ATMA BODHA 24

 

ATMA BODHA  24

“PRAKASA- ARKASYA- TOYASYA SAITYA- MAGNE YATHO-SHNATHA

SWABHAVAH-SAT-CHIT- ANANDANITYA- NIRMALATA- ATMANAH”

“JUST AS LUMINOSITY IS THE NATURE OF THE SUN<, COOLNESS OF WATER,AND HEAT OF FIRE SO TOO THE NATURE OF THE ATMAN IS ETERNITY, PURITY, REALITY, CONSCIOUSNESS AND BLISS>”

Explaining the real nature of the Atman, Sankara points out that it is totally unaffected by the upadhis of the mind or buddhi. The agitations of the mind like desire, attachment, pleasure, pain and other things appear to be of the Atman but it is ignorance to think so. It is silly like thinking that the moon is moving about and unsteady in a bucket of disturbed water. Man, animal and every creature wants to live happily and suffer no pain or misery. There is, on the other hand, a positive effort for acquiring knowledge and enjoy pleasure. There is an honest effort for self preservation of Individuality. The Five Elements are created to operate with their essential nature or Dharma.

There cannot be cool fire or a dark sun! Fire is always hot; never cool . That is its essential nature. In the same manner, the sun is always radiant and bright. There cannot be any darkness with the sun. It is their essential nature or Dharma. Every object in nature must express its own essential nature.

The sun is luminosity itself and it illuminates the whole universe. Can you ever imagine a cold ball of fire? Similarly, how can we define the nature of the Atman and its essential nature? Sankara thus points out that the Dharma or essential nature of the Atman is ETERNAL (Nitya), EVER-PURE (Nirmala), and EXISTENCE- KNOWLEDGE- BLISS (Sat-Chit-Ananda)

“Who is he whom we worship as“Atman?” Which one is Atman? Is it he by whom one sees or by whom one hears or by whom one smells the smell or by whom one speaks the speech, or by whom one knows the sweet and the unsweet?” ( AITAREYOPANISHAD)

“He consists of the mind. He guides the senses and the body. Established in the body He controls the heart. The wise, through their understanding behold the ETERNAL which shines forth full of bliss.” (MUNDAKOPANISHAD)