His Holiness Maharishi Mahesh Yogi referred to the Bhagavad Gita as "the
pocketbook edition of the Vedas". It contains all the wisdom necessary to take
us from ignorance to enlightenment.
The Gita's most important verse, Maharishi says, is verse 45 of chapter II.
Here Krishna instructs Arjuna: 'Nistrai-gunyo bhavarjuna' . Be without the
three gunas , O Arjuna. Take your mind from the field of excitation and chaos,
to the state of inner Unity, perfect orderliness.
In his commentary on this verse, Maharishi says, "It is difficult for a man to
improve his business affairs while he himself is constantly immersed in all
their details. If he leaves them for a little while, he becomes able to see the
business as a whole and can then more easily decide what is needed". Similarly,
transcending all mental activity results in great clarity, peace, and broadened
awareness, which naturally put life in its proper perspective.
"Water the root, to enjoy the fruit" , sums up Maharishi. Just as a strong
foundation is necessary for a sturdy structure, so inner silence is the basis
of successful activity. By enlivening the "root" of the mind, the "vacuum
state" of consciousness, all aspects of life get nourished. Maharishi had the
key for this: Transcendental Meditation (TM), a technique of effortless
transcending.
To understand what TM is, we need only analyse its name. "Transcend" means to
go beyond; "meditation" refers to thinking. During TM, the mind goes from the
surface, hectic level of thinking, to more quiet, less excited states, until
one transcends thought altogether, arriving at the silent oasis of the mind.
This is the state of anandam - pure consciousness - where the mind is
completely calm and fully awake.
For centuries scholars have said that it is very difficult to transcend
thought and gain the state of perfect inner peace. Maharishi knew otherwise.
Transcending is easy because the mind experiences increasing degrees of
happiness at every step of the way. No effort is required. Any force or control
actually prevents the mind from transcending.
This technique of effortless transcending is validated by verse 40 of chapter
2: "In this (Yoga) no effort is lost and no obstacle exists. Even a little of
this dharma delivers from great fear".
Maharishi commented, "The flow of the mind towards this state is natural, for
it is a state of absolute bliss, and the mind is always craving for greater
happiness. Therefore, as water flows down a slope in a natural way, so the mind
flows naturally in the direction of bliss".
By alternating between dipping a white cloth in yellow dye, and then hanging
it in the sun, eventually it becomes colourfast. Similarly, the regular
alternation of TM and daily activity results in a state where pure
consciousness becomes permanent. Then one enjoys inner silence even while
engaged in dynamic activity.
Besides the personal experience of over 60 lakh people in 140 countries
practising TM, nearly 700 scientific research studies validate its
effectiveness (e.g. increased alertness and focus, 87 per cent reduction in
heart disease, improved memory, reduced stress).
Maharishi's legacy to mankind is a remarkably simple, natural procedure, which
nourishes all aspects of life: mental, physical and spiritual. He said, "Life
is here to enjoy and no one has the right to suffer". For over 50 years,
Maharishi endeavoured to make the world aware of this.
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