Magazine - Year 2007 - Version 1
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Language: ENGLISH
The Process of achieving Siddhi through Sadhana
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The process of upgradation of the levels of physical activity, the mental thinking and the sentiments combined with the transmutation of animal instincts into the divine traits has been called the science of Sadhana.
In materialistic terms, sadhana means an effort or endeavor done to achieve a specific goal; and siddhi means an accomplishment or the success achieved in that direction. However in the spiritual world, it is a common belief that the siddhis (meaning supernatural powers) are showered by the deities and that sadhana is supplication for the same. In the modern context, when everything has to pass the test of scientific validity, let us try to understand the basic principles underlying the achievement of siddhi through sadhana. In order to simplify things, let us begin with few examples.
We all know that iron is in the form of an ore, when mined from earth. It is purified by the Agni Sanskar (the process of heat treatment, in this case called smelting). Iron ore, in its crude form, is useless. It can neither serve as clay nor as a metal, whereas, after smelting the purified iron can be moulded into a variety of appliances, components of machines and parts of weaponry. This is how the utility and importance of the crude ore is enhanced. The medicines like Lohasava, Lohabhasma Mandurbhasma and other iron tonics manufactured by pharmacists contain this ordinary iron as an essential ingredient. These medicines ameliorate the sufferings of many chronic patients. The credit of transmutation of an insignificant piece of crude iron ore into a refined metal of immense utility goes to the Agni Sanskar.
A crude lump of gold changes into an attractive ornament in the hands of a goldsmith. However, in this development, it has to pass through many processes e.g. heating, hammering, scratching etc. The value of other metals too increases manifold when they are converted from their original form into articles of utility. The price of a piece of stone is negligible, but after going through a prolonged process of hammering and chiseling by the sculptor, it becomes a precious idol of a deity.
A farmer has to take lot of pains to transform an uneven and barren field into fertile land. An expert gardener is able to convert a wild haphazard growth of the forest into a beautiful park or a garden by his skills of horticulture. Health enthusiasts engaged in the Sadhana of bodybuilding succeed in making the body strong and attractive. Such a body earns the person the name and fame of a renowned wrestler.
In order to channelise the strength of otherwise useless and dangerous wild animals for utilitarian needs, man has persevered for long and developed the science of animal husbandry. The wild big cats of the jungle, which may otherwise maul and kill a human being, start earning huge profits for a person who trains them properly. It is a miracle of Sadhana.
According to anthropologists, original ancestors of human beings had also the traits of wild animals. It has been convincingly proved that man has reached his present state of development through several stages of evolution starting from the category of apes. During this process of evolution, he has developed his intellectual, physical and communication skills. He has made numerous achievements in the fields of education, medicine, sculpture, fine arts, farming, transportation etc. But all this has not happened suddenly. It is the result of hundreds of thousands of years of Sadhana of development. Had he not erected the existing frameworks of social structure, governance, philosophy, religion, culture, ethics etc., basically, he would not have been better than apes. With the aid of persistent Sadhana in the field of science, mankind has received miraculous boons from nature. In the absence of such single-pointed efforts, none of the present scientific achievements would have been possible. Even today, in those parts of the earth, where the light of civilization has not yet reached, the aborigines are living an animal-like existence.
From the abovementioned examples, it is very clear that nothing happens accidentally or unexpectedly in this world. All the movements, from the mysterious workings of nature to the rise and fall of human beings, are inexorably bound by the laws of cause and effect. Due to our ignorance of this process, we might call it fate, destiny, will of God, etc. but the facts confirm the validity of the principle of achievement of Siddhi through Sadhana, at each step.
This world is full of means and materials of comfort and luxury. Most of us crave to acquire as many of them as possible. However, mostly this craving exceeds our modest needs and develops into a tendency of unbridled accumulation by fair means or foul. Why does it happen, after all? Why should the highest creation of God - mankind - live in such hellish conditions of utter dissolution and disgrace?
The question is really difficult but the answer is very simple. One can buy anything in this world by paying its price. All of us have received the body, vital force, earth, sky, sun, air, clouds, etc. as free gifts from nature much before we were born. Now, in order to acquire anything else, we will have to promptly employ our physical and mental resources. Beyond that, one also has to develop the magnetism of refined personality. Essentially, this is the force that attracts the desired success. The virtues of hard work, dedication and an excellent moral character are invaluable treasures kept in the locker of our inner being. One can buy with them the coveted achievements at all levels and in every sphere of life.
From which planet or stars can the goddess of prosperity descend on an undeserving person? How can the rainwater be accumulated on a mound? How can vegetation be grown on a barren rock? Even the downpours of the monsoons would not be able to do it. For a blind person, this beautiful world would continue to be eternally dark. An individual, whose eardrums have been damaged, is, forever, deprived of the musical sounds. This world, which is the most beautiful artistic creation of God, would appear to be in disorder to an insane person. Wise men know that it is difficult to remove the thorns from the entire path and hence one has to wear the shoes in order to protect himself. If we desire to see the world in the green colour, there is no other option but to wear spectacles of that colour. World is like a mirror. Whatever is seen here is, infact, one’s own reflected image. Had it not been true, how, out of the two neighbors, putting up in the same environment, one would have been blessed with success and the other suffered failure? The world is like an echo from the well. Here one’s own actions keep on reflecting back as reactions.
The foundation of Jeevan Sadhana (disciplining of one’s own life pattern), is shraddha (faith) which has been held supreme in the spiritual texts. As a matter of fact, the deities believed to be present in the statues of temples, manifest concretely in response to a devotee’s living faith. The visible circumstances are only the result of the invisible internal thought processes. The toxicity present in the blood appears in the form of ulcers and tumors. The leaves, flowers and fruits of a tree do not materialize in space. They owe their existence to the nutrients sucked by the invisible roots. Similarly, the source of extraordinary talents lies deep within the inner-self. One may express his gratitude to some deity, mantra or talisman for the boon of these virtues but the fact remains that not a single instance can be cited when any deity has favoured an undeserving person or bestowed a boon beyond the merit of the devotee, as a result of some mechanical rituals of worship.
The evaluation of a person is done on the touchstone of integrity, which is tested in terms of purity of character and the refinement of intellect. The purity of character is reflected in the form of the magnanimity and farsighted wisdom, whereas the refinement of intellect is manifested in the form of celibacy, self-control, penance and idealism. Those who have manifested these virtues shone like stars in the sky and earned lasting name and fame. On the contrary, those who have remained in the grip of the carnal desires or have chosen to wallow in the swamp of worldly attachments, might have, at the most, found recognition amongst the people of their own ilk, but they would always be regarded by the wise as pigmies whatever their age or attainment be.
The acquisition of Siddhi of invisible powers of nature through Sadhana is not wrong. God has been showering his grace on each and every constituent of this universe incessantly and will continue to do so till eternity. However, the degree of benefit received through His benevolence by an individual depends exclusively on his/her level of merit. The food articles are found in abundance in this world. They are within the reach of all the living beings. Nevertheless, an ant selects the type and quantity of food according to its capacity and an elephant acquires its food in accordance with the need of its belly. There is no shortage of the grace or the boons of the Creator. There is no need of any begging, too. What is required is to prove one’s eligibility or worthiness. The objective of prayer or Sadhana is the augmentation of this eligibility or worthiness.
The forests attract the clouds and force them to rain. Droplets of dew are seen to be deposited on the tiny leaves of plants. The magnetism of blossoming flowers attracts the honeybees, butterflies and the humming bees. A blooming youth automatically becomes the center of attraction. The talent invites several admirers and followers. These are the miracles of magnetism. Similarly the magnetism of Sadhana invites the invisible divine powers and impels them to shower their boons.
The process of upgradation of the levels of physical activity, the mental thinking and the sentiments combined with the transmutation of animal instincts into divine traits has been called the science of Sadhana.
The principle of achieving Siddhi through Sadhana is well established. In the materialistic world, industrious persons are seen to achieve the desired goals through relevant Sadhana. Self-upliftment is also a specific process of acquiring the special attributes of super-consciousness. The principle of achieving success in this field is the same as that in the materialistic world. Sadhaks practice the Sadhana of Jeevan devata (the life deity). They endeavor to uplift both the internal and external facets of life. The excellence in thought and deed make things beautiful and systematic. That is why cultivating a garden out of wild growth, taming of wild animals for utilitarian purposes, and converting a crude person into a balanced personality has been called Sadhana. The miracles of this very process are scattered all over this visible world. The literature moulds the direction of thinking. The creativity produces resources and comforts. It is the aim of Sadhana to make one’s self a kalpavriksha (wish-fulfilling tree) laden with the fruits of virtues.
The human life is a visible deity. Those who are able to invoke this deity are assured of Siddhi, prosperity and an extraordinary success in the materialistic world and Riddhi, the supernatural achievements of the spiritual world. On the other hand, ignorant persons keep on prostrating, flattering and entreating their imaginary deities and ultimately get disgusted in despair and end up expressing their faithlessness in the deity. The wise men are advised to see the reality, even though it may be tough and an onerous task. The greed of easy success generally generates despair and it is this frustration that leads to atheism. The people eager to get divine boons without merit may seem to be devout in the beginning, but ultimately they turn out to be atheists. This is because the law of nature cannot be changed according to the whims of an impatient greedy person. Had it been possible to get invaluable achievements by such shortcuts as puja-path (mere idol worship), without acquiring the merit or paying its cost through an earnest effort, then, no person in this world would care to develop his personality and move on a virtuous path. It must be emphasized again that it is the ‘Life’ that is God. Sooner this fact is realized, better it is. Those who are able to accept and digest this eternal truth are fortunate, because the opportunity of getting innumerable gifts associated with the human birth is available only to such persons. In future, also they will be reserved for them.
( Series to be continued)
In materialistic terms, sadhana means an effort or endeavor done to achieve a specific goal; and siddhi means an accomplishment or the success achieved in that direction. However in the spiritual world, it is a common belief that the siddhis (meaning supernatural powers) are showered by the deities and that sadhana is supplication for the same. In the modern context, when everything has to pass the test of scientific validity, let us try to understand the basic principles underlying the achievement of siddhi through sadhana. In order to simplify things, let us begin with few examples.
We all know that iron is in the form of an ore, when mined from earth. It is purified by the Agni Sanskar (the process of heat treatment, in this case called smelting). Iron ore, in its crude form, is useless. It can neither serve as clay nor as a metal, whereas, after smelting the purified iron can be moulded into a variety of appliances, components of machines and parts of weaponry. This is how the utility and importance of the crude ore is enhanced. The medicines like Lohasava, Lohabhasma Mandurbhasma and other iron tonics manufactured by pharmacists contain this ordinary iron as an essential ingredient. These medicines ameliorate the sufferings of many chronic patients. The credit of transmutation of an insignificant piece of crude iron ore into a refined metal of immense utility goes to the Agni Sanskar.
A crude lump of gold changes into an attractive ornament in the hands of a goldsmith. However, in this development, it has to pass through many processes e.g. heating, hammering, scratching etc. The value of other metals too increases manifold when they are converted from their original form into articles of utility. The price of a piece of stone is negligible, but after going through a prolonged process of hammering and chiseling by the sculptor, it becomes a precious idol of a deity.
A farmer has to take lot of pains to transform an uneven and barren field into fertile land. An expert gardener is able to convert a wild haphazard growth of the forest into a beautiful park or a garden by his skills of horticulture. Health enthusiasts engaged in the Sadhana of bodybuilding succeed in making the body strong and attractive. Such a body earns the person the name and fame of a renowned wrestler.
In order to channelise the strength of otherwise useless and dangerous wild animals for utilitarian needs, man has persevered for long and developed the science of animal husbandry. The wild big cats of the jungle, which may otherwise maul and kill a human being, start earning huge profits for a person who trains them properly. It is a miracle of Sadhana.
According to anthropologists, original ancestors of human beings had also the traits of wild animals. It has been convincingly proved that man has reached his present state of development through several stages of evolution starting from the category of apes. During this process of evolution, he has developed his intellectual, physical and communication skills. He has made numerous achievements in the fields of education, medicine, sculpture, fine arts, farming, transportation etc. But all this has not happened suddenly. It is the result of hundreds of thousands of years of Sadhana of development. Had he not erected the existing frameworks of social structure, governance, philosophy, religion, culture, ethics etc., basically, he would not have been better than apes. With the aid of persistent Sadhana in the field of science, mankind has received miraculous boons from nature. In the absence of such single-pointed efforts, none of the present scientific achievements would have been possible. Even today, in those parts of the earth, where the light of civilization has not yet reached, the aborigines are living an animal-like existence.
From the abovementioned examples, it is very clear that nothing happens accidentally or unexpectedly in this world. All the movements, from the mysterious workings of nature to the rise and fall of human beings, are inexorably bound by the laws of cause and effect. Due to our ignorance of this process, we might call it fate, destiny, will of God, etc. but the facts confirm the validity of the principle of achievement of Siddhi through Sadhana, at each step.
This world is full of means and materials of comfort and luxury. Most of us crave to acquire as many of them as possible. However, mostly this craving exceeds our modest needs and develops into a tendency of unbridled accumulation by fair means or foul. Why does it happen, after all? Why should the highest creation of God - mankind - live in such hellish conditions of utter dissolution and disgrace?
The question is really difficult but the answer is very simple. One can buy anything in this world by paying its price. All of us have received the body, vital force, earth, sky, sun, air, clouds, etc. as free gifts from nature much before we were born. Now, in order to acquire anything else, we will have to promptly employ our physical and mental resources. Beyond that, one also has to develop the magnetism of refined personality. Essentially, this is the force that attracts the desired success. The virtues of hard work, dedication and an excellent moral character are invaluable treasures kept in the locker of our inner being. One can buy with them the coveted achievements at all levels and in every sphere of life.
From which planet or stars can the goddess of prosperity descend on an undeserving person? How can the rainwater be accumulated on a mound? How can vegetation be grown on a barren rock? Even the downpours of the monsoons would not be able to do it. For a blind person, this beautiful world would continue to be eternally dark. An individual, whose eardrums have been damaged, is, forever, deprived of the musical sounds. This world, which is the most beautiful artistic creation of God, would appear to be in disorder to an insane person. Wise men know that it is difficult to remove the thorns from the entire path and hence one has to wear the shoes in order to protect himself. If we desire to see the world in the green colour, there is no other option but to wear spectacles of that colour. World is like a mirror. Whatever is seen here is, infact, one’s own reflected image. Had it not been true, how, out of the two neighbors, putting up in the same environment, one would have been blessed with success and the other suffered failure? The world is like an echo from the well. Here one’s own actions keep on reflecting back as reactions.
The foundation of Jeevan Sadhana (disciplining of one’s own life pattern), is shraddha (faith) which has been held supreme in the spiritual texts. As a matter of fact, the deities believed to be present in the statues of temples, manifest concretely in response to a devotee’s living faith. The visible circumstances are only the result of the invisible internal thought processes. The toxicity present in the blood appears in the form of ulcers and tumors. The leaves, flowers and fruits of a tree do not materialize in space. They owe their existence to the nutrients sucked by the invisible roots. Similarly, the source of extraordinary talents lies deep within the inner-self. One may express his gratitude to some deity, mantra or talisman for the boon of these virtues but the fact remains that not a single instance can be cited when any deity has favoured an undeserving person or bestowed a boon beyond the merit of the devotee, as a result of some mechanical rituals of worship.
The evaluation of a person is done on the touchstone of integrity, which is tested in terms of purity of character and the refinement of intellect. The purity of character is reflected in the form of the magnanimity and farsighted wisdom, whereas the refinement of intellect is manifested in the form of celibacy, self-control, penance and idealism. Those who have manifested these virtues shone like stars in the sky and earned lasting name and fame. On the contrary, those who have remained in the grip of the carnal desires or have chosen to wallow in the swamp of worldly attachments, might have, at the most, found recognition amongst the people of their own ilk, but they would always be regarded by the wise as pigmies whatever their age or attainment be.
The acquisition of Siddhi of invisible powers of nature through Sadhana is not wrong. God has been showering his grace on each and every constituent of this universe incessantly and will continue to do so till eternity. However, the degree of benefit received through His benevolence by an individual depends exclusively on his/her level of merit. The food articles are found in abundance in this world. They are within the reach of all the living beings. Nevertheless, an ant selects the type and quantity of food according to its capacity and an elephant acquires its food in accordance with the need of its belly. There is no shortage of the grace or the boons of the Creator. There is no need of any begging, too. What is required is to prove one’s eligibility or worthiness. The objective of prayer or Sadhana is the augmentation of this eligibility or worthiness.
The forests attract the clouds and force them to rain. Droplets of dew are seen to be deposited on the tiny leaves of plants. The magnetism of blossoming flowers attracts the honeybees, butterflies and the humming bees. A blooming youth automatically becomes the center of attraction. The talent invites several admirers and followers. These are the miracles of magnetism. Similarly the magnetism of Sadhana invites the invisible divine powers and impels them to shower their boons.
The process of upgradation of the levels of physical activity, the mental thinking and the sentiments combined with the transmutation of animal instincts into divine traits has been called the science of Sadhana.
The principle of achieving Siddhi through Sadhana is well established. In the materialistic world, industrious persons are seen to achieve the desired goals through relevant Sadhana. Self-upliftment is also a specific process of acquiring the special attributes of super-consciousness. The principle of achieving success in this field is the same as that in the materialistic world. Sadhaks practice the Sadhana of Jeevan devata (the life deity). They endeavor to uplift both the internal and external facets of life. The excellence in thought and deed make things beautiful and systematic. That is why cultivating a garden out of wild growth, taming of wild animals for utilitarian purposes, and converting a crude person into a balanced personality has been called Sadhana. The miracles of this very process are scattered all over this visible world. The literature moulds the direction of thinking. The creativity produces resources and comforts. It is the aim of Sadhana to make one’s self a kalpavriksha (wish-fulfilling tree) laden with the fruits of virtues.
The human life is a visible deity. Those who are able to invoke this deity are assured of Siddhi, prosperity and an extraordinary success in the materialistic world and Riddhi, the supernatural achievements of the spiritual world. On the other hand, ignorant persons keep on prostrating, flattering and entreating their imaginary deities and ultimately get disgusted in despair and end up expressing their faithlessness in the deity. The wise men are advised to see the reality, even though it may be tough and an onerous task. The greed of easy success generally generates despair and it is this frustration that leads to atheism. The people eager to get divine boons without merit may seem to be devout in the beginning, but ultimately they turn out to be atheists. This is because the law of nature cannot be changed according to the whims of an impatient greedy person. Had it been possible to get invaluable achievements by such shortcuts as puja-path (mere idol worship), without acquiring the merit or paying its cost through an earnest effort, then, no person in this world would care to develop his personality and move on a virtuous path. It must be emphasized again that it is the ‘Life’ that is God. Sooner this fact is realized, better it is. Those who are able to accept and digest this eternal truth are fortunate, because the opportunity of getting innumerable gifts associated with the human birth is available only to such persons. In future, also they will be reserved for them.
( Series to be continued)
