Verse 30
निषिध्य
निखिलोपाधीन्नेति नेतीति वाक्यतः ।
विद्यादैक्यं
महावाक्यैर्जीवात्मपरमात्मनोः ॥ ३०॥
NISHIDHYA NIKHILA-UPAADHEEN
NA ITI, NA ITI” ITI VAAKYATAH
VIDYAAT AIKYAM MAHAA-VAAKYAIH
JEEV-AATMA PARAM-AATMANOH
(By the process of negation of all
conditionings as per the scriptural statement “Not this, not
this”, know the oneness proclaimed by the Mahavakya, “The individual soul is
the Supreme Soul”.)
In this verse the
central objective of all our Sadhana is highlighted. “Neti-Neti” refers to the
negation of all the Upadhis which keep us separated from our identity with our
true Self. This negation process is a Sadhana of discrimination, done within
the intellect.
By seeing the
defects at each level of existence, the intellect rejects the ‘falseness’ level
by level. This is done at two major levels, the individual level and the
cosmic level, the microcosm and the macrocosm.
This is the
philosophical term given to the human predicament. It means “the Self is veiled
by Ignorance”. Another term used is “Ajnana Upahita Chaitanyam” which means
“the Self is conditioned by Ignorance.” The word Upahita is connected with
Upadhi. Upadhi is that which conditions, whilst Upahita is that which is
conditioned.
The perennial
problem for us is that Jiva always goes along with both Atma and Anaatma.
We always
experience:
(1) Original Consciousness
(2) Reflected Consciousness
(Chidhabhasa) and
(3) Gross, Subtle
and Causal Bodies simultaneously.
When I experience
the ‘I’, there is always a false transference of the limitations and attributes
of the Sareera Thrayam to the Original Consciousness.
These limitations
and attributes of Anaatma must be clearly understood to be those of the Sareera
Thrayam / Anaatma and not those of the Original Consciousness, the real I.
There is no new
experience in this but a clarity of understanding. How is this to be done?
This process of negation
of the impermanent step by step is eulogized by the great sages as
an effective method to arrive at the ultimate Self / ultimate Truth.
We must negate
each of the Upaadhis and each of the limitations of these Upaadhis,
dis-identifying from them step by step but completely. This process is called
“neti, neti, neti..” meaning “not this, not this, not this…”.
I am not this. I
am not this. I am not this. I must negate this way, all that is impermanent,
and all that is not ‘I’.
By removing all
that which conditions the Self and renders it as the conditioned self or Jiva,
the latter is restored to its original pristine pure state. This is the realized
state or the enlightened state.
As the reader can realize, Adi Sankara is leading us from a
detailed analysis of Anaatma and Atma to the difficulties in identifying with
Atma and from there, to the effective processes of arriving at the oneness of
Jivatma and Paramatma – in other words, towards Nischaya Jnanam.
Love.
PS - Exactly the
same essence of negating the Anatma , all that is unreal and thus reaching that
which is Atma / Eternal truth, was given by the author through a session to few
sadhakas couple of weeks before, taking the famous line of Sankara:
"Brahma Satyam,
Jagath Mithya,
Jivoh Brahmaiva naParah"
Love.
