Katha Upanishad : Shankara Bhashya. Adhyaya 1. Valli 3. Mantra 1

(based on notes from lecture series by Pujya Guruji Swami Paramarthananda)

KUp has got two chapters adhyaya – each consists of three sections – valli
We are now in Ch 1 – and we will begin 3rd valli – the famous ratha kalpana occurs.

AS introduces valli 3
Adhyaya vallyaha sambandha
For the 3rd valli beginning with “rtam pibantau” , the connection (with prior two vallis is being said now) is as follows – with the 2nd valli vidya and avidya were introduced as shreya and preya marga (or jnana marga and karma marga). AS uses these two words because 1st the Up introduced these two terms shreyas and preyas in valli 2 and then called jnAna marga was called vidya and the karma marga was called avidyA (our entire life, its activities, rituals, etc are all termed avidyA by the Up itself). Here AS reminds us about that. They were also presented as having two distinct / different results – more importantly not just different but diagonally opposite results (– one leading to samsara and the other leading to moksha) – this has been taught. But these 2 margas have not been comprehensively taught – they have only been briefly mentioned. They have not been treated elaborately along with their distinct results/ fruits. Therefore there is a necessity for a 3rd valli – thus AS justifies the need for valli 3. For establishing these two distinct margas (paths) along with their distinct destinations, a beautiful imagery/ metaphor in the form of chariot imagery is presented to help in easy understanding. One can discern between the two - one is karmi or karma marga traveler and he will have finite goals or destinations; second is jnAna marga traveler or jijnasu and his destination which is Brahman or Moksha. We can then decide using our viveka which group we want to join!
Two atmas are being introduced – jivAtma and paramAtma in the form of ChidabhAsa and Chit respectively. Traveller is the jivAtma – he can travel outwards towards anAtma or can travel “inwards” towards paramAtma (by bhyagaa-tyaga-lakshana).

Rtam pibantau Sukrtasya loke Guhaam pravishtau parame paraardhe
Chayatapau brahma vidovadanti panchAgnayo ye cha trinAchiketah

We will 1st give the gist. Within the body there is a heart (physical heart) – within this physical heart there is a subtle mind which belongs to sookshma shareeram; in that mind there are two consciousness’ – chit the OC and the chidabahasa the RC the mind being the reflecting medium. Chit is paramatma or saakshi and is nontravelling and chidabhasa is jivAtma or ahanakara and travelling – and these two diagonally opposite entities – like light and shadow – are co-located in the mind. This pair is talked about in the karmakanda by karmis and in jnanakanda by the wise as well – the only difference is in the former the destination is outside and the latter has its destination inside. This is the essence but the Up uses abstract / abstruse words – without AS commentary this mantra will be obscure.

“Rtam pibantau..” – The pair of OC and RC – are drinking (consuming or in this context experiencing) rtam (means satyam – in this context means karmaphalam in the form of sukham and dukham) why should Up use the word rtam to convey karmaphalam – just as satyam is something definite, karmaphalam is also definite – abhaadyam or unavoidable. Truth is that which cannot be negated and similarly karmaphalam can also be not negated. The perceptive student may note immediatyely a contradiction here to the Mundaka Up (where it is said that of the two birds on the tree only the jivAtmA enjoys the fruits and here the use of the verb pibantau clearly seems to indicate they BOTH enjoy) – AS explains this by pointing out one is actual and the other is figurative.
Really speaking based on Mundaka mantra only one – i.e. jivAtmA or RC in the purushashareeram experiences the karmaphala. Even so, the Up figuratively says that paramAtma says It experiences – one reason is because of physical proximity the attribute is transferred (like a husband saying every Sunday “we” feed people even though he himself does nothing) Unlike adhyasa or superimposition which is in ignorance here the transference is deliberate AND the second reason is jivAtma is able to do all this because of the blessing of paramAtma (Kena ishitam patati preshitam mana…from Kena Up.) and thus paramAtma is indirectly contributing. (same example of husband by him contributing money or “non-interference” J) Shankara gives a example - when a King says I have won the war - actually the King has not done anything and the war was actually done by the army. This deliberate transference of attribute in Sanskrit is based on a proverb - the umbrella proverb “chatra nyaya”.
Chatram is umbrella – that which protects a person by insulating him – on the road during rainy season many people are going with a umbrella and there a few who don’t carry one. In a crowd there is a mix of both – those with and those without umbrellas. Even so, a person makes a remark – the umbrella-holders are walking – the status of umbrella-holding is figuratively transferred to those without umbrella as well due to physical proximity. Here the bhoktrtvam attribute is figuratively transferred to the ParamAtma. There is another nyAya which has the same connotation – saptaparani nyaya – saptaparani is the name of a tree – it has so called because it consists of bunches of seven leaves – however we will find there are some branches with less than seven leaves

“Sukrtasya loke..”

Sukrtasya karma is karma that is performed by the jIva himself – here AS is very perceptive. Normal meaning of the meaning sukrtasya is well-done, properly done. (Any wrong action is called dukrtam) Here AS does not take this primary meaning. If we take sukrtasya then it means the jivAtma is not experiencing the result of papa-karma. So AS says don’t take it only as good deeds, but “su” refers to swayam krtasya – i.e. those karmas done by the jivAtma done with the notion “I” /ahankAra. This is then related to rtam in the prior sentence – because they are in proximity we may connect sukrtasya and loke – instead connect sukrtasya and rtam – sukrtasya rtam pibantau – experiencing the fruits of their own good AND bad actions – this is how these terms are to be connected – this is the correct of the prose order or anvaya - in the original scripture.

“Lokesmin shareera..”
In this context loka refers to asmin shareere – this body. The body is the locus in which the body remains and experiences sukha-dukha. Locus for the jiva – hence loka. GuhAm = GuhayAm – equals to buddhau. Pravishtau – they have entered – jivAtmA and paramAtma have entered the body and inside the body they have entered or are situated in the hradayakAsha – the cave of the intellect.

Spiritual journey

(synopsis of talk given by Pujya Guruji on Guru PurnimA)
THE SPIRITUAL JOURNEY
KARMAYOGA (RIDE)
R – Reduce adharmic activities
I – Increase dharmic activities
D – Dedicate all actions to the Lord
E – Experience everything as Prasada
BENEFITS OF KARMAYOGA (4S)
1 – Self esteem
2 – Serenity
3 – Setup – harmony
4 – Spiritual growth
JNANAYOGA PREPARATION – I
PORT _ REDUCTION
Reduce:
P – Possessions
O – Obligations / Responsibilities
R – Relationships
T – Transactions
JNANAYOGA PREPARATION – II
CLASP – REJECTION / RENUNCIATION 2
Reject / Renounce:
CL – Claim of ownership and Controllership
A – Anxiety
SP – Special Prayers
JNANAYOGA
FIVE CAPSULES OF VEDANTA
1. I am of the nature of external and all pervading Consciousness.
2. I am the only source of permanent peace, security and happiness.
3. By my mere presence, I give life to the material body and through the body, I
experience and material universe.
4. I am not affected by anything that takes place in the material world and in the
material body.
5. by forgetting my nature, I convert life into struggle and by remembering my
nature, I convert life into a sport / entertainment.
FIVE FEATURES OF CONSCIOUSNESS
1. Consciousness is not part, product or property of the body.
2. Consciousness is an independent entity which pervades and enlivens the body.
3. Consciousness is not limited by the boundaries of the body.
4. Consciousness continues to exist / survive even after the death of the body.
5. The surviving Consciousness is not accessible because of the absence of the body
– medium.
FORMAT CONVERSION
A Karmayoga has a world-view which can be presented in a Triangular Format of Jiva –
Jagat – Isvara.
A Jnanayoga has a world-view which can be presented in a Binary Format of Atma-
Anatma.
A Karmayogi becomes a Jnanayogi by Format Conversion.

Ramayana: An advaitic perspective

Greetings on the occasion of HanumAn Jayanti

In Ayodhya, ( yudhdha means conflict, Ayodhya means where there is no conflict ) to the king Dasharatha ( = one who has conquered all the ten indriyaas ) was born the Supreme Lord, Sri Raama (= 'That One' who is revelling in every form - ' sarve ramanti yasmin iti Raamaah ' ) as a baby.Raama grows up in Ayodhya (without any conflicts ) and then goes out of Ayodhya with sage Vishwamitra to protect the yagnaas......................Rama gets married to Sita. Janaka is her father. Janaka found her while ploughing the mother earth,............, most improbable place to come out from. Ultimately, she goes back to mother earth. So here is someone who came from no-cause and goes back to no-cause, and this is called, in vedaanta, as ' Maaya '.Thus Raama, the Atman, the self, gets wedded to Maaya...........Once ' Self ' gets wedded to Maaya, the Ego, ' I ' can not remain in Ayodhya. Conflict must necessarily start. Thus he goes to jungle with Sita. Jungle means the forest of pluralities, conflicts, in which you and I live today.There, as long as Sita was looking at Raama, living in Raama, for Raama, ( Ego thinking of God only ) she never knew the difference between Ayodhya and forest. But one little moment she turned her attention outwards and there stood the Golden deer - the delusory golden deer.........................And once we see that delusion, we do not want God, we want that delusory thing only. Sita got stung by the desire, rejected Ram, sent him away saying, " I want that Golden deer ". Rama goes. The deer is killed no doubt, but it starts crying out and Sita asks Lakshmana also to go. He hesitatingly goes..........It is at this time that Ten-headed monster, Ravana, comes in the guise of a sanyasi Bhikshu. See the anti-thesis. Dasharatha, who has conquered the ten indriyaas, is in Ayodhya, and Dashamukha is in Lanka. We are like Ravana. Our attention is constantly turned outwards through the ten indriyaas. Materialism enters the bosom of a seeker in a deceitful form. Ravana, the extrovert man, with lusty living came to Sita in a deceitful form. He comes and takes her away and Sita becomes a prisoner in Lanka.Her fall from Ayodhya to Lanka is the fall of man from greatness of divinity into the present condition of guilt, sorrow, agitation, worries and suffering. Thus you and I are Sita now in Lanka.What did she do there ? We must also go thro the same discipline. She refused to co-operate with materialism all around. When she says ' NO ' materialism can not touch her. She remained under Ashoka tree. Shoka is sorrow and Ashoka is sorrowless. Though there is sorrow in all our minds, we refuse to recognise it. There under the Ashoka tree she contemplated on Ram with a sense of total surrender, recognising and realising the terrible mistake that she made and remained there. When we thus remain contemplating on Ram, every seeker will get intimation from the Divine, Sri Ram, that ' I am coming '. Hanuman reaches her and gives her the Symbol. Her hope increases and she is confident that Rama is coming. She awaits the arrival of Rama.As Sita weeps for him, Rama also expresses sentimental emotions. Valmiki wants to communicate to us that when we cry for God, he responds. How will he go there ? He is in jungle. The only army he can have is monkeys'. We find so much of criticism in Western literature that monkeys can not make an army. But here it has to be monkeys. Human minds and thoughts are the only ally for the Lord , the Spiritual Self, for I and you to reach that state. Monkeys and human minds have the same qualities of ' chanchalatwa ' and ' asthiratwa ' ( lack concentration and attention ).These monkeys can never be the ally of the Lord as long as they are ruled by Vali, the incorrigible lust. As long as our minds are ruled by lust we are not ready to do Ram's work. So Vali is to be destroyed and see who comes to the throne - Sugreeva. Greeva means the reins of horses. Sugreeva - the total self control ! Under Sugreeva the monkeys are available to do Ram's work and together they build the bridge - the bridge of contemplation to reach the realm of Ravana - the realm of pure materialism, to destroy the extrovertedness, destroy Ravana and take Sita to Rama.Sita, the ego, when comes face to face with Rama, the Self, the ego disappears. Just as ' the dreamer I ' disappears before ' the waker I ' . Sita thus disappears. It is Kapila muni who tells Rama that he can not go back to Ayodhya and bring about Rama Rajya without a queen. Hence the Kapila muni makes a delusory Sita with whom Rama returns to Ayodhya and rules for a short time. All men of Realisation, having realised the Truth, always come back to the world for a short time to serve as Saints, Prophets. We can not work in the world without an ego. But here, it is not a true ego, but an illusory ego. Thus Raamayana, from Ayodhya to Lanka is the process of an individualised Ego , coming into the present state of misconception that I am a limited, individualised ego, and the return of Rama back to Ayodhya from Lanka is the man's piligrimage fulfilled in the Realised Self. There after they live in the world for a short time serving the mankind and then the story ends.Thus there is a spiritual background to the entire story fo Ramayana.

(This piece is an excerpt from an original article that was written y Pujya Swami Chinmayananda-ji)

From finitude to freedom

There is a beautiful story about a caterpillar that lived much of its life believing that it had come into being only to eat and sleep and do what the rest of the caterpillars did. However it was unhappy. Somehow it sensed that its life had another dimension not yet experienced.
One day, driven by a strange longing, it decided to become still and silent. It hung from the branch of a tree, weaving a cocoon around itself. Inside the cocoon, although constrained and uncomfortable, it waited, sensing and aware. Its patience bore fruit, for when the cocoon burst open, it was no longer the lowly worm that went in, but a beautiful, resplendent, winged butterfly which dazzled the sky. It soared and flew, no longer limited to its worm-like existence, but free and unbounded. The caterpillar had been transformed into a thing of air and lightness, magic and beauty.
Once the transformation had taken place, it was impossible for the butterfly to return to being a worm. In the cocoon, the caterpillar had become one with its inner being and in this union it reached its ultimate nature. What happened in the cocoon can be described as yoga. Yoga is the path towards being boundless.

(from the Isha foundation homepage)

A Christmas prayer

Make me a channel of your peace

Where there is hatred let me bring your love;

Where there is injury, your pardon, Lord

And where there's doubt the true faith in you.

O master, grant that I may never seek

So much to be consoled as to console

To be understood as to understand

To be loved as to love with all my soul.

Make me a channel of your peace

Where there is despair in life let me bring hope,

Where there is darkness only light

And where there's sadness ever joy.

O master, grant that I may never seek

So much to be consoled as to console

To be understood as to understand

To be loved as to love with all my soul.

Make me a channel of your peace

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned

In giving to all men that we receive

And in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Prayer of St Francis of Assisi

KALASH

The kalash (kalasha) and deepak (dipaka) are prominent Vedic symbols that symbolize respectively the manifestations of Gayatri and Yagya. As Gayatri and Yagya are revered to be the origin of the Vedas and Vedic Science and Culture, the presence and worship of kalash and deepak in every sacrament, on every auspicious occasion is quite natural in the Vedic Culture. The symbol of kalash is physically represented by a metal or earthen pitcher or urn. It is filled with water (preferably the water of holy Ganga, any sacred river or clean, running water). Its top open end holds betel or mango leaves and a red-yellow sanctified thread (kalawa or mauli) is tied around its neck. The kalash has many symbolic meanings and teachings associated with it as described below.

The kalash symbolizes the cosmos. The water inside the kalash represents the primordial waters, elixir of life or the soul filled with love and compassion, abundance, and hospitality. Varuna, the Lord of the oceans and the divine source of water element, is invoked while filling a kalash with water. In some cultures, the kalash is said to represent the body, the leaves the five senses and water, the life-force. Some Vedic scriptures refer it as a symbol of the mother earth and divine consciousness. The word meaning of the scriptural hymns of the kalash's worship describe the mouth, throat and base of the kalash as seats of Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva and Lord Brahma respectively whereas the belly represents all goddesses and Divine-mother's power streams. Thus in this small urn the presence of all gods and goddesses is symbolized. This exemplifies that all the gods are essentially one and are emanations of the same Supreme Power.

Lord Dhanvantari is described as having four arms carrying various healing instruments in each hand, viz., a chakra (divine wheel) to defeat the devil forces, shankha (conch shell) to make the atmosphere free of viruses, bacteria and evil effects; jalouka (leech) used for curing all the diseases caused by vitiated blood and a kalash containing amrita (the elixir of life) to rejuvenate the sick.Because of its uniformity and symmetry in all directions, the kalash is a symbol of the entire universe and of that omnipresent Brahman which is the uncaused cause of all. All the gods in their microcosmic and macrocosmic subliminal forms are meditated, during devotional worships, as to be present in this symbolic form of the universe. Thus, through the medium of the kalash we are made aware of all the gods in one place, at one time and in one symbol.

This song by the Queen of Melody Lata Mangeshkar visualizes the rising Sun at dawn as a kalash that is overflowing with Divinity Herself – what a powerful imagery that inspires us to start the day with noble thoughts and impressions!

Jyoti Kalash Chalke

The Pot of Divine Light overflows
Hue Gulabi, laal , sunhere, rang dal badal ke

Thues turn pink ochre & Golden on the canvas of the clouds
Jyoti Kalash , Chalke

The Pot of Divine Light overflows
Ushane aanchal failaya, faili sukh ki sheetal chaya,

neeche aanchal ke ! Jyoti kalash chalke
the Dawn spreads its warm shroud,

and the calming shadow of happiness / contentment - spreads beneath it

- The Pot of Divine Light overflows
Jyoti Yashoda, Dharti Gaiyya, Neel Gagan, Gopal Kanaihyaa

Shyamal chabi jhalke ! Jyoti Kalash chalke
The Sun ( eternal ) is the Mother ( Yashoda ), the Earth is the Cow - and the BLUE SKY is KRISHNA - The Pot of Divine Light overflows
Paat Paat Birva Hariyaala, dharti ka mukh hua Ujala,

Mangal ghat dhalke, Jyoti Kalash chalke
Every leaf and shrub in greenery drenched, the Earth is resplendant in her unbridled JOY as the Auspicious pot overflows (with its blessings onto us) - The Pot of Divine Light overflows

Naan Yaar - Who am I - Pt 2

14. Is it possible for the residual impressions of objects that come from beginningless time, as it were, to be resolved, and for one to remain as the pure Self?
Without yielding to the doubt "Is it possible, or not?", one should persistently hold on to the meditation on the Self. Even if one be a great sinner, one should not worry and weep "O! I am a sinner, how can I be saved?"; one should completely renounce the thought "I am a sinner"; and concentrate keenly on meditation on the Self; then, one would surely succeed. There are not two minds - one good and the other evil; the mind is only one. It is the residual impressions that are of two kinds - auspicious and inauspicious. When the mind is under the influence of auspicious impressions it is called good; and when it is under the influence of inauspicious impressions it is regarded as evil.
The mind should not be allowed to wander towards worldly objects and what concerns other people. However bad other people may be, one should bear no hatred for them. Both desire and hatred should be eschewed. All that one gives to others one gives to one's self. If this truth is understood who will not give to others? When one's self arises all arises; when one's self becomes quiescent all becomes quiescent. To the extent we behave with humility, to that extent there will result good. If the mind is rendered quiescent, one may live anywhere.
15. How long should inquiry be practised?
As long as there are impressions of objects in the mind, so long the inquiry "Who am I?" is required. As thoughts arise they should be destroyed then and there in the very place of their origin, through inquiry. If one resorts to contemplation of the Self unintermittently, until the Self is gained, that alone would do. As long as there are enemies within the fortress, they will continue to sally forth; if they are destroyed as they emerge, the fortress will fall into our hands.
16. What is the nature of the Self?
What exists in truth is the Self alone. The world, the individual soul, and God are appearances in it. like silver in mother-of-pearl, these three appear at the same time, and disappear at the same time. The Self is that where there is absolutely no "I" thought. That is called "Silence". The Self itself is the world; the Self itself is "I"; the Self itself is God; all is Siva, the Self.
17. Is not everything the work of God?
Without desire, resolve, or effort, the sun rises; and in its mere presence, the sun-stone emits fire, the lotus blooms, water evaporates; people perform their various functions and then rest. Just as in the presence of the magnet the needle moves, it is by virtue of the mere presence of God that the souls governed by the three (cosmic) functions or the fivefold divine activity perform their actions and then rest, in accordance with their respective karmas. God has no resolve; no karma attaches itself to Him. That is like worldly actions not affecting the sun, or like the merits and demerits of the other four elements not affecting all pervading space.
18. Of the devotees, who is the greatest?
He who gives himself up to the Self that is God is the most excellent devotee. Giving one's self up to God means remaining constantly in the Self without giving room for the rise of any thoughts other than that of the Self. Whatever burdens are thrown on God, He bears them. Since the supreme power of God makes all things move, why should we, without submitting ourselves to it, constantly worry ourselves with thoughts as to what should be done and how, and what should not be done and how not? We know that the train carries all loads, so after getting on it why should we carry our small luggage on our head to our discomfort, instead of putting it down in the train and feeling at ease?
19. What is non-attachment?
As thoughts arise, destroying them utterly without any residue in the very place of their origin is non-attachment. Just as the pearl-diver ties a stone to his waist, sinks to the bottom of the sea and there takes the pearls, so each one of us should be endowed with non-attachment, dive within oneself and obtain the Self-Pearl.
20. Is it not possible for God and the Guru to effect the release of a soul?
God and the Guru will only show the way to release; they will not by themselves take the soul to the state of release. In truth, God and the Guru are not different. Just as the prey which has fallen into the jaws of a tiger has no escape, so those who have come within the ambit of the Guru's gracious look will be saved by the Guru and will not get lost; yet, each one should by his own effort pursue the path shown by God or Guru and gain release. One can know oneself only with one's own eye of knowledge, and not with somebody else's. Does he who is Rama require the help of a mirror to know that he is Rama?
21. Is it necessary for one who longs for release to inquire into the nature of categories (tattvas)?
Just as one who wants to throw away garbage has no need to analyse it and see what it is, so one who wants to know the Self has no need to count the number of categories or inquire into their characteristics; what he has to do is to reject altogether the categories that hide the Self. The world should be considered like a dream.
22. Is there no difference between waking and dream?
Waking is long and a dream short; other than this there is no difference. Just as waking happenings seem real while awake. so do those in a dream while dreaming. In dream the mind takes on another body. In both waking and dream states thoughts. names and forms occur simultaneously.
23. Is it any use reading books for those who long for release?
All the texts say that in order to gain release one should render the mind quiescent; therefore their conclusive teaching is that the mind should be rendered quiescent; once this has been understood there is no need for endless reading. In order to quieten the mind one has only to inquire within oneself what one's Self is; how could this search be done in books? One should know one's Self with one's own eye of wisdom. The Self is within the five sheaths; but books are outside them. Since the Self has to be inquired into by discarding the five sheaths, it is futile to search for it in books. There will come a time when one will have to forget all that one has learned.
24. What is happiness?
Happiness is the very nature of the Self; happiness and the Self are not different. There is no happiness in any object of the world. We imagine through our ignorance that we derive happiness from objects. When the mind goes out, it experiences misery. In truth, when its desires are fulfilled, it returns to its own place and enjoys the happiness that is the Self. Similarly, in the states of sleep, samadhi and fainting, and when the object desired is obtained or the object disliked is removed, the mind becomes inward-turned, and enjoys pure Self-Happiness. Thus the mind moves without rest alternately going out of the Self and returning to it. Under the tree the shade is pleasant; out in the open the heat is scorching. A person who has been going about in the sun feels cool when he reaches the shade. Someone who keeps on going from the shade into the sun and then back into the shade is a fool. A wise man stays permanently in the shade. Similarly, the mind of the one who knows the truth does not leave Brahman. The mind of the ignorant, on the contrary, revolves in the world, feeling miserable, and for a little time returns to Brahman to experience happiness. In fact, what is called the world is only thought. When the world disappears, i.e. when there is no thought, the mind experiences happiness; and when the world appears, it goes through misery.
25. What is wisdom-insight (jnana-drsti)?
Remaining quiet is what is called wisdom-insight. To remain quiet is to resolve the mind in the Self. Telepathy, knowing past, present and future happenings and clairvoyance do not constitute wisdom-insight.
26. What is the relation between desirelessness and wisdom?
Desirelessness is wisdom. The two are not different; they are the same. Desirelessness is refraining from turning the mind towards any object. Wisdom means the appearance of no object. In other words, not seeking what is other than the Self is detachment or desirelessness; not leaving the Self is wisdom.
27. What is the difference between inquiry and meditation?
Inquiry consists in retaining the mind in the Self. Meditation consists in thinking that one's self is Brahman, existence-consciousness-bliss.
28. What is release?
Inquiring into the nature of one's self that is in bondage, and realising one's true nature is release.
SRI RAMANARPANAM ASTU

Naan Yaar - Who am I - Pt 1

1 . Who am I ?
The gross body which is composed of the seven humours (dhatus), I am not; the five cognitive sense organs, viz. the senses of hearing, touch, sight, taste, and smell, which apprehend their respective objects, viz. sound, touch, colour, taste, and odour, I am not; the five cognitive sense-organs, viz. the organs of speech, locomotion, grasping, excretion, and procreation, which have as their respective functions speaking, moving, grasping, excreting, and enjoying, I am not; the five vital airs, prana, etc., which perform respectively the five functions of in-breathing, etc., I am not; even the mind which thinks, I am not; the nescience too, which is endowed only with the residual impressions of objects, and in which there are no objects and no functioning's, I am not.
2. If I am none of these, then who am I?
After negating all of the above-mentioned as 'not this', 'not this', that Awareness which alone remains - that I am.
3. What is the nature of Awareness?
The nature of Awareness is existence-consciousness-bliss
4. When will the realization of the Self be gained?
When the world which is what-is-seen has been removed, there will be realization of the Self which is the seer.
5. Will there not be realization of the Self even while the world is there (taken as real)?
There will not be.
6. Why?
The seer and the object seen are like the rope and the snake. Just as the knowledge of the rope which is the substrate will not arise unless the false knowledge of the illusory serpent goes, so the realization of the Self which is the substrate will not be gained unless the belief that the world is real is removed.
7. When will the world which is the object seen be removed?
When the mind, which is the cause of all cognition's and of all actions, becomes quiescent, the world will disappear.
8. What is the nature of the mind?
What is called 'mind' is a wondrous power residing in the Self. It causes all thoughts to arise. Apart from thoughts, there is no such thing as mind. Therefore, thought is the nature of mind. Apart from thoughts, there is no independent entity called the world. In deep sleep there are no thoughts, and there is no world. In the states of waking and dream, there are thoughts, and there is a world also. Just as the spider emits the thread (of the web) out of itself and again withdraws it into itself, likewise the mind projects the world out of itself and again resolves it into itself. When the mind comes out of the Self, the world appears. Therefore, when the world appears (to be real), the Self does not appear; and when the Self appears (shines) the world does not appear. When one persistently inquires into the nature of the mind, the mind will end leaving the Self (as the residue). What is referred to as the Self is the Atman. The mind always exists only in dependence on something gross; it cannot stay alone. It is the mind that is called the subtle body or the soul (jiva).
9. What is the path of inquiry for understanding the nature of the mind?
That which rises as 'I' in this body is the mind. If one inquires as to where in the body the thought 'I' rises first, one would discover that it rises in the heart. That is the place of the mind's origin. Even if one thinks constantly 'I' 'I', one will be led to that place. Of all the thoughts that arise in the mind, the 'I' thought is the first. It is only after the rise of this that the other thoughts arise. It is after the appearance of the first personal pronoun that the second and third personal pronouns appear; without the first personal pronoun there will not be the second and third.
10. How will the mind become quiescent?
By the inquiry 'Who am I?'. The thought 'who am I?' will destroy all other thoughts, and like the stick used for stirring the burning pyre, it will itself in the end get destroyed. Then, there will arise Self-realization.
11. What is the means for constantly holding on to the thought 'Who am I?'
When other thoughts arise, one should not pursue them, but should inquire: 'To whom do they arise?' It does not matter how many thoughts arise. As each thought arises, one should inquire with diligence, "To whom has this thought arisen?". The answer that would emerge would be "To me". Thereupon if one inquires "Who am I?", the mind will go back to its source; and the thought that arose will become quiescent. With repeated practice in this manner, the mind will develop the skill to stay in its source. When the mind that is subtle goes out through the brain and the sense-organs, the gross names and forms appear; when it stays in the heart, the names and forms disappear. Not letting the mind go out, but retaining it in the Heart is what is called "inwardness" (antar-mukha). Letting the mind go out of the Heart is known as "externalisation" (bahir-mukha). Thus, when the mind stays in the Heart, the 'I' which is the source of all thoughts will go, and the Self which ever exists will shine. Whatever one does, one should do without the egoity "I". If one acts in that way, all will appear as of the nature of Siva (God).
12. Are there no other means for making the mind quiescent?
Other than inquiry, there are no adequate means. If through other means it is sought to control the mind, the mind will appear to be controlled, but will again go forth. Through the control of breath also, the mind will become quiescent; but it will be quiescent only so long as the breath remains controlled, and when the breath resumes the mind also will again start moving and will wander as impelled by residual impressions. The source is the same for both mind and breath. Thought, indeed, is the nature of the mind. The thought "I" is the first thought of the mind; and that is egoity. It is from that whence egoity originates that breath also originates. Therefore, when the mind becomes quiescent, the breath is controlled, and when the breath is controlled the mind becomes quiescent. But in deep sleep, although the mind becomes quiescent, the breath does not stop. This is because of the will of God, so that the body may be preserved and other people may not be under the impression that it is dead. In the state of waking and in samadhi, when the mind becomes quiescent the breath is controlled. Breath is the gross form of mind. Till the time of death, the mind keeps breath in the body; and when the body dies the mind takes the breath along with it. Therefore, the exercise of breath-control is only an aid for rendering the mind quiescent (manonigraha); it will not destroy the mind (manonasa). Like the practice of breath-control. meditation on the forms of God, repetition of mantras, restriction on food, etc., are but aids for rendering the mind quiescent.
Through meditation on the forms of God and through repetition of mantras, the mind becomes one-pointed. The mind will always be wandering. Just as when a chain is given to an elephant to hold in its trunk it will go along grasping the chain and nothing else, so also when the mind is occupied with a name or form it will grasp that alone. When the mind expands in the form of countless thoughts, each thought becomes weak; but as thoughts get resolved the mind becomes one-pointed and strong; for such a mind Self-inquiry will become easy. Of all the restrictive rules, that relating to the taking of sattvic food in moderate quantities is the best; by observing this rule, the sattvic quality of mind will increase, and that will be helpful to Self-inquiry.
13. The residual impressions (thoughts) of objects appear wending like the waves of an ocean. When will all of them get destroyed?
As the meditation on the Self rises higher and higher, the thoughts will get destroyed.

Traditional Advaita :Vedanta

Every single thing is of relevance to liberation because every single thing is the free-soaring flag of liberty in the Leela that Liberty Itself has chosen to play!
Every pleasure, every pain, every foolish act, every great achievement, every movement, every thought, everything that one did in the past, does now in the present, and will do in the future - is either the joy or the pain on the path to liberation. Therefore what is there that is not of relevance to liberation?
It is not the fault of darkness if you go with a light to look for it! But of course, we are talking here of Light and not Darkness. When the Darkness dazzles in the Light, we have the universe. It is a kind of love affair. Therefore it hurts. But when the separation is over, there is only the Bliss of Union. Separation and Union is the game of Love.
You are mistaken about Traditional Advaita! Traditional Advaita is not a dogma. It is the synchronising of the breath! The breath that lies between Life and Death! Suspended it is Life, expended it is Death.
Breath is Knowledge knowing movement. Breath suspended is immovable Knowledge.
Prana is not merely the breath of air; it is also the Life that surges as metabolism. It is the esoteric current of the mystery of Life.
Traditional Advaita speaks about Life that one may prepare to Die! It is not a joke but is a serious affair. As serious as gravity. One needs to learn the difficult art of levitation to overcome it!
Traditional Advaita teaches you the serious art of levitation. But only he can learn it that is fit to be an 'aeronaut of the spirit'. The test of fitness is laid out in the instruction manuals of Traditional Advaita. It is a fool that tries to finds a way through the labyrinth by running blindly through it.
Death lies not in the instruction for dying but in Dying. Traditional Advaita is the instruction, but for Dying one needs to walk to the Sacrificial Altar. Traditional Advaita helps one to breathe one's way freely to the Altar.
Traditional Advaita says that when you have prepared well, a disguised person will come to you at a Crossroad that you cannot now see. He will carry with him a sword that will slice clean through your neck. His is an act of Love. He is a mercy-killer! He will kill Death that Life may shine through. He is your Self personified in the mystery of mAyA.
Who says there is no path to liberation? It is not a path made of clay and earth. It is a path that leaves no trace. That you cannot point out a traceless path is no fault of the path.
There is a path from bondage to Freedom. It is the path of Truth in a Reality in which there is only the Truth.
The Truth is thought straightened. The wave straightened is the Ocean Itself.
Straightening of thought is tattva j~nAna which is an intrinsic part of Traditional Advaita.
There is even a path from Freedom to bondage. It is the path of falsity in a Reality in which there is only the Truth.
The false is the vision of the neurotic.
Neurosis is the denial of Truth. 'There is no truth', it says and looks defiantly out of the foolishness of its own absurdity. That is bondage. Freedom from its matrix is liberation. In the realm of language, it is called 'Truth'. That is mImAMsA (Advaita Vedanta).

(posted by Chittaranjan Naik, a profoundly gifted scholar to the advaitin list, and reproduced here with permission)

Living the Gita : Advaitic living

From an absolute standpoint, there is only Self.And Self is akarta - actionless - and a realized seeris a witnesss to the actions of the nonself - "gunaguneshu vartante iti matva na sajjate" A Wise man knows it is gunas interacting with gunas and does not carried away by this.If we see the preceding sloka it contrasts that withthe lot of the jiva: prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasahahankara-vimudhatma kartaham iti manyateThe entity with the problem is the jiva with conceit about his self. And this selfconceit needs to beresolved. Ultimately the only way this conceit can be destroyed is by knowledge (about its nonsubtantive existence) alone, and in that sense - there is then advaita, or selfknowledge, and then no more is there an "entity" who can then be said to be"living advaita"However right now, there is, as it were, an entity,who, with this "i"-notion, is as it were in ignorance. This "i" sense has no hope of attaining jnanam in theway it is currently consituted being burdened bymillions of janmas of samskaras and vasanas. It needs to be unburdened of its load, in order that its inner equipment be made relatively pure to receivethis knowledge (chittashuddhi).

In order for this unburdening to take place, this entity needs to adopt a particular attitude in conducting its way of life, until such a time that it is made ripe for jnanaprapti and jnananishtha. This attitude consists of attempting to successfully center one's attention, one's focus, on the true Self, recognizing It to be the Supreme Lord alone, in and through everything that is de facto right now being done at the level of the ego-Self.

This is not merely religious living, nor is it merely mindful living nor is it merely ethical living, thoughit does have those components as byproducts.

Religious living can be completely divorced from both ethical living as well as mindful living - Lord Ravanawould be an excellent example of a great bhakta, a great devotee (the Shiva Tandava Stotra composed by him is to-date one of the most beautiful stotras in praise of Devadidev Mahadeva, a very religious person but one steeped in avidya and raga-dvesha.

Ethical living itself can occur in the context of a simple "do unto others what you have done to you"principle with no motive other than being a good conscientuous member of the society. Neither does religion need to come into play here nor does a higher calling in life.

Mindful living is not based on any sense of devotion of any sort to a Creator or a God and consists of being vigilant about the mind's plays - "if the mindis at ease, I am at ease". Ultimately I am a very alert person and hence have some relative sense of ease in living but I am no closer to knowing the truth about myself.

None of these constitute by themselves what adviceBhagwan Krishna is offering Arjuna in the Gita, on howto lead his life.What is adviced in and through the Gita is arealignment of the jiva's life in thought, and deed,with a goal centered on selfrealization, with the latter alone constituting its release and signifying its end as an "entity".

Only in that sense alone is there, as it were, an entity called a jiva, with an end in sight - of advaitic realization. And his sadhana in his attempsto this end may be rightly termed "advaitic" living. It may also be termed "living the Gita".

A jivanmukta, on the other hand, a realized Seer, is neither an entity nor can "he" said to be an exampleof "advaitic living", although even in that case what to him are spontaneous actions and thoughts and attitudes, can be attempted to be emulated by the multitude of ajnanis as examples of "perfect living"in a spirit of devout inspiration.

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti

How does God protect us?A Vedanta sadhaka recites the Shanti mantras every day. In those mantrasthere are prayers to the Gods for protection from the various obstacles thatcould arise from (1)natural forces like earthquake, floods, etc., (2) bodily(and mental) ailments and (3) other elements inimical to us like thieves, wildanimals, etc. A life that is free from such afflictions is ideal for sadhana. But, owing to the past karma of the aspirant, troubles do come, taking one orthe other of the forms mentioned above. It is with a view to seek protectionfrom these difficulties and a smooth progress in sadhana that the scriptureshave handed down to us the Shanti mantras to be chanted every day.There is a nice verse that talks about how the Gods protect us:Na devaa daNDamAdAya rakShanti pashupaalavat Yam hi rakShitumicchanti buddhyA samyojayanti tam (source not known)A cowherd tends the cows with a stick in hand. This is not the way of theGods. When the Divinities will to protect someone, they do it by blessing himwith the appropriate intellect to handle the situation.When one prays 'Dhiyo yo naH prachodayAt', 'impel our intellects with theright thoughts', it is this kind of protection that is prayed for. For, rightthinking is essential both to take preventive measures and also to handle asituation by taking corrective action.In the Brahmasutra bhashya (III.ii.41) the scriptural view of the role of Godin man's actions and reaping the fruits thereof is mentioned:(quote)This view is proved by the circumstance of scripture representing theLord not only as the giver of fruits but also as the causal agent with referenceto all actions whether good or evil. Compare the passage, Kau. Up. III, 8, 'Hemakes him whom he wishes to lead up from these worlds do a good deed; and thesame makes him whom he wishes to lead down from these worlds do a bad deed.' Thesame is said in the Bhagavadgîtâ (VII, 21), 'Whichever divine form a devoteewishes to worship with faith, to that form I render his faith steady. Holdingthat faith he strives to propitiate the deity and obtains from it the benefitshe desires, as ordained by me.'All Vedânta-texts moreover declare that the Lord is the only cause of allcreation. And his creating all creatures in forms and conditions correspondingto--and retributive of--their former deeds, is just what entitles us to call theLord the cause of all fruits of actions. And as the Lord has regard to the meritand demerit of the souls…..(unquote)Some 'Peace Chants', Shanti PaaTha-s are given below:Om ! May He protect us both together; may He nourish us both together;May we work conjointly with great energy,May our study be vigorous and effective;May we not mutually dispute (or may we not hate any).Om ! Let there be Peace in me !Let there be Peace in my environment !Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me !(Om! Saha naavavatu…etc. chanted at the beginning of the Taittiriya Upanishad)Om. May Brahman protect us both! May Brahman bestow upon us both the fruit ofKnowledge! May we both obtain the energy to acquire Knowledge! May what we bothstudy reveal the Truth! May we cherish no ill feeling toward each other!Om. Peace! Peace! Peace!Harih Om.May Mitra be propitious unto us! May Varuna be propitious unto us! May Aryamanbe propitious unto us! May Indra and Brihaspati be propitious unto us! MayVishnu, of wide strides, be propitious unto us!Salutation to Brahman! Salutation to Thee, O Vayu! Thou indeed art the visibleBrahman. Thee indeed I shall proclaim as the visible Brahman. Thee indeed, OVayu, I shall proclaim as the right. Thee indeed I shall proclaim as the true.May It protect me! May It protect the teacher! May It protect me! May It protectthe teacher!Om. Peace! Peace! Peace!Om! O gods, may we hear auspicious words with the ears; while engaged insacrifices, may we see auspicious things with the eyes; while praising the godswith steady limbs, may we enjoy a life that is beneficial to the gods.May Indra of ancient fame be auspicious to us; may the supremely rich (orall-knowing) PUsHaa (god of the earth) be propitious to us; may GaruDa, thedestroyer of evil, be well disposed towards us; may BRhaspati ensure ourwelfare.Om. Peace! Peace! Peace!

(Posted on the advaitin list by a dear friend and a learned scholar of advaita)

Bhakti and JnAna

The most misconceived concept, next to mithyAtva is the concept of Bhakthi in Advaita Vedanta. It is a usual idea that Advaita denies Bhakthi to be themeans for liberation. Further, it is generally felt that Advaita alienated Bhakthi from jnāna. More, on general opinion Bhakthi to Advaita is popularly regarded as a karma. In my observation, I perceive that Advaita, led byShankara had a much different stand with regard to the controversial triad, Bhakthi, Jnana and Karma. The primary inquiry that one must field, is to know whether Bhakthi is divorced from jnana. Subsequently we must also investigate on whether Bhakthi is an element on karma. As far as Advaita is concerned, we have enough material from shruthi and smrthi with ācārya's prasthana traya commentaries, throughout all these commentaries ācārya clearly established jnāna- Knowledge as the only means for liberation. Theproblem lies as whether we have any instance where acarya makes a distinct demarcation between jnana and Bhakthi. Taking Bhagawad Gita for example, Sankarācārya throughout his commentaries as we may simply observe, has never regarded jnana and bhakthi to be different. Let me give an example. Acaryasays, 'mad bhaktha ca uttamām paramārta laksanam bhakthi asthithah tē ativamē priyāh' Here for the word priya acarya explains 'priyo hi jnāninotyartam'Bhakthi by this opinion clearly explains the fact that Bhakthi and jnana areone and the same aspects. A bhaktha is no different from jnāni is what ācārya intends. More, for Advaita, one who realizes the real real, is one who is known as a jnāni. Ananda giri makes a very important note where he defines who a Bhaktha is. He says, Bhaktha is one who realizes the paramaartha. – 'punah punah Bhakthēh grahanam apavarga mērgasya paramārta jnānasyaupāyatvārtam'. Importantly the sub-sub commentary known as 'bāsyotkarsaDipika' the author frames these two views to his premesis to derive the conclusion, to re –emphasize the identity of Bhakthi and jnāna to say,'tēsām jnāni nityuktah ēkabhakthir visisyatē' Further is there raises an objection to say 'as renunciation alone gives the mood for jnāna – sarvakarma samnyāsa purvakāt ātma jnānam' which inturn is Moksa, what role has Bhakthi got to play between samnyāsa and Moksa ? since jnāna is the direct cause for Moksa, and they are synchronous by nature. Ācārya precisely answers to this objection, but before that we must again carefully note the distinction that is arbitrarily made between jnāna and Bhakthi. Ācārya promptly equates Bhakthi as a state which is neither different from samnyasa nor from jnana. Since both according to Advaita are synchronous, ācāryare-iterates the fact that the final culmination is achieved by Bhakthi which is non different from jnāna. In the voice of Lord ācārya says,'sarvārambaparityāgi yah mad bhaktha' and who is a samnyāsi? Ācārya sayskaruna krpa dukkhitēsu daya,tadvān karunah sarvabuta baya pradah samnyāsi' Sankarācārya fashions his argument in such a away that he clearly places karma on a separate plane and puts jnana and Bhakthi on the other. He even goes to the extant saying that 'if at all a karma can exist it can be that act whence all the fruits are submitted unto Lord, realizing his solerefuge'. More, ācārya classifies two types of Bhakthi. Saguna and Nirguna.He says both these groups are equally integrated giving no room for gradation. To mark that saguna Bhakthi to be no lesser than the other,ācārya says 'those devotees who take the sole refuge of the Lord Vāsudēva,by his grace will be relieved from samsāra. Thus Bhakthi may be discerned as the direct and immediate means for liberation. Bāshyam mentions, 'ksipramēvaPārta' Samsaya atra na Kartvayah' – do not have any doubt about this. From the above instances we may glaringly resolve the problem of jnana Bakthi and Karma – and affirm the identity of jnana and Bhakthi. What is the nature of Bhakthi? Is it apposed to the nature of jnāna? In ācāryas opinion Bhakthi is a means to attain the oneness with Visnu. 'Iswarasya prasādāt avāpnotisāswatham nityan vaisnavam padam avyayam'. Above all, there persists a widespread mis-conception in Advaita Vedanta that it is often said kirthana, arca and bagavad nāma smarana are futile means to reach the ultimate goal.This is utterly against the view of ācārya's opinion. Gita bashya mentions Bhakthi laksana. They are as follows.1. Manmana bava maccittha bava2. mad bhaktha bava mad bajana bava3. madyāji madyajanasilah bava 4. mām namakuru namaskāran - api mamaiva kuru. Set your mind on me, Love me, and devote yourself unto me. Sacrifice unto mehabitually. Prostrate before me (Vāsudēva) – here ācārya supplies 'he alone' indicating the mahāvisvāsa and ēka bhakthi. It is crystal clear that ācārya by his opinion preaches the non-difference of jnāna and Bhakthi. In his words 'Baktheh punargrahanāt Bakthi mātrēna kāvalēna sāstra sampradānēpātram bavati iti gamyatē' – this alone is the quitessence of all Sāstras.

Thus exclusive attachment and love towards supreme God – Visnu by the singular devotion non different from jnāna alone is the means for Moksa.

(Posted on the advaita-L list by Shri Devanathan-ji a young and eminent scholar of advaita)