Bhaja Govindham

Courtesy: Smt.Jayalakshmi Rangarajan

BHAJAGOVINDAM:-

மோஹமுத்கரம் ( மோஹத்தைத் தகர்க்கும் சம்மட்டி) - பஜகோவிந்தம் - ஸ்ரீ ஆதிசங்கர பகவத்பாதர். (1)
பஜகோவிந்தம்...உபநிஷதங்களின் வரிசையில் வைத்து மதிக்கத்தக்கது பஜகோவிந்தம். ஆதிசங்கரர் ஏற்றி வைத்த அமரதீபம் அது. பக்தி வழியில் தம்மையெல்லாம் இட்டுச் சென்று பயனடையச் செய்யும் பவித்திரமான நூல். உண்ணதமான பக்தி நெறிக்கும் மெய்ஞ்ஞானத்திற்கும் ஒப்பற்ற வழிகாட்டியாகத் திகழும் இந்நூல் நம்மை எல்லாம் வாழ்வித்தருள்வதாக.

1. கோவிந்தனை பஜனை செய்!

பஜகோவிந்தம் பஜகோவிந்தம் 
.பஜகோவிந்தம் மூடமதே |
சம்ப்ராப்தே சந்நிஹிதே காலே 
நஹிநஹி ரக்ஷதி டுக்ரிங்கரணே

Seek Govind,Seek Govind,Seek Govind,o fool!When the appointed time comes[death],
grammar -rules surely will not save you.(சுவாமி சின்மயானந்தா)
துதி கோவிந்தனை,துதிகோவிந்தனை ,
கதி கோவிந்தனே, மடமதியே!
கதவினைக்காலன் தட்டிடும் நேரம் 
உதவிடுமோ உந்தன் இலக்கண ஞானம் ?

ஏ மூடமதியே!வியாகரணம் படித்தது. உனக்குத் தேவையான அத்தகைய நேரத்தில் உபயோகப்படாது. ஆகவே இப்பொழுதே கோவிந்தனைத் சேவி. கோவிந்தனை சேவி.
ஓ மூடமதியே! கோவிந்தனை நினைத்திரு. கோவிந்தனை துதி செய். கோவிந்தனுக்கு சேவை செய். நெருங்கியதான (மரண) காலமானது வந்துவிட்டபோது "டுக்ருஞ் கரணே" (முதலான இலக்கண பாடங்கள்) காப்பாற்றவே காப்பாற்றாது ."ஓ மூடனே! இறைவனுக்கு எப்பொழுதும் மனத்தாலும் வாக்காலும் உடலாலும் பணிபுரிவதை விட்டு, "டுக்குங்கரணே' போன்ற இலக்கணப் பாடல்களைப் பயில்கிறாயே. இதனால் பயனுண்டா? இறக்கும் காலத்தே சாகும் கல்வி உடன்வருமா? சாகா கல்வியைக் கற்றால்தானே விடுதலை கிடைக்கும்? ஆகவே மனது, சொல், உடல் அனைத்தும் இறைவன்பால் சாரட்டும். அதற்கு ஆவண செய்' என்பது இதன் பொருளாகும்.

Satchidanandam Advayam

courtesy: sri. Viprabandhu

ATMA BODHA - ( A Treatise on the knowledge of Atma )

by - SRI ADI SANKARACHARYA

64 Drusyate Srooyate Yadyat
Brahmano Anyan Na Tat Bhavet
Tathvajnaanaat Cha Tadbrahma
Satchidanandam Advayam

All that is perceived or heard through the sense organs is Brahma only. The Brahma that is non dual and which is in the form of Satchidananda is known only after attaining the knowledge of the Reality.

Whatever exists either in this limited body, mind and intellect or in the outer created world, they are all manifestations of the Brahma and nothing else. When this truth is realised and experienced, one can see the entire universe in which the Brahma revels as satchit Ananda absolute because it is one and only one Ekam Eva Advitiyam Brahma.

Swapna & sushupti

Courtesy: Sri.Harihara Sarma

 இதற்கு முந்தய அஞ்சலில் அவஸ்தா த்ரயத்தின் முதல்  அவஸ்தையான "ஜாக்ரத்" குறிது சில தகவல்களை தெரிந்துகொண்டோம்.

இந்த அஞ்சலில் அடுத்த இரண்டு அவஸ்தைகளை குறித்து பார்ப்போம்

சொப்னாவஸ்தை.

மாண்டூக்யம் சொல்கிறது:

ஸ்வப்ன-ஸ்தானொ .ந்த: –ப்ரஜ்னா:: சப்தா-ங்க எகொனவிம்ஷதி முக:

 ப்ரவிவிக்த-புக் தைஜசோ த்விதிய பாதா:

இரண்டாவது அவஸ்தையில் கனவு காண்கின்ற நம் நிலையை குறித்துச் சொல்லப் பட்டிருக்கிறது. கனவு தூங்கும்பொழுதும் காணலாம்;தூங்காமலிருக்கும் பொழுதும் காணலாம்.எப்படியிருப்பினும் கனவு காணும் பொழுது நாம் உள்  நோக்கி  சிந்தனையைத் திருப்புகிறோம்.இதைத் தான் "அந்த: ப்ரஞ்சய",ப்ரவிவ்க்தா அல்லது சூக்ஷ்ம திருஷ்டி தைஜசாஎன்றெல்லாம் அழைக்கப் படுகிறது.

கனவிலும் நாம் பௌதிக வஸ்துக்களை தான் காண்கிறோம். நாம் ஏற்கனவே கண்ட பௌதிக வஸ்துக்கள் குறித்து நம்மனதில் எழுந்த,எழுகின்ற விகாரங்களின் வெளிப்பாடுகள் தான் கனவாக நம் உறக்கத்தில் வருகிறது.அல்லது நமதுகடந்த காலத்தில் நிகழ்ந்த நிகழ்வுகளின் எதிரொலியாகவும் கனவுகள் அமைகிறது.

விழித்துக்கொண்டு இருக்கின்றபொழுது காண்கின்ற கனவுகள்,வருங்காலத்தை குறித்த நமது எதிர்பார்ப்புக்கள்;கற்பனைகள்;எதிர்கால திட்டங்கள்.எப்படியிருந்தலும் எல்லாமே நமது மனத்திற்குள் நிகழ்கின்றவை. கனவுகள்உண்டாகின்ற பொழுது நமது கர்மேந்திரியங்கள் மூலம் நாம் அந்த நேரத்தில் காணுகின்ற வெளியுலக வஸ்துக்கள்சம்பந்தப்பட்டதல்ல.

நமது மனம் சம்பந்தப் பட்டது தான் கனவு .நமது புலன்கள் சம்பந்தப்பட்டது தான் கனவு. நாம் ஏற்கனவே உள் வாங்கி சேகரித்து வைத்துள்ள் அனுபவங்களின் பிரதிபலிப்புக்கள் தான் கனவுகள்.கனவுகளிலும் "நான்" "நீ" "இது" "அது". எங்கின்ற வேற்றுமைகளை உணருகிறோம்.

"ஜாக்ரத்" அவஸ்தையில் நாம் கண்ட ஏழு அங்கங்களும் பத்தொன்பது வாய் களும் சொப்னாவஸ்தயிலும் இயங்குவதாக நாம் உணருகிறோம்

நமது ஸ்தூல அறிவு குறைபடுகிறதோ,அங்கெல்லாம் சூக்ஷ்ம புலன்கள் இயங்கி நமது கற்பனா சக்தியினால் அந்த குறைவுகளை நிரப்புகிறோம்.

அப்படி நிரப்பும் பொழுது ஸ்தூல புரிவுணர்தலிலும் மாற்றம் ஏற்படுகிறது.

அந்த சூக்ஷ்மமான மாற்றங்கள் பிற்காலத்தில் நமது நடவடிக்கைகளிலும்,பார்வைக் கோணங்களிலும் மாற்றம் ஏற்படுகிது.அது செயல்களின் மீது தாக்கம் செலுத்துவதால் நமது கர்ம பாரத்தில் ஏற்றத் தாழ்வுகள் உண்டாகின்றன.

இப்படி ஏற்படுகின்ற மாற்றங்களினால் நமது புரிது உணர்தல்(perceptions)  மீண்டும் மீண்டும் அழிக்கப்பட்டு,உருவாகி அழிக்கப்பட்டு புத்துயிர் பெறுகின்றன. இப்படி எரிக்கப்படுவதால் இந்த நிலையை "தைஜசா" என்று அழைக்கிறார்கள்.

சொப்னாவஸ்தயில் ஆத்மன் சூக்ஷ்ம வஸ்துக்களை மட்டும் வெளிச்சம் போட்டு காட்டுகிறது.நமது வாசனைகள்     ஜாக்ரத்தில் என்பது போல் சொப்னாவஸ்தயிலும் வெளிப்படுகிறது..

மேற்கண்ட விவரணங்களிலிருந்து நாம் ஜாக்ரத் அவஸ்தையில் காணுகின்றவை தான் நிஜம்;சொப்னாவஸ்தயில் காண்பவை   நிஜமல்ல என்ற முடிவிற்கு வர வாய்ப்பு உண்டு.

அது சரியான முடிவல்ல என்ற வாதத்தையும் நாம் நினைவில் கொள்ளவேண்டும். ஏனென்றால் யார் அந்த முடிவிற்கு வருகிறார்கள் என்பது மிகவும் முக்கியமான ஒன்று.யாரோ ஒருவர் சொப்னாவஸ்தயிலும் ஜாக்ரத்திலும் சாக்ஷியாக இருந்தாலொழிய இரு அனுபவங்களையும் ஒத்து நோக்கி, இது நிஜம்,அது நிஜமல்ல என்று கூற முடியும்.அதையும் தவிர எப்பொழுது அந்த ஸாக்ஷி அப்படிப்பட்ட முடிவிற்கு வருகிறான் என்பதும் முக்கியம்.

 நாம் 'ஸொப்னாவஸ்தை" நிஜமல்ல என்ற தீருமானத்திற்கு வருவது ஜாகரத் அவஸ்தையில்த் தான். ஆகவே ஜகரத் அவஸ்தயில் சாக்ஷி ஒருதலைபட்சமான முடிவிற்கு வர சாத்தியக் கூறுகளுள்ளது.

இரண்டுமே நிஜமல்ல என்பதுதான் நிஜம்.'ஸொப்னாவஸ்தையின் தைர்க்யம் –காலயளவு ஜகரத் அவஸ்தையை விட குறைவாக உள்ளது என்பது மட்டும் நிச்சயம்.

இந்த இரு அவஸ்தையிலும் நாம் இன்ப துன்பங்களுக்கு ஆளாகிறோம் என்பதும் உண்மை.

சொப்னத்தில் நடக்கின்ற பொழுதும் நமது ஸ்தூல சரீரமானது,ஜாகரத்தில் எவ்வாறு  நிகழ்வுகளினால் உந்தப்பட்டு பிரதிகரிக்குமோ அதே போல் பிரதிகரிக்கிறது. கனவிலும் பயப்படக்கூடிய ஒரு நிகழ்ச்சி நடக்கும் பொழுது உடல் வியர்க்கிறது;நிஜத்திலும் வியர்க்கிறது.காணக்கிடைகாத ஒரு கா ட்சியை காணுகின்ற பொழுது நமது உள்ளம் உவகை எய்துகிறது.

 

சுஷுப்தி

கனவு நிலையில் நாம் ஸ்தூல பொருள்களின்,,ஸ்தூல பொருள்கள் சம்பந்தமான விகார விசாரங்களின் தாக்கத்திற்கு  ஆளாகிறோம். சில நேரங்களில் நமது உறக்கத்தில் இம்மாதிரியான எந்த ஒரு அனுபவமும் இல்லாமல் உறங்குகிறோம்.அம்மாதிரியான் நிலையை சுஷுப்தி என மாண்டுக்யொபனிஷத் கூறுகிறது.

யத்ர சுப்தோ ந கஞ்சன் காமம் காமாயதே ந கஞ்சன்ஸ்வப்னம்

பஸ்யதி தத்

ஸுஷுப்தம் ! ஸுஷுப்த ஸ்தான் ஏகீபூத: ப்ரஞானகன:

ஏவானந்தமயோ!!

இந்த நிலையில்  எந்த விதமான ஆசைகளும் இல்லை.ஆசைகள் நிறைவேறததால் ஏற்படுகின்ற ஏமாற்றங்களும் இல்லை.அமைதி! எந்த விதமான சஞ்சலங்களும் இல்லாமல் பூரண அமைதி.ஏக ப்ரக்ஞ்சை !மனம் ஒரு விதமான சலனமும் இல்லாமல் அமைதியாக இருக்கிறது.

ந கான்சன காம்யதே-எதற்கும் ஆசைப்படுவதும் இல்லை,ந காஞ்சன ஸ்வப்னம் பஸ்யதி-எதுவும் வேண்டும் என்று கனவு காண்பதுமில்லை. ஆகவே தத் சுஷுப்தம். இது ஒரு அனிச்சையான செயல். இது தான் ஆன்மாவின் மூன்றாம் பாதம்.  .மனம் ஒரு முகப்பட்டு உள்வாங்கி விடுகிறது.வெளியுலகு குறித்து எந்த விதமான பிரக்ஞ்சையும் இல்லாமல் ஆனந்தமயமான ஒரு நிலையில் இருக்கிறது.

சொப்னாவஸ்தைக்கும் ஜாக்ரத் அவஸ்தைக்கும் இடைப்பட்ட ஒரு நிலை தான் இந்த சுஷுப்தி.ஆனால் இது நிரந்தரமல்ல.இது ஒரு இடைவெளி தான்.

மனம் இகலோக மாயயில் சிக்கி அல்லல்ப் பட்டு அசரும் பொழுது அது தூக்கத்திற்காக  ஏங்குகிறது;சுஷுப்தியில் தன்னை அறியாமல் அமழ்ந்து விடுகிறது.

மேற்கண்ட மூன்று நிலைகளையும் நமது மூன்று சரீர ஸ்திதிகளோடு ஒப்பிடலாம்-ஸ்தூல சரீரம்,சூக்ஷ்ம சரீரம்,காரண சரீ.ரம்

முதல் நிலை பஹிஷ் ப்ரஞ்ச்யா,ஸ்தூல,வைஸ்வானர.

இரண்டாம்  நிலை அந்த: ப்ரக்ஞ்ச்யா,சூக்ஷ்ம,ப்ரவிவ்க்தா ,தைஜசா

மூன்றாம் நிலை சர்வஞ்ச்யா,அன்டர்யாமி,யோனிஷ் சர்வஸ்யா

ஆனால் இவை மூன்றுமே தாற்காலிகமானவைதான்

.

Practice of Meditation in Jnana Yoga

courtesy: http://www.yogamag.net/archives/2009/koct09/prac.shtml

Practice of Meditation in Jnana Yoga

Leading a virtuous life is not by itself sufficient for God-realization. Concentration of mind is absolutely necessary. A good, virtuous life only prepares the mind as a fit instrument for concentration and meditation. It is concentration and meditation that eventually lead to self-realization. God has hidden Himself in this immanent world and is seated in the cavity of the lotus of your heart. He is an absentee landlord. You will have to seek Him through concentration and meditation with a pure mind. This is a real play of hide-and-seek.

Sit in a lonely place in padma, siddha or sukha asana. Free yourself from all passions, emotions and impulses. Subjugate the senses. Withdraw the mind from objects. Now the mind will be calm, one-pointed, pure and subtle. With the help of this trained instrument, disciplined mind, contemplate on that one Infinite Self. Do not think of anything else. Do not allow any worldly thought to enter the mind. Do not allow the mind to think of any physical or mental enjoyment.

When it indulges in these thoughts, give it a good hammering. Then it will move towards divinity. Just as the Ganga flows continuously towards the sea, thoughts of divinity should flow continuously towards the Lord. Just as oil, when poured from one vessel to another, flows in an unbroken, continuous stream, just as the harmonious sound produced from the ringing of bells falls upon the ear in a continuous stream, so also the mind should flow towards God in one continuous stream.

Make the mind blank. It is the only medium for these severe strokes of grief. It is difficult to suppress thought and, after it is once suppressed, a new succession of thoughts arises which overpowers the mind. Fix the mind on some tranquil object. You will succeed in checking the mind. Collect your thoughts in the spirit, atman, as a person cools himself by going into a pool of water in the hot season.

There must be a continuous divine vritti pravaha, flow of mental patterns, from the sattwic mind towards divinity through continuous sadhana. You must have a mental image of divinity or Brahman, whether concrete or abstract, before you begin to meditate. When you are a neophyte in meditation, start repeating some sublime slokas or stotras (hymns) for ten minutes as soon as you sit for meditation. This will elevate the mind. The mind can be easily withdrawn from the worldly objects. Then stop this kind of thinking also and fix the mind on one idea only by repeated and strenuous efforts. Then nishtha, steadfastness, will ensue.

Becoming established in meditation

Renounce the thoughts of objects. Drive them away with the whip of viveka, discrimination, and vichara, contemplation. There is struggle in the beginning. It is trying indeed. But, later on, as you will grow stronger and stronger and as you grow in purity, Brahma chintana, contemplation on Brahman, becomes easy. You rejoice in the life of unity. You get strength from atman. Inner strength grows when all the vishaya vrittis, thought of objects of the senses, are thinned out and the mind becomes one-pointed.

When you start a fire, you heap up some straw, pieces of paper, thin pieces of wood. The fire gets extinguished quickly. You blow it again several times through the mouth of the blow-pipe. After some time it becomes a small conflagration. You can hardly extinguish it now even with great effort. However, in the beginning neophytes often fall back from meditation into their old grooves. They have to lift up their minds again and again and fix on the aim.

You will have to exert in the beginning to get equilibrium of mind. Later on, you will have a habitual balanced state of mind. So is the case with meditation. After some years of practice, meditation becomes habitual. When meditation becomes deep and steady, the aspirant is established in the Supreme Spirit. Then meditation becomes natural. It becomes habitual. Use the blow-pipe of intense vairagya and meditation to kindle the fire of meditation.

During meditation, note how long you can shut out all worldly thoughts. Watch the mind very carefully. If it is for twenty minutes, try to increase the period to thirty or forty minutes and so on. Fill the mind with the thoughts of divinity again and again. Allow the one Brahmic idea to flow gently and continuously. Fasten the mind with a fine silk thread to the lotus feet of Shiva or Hari. Drive out the worldly ideas gently.

When you begin to sweep a room that was kept closed for six months, various kinds of dirt come out from the corners of the room. Similarly, during meditation, under pressure of yoga, through the grace of God, various kinds of impurities float about on the surface of the mind.

Bravely remove them one by one by suitable methods and counter-virtues with patience and strenuous effort. The old vicious samskaras strike revenge when you try to suppress them. Do not be afraid. They lose their strength after some time. You have to tame the mind just as you tame a wild elephant or tiger. Do not indulge in negative thoughts that serve as food for the mind.

Practical tips

Try to keep up the Brahmakara vritti by repeating Om or Aham Brahmasmi mentally very often. The idea of infinity, the idea of an ocean of light, the idea of all-knowledge and all-bliss should accompany the mental repetition of Om. If the mind wanders, repeat verbally six times the long Pranava with 312 matras (units). This process will remove the dissipation and all other obstacles.

Make the mind self-introspective. Substitute good, virtuous, sublime thoughts. Feed the mind with ennobling aspirations and ideals. The old samskaras will be gradually thinned out and eventually obliterated. Now the Brahmakara vritti will dawn. Coupled with Brahma jnana, this is the destroyer of ignorance. Allow the Brahmakara vritti to flow steadily like a continuous flow of oil. Now infinite bliss will flow. At this stage, the whole universe will appear as sat-chit-ananda, truth-consciousness-bliss, only. This thought also will die. You will then enter sahajananda, naturally blissful, state.

Have the one all-pervading feeling. Deny the finite body as a mere appearance. Try to keep up the feelings always. Whatever elevates you, you can take it up for your advantage just to elevate the mind and then continue your prolonged meditation. You must daily increase your vairagya, meditation and sattwic virtues such as patience, perseverance, mercy, love, forgiveness, purity, etc. Vairagya and good qualities help meditation and meditation increases the sattwic qualities. Just as you conserve the energy by observing mouna, silence, so also you will have to conserve the mental energy by stopping useless thinking. Then you will save abundant reserve energy for meditation.

Remember these three word-images: purification, concentration, absorption. Repeat them mentally during meditation. This is a triplet. Remember this triplet. Purify the mind. Get rid of impurities such as anger and lust. Perform selfless, desireless actions. This will purify the mind. Practise worship, pranayama, trataka and the raja yogic precept of chitta vritti nirodha, cessation of mental modificaitons. This will help in one-pointedness. Then practise constant and deep meditation. The mind will be absorbed eventually.

Methods of meditation

It has been said in the Mundakopanishad (2:2:4):

Pranavo dhanuh saro hyatma brahma tallakshyam uchyate;
Apramattena veddhavyam saravan tanmayo bhavet.

Om is the bow, mind is the arrow and Brahman is the mark to be aimed at. Brahman is to be hit or pierced by him whose thoughts are concentrated. Then he will be of the same nature (tanmaya) as Brahman, as the arrow becomes one with the aim when it has pierced it.

Sit in padma or siddha asana. Close the eyes. Concentrate the gaze on trikuti, space between the two eyebrows. Now, chant deergha Pranava, long Om, forcibly for five minutes. This will remove the tossing of the mind. Concentration will ensue. Now repeat Om mentally with Brahma bhavana, feeling. Whenever the mind begins to wander, again chant Om verbally. As soon as the mind gets calm, mentally repeat Om again. The same process can be adopted for meditation on a form also.

In the beginning, when you are a neophyte, you can close your eyes to remove the distraction of mind, as you are very weak. But later on you must meditate with eyes open, even during walking. You must keep your balance of mind even when you are in the bustle of a city. Then only you are perfect. Why do you close your eyes during meditation? Open your eyes and meditate.

Think strongly that the world is unreal, that there is no world, that there is atman only. If you can meditate on atman even when the eyes are open, you will be a strong man. You will not be easily disturbed.

Continual effort

Put a piece of iron rod in the blazing furnace. It becomes red like fire. Remove it. It loses its red colour. If you want to always keep it red, you must always keep it in fire. Even so, if you want to keep the mind charged with the fire of Brahmic wisdom, you must keep it always in contact with the Brahmic fire of knowledge through constant and intense meditation. You must keep up an unceasing flow of the Brahmic consciousness. Then you will have the natural state.

If you are really thirsty for atma jnana and take delight therein, be not hasty in longing for the fruits at once. Meditate regularly and gradually upon them, then the mind will, by degrees, be ripened and, in the end, the endless atman will be reached. You will get self-realization.

Kasarabada

http://www.kasarabada.org/index.html

Debate of Sankara with Mandana Mishra

Courtesy:Sri.Sunder hattangadi

 

The legend is:
 
http://www.oocities.com/tvnswamy/sankara.html
 
Part Three:
Mandana Mishra:
According to Kumarila's advice,
Sankara and his disciples started for Mahishmati,
on the banks of Narmada where Mandana Mishra lived.
"O, gentle women, Do you know one Mandana Mishra here ?
"Mandana Mishra ?You go this way straight.
You will find a big house with a tall gate
and walls all around.There the parrots living on trees
would be repeating Vedic Mantras !"
"Even parrots repeating Vedic Mantras?
Wonderful; great indeed is our opponent
and it is not that easy to win over him",
said Sankara to his disciples.
The gate of the house of Mandana was locked from inside.
Sankara with his Yogic power forced himself inside the house.
Mandana was performing the Srardha ceremoney for his father.
He was not amused by the sudden appearance of a sanyasi
in the middle of a srardha ceremoney.
He got annoyed due to his allergy to one
who was not a ritualist and also because
of the way he got in uninvited.
He asked him in a sarcastic manner:
"Kuto Mundi ? "From where are you, O clean shaven one ?"
Sankara could see the sarcasm in the words
and decided to have some fun.
The words Kuto Mundi can also be interpreted in Sanskrit
as "How far have you shaved?"
Sankara replied: "Agalan mundi " Shaven up to the neck only "
"Margam Prichate Maya."said Mandana,"I am asking the way."
Sankara did not leave the joke.
He replied, ""Kim aha Pantha? What did it tell you?"
Mandana was visibly upset by the taunting remarks.
He replied angrily, "The way said that your mother is a widow."
Sankara said mischievously,"Tha Thevahi"It might be true,
Thus he meant that the way told Mandana about his (Mandana's) mother.
Mandana got angry shouted, "Sura Peetha ?"Are you drunk?
Sankara,"Liquor is white ,not yellow" .
The word Peetha asked by Mandana can also mean yellow.
"I see ,So you know the colour?"
"I know the colour, but you prhaps know its taste?'
Mandana became more angry and this
sort of sarcasm continued for some time.
Later the other guests for the Srardha ceremoney
intervened and advised Mandana to invite Sankara for Biksha.
" I want only a VAADA BHIKSHA - a Biksha of discussions
and arguments - not for eating." said Sankara.
Mandana said, "We shall have it tomorrow.
But now you have your food with me."

FOUR MAHAVAKYAS

courtesy: Sri.Mannargudi Sitaraman Srinivasan

Shri Shankaracharya, the great Advaita scholar of the 8th century,
identified one major sentence from each of the Vedas and these are called as
Maha Vakyas. These Mahavakyas are as follows:

1. Prajnanam brahman

Brahman is supreme knowledge

Aitareya
Upanishad

3.3, of Rig Veda

This is the first major sentence. It says that the supreme knowledge to be known is only
Brahman. IF this universe were to end and only one piece of knowledge were to
remain, that should be the knowledge of Brahman.
Brahman means consciousness. When we talk of consciousness, it does not mean conscience.
Consciousness refers to the Life principle, the Awareness principle or in more
common parlance, the God principle. Consciousness is that which provides the
base for every activity and is like a witness to everything without getting
involved. It is like the white screen in a movie hall which is a witness to the
various emotions of a movie. It provides the base for every scene of the movie,
but does in no way get involved. Consciousness is everywhere.

So in a spiritual discourse that a master tells his student, this is the first
declarative statement. But a declarative statement by itself means nothing to a
student. Hence comes, the next major sentence.

2. Tat tvam asi

That is what you are

Chandogya
Upanishad

6.8.7, of Sama Veda,
To the student on the spiritual path, the Master declares "That is what you are". Here the
"That" refers to consciousness. The master is telling the student that he is
himself consciousness. This is equivalent to telling a wave that it is nothing
but the ocean. The god ear-ring in essence is nothing but gold as is the gold
necklace. So, in effect it is like telling the gold ear-ring that it is nothing
but gold. Similarly the master is telling the student that he is nothing but
consciousness.
With a bit of contemplation, it is possible to understand this statement. But intellectually
understanding means nothing unless a concept becomes deeply set. For this, the
Master comes up with the next sentence.

3. Ayam atma brahma

Atman and brahman are the same
Mandukya
Upanishad

1.2, of Atharva Veda

The student is told to contemplate every action/every thought and tell himself that his
essence is the same as the essential nature of consciousness. The wave has to
know at every stage, that it is the ocean itself. The wave is water and the
ocean is water. There is absolutely no difference. The water in the form of a
wave is equivalent to consciousness in each of us and is called the Atman in
contrast to the water in the ocean which is called the Brahman

If the wave does not realize its nature is same as ocean and thinks of itself as separate,
then it can be impacted by the thought that it is a small wave, big wave, weak
wave etc.

Similarly, we can get affected by our color, status etc by our association with the world and
forgetting our essential nature. So the step to getting closer to the reality
which has been declared in sentence one is to keep contemplating on the fact
that atman and brahman are the same.

As the contemplation continues, it should lead to some flash of awareness and that is
what is in the fourth sentence.

4. Aham brahmasmi

I am brahman

Brihadaranyaka
Upanishad

1.4.10, of Yajur Veda,
In the ultimate stage of the spiritual journey which has been well prepared by the
contemplation mentioned in sentence 3, the spiritual seeker reaches the level
where HE realizes that he is nothing but consciousness. At this stage, there is
no return. The individual is at the highest level of bliss. The wave has
realized it is the ocean and does not care whether it is big/small etc. The
ear-ring has realized it is actually gold and does not care that it is less
valuable than a necklace. This is the point when a dreamer has come out of his
dream and realized his true waking state.

From a spiritual perspective, this is the stage, when the soul or atman which had seemed to wrongly identify itself as the ego comes out of its bondage to the body/mind/intellect complex and
realizes its true nature which is ever lasting bliss.

Mundakopanishad commentary

*कस्मिन्नु भगवो विज्ञाते सर्वमिदं विज्ञातं भवतीति ॥ ३ ॥*

What is that knowledge by knowing which all other knowledge is known?

http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/mundak1/mundak1_1.html

Similarities of Adishankara & Jagadguru Sri Sacchidananda Shivabhinava Nrisimha Bharati Mahaswamiji

The astonishing similarities of Jagadgurus Adishankara & Sacchidananda Shivabhinava Nrisimha Bharati Mahaswamiji  is explained in Sanskrit by H.H. Sri Bharathi Theertha swamiji here ( along with English translation)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKIz1_BT7GU&feature=player_embedded

For further details visit this link:

100th Aradhana of Jagadguru Sri Sacchidananda Shivabhanava Nrisimha Bharati Mahaswamiji The 100th Aradhana Mahotsava of the 33rd Shankaracharya of the Dakshinamnaya Sri Sharada Peetham, Jagadguru Sri Sacchidananda Shivabhinava Nrisimha Bharati Mahaswamiji (1879-1912) will be celebrated on March 24, 2012 corresponding to Chaitra Shuddha Dvitiya. Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji who has undertaken a Dakshina Bharata Vijaya Yatra and is presently in Coimbatore, will perform [...]

Texts of vedanta

http://vedantabheri.com/category/texts-of-vedanta/

knr
--
If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.
Happy moments, praise God.
Difficult moments, seek God.
Quiet moments, worship God.
Painful moments, trust God.

  Every moment, thank God

Advaita blog

http://advaitaphilosophy.blogspot.com/

 

knr

--
If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.
Happy moments, praise God.
Difficult moments, seek God.
Quiet moments, worship God.
Painful moments, trust God.

  Every moment, thank God

Advaita in Bhagavatham

http://adbhutam.wordpress.com/2011/03/22/sadasad-vilakshana-of-advaita-in-the-bhaagavatam/

'SADASAD-VILAKSHANA' OF ADVAITA IN THE BHAAGAVATAM

Posted by adbhutam on March 22, 2011

श्रीगुरुभ्यो नमः

अनिर्वचनीयख्यातिः (सदसद्विलक्षणत्वम्) in the श्रीमद्भागवतम्

'anirvachanIyakhyAtiH' (sadasad-vilakShaNatvam) in the srImadbhAgavatam

In Advaita VedAnta the object superimposed is explained as 'sad-asad-vilakShaNam' – something that is distinct from both existent and non-existent.  To elucidate this, this maxim is stated: सत् चेत् न बाध्येत, असत् चेत् न प्रतीयेत (if it is absolutely existent, it would not get sublated upon the knowing of the substratum.  On the other hand, if it is non-existent, like a hare's horn, it would not have become an object of experience, knowing.) Such a thing is called 'mithyA'.  One cannot say, describe, account for, explain, such an 'object'; it is अनिर्वचनीयः. On the analogy of the snake superimposed on a rope the Advaitin holds that the entire universe is of such a category; neither falling under 'sat' nor under 'asat'.

In the srImadbhAgavatam (uddhavagItaa) we have a fine instance of this phenomenon.  In the following verse (11.23.50) -

देहं मनोमात्रमिमं गृहीत्वा ममाहमित्यन्धधियो मनुष्याः |

एषोऽहमन्योऽयमिति भ्रमेण दुरन्तपारे तमसि भ्रमन्ति ||

//Foolish men, coming to look upon the body, which is but a phantasm of the mind, as 'I' and 'mine' and thinking erroneously, 'This am I but this other man is different', wander in a limitless wilderness of ignorance.//

the word 'देहं मनोमात्रमिमं ' is what conveys the concept of 'anirvachanIyatvam'.  Something that is only in the imagination and not available as an existent entity upon enquiry, and at the same time available for experience unlike a hare's horn or a sky-flower, is what is termed 'manomAtram', a phantasm of the mind.

In the following verse too of the BhAgavatam (UddhavagItaa 17.55) -
अर्थे हि अविद्यमाने अपि संसृतिः न निवर्तते।
ध्यायतः विषयान् अस्य स्वप्ने अनर्थ आगमः यथा॥५५॥

//Even though the sense-world (of objects/subject and perceiving) is unreal, अविद्यमाने अपि, the relative existence of a man who dwells on sense-objects is never at an end, as troubles come in dreams. (Since dreams are admitted to be effects of the impressions of the waking state.)//

the word अविद्यमानेऽपि  with regard to the objects is teaching the 'anirvachanIyatvam'.  For, though the objects are 'not there in reality', they are experienced.  'mithyAtvam' is defined (also) as 'a phenomenon which appears in a locus where it does not belong in all the three periods of time'.  The word अर्थ: 'object' signifies the entire dRshya prapancha, the observed, experienced, world.  These cannot be regarded as 'asat', non-existent, for, they are experienced (असत् चेत् न प्रतीयेत). Can they be held to be absolutely existent, 'sat'? No, for their sublation is also taught by the bhAgavatam itself (सत् चेत् न बाध्येत):

आत्मानमेव आत्मतया अविजानतां
तेनैव जातं निखिलं प्रपञ्चितम् ।
ज्ञानेन भूयोऽपि च तत्प्रलीयते
रज्ज्वां अहेर्भोगभवाभवौ यथा ।। 10.14.25

ātmānam evātmatayāvijānatāḿ

tenaiva jātaḿnikhilaḿprapañcitam

jñānena bhūyo 'pi catatpralīyate

rajjvām aher bhoga-bhavābhavau yathā

// A person who mistakes a rope for a snake becomes fearful, but he then gives up his fear upon realizing that the so-called snake does not exist. Similarly, for those who fail to recognize You as the Supreme Soul of all souls, the expansive illusory material existence arises, but knowledge (realization) of You (Your True Nature) at once causes it (the variegated world of plurality) to subside.//

Thus, according to the BhAgavatam, the 'prapancha' that includes the individual, body, the 'others' be they objects or other people, entities, all belong to the category of 'अनिर्वचनीयः' being सदसद्विलक्षणम्.

The verse

 

देहं मनोमात्रमिमं गृहीत्वा ममाहमित्यन्धधियो मनुष्याः |
एषोऽहमन्योऽयमिति भ्रमेण दुरन्तपारे तमसि भ्रमन्ति ||

quoted above is also a fine study in the understanding of the adhyAsa bhAShya  (AB) of Shankaracharya. The word ममाहमित्यन्धधियो is reminiscent of the words: 'अहमिदं ममेदं इति नैसर्गिकोऽयं लोकव्यवहारः'  of the AB.  Shankara demonstrates how the fundamental adhyAsa translates into the thinking of the samsAri in ignorance: He is always, inseparably as it were, endowed with the thinking 'I am so-and-so' and 'these are mine'.  Sri PurandaradAsa in his famous song: ಇನ್ನು ದಯೆ ಬಾರದೆ ದಾಸನ ಮೇಲೆ 'innu daya bAradey dAsana mEle' uses these two terms: 'nAnu-nannadu emba narakadoLage biddu..' ('having fallen in the hell characterized by 'I' and 'mine'…').

The term: एषोऽहमन्योऽयमिति भ्रमेण.. is also interesting.  This can be taken as the Bhagavatam's refutation of the 'jiva-jiva' / 'jiva-Ishwara' bheda since it calls it a 'bhrama'. In the BrihadAraNyaka Upanishad
अन्योऽसौ, अन्योऽहं इति न स वेद (He who knows he is different and the deity is different, does not really know; he is indeed cattle for the Deva-s) (1.4.10) This sentence occurs in the context of the teaching of 'अहम् ब्रह्मास्मि', Aham Brahmasmi. …
The Briharadranyaka Upanishad 2.4.14 teaches:
यत्र हि द्वैतमिव भवति तदितर इतरं पश्यति…..[Where there is duality as it were, one sees something else as different from oneself….]

The Bhaagavatam echoes the above statement of the Upanishad.  By teaching that the vision of difference is 'भ्रम', the BhAgavatam makes it clear that भेददृष्टिः is born of ignorance.

 

It also specifies that knowledge, vidyA, is 'आत्मनि भिदाबाधः' (विद्या आत्मनि भिदाबाधः …11.14.40), the sublation/destruction of difference constitutes knowledge.

नेह नानास्ति किञ्चन मृत्योः स मृत्युमाप्नोति य इह नानेव पश्यति (There is not a wee bit of duality/multiplicity here.. Whoever sees duality as it were goes from death to death. Br.Up. 4.4.19 and Kathopanishad 2.1.11)  By using the particle इव 'as it were', the Upanishad says in unmistakable terms that dvaita is only an appearance, not the reality. However, the dualistic schools have found it a great discomfiture to handle this 'इव" particle and give some completely irrelevant, artificial, out-of-context meaning to avoid the straightforward Non-dualistic purport.

Conclusion:

In the foregoing the phenomenon of the world being categorized in the nature 'अनिर्वचनीयत्वम्' being सदसद्विलक्षणम् was presented with various verses from the srImadbhAgavatam.  The anvaya and vyatireka methods of defining what is 'mithyA' was also seen:

• सत् चेत् न बाध्येत, असत् चेत् न प्रतीयेत (if it is existent, it would not get sublated upon the knowing of the substratum.  On the other hand, if it is non-existent, like a hare's horn, it would not have become an object of experience, knowing.)This constitutes the व्यतिरेकमुखेन मिथ्यात्वकथनम्. In other words, what is not sublatable, बाध्यमानत्वम्, and what is not experienceable, प्रतीयमानत्वम्, cannot constitute mithyAtvam.  If something is sublatable yet being experienceable  it will qualify to be designated as mithyA. प्रतीयमानत्वे सति बाध्यमानत्वम् मिथ्यात्वम्. The hare's horn/sky-flower, etc. will never come into this category.
• Then what is mithyAtvam? The answer to this question is available in the bhAgavatam verse we saw above: मनोमात्रत्वम्. Having no real existence other than being only a mental idea is what qualifies to be mithyA.  This is the अन्वयमुखेन मिथ्यात्वकथनम्.  Clearly, this being मनोमात्रम् is the BhAgavatam's way of admitting the category of सदसद्विलक्षणम्.  The absolutely non-existent sky-flower, hare's horn, etc. will never qualify to be मनोमात्रम् and thereby fit to be called सदसद्विलक्षणम्.
• Most importantly what the bhAgavatam has done is to prove the category of 'mithyaa' the way the Advaita system has done: that which is distinct from both 'sat' and 'asat'.
• It will be impossible for anyone to disprove the above.

• Like several verses of the BhAgavatam, especially the uddhavagItA portion, even the above verse containing the word 'मनोमात्रम्' has several parallels in the GaudapAdakArikA.  The verses 3.29, 30, 31 and 32 are particularly noteworthy.  Even here, verse 31 reads thus along with the bhAShya: मनोदृश्यमिदं द्वैतं यत्किञ्चित् चराचरम् । मनसो ह्यमनीभावे द्वैतं नैवोपलभ्यते ॥ 31 ॥  — रज्जुसर्पवद्विकल्पनारूपं द्वैतरूपेण मन एवेत्युक्तम्। तत्र किं प्रमाणमिति, अन्वयव्यतिरेकलक्षणमनुमानमाह। कथम् ? तेन हि मनसा विकल्प्यमानेन दृश्यं मनोदृश्यम् इदं द्वैतंसर्वं मन इति प्रतिज्ञा, तद्भावे भावात् तदभावे चाभावात्। मनसो हि अमनीभावे निरुद्धे विवेकदर्शनाभ्यासवैराग्याभ्यां रज्जवामिव सर्पे लयं गते वा सुषुप्ते द्वैतं नैवोपलभ्यत इति अभावात्सिद्धं द्वैतस्यासत्त्वमित्यर्थः । [ 3.31: All the multiple objects, comprising the movable and the immovable, are perceived by the mind alone. For duality is never perceived when the mind ceases to act] 'This duality, as a whole, that is perceived by the mind, is nothing but the mind (note the word मनोमात्रम् in the bhAgavatam verse), which is itself imagined (on the Self)' – this is the pratijnA, proposition.  For duality endures so long as the mind does (anvaya), and disappears with the disappearance of the mind (vyatireka). For, when the mind ceases to be the mind, when, like the illusory snake disappearing in the rope, the mind's activity stops through the practice of discriminating insight and detachment, or when the mind gets absorbed in the state of deep sleep, duality is not perceived.  From this non-existence is proved the unreality of duality.  This is the purport.

श्रीसद्गुरुचरणारविन्दार्पणमस्तु

knr
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