112. Sri Sankara Charitham by Maha Periyava – Offering the mind and silent contemplation

 Offering the mind and silent contemplation

Let it [the celebration of Acharya’s Jayanti the way I desire] happen whenever it does.  What we should do right away is that on the day of Acharya’s [Sri Adi Sankara’s] Jayanti, we should dedicate our minds to Acharya.  Before we ceremonially celebrate it [the utsavam – Jayanti of Acharya] with material things and with physical effort, we should do it with our minds. Even while celebrating the utsavam in a big way by offering material and physical effort, the biggest puja would be to completely offer our mind to him and surrender.  When I say this, it does not mean that the external utsavam is not required. It should also be done with complete focus of mind.

Now, for some time, let us offer our mind exclusively to Acharya¹.  Instead of deriving pleasure by talking and listening about the greatness of the incarnation and other related things, let us submit our mind to Acharya to the maximum extent possible.  That would be the greatest joy.  It would be a great feeling of happiness if we could bring him into our mind and dwell on him a little.  That will bring in the peace which will calm down all the distress within us.

Remembering Bhagawadpada gives us more peace than remembering Bhagawan himself!  It is greater peace to be remembering Bhagawadpada who incarnated only to do good to us, and to rescue us even if we have degraded to a great extent, rather than remembering Bhagawan, who while being the cause for all the good and the bad, also punishes us for our wrong doings.

To the question ‘How can the mind be offered? How can he be brought into the mind which keeps thinking of unwanted things, and made to dwell there?’, I will give you a very simple solution.  The only way is to keep chanting “Hara Hara Sankara, Jaya Jaya Sankara” mentally.  Through that, he will come and occupy our mind.  Isn’t chanting the name of Hara the way shown by Jnanasambandar to ‘get rid of the world’s misery’ (வையகம் துயர் தீர – vaiyagam thuyar theera)?

aazhga theeyadhellam! aran naamame

soozhga, vaiyagamum thuyar theergavae!

ஆழ்க தீயதெல்லாம்! அரன் நாமமே

சூழ்க, வையகமுந் துயர் தீர்கவே!

Let us, therefore, add “Hara Hara” to the name of Sankara and chant.  As he was Digvijaya Sankara, we shall also add “Jaya Jaya”.  No other discourse is necessary. No other intelligent trick is required.

Bhagawatpada, who was in fact the holy feet of Sambhu, has himself mentioned “why are you unnecessarily causing ‘discomfort to your throat’ (कण्ठक्षोभम्) engaging in skillful debates!  Are you not intelligent?  Just dwell on the lotus feet of Sambhu and enjoy the supreme bliss”.

vruthaa kantakshobham vahasi tarasaa tarkavachasaa

padaambhojam sambhor bhaja parama sowkhyam vraja sudhee:²

वृथा कण्ठक्षोभं वहसि तरसा तर्क वचसा

पदाम्भोजं शम्भोर् भज परम सौख्यं व्रज सुधीः

Calling “sudhee:” – ‘you with high intelligence, smart child!”, he has given instructions like this.  Therefore, in this auspicious time, no other discourse is necessary.  Some difference of opinion does arise even in that (in the discourses).  So it is not required!  For some time let us chant “Hara Hara Sankara Jaya Jaya Sankara” within our mind. Only within; not aloud!  Even if it is not possible to do Yoga, Dhyana, Samadhi, etc. this chanting will do.  Acharya will bless us for this itself.

I have often been exhorting that you all should celebrate Acharya’s Jayanti and also render service to the Matam physically and materially.  I have even been saying, “render your service at the Matam availing leave for at least a week every year; offer one day of your weekends for the Matam” etc.  More than all these, if you can now control your mind for five minutes and silently chant “Hara Hara Sankara Jaya Jaya Sankara”, that itself will be the greatest Utsavam, greatest service to the Matam.  For you to be prosperous, for the Matam to flourish through you, for the Matam to do good to you, for everything, nothing else is required other than this chanting!  Doing it from the heart is greater than doing it materially and physically.

Without saying it aloud, all of you keep chanting “Hara Hara Sankara Jaya Jaya Sankara”, till I say “Arohara”!

[Saying this, he makes everyone do the japa mentally for about five minutes.  Thereafter, saying “Arohara” three times and making others also to repeat it, concludes the discourse for the day by saying, “Govinda Nama Sankeertanam” for which the people assembled respond, saying “Govinda, Govinda”].