Atma Bodha - Post 6

Verse- 1 

तपोभिः क्षीणपापानां

शान्तानां वीतरागिणाम् ।

 मुमुक्षूणामपेक्ष्योऽयमात्मबोधो

विधीयते ॥ १

TAPOBHIH KSHEENAPAAPAANAAM

SAANTAANAAM VEETARAGINAAM

MUMUKSHOONAAM APEKSHYOYAM

ATMABODHO VIDHEEYATE

(I am  composing the Atma Bodha, this treatise of the knowledge of the Self [Atman], for those who have purified themselves by austerities and are peaceful in heart and calm, who are free from cravings and are desirous of liberation.)

The text starts with the word ‘Tapas’ – an auspicious start in the context of this subject. The entire Ramayana was begun with this word, and what a great book that is! Tapas is an auspicious word. It is Tapas that opens the door to all auspiciousness. It cleans us of all the ‘dirt’ and impurity in our heart and makes us ready to receive divine knowledge.

The very thought of Brahma Jnana or knowledge of the Self brings auspicious thoughts to our mind. 

In itself it is an invocation to merely utter the name “Atma Bodha”. This is thus to be taken as an Invocation or a Mangalacharan to begin this unique text on Self-knowledge.

Anubandha Chatushtaya:

It is the usual practice to give the Anubandha Chatushtaya at the outset of the text. This verse serves that purpose. 

The fourfold “Prospectus” announcing the purpose and eligibility for the study of this book is given as follows:

(i) Adhikari: The opening words state for whom this book has been written: “Those who have purified themselves with austerities, who are peaceful in heart, free from cravings and....

Sankara has made it clear in the first invocation verse that "one who has undertaken intense austerities in spiritual path and has purified one's mind, with a peaceful heart, free from desire for worldly pursuits" is the actual Adhikari, the one who deserves to get the full benefit of this treatise.

(ii) Vishaya: The subject is given by the title of the book, Atma Bodha. It is stated at the very beginning that the subject is Knowledge of the Self, the true inner Self, not the self which is ignorant and deluded.

(iii) Prayojana: The benefit to be obtained from the study of this book is given in the term “Mumukshoonaam”, which tells us that the goal here is Self-Realization. That is the benefit offered by this book. Liberation is guaranteed for those who are Adhikaris.

(iv) Sambandha: Indicated by the word Vidheeyate, meaning “is being composed”; we have the promise that this book will fulfill the expectations of the student who is seeking Liberation. It says explicitly that the book is connected with that particular goal. 

We will get deeper into the meaning of this verse in the next post.

Love.

Atma Bodha - Post 5

O Atma Swarupas, 

Like any upanishad chanting / commentary starts with a shanti path or an invocation prayer, Atma Bodha usually has the following invocation prayer composed by Adi Sankara.

प्रातः स्मरामि हृदि संस्फुरदात्मतत्त्वं

सच्चित्सुखं परमहंसगतिं तुरीयम् ।

यत्स्वप्नजागरसुषुप्तिमवैति नित्यं

तद्ब्रह्म निष्कलमहं न च भूतसङ्घः 

PRÁTAH SMARÁMI HRUDI SAMSPHURAD ÁTMA TATTVAM

SAT CHIT SUKHAM PARAMA HAMSA GATIM TURIYAM

YAT SVAPNA JÁGARA SUSSUPTAM AVAITI NITYAM

TAD BRAHMA NISKALAM AHAM NA CHA BHUTA SAÑGHA.

At the early hours of the day, I meditate upon the essential SELF, clearly experienceable in the heart cave AS THE ESSENCE (TATWAM),

-That which is Existence, Knowledge and Bliss in nature,

-That which is the supreme goal, the Parama hamsa state,

-That which is the fourth state of consciousness (Turiyam),

-That which illumines all experiences in all the three state of consciousness, waking, dreaming and deep sleep.

- That which is that part less Brahman, not this assembly of matter envelopments!

Commentary

Like my heart throb every moment, along with every heart beat, let me experience clearly in my heart, the reality:- That is SATH (Pure Existence), CHIT (Pure awareness) SUKHAM (Pure Bliss).

That is Parama hamsa, the goal of all sages. (Parama saham Aham)

(Parama hamsa is also explained in the context of the Hamsa Bird, which has the capacity to segregate water from milk, takes in only the milk and discards the water. That is, the attainment of the state where, one is clearly able to discriminate between the real and the unreal and discard the real and embrace only the real)

That which is the Turiya state or the 4th state of consciousness, as clearly explained in mandukya upanishad, the state of pure awareness, existence, consciousness.

That which illumines all the other three states of consciousness - waking, dream state and deep sleep.

(The three states of consciousness and the fourth state, Turiya, have been dealt with elaborately in this blog under the theme "Vedas and Vedanta". The link to that post is given below

https://journey-deep-within.blogspot.com/search?q=states+of+consciousness

Readers may please use the above link and read about the 2 states of consciousness explained in a simple manner)

That is part less, indivisible Brahman and not the mere matter which my body, mind appears to be, at the surface level!!

What a positive, wonderful prayer in the early hours even before we start our day, asserting with conviction, what we really are, so that, we remember the same through out the day and not end up believing about ourselves what we really are not!!

Love.

Atma Bodha - Post 4

Dear All,

Let us go through few questions and answer on the subject "ATMAN" in this post.

Satsang with Sri Swami Viditatmananda Saraswati Arsha Vidya Gurukulam

Question

Do all living beings have an Atman? Are all living things interconnected because of Atman?

Answer

Yes, all living beings have an Atman. Atman is the essence, the core, the very truth, and the very being of all living beings. Atman is saccidänanda and is present everywhere. It is not that everything has Atman. Rather, Atman is everything. 

Do not separate Atman from things. It is not that I have a self; rather, I am the Self. All that exists is but the manifestation of Atman and, therefore, everything is interconnected; everything is one. The many things that we see are the manifestation of the One. 

The one Atman manifests as all beings, sentient and insentient, and living and non-living. All are manifestations of this one Self just as all ornaments are manifestations of gold, or all waves are manifestations of water. 

Everything in creation is the manifestation of the one Self, Atman. Atman is present everywhere and is the connecting link. All beings spring from the Self, and that is why we have order or harmony that connects or sustains everything. This very order or harmony is Atman, which sustains everything.

Question

The Self is dear to me. Who is this ‘me’?

Answer

The Upanishad states that anything that I hold dear, is dear to me because the Self is dear to me. Whatever is important to me in this life is because the Self is important. The Upanishads simply say, everything is dear to me for my own sake. Another treatise raises the question of this ‘me’. It is explained that the ‘me’ can have three meanings: it could be mukhya or important, it could be gauna or secondary, or it could be mithyä or false.

For example, I may be so attached to my child that I am prepared to do anything for the sake of that child, even to the extent of giving up my life. Similarly, there are people who love their country so much that they are willing to give up their lives for their country. In these cases, there is a strong identification with something other than the Self. 

Therefore, even in the awareness that the child or the country is not the ‘I’, the identification with it is so complete that the child or the country becomes very ‘I’ to which I am strongly attached.

More often than not, the ‘me’ is my body, this upädhi or personality, which is not the real me. Out of ignorance, however, I identify completely with it, and it becomes me.

Finally, in the true sense, the ‘me’ is my Self. The Self is that which is separate from the three bodies, the gross, subtle, and causal bodies; it transcends the five koshas, notions, and is witness to the three states of awareness, the waking, dream, and deep sleep states. The nature of this Self is saccidänanda. Thus, the true ‘me’ or ‘I’, is saccidänanda or Brahman.

In the sense if it being mithyä or false, the ‘me’ is this body, and in the sense of it being gauna or secondary, it is yet another thing with which I identify, e.g., my child or my country.

Thus, the meaning of ‘me’ keeps changing in different situations. One thing, however, is certain: whatever I look upon or identify with as being ‘me’ or the essential ‘I’ is my primary equation and dearest to me. Every other association, everything else, becomes secondary.

Question

How are Atman and paramätmä related? Answer

Answer

Atman is the Self of the individual being and is usually understood to be the essential ‘I’.

‘Param’ means that which is free from limitations. Paramätmä means the Self that is free from limitations. It is the limitless Self and, usually, we say that it is the Self of the universe. 

Thus, Atman is the individual Self and Paramätmä is the universal Self. It looks like these are two different entities, but Vedanta teaches that both are one. Atman, the individual self, is the Self of all and Paramätmä, the universal Self, is my own Self.

  

Love.