Sohamasmi

Etymology

Sohamasmi is a mantra from the Upanishad, meaning : Even when I pray, I am You. Even when I am You, even when we are One, I pray to You.

Scriptural references

This phrase is found in the 16th verse of the Ishavasya Upanishad. The right attitude to pray is explained in this verse by Upanishadic Rishis.

pūṣann-ekarṣe yama sūrya prājāptya। vyūha raśmin samūha। tejo yat te rūpaṁ kalyāṇa-tamaṁ tat te paśyāmi yo’sāvasau puruṣaḥ so’ ham asmi ॥ 16॥

O Puṣan, Consciousness, who is the nourisher, sustainer of all, the primeval solitary traveller, the disciplining principle of all, is like the bright, effulgent Sun, and is the Lord of entire creation, which is His subject. Please remove all Your rays of this radiating, brilliant golden light, which had blinded me, so that by Your grace, I can have the Divine vision of that most auspicious, graceful, beautiful form of Yours. That which is there, the glorious Sun, is the mirror of the Supreme Being, who is all-pervading, pure Consciousness of the Cosmos. Indeed, I am He, Soham Asmi.

Science of Prayer

Understand the beauty of the way the Sanatana Hindu Dharma teaches prayer. There is no powerlessness, no place for powerlessness. Even when you pray, you are not separate. You are not separate from the Source.

The moment you are asked to pray, the moment you need to put God in the high pedestal, you always decide to put you in low pedestal. And in some stupid traditions, it is even celebrated as humbleness. No.

Understand, humbleness is not thinking less of you; it is thinking less about you. Understand, humbleness is not thinking less of you; it is less about you. Humbleness is not the image you have about yourself, it has nothing to do with the image that you have about yourself. It has something to do with how many times you remember yourself. One of the most stupid mistakes humanity has committed – putting yourself down and thinking only then you can put your God up. No!

Understand, putting your God up does not really require putting yourself down. Putting yourself down does not necessarily make you to put your God up. Understand, even when you pray, even when you have not experienced Oneness, even when you have not understood experientially – you are Oneness, YOU ARE ONE, So’ham asmi. I think this should be the word written in all temples. This verse should be written in all temples in golden letters, at least in all of our temples, all of our devotees’ puja room because this gives you the right context, and concept about God. - Paramahamsa Nithyananda

Understand, your life should be a lonngg prayer from the context of SOHAM ASMI. From the wrong context, prayer will always be painful. With right context, prayer can be an amazing process for Oneness. It can be great completion, even if you feel little tired of reliving, completing and all that, prayer can replace it immediately. And prayer can be amazing spiritual process for you to experience Oneness. - Paramahamsa Nithyananda

Even while you are praying, putting Him in the high pedestal does not require putting you in low pedestal. This duality…entertained duality will make you so powerless, you will never be able to get out of it, because you will always feel the guilt – if you become powerful and raise, you will feel you are doing something against God, which is not true.

Even while you pray remember god is above, above, above, above, above, true. But you don’t have to be below, below, below, below. You don’t need to below for the God to be above.

So’ham asmi. Even while you are praying, you are one with Him — let that Advaitic cognition be brought even during the prayer. Remember the right context and bring prayer in your life. Prayer itself will lead to enlightenment. Prayerfulness itself will lead to Enlightenment.

Be Devoted to your Oneness

Upanishad has a beautiful word – Sohamasmi - even when I am praying, I am You. So even when I am You, as long as there’s a relative reality, I pray I am devoted to You. I know You and me are one and the same, but as long as there is relative existence, till I feel there’s a skin for me and skin for you, I am devoted to You.

People ask Me, when thousands worship you, why do you bow down so much in front of the deities? And…

Understand, this is the secret. When you sit in Oneness, you should know very clearly – even when I pray I am you. When you are operating relative existence you should know – even when I am one with You I am praying. I am devoted to You. - Paramahamsa Nithyananda

In relative existence, always be devoted.

In reality, always be One. Understand, duality is not ultimate. I am repeating again. Oneness is the ultimate truth. - Paramahamsa Nithyananda

Oneness - The Only Currency that works in all 11 Dimensions

Understand, as long as you exist in relative reality, be devoted. It is Oneness – oneness is the only currency, which works on all the 11 dimensions. Dvaita only four dimensions – bhur bhuva svaha tapa, that’s all, not even Satya Loka.

As long as you are in relative existence, be devoted. Yes, your Third Eye should be penetrated with the truth of Oneness, Advaita, Shuddhadvaita. But as long as you are in a relative existence, means you are to feel ‘I’ and ‘You’ - means first person and second person. As long as there’s a first person and second person – see when you decide to sit, manifest powers - Oneness is the reality, Oneness is the truth with which you manifest powers. That’s the ultimate truth.

When you are operating in relative existence, be always devoted. Devoted even to your own Oneness. Be humble, be devoted even to your own Oneness. Sometimes when I go to devotee’s houses, I directly go to puja room and do the puja. Some of the devotees will keep My photo also. When I do the Aarti, I have to show to all. I cannot move the hand. I’ll have to show all only. They ask, what’s this Swamiji you are showing Aarti to your own photograph? What can I do? It is a symbol of my Oneness. I am devoted to THAT. Even I bow down to – see, you have both component. Your Oneness, Shuddhadvaita, and your relative existence.

To which you are going to be devoted, that is going to manifest in you more and more. That is going to be strengthened in you more and more. - Paramahamsa Nithyananda

Kailasha is the space of ultimate Oneness. Satchidananda, ultimate Oneness.

References

http://nithyananda.org/video/devotion-relative-existence-oneness-reality-manifests-powers#gsc.tab=0 http://www.nithyananda.org/video/even-when-i-pray-i-am-you-sohamasmi#gsc.tab=0 http://www.nithyananda.org/video/pray-powerful-space-oneness-sohamasmi#gsc.tab=0 http://www.nithyananda.org/video/science-making-your-prayers-answered-soham-asmi#gsc.tab=0 http://www.nithyananda.org/video/hindu-way-prayer-soham-asmi#gsc.tab=0 http://nithyananda.org/video/drop-your-irrational-rational-logic#gsc.tab=0 http://www.nithyananda.org/video/ask-avatar-gods-aliens-reincarnation-multiple-dimensions-future-humanity#gsc.tab=0