Vasishtha Ganapati Muni.
Taittiriya Upanishad
by A. Mahadeva Sastri – 1903
The Taittiriya Upanishad is one of the older, “primary” Upanishads, part of the Yajur Veda. It says that the highest goal is to know the Brahman, for that is truth. It is divided into three sections, 1) the Siksha Valli, 2) the Brahmananda Valli and 3) the Bhrigu Valli. 1) The Siksha Valli deals with the discipline of Shiksha (which is …
Lesson VI – Contemplation of Brahman
(Sixth Anuvāka)
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Sixth Anuvaka ॥ षष्ठोऽनुवाकः॥
This Anuvaka is important because we find a description where Brahman (ब्रह्म) is actually shown to be located within the physical body.
Literal Translation of first verse[2]
स य एषोऽन्तरहृदय आकाशः । तस्मिन्नयं पुरुषो मनोमयः । अमृतो हिरण्मयः । अन्तरेण तालुके ।
य एष स्तन इवावलम्बते सेन्द्रयोनिः । यत्रासौ केशान्तो विवर्तते । व्यपोह्य शीर्षकपाले भूरित्यग्नौ प्रतितिष्ठति ।
भुव इति वायौ ॥ १ ॥
स: he, य: who, एष: this, अन्तरहृदय within the heart, आकाशः the space, तस्मिन् in that, अयं this, मनोमयः endued with mind, अमृत: immortal हिरण्मयः golden effulgence, अन्तरेण in the mid region, तालुकेthe two palates, अवलम्बते hangs, इन्द्रयोनिः the path to Indra, यत्र where, असौ that, केशान्त: the root of hair, विवर्तते is divided, शीर्षकपाले the two sides of the skulls of head, व्यपोह्य dividing into two parts प्रतितिष्ठति enters
Here in this space of the heart resides the Purusha, who is endued with mind, is immortal and has golden effulgence (प्रभा). Between the two palates, where the root of the hair is divided, dividing the skull into two parts, is the path to Indra.
Literal Translation of second verse[2]
भुव इति वायौ ॥
सुवरित्यादित्ये । मह इति ब्रह्मणि । आप्नोति स्वाराज्यम् । आप्नोति मनसस्पतिम् । वाक्पतिश्चक्षुष्पतिः ।
श्रोत्रपतिर्विज्ञानपतिः । एतत्ततो भवति । आकाशशरीरं ब्रह्म । सत्यात्म प्राणारामं मन आनन्दम् । शान्तिसमृद्धममृतम् ।
इति प्राचीनयोग्योपास्स्व ॥ २ ॥
भुव इति the Bhuvah, वायौ into air, सुव:,the Suvas, आदित्ये into the sun, आप्नोति attains, स्वाराज्यम् the mastering (over all the gods), मनसस्पति: lord of the mind, वाक्पति: lord of the speech, चक्षुष्पतिः lord of the eyes, श्रोत्रपति: lord of the ears, विज्ञानपतिः lord of the intellect, आकाशशरीरं one whose body is like the sky, सत्यात्म whose soul is the truth, प्राणारामं the solace of life, मन आनन्दम् blissful to the mind, शान्तिसमृद्धम exuberant with wealth of peace, अमृतम् immortal, उपास्स्व: (this is the way) you meditate
He resides in Agni as Bhuh, in air as Bhuvah, in the sub as Suvah, in Brahman as Maha. He himself becomes the Lord (of all gods). He becomes lord of the mind, lord of the speech, lord of the eyes, lord of the ears, lord of intellect. More than this he becomes the Brahman whose body is like ether (sky), whose self is truth, who is the solace of life and blissful to the mind, exuberant with wealth of peace, and is immortal. O Prachinyogya, this is the way you meditate upon Him.
Detailed Description
Explaining “In the space of heart”: Though Chaitanya exists pervading the whole of the physical body, yet the heart is considered as the chief center of animation and hence it is considered as the fit place of meditation on the soul.[2]
“having rent the skull”: This refers to highest chakra called Shahasrar. It is said that for a true Yogi, the Aatman leaves the body through the skull at a Chakra called Sahasrar.[2]
“Is the path to Indra” A Yogi who thus leaves the body becomes one with Hiranyagarbha (Paramatma). He becomes the Brahman.[2]
More discussion on the Seven Main Chakras can be seen here.
This Anuvaka describes Pracina yogya (प्राचीन योग्य, ancient yoga) in the second verse. This is one of the earliest mentions of the practice of meditative Yoga as existent in ancient India.[14]
Muni could not help wandering from place to place in his spiritual quest. But the Muni understood that the Maharshi alone could grant the fruit of all his tapas. He knew that he could find fulfilment only at the feet of the Maharshi. Very much later, writing from Sitsi, in a letter dated 14, April 1931 (Tamil New Year Day) to the Maharshi, Vasishtha Muni has given open expression to his conviction :
“ Lord, who lies in the heart-cavern, Please accept our salutations at this beginning of the year. Make us grow with thy Blessings. By thy grace may this year give us all-round weal and victory. Master, I feel that all is accomplished when the austerities get matured, the ego is cast aside, the natural inborn state, sahaja sthitl, becomes permanent and all the net work of actions depends on thee. Steeped in the knowledge-self (Vijnanatma’) may I see the way to inherence in my original self. I know that the accomplishment of all my desires and my integral fulfilment can only be at thy Feet. I look forward to that auspicious time. Though I am now far away from thee, may I be held very close to thy heart.
“ Lord, thou reposest in my heart. I repose at thy feet. Thou art my all-powerful master. I am thy servant, carrying out thy work.
Thine, on all counts, Vasishtha
Without losing much time, Vasishtha Muni started from Secunderabad and, accompanied by his wife, proceeded to Tiruvannamalai. On the way he spent some time in Tiruvotriyur and stayed for a month in Madras. All the disciples noticed a new power in the Muni. His very presence gave them remarkable spiritual experiences. They felt as though the doors of the hidden knowledge were opened out for them. Along with the Muni, they also experienced a flood of bliss inundating their entire system. The Muni confided with them that the latent hidden energy usually dormant in all beings, the Kundalini
Sakti had- become active in him. Consequently all the yogic knowledge was laid bare before him. His body became light and full of light. The Muni was frank when he said that he had not pursued the path of Pranayama or other yogic practices to merit these experiences. It was undoubtedly the result of the grace of his guru and God.
On reaching Arunachala, the Muni got the blessings of the Maharshi and with his consent repaired to the Mango-tree cave for (apas. It was the same place where thirteen years earlier the immortal poem Umasabasram was born. The moment the Muni set his foot in the cave, the experiences which he had been having in Tiruvotriyur and in Madras became intensified. A flood of energy coursed through the body all the time. Two or three disciples who were by his side were struck by the supernatural effulgence of his person. The Muni was in deep tapas throughout. He did not see the difference between night and day ; neither did he see the distinction between his inner state and the outside world. Vasishtha Muni went from the cave once every day to Skandashrama to pay his respects to the Master. Once, unable to go to Skandashrama he sent a letter to the Maharshi describing the state he was in. He felt as though his head was being pierced and a stream of bFss shot forth from there making him completely intoxicated. His body was not in his control.
Somehow the next day, with great difficulty, the Muni proceeded to Skandashrama and narrated the whole thing to the Maharshi. The Maharshi, full of compassion, heard everything with rapt attention, affectionately passed his hand over the head of the Muni and told him not to worry. The Maharshi advised the Muni to anoint the crown of his head with castor oil before bath and apply almond oil after bath,
That night Ganapati Muni suffered terribly. There was an unbearable burning sensation throughout his body. It was just like some poison quickly spreading through the whole system. The Muni was not able to place the head on the ground. He could not lie down on his side either. It looked as though
his head would break into pieces any time. He suffered unbearable pain. .
Suddenly a sound was heard ; something like smoke was seen. The Kundalini had caused an aperture at the top of his skull. The Muni’s wife and daughter who were not very far from him saw the whole thing. The devotee Kondayya held the body of the Muni from falling. Fortunately a detailed authentic version what exactly happened has been made available to posterity bv K. R. Krishnaswami ‘’Kcdambur Kittaji) who was at that time serving the Muni.
After that experience for ten days something like smoke or vapour was found emanating from the orifice at the top of the skull. By that time the burn-ng sensation subsided. The play of force became bearable. The long story of suffering, pain and agony ended. The body was filled with the flow of cool nectar of bliss. The face of the Muni reflected an ethereal splendour. His eyes bore the effulgence of the supernatural. After this extraordmarv experience of kapalabbeda, the Muni lived for fourteen years. Throughout the period, some of his close devotees have had an inkling of it.
As a part of tapas, Ganapati Muni began to revise his grand poem, Umasabasram. He has incorporated in the poem many new verses in the light of his own experiences.
Here are some of them :
“ Siva in the form of Taijasa Lmga (Arunachala) had retained in his throat the unbearable fire of poison. And who will become a corpse here having drunk the sweet nectar born of thy force, O Goddess ”.
(Umasabasram 5.1.16)
” Mother, for thy play of ascent and descent, the frame work of the sp:nal column extending from the ton of the head to the base centre muladbara is the ground ”. . .
(Umasabasram 1.4.6)
“ If one gets in tune with the force that descends from above through the aperture in the skull, one needs to do no other yoga :.
(Umasabasram 1.4.8)
Naturally it took all by surprise that a person when alive should have the experience of his skull being broken. Vasishtha Muni explained the phenomenon to his intimate disciples and cited the authority of the Taittiriya Upanishad which talks of the breaking of the skull vyapobya sirs ba kapala. In a yogi when the Kundalini Sakti wakes up, it passes upwards through the Sushumna channel, breaks the skull and gets attuned with the Cosmic Energy. This was exactly what happened to Vasishtha Ganapati Muni.
After the breaking of the skull, kapala- bheda, the Muni could not bear the touch of the razor on his head. Similarly he could not walk bare-footed. From thence he never shaved his head and wore sandals to protect h’s feet. .
The Muni read the revised Umasahasram in the Arunachaleswara Temple before the Goddess Apitakuchamba. And then he began a composition of seven hundred verses called Indrani Saptasaii, paying his tribute to the Sakti of the all powerful God Indra, who is high above all the universe, visvasmat uttarah. It was then summer and the sky was cloudless, bright w!th sunlight. Even so, at the time of composition of the seven hundred verses, every evening there appeared in the sky flashes of lightning, indications of the unfailing presence of Indra’s Sakti, the great Vajra Vairocbani. To the seer-poet, steeped in tapas these lightning flashes were intimations of reassurance from the Supreme Goddess herself. After completing the composition, the Muni went accompanied by his wife and d;sciples to Padaiveedu to dedicate the work to the presiding Deity Renuka. When the composition was read by the seer-poet all those present felt that the presence of the Goddess was so palpable, it looked as though the Goddess in the idol came to life and heard it with approval.
Thus Vasishtha Muni got his fulfilment. The individual consciousness in him became universalised through the opening effected by the breaking of the skull. The portion amsa of God Ganapati held in his corporeal frame pervaded everywhere. The Maharshi’s grace manifested to the world through the Muni.