Materially conditioned souls are vimukh, that is, they have turned their backs to God. Therefore, they are rotating in the 8.4 million forms of life, searching for eternal happiness, but unaware of where and how to find the kind of happiness that will satiate the soul. Even in cases where people are aware of the sources of true happiness, they are challenged with maintaining a steady state of mind due to the influence of God’s material energy, Maya. Maya has three modes or gunas (i.e., sattva, rajas, and tamas), which vary in prominence throughout the day. As a result, the thoughts vary too, some of which are inspirational but most are contemptible. Unpleasant and negative thoughts sully the mind and keep people away from achieving permanent happiness that lies in the divine love bliss of God. The only way to attain true happiness that the soul is searching for, is through sadhana. 

What is Sadhana or Spiritual Practice? 

The word “sadhana” literally means to practice spiritual devotion. It is the preparatory process of cleansing the dirty mind or the etheric heart by connecting it to God. Also referred to as sadhan bhakti, it is the first step in learning to unite the material mind with the all-pure God. Jagadguru Shree Kripalu ji Maharaj has described sadhan bhakti as the practice where devotees make the effort to cleanse the heart through pure and sublime thoughts. Bhakti is non-different from God, so when souls engage in sadhan bhakti, they gradually develop devotion for God. As devotees grow in spirituality, their sentiments grow deeper because bhakti has the power to cleanse the heart and remove mental afflictions like anger, greed, hatred, envy, etc. 

Shree Maharajji says that when souls complete their sadhana, evident through deep and selfless devotion for God and complete detachment from fallible worldly desires, God bestows a higher level of bhakti called Siddha Bhakti. While sadhan bhakti requires self-effort, Siddha Bhakti is attained only through the grace of God. Thus, in order to be graced with Siddha Bhakti, souls need to practice sadhan bhakti.

There are four components that establish a foundation for sadhan bhakti. First, souls need to be internally motivated to learn sadhana (i.e., be a willing sadhak). Second, they must truly aspire to attain the goal of God-realization (i.e., know the sadhya). Third, they must learn the tools for engaging in sadhan bhakti (see sections below), and fourth, they must acquire this knowledge directly from a true Guru (i.e., siddha). This is because pursuit of tatvagyan alone will not help souls to conquer Maya, nor to accomplish the goal of God-realization (see the explanation for a true Guru in the July 2022 issue of Samarpan). 

Swamiji has also emphasized that if theoretical knowledge of the scriptures is not accompanied by sadhan bhakti, then it will increase pride but not purify the heart. Only through intense Bhakti or loving devotion for God, does a soul experience inner wisdom that dispels the darkness of ignorance. It is then that God bestows His divine knowledge and bliss through the Guru and the soul achieves God-realization. As Shree Krishna told Arjun, “Only by loving devotion to me does one come to know who I am in truth. Then, having come to know me, my devotee enters into full consciousness of me”  [Bhagavad Gita 18.55].

What is the Purpose of Sadhana or Spiritual Practice? 

We have consistently heard Swamiji say that the mind alone is the cause for bondage and liberation. The material mind enveloped in Maya, has been stuck in worldly allurements and sensory pleasures since endless lifetimes. Thus, it has become impure due to toxic thoughts and associated mental afflictions. The mind needs to be purified in order to receive divine grace. The primary purpose of sadhana, therefore, is to purify the dirty mind or the etheric heart. Just as pure ingredients necessitate a pure vessel, we souls too, need to purify the vessel of the heart in order to receive divine love or siddha bhakti – the most powerful shakti of God. Engaging in the preparatory stage of sadhana will allow the soul to increase attachment to God and detachment from worldly pleasures. Shree Krishna explains the principle of devotion to Arjun:

अनन्यचेता: सततं यो मां स्मरति नित्यश: |
तस्याहं सुलभ: पार्थ नित्ययुक्तस्य योगिन: || 14||

ananya-chetāḥ satataṁ yo māṁ smarati nityaśhaḥ
tasyāhaṁ sulabhaḥ pārtha nitya-yuktasya yoginaḥ

O Parth, for those yogis who always think of Me with exclusive devotion, I am easily attainable because of their constant absorption in Me [Bhagavad Gita 8.14]. 

How do we get to the stage where we think of God exclusively, constantly and selflessly? It is through the power of knowledge. True knowledge of the scriptures along with sadhan bhakti, makes us understand and realize our true identity as the soul and not the physical body. We also learn that the only purpose of the human birth is to serve God selflessly and to  achieve God-realization. Thus, the purpose of sadhana is to elevate ourselves through the power of the intellect to gain divine knowledge. This is what differentiates us from animals. Such foundational knowledge enables souls to develop faith, increased devotion and love for God, and gradual purification of the heart. 

The process of purification through sadhana, accomplishes a related purpose, which is to teach souls to be humble. When souls start to practice sadhan bhakti, they realize the challenges of detaching the mind from worldly objects, people, and outcomes of actions. They also realize how difficult it is to purify internal thoughts amidst the distractions in the external environment and their need for divine grace beyond self-effort. Such realizations enable people to be humble. Humility is the foundation for sadhan bhakti where gratitude, love for God/Guru, and the desire to surrender prepares souls to advance in their practice of sadhana. 

What is the Best Way to Practice Sadhana?

In the beautiful kirtan “Sadhana Karu Pyare” written and composed by Shree Maharajji, there are practical suggestions on the best way to practice sadhan bhakti. Based on this and suggestions made by Swamiji in The Science of Mind Management, some strategies are presented below:

1. Surrender to the Guru. We must accept a God-realized saint as the Guru in our mind and develop the sentiments of Guru bhakti. With initial faith in his ability to guide us, we must surrender our intellect to him and be receptive to learning scriptural knowledge. Surrendering to the Guru marks the beginning of the spiritual journey. Follow his instructions and teachings with faith. 
2. Learn Divine Knowledge from the Guru. We must accept that our material intellect is not sufficient to understand divine knowledge with self-effort alone. We need to utilize all the opportunities to receive knowledge from the Guru. As explained in the Bhagavad Gita (verse 4.23), we must clarify doubts regarding complex and contradictory concepts with reverence, genuine curiosity, humility and devotion, not with conceit or with the intent to question his knowledge. Then, the Guru will teach, guide, encourage, correct when needed, and engage sadhaks in sadhana and seva. Seva or devotional service is an expression of Guru bhakti and an integral part of sadhan bhakti, with no expectation for self-gratification (see a detailed explanation of selfless seva the July 2021 issue of Samarpan). Seva is akin to surrender. Along similar lines, we should not differentiate between God and Guru. The Guru is the veritable form of God, thus we should perceive the two divine personalities as one entity. If we perceive the Guru as an ordinary person like us, we will not benefit from the spiritual teachings under his guidance. 

3. Control the Mind with Proper Tools for Sadhana. The most powerful technique for controlling the mind and focusing it on God is the practice of tridha bhakti or trifold devotion involving the three senses. It includes (a) Shravan (i.e., hear divine knowledge), (b) Manan (i.e., contemplate on the knowledge), and (c) Nididhyasan (i.e., resolute belief in the knowledge).

   • Shravan. Listening to or reading scriptural knowledge is essential for developing a strong foundation. It is even more important to learn to apply this knowledge for inner transformation. As Swamiji says, “Knowledge is only beneficial when it is applied, otherwise, it is worthless.” The easiest form of understanding divine knowledge is through hearing and chanting the soulful kirtans that Shree Maharajji wrote and composed. When we listen to and chant the glories of God – His name, form, virtues, leelas, abodes and saints, our mind starts to purify due to the grace of God. Utilize the most effective tool to attach the mind to God – roop-dhyan. It is a very dynamic form of meditation on the leelas or loving pastimes of God that capture the mind and attach it to God (see a detailed explanation of meditation the December 2020 issue of Samarpan). 
   • Manan. Contemplation of learned knowledge is essential for immediate access at the time of need. Manan is the process of repeatedly ruminating over the knowledge in the mind until it becomes second-nature. The best way to contemplate is to select one very critical gem of wisdom (e.g., importance of humility), understand the meaning, and make the effort to apply the knowledge in real life. Through repeated practice, a person may start to develop mastery in the specific gem with the potential to transform one’s life. Frequently, it is advised that we all practice contemplation and meditation in solitude for maximum effect. Swamiji says, “Conceal your sadhana from the world to avoid becoming a victim of pride and hypocrisy. The practice of the presence of God is a beautiful way to remember Him without having people raise eyebrows.”
   • Nididhyasan. This is the process to help us to internalize the learned knowledge. When the intellect is convinced about the merit of true knowledge and teachings of the Guru, then the belief in practicing the knowledge becomes stronger due to increased faith. We can thus, create conscious beliefs that will help us to progress further on the spiritual path under the Guru’s guidance.
4. Seek God’s Grace. No matter how much effort we put in, Maya can only be conquered by divine grace alone. Self-effort attracts the grace of God and Guru but we must be humble and surrender the intellect to receive divine grace. Externally, we must practice the tools of mind management but internally we need to depend upon God’s grace. 

5. Set up a Daily Sadhana Routine. Creating a regular routine or habit will increase the likelihood of succeeding in sadhan bhakti. Here are some guidelines based on Swamiji’s suggestions in The Science of Mind Management.

   • Assign some time (at least 1 hour) in your daily schedule for doing sadhana, preferably in the early morning or any other time when you can practice in solitude without external distractions.  
   • Create a conducive environment to engage in sadhana (e.g., the alter or any location which evokes devotional sentiments). Avoid kusang to not pull the mind away from surrender to God and Guru. 
   • Sit in any comfortable position that will keep your mind alert and prevent falling asleep. It does not matter whether you sit on the floor or a chair.
   • Start your sadhana with roop-dhyan on any element of the divine realm (described above under shravan, manan and nididhyasan). Focus on a specific gem of knowledge with total sincerity, humility, longing, and devotion to invite God and Guru to be seated in your heart to purify it. The most important part of sadhana is to remember God with love in any of the bhavs or devotional sentiments that captures the mind (e.g., dasya, sakhya, vatsalya or madhurya). Rely on kirtans that help to connect with God. Increase the longing to meet Him and serve Him in your mind to intensify the devotion.
   • Use sadhan bhakti as a steppingstone to practice the presence of God throughout the day.

6. Utilize a Structured Sadhana Format. For devotees who prefer a structured format to establish a daily routine for sadhana, a very powerful virtual course, My Daily Sadhana, is available to everyone. The course, developed by Swamiji himself, prepares participants with a strong foundation of tridha bhakti (see the section on JKYog Transforming Communities below). Alternatively, or in addition to this virtual program, devotees can utilize the Kripalu Paddhati developed by Swamiji and described in The Science of Mind Management.
7. Intensify the Practice of Sadhana. A true sadhak is one who continues sadhana even in adverse situations. When challenges arise, it is very easy to get distracted and pull back from sadhan bhakti, especially when the mind is in a turbulent state. At such times, it is critical to intensify the devotional practice to maintain one’s inspiration and seva bhav. Gradually, with repeated practice and divine grace, devotees will develop the three critical elements that are the hallmark of sadhan bhakti, and which results in siddha bhakti. These are ananyata (i.e., exclusivity or the belief that the mind should be focused nowhere except in the divine realm), nishkamta (i.e., selflessness or the belief that as a servant of God, my only dharma is to serve Him with no desire for my own gain), and nirantarta (i.e., constant and consistent practice of feeling the presence of God in each and every aspect of everyday life). The ultimate goal is to unite the mind with God, which is true yog.