JIVANMUKTA (Satsangatwe Nissangatvam)

All our sufferings and difficulties are because of our attachment to our family, children, wealth and property which we have to leave behind when we leave the world! We have to cultivate non attachment if we want real happiness. It was saint Tiruvalluvar who said that one should catch  the lotus feet of the Lord who is totally non attached! “ Patratran patrinai pattruga appattrai vidarku” Easier said than done! The moment the child sees the light of the day, it develops attachments galore! Father, mother, brothers, sisters, uncle, aunt, grandfather, grandmother and various others who dote on the child and shower affection on the child! Born and brought up in that company and environment, it becomes virtually impossible to tear oneself away from the affection showered by them! Family ties are so thick and binding that release from it is practically impossible! In the meanwhile desires play their part and take the person far away from  thinking about his future progress and liberation? This attachment is because of Maya or illusion which presents the real as unreal and the unreal as the real! Is it the fate of man to undergo this endless suffering from birth to death? Is there no other way for him to save himself from the agony? There must be a way to overcome the trials and tribulations of human existence.

Feeling sorry for the misery of mankind who are caught in the never ending cycle of birth and death, compassionate Sankara offers a solution which if faithfully followed, shall see him through all sufferings and finally liberate him! “ Sath sangatwe nissangatwam”  says Sankara. Associations are very important in life. They influence the conduct and character of man. A drop of poison is enough to spoil a pot of milk! Association with the good leads to non attachment. Living with saints and sages, listening to  scriptural stories, chanting the name of the Lord slowly but surely develop non attachment in any individual! This friendship and living together with the wise shall burn away the inner and outer impurities in man and keeps him ready for the next stage of progress! Non attachment doesn't mean that you should cut off all connections with family and children or runaway into the forest. It only means that you should just do your duty as a parent not more not less! Extreme involvement in worldly affairs is the root cause of sorrow! That should avoided.

“ Nissangatve nirmohatvam” Sankara points out that non attachment ushers in freedom from delusion or Maya! What is this Maya? It is the art of make believe! It makes you believe the real as unreal and and the unreal as the real! The world is unreal; it disappears finally! But we think it is real and ignorantly enjoy its silly pleasures! We mistake that we are the body whereas we are the indestructible Atma or the Soul, a chip of the eternal Reality, the Brahman! As non attachment develops slowly attachments drop down! But it is a difficult process! It is almost impossible to come out clean from delusion! Lord Krishna tells Arjuna, in the Bhagavad-Gita that His Maya is very difficult for anyone to cross, “ mama maya duratyaya”. Sage Narada had a bitter experience of Vishnu Maya in his life! Even Lord Siva was deceived by Maya when He fell to the charms of Mohini the beautiful damsel who was Lord Vishnu in female form!

Freedom from delusion or Maya  brings in steadfastness, a feeling of steadiness and fixity of purpose! “ Nirmohatwe nischala tatwam” declares Sankara pointing out how one good quality leads to another better quality. Company with the wise and non attachment have now liberated him from delusion or Maya and he is ripe to enter into the next stage. He is now imperturbable in his faith and purpose! Nothing can shake him! This firmness is the most essential quality! Whatever obstacles come in his way, he is not perturbed. The accumulated effect of his non attachment, freedom from illusion and steadfastness takes him to the next and the last step which is the ideal for every individual to reach!

“ Nischala tatwe jivan muktihi” Sankara concludes! This rock like firm faith and steadfastness is responsible for the final emancipation of the individual! This is called “ jivan mukti”, liberation in this very existence! Mukti does not mean that one reaches it on account of his good karma only? after his death. It is possible to realize the Supreme Brahman through non attachment, freedom from Maya and firm faith and steadfastness!It is very difficult to find Jeevanmuktas in the present day world since mankind is fully immersed in materialism and does not find time for God and religion!Deserving examples of Jeevanmuktas are Bhagawan Ramana Maharshi and Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa in our recent past! Sri Sankara counsels every Individual to maintain Satsang, develop non attachment and have unshakable faith in God and steadfastness in purpose! These virtues are capable enough to make one a Jeevanmukta, one liberated in life!!

WORLD AFFLICTED WITH SORROW ( Lokam soka hatamcha samastam)

The greatest wonder in the world is that man thinks that life in this world is permanent! He sees people dying everyday but does not realize that he too has to depart one day! There are two types of vairagyas. One is called ‘prasuti vairagya’. The woman, suffering excruciating labor pains, curses the husband and feels that she should never again suffer like this. Soon after seeing the child safely delivered, she forgets all her pain and is extremely happy! she will have many more children later! The second is ‘smasana vairagya’. Seeing people dying daily and  being taken for cremation, man thinks that one day he too has to  follow the same track! The feeling is just for that moment! He forgets that soon after and falls into the same rut of life! A momentary wisdom dawns on man but is lost in Maya or illusion. Many saints, sages and philosophers have declared that our life is very short! We do not recognize that at every second we are losing our longevity! Youth slowly disappears. Days lost do not return. Time swallows up the entire universe. Lakshmi - wealth is as unstable as the bubble on the wave of the ocean. Our life itself is as impermanent as a flash of lightning!

Sankara reminds humanity how impermanent and unstable life on earth is! “ Nalini dala gata salilam taralam tadwad jivita matisaya chapalam”--A drop of water on the lotus leaf does not remain stable and steady. It moves from one side to the other  It is likely to fall off the leaf also!  In the same manner life is  very unstable says the eminent philosopher. We don't know what happen at the next moment! One who desires to live long die suddenly.The other who wants to die lives long! How many air accidents have occurred recently killing many passengers at the same time! One or two have escaped miraculously! Paupers have become millionaires while the rich have become paupers! The good and the righteous have suffered while the evil minded  and the bad have prospered! There is no certainty that one’s life will follow a certain track from the beginning to the end

Sankara asserts  that life is not a bed of roses! It is decidedly a bed of thorns! There are small sharp pin pricks that startle man. “ Viddhi vyad yabhimana grastham”  remarks Sankara. Understand that the world is caught in the tentacles of pride or arrogance. Sankara has earlier  said, “ makuru dhanajana yauna garvam harati nimeshat kalah sarvam”. Man is proud of his people, kith and kin. He becomes arrogant but in no time they vanish. Is wealth and riches permanent or stable? No! It comes and departs as secretly as the water in the coconut! Youth  and robust constitution is only up to a point. Arrogance has brought down many a great sage and king and emperor!We have many examples in our Puranas and scriptures. In modern days, we have illustrations in history and politics, of people who have fallen down from their pinnacle of glory because of their arrogance and pride! Egocentric individuals are sure to have a terrible fall!

At the end of the sloka Sankara declares what happens to the world and society because of these egos and adamant conduct. “ Lokam soka hatamcha samastam” he concludes. All the world is destroyed by sorrow and suffering! Arrogance and pride are the incurable diseases that hang heavy on man and lead to his downfall at the end. Life on earth appears to be happy and  full of fun outwardly but deep down is always an under current of sorrow and suffering which he does not recognize. Sankara advises humanity that our existence is inseparable from sorrow! Man is tossed hither and thither by his desires which can never be satiated! As a result he becomes angry and loses his mental balance.His intellect fails him and leads to serious consequences! What man considers as happiness isn't real happiness at all They are all silly transitory pleasures mistaken for real happiness! Sankara reiterates that man should rise  against this make believe and enjoy the real pleasure of worshipping Govinda whose name is the source of perpetual “ Ananda" or bliss!

In every sloka of the Bhaja Govindam Strotra Sri Sankara echos the eternal Vedic and  Upanishadic truths that are relevant for the world even today! Man is running after money and has becoms slave! Money can never  bring happiness. On the other hand it creates many difficulties!  Earning, protecting, spending and losing money makes man miserable! He runs after happiness through possessing riches. He is disillusioned finally! Sankara wants man to turn spiritual and devotional so that he can save himself from sorrow and grief of material world!

TAT TWAM ASI (Chandogya Upanishad 2)

Chandogya Upanishad speaks of the oneness of the world and the immanent reality of man. All souls are inter connected and one. In most, the essence is the same.The whole world is one Truth, one Reality, one Soul! Living beings are similar to rivers flowing in different directions, joining the ocean and becoming the ocean itself! “ Akasath patitam toyam yatha gacchati sagaram” Every river loses its individuality and merges into the ocean. They realize their oneness with the ocean. Uddalaka tells Swetaketu that the subtle essence is the soul of this world! That is also the Reality and the Self. Swetaketu is that eternal Self and Reality! The more Uddalaka explains the more Swetaketu wants to learn! A fruit of the Nyagrodha tree is brought and broken. Swetaketu observes extremely fine seeds inside the fruit. When one of the seeds is broken Swetaketu finds nothing. Uddalaka says that the subtle essence which he does not see is the cause  for the Nyagrodha tree! That is the Self and Swetaketu is nothing but that!

Soul and the body are compared to salt and water! After asking Swetaketu to dissolve some salt in water, Uddalaka wants him to take out salt! It is dissolved but water is salty to taste throughout. The inference is that though you do not see the pure Being, it is always there! That is the Reality! That is the Self! Swetaketu is nothing but that! The Sat is for ever. This Sat is the soul, the essence, it exists, it is true! When a person, covering up his eyes, is led away from his place into a forest area he is much agitated. When someone removes the cover and directs him to his place, he readily arrives at his place! The teacher is the person who removes the cover and imparts knowledge!

The symbolism can be explained thus. The home is Sat, Truth, Reality, Brahma, Atma! The forest is the empirical world of existence! Eye cover represents impulsiveness of desires!  Removal of eye cover indicates a search for meaning of life and an introspective turn to within! Those giving directions are spiritual teachers and guides! A sick man recognizes his relatives so long as his breath is not merged with the warmth of his body and the warmth in the Highest Being! But when his breath is merged in the warmth of his body and in the Highest Being, he cannot recognize his kith and kin. In the same way, a thief given to untruth has to suffer whereas one who speaks truth is likely to get reduced punishment or released! Finally Uddalaka’s  exposition of Reality, and Self satisfied Swetaketu and he understood it. It is in this manner that Swetaketu understood the instruction by which ”We hear what cannot be heard, perceive what cannot be perceived and know what cannot be known”!

TAT TWAM ASI (THAT THOU ART) Chandogya Upanishad

The Upanishads, according to the Vedantic tradition enshrine many ‘ Maha Vakyas’ which declare the universal message in the form of concise and terse statements. Though many Maha vakyas are present, four of them, one from each of the four Vedas are mentioned as “the Maha Vakyas'. The four Upanishadic statements indicate the ultimate unity of the Individual Soul (Atman) with the Supreme Soul( Brahman). The ‘Maha Vakyas' are: ‘Pragnanam Brahma’ from Aitareya Upanishad, ‘ Ayamatma Brahma’ from Mandukyopanishad, ‘ Tat Twam Asi’ from Chandogya Upanishad, and ‘Aham Brahmasmi’ from Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.The sixth prapitica of Chandogya Upanishad contains the key to all knowledge, the famous “ Tat Twam Asi”-(That Thou Art) precept. This Vakya is regarded by the scholars as the sum total of all Upanishadic teachings! Chandogya Upanishad establishes the significance of the statement through the conversation between  Swetaketu and his learned father Uddalaka Aruni. It is seen that the Vakya is repeated nine times at the end of sections of 6.8 through 6.16 of the Upanishad! A few statements are given below:

“ The universe consists of what that finest essence is, it is the soul, that thou art, O Swataketu! This whole world has that as its soul. That is readily that is Atman (Soul) That Art Thou, Swetaketu! That is the truth. That is the Self. In that way are you Swetaketu!”

Uddalaka Aruni sends his 24 year old son Swetaketu Aruneya to school since none in the family attended the school. After 12 years, completing his studies in sasthras and other classics and scriptures, Swetaketu returns. Uddalaka asks Swetaketu if he had studied and learnt that “by which we perceive what cannot be perceived, we know what cannot be known”. Swetaketu admits that he hasn’t  and enquires what it is. His father, Uddalaka, through 16 volumes of  verses of Chandogya Upanishad explains to his son the essential truth. A mass of clay is the essence. But it takes many forms like pots of different sizes and colors.  Gold is the essence but jewels and adornments are many. Milk is the essence but it is from different cows. Atma is one but manifests in different bodies! The form and other qualities alone change but not the essence. Uddalaka says that the universe cannot emerge from nothing! There was one Sat-reality, Truth without a second!  It sent forth heat to grow and multiply. Heat produced water and it multiplied

to give water. Water multiplying produced food! Life emerges through three routes, an egg, direct birth of a living being and sprouting from seeds. The Sat enters these giving them their individuality.

Heat, food, and water nourish all living beings regardless of the route through which they are born. Each of these nourishments has three constituents. They are coarse, medium and the finest essence. Coarse material becomes waste, medium builds the body, and the finest nourishes the mind. Mind depends on the body and proper food while breath depends on hydrating the body. Voice depends on warmth in the body. These are not the leads! It is the Sat inside, Real Self,  the Soul- Atman is the root! It is the essence! It is at the core of all living beings -- It is real. It is True, it is the Self and Thou Art That Swetaketu! Uddalaka Aruni thus explains to his son Swetaketu, the inner significance of creation, living beings and other creatures. The Upanishad does not stop at this. Through Uddalaka, it expatiates with several illustrations the identity of the inner essence with the Supreme Brahman.  (Continued)

DESIRE HURTS (Kamam Krodham lobham moham..)

Of the inveterate inner enemies embedded in our nature, ‘ Kama, krodha, lobha and moha are the most dangerous! They prevent man from spiritual progress! Kama is desire which can never be satiated! Like the fuel that increases the flames, satisfying a desire leads to far more desires and there is no end for it! Kama or desire can be for anything good or bad--desire for money and wealth or for power, renown and for women and wine! Results will depend on the nature of desire and the effort made by the individual! When the desire is unfulfilled there is frustration and anger that result in further difficult situations. In Sankhya Yoga of the Bhagavad-Gita Lord Krishna tells Arjuna the disastrous consequence of anger: “ From anger arises delusion; delusion promotes confusion of the mind; confusion generates loss of reason; and finally, loss of reason leads to complete ruin. (Sankhya Yoga 63) Desire is all-devouring, and corrupts everything. It is the greatest enemy. Desire is the Wise man’s eternal foe, O Kounteya, and is like an insatiable fire.” (Karma Yoga 37,39).

Sankara says, “ Kamam Krodham lobham moham tyakthvathmanam- avoid desire, anger, covetousness and attachment”. Easily said than done! It is easy for the great Jagadguru Sankara to advise the common man! But how far is it possible for him? From time immemorial  control of desire has not been possible even for Gods! Then why think about the hapless mortals on earth! What made Indra, king of Gods run after the chaste spouse of sage Gautama when he was away? It is gross desire for union with her. He had to lose his manliness as a consequence! In spite of being a great king with all luxuries, king Yayati was not satiated! He neglected his wife Devayani, daughter of his guru Sukracharya. He romanced with his second wife Sarmishta and on Devayani’s complaint, he was cursed by Sukracharya to lose his youth! He would get back his youth if someone else would exchange his youth for old age!! Even at this stage the king’s conjugal desire did not leave him. He called his sons and wanted one of them to take on his old age! They refused but finally his last son helped Yayati and took over his old age as an obedient son!

We feel sad at the plight of sage Durvasa, famous for his great tapas, and anger! Promising his host Ambarisha, an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu, to return for meal after a dip in the river, the sage tried his patience by returning very late! Ambarisha could not wait for the sage as the auspicious dwadasi hours progressed. He took some Tulsi water so that his vrata would not be affected. Soon sage Durvasa returned and knew what had happened. In a fit of uncontrollable rage, he created an evil spirit and ordered it to destroy Ambarisha! But the Sudarsana Chakra of Lord Vishnu, presented to Ambarisha for his protection, immediately destroyed the sage’s evil spirit and chased the sage! Durvasa ran for his life but the chakra did not leave him! The Trinity, Brahma, Vishnu, Siva could not save the Sage. Vishnu asked Durvasa to beg the pardon of his bhaktha Ambarisha, which alone is the way to avoid the Chakra! Poor Durvasa had to eat his humble pie by begging pardon from Ambarisha! The story from the Bhagavata Purana is an illustration of what harm can meaningless anger do for an individual however great he may be!

What about Ravana the king of Lanka? Brother of Kubera the God of Wealth, and a great Vedic scholar who pleased Lord Siva by singing the Sama Veda, he was an embodiment of lust! He imprisoned many celestial damsels, and was cursed by Vedavathi for touching her while in penance! Aspiring for the hand of Sita, wife of Rama sealed his fate! Whatever may be your accomplishments, the effect of Kama, krodha and moha is enough to cause one’s downfall! It is absolutely impossible for the common man to keep his senses under control! That is why Sri Sankara says “ bhavayakoham”- who thinks about  the Atma or soul? Fools who have no Atma jnana or realization of the Self have to suffer in the secret  excruciating spheres of Naraka!” “ “atma Jnana vihinamoodah te pachyante naraka nigudah”

What then is the way out for humanity to escape from the all pervading tentacles of the inner enemies or arishadvargas? The only way is to control your senses! Our indriyas  and senses tempt us. we should not yield to such temptations. According to the Upanishad our body is the is  chariot. Atma is the charioteer. Intellect Is the driver of the chariot. Manas or mind is the controlling factor. The Indriyas or sensory organs are the horses that gallop uninhibited if not held in check. Ultimately they dash you to the ground if you lose your control! This control of senses is rather difficult but not impossible! Meditation, chanting the name of God, sathsang, company with the wise and the saintly can play a large part in developing the crucial check on the senses. Non attachment to mundane and material aspects of worldly life shall also help the aspirant! Hence Sankara expects every individual to develop 'atmajnana’ or self realization to escape from the clutches of the lower world or Naraka! Self realization is the only panacea for all the evil and sufferings in the modern world! Why not we make a beginning at least now??

SATYAKAMA JABALA (Chandogya Upanishad)

The story of Satyakama Jabala in chapter four of Chandogya Upanishad is a classical example of the intellectual catholicity of our ancient sages transcending the barriers of caste, community, religion and family! One becomes a brahmin not because of his family and parentage! The first and foremost quality is honesty and truthfulness! He must be a seeker after the Brahman, a   realized soul. It is immaterial if he is a Sudra or of any other caste or community! It is the conduct,character, and real passion for ‘Brahma Vidya’ that distinguishes the aspirant from the ordinary disciple. Lord Krishna clears all doubts on the creation of caste system in his Divine discourse to Arjuna in the Bhdagavad Gita. “ Chatur varnam maya srushtya guna karma vibhagasaha”- I have created the four varnas or classes based on their qualities or gunas and their deeds or karmas. In other words a Kshatriya, Vaisya, or a Sudra can become a brahmin by his sterling qualities of conduct and character. On the other hand a brahmin can degrade himself by his objectionable conduct and character! The name Satyakama is very significant. It means one who desires Satya or Truth which is Brahman itself. He was the son of a servant maid and prostitute! Growing up, he wanted to seek knowledge which according to the Upanishads is Brahma Vidya.

He approached his mother Jabala and enquired about his father as the teacher would ask who his father and mother are. Jabala replied that she doesn't know who he is as she went to many places and moved with many people! She directed him to call himself Satyakama Jabala and inform his teacher bravely and in truth! Eager for knowledge he went to sage Haridrumata Gautama and requested to admit him as his student. He told the Sage that his mother did not know who is father is! The teacher was stunned at the reply but appreciated the honesty and straightforwardness of the young lad! Such honesty and truthfulness is the striking quality of a brahmin! Sage Gautama considered him as a brahmin and accepted him as his student and disciple! Soon after initiating Satyakama to the study of the Brahman, Gautama selected 400 lean cows and bade him tend them properly and return when they grow into a thousand! Satyakama lived away in the forest for a number of years. He lived peacefully in the midst of nature and meditated.The cows had good pastures to graze and grew into a thousand.

The Bull in the herd reminded Satyakama to return to his teacher! It wanted to teach him a fourth part of the  Brahman! It explained that the east, west, north and west are one sixteenth,  forming a quarter of the Brahman. That is called the Resplendent! The Fire told him that the earth, atmosphere,sky and the ocean are one sixteenth and a quarter of the Brahman! It is called as the End! Next the Swan told him that the Fire, the Sun and the moon are also one sixteenth and one fourth of the Brahman! This is called the Luminous! Finally the diver bird told Satyakama that breath, the eye, the ear, and the mind are one sixteenth and form a quarter of the Brahman! This is called the Abiding!

After all these instructions, Satyakama reached his teacher sage Gautama. There was a radiance the face of Satyakama! Gautama was surprised at the effulgence radiating from the face of his student! He immediately exclaimed that Satyakama looked like one who had the knowledge of the Brahman! He asked him who taught him this Brahma Vidya! Satyakama replied that he was taught by others than men! Satyakama was not satisfied! He said  that  knowledge learnt from the guru leads to real good. There upon, sage Gautama instructed him on the very same knowledge of the Brahman!

The symbolic conversation of Satyakama with a bull,fire, a swan and a diver bird represent  Vayu, Agni Aditya and Prana. He learns from these creatures that forms of Brahman are all in cardinal directions, north,south,east and south, world bodies - earth, atmosphere, sky and ocean, sources of light-- fire,sun, moon and lightning and in man-- breath, eye, ear, and mind! Satyakama thus graduates and becomes a celebrated teacher! A Vedic School is named after him! He is also the author of ‘ Jabala Upanishad, a treatise on sanyasa! Upakosala Kamalayana was a student of Satyakama Jabala!

ARROGANCE AND MAYA (makuru dhana jana yauvana garvam)

Man is the victim of all the inner enemies embedded in his nature! They are invisible but inherent in man. Kama is the first adversary that bowls him out! With multiple insatiable desires  that plague him he struggles to carry on his existence. Disappointment in the fulfilment of his desires makes him angry and lose his balance of mind. Krodha- anger makes him almost a beast. He becomes covetous and is attached to his wife, children and property in this illusory world.  Moha or attachment pulls him down preventing him to scale spiritual heights. The next  terrible enemy that torments man is arrogance or mada! It is a quality that makes one think that  none is equal to or greater than him! In other words man becomes egocentric and refuses to believe that anyone can equal him. Man is thus mercilessly treated by these ‘Arishadvargas’ and there is no escape for man from these invincible secret enemies!

It is to remind man of the perennial danger from these adversaries that Sankara speaks of a few types of arrogance or ‘mada’. “ makuru dhanajana yauvana garvam” counsels the philosopher.The first type of arrogance is that caused by money! Man does not care for anybody when endowed with huge money or wealth! He thinks he can achieve everything with the money he has! He doesn't realize that money is highly unstable and changes hands frequently. It is said that money is as unstable as the bubble on the water of the wave! Multimillionaires have been reduced to paupers in their lives while the poor in penury have become millionaires! It is foolish to be arrogant because of money alone! The second cause of arrogance is “Jana"- your people, parents, wife, children, kith and kin. It is doubtful if they will stand by you in your difficult times. They love and care for you as long as you earn money for them! When the robber questioned his wife if she shared the sin of his robberies, she replied in the negative! Later, the highway robber performed tapas repeating the name 'Rama’ and became the sage Valmiki who wrote the famous epic the Ramayana. None can come to your rescue in your critical times. Wife, children, wealth and property have to be left behind willy nilly! Your good and bad karma follows you and nothing else!

The third instigator for arrogance is youth or ‘yauvana’ when you are robust in health and youth. You have abundant strength to achieve many things. But how long will youth last? Surely not till the end of life. The old order changes yielding place to new! “ All the world's a stage and all men and women merely players” Childhood, boyhood and youth give place to old age and senility! Age obscures senses and you can no longer see or hear or think properly! You are in the evening of your life and wait to quit the world through nature to eternity! Under the impact of arrogance of power man does many bad things. It was the great king Nahusha being carried by the saptarishis in a palanquin to be crowned as the king of heaven. In his anxiety and arrogance he prodded one of the sages carrying him, by his foot saying “sarpa sarpa”! He wanted the sages to move quickly. But the sage who was prodded grew angry at the arrogance of King Nahusha and cursed him to be a serpent in the forest! The word ‘sarpa’ means serpent!  Thus arrogance brings forth the downfall of man! So Sankara warns mankind of the evil influence of  arrogance and pride that create many difficulties as well as dangers.

“ Harathi nimeshath Kalam sarvam”--Sankara points out that your ‘dhana, jana and yauvana' are after all temporary! When man’s life itself is not permanent how can these attachments and qualities be permanent? Time swallows up everything in its eternal roll! “Kalo jagad bhakshakaha!” Our life itself is like a flash of lightning- sudden brightness for a second and total darkness at the end! The world in which we live is illusory. It is a make believe. Things real appear unreal. Those unreal appear real because of illusion. Like the illusion of the serpent in the rope entire world is in the grip of ‘Maya’ or Illusion! It is very difficult to come out of Maya! Lord Krishna speaks of His Maya as, “mama maya duratyaya”- it is very difficult to overcome! “ Maya mayamida makhilam-- The entire world is enveloped in Maya or illusion! It is the duty of every Individual to recognize this factor and be not misled by its wiles and fascination. Sankara advises man to understand the phenomenon of Maya and attempt to  enter into the field of the Brahman or the Absolute reality “ Brahma padan twam pravisa viditwa”.

Our experience at the theater is an example of how we look at the world! We know we are in the theater and it is the silver screen! We know it is a make believe. But for a period of two to two and half hours we forget ourselves and laugh with the comedians, weep with the sufferings of the heroine and hate the villains on the screen! There is thus a conspicuous suspension of disbelief! Similarly in spite of our knowledge of this illusory world we think  every thing, experience, joy and sorrow  are real and react accordingly! Sankara counsels us to realize the true nature​ of this Maya and keep away from it by serious effort to reach the Brahman!

BRAHMAN--CHANDOGYA UPANISHAD

Like many other Upanishads, Chandogya Upanishad describes and defines the  Brahman! It should be meditated upon as the form from which man has come forth! His very breath is Brahman and he has to return to It finally! Man is what he meditates asserts the Upanishad!  According to what man meditates in the world he becomes one departing from the world.  “ Brahmavith brahmaiva bhavathi”  says the Taittiriya Upanishad. One who knows the Brahman becomes the Brahman itself! Brahman is the mind while life is his body. The form of Brahman is light. Truth is his will and space his Soul! He is a combination of all activities, desires, smell and taste. He is all pervading, silent and unmoved! “Ekah paratma bahudeha varti” Brahman is one and manifests in different bodies!

The Upanishad declares that the Brahman is the Self  within the heart of man. He is smaller than a grain of rice or barley or a mustard seed or a grain of millet or even the kernel of the grain of millet! Kathopanishad describes the  Brahman as “ anoraniyan mahatmahiyanathmasya jantor nihito guhayam tamakrartuh pasyathi vita soko dhatu prasadan mahimanamatmanaha” Smaller than the small and greater than the great, the Self is hidden in the heart of every creature. A man, free from desires beholds the glory of the Self through the tranquility of his mind and senses and becomes free from sorrow. Chandogya Upanishad Says that the Brahman is the Self within the heart, greater than the earth, the sky, heaven and all these worlds!

Once again the Upanishad  stresses the all pervading nature of the Brahman! With Him man will be united on departing from here! One who has this faith shall be rid of all doubts! Katha Upanishad gives a clear view of the Self. “ ajo nityaha saswatoyam purano na hanyate hanya mane sareere”-It is unborn, eternal, everlasting, and primeval. It is not slain when the body is slain! According to the Kathopanishad, the Self, though sitting still travels far;  though lying down He goes everywhere. He is bodiless within the bodies, unchanging among changing things!

This is called Sandilya Vidya, one of the many forms of meditation recommended in the Upanishads. It asserts the oneness of the Individual Soul and the Supreme Brahman! The formula “tajjalan” is explained as that form from which the universe is born, into which it will return and in which it continues to live! Thus at all periods of time the universe remains one with Brahman!

ARTHAMANARTHAM BHAVAYA NITYAM..( Bhajagovindam)

“ Money has never made man happy, nor will it, there is nothing in its nature to produce happiness. The more of it one has the more one wants” says Benjamin Franklin. In other words it is a desire and desires can never be satiated! The fulfilment of one desire leads to another insatiable desire or want! Srikama is the person who loves and wants money! The Sri Sukta extols Goddess Lakshmi as the giver of all prosperity “ aswadayacha go dayi dhanadayi Maha dhane…. Putra pautra dhanamdhanyam..prajanam bhavasi mata ayushmantam karoti mam" He wants horses, cows, wealth of exceptional nature, fulfilment of all his wants, sons, grandchildren, money, all agricultural produce and finally full longevity! These are the desires of man from time Immemorial! But still man is to get the fulfilment of all his desires! Barack Obama says that money is not the only answer but it makes the difference.

Sympathizing with man lost in in the maze of this illusory world and materialism, Sankara speaks of the seductive and dangerous nature of money! “artha manartham bhavaya nityam” declares the renowned philosopher! Consider Money as capable of creating critical situations. Artha means money or wealth. Anartha means critical situations from which you cannot come out unscathed! Love and obsession for money makes one a miser who worships money without enjoying it! He becomes a ‘dog in the manger’ neither enjoying it nor allowing others to enjoy!  Money is not the most important thing in the world. Love is, says a writer. Money is after all the legal tender to satisfy your little wants or desires. It has no other use.“

Lakshmis thoya taranga bhanga chapala” says another poet! Wealth or riches is as unstable as the bubble on the water of the wave! She is a female deity and accordingly her mind is as vacillating as that of a woman! She moves from one hand to the other in circulation and has great value! Blood and money have no value if not in circulation! “Nasthi sukhah tatha lesas satyam" asserts Sankara!  Where is happiness with such unstable and problematic money? It makes neither the owner nor the receiver happy! It creates envy, hatred, and enmity between the kith and kin and friends.“Neither a borrower nor a lender be for loan oft loses both itself and friend” says Shakespeare the the bard of Stratford upon!

Money can buy something to create happiness. But it can never buy happiness! The happiness created by money is not real happiness! It is a sense of pleasure which is ephemeral and momentary! Man mistakes it for Real Happiness which is spiritual and the Realization of the Self! “ Putradapi Dhana bhajambhitihi”- comments Sankara! Money is so bad that it creates a rift between the owner and his wife and children! There are instances when the son demands his   share of father’s property. When that wish is not  accommodated or rejected, that leads to severe clash of egos! It may even end in the murder of the father! Even the wife, if she is mad after money will not hesitate to employ devious ways and means of getting the money!  There is thus danger lurking wherever a lot of money is involved!  Men and women are robbed and even banks are looted as it happened in Kashmir recently! During demonetization many ATMs were attacked and money stolen! People had to suffer for long for want sufficient legal tender!

What is the way to gain control over money? One must have a tight grip over his money lest its lack will forever control him! It is not the money that matters. It is how you use it that determines its true value! Money used for righteous causes gains in its value.Dharma is the immediate heir to money! If misused it can be taken away by the king (Income Tax) or it may be destroyed in fire or stolen by thieves! Money can feed the body but not the Soul! “ He who loses money loses much! He who loses a friend loses more! He who loses Faith loses all” It is not easy to earn money. Physical and mental strain is terrible for earning money. It is a problem to safeguard the money that you have accumulated! When you spend it away you are unhappy! When you lose money you are broken and cannot be consoled! Despite these drawbacks and other difficulties Man loves money and is prepared to do anything to earn and accumulate it! Strange is the way of the world! Sankara advises humanity to understand the intricacies and dangers of earning money and be cautious!

CHANDOGYA UPANISHAD (On Brahman Gayatri Purusha and Space

In the next section of the Chandogya Upanishad, we have a debate between three men well-versed in the Udgita. The question is what is the abode or origin of Udgita. Many answers like tone, breath, food and water are given. Yonder world is said to be the origin of water. The origin of the Yonder world is this world says Jaivali, a debater. He says finally that the origin of this world is Space. It is greater than all these and the ultimate abode. Udgita is the highest and the best! One who meditates on Udgita, the Upanishad declares, becomes the highest and the best! Akasa or Space here stands for the Supreme Self. The question discussed is what is the ground of the world. Theories that the ultimate  ground is sound, breath, water, heaven and earth are discarded as inadequate!

Ushasti Chakrayana goes to the sacrifice where the priest sings the ‘Prastava’. He asks the priest if he knows the God related to the mantra. He puts the same question to the Udgita priest and the ‘Pratihari’ priest, when they are unable to answer. Then Chakrayana says it is Life as all beings enter into it and rise from it! To the same question by the Udgita priest, Chakrayana says that the God is the Sun as all beings sing of the Sun when he is up! To the question of the 'Pratihari’ priest, he replies that the God is Food itself! People live because of taking food! This story is meant to teach that in performing sacrifices one should know what he is doing. He should have a knowledge and the meaning of the mantras and of the deities involved!

In the next section, Gayatri mantra is extolled as everything, speech, earth, the body, and the heart! Gayatri metre has four feet and each foot has four syllables. It is six fold in the shape of speech, creatures, earth, body, heart and the vital breaths! The Upanishad declares that greater than the Gayatri mantra is the Purusha himself! All mortal beings are only a fourth part of Him! The other parts are Immortal in heaven! Purusha is Brahman as He is Himself and not His manifestation symbolized by Gayatri! The Space outside the person, inside and within the heart is Brahman which is perfect and unchanging! The Brahman symbolized by Gayatri is now identified with Akasa or Space with its three phases-that which is outside man, that which is inside and that which is within the heart!

The Upanishad equates the light shining above heaven with the same light within man! It is higher than everything, beyond which there are no other worlds! As a visible proof one perceives by touch the warmth of the body! The audible proof is that one hears a rumbling sound! The Upanishads thus establishes that there no difference between the eternal Brahman and the the Space in and out and within man!

RAT RACE FOR MONEY (Mooda jahihi dhanagama thrushna

Lure for money has been existing from time Immemorial! In the Ramayana Lakshmana tells Sri Rama, “ Dhana marjaya Kakkutsa dhanamula midamjagat antaram nabhi janami nirdhanasya mrutasyacha”--You have to earn money for it is the root cause of the world. I find no difference between the man without money and the dead! While money is important in life, too much money or too little of it creates problems! In the four ‘purusharthas’, Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha, Artha or money is very important next to Dharma. Without money Dana or charity cannot be made. Even Dharma cannot be maintained. Kama or desires can never be fulfilled. It is money that gives happiness and pleasures to the mortal in his daily existence. But is money the be all and the end all human existence? Man has become the slave of money and worshipper of Mammon, the God of Wealth! He has become Srikama, one who desires wealth! In other words, man has become the victim of materialism and has forgotten the roots of spiritualism in his own heart! He is prepared to do anything for the sake of money including murder! All values are forgotten and all rules violated just for the sake of money! It is a pitiable society that we see today that is engaged in a rat race for money! Where will this lead us to?

Sensing this ever existing danger to humanity, compassionate Sankara warns man to not go after money! Calling him a fool , Sankara wants him to burn away that blind passion for earning money in some way or other! “ mooda jahihi dhanagama thrushnam” Many earn money and we find corporates, the fabulously rich and various others that eke out their life by hard manual labor. It is not earning or accumulating wealth that is important. It is the manner and means by which you gather wealth that requires proper scrutiny! The word, ‘thrushna’  signifies thirst! It stands for  desires that can never be satiated! Fulfilment of one desire leads to another endlessly. Therefore Sankara counsels control of desires. Develop good mind and try to remain desireless suggests Sankara. “ kuru sad buddhim manasi vithrushna.” Sankara dilates on the theory of Karma, the effect of one’s good and bad deeds in his previous innumerable births.

“ yal labhase nija karmopattham- that you receive as a result of your past karma- “ Vittam thena vinodaya chittam” be happy with the money that you receive as per your purva punya karma. As per the karma theory, our sufferings and  joys are dictated by our bad and good deeds in the past. Our fortune, income, and everything is also decided by Karma!  If you are eligible there can be a bonanza or a windfall! Otherwise you have to suffer in penury! However much you try, you will fail. At other times, without any effort, you  climb the ladder of fame and prosperity!  This is all because of Karma of which we are totally ignorant in this birth! Sankara reaffirms the part played by Karma in man’s life and directs him to be satisfied with what he gets according to his past karma. There are many examples of people who had nothing, but became millionaires by their hard work and luck! On the other hand, many, in spite of their opulence, plunged into dire poverty and grief! What is it due to? It is the consequence of their past Karma!

It is an illusion that money is instrumental for the happiness of man! Real happiness is entirely different! Money has been the source of sorrow always! Says a poet: “ arthanam arjanam dukkham”- It is very difficult to earn money. We know the hardship of the manual laborer who sweats to earn a little money! The others have to strain their intellect and business acumen to earn a lot! But it does not end there! “ arjithanancha rakshane”-protecting the wealth accumulated is another bugbear! We have seen the terrible attempts of crorepatis to convert black and unaccounted money into white soon after demonetization! Some have thrown away the notes in sheer desperation as they could not protect it! Money causes sorrow thus. “ Nase dukkham vyaye dukkham ki martham dukkha bhajanam?”-Man is afflicted with sorrow when it is lost as well as when it is spent away! The poet concludes by remarking” Why this money the source of perpetual sorrow?” So Sankara explains that one should not lose himself  in pursuing money which is not his! Whatever is his due, he shall surely get and he should be perfectly satisfied with that. Whatever is not his due, he shall not get even by herculean efforts! There is no point in sweating out for that!

How true are the words of Adi Sankara to the present situation in society! People are mad after money and spare no effort to earn it through fair or foul means! We can understand the poor and the downtrodden in their effort to make money. But what about the millionaires and crorepatis exerting themselves to make more and more money though they could give away a part of it to charity and helping the needy and the deserving!  “ Lakshmis thoya taranga bhanga chapala” says another poet. Lakshmi or Money is as unstable and momentary as the bubble in the wave! But the lure of money has become irresistible for man! Until man realizes the imperative need to curb the passion to earn more and more money, he cannot find real happiness and peace of mind! Let us think seriously about Sankara’s advice and conduct ourselves accordingly!

A Look into Chandogya Upanishad

Embedded in the Chandogya Brahmana of Sama Veda and ninth in the 108 Upanishads, Chandogya Upanishad is the oldest. It is an anthology of texts that must have preexisted and edited by scholars. It dates back to eighth​ to sixth century BCE. Chanda means poetic meter or prosody, related to patterns of structure, stress, rhythm, intonation, songs and chants. The Upanishad is one of the largest compilations with lilting metrical structure. It's also one of the most quoted texts in later Bhashyas. Adi Sankara has cited Chandogya Upanishad 810 times in his Vedanta Sutra Bhashya!

The Upanishad opens thus: “ Let a man meditate on Om as Udgita (song or chant). The significance of the syllable is described afterwards. The Upanishad asserts that the essence of all beings is the earth. The essence of earth is water.The essence of water is plants and their essence is man! The essence of man is speech while the essence of speech is Rig Veda! Its essence is Sama Veda and finally the essence of Sama Veda is Udgita!  Rik is speech. Saman is breath. They have mutual love and desire. Speech and breath are together and mate to produce song. The highest song is Om! It is the symbol of awe, reverence, of threefold knowledge because the priest invokes it, the hota receives it and the Udgitr  sings it!

The second part describes Om as a struggle between the Devas and the Asuras, both children of the same Prajapati. There is an allegory of good and evil inclinations in man! Prajapati is a man in general. The struggle is explained as a legend in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. Gods took Udgita for themselves to overcome the demons.They regarded and revered Udgita as sense of smell! But the demons cursed it! Since then one smells the good as well as the bad. Similarly, when the Devas revered Udgita as speech, the demons cursed it and afflicted it. As a result  one speaks both truth and untruth! When the Devas respected the sense of sight, that too was struck and cursed by the demons!  Because of this one sees what is unsightly and sightly as well as the harmonious and the chaotic!

In the same way, while the Gods revered the sense of hearing, the demons afflicted it. As a consequence one hears what is worthy as well as unworthy of hearing! This did not stop at that point. The Devas revered  Manas but it was afflicted with evil! It is because of this affliction that Manas vacillates between good and evil and strays in different directions! The demons tried their their best to affect Prana, the life principle! They miserably failed and fell into pieces! Life principle is inherently good and free from evil! The deities inside the man, the organs of the body, and the Senses are really great and revere the life principle Prana! Prana is the essence and lord of all of them! Om is the Udgita-the symbol of life principle in man!

(Continued)