The Beloved Self

The other morning, while commuting to work, I heard the song Laila Laila from the movie Andhadhun. The words that caught my attention were मेरे दिल के, दिल के, दिल के भी दिल मे है तु. Translated it is - You are in the heart of the heart of the heart of my heart. The words are spoken by a lover to his beloved.

These words reminded me of a beautiful imagery that is described in the Kathopanishad (Verse 12, Valli 1, Chapter 2):

अङ्गुष्ठमात्रः पुरुषो मध्य आत्मनि तिष्ठति ।

ईशानं भूतभव्यस्य न ततो विजुगुप्सते । एतद्वै तत् ॥ १२॥

12. The Being (Purusha), of the size of the thumb, resides in the body. 

Knowing Him as the ruler of the past and the future, one does not want, by virtue of that knowledge, to save the Self. This indeed is that.

[Translation by Swami Gambhirananda]

The commentary by Bhagwan Adi Shankaracharya, as explained in the texts and discourses of spiritual masters, on the above verse describes the imagery. The Self (i.e.: God) is declared to be residing in the middle of the (gross) body. This 'middle' is found roughly 10 fingers above the navel (i.e.: close to the biological heart). The heart area is in the shape of a lotus (हृदयपुण्डरीकं). The size of the heart space is equivalent to first joint of the right hand thumb (अङ्गुष्ठमात्रः). Within the lotus heart, there is an opening (छिद्र). In that opening, lies the internal organ or seat of thinking and feeling (अन्तःकरण - unfortunately, there is no adequate word for this in English and the word 'internal organ' is used in this post. In Swami Harshananda's A Dictionary of Advaita Vedanta, it is defined as - it is the internal organ or instrument by which we experience thinking, feeling and willing and are able to remember things. Though sometimes loosely called as mind (manas) or intellect (buddhi), it is more basic, of which these two are only aspects. Citta (mind-stuff) and ahankara (egoism) are two more aspects, making four in all). The Self is said to reside in this internal organ and Its presence is experienced when the internal organ is quiet/at peace (शांत).

The verse describes a method of mediation with the heart space as the focus area. There are multiple layers in the mediation (i.e.: the gross body to the heart to the opening to the internal organ), just like the aforementioned song. In both the situations, the layers are described to indicate the idea of the innermost i.e.: the beloved and the Self are the innermost.

But, why the heart? Why not the legs, hands, liver, eyes etc.? Biologically, the heart is the foremost organ and its cessation is closely linked with death. Quite apart from that, it is also the seat of emotions (as this is where the mind, an aspect of the internal organ, is said to reside). This is not just a philosophical idea, but a lived experience, as this is where the pain is actually felt. The heart space is also the place where the presence of the Self is more easily experienced. Try it. Try focussing on the heart space and you will feel a sense of peace and calm. In fact, there is an entire movement called Heartfulness.

Thus, the importance of the heart in love.

[Some of you may remember the reference to the heart cavity in an earlier post, where also a verse from the Kathopanishad was mentioned. As you would have guessed, I am currently listening to the discourses on the Kathopanishad from Swamiji. The above explanation of the verse is also drawn from Swami Maheshananda Giri ji's commentary on the Kathopanishad. 

The Upanishads are replete with references about the Self residing in the heart. Perhaps, one day, I will compile them all. Who knows - maybe that's the book I will finally end up writing. For the moment, I will only say that a similar reference also appears in the Svetasvatara Upanishad- see Verse 13, Chapter 3.]

I was also reminded of another Shloka from Kenopanishad (Verse 2, Part 1). Over there, Brahman is described as the ear of the ear, the eye of the eye etc.:

श्रोत्रस्य श्रोत्रं मनसो मनो यद्

    वाचो ह वाचं स उ प्राणस्य प्राणः ।

चक्षुषश्चक्षुरतिमुच्य धीराः

    प्रेत्यास्माल्लोकादमृता भवन्ति ॥ २॥

2. Since He is the Ear of the ear, the Mind of the mind, the Speech of the speech, the Life of the life, and the Eye of the eye, therefore the intelligent men after giving up (the self identification with the senses) and renouncing this world, become immortal.

[Translation by Swami Gambhirananda]

The song mentioned above also employs similar phraseology, where the residence of the beloved is described in the heart of the heart etc. In the above verse, the Ultimate is described as that which enables the ear to hear, the mind to feel, the speech to speak, the eye to see etc. In that sense, the Self is the director of everything. In the words of Swami Gambhirananda - "There does exist something which is known to the intellect of men of realisation, which dwells in the inmost recess of all, which is changeless, undecaying, immortal, fearless, and unborn, and which the Ear etc. of even the ear etc., i.e.: the source of their capacity to act." Thus, once again, the addition of degrees is aimed at conveying the idea of the innermost.

I am reminded of two Bhajans that also mention the indwelling Self. The first one is a Kabir Bhajan - Haman Hai Ishq-e-Mastana, Haman Ko Hoshiyari Kya. The Bhajan has been beautifully sung by Pt. Madhup Mudgal ji. Do listen - it also has line by line translation. The following verses are relevant to our discussion here:

जो बिछुड़े हैं पियारे से,

भटकते दर-ब-दर फिरते

हमारा यार है हम में

हमन को  इंतजारी क्या?

Those who are separated from their Beloved, wander from place to place

My Friend is in me, why do I need to wait for Him?

The Bhajan emphatically states that God is the Beloved. It also reiterates that God/Brahman is most conveniently experienced within us. The Beloved that we seek can never be separated from us.

As I write this, I am also reminded of another Kabir Bhajan (which was originally not contemplated in this post)- Ik dui hoy unhain samujhavaun. This one has been sung by Ashwini Bhide Deshpande ji. The feelings invoked in this Bhajan are quite different from the previous one. While the former conveys feelings of love, this one conveys feelings of dispassion (वैराग्य) and the utter blindness of the world. The relevant verse is:

घर की वस्तु नजर नहि आवत,

दियना बारि के ढूँढत अन्धा

The Thing inside the house, one does not see

Lights a lamp and searches blindly outside

The inside and outside here are with reference to the gross body (described as the house). It describes our endless search for things in the external and material world, when in fact, the most precious Thing is inside us. A word of caution regarding inside/outside. By stating that God is inside, it does not imply that He is not outside. He is more conveniently experienced inside. Also, it should be borne in mind that the more subtle an object, the more vast it is. The more gross an object, the more limited it is. Thus, despite It being the innermost and subtler than the subtlest, it is by far the most vast.

The other Bhajan, which my wife beautifully sang last year during the lockdown, is Bheetar hai sakha, tera sakha. The chorus of the Bhajan is:

भीतर है सखा तेरा सखा मन लगा के देख ,

अंतःकरण में ज्ञान की ज्योति जला के देख |

Your Friend is within, focus your mind and see (just try),

Light the lamp of knowledge in the internal organ and see (just try).

The reference to the Friend here is to the Self/Brahman/God. The message of the Bhajan is - just try and focus your mind and you shall experience It. Once again, It is within. Look within.

The reference to the Lord residing within us also comes in the last verse of the Bhaja Govindam. In this verse, Bhagwan Adi Shankaracharya blesses all his students, that they may be able to discipline their sense organs and mind and thus become liberated:

गुरुचरणाम्बुजनिर्भरभक्तः

संसारादचिराद्भव मुक्तः ।

सेन्द्रियमानसनियमादेवं

द्रक्ष्यसि निजहृदयस्थं देवम् ॥ ३१॥ 

31. O Devotee of the lotus feet of the teacher! May you become liberated soon from the samsara through the discipline of the sense organs and the mind. You will come to experience (behold) the Lord that dwells in your own heart.

[Translation by Swami Chinmayananda]

In the end, I would like to mention one last verse from the Guru Geeta that is found in the Skanda Purana. In this verse, Lord Mahadeva (Shiva) addresses Goddess Parvati and says to her:

मम रूपासि देवि त्वमतस्तत्कथयामि ते ।

लोकोपकारकः प्रश्नो न केनापि कृतः पुरा ॥ 

O Parvati, You are My very Self. For your satisfaction I shall tell you (what you have requested Me to say). Your question was put with a view to doing good to all; no one else has put it to Me so far.

[Translation by Prof. J. N. Sharma]

The above verse brings us back to Laila Laila. In the song, the lover says that his beloved resides in the heart of the heart etc. We saw above that the Self also lies within the heart of the heart etc. and is the innermost. Thus, the beloved and the Self occupy the same lotus heart space. The Bhajans make it clear that the Self is the Friend and the Beloved. And, finally, here is Lord Mahadeva addressing Goddess Parvati as His very Self.  Thus, stand united the beloved and the Self.

May you and your beloved always be with the Self.

Hari Om Tat Sat

[Painting by Mokshi Sethi]