Essence of vedanta-Post 40

Dear All,

As indicated in the previous post, the stages in spiritual evolution, experienced by the author, shall be given through the three stages- Shrvanam , mananam and nidhidhyasanam or in other expression- in Gross, subtler and subtlest states of experience.

(By now, looking at the number of page views and the absolute lack of any response from any reader, the author is almost convinced that in this recent times, no one is taking these posts seriously and making an attempt to fathom through the subtlest subject -vedantha, shared through various theme posts in the blog. Having taken up this deep subject theme- Essence of vedantha, he is some how completing the theme. He is at loss as to what to give next!!. Will readers of any other country respond to his call???)

IST STAGE IN SPIRITUAL EVOLUTION THROUGH THE PATH OF SELF ENQUIRY/ WISDOM/ JNANA

Bullet points from what we learnt on sravanam yesterday

• Sravanam is the discovery of the whole vision of Vedanta, by listening to the teacher who unfolds the texts of Upanishads. 

• If we say that Vedanta is a means of knowledge, it means that sravanam becomes the main discipline for a seeker. 

• Most important point in Sravanam is to have absolute faith in the teacher, the Guru's teachings wherein the faith is developed as a result of one's own prarabdha to evolve spiritually and also one's observing the Guru's state day by day and developing such an unshakable faith in one's preceptor that one listens (Sravanam) to the Guru's instructions/ teachings exactly with the bhava as if one is listening to God's teachings. 

NOW FOR THE AUTHOR'S JOURNEY IN THE SRAVANAM STAGE (Author to be referred as sadhaka  hereafter in the posts related to his evolution/ experience)

• On the  one hand,  the sadhaka had 30+ years of background as a Sai devotee and as a classic case study of going through the stages of Karma, Upasana and Jnana, he had gone through the initial 10 years of his association in Sai organization as a core sevadal volunteer and office bearer, taking up intensive seva work in slums in Delhi, in various seva activities of the organization as regional sevadal co ordinator for a region in New Delhi.  He would visit slum week after week, undertake brushing of those slum angel children's teeth, combing their hair, playing with them, teaching them moral values, helping them in their studies etc. 
• Thus, the involvement in Service did reduce his ego to an extent but the reduction of ego was too less to be even mentioned !!
• Then, from Karma to Upasana, he started singing in samithi, in zone and then in central bhajans in New Delhi. The journey for the next 10 years in Delhi was the journey of upasana. 
• The upasana journey continued after he re located to Muscat, Oman. In the very next year of his re locating to Muscat, he was given the responsibility of Bhajan Co ordinator of a centre in Sadan which he carried on for another 10 years. So, 30 years of his journey in the spiritual path was confined to Karma and then Upasana. Nothing in Jnana so far.

Continued........

Love