Introduction 51end. It does not grow or change. Many change and pass, but Brahman
is the One that ever remains unchanged.
The letters A, u and M also stand for the mantra 'Tat Twam Asi'
('That Thou Art'), the realisation of man's divinity within himself. The
entire symbol stands-for this realisation, which liberates the human spirit
from the confines of his body, mind, intellect and ego.
After realising the importance of AUM, the yogi focusses his attention
on his beloved Deity adding AUM to the name of the Lord. The word
AUM being too vast and too abstract, he unifies his senses, will, intellect,
mind and reason by focussing on the name of the Lord and adding the
word AUM with one pointed devotion and so experiences the feeling and
meaning of the mantra.
The yogi recalls the verses of the Mu1Jcfakopanifad: 'Taking as a bow
the great weapon of the Upani�ad, one should put upon it an arrow
sharpened by meditation. Stretching it with a thought directed to the
essence of That, penetrate the Imperishable as the mark1 my friend. The
mystic syllable AUM is the bow. The arrow is the Self (Atma). Brahman
is the target. By the undistracted man is It penetrated. One should come
to be in It, as the arrow in the mark.'
Dhyana
As water takes the shape of its container, the mind when it contemplates
an object is transformed into the shape of that object. The mind which
thinks of the all-pervading divinity which it worships, is ultimately
through long-continued devotion transformed into the likeness of that
divinity.
When oil is poured from one vessel to another, one can observe the
steady constant flow. When the flow of concentration is uninterrupted,
the state that arises is dhyana (meditation). As the filament in an electric
bulb glows and illumines when there is a regular uninterrupted current
of electricity, the yogi's mind will be illumined by dhyana. His body,
breath, senses, mind, reason and ego are all integrated in the object of
his contemplation-the Universal Spirit. He remains in a state of con
sciousness which has no qualification whatsoever. There is no other
feeling except a state of SUPREME BLISS. Like a streak of lightning the
yogi sees LIGHT that shines beyond the earth and the heavens. He sees
the light that shines in his own heart. He becomes a light unto himself
and others.
The signs of progress on the path of Yoga are health, a sense of
physical lightness, steadiness, clearness of countenance and a beautiful
voice, sweetness of odour of the body and freedom from craving. He has
a balanced, serene and a tranquil mind. He is the very symbol of
humility. He dedicates all his actions to the Lord and taking refuge in