Viveka-Chudamani Blog-4

~ Sri_Krishna_Saras
positive/ true entity by throwing Out all negativeness; 4P- wet, moist, still. calm, to become fixed or immoveable; 'Fafga- sluggish; steady, calm; 411. The wise man realises in his heart, through Samadhi, the Infinite Brahman, which is undecaying and immortal, the positive Entity which precludes all negations which resembles the placid/calm and is without a in which there are neither merits nor demerits and which is eternal, pacified and One. There is another reading where is read as which means all the illusions have ended. This great Truth is undecaying (apnkshyn-soonynm) and immortal nnsh-rahitnm. In that state where all thoughts have set (asta-nbhava), the student lives vitally the experience of Reality- vastu. All words used in worldly parlance are of no use there, hence it is nameless state. It has no properties and cannot be indicated by name or word. This state which is indescribable in term of words, the teachr can indicate only by giving us an analogy. Each student will understand it only according to his capacity. If the student has the necessary mental tranquility and the intellectual purity to fly to the heights that Sankara is indicating, if he has the courage to take the plunge, it is impossible for such a student ever to fail to "understand" this great state. The example given is , stimita-snliln-rngi-prnkyam--- it is as though all the waves of the ocean have suddenly stopped at the magice wave of a wand (A baton used by a magician or water diviner), as though they have been stunned into freezing. This cannot be understood unless you are imaginative enough to visualise yourself on one of those solitary, uninhabitated little island in the Pacific, where, up to the horizon, all you can see is the seeing, dancing, rolling, jumping, frisking waves. The clamour of their enthusiasm is noisly pulsating in all directions. When you sufficiently imagined such condition of dreadful awe and magnitude, imagine that all the waves have suddenly stopped. Likewise, when the meditating seeker has quietened his mind, intellect and sense of agitations, all the pulsation caused by the vnsnnns come to quiescence (A state of quiet (but possibly temporary) inaction). And in that quiet, he comes to experience the Consciousness wherein all expression of thought - ivknrn is quietened. Gunn qualify the vasnnns. Vasnnas manifesting at the mental level are called thoughts. That which is beyond thought, is naturally peramanent, since It is not conditioned by time as Time itself is a concept Of the intellect. Since all that can be conceived by the intellect alone can be conditioned by time, that which transcends the intellect is unconditioned by time It has to be Permanent. 19 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
Restlessness (n-shnntnm) is because Of the disturbances in our inner Peace. The Self transcends the mind and so Its condition is devoid Of the turmoil Of the mind. It is therefore indicated here as shnntnm. The One (Eknm) this great Truth which is the state Of pure infinite Consciousness, is experienced by the wise-man. When the second reading, nstn-åbhåsn, is taken, it will mean "when all illusory perceptions have ended". When is read as nstn-nbhåva-- it means there were all abhåvns have ended. According to Nyaya philosophy, two kinds Of are possible. Abhäva means non existence. The existence Of a pot is only when it actually exists. But before its creation the pot was not here. The non-existence Of a pot before it is manifested is known as I The non existence Of the pot after it is destroyed is known I—ymeaning there was no time when the Self was not (when the ego arose), nor will a time ever come when the Self will not be (even after the ego has set). The ego is only a play Of illusion upon the Reality which is essential Truth. Truth was, is and shall ever be. Both readings are acceptable and both have their significance. In the three inimitable (matchless) verses given above, having having enumerated the exact experience Of a man in Samadhi, in the above 3-verses, the author here gives the method Of Of meditation. He has given a scheme where the mind is instructed as to what it should contemplate upon, and how: Upajäti- ltU; n 5-6;5-6 412. With the mind restrained in Samadhi, behold in thy self the Atman, Of infinite glory, cut off thy bondage, strengthened by the impressions of previous births, and carefully attain the consummation Of thy birth as a human being (achieve the goal of humal l) This verse has a strong flavour Of the thoughts expressed in the Bhagavad Gita. "Not only must it be intellectually understood, but thereafter it must become your own". You must get involved, nay even committed to this way of life. The same insistence of Gita is echoed in this verse without losing its emphasis. 20 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
B.C. XV-20:- O Sinless one! This most secret science has been imparted by me.O Bharata! By studying this man becomes wise and (accomplisher) of realiser accompalishments.1520. a way, passage; distance; journey, travel; 413. Meditate on the Atman, which resides in thee, which is devoid Of all limiting adjuncts, the Existence-Knowledge-Bliss Absolute, the One without a second, and thou shall no more come under the round of births and deaths. It is evident that this verse echoes the thoughts which were already there in the Upanishads & bhngnvnd Gecta. Upanishad: q: gauqaä Il BG: q: Il 068. Give Up Perceptions. (414-418) -±-2 1 414. Once the body has been cast off like a corpse, the wise man does not attach himself to it though, like man's shadow, it is still visible, owing to the effect of past actions. This physical body which is apparent is negated by the man of Realisaion. He ignores it as he would his own shadow, as we do not consider the shadow as sacred (which is dragged along the stone, pond, sewage etc.) NO doubt the shadow arises from the body and if there is no body there is no shadow. Malini- (S,7) 21 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
abuse, contempt, expression with contempt; 415. Realising the Atman, the eternal, pure Knowledge and Bliss, throw far away this limitation of a body, which is inert and filthy by nature. Then remember it no more, for something that has been vomited, bring disgust to the mind when called in memory. In the last two verses, Sankara was emphasising the idea that the man of Perfection never cares for his body. He has nothing but abhorrence (Hate coupled with disgust) for the body concept whenever it appears in cognition. The same idea is extended in the next two verses, and Sankara tries to give the logic behind it. Why a man of Perfection develops an attitude of utter negligence and supreme indiffence towards his physical existence has been explained in this verse. Upajäti- 1+U; 5-6;5-6 s fägfä Il locative. 416. Burning all this, with its very root, in the fire Of Brahman, the Eternal and Absolute Self, the truly wise man thereafter remains alone, as the Atman, the eternal, pure Knowledge and Bliss. Having destroyed in the fire Of knowledge, the entire body-concept along with its very roots (våsanns), the man Of perfection remains alone, as the Very Self. He destroys his gross-body-identification in the ecstatic and inspiring experience Of awakening to the spot-less state Of the infinite Reality. äqf q@g: Il Il Thereafter, the best among the men Of Perfection, (Vidvnrishtha,fr) himself remains as the very essence Of the Self. He becomes one with the Infinite which which is ever pure Knowledge-Bliss. The knower Of the Self becomes the Self. From the peaks Of pure Bliss, he is more aware Of his physical body and if at all the body 22 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
comes to his cognition, he has nothing but a sense Of revulsion towards it, as one would naturally have towards a disgorged (Eject the contents Of the stomach through the mouth) things. Upajäti- 1+U; Il 5-6;5-6 s 11 417. The knower of Truth—s does no more care whether this body, spun out by the threads of Prarabdha work, falls or remains — like the garland on a cow for his mind-functions are at rest in the Brahman, the Essence Of Bliss. The man of Perfection considers his physical body only as something woven out of its I 418. Realising the Atman, the Infinite Bliss, as his very with what object, or for whom, should the knower Of Truth cherish the body. Continuing the same arguments for the rejection of the physical body, Sankara says, "Havingrealised his own essential Self to be the nature of the unbroken and infinite Bliss then desiring what, or for what purpose should a man of Realisation fatten his body? We fatten the body because it is the only the source for our sense gratification. Seeking these little joys of life we preserve the body and try to maintain it as well as we can. But a man of Realisation who has awakened from his egocentric existence into the greater ambit of the Self and is continually experiencing the absolute bliss, for what purpose should he maintain the body? Or for fulfilment of which desire should he maintain it? The term, "desiring what"—» echoes the words of the Brihadäroyaka Upanishad, where Yäfiyavälkya asks the same question. not other than, not think of two; 23 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
"When one has realised one's Self to be nothing other than this great Purusha, this infinite then desiring what, (or for the fulfilment Of which desire), should he thereafter nurse, nourish and fatten his physical body?" 069. The Science of Reality-- Its Benefits. (419-425) - CEIL] 11 419. The Yogi who has attained perfection and is liberated-in-life gets this as a result — he enjoys eternal Bliss in his mind, internally as well as externally. One who is fufilled in life, one who has cut asunder the shackles Of his finite existence as the ego, one who is not bound by the chains Of his physical passions, or mental pangs or intellectual agitations, what will he gain by such an experience? Sankara insists that such an individual then, constantly experiences the bliss which is the nature Of the Self, within and without. All exertions in life are only to discover happiness. Once the highest happiness is gained, other lesser objects Of happiness are Of no concern. Thus through meditation, when an individual rises above the realm Of disturbances and agitations and enters the realm Of sweet Bliss, which manifests because Of its essential nature; he cannot then precipi tate into any activity we ordinarily engage in our day to day existence. 11 420. The fruit of dispassion is Knowledge, that of Knowledge is withdrawal from sense pleasure. The fruits of this withdrawal is the experience of the Blissful Self and peace is this result of this experience. The results that will accrue to the personality as an individual starts his sadhnna are enumerated in a logical sequence. relating to something preceeding; 421. If there is an absence of the succeeding stages, the preceding ones are futile. (When the series is perfect) the cessation of the objective world, extreme satisfaction, and matchless bliss follow as a matter Of course on its own. 24 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
In the preceding verse, a chain Of cause & effect seen in the life Of a true seeker, has been given. Now in this verse, the Teacher says, if there is an absence Of the succeeding stages, then the preceeding ones are futile. If you have objective Knowledge but no Vairagya, that Knowledge is Of no use. If you are practising self-withdrawal but it does not lead to subjective knowledge Of the Higher, the self-withdrawal is only escapism. It will never be creative. Each suceeding state can be fruitfull ony if you have cultivated the noble qtllities Of the earlier. When an individual has, through withdrawal from sense-pleasures, cultivated the true knowledge as it is expounded in the the scriptures, then as a result Of the knowledge, slowly and steadily, he grows in his healthy atti tude Of detachment from the fields Of sense gratifications. When the seeker has, as a result Of intelligent self-withdrawal, come to experience peace and happiness flooding his bosoms, he becomes the true servant at the temple- gates Of Reality. Such a prepared personality alone can get admission into the transcendental state of God-consciousness. It is only as a result of all these developments in oneself that one comes to a point of complete renunciation-fä$: from worldly activities. Thus, only an individual who has gone through all the disciplines indicated in the previous verse, will really come to live, a life of complete detachment from the world outside. He alone, will experience a contentment that is unique and a bliss that is incomparable - Il "When will come? How will it come?" Sankara answers, "This state Of complete Bliss and satisfaction comes naturally (swata&), as a result Of all the previous disciplines. This is the final reward to the spiritual seeker". Sankara continues enumerating the result Of this great experience. aTaT Il Il I-aversion 422. Being unruffled—» by earthly troubles (indifference towards worldly sorrows) is the beneficiary result of knowledge. How can a man who did various loathsome/ vile deeds—+ during the state Of delusion commit the same afterwards, possessed Of discrimination ? When the final Beat Beatitude is experienced, man is unruffled by the painful experiences that he may have to live thereafter in the world. The pinpricks that he is conscious Of at the physical, mental and intellectual levels, all the jerks in life, subjective & objective, never disturb him. This is indeed the effect Of the Knowledge that has come to him as a result of sadhana. 25 _ Sr i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
In the same way, drunk with the vasanns and passions Of the body, the individual, during his day Of ignorance, might have perpetrated many shameful acts Of viciousness. He cannot continue them after Realisation because by then he has come to experience his spiritual unfoldment and as a consequence, has realised the demeaning grossness Of his lower personality. Upajäti- 1+U; Il 5-6;5-6 423. The result Of knowledge should be the turning away from unreal things, while attachment to these is the result Of ignorance. This is observed in the case Of one who knows a mirage and things of that sort, and one who does not. Otherwise, what other tangible result do the knowers of Brahman obtain ? What do you gain by experiencing the Supreme? The vision Of the world from the spiritual watch-tower is explained in this verse. At the moment we are looking at it from the material stand-point—ie. from the stand-point Of the BMI. As a result, the world is giving us the experience Of the OET. What would be the vision Of the world when it is looked without Ahaftkårn in the BMI? Now does such an individual react at his physical, emotional and intellectual levels? Knowledge Of the ghost (in a post) is avidyå, nescience—misapprehension. When we inverstigate into it and try to understand its real nature, we acquire the knowledge Of the post--- the right knowledge vidyå. The result Of right knowledge, is the removal Of nescience. When you have transcended the intellect, you have got away from the persecution Of matter. When you experience the spiritual centre and understand that you are not the BMI, you move away from the An-atman. That which is perceived as different from Brahman is An-atman. All that is experienced as other than Brahman is "not- self"; Anåtman. The result Of "ignorance" ajniinn is action prnvrtti. Ego-motivated actions are called pravrtti. Ego and desire-prompted activities are possible in avidyå only. When I identify with the outer vesture Of the matter, the ego-centric idea Of my individuality crystalises. Motivated by my vasanas, I act in the world. The result Of 26 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
ajnåna is ego-cenric activity and its consequent sorrows. When there is Knowledge, there is complete detachment from the false world projected by non- apprehensions. These effects are observed in a man-of-knowledge and in a man-of-ignorance. It can be seen in the reactions Of men seeing a mirage. The man who does not know the mirage, runs after it, only to get disappointed, again and again. He who recognises the mirage does not move at all, as he sees the delusory appearance Of water. He knows that it is an illusion and he enjoys it. The illusion cannot prompt him to activity. He has already come to apprehend his own Real Nature and hence, will no more get indentified with the BMI and run after the OET. He lives in peace and tranquility within himself, away frm the persecutions Of all väsanas and desires. What else will the man-of —Realisation gain? 1 Of selfish action 424. If the heart's knot Of ignorance is totally destroyed, what natural cause can there be for inducing such a man to selfish action for he is averse to sense-pleasures When an individual gains knowledge Of the Real, the Infinite, the "ignorance" Of the Self ends. Where ignorance has ended, there desires cannot arise. Where desires are not, there actions cannot be. when the knot Of the heart have been cut, why should the individual entertain the OET? The man-of-Realisation has no pravrtti, as all the possible 'impulses" for actions are dried up in him. I Il Il 425. When the sense-objects excite/ in enjoyment no more d esire- qTqaT, then is the culmination Of dispassion. The extreme perfection Of knowledge, is the absence Of any impulsion Of the egoistic idea. And the limit Of self-withdrawal
3qü: is reached when the thoughts that have been merged : , that manifest The climax of Knowledge- is the absence of "1" mess and "my-ness". The fulfilment Of Knowledge is when one is completely established in the Reality having torn asunder the veil of ignorance. The veil of ignorance drops when the PFT has been transcended. Total annihilation Of the ego is the limit Of Knowledge. In this verse Sankara tries to indicate the matchless joy experienced by a man Of Realisation in the supreme moments Of meditation and even during his hours Of contact with the world around. 070. Signs of a Realised Seer. (426-445) Sardülavikridita- (12.7) 426. Freed from all sense Of reality Of the external sense-objects on account Of his always remaining merged in Brahman; only seeming to enjoy such sense-objects as are offered by others, like one sleepy, or like a child; beholding this world as one seen in dreams, and having cognition Of it only now and then — rare indeed is such a man, the enjoyer Of the fruits Of endless merit, and he alone is blessed and esteemed on earth Il There is yet another concealed in the choice Of these examples. In a sleeping man, there is total cessation Of any awareness Of the outer world. Similarly the case Of a man Of Realisation. He is unconcious Of the outer world and at that time if others help his physical existence, he remains totally unconcious Of the solicitude (a feeling Of excess concern) he has received. The example Of a child indicates, in its depths, that like a child, a man Of Realisation also no self-consciousness or vanity. A child is not at all aware Of itself or its hunger nor is it aware Of the mother feeding it. It has no nbhimnna Of itself. A man Of realisation is much the same. Now the question is, does such a man Of Perfection experience the outer world at all? Yes, he does. Now and then. At certain moments he vaguely recognises the existence Of the world around. Sankara here indicates that the perceived world for the man Of Perfection is like the world seen in a dream. Thus, the man Of steady 28 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
wisdom does recognise the world around, but at all such moments, he is conscious Of the non-existent illusory nature Of the world interpreted by him through the play Of him and intllect due to his prarabdhn. From this verse onwards for about 16-verses, Sankara attempts to give us the hall-marks Of a man Of perfection: seqT Il 427. That Sannyasin has got a steady wisdom/ -illumination who, having his soul wholly merged in Brahman, enjoys eternal bliss, is changeless and free from activity. Sankara imitates the literary technique adopted by Vyasa in the BG- ch. Il, where the last 18-verses gives us the picture Of a man Of Perfection. He even uses the same term as V yas the man Of steady wisdom. I bathing, plunging, immersing; mastering, learning; a place Of bathing; 428. That kind Of mental function which cognises only the identity HIq-31+1Tft•it of the Self and Brahman, purified of all adjuncts, which is free from duality , and which concerns itself only with Pure Intelligence is called illumination gal. He who has this perfectly steady wisdom is called a man Of steady illumination. He who experiences this condition Of mental illumination steadily, is called a man of steady wisdom. Inspired moments of wisdom are possible in rare moments Of life-n during study Or when listening to a Master, etc. At such moments an individual gets a glimmer Of higher possibility Of the greater Consciousness. But rare indeed is the man who is completely established in his identity with the higher. Such men who are established in the higher Conscciousness are called "Sthitaprajna" "rooted in Consciousness". All the following 15-verses of the section are meditation verses. They are not a mere repetition of the Gita-verses. The Ächaraya, as usual, adds a few more strokes, unique in themselves, to the picture of a man of Perfection. 29 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
429. He whose illumination is steady (steady wisdom), who has constant bliss, and who has almost-RN: forgotten the phenomenal universe, is accepted as a man liberated in this very life. We are living now in the realm of the PET, the jiva identified with the BMI. Jeevan-mukti is liberation from the concept of jeeva-hood; he whQ liberated from the concept of the PFT, he who has no identification with its BMI. he is called the liberated one. He is liberated from lower because of his awakening to the Higher. His expereince of Bliss and peace is unbroken- because his mind has been transcended and therefore, the sorrows created by the mind are not there. In that condition, the world is exactly like things forgotten - and forgotten things cannot disturb him. Established in Brahman, he lives in a state of continuous experience of joy; such an individual is considered a I GTTTTfå I 430. He who, even having his mind merged in Brahman, is nevertheless quite alert, but free at the same time from the characteristics of the Waking state, and whose realisation is free from is accepted as a man liberated-in-life—» Jivan- muktah. He is jeevan-mukta whose intellect is merged in the Reality. Even the thoughts are thus merged, he is brightly awake. In sleep, when the mind and intellect have becme quiet, we are not conscious Of the world. On awakening to the Higher Reality, the mind is as though asleep, but the individual is as though awake: "Wakeful sleep", "Sleepless sleep". Consciousness bright and vigilant but not apprehending any object. Therfore, this state is called objectless-AwareneSS. He Who is alive to this state, he is called Il at the end Of the compound- causing, effecting; seizing, apprehesion; 431. He whose concern about the world is stilled/ calmed, who, though possessed of a body consisting of parts is yet devoid of parts, and whose mind is free from anxiety, is accepted as a man liberated-in-life* Jivan muktah. 30 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
11 Il 432. The absence of the ideas of "1" and "mine" even in this existing body which follows as a shadow, is a characteristic of one liberated-in-life. Even though a liberaed man lives in his physical, mortal, finite, material body, he has no "I"ness and "my-ness". He does not consider himself to be the body, nor does he consider the objects belonging to the body as his. Though he expresses though the body, he has no subjective or objective ego-centre idea. The body just follows him like a shadow. No one can have ego-centric identification with his own shadow. Such too, is the man of Perfection's relationsship with his body. 433. Not dwelling on enjoyments (no thoughts) Of the past, taking no thought for the future and looking with indifference upon the present, are characteristics Of one liberated-in-life. He who has experienced the Higher, refuses to remember and relive the past. Even a street dog will not eat its own disgorging. What has alread been lived in the past, the jecvan-muktn does not live again, nor does he get anxious about the future. And in the present, never is he excited. 434. Looking everywhere with an equal eye on this world riddled with elements Of merits and demerits, characteristcally different one from the other-- --this is the indication of jivan mukta. On this level of consciousness, everything is experienced without the mind and intellect. We cannot experience anything unless it is in the world Of plurality. Relative experience alone are available to M & l. pure Consciousness is that where there is no mind and intellect, accompanied by their disturances. All the experiences of the are an admixture Of good and bad. C,uva vigi}$a. Il 31 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
435. When things pleasant or painful present themselves, to remain unruffled in mind in both cases, through the sameness Of attitude, is a characteristic of one liberated-in-life. In circumstances pleasant or otherwise, he is an a-viknri. A vikari is one who reacts and brings about modifications in his own mind. In our case, when pleasant things come, we are pleased; when things are unpleasant, we become cross. Our mind is turned and ruffled by the circumstances and happenings around. Unruffled, the man Of Perfection watches the passing parade Of the world. 11 Il 436. The absence Of all ideas Of interior or exterior in the case Of a Sannyasin, owing to his mind being engrossed in tasting the bliss of Brahman, is a characteristic of one liberated-in-life. He is liberated one, who is engrossed in the enjoyment Of that Brnhmic Consciousness, which is the experience Of Bliss (ånnndn). There is Bliss because the mind has been transcended. Mind is a cancerous ulcer which bleeds out sorrows. As long as you work through the mind, you will suffer. Sanskrit is a language known for the subtlety Of its expression. The term is an example. The man Of perfection is extremely addicted to Brnhmänandnrnsn. The Infinite: Brahma. Infinite Bliss: Brahmänanda. The essence Of Infinite Brahmåmannndnrnsn. The liberated one is addicted to the expereince Of this essence. He strives to get that experience always. One who is striving to realise is a yati. 437. He who lives unconcerned/indifferent to, and devoid of all ideas of "I" and "mine" with regard to the body, organs, etc., as well as to his duties, is known as a man liberated-in-life. He thereafter, lives indifferent to tragedies and comedies that visit the flesh and its mind and intellect. Such an attitude towards his own equipments is the sign of jeevnn-muktn. 32 Sr
438. He who has realised his Brahmanhood aided by the Scriptures, and is free from the bondage Of transmigration, is known as a man liberated-in-life. He who has understood that the Self in him is the Self everywhere, aided by the study of the Upanishads, is the liberated one. by a method of systematic analysis he, who has come to experience that the one Matrix upon which the entire worlds is playinga about is his very own Self, is the realistic sage. When the identification with the BMI is completely dropped, and when he has risen to the highe rplane of Consciousness, he suddenly realises that not only is he the pure Consciounsess, but the whole universe too is nothing else but the supreme Self. 439. He who never has the idea of "1" with regard to the body, organs, etc., nor that of "it" in respect of things other than these, is accepted as one liberated- in-life. All these verses indicating the jeevan-mukta are not for judging others. Others can never be judged by you, for you will judge them with your mind and intellect and so you will see things which are not there. All these verses are for self- observation. qri:- creation of the world e— a stream, gush, down pour; 440. He who through his illumination never differentiates the Jiva and Brahman, nor the universe and Brahman, is known as a man liberated-in-life. He sees no distinction between the Lord behind the whole cosmos called ISvaras, and the Lord functioning through the body called jeeva. - is the identity between the individual jeeva and the universal Self. Never did any difference exist between Brahman and the world which has emerged out of Brahman. He who know this, is liberated in life. 441. He who feels just the Same when his body is either worshipped by the good or tormented by the wicked, is known as a man liberated-in-life—» jccvan- muktah. 33
444. If it be urged that he is still attached to the sense-objects through the momentum of his old desires the reply is — a- no, for desires get weakened through the realisation of one's identity with Brahman. The opponents Of Vedäntic thoughts who is against the Vedåntic theory, that a man Of Perfection will have no more oasnnas is now raising his cudgel against Ächarya Sankara. Safikara answers in this verse. "1f your argument is that a man of Perfection also will fall into the clutches of sense-objects due to the momentum of his old ways of living, we reply that this is impossible. The moment of enlightenment, reduces the Old vasanas to impotency. Even one who had been the greatest sinner before, will not continue sinning after the extrordinary and unque experience Of the one Self every where" TO reinforce his argument with a striking illustration Sankara employs the following verse:- Ag:rfOT TUTi—ssFä Il 445. The propensities (natural inclination) of even a confirmed libertine (a morally unrestrained person) are checked in the presence of his mother; just so, when Brahman, the Bliss Absolute, has been realised, the man of realisation has no longer any worldly tendency. The vasnnns of a man of Realiation can never express themselves. Sankara gives an example to illustrate how this can be so. A libertine who is an extremely uncontrollable super-sensualist ,cannot indulge in his sensuous actions in the presence of his mother. If, when on the point of committing an immoral act, his father, mother or Teacher were to walk in, then, for the time being at least, he will desist from committing the act. If you have once tasted the infinite Bliss of Brahman, then in the presence of that expereince in you, the vasnnas, even though are there, will never manifest. 071. Prärabdha for a Saint? (446-464) 35 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
445. One who is constantly practising meditation is observed to have external perceptions. The Shrutis mention Prarabdha work in the case Of such a man, and we can infer this from results actually seen. He Who is an adept (Someone who is Very highly skilled) at meditation is yet seen to have external perceptions. Sruti says, this is prarabdha at work. This can be inferred in actual results seen. Earleir in two verses it was said that to a man Of Perfection, the vasnnns created by his past actions cannot be powerful prompting, because he has awakened from his ego-centric misconceptions. If thus, through meditation and Realisatin his vasanas have been completely exhausted, an intelligent student would naturally ask the pertinent question. How is it that such an individual is seen to have his experiences in the world? We See that such a Mahayogi still has transactions with the world around him. He eats. He sleeps. He walks. He talks. He enjoys a cool bath in Summer and a warm bath in winter. Therefore, if he has no VaSanaS, why should he continue to exist and gather experiences in contact with the world outside? In answer to this pertinent question, Sankara says:-- e w o constant y practlses me Itatlon IS certain y o serve to ave out rception and experiences. This is explained by gruti as being the result Of hi rnrnbdhn. It can only be prarabdha for we observe the man of Perfection IU- to escape, to look, see; to give, to attack; 6P- to wish/desire, long for; to choose; to endeavour to Obtain, to regard. to be acknowledge; to request; 446. Prarabdha work is acknowledged to persist so long as there is the perception Of happiness and the like. Every result is preceded by an action, and nowhere is it seen to accrue independently of action. Il As long as there is the expereince Of happiness etc., the work Of prarabdha is seen to persist. Every result is seen to have a preceeding action; there can be no result independent of action. s ong as ere 1 s prceptiono applness, sorrows e c., ru 1 ac now edge a prärabdha persist. The logical reason for this is that without a cause an effec impossible. We see the Master experiencing joys and sorrows. Therefore, the 36 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
a Isa tlon, t ere cannot e any experelce 0 JOY or sorrow. Ince we see men ealisation also experiencing joy and sorrows, there must be previous cause fo ese experiences. Every result is preceded by an action and nowhere is a resul een accruing independent Of action. Naturally, therefore, the conclusion is , tha hen there are expereinces Of joys and sorrows for the wise 448. Through the realisation of one's identity with Brahman, all the accumulated actions of a hundred crore of cycles, come to nought, like the actions of dream-state on awakening. The idea is emphasised that there is total destruction Of all vasanas that have been hoarded from the past -qfüd- in the knowledge arising from deep contemplation upon, "l am Brahman". By this subjective Realisation that I am the supreme Consciousness, all the imprints Of past actions left on our personality get totally eradicated, completely erased. NO more can the vasanas accumulated in millions Of lives ever grow potent and manifest their influence on the personality who has realised the Truth. Mundakopanisahd Il-ii-8. qT— situated beyond, or on the side; having the face turned away; distant, directed outwards. The Upanishads also cry out the same. In the Upanishad, the Rishis says that all the vasanas Of the man Of Perfection are completely fried in the fire Of Knowledge. Saikara interprets here that the Rishi could have meant only vasanas other than Prärabdha. In short. the man of Realisation has to live no more the effects of his past actions. TO illustrate this idea vividly for the comprehension Of the student, Sankara gives the example Of the dream in the following verse. membrane enveloping the embryo; manifest. evident; abundantly furnished with; 449. Can the good actions or dreadful sins that a man fancies himself (which are evident) doing in the dream-state, lead him to heaven or hell after he has awakened from sleep ? In the previous verse Sankara asserted that on waking to the higher plane of consciousness, all the vasanas that have been created in the past are totally wiped 37 _ S r i _ Kr is a _ Sar a s
out. Meaning, they become impotent and can no longer yield any results. All the results Of actions done in the past, accrued to the personality thorugh the endless lives that have already been lived are called snnchita karma. In order to drive home the point, an example is given which amplifies Vedantic contentions. The illustration given in this verse is very effective indeed. Whatever activities have been done during the dream-state Of consciousness - irrespective Of their merits or demerits, cannot have any reaction after the individual has woken up. The good actions Of the dream cannot give one extra happiness on awakening. Nor can the crimes perpetrated in the dream give one consequent sorrows in his state Of awakening. In short, between the two states Of consciousness, there cannot be any transaction. For the subject that experience the two states Of consciousness totally different-meaning, the waker as the waker is not available in the dream and the dreamer as the dreamer is not there to experience the waking. in the Same way, the egocentric individuality must have performed innumerable actions in his pilgrimage from one to another. Yet, now that the ego has ended, in his new found expereince Of the infinite consciousness as his own true nature, none Of these fruits of actions , can ever affect him, because the doer Of those actions is not available any more. aa-it I IP- to burn, IA- the result, consequences of anything; 4P- to embrace, to adhere to; to unite; to grasp, understand; IOU-- to unite; coming, future; arriving; learned; n intruder; 450. Realising the Atman which is unattached and indifferent like the sky, the aspirant is never concerned in the least by actions yet to be done Il Here the Teacher wants to emphasise that the vnsnnns accumulated in the past are destroyed. Not only that, but as a result of Realisation, all the vasanns that are to mature in the future and yield their results in terms of joys and sorrows , are also totally destroyed. On realising the Self which is unattached and indifferent- to the activities taking place around, the seeker's contact with the past, is so completely annihilated that even the immature- vasanns waiting for expression get totally roasted in the fire of Knowledge—» newly kindled by the seeker's Realisation. Ref: for comparison of Atman with space. When a man of Realisation acts, he is not affected at all at anytime (least & at all times) by the vasanas yet to mature in the future-- the I Safikara calls it actions that are yet to yield their fruits in future periods of time. In short, karma done by ego and the ego alone can get its reward or 38 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
punishment. When the doer Of the actions, the vain ego, has been totally sublimated, who is to to receive the resuts? When the ego is no more, the result Of the karma done by ego will not take place and therefore no takes place. However, the karmas that have taken effect already, for the experience Of which the man Of Of Realisation has taken this embodiment, ie. will continue to function and this is the topic that Sankara hereafter takes up for elaboration. 451. The sky is not affected by the smell of liquor, merely through its connection with the jar; similarly, the Atman is not, through Its connection with the conditioning (limitations, affected by the properties thereof. All our activities are called karma. Karma is of three types. It is classified with reference to the past, present and future. The total impression gained by an individual through his activities and thoughts accumulated at the conscious level Of the mind are called acquired. The large number Of vasanas within are all snnchitn karma. Of them, a few become fructified and surge forth to express. They are called that which has started yielding fruits. —+E*TÅUI There are yet other vasnnns which are awaiting maturity. They are yet to become effective. Such vasanas are called {ignmi- The Sanchita which is acquired in the past and the ågnmi which is yet to come, both are destroyed at the moment Of Realisation. They can no longer affect the individual because he has transcended his identification and has experienced the Bliss beyond. The individuality which is to be accused for the past karmas is no more in that equipmet. It has dissolved itself in the transcedental experience Of the Infinitude. or er to exp am to us ow t e armns 0 not a ect t e rea Ise one, t acher gives this example. Space is present everywhere. The contents in space ca ver contaminate it. A toddy pot may contaminate the surrounding atmospher e air, but not the space. The space in the pot cannot be conditioned by the content f the pot. . At all time he is conscious of his oneness with the Infinitude. H emg su t t IS o y elng prårn nt atw IC IS t e resu to past action w IC 39 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
452. The work which has fashioned this body prior to the dawning of knowledge, is not destroyed by that knowledge without yielding its fruits, like the arrow shot at an object. (aiming & releasing like arrow) The vnSannS /impressi ons which have started yielding fruits before the auspicious hour Of Realisation, will not cease/ stop to yield fruit after Realisation. At a particular stage in his pilgrimage Of life an individual realises the Truth. gankarächarya at age Of 12, Vivekananda at 24 and Buddha at 42 are some Of the examples. But before Realisation, the individual had already been in his mother's womb and had started his earthly career. The great pilgrimage that has started is, in itself, an expression Of the past vasanas. The karma that has started manifesting does not end because Of jnåna. Because Of its prårnbdn, the body continues to exist even after Realisation. This body has to go through all its experiences because Of the past karmas. From the stand-point Of the realised man, it is prärnbdhn Of the body and so it has to live through it. In our case, it is our prärabdn and hence we suffer through life whether we like it or not. The realised man is not involved in the experienced Of the body. It is only others around him who get involved with it. Irrespective Of the involvements Of the subject, the prårabdn will not end without yielding its dues. The arrow that left the bow, must reach its target. After leaving the bow it cannot be stopped. You may change your mind only before it leaves. Once it has left it shall certainly reach its target. The ågnmi knrmns are the total arrows in your quiver. Out Of them you have taken one, fitted it to the bow and pulled the string. Even at that point you can stop it. But having pulled it up and shot it, you cannot bring it back. It has to pant and exhaust itself. Nothing can be done about it. TO eludidate clearly the subtle distinction indicated here/above, gankara gives in the following verse an unforgettable illustrations:- ind. excessively; 452. The arrow which is shot at an Object with the idea that it is a tiger, does not stop, when that object is perceived to be a cow, but pierces the object with full force. 40 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
A hunter thnking that there was a tiger, aimed an arrow at it and shot it. As the arrow whizzed towards the target, thejunter recognised it tobe a cow. Now what could he do? By his revised knowledge the arrow does not stop in its flight. Certainly it strikes its target with full force. The knowledge that it is a cow, does not change or modify the direction Of the arrow. t e past, t 1 n Ing t at you are t e 0 y, you et oose many arrows oughts and desires. In the midst Of this suffering , you realise the Truth. Still yo re the son Of yur father, the father Of yur children and the husband Of your wife 0 erhaps wife Of your hsusband. Once the thoughts have been wished and willed i particular direction, they have to take their course and come to manifestation i e given body. The body has The Cigami and the sanchifa can be eliminated but not the prärabda ie. The prärabda Of the body, not Of the realised individual, for he who lives in It has no more identification with his body. From 454 onwards, Safikara discusses prärabdha and how it works for the man of Realisation:- Sardülavikrjdita- (12.7) 453. Prarabdha work is certainly very strong for the man of realisation, and is spent only by the actual experience of its fruit; while the actions previously accumulated and those yet to Come are destroyed by the fire Of perfect knowledge. But none Of the three at all affects those who, realising their identity with Brahman, are always living absorbed in that idea. They are verily the transcendental Brahman (free from gupas- Prärnbdha knrmn is very strong even for those who have known Reality. The ägnmi and the sanchitn can end by the expereince of the Higher, but prärabdhn will end only when it has been lived through. Then whether a person is Jiiäni or ajfiäni, he has to live though it. There is no escape. A [üäni may have a luxurious smile on his face. since he knows that he is not the equipments. An Ajfiäni. unfortunately will make a long face for he will not have the strength to grin and bear his lot. The fire of Knowledge kindled by the experience of Reality burns the vasnnas that have stored from the past and the vasanns that are yet to manifest in future births. 41 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
That for the jnånis, prarnbdhn is still powerful has to be carefully understood, for the statement has subtle points which should not be missed in a hasty reading. When Brahman and Atman are understood to be one and the same, the individual remains in that experience only. When I realise that the Self in me is the Self present everywhere, I remain absorbed in it —i I NO more do I identify with the BMI and are identified with Reality and reamain there, and there alone. Those who have lifted themselves from their identification with the BMI and are identified with the Reality and remain there. then in those moments. to such individual there is no prürnbhdnh also. Naturally, when I am not conscious Of the body, mind and intelelct, whatever the equipment mights might do in the world outside, whatever they may perceive or get as reactions, they do not affect me. Because I am my own Self and fully engaged in lt. My attention is totally turned towards the Infinite. None Of the three categories Of karma affeect such individuals. At such moments Of experience they are Brahman alone. That Brahman is Absolute and being absolute, It has no properties. Thus the three karmas. saücita. prärabdaa leave us only when the ego is completely dead. Vnsanas can affect only the ego. The ego is liqudated in the transporting experience Of the Infinite. A man Of Ralisation himself is that Brahman, which no qualities. VamSastha- (5.7); Indravamga I (5,7) fägät I 455. For the sage who lives in his own Self as Brahman, the One without a second , devoid of identification with the limiting adjuncts, the question of existence of Prarabdha work is meaningless, like the question of a man who has awakened from sleep having any connection with the objects seen in the dream- state. The man who has awakened to the higher plane of Consciousness has no more body, mind and intellect conditionings. The feeling that "1 am the body, the mind and intellect is not in him. Ego-centric individuality cannot maintain itself when the identification with the body, mind and intellect is withdrawn. When the individuality becomes unconditioned by the equipmets, it becomes "the alone"--- 42 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
is "The alone" The alone" expressing through the BMI is the prsonality, the ego. As an ego when 1 100k into the world outside, I find a world Of endless objects, emotions and thought. The multiplicity is prceived only, when 1 100k out through the equipment Of my body, mind and intellect. The man who is capable Of analysing life in the world and also his own experiences is a man Of reflection. When such an individual lives in his own Self as Brahman, he is not affected by his prårabdn. Enjoyment Of prårabdhn and expereince Of the Infinite are on two different planes Of consciousness. The wealth Of a king cannot help him when he dreams Of himself as a beggar. The king Of the waking state cannot help the beggar Of the dream, through they are essentially one and the same person. How can the individual who has withdrawn from the BMI be molested by OET? Upajäti- Ind+Upn; 5-6;5-6 456. The man who has awakened from sleep in world, never has (in deed no idea) any idea "1" or "mine" and this, with regard to his dream-body and the dream-objects that ministered ( Attend to the wants and needs Of others) to that body but lives quite awake, as his own self fägfä Il He who has awakened from the sleep, has no idea of "1" and "mine" & this, with respect to the dream-body, nor for the dream-objects related to it. He lives ever awake as his own Self. The same idea Of the previous verse is being elaborated for vivid picturisation in the student's mind. On waking up no one considers himself to be the dream body. In the delusory dream body, the "1" ness is not there is not there for the waker. The things that pertains to the dream body and the dream-objects will not be considered as "mine" by the waker. I-ness: (ahamtå)--- the feeling Of I-ness in the body will not be there when the individual has awakened to the higher plane Of consciousness. On waking up, the feeling Of I-ness towards the dream-body will vanish. Mil-ness: (mamatä)--- The feeling Of my-ness towards the objects around will not be there on waking to the higher plane Of Consciousness. The dream house, the 43 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
dream-wife, the dream-wealth and the experienced that have been lived through in the dream will not cause the feeling Of my-ness to the waker. This-ness (idamtä)--- The world around that is cognised and declared as "this- this-this" will not have any sense Of reality on waking to the higher plane Of consciousness. On waking up, the dream world loses all its reality. Similarly the prårnbdha cannot affect the man who is rooted in higher Expereince. Upajäti- Ind+Upn; u 5-6;5-6 457. He does not wish to prove FUT the unreal object to be real, nor it observed ZE: that he maintains the dream world . If he still holds on to the unreal object , he emphatically declared to be not yet free from sleep- Il In the dream, to the dreamer, the dream experiences are vivid, true and real. After waking up, the individual will not have any desire to maintain the dream- world, to acquire the dream-objects and to protect the dream-wealth. Having woken up, you are not ashamed to leave the dream. You do not strive to take up the dream again. On waking up, you realise that the dream is false. In case you have any anxiety or excitement for the dream, then it is clear that you have not woken up from it. If you have woken up, the dream-objects will hold no fascination for you. Similarly, on Realisation, the objects Of our waking world have as much significance as the dream objects have, for the waker. Indravajra I (5,6); VamSastha- (5.7); Upendravajrå- I (5,6) Il l- eating and releasing; 44 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
458. Similarly, he who is absorbed in Brahman, lives identified with that eternal Reality and beholds nothing else. As one has a memory Of the objects seen in a dream, so the man of realisation has a memory of the everyday, actions such as eating, releasing etc. So too, the man who remains identified with the External Reality, does not perceive anything else. Just as one remembers having seen the objectsi in the dream, the Realised man, remembers his day to day acts of eating etc. 459. The body has been fashioned by Karma, so one may imagine Prarabdha work with reference to it. But it is not reasonable to attribute the same to the Atman who is begingless for the Atman is never the outcome of work Il In Katopanishad also the same idea is expressed. The Åtman is beginningless- endless 1 Everything springs forth into birth and disappears in its death, in the medium Of Consciousness only. Destiny can only pertains to that which has birth and death and not to the Eternal Substratum upon which the illusion Of birth and death is taking place from time to time. fägätsFq 460. The Shrutis, whose words are infallible- , declare the Atman to be "birthless, eternal and undecaying". So, the man who lives identified with That, how can Prarabdhn work be attributed ? I Il BG 11-20 Having given the previous verse, the logical reason why the Atman has no prärabdha, here Safikara supports his rational arguments by quoting the scriptures. Here a verse from Kathopnniind is quoted — " Birthless, Eternal and Chageless — is the nature of the Self, says the Upanisad and the words of scriptures are infallible • In Vedanta, conclusion arrived at by mere reasoning are not in themselves acceptable since the intellect, itself a product of delusion, can get more and more confused by its own illusory perceptions. Therefore, in the science of Reality as 45 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
conceived by the great Rishis Of yore, the rational conclusions arrived at logically by an intellect, when supported by similar conclusions declared by the scriptures, becomes doubly guarateed and, therefore, totally acceptable to students. In the verse under commentary, the Teacher gives the authority Of the scriptures (Outi prnmnnn). Here, a verse from the Knehopnnishnd is quoted "birthless, Eternal and Changeless is the nature Of the Self", says the Upanishad and the words Of the scriptures are infallible amoghnvnk. I the meaning Of which can never be proved wrong. a-la : Il 461. Prarabdha work can be maintained only so long as one lives identified with the body. But no one admits that the man of realisation ever identifies himself with the body. Hence Prarabdha work should be rejected in his case. The scriptural Truth quoted in verse 460 is thus sandwiched between logical erasons. Since the body is a product of past actions, it should continue enjoying and suffering its fruits and those who identify with the bodies naturally continue to suffer. A man of Perfection is one who has ended his misconceptions and is therefore, not identifying with his physical body, the trajedies and comedies of the body will not affect him. Sankara conclude here and commands us "give up the concept of all prärabdha working in the case of a man of perfection. More precise and authoritative, more eloquent and impressive than an international constitutional lawyer, is Adi Safikara; here cascading an irrestible logical thinking:- 462. The attributing of Prarabdha work to the body even is certainly an error. How can something that is superimposed (on have any existence—» and how can that which is unreal have a birth-7f*: ? And how can that which has not been born at all, die? so how can Prarabdha work exist for something that is unreal? 46 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
Not only can there be no prårnbdhn for the Self, but for a man Of Perfection, even his body can have no prårabdha. TO gain say this, would be ridiculous, for he, in his absolute state Of realisation, does not perceive or recognise the existence Of the physical body. When you start pondering deeply, say Safikara, you cannot accept that there is prärnbdhn even for the physical body Of a man Of Perfection. This assertion has been explained in detail:- The superimposed snake is apparently visible only to a deluded observer. It is very well known that it has no reality. The play Of the three bodies is but an illusion superimposed on the Self; so where is reality for the body? Again that which is unreal, can never be born; the snake in the rope has no birthday. The body that is superimposed upon Brahman cannot be said to have been born "due to prärabdha". The ghost on the post was never born, so it can never die; the unborn is undying. The body that is never born has no death or decay; birth and death Of the body are both superimposition on the Self. Summing up his argumetns, Sankara, with biting ridicule asks, "How can there be prärabdha for the unreal, which naturally unborn and consequently, non-existing?" In short, the witty Åchärya indicated that prärabda cannot be either for the Self or for the body which is the not-Self. It can only be in the imagination of the deluded perceiver. 463. "1f the effects of ignorance are destroyed with their root by knowledge then how does the body live? " - it is to convince those fools who entertain a doubt like this that the Shrutis, from a relative standpoint hypothesises (a propsal intened to expalin certain facts of observation) the work of Prarnbdha , (but not for proving the reality of the body etc., Of the man Of realisation.) In this verse the Ächarya tries to explain why even the Llpnnishnds discuss this concept of prnrnbdhn, working upon all bodies, including that of the man of perfection. This is done only from a realtive stand-pont to quieten the foolish doubt of an ignorant student. The student sees the body of the Master continuously functioning in the world and naturally, therefore, he feels that the Master continues to living because of this prärabdha. Little does he understand that from the lofty panoramic vision of the Master, there is no body, that he is but the pure Self, the witness of all. 47 _ S r i _ Kr is a _ Sar a s
Thus the Upanishads compromise and condescend/patronise to accept concept Of prärabdha for the man Of Realisation only to help dull ones, who are still living in the realm Of plurality. This given out only from a relative aspect I From the absolute point of view. there is no prärabdha for the perfect man. for he is one with Brahman. 464. The idea of prärnbdhn has been expounded by the Upanishads not for providing the reality of the body etc., for the man of Realisation;-- because the Upanishad are without exception striving to point out the one supreme Reality. Sankara concluded his discussion and says that perceivers Of plurality- the dwaitins, quote Upanishadic passages that sanction the prårabdha theory, to prove that even the man Of Realisation has body-consciousness and therefore, there exists a world Of matter, other than Brahman. Safikara, here, takes away the very plank from under the feet Of dwntins. He says that the Upanishads condescend/ patronise to recognise the play Of prårabdha only out Of their infinite grace to accomodate fools in their early stages Of unpreparedness, that they may later accept the total vision Of the Absolute One. The Åcharya says that any student Of the Upanishads can easily understand that, by and large, the anxiety Of the scriptures is to communicate to him, the one Reality, the Brahman. The Mandükya Kårika in the final analysis-- Gaudapada also comes to declare this universal Truth-- I qqT Il-Mandukya 11-32. Now follows a team Of 7- verses, all Of them repeatedly declaring the nature Of Atman to be the one, immutable, undecaying, infinite, eternal, substratum for the universe. Sankara, when he talks Of the Supreme Reality, forgets the audience, he is addressing and gets irresistably carried forward by the impulsive joy Of the Infinitude. He waxes (go up advance) eloquent upon the nature Of the Self that he himself is living virtually in his own heart. 072. There is No Plurality. (465-471) 48 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
11 Il change, modification; agitation, excitement; sale, selling price; 9A- to sell; to barter, to exchange; devoid Of activity; 465. There is only Brahman, the One without a second, infinite, without beginning or end, transcendent (beyond BNll and OET) and changeless; there is no duality (plurality) whatsoever in It. Without beginning or end: (nnädi-nntnm) means without birth and death. Incomparable: (n-prnmeynm) Thee is nothing that can compare with it, because It is beyond the realm of BMI and their OET. since It is unique, It cannot be compared with any of the experiences I n the lower planes of Consciousness. Briefly speaking, It is transcendental. similarly, It is changeless in-as much as , It never undegoes any modification (n-parinami). Brahman is non-dual (ndvnyam), meaning snjntiya- vijntiyn -bhedn-rnhita-vnstu. To remove any lingering doubt that there may be an exception, the most powerful word, kinhcnnn (kinchndnpit), is used by Sankara.lt has a full force of the English word, "whatsoever". 466. There is only Brahman, the One without a second, the Essence of Existence, Knowledge and Eternal Bliss, and devoid of activity there is no duality whatsoever in lt. The nature Of Brahman is discussed here since its is the theme for the next few verses The nature Of the Self cannot be defined, but it can be indicated, in terms Of its expression in the gross, subtle and causal bodies during Its corresponding waking, dream and deep-sleep conditions. In the gross body, it can be said to be That which expresses as its Existence, in the subtle body That expresses as Intelligence or Knowledge, and in the causal body That which expresses as Bliss. (Sat-chita-annnndn) This is the famous term used in the Upanishad to indicate Brahman. The Self alone is Real and indeed there is no duality in It whatsoever. Therefore, commentators interpret as f*qT :aaT: Il Depending upon the energy or vitality Of Consciousness the body, senses; mind and intellect engage themselves in their respective activities, just as men work depending upon the light of the sun- -A tma-b0dha-2(). 49 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
467. There is only Brahman, the One without a second, which is within all, homogeneous, infinite, endless, and all-pervading; there is no duality whatsoever in It This Brahman is not an Object but is the very subjective core, the essence in each individual It knows no change and so ever remains in the same nature- I-meaning , it is without any change or modification and knows no destruction. is equal to All-full* is nothing in It except Itself. so no distinction in It is ever possible. It is endless, in-as-much as It is unborn and therefore, undying. That which is birthless and deathless is not only changeless, but also Infinite. Whose face is everywhere: (snrvatomukhnm) - - It is All-pervading and therefore, never can we reach a point in the cosmos whre It is not. It being the very Consciousness and the Life in each one of us. This Brahman, the Self alone is. Indeed, in It there can be no other duality whatsoever. 468. There is only Brahman, the One without a second, which is neither to be shunned nor taken up nor accepted, and which is without any there is no duality whatsoever in lt. taking, receivng, obtaining; acquisition; taking, receing; acccepting; That which has no superimposition: (nn-ådcynm) in this Brahman, there is no non-apprehension and consequently, no super-imposition. Reality is pure and is untouched by the vehicles Of matter and their projections. With no support: What is the abode Of Brahman ? It is Its abode. There is only one Brahman with no duality in It. 50 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
469. There is only Brahman, the One without a second, beyond attributes, without parts, subtle, absolute (without disturbance) and taintless; there is no duality whatsoever in It. Witout any qualitites or properties: (nirguvn) Anything that has properties is perishables. All finite things have proeperties. If there be an infinite Reality which is imperishable, It cannot be a substance. If It is not a substance , It cannot have a properties. Without parts: (nishknlnm) It is One-without-a-second. It is Infinite. In the Infinite there cannot be any parts. If there are parts, there should be something other than Infinite which conditions lt. NO more then is it Infinite. Subtle: (sookshma) because Of It is all-pervasiveness. Without any thoughts and agitations. (nirvikalpa) - - because the mind and intellect have been transcended. Taintless: (niranjanam) because there are no vasanns in it. This great Reality is one alone, without any plurality. 470. There is only Brahman, the One without a second, whose real nature is and which is beyond the range of mind and speech; there is no duality whatsoever in It. Incomprehensible: I— Brahman has an incomprehensible nature. It is imperceptible. Through the organs Of perception and comprehension you can have only mediate (in between) knowledge. It is not an object, so it cannot be perceived by the same organs. Il This great Truth is that, which the mind cannot feel because of which the mind feels, that which speech cannot explain but because Of which speech is; understand That to be Brahman:-Kenopanishad, Ch.l.5 & 4. 11 I I 471. There is only Brahman, the One without a second, the Reality, the One without a second, the Reality, effulgent (Self self-existent, pure, intelligent, and unlike anything finite; there is no duality whatsoever in It. 51 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
Self existing, Self-evident, pure Intelligence, unlike anything finite. Non-dual, there is only Brahman; in It there is no plurality whatsoever. Pure: (suddham) - because there is nothing other thant It, in It. Intelligence: (Buddham) - is the very nature of Truth It is Knowledge Absolute. Not like "these"—» "These" means, the experiences that we live at these moments in the finite realms. It is not like the objects, emotions and thoughts. This great Truth is something Unique. It is Vilnkshann- not like any of the thing we know.lntelligence: This Brahman is verily One-without-a-second. In It there is no pluralistic phenomenon. Having explained the nature of Reality, the Teacher gives some practical suggestions for students who are trying to experience the Supreme. Here, practical methods for are being advised. 073. Experience of Self-hood. (472-479) Upajäti- ltU; n 5-6;5-6 qTHT: great souled; satisfaction; accornplishment; retirement; 472. High-souled Sannyasins who have got rid of all attachment and discarded all sense enjoyments and who are serene and perfectly restrained, realise this Supreme Truth and at the end, attain the Supreme Bliss through their Self-realisation. Those in whom all desires are withdrawn: nirasf-rägäly: All desires for sense-indulgence set : vi-nirasta-bhghä& Those who have completely controlled their sense-organs and mind and have apprehended Reality within themselves, reach supreme Peace and contentment at the end of their prärabdha karma. There will be such-all enveloping Bliss Absolute into which they merge that there are no more väsanas to excite their minds to run towards the OET in order to seek fulfilment. 52 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
: 11 473. Thou, too, discriminate this Supreme Truth, the real nature Of the Self, which is Bliss undiluted, and shaking Off thy delusion created by thy own mind, be free and illumined and attain the consummation of thy life. the early part of the text, the Guru has promised the student who h rrendered at his feet, by saying, "Fear not, O intelligent boy ! There is no dange r you. For crossing the ocean Samsar, there is a method. I shall prescribe to yo at path by which all others have crossed this samsar in the past". By the tim ankara came to the verse 471, he finished prescribing the path to the disciplin ow he says, "Thou too, O learned one, having directly experienced this suprem elf which is of the nature of Bliss Absolute. 20 completelv bevond the Dluralist• orld whicha oroiection of thv own min The BMI, PFT and OET are not the Self. We have the idea that we are them. This is delusion Having removed this delusion, he who has awakened to the higher plane Of Consciousness is liberated from all weaknesses Of mortals,- I May you too, become fulfilled --fully awakened-- to the higher palne of Consciousness. Vamgastha- (5.7) 11 474. Through the Samadhi in which the mind has been perfectly stilled, visualise the Truth Of the Self with the eye Of clear realisation If the meaning of the (Scriptural) words heard from the Guru is perfectly and indubitably discerned (understood without the trace of doubt), then it can lead to no more doubt (na punarvikalpyatc). Till there is such an experience, there will be doubts. All traces of doubts are dispelled only when one apprehends this great Truth. If you have understood the theme of the scripture—» i.e. the meaning of you have intellectual apprehension of the Self. Thereafter, when you experience rality, your knowledge of the scriptures will be confirmed. 53 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
Indravajra I (5, 6) — S — 4-1TQ 1 475. When the Self, is Existence-Knowledge_Bliss, through the liberation from one's bondage of ignorance, with the proof of Scriptures, logical reasoning, the words Of the Teacher; and another proof Of the subjective experience Of one's own concentrated mind. When the Self, the Existence-Knowledge-Bliss, is realised, thorugh the liberation from one's bondage Of ignorance, then the scriptures, logical reasoning, these are proofs åTTd ; the the words Of the Teacher subjective expereince -F7 of one's own concentrated mind is yet another proof Liberation is defined as "Liberation from the bondage of one's contact with the non-apprehension" I When there are misapprehensions, one is bound to identify with them. This is the sorrowful condition of jeeva. Avidya can be ended only on the apprehension of Reality which is of the nature of Sntyam- Jfiännm and Annndam. Truth: (satyam) is that which remains the same in all the three periods of time. Pure Knowledge: (jntinnm) in the light of which all other kinds of knowledge are possible. Endless, Infinite: (nnatam) The authorites from which Knowledge of the Self is gained are 1)- The gnstrns: gruti-thc Upanishads which are the recorded declarations of men of Realisations; 2)- Arguments and logical thinking- Ilkti and 3)- Words of the learned Master- Degikn- ukti; By reading books and logic one can understand to some extent but he can be grasped easily from the learned Teacher. 476. Bondage and liberation, contentment and anxiety, health, hunger etc. are known only by the person concerned; others have knowledge of these by mere inference. 54 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
4P- to be hungry; f: hunger —7U- to tread, Or trample; grinding, crushing; a sneeze, sneezing; 2P- to sneeze; Our experiences Of bondage, liberation and contentment are just like our worries, health hunger etc. These are to be experienced by each individual himself. Mu hunger you cannnot expereince, My worries you can never understand. For your health I cannot take medicine. Others can only infer; but they not live my expereinces. Everyone has to live his own. This is a supporting verse for the term in the previous verse. Just as physical pains and hungers can be known only through subjective experience, so too, Reality has to be experienced by each one, individuality. As long as others tell us about It, we can only imagine what it could be like. But Knowledge will come only through the direct experience. 477. The Gurus as well as the Shrutis instruct the disciple, standing aloof while the man of realisation crosses (Avidya) through Illumination alone backed by the grace of God Il The Upanishads and the Teachers, standing apart, can only indicate the Truth. They do not stand apart from Truth; they stand apart from us, the disciples. When the Teacher advises the disciple, it is indirect knowledge for the student (nnumnnn). The Teacher declares it. The Upanishads declare lt. But It is not the disciple's own experience. Taking authority from Scriptures and the guidance Of Guru, the intelligent disciples go beyond, because Of their own illuminaion, and with the Grace Of the Lord. Anugrnga mean Grace. Hence the spiritual vnSnnaS must be cultivated. Spiritual practices must be undertaken for many years. Thus, the Truth can be experienced only by the student who has done Sndhann for a sufficently long time. He who has created spiritual vasanns can bless himself. Such an individual crosses snmsar by his own illumination, when he studies and thinks independenly and is helped by his Teacher from time to time. S E-qaT—S | Il 478. Himself knowing his indivisible Self through his own realisation and thus becoming perfect, a man should stand face to face with the Atman with his mind free from dualistic ideas ll. 55 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
The Self is apprehended in yourself, by yourself. When the unagitated intellect is rendered steady, one can sit face to face wit one's-Self, in one's Self, by oone's Self. 479. The verdict of all discussions on the Vedanta is that the Jiva and the whole universe are nothing but Brahman, and that liberation means abiding in (Brahman) the indivisible Entity . While the Shrutis themselves are authority (for the statement) that Brahman is One without a second. The Upanishads form the essence Of the teachings Of the Vedas, Of which they are the concluding portion, Hence the Upanishads are known by the term "Vcdänta". Concluding the address, the Teacher summarises his instructions to the disciple in this verse. The conclusions arrived at in the Upanishads briefly are 1)- jccva, the individulity is Brahman alone; 2)- Jagat- the world Of plurality is also Brahman; and 3)- the state Of experience Of this one Reality where there is no duality is Liberaton. When the dreamer merges with the waker, the dream world also merged into the waking world. That is the liberation Of the dreamer. Similarly, the seeker, by his Sridhann, merges with the Infinitude. The absence Of plurality is the expereince Of Reality. The authority for the above conclusion is Sruti, the Upanishad themsleves. 074a. Practice of Knowledge --Disciple. (480-489)-520) Puspitägrä 12/13; 1 7,5; 7,6; s s ecu 480. Realising, (at a blessed moment), the Supreme Truth through the above instructions of the Guru, the authority of the Scriptures and his own reasoning with his senses quietened and the mind concentrated, (the disciple) became immovable in form and perfectly established in the Atman. 56 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
Through the words Of the Teachers, the pronouncements Of the scriptures and by his own reasoning with senses controlled and mind fixed, at an auspicious moment realising the supreme Truth, he becomes motionless in form and perfectly established in the self. rlier, in the first quarter Of the text, the disciple asked( ibd: 212),"When ject the pancha-kosha I find that there is nothing. What is there to be experience nd with what ? It is all a big Zero". The Guru ar ed hi an wer fr m ver e 213 an ncluded hi ar umen in ver e 47 ummari d So far, with what has been said by the Teacher compared with Upanishadic declarations and one's own independent logical thinking, one indirect knowledge of the Self. Now, having gained this indirect knowledge, if he quietens his sense-organs and also quietens his mind and intellect in the contemplation of Näräyana, he gains direct experience of the Reality. Thus, the disciple becomes immovable established in the nature of the Self. A rare student thus BECOMES. CRJ4T—S Il 481. Concentrating the mind for some time on the Supreme Brahman, he rose, and out of supreme bliss spoke as follows. When one transports oneself into the experience Of Infinitude, nobody can say, how long the expereince will last. There is not count Of time. It all depends upon the individual. Time is relative, and its standards cannot be exchanged in the different planes Of Consciousness. TO reach There is your purushnrthn; but having reached no purusharthn is involved. Having lived in that state Of Samädhi for an immeasurable period Of time, the disciple rose from his seat Of meditation. He could not contain his joy within the web of his body-mind-intellect equipment. So he cried out and declared in exquisite ecstasy the infinite Bliss of his experience.
482. My mind has vanished, and all its activities have melted, by realising the identity Of the Self and Brahman; I do not know either this or not-this; nor what or how much the boundless Bliss (of Samadhi) is ! My intellect is gone fäRET—— The intellect which was asking a thousand questions, Why? How? When? Where ? What? - that intellect, even if I search for now I cannot find it there no trace Of agitation. My activty at all levels Of personality is completely I— The activities and intellect are not destroyed because Of T amas, but they are dissolved at the alter Of the experience tht the Self in me, is the Self everywhee-- : I Having awakened to plane Of Consciousness, the present intellect is no more, and so, the various egocentric activities cannot be pursued. A change Of metre is adopted here to suit the song Of Ecstasy:- Il a very very fraction; 3iåT— a part, a number Of fraction particle, a fragment, bit; small quantity; plucking, gathering(corn); 483. The majesty /glory of the ocean of Supreme Brahman, replete with the swell of the nectar-like Bliss of the is verily impossible to express in speech, nor can it be conceived by the mind — in an infinitesimal fraction ( a very very small fraction) of which my mind melted like a hailstone % getting merged in the ocean füfirri and is satisfied with that Essence of Bliss- Impossible for speech to express, impossible for the mind to conceive, is the splendour Of the the ocean Of the supreme Brahman, replete with (endowed with) the swell of nectarian Bliss of the Self. In an infinitesimal part of It my mind merged like a hailstone in the ocean, is now content with the essence of that bliss. Note: Here one remembers gri Ramakrishna's parable (a short moral story) Of the salt doll entering the ocean to measure its debth and becoming the ocean itself, being essentially Of the nature Of the ocean. Tv-a* -ét-ä 1 58 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
Il Il 484. Where is the universe gone, by whom is it removed, and where is it merged ? It was just now seen by me, and has it ceased to exist ? It is wonder of wonders ! The expereince of Infinitude is being dramatised on the stage of the finite. The disciple asks, "Where has the pluralistic world world gone? By whom was it removed? I saw a world before, which I do not see now. Into what has it dissolved? Is it, that all these years, I was suffering in a non-existant world? "A wonder of wonders it is! The world I saw was a wonder. Greater still is the wonder that it has all disappeared now. The wonder of wonders is what I am experiencing now." zqr—s 11 485. In the ocean of Brahman filled with the nectar of Absolute Bliss, what is to be shunned and what is to be taken , what is other (than oneself) and what different ? The ocean of Brahman, is limitless nectar of bliss. In that boundless, overflowing, unbroken bliss, what is to be shunnded or accepted? There is nothing other It. It alone is. You cannot say, "that" because in It there is not "this". "This" you cannot say because there is no "that". There is "this-ness" of "that-ness". It is "IS-NESS" Even this is a compromise. It is endless Bliss. 486. I neither See nor hear nor know anything in this. I simply exist as the Self, the eternal Bliss, distinct from everything else Il In this culmination of meditation, where the meditator has merged into the meditation, there are no objects other than "me", nor are there any equipments of experience. There is neither mind nor intellect. I simply exist as myself- It is a total annihilation of the individuality at the altar of the Absolute. In my own Self, I revel as my Self, with my Self, which is of the nature of unbroken Bliss at all times. Unique It is something totally different from all that is known. The student remembers his Teacher who has showed him the path, and is grateful to him. 59 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
VamSastha- (5.7) Upajäti- Ind+Upn; u 5-6;5-6 487. Repeated salutations to thee, O noble Teacher, who art devoid of attachment, the best among the good souls and the embodiment of the essence of Eternal Bliss, the One without a second — who art infinite and the abode Of ever the boundless ocean Of mercy: The Teacher is that shoreless ocean Of kindness, which is external, Non-dual, and the All-pervading bliss-Form. TO that Teacher, my namaskaras. For the elaboration refer Verses 220, 221, & 223. Rathoddhata- (3.8 or 4.7) moon light; elucidation, throwing light on the treated; illumination; 488. Whose glance, like the shower Of concentrated moon-beams, has removed my exhaustion brought on by the afflictions of the world, and in a moment admitted me to the undecaying status Of the Atman, the Bliss Of infinite majesty ! TUN st 489. Blessed am I; I have attained the consummation of my life, and am free from the clutches Of transmigration; I am the Essence Of Eternal Bliss, I am infinite — all through thy mercy/ grace ! Having realised the Self-hood, I am liberated from this death and hence am indeed blessed. As the Self, I am of the nature of eternal Bliss. lam full, there is no sense of deficiency and consequently, there is no desire to supply it. V_074b- Disciple Crying out in Ecstasy (490-520)- 60 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
The teacher has been advising and guiding the student up to verse 478. From verse 482 onwards, it is the Student who is talking. Having realised this Self-hood, the student talks about his experience of Infinitude. From 484 to 489 he Was talking as PET. Now the entire vision has changed. Having reached the Paramätman, the individual who has become Self, cries out in the ecstacy of his identification with Brahman. 11 Of long standing, Old, Il apt to break, fragile; transitory, transient; variable, crrked, curved; fraudulent; sprout; 490. I am unattached, I am disembodied, I am free from the subtle body, and undecaying, I am serene, I am infinite, I am taintless and eternal. 491. I am not the doer, I am not the experiencer, I am changeless and beyond activity; I am the essence of Pure Knowledge; I am Absolute and identified with Eternal Auspiciousness. 492. I am indeed different from the seer, listener, speaker, doer and experiencer; I am the essence Of Knowledge, eternal, without any break, beyond activity, limitless, unattached and infinite. Trying to express in words which is beyond the reach of the words; he feels, as it were, choked. Hence the choking metre. The incapacity to express the Inexpressible is indicated in this stammering verse. Seer, hearer, speker, doer and enjoyer all put together, form the individuality. When an individuali is transcended, one reaches a state of Self-hood. There is the negation of the PFT in the first half and the assertion of 0M in the latter half of the verse. CONTEMPLATE UPON THIS. 61 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
493. I am neither, this nor that, but the Supreme, the illuminer of both I am indeed Brahman, the One without a second, pure, devoid of interior or exterior and infinite. Il 494. I am indeed Brahman, the One without a second, matchless, the Reality that has no beginning, beyond such imagination as thou or l, or this or that, the Essence of Eternal Bliss, the Truth. wseerqitst I devoid of the idea of "1" ness. 494. I am Narayana, the slayer of Naraka; I am the destroyer of Tripura, the Supreme Being, the Ruler; I am knowledge Absolute, the Witness Of everything; I have no other Ruler but myself, I am devoid of the ideas of "I' and "mine". Absolute is the One who accomplished this feat. He is the supreme meditator. — He am l. Siva am l. I am purusha the Åtman who dwells in this equipment. I I am also Isa, the Lord, the controller, the ruler, the Regulator. But for me, the body would not have worked. But for me, none Of the experiences Of waking, dream and deep-sleep would have been possible. Because of me everything is possible. Without me nothing can be. Naturally, therefore Isa am I, the Lord of all expereinces. I am objectless-Knowledge, the Witness Of everything, without exception. When I myself have become Iswnrn, how can there be any other Iswnra for me? I am the Self, without I-ness and my-ness. Indravaira I (5,6) 62 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
496. I alone reside as knowledge in all beings, being their internal and external support. I myself am the experiencer and all that is (to be) experienced. I am all that that was experienced by me separately as "this" and not-this, previously. "I alone revel in all creatures as their Knowledge". - When a scientist discovers what is in outer space and a bird understands what is edible in both cases, the understanding Principle is I alone. The discriminative intellect in the scientist and that in the bird could not have functioned without me. I am the Light in which all the subjects know their objects; the subject and the object, the enjoyer and the enjoyed are all nothing but me. 497. In me, the ocean Of Infinite Bliss, the waves Of the universe are created and destroyed by the playing Of the wind Of Maya. The infinite varieties of the names & forms in the world around are but ripples and waves in me, the ocean of infinite bliss. The world of plurality rises from Truth, exists in Truth and dies away in Truth. The waves rise in the ocean because Of the breeze, the winds and the storms. Mäyä, the non-apprehension Of Reality, is the cause because Of which the waves Of misapprehension rise, exist and subside in me, who am the ocean Of Bliss. Note: The misapprehension Of the snake rises in the rope, exists in the rope and dies in the rope. Indravamga I (5,7); Indravajra I (5,6) Il Il going, moving, a place, abode; half year; throbbing, quivering, breaking forth; arisung; flashing On the mind; 63 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
498. Such ideas as gross (or subtle) are erroneously imagined in me by people through the manifestation of things superimposed — just as in the indivisible and absolute time , cycles, years, half-years, seasons, etc., are imagined. Concepts of gross, subtle and causal bodies are created by the non- apprehension of Reality. These attributes are all super-impositions upon me, the self. Time is indivisible and absolute. It is not possible to divide it into parts. Yet for the comprehensions Of the human mind, units Of time have been conceived. Cycles, years, half years, seasons, months , fornights, weeks, days , hours, minutes and seconds are all imaginary projection in the sbsolute Time. A minute is also time, a month is also time, years are also time. All these distinctions are in time. Similarly, in the undivided hush and quiescence ( a state Of quietness) Of the mind in that absolute Reality--- there is neither anything subtle nor anything gross. All these are but superimpositions. In these verses, Safikara tell that for the man of Realisation, there is no sanchitn, ägami or prärabdha. When I have no gross or subtle bodies how can I have prnrnbdha? Prnrabdha is for one who sees the body. IndravamSa I (5.7); Upajäti- 1+U; 5-6;5-6 a barren spot with saline soil; 499. That which is superimposed by supremely ignorant fools can never sully the substratum the great rush Of waters pereived in a mirage can never wet the desertland. I Note: is an axiom in Vedanta. "The super-imposition can never contaminate the substratum" Upajäti- 1+U; Il 5-6;5-6 64 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
S 11 500. I am beyond contamination aq-ft#JT: like the sky; I am distinct from things illumined, like the sun; I am always motionless like the mountain I am limitless like the ocean. Like space, I can never be contaminated. I am not nvolved an iota, in the activities and experiences Of the body. Like the sun, I am other that all immumined. The sun is not the world, though everything in the world illumined by ME, the Consciousness. I am something different from them all. Like the mountain, immovable am I and limitless like the ocean. All these terms extol the Infinite Reality, which is beyond them all. These "pointers to Truth" are to be used in one's contemplation and deep meditation. a-la: 501. I have no connection with the body, as the sky with clouds so how can the states of wakefulness, dream and profound sleep, which are attributes of the body, affect me ? Similarly, the nature of dharmas of the body can never affect me. I am consciousness. I am not the gross, subtle and causal bodies whose dharma are the waking, dream and deep-sleep states. In Vedantic idiom, the last line indicates that in me there is neither non-apprehension of Reality (sleep) nor mis-apprehensions (dream and waking). Upendravajrä- (5,6) Kula mountain 502. It is the Upndhi (superimposed attribute) BMI, that comes, and it is that alone which goes; that, again, performs actions and experiences (their fruits), that alone decays and dies, whereas I ever remain firm like the Kula mountain. 65 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
The coming into the body and going out Of it is done by the mind and the intellect. It is the function Of the subtle body. This coming & going happens in me, the pure Consciousness. the Llpndhi, the BMI alone performs all actions, good, bad or indifferent. It is the BMI which enjoys the fruits Of actions. All these things happen in me. but I am like the Mertl mountain without movement or change. It is a mythological concept repeatedly endorsed in the Vedas that the Meru Mountain is the centre Of the universe around which all the solar systems revolve rhythemically. Thus Meru is the motionless centre around which all movement take place. Upendravajrä- 1 (5,6); IndravamSa (5.7) 1 dense, thick, hard, difficult; 503. For me who am always the same; one form and devoid of parts, there is neither engaging in work nor cessation from it. How can that which is One, concentrated -fä14Z: without breakand infinite like the sky, ever strive (engage in any activity) ? I am one homogenous mass Of Consciousness without any differences. Like space, I am infinite. For such an entity, how can there be any activity:? 504. How can there be merits and demerits for me, who am I without Organs, without mind, changeless and formless — who am I , the realisation of Bliss Absolute The Shruti also mentions this in the passage "Not touched"- etc. 66 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
How can there be merit and demerits for me, who have no sense-organs, no mind, who am without modification and form who am the realisation Of Absolute bliss? In this passage, "not touched" etc., Sruti also mentions this. Brhadäranyaka- Upanishad. How can I have punya and papa! Neither have I commission nor any omission. I am pure Consciousness. ind: well, excellently, exceedingly, truly; ind: ill,bad; improperly, wrongly; 505. If heat or cold, or good or evil, happens to touch the shadow of a man's body, it affects not in the least the man himself, who is distinct from the shadow. Thus the man Of Realisation is untouched in his awakened Consciusness by the experiences Of the world that he apparently gathers during his waking, dream and deep sleep states. evidence, testimony; attestation. 506. The properties of things observed do not affect the Witness , which is distinct from them, changeless and indifferent — as the properties Of a room (do not affect) the lamp (that illumines it). The witness is not affected by the properties of thing observed, for it is distinct from them; it is without modification and indifferet just as the proeprties of a room (do not affect) the lamp (that illumines it). Upajäti- Ind+Upn; Il 5-6;5-6 s sü@ra : 67 _ S r i _ Kr is a _ Sar a s
507. As the sun is a mere witness Of men's actions, as fire burns everything without distinction, and as the rope is related to a thing superimposed on it, so am l, the unchangeable Self, the Intelligence Absolute. You say, "How bright and cheerful the sun looks today!" Actually the sun is the same every day. Today you saw it as bright and cheerful because Of the happy state Of your mind. In the light Of the sun Of all activities take place. Therefore, the sun is said to be the witness Of all activities. But it has no attachment with what it illumines. Unattached it witnesses everything that happens. Unattached, fire burns all things that come in contact with it. If you know tha law Of fire avoid; Ignorance Of the law is no excuse! The rope has no attachement with thS snake you see. Immutable, changeless, chidätma am I . You may project anything upon me. I am unaffected by your projections. I am the pure Conscious Self. Upajäti- Ind+Upn; n 5-6;5-6 11 something which cannot be explained by comparison with thing known. ie. Transcedental 508. I neither do nor make others do any action; I neither enjoy nor make others enjoy; I neither see nor make others see; I am that Self-effulgent, Transcendent Atman. I perform no action, nor do I enjoy nor do I see. Not only do these functions of the ego not belong to me, but I, the Self, do not prompt others to act, enjoy or see ei ther. Denying any direct involvement in the activities Of the little ego, Sankara asserts the positive nature of the Self and cries out, "1 am the Self-effulgent, the Transcendental Self." Self-effulgent: (Swayam-jyoti) the Self illumines everything alike - the objects, the sense-organs, the mind and itnellect. The question does not arise, "who illumines the Self?" Because as pure Consciousness, it is the source of all Light. It is unborrowed Light! 68 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
Transcendental: (anidrigätma) Something which cannot be explained by comparison with things known, i.e. Transcendental. Upajäti- Ind+Upn; Il 5-6;5-6; Vamgastha- (5.7) 509. When the supervening adjunct (Llpadhi) or one which is superimposed is moving, the resulting movement of the reflection is ascribed by fools to the object/ substratum reflected ; such as the Sun Which is free from activity — (and they think, that superimposi tion Of BMI) • "l am the doer", "I am the experiencer", "I am killed, oh, alas!" CT I Cd: I When the conditioning moves, fools attribute the resulting movement Of the reflection to the Object reflected, like the sun which is devoid Of activity; and they cry out, "1 am the doer, I am the enjoyer, I am being killed, alas! When the reflecting medium is disturbed, the reflection gets disturbed. If the sun is reflected in a bucket of water and the water is disturbed, the image is also disturbed. The sun is not disturbed. If any one thinks, the sun is moving, he is indeed a fool. if a child sees the image broken he cries Out, "Th sun is broken". This is exactly our condition. When the body is ill, we say, "1 am ill". When the mind is a little agitasted We say "l am agitated". When the intellect is worried, we say, "1 am worried". l, the Åtman, like the sun, am never involved in any Of these activites. Fools, not knowing that all these are the play Of the equipments, Cry Out, "l am the doer, I am the enjoyer, I am the the sufferer. I am dying. Oh! Alas. GU- to anoint, to cover, to stain, defile, to inflame, kindle; to strike, break-down; IA- to roll on the ground; IOA- to rob, to roll about; 510. Let this inert body drop down in water or on land. I am not touched by its properties, like the sky by the properties of the jar. This unnecessary weight of 75 Kg that I am carrying around with me, let it be drop down anywhere, I am not involved or contaminated by its dharmas. Let it fall wherever or whenever it likes. The quicker the better. 69 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
Just as the space is not contaminated by the properties Of the pot, I am not conditioned by the dharmns Of the physical body, I am the infinite Reality. I-drunken-ness 511. The passing states Of the Buddhi, such as agency, experience, cunning, drunkenness, dullness, bondage and freedom; these passing state/imagination of intellect never on the Self, in reality Self is the Supreme Brahman, the Absolute- the one without a second. Doership, enjoyership, cunning, drunkenness, dullness, bondage and freedom these passsing events Of the intellect are, in reality never in the Self, which is the supreme Brahman, Absolute and Non-dual. I I qa:- cloud; Ad- thick, heavy; g qfä:-» the natural condition or state of anything; natural form, (opp. to the change or effect); original, natural cause; In sanskrit philosophy:—» nature distinguished from the original source of the material world--- consisting of 3-essential qualities; in grammar:—» the radical or crude form; 512. Let there be changes in the Prakriti in ten, a hundred, or a thousand ways, what have I, the unattached, Knowledge Absolute, got to do with them ? Never do the clouds touch the sky ! Prakriti is the realm of matter which undergoes modificaton at every moment. There are modifical at the physical, mental and intellectual levels which do not affect me, for I am the substratum of all of them. Before Realisation, I was attached to the body and so I suffered the persecution of the body. When I detach from it, its sorrows no longer affect me. Just as clouds come and go, but space is never affected by them. The pure Consciousness in which, among other things, this body also exists, that Consciousness am I, so I have nothing to do with the body. 70 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
This is the sort Of complete detachement and positive experience Of the infinite eternal Consciousness, the state Of Perfection to which the student has risen. Till , now the student was talking in terms Of what he is not, in the negative language Of our familiar experiences. By such statements we understand only half his views. Salini- (4.7) a splendour, light, lustre; a reflection; resemblance, likeness; semblance, phantom, shade or shadow; an unreal or fallacious appearance; 513. I am verily that Brahman, the One without a second, which is like the sky, subtle, without beginning or end, in which the whole universe from the Undifferentiated/unmanifested down to the gross body, appears merely as a shadow. Similarly, the student is somehow hooking his expereince Of the Infinite to our known experiences. Whatever It is, That I am: (Y at-tat-cva-ahma-asmi) That nature which is now explained, that I am. From the unmanifest down to the grossest OET, everything is called I The universe consists Of the entire world, the equipments Of experience and the objects of the experiences. This universe is only a projection rising out of imagination, Brahman, the Reality, is the Substratum upon which all these imaginations are projected. That Reality am l. That Reality is infinite and all-pervading. It is without beginning and end. Like space it is extremely subtle. That great Reality, that non-dual Brahman am I. Salini- (4.7) 11 71 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
514. I am verily that Brahman, the One without a second, which is the support Of all, which illumines all things, which has infinite forms, is omnipresent, devoid Of multiplicity, eternal, pure, unmoved and absolute- The illuminator Of all: (snrvn-vnstu-prnkngnm) It illumines forms through the eyes; sounds thorough the ears; smells thorugh the nose; taste thorugh the tongue; touch through the skin; feeling through the mind; and thughts thorugh the in tellect. It is all-pervading, devoid Of plurality. All these are but Its expressions. It is eternal unconditioned by the time. It is pure, uncontaminated by the BMI, PFT, OET. It is motionless. Everything moves in It; It has no movement. It is Absolute and is beyond modification. This Absolute Factor, whatever It be, That am l. Salini- (4.7) conviction, settled belief; trust, Surety; Knowledge, experience; beyond the range of Knowledge; thrown of, given up; (transcend) 515. I am verily that Brahman, the One without a second, which transcends the endless differentiations Of Maya, which is the inmost essence Of all, is beyond the range of consciousness—» and which is Truth, Knowledge, Infinity and Bliss Absolute. All pluralistic misconception are the creation of Mäyä. I When Reality is experienced all these misconception end. Reality cannot be understood by properties. That which has properties can be understood through the BMI. If Atman is perceivable it becomes an object of our cognition; Atman is the Subject because of which we are able cognise things. The Essence in me, because of which I know everything , I know, can never be an object. Eternal Pure Conciousness, which is endless bliss in my nature. This non-dual Brahman alone am I.
516. I am without activity, changeless, without parts, formless, eternal, without any other support, the One without a second. absolute, 517. I am the Universal, I am the All, I am transcendent, the One without a second. I am Absolute and Infinite Knowledge, I am Bliss and indivisible. I am the one Self everywhere. The Universal I am. Names and forms are nothing but me. at the same time, as the Ansolute, I transcend them. Unbroken objectless-Awareness am l. There are no disctinction in me. Upajäti- 1+U; n 5-6;5-6 '518 . This splendour of the sovereignty of Self-effulgence, I have received by virtue of the supreme majesty of thy grace. Salutations to thee, O glorious, noble- minded Teacher, salutations again and again ! Slovereignity within one'sown Self is called Swrajya in Vedanta. Samrajya is the mastery over the external world of object. Freedom from inner persecution is swarajya. When the BMI are not under the control of the individual, he becomes, as it were, persecuted by himself. When the objects Of the world tempts him, they make run after them. He who is free fom such persecution is a samrat. The glory Of mastery over one's Self and that over the world around me, has been gained by me by the Grace Of my Teacher. By the sheer brilliance Of his Grace, I have gained the glory Of Swarnjya & Snmrajyn. O Guru! O great Mnhåtmnn! TO thee my prostrations, again & again. 73 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
After pointing Out his expereince in the language Of negation, the student asserts his absolute nature. Here he expresses his gratitude towards the Teacher who guided him. Sikharioi- (6.11) Fqq:— sleeping, sleep, dream; unreal, illusory; rich, wealthy; great saviour! protector; 517. O Master! Thou hast out Of sheer grace awakened me from sleep and completely saved me who was wandering, in an interminable/endless dream, in a forest Of birth, decay and death created by illusion, being tormented day after day by countless afflictions, and sorely troubled by the tiger Of egoism. In the deepest caverns (a large cave like chamber) Of this mighty dream called life, the concepts Of births, growth, decay, disease, Old age and death created by Müyä afflict me day in and day out. I am confused, confounded and deluded. I am choked by various persecutions. thus I pass day after day. From all such dreams, you have woken me up. O guro! to yu my prostrations, again & again. 520. Salutations to you O prince among Teachers! who are idefinable greatness I , who are ever the same who manifest as the entire universe. To you my salutations. That one infinite Reality which is the same every where, which has come in the form of the Guru, to That my namakaras. To you, O Teacher, who revel in the form of BMI, OET (viswa-rnpa), my prostrations. With this benediction, the student expresses his adoration to the Teacher who has initiated him into science Of Reality and is unforgetaable expereience. 075. Final Words of Advice (521-575) Ptl"itagra 12/13; 74 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
æa--ä 11 521. Seeing the worthy disciple, who had attained the Bliss Of the self, realised the Truth and was glad at heart, thus prostrating himself, that noble, ideal Teacher again addressed the following excellent words q€ The Guru now advises the disciple how a man Of Realisation should work in the world and what his relationship with should be:- Sardülavikridita- (12.7) a palace, seat, abode; an abode, subject; authority; affair, business; 522. The universe is an unbroken series Of perceptions Of Brahman; hence it is in all respects nothing but Brahman. See this with the eye Of illumination with a serene mind, under all circumstances. Is it ever possible to one who has eyes ever found to see all around anything else but forms? Similarly, in the same way, for Realised people who understood Brahman what business/engagement is there for sporting from the intellect (-save/except Brahman ?) This entire universe is Brahman, seen through the mind. Brahman experienced through thoughts and perceptions is the world of plurality. See this Atman with the inner or spiritual eye ie. with the contemplative mind. Those who has a pair of eyes, will they ever see anything other than forms? Those who have quiet minds, will they every see anything other than Brahman. ? Indravajra I (5, 6) 75 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
523. What wise man would discard that enjoyment of Supreme Bliss and revel in things unsubstantial? When the exceedingly charming moon is shining, who would wish to 100k at a painted moon ? When the source of all happiness is within the bosom, who will court the impermanent joy of objects? The realised man, having experienced the supreme state of infinite Bliss, will not throw even a backward glance upon sense objects. Upajåti- 1+U; 5-6;5-6 ETH: fäg Il 524. From the perception Of unreal things there is neither satisfaction nor a cessation Of misery. Therefore, being satisfied with the realisation Of the Bliss Absolute, the One without a second, live happily in a state of identity with that Reality. The world of objects, emotions and thoughts is unreal, and so the expereince of objects never brings enduring satisfaction or contentment.Endless sastisfacction can be gained only by the expereince or the essence of the joy of the Self. Atma- nishthn alone can give us absolute contentment. At this moment, we are established in the not-Self (nnatma-nishthn). Get established in the Self (atma-nishtha), and come to live this Bliss. FAT—S Il 525. Beholding the Self alone in all circumstances, thinking of the Self, the One without a second, and enjoying the Bliss of the Self, pass thy time, O noble soul ! When you are extrovert, see the play Of the Self alone in the world. Maintain the thought that the world is nothing but Brahman. When you are introvert, in the hushed silence Of the mind, may you constantly feel that the inner world is also 76 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
Brahman. Since thus there is nothing but Brnhmnn everywhere, may you enjoy the bliss Of your own Self. 526. Dualistic conceptions in the Atman, the Infinite Knowledge, the Absolute, are like imagining castles in the air. Therefore, always identifying thyself with the Bliss Absolute, the One without a second, and thereby attaining Supreme Peace, remain quiet. In the unbroken Knowledge, the Absolute, the Atman, dualistic concep tion are like castles in the air Il Therefore, attaining supreme Peace, live in silence identifying yurself with non-dual bliss Absolute. Upendravajrä- 1 5,6; IndravamSa I (5.7) QEUff Il 527. To the sage , who has realised Brahman who are the great souls KVT?Hd:, the mind/bhuddhi, which is the cause of unreal fancies, becomes perfectly tranquil. This verily is his state of quietude, in which, identified with Brahman, he has constant enjoyment Of the Bliss Absolute, the One without a second. The causes of all fancies, the mind, becomes perfectly serene to the sage, who has known Brahman. Indeed, this is the state of quiescene in which, ever identified with Brahman, he constantly enjoys the non-dual bliss Absolute. Objects, emotions and thoughts cause us to be agitated. The cause for their projection and consequent agitations is the mind. It is the cause for the non-existent imaginations and agitations.. I When the mind, which always plays the dirty
tricks is quietened, there is total peace. When the mind which is responsible for the flights Of fancy and chaotic emotions walks the path Of Sädhana, it realises the Self complely quiet. This quietude Of the mind is not because Of deep-sleep but because Of the experience Of the objectless unbroken Bliss. 528. There is nothing more exhilarating than the quiescence (a state Of quieteness) which comes from being free of vasanas, to him,who has known his own nature and who drinks the Bliss Of the Self. The joy that we are familiar with, is the joy arising from sense enjoyments, This temporary quietude arising from the fulfilment Of a desire is accompanied by intense agitation for the repetion Of the sense-fulfilment in order to re-live the moment Of happiness. Compared with the Blis Of the Self, the ephemeral happiness is nothing but sorrow. The Bliss Of the Self is an unbroken experience arising Out Of the desirelessness. The state Of desirelessness itself is supreme Bliss —y He who has known the Self, and has drunk the essence Of Its Bliss, can never be satisfied with the happiness arising from sense indulgence. 529. The illumined sage, whose only pleasure is in the Self, ever lives at ease, whether going or staying, sitting or lying, or in any other condition. A man Of Realisation always lives in absolute freedom, as he desires (swa- icchn). He does nothing prompted by the dictates of Others (anya-iccha). Anya includes everything which is the not-Self. The BMI are also nnya. Their demands are not prompted by the Self. They are paraeccha. A wise man who ever revels in the Self as the Self, is man of steady reflecton. Upajäti- Ind+Upn; 5-6;5-6 78 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
530. The noble soul who has perfectly realised the Truth and whose mind-functions/conideration meet with no obstruction, no more depends upon conditions Of place, time posture, direction , moral disciplines etc. objects of meditation and so forth What regulative conditions can there be, in knowing one's own Self ? The sage, who has perfect Realisation Of Truth and whose mind, thereffore, encounters no obstruction, no more relies upon conditions of place & time, postures direction, moral disciplene, objects Of meditation etc. What formulae can there be for recognising one's own Self? 531. "This is a jar" to know this what condition is necessary save that the means of knowledge be without any defects, which alone ensures a cognition of the object? TO know an Object which in front Of you, you need a healthy sense organ without defects; to know a form, you need a healthy pair Of eyes; the instrument Of knowledge is all that is required. Beyond this nothing else is necessary. TO make you understand a thing which is not within the range Of yur sense organs, I will have to draw upon all kinds Of information and proofs. but with an object already in front Of you, what other proof is required Of its existence? 532. So this Atman, which is an eternal verily (conformity to the reality), manifests Itself as soon as the right means of knowledge is present, and does not depend upon either place or time or (internal) purity. This Ätman which is an eternal Truth, manifests Itself in the presence Of the right means of knowledge. It is dependent neither on place, nor time nor purity (just outward) KNOWLEDGE OF OWN SELF IS INDEPENDENT OF EXTERNAL AID. 79 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
533. The consciousness, "I am Devadatta" , independent of circumstances/consideration. Similarly is the case with the realisation of the knower Of Brahman that he is Brahman. "l am Devadatta", this knowledge is independent Of conditions. Similaly, the knower of Brahman realises that he is Brahman. If somebody says, "I am Mr. So-and-so", will you ask him, "How do you know? What instrument did you employ this morning to know that you are really you?" "did you see yourself?" "Did you hear your self?" "Did you taste yourself?" "Did you feel yourself?" "Did you think yourself?" Then how do you know you are you"? "My dear sir! TO know myself I do not need any instrument. I am me. TO know a thing other than me I need instruments". The subjective knowledge that I am so and so, is independent Of any intermeditaion. Just as intimately then, the knower Of Brahman knows himself to be Brahman. Nobody need tell him this, nor does he need any instrument to interpret this knowledge. Il Ätma-bodha-29. liminous, splendour; the supreme spirit; IA- to shine forth, become manifest; 534. What indeed can manifest That, whose lustre ä7qT, like the sun causes the whole universe unsubstantial unreal insignificant to appear/ manifest at all— 80 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
What indeed can manifest That, whose effulgence, like the sun, cause the entire fallacious , unreal and unimportant universe to appear at all . The objects of the world, borrow the light of the sun and reflect it. The universe of the OET and the equipmetns of the BMI all exist and shine forth borrowing their existence from the brilliance of consciousness; for if Consciousness does not function through equipment, that equipment is condsidered dead. To know ths sun, no illuminator is necessary. To know whether he has risen or not, there is no need to light a match. To know Consciousness, you do not need an instrument. It is an immediate knowledge. ll- Svetasvatara Upanishad, VI- 14. 535. That by which all Vedas, Sastras and Puranas and all other beings are endowed with meaning, verily, what can illumime That Eternal Subject!- All the great scriptural texts are meaningful and purposeful only because of this great Reality. Whatever was expounded by the mighty Masters, was because of is the theme of the scriptures. All beings have Existence. If this existence is removed, nothing exists. The Self is material cause for all the objects that we see, just as the waking mind is the material cause for the entire dream world. Infinite Consciousness illumines this universe. Because of It everything exists. What other illuminator is necessary to illumine this mighty Truth which lends existence and life to every living creatures? Therefore at the time of Snmädhi, it is meaningless to discuss, "What is That because of which I am experiencing this Infinite Consciousness. Upajäti- IndtUpn; 5-6;5-6; Vamgastha- (5.7) 536. Here is the Self-effulgent Atman, of infinite power, beyond the range of conditioned knowledge yet the common experience of all , realising which 81 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
alone, this incomparable knower Of Brahman, lives his glorious life, freed from bondage. The Atman is Self-effulgent and is infinite Power. The power of the universe is its capacity to produce, nourish and destroy. The capacity is because of the Infinite, the Omnipotent, indeed It is All-powerful. The Self is indefinable (a-premeyn). That which is conditioned (finite) can be defined. Finite things are substance which have properties that can be defined. When a thing has no properties, it cannot be defined. It is not a substance, therefore It is eternal, Immutable, Infinite. Who can talk about that? It is beyond all definition, meaning, beyond all conditional knowledge. It is the universal experience of all living creatures, hence It is not a void. Everyone has Consciousness. Though It is within the experience of everybody, nobody can describe It. By realising the Infinte, one is liberated from all bondage. Thereafter, one lives gloriously and victoriously. He is the best among the best since he has realised That which exalts (Praise, glorify, or honor/ emotion/animate) men and makes them rise above their imperfections. VamSastha- (5.7) Upajåti- Ind+Upn; Il 5-6;5-6; 537. Neither grieved nor elated neither attached nor averse to sense objects but content with fl8: the endless essence Of Bliss he sports and revels in the Self Never does the man or realisation grieve, nor does he get thrilled. Even when he comes in contact with sense-objects, he does not ge attached to them. We are so attached to them because we know no realm Of greater happiness. The man of Realisation is detached from them because he sports and revels in his own Self. He is well-balanced at all personality levels because he has drunk at the fountain of infinite Joy and satisfaction which springs from within himself. Nnndana and krccda are two words used to denote the expression of joy. When he revels (nnndnna), he needs nothing other than hiself to entertain himself. He enjoys himself in himself by himself. This democratic joy is called nandana. Sport: (krceda) is when he needs something other than himself to entertain himself. A man Of Perfection coming in contact with the objects outside, sports in the divine Presence everywhere. Whe he embraces objects it is not flesh embracing flesh, 82 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
but it is hugging the Lord who is present everywhere. When he withdraws himself in meditation, he enjoys and revels within. Such an individual is always well- content. His contentment is born Of the experience Of the unbroken bliss Of the Self. 538. A child plays with its toys forgetting hunger and bodily pains; exactly so does the man Of realisation take pleasure in the Reality, without ideas Of "l" or "mine", and is happy. Without recognising hunger and pain, forgetting exhaustion and fatigue, a child plays with the objects of his liking. Similarly, the wise man revels, forgetting his exhaustion and hunger at all levels of his personality. Without the idea "1" and "mine", very happily he revels, just like a child. Sardülavikridita- (12.7) not curbed by hook, unchecked; independent, completely free; 539. (for) Men Of realisation their food without anxiety or humiliation by begging , and their drink from the water Of rivers they live freely and independently , and sleep without fear in cremation grounds Or forests their clothing may be the quarters themselves which need no washing and drying or any bark etc., the earth is their bed «qT Hit; they roam in the avenue of the Vedanta ; while their past time is in the Supreme Brahman Without the anxiety and humilation Of begging, men Of Perfection have their food, and drink the waters of rivers; they live free and independent, sleeping without fear in cremation grounds or in forst or some barks etc., the earth is their bed and they roam in the avenues of Vcdnntn while they revel in the supreme Brahman. 83 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
Food, clothing and shelter are the basic needs Of a human being. The company he keeps and the type Of activity he delights in, indicate his cultural evoluton. These conditioning Of the man Of Realisation are described in this verse. The man who has awakened to the higher plane Of Consciousness lives in perfect independence in this world. without worry: NO thought comes to his mind which will disturb and destroy him. Worry cannot reach him who refuse to worry. without any sense Of humiliation: He is ready to meet anybody, at any time, without the least hesitation. eats whatever anybody gives him. drink river water: Rivers do not belong to anybody in particular. Anyone can drink as much as he wants. +•ft:— without fear: He is not afraid Of anyone Or anything. +«TTä Sleeping in the cremation ground or in the forest; It makes no difference to him where he sleeps. Vastram means cloths. It also means the bark of any tree. A man of Realisation wears any cloth. If cloth is not not available, the bark of any tree suffices. The cloths which need no washing or drying; If no cloth is not available, he cloths himself in A-quarter.(ie no cloth) Thus he lives, totally indepencent Of external conditions; for he is least affected by them. VamSastha- (5.7); Upaiäti- IndtUpn; 5-6;5-6 540. The knower of the Atman- who wears no outward mark and is unattached to external things rests on this body without identification ZITF#-zq-, and experiences all sorts of sense-objects as they come through others' wish q-$øql, like a child He wears no insignia and is unattached to sense-objects, he remains in this body without identifying with it and expereinces sense-objects as they come, by the wish of others; the knower of Atman is like a child. 84 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
Holding on to total non-idetification with the body, the man Of Realisation enjoys the entire range Of objects. Ordinarily, we are identified with the body. the perfected man enjoys the world Of objects without identification with his body. $ØQT- He never runs after them but the come to him unasked, by the desire or the instrumentation Of others Like a child, man Of Realisation, by the desire Of others "enjoys" the Object around. With no outward mark- He lives with no external symbol to set him apart from others; yet he outshines all in his crowd by his mere presence. Upaiäti- Ind+Upn; u 5-6;5-6 alfi-earth; 541. Established in the ethereal / celestial plane Of Absolute Knowledge he wanders in the world, sometimes like a madman sometimes like a child and at other times like a ghost having no other clothes on his person except the quarters or sometimes wearing clothes or perhaps skins at other times- Il Sometimes wearing no clothes except the quarter, someetimes with clothes, sometimes wearing skins, extablished in the ethereal (characterized by lightness and insubstantiality/ celestial) plane of Knowledge Absolute, he roams about in the world, sometimes like one insane, sometimes like a child and sometimes like ghost. Irrespective of what he wears, he always remains in an atmosphere of pure Consciousness. His behaviour in the world is also indeterminable. He may act like a drunk who sees not the world as it is. A man of Perfection sees in and through the varieties of objects of the world, the common presence of the one Reality and hence his attitude towards the world is peculiar when compared with our norms. He may behave like a child, yet without being childish. A child never drags his past into the present, nor does he live in the future. Anxieties Of the past and worries Of the future never affect him. He just lives in the present. But the child lives in ignorance while the man Of Perfection lives in his Knowledge Of Reality. A man Of Realisation may live like a ghost. Renoucning society he may live all alone in a dark cave. If anyone happens to enter the cave he will suddenly come out and disappear behind the tress in the jungle. Everybody is afraid Of a ghost, but no 85 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
ghost is known to have been afraid Of anyone. He thus moves about in the world unaffected by anything around. 542. The sage, living alone , enjoys the sense-objects being the very embodiment of desirelessness — always satisfied with his own Self, and himself present at the All. Being Of the nature Of desirelessness, the sage "enjoys" sense-objects, but lives alone. He is ever-satisfied with his own Self, and exists as everything everywhere Sikharoi - (6.11) a serpent who is said to swallow goat; 543. Sometimes a fool, sometimes a sage, sometimes possessed Of regal splendour; ; sometimes wandering, sometimes behaving like a motionless python sometimes wearing a benignant (gracious/beneficial in nature) expression sometimes honoured sometimes insulted a-IARd:, sometimes unknown — thus lives the man of realisation, ever happy with Supreme Bliss Il Ever enjoying the Blissful state Of wisdom, the realsied man lives, sometime a fool, sometimes a sage, sometimes with a royal grandeur; sometimes roaming, sometimes like a motionless python; sometimes with a benignant expression, sometimes respected, sometimes insulted and sometime unknown. How will a man of Perfection live in this world after his final Realisation? No rules can be laid down for his behaviour. This verse tells us of some of the ways in which he lives. Sometimes he behaves like a fool; sometimes as a man of brilliant intellect. The ssame man who was a rank idiot yesterday may be a formidable intellectual today. Sometimes he lives in regal glories with royal dignity; at other times he may wander like a mad man. All these outward judgements of him are from the stand point of the world. 86 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
At times he may be very quiet, lying down still like a python. The python is the biggest snake Of the jungle which lies down quietly in one place, some times for 6-moths at a stretch. It never goes out Of its way for good. If anything by chance passes its way, it just draws it in and eats it. Else it goes without food. The man Of Perfection may behave in a similar manner sometimes. If you go & ask him, "Mnhnrnj! have you taken your food?" "Nothing has come to me yet." "Will you eat something?" "Why are you asking this question?" "How much you want?" "Whatever you can give." "An elephant?" "doesn't matter". "A rat?" "Doesn't matter. " This sort of ajagara-vritti he may adopt sometimes. Sometimes he may be available for hour & recognition. At other times people may call him a rascal or a devil. He may be insulted or even remain completely unknown to the world. Thus a man Of Realisation moves about, always enjoying the supreme Bliss Of the Infinite. He is so engrossed in the bliss Of the Supreme, that ohers will have to remind him that he has a body. He gets reports about his body. In the Infinite, the body is indeed the minutest dust particle. * Food here not necessarily mean the food that he takes by mouth but embraces in its meaning all sense-objects which are the "food" for the sense-organs. 544. Though without riches, yet ever content; though helpless, yet very powerful, though not enjoying the sense-objects, yet eternally satisfied; though without an exemplar/ incomparable yet looking upon all with an eye of equality. Though without wealth, he is ever-satisfies; though without help he is very powerful; though he does not enjoy sense-objects, he is eternally content, and though without exemplar, he has equal vision. 87 _ S r i _ Kr is a _ Sar a s
A man Of Realisation may have no wealth at all to call his own. Even then, he is ever content and happy, unlike worldly men who, with all their possessions, are yet generally found miserable. He has nobody to help him, he is alone in the world. Yet he is very powerful. He fears none and so, nothing can threaten hm. He is always content, and so, nevver indulges in sense-enjoyments. We run after the world Of objects because we have the desire to enjoy them. He has none, for, he is ever content. Naturally, the passions and the consequent pantings Of sensuous life are not for him, the ever-peaceful, the ever-joyous Mahatma. Therefor he is incomparable (Asnma,fr) yet the man Of Realisation, in all circumstances, is a "man Of equal vision" (samndarshi). In this wisdom, he is an exemplar, yet he is humble enough to maintain an equal vision for all; none is too low for him. Viwed with his eye Of wisdom, he recognises all as his own Self. Note: He is incomparable yet the man Of Ralisation, in all circumstances, in a "man Of equal vision"- I In this wisdom he is an exemplar; yet he is humble enough to maintain equal vision for all; none is too low for him. Viwed with the eyes of wisdom, he recognises all as his own Self. cut Off, divided; accurately, defined, ascertained; limited, confined; 545. Though doing, yet inactive; though experiencing fruits of past actions, yet untouched by them; though possessed of a body, yet without identification with it; though limited, yet omnipresent is he. Though acting he is inactive, though he expereinces the fruits Of past actions, he is untouched by them, though he has a body he is not identified with it and though limited he is Omnipresent. Doing and enjoying are for the mind and the intellect to indulge in. They are in me; I am not in them. Though he has a body the man of Realisation is not the body. Though he is apparently a limited individual, his identification is with the Self in all. füzn-sfüa Il 88 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
546. Neither pleasure nor pain, nor good nor evil, ever touches this knower Of Brahman, who always lives without the body-idea To a man of Realisation, the body cannot give any joy or sorrow, because he lives without any poignant body-consciousness. He is not involved in the body- expereinces as we are. Conducive happenings around us give us give us happiness and unconducive happenings gie us sorrow. The perfected man, having woken to the higher plane of Consciousness, is not affected by the happenings at the lower plane. The subjective and objective environments at the lower plane of Consciousness can never affect him who has awakened to a higher one. He dwells, ever stepped in Brahmic Consciousness. IndravamSa- I Upenderajåti; 5,7;5,6; 547. Pleasure or pain, or good or evil, affects only him who has connections with the gross body etc., and identifies himself with these. How can good or evil, or their effects, touch the sage who has identified himself with the Reality and thereby shattered his bondage ? This verse is an elaboration of the previous one. In the previous verse, we were told that no circumstances, whether subjective or objective, can affect the man of Realisation. Here it is explained, why they do not affect. Note: There cannot be subha for him because in his continuus experience Of the Infinite divine there is no trace of -asubha and without comparing with inauspiciousness how can thee be auspiciousness? Auspicousness and inauspiciousness are relative terms and Brahman the Absolute is beyond both. appearing, being visible, lustre, light; perception, knowledge; 548. The sun which appears to be , but is not actually, swallowed by Rahu , is said to be swallowed by Rahu , on account of delusion, by people, not knowing the real nature of the sun 89 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
The sun which appears to be swallowed by Rahu is not actually so. People who know not the real nature Of the sun, in their delusion, say that it has been swallowed. 549. Similarly, ignorant people look upon the perfect knower of Brahman, who is wholly rid of bondages of the body etc., as possessed of the body, seeing but an appearance of it. The knower of Brahman is totally liberated from the bondage of the BMI. Foolish people consider him to be embodied. From his standpoint he is not the body, just as from the sun's standpoint no shadow can ever fall upon it. We have no knowledge Of the Self, because Of our mental agitations (the shadow Of the moon). Note: The moon is the presiding deity Of the mind. 31ft:-a serpent, a snake; I I l- the slough (Any outer covering that can be shed or cast off) of a snake; 550. In reality, however, he rests discarding the body, like the snake its slough (an outer covering that can be cast Off); and the body is moved hither and thither by the force of the Prana, the way it pleases. He is not responsible for the merits & demerits acquired by the body; by the grace Of life and the dictates Of prarabdha, it moves up and down. He does not care a hoot whether the slough (body), is preserved Or destroyed, consecrated, adored or insulted. It matters not to him. deep; low, depressed; low ground, low land; depth; low & high ground; enjoyment, use 2. ast: the daily course Of the Star; 551. As a piece of wood is borne by the current to a high or low ground, so is his body carried on by the momentum of (fate) past actions to the varied experience of their fruits, as these present themselves in due course. 90 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
Timber is carried by the water current as it floats down a river. You may say that the timber is floating down fast or slow, to the right or to the left. In fact, the wood does not move Of its own accord. It is being carried by the current. It has no intention Of going anywhere. It is the current which determines the directions, positions, speed and destiny Of the timber it carries. Similarly, the body Of a man Of Perfection is led and guided by the general stream Of life (dniva). The directions Of his actions are determined by the total vnsanas, which are the upndhis Of God, the Creator, the controller Of everything. so, his body moves in accordance with the time as the prnrnbdhn manifests. Vasantatilaka- (8.6) ind: in silence, silently, quickly, without noise; 552. The man Of realisation bereft Of the body-idea moves amidst sense-enjoyments like a man subject to transmigration/samsära through desires engendered by the prarabdha work He himself, however, lives unmoved in the body like a witness free from mental oscillations like the pivot of the potter's wheel Through desires produced by prarabdhn karma , theman Of Perfection, bereft Of the body-idea, moves in the midst of sense-enjoyments, like one subject to transmigration. He, however, lives unmoved in the body like a witness, free from mental agitations, like the pivot Of a potter's wheel. Ssankara, true to his style, gives an example here. Just as the pivot On which the potter's wheel rotates, though all the movements of the wheel are conducted on the pivot, the pointed base which itself does not move at all, the attitude Of the man Of Perfection is Of non-involvement in all movements that may be taking place around him. Whatever be the shape and size of the pots made on the wheel, the pivot of the wheel is unaffected. The finished product may be round or crooked, tall or short, symmetrical or otherewise; yet, neither the nature nor the shape nor the use of the pots spun on that wheel have anythng to do with the motionless pivot on which the wheel is continuousy rotating. 91 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
Similarly, the man Of Perfection, remains unaffected with all that happens to his body, mind, intelelct ever established in the expereince Of the Self. In short, he too has prnrnbdhn, but he is not involved in it. Note: Prärabdha karma has been described in versed 453-463. Vasantatilaka- (8.6) 551. He neither directs the sense-organs to their objects nor detaches them from these, but stays like an unconcerned spectator And he has not the least regard for the fruits Of actions his mind being thoroughly inebriated/ (with drunkenness) with drinking the undiluted elixir (a substance believe to cure all ills) of the Bliss Of the Atman. He does not direct the sense-organs to their objects, nor does he detach them from these, but he remains lika an indifferent onlooker. His mind being drunk with "wine" of Bliss of the Self, he holds not the least regard for the fruits of actions. Il leaving the indifference to the ultimate goal; 554. He who has renounced the anxiety to reach the Goal and never to deviate from it, and lives as the Absolute Atman, indeed, he is Siva himself, the best among the knowers of Brahman. Having renounced the anxiety to reach the Goal, and the anxiety, and the anxiety never to deviate from the Goal (Inkshyn-nlnkshyn-gatim-tynktvn) - i.e. "I must move towards the Self, I must not move towards the not-Self, I am slipping away from the Goal", etc. in him there is no more anxiety. The anxiety to reach the Goal will leave when the Goal is reached. Such an individual whose mind is free from all worry and dissipation is Lord Siva himself, the very embodiment of auspiciousness. He who has thus reached this Siva-pada is the best among the knowers of Brahman. 92 _ S r i _ Kr is a _ Sar a s
555. The perfect knower of Brahman becomes eternally free, even in this life and is fulfiled; he merges with the non-dual Brahman- which he had all along—through the destruction Of his limitations. The man of Perfection, even while living in the physical body, attains the Infinitude, though he may be a PFT from the stand-point of others. He who attains thus is said to be fuffilled (kritarthn), having gained what is to be gained. 556. As an actor, when he puts on the dress of his role, or when he does not, is always a man, so the Perfect knower Of Brahman is always Brahman and nothing else. The actor, when on stage, is called king, soldier, hero etc., according to the part, he plays. When the make-up is removed, he is just an ordinary man, Mr. So-&- so. He was Mr. So-&-so even while he was playing his part on the stage. In both cases, with or without make-up, he is Mr. So-&-so. 557. Let the body of the Sannyasin who has realised his identity with Brahman, wither and fall anywhere like the leaf of a tree, (it is of little consequence to him) for, it has already been burnt by the fire Of knowledge. The tree is found to have no identification with the leaves that have fallen off. The man of Perfection has as much identification with his body as a tree has with a fallen leaf. Even before a leaf falls off it becomes useless to the tree, for it has already yellowed and dried up. It still clings to the tree, because it has no energy to fall off. When the strong autumn breeze carries it away, the tree is not worried about it or its destiny, for long ago, it had ceased to be of any use to it. Similarly, the Man of Perfection, even before realisation, has burnt down his identification with the body in the fire kindled by Knowledge. It is of no consequences if such a body which no more serves any useful purpose fall off. Good riddance of bad rubbish. VamSastha- (5.7) IndravamSa (5.7) 93 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
557. The sage who always lives in the Reality — Brahman — as Infinite Bliss, the One without a second, does not depend upon the customary considerations of place, time, etc. for giving up this mass Of Skin, flesh and filth. An individual who has a reflective mind and who remains in the experience of Brahman, the Self everywhere, enjoys unbroken Bliss. Such an individual who has become one with Brahman even while living, will not wait for an appropriate time and place for dying (leaving the body). He does not anticipate (prateckshn), all these things. He does not depend upon the time, place, circumstances etc. He has no problem like, "this bundle of flesh" and faecal matter, packed in a sack of skin, where should I throw? At what time should I throw? Who should be the witnesses when I throw it? etc. Really speaking, the decent thing to do is, to throw away the filthy thing when nobody is looking your way. Note: A devotee cries: hindrance, obstacles; a private Or closed place; cage, nest; O Lord Krishna, at this moment let the royal swan Of my mind enter the tangled stems of the lotus of Your feet. How will it be possible for me to remember You at the time of death, when my throat will be choked up with mucus, bile- Ä7, and air? The realised man's attitude is Verse 510. This unnecessary bucket of filth that I have carried all the while has been taken off. Thank you God." 94 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
559. For the giving up Of the body is not Liberation, nor that Of the staff and the waterbowl; but Liberation consists in the destruction Of the heart's knot which is Nescience. Liberation from the body is no liberation. If the destruction Of the body is liberation, it would be easiest to employ a length Of rope, or fliing it into a year or under an oncoming train. Why struggle at all? Nature will one day take it away. TO free oneself from the physical body is not liberation for one will continue to exist in the subtle and causal bodies. The staff (dnndn), and the water bowl (knmnndulu), are a Sanynsin 's accessories. These he throws away when he becomes a Parivrnjnkn Sanyasin. A Parivrniaka is one, who moves about from place to place. Liberation from the danda and kamandaly is not liberation, just as by throwing away the physical body one does not become spiritual. True liberation consists Of freedom from the knots Of heart (hridaya-granfill), ie. ignorance (avidya), desire (käma) and action (karma). These three knots must be cut asunder. Then it matters not whether one has a body and possesion or not. 560. If a leaf falls in a small stream, or a river, or a place consecrated by Shiva, or in a crossing of roads , of what good or evil effect is that to the tree ? The leaves of a tree fall of in autumn. One leaf may fall into a gutter, one inot a river, oneat a cros-road, a fourth into GAnges and yet another may fly, drift in breeze and land in Siva temple wha thas the tree go to do with them? Let the body fall down anywhee, whenever it prnrnbdah ends. If the people around want a little more satisfaction, let them burn it. Else let it rot and stink. What have I go to do with it? IndravamSa I (5.7) Indravajra I (5,6) 1 561. The destruction Of the body, organs, leaf or flower or fruit (to a tree). 95 Sri Pranas and Buddhi is like that Of a : It does not affect the Atman, the _Krishn a _ Sara s
Reality, the Embodiment Of Bliss — which is one's true nature. That survives, like the tree. When the leaf, the flower and the fruit fall off, nothing happens to the tree. They are all fulfilment; but the tree is deparate from all these. similar is the vinäSn of the body, the sense-organs, the vitality and the intellect. When they all die and fall away, I still exist. to be spoken, IP- to imitate in speaking; 562. The Shrutis, by setting forth the real nature of the Atman in the words, "The Embodiment Of Consciousness/ Knowledge" etc., which indicate the nature Of the Self, establish Its Reality and voice the destruction of apparent conditionings only.. "The embodiment Of consciouness" in these words the scriptures indicate the nature of the Self, establish Its Reality, and voice the destruction of apparent conditionings only. I is the word used by ynjnnvnlkyn in Brihndårnvynkn Upanishad. He indicates the nature Of Reality by using this word. means, a homogeneou mass Of consciousness, where there is nothing other than lt. It points out the eternal Reality that survives all destructions. it is that which was, is and shall ever be That Reality is the Self in the whole universe. I— also indicates that infinite, eternal Reality which is all-pervading within and without, which survives the destruction Of all other things in the universe consisting Of names and forms, emotions and thoughts. The state Of existence transcending all the equipments, pointed out as I The vision Of the world that we have today ends with the experience Of the Reality. a.lfäagft--- I 563. The Shruti passage, "Verily is this Atman immortal, My dear!" , mentions the immortality Of the Atman in the midst Of things perishable and subject to modification. In the same Upanishad, Yajnnvnlky advises his wife Maitrcyi, by saying, "That which is indestructible, that Immutable Reality is the Self, my dear!" 96 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
Note: Brihndnrnnynk Upanishad; IV V-13; Brihndnrnnynka Upanishad IV-V-14. By saying so the Upanishad indicates the immutability Of the Åtman. Destruction can only come to an anåtmnn. In the midst Of change, It is the Changeless. It is the light Of consciousness in which all changes take place. That consciousness has no involvement in destruction. Vasantatilaka- (8.6) — — OUT — — : 564. Just as a stone, a tree, grass, paddy, husk- , etc., when burnt, are reduced to earth (ashes) only, even so the whole objective universe comprising the body, organs, Pranas, Manas and so forth, are, when burnt by the fire Of realisation, reduced to the Supreme Self. As long as it exists, a stone is a stone, a tree is a tree, a leaf is a leaf, etc., but when they are burnt, they all become nothing but ashes. The tongue Of the fire scorches the name, the shape, the quality, etc. Of whatever it licks. What is left is only ashes. Similarly, The whole world Of objects, the body, sense-organs, mind etc, which are seen felt and thought Of (PFT), when enquired into, are found to be nothing but the Self. If the entire world Of perception (k}efra), is burnt in the fire Of understanding and awakening (jntinägni dagdha karmävi), what remains is the Self alone. When the identification with BMI is burnt down, the OFT are no more felt. Whan all this world consisting Of names and form is burnt in the fire Of Realisation, the Self alone remain. 565. As darkness, which is distinct (from sunshine), vanishes in the sun's radiance, so the whole objective universe dissolves in Brahman. This dissolution of the phenomenal world into the Self is a unique experience. It cannot be explained. The world of perception being the prod uct of ignorance (Tnmns) must necessarily disappear at the rise of knowledge. In the fourth plane of Consciouness 97 _ S r i _ Kr is a _ Sar a s
there will be no other expereince than the pure Infinite Consciousness. Itself Sndhnkns who are not fully initiated might find it difficult to conceive this idea as their inellect can never think Of the state Of existence where there are no names and forms. Usually, Vednnfic Teacher glide over this by saying, "the world Of plurality gets merged in the state Of pure Awareness. What exactly is this merger? How does it take place? Such doubts are being answered here by an exasmple. Before sunrise, there is massive darkness all around, grinning its horrors and frightening all weak minds. As the sunrises, in the blazing light Of the Lord Of the day, the darkness gets completely wiped Out. When one awakens from dream, the dream gets merged in the waker's mind. In the same way, ignorance (avidya) and its consequent misapprehensions (jagat), disappear in the effulgent light Of Infinite Tru th. 566. As, when a jar is broken, the space enclosed by it becomes palpably the limitless space, so when the apparent limitations are destroyed, the knower of Brahman verily becomes Brahman Itself. When the body, mind and intellect are transcended, the knower Of Brahman becomes Brahman, i.e., what was till now an intelelctual understanding becomes a direct subjective experience (Brahmnvid Brnhmaivn bhavati) When the dreamer is no more in the dream, the dream-world objects can no more exist. When the subjective "l" in the dreamer rises above the dream mind and intellect, the dream world is no longer perceived. When the dreamer and dream world are ended, the individual awakes to a positive state Of expereince as the waker and naturally, in the waking world. S 11 Il 567. As milk poured into milk, Oil into Oil, and water into water, becomes united and one with it, so the sage who has realised the Atman becomes one in the Atman. In order to illustrate the subtle idea described in the previous verse, Sankara, the Teacher, brings out yet anotehr beautiful example. It is impossible for the human intellect to understand that at the egocentric sense will end and that moment Of realisation his entire, separate, he shall become the pure Self. This unique
expereince gained on transcending the intelelct, is being communicated here with worldly exasmples for the struggling intellect Of the student. Just as when Oil is mixed with Oil, they merge to become one homogeneous mass Of Oil, similarly the Consciousness in the bosom, till now playing as an individual, when it transcends the BMI during moments Of deepest contemplation and meditation, it merges with the Self to become one with the Self. so long as the dreamer lives the dream, the Teacher in the dream can never make the dreamer understand that, on awakening from the dream, the dreamer will become the waker. Note: —Åtma Bodha-53. The idea in the verse can be campared with Katho, IV-15 and Mundako Ill-ii-8. 568. Realising thus the extreme isolation that comes of disembodiment, and becoming eternally identified with the Absolute Reality, Brahman, the sage no longer suffers transmigration. The state of Oneness is called I It is the state in which there are no distintion of time, space etc. Disembodiedness, some say, is a phenomenal death. But according to Sankara, it is non-attachment with the body (gross, subtle or causal). The non-dual conditon is pure unbroken Existence alone—» Expereince of Knivalyn is Brahma-bhnva. Having attained this, the seeker never comes back into the realm of change. The individual who has lifted himself from his identification with the BMI and has realised "0M", never returns to the realm Of bondage. body, form; a measure, height; a handsome or lovely form; 569. For his bodies, consisting Of Nescience etc., having been burnt by the realisation ofthe identity Of the liva and Brahman he becomes Brahman Itself; and how can Brahman ever have rebirth ? 99 _ S r i_Kr is a _ Sar a s
The apprehension Of Reality, burns down the entire series Of complication from nvidyn upto the gross body. The individual who apprehended the Reality becomes Brahman. Having become Brahman, how can there be any more becoming for him? The birth Of a thing is the destruction Of its previous condition. Brnhmnn is indestructible. How can It have birth? Il when appearance Of the snake gone; in rope inactive; not performing ceremonial rite; 570. Bondage and Liberation, which are conjured (evoked) up by Maya, do not really exist in the Atman, one's Reality, as the appearance and exit Of the snake do not abide in the rope, which undergoes no change. ( like in the inactive rope when the appearance/illusion of the snake has gone) The concepts Of bondage and liberation are in the realm Of non-apprehension. They do not exist in the Self. When somebody superimposes the idea of the snake in the rope, the rope does not change. The apperance and disappearance of the delusory serpent will never change the rope. Similarly the Atman the Self the Infinite Brahman is not affected by the stupid plurality that individualised egos in their hallucination have come to experience. zfä: 571. Bondage and Liberation may be talked of when there is the presence or absence of a covering veil I But there can be no covering veil •ITO: for Brahman , which is always uncovered want Of a second thing besides Itself . If there be, the non- duality of Brahman will be contradicted afia-&: , and the Shrutis can never brook duality ll. When there is the presence or absence Of veiling, bondage and liberation can be spoken of. There can be no veiling for Brahman as It is obvious, there being no second thing besides It. If there is, it will contradict the non-duality of Brahman; the scriptures will never suffer duality. 100 _ Sr i _ Kr i s r a s
Bondage lies in the non-apprehension Of Reality; when It is veiled (nvnravn), there is bondage; having withdrawn from the equipments, srnvnna, mannnn and nididhyasann reduce the Rajoguvn and tamoguvn in the mind. As the agitations become less, Snttvnguva becomes predominant. The mind becomes calmer. Calmer the mind, greater the contemplativeness. With a contemplative intellect one apprehends Reality, and says, "till now I did not know Brahman. Now I know what Brahman is." In fact, never can there be anyveiling on Brahman. how can Brahman be veiled? With what will it be veiled? In Brahman there is a total absence Of any otherness (nnyn-bhnvn). In the Self, there is nothing but the Self. How can there be avidyn in Vidyn? Brahman is never veiled, so It can never be revealed. If you say there is veiling, it will be in the destruction Of the idea that Brahman is One-without-a-second, the Infinite can only be One. If it is conditioned even by 0.00001, It becomes finite. The Infinite has no parts. Brahman is non-dual and the scripturess will brook no idea of duality. From the stand-point of the Self, there is no an-atman: Sankara talks from the highest standpoint when he is trying to talk to us Of the nature Of Absolute Brahman. Indravajra I (5,6); VamSastha- (5.7) H&ZT: 572. Bondage and Liberation are attributes Of the Buddhi which ignorant people falsely superimpose on the Reality qqT as the covering of the eyes by a cloud is transferred to the sun ll. For this Immutable Brahman is Knowledge Absolute the One without a second and unattached Il The idea Of bondage and liberation are the conditionings Of the intellect. It is the intellect that judges whether one is bound or liberated. They are nothing but intellectual concepts formed under the influence of "'delusion". Brahman, the Reality, is never bound and hence can never be liberated. It has never been anything other than Itself. You put your hands over the eyes and say that the whole world is darkened. If your vision was covered by a cloud, you say that the sun has come out again. In point of fact, the sun never went away nor came back. It always was, it is only the clouds which came and went. The clouds are neither in the sun nor the eye; they are somewhere in between. I O I _ Sr i _ Kr i s r a s
How can you then say that Brahman, which is non-dual unattached and Absolute has become jeevn? It is impossible. From 0M when you 100k at the world (0M is not a place but a state Of experience), all the declarations Of the scriptures are mere blabberings. Yet an illusory tiger Of the dream can frighten the dreamer into wakefulness. Like the dream tiger, the scriptures, the Guru, the Sadhana can accomplish an awakening Of a person. The scriptures, the Teacher and the philosphies are all meant for the ego- centric PFT to turn his attention in the direction Of the Reality. When he realises the Truth, he finds that all else was a bold bluff. I fGTTaa: Il TO the Bramana who has known the Self, all the Vedas are Of so much Of use as a reservoir is, where there is a flood everywhere. Il ibid, verse 59. 573. The idea that bondage exists, and the idea that it does not, are, with reference to the Reality, both attributes of the Buddhi merely, and never belong to the Eternal Reality, Brahman. "There is", and "there is not", these are the two concepts of the intellect. They are intellectual judgements. Consciousness is the light in which you arrive at these conclusions. It is not touched by your judgements. You are conscious of these concepts. The illuminator can never be the illumined.The sun illumines the world but the world of objects are not in the sun. As far as the Consciousness is concerned, we cannot say that It exists or that it exists not; for these two are intellectual expressions arrived at by the rational faculty in us. In short, the language of the intellect can never express the nature of the Absolute. The absolute can never have any qualities; that which has a quality is a substance and all substances are finite and perishable. Therefore the Infinite must be that which has no qualities, we cannot define It in terms of Its existence or non- existence. a-la : s eqfä 102 _ Sr i _ Kr i s r a s
Il 574. Hence this bondage and Liberation are created by Maya, and are not in the Atman. How can there be any idea of limitation with regard to the Supreme Truth, which is without parts, without activity, calm, unimpeachable, taintless, and One without a second, as there can be none with regard to the infinite sky ? Hence, bondage and liberation are the creation Of the non-apprehension Of Reality. In the Sel f, they do not exist. How can there be any idea Of limitation in that which is without parts, without activity, calm unimpeachable, taintless, One- without-a-second and all pervading like space? confinement, covering, Obstruction, complete destruction frustration; 575. There is neither death nor birth, neither bound nor a struggling soul, neither a seeker after Liberation nor a liberated one — this is the ultimate truth. In Reality, you are Brahman Itself. There is nothing whatsoever other than Brahman. There is never any birth nor death. There is neither a seeker in Brahman nor one who has the burning desire for liberation, nor even one who is liberated. so, even liberation is not an occasion for glorification. That is your Real Nature. In fact you have not gained anything at all. All that you say is, "What a fool I was! I never knew my own nature." There is nothing to be realised. You are That. This is the Supreme Truth; at the momet Of Realisation, to the realised. Thus, the Guru in Vivekachoodamani concludes his exposition addressing a student who had approached him in utter reverence and asked him the questions. 076. Blessed Disciple Liberated (576-578) Mälini- (8,7) -o•i--ä 1 103 _ Sr i _ Kr i s r a s
576. I have today repeatedly- revealed to thee , as to one's own , this excellent and profound secret , which is the inmost purport Of all Vedanta , the crest Of the Vedas — considering thee an aspirant after Liberation?4T I purged Of the taints of this Dark Age/kali , and of a mind free from desires Considering you to be a seeker after liberation, as one purged Of the taints Of this Dark Age, with mind free from desire, I have today revealed to you, again & again, as I would to my son, the supreme and profound secret, the innermost essence Of Vedanta, the crest Vedas. The crest Of the thoughts in the Vedas, the deepest purport Of Upanishadic literature, the most secret Knowledge has been given out to you by me, that yoy may achieve purification from the impurities of vvaSannS (kali), and that you may make you intellect fully free from desire. Thus the Guru in Vivcknchoodnmnni concludes his exposition addressing a student, who had approached him in utter reverence and asked him the questions. : 1 11 577. Hearing these words of the Guru, the disciple out of reverence prostrated himself before him and with his permission went his way, freed from bondage ll. With the previous verse, the main thesis on Vedanta is concluded and Sankara is, in the few concluding verses, trying to wind up the drama Of the Teacher-taught relationship. In the opening verse, we had enumerated Of the qualities Of a true student and were told Of the nobility and grandeur Of the Teacher's personality. Then such a perfect student was made to surrender to an ideal Teacher. When the student raised intellectual questions regarding his spiritual problems, the questions were exhaustively answered and the discourse has concluded in the verse 576. In these few following verses Sankara is pointing out the reaction upon the student and intelligently listening to and dyanamically pursuing the wisdom Of this text book. Freed from all personal encumbrances, the student, on full realisation, takes leave Of his Teacher and goes his way to revel in his own subjective experience, ever after... .. 104 _ Sr i _ Kr i s r a s
TO the student who has thus realised, from his view, there is not difference between himself and the Teacher, both are experiences Of the One-Infinite Self. Yet the student prostrates at the feet Of the teacher "Out Of reverence". Inspite Of his Realisation the student cannot overlook his sense Of utter gratitude to the Master who has awakened him from the dark dreary misconception Of the ego and inroduced him in the amphitheatre (A oval large stadium with tiers Of seats; an arena in which contests and spectacles are held) Of the Self. 578. And the Guru, with his mind steeped in the ocean of Existence and Bliss A b SOItIte roamed verily purifying the whole world — all differentiating ideas banished from his : And the Teacher, his mind immersed in the Ocean Of eternal Bliss for ever, wandered about, indeed blessing the whole world. When the disciple had gone, the Guru did not sit back with a sign of relief. The Guru also, with his mind fully steeped in the Ocean of eternal Bliss, moved blessing the whole world, ever ready to explain and guide seekers who might approach him. 077. The glory of the text-book (579-581) [Ill] 579. Thus by way of a dialogue between the Teacher and the disciple, has the nature of the Atman been ascertained for the easy comprehension of seekers after Liberation. Here in this verse, we have gankara's own declaration Of the motive with which the poet-philosopher had industriously laboured through 578 verses so far. The verse also indicates that Safikara has no philosophy of his own. It is only in recent times we find that every philosopher has his own philosophy. In Vivekachoodamani all that we have is a logical thought development Of the entire theory Of Vedanta given out in a style and language, most fit for the easy comprehension Of even the dull-witted). With this aim in view Safikra has woven this poetic tapestry (A heavy textile with a woven design; used for curtains and upholstery), most succesfully indeed. 105 _ Sr i _ Kr i s r a s
Just as the great scriptures the Bhagavad Geeta is presented to the public in a conversation style, here we find Åcharya Safikara emmploying a Teacher-Taught dialogue. The entire theme discussed is the nature Of the Self and how best the seeker can be trained and helped to come to apprehend the Truth. Puspitägrä 12/13; Il 580. May those Sanynsins appreciate this salutory teaching who are seekers after liberation who have purged themselves Of all taints Of the mind by the observance Of the prescribed methods , who are averse to worldly pleasures i.u-q«-ffiar:, and who are of serene minds and take a delight in the Shruti Il Listening to or reading Vivekachoodamani is no guarantee Of understanding. Sankara could see that after reading the whole thing, some will surely say, "All this is a big bluff" "Hence", he says, "1 have written this only for those who have the following six qualifications. l. Those who have completely purged the impurities Of the mind (vihitn- nirnsta-samastn-chitta-doshaa&), by following the prescribed methods soma, damn, upnrnti, titiksha, srnddha, samadhnnn. 2. Those who are averse to the pleasures Of the world which are ever-changing (bhava-sukha-viratal.l) 3. Those whose minds are quiet and calm, because Of the reduction Of vasanas (prasant-chittah). 4. Those who take delight in the study of the scriptures i.e., those who have mental attitude to understand the Upanishads (sruti-rasikal'). 5. Those who are putting forth the effort, those who are striving to realise what they have understood (yataya&) 6. Those who have a burning desire for liberation (mumukshnvnly) Such people, when they read Vivckachoodamani, will understand and appreciate it. Sardülavikrjdita- (12.7) 106 _ Sr i _ Kr i s Sa r a s
11 580. For those who are afflicted, in the way of the world, by the burning pain due to the (scorching) sunshine of threefold misery, and who through delusion wander about in a desert in search Of water for them here is the triumphant message Of Shankara pointing out, within easy reach, the soothing ocean Of nectar, Brahman, the One-without-a-second — to lead them on to Liberation. TO those who are in vain searching in desert, thirsty and exhausted, to them Sankara points out with his confident message, an ocean Of Nectar- the Brahman which is Sachidänanda. The final result Of such a spiritual rediscovry is a total liberation Of the mortal individuality from all its physical , mental and intellectual entaglements. This is called LIBERATION, SELF-REALISATION OR GOD REALISATION.

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The author is a senior citizen, an Engineer, post-graduated in Sanskrit after retirement. The main idea behind this blog, is to compile and digitise the various subjects, particularly the Sanskrit literature & hymns. For easy reading of Sanskrit lyrics, the Fonts are well spaced, words separated from one another. Hence the meaning of the Sanskrit texts can easily be grasped. As the entire write-up is digitised, it can be referred at any time, through mobile, tablet and laptop computers. The author is thankful and grateful to all Eminent people, Scholars and others, who have provided various valuable information in books, articles, write-up and also images etc. both on-line & print medium. These informations enabled the author to compile, add, edit and modify and present in different format. The author hopes that this exercise and efforts will enable the readers, to comprehend the the subject matter, in proper perspective. The publications are only for self satisfaction and with no commercial intent. Blessings and love to all readers.

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