Atma Bodha - Post 47

Verse 37

एवं निरन्तराभ्यस्ता ब्रह्मैवास्मीति वासना ।

हरत्यविद्याविक्षेपान् रोगानिव रसायनम् ॥ ३७॥

EVAM NIRANTARA-ABHYASTAA

BRAHMA EVA ASMI ITI VAASANAA

HARATI AVIDYAA-VIKSHEPAAN

ROGAAN IVA RASAAYANAM

[Thus, by constant, endless practice of the thought “I am Brahman”, the impression created destroys ignorance and mental agitations,  just as medicine destroys diseases.]

From verse 25 to 37 we have journeyed from a state of “indiscriminate mixing” productive of the most serious of all blunders in human evolution, to the serene state of infinite peace and purity that transcends all duality.

What a vast ground to have covered! And where did all this take place? In that crucible or laboratory of all thought processes – the human intellect. We have used intellect for its highest purpose: to establish the “I am Brahman” thought as a counter - Vasana in the causal body to eradicate ignorant Vasanas.

For this reason – to perceive the real self, we took the help of Sravanam, Mananam – for first understanding the Nature of our SELF and then for clearly ingraining this understanding in us without an iota of doubt. 

But, this is just the path but not yet the final goal post. We need to do Nidhidhyasanam, a sort of contemplation / Meditation process – on our real nature, for as long as it takes to totally identify with the “Brahman” and dis-identifying with the Anatma. This process started with Vs.31 and is continuing.

“I am the Brahman” is the Key understanding in Nidhidhyasanam.

With “Aham Brahma Asmi” I become the master, I become free of all dualities, I become the eternal, supreme Consciousness bliss. My responses to worldly situations will become infinitely better.

My avidya and its related vaasanas are totally destroyed and will fail to have even an iota of influence on me. This is the biggest advantage I get from Nidhidhyasanam even for my worldly life.

The Nyaya of “Roganiva Rasayanam”: Medicine Destroys Diseases

The medicine that destroys the most widespread of diseases that perplexes humanity - IGNORANCE. To produce a medical cure takes a long time. Much research is needed to analyze information as well as various chemical processes. 

To then produce the medicine requires more laborious effort, trying to get the best conditions to carry out the chemistry needed to produce it.

Thus this simile fits excellently in describing the laborious effort or Abhyasa that we need to put in to bring us to the threshold of spiritual illumination. 

Since the disease here is of the nature of ignorance, the cure produced is of the nature of knowledge. Knowledge is the only antidote for ignorance, even as medicine is the only cure for disease.

The knowledge is obtained from hearing it, no doubt, but much else goes into it from that point onward in overcoming doubts, and undergoing further purification in thinning out the strength of old impressions that contradict this knowledge. Vedantic Cure Compared With Other Cures This work is well and aptly represented by the medicine analogy.

One can use a medicine that will just get rid of the symptoms of the disease; this gives temporary relief from the disease. Then one can get a medicine that goes to the root of the disease and “roots it out”. 

This may take longer, but it is more effective in the long run. Similarly, in the comparison with a spiritual cure, the Vedantic medicine goes to the very root of all diseases, namely, ignorance or Avidya itself.

Love.