Tajjapastadarthabhavanam
Translation-
One should chant the name
with divine sentiments
while meditating on the meaning
So he tells us, that we must
chant the name of God.
But that is not enough.
We could be chanting it mechanically
that will have no value
See even a parrot
can be taught to chant "Krishna Krishna"
I have been
to houses of devotees in India
who have taught their parrots and mainas
Hare Krishna Hare Rama, and
the mainas say all kinds of interesting things
Does it have any value?
If you press the maina's neck it will not say, Hare Krishna
Hare Rama, it will say "Kooooo".
So
along side with the
chanting, we need to absorb the mind!
Ultimately the mind
is the cause of bondage
and the mind is the cause of liberation.
You all have heard this 100s of times
Kripaluji Maharaj never
fails to emphasize this point!
That look you need to
engage your mind.
But Kripaluji Maharaj goes one step
further.
He says, not the
sentiments
Utilize the form as well.
You they say that
a picture is worth a 1000 words
you all heard that right!
So the power of pictures!
Now if I say
remember your child
Do you remember your child's name
or do remember your child's picture?
Picture! That is how
you remember entities, that is how your remember people!
If I say remember your car
do you remember Toyota or Mercedes
or do you remember the picture of your car?
When you have parked your car in that
parking lot and you're going by
you're measuring every car
against the picture in your mind. Ahh there it is!
So we all think in terms of pictures!
They are far deeper and
meaningful to us.
Realizing this people
they utilize the power of visualization.
You know in the sports field
they have always known it.
The most successful golfer
in history Jack Nicklaus
he said
that I never
hit a shot without first visualizing
the ball falling into
the whole. Because when
I keep that image deeply
embedded in me
then automatically my
physical, mental, intellectual processes
they conform
to enable the ball to fall there.
I was reading the
the website
of a sports psychologist called
John Murray who has trained
a number of Olympic medalists
and Wimbledon
winners etc.. so he was saying
that before you serve that tennis ball
he says you picture
it falling in the place in the court
where you wish
it to fall and
then you hit it.
Another
great example I came across
of the power of the subconscious
was of Natan Sharansky
Natan Sharansky was a Jew who
used to live in Russia, in communist Russia.
So he was falsely accused
of being a NATO spy.
And he was put into a prison in Siberia
He was there in prison for 12 years
So how to pass time
He started playing chess in his mind.
He used to play chess since childhood.
So he used to in him mind keep on
playing with the World Chess Champion
Gary Kasparov
and keep defeating him in his mind.
Until it sank so deep into his subconscious.
So finally on the intervention of
Bill Clinton he was released.
So he went off to Israel.
And once Gary Kasparov
he came there for an exhibition match.
So sometimes these world champions
they take on 5 people at a time. So they play against 5
He happened to be one of those 5 and
he defeated Gary Kasparov.
So reporters asked him how did you defeat
the world champion? He said I defeated him 1000s of times in my mind
it came naturally to me.
Arnold Schwarzenegger
5 times Mr. Universe. His testimonial
is also very interesting.
When he first won the prize he was asked that did it
take you by surprise? He said no
I had practiced it 1000s of times in my mind
So it came naturally.
So this power of the subconscious
is so tremendous
So people, they utilize it
by giving them positive affirmations.
But Kripaluji Maharaj says use positive
Images!
See you make your New year resolutions.
In terms of words right!
Now you made it on 1'st January.
What is it? I'm sure you have forgotten
But if you were to visualize it
It would be a totally different matter.
If you were to visualize!
I shall not take this drink.
and make that picture strong
in your mind, there is a far
greater chance that you would remember it.
I came across an experiment done
in the Michigan State University
Hospital, their ICU unit.
So what they did was
that
patients who had come to the ICU
when they are released from there
they are given a set of instructions.
Now one group out of this test sample,
they were given written
instructions & explained
the 2nd group
were given written plus
visual instructions and explained
and after 3 days
the surveyors they rang up the
people to find out how many
of them remembered the instructions.
So amongst the group that had got
written instructions,
only 6% remembered.
And amongst the group that had got
written plus visual instructions
43% remembered.
That is the power of visualization.
So in the same way
when we take the name of God
we wish to deeply absorb our
mind in God,
and what is the best way to do it?
So Maharishi Patanjali says
create the divine sentiments
Kripaluji Maharaj says
bring the image of God
now create the divine sentiments.
"quoting Kripaluji Maharaj"
He says all your spiritual
sadhanas are like the body
and visualization is
like the life-air!
You try it out
if you wish to develop love for Radha Krishna
just visualize their images
and see how easy it becomes
If you can do just this much
that you close your eyes and bring their images
in front, you have the basis
for loving them..