Sharing Sanjivani -Part 4

Character-(548) What are the characteristics of ... a PARAM HANSA?

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What are the characteristics of a Sadhak who is going to become a PARAM HANSA?

ऋणानि त्रीण्यपाकृत्य मनो मोक्षेनिवेशयेत्।

अनपाकृत्य मोक्षं तु सेवमानो व्रजयत्।।

A Sadhak after fulfilling his responsibilities towards God-Dev, Sage-Rishi, and ancestors-Pitru should make efforts for Salvation. He could be Sanyasi. But if he does not fulfill his obligations to the above-said trio, he is not eligible for Sanyas. According to Vedic Philosophy Sadhak should follow his Varnashram Dharma. He has to study Veda completely, he should marry and extend his lineage through Sons and do HOMA –HAWAN, Sacred Yagna karma according to our Shastras. In this way, he could fulfill his obligation to Dev Rishi and great grand ancestors. He could abandon home and go to the jungle, do Tap-Penance, not take care of his body and diseases if he is suffering from any disease, be silent and steady, and remain busy in meditating Brahm. He would be truthful, non–violent full of gratitude, and full of compassion and he would never abuse anybody, hurt or harm anybody through his body, mind, and speech.

इन्द्रियाणां निरोधेन रागद्वेषक्षयण च।

अहिंसया च भूतानाममृतत्वाय कल्पते।।

A Sadhak would be eligible for Salvation by controlling his senses, remaining detached from envy and jealousy, and performing non-violence thoroughly. A Sanyasi could attain Salvation through detachment from all karma. He would follow Vedic Karma and do severe penance to attain BrahmaPad  Known as AHAMBRAHMASMI He would be free from the attachment to his body just like a tree abandons a river and stay on the banks of the river being the witness of the flow of the river and he would be free from the burden of his Karma good or bad.

अहिंसयेन्द्रियासङ्गैर्वैदिकैश्र्चैव कर्मभिः।

तपसश्र्चरणैश्र्चोग्रैः साधन्तीह तत्पदम्।।

When his heart becomes detached from Sansar he would attain SANATAN Permanent ecstasy in the position of PARAM HANSA as described in most of all the religions. After accomplishing worldly duties only, he would be eligible for liberation.

Paramhans is the word used in religious theology as a title of honor applied to one who has become enlightened at the highest level. Param Hans signifies one who is awakened in all it realms. It is the highest level of spiritual development. It means a Sadhak remains in divine ecstasy and is actively wakeful. His soul floats in the cosmic ocean. He beholds both his body and ocean as manifestations of Paramatma-the same spirit.

Hans' or swan is the vehicle of Ma Saraswati=- goddesses of knowledge, learning skills, and art. Swan stands for knowledge of Para and Apara Prakruti with self-realization. Param Hans Parivrajak Upanishad is a medieval-era Sanskrit text and minor Upanishad of Hinduism; one of the thirty- one Upanishad attached to the Atharv Ved and describes nineteen Sanyas Upanishad. It describes Sanyas concerning the Varna Ashram System. It describes ascetics-Supreme Swan –Hans as a wandering bird, picking up food whatever he can find by begging and accepting food and water from all four castes without discrimination. Swami Ramakrishna, Ma Sharda, and Swami Vivekanand are in the category of Param Hans. These Param Hans accept all human beings as sons and daughters of Paramatma-on God. All the devotees as Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva, Tirthankar of Jainism, and Monks of Buddhism are treated equally by them.

ओम् यं वैष्णवा विष्णुमुदाहरन्ति, शैवाः शिवबुद्धमथापि बौद्धाः।

तीर्थंकरं जैन जना महान्तं तं रामकृष्णं परमं नमामः।।

I salute to all Vaishnavas, Shaivas, Buddhists and Jains and to Ramakrishna-the supreme Param Hans from the depth of my heart. We bow down at his lotus feet as we see God and Guru in his Swaroop of SAT CHIT and AANAND. Param Hans follows all the principles of Dharma as described by Shastras.

धुतिः क्षमा दमोङस्तेयं शौचमिन्द्रियनिग्रहः।

धीर्विद्या सत्यमक्रोधो दशकं धर्मलक्षणम्।।

One who follows all the ten rules of Dharma is known as the highest level of Para Hans.

A Sadhak when attains a higher level of enlightenment, becomes eligible for the title of Param Hans with above above-described ten virtues. These virtues are contentment, forgiveness, control over senses and mind, desirelessness, cleanliness of body, mind, and heart, control over ten senses, knowledge of Veda and Vedanta, knowledge of Brahm, self-enlightenment, truth, and control over anger. when a Sadak abandons all his Karma fulfills his duties of the previous Ashram, and desires nothing from his karma would be eligible for the title of param Hans and he would be eligible for Salvation.

Sage Rishi Gautam approached Sanatkumar and asked him to define the meaning of Param Hans. Sage Sanatkumar says Lord Shiva has  explained the meaning of Param Hans to Ma Parvati and then that knowledge is described in different scriptures  of Hinduism, Jainism Buddhism and Vaishnavas..

अथ हंसपरमहंस निर्णय व्याख्यास्यामः।

ब्रह्मचारिणे शान्ताय दान्ताय गुरुभक्ताय। हंस हंसेति  सदा ध्यानम्।। 

While describing the characteristics of Param Hans Sanat Kumar says that the eligibility criterion for being worthy of hearing and learning HANA UPANISHAD- the book the spiritual knowledge. It contains that is divine and pure self is the soul of the Sadhak's conceptualized as a Swan. A Sadhak by extension to the supreme transcendental cosmic self at creation which is known as Brahm known as Param Hans becomes the Swaroop of Sat Chi Anand Paramatma. A Sadhak is Brahmchari or Sanyasi, who observes self-restraint over himself in all matters described above, follows the principles of austerity and penance in their lives is STHITPRAGYA –steady inwardly, determined, cool, firmly grounded calm and tranquil demeanor, controlling ten senses and mind, devoted loyal faithful to Parents, Guru and God and blessed by God with self-realization and enlightenment about both Para and Apara knowledge based on the technique and teachings of Veda ad Shastras. When a Sadhak attains Parampad and becomes Param Hans, he will be blessed by Salvation.

ततः पदं तत्परिमार्गितव्यं यस्मिन्गता न निवर्तन्ति भूयः।

तमेव चाधं पुरुषं प्रपधे यतः प्रवृत्तिः प्रसुता पुराणी।।

Just like we cannot distinguish rainwater from the ocean when mixed up,a Sadhak enjoys unity with Paramatma and becomes free from Sansar. Saint Tulsidasji says that you can identify Sat Guru or Saint without any test as they have the power to fascinate you but you cannot identify bad people around you until you stay in their company for a long time and they would drag you to the cycle of birth and death repeatedly by encouraging sinful activities. Saints are compared to drops of rainwater whose Darshanam only could make the ocean crazy and bad people are like hidden fire under the deepwater of the ocean-VADAVANAL not visible to anybody but slowly and steadily dried up the water of the ocean to the great extent when you could know about its existence. Hence Tulsidasji ji advises to avoid the company of bad people and to be with Saints and Guru for the upliftment of soul and enlightenment of Buddhi-intellect. What happens to a Sadhak when he surrenders to Paramatma? Let us surrender to our great God and Jagat Guru Lord Shri Krishna for the betterment of our lives by following him...Om Tat Sat... Shri Krishnarpanmastu...