Svadhyaya

Knowledge is the subjectivization of the external objectivity.

The method of this subjectivization is known as Adhyayana or study. Root Adhi+Ayan suffix-Adhyayana.

Adhyaya name an store ad something, understanding its proper meaning. If you read only without knowing the proper meaning, it does not come in the scope of Sva’dhya’ya. You might have seen a man reading Hanuma’na Ca’liisa’ without stop. But he pays no attention to its meaning. It also happens that if he does not get time to read anyday, he will bid Pran’a’ma to the scripture just touching it with his head three times. These are all useless. You have to read with proper understanding of the meaning. Here the `meaning’ does not indicate the meaning of the word, lying within. If you yourself cannot understand the spirit, the underlying meaning of any subject, you should go to other persons who can help you. It is a must for you to know the meaning.

Therefore, the first item of Sva’dhya’ya is to know the meaning. If you are reading Giita’ only by reciting the Sanskrit aphorisms, but you do not understand the meaning, then your study of Giita’ is useless. Therefore, I say, the scripture should be written in the people’s language.

In Ananda Marga, books and scriptures are written in the people’slanguage. A’nandaSu’tram is written in Sanskrit but its purport is in the people’s language. Now the second item is Sha’stra.

What is Sha’stra?

Sha’sana’tta’ rayetyastu sahsha’strah parikiirtitah

Sha’stra is that which shows you the path of liberation by ordering you with the do’s and don’ts. Sha’stras are of kinds.　1.Dharma Sha’stra,　2.Sama’ja Sha’stra and 3.Dharshana Shastra.

In the spiritual sphere these three are regarded as spiritual scriptures. It requires more clarification. Actually speaking, the Sha’stras are of two categories: one is Dha’rmika and the other is Laokika.

The Sama’ja Sha’stras remain in between the two. According to the circumstances sometimes Sama’ja Shastras will be included in Laokika Sha’stra, sometimes it will be included in Dha’rmika Sha’stra. In A’nanda Marga, we have Trisha’stra. In Dharma Sha’stra we have included Sama’ja Sha’stra. Again suppose you are studying Sociology, Physics, Chemistry, Biology. These are all Sama’ja Sha’stra and are included in Laokika Sha’stra. Sva’dhya’ya is a part of Sa’dhana’. So when somebody reads scripture for the purpose of Sva’dhya’ya, he should read clearly the recognized Dharma Sha’stra or Darshana Sha’stra. Both come in the scope of Sva’dhya’ya. Sama’ja Sha’stra is mainly Laokika Sha’stra. You should read it, learn it and cultivate it. But by reading the Sama’ja Sha’stra you cannot get the benefit of Sva’dhya’ya. Because in the scope of Sva’dhya’ya, the Dvi

Sha’stra of the Trisha’stra are included. If you read Carya’carya, it will not be Sva’dhya’ya. Dharma Sha’stra or Dha’rmika Sha’stra is unchangeable because it is A’ptaVa’kya. Sama’ja Sha’stra is made according to the dictation of A’pta Va’kya. So the Sama’ja Sha’stra will change in different ages. And the law of this changeability is an A’pta Va’kya. In Carya’carya already there is direction that according to circumstances the social laws will be changed. But Dharma Sha’stra and Darshana Sha’stra which come in the scope of Dha’rmika Sha’stra will never change because their inner subject is A’ptava’kya. But that of Sama’ja Sha’stra is not. According to the change of time, place and person, the Sama’ja Sha’stra will vary. If it is an A’ptava’kya or according to the order on the authority of the A’ptava’kya, the Sama’ja Sha’stra will be accepted as Pra’ptava’kya. If it is accepted as A’ptava’kya, then there will be no right or scope to change it according to the conditions. Now the third item. What do we mean by “Pa’t’ha” or reading. The mind assimilates the expressional vibration which reaches the mind through the eye organ. Mind takes the form according to these vibrations. This particular function of mind is called ‘reading’. When we can retain it or when we can recreate that image whenever we wish in our mind without the help of any external object, it is called memory. This memory depends on will-force. There are many persons who can use their will-force to create a second vibration in nerve-cells easily and there are many who cannot use the will-force for this purpose. He who can create second vibration is called Shrutidhara. We find some bright boys who are very sharp in their study. But in other works he will prove worthless. He may stand first in the school-examination but is completely worthless in sports.

Anubhu’ta vis’ayaS ampramas’ah Smrtih The vibration was coming from an object.

To create again the similar vibrations with the help of will-force is memory. You are seeing an elephant. The form-vibration came to your eyes and to your nerve-cells. Now closing the eyes, if you shake your nerve-cells with the help of will-force and recreate the same elephant a hundred times or thousand times, it is called memory or recollection. Different persons use their will-force in different faculties. The speciality of will-force of the individuals may be different from each other. There are some scholars who have no memory. In every case they will consult the reference books. They are intelligent but have no memory. The Indriyas are vibrated by the external vibrations. These at of Indriyas is situated in the brain. Nobody can see them physically. The eyes are the gateway of Caks’u Indriya. When the physical eye or the gateway carries the same vibration to the brain, the particular brain-cell is also vibrated, That nerve-cell is called Caks’u Indriya. Now a man reads the Sha’stras with the help of his Caks’u Indriya. He sees the letters A, B,C etc Ayametipara ebetigane nalaghucetasa’m Uda’racarita’na’mtuvasudhaevakut’umbakam

The vibration of these lines will hit the eye and there will be its impressions in the mind. Then he can recite again-Ayameti…. This type of vibration may be carried through ears also, as it is done by the eyes. The vibration will come through the ocular nerve and create a vibration in the brain and the mind will learn that thing. Thus man may learn many things by hearing even without the knowledge of letters A, B, C, etc. Some learn by reading, and some learn by hearing. Thus man can learn with the help of different Indriyas. Somebody learns by touch also. For instance the blind learn by Braille system, not by ears nor by eyes. Likewise the study of scriptures is possible through eyes. But without eyes also it can be done. Uneducated man, by listening to any Katha’ka’ra who discusses many educative subjects may learn more than those who are educated. He may become a great scholar if he can retain. Ancient India was more educated but less literate than the modern India. The percentage of literate people was less, but that of educated was more. It is not always a fact that one will be educated just by acquiring an M.A. degree. It is also not a fact that he who does not know A, B, C letters is not educated. He may know many things by listening only. It is a very bad practice in the society that people recognize those as educated who study through the medium of eyes and do not give any recognition to those who are educated throug hears. We are doing wrong by practising it. In rural areas you will see that illiterate old men know many things which you do not know.

They have learnt by listening. Thus the study of Sha’stras by listening process is called Satsaungati'. Many great scholars have assembled and they are discussing valuable subjects. Listening to them with your ears is called Mukhya Satsaunga. The Satsaunga with the help of other Indriyas is called "Gaon'a Satsaunga". From the cradle to the grave men need the Satsaunga either Mukhya or Gaon'a. In Tantra the Satsaunga’ is called Mudra’ Sa’dhana’.

Satsaungena bhaven mukti rasatsaunge s’ubandhanam Asatsaun mudra n’amyatsa’ mudra’ parikiirtita'

When an idea comes to your mind and you express it externally, this expression is called Mudra’. You want a glass of water. This idea you may express by making a peculiar gesture with your fingers. This is a Mudra’. So Mudra’ is a technique of presenting different ideas through expressions.