1075. Jeeva Samadhi of Maharshi Patanjali.

We Hindus believe that every individual in his lifespan has to experience the triumph and turbulence according to the past thoughts and deeds accumulated from several births. This is like the deposit of earnings which is called “Sanchitha” this bag of earnings which is called Karma Phala (Resultant Fruit) is the reason for unending cycle of births. A portion of this taken for utility in this life span is called “Prarabdha.” Amazingly while enjoying the Prarabdha there are chances of accumulating new Karma Phalas this is called Agami Karma.

Consciously or unconsciously our Agami Karma invites Good (Punya), Bad (Papa) or Mixed (Mishra) results. Is this result necessary? What is the yield of Good, Bad or Mixed results? The individual has to take a birth to experience them and again do the same thing that he is been doing in this life. Hence this cycle is called Samsara, that thing we do without a stop.

Annihilation of cycle of birth and death is a process which only a few can think of. While in the sacred Rameshwaram Temple a couple of days back we had the opportunity to pay obeisance to Maharshi Patanjali at his Jeeva Samadhi located behind the Nataraja shrine near the third Prakaram of the temple.

I am not a scholar but I do wish to share my understanding of Jeeva Samadhi. As told earlier that though we have come to endure or enjoy our Karma Phalas, we do amass more Karma Phalas as Prarabdha. When this Prarabdha is exhausted the bonding between the Sthula (Gross) and Sukshma (Subtle) body gets detached. The Sukshma Deha will continue its journey with a new Sthula Deha and this is called rebirth. 

Some do not wish have rebirth and with this Sankalpa (Conviction) they do only Punya Karyas (Good Deeds) and more importantly channelize the resultant fruit to the Divinity and thus become non-doer. The Sukshma Deha is now a non-enjoyer too.

With the conviction of no rebirth the individual will be alert not to commit any Papa Karya (Bad Deed) which could be a Lepa (Taint) for him to come back again. Now is the real essence of Karma Siddhantha, with no Papa Karya and no desire for the fruit of the Punya Karya, where should the Bhagya (fortune) of the deed go???

With no other way the Punya Karya done by the individual will wipe-out the Papa Karma Phala remaining in the deposit of earnings (Sanchitha). When all the Papa Karma Phalas are vanquished, what stays behind is only Punya Karma Phala. As the Prarabdha of this life span is exhausted he does not opt for another Sthula Deha, instead he goes into transcendental meditation. Here he remains immersed in infinite bliss.    

We can never say that in Jeeva Samadhi the body dies nor can we say it is alive, however the energy will remain in and around the body as if it were still alive and hence the body does not decay. This is a state where the he enters into the Samadhi state at his own will after completion of his mission on earth and here his mind completely dissolved into the Divinity, he stops the function of his body and mind. 

In this state of suspended animation the breathing and blood circulation completely stops but the Pranic forces keep the body cells nourished and alive. He continues to guide his followers towards spiritual advancement. While in that state of trance he experiences the ecstasy being rewarded from the resultant fruits in the Sanchitha and is always at Bliss. He remains in the Jeeva Samadhi till the Punya Karma Phala is exhausted.    

It was my fortune to have spent some time sitting at the Jeeva Samadhi of Maharshi Patanjali.