Svarupa
One’s own form or shape. Your own condition, character, nature. Your own peculiar character. Wise, learned. Practice
This verse begins with yatra yatra, “wherever, whithersoever.” Wherever your mind finds satisfaction, there is your meditation practice. Then we see the amazing word svarupa, “your own peculiar nature.” A reading of this verse would be, “Wherever your mind wanders, there you can experience the absolute bliss of your peculiar nature.” If you talk to people about their secret joy, that thing they love so much they live for it, there is an infinite range of peculiar activities. Rejuvenating old cars. Fly-fishing. Bathing naked in mountain streams. Training dogs. Gardening. Painting mandalas. Golf. Surfing. It doesn’t matter what you love. What matters is that you love it and you choose it freely.
Svarupa is the shape of your soul. In all these practices, in everything you do in meditation, follow the shape of your own soul. Practice in a way that feels to you like your favorite hobby or indulgence—that natural way you would putter in the garden if you love gardening, wander around a city if you are a traveler, curry the horse if you are a horse person, play your instrument if you are a musician—and you are just alone, exploring.
Para ananda svarupa is “the transcendental joy of your unique character.” This suggests that you get to the universal through the personal. No matter how wounded, wacky, or wonderful you think you are, celebrate your individuality.
From The Radiance Sutras by Lorin Roche, PhD https://lorinroche.com/the-radiance-sutras
