Meditating on Infinity
This one picture can reveal a lot if we contemplate and probe.
शान्ताकारं भुजगशयनं पद्मनाभं सुरेशं
विश्वाधारं गगनसदृशं मेघवर्णं शुभाङ्गम् ।
लक्ष्मीकान्तं कमलनयनं योगिभिर्ध्यानगम्यं
वन्दे विष्णुं भवभयहरं सर्वलोकैकनाथम्
ShaantAkaaram Bhujaga-Shayanam Padma-Naabham SurEsham
VishvAdhaaram Gagana-Sadrsham Megha-Varnnam Shubha-Anggam |
Lakssmii-Kaantam Kamala-Nayanam Yogibhir-Dhyaana-Gamyam
Vande Vissnnum Bhava-Bhaya-Haram Sarva-Lokai[a-E]ka-Naatham
Vedic thought intuitively found that the reality is infinite. It is subtle and all pervading. If it is infinite means there is nothing that is separate from that reality. By being infinite it has no boundaries and hence no shape or form.
Human life is hardwired to think in object subject duality. We see the world as discrete. We tend to think infinite as huge and uncountable. Our instrument of knowledge limits our perception. It prevents us from seeing the underlying reality which appears as objective world. We see space inside objects whereas objects are in space. And we just can’t see that there is only space, and the objectification is nothing but the vibration of fundamental units.
Transcending the limited perception to bring unlimited needs intuitive knowledge. Very few humans can have this Supra-human intuition. They are seers. For rest of us, it needs serious discipline and dedication to get there.
Committed studies of the fundamental scripture will get us close to that reality. Still, we will come short of knowing and being the actual reality.
Adding a bit of devotion helps in a long way to convert intellectual knowledge into intrinsic nature.
Devotion is the first step. When our mind is not qualified to understand the subtleties of nature of reality, we start by objectifying the infinite.
We start by saying that infinite is शान्ताकारं भुजगशयनं पद्मनाभं सुरेशं मेघवर्णं शुभाङ्गम् लक्ष्मीकान्तं कमलनयनं (SantakAram, bhujaga Sayanam, padma nAbham, surESam, Meghavarnam, Subhangam, Lakshmi kAnatam, kamala nayanamm ) meaning, the infinite is lying on a bed of coiled snake, with a lotus coming out of its naval and the creator Brahma at the end. He has beautiful eyes, dark in hue and auspicious limbs and he is with Lakshmi, his power. And he is best among divine, we are trying to grasp the infinity through our limited perception by giving a shape and attribute.
This picture gives us our first hooks and tether to start meditating. An objectified infinitude is easy to grasp and develop a relationship and contemplate.
As we contemplate, it makes us realize the vastness and all pervasiveness of that seemingly limited shape.
It now appears as विष्णुं (Vishnum)— all-pervading like the very space — गगनसदृशं (gagana sadruSam). It is actually the unchanging reality that forms as the basis of the seemingly changing world — विश्वाधारं (viswAdhAram).
Upon further serious contemplation, it dawns upon us that the very person who is contemplating this reality, that योगि (yOgi)his/her very heart cave is the locus of this reality र्ध्यानगम्यं (dhyAna gamyam).
That all pervading reality विष्णुं (vishnum) is the lord of all सर्वलोकैकनाथम् (sarva lOkaika nAdham) and I bow वन्दे (vandE)to it and my fear of limitedness will be gone भवभयहरं (bhava bhaya haram)
This one sloka can act as compete scriptural teaching for a contemplating mind.
That Vishnu is lying on a snake whose name is आदि सेषु (Adi Seshu). That is the infinite reality is there before the beginning आदि (Adi) and will remain when objective manifestation folds — शेष (Sesha). In between, the creation or more precisely the manifestation, the material world, seems to have emerged from it and not different from it. Just like a spider weaves its universe from the material produced within itself from its naval. पद्मनाभं (padma nAbham) with the creator Brahma sitting in the lotus that is emerging from the naval of vishnu, represents the scriptural fact that the created world and material it is made up of is nothing but that one reality seemingly coming from its naval.
While seeming to be performing the creation, the creator is untouched and untainted by the act of creation just like a lotus (पद्मा) while actively immersed in the water does not become wet.
Even though he is inseparable from his power (Lakshmi) he is in control of it as the power of Vishnu, Lakshmi is seemingly subservient to Vishnu.
By showing all great ज्ञानि (jnAni)like Narada Tumbura Hanuman Garuda as devotees it shows that a true ज्ञानि is also an ananya bhakta. That is no difference between true devotion and true knowledge.
This one picture is worth meditating.
