It is said that the Guru is not the one who holds the Torch for you – the Guru is the TORCH!
In the vast deep ocean of Astrology studies – if there is any man without whom Astrology is incomplete than that enlightened man is Jaimini Rishi – one of the greatest seers that the world of astrologers had ever known!
Although Jaimini Rishi is famously known for his âJaimini Sutrasâ – which is the subject of this extensive new series – I personally love Jaimini for his âMimamsaâ. Jaimini – was the founder of the âMimamsaâ school of Hindu Philosophy. And so before you jump into Jaimini Sutras – you have to understand the significance of the word – MIMAMSA!
Mimamsa means âreflectionâ or âresearchâ. But this reflection/research is primarily based on CONTEMPLATION – and unless you all realize the significance of CONTEMPLATION – there is no coming to the truth!
Contemplation means remaining concerned with one object, thinking about it and only about it. The ancient seers as great as Jamini would simply contemplate on the ancient Vedic scriptures and self-realize the deeper meaning that it reflects. Thatâs MIMAMSA – deep research done by means of contemplation!
âContemplationâ means directed thinking. You all think; that is not contemplation. That thinking is undirected, vague, leading nowhere. Your thinking is not contemplation, but what Freudians call association. One thought leads to another without any direction from you. The thought itself leads to another because of association. There is no logical connection â only association in your mind. Everyone has associated chains of thoughts in the mind. With any one person some happening, some accident will lead to the chain. Then the mind begins to function like a computer. Then one thing leads to another, another leads to another, and you go on, and the whole day you are doing that – one thought getting associated with millions of thoughts.
Thinking becomes contemplation when it moves not through association, but is directed.
You are working on a particular problem â then you bracket out all associations. You move on that problem only, you direct your mind. The mind will try to escape to any bypath, to any side route, to some association. You cut off all the side routes; on only one road you direct your mind. A scientist working on a problem is in contemplation. A logician working on a problem, a mathematician working on a problem is in contemplation. A poet contemplates a flower. Then the whole world is bracketed out, and only that flower and the poet remains, and he moves with the flower.
Now let us see the various states of MIND –
- Wavering Mind with millions of thoughts – This is a state which is seen in 90% of population across the globe – your mind just goes on associating one thought to the other and the chain of millions of thoughts is formed – for example you are listening to song – immediately associated thoughts will start flowing through your mind – you cannot focus on the song 100% – because many past thoughts keep flowing through your mind – and you laugh, cry and many emotions keep evolving in this process.
- Mind contemplates on just one thought – This state is of a YOGIC MIND – a man/woman who has evolved through regular meditations and chanting – slowly comes to a point where he or she can direct the mind to just ONE THOUGHT. Jaiminiâs MIMAMSA is exactly the outcome of this state of MIND – where the great Sage simply directs his mind on the ancient texts to derive the true meaning – essence of it! With contemplation you can attain up to nirvichara samadhi – meaning silence with ‘No Thought’ but in nirvichara samadhi – one thought still remains and that is the thought of ‘No Thought’.
- Mind concentrating on one point – now here there is NO thought – not even a SINGLE THOUGHT – but the MIND is simply concentrating on one object – it can be the flame of a burning candle or lamp – but the MIND simply goes on concentrating with absolute no thoughts attached. BLANK MIND concentrating on one object – generally is practiced by spiritual seekers – it is though is just initial stage – because although the MIND is concentrating – the MIND still EXISTS!
- And the last – the highest stage is when there is NO MIND – this is the stage which is in the true sense – MEDITATION! Because Meditation happens only when there is NO MIND.
The HIGHEST STAGE is indeed the stage of MEDITATION!
Many people claim that they meditate everyday – but in reality they just close their eyes and then continue to entertain the many associating thoughts that keep swimming through their mind!
People are in rush to become Yogi and Sadhus – when they are miles away from reaching the stage of meditation!
A real meditative being is very easy to recognize – and he or she can be recognized only by a person who himself is also deeply meditative!
To reach to the stage of meditation – the first step is CONTEMPLATION!
And that is exactly what the Bhagavan says – Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi when was asked âWhen Meditation happens?â – he smiled and said â When you focus on just ONE THOUGHT – then all other thoughts stop disturbing you – that is when meditation happens.â
This focusing on one thought is what is DIRECTED THINKING! And this DIRECTED THINKING is CONTEMPLATION!
PURVA-MIMAMSA written by Jaimini is the outcome of this DIRECTED THINKING – Contemplation on the ancient texts to derive the true meaning and that is how the famous JAIMINI SUTRAS were born!
In the following series:
I will be throwing light on the following Jaimini Sutras:
- SIGNS – Cardinal, Fixed, Dual and the play
- SIGNS ASPECTS
- ARGALA
- KARAKAS – ATMAKARAK, AMATYAKARAK, BHRATRUKARAK, MATRUKARAK, GNATHIKARAK, DARAKARAK
- CHARA DASHAS
- SPECIAL ASCENDANTS
- YOGAS
Enough for today – I have just initiated this new series – lets see how far we can go – as this series continues!
Jai Shri Ganesha. Jai Guru.
