Questions and Answers
The following are some questions that I have received from people at times and answers. If you would like to see a glossary of Sanskrit terms in common use then go here. Otherwise, click on the appropriate question below. I am indebted to Swami Shankarananda Giri for explaining some of the questions, however I take responsibility for any errors that may appear below.
Please understand that I do not have the time to respond to every question. Any questions sent to me where information is clearly available on the internet or through books, will be ignored.
1. What is the meaning of "Om shanti shanti shanti"?
"Om Shanthi shanthi shanthi" is a Sanskrit phrase and is a salutation that is used after prayers, meditation or yoga. It's meaning represents the core desire of any spiritual aspirant.
The meaning of OM
OM is actually composed of three Sanskrit letters A, Uo and M. In many instances, people write it as AUM. There are no direct translations into a Western alphabet. The first syllable "A", stands for Akara. The "A" is pronounced similarly to the English "O", but NOT exactly. The sound should come from lower down in the throat making it sound fuller. "kara" means "happening" or "state". The second letter stands for Uokara, where "Uo" is pronounced as "ou" in "you". The third letter stands for Mokara, where "M" is pronounced like the "M" in "mother".
In Hindu philosophy, three states of being comprise each individual: the
physical body, the astral body and the causal body. The Physical body is just
that - head, limbs, abdomen etc. The astral body consists of "mind stuff" i.e.
ones emotions, desires and thoughts. When one dies, one sheds the physical body,
but seldom the astral. So long as there are unresolved emotions and desires,
that character will physically materialize again (re-incarnate) so that that
karma can be worked through. Finally there is the causal body. In this state
there is no ego i.e. you as you no longer exist and so this is called the
formless state. In this state there are no dualities of any kind - no
positive/negative, heaven/hell, love/hate, to be/not to be. Indeed there is no
mind and so no thought. It is a state best described as omnipresent. Maha
samadhi is obtained when the Astral and Physical states are abandoned.
Akara represents the "Causal" body. This is the original manifestation BEFORE
creation. It exists and yet does not exist. It is formless without ego, emotion
or physical body.
Uokara represents the "Astral" body. This is the state between form and
formlessness. It is the state in which our emotions and ego exist but still does
not have physical form.
Mokara represents the "Physical" body, the state where there is form. Or to
put it another way, destruction of the formless stage resulting in maya,
Sanskrit for illusion.
The Hindi pantheon of gods and goddesses is represented at its, highest, by the Lords Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Each represents one of these three states. Thus Brahma the creator is symbolic of Akara, Vishnu the preserver of Uokara and Shiva the destroyer is symbolic of Mokara.
The meaning of Shanti
Shanti means divine tranquility, peace. The permanent satisfaction and
fulfillment beyond restlessness, resulting in a state where there is no movement
or activity. In this state all is at rest, i.e. without sleep and always alert.
Shanti is repeated three times with respect to the three states represented by
AUoM.
The correct attitude
When repeating "Om shanthi, shanthi, shanthi" the correct attitude should be one of personal surrender of your egoistic Self together with its attendant emotional and physical baggage, but with the understanding that your true self is indestructible.
2. What is the meaning of "Namasté"?
Namasté is a Hindi word and means "Hello". It is used as a greeting when meeting someone. It does not mean "Goodbye". In fact there is no word for "Goodbye" in Hindi. When parting Indians often say a phrase equivalent to "till the next time" or "come again".
3. What is the difference in Kriya taught by Swami Shankarananda and Paramahansa Yogananda? Please tell me who can teach me the "authentic Kriya" technique...
There are small differences. This is normal and should be expected from a technique that was first written down by Sage Patanjali and handed down person-to-person generations before him. However the core Kriya teaching cannot logically change and so I am certain that most of the authentic methods share the same higher techniques..
Lahiri Baba used to teach Kriya in 4 steps,
Swami Shankarananda teaches Kriya Yoga in 6 steps, in the same manner that it was taught by Sri Yukteshwar.
I know from attending an SRF session that Paramahansa Yogananda's Kriya is taught in more than 6 steps, but I am not sure how many more.
The only differences seem to be in the initial training. The SRF insists that all students initially study a mail-based course for about a year. This is fine for someone who is not familiar with Eastern spiritual teachings and attitudes. The SRF 1st initiation is also actually very different from Sri Yukteshwar's version of the technique.
I myself find that teaching the 1st step of the 6-step Kriya is difficult for soom Westerners and so my 1st step is supported by regular guided meditation classes for local residents and guided meditation audio tapes for students living far away - these tapes are only available to my students and those of Swami Shankarananda Giri.
I know that a number of Kriyabans go around proclaiming that their Guru's technique is the only true technique. This is illogical. All the past Masters of Kriya have taught many many students, who have in turn become teachers themselves. In India records are NOT kept of who teaches whom, but India's enduring spiritual legacy exists BECAUSE so many have been taught through the ages by so many. Thus for anyone to claim ownership of the "true" technique is false, misleading and clearly egoistic - my advice is to avoid such teachers.
Of course there are false and inexperienced teachers. However, there is no harm in trying out a few teachers and techniques providing that at some stage the student settles down with one technique. If the technique is efficient and the practice is sincere and regular, then the student will automatically evolve towards the higher techniques and the authenticity of the teaching will be evident - in other words, students have to use their judgement and prove or disprove the value of a teaching by practice and discrimination. There's no point taking my word or anyone else's - how do you know that I teach "the authentic technique"!
A final point worth mentioning, and probably the most important. A student can only be taught a higher technique when the student is receptive or sensitive enough to receive that teaching. There are NO shortcuts in spirituality (but effort is proportional to progress). In this sense, whether you are learning through the 4-step or 6-step program is irrelevant. It is much more important to have confidence in your teacher and this takes time for any student to develop.
Confusion also comes from the fact that "Kriya" is actually a fairly common word in Yoga e.g. in Hatha Yoga, certain cleansing routines are called Kriyas.
4. Please advise me on the best way to meditate.
5. What is the relationship between karma (destiny) and dharma (Right Action)?
The only true karma is that aimed at finding your true self, primarily through meditation or pranayama. Otherwise all karma, be it good or bad, is not good as it traps you in the duality of existence.
That said however, every point of our existence, through inaction or action, we make a choice because we are trapped in a dual existence. The choices available to us are determined by our past karma, but the choice we make will be determined by a combination of past karma (effectively ones samskara or habits) as well as ones' strength and will and desire to defy these habits. In this way new "future" karma will be created.
Dharma is doing ones rightful duty, regardless of ones' self-interest. One's highest dharma is to find oneself, primarily through disciplined meditation. But in our daily existence we are also forced to make material choices which should ideally be dharmic.
Thus when faced with choices, it helps to have a good understanding of ones' dharma so that karma is minimised. But one can only make the "right" choice if one has a detached view of ones' existence, i.e. if one is able to fly high enough to see the complete field of choices and consequences and one is not attached to any results from these choices.
The only way to gain this detached understanding is to meditate. Meditation works on both the material plane as well as the spiritual. Meditation increases ones understanding, thereby improving knowledge of your dharma. This results in right actions which in turn reduce the incidence of bad karma.
A person cannot truly know his/her destiny until he/she is enlightened, at which point of course, the question itself has no value as there is no attachment! Until then, man has to make the best possible judgement. Sciences such as astrology, can help but even then, you still have to make the choices. Are you detached enough to make the right choice on a sustainable basis.
To be detached does not mean that a person can ignore his/her duties. If you are family man, then it is your responsibility to also fulfil your obligations towards your spouse and children. It is to the fruits of your actions that you need to be detached from.
Note from Kunjan, April 2003: I finally ound a much better explanation. See http://www.dailyreadings.com/free_will.htm.