (wielder of the bow Pinaka) and Rama is described as Kodandapani (wielder of the bow Kondanda). (SSS Vol.32 Part II, pp. 114-116)
Picturing the many-faceted Divine and symbolising, in perceivable ways, the attributes that are evidenced in each facet, the seeker endeavours to acquire the Presence of the Divine.
One form of the Divine, the Omnipresent (Vishnu) is pictured as having the Conch (symbol of the Primeval word or Sound), the Wheel (symbol of Time) and the Mace (symbol of Might and Majesty). In the facet to which is ascribed the power and willingness to overcome obstacles (Vighneswara), the single tusk symbolising sharpness and concentration is associated. Ishvara, or Shiva, (the facet of disintegration and dissolution) has the Soola, or Trident, (symbolising in its three prongs, the Past, the Present and the Future). Rama, the form of righteousness, or Dharma, is always pictured with the Kodanda, the bow which can send the arrow (will) straight to the target Krishna, the manifestation of Universal love, has on His crown a peacock feather, symbolising the thousand-eyed glance of grace. He bears a flute on which He plays enthralling tunes; the flute is the symbol of the egoless desire-less seeker.
The facet of wisdom, pictured as the Goddess Saraswati, has a veena in Her hand; the veena is a stringed musical instrument, symbolic of heartstrings responding, with harmony and melody, to the gentle touch of the true, the good and the beautiful. Seekers meditate on these pleasing personifications and the significance of the symbols of their attributes and adore the divine in the delight that wells up in their hearts. This is named Anyavati Path - the path through symbolised Divinity. Anya means the other, the adjunctory, the appurtenance. (SSVahini, p. 237)
Nidanavati:
This path is slow but progress is always achieved when each step is successfully negotiated. ‘Shravanam (Listening to the Glory of God), Kirtanam (singing joyously His unique graciousness) Vishnu smaranam (keeping in memory and recapitulating always the majesty and mercy of the Lord) Pada sevanam (aspiring to fall at the Feet of the Lord), Archanam (offering prayers to the image or idol of the Lord), Vandanam (offering gratitude for blessings received), Dasyam (surrendering to the Will of the Lord) Sakhyam (confiding completely in Him), Atma nivedanam (dedicating thought, word and deed to Him), Tanmaya-asakthi (longing to merge in Him) and Paramaviraha-asakthi (agony at slightest separation from Him)’ - these are the eleven stages which the seeker has to pass through to win the final consummation in Bliss. Hence, the name for this path is ‘slow and sure’ (Nidana). (SSVahini, p. 238)
These four paths (Satyavati, Angavati, Anyavati and Nidanavati) are each one progressively more commendable than the previous ones, as far as simplicity and practicability are concerned. They award, in the end, Oneness with the Universal Will.
Of the various other Upasanas or sadhanas which are mentioned in the sacred texts and practised by seekers, pratikopasana (Idol Adoration) or prathi-rupa-upasana (Image Adoration) is included under Angavati Upasana—Sarvatah Paani-paadam Tat Sarvathokshi Siromukham, Sarvatah Sruthimalloke Sarvamavruthya Thishthati (Everywhere His Hands and Feet, everywhere Head and Face). The Lord (Madhava) has His Hands everywhere, for He is in all. He sees through all the eyes. He thinks, plans and resolves in all heads. He eats through all mouths, hears through every ear. Through one Form, you can adore Him as all Forms. This is the highest ideal—He is latent in all beings. He operates unseen in and through all. This is the Prathi-rupa-upasana, worshipping Him as present in each. There are sundry other Upasanas (steady worship) too mentioned in the texts:
Ascribing to the Lord the highest splendour, the deepest compassion, the most potent power, etc. and worshipping Him as such.
Adoring Him as the Master and Preceptor who teaches the Gita and reveals the Way. The epic Mahabharata is revered as a Veda, the fifth one. It sets out the code of morality that man must adhere to for realising his goal, both here and hereafter. It is an inexhaustible treasure chest of guidelines for righteous living and spiritual uplift. Here, the Lord can be seen on the theatrical stage of Dharmakshetra (Field of Dharma), with all the equipments and roles, the plots and counter-plots, the denouements and devices, for the Cosmic Play He is enacting in His own marvellous way. That play is the epic, the Mahabharata. In this play, the actors and actresses, the dialogues and texts, the cues and songs, have been assembled by Him. He is the cast, the director, the audience—all. It is Madhava who manifests Himself and manipulates in everything and being. On one side, boundless material strength urged on by unrighteous greed, and on the other, the apparently limited strength of the Atman, the ever-righteous.
In the Cosmic Confrontation and conflict between these two forces, the Lord stands forth as the arbiter, the supreme embodiment of the victory of Right over Might. This is the ultimate ambrosia available in the Mahabharata—the Bhagavad Gita, the Song of Divine Triumph. The core lesson which the epic is bent on teaching is contained in the Gita—the seeker surrendering, with the words, ‘Karishye vachanam thava’ (Your word shall be obeyed) and the Lord admonishing the seeker, ‘Swadharme nidhanam sreyah’ (In fulfilling the duty assigned to you lies your safety and prosperity.) All work should be tested on this criterion.
The path of dedication to the Will of God (Bhakti) should not be discarded, for it can lead you to all-round delight and bliss. Instead, if one closes his eyes and instils into himself the conceit that He is Brahman, he will miss the joy and become a victim of anxiety. When you pound husk you cannot expect rice grains to result, can you? And Krishna is no other than the very Brahman!
‘The body of the cow has milk in it. The milk has ghee in it. But the ghee cannot be a source of strength to one. The milk has to be drawn, yeast added to curdle it, butter has to be churned out and clarified to produce the ghee which, when consumed by one can give one strength. So too, though God is omnipresent and omni-motivating, He has to be discovered and cognised in order to realise Bliss, Awareness. Like oil in mustard, butter in yoghurt, like water inside the earth, like fire in timber, God is present but not patent in everything. God is in the human body and in the human mind. To become aware of Him there, spiritual effort is necessary. When that is undertaken, the unity of both can be realised. One will not thereafter experience ‘two’ or ‘difference.’ The awareness of the one without a second is ‘Liberation,’ release from bondage.
Vishishtadvaita (qualified Monism)
Ramanuja considered the problem whether the God whom one seeks to worship and realise as real must be conceived as being apart from oneself, or whether God can be conceived as in oneself. His answer is: Life is the soul of the body. God is the soul of Life. God is the grantor, the force, the sustainer. Seek Him in that spirit. The Supreme Sovereign Purusha in whom all the elements reside and who is the In-dweller and inner motivator of all Creation, can be known and experienced only by winning Grace through surrender. Understand well His transcendence and immanence, and realising one’s deficiencies, surrender the ego in order to partake of His Glory. The mental attitude of the seeker should be ‘Tvam eva sarvam, mama Deva Deva.’ (Thou alone art all, Oh my God of Gods. You are the urge, you are the path, you are the goal.) The spiritual effort must be one-pointed, unwavering, untiring.
The dualistic outlook on the relationship between God and the individual is that of husband and wife. Vishnu, the Lord, the ever-free ever-full, has to be adored as the wife adores the husband. Among such sadhakas, Chaitanya is most noteworthy. He established a distinct Chaitanyopasana itself. Without the anguished yearning for the Feet of Lord Krishna liberation cannot be gained. Why? Even purification of one’s intelligence is not possible without that yearning. This is the assertion of Chaitanya. He declares that sages and others capable of being immersed in inner bliss can enjoy the ecstasy of the supreme consciousness through the contemplation of the auspicious, restorative and cleansing attributes of the Lord, Shri Hari. No text or scripture is needed for one to realise this bliss. Sunk in the waves of that Divine ecstasy, the person ignores all the norms of social behaviour and escapes from all conventions. He sings aloud the names of Hari, sheds streams of joy, dances in divine delight and experiences unadulterated genuine bliss. He feels that the Lord’s Feet have made every inch of ground holy. Thus they sing the glory of the Lord fully attuned to Him. This sadhana was emphasised, as the easiest and most fruitful, by Chaitanya. His foremost goal was to attain the absence of body consciousness in the flood of ecstasy that surges from melodious group-singing of the majesty and mercy of the Lord.
There are a few other forms of worship which merit mention. The Gowdeyopaasana is one such. Shri Krishna, formulated and incorporated in the unmanifest Immanence, as Purushottama and Radha, formulated and incorporated as unmanifest Universal Energy, are both visualised, and known as Krishna-Radha or more commonly, Radha-Krishna. Madhava is another name of Krishna, signifying that He is the master of Cosmos or Prakriti. So, the name used in this Upasana or worship is Radha-Madhava. The recitation of this Name is held by the adherents of this path of worship to be capable of leading to the ecstasy that can confer liberation from all forms of bondage. The Acharyas or founders of this Upasana declare this to be the attainable goal. The Lord is the very embodiment of the nectar of delight. Living beings can get immersed in spiritual delight only when they imbibe that nectar. The Sruti texts proclaim that those born in Ananda can live only in and through Ananda. The sacred name Radha-Madhava is the key, it is said, to the treasure-house of that precious nectar.
Radha-Madhava is Prakriti-Purusha and this dual category is assumed to represent the duality of Jivatma and Paramatma, the Individual Soul and the Universal Soul, the Wave and the Ocean. Worship is offered to both through that Name. Vallabhacharya proclaimed ‘Krishnasthu Bhagawan Svayam’ (Krishna is the Lord Himself). Attaining Him was explained to be equal to merging in the Universal, the goal of genuine monists.
Saivopaasana is also a notable path. This emphasises the worship of Shiva as formulated in the Lingam or Symbol. ‘Lingam Sarva Kaalam.’ The Infinite Lingam is the symbol of the primal energy which forms the basic cause of the origin, condition and progress of the ‘elements’ that compose the Cosmos. The Lingam is the Form of Shiva Himself and realising it as such is asserted as the ultimate goal, liberation.
Virasaivopasana advocates the worship of Shiva, the Lord or Ishvara, as the one and only, everywhere and always. The merging of the individual in the splendour of the Linga or Ishvara is the acme of all sadhana, the achievement of Liberation.
The individual entity (Jiva) is tied by the bond (paasa) of the qualities or modalities arising from nature. Pashupati (Shiva) is worshipped in order to earn freedom from bondage.
‘Sarva Deva mayee Devee’ (Devee is all Gods). The Primeval Universal Energy, Adi Para Shakti, is conceived as the matrix of all forms of Divinity. The Cosmic Urge, the Prakriti, is the cause of the variety and multiplicity of expression, the manifold forms.
The Maheshvara (Supreme Divinity) has this capacity to manifest and is therefore so named. Maheshvara and Parashakti are two aspects of the same force. This dualfaceted force motivates the Universe, from the vast expanse of the sky to the entire earth. The unmanifest Supreme Person manifests as the Feminine Universal, the Maya, the Para Shakti. In each individual, it is experienced as knowledge, strength and activity.
(The Marwari [money lenders]) community, in worshipping the Lord, adopt a Vaishnavite slant. Idols of Vishnu, with the traditional equipment of the conch, the wheel, the mace and the lotus, are found in Jain temples). The Jains have as their Mantra:
Namo arihanthaanaam
Namo Siddhanaam
Namo ayiriyaanaam
Namo uvajjhayaanaam
Namo Loye sabba saahoonaam,
meaning:
Salutations to the great heroes (Mahavira) who have conquered desire, etc.
Salutations to the Siddhas (those equipped with super natural powers)
Salutations to the great Masters of Spiritual Wisdom
Salutations to the great Teachers who transmit the wisdom
Salutations to the good persons of all lands.
This fivefold adoration helps remove the evil effects of all sinful acts. Experiencing the meaning of this Mantra gives one the sum of prosperity. The Jains declare that when one merges in this universal adoration, one is liberated and attains Moksha.
The Preceptor (Guru) who reveals the Atma and makes one conscious of Its existence as one’s reality, has the highest place in this system of worship. The collection of the teachings of the Gurus—referred to as Granth Saheb—is extolled and revered by the Sikhs. It is derived from the spring of Bharatiya spiritual traditions. Its ideas form the very core of Bharatiya cultural traits.
Lord Jesus is the Saviour. Man is by nature prone to fall into sin, knowingly or unknowingly. Jesus shed his heart-blood on the Cross to free man from sin and cleanse his soul. Follow this Lord and his teachings contained in the Bible and worship him—this is Christ Upasana. Sing his glory and adore him through hymns— this is the mode of worship which this Upasana envisages.
‘Imaamdaaree khaidaa mey ho, Pygambar mey bharosa.’ Acquire self-confidence and place all burdens on God. Have implicit faith in the Power of God every moment of living, recognise it at every step—these are the rules for meaningful life. One has to evidence one’s rectitude in the Durbar (palace) of the Lord, when one lays down his body. So, one has to follow the straight path laid down by the Lord until the very end. For this, the Holy Quran is the guide. It has to be revered and observed down to the very letter. This is the spiritual instruction to be observed in this Upasana.
‘Allaho Akbar; La Illah Ill Allah.’ This is the sacred formula of Islam. It signifies that God is the supermost sovereign, Allah is the undisputed unexcelled Ruler of Creation. He alone is worthy of worship. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna says, ‘There is nothing higher than Me.’ The Quran formula says the same. The Muhammadan Upasana too is a Form of the same spiritual practice, based on the same Truth.
All these Upasanas reveal that, since man initiated his age-long inquiry into his own truth, he has accumulated, especially in Bharath, a vast spiritual treasure which can save him from sorrow and bondage. The treasure is so vast and so deep that it has survived the passage of centuries as vast and as deep as ever it was, unaffected by the emergence of different modes or the influx of other forms of worship. Besides, the spiritual wisdom of India is today a triumphant beacon, shining in One resplendent flame in the thickening darkness, illumining all lands, encompassing all races and enchanting all mankind.
There is no fortune more splendid than being born on this sacred land, Bharat, repository of this magnificent and beneficent culture, which can save the world. Becoming aware of this blessing is, indeed, a spring of immeasurable Ananda. (SSVahini, pp. 233-250)
Any person who has an attachment to this human body cannot easily understand the unmanifested God. The human form of one’s own body will always be wanting to perceive God in a manifested form, preferably resembling his own. We generally get the opportunity to recognise the unmanifested aspect of God only through a manifested form. Bhagavatam gives you the sacred opportunity by which you can understand the unmanifested God. The purpose of Bhagavatam is to teach us the sanctity of the inner Atma. In order that we may have some vision of the inner Atma, Bhagavatam has been teaching us Upasanas in the form of three steps. These are Vishnu Upasana, Vasudeva Upasana and Narayana Upasana.
The first one—Vishnu Upasana—recognises God in all people who have a form and a name. This aspect has been described to us as the ‘Swarupa of Virata’ in Bhagavad Gita. It has been referred to as the ‘Vishvarupa Darshana’ or the manifestation of God in the form of creation. The meaning of this was also taught by Bhishma to Dharmaraja when the former was lying on the bed of arrows. The Bhagavatam demonstrates that the entire creation is in fact an aspect of Vishnu. Bhagavatam tells us that Vishnu is present in all forms of creation, at all times and in all places. We may say that this path is an easy path to follow for ordinary human beings. Since God is present in all living forms, it enables us to regard every human being as some form of God.
The second step is the Upasana of Vasudeva. This word ‘Vasudeva’ means God, and it also represents the Deva who is resident in every Jiva. This Deva resides not only in every Jiva, but also is the basis for all creation. An individual in whom all thoughts, words and deeds are fully synchronised can truly be described as a Bhagavan. All actions of a Jiva must be directed towards Vasudeva. It is impossible for us to seek directly the un-manifested form of God. Since you have a body, with a form and a name, it is very difficult for you to recognise the un-manifested form of God. So long as you have attachments in the world, it becomes possible for you to comprehend the Lord only through a name and a form. In this context, Bhagavatam has also taught us that Vasudeva Upasana means the comprehension of the Lord with the help of a name and a form. It is necessary to do things, see things, and hear things only in the context of Vasudeva. It is the divine aspect alone that we will really find in all places. That individual who has understood the aspect of Atma deserves to do this Sadhana. Following the tradition of the Vedas, it has become common for us to recognise the importance of time, and worship time as a sacred entity. In this aspect of time, we divide a year into twelve months and to sanctify these twelve months, God’s name is also spelt out in twelve letters as ‘Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya’. Here, we see that the God of time has twelve letters. It is in this context that Vyasa composed the Bhagavatam in twelve Skandhas. (SSB 1978, pp. 10-11)
In this, we have to experience God, not only in all human beings, but in all our actions and work. Here, we should make an attempt to recognise the aspect of God in all our actions connected with all things which have a name and a form. This is not such an easy path, because human beings are filled with qualities like lust, anger, jealousy and hatred and they also have attachments.
These qualities are such that they will not enable one to think of God. When we see an individual doing bad things, not only will we regard that individual as a bad individual but there is also a chance of bad ideas coming into ourselves. Under those circumstances, it becomes very difficult to accept such an individual and the act that he performs as sacred or divine.
In order that we may not give room to such unsacred situations, we will have to develop the aspect of divinity in us. Just as a human being coiled up by a python struggles to get his hands and legs free, so also a human being caught up in qualities like anger, lust, greed and hatred has to struggle to think of God and recognise divinity in all that he sees. Thus the Vasudeva Upasana is a difficult matter to follow. (SSB 1978, p. 57)
The third step is the Narayana Upasana. This step not only enables you to experience divinity in the action as well as the form of individuals, but will also enable you to see the oneness of all creation. This will lead you to get the experience of Atma. It will enable you to establish the unity that is present in all creation, through the recognition of the aspect of Atma.
This will enable you to accept that there is no difference between different forms of divinity. There are three great individuals in Bhagavatam, who symbolise these three types of Upasana.
King Parikshit, a Rajarishi, symbolises the first kind of Upasana. Sringi a great Tapasvi belongs to the second category of Upasana. Sami, the famous Brahmarshi represents the third type of Upasana. The totality of the experience of Sami, Sringi and Parikshit is the essence of Bhagavatam. These three types are truly the forms of the three gunas—Sattva, Rajas and Tamas gunas.