Faith, devotion and the practice of meditation these are mentioned in the songs of Sruti as the chief factors that help a seeker to attain Liberation. Whoever pursues these is liberated from the bondage of the body which is a projection mysteriously accomplished by his spiritual ignorance.
The technique of vichara has been exhaustively analyzed and insisted upon. The power to do vichara is the very fuel which helps the spiritual vehicle to maintain its motion and what constitutes vichara has also been explained. Here we are told of the practices we must follow, strictly and sincerely, so that our capacity to do vichara may be increased and the vicara itself be rendered most efficient.
In Kaivalya Upanishad, the student Asvalayana approaches the teacher Brahma and asks for this knowledge. And there Brahmāji straightaway starts his teaching by saying Sraddhaḥ bhakthi dhyana yogadavaih.
That Sraddha bhakthi dhyana yoga of Kaivalya Upaṇiṣad, Sankara quotes here; that these three are the means of knowledge.
Kaivalya upanishad says these three are the means of liberation; for whom? mumukshoh; for a seeker of liberation.
Sraddha yoga refers to Sravanam; and why is Sravanam called Sraddha yoga?; because Sravanam requires faith in guru and Sastra. Without faith in the scriptures; without faith in the guru; a person cannot come to a teacher for learning. Therefore, Sravanam should be supported by Sraddhah.
Next is Bhakti Yogah. In the context of this verse, we must not identify bhakti with the meaning which we, in our ignorance, have given it. It is to be rightly understood as our identification with our concept of our Ideal.
Suppose I have got reverence to the scriptures; what will be my approach? I would never say scriptures are irrational; unscientific or illogical; I say that I have not grasped its essence properly. The problem does not lie in the scriptures, the problem lies in my attitude and therefore what do I do; again enquire and again the same problem; again enquire; how long; until I understand it properly and when I understand properly; it will not be irrational at all; it will not be illogical at all; until then I have to continue.
This reverential attitude of questioning my understanding rather than scriptural validity is called pramaṇika buddhi. Acceptance of the validity of scriptures. This is the Bhakti referred in this verse.
When thus we are truly aided by faith and devotion, we are able to meditate properly and through meditation, we come to realise our true nature.
And then comes the last one; dhyana yogah; which is known as nidhidhyasanam; Sraddhah yōgaḥ is equal to śravaṇam; bhakthi yogaḥ is equal to mananam in this context and dhyana yogaḥ means nidhidhyāsanam.
So therefore, these three-fold jnana yogah, Kaivalya upanishad presents as a means of moksha.
Moksha is from what; avidya kalpita deha bandhat; freedom from physical bondages or limitations and how have we got these shackles?
Because purely projected by ignorance, because purely projected by ignorance; that means I am a physical entity; as long as I am identified with physical body.
I have to understand that the physical limitations belongs to physical body, I am not limited by the physical body. How do you prove; in dream, when I am no more identified with the body; I no longer feel physical limitation.
In sleep I am not identified with the body, I am a conscious entity, without feeling any physical limitation. Therefore physical limitations are incidentally felt; in jagrat and svapna, and they are dropped in sushupti. Whatever is incidental is not my intrinsic nature.
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