BHAVA (ભાવ) -- STANZA 1, 2, 3.

Pujya Shree Mota has written extensively regarding bhava and given utmost importance to it. He has explained the bhava in a poem form and it is published in a booklet with english translation. I will make an attempt to translate this booklet in explanatory prose writing format over a period of time. This translations will be interspersed with the other blogs.
Ashwin.

સૂક્ષ્મમાં  સૂક્ષ્મ  સંપૂ્ર્ણ  ને  જે  પાછું  અવ્યક્ત  છે,
પ્રસરે  છે  થતાં  વ્યક્ત  આધારે  રોમરોમે  યે.        (૧)
Bhava is the subtlest of the subtle, perfect and complete and yet remains unexpressed. When it expresses, penetrates every cell and the inner core of the body.    (1)

---------------------

શબ્દમાં   શબ્દથી  "એ" ને  વર્ણવી  ના  શકાય  છે,
અક્ષરાતીત  છે  ભાવ,  અંતરે  પરખાય  છે.      (૨)
Bhava cannot be expressed and described in or with words. It is beyond words. It can be felt and understood only in the heart.      (2)

---------------------

એકાગ્રતા  નરી  જેમાં  ના  સંકલ્પ - વિકલ્પ  છે,
નીરવતા  ભરી  લાગે,  ભાવ  "એ" ને  પ્રમાણજે.    (૩)
In bhava there is no hesitation or thoughts. There is only focused concentration and complete silence. Accept this state as a bhava.            (3)

---------------------

Pujya Shree Mota
BHAVA.



BHAVA is described as natural state of being, being, divine consciousness, intention, purpose, nature, etc. Reader is encouraged to explore and investigate the meaning of Bhava to understand it better.

DO NOT BE A SLAVE

Karachi,
29 October 1940.

Dear Brother,

It is not necessary that ill feelings always develop as a result of a conflict. Sometimes it brings people closer. Hurt feelings settle down and the minds calm down. This happens only if we have kept our mind calm during the conflict and said the things that we wanted to say with just enough force to convey our feelings on the matter. If we loose our control during the conflict and there is a danger of loosing our own inner wealth, then it is better to say nothing and keep quiet. That is the best stand to take in the matter. We should never loose at both ends.

Whenever there is inner conflict there is all the possibility for the poison of anger to rise up. We must develop courage and spirit of adventure and be prepared to swallow this poison.

When it produces great pain in our hearts to become aware of this slavery only then this pain will encourage us to be free. We are so enslaved that our moods of mind and emotions take hold of us and control us. They become our masters and use us as their instruments. They either stop us from independent thinking or make us think in a way to justify their own ways and tendencies. We loose our own existence and we must save ourselves from that situation.

It is so absurd to keep erroneous conception that others should follow us when we cannot control and convince ourselves. We must use all our energy to persuade ourselves to do things that we must. All these incidents are God given and we should take full advantage of it and then move forward. It is like enjoying the sugar cane juice and throwing away the waste.

Pujya Shree Mota
Jivan pagathi,
Edition 6; page 28 - 29.

ANALYZING THE THOUGHTS.

We have to try finding the roots of the different thoughts. If we can find these roots then it is possible to determine the sources of our attachments. It is then easy to take the mind off of these attachments. And yet it is important to prevent ourselves from getting tangled up in this process. We must remember to do our real work (naam-smaran, developing bhava etc) at all the time and not forget about it. So we need to do this dual process.

Pujya Shree Mota
Jivan pagathi
Edition 6; page 32.

ONLY HIGHER BHAVA CAN WIN OVER LOWER PRAKRUTI

Ordinarily we are guided by our desires and past impressions on the mind. The element of bhava or heartfelt emotions develops in us as we progress in our sadhana. This bhava can develop to the point that sadhak can let go of his desires just to maintain this noble bhava in him. When his sharpened Buddhi comes to fore front he can decide the appropriateness of the tendencies of prana. In this way he begins to establish the control over prana by deciding which tendencies to satisfy and which ones to discard.

This way we can see that higher planes controlling lower planes. It is apparent that lower plane cannot achieve higher plane by itself. Mind and buddhi cannot control bhava. On the contrary it is very appropriate and reasonable that bhava establish its authority over mind, buddhi, chitta and body. Mind can never go above itself by its own efforts. At the most it can make itself ready and worthy for the higher planes.

Two things are required for the descent of this Bhagawad bhava (divine energy). There should be awakening of the soul within us making itself worthy and descent of the divine energy in us that resides above the mind. This double process is required.

It does not seem that the purpose of the birth of the universe is complete abandonment of Prakruti (nature). We should use the prakruti with discretion and goodness in such a way that it helps us to build proper ground for the descent of higher energy. We need to put our heart and soul into it, the purpose being to get boost and help from prakruti to achieve our goal.

Pujya Shree Mota
Jivan pagathi
Edition 6; page 9.