BHAKTI-RU'PA SETU (Devotion Acts Like a Bridge)

official source: Subha's'ita Sam'graha Part 18

cross-references: none

this version: is the printed Subha's'ita Sam'graha Part 18, 1st edition, version 
	(spelling mistakes only may have been corrected). I.e., this is the most 
	up-to-date version as of the present Electronic Edition.

      The term Setu connotes bridge. Its function is to connect two objects. Devotion is that bridge which connects jiiva (unit) with Shiva ( Cosmic Consciousness ). At first one has to know about this Setu. He has to dissect and analyse minutely its every aspect, taking also the help of books. This is what is called the Sa'dhana' of knowledge i.e., Jina'na Sadhana'. The endeavour to move towards this Setu is called the Sa'dhana' of action i.e., Karma Sa'dhana'. 

	In philosophical parlance Setu means the process of subjectivising the objectivity. Some people are found misconstruing the real significance of devotion. They contend that since devotion is between jiiva and Shiva, where there is devotion there is the existence of duality also. But had it been so, devotion would not have performed the work of a bridge. Until and unless the jiiva crosses the bridge, there is duality; the moment the Bhava-River is crossed duality meets its Waterloo. The term Bhava connotes rebirth, resulting from the action of the unit mind. Devotion is a bridge over the river of Bhava. 

BHAKTI IS NO SA'DHANA'

	Devotion is not Sa'dhana'. The stage of devotion is reached through the Sa'dhana' of knowledge and action. The ecstatic experience generated by devotion leads one to a state of trance. A happy news stimulates pleasing emotions in one's mind and makes one laugh, sing and dance. The moment one crosses the bridge one is lost in the state of complete trance.

	When a person is established in devotion he becomes able to understand the greatness and magnificence of Shiva. The understanding at this moment is Anubhu'ti Siddhi i.e., born of real experience through taste. Similarly, sweet things, e.g., mango and sugar can be distinguished only by taste. One cannot enjoy the flavour of mango by seeing its reflection in water. One will have to get the tree, pluck the mango and taste it. Similarly experience in the spiritual realm also can be had only after climbing a step on the tree of devotion. Only then one can understand the brilliance and greatness of Parama Brahma - the transcendental cosmic entity.

PARAMA BRAHMA IS OMNISCIENT

	Parama Brahma is an all-knowing entity. Where consciousness is not converted into an object there Brahma is called Parabrahma. Where it is transformed into an object there we call it Aparabrahma. Jiivas are the manifestation of Apara Brahma. The conversion of Apara Brahma into Para Brahma is the subjectivisation of objectivity. Para Brahma is called Sarvajina i.e., omniscient. The Sanskrit word Sarvajina is made of (Sarva + root verb jina' + da and means witnessing entity of all objectivities). He is in contact with everything in the universe. He lives with every small or big entity. The term Sarva stands for the three belligerent principles of Prakrti. In Sarva, Sa stands for the sentient principle, 'R' for the mutative and 'Va' for static principle. Every minutest particle is within this Sarva. There is not a single place where He is not. He is the base of the universe, He is its A'yatana. The term A'yatana connotes Adhiva'sa i e., the dwelling place. A sa'dhaka can realise this only after starting his efforts to climb the tree of devotion.

WHAT IS THIS UNIVERSE?

	What is this universe? Where there is predominance of Bhaeravii shakti the universe is unmanifested. The domination of Bhava'nii shakti means the manifestation of the universe. The term vishva connotes expressed universe. He is in every particle of the universe. He is also well-acquainted with the feelings in your mind. He is Mahat i.e., great. The term Mahat means matchless and also bereft of narrowness. Brahma is one and the same for all persons. Both sinners and pious persons are dependent on -- rather, the descendants of Parama'tma.

	Su'ks'ma't Su'ks'mataram Vibha'ti.

	Parama'tma is the subtlest of all. Your organs have a limited capacity. The subtlest is beyond their grasping power. The Sam'skrta word Su'ks'ma ( i.e., subtle ) means the minutest object or the sweetest sound which the organs cannot grasp. But the subtlety is not an absolute criterion. Something which is subtle for one may not be the same for the other. It is therefore a relative terminology.

	Parama'tma' is Nitya. The term Nitya means that which is uninfluenced by the time factor i.e., beyond the periphery of past, present and future. The Entity on which depends the existence of time is called Mahakaola.

OBJECT SUBJECTIVISED

	Meditation is also action. For arousing devotion action is an indispensable condition. Before crossing the bridge of devotion one feels like 'You are that'. But while crossing the bridge one feels 'I am that'. At that time his object is subjectivised.

FROM WITNESSED TO WITNESSING

	In common parlance you say that Parama'tma' is the object of your mind. But, as a matter of fact, everything in this world is the object of Parama'tma' who alone can be the subjective entity of the universe. Supreme subjectivity cannot be your object. The experience that you are always witnessed by Him is devotion. One who realises this attains the state of trance. The moment Tat is converted into Tvam or vice versa, one starts feeling that He is not a witnessed entity but a witnessing one. There are three main stages of mind : (i) Conscious, (ii) Subconscious, (iii) Unconscious. These stages are experienced by the reflected consciousness. When Tat and Tvam become one in the life of a sa'dhaka he starts feeling that it is not this reflection on these but his reflection on Apara Brahma. At that time jiiva entity for him becomes Apara Brahma. The identification of his unit identity with Brahma makes him free from virtue and vice.

FOUR DHAMAS

	The term dha'ma connotes home. Actually speaking there are four dha'mas : i) Conscious mind, ii) Subconscious mind, iii) Unconscious mind, iv) Dhama' less (house-less ) state or Nira'lamba Avastha' or Turiiya' vastha'.

      In the first three the object of thinking is not original. No original creation is possible in these stages. Even during dream or slumber the objects already perceived by the conscious mind are recreated again. In the unconscious mind the object perceived by the conscious mind is completely identified with the perceiving entity and naturally the imaginary figure of ghost, for instance, becomes a reality there. But in Turiiya stage original creation is possible. Man consumes an object mentally. In these three stages the object of your thinking is your own expressed counterpart. A portion of your self becomes Bhokta' and another portion Bhogya. Bhokta is Sagun'a Para. Bhogya is Sagun'a Apara. The neutral or Nirapeks'a part is Nirgun'a. Your own unit consciousness, Mahat and ego are bhokta' and citta is bhogya.

VILAKS'AN'A'

      In collective life also some become bhokta' and some bhogya. But those who are vilaks'an'a or vipariitgun'a i.e., neither bhokta' nor bhogya will feel that their real nature is manifested in realising. "I am Sada'shiva or consciousness personified". The term Sada'shiva means always being in consciousness. Sada'shiva was also a historical figure. About seven thousand years ago he had come with this blessing of Tantra Sa'dhana'. He was Mahakaola i.e,, one who can arouse others' sleeping divinity.

MAST SHIVA

	There are numerous glands in human body. The secretion from the upper glands affects the lower ones but not vice versa. The secretion of the pineal -- the uppermost gland affects all other glands in the human body. But dirty or crude thinking does not allow the secretion to come down to all the glands and thereby influence them. Pious thinking, on the other hand, allows the pineal secretion to affect every gland and leads one to the state of trance or sama'dhi. The psychological implication of Sama'dhi is the merger of of the unit with Cosmic Consciousness and its biological interpretation is the influence of the pineal gland over other glands in human body. Sama'dhi was always a state of ineffable bliss due to the influence of the hormone of the pineal gland. Naturally some misconstrued his joyous state as if he were intoxicated by smoking.

SHIVA -- THE CANDRASHEKHARA

	What does the crescent moon over the head of Shiva connote ? At that time people used to think some portion of the moon as invisible. They had divided the moon into sixteen Kala's. The sixteenth one was invisible to them. They placed the pineal gland in this invisible portion of the moon. This crescent moon is also called Ama'kala' or Indu. Shiva acquired appellations like Candrashekhara, Candrabhu's'an'a etc.

	The limited human mind grasps external physicalities with the help of organs. But a bigger mind, cosmic mind, for instance, need not take the help of organs just as they are not needed for knowing your own thoughts. He, whose mind is immanent in every particle of the universe, does not need the external help. Identify your mind with this and you will realise that even the minutest of the objects are you. You are the pacific ocean. The universe which is the manifestation of Bhava'nii Shakti will appear as your own manifestation. The universe, which is the Liila of Sada'shiva also gives Him infinite, ecstatic bliss. You meditate on Him and He meditates on you. He is the oldest of the entities -- Pura'tana. 'Pra'ciina means old and Pura'tana connotes oldest. Since Shiva is the oldest of the entities, He is the father of all, but He has no father of His own. None can say who His father was. The moment one realises Him, one starts feeling that he is the controller of everything, the golden, glittering entity.

He feels that he is effulgence personified. His identity is Shivo'ham Shivo'ham i.e., 'I am Shiva'. This realisation is unlikely without devotion. Devotion is the bridge. Proper knowledge and action are also needed, but devotion is the prime factor, the essence.

Vaesha'khii Pu'rn'ima' 16 May 1966, Patna