________________ -14 14 Dhyana denoted by the word manana does not mean mere meditation on an object as it is ordinarily understood. In the initial stage, the mind is to be focused on the object of contemplation which in the yoga system is called dharana. Dhyana follows dharana. It signifies a constant and continuous reflection on the divine form with all its glory. To be more specific, it means, as Ramanuja explains, reflection on the svarupa or the essential nature, rupa or the divine personality and guna or the auspicious attributes of Brahman. The various upasanas or vidyas such as Sad-vidya, Dahara-vidya, Ananda-vidya, Upakosala-vidya etc enjoined in the Upanisads prescribe the different types of meditation on Brahman as qualified with specific attributes. All these spiritual endeavours involve a conscious effort to think of all the glory of God not for a short period but continuously and repeatedly until such time as the goal is achieved. The flow of thought towards God should be like an unbroken stream of oil poured from a vessel (iailadharavad-avecchinna smrti-santati-rupam). This is what is intended in the expression dhruva-smrtih used in the Chandogya Upanisad for dhyana or upasana. The same truth is reiterated by the Vedanta-sutra when it states that meditation is to be repeated often24. This is to be done, as already pointed out, with deep devotion towards God. According to Ramanuja, dhyana also implies the entire eight-fold discipline known as astanga-yoga of Yoga system. Though the term 'astanga-yoga'is not explicitly mentioned either in the Vedanta-sutra or the Bhagavad-gita, it is implicit in the teachings offered in these texts about the methodology and the components prescribed for the practice of dhyana or dhyana-yoga. In the sixth chapter of the Gita dealing with the jnana-yoga, also named as dhyana-yoga and also in the third adhyaya of the Vedantasutra dealing with the method of observing upasana, some of the yogangas such as steady posture (asana), pranayama, control of the senses for gaining concentration of the mind, are referred to. As stated earlier, Ramanuja openly admits the need of astangas for successful practice of dhyana leading to the attainment of the Spiritual nted out care Goal, this is evident from the fact that Ramanuja, while commentating on the sutras dealing with dhyana, quotes a statement from Visnu-purana which explicitly mentions that dhyana is to be accomplished with the aid of the first six yogangas fettyanam 23 See RB. 1-1-1 24 See VS IV-1-1 avrttih asakrdupadesat - 14
