Dasoham (I am Your servant) and Soham (I am Him)
Dasoham feel and chant is the one which is initiated in the start to a young
seeker. But some feel Dasohattvam is good, but just for the start. They say one
has to go further beyond this and try to be one with the Absolute. The last
step in getting merged with the Absolute Consciousness is Soham. Individual and
He has to become one and be merged. This is an experience which is beyond any
feeling to explain. The highest!!!
Hanuman keeps repeating “Dasoham” it is said that he
reached the state of “Soham” with Lord Rama when he was hugged by Him. However
Vaishnavites opine that even after reaching the “Soham” state, Hanuman got down
and still remains a subordinate of Lord Rama. This is the height of
Dasohattvam. Dasoham is a Sanskrit word meaning “I am your servant”. It is a combination
of two words “Dasa” meaning Servant and “oham” meaning I am. It describes the state
of witness hood or surrender.
Can we emulate the unconditional service of Hanuman
to his Lord is the question???
Hanuman’s faithful and non-profit service yielded
him a warm hug from Lord Rama and made him one with Him. Madhusudhana
Saraswathi, the greatest philosopher in the Advaita Vedanta was initially
influence by the Gaudiya School of philosophy and followed the Bhakti path.
Then he had a transition from the Bhakti to Jnana path. He started feeling that
Lord Krishna who had the habit of stealing butter, stole the letter “DA” in the
feeling “DASOHAM” (I am servant) and made him feel the right significance of “SOHAM”
(I am Him), or the identity with the Absolute.
Dasoham is initial stage, which is Duality (Dvaita)
I am His Servant. Here we have two personalities “I” and “Him”, which is not
oneness. Hence in the second stage Da has to be given up. Then it is Soham
state (Visishtadvaita) again this is not oneness, it means “I am Him” there are
qualified non-two - I and Him. I and reflection of the self is qualified
non-two. “SO” has to be given up from “SOHAM”, what is left then is HAM.
Ham is Advaita state - oneness only One, I am I.
Once a follower of Advaita went to a temple and
wrote “ham” meaning I am I, on the board, a follower of Visishtadvaita came to
the temple saw that and added “So” to it to make it sound like Soham means I am Him. Upon seeing
the change, a follower of Dvaitha made a correction by adding “Da”, now it
became Dasoham, Then the follower of Advaita added “Sa” to make it Sada
Soham, meaning I am always (eternally) Him. The follower of Dvaita responded
smilingly to this by adding another “Da” to it, now it became Dasa Dasoham
indicating I am servant of His servant.
Soham and Dasoham are both mental attitudes, assumed
for getting rid of the illusion “I am the body”. Annihilation of ego is the
main aim in both these attitudes. Dasoham is to remember always the truth that
Absolute alone is the doer and the instigator, His will alone prevails, and
that there is no “aham” (“I”ness) that separate me from Him. One who
experiences the perfect Dasoham state, experiences “Soham” as well.
Until the mind
transcends the three Gunas, it is an instrument of ignorance. The seeker, who
is yearning for liberation, should never let it come under its sway. Just as a
mother bestows constant care on her child, likewise the discriminating faculty
Buddhi should watch and isolate every subtle mode and movement of the mind. The
mind should surrender itself to the Buddhi. The reins (mind) of the senses
should be in the hands of the vigilant charioteer, the awakened intellect,
Buddhi.
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