AUM NAMAH SHIVAYA
VEDANTA DARSHANAM Oct 09
Vedanta Darshanam
Salutations to all.
This week Obama, the president of the United States, received
the Nobel Peace Prize award. This is an award given to people who
work for the peace of the world. But does this mean there is peace
in this world? Does this mean that all the problems of the world
have vanished? Does this mean that peace is as simple as winning an
award through our actions? Sankara in his Brahma Sutra bhashya says
that it is not so. Actions can never give us eternal bliss. Actions
are born out of desires the primary desire being the desire for
perfection, satisfaction and bliss. This desire for bliss itself is
caused out of ignorance, the ignorance of ones own very nature of
bliss. Therefore removing ignorance is the way out of all
sufferings. But can ignorance be removed by action which is caused
out of ignorance itself? Definitely no. Therefore only knowledge
can get rid of ignorance and all our problems. This means that just
by actions or awards, we cannot get bliss.
Though there are people like Obama and others doing very good
actions for the entire world, trying to get rid of terrorists and
trying to uplift people yet the world is in total chaos. Towns get
submerged into water; earthquakes hit; terrorism is at its peak
thus everything is in a chaotic situation. But a sadhaka should
remember that the very nature of the world is chaos anityam asukham
lokam or the world is temporary and sorrowful. Understanding this
nature of the world, a sadhaka should strive for perfection through
realizing blissful changeless Brahman which is the substratum of
this illusory world.
The day until a sadhaka strives and achieves Brahman there will
be chaos and chaos alone in the world. Even the Lord himself
couldnt avoid chaos in the form of Mahabharatha war as well as when
the yaadavaas killed each other. Once a person realizes that this
world is just a divine play of Brahman, there will only be bliss
externally the world will still be in chaos but life will be
blissful at all times. As Sankara points out, nandhathi nandhathi
nandhathi eva or rejoices, rejoices and verily rejoices. May we as
ardent sadhakas strive to achieve that state of bliss amidst all
the chaos of the world.
AUM NAMAH SHIVAYA
Oct 10th
Anukramaanika
1Vedanta Darshanam
3Guru Mahima
7Mukhya Vishayam
13Sankshiptha Vedanta
17Gitaamritham
19Upanishad Prachaaram
24Raga Varsha
26Praadeshikam
29Sthuthi
33Charitham
39Sanatana Dharma Sameeksha
42Sanskritha shiksha
45Vedanta Pariksha
48Ghatanaa
49Anukramaanika Nirdesham
Guru Mahima
Anything that we achieve in life has a set of pre-requisites to
be followed before trying to achieve. Vedanta talks about the
four-fold qualifications or pre-requisites to gaining knowledge as
viveka (discrimination between real and unreal), vairagya
(dispassion towards the world and passion towards Brahman),
shamaadi shatka sampatti (the six qualities of mind shama or
calmness, dama or control of sense organs, uparathi or restraint of
sense organs, titiksha or forbearance, sraddha or faith in the
scriptures-guru and samaadhana or tranquility) and mumukshutva
(burning desire for liberation).
We saw in the last month as to the importance of devotion
towards Brahman or Ishwara. We find Siva reiterating this by saying
that faith in Ishwara and Guru is essential in order to gain and
apprehend knowledge to its full. This is an oft-quoted famous
sloka.
Yasya deve paraa bhakthih yathaa deve tathaa gurau
Tasyethe kathithaa hi arthaah prakaashanthe mahaatmanah
Who has supreme devotion to Ishwara and similar devotion to ones
Guru, to such a person alone will the knowledge, about to be
imparted, be fruitful.
This is quite simple to understand devotion can be replaced with
the term of faith. We require absolute faith in someone who is
going to guide us to the non-apprehensible Brahman. Even in worldly
cases where we know the goal to be achieved clearly, we still need
faith in whatever is guiding us whether it is a sentient being or
an insentient entity like maps or itinerary etc.
In the spiritual path, the Guru who guides us and the goal of
Ishwara (who guides us through everything in this world as the
world is pervaded in and out by Ishwara) are very important our
faith/devotion to the Guru and Ishwara is essential in order to
achieve the goal of eternal bliss or moksha. It cannot be argued
that there are people who have realized without a Guru as such
people either might have followed a Guru in the previous birth or
are guided by Guru not in physical form but in other forms that we
are unaware of. We know that there are books that at times guides
us and the authors of these books instantly become our Guru during
those times. Faith in Ishwara is essential as without seeking a
fruit no one does any action at all faith in Ishwara or desire for
the state of Ishwara (moksha or eternal bliss) is what drives a
spiritual seeker to follow the spiritual path (even as worldly
people follow certain path in order to achieve certain goal).
There can be a doubt here as to whether it is very essential to
know about Gurus Mahima. Though we saw as to how secretive this
knowledge is, yet it may not be very important to know it. CIA is
the most secretive organization in the world and this doesnt make
it knowable. Siva next explains in few slokas as to the necessity
of this knowledge mostly the necessity of Vedanta is by proving
that moksha cannot be achieved through any others means but by
Vedanta alone (tameva vidvaan amritha iha bhavathi, na anyah
panthaa vimukthaye knowing Brahman alone a person attains
immortality, there is no other way to liberation).
Japasthapo vratham teertham yajno daanam tathaiva cha
Gurutattvam avijnaaya sarvam vyartham bhavet priye
Chanting, austerity, penances, taking bath in sacred places,
sacrifices and donations etc. are of no use without knowing about
the Guru (and his Mahima).
Gurubudhyaatmano naanyat satyam satyam varaanane
Tallaabhaartham prayatnasthu karthavyascha maneeshibhih
Know that there is no truth other than the Guru and knowledge
about the Guru is true knowledge; it is the duty of human beings to
strive for this knowledge.
Knowing about the Guru alone can save us from bondage
Without a Guru it is impossible to tread the spiritual path
without straying off and achieve the goal of moksha. Hence the
scriptures say aachaaryavaan purusho veda or only a person who has
a Guru will know. Bondages are caused because of ignorance the
ignorance that is manifested in the form of I am the body, These
people and objects are different from me etc. which are all duality
(duality considered real is the essence of all manifestations of
ignorance) is the cause of sorrow. Duality causes a person to
either like or dislike objects (and people who are different from
oneself). Likes and dislikes in turn leads to attachment and
aversion. Attachment and aversion in turn leads to happiness and
sorrow. Happiness and sorrow in turn leads a person to do actions
in order to get rid of sorrow and always be happy. Actions lead to
results and results are obviously either happiness or sorrow if
results are happiness then more actions are performed in order to
maintain the happiness and if results are sorrowful then more
actions are performed in order to negate the sorrow, thus the
never-ending chain of action and results continues (kurvathe karma
bhogaaya, karma karthum cha bhunjathe man does action for enjoyment
and he enjoys in order to do more actions). Action-result chain
cannot be contained in one birth and hence the chain of birth-death
continues (punarapi jananam punarapi maranam punarapi janani jatare
shayanam again birth, again death and again in the womb of the
mother). Thus a person suffers over and over again with no end to
his suffering and no sight of eternal bliss.
Ignorance can be removed only by knowledge even as darkness can
be expelled only by light. The ignorance of ones own very nature of
Self or Brahman or Ishwara is what causes one to believe one is the
body and there is duality present; this can be removed only through
knowledge that non-duality alone is real and duality is just an
illusion in the non-dual reality of Brahman who is our very nature
of pulsating I (totally unaffected by duality). Knowledge can be
gained only from a person who already has knowledge (though
learning from books is possible it isnt possible to realize except
for exceptions without the guidance of a Guru books are indirect
knowledge whereas Guru is direct knowledge and living embodiment of
books). Since Guru is the way to gain knowledge and knowledge is
essential to get rid of bondage, therefore Guru is essential in
order to get rid of bondage.
Guru is knowledge (Guru is Brahman)
Guru has knowledge and is a living embodiment of knowledge.
Hence such Guru is himself knowledge he or she doesnt need any
book-knowledge as knowledge is not an intellectual property for the
Guru but a constant living experience. Even as a person who has
tasted milk has experience of milk, similarly the Guru is
constantly experiencing Brahman unlike an ignorant person who might
have gained intellectual knowledge but no experience of Brahman
(similar to a person who has known about milk but never tasted it).
Such a living embodiment of knowledge is therefore the first step
towards realization. Hence we find in the scriptures all seekers
trying to first find an apt Guru after creating a strong desire for
liberation.
Siva through making the point about essentiality of Guru is thus
telling us to seek a Guru in order to progress in the spiritual
path quickly. In order for a seeker to seek a Guru, it is important
to understand the greatness of the Guru (till now we have seen the
greatness and essentiality of the knowledge of a Gurus Mahima). Is
there a way to understand the greatness of a Guru without even
knowing the meaning of the word Guru? Definitely not and hence Siva
gives a few meanings of the word Guru (defining the word Guru)
which we will see in the next month before entering into the
greatness of a Guru being elaborately explained.
Until then may we try to understand and convince our intellect
about the essentiality of a Guru and before that the Gurus Mahima
in the spiritual path towards eternal bliss.
Mukhya Vishayam
Last month we learnt Adhyaasa from Sankaras adhyaasa bhashya. To
give a short recap, adhyaasa or superimposition is the cause of all
problems in life (sarva anartha hetu). Adhyaasa or superimposition
includes two terms one is drik or Brahman and two is drishya or
jagat. The words that Sankara uses for both of these are atman
(Self) and anatman (not-Self) along with their dharmas or
qualities. Atmans dharma is sat (existence), chit (consciousness)
and ananda (bliss). Anatmans dharma is naama (name) and rupa
(form).
Asthi bhaathi priyam rupam naamam chethi amsha panchakam
Adhyatrayam brahma rupam jagadrupo thatho dvayam
Any object that we see in the world has five components
Existence, Consciousness, Bliss, name and form. The first three are
the nature of Brahman and the last two are the nature of the
world.
Name and form are only illusions the examples of gold ornaments
and mud pots can be remembered here.
Ghata kudhyaadhikam mritthikaa maatrameva hi
Tadvad brahma jagad sarvam ithi Vedanta dindimaa
Even as pot, wall and other objects made of mud are mud alone
similarly this world is filled with Brahman thus roar the lions of
Vedanta.
Initially we consider the Anatman (world) to be real whereas the
Atman to be unreal. Thus their nature is inter-mixed. This is
called superimposition. What would happen if we thought we have a
job when we dont really have a job? It will definitely lead to
sorrow and suffering which exactly happens with respect to not
knowing the Atman and Anatman properly. Adhyaasa or superimposition
is indescribable as the Atman and Anatman are entirely different
from one another, yet they are mixed. It is impossible to figure
out as to where adhyaasa came from as the Anatman doesnt even exist
therefore a sadhaka should do apavaada or negation to get rid of
adhyaasa.
Apavaada includes two steps first is negation of oneself to be
the Anatman and asserting the Anatman to be unreal (neti neti
prakriya). Second is asserting oneself to be whatever remains
behind after negation which is the non-dual reality of Brahman (I
am Brahman).
Apavaada I NETI NETI (not-this, not-this)
We will have to call NETI NETI as NAAHAM NAAHAM (not I, not I)
as we never experience objects as this but only as I or mine.
All objects have to be negated until we reach the
not-able-to-negate Subject of Self. External objects can be easily
negated as not-me or not-mine by repeating again and again their
very nature of being temporary. They are so temporary and hence
only a fool will call them mine and stick on to them. Even as a
person doesnt stick on to his dream-world possessions, similarly a
sadhaka shouldnt stick on to the waking-world possessions or
objects as well.
Svapna maaye yathaa dristam gandharva nagaram yathaa
Tathaa vishwam idam dristam vedanteshu vichakshanaih
Even as a dream world is seen; even as a castle in space is
seen; similarly do the knowers of Vedanta see this waking
world.
World or objects of the world are constantly changing whereas I
am eternal hence it is easy for a sadhaka to negate the external
world (negation is generally considered as external renunciation
but Vedanta doesnt talk about external renunciation but internal
renunciation wherein a sadhaka remains a mere witness to the
activities of the world knowing that the world is an illusion like
the dream world). After objects are negated, then comes the pancha
koshas of annamaya or physical body, pranamaya or vital forces of
pancha prana, manomaya or the mind (plus sense organs of
perception), vijnaanamaya or the intellect (plus sense organs of
perception) and anandamaya or temporary happiness.
Deho naaham (I am not the body)
I am not the body. The body keeps continuously changing and is
subject to birth-death whereas from the day of birth till the day
of death I remain the same. The height, weight etc. of the body
changes whereas I am ever the same. Even at times unconsciously we
use the body as this or mine rather than I.
To negate oneself as the body, Vedanta uses the logic of kritha
haanih akritha abhyaagama prasangaat deho naaham or I am not the
body because if I am the body then that would lead to kritha haani
and akritha abhyaagama. Kritha haani means loss of whatever actions
we have performed (loss of fruits). Akritha abhyaagama means
getting the fruit for actions we havent performed. These two
reasons have to do with re-birth. Of course there are people who
dont accept re-birth it is but very simple to accept re-birth
through desires. If desires are there, re-birth has to be
definitely accepted as nothing that is started can be terminated
abruptly. An arrow that has been shot from the bow cannot be
stopped or terminated abruptly it will reach its target
irrespective of whether it reaches its desired target or something
else that comes in its path. Taking this example it is pretty easy
to understand as to how compassionate Ishwara is able to nullify or
reduce our bad actions (by changing the desired target and putting
something else, which in this case is themselves, as the target).
Actions and fruits are not to do with the body if we consider I as
the body then the actions performed by I (in this case I is Ego or
jeeva and not the Self) will end with the body. This means that
whatever we actions we have performed in this birth should give us
the fruit here itself which is not what we see hence loss of fruits
of actions we have performed will ensue (this is against even
newtons law of every action has an equal and opposite reaction
which is obviously a take from the scriptural karma-phala
relation(). And we are born with certain fruits like some are born
in reach family and others in poor all these cannot be properly
explained unless we accept oneself as not the body. In this case,
we get fruits for actions we havent performed which also goes
against the rule of karma that one who does karma gets the phala if
this is false, then one person can take a tablet and another
persons disease will vanish, Obama can do actions and Osama can get
the nobel prize!
Thus I am not the body as we experience actions-fruits chain to
go beyond the body. Another simple reason would be that the body is
insentient whereas I am sentient the body ceases to exist, at least
temporarily, in dream and deep sleep whereas I am there in both the
states (reasons can be more but due to not getting carried away
into writing many pages, we will stop here).
Prano Naaham (I am not the Prana or vital forces)
I am not the pancha pranas (or dasha pranas as some consider
five more secondary pranas). Pranas or vital forces that help in
breathing and other related activities are obviously acting due to
movement or spandana as Vedanta calls it. Movement itself means a
kind of change. Such change is not seen in the Self or I. Moreover
prana is insentient (movement itself means it requires a sentient
or changeless entity for it to move) whereas I am sentient
(sentience is as simple as experiencing oneself without any other
proof I as Consciousness is self-proving, self-existing and
self-illuminating unlike a rock which requires a sentient being to
say that it exists).
Indriyo naaham (I am not the sense organs)
I am not the sense organs sense organs are working on the behest
of somebody else (which is the mind or antah karana in general). I
dont work for anyone (yes, I as the Ego works for a particular
company but the real I doesnt work for anyone, it is ever
independent if only a sadhaka could look inside himself and seek
this I the independent state would give immense bliss).
Mano naaham (I am not the mind)
The mind is sankalpa-vikalpaatmakam or that which gets into
thoughts, desires etc. All these fluctuations means it changing
whereas I remains ever the same. Even when one is happy and sad,
the I that was happy and sad is the same. Thus it is very clear
that I am not the ever-changing mind.
Buddhi naaham (I am not the intellect)
The intellect asserts things when the mind confuses. The
determining intellect is not the Self as the intellect is
insentient and it vanishes during the state of deep sleep (when it
is not active). The Self or I is ever present and hence I cannot be
the intellect.
Vishyaanando naaham (I am not the happiness derived from sense
objects)
The happiness that a person gets out of worldly possessions is a
reflection of the bliss of the Self. Temporarily the differences or
bhedha vanishes when a person enjoys an object (though this might
be as temporary as just for a fraction of a second) and that is
when the bliss of the Self is experienced. But since the bliss is
limited by the object (or caused by the object) therefore it is a
reflection which isnt long-lasting. Such a temporary happiness is
not me as I experience the achieving and vanishing of the happiness
(I who experiences the happiness cannot be the happiness the
subject cannot be the object).
Ahamkaarah naaham (I am not the Ego)
Though we can consider mind, intellect, ego and memory as antah
karana itself but the Ego is very important for a spiritual seeker
as conquering the sense of Ego is very tough. Ramana Maharshi says
that the final toughest stage for a seeker is conquering the Ego or
negating the Ego from the Self.
Aham ithi aatma dheeryaa cha mamethi aatmeeya dheeraapi
Arthashoonye yadaa yasya sa atmajno bhavet tadaa
The moment a person is devoid of the sense of I and mine
(primarily through the Ego), that very moment he becomes a knower
of the Self.
Yasya naahamkritho bhaavah buddhir yasya la lipyathe
Hatvaapi sa imaan lokaan naayam hanthi na hanyathe
That person who doesnt have any sense of Ego and whose intellect
doesnt stick on to anything (sticks on adviteeya Brahman alone),
such a person even though might kill the entire world he doesnt
kill anyone and cannot be killed.
Out of all negations, the first of body and last of Ego are the
most important as this is where most sadhakas will be stuck. Sense
of body as being the Self or as being eternal is something very
tough to conquer even for advanced sadhakas. Similarly Ego is that
which is waiting to pounce upon a seeker with a slight opportunity
(and as Ramana Maharshi says the Ego poses as our friend so it is
easy for it to pounce) and hence conquering the Ego too is
tough.
It is possible to conquer both the body and the Ego sense
through constantly negating everything from the Self. If such
constant assertion is not possible (because such assertion requires
some mental purity and intellectual strength to constanly delude
the deluding world and focus on the Self), then a sadhaka should
try to negate these by offering it to an all-pervading cause of the
world Ishwara. Such an Ishwara isnt somebody as illusory as the
world (as opponents might argue) the same Nirguna Brahman becomes
Ishwara depending on our thoughts of him Ishwara as the cause of
the world is same as substratum of the world is same as non-dual
Consciousness, all being different perspectives of the same
concept. Put in Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsas beautiful words,
Ishwara who is Nirguna is like the ocean or water (formless) but
with the devotion of a sadhaka, the formless water takes up a form.
And once the devotion melts due to the Self of Sun coming out (as a
result of non-dual devotion or para bhakthi or jnaana), the form
vanishes and merges unto the formless Ishwara.
Though jnaana is said to be the primary way to get moksha, it is
just a difference in the way we term things jnaana means abiding in
Consciousness and not just learning scriptures even as bhakthi
means merging unto Ishwara and not just keerthanas. Thus all are
one and the same ultimately it is just one Brahman that alone
exists here. Sankara and the shastras gives us neti neti as the way
to negate the obstacles or bondages starting from external world
until temporary happiness (before I forget to mention, Gaudapada
calls temporary happiness as rasa aasvaada which is an obstacle to
realization if a sadhaka gets stuck on it the example that is
normally used is when an bride-groom touches the bride, the bride
as-if-experiences marital bliss though they are not really having
any marital-bliss considering this temporary bliss to be real
marital-bliss can be a problem in their married life). If we can
find a better way to negate everything (except the Self, have to
mention here as people might think that everything includes the
Self which will then lead us to nothing-ness(), then Sankara as
well as the shastras will be more than happy and bless us to follow
it with all fervor.
Once a person negates everything from the world till temporary
bliss, then what remains behind is the Self. What the sadhaka then
has to do is assert onself to be the Self of the nature of non-dual
Consciousness. This Apavaada II of asserting the Self will be taken
up in the next month (lest the too much technical concepts and
intellectual discussion either scares away seekers or gives them
very little time for reflecting on it).
Until then, lets try to use the intellect to thoroughly analyze
negation so that even while sleeping if somebody asks as to whether
we are the body we will reply saying no, I am not the body. Even in
dire situations, we will not get deluded into thinking that I am
the body here thinking doesnt necessarily mean we have to starve
the body as I am not the body, it just means that we shouldnt
overly care about the body (as AMMA says, giving too much
importance to things is dangerous and will obstruct us in achieving
the goal of moksha).
Interested sadhakas can refer to the first 10 slokas (1-10) of
the third chapter of Panchadashi will its commentary by Ramakrishna
for detailed negation logic. Havent used quotations from
Panchadashi or Sankaras bhashyas here to restrict the number of
pages and to ensure not to scare away sadhakas.
Sankshiptha Vedanta
Any person who is learning Vedanta couldnt have been there
without having come across the name of Vidyaranya, word meaning a
forest of knowledge which clearly shows in his works. Many things
about Vidyaranyas life is controversial but most people accept him
to be a minister in Vijayanagara.
Vidyaranya has written many works including a dipika on the
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Sarva darshana sangraha (16 systems
explained and arranged in progressive order until the pinnacle of
Advaita), Vivarana Prameya Sangraha, Jeevan Mukthi Viveka etc. His
greatest work though is Panchadashi, the introductory yet logical
prakarana grantha without reading or learning which
Vedanta-learning remains incomplete. So logical and well-arranged
yet each chapter of this work is independent that remembering one
chapter is equivalent of remembering Brahman so what to speak about
when a person remembers all the fifteen chapters of the work?
Vidyaranyas works are also special in that there are lots of
quotations from the great Yoga Vasistha found in it (laghu yoga
vasistha to be precise).
Let us see a brief overview of Panchadashi (it is almost
impossible to cover 15 chapters or even a summary of 15 chapters of
the work) now. Panchadashi as the name suggests is a work with 15
chapters in it. There is a commentary on the Panchadashi by
Ramakrishna who was a disciple of Vidyaranya and Bharathi Teertha
(Ramakrishna uses both his gurus who were brothers and hence it is
generally contended that Panchadashi was one of the works
co-authored by Vidyaranya and Bharathi Teertha).
Panchadashi is split into 3 sets of 5 chapters each. The first
five chapters are tattva prakaranas (explaining concepts), the
second five chapters are deepa prakaranas (lighting deeper
concepts) and the last five chapters are ananda prakaranas
(explaining the realized state). The first set stands of TAT and
explains Brahman or Ishwara; the second set stands for TVAM and
explains the Self (I or Consciousness inside us); the third set
stands for ASI and explains onself to be Brahman and the experience
of bliss.
Vedanta follows the Chandra-shaaka nyaaya in order to lead us
from the known-world to the unknown Brahman. This is like a mother
showing the moon to a child through a nearby branch and slowly
leading from the nearby branch to the far moon. The child wouldnt
be able to view the moon directly and hence it is essential to show
the moon through a nearby branch which the child can easily see.
Similarly most of the sadhakas cannot directly apprehend Brahman or
any concepts about Brahman hence it is essential to take the
sadhaka slowly from the external world to the innermost Self or far
Brahman. Vedanta thus starts with categorization of the world and
as to how the world was created. This creation-theory is a standard
theory that follows sankhya way of creation. Though it may be
necessary to elucidation creation-theory in detail yet what is more
important for the seeker is to not get distracted into the world
but focus on what is beyond the world (the creator of the world or
that truth from which the world has come, in which the world
resides and unto which the world merges at the time of
destruction). Vidyaranya uses the first and second chapter to
explain the creation theory as well as to explain duality as an
illusion in non-duality (logical doubts are raised and answered
sufficiently).
Once the seeker is explained the world, the transition from the
world to Brahman is through the pancha kosha analysis (the five
sheaths).
Guhahitham brahma yad tat pancha kosha vivekatah
Bodhum shakyam tatah kosha panchakam pravivichyathe
That Brahman which resides in the cave-heart of all beings and
beyond the pancha koshas, the differentiation and knowledge of the
pancha koshas is undertaken.
The pancha koshas are the annamaya kosha consisting of the
physical body, the pranamaya kosha consisting of the five pranas
(and the five organs of action), the manomaya kosha consisting of
the mind (and five organs of perception), the vijnaanamaya kosha
consisting of the intellect (and five organs of perception as these
are related closely to the mind and the intellect) and the
anandamaya kosha consisting of happiness which is temporary and
reflection of the bliss of the Atman. Even as a sword is kept
inside a sheath, similarly the Atman is deep inside these koshas. A
sadhaka has to slowly go beyond each sheath in order to realize the
indwelling Self of Brahman. This also signifies going beyond the
bondages of the koshas (the external world and the inner world are
macro and micro thereby almost equal).
In the third chapter Vidyaranya gives the explanation (detailed)
about the pancha koshas and logics to show that the Self (I) is not
the pancha koshas. We also find Vidyaranya answering few doubts
regarding Advaita Vedanta being equated with shoonyavaada
(nothing-ness). Though there may be similarities between Advaita
and shoonyavaada, one believes in ONE EXISTENCE whereas other
believes is NO-EXISTENCE (sadhakas interested in detailed analysis
of both philosophies through critical analysis can go to
http://shoonyavaadamaayavaada.blogspot.com).
Asad brahmethi chet veda svayameva bhavet asad
Ato asya maa bhoot vedhyatvam sva satvam tu abhyupeyathaam
If you say Brahman is non-existence, then you yourself will
become non-existence; hence there is no knowledge or knowing and
hence you have to accept yourself as existing.
Sva asatvam tu na kasmaichit rochathe vibhramam vina
Atah eva sruthih baadham broothe chaasatva vaadinah
Nobody wants to be non-existent or will consider themselves are
non-existent; hence the scriptures negate the views of
non-existence-followers.
After beautifully progressing from the external world to the
inner Self, Vidyaranya explains a lot of beautiful extraordinary
concepts in the fourth chapter Dvaita Viveka Prakarana. The concept
of Ishwaras creation saadhaka and abaadhakam or helpful and posing
no obstacle is explained by AMMA again and again in her
speeches.
Atah sarvasya jeevasya bandha krit maanasam jagat
Therefore all problems are due to the mental creation Ishwaras
creation is filled with Ishwara and hence blissful but we create an
impression of Ishwaras creation in our mind (mental creation). It
is this mental creation that is based on our raga-dvesha
(likes-dislikes) causing trouble at all points.
The fifth chapter of Mahavakya Viveka Prakarana beautifully
explains the four mahavakyas of Prajnaanam Brahma, Tat tvam asi,
Aham Brahma asmi and Ayam Atma Brahma in 2 slokas each. It is
interesting to note that the mahavakyas are arranged in proper
order of Vedas as well as progression of the sadhaka (prajnaanam
brahma is lakshana vakya giving us the characteristic of Brahman,
tat tvam asi is upadesha vakya where the guru tells the shishya
that he is Brahman, aham brahma asmi is anusandhaana vakya where a
sadhaka contemplates on himself being Brahman and ayam atma brahma
is anubhava vakya where the sadhaka experiences himself as
Brahman).
An overview of the next 10 chapters of Panchadashi would require
a few more pages easily(. The purpose of this brief overview is to
inspire the reader to find out more about Panchadashi, learn it and
contemplate on it. Hence we would stop with just an overview of the
first 5 chapters.
Few contents on Panchadashi:
http://vedantatattva.org/vedanta/panchadashi.html
http://vedantatattva.org/vedanta/discussion_mp3/panchadashi.html
http://panchadasi.blogspot.com/
Gitaamritham
9.34
Manmanaa bhava mad bhaktho madhyajee maam namaskuru
Maamevaishyasi yukvaivam atmaanam matparaayanah
Word meaning
manmanaa = with mind filled with me,
bhava = be you,
mad bhaktah = my devotee,
madhyajee = one sacrificing to me,
maam = to me
namaskuru = bow down
maam = to me
eva = alone
eshyasi = you shall come
yukthvaa = having united
evam = thus
atmaanam = the Self
mat paraayanah = taking Me as the Supreme Goal
Meaning of the sloka
Fix your mind on Me; be devoted to Me, sacrifice unto Me, bow
down to Me, having thus united your Self with Me, as the Supreme
Goal, you shall come to Me.
In this sloka, the Lord shows us the way to realize that
Ultimate Reality of Brahman which is our own very nature. The fact
is that we are already Brahman of the nature of Anandam, but
because of ignorance this fact is not known and hence Lord here
guides us through the way to reach this ultimate goal of realizing
ones own nature of Lord.
Manmanaa bhava Fix your mind on Me:
The reality is that there is only Lord present here and now. But
an unprepared mind cannot recognize this fact and when the fact is
not recognized then mind sees object of the world as something
different from Lord and hence experiences happiness or sorrow.
Unprepared mind is the ignorant mind about the real nature of the
Lord. When the scriptures are learnt under the guidance of a
competent Guru, the mind gets the knowledge about the real nature
of the Lord. The mind then needs to get firm conviction on the
knowledge gained from the study of scriptures. Whenever the mind
wanders between the objects of the world, mind should have the
strength to pull and direct itself towards the lord. This is what
Lord says here as the fixing the mind on the Lord. By constant
practice, the mind gains firm conviction on the Reality of the
Lord.
Mad bhaktah be devoted to Me:
Once mind gets convinced about the nature of the Lord, the mind
has to contemplate on Lord constantly. Only way to be really
devoted to the Lord is to constantly thinking about the Lord and
such constant thought comes naturally to a mind which is thoroughly
convinced that Lord alone is present. So a devotee has to
constantly contemplate on the reality of the Lord.
Madhyajee maam namaskuru Sacrifice unto Me, bow down to Me:
When actions are done with desires in the mind, we identify
ourselves with the ego and hence those actions become binding
actions whereas when done with the contemplation on the Reality of
Lord after thoroughly convinced about the nature of the Lord, then
all actions automatically gets converted as the offering to the
Lord and hence such actions wont be binding actions. When actions
are done with the mind fixed on the Lord, then all the results will
be enjoyed also with the remembrance of the Lord. When a person
offers all actions with the firm conviction on the Reality of the
Lord, he also surrenders his ego to the Lord. Thus he ceases to be
the doer of the action and therefore not the enjoyer of the action
as well.
Maam eva eishyasi yukvaivam atmaanam mat paraayanah - Having
thus united your Self with Me, as the Supreme Goal, you shall come
to Me:
When we understand the real nature of Lord as mentioned in the
scriptures and are thoroughly convinced about those facts, then
there is no way one can remain without the thought of Lord. The
mind of such a person will ever be only on the Lord, forgetting
even his own individuality. In such a state there is no difference
between a devotee and the Lord, he would realize that Lord alone is
present here and now. That is the state of True Bhakta. When a
person realizes his own nature of Lord, there will only be anandam
and nothing else. And when a person always revels in Anandam, there
is nothing else to achieve after that. Thus Lord says that when a
person realizes his own nature of Lord, such a person will be in
that state of peace, freedom etc where there is no return back.
yad gatva na nivarthanthe thadhaama paramam mama - Reaching
where there is no return, that is my Supreme Abode
Upanishad Prachaaram
We will see a brief of a minor yet important Upanishad, Amrita
Bindu Upanishad, in this month. This is a very small Upanishad with
just 22 slokas but the concepts in the Upanishad are very deep yet
to the point. Another important aspect of this Upanishad is that
Sankara quotes from this Upanishad in his Brahma Sutra Bhashya and
there are sloka-similarities between this Upanishad and Yoga
Vasistha. Moreover many of the slokas in this Upanishad are
oft-quoted in commentaries as well as discourses by Prof.
Balakrishnan Nair among other jeevan mukthas. The shanthi mantra of
this Upanishad is bhadram karnebhi which shows that this Upanishad
is from the Atharva Veda it is also worth noting that Atharva Veda
has the short yet very high Upanishad of Mandukya Upanishad to
which Gaudapada acharya (Sankaracharyas parama guru) wrote a Karika
(explanatory commentary in verse-form).
Very recently Swami Tejomayananda, the head of Chinmaya Mission,
spoke on Amrita Bindu Upanishad (there is also a book with his
commentary if I am not mistaken). The very second sloka of this
Upanishad is one of my personal favorite and is to the point in
explaining about the cause of all sorrows.
Since this is a minor Upanishad, we will find repetition of
words or ideas from other major Upanishads this isnt fault as
concepts are often repeated and that too between the Upanishads of
the same Vedas, it is quite common that seers jotted down almost
similar concept but in different words or in a different way (even
as Uddhalaka explained Tat Tvam Asi in nine different ways to his
son Svethakethu).
Problems, sorrows, suffering, lack of happiness and lack of
peace all these are but natural today in lives of people. Add to
these the tensions that a person is made to bear everywhere from
ones office to ones home to party-places; such tensions have lead
us to a state where there are very few people who dont have any
blood pressure or diabetes or mental imbalance even when they are
in their youth. The motto of the world which is competition and by
beautifying this competition with healthy adjective has only causes
us to get more and more tensed.
All the problems of life arent external the external world is
the same for a suffering ignorant person and happy realized master.
The Sun, the moon, the earth, the water, the objects and the people
everything are the same for both the set of people. But still one
suffers whereas the other rejoices in bliss. This only goes to show
that problems are not in the external world but it is internal. The
internal entity that causes problem is what we generally call as
mind or manas. Manas is one of the four antah karanas (inner
equipments) as per Vedanta (the other three being intellect or
buddhi, chittha or memory and ahamkaara or ego) but here this mind
can mean just thoughts that are diverse; thoughts that are based on
duality and untruth; thoughts that confuse us, lead us to
conflicts.
Vidyaranya aptly explains this through a story (which is
explained by Sadguru Mata Amritanandamayi Devi as well). There were
two friends who went to a foreign country. Their parents were sad
that their children are away but still happy for them. After some
time, one of the friend (lets say Siva) died. The other friend
(lets say Vishnu) didnt die. This news was passed on to their
parents. But there was a small mistake the news about their son
dying went to Vishnus parents and Sivas parents got the news that
their son is well. Thus the parents whose son died were happy but
the parents whose son was alive was sad. This goes on to show that
happiness and sorrow is no on the sons but it is in the mental
perception of the sons (knowing in our mind whether son is alive or
dead). Similarly problems are not in this external world but it is
in our mental perception or mind alone. The mind of jnaanis is ever
abiding on non-dual reality of Brahman and they see everything as
pervaded by Brahman (or Brahman alone) thus they are ever happy.
But the ajnaani sees the world as filled with duality and hence
suffers due to the dual-vision.
Vidyaranya thereby concludes:
Atah asya sarvasya jeevasya bandhakrit maanasam jagat
Therefore the cause of all problems for beings is the
mental-world (the perception of the world in our mind which is
different for an ajnaani).
The creation of Ishwara or Brahman is filled with Brahman and
hence it is sadhakam (helpful for moksha) and abaadhakam (not
posing any obstacle) as Vidyaranya beautifully puts it. AMMA also
always says that Ishwaras creation doesnt have any sorrow in it as
it is filled with blissful Ishwara but we add our perceptions
(likes and dislikes) to Ishwaras creation thereby making it
sorrowful.
The Upanishad thus starts by telling that there are two types of
mind impure and pure mind. Impure mind is that which is filled with
desires (desires are born out of dual vision or likes-dislikes).
Desires lead to actions and actions lead to more desires/enjoyment
(kurvathe karma bhogaaya, karma karthum cha bhunjathe man does
action for enjoyment and enjoys to do more action thus the vicious
circle). Pure mind is that which is devoid of desires (Ramana
Maharshi thereby beautifully defines God as desirelessness looking
at Mahatmas like AMMA and others we can definitely conclude that
desireless-ness will lead to immense bliss).
Manah eva manushyaanaam kaaranam bandha mokshayoh
Bandhaaya vishayaasaktham mukthaih nirvishayam smritham
Mind alone is the cause of bondage and liberation; mind that
craves for sensual pleasures is in bondage and the mind which
doesnt run behind dual worldly objects is in liberation.
The mind which doesnt see non-duality in the world will run
behind duality (it is either seeing duality or seeing non-duality
if we see water in desert, we will not see desert and if we see
desert we will not see water). Such a mind is the cause of bondage
as sensual pleasures will make us crave for more and more this more
and more will lead to another birth and thereby the cycle of
birth-death continues without any end.
Since the mind that doesnt run behind dual world (but focuses on
non-dual Brahman) is in liberation, therefore a sadhakas prime duty
is to get such a mind. It is therefore that the Lord again and
again repeats in Gita to remember him at all times (him as the
non-dual reality behind the illusory world). When this prime duty
is achieved, that is the supreme goal (ultimate goal) to be
achieved in life.
The Upanishad after moving from the cause of the problems to the
ultimate goal of bliss goes on to explain in beautiful words that
state of moksha. It is neither thinkable nor unthinkable but a
state beyond duality. That state is also called as Brahman Brahman
is part-less, changeless, taint-less (pure) and ones own very
nature of Consciousness (the I that pulsates inside us).
Remembering everything to be this one entity of Brahman (including
our very nature of I) is the direct way to moksha (this is in
others a pure minds activity a pure mind focuses on non-dual
Brahman).
What about bondage, liberation, seeker etc. in that state of
moksha?
In that state there is no duality whatsoever there is only
Brahman (neha nana asthi kinchana there is no duality, not even the
least).
It is this non-dual only-existing Brahman that pervades the
three states of waking, dream and deep sleep. It is this one Self
that has seemingly become the duality the I that pulsates inside
each and every being is this one Self alone.
Eka eva hi bhoothaatma bhoothe bhoothe vyavasthithah
Ekadhaa bahudhaa chaiva drishyathe jala chandravat
One Atman alone is seen as present in various adjuncts of body.
It seems to be many even as one moon appears to be many when there
are many buckets of water (reflection of moon in each bucket).
Even as pot-space and room-space are one with infinite space as
the adjuncts of pot and room are what makes us believe that space
is many, similarly it is one Brahman who seems to be many due to
the adjuncts of body-mind-intellect. These adjuncts arent real they
are just an illusion even as the adjuncts that one experiences
during dream state.
A person who has duality in his mind sees duality and a person
who has non-duality in his mind sees non-duality. Non-dual vision
is true vision as this world is just names and forms (illusion) in
the non-dual reality of Brahman.
In order to get a pure mind, a sadhaka has to gain and practice
jnaana. Jnaana or vidyaa itself is of two types the lower and the
higher. Lower of aparaa is all knowledge (except knowledge of
Brahman) whereas higher is knowledge of Brahman. With knowledge a
person sees this entire world as filled in and out with Brahman
with lower knowledge a person sees and knows everything except
Brahman and since Brahman alone gives bliss, such a person doesnt
get any bliss at all.
Jnaana netram samaadhaaya chodharedvahigavat param
Nishkalam nishchalam shaantham tad brahmaahamithi smritham
With the eyes of knowledge, a person should concentrate always
on oneself being part-less, motion-less and peaceful Brahman.
And the Upanishad finally ends with this beautiful sloka about
the experience of oneness:
Sarva bhootaadhivaasam yadbhooteshu cha vasatyapi
Sarvaanugraahakatvena tadasmi aham vaasudevah
I am that Vasudeva who resides in everything and in whom
everything resides and who blesses everyone with bliss
(irrespective of whether a person wants or not but majority of
people just shut the door to this blessed bliss).
It would have been clear with this very brief summarization of
the Upanishad that the concepts in the Upanishad are deep and many
pages can be written explaining the same. May this short summary
serve as an inspiration to try to learn this Upanishad, contemplate
on its slokas and thereby rejoice in bliss through abiding in
Brahman.
Text -
http://sanskritdocuments.org/all_pdf/amrtabindu_upan.pdf
Translation -
http://www.celextel.org/108upanishads/amritabindu.html
Raga Varsha
Ahir Bhairav
This is one of the most popular of the bhairav group of ragas in
Hindustani music. The poorvanga takes to Bhairav and uttaranga
takes to Kafi. This ragas uses komal rishabha, shuddha gandhara,
shuddha madhyam, shuddha dhaivat and komal nishad including pancham
and shadjam. The madhyam is the most powerful swara for this
raga
AROHANA
sa ri GA ma pa DHA ni sa
AVAROHANA
sa ni DHA pa ma GA ri sa
LAKSHANA
GA ma (GA) ri, DHA ni ri
(Bigger note in CAPS)
FILM SONGS
Albela Sajan Aayo Re (a classical song used in the movie Hum Dil
De Chuke Sanam)
BHAJANS
AMMAs bhajan
http://vedantatattva.org/vedanta/songs/song78.html
Kaivalya Navaneetham sloka
http://vedantatattva.org/vedantagroup/Kaivalya_Navaneetham/19_ahirbhairav.mp3
Chakravakam
Chakravakam word meaning is a bird which waits for the rainfall
to drink water even though its thirsty. It is the 16th melakartha
raga in the 72 melakartha paddhathi. It is a karuna rasa pradhana
raga. It is close to ahir bhairva in Hindustani. There are janya
ragas of chakravakam which are popular like bindumalini,
malayamarutam.
arohana: S R1 G3 M1 P D2 N2 S
avarohana: S N2 D2 P M1 G3 R1 S
It is a sampoorna raga having all swaras.
CLASSICAL SONGS
Pibhare Ramarasam rasane - Sadasiva Brahmendral
Sugunamule jeppukOnti & Etula brotuvo teliya -
Thyagaraja
Oru pozhudu mirucharana nEsa & Apakara Nindaipattu -
Thirupukazh
Para devataye - Papanasam Sivan
FILM SONGS
Albela Sajan Aayo Re A song in the movie Hum dil de chuke sanam
(Ahir Bhairav)
AMMAs bhajan
Paravashamaanu hridayam janani
Naalenchu naalekku thaan jeevitham
Praadeshikam
Jnaanappaana
Innaleyolam enthennarinjeela
Ini naaleyum enthennarinjeela
Innikanda thadikku vinaashavum
Innaneramennethumarinjeela
Kandu kandirikkum janangale
Kandillennu varuttunnathum bhavaan
Randunaalu dinam kondoruttane
Thandilletti nadattunnathum bhavaan
Didnt know what happened yesterday;
Dont know what will happen tomorrow;
When whatever is present here
Will die, dont know that as well.
Within moments of seeing someone,
The Lord makes them disappear;
Within two-four days a person is
Send to death by the Lord.
Last month we saw a verse from Hari Nama Keerthanam. This month
we will see a verse from Jnaanappaana authored by Poonthaanam.
There are numerous stories about Poonthaanam he was from a
low-caste but this work shows his deep knowledge about Vedanta as
well as his pure devotion towards Ishwara. He was a contemporary of
Bhattathiri who wrote the work Naaraayaneeyam (the first sloka is
dealt as part of Sthuthi section in this month).
Life is wasted in futile by majority of people through just
eating, drinking, sleeping, mating and other useless activities.
All the activities that we are doing now is what we have been doing
for many births and do they serve the true purpose of life?
Definitely no. What is the true purpose of life? True purpose of
life is rejoicing in eternal bliss this is possible through
realization of ones own nature of non-dual Consciousness (Brahman
or Ishwara) who is the substratum of the illusory names-forms
(world) that we currently perceive. Starting from the day of birth
till the day of death, we spend time in futile wasting for worldly
possessions and relationships. Little do we understand that this
precious human birth isnt one that should be wasted (narajanma
durlabham human birth is precious indeed). Human beings are one
among the various species that can decide their own fate. As Katha
Upanishad says, there are two paths that are available for any
person at any point of time one is preyo marga or that which is
attractive and second is shreyo marga or that will lead to
fulfillment. Most of the times, it isnt fulfillment that we want
but attraction. We will not eat in a stand-by shop on the street
because it isnt attractive though many of us know that the food
there is much better than the five star hotels. Once my father was
in such a star hotel where he was served non-veg in a plate. He
said he doesnt eat non-veg and to bring some veg item. He was
brought veg item but in the same non-veg plate and the plate wasnt
even cleaned. People might argue here that isnt everything Brahman?
Yes, of course everything is Brahman. Just because everything is
Brahman, we dont jump from a cliff we dont eat excreta. So we
follow rules and restrictions everywhere. Anyway, thus majority of
people fall for attraction (as Krishna says, the worldly path is
attractive in the beginning but poisonous in the end whereas the
spiritual path is suffering in the beginning but bliss in the end).
Hardly any person is there like Nachiketha who would renounce this
world in search for eternal bliss and follow the motto of rest not
until the goal is achieved.
In order to make people strive towards moksha or realization by
not wasting this human birth and precious time, the author in the
very beginning itself speaks about futility of life (that life
which we are leading and have been leading). We dont know what we
were in the previous birth; we dont know what we are going to be in
the future; today we see someone and tomorrow the person/thing
vanishes; it is the Lord who takes everything away at his own will
all these words should inspire and instigate us towards seeking
moksha here and now itself.
As Sankara aptly puts it
Bhaja Govindam bhaja govindam
Govindam bhaja moodamathe
Sampraapthe sannihithe kale
Nahi nahi rakshathi dukrin karane
Seek Brahman, O mind! Seek Brahman. There is no time to be
wasted as death is lurking around us.
We may say that we can get into spirituality after we become old
and fulfill our duties but do we find any person who does that? At
the age of 80 or 90, still there will be many desires left. Today
it is our children; tomorrow it is grand-children and then
grand-grand-children where will this end? And even if there is one
person who wants to learn spirituality at old-age, can such a
person learn? No vision; no hearing; no intellect so what good is
spirituality at such an age?
Though it is very easy to try to get into spirituality, it isnt
easy to stay in the spiritual path unless we have a strong will and
desire for moksha. A sadhaka should try to cultivate a very strong
desire for the goal of eternal bliss this will in turn help in
proper sadhanas and not getting distracted by the external
world.
The Lord gives the eternal rule of desire fulfillment thus:
Ye yatha maam prapadhyanthe thaamsthathaiva bhajaami aham
Whoever worships me in whatever form, I appear to them in that
form.
Thus a sadhaka should always try to seek moksha and moksha
alone; nothing but moksha. Only with this attitude can a sadhaka
overcome all the obstacles in life and very easily achieve moksha
abiding in the Self (moksha) alone is the way to eternal bliss and
knowing that this bliss is what we have been seeking for births and
are seeking now will help us in progressing quickly.
May these inspirational words of Poonthaanam help us in gaining
a strong desire for moksha thereby achieving moksha in this very
birth itself.
Sthuthi
NARAYANEEYAM a sloka
Saandhraananda avabodhaatmakam anupamathim
kaaladheshaavadhibhyaam
Nirmuktham nithya muktham nigamashathasahasrena
nirbhaasyamaanam
Aspashtam drishtamaathre punarurupurshaarthaathmakam brahma
thattvam
Thaththaavath bhaathi saakshaath gurupavanapure hantha bhaagyam
janaanaam
Word Meaning
Saandhraananda avabodhaatmakam which is of the nature of Infinte
Bliss and Consciousness
Anupamitham without parallel
Kaala dheshaavadhibhyaam nirmuktham absolutely free from the
limitations of time and space
Nithyamuktham always free
Nigamashathasahasrena by innumerable upanishadic statements
Nirbhaasyamaanam very well explained
Aspashtam not clear
Drishtamaathre punah but immediately on realization
Urupurushaarthaatmakam itself the highest purushartha, namely
moksha
Thath brahma thattvam thaavath that very Reality, Brahman
Gurupavanapure in Guruvayoor
Saakshaath bhaathi shines in concrete form
Hantha janaanaam bhaagyam Oh! What good fortune for the
people
Meaning of the Sloka:
Brahman, which is Infinite Bliss and Consciousness, which is
without parallel, which is absolutely free from the limitations of
time and space, which is always free from the control of Maya,
which is very well explained by innumerable statements in the
Upanishads, but is yet not clearly grasped (by a mere study of
Upanishads) but the realization of whose identity with ones own
self is what constitutes the highest Purushartha,namely, liberation
from cycle of birth and death; that very Brahman is present in
concrete form in the temple of Guruvayoor. This is indeed a great
good fortune for the people.
Explanation:
Narayaneeyam is written by Narayana Bhattatiri in the temple of
Guruvaryoor. Narayaneeyam has 100 cantos with 10 slokas in each
canto. In the first canto, Bhatatiri speaks about the glory of the
Lord and in the first sloka Bhattatiri speaks about the Nirguna
nature of the Lord.
Sandhraananda avabhodhaatmakam which is of the nature of
Infinite Bliss and Consciousness:
Scriptures describe the nature of Brahman as Sat-Chit-Anandam.
Sat is that which exists beyond time and space without any
limitation. Chit is that which illumines anything and everything.
Brahman which is of the nature of Sat-Chit alone exists and nothing
else. The objects of the world that seems to exist is the borrowed
existence from Brahman. If Brahman doesnt exist, then world and its
object doesnt exist. This objects of the world is known by the
illumining factor of Brahman, Consciousness. Brahman alone exist
irrespective of whether world exist or not. Since there is nothing
apart from Brahman, Brahman is poornam or complete. Since Brahman
is complete, it is of the nature of Anandam.
Anupamitham without parallel:
Brahman cannot have any comparison reason is that Brahman is
ekam eva adviteeyam one only without the second. Brahman is free
from all three differences meaning svagatha (internal difference),
Sajaatheeya (different from other of same group), vijaatheeya
(different from other of different group) bhedha. Since there are
no differences in Brahman there is nothing which can be compared
with Brahman and hence it is incomparable.
Kaala deshavadhibhyaam nirmuktham free from the limitations of
space and time:
Brahman is beyond both space and time limitations because both
space and time are created out of Brahman. Space and time are the
effects from the Ultimate cause of Brahman. Space and time are also
part of the creation from the Ultimate cause of the world. Brahman
alone was there before creation, is present after creation and will
be there after dissolution. Thus it can be inferred that Brahman is
beyond all the creation, thus cannot be limited by time and space
which are part of creation.
Nithyamuktham ever liberated:
Bondage is possible only when there is one or more objects to
bind another object. Bondage is possible only when there is
duality. If there is only one thing, bondage is not possible. Since
Brahman alone exist one without the second eternally, Brahman is
ever liberated.
Nigamashathasahasrena nirbhaashyamaanah by innumerable
upanishadic statements very well explained:
The subject matter of all Upanishads is Brahman. All the
Upanishads points to this one Ultimate reality of Brahman in
various ways through stories, analogies etc so that through the
study of these Upanishads one can easily realize that Ultimate
Reality of Brahman.
Aspashtam- not clear:
Even though the subject matter of all Upanishads is Brahman,
even though every Upanishad points out to Brahman, still words of
Upanishad cannot directly describe Brahman. Taitireeya Upanishad
says yatho vacho nivarthanthe apraapya manasaa sah meaning words
fail to reach Brahman and even mind also cannot reach Brahman. This
clearly shows that all the words do not directly speak about
Brahman as Brahman cannot be spoken about.
Drshta maathre punah urupurushaarthaatmakam but immediately on
realization; it is the highest goal of human, moksha:
Since words of Upanishads do not and cannot directly point to
Brahman mastery in the words of Upanishad alone cannot lead a
person to liberation. When that knowledge is internalized by
realizing ones own nature of Self then such a person is liberated
from bondage of birth and death which is the highest goal a man can
get in his life.
Thath brahma thattvam thaavath bhaathi saaksaath gurupavana pure
that very Reality of Brahman shines in the shrine of
Guruvayoor:
After thus speaking about the Nirguna aspect of Brahman
Bhattatiri says that that Brahman which he spoke about so far
shines in Guruvayoor temple as the little Krishna. He says that the
Brahman manifesting as little Krishna shines right in front of the
eyes in Guruvayoor.
Hantha janaanaam bhaagyam Oh! What good fortune for the
people
Bhattatiri says that it is the good fortune of people to see
this little Krishna in Guruvayoor who stands for that Ultimate
Reality of Brahman which is of nature of Infinite Bliss and
Consciousness as explained in the first line of the Sloka.
Charitham
Chattambi Swami
Chattambi swamiji was a Jeevan mukta who was an embodiment of
advaita philosophy . He was a man of simplicity, humility ,
austerity and preached samadarshanam.
Born in 1853 in kollur tiruvananthapuram to vasudeva Sharma and
nagamma pillai ,Ayyapan was a intelligent boy with good memory.
also called as Kunjan. Pettayil Raman Pillai Asan was impressed by
his high standard and admitted him in sanskrit class and made him
chattampi(monitor) of his class . He was also called Shri
Vidyadhiraja Swami Thiruvadikal and Parama Bhattarasri Chattampi
Swami Thiruadikal . Over the years the name Chattampi remained with
him for life.
Later he had to take care of his sick mother and hence
discontinued studies and worked as labourer carrying loads of brick
and motor to earn a living.
Finally he left this all an organization where spiritual
discourses were given and music lessons were taught.He learnt tamil
vedanta sastra from Swaminatha Desikar and came back to kerala.
Subbajadapatikal, an eminent saintly scholar, took Kunjan to
Tamilnadu and taught him everything he knew. After four years study
there he returned to Kerala.
He was immersed in spiritual practices like hapa,and dhyaana
right form his childhood. Once a sanyaasi initiated him into Bala
Subramaniya Mantra which he chanted many lakh times and came to be
known as Shanmukhadasan at that time and attained divine powers. He
even initiated his disciples later with same mantra.
After his mothers demise he roamed in kerala meeting many saints
and siddhas .He learnt pranayama,yoga ,various religious texts like
bible,kuran etc.He had mastery in various fields like veda,
grammar,astrology,ayurveda,yoga,tarka sastra,tantra vidya tamil and
Sanskrit literature. He was blessed through the Brahmatatwopadesa
of a mysterious Avadhuta saint.
In 1982 swamikal met swamiji Vivekananda in ernakulam at a
devotees house. They spoke in Sanskrit and swamiji asked swamikal
about chinmudra and its significance.Swamikal quoting from
brihadaryanka upanishad explained that when the forefinger and the
index finger join touch together vibration is produced which will
flow upto sahasrara elevating the person.Swamiji was impressed and
wished to do discussions with me the next day of his stay
there.
Swamikal had a great interest in music. He was a composer,singer
and his favourite instrument was Ganjira.He was interested in
acting and particularly kathakali.he was a good painter too.His
yoga siddhi helped him in prophecy.
He lived an austere life with minimum possessions consitsting of
Ganjira ,loincloth and a walking stick and an iron ring and old
umbrella.He wandered from place to place ,donating all his
property.He didnt stay at any place for long and didnt establish
any ashram.
On his shastiabdpurthi(60yrs) in a meeting presided by swamiJi
Dayananda .He was conferred upon the title Vidhadhiraja
Theerthapada Paramabhattara.But swamikal in his usual humble way
preferred to be known by his old name chettambi. He was also called
Shri Vidyadhiraja Swami Thiruvadikal and Parama Bhattarasri
Chattampi Swami Thiruadikal . He was acclaimed as the Supreme Rishi
of Kerala. Then he was only 28 years old.
As a result of lot of tapas and brahmacharyam swamiji he got
many yoga siddhis,but was reluctant to display them most times. He
had the power to cure incurable diseases and make fierce and
dangerous animals like cobra and tigers obey him.
He once accepted the invitation on the condition that he and his
disciples would come for lunch to a devotees house. when the feast
was served, dogs enters the halls and sat by the leaves and ate the
food in a characteristic manner and left the room picking up their
leaves and disappeared. Swamikal explained later that they were
officers in their previous lives who did heinous acts like bribing
.
Towards the end of his life swamikal settled down at panmana
ashram just 45 min from AMMAs ashram in kollam.Many disciples used
to serve him and he gave guidance and love to one and all.
He prophesied the time when he is going to leave the mortal
coil. He sat in padmansana and meditatedand entered eternal Samadhi
at 4 pm on 5 May 1924.His body was laid to rest at the same pace
and a sivalinga was built upon that.
Among his formost disciples was Neelakanda Theerthapada,
Theerthapada Paramahamsa and, Sree Kumpalathu Sanku Pillai.
With his divine knowledge and penetrating foresight he ignited
the spark of knowledge in several of Indias legendary sons like Sri
Narayana Guru and Swami Chinmayananda.
Sri Chattampi Swami was a family friend of Kuttan Menon father
of swamiji chinmayananda.The latter was in a jubilant mood for the
birth of a male child to him. Mr. Menon implored Sri chattambi
Swamiji to perform the name-giving ceremony for the child.
Sri Swamiji joyfully took the child in his hands and named him
Balakrishna. He also predicted a bright spiritual future for him.
Swamiji was a frequent visitor to the house. He used to play with
the child talking to him about the basic principles of Vedanta and
such other matters which were beyond the grasp of a child of that
tender age. Seeing this once the childs mother asked Swamiji as to
what avail those words of wisdom to such a little child. Swamiji
replied that the boy has understood all that he had said and that
those words would germinate and grow into a massive understanding
of what was intended.
Sri Chattampi Swami was the mentor and guide to Sri Narayana
Guru in the latters formative years. He initiated Nanu, mundane
name of Sri Narayana Guru, into spiritual Sadhana first by taking
him to the Hata Yoga Master, Ayyavoo in Thiruvananthapuram and
later to places of solitude for higher level of spiritual
contemplation.The work Navamanjari that Shri Narayana Guru composed
was dedicated to Chattambi Swamigal.Both these great souls were
said to be very close.
He advocated the principles of ahimsa and vegetarianism and
propagated the idea that living organisms have been created to be
loved and not to be eaten . His book Jeeva Kaarunia Niroopanam is a
masterpiece on this subject.Another book he wrote on the authority
of Vedas is Vedadhikara niroopanam. He wrote another work Adi
bhasha a work in tamil which speaks about greatess of tamil
literature.
TYAGARAJA
Sri Tyagaraja Swamy was a great devotee of Sri Rama and one of
the Trinity of Carnatic music composers along with Muthuswami
Dikshitar and Syama Sastri. He is one of the greatest composers of
Carnatic Music or classical Southern Indian music. Sri Tyagaraja
adored Sri Rama though his songs which are most popular and widely
sung even today and Swamy is the epitome of humility, devotion
towards Sri Rama.
Sri Tyagaraja was born in Telugu Brahmin family In Thiruvarur in
the Thanjavur district of present-day Tamil Nadu on May 4, 1767 and
his parents were Kakarla Ramabrahmam, Seethamma. His full name was
Kakarla Tyaga Brahmam and the boy was named Tyagaraja, after Lord
Tyagaraja, the presiding deity of Thiruvarur. Tyagaraja's father
Rama Brahmam taught him to worship Rama daily and initiated him in
Rama taraka mantra. Even as a boy, Tyagaraja composed his first
song on Rama, Namo Namo Raghavaya when he was only 13 years
old.
Early Life
The family was pious and devoted; which had moved from Prakasam
district of present-day Andhra Pradesh during the Vijayanagara
period to Thiruvaiyaru in the Thanjavur district of present-day
Tamil Nadu. At 18 years of age, Tyagaraja married Parvati, who died
when he was only 23. He then married Kamalamba (sister of Parvati).
They had a daughter named Sitamahalakshmi, through whom he had a
grandson, who died progeniless. Thus we do not have any descendant
of Saint Tyagaraja. But, his tradition is kept alive by his musical
disciples and their followers.
Tyagaraja had his elder brother who was primarily against to the
devotion of Tyagaraja towards Sri Rama. Tyagaraja learnt initially
from music scholar called Sonti Venkataramanayya. Tyagaraja
considered music is the way to feel the Gods grace and love. Music
and Devotion are synonymous to Tyagaraja Swami and "Is there a
sacred path than music and Bhakti?". "O Mind, salute the gods of
the seven notes". "The knowledge of music, O Mind, leads to bliss
of Union with the Lord". Music was to him the meditation on the
Primordial Sound.
Career and Works
Tyagaraja Swamy was highly influenced by great bhatkhas like
Prahlada, Dhruva, Hanuman and Narada and most of his works were
written in Telugu language. Tyagaraja composed two musical plays;
the Prahalada Bhakti Vijayam and the Nauka Charitam. It is a known
fact that Tyagaraja's works are some of the best and most beautiful
literary expressions in Telugu language. Once his Guru, Sri Sonti
Venkataramanayya, wanted to listen to Tyagaraja's new talent and
invited him to perform at his house in Thanjavur. On this occasion
Tyagaraja Swamy sang Endaro Mahaanubhavulu, the fifth of
Pancharatna Krithis and is very widely popularized in Carnatic
Music. This krithi is still one of the favorites of current
Carnatic Music singers and learners. Sonti Venkataramanayya was
immensely pleased with his disciples devotion and at his
extraordinary skills in music; about which he told the king. The
king of Thanjavur, Serboji Maharaja sent him an invitation to join
his court and many rich gifts. Tyagaraja Swamy was not inclined to
money and fame and he simply rejected kings invitation, composing
another gem of a krithi, Nidhi Chala Sukhama on this occasion.
With this incident his brother became very angry at him and
wanted to take his brother away from Sri Rama. He had thrown
Tyagarajas idols of Sri Rama in the nearby River Cauvery.
Tyagaraja, unable to bear the separation with his Lord, wandered
around the places in search of his Sri Rama with out caring for any
thing. One head of some pilgrimage group by seeing this intense
devotion requested Tyagaraja to join his group. Thus Tyagaraja
Swamy visited all the major temples in South India and composed
many more songs in praise of the deities of those temples. Once he
visited Tirupati, but when he went to the temple, it was closed. In
sadness, he sang "Teratiyagaraadaa" and the temple officials
gathered round in admiration when they saw the door opening by
itself and the screen falling aside. He sang "VenkaTEsha ninu
sEvimpa" in his happiness at seeing the Lord. In one incident,
residents of a town used to lock their doors early in the evening
due to the prowling tiger at night times. One family by knowing
this, wanted to hide in a temple of the town in which attempt the
family head died after accidentally falling to the temples well in
the dark. Tyagaraja came to about this and prayed to Sri Rama; with
out Him, his life was waste and intensely called Sri Rama to take
away his life and give the life back to the deceased family head.
Moved by his detachment towards his own life Sri Rama bestowed upon
the life to the family head. Such is the devotion of Tyagaraja
Swamy.
Tyagaraja Swamy when he lost his idol sang sadly "Endu daagi
naado," Where has He gone and hidden Himself? And Swamy finally
found the idols with the help of Rama Himself and sang Rara maa
inti daaka. Tyagaraja attained Moksha on a Vaikunta Ekadasi. Thus
Sri Tyagaraja Swamy dedicated each and every minute of his life in
remembrance of Sri Rama with his songs and krithis full of
boundless devotion. Having composed an innumerable number of
keerthanas (songs) that explored all the possibilities within the
rules of the Carnatic music tradition, Tyagaraja is truly regarded
as the cornerstone of Carnatic music.
To this day, a commemorative music festival called the Tyagaraja
Aaradhana is held at Thiruvaiyaru in the months of January to
February every year. This is a week-long festival of music where
various Carnatic musicians from all over the world converge at his
resting place.
Pancharatna Krithis
While all his keerthanas are soulful, Sri Thyagaraja has
outclassed himself in his Pancharatnas where he is at his greatest
and perhaps touched the pinnacle of Carnatic music. Bhakthi is the
very essence of his songs and melody, sahityas are more appealing
with embedded spirituality in them. We recognize in Sri Thyagaraja
a master spirit combining in him the bhakthi of Prahlada, the music
of Narada and the vakpatutva of Valmiki. Sentiments are passionate,
his reflections on music and life profound. His works therefore
stand apart in the history of vaggeyakaras.
The Pancharatna Kritis are:
Jagadananda Karaka - Raga naaTTai
Dudukugala - Raga gowLa
Sadhinchene - Raga Arabhi
Kanakana Ruchira - Raga Varali
Endaro Mahanubhavulu - Raga Sri
Sanatana Dharma Sameeksha
Is there only one God or are there many Gods?
There is only one God. He can take many forms. Just as the same
person becomes the officer, swimmer, chef, one who prays, player,
and wears different costumes suiting each of these vocations,
similarly, the one God wears the dress of Ganapathy and removes
obstacles, creates this universe as Brahma and so on The same water
is called by different names in different languages, but the
substance remains the same.
$r> @k> @v, prNtu Anekpe[ Ty]Ivit,
Why God takes many forms?
Mothers want their children to be healthy. For this, children
need to properly eat food. Compassionate loving mothers make for
their children, what they like. Some may like idli, some dosa, some
rice and so on All these are made of rice only. But forms vary.
Goal of all life is happiness alone and that is achieved by
merging the mind in God alone. The temperament of each and every
one varies. Some might like the child form of God, some the fierce
form, some the devi form and so on So God assumes different forms
so that His children might get attracted to Him (mind gets
attracted to something which it likes) and get ultimate happiness
which they are searching for outside.
emSvp> $r> SvizzU[a< ]emay Anekp< SvIkraeit,
Why are there 33 crore deities (devatas)?
For India, there is one Prime Minister. In order to assist him,
there are many Chief Ministers (one for each state). In order to
assist the Chief Ministers, there are lots of Ministers (of various
departments such as water, electricity, air, transport etc), MLAs
and MPs and their subordinates.
Similarly, God (one and only one who takes various forms of
Rama, Krishna, Ganapathy, Vishnu, Parvathy, Saraswathy, and so on)
is the Prime Minister of not India, but this whole universe.
Naturally, He will need lots of people to assist Him in his work
(creation, maintenance and dissolution of this universe). For e.g,
Agni devata is the head of electricity department, Varuna devata is
the head of water department and so on Thus the significance of the
33 crore deities in our Sanatana Dharma.
$r> jgt> xan-mi> #v, $r< tSy s&i-iSwit-s
inyaeijta>,
Why do some of our Gods have more than two hands and more than
one head?
According to Sanatana Dharma, all hands are His hands. All heads
are His. Also it shows their power. They can do any work more
efficiently and within less time-limit. Head indicates thinking
capacity. All problems are due to improper thinking or lack of
thinking. Our Gods have beautiful head/heads which denotes that
they are free of any problem or fear of problem. They can tackle
any situation with ease. Brahmajis four heads stand for the four
inner subtle equipments (antahkarana chatushtaya mind, intellect,
ego and memory).
svRSy izr> ba c $rSy @v,
What is the core book (like Bible for Christians) of our
Sanatana Dharma?
Vedas are the foundation for Sanatana Dharma. All other books
are based on the Vedas.
snatn-xmRSy Aixan-Nw> ved>,
Who is the founder of the Vedas?
Vedas are eternal and they come from the Lord Himself. They are
the manual for the working of this universal machine and they are
manifested (not created) together with the creation or universe for
the efficient functioning of this universe (and become unmanifest
with the universe at the time of deluge). They are revealed to
Great Seers known as Subjective Scientists or Rishis as Universal
Truths in their seat of meditation (Objective Scientists discover
the various forces of nature and so on when their mind is calm and
relaxed or in other words tuned to nature which reveals its truths
to them; Similarly God reveals the Universal Truths to our Rishis
when their mind is tuned just as a radio, receiving signals
successfully from the transmitting station when being rightly
tuned). In other words, Vedas are not human compositions.
veda> snatna>, ApaE;eya> c,
Who is Vyasa?
Veda is knowledge. And knowledge is only one. Vyasa Maharishi
compiled the one veda into four parts Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda
and Atharvaveda.
Hence he came to be known as Veda Vyasa. Some other names of his
are Baadaraayana, Krishnadvaipayana, paaraashara. In Sanskrit the
term vyasa means two things:
One who has the capacity to elaborate things (this can be seen
from his work Mahabharatha- principles and lessons of life depicted
in detail through stories).
One who can capture the essence of things and can shorten it
(evident from his composition of the Brahma Sutras which are short
aphorisms packed in them vast amount of indepth knowledge).
In olden days (in some places, nowadays), every name used to be
meaningful. So when the child grows up, and understands the meaning
of his/her name, and when he/she is called, he/she also
contemplates on the meaning and hence imbibes the qualities of the
name. How wonderful was/is our tradition!
Vyas> sarahI, iv;yivzdIkr[e d]> c,
nam namI sMbNxSy VyiTv-ivksne muo Swanm! AiSt,
Sanskritha shiksha
WHY?
But for the advertisements, we would have never got attracted
towards things and run after them. This advertising department was
prevalent even in early days (back to the vedic period). They used
to call it maahaatmyam which is found in all texts (e.g. if you do
this, youll get this benefit and so on). Let us go to the
advertising department of Sanskrit.
Why do we do what we do? Often we do things mechanically without
knowing exactly the reason why we are doing so. Knowing why we are
doing anything
Adds beauty to the action
Brings perfection in the action
Makes the performer to love the action
Gives inspiration to others to pursue the act
Performer doesnt get bored
Lets see why we should or we may study Sanskrit.
Enhances memory!
Anything if not used, gets rusted or dusted. Same is the case
with memory. So learning a new language will keep our memory fresh.
Wonderful way to escape from alzheimers disease.
Purifies speech and body!
The alphabets, words etc are such that it gives lot of exercise
and twisting to the tongue. So a person good in reading Sanskrit
can master any language easily. Hence gives clarity of speech.
Chanting of verses gives the effect of praanaayaama which purifies
the naadis of the body removing blocks and thereby preventing the
cause for diseases. We normally waste our energy in unwanted
thinking and storing of useless things in the mind. Instead
Sanskrit learning will channelise our energies in the positive
direction since it also helps to learn our shaastraas which are the
only doorways to infinite bliss which we all are searching for.
Is the KEY to our shaastraas!
Language of our shaastraas is Sanskrit. Translations or
commentaries cannot bring out the full indepth meaning as such.
Provides entertainment at mental and intellectual levels!
Lots of poems and logical works have been written in Sanskrit
which touch the mind and intellect deeply.
WHAT?
Some interesting facts about our product which is Sanskrit:
1. Great-great-great-grandmother language.
It is believed to be the mother of all languages. So is it not
our right to know out grandmother? Knowing her, well find it easier
to know about other languages which are her children.
2. Sweet.
Everyone, generally loves sweet. Should we not taste this
sweet?
3. Logical.
Follows a particular pattern in all its aspects which makes it
easier to study. Most recent discovery is that it is the best
language which a computer can understand.
4. Easy.
The words easy or difficult is comparative. Here, compared to
English, Sanskrit is easy. For e.g. an alphabet in English is
pronounced differently in different places, an alphabet in English
is written in many ways (small, capital). In sanskrit, an alphabet
is spelt only in one universal way, wherever it may be. Also an
alphabet can be written only in one way.
5. Language of the shaastraas.
6. Language of the devas.
If anyone wants to go to heaven, they better learn this!
7. Great gift of our Hindu culture given by our Rishis.
Aliases, petnames for Sanskrit:
Devabhaashaa, amrithabhaashaa, amrithavaani, devavaani,
amaravaani, ghiiravaani.
Script (LIPI):
Sanskrit is written in Devanagari script. Other languages which
are written in this script are hindi, marathi, etc.
Source:
The Lord is the ultimate source or origin of all languages. It
is believed that Sanskrit originated from the Damaru of Lord Siva.
Sanskrit was refined and given to us by 3 main Seers (Rishis)
Panini, Vararuchi and Patanjali. Prostrations to these great
Masters.
Invoking the Grace of great Masters, let us immerse into
Sanskrit!!! Ready? But for that we have to wait for one month!!!
Till then, Keep Smiling!!!
ana< %r< Aa'Gla;aya< ddatu,
Give answer to these questions in English.
yaejnm! AnuiZy mNdae=ip n vtRte, @tt! vaKy< kiSmn! Nwe
AiSt?
Even a fool doesnt work, if not prompted by fruit! In which text
does this statement come?
ikmw s?
For what purpose are we all studying sanskrit?
s