The Divine Principle of Soham in Man - Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Brahma is the creator of the whole universe,
Vishnu preserves and sustains it,
And Siva is responsible for its dissolution.
This is the truth that is being conveyed.

(Telugu Poem)

Embodiments of Love!

IMMERSED as he is in an ocean of worries, what is man seeking in this vast and limitless universe? What for is he doing Sadhana? Some people waste their valuable time in seeking worldly things; some others waste their time in trying to satisfy their unfulfilled desires. But those on the spiritual path aspire to have Darshan, Sparshan and Sambhashan of God (to see God, touch Him and converse with Him).

Soham Permeates Your Every Breath

Many people contemplate on God as Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara. But Brahma, Vishnu, Maheswara have no form or Upadhi (attribute). It is said Easwara Sarva Bhutanam (God is the indweller of all beings). But in what form is He present in all and how can one contemplate on Him? Divinity is present in man in the form of his life-breath that he can perceive, hear and recognize. How can one hear it? What is to be done to comprehend it? The Upanishads have given the names of Brahman and Atma to this invisible breath in human beings. The sound that permeates the breath is called Sabda Brahman (primordial sound). In what way can we identify Easwarathwa (divinity) which is present in man in the form of Sabda Brahman? Easwarathwa is present in the very breath of man in the form of Soham. `So’ (sah) means That (Divinity). Soham means "I am That". The primordial sound in man in the form of Soham establishes the presence of Divinity in him. Is it possible to recognize this form? If you recognize this form, you recognize your very Self.

If one tries to contemplate on the form without recognizing the sound, one will not be able to recognize Divinity. The form is determined by the Guna (quality). Soham is endowed with Sattwa Guna. This Sattwa Guna is Easwarathwa (Sive principle). Another principle embodied in Soham is Vishnuthwa (Vishnu principle). What is the form of this Vishnu Principle? The thoughts of the mind represent this principle. The mind is made up of Sankalpas and Vikalpas (positive and negative thoughts). This is the Vishnu principle. There is yet another form which emerges from the navel of Vishnu, namely, Brahma. Brahma is Vaak Swarupa (embodiment of speech). It means that every word emerging from the human being is Brahma; every thought arising out of the mind is Vishnu and every breath coming out of the body is Easwara. Thus, Divinity permeates the human being in the form of Soham. It never leaves him at any point of time. It is there with him as long as he is alive. Hence, the principles of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara are embodied in the soham Tattwa present in every human being. The sound that comes out of the navel of Vishnu forms the principle of Brahmattwa. So, the root of Brahmattwa lies in Sabda (sound). Divinity of Sabda Brahmamayi,Characharamayi, Jyotirmayi, Vangmayi, Nityanandamayi, Paratparamayi, Mayamayi and Sreemayi (embodiment of sound, mobility and immobility, light, speech, eternal bliss, perfection, delusion and wealth). Soham is being chanted by man in his each and every breath. Without this Soham sound, breath cannot exist. Similarly, Sankalpa cannot arise without the mind. And without Sankalpa, the word cannot emerge. Thus, there is an inseparable and interdependent relationship between the Soham sound, the Sankalpa in the mind and the word. Man should make efforts to understand this relationship by deep investigation.

Some people engage themselves in the study of the Upanishads. What is the essence of the Upanishads? The Upanishads reveal the reality of man. They teach the principle of unity in diversity. Forgetting the essence of the Upanishads, man today is engaged only in nourishing and nurturing his body. What is the benefit accruing out of this nourishment? In fact, nothing. As long as the body exists, we have to feed it. We also need sleep. During sleep, we experience happiness. Are we able to experience the same happiness when we wake up? No. Forgetting the real teachings of the Upanishads, man runs after temporary and illusory happiness. He is deluded by names and forms, and is at a loss to know the essence of the Upanishads. In order to experience everlasting bliss, man should realize the true meaning of the teachings of the Upanishads. God has no name of His own. Yet all names and forms belong to God. There is no place at which He is not there. Nor is there any object in this world which does not belong to Him. The essential nature of Divinity is love. However, few make efforts to recognize this principle of love.

Hridaya is the Veda

Embodiments of Love!

The human body is a sophisticated machine, the functioning of which is not easy to understand. But there is one main switch which controls all the systems in the body. The eyes see several colors. The tongue tastes several delicacies. The ears hear several types of sounds. But, what is the basis for all these experiences? That basis or the fundamental principle, because of which man is able to experience all this, is the Atma. Because of this Atmatattwa, Bhavas (feelings) arise in the heart. Hridaya (heart) is the Veda. The Vedas are also known as the Srutis. The essence of these Sruties is Vedanta. Hence, do not presume that the Vedas are far away from you. The all-pervading sound of the Srutis is constantly in you, with you and is a part of you. Therefore, recognize the sound that emerges from the Veda of your heart. Not only that, you should understand its significance and inner meaning.

In the morning, you must have listened to the chanting of Vedic Mantras with several intonations by the Pundits in the Poornachandra Auditorium. You experience bliss when you listen to the chanting of the Mantras even though you are not able to understand their meanings. There may be several meanings of the words in these Mantras. There may be many interpretations of the same Mantra. Do not get confused by pondering over these. In order to know the true meaning of these Mantras, enter into the process of spiritual enquiry by going into deep silence. If your contemplation is steady, the true meaning will be revealed to you.

Yesterday, I told you in My Discourse about the inherent nature of objects. How did sweetness come into sugarcane? How did chillies acquire hot taste? How did leaves of Neem tree get bitterness? How did fragrance come into the jasmine flower? We call it Nature. No, no. It is Divinity that expresses itself through Nature. However, it is not easy to comprehend Divinity in Nature.

Understand the Divine Principle of Soham

In order to understand Paramatma (Divinity), we must fix our mind on Paratattwa (transcendental principle). Where does the mind come from? It comes from the Sankalpas and Vikalpas (positive and negative thoughts). Thoughts are the basis of Sabda (sound). Sound is truly Brahmatattwa (Brahma principle). The Soham principle in the Brahmatattwa is in essence Atmatattwa. Therefore, in order to understand Atmatattwa one has to recognize the nature of the Swasa (breath). Soham permeates your every breath. You cannot live without the divine principle of Soham. Soham is the source of all other sounds. What is the purpose of life? The purpose of life is to know the meaning of Soham. Without attaining the knowledge of Soham, life is meaningless. Soham is also called Hamsa Gayatri. ‘So’ (Sah) means That, and ‘Ham’ (Aham) means I. Thus, Soham means "I am That". What is this "That"? Is it the mind? But if your mind is fickle like a mad monkey, how can you progress on the spiritual path by relying on it? Steadiness and purity invest the mind with divinity. Manas (mind) is verily the embodiment of Vishnu. There cannot be Swasa (breath) without the mind. In order to understand such subtle meanings, one has to take to the method of enquiry.

When you meditate on the Soham principle, you will observe that ‘So’ comes in and ‘Ham’ goes out with each inhalation and exhalation respectively. This process has to be watched carefully. Here ‘So’ relates to the divine principle and ‘Ham’ to Ahamkara (ego). While divinity enters our body, ego leaves us. That divine principle which thus enters our body should be held firmly in our system by the process of Kumbhaka (holding the breath). People doing Pranayama Sadhana call these processes Puraka (inhalation), Kumbhaka (holding) and Rechaka (exhalation). Soham consists of inhaling the breath through one nostril while chanting ‘So’ and exhaling the breath through the other nostril while chanting ‘Ham’ and in between holding the breath for some time. The most effective method lies in observing strict timings for all the three processes involved in Soham. If one does Pranayama disregarding the timings, it can endanger one’s life itself. The time spent for the three processes of Puraka, Kumbhaka and Rechaka must be exactly the same. Brahma is Kaalaswarupa (embodiment of time) and Soham is Brahmatattwa (principle of Brahman). Time is therefore very important in this Sadhana. Moreover, we should always have pure thoughts and maintain purity of mind. The mind represents Vishnu who is the embodiment of purity. Our Sankalpas must always be pure and Sattwic in nature. In order that we have Sattwic Sankalpas, our Swasa must also be pure and Sattwic. Thus, the principles of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara are inseparable and interdependent. They are one and the same. We must try to understand the essential nature of their unity. The Upanishads reveal these truths.

Try to Know the Inner Meanings of the Upanishads

But today no one is trying to realize the true meanings of the Upanishads. To describe, analyze and properly understand the deep inner meaning of each one of the Slokas in the Upanishads, you will require at least one month. Each word has several meanings, and we must take the meaning that is appropriate in a given situation. Even the minutest sound must be taken into consideration to understand the correct meaning of a word. For this, subtle differences between the sounds of the letters of the alphabet must be understood.

Time, place and situation impart specific meaning to words. Each country and each language has its own way of portraying a given situation. So, it is important to understand these factors to grasp the real meaning of words.

Dear Students!

If you want to know the meanings of the Upanishads, you have to approach the great souls who are well-versed in them. The essence of all the Upanishads is derived from Brahmatattwa. And this Brahmatattwa is the embodiment of Vaak (speech). The mind embodies Vishnutattwa. It should have good thoughts. When the thoughts in the mind are good, they will find expression in good words. And good words in turn will convey good meanings. The Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara are not three separate entities. Swasa (breath) represents Easwara, Manas (mind) represents Vishnu and Vaak (Speech), Brahma. The unity of these three signifies Atmatattwa.

Embodiments of Divine Love!

You will not be able to understand these concepts if I go on repeating them like this. It is also possible that those who do not know the real meanings of the Upanishads may have some misconceptions. Therefore, the Upanishads have to be taught in a peaceful, sacred and calm environment. Purity of speech faculty is essential for chanting the Mantras of the Upanishads. The breath has also to be purified. In the process of explaining Swasatattwa, a particular Mantra has been prescribed in the Upanishads for purifying the breath. Several diseases can be cured by chanting this Mantra along with following the process of breathing. First and foremost, our breath will become sacred and pure. The blood that becomes thick due to the presence of higher levels of cholesterol in it will become thin and flow freely in the veins. The cataract in the eye will also get cured, and the sound coming out of our throat will be purified. However, we must chant these Mantras with correct intonation. Only then will the proper meaning of these Mantras be revealed to us. The entire nature of the body will be revealed to you by knowing the essence of the Upanishads. How does the tongue know the tastes of different food materials? How is it possible? There are lakhs of taste buds on the tongue, with the help of which it recognizes different tastes. Similarly, there are lakhs of light rays in the eyes which enable us to see different objects. We should sanctify our vision by its proper use. The chanting of Upanishadic Mantras enables you to cure several diseases of the body. Also, when you realize their correct meanings, your conduct itself will undergo a tremendous change. With the change in conduct, you will have proper thoughts. Proper thoughts will find expression in proper words.

The Correct Way of Chanting Aum

Embodiments of Divine Love!

In this world, there are numerous words, and each word has many meanings. It is essential to know the correct meaning of the words we come across. You cannot go by the literal meanings of words, especially in the realm of spirituality. Besides knowing the correct meaning, the proper Swara (intonation) in chanting the various Mantras is very important.

I often quote the example of people chanting Aum in a most mechanical way. Aum contains three syllables, ‘A’, ‘U’ and ‘M’. ‘A’ comes from the throat, ‘U’ from the tongue and ‘M’ from closed lips. (Swami practically demonstrated this by chanting Aum.) The combined form of these three syllables, namely, Aum emerges from the navel. However, some people chant Aum by segregating the three sounds. (Swami demon-strated this incorrect manner o chanting Aum also). This is not the correct way of chanting Aum. All the three syllables must be chanted simultaneously in unison. (Swami here demonstrated the correct way of chanting Aum.) The sound should originate from the navel. It should gradually grow to the highest pitch after coming into the throat. After reaching the highest pitch in the throat, it should gradually decline and finally come to a stop when it comes to the lips. It is only when a Mantra is chanted in the proper manner that you get good feelings. Several people tell Me, "Swami, I have been chanting Omkar for several years. But I am unable to have a steady faith." How is it possible when you are not chanting with correct intonation and without understanding its true meaning? The chanting of Omkar requires proper intonation, proper rhythm and proper timing.

to be continued ........

© "Sanathana Sarathi" (August, 2003) published by Sri Sathya Sai Books & Publications Trust, Prasanthi Nilayam 515 134. Website: www.srisathyasai.org.in. Reprinted with permission.

<< Back