During the giving of Vazhipaadu, Sage Agastya said, “No
matter who teaches meditation or with what method, the foundation of all types
of meditation is the one developed by Maharishi Patanjali.”
So what are these? They are Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama,
Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi. There are a plethora of articles
online and in the form of books and one may peruse them if they feel they need
additional information. However, here is a brief explanation.
Yama and Niyama are how one applies righteousness behavior
in one’s life. It is about discipline and restraint in curbing unrighteous
thoughts and actions and practicing right behavior. We know this is the basis of Vazhipaadu. Sage Agastya repeatedly urges
us to walk on the path of righteousness in
Vazhipaadu.
Asana and pranayama are connected to posture and breathing
techniques. Sage Agastya explained pratyahara beautifully.
The
action of letting go of outside disturbances is called the withdrawal of the
senses. It is that action that comes from withdrawal of the mind from such
external stimuli like light, noise, touch and promotes inner consciousness.
When
the mind achieves complete withdrawal from the senses including touch, when one
reaches a stage where they are no longer aware of the outside world, then the
state of concentration is reached.
Dharana
is the next step of concentrating which leads to Dhyana where one begins the
practice of meditation. Sage Agastya says, “When we attain the state of
dharana (state of immersion) while meditating, the awareness of our mind and
body is removed step by step and vanishes. “
I am taking Sage Agastya’s words directly from
Vazhipaadu to explain these: “After pratyahara, you get into the next
stage known as dharana. It is the state of being, during which your mind is
fixed on just one thing.
Each
teacher uses a different idea for the student to focus on. Some use colors,
others syllables or a mantra like aum and still others light or a flower.
Having
disassociated yourself from the surroundings including light, sound and other
things that affect your sense organs, you can then focus on your heart or your Ajna[1] chakra. When your mind is fixed on
just one thing, you enter the stage of dharana.
After
withdrawing oneself from all the outer senses, it is important to withdraw all
thoughts from one’s mind. It is a state which occurs when one lets go of
thoughts that emerge from the depth of the mind like little snowflakes without
getting entangled in them.”
Then
comes meditation or dhyana. Sage Agastya says, “During meditation, you
are trying to contact your inner self. It is when you contact your inner self
that you go into nothingness. So, from mantra you have gone to dhyana and from
dhyana to samadhi. Once you go into samadhi, nothing exists.
It
is not an easy task to pull the mind and tie it up in one place. To aid you
with this, you can either chant the name of a deity that you like, or the
mantra given by the Guru.
This
then leads to Samadhi, where one after regular practice of meditation, reaches
of state of complete awareness and God contact. It is in this stage that one
experiences bliss or the inexplicable joy that wells up from within.Sage Agastya says:
Samadhi/State
of Intense Concentration: When a person in meditation forgets himself and the
outside world and has no consciousness of his own self and becomes engrossed in
the joyous state, that state is called samadhi or state of intense
concentration. There are two types in this Savikalpa Samadhi and Nirvikalpa
Samadhi.
Meditation
includes both thought and thoughtlessness. In the preparatory state, you train
your thoughts to develop focus. Once you reach that spot, you stop chanting the
mantra. You do not have to chant anymore because you become merged with the
atman. Such a samadhi is called Savikalpa samadhi[2].
In this case you are temporarily linked to the Supreme Consciousness.
If
you can remain in that state all the time, it is called Nirvikalpa samadhi[3]. That is what many of the great Gurus
and Paramahamsa’s enjoy. They are in a perpetual state of oneness with God.
In
modern society, when you are expected to fulfill your responsibilities in
samsara, it is difficult to do all this.”
On
another occasion, Sage Agastya gave a specific information about this state:
On a question about attaining Nirvikalpa samadhi[4], Sage Agastya said: When you are able
to sit for five hours and 24 minutes in meditation, that is the Nirvikalpa
samadhi state. It is very rare. Not everyone can ordinarily do that.”
So, Sage Agastya said, each must follow the path to which
they are drawn. From the simple Vipasana method to the more complex methods
like Kriya Yoga.
[1]Ajna
chakra: The spiritual energy center between the eyebrows.
[2]
Savikalpa samadhi: When one loses consciousness of the external world and
consciousness is focused fully on the bliss within.
[3]
Nirvikalpa Samadhi: A perpetual state of divine consciousness when one is
completely untouched by worldly stimulus.
[4]Nirvikalpa Samadhi: A
higher state of consciousness where only consciousness remains, ego disappears.
Before we embark on any sustained practice like Yoga, we
must understand why we are doing it. What motivates us? What is the goal? How
shall we achieve it?
The common dictionary meaning for the word Meditation or
Yoga is to engage in mental exercise for the purpose of reaching a heightened
level of spiritual awareness. However, for those of us who are ready to follow
the Agastya Yoga Siddhanta (AYS), we need a deeper understanding.
In Vazhipaadu Sage Agastya says,
“It is a time when people are in search of meditation
after going through much trouble and suffering. While there are many who are
available to teach meditation, there are differences in the way they teach it.
No matter who teaches meditation or with what method, the foundation of all
types of meditation is the one developed by Maharishi Patanjali.
Changes have been made in the way of practicing the
different steps given by him. Some have their students sit in meditation
straightaway, give them a mantra, and ask them to chant it. If we observe it
closely, there are very few who have progressed with this method of teaching
meditation.
Knowledge must be the foundation of all types of
meditation. It is easy for one who has understood knowledge to take up
meditation. So, let us explore what type of knowledge is the foundation for
meditation?
Those who desire wisdom must first understand
themselves. Who am I? Where have I come from? Why was I born? What are my
duties? What is soul? What is the mind? What is the body? What is the
relationship between these three?
Once a person has understood this, they must
understand what meditation is, and how to meditate. Importantly, they must
understand why they are meditating. I have already given explanations for the questions
posed above.”
As Sage Agastya says in the last sentence there, Vazhipaadu
contains the knowledge that he is talking about and that is why I reiterate
over and over again, that one must read Vazhipaadu to understand AYS.
So, this then is the foundation of AYS as laid down by the
greatest of Rishis – Sage Agastya. In reading Vazhipaadu, we have understood
what creation is, why were we created, what is the purpose of our life, what is
karma, and how we can end all this suffering. This is imperative for all Yoga
practitioners, no matter what method one follows.
Now, we are going into the next phase. Of making conscious,
concerted effort to go beyond the world as we perceive through our senses. We
are trying to reconnect to the inner world. We are trying to turn away from the
external.
At the very basic, this involves regulating breath, and
maintaining a correct posture, and sitting for longer periods of time. In the
modern world, this is perhaps the most difficult step.
We are so used to being bombarded by stimuli from the
external world, that sitting quietly itself becomes a challenge. So, the first
step then in understanding the goal, is having that determination to accomplish
it. Just as an athlete trains to run a marathon, just as student studies to
pass an exam, we are now training and taking the greatest test known to
mankind. The test of knowing your ‘self.’
As Sage Agastya says,
“Mere imparting of the knowledge of the world and the
art of living is far inferior compared to the knowledge that shows the path to
attaining Parabrahman.” This is exactly what we are going to do. We are
taking that knowledge given by Sage Agastya in Vazhipaadu and applying it in
our lives.
Becoming conscious of our life, moment by moment, we are
changing ourselves. Changing the way we think, changing how we react to
situations, understanding fully well, that the onus of having a good future is
squarely on our own shoulders!
As he says, “Righteousness is the evidence of wisdom.
The speech, action, and thoughts of one who is wise, should be like that of a
lotus that is untouched by dirt.”
Yet, we know that it is not achieved easily! Every day is a
struggle, as we begin to know our own selves. When we acknowledge that some of
our behavior may be wrong. And we try to correct ourselves. Yet, if you look
closely, your path of Self Realization begins at this level! At the very basic,
day to day interactions and behavior!
We also know it is unrealistic to wait for the day when we
are perfect in our daily life, when we have accomplished the fine art of
walking on the razor edge path of righteousness carefully, to embark on
meditation practices. Everything goes hand in hand. As you progress in your
meditation, so does your lifestyle improve. So does your ‘knowing’ improve.
Sage Agastya says in Vazhipaadu, “It is important to
include meditation as part of one’s daily activities. We eat to help nurture
our body; meditation will help sustain health in our growing physical bodies as
well.
To sharpen the mind, intellect is essential.
Meditation is that which will help harness the mind. It also helps control
emotions.
If we can include meditation in our worship to gain
benediction of God during worship, it
will help us understand who we are. When we reach a higher state in meditation,
we can understand our soul.
Method to gain health
It is usual to employ exercise or yoga asana postures
to maintain health. Because of this body and mind work in tandem. We must learn
the different postures from your Guru. When we do these postures, the elements
work in conjunction. The Chakras that are not visible to our eyes get cleansed.
It is through the Chakras that cosmic energy enters the body and promotes
health. This helps man get rid of diseases.
Control of the mind
It is natural to compare the mind to the monkey that
jumps around on the trees. The monkey never remains in one place. The human
mind is also like that. It is constantly thinking of things that are
unnecessary and weighing viable solutions; or ruminating on events that have
already passed. Thinking about all these things, it is constantly affected by
these thoughts.
In meditation, breathing techniques, withdrawal of
senses and concentration help the mind to focus. They also help in clearing the
mind of unnecessary thoughts.
Controlling emotion
Emotions are brought under control during meditation
when we use breathing techniques, undergo withdrawal of senses, and reach the
stage of concentration. The do’s and don’ts in life, as delineated by
Patanjali, helps us in walking on the right path in our life.
Understanding that we are the Soul
When learning meditation, we progress in stages to
reach the stage of intense concentration (samadhi). When we withdraw our senses
from the outside world, the waves of emotion in our heart is removed and we
understand ‘self.’ As we progress in meditation, we understand that we are
souls. Along with meditation, we must gain knowledge as well as walk on the
path of righteousness, and that will lead us to the path of liberation.”
During the giving of Vazhipaadu, Sage Agastya gave Anuradha a mantra to nullify the effects of black magic performed on her.
The ritual is as follows: Place a kalasham with water on the altar. Keep a lemon in front of it. Do not ever touch the lemon. Chant the mantra given in bold below six times for six days. On Friday, immerse neem leaves in the kalasham. And taking camphor, perform arati three times. Allow the neem leaves to sit in the kalasham for thirty minutes. Then take the neem leaves and sprinkle kalasham water around the house. Without touching the lemon, using a newspaper, pick it up and burn it in a place where people do not walk around.
If performed with faith and devotion, the lemon should turn pitch black, after absorbing all the negative energy. So, remember faith and devotion are important.
The advice and instructions given in lyrical form is translated here. A video with chanting of the mantra by Dr S Mahesh Gurukkal, Agasthyam, International is given below as well.
Vazhipaadu has been a developing story as they call it in
journalistic terms. Ever since I have begun working on this, new things are
being added, new revelations are coming to the fore, seemingly unconnected
pieces are falling into place making a beautiful pattern.
What do I mean by this? Apart from the publishing and
printing of the books,
social media groups have formed. A world family has slowly sprung up. People
who have never seen each other before have come together in complete trust and
understanding. Devotees have travelled across the world to meet each other. All
have been brought into a beautiful circle drawn by Sage Agastya.
Online sessions of reading and discussing Vazhipaadu have
been going on. Many hymns from Vazhipaadu have been sung and are available on
YouTube.
These are all very apparent. On a deeper level, I have
personally understood many things, of this world and beyond, including the
power behind the Yoga method that we will be discussing in this section of the
book.
Sri Agasteeshwara Panchakshari Maha Mantra Sat Chakra Yoga,
as I call this Yoga method, formed organically in the last few years. It is a
coming together of a system of practice, that brings together several
components. They are:
1.Power of sound from existing mantras that are considered
very sacred.
2. Understanding the connection between the five primeval
elements to the Chakras in our body.
3.Understanding and assimilating the idea of the body as the
microcosm of the universe which is the macrocosm.
4. Finally bringing together the sound of the mantras, the
power of the Chakras to ascend the levels of consciousness.
Encapsulating all this is the core practice of the method.
However, this meditation method also brings into focus the ‘Why’ of meditation.
Practitioners will first establish the intent. Then add practical exercise to
enable the free flow of energy in the body. They will then add the important
aspect of devotion to it, which acts as a powerful radio to higher frequencies.
Then comes the actual practice of the method followed by giving thanks to the
divine consciousness that is guiding all this.
I have attempted to break down each of the above concepts
into separate modules, to help the practitioner understand the entire concept
of this method. Information is added layer by layer, so that the understanding
of this method is well established before one begins the practice. Since the
whole method is based on mantra as the core, let us begin by first
understanding what mantra means.
A mantra as Sage Agastya says is, “A mantra is a small
word that contains layers and layers of meaning, that can be uttered in one
moment”
In Sanskrit, one of the oldest languages in the world, there
are several root sounds or Bija[1]
mantras. These Sanskrit syllables are used to chant and invoke a specific
frequency of sound that channels cosmic energy to our bodies.
In this method, we begin to understand that there is a
specific relationship between the frequency of sound and the cosmic energy that
flows through the seven Chakras or energy centers into our body. This forms the
core of the Sri Agasteeshwara Panchakshari Maha Mantra Sat Chakra YogaSadhana.
The mantra this method is based on is given below.
SRI AGASTEESHWARA
PANCHAKSHARI
MAHA MANTRA
Aum
Aa Na Aim
Ee Ma Kleem
Wu Shi Sauh
Ye Va Hreem
O Ya Shreem
Om Sri Agasteeshwara
Mahamuni Prabhuve Namaha.
At the first glance this mantra may seem like any other. Yet
in this great mantra is inherent in the sacred discourses of Sage Agastya. It
is only as you understand the power of each of lines of this mantras and their
placement in the Sri Agasteeshwara Panchakshari Maha Mantra, that you
understand that Sage Agastya has created a vortex of power and in addition,
worked the very purpose of Vazhipaadu itself into it!
So, how did this mantra originate?
The Sri Agasteeshwara Panchakshari Maha Mantra was first
given to Gnanananda Swamiji of Kannur, in a Nadi reading. The mantra was in
turn given by Gnanananda Swamiji of Kannur to Gajaraj Swamigal, who was not
well versed in mantras. This set into motion the different triggers that would
bring into being the Sri Agasteeshwara Panchakshari Maha Mantra Sat Chakra Yoga.
Nothing in the world is by chance. Everything has a reason behind it.
When the mantra was shared with Gajaraj Swamigal in 2002, we
did not realize its significance. In fact, Gajaraj Swamigal never uttered any
mantras in his lifetime. He did not know any and had no need to chant them. He
had already reached a stage where he could attain liberation. He had only
returned once more to receive and give the knowledge contained in Vazhipaadu
from Sage Agastya. A fact that was revealed by Sage Agastya in Vazhipaadu
during a discourse on November 28, 2002, “You were reborn because you had
only one desire that was still attached to your soul; a desire to help the people of the world. The
time for you to become one with Parabrahman is very near. The moment you finish
you work, you can detach yourself from all connections to this world at its
very roots and
flinging it aside, return to the Absolute the day you want.”
Gajaraj Swamigal would also impart this special mantra when
he spoke about Vazhipaadu at events. On
January 10, 2003, after one such lecture, Sage Agastya himself referred to that
mantra and said, “You gave some people the mantra that I gave you. That
mantra will be known as sacred and retain the status of being sacred permanently. Good things will
happen to those that chant it correctly.”
Words of a Rishi, however simple they may seem, cannot be
taken lightly. At the time of translating the discourses, when I came upon the
above words by the great Sage, I took it at face value. It is only as I began
writing this book that I realized the depth and layers of esoteric knowledge
that is contained in this mantra. To that blessed soul, who is open to the
deeper meaning of this Yogic method, is revealed the whole secret of creation.
HOW THE METHOD
DEVELOPED
Not much happened connected with the mantra after that. I
did not give more thought to it. My thought at that time was that one must
chant this mantra with intent to invoke the power of the mantra.
When the first book published by Gajaraj Swamigal with some
of the discourses from Vazhipaadu had been published by him in 2006, my thought
was the work of Vazhipaadu was complete. It was only two decades later that my
own purpose came to light, when I realized that 75 per cent of the discourses
that had been received had not seen the light of the day.
So, I gathered and translated all the discourses and shared
it with the world through books that I published. In the same way, this Yoga
method too came into being.
In 2022, when we organized a world meditation session, a
blessed soul[2]
connected to Gajaraj Swamigal first taught the core method of the Sri
Agasteeshwara Panchakshari Maha Mantra Sat Chakra Yoga.
It was he who first connected the lines of the mantra to the
Chakras in the body. Many who attended the online and in person meditation
session that day went into deep meditation and had to be roused after the
session by family members. Such was the power of this method!
Again everything went into dormancy. I was busy translating
more books. The mantra and the method were far from my mind. In early 2024, it
was Dr. Deepanjan from Munich who requested that he would like to do meditation
practice with me. To me, that message seemed to come directly as a guidance
from the great Sage himself. I have never had a thought or intention of ever
doing meditation practice with anyone. Yet, here was a call.
Having been sworn to secrecy on the Kriya Yoga technique as
taught by my Guru Yogananda, it occurred to me that the best way forward was to
share the Yoga method that had been first brought up by the aforementioned
blessed soul during the world meditation session.
As I began discussing how to go about the method, a step-by-step Yogic practice began taking shape organically. Placing my full faith in
Sage Agastya even before the core technique was imprinted firmly in my mind, I began
to develop and share several preliminary practices.
After laying the strong foundation of why meditation, basics
of meditation and understanding more esoteric terms as detailed in the previous
section, few simple practical exercises related to breathing were formed.
These included becoming aware of the natural process of
breathing, understanding the process of inhaling, retention and exhaling of
breath to counts. Then the use of fingers and the inhale-retain-exhale method
to clear and balance energy flow in the body.
Two more exercises were also developed. One to practice the
awareness of the location of the Chakras in the body and the other to focus on
the Ajna Chakra, the portal of divine consciousness.
In the process of the preliminary steps, two powerful
affirmations came into being. I have shared them later in this chapter to give
them the importance they deserve. Through the affirmations, the spiritual
aspirant begins his practice by verbalizing and internalizing an intent with
full comprehension that serves as a solid anchor to his spiritual practice.
An invocation from Vazhipaadu that I had already identified
on a previous occasion followed the affirmation. The invocation brings in the
aspect of Bhakti or devotion to that intention. In addition, it uses the
powerful instrument of feeling to invite a great energy like that of Sage
Agastya in the spiritual journey.
After that, the component of Manasa Puja as given by Sage
Agastya in Agasthiyar Vazhipaadu was introduced. This step further enhances the
bhava of Bhakti which is a very great magnetic force in bringing divine power,
in this case the consciousness of Sage Agastya himself closer to us.
The actual practice of chanting the powerful Sri
Agasteeshwara Panchakshari Maha Mantra at the Chakras followed. However,
something made me hesitate to share the technique connected with the mantra and
the Chakras as it was first shared in the world meditation session[3].
So, I began by explaining the meaning of the power of the mantra
based on the syllables contained in it to my fellow devotees. Despite going as
far as explaining the meaning of the mantra, I was still hesitant to bring the
connection between the Chakras and the lines in the mantra. I felt there was
something crucial I was missing. One day as I was meditating at 3 am, I was
directed to check the elements connected to the Chakras and then identify the
corresponding lines from the mantra. When I began doing that, layers, and
layers of knowledge about the method began to make sense.
I began to write down the method to share with fellow
devotees. What had begun as a small ten page document, ended up becoming this
book! Inspired, I started off by writing 90 pages in one day!
As I wrote this book, even that explanation of the meaning
of the Mantra seemed superficial as the full import of what was developing
became apparent to me. While I have attempted to share all that I have
understood, there is so much more depth that I have no doubt will be revealed
as we practice this method.
As I continued writing, seemingly disconnected information
came together for me to fully comprehend this powerful meditation technique.
In addition, several pieces of the puzzle fell into place in
an incredible manner. In March of 2024, I was just sitting one day, when several
Sanskrit words formed in my head. Even though they seemed like gibberish, I
just wrote them down. That is one habit I have developed, ever since I
earnestly began my spiritual practices. I always write down instances, dreams
or anything that I feel is significant.
In fact, I have no knowledge of Sanskrit, and that is why
even though Shivakumar Ramdas, a fellow aspirant on the path, was able to find
the meaning of the words and put a translation together, I still did not
understand why I was given them.
More importantly, it was not until I had deciphered and
understood the meaning of the Yoga method, that I was once again drawn to the
Sanskrit verses. On July 3rd I was inspired to illustrate the entire
layers of the Yogic method into a drawing. As I began drawing, I chanced upon
the Sanskrit verses, I had scribbled down in the same book!
And suddenly it hit me! Every verse I had received made
sense! The connection between the verses and the Sadhana became clear! It was
also a confirmation that I was proceeding on the right path.
The Sanskrit verses are closely connected to the Sri
Agasteeshwara Panchakshari Maha Mantra Sat Chakra Yoga method. One of the first
verses not only confirms the five primeval elements that form the core of the practice but also gives the world a warning.
I have included a chapter on these Sanskrit verses I
received along with an explanation towards the end of this chapter. The more I
read them in conjunction with the yogic method introduced in the book, I am beginning to see how crucial the message in
this book is.
Just as Vazhipaadu was simply presented to the world as
received and touched the hearts of all those who have read it, so will Agastya
Yoga Siddhanta, lead them on the spiritual journey. We will simply place our
trust in Sage Agastya and practice this method.
It has been just three years since the publishing of the
English translations of the sacred teachings of Sage Agastya in Agasthiyar
Vazhipaadu. Already this new composite of Gnana, Dharma, Bhakti and Yoga is
coming together to form a beautiful, easy to follow, but powerful meditation
method for the modern world.
This Yoga method is based on many components as given in the
Vazhipaadu and taken to the highest level by the blessed souls that connected
all the dots. This brings me to the point that I would like to reiterate, there
is no Guru in this method save Sage Agastya. It is his light that is guiding
all this. He guides us through each other.
At its very basic level, Sri Agasteeshwara Panchakshari Maha
Mantra Sat Chakra Yoga, brings into practical application, thepower of the Sri
Agasteeshwara Panchakshari Maha Mantra[4].
At a much deeper level, it is the key to unraveling the mystery of creation
within oneself! It is a much-needed method that will be the ark of Noah, for a
humanity that is set on facing the global deluge of destruction. It begins with
the practitioner becoming aware of the more subtle body that he as a soul has
donned. From the outward perception of what we experience through five senses
the practitioner begins to learn to develop awareness of the astral plane and
his subtle body. So, without any doubts, let us proceed with the method, putting
our full faith in him.
The videos with chanting of the mantras are below.
[1] Bija mantra is a seed mantra that is comprised of three words. It
signifies the seed from which everything originates. Some of the Bija mantras
are Om, kreem (power, wisdom, and strength), Shreem(wealth), hroum (peace,
liberation), kleem (not chanted alone denotes happiness and love), hreem
(destroys enemies and sorrow), gam (fulfills all wishes), dam (attainment of
happiness), aim (principle of divine wisdom).
[2]This blessed soul in
true humility has forfeited the use of his name in this method.
[3]When it was first
shared online, the practitioners were asked to disregard the two lower chakras
and start chanting at the Manipura Chakra. I found out this was incorrect as I
began writing this book.
Before we embark on any Sadhana, it is imperative that we
are prepared for it. Especially when it is a powerfultechnique like the one you will be embarking
on.
After reading the Vazhipaadu, and understanding the path as
shown by Sage Agastya, we have learnt what it means to go into the serious
step of Sadhana. We are
trying our best to walk on the path of righteousness. And we know that this is
extremely important when practicing such a powerful technique.
We have learnt about location, attire, posture in
preparation of meditation. Now, let us prepare for the
Sadhana itself.
Set up a simple altar in a corner of where you can meditate
without any disturbance. Find a time that is convenient for meditation every
day and try to do it at the same time. The best time for meditation is between
3 am and 5.30 am in the morning and at dusk in the evening.
Now, let us prepare our body for this Sadhana, by practicing
some preliminary exercises to help us prepare for practicing the actual
technique.
The first step before we even begin the actual practice is
to
1.Learn to sit still.
2.Learn to focus on breathing.
3.Learn to become aware of our energy centers.
NATURAL BREATHING EXERCISE
We will begin with becoming aware of the inhalation and
exhalationof breath. With
your eyes focused on the Ajna Chakra, the area between the two eyebrows, watch
as your body inhales and exhales. Do this for ten minutes every day. You will
notice that as you do this, you begin to calm down. The world slows down for
you.
NADI SHODANA PRANAYAMA
Breath is perceptible energy. It is the easiest energy in
our body that we can become aware of. It is also the key to all Sadhana.
Breathing can help us calm down, regulate, and balance our energy.
One very easy to follow method has been developed and used
in India since the ancient times. It is called the Nadi Shodana Pranayama. It
is a subtle energy clearing breathing technique. It is a well-known popular
method, and you can look at some YouTube videos to learn this technique.
In this breathing technique, you are working with two main
Nadis or energy conduits in the body. At this juncture let us learn a little
bit about the energy flow in the body.
We have three main conduits of energy in the body. The
central conduit through which the latent power of Kundalini rises to the
Sahasrara is the Sushumna. On either side of this are located the Ida and
Pingala Nadis. Breathing in through each nostril regulates the circulation of
energy freely in the body.
Sitting in an upright position, with your spine straight,
close your nostrils with thumb and ring finger. Exhale and with your right
thumb close your right nostril. Inhale from left nostril, hold your breath and
then close your left nostril, open right nostril, and exhale through it.
Reverse the same. Close the left nostril, inhale through
right nostril, hold your breath, remove thumb from left nostril and exhale
through it.
An important thing to remember is that each inhalation,
retention, and exhalation of the breath should be on the same count of seven,
nine, twelve etc. Find the count that works for you in terms of holding your
breath use the same count for inhalation, retention, and exhalation. Do this
about seven times ending this step by exhaling through the left nostril. This
will help regulate and balance the flow of energy through your body. It also
helps in relaxing and clearing your mind and opening up the energy channels.
PRACTICING CHAKRA AWARENESS
Once you are comfortable with doing that, let us add one
more layer to our Sadhana. We will begin to learn to draw our attention to the
energy centers in our body.
Place your hands palm up on your thighs. Here you are
becoming aware of the physical body. Visualize all parts of the body. After
15-20 seconds, extend your awareness to the auric body. We are training our
mind to become sensitive to the energy around us by moving from the grosser
level to the subtle level. One to two inches away from physical body.
Then we start focusing on the Muladhara Chakra at the base
of the spine. Remain there for seven seconds at each Chakra. Then we move to
Svadhishthana, in the sacral region. Then move to the navel or Manipura charka.
Then move to the Anahata, heart charka. Then to Vishuddha or throat Chakra.
Then to Ajana Chakra in the middle of the eyebrows. Sahasrara is the final
Chakra.
One easy way to remember the location of the Chakras is to
associate it with the corresponding organ in the human body.
So focus your attention on each Chakra for seven seconds
ascending from Muladhara to Sahasrara and back again. That completes one cycle.
You can do seven such cycles. If you are able to do more, you can increase the
cycles. The more we practice this, the more aware we become of the Chakras.
This will take a long time but is a very important step.
Remember that this Yoga technique is based on four important
factors that are listed below.
The actual Sri Agasteeshwara Panchakshari Maha Mantra Sat
Chakra Yoga as a step by step method has been laid out below.
1.Affirmation.
2.Invocation.
3.Manasa Pooja.
4.Nadi Shodhana Pranayama
5.Sri Agasteeshwara Panchakshari Maha Mantra Sat Chakra
Yoga Sadhana with final stillness at the Sahasrara Chakra.
6.Arathi or giving thanks to Sage Agastya, who is
the Guru for all those who follow this yogic method.
In chanting or saying the affirmation, you are setting an
intention and reiterating your goal before embarking on this path.
With invocation, you are inviting Sage Agastya’s consciousness
to guide you.
When you perform the Manasa puja you are adding Bhakti or
devotion. Washing the feet of this great Rishi who has consented to be your
Guru and feeling blessed to be in his great presence.
It is important to once again practice Nadi Shodhana
Pranayama to ensure that there is free flow of energy in the body to facilitate
the next steps.
Then as you practice the Sri Agasteeshwara Panchakshari Maha
Mantra Sat Chakra Yoga Sadhana, you are taking the steps towards connecting
your body, mind, and soul to the Absolute and the Creative Principle.
In moving beyond the Ajna Chakra, you are beginning to realize
what it means to go beyond creation itself. In that absolute stillness, you
will one day, realize the bliss of Brahman!
The Arati[1]
at the end is giving thanks with a heart full of joy, praising the great Guru
who is preserver of righteousness and knowledge!
Before embarking on any spiritual practice it is important
to affirm why you are undertaking the practice. Here are two affirmations that
I have composed. However, please feel free to use any other affirmation that
has been composed by a God realized Guru that appeals to you.
“Invoking the primordial sound of AUM, I bow to the
blessed feet of Sage
Agastya. Chanting the primordial sound of AUM, I connect to the light within
me. I connect to the Absolute, the Supreme being that sustains this creation. I
connect to the Supreme energy that pervades this manifested creation. I connect
to everything that is around me. Aum Tat Sat.”
In chanting this, we are affirming the power of the
primordial sound. We are acknowledging Sage Agastya and his teachings. We are
connecting to the source of everything that we know as the Supreme being and
the supreme energy. And we understand that everything around you and in you is
the Absolute. Aum Tat Sat is the epitome of everything that is in this
affirmation.
“Chanting the primordial sound of AUM, I undertake
this sacred journey of
Gnana Yoga, as shown by Sage Agastya with the one goal of reaching
self-realization. Aum.”
Once you are seated, invoke Appa Agastya with this
invocation. Begin with invocation to Sage Agastya. Actual practice of
meditation techniques incorporate Bhakti. We invoke the divine energy to help
us progress quickly on the path.
This composition composed by Gajaraj Swamigal contains the
very essence of Sage Agastya and his work. So we can use this to invoke or
invite Sage Agastya’s consciousness to bless us as we begin this method of
Yoga.
The One who is manifest as the foremost in the
letter ‘Aa’
The Sage, who is the highest among the living
beings manifested in the letter ‘U’
Dispelling the illusion of life as the letter
‘Ma’
He has blessed us,
That sacred feet of Agasthiyar
Let us touch
every day.
This particular hymn composed by Gajaraj Swamigal[3]
is the epitome of what Sage Agastya
is and stands for. Below is the explanation of this hymn so that when you chant
it, you do so with full awareness.
In Vazhipaadu Sage Agastya says, he is ‘born’ of the ‘fire’
from the third eye of Divine Mother. As we all know Divine Mother or Adhi Para
Shakti is the primordial energy. The very first manifestation of creation. He
(Sage Agastya) who emanates from that fire (of expression or the initial
duality of creation) is the primordial soul. He is the representation of all
the souls in the world.
That is the meaning behind the first line of the hymn above:
The One who is manifest
as the foremost in the letter ‘Aa’
Now, what does the second line stand for?
“The
Sage, who is the highest among the living beings manifested inthe
letter ‘U’
This line declares that Sage Agastya is the highest or the
‘foremost’ among the manifested! He precedes the trinity themselves!
The third line of the hymn reads,
“Dispelling
the illusion of life as the letter ‘Ma,’
It tells us that in following the path shown by him and by
surrendering to him, the ultimate truth is revealed to us, by dispelling the
‘illusion’ that is creation itself!
“He
has blessed us”
Sage Agastya has blessed us by giving us the path to
liberation through Gnana – Vazhipaadu.
Gajaraj Swamigal ends the hymn with,
“That
sacred feet of Agasthiyar, let us touch every day.”
In doing so, he reminds us that we must hold on to the sacred feetof Appa
Agastya who is the manifestation of the primordial energy in creation and who
ultimately is our one refuge in dispelling the illusion of creation itself!
So, with this invocation you are invoking the primordial
being, the Absolute himself through Sage Agastya. You can find this powerful
invocation to Sage Agastya on YouTube titled ‘Invoke Sage Agastya’s Grace
through this powerful Sri Agastya Mantra’ composed by Gajaraj Swamigal. It is
sung by both Chi. Rohith Rajesh and Smt. Aparna Rajesh. Smt. Bhavani Ramamoorthy has rendered this four line verse in such a sublime way that it transports the listener to another level altogether! The video 'Epitome of Agastya: Composed by Gajaraj Swamigal' link is given below.
Once you invoke Sage Agastya’s presence with your deep
devotion, it is time to offer him internal prayers.
This method was given by Sage Agastya himself in ‘Agasthiyar
Vazhipaadu.’ Addressing Gajaraj Swamigal, Sage Agastya said, “normally,
there are three areas in our body where we can establish a connection with
higher knowledge.
The three are:
1.Sahasrara Chakra
2.Ajna Chakra
3.Anahata Chakra
These three have a relationship with three different
types of life
forces. We get connected with our Guru in the life center which is the heart or
in the middle of our chest.
When praying to the Guru, fold both hands in the form
of prayer and place them at the center of the chest near the heart and looking
a little down, bow to them.
With closed eyes we must look at the Guru from top to
bottom with our inner eyes. Observe the clothes he is wearing, his ornaments,
and the sacred ash on his forehead and with devotion, with a full heart start
your worship at his feet.
If you want the water of Ganga to worship your Guru,
with your inner eyes look at Parama Shiva and pray to Ganga who is sitting in
his locks for the sacred water that comes because of her benevolence. Placing
both his feet on a big brass plate, taking the Ganga water that is now
contained in the brass pot, and with both hands gently pour it on your Guru’s
feet.
After washing his feet, take the turmeric powder in
the silver container to your right and apply it on his feet three times
completely. Place a dot of Kumkum on his feet. Then take the jasmine flowers
kept beside you, using both hands generously scoop them up and place them on
his feet, bowing your head and placing it on his feet, shedding tears of joy,
touch his feet with your blessed eyes. And as you are doing it, become aware
that your Guru is joyfully blessing you with both his hands.
After performing this type of internal prayer and
opening a mat in your heart,
and creating light in your heart, look at your Guru, pray with devotion, and
address him thus: “Father, my Guru, my Parama Guru, my God, the epitome of the
Supreme God, I am praying to you, please enter my heart with love and gather
within my heart.”
If you do this, your Guru’s form will become small,
enter your inner self, and give you untold joy. He will give you the required
knowledge when necessary. If you follow his guidance as he says without
failing, you too will find a state like that of your Guru. People who see you
in that state will want to bow to you. The power to help people lead a
righteous life and walk on
the righteous path will bubble from within you like a fountain.”
So far, we have carefully examined and understood how the
mantra combines several powerful elements. Now, let us begin the Sadhana.
The idea here is to chant each line of the mantra at its
corresponding Chakra. Make sure you are focusing on this Chakra with complete
awareness of the meaning of the three syllables.
Begin with the chanting of the primordial sound of AUM becoming
aware of your whole body as the essence of the Cosmos. Then begin to focus on
the Chakras starting from the base of the spine ascending to the crown of the head.
Let us begin:
Focus on the Muladhara Chakra, chant the first line of the
mantra
Aa Na Aim,
Then move to the Svadhishthana Chakra and chant
Ee Ma Kleem,
Then move your attention to the Manipura Chakra and chant
Wu Shi Sauh,
Then to Anahata Chakra and chant
Ye Va Hreem,
Then move to the Vishuddha Chakra and chant
O Ya Shreem,
Nowyou come to the
most important part of the meditation. You are focusing on the Ajna Chakra,
which is located between your eyebrows.
Ajna Chakra
The Ajna Chakra is
located in the place between the eyebrows. Chant ‘Aum Sri Agasteeshwara Maha
Muni Prabhuve Namaha.’ You are connecting to the divine consciousness that is
Sage Agastya! It is this great consciousness that will lead you on the
spiritual path until you can arrive at the stage of finding that great light
within yourself.
Ajna Chakra is the area of intuition. For this part of the
Sadhana, close your eyes, and lift your internal gaze to your third eye. By
this time, your breathing should be slow and relaxed. Focus on the space between
your eyebrows, the Ajna Chakra. Imagine a glowing, powerful, indigo light
radiating from that spot as you meditate.
After invoking Sage Agastya through the words, “Sri
Agasteeshwara Maha Muni Prabhuve Namaha,” with full devotion, chant AUM. Slowly
synchronize your breathing and concentrate on this point alone. As you
practice, your consciousness will easily focus at the point between the
eyebrows and rest there. Once you are there, remain still with your spine
straight, for about five minutes.
As you practice this, you will begin to see a bright speck
of light. Do not be discouraged if you do not see it right away. It takes many
years of practice
before one can see it. Advanced practitioners will naturally see the bright
light manifesting there.
Imagine the light
expanding throughout your body and extending beyond the body. See yourself as
the body of light. This is what Christ meant when he said, “if thine eyes be
single, your body will be full of light.’
As you advance in your practice, you will experience your
astral body of light and colors. Become aware of the astral body. As you
practice, you will have many experiences. Enjoy the experiences, but do not
remain there. That too will take you away from the final goal.
After spending as long as you can with deep devotion to Sage
Agastya, move to the Sahasrara Chakra.
Sahasrara
Sahasrara, the highest chakra is located in the area of the
crownof the head.
This is the point beyond all existence once you arrive at the stage through
meditation. This is the seat of divine perception.
This is the final realm. The area of divine perception. When
you go to Sahasrara Chakra, become completely still. cease all activity –
mental or physical. Remain in one pointed focus as long as you can. Again, when
you become aware of your surroundings, chant AUM once with full concentration.
Then begin the cycle again with the Muladhara Chakra.
Unlike other practices, where devotees may reverse the
process, by going back step by step down the Chakras, here, once you reach the
Sahasrara Chakra, go straight to the Muladhara and begin the cycle again.
You can start doing this just one cycle at a time. Slowly
increase it to 7 times and finally 14 times. Remember, that the number of times
that you do chanting on the Chakras is not important. Even if you do it just
once and you are able to stay at the Ajna and Sahasrara for a longer period of
time, that is enough. But until you get to that point, you can practice seven
or 14 times.
Now that you have completed the Sadhana, once again offer
thanks to Sage Agastya who has been the guiding light within you on this great
Yogic sadhana.
The link to the YouTube video of this arati mantra is given below.
In this hymn, we salute and give thanks to Sage Agastya
describing him as Vedanta Purusha, the one who is the beginning and conclusion of all Vedas, as the first born
of the primordial fire.
We praise him as the Dharma Palaka, the one who protects
righteousness and brings balance to the world. As Sage Agastya has himself said, the
puranas contain sacred truths hidden behind the seemingly entertaining stories.
The story of Sage Agastya restoring balance to the world epitomizes this.
As Gnana Palaka, protector of wisdom, he is the one who has
maintained his presence through the beginning of time, constantly protecting
true knowledge. So much so, that he has given us verses in the Vedas, in the
Upanishads, he appears in the Puranas and in the Tamil Sangam. He is also the
one who has given Agasthiyar Vazhipaadu to the modern world.
As Dharma Rakshaka, he is the protector of righteousness. In
the Ramayana, we find Sage Agastya helping the righteous by giving the Aditya
Hrudayam mantra to Lord Rama himself! Through this we understand that he is the
one who gives the necessary power to those who walk on the pathof righteousness.
Summing up, you will notice that the practice also reflects
the entire teachings of Sage Agastya as contained in Agasthiyar Vazhipaadu.
You begin with acquiring knowledge. Knowledge of creation,
why creation, why were we created and what our purpose of life is. We begin to
understand that our body as a microcosm of the macrocosm is divine in itself!
Too often we do not understand what an important vehicle our physical body is.
It is only when we reflect and become aware of the physical body do we begin to
question and understand the why’s and what fore’s of life itself.
On that foundation of knowledge, or Gnana, we begin the
second stage important step of becoming aware of what lies beyond our physical
senses. We do this by contemplating and focusing on the Chakras and the subtle
body. We begin to change our perception from the gross to the subtle level.
Here, once again, as we chant the Sri Agasteeshwara Panchakshari Maha Mantra
from Muladhara Chakra upwards, we reaffirm our understanding of the why’s and
wherefores of creation.
[1]Arati: In Indian
culture, at the end of any devotional prayer or gathering, camphor light is
offered to the deity by way of thanks. This involves, chanting a devotional
song or mantras and moving the camphor light clockwise three times in front of
the deity or altar.
[2] AUM: The cosmic word that
contains the vibration of creation, preservation, and destruction. Aa in Tamil
is ‘Agara’ and represents the vibration that brings about the creation of the
universe; U (pronounced as ‘oo’) is ‘Ugara’ signifies the vibration that
preserves creation and M is ‘Magara’ represents the destructive vibration. The
word AUM is thus the beginning and the end. Through it the universe comes into
manifestation and through it everything returns to the Absolute or the infinite
spirit. AUM is universal to all Indian languages however, how each syllable is
pronounced in its expanded form is based on that particular language. In the
Hindu pantheon of Gods, these three attributes of creation, preservation and
destruction are personified in the Trinity viz. Brahma, the creator, Vishnu the
preserver and Shiva the destroyer.
[3] This hymn has been rendered beautifully by Rohith Rajesh and
Aparna Rajesh on YouTube titled ‘Invoke Sage Agastya’s grace through this
powerful; Sri Agastya Mantra’ composed by Gajaraj Swamigal.
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