We have now reached the concluding verse.
“All this is Atman” – this knowledge has just
been explained in this Ashtakam. It follows from it that:
v
By
hearing this knowledge,
v
by
reflecting upon it,
v
by
meditating on it, and
v
by
reciting it regularly;
The
Benefits gained are:
i) one
attains the glorious state of Self-hood;
ii) along
with it, he gains all the divine glories;
iii) he gains
the world of Eswara Himself;
iv) he
regains his state of perfection;
v) he
manifests the eight fold super natural powers;
vi) he gains all divine opulence without any
obstruction.
This is the final verse of one of the deepest and most compact texts one can get in Vedanta. Its first line, therefore, is perhaps more attention-grabbing than the headlines of the national newspaper. It has to contain something very special. “All this is Atman”. This headline has been chosen by Adi Sankara to conclude this Super-text.
Indeed, the theme of the entire Ashtakam lies in this headline – “All this is Atman!”
The whole of spiritual knowledge is aimed at this realization. The statement is a positive one. But the hint is there that we are so extremely bound in the opposite feeling.
Our ego-centeredness is such that we pay little heed to our Self, and even less to the same Self in others. The true spiritual journey begins by renouncing ego-centredness and ends with attaining Sarvatma Bhava – “All this is Atman!”
“Sarvatma Bhava”, the core essence of Vedanta, is described elaborately in Atma Bodha Post no. 57 in the same blog.
Let us revisit the same. Atma Bodha posts are most significant ones, easy to understand and contemplate. Readers are requested to take up Atma Bodha post, one post a day.
[The perfect Yogi of
Realization and Enlightenment sees “The entire world residing in his own
Self” and regards “The entire world as his own Self”, thus does he behold with
his “eye of wisdom”.]
The Yogi here stands for one who is united with his Self. The identity of Jiva and Paramatman is declared to be Yoga. The Yogi, having attained that state, sees with the “Eye of Wisdom”.
What is this eye? Does it make him see differently from the rest of us?
“Eekshate Jnana Chakshusha” - The Eye of Wisdom Simile
Yes, the Yogi’s enlightened vision is so different from the vision of ignorant souls like us that it is here even said that he has a third eye to behold this unique vision. It is very symbolic. There is no physical eye called the ‘third eye’. It is another of Sankara’s similes to convey to us the idea of an entirely new way of seeing the same world.
Eekshate: which means “sees” also carries with it the sense of seeing effortlessly, implying that he does not behold this world with any sense of strain, anxiety, worry, fear, etc, as we do. What does he behold differently? – Everything. The Eye of Wisdom does not just refer to our vision. It includes all that we perceive through our senses.
All five sense organs of perception are bringing in their reports to the mind. In the case of the enlightened person’s senses, the reports are very straightforward. They are not twisted or slanted according to one’s likes and dislikes. No personal whims influence or bias their reporting. So a Jnani perceives the whole world as it really is from the standpoint of Truth.
What Does the Yogi See?
The Jnani sees the world residing in himself. This is called Sarvatma Bhava. He also sees his own Self as the Self of all. These two statements appear to be contradictory, but they are not so. When we understand that they are spoken from two different standpoints then we can reconcile the apparent contradiction. In Sanskrit there is a term used for such opposite statements. It is Daardyam, meaning “a thing is said in its opposite way to mean the same thing, for the sake of adding emphasis.”
The example here is, “The Jnani see all as his Self, and the Self as all”.
i) The first
statement is from the macrocosmic viewpoint. The Yogi has expanded his
Consciousness to include everything. Thus the whole world appears to him as
Himself. He becomes the common substratum of the whole world and all beings in
it.
ii) The second statement is from the microcosmic viewpoint. The Yogi realizes that he is just one individual like every other individual. Just as God dwells in him, so does He in all others, too. He recognizes that his individuality, as that of all other beings, is a superimposition on the common Reality within all beings.
Dear All,
Both the above affirmations were explained in a session which was given to few sadhakas recently by the Author, taking the example of wave, ocean, bubble and water.
1. SEEING
ALL AS SELF
In an ocean where there are numerous waves, bubble etc. a wave, with the grace of its Acharya / God, comes to realize that it is just nothing but the water, which has never risen, never existed for a short time as a wave nor does it lose its identity at the end.
As clearly explained in the ghost and post, gold and ornament, snake and rope simile in previous posts, up to the point of it Acharya’s entry and His teachings, the wave had considered itself to be just a wave, which had emerged, which had grown and which is now receding and soon meeting its end / death, on reaching the shore.
But with the grace of Guru, it comes to realize that this emerging, sustaining and dying wave is not its real identity.
Even in these 3 processes, IT IS NOTHING BUT JUST WATER.
And, it is WATER THAT PERVADES THE ENTIRE APPARENT OCEAN (The SELF PERVADES THIS APPARENT OCEAN OF SAMSARA / CREATION)
2. SEEING EACH ONE AS SELF, SEEING THE SELF IN ALL
The realization of that wave of its eternal truth as water does not stop there.
Upon realization, when it looks at each and every wave appearing on the ocean, it comes to realize that each and every wave is also nothing but the substratum water.
The entire human beings in this creation, with apparent diversity, with each one having his / her peculiar nature, peculiar shape, peculiar look, peculiar attitude, peculiar likes and dislikes etc. are all not what they appear to be, but in reality, all are THAT ONE SELF!!!!
A sincere reader would appreciate and understand that the second truth given above cannot be experienced unless one has experienced the SELF within him and has subjectively experienced the truth of Upanishads - “ISA VAASYAM IDAGM SARVAM”. Unless one exists verily as SELF, The pure consciousness, it is impossible for him to experience the SELF in people around him!!!
For loving all, one has to experience the SELF within Him first and exist verily as that LOVE himself. Without that, the expressions “LOVING ALL” or “SEEING SWAMI IN ALL” are all at superfluous level and are just mere sounds, without any substance!!!!
Only after experiencing divinity within yourself, can you effortlessly, naturally experience the same divinity in every one around.
The secret here is that you actually do not go about deliberating to experience the divinity in all and loving all.
You exist as a pool / ocean of Love and each and every one coming into contact with you physically or in your thoughts or in whatever way, as though, happily take a dip in you the ocean of Love or Ocean of SELF and absorb your divine existence, just like one gets wet when one enters water!!
The above expression can only be experienced when one exists AS SELF and abides IN SELF. Till that time, these expressions can at best be pleasing to a sincere reader!!
Love.
