Vivekachudamani-Post 81

The deer, the elephant, the moth, the fish and the honeybee - these five are annihilated because of their slavery to one or the other of the senses such as sound and so on, through their own attachment. What then is the condition of a man who is attached to all these five? (76)

We are now discussing how attachment to the senses bind, enslave and destroy the peace of mind and freedom of true living. At this moment Sankara very appropriately, reminds us of the various examples provided by nature where certain species meet their death due to extreme attachment to one or the other of the five senses. 

The deer is always fascinated by melodious sound and the deer hunter sings to charm the deer. Attracted by the melody of sound, the deer has no awareness of the danger it is in and turns in the direction of the music, the hunter soon makes it his target. Therefore kuranga stands for sabda asa.

The elephants, especially in the mating season, become extremely attached to the sense of touch, rubbing against each other and walking without caution, they fall into the pits got ready to  catch them.  Therefore, elephant stands for sparsa asa, weakness for skin.

The moth is enchanted by form and attracted by the brilliance of the flame. It flutters towards it with an agonizing impatience and gets burnt. What we are taking advantage of is its weakness for bright light/lamp. Therefore rupa asa or rupa ragah.

The fish, ravenously hungry at all times, in its gluttony, swallows the bait, is caught and thus meets  its end in the stomach of fish-eaters. And therefore, minam has got rasa asa, or rasa ragaḥ. 

And then finally bhr̥ngaḥ vandu, the honey bee;  it t is attracted by the smell of the flowers; and because of that it is captured by certain flowers; it closes during the night; when it is attracted, especially in the evening time; goes and sits there; and the flower closes and it gets trapped and the commentator says, 

Again we do not know, we have to verify; that certain strong smell, like the smell of champaka flower that is so strong; that the bee will die because of the intensity of the smell; that the smell itself directly destroys that insect. Again, it has got what? gandha asa or gandah raga.

And therefore, each one of these animals dies because of its bondage caused by one guna; sabda guna; sparsa guna; rupa guna; rasa guna or gandha guna; that is said in the first line. pancha pancatvamapuh; 

Pancha means these five animals; so these above mentioned five animals; pancatvamapuḥ; gets destroyed; they perish; because of what? svagunena baddhaḥ; and bound by their own weakness for one one guna only. 

Now come to the fourth line, panchabhirancitaḥ kim; what to talk of the human being who has got all the five weakness? So ancitaḥ, ancitaḥ means associated with the panja asas. The five-fold attachment.

And this is not his mistake. Remember, this is not his mistake; these are all five natural instinctive weaknesses. So we have this weakness we need not feel guilty about their presence; the arrival is not because of it; it is instinctive. We are to be blamed if we are going to keep that weakness going. So therefore, perpetuation of the weakness is the mistake; the presence of the weakness is not our mistake.

If the weakness is there; we need not feel guilty; but we allow them to continue; we have to feel the guilt. Therefore, the presence is not weakness; perpetuation is the weakness. More in the next class.

When a man of ignorance, having neither discrimination nor detachment, vulgarly runs after sense objects for his temporary nerve tickling, he becomes a sad victim of his delusion and meets a calamitous end for he has allowed himself to be bound by the five strong ropes.

Love

 

Vivekachudamani- Post 80

Having united with parts of one other, they become gross and become the cause for the formation of the gross body. Their subtle essence constitutes the sense objects, five in number such as sound and so on, which contribute to the enjoyment of the experiencer, the individual ego.(74)

Tanmatra/ Panchikarana etc. are adequately described in the posts under the theme Tatwa Bodha. Readers are requested to go through the relevant posts in Tatwa Bodha for better understanding of  these terms.

75. Those thoughtless ones who are bound to these sense objects by the stout ropes of attachment, so very difficult to cut asunder, come and go, carried up and down by the compelling force of the convoy of the reactions of their own past actions. 

A samsarin is under the persecution of sense objects  because of his attachment to them. These attachments are so strong  that they become almost unbreakable. Thus bound to the gross, the ego ekes out its experiences and yearns for more. 

Every moment, it perpetrates endless activities each providing its own reactions to be enjoyed or suffered by the same ego. Thus repeatedly, the same ego visits different fields of activities and in a variety of environments. 

It again and again enters and leaves the arena of existence, reaping its reaction and sowing new seeds through desire prompted activities, which in their turn, compel it to come again to reap the fruits of the new harvest. 

Sankara says mudah; majority of humanity is mudah. So totally deluded; they think their physical body themselves; this is the first attachment. This is to their own physical body; by which they become a physicalized personality. 

Even their emotional and intellectual personality are forgotten; they reduce themselves to a physical personality; and through this physical attachment; it is extended to all other attachments.

Attachment to my body is called ahamkara; attachment to the world is called mamakara. Ahamkara mamakara moha, makes a person mudah; 

ya esu mudha viṣayesu baddha; they have lost their freedom; they are imprisoned by various sense objects.

When the reactions of the past actions tend neither towards  too much enjoyment nor too much suffering, that is, they are  almost equibalanced, then such an egocentre, with its slightly  predominant tendencies to be either good or bad, presents itself  in a human form. 

Thus a chance is given to everyone to consciously move either  up or down, or towards the infinite freedom of pure godhood.  Spiritual endeavour however, is possible neither in the heavenly  planes of experiences indicated by the term 'up' nor in the fields of sorrows covered by the term 'down'. 

Each of us comes to gain the required field, appropriate  and forming a perfectly logical sequence with the motives, thoughts  and desires entertained in the past. Guided by the very instincts  created in us as a result of our past karmas, that is, ordered by our  own karmaduta, we reach our destinations sought by ourselves. They are nothing but frozen past intentions now beginning to thaw.

Love

Vivekachudamani-Post 79

This body, the seat of delusion, expressing in terms of'T and 'mine', is termed by reputed sages as the gross body. Sky, air, fire, water and earth are the subtle elements. (73)

In these  verses, Sankara describes the gross body. In biology, we frequently find that an organ is discussed by describing its anatomy by an explanation of its cross-sections. 

This method does not seem unfamiliar to our ancient tradition, since it is used quite freely and liberally even in the realm of philosophy, when a philosopher  explains such subtle things as the 'layers' of a human being. Sankara  too, makes free use of this technique of explaining through a cross- section examination. In verse 72 we have a beautiful description,  layer by layer, of a cross-section of the physical body. 

Let us examine the contents of the body by studying the  transverse section of, say, the upper arm. Therein, we shall find  at its centre, a pulpy white matter called the marrow (majja), bone  (asthi) and still external, a layer of fat (medah), enveloped by the flesh (pala). 

On the outer layers of the flesh are conspicuously the blood (rakta) vessels and all these are packed beautifully with two layers of skin of which the inner cream coloured tissue is called the dermis (carma) and the outer thicker layer which we see is called the epidermis (tvak). 

These seven items then form the bulk of the  body in a transverse section of any part of it. 

Light which is not seen anywhere, which is experienced upon the hand, because of the reflecting medium; because the hand reflects the light, there is a confusion that the light is located in the hand only; it has got the limitations. 

So the limitless light, is seemingly limited, because of the reflecting medium. Therefore, the reflected medium is the cause of confusion. What confusion? 

The seeming limitation; the imprisonment of the light; the seeming limitations of light is caused by the hand; hand does not do any job. Because the hand reflects the light; what mistake we commit? 

The light is only here; I do not see the light there; I see the light here; etc. Similarly, the all-pervading consciousness which expresses in the body is seemingly confined to the body because of what? The limitations of the body.

Instead of claiming that I am the all- pervading consciousness, now I claim I am an individual human being. And this is called the basic confusion because, once I claim individuality, then there afterwards all other attributes comes; 

We also say that I am so many years old, I am dark, lean, I am male, female etc. and then there afterwards further extension this is my father, my mother, all stories come; and therefore Sankara says moha aspadam; which is the root cause of all delusions. 

I question the very consciousness itself. What a tragedy has happened? Now I question the very consciousness itself. That question is raised because of the body only.

And how does it create delusion? aham mama iti prathitam; by making itself available for two types of notion; by making itself available for two types of notions; ahamkara  and mamakara. Ahamkara  means I-notion; mamakara is my-notion. 

The five great elements are described as first created in their  subtle form and then through a process of combinations among  themselves, they become the gross elements which we are able to perceive with our sense organs. The process by which the subtle elements become the perceivable gross element is described in the next verse. 

Love

Patanjali Yoga Sutra- 2-42

 Dear All,

A talk on yoga sutra. chapter 2-42 is shared below.

The Sutra  is :-

संतोषादनुत्तमसुखलाभः ॥ २.४२ ॥ saṃtoṣādanuttamasukhalābhaḥ || 2.42 || (From contentment unsurpassed happiness is gained.)

Please listen and contemplate

Love

Vivekachudamani Post 78

Composed of the seven ingredients - marrow, bones, fat, flesh, blood, dermis and epidermis - and consisting of the following parts - legs, thighs, chest, arms, back and the head . (72)

Here alone we can say Vivekachudamani  begins from this verse alone. All the previous slōkas are preparatory slōkas. What are the seven questions, do you remember?

ko nama bandhah kathamesa agataḥ katham pratisṭhasya katham vimokṣaḥ |

ko: 'savanatma paramah ka atma tayorvivekaḥ kathametaducyatam

These are the seven questions. Sankara does not answer them in the same order as the student asks.

He rearranges the order for our convenience and of the seven questions, the first question he takes up for answering is kaha anatma; what is anatma? What is matter? And he is going to present the anatma as sarira trayam; the three bodies; the physical body, the subtle body and the causal body.

Whether the physical body I am; whether the physical body also is matter ?, there alone confusion comes.

Similarly, what about mind? For many people, mind is conscious principle. That is why they say: Mind and Matter. They think that mind is something different from matter, mind is conscious entity, they think. Sankara  with the help of Upanishads  wants to shows that mind or Sukshma Sariram is also matter. And finally, karana Sariram, which is nothing but all of them in seed form before big bang. 

Before all of them appeared they must be in potential form; because matter can never be created or destroyed; therefore they must be in the subtle most form; that is called Karanam Sariram. 

These three Sariram  come under anatma. If all these three are called anatma or matter; what about atma? He wants to show that the Atma the conscious principle is distinct from all these.

Now what is the physical body? He says it is a bundle of various parts or various limbs; which is called in ayurveda  sastram; as datavaḥ; or datuḥ; so every ingredient of the body is called datuḥ; and all these ingredients put together is the sariram  

Now what is the division of our traditional śāstra? He says Majjaa asthi, medaha, phala, raktha, charma, tvak; seven dātuhs are there. And that is why in Nirvana shatakam, , He says,  na va sapta dātuḥ; na va pancha koshaḥ; na vaak paani padau, na cha upastha akasahu; 

In meditation he says; I am not these sapta dātus; I am not the epidermis, dermis; endodermis and not this hormone and all those things; they are all matter; I am the consciousness which enlivens all of them. There the word used is sapta dātuḥ; you will be wondering what are the sapta datuhu. 

For that you will get the answer in this sloka; 

majjaa; majja means marrow; bone marrow is called majja. 

asthi means bone; 

medhaha means fat; 

phalam means muscle or flesh; 

raktam you know raktam means blood; 

charma means outer skin; and 

Tvak is inner skin. 

So second type of division, which is a layman's division. What is that; pāda, ooru; vakṣa, bhuja, priṣṭa; mastakaiḥ; the external division, you can understand: pada means feet; uru means thigh; vakṣaḥ means chest; bhujam means the shoulders; prisṭam means back; mustakam means head. 

So anga means various limbs. So various limps consisting of leg, thighs, etc. and various ingredients consisting of bone marrow blood etc. this is a bundle of flesh, bundle of blood, bundle of bones; bundle of chemicals, is the physical body. 

The significance of ecplaining the gross body in such detail  is this: that the scriptures have defined consciousness as division less, which is the atma; whereas we are evidently experiencing the body as full of divisions. Therefore, indirectly Sanakra  is asking the question, how can the body full of divisions be the atma, which is free from all divisions? 

How can the decisioned-body; or the divided-body be the undivided- consciousness? This is indirect question which is kept in the mind. 

Love

Vivekachudamani-Post 77

Now I am going to describe the discrimination between the Self and  the not-Self most elaborately. It is what you ought to know. Listen to it  properly and receive it well in your mind. (71)

Earlier the student had asked the Master about the discrimination between the Self and the not-Self (verse - 49). This verse onwards,  Sankara gives an elaborate description of the various layers of matter envelopments which together constitute the not-Self, identifying with which the Self behaves as though it is limited,  bound and conditioned to suffer as the samsarin. 

A mere repetition that, 'viveka' means 'discrimination' between the Self and the not-Self will not in itself be very helpful to a seeker unless he is able to realize the exact meaning of the Self as contrasted with the  perceived world of plurality. 

Here Sankara introduces the topic which is going to start from the next verse onwards. For that he gives the introduction; atma anatma vivecanam boddhavyam. So, among the seven questions that the student has asked, the main topic is atma- anatma vivecanam. 

So, discriminating between atma and anatma; matter and consciousness; this discrimination is that job. It is required because matter and consciousness are together; we are not able to separate them physically, we are not able to separate them experientially; even science has not succeeded in separating matter and consciousness. 

That is why, what is the nature of consciousness is a mystery for science even now. So many theories are there. 

Therefore, all our conclusions regarding consciousness are not science based; because science has not yet arrived at; it is not perception-based; perceptually we are not able to separate; they are all based on what? The scriptural data based.

And therefore Sankara says based on the upanishad, we are going to deal with the matter-consciousness separation; atma-anatma vivecanam boddhavyam; has to be known; idanim tava; right now that is going to be our task; tava, for you and tat maya samyak ucyate; that is going to be very clearly presented by me for you; 

I am going to very clearly present this division between these two and srutva, may you listen very carefully; and having listened; avadharaya; may you ascertain in your mind; it should not be my knowledge; it should not be scriptural knowledge; it should be your knowledge. So avadharanam means niscayah jnanam. 

The Acharya stresses the importance of this theme of discussion by saying that each student should not just listen but  must come through a process of independent, discriminative self-  analysis, to a firm conviction of the Truth of what is discussed hereunder. 

Love

Talk on bhajan “ Sai Sathya Palana “

 Dear All ,

Here is a talk on a bhajan “ Sai Sathya Palana “

Listen n contemplate 

Love 

Vivekachudamani-Post 76

 

Thereafter comes 'hearing', then reflection on what has been heard  and lastly, long, constant and continuous meditation on the Truth for the Muni. Ultimately, that learned one attains the supreme nirvikalpa  state and realizes the bliss of Nirvana in this very life. (70)

Sankara has already started an enumeration of the various  techniques to be followed by a person on his march towards  realising the eternal freedom of the soul. In this sloka, the Acharya  is outlining the different stages of practices which one must follow,  when one has renounced all pursuits of ego prompted, desire  ridden activities contributing to a life of sensuousness. 

An individual who has enough detachment from the enjoyment of finite objects, who has cultivated the four great  qualities and who has renounced all self-motivated activities, is fit for the process called in Vedanta 'hearing' the scriptures.  

It is imperative, that one must 'listen' to the exposition of  at least one scriptural text from a true Teacher. In this transaction  of wisdom, the Master also uses but finite words to explain the  Absolute, there is no magic formula involved. 

Therefore, the  student must be fully tuned to the Teacher so that the latter's  experiences may, in resonance, be amplified and conveyed to echo  in the heart chambers of the student. 

This 'listening' to the discourses (sravana), is to be followed  by inner arguments and final assimilation by the intellect in a  process called 'reflection' (manana), by which alone the ideas  in the text can become the student's own philosophy. 

Even  this intellectual conviction is not sufficient, for Vedanta seeks  a fulfilment not in merely propounding a theory to explain the  happenings of the world and the destinies of mankind but to lift  man to the highest pinnacle of evolution of cultural purity, so  that he may thereafter revel as a God-man on earth. 

Therefore, a person must attain Truth through a process of rediscovery of his real Self by detaching himself from his wrong and false identifications with the matter. This technique  of detaching oneself from the false, and rediscovering one’s identity with the Self through disciplined currents of constant thought flow is called 'meditation' (dhyana). 

Moksa condition is possible in two stages, just as  before sleep, there is a period of dozing followed by the deep sleep  state. During dozing, we are conscious that we are 'going to sleep' and that our conceptions and perceptions of the outer world are  slowly and steadily becoming obscure. But the deep sleep state  is a period when we are neither conscious of the outer world nor  even of ourselves. 

Similarly, in meditation also there is a hazy period of  awareness, wherein we are conscious of ourselves nearing the Transcendental and that state of samadhi where there is still  a vestige of the ego is called 'savikalpa samadhi'. 

The egoless moment where the subject alone is, revelling in its own glory when the yogi experiences the infinite bliss of pure Existence, that state  is called 'nirvikalpa samadhi'. 

Tataḥ vidvan avikalpam parametya vidvan; 

tatah; thereafter; thereafter means sravana, manana nidhidhyasa anantharam; as a consequence of these three, vidvan etya, that intelligent person, that discriminative person attains jivan mukthi. And what is that jivan muktiḥ? 

Param; param means the ultimate, that is Brahman or Reality; Param means Brahman, param brahma etya. He attains param brahma. And what type of param brahma? Free from division; what type of division? Subject-object instrument division.

How does he attain division-less-ness? He understands that division belongs to the matter. Division belongs to matter. It does not belong to consciousness. Division belongs to matter; division does not belong to consciousness. 

And that division less consciousness I am. Therefore, I am space-like division less consciousness; in which consciousness all the divisions of matter are floating.

This is the experience of godhood  and after this Isvara darsana, there is no falling back into the  values and impulses of the lower, worldly life anymore. 

He insists that a Muni experiences the bliss of Nirvana even here and now. Muni in Sanskrit, in its etymological meaning, has an import equivalent to 'a man of discriminative reflection'. 

Love

vIvekachudamani- Post 75

 

For Liberation, first comes extreme detachment from finite objects of sensual satisfaction. Then follow calmness, self-control, forbearance and complete renunciation of all selfish actions. (69) 

This is a text which not only expounds Vedanta but is also full of practical instructions to a real seeker who wishes to be fully established on the path of spirituality and maintain his progress in his programme of self-development. 

Any true seeker will be impatient, not only to understand the nature of Liberation but also to get a detailed discussion on the specific cause and conditions under which final Liberation from the pains of mortality and the  sorrows of finitude can be had. Here the Acharya enumerates the conditions of the mind in which the true wisdom can blaze forth. 

In this sloka, Sankara emphasises the acquisition of the four-fold qualifications as the first stage, because to pursue moksha, one should have a value for moksha . 

The first goal is discovering that the moksha is the only goal; once you have discovered that fact, the next goal is moksha; therefore knowing the importance of moksha  is the first goal; then pursuit of moksha is the next goal. 

Among the four fold qualifications, the capacity to be completely detached from the craving for things known to be finite and perishable is considered most important. 

A discriminative intellect (viveka) can grow and fulfil itself only when there is full detachment (vairagya). Without developing sufficient disinterest in the acquisition, possession and enjoyment of the sense objects of the world, we cannot enter the portals of true wisdom. 

When we become acutely conscious of the finite and impermanent nature of the world of objects, our minds, which are always a thirst for stability, continuity and perfection,  will immediately be repelled from their usual playgrounds, the by-lanes of sensuousness, where we spend a large amount of our vital energy every day. 

Even though you are a gr̥ahastha, even though lot of duties are there; if you remove all your other actions, you are as good as a sanyasi. 

Tatva Bodhaḥ says: "svadharma anushtanam eva uparathi." 

And in Gita also Bhagavān says "Anastritha karma phalam karyam karma karothiyaḥ, sa sanyāsi cha yōgi cha, na niraghnir nacha kriyaḥ". 

So a grhastha is also a sanyasi, if he is able to allocate time for spiritual pursuit . And, such a sanyasa is called uparathi.

Then some more qualifications Sankara said before;. samo, dama; uparama thithiksha; sraddha and samadhanam; and later mumukshatvam; all of them he enumerated before; that we have to remember in this context. In short, sadhana chatustayam acquisition.

Love

Vivekachudamani- Post 74

 

Listen attentively, O learned one! to what I shall now tell you .Listening to it, you shall immediately gain a thorough Liberation from  the bondages of samsara. (68)

The Acharya gives the student full assurance that if he listens attentively and looks for the subtle meaning in the words of the Teacher, he shall attain a sense of complete fulfillment in life. 

We must understand that the word, 'listening' is used here in a sense much more ample and accommodative than its  dictionary meaning. 

From what you have been told so far, you know how essential it is for a student to be completely attuned to the Master. The student already has, through a process of self-discipline, made his inner kingdom clean and peaceful, wherein he stands in all  devotion and meekness, receptivity and alertness. When he 'listens’ to the inspired words of the Master, full of subtle suggestions, he within himself, starts living the unworded implications coursing  through the words. 

avahitah sr̥ ṇusva; avahitaḥ means with attention; derived from the root avaha; avadhānam means attention; care, alertness is called avadhānam; from that only the word sāvadhānam has come. sa avadhānam means what; with alterness. avahitaḥ is the adjectival form; participal form; with attention; ṇuṣva; may you listen to.

A student, thus prepared, when he comes to 'hear' a discourse  from the Master, not only hears the words but spiritually lives the  Truth; this is called 'listening'. 

He Vidvan; so here the teacher is addressing the student as He Vidvān; Oh learned person, because the student seems to know a lot of things, he seems to have thought a lot more; because his questions are very very precise. Therefore Oh learned informed student; listen very carefully. To what? yanmayā samudīryatē; what is being taught by me. So listen to carefully to what is being taught by me.

So yetat sravaṇat; by listening to my teaching, you will be liberated from what? bhava bandāt; from the bondage or shackles of saṁsāra. And how long it will take? here the teacher makes a point; if you are very alert, even at the end of the teaching itself, you can discover the freedom. You do not even require a separate effort, if you are very alert and qualified; very śravaṇam itself; if it is done consistently and systematically, for a length of time, then the śravaṇam itself can give freedom.

In Vedanta it is a scriptural discussion between a saint  of inner experience and a student of inner purity. It is a Guru-  sisya samvada and the experience of Reality which is the theme  of discussion is brought within the experience of the student,  immediately and instantaneously, if the student is ready to  receive it. 

Therefore, Sankara is perfectly orthodox when he declares that the disciple shall experience Liberation if only he  knows the 'art of listening' to the spiritual voice that sings through  the Master's words.

Love

Satsangh - Devotion for God

 Dear All ,

The final edited version of “ Devotion for God “ satsangh is shared below 

Kindly listen , contemplate 

Love 

JDW - Satsangh Talk- "Devotion for God"

Dear All,

A satsangh talk on " devotion for God" is coming up on coming Saturday, Oman time 7 AM, India time 8.30 AM

This is a milestone session by itself

Kindly attend online

Love

Nothing happens without the will of God

 Dear All 

An important satsangh talk on “ nothing happens without  God’s will 

A must watch talk by any sincere bhakta 

Love 

Vivekachudamani-Post 73

The questions which you raised today are excellent , accepted by those  well versed in the sastras , aphoristic, full of hidden meaning and such  that they are fit to be known by all seekers.(67) 

When the student asked his questions (as stated in verse - 49), the Teacher, instead of replying directly and immediately, indulged in a long and exhaustive discourse upon the futility of mere discussion if it were not accompanied by an all out enthusiastic  effort at straightening oneself from one's inner deformities. 

This was no idle digression on the part of the Teacher but it expressed  his deep concern that his disciple should not misunderstand and  misuse the freedom given to him to ask questions to get his doubts  cleared. There are always in society, a set of wise looking foolish  disciples who misuse the freedom given to them and abuse the  privilege of discussing with their Teacher. 

The most important thing for a student to know is to give point-blank question. And that is what the student has done here; sutra sutraprayaḥ; the shortest number of words the question is presented; then it means the thinking is very clear. Therefore your question is like that. Sutra prayaḥ; then niguḍharthaḥ; it is very significant and that is why each question requires long answers. 

The question is raised in one verse; and that is the 49th verse; and the answer is given from verse No.50 to the end of   this treatise. That means it is not a question; it requires one line answer, but it requires elaboration. 

So they are pregnant questions; significant questions; pithy questions; and therefore niguḍharthaḥ; very significant and not only that; jnatavyah cha; mumukshubhi. The answers are relevant not only for you; but the answers are relevant to all the seekers, which can be dealt with in public. 

In this verse, the Master once again, compliments the student  on the intelligence of his questions and the beauty and precision  that graces the very form in which they are framed. The glories  that are enumerated here by the Guru are the perfections that come  about, when a chiselled thought is packed in appropriate language  and offered at the feet of true wisdom. 

When a true disciple reaches  his Master's feet, he feels so choked with admiration, reverence,  devotion and love for him that he dares not disturb the divine  atmosphere of tranquillity around the Teacher with thoughtless  blabbering and empty talk. 

A fit student has got his ideas crystallised and after logical  self-analysis, has come across certain insurmountable obstacles  for the removal of which he has approached the Teacher. Since  the doubt was really felt and thoroughly digested by him, the  student could present it in the fewest number of words, indicating  at once the logic of his thought. 

If on a dark night you fall into a wayside well, indeed, your  condition is unenviable. You are extremely anxious to extricate  yourself from the situation. At this moment, you hear approaching  footsteps and you cry out for help. 

Save me, O! please save me. Help me, save me, save me.' Any  other cry will be unnatural. Similarly, when a student who has  understood that in the darkness of ignorance he has fallen into a  dry well of limitations and sorrows, when he sees the Master, he  will have no stories to tell, no idle discussion to indulge in. His  one heart-rending cry is 'Save me, O Master! save me'. 

Sankara, through his compliments to the disciple, is advising  generations of seekers not to be too wordy when they approach a  Master. This does not take away from us our liberty to talk to the  Master in our attempt to evaluate him. 

Sankara only means that  having accepted him as your Teacher, when you approach him for  correct initiation into the subtle truths of Vedanta, you should not  destroy the sanctity of the atmosphere by an exhibition of your  knowledge or sentiments. 

The questions asked by the student were all couched in a  precise aphoristic style, indicative of his independent attempts  at understanding the preliminary thoughts in the philosophy.  These questions pregnant with secret thoughts, are not obvious  in their literal word meanings. 

 These topics are of interest only to those who wish to get  away from their limitations, to experience the essential freedom of their own pure nature as the Self.

Love

Yoga sutra1-2

 Dear All ,

This talk is on the yoga sutra chapter 1- verse 2 

The verse n its translation can be seen in the above thumbnail 

Love

Siva Rahasya - Part 1

 Dear All

Talks on one of the ancient and most sacred treatise - Siva Rahasya , is being shared part by part 

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Patanjali Yoga Sutra- chapter 1 sutra 23

 Dear All,

Description of yoga sutras in fewer words and this verse is given in the description in the YouTube shared with you all.

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Vivekachudamani- post 72

Therefore, an intelligent seeker should , as in the case of illness and  so on , strive hard by all the means at his disposal to be free from the  bondage of births and deaths. (66)

The ideas in the preceding ten verses are now being concluded with  this eleventh sloka. Naturally the term 'therefore' with which this verse opens, is a sequel to all the reasons shown and explained in  the previous verses. 

In verse 56, Sankara started this discussion. All through, he has emphasized that self-effort is essential and said that, compared to it, mere sastras studies and the capacity to discourse upon them were not sufficient. 

Because of these reasons, it can be logically understood that each seeker must, for himself, strive with all sincerity and regularity in the right direction, so that he may come to realize in himself the eternal godhood of his spiritual nature. 

The simile used in this verse  is very significant. Like a sick patient, we are to consider ourselves as infected with the microbes of ignorance. 

Health is the real nature of all living beings. Illness is the unnatural condition of the body, when it has, for reasons known or unknown, fallen away from its essential health. 

Therefore, health is not to be created, but all our efforts should be to remove the causes that created the disease. A body rid of its disease germs comes to manifest full health and vigour. 

Similarly, ignorance creates in us all the maladjustments through which spiritual dynamism, divine glory and supreme perfection are veiled from us. 

In the case of disease medicine cannot be consumed by even the nearest or dearest ones; it has to be consumed by the sick person alone; in the same way, guru cannot help; sastram cannot help, even Bhagawan cannot help. They can all support you; but you must do, you alone have to do.

In one corner and samsara also will remain. There will be a peculiar co-existence of scriptural study and samsara. Even though they should not co-exist, they will co-exist because we have not put forth any effort to assimilate it. And therefore, he says: sarvaprayatnena; with all your sincerity, wholeheartedness, yatnah kartavyo; effort must be put forth. Wholeheartedly means I should give quality time; 

Sankara emphasizes svena eva; by oneself alone; for what purposes? Bhava banda vimuktaye; for freedom from the bondage of samsara, which expresses in the form of sorrow; which expresses in the form of anxiety; insecurity; fear; anger, depression.

Even intellectual problems. Intellectual problem is the basic question: why am I born? Why should the Lord create the universe? If the Lord is Omniscient and Omnipotent; why can't he create a wonderful universe? 

All the above questions can afflict a person; that is intellectual bondage.  All put together is called bhava bandaḥ. And vimuktih means removal. So, for this removal of bhava banda, effort should be put forth by oneself alone.

The teacher through the student is giving a general advice to all the seekers or all the people. Tasmat. Therefore, therefore means even though moksha is your very nature you need not get it from outside, but still the nature you have to own up; this requires your initiative

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Vivekachudamani-Post 71

 

Verse 65 continued....

Brahmavidopadesa; the first stage is bramavidya upadesah. So a trustworthy guru has to convince me through his teaching that he is in Me; security is in Me, he has to convince; this process is called bramavidya upadesaḥ; otherwise called śravaṇam. On the part of the teacher it is upadesah; on the part of the student, it is śravaṇam.

And after receiving the teaching from the teacher, and what is the next stage, mananam; I should touch my heart and ask, am I convinced that I am free here and now; and mind will never say Yes; it will come up with so many excuses.

I should understand that atma, anatmanayoho itareshaḥ adyasaha is the problem; and thus,  each knot, I have to unwind. 

Then finally dhyanadhibihi; dhyanam means nidhidhyasanam; nidhidhyasanam is not thinking process; the difference between mananam and nidhidhyasanam; in mananam, logical thinking is involved; rationalization is involved; in nidhidhyasanam; there is no rationalization. No thinking is involved. Then what? It is seeing the fact or remaining in the fact for a length of time.

In other words, in the spiritual treasure hunt, the endeavor of digging is  made with the pickaxe of thought and the spade of discrimination.  

With these, we remove the earth - the attachments with the body, mind and intellect, which are the effects of the ignorance of the  Self. Avidya creates in us various misunderstandings and it is these agitations of the mind and negative thought veilings of the  intellect that conceal the Treasure Divine, the Self. These can be removed by reflection and meditation. 

Faithful to his arguments, honest in his convictions and obedient to his experiences, Acarya Sankara cries out that this is  the only path for complete and permanent Liberation from the  chaotic confusions created by our ignorance of the underlying  divinity in ourselves. 

Naturally, he points out the hollowness of all other methods and the immaturity of all other techniques which  are, according to him, putrefied logic, soured reason, distorted  vision and false assertion compared with the perfect philosophy  and detailed practicality of Vedanta.

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Post - Patanjali Yoga Sutra- Verse 1-26

Dear All,

A satsangh talk on chapter 1, verse 26, Yoga sutra is sharted 

The verse goes like this 

स पूर्वेषामपि गुरुः कालेनानवच्छेदात् ॥ १.२६॥

sa pūrveṣāmapi guruḥ kālenānavacchedāt 

He is the Teacher of even the ancient teachers, being to limited by time.

 

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Vivekachudamani- Post 70

A treasure hidden deep below under the earth can be found only when the exact site is known, excavations carried out and the earth, stones and so  on, hiding it are removed; never can it come out if merely called by name. 

Similarly , the pure truth of the Self which lies hidden beneath our delusion  and its effects can be attained through the instructions of one who is a knower  of Brahman, followed by reflection, meditation and so on. But never can the  Self emerge and manifest itself as a result of repeating perverted arguments. (65)

In the course of the last several verses, Sankara has been trying  to bring home to us the utter necessity and urgency for self effort  undertaken in the right direction. 

That no amount of study and  philosophical dialectics can take one, even by a fraction of an  inch, nearer to the divine experience which is life's fulfillment,  has already been elaborately discussed. 

The same idea has been  brought out here which, we may consider, is the summary of a  library of books on spiritual literature. 

In order to explain this idea, Sankara paints the picture of  one digging for a treasure. One may wonder how the treasure  hunter's activities can be a theme by which spiritual technique can  be explained but a poet always sees much more meaning in a factual  happening than an ordinary matter-of-fact observer does. 

Sankara  says, three stages are required to own up the richness. Three stages are required to own up the richness; the wealth; the first stage is somebody must come and tell that the treasure is underneath; and he should give enough proof and enough data to convince me that there is treasure. 

Otherwise initially I will say you are bluffing; you are pacifying; how can there be treasure what is the source; I will ask umpteen questions; so the first stage is somebody should inform that there is a treasure and not only inform, convince also; this is called aptoktih; or apta vachanam; statement of a reliable person; a trust worthy person.

And what is next stage required? Now I know that there is treasure. So, I need not beg from anyone; I need not work to get money; it is already mine; and what is required; I have to acquire it; therefore what is the second stage; khananam; khananam means what digging; to remove all the earth which is covering the treasure. 

So, the earth is the obstacle, and therefore the earth has to be removed. So previously lack of information or ignorance was the obstacle; now the ignorance- obstacle is gone; because I know there is treasure; but the obstacle is now what? mud is there; therefore, I should go on removing the mud and after removing the mud, the job is called khananaṁ.

Then there is a third stage involved; what is that? When the actual treasure comes; for further protection lot of rocks are placed; protect it; and therefore final stage is removal of the rock covering the treasure; siladi utkarshanam; sila means rock; which are solid; previous obstacle was mud; which can be removed; relatively easily but later pratibandas are solid rock; 

once you remove the rocks also; then the wealth is in your hands; all the ornaments and diamonds jewels you can put on yourselves; all the money you can use for buying food and you can eat sumptuously.

So what are the three stages; removal of the ignorance regarding the treasure, removal of the mud and removal of rock??

Continued...

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