ATMA BODHA 51

 

ATMA BODHA  51

                                          “BAHYA-ANITYA- SUKH-ASAKTIM HITVA-AAMA-SUKH-NIRVRITAH

                                          GHATASTA-DEEPAVT-SVASTAH SVANTAREVA PRAKASATE.”

“THE SELF ABIDING REALISED SOUL—JEEVAN MUKTHA RELINQUISHES ALL HIS ATTACHMENTS TO THE TRANSITORY ILLUSORY HAPPINESS.HE IS CONTENTED WITH THE BLISS DERIVED FROM THE ATMAN. HE RADIATES INWARDLY LIKE A LAMP PLACED INSIDE A JAR!”

The goal of every spiritual seeker is to end all sorrows and attain perfect joy or bliss!  A man of realization retracts his consciousness totally from identifying with his body, mind and intellect. Hence he will be unconscious of the three layers of matter: namely the world of sense objects, the variety of feelings and the array of ideas. To the SELF, in the SELF there is nothing but the SELF to illumine.

But when the self radiant Truth has nothing else other than Itself to illumine in its own infinite glory how will it exist? This will be the doubt in every student of Vedanta studying the theory of Self-realization during his early days of study. This is because he tries to appreciate philosophy through his own limited intellectual evaluations.

Sankara  brings out the condition of the Pure Consciousness when it has no other objects to b conscious of except the SELF, with a beautiful analogy in this stanza. When a lighted lamp is placed on a table, it illuminates various objects in the room in varying degrees of intensity. But when that lighted lamp is slowly and carefully lowered into the jar or a pot, the light of the lamp illuminates only the inner space of the jar. Likewise, Consciousness reflects upon the objects and provides us with the knowledge of objects. But when we withdraw the consciousness from the vehicles into Itself it can illumine only Itself.

The stanza asserts that at the stage of meditation the SELF “shines inwardly alone.”  “ When the Consciousness is withdrawn into the SELF, it illumines the ‘within.’  This is a statement couched in the Vedantic technical language. Therefore, the inner-most SELF is the subtlest of the subtle. It is all pervading and that nothing pervades it. At the moment of SELF-realization illumines ‘within’  suggests  that the final experience is of the Infinite, All pervading SELF------the subtlest of the subtle—the Ever-effulgent----the Pure Awareness.

“ EVEN AS A MIRROR TARNISHED BY DUST SHINES BRIGHT AFTER IT HAS BEEN CLEANED SO DOES AN EMBODIED BEING WHEN HE HAS SEEN THE NATURE OF THE SELF, REALISE ONENESS, ATTAIN HIS END AND BECOME FREE FROM SORROW.”   “SWETASWATAROPANISHAD.”

“AND WHEN BY MEANS OF THE NATURE OF HIS OWN SELF HE SEES< AS BY A LAMP< THE NATURE OF BRAHMAN-----THEN, HAVING KNOWN GOD, WHO IS UNBORN, ETERNAL AND FREE FROM ALL NATURES< HE IS RELEASED FROM ALL FETTERS.”  “SWETASWATAROPANISHAD”    

ATMA BODHA 50

 

ATMA BODHA 50

“TEERTVA MOHARNAVANM HATVA RAGADWESHADI RAKSHASAN

YOGI SANTI- SAMAYUKTHAH ATMARAMO VIRAJATHE’

“AFTER CROSSING THE OCEAN OF DELUSION AND EXTERMINATING THE MONSTERS OFLIKES AND DISLIKES ( RAGA DWESHAS) THE YOGI WHO IS ONE WITH PEACE DWELLS IN THE GLORY OF HIS OWN REALIZED SELF…….AS AN ATMARAM.”

When there is total transformation of the ego centric Jiva It realizes Its pure nature as the Eternal Self. It is then it crosses over all delusions representing the non-apprehension of Reality-----the causal body. What are the  delusions referred to as “moharnava” by Sankara? They are the mental impressions  accumulated throughout his past existence. No doubt, the yogi has, through constant meditation, crossed all “non- apprehensions” about himself.  This is possible only when the devilish  ‘ raga dweshas” are destroyed within the seeker.

After crossing over the ocean of delusion (moharnava) and having destroyed the monsters (rakshasas) of negative tendencies exhibited by the individual mental equipment the aspirant or meditator steps into the realm of SELF. He seeks to rediscover for himself the voiceless peace  he has temporarily lost. What is the nature of SELF?  SELF is of the nature of Peace- Auspiciousness-Beauty—(Santam Sivam- Sundaram). This experience of the SELF, the Eternal ,is permanent and later it is an unbroken experience of infinite peace and bliss. He is the One who revels in the Atman and hence is termed  ATMARAM.

The crucial word ATMARAM is poetic and highly suggestive to a student of Indian Upanishads and Hindu classics. Sankara brings in the entire story of the Ramayana to drive home the point in the stanza. Valmiki,s hero Rama is a representation of the ideal man undergoing all the vicissitudes of mortal life. Valmiki was not merely a poet but a realized soul.  This aspect of sage Valmiki is totally lost by students in enjoying the beauty of valmiki,s poetic beauty. Sankara, hints at the deep significance of  Ramayana  taken as a whole.

The very name of Valmiki’s hero is significant and suggestive.  “Ram” means “the one revelier who revels everywhere in all bosoms.” The Self, Ram wedded to Sita, its own nature of peace, lives on joyously with unperturbed equanimity  both in Ayodhya and in the jungles of his exile. Rama’s sorrows start  when his consort peace ( Sita) is kidnapped by Ravana the ten headed monster. Ravana represents lower animal nature. Even today, the five jnanendriyas and the five Karmendriyas symbolize the ten heads of Ravana. In the land of Sanatana Dharma ,the garden of spirituality there is no room for secularism and materialism.  Ravanas cannot be governors in an era of Rama Rajya.

To bring back his lost consort, Rama has to cross the ocean, reach Lanka, Kill Ravana and rediscover SITA His lost Peace. Sankara mentions in this stanza that the ocean to be crossed over is the delusory attachments and fascinations and negative tendencies natural in a deluded mind. With the purification of the inner personality, Peace, the Eternal Consort of the SELF is regained. Thereafter, the man of realization rules over the kingdom of life, from his capital called the EFFORTLESS ( Ayodhya) .

 

ATMA BODHA 49

 

ATMA BODHA 49

“JEEVANMUKTHASTHU TAD-VIDVAN POORVO-PADHIGUNAN-TYAJET

SACHIDANAND- ROOPATTWAT BHAVED BHRAMARA-KEETAVAT.”

“A LIBERATED PERSON ENDOWED WITH SELF-KNOWLEDGE GIVES UP THE QUALITIES OFHIS  EARLIER EXPLAINED EQUIPMENTS ( UPADHIS)> IT IS BECAUSE OF HIS NATURE OF SAT-CHIT-ANANDA. HE VERILY BECOMES BRAHMAN LIKE (LIKE THE WORM THAT GROWS TO BE) A WASP.”

A liberated person is called Jeevanmuktha when he realizes the infinitude of his existence as the SELF even while living in this world. He is the one who through his Self-realization has become totally free from ignorance or avidya even as he lives. This avidya continues to exist as long as its experiences (prarabda) last. He is the enlightened soul that has so well integrated his spiritual personality as to renounce fully the properties of the matter surrounding him and the ego with the help of his upright, physical and intellectual activities. He is one of the fortunate few who has died the “mystic death”: the death of his personal limited individuality.

Such a liberated soul lives a life of a spiritual giant.He is unshakable in his inward experiences. He has liberated himself from all the attractions around him. He lives as the SELF in his own Divine SELF. There is no longer any bondage for him from the gross, subtle, and causal bodies.(upadhis) As the knower of the Brahman, he becomes the Brahman just as the worm that becomes a wasp. “ Brahma vid Brahmaiva bhavati”

Sankara illustrates the point by the example of how the wasp builds its nest!  The wasp builds its mud nest with no other outlet but a small hole in it.  Having done so, it places a small worm. It stings the worm now and then and sits at the door constantly. The helpless worm is compelled to look at the terrible wasp constantly. With such single pointed contemplation over the form and nature of the wasp, the worm  grows itself with wings and is totally metamorphosed into a wasp itself!

When the yogi, through the negation of matter and the assertions of the spirit meditates for years upon the3 Divine nature of the SEL, his ego centric limited individuality drops off its worm-existence. It transforms itself into the nature of the LIFe Principle, the SELF!!

 

ATMA BODHA 48

 

 

ATMA BODHA 48

“ATMA-EVA- EDAM JAGAT SARVAM ATMANO ANNYAT NA VIDYATE

MRIDOYAD-VAD-GHATADEENI SVATMANAM SARVA-MEEKSHATE.”

“THERE IS NOTHING THAT EXISTS OTHER THAN THE ATMAN. THE ENTIRE TANGIBLE UNIVERSE IS VERILYATMAN. SINCE POTS AND JARS ARE VERILY MADE OF CLAY AND CANNOT BE ANYTHING BUT CLAY, SO TOO, TO THE ENLIGHTENED SOUL ALL THAT IS PERCEIVED  IS THE SELF.”

It has been maintained earlier that the whole experience is nothing but the expression of one’s own Self. Beyond the Supreme there is nothing else. How can we accept this proposition that Atman alone is the essence in all the world of our experiences? “ Atma eva Jagat sarvam.”

Clay is our basic raw material for various kinds of potteries.  They come out of mud, exist in mud, and finally go back to the self same mud. Without this basic raw material, all the different shapes and forms could not have come out. The original mud alone gave the shape and substantiality to the different existent pot units .Just as there is no separate existence for the mud pans and pots apart from the mud--------similar to the waves of the ocean are the same as the waters on which they have risen up---so too the  Self alone is the Reality which has given shape and life to the world of names and forms. This is correctly understood by the man of wisdom, the enlightened Soul.

The common man, under the grip of maya or avidya is steeped in material pleasures out of transient objects. He is totally unfit to ponder over the Self embedded in his own body. He cannot easily recognize the presence of the subtle Atman everywhere.” The Infinite rising from the Infinite pervades and envelops the entire finite. The multiplicity is but a projection upon the one Eternal Infinite.”

“ He who is one and without any color, but who by means of His power produces many colors for a purpose which is hidden and in whom the universe is gathered both in the beginning  and at the end----may He endow us with good thoughts!

That indeed is fire,that is the man, that is the wind and that is the moon. That is the starry firmament. That is Brahman. That is the waters. And that is Prajapati.

Thou art woman, thou art man, thou art the youth and maiden too. Thou as the old man,dost totter along on thy staff. Thou art born with thy face turned everywhere.

 Thou art the daek blue bee, thou art the green parrot with red eyes. Thou art the cloud with lightning in its womb. Thou art the seasons and the seas. Thou art without beginning. Thou art Infinite and from Thee are all worlds born!”   (SWETASWATAROPANISHAD)  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ATMA BODHA 47

 

ATMA BODHA 46

“TATTVA-SWAROOP-ANUBHAVAT UTPANNAM-GYANAM-ANJASA

AHAM-MAMETI-CHA-AGYANAM BADHATE DIG- BRAHMADIVIT.”

THE IGNORANCE OF PERSONS IS CHARACTERED BY THE NOTIONS OF “I” AND “MINE.” THIS IS DESTROYED BY THE KNOWLEDGE PRODUCED BY THE REALIZATION OF THE TRUE NATURE OF THE SELF.THIS IS SIMILAR TO THE RIGHT INFORMATION WHICH 0REMOVES THE WRONG INFORMATION ABOUT THE DIRECTIONS.

Knowledge and experience of the Reality in an individual instantaneously removes the ignorance or Agyana that has created wrong ideas of a false ego earlier. This wrong conception of a limited, colored, distorted, personality has been the cause for the notion of possession ……..the “ I” and “ mine” in everyone.

When there is a feeling of confusion regarding the directions in a new town it is the sun rise that  helps in  locating the direction correctly. In the same manner, when the Knowledge of the Reality dawns the  limited ego sense till now living, the perceptions, feelings and thoughts it gains an understanding  of the right way of living in and experiencing through the various material equipments.

Sankara seems to foresee here the possibility of a logical doubt in the mind of an intelligent student. Commonly in our intellectual life knowledge of one object cannot remove the ignorance of other objects. But Sankara asserts that knowledge of  the experience of the Self will destroy the ignorance created  concepts of “ I “ ness and  “ MY-ness”  This appears to be  in contradiction to our daily intellectual  experience.

Sankara  llustrates  this idea through a simple example. When a traveler is in a confusion regarding the  direction  he has taken in a new place, a local man indicates to him the West. This indication by the local man   removes his ignorance regarding the South, the East and the North.This is because ,the other quarters have a definite relationship  with the one known  direction. The traveler can know for himself the other three directions.

Similarly with the realization of the Self, we immediately understand our true relationship  with the world of objects around us and our own relationship with our matter envelopments. Ego centric “ I” and the concept of “Mine”  both become meaningless and delusory  as soon as the SELF is realized as One Universal Reality always the same within and without.

The directions are ever present whether we know them or not. Our confusion makes us take the east to be the west and so on. A right understanding gives us the true directions. Similarly, when the Self is known or realized, we can fix our relationship in the world on surer footings with a more balanced vision.

“ As the spider moves along its threads, and as from a fire tiny sparks fly in all directions, even so  from this SELF come forth all organs, all worlds, all deities and all beings. Its mystic name is ‘the TRUTH of truth.’ The senses are the truth and the SELF is the TRUTH of truth.”  (BRHADARANYAKOPANISHAD IV (Up.II. I. 16)