The heart

[yajvan]

Hari Om
~~~~~

The heart. I read much about this.

It is found in the Bhāgavad gītā, as Kṛṣṇa calls out he resides in one's heart¹;
the Upaniṣads¹ and Yājñavalkya calls out that Indha ( Indra) and Virāj meet in the heart;
Various trika śastra-s discuss the importance of the heart i.e. Somananda calls out a definition of hṛdaya and Abhinavagupta disusses anuttara¹ as the heart of all.
Śrī Devī asking questions to Śiva (or Deveśa - Lord of lords) - 'tell me about kaulikī śaktī who resides in the heart.This hṛdaya, heart must be more then the muscle that pumps blood throughout the body.

Does anyone care to discuss this beyond the physical attribute of a 'pump' ?

pranams

words and śāstra references

hṛdaya हृदय - the heart (or region of the heart) as the seat of feelings and sensations
anuttara अनुत्तर - chief , principal, Ultimate; Abhinavagupta's words on this anuttara is na vidyate uttaram adhilam yataḥ, or that which there is nothing more or additional.
Bhāgavad gītā chapter 15, śloka 15 - I am seated in everone's heart; Chapter 10 śloka 11 - Out of compassion for them, I, dwelling in their hearts destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance.
Abhinavagupta discussion within the Parā-trīśikā Vivaraṇa - 2nd śloka
Yājñavalkya's wisdom found in Brihadaranyaka Upaniṣad- Kurcha & Saririka Brahmana

[Nuno Matos]

Namaste yajvan,

" This hṛdaya, heart must be more then the muscle that pumps blood throughout the body.

Does anyone care to discuss this beyond the physical attribute of a 'pump' ? "

In my opinion the " heart ", in a philosophical square is perfectly equated with the mind. That is ego.

pranams!

[vcindiana]

Hello Yajavan:

This is just my take:
Heart is the most metaphorical expression of Love. Physically speaking Heart is the most dynamic organ within our body. Heart has the rich meaning; it is incredible, working tirelessly, ceaselessly and resiliently throughout our lives. As you mentioned from the scriptures God lives in our hearts. The metaphor Heart suggests what is most central. The “core “ and “essence” of any religion unlike an abstract or too lifeless version, is expressed through heart suggesting something alive, pulsating, the source of life.
Furthermore the phrase “Heart” suggests something deeper than the phrase “Head”, the intellect or the world of knowledge and ideas. Heart is the deeper level of the Self and is the place of transformation. We can reach any one with our outpouring hearts; no amount of knowledge can do that. When Krishna says he lives in our hearts HE means it is all about Love, not about some great intellectual or philosophical things.
Love........................VC

[atanu]

Furthermore the phrase “Heart” suggests something deeper than the phrase “Head”, the intellect or the world of knowledge and ideas. Heart is the deeper level of the Self and is the place of transformation. We can reach any one with our outpouring hearts; no amount of knowledge can do that. When Krishna says he lives in our hearts HE means it is all about Love, not about some great intellectual or philosophical things.
Love........................VC

Namaste All,

It is usually a problem of assigning meanings to a word. The understanding of a single word may vary. If one goes a bit deeper then one will find that vicious wars are fought due to different meanings assigned to same word by the warring parties. That apart, I agree with VC as to the meaning of spiritual heart. Spiritual heart is that where from the "i" comes and the "i" is the mind. The spiritual heart has no inner or outer. Below are two earlier posted texts.



The following is a converstation of a devotee and Guru on the spiritual heart (which is not the heart chakra as some assume).

D.: There are six centres mentioned in the Yoga books; but the jiva is said to reside in the Heart. Is it not so?

M.: Yes. The jiva is said to remain in the Heart in deep sleep; and in the brain in the waking state. The Heart is not the muscular cavity with four chambers which propels blood. There are indeed passages which support the view. There are others who take it to mean a set of ganglia or nerve centres about that region. Whichever view is correct does not matter to us. We are not concerned with anything less than ourselves. That we have certainly within us. There could be no doubts or discussions about that.

The Heart is used in the Vedas and the scriptures to denote the place whence the notion ‘I’ springs. Does it spring only from the fleshy ball? It springs within us somewhere right in the middle of our being. The ‘I’ has no location. Everything is the Self. There is nothing but that. So the Heart must be said to be the entire body of ourselves and of the entire universe, conceived as ‘I’. But to help the abhyasi, we have to indicate a definite part of the Universe, or of the Body. So this Heart is pointed out as the seat of the Self. But in truth we are everywhere, we are all that is, and there is nothing else.



Uttara Gita
English Translation by B. K. Laheri.
10. Such a seeker of Brahman, after fixing his mind as aforesaid, and shutting himself out of all objective knowledge (Ajnãna), should hold fast the support of unchangeable Jnãna, and think of the One Indivisible Brahman in the inner and outer Akãsa, that exists at the end of the nose, and into which the life-breath merges.

11. Freed from both nostrils where the life-breath disappears, there in the heart fix thy mind, O Pãrtha, and meditate upon the All-Supreme Isvara.

12. Meditate on Shiva, there, as devoid of all conditions of life, pure but without lustre (Prabhã), mindless, Buddhi-less.

16. He that has acquired the Supreme Knowledge by the aid of the knowledge derived from instruction from a Guru, and has learned to place the object of this knowledge in his heart, and he that has acquired peace of mind, such a person requires no Yoga for further practice, and no meditation for further conception.

17. The syllable (Aum) with which the Vedas begin, which figures in the middle of the Vedas, and with which the Vedas end, unites Prakrti with its Own Self; but that which is beyond this Prakrti-united-Pranava is Mahesvara.

Om

[yajvan]

Hari Om
~~~~~



This hṛdaya, heart must be more then the muscle that pumps blood throughout the body.

Namaste
I thought to add this...A verse from Parātrīmśika laghuvṛittī.

Bho bhagavati suśroṇi ! ( Oh lady with beautiful hips, Śrī Devī)
The Heart is the subtle vibration of the triangle¹ which consists of the expansion and contraction of the three powers, and it is the place of repose , the place of supreme bliss. The very Heart is the Self of Bhairava, of that which is the essence of Bhairava and of the blessed Supreme Goddess who is inseparable and non-different from Him.

pranams


1. A view on this triange, and three powers , HDF post:
http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=23124&postcount=5 (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=23124&postcount=5)
http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=23583&postcount=11 (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=23583&postcount=11)
http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=23683&postcount=12 (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=23683&postcount=12)

[sarabhanga]

The following is a conversation of a devotee and Guru on the spiritual heart (which is not the heart chakra as some assume).

Namaste,

The uttaragItA does not deny the heart cakram (as some may presume), and the translation given above seems rather misleading. The heart is not actually mentioned in verses 10-13 of the first adhyAya. And the second adhyAya clearly relates the various subtle worlds with the human frame.

uttaragItA I

Think of the indivisible brahma, stationed at the summit of the nose, into which the life-breath merges [10] Freed from both nostrils where the breath disappears [11] There (at the summit of the nose, i.e. AjñAcakram) fix thy mind, O pArtha, and meditate on the Ishvara [12] Think of the shiva (maÑgaleshvara) there as perfect and pure, devoid of the six waves of existence, without radiance (prabhAshUnyam), without thought or reason (manaHshUnyam), without discernment or conception (buddhishUnyam). [13]

Having acquired vijñAna (ascertained with self-knowledge, gained from personal experience) by the aid of jñAna (assumed without self-knowledge, gained second-hand), having placed the object of this knowledge in his heart, and having acquired peace (full absorption in brahma), there is no further yoga or dhAraNA required (for such a siddha). [17]

The syllable beginning and ending the veda, and in the middle of the veda, unites prakRti with its own self (in the heart), but beyond this prakRti-bound praNava is maheshvara. [18]

A boat is necessary until one gets to the other side of the river, but (only) when the stream has been crossed, then the boat is no longer required. [19]

uttaragItA II

bhUloka exists in the navel (nAbhidesha) … [30]
svArgaloka exists in the heart (hRdayam) … [31]
(with all worlds fixed in the heart, then) maharloka dwells in the heart,
janoloka is in the throat (i.e. vishuddhicakram),
tapoloka is between the brows (i.e. AjñAcakram), and
satyaloka is in the head (i.e. sahasrAram). [33]

[atanu]

Namaste,

The uttaragItA does not deny the heart cakram (as some may presume), and the translation given above seems rather misleading. The heart is not actually mentioned in verses 10-13 of the first adhyAya. And the second adhyAya clearly relates the various subtle worlds with the human frame.

uttaragItA I

Think of the indivisible brahma, stationed at the summit of the nose, into which the life-breath merges [10] Freed from both nostrils where the breath disappears [11] There (at the summit of the nose, i.e. AjñAcakram) fix thy mind, O pArtha, and meditate on the Ishvara [12] Think of the shiva (maÑgaleshvara) there as perfect and pure, devoid of the six waves of existence, without radiance (prabhAshUnyam), without thought or reason (manaHshUnyam), without discernment or conception (buddhishUnyam). [13]

Having acquired vijñAna (ascertained with self-knowledge, gained from personal experience) by the aid of jñAna (assumed without self-knowledge, gained second-hand), having placed the object of this knowledge in his heart, and having acquired peace (full absorption in brahma), there is no further yoga or dhAraNA required (for such a siddha). [17]

The syllable beginning and ending the veda, and in the middle of the veda, unites prakRti with its own self (in the heart), but beyond this prakRti-bound praNava is maheshvara. [18]

A boat is necessary until one gets to the other side of the river, but (only) when the stream has been crossed, then the boat is no longer required. [19]

uttaragItA II

bhUloka exists in the navel (nAbhidesha) … [30]
svArgaloka exists in the heart (hRdayam) … [31]
(with all worlds fixed in the heart, then) maharloka dwells in the heart,
janoloka is in the throat (i.e. vishuddhicakram),
tapoloka is between the brows (i.e. AjñAcakram), and
satyaloka is in the head (i.e. sahasrAram). [33]


Namaste sarabhanga,

Yes. I have no opposition to what you have posted, though I see some brackets enclosing: (at the summit of the nose, i.e. AjñAcakram). I do not know whether i.e. AjñAcakram appears in the original or not? I have also not denied the chakrams, including sahsrarara that are known in relation to the body. But the Self and its seat are within and without. The body is an artefact of the ego-mind, and Self and its seat is not limited to that. sahsrarara, which is the kigdom of Soma is yet a loka (satyaloka). Whereas, in advaita shivo self, the Universe with all its phenomenom disappears.

I believe in the following since it is guru vakya.

The Heart is used in the Vedas and the scriptures to denote the place whence the notion ‘I’ springs. Does it spring only from the fleshy ball? It springs within us somewhere right in the middle of our being. The ‘I’ has no location. Everything is the Self. There is nothing but that. So the Heart must be said to be the entire body of ourselves and of the entire universe, conceived as ‘I’. But to help the abhyasi, we have to indicate a definite part of the Universe, or of the Body. So this Heart is pointed out as the seat of the Self. But in truth we are everywhere, we are all that is, and there is nothing else.
----------

This HEART, is not in or out. But I have no opposition to what you say, since the Guru teaches that a sadhaka has to abide in this heart to be fit for receiving the grace of mahesvara. That certainly agrees with:

The syllable beginning and ending the veda, and in the middle of the veda, unites prakRti with its own self (in the heart), but beyond this prakRti-bound praNava is maheshvara. [18]

Though I do not know whether this bracketed (in the heart) appears in the original or not?
-----------------------

One can only strive to attain and remain in the HEART.


Om

[yajvan]

Hari Oṁ
~~~~~

...A verse from Parātrīmśika laghuvṛittī.

Bho bhagavati suśroṇi ! ( Oh lady with beautiful hips, Śrī Devī)
The Heart is the subtle vibration of the triangle¹ which consists of the expansion and contraction of the three powers, and it is the place of repose , the place of supreme bliss. The very Heart is the Self of Bhairava, of that which is the essence of Bhairava and of the blessed Supreme Goddess who is inseparable and non-different from Him.


Namaste

Lets add to the conversation from Vedānta. The Bṛhadaraṇyaka Upaniṣad, the 5 kanda, section 3, called the Hṛidaya Brāhmaṇa; The connection to the Parātrīmśika laghuvṛittī, as I study it is via Brahman the All (anuttara¹) and trika (3).

The śloka says hṛidaya is made up of hṛ + da + ya. We know the following:

hṛ हृ is to offer, present; it also means to take away , carry off, seize, deprive of, steal, rob ; also to enrapture, charm ( we find this in the names of Hari and Hara)
da द - is giving, granting , offering , effecting , producing ( this da is also at the core of the Prajāpatya Brāhmaṇa, also found in the Bṛhadaraṇyaka Upaniṣad - Prajāpati teaches the value of da)
ya य is a goer or mover and yā या - is to go away, withdraw , retire The śloka reads thus:
This is Prajāpati. This is Brahman. This is the All. The heart (hṛidaya) is this which has three syllables. Hṛ is one. To him who knows thus, his own and others bring various gifts. Da is another syllable. To him who knows thus, his own and others give various powers. Ya is another syllable. He who knows thus, attains the heavenly world.

We can see from the śloka one is presented and recieves gifts; with ya the native withdraws to heaven.

Note that in both offers, Hṛidaya Brāhmaṇa and Parātrīmśika laghuvṛittī, there is trika, the offer of 3. In Both cases we find the Supreme; and in both cases we find the śakti of creation i.e. Śrī Devī and Prajāpati.

pranams

1. anuttara अनुत्तर- chief , principal, Ultimate; Abhinavagupta's words on this anuttara is na vidyate uttaram adhilam yataḥ, or that which there is nothing more or additional.

[Sudarshan]

heart cakra and the hR^idaya where the Lord is said to reside are quite different. As Sri Sarabhanga said, heart cakra is a high svarga ( maharlOka). But hR^idaya is hR^idaya guha, the secret and most subtle cavity in the universe. It is even beyond the sahasrAra cakra which is satyalOka. It does not really reside in the body except as a convenient reference frame for meditating on the Lord. ( just like latitudes and longitudes are drawn on a map).

But the cakras from mUlAdhAra-visuddhi( and many other minor ones) really exist in the subtle body
( as gateways to various heavens) and are not mere landmarks. Ajna is in the causal body, while sahasrAra stands between the manifest infinite and the unmanifest infinite like a door. hR^idaya transcends all these and cannot be said to be localized anywhere.

Again this is quite terminological and sahasrAra can be equated with hR^idaya as long as it is not maintained that sahasrAra resides physically in the head. ( or anywhere else)