pranipAta, pariprashnA, sevA

How does one obtain jnAnam is very clearly laid out by Bhagwan Krishna in verse 4.34

tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya

upadeksyanti te jnanam jnaninas tattva-darshinah

4.34 Know that through prostration, inquiry and service.

The wise ones who have realized the Truth will impart the Knowledge to you.

PranipAta is prostration - you prostate indicating Sharanagati or Surrender ( - I have come to you because I find no other way). Pariprashna is acknowledging one's ignorance and framing the questions appropriately - who am I? what is samsara? etc as the Vivekachudamani or the Prasnopanisad etc indicate - indicating Shraddha (- I ask because I have complete shraddhA that you have the answers and can help me understand them as well). Only then, after Sharanagati and Shraddha, does shravanA actually begin - when the Guru starts to talk. The third aspect of this is Seva which indicates acquision of Shadsampatti - to develop a proper attitude in the mind, by service to the Guru, to build up shama dama and other such qualities, so that the knowledge that is being taught, may freely flow, unobstructed by one's Ego, and thereby actually soak ones intellect. Once there is Sharanagati Shraddha and Shad-Sampatti and there is a Guru, who is a Tattvadarshi, a Seer, then jnAnam is assured.

Katha Upanishad: Shankara bhashyam; Chapter 1 Valli 3: Mantra 14

Now introduction to 14th mantra
Evam purushe atmani sarvam pravilaapya namarupakarmatrayam yan mithyajnana vidrimbhitam kriyakaraka phalalakshanam svatmaya atmajnanena marichudakarajju sarpa gagana malaniva marichi rajju gagana svarupa darshanenaiva svachha prashantatma krtakrtyobhavati yatotastat darshanartam.

First he is consolidating what has been taugh in the prior mantra. In this manner evam through s,m and nd, sarvam pravilapya the entire experienced universed i.e. anatma should be resolved – resolved not physically it is a cognitive resolution understanding that the existence has been provided by me – this awareness alone is called resolution - when you understand there is no desk other than wood – understanding is a cognitive process – afterwards I know wood AND desk I cannot say because there is no desk other than wood. Desk is only appearing and functioning – there is no such thing called desk. Even though I am continuing to use the desk in my vision desk has been resolved. This understanding is called dissolving the desk into the wood. When we say vedantin is a advaitin, Advaita darshana does not mean sitting all the time in nirvikalpa Samadhi – even as I perceive the Universe I am aware that the isness of the Universe is being lent by me - I, the Atma, am lending existence to sthula and sukshma shareeram and through that to the entire Universe. If this awareness is there the world has been dissolved. There is no question of a mystic physical dissapearance of the universe.
Evam – as mentioned in the 13th mantra – purushe atmani sarvam pravilapya – every anatma should be resolved. One we have determined the world is mithyA – it is as good as resolution of the world. Experentially the world cannot be resolved. Sarvam – nama rupa trayam – anatma which consists of name form and function. Out of gold when ornaments are to be created what the goldsmith does is creates a particular shape –a nama becomes associated with this shape - bangle rupa and bangle nama comes in – and with every nama and rupa a specific function comes in – like bangle nama rupA has a specific function of decorating the hand. Karyam is defined as nama-rupa karma. In the Br Up Ch1 brahmana 6 - Trayamvaa idam namarupakarma jagat – the world is nothing but name form and function. Karanam Brahman does not have nama rupa and karyam. Since it does not have any karyam Brahman cannot be used for any vyavahara. There fore Brahman is avyavaharyam – Brahman is absolutely useless! It is a nonparticipating supporter of all vyavahara. Mithyajnana vidrmbhitam – entire mithyA prapanca is projected or emerged because of mithyajnana. Mithyajnana is another word for adhyAsa. Mithyajnana itself is because of mulavidyA. Next - kriya karaka phala laksanam – which is characterized by the three components – karakam kriya and phalam. Karaka is all the accessories like subject object locus instrument etc kriya is all the actions which are generated by the karakam. Phalam is all the results produced by the various kriyas. Karakam à kriya à phalam. Karaka is the father kriya is the daughter and phalam is the child – three tier universe – anatma prapancha. Indirectly the defn of atma is given – atma is not a kriya not a karaka not a phalam – another corollary – all the languages or words will reveal one of these three only – nouns for karakam and phalam and verbs for kriya and since atma is other than these three nouns and verbs cannot reveal – hence atma is yatho vacha nivartante … entire Vedanta can be derived from this v v significant expression kriya karaka phala laksanam which AS loves to use v often kriyakaraka such a universe pravilapya – one should resolve. It is not a physical event it is a intellectual event – svatma yathatmya jnanea by gaining the knowledge of ones real nature. How can knowledge resolve the universe – AS gives 3 examples – marichi udakam mirage water, rajju sarpa – rope snake, gagana malam – impurity of space. All these three are resolved by mere knowledge of their adhistanam – marichi – rays of sun (coming from the dry sand) – rajju – rope and gaganam – space. All these three adhistanams svarupa darhshanena by knowing the adhistanam we are able to resolve the error. Similarly the world is also resolved through jnAnam of the adhistanam – that is the significance of the term “eva” here – mere knowledge is enough – after knowledge no type of sadhana such as meditation is necessary. By the knowledge of rope which part of snake is resolved – entire snake is instantly and totally resolved. Similarly by atma jnana whole world is instantly and totally resolved but note – not experientially resolved but in my knowledge it is as good as resolved. Svasthaha – that jnani abides in his advaita svarupam. Therefore only prashanta atma – one who is free from all the disturbances. We are not talking about manah shanti here. After atma jnAnam mind itself has been falsified we are talking about atma shanti which is not disturbed by the conditions of the mithyA mind. I am not affected by that mithyA disturbance. Hence alone krtakrtya – the one who has fulfilled all the duties – ahankara is not going to complete the duties at any time – cos ahankara will always have some duty or another. Falsification of ahamkara and therefore I don’t have any duties at all – all the three periods of time. There is no completion of duties other than the falsification of duties by falsifying ahamkara. When you retake the ahamkara and duties after knowledge those duties will be renamed as hobby. Before knowledge those duties are burden after knowledge the hobbies are entertainment. That is meant by krtakrtyaha – fulfilled. Yathaha ataha – therefore only by knowledge youll be able to fulfill all the duties and get fulfilled – tat darshanartham – for the knowledge of atma uttishtata – may you get up – may you pay attention – this is the introduction. Now to the mantra.

Mantra 14

Kshurasya dhaara nishitaa duratyaya
Durgam pathastatkavayoh vadanti

Gist
Therefore for gainging atmajnanam the disciplines mentioned here – uttishta – jnanayogayatam prapya may you do everything necessary to gain jnana yogyata and prapyavaran nibodhata and go to a guru to gain jnAnam. Then 2nd and 3rd line the Up says the spiritual journey is a difficult journey hence commitment is required a casual approach is required because it is not easy it is difficult like walking over a razor’s edge.

Bhashyam
Anadyavidya prasuktaha uttishta he jantavah atmajnanadimukha bhavat jaagrta ajnaana nidraya ghora rupayah sarvarnartha beeja rupayah kshayam kurutah

Up is addressing humanity – AS uses the term jantavah – instead of human being – meaning living being – you continue to sleepin self ignorance – anadi prasuktaha
Why ignorance is compared to sleep – because in sleep I don’t know my real waker nature – ignorance of my real nature is common to both atma ajnana and nidra. That is why in Mandukya ajnanam is called nidra. There is a 2nd more important reason – nidra itself will not create a problem by itself but by creating swapna it creates a variety of problems - in deep sleep there is no problem. Similarly, not only are we sleeping in self-ignorance but we are dreaming up samsara also. Hence anadya avidya prasuktaha – uttishta - may you wake up – and turn towards self-knowledge atmajnana abhimukhaha – fix your life’s priorities – and turning towards self-knowledge is jnana yogyata praptihi – karma-upasana yoga. Hence final meaning of uttishtitha is resorting to karmayoga and upasanayoga (– vyavasayatmika buddhih….from BG). Next word in the mulam is jaagrata – ajnana nidrayaha kshayam kuruta may you exhaust the sleep called ignorance – waking up is nidra kshayam – here the sleep is ajnana sleep of ignorance. Ghora rupayaha fierce form – there are so many worries for family, etc – we are worried means we are continuing to be in dream, in sleep. Sarva anartha beejabhutam – which is the seed of all the samsara problems. That ajnana nidra may you end.

Katham prapyopagamya varaan pravrshtan acharyamstatvidah tadupadishtam sarvantaramatmanam aham asmi nibhodata avagacchata

He introduces the enxt qtr i.e. prapyavaran nibhodatah by raising a question. The Up says may you know – the question is - How to know? Prapya – approaching varaan – the Superior or Great Ones (not bridegroom!) AchAryaan – the great acharyas. Who are they? The knowers of the truth – tatvidah or knowers of AtmA. Often people suggest “whom am I” enquiry, and go deep in the heart and ask from where ahankara comes, then the Self will shine by itself - often based on Ramana Maharshi – as part of who I am enquiry he has not highlighted one aspect of Up teaching. Ramana Maharshi has talked about – atma/ anatma/ ahankara/ who am I enquiry/ all this is talked about well – but one aspect is not mentioned which is very important – selfenquiry should only be with the help of guru shastra upadesham. This is not highlighted in Bhagwan Ramana’s work. Many people who follow Ramana do not highlight Guru shastra upadesha and emphasize meditation in the form of self-enquiry. We should understand - meditation like this will not be fruitful. Selfenquiry must include varaan prapya. Up is not needed, Guru isnt needed – simply close the eyes and ask where is the ahanakra I coming – how the enquiry should be done is not mentioned – so people conclude close the eys remove all the thoughts and ask the question “where does the ahankara from?” What the Upadesha Sara and Sat Darshana does not say is “tadvidhi paripatena…etc” One then waits for the light of the AtmA - they think if you remove the thoughts and wait and wait some light will come. No light will be seen because Atma is not a light. Varaan prapya – tad upadishtam - listen to their teaching upadesha (not sit with closed eyes asking) nibodhata – may you know - through sharavanam. Knowledge comes through shravanam. Thoughtless mind is not a pramanam and will not generate any new knowledge. MahAvAkya vichara pramanam alone has to produce knowledge. Know what? Sarvantaratma – the Atman. Nibodhata means avagacchata – understand - how should I understand it or know it? Aham asmi iti – I am the Atman the light of consciousness. Don’t look for any mystic light. Mystic light even if it comes is also anatma. I the ever experienced consciousness am figuratively called light – may that light of consciousness aham asmi iti nibhodata I understand as my Self.

Na upekshitavyam iti shruti anukampayaha maatruvat

What is the significance of uttishtha…AS says Up is functioning like a mother. Just like a mother is concerned that even though she wants to give freedom to the child she is concerned that the freedom could be abused that the child may not listen to her well-meaning advice. In 18th chap. “yathechhati tatha kuru” – Krishna gives freedom to Arjuna like an ideal teacher but then gets concerned and becomes a mother and again adds “sarvan dharmam parityajya” Every teacher teaches and gives freedom and later worries suppose he abuses this freedom? Hence Shruti also says even though I have given you the freedom to choose any one of the four purusharthas it is better you choose Moksha don’t choose the wrong purusharthas! Shruti anukampaya aaha – Shruti out of compassion like a mother with the intention that humanity should not be discarded na upekshitavyam may you spend some time in the study of the Vedas of the Katha Up. – this is the request of Shruti.

Atisukshma buddhivishayatvat jneyasya

Why does Shruti emphasize this – because moksha purushartha is an abstract purushartha – jnAnam and moksha is abstract atisukshmam. does not recognizethe importance of jnana yoga. 1/3 of people will say Vedanta is not convincing, another 1/3 will say Vedanta is convincing but not practical, and another 1/3 will say Vedanta is convincing and practica but we are not ready. Majority do not appreciate the importance of moksha. Hence the emphasis.



Kim iva sukshma buddhi ityuchyate kshurasya dhaarah agram nishita kshurasyaha dukhe duratyaya is be compared?
Kim iva sukshma buddhi ityuchyate Like what should be the intellect – how subtle or how sharp? Is being said here – just like the sharp edge of a razor kshurasya dhaara. Agram means the edge - nishita = teekshnikrtah – sharpened. Such a sharp edge suratyaya bhavati – dukhena it is extremely difficult adhyayah walking over the edge of such a razor – similarly the path of jnana yoga is also extremely difficult to walk over.

Yathaata padbhyam durgamineeya tathaa durgam dussampaadyam ityetat patha panthanam tattvajnanalakshanam margam kavayoh medha vinovadanti

Yathaa just as sa durgamaniya padbhyam – sa means the sharp edge of a razor is padbhyam durgamniya very difficult to walk over with our feet tatha in the same way durgam so difficult is the jnana marga dussampaadyam – very difficult to accomplish or comprehend ityetat this is the meaning.pathaha = panthanam = path – tattvajnanalakshanamargam –the path in the form of knowledge of the Truth or Atma. Iti kavaya – the Wise people medha vinaha - vadanti – the Vedic AchAryas this to be so.

Why? Jenyasyaati sukshmatvat tad vishayasya jnanamargasya dussampaadyattavm vadanti iti abhiprahyah

What is the criterion to decide whether any particular knowledge is easy or difficult? The criterion is based on the object of knowledge. Any jnAnam must have a jneya vishaya – an onject of knowledge. Jneyam determines the degree of difficulty of the knowledge. How or what about the jneyam will determine this? Whether the object is gross or subtle determines this. In the case of atmajnanam jnAnam is extremely difficult because atma the jneyam happens to be extremely subtle – jneyasya atisukshmatvat – tat vishayasya jnanamargasya – the path of knowledge dealing with that subtle atma is also extremely difficult - dussampadyatvam – iti abhiprayaah – this is the message of this mantra.

In 9th mantra of BG – jnana marga is extremely easy – susukham kartum avyayam. How to reconcile this? Really speaking it is neither easy nor difficult it depends on the level of maturity. If the intellect is subtle then jnana marga is susukham.

Now anvaya
(Yuyam) uttishtatha. (Yuyam) jaagrata. (yuyam) varaan praapya nibhodata. kshurasya nishita dhaara duratyayaa bhavati. Kavayah tat pathah (tam panthanam) (evam) durgam vadanti.

Shravanam:Mananam:Nidhidhyasanam

Shravanam:Mananam:Nidhidhysanam:
Atmaa vaare drshtavya mantavya nidhidhyasitavyah (Br.Up)


Shravana means hearing of course – but it is not simply a matter of the physical act of hearing. It is not meant that a mahAvAkya such as tat tvam asi is some sort of a Sanskritized abracadabra where as soon as those words are heard by a qualified seeker the veils of ignorance will magically part and the Truth revealed. Hearing in this case itself means understanding. If you say e = mc2 to a novice student he may have heard you alright but he has not really “heard” i.e. he has not understood what you are saying. So the teacher has to unfold the equation – similarly tat tvam asi has to be unfolded – what is tat, what is tvam, and what is this aikyam. In what sense is one to understand this aikyam. The students difficulty in understanding each of three components must be carefully anticipated by a qualified teacher so that this equation is communicated to the student with caution and clarity. This entire process is shravanam alone. In the words of the panchadashi - "The mode of the introduction of the mind of the student from Paroksha-Jnana to Aparoksha-Jnana is indicated in the sixth chapter of the Chhandogya Upanishad, while Uddalaka Aruni instructs the student Svetaketu. While the indirect knowledge of Brahman is declared in such statements of the Upanishad as ‘Satyam-Jnanam- Anantam Brahma,’ - Truth-Knowledge- Infinity is Brahman, the direct knowledge of it is the theme of the sixth chapter of the Chhandogya Upanishad, which expatiates upon the great sentence, ‘Tat-Tvam-Asi’ - ‘That Thou Art’. The demonstrative pronouns, ‘That’ and ‘‘Thou’, refer to a remote object and an immediate object respectively, as is well known. In this sentence, ‘That’ indicates Isvara, or God, and the word ‘Thou’ indicates Jiva, or the individual. The separative connotation of these two indicative words may appear to prevent the identification of Isvara and Jiva, since, at least from the point of view ofthe Jiva, Isvara is a remote object who existed even before creation, and the Jiva is a subsequent manifestation posterior to creation. But the inseparability of the cause and its effect requires the recognition of an identical substance present both in God, the Creator, and the individual, the created embodiment. The usual illustration offered to explain this basic identity of this Supreme Cause with the individual effect is the way in which we recognize the identity of a person here and now with the very same person seen somewhere else at a different time. In the identification of the single person in this manner, the associations of the person with a different place and a different time from the place and the time in which he is recognised now, are ignored, and only the person concerned is taken into consideration, for instance, when we say ‘This is that Devadatta’, indicating thereby that this Devadatta who is in this place at this moment is thesame Devadatta who was seen at some other time earlier in some other place. In a similar manner, the identity of the basic Substance in God and the individual is established by a separation of this Substance from the limiting adjuncts of remoteness and immediacy associated with God and the individual - Isvara and the Jiva."Once shravanam has been completed the job of the Shastra and the Guru is over. In the Kena Upanishad the student actually asks the Guru after the teaching is concluded – “Sir please tell me about the Upanishad” and the Guru confirms that “I have already given you that instruction about Brahman”! Suppose a student says – I have completely understood tat tvam asi – now what? Well now you go back to class and hear all over again! – why? Because you still have understood nothing! If tat tvam asi is understood it means I have understood myself to be akarta abhokta nitya asangah nitya shuddha and nitya mukta etc If after this my question is what now? then with certitude this understanding is incomplete. Here we need to understand the relationship between knowledge and its result because there seem to be some misconceptions about this in many people. This relationship is of two types chodya-chodaka sambandha and pratipaadya- pratipaadaka sambandha.Suppose I am given a map from google maps – how to reach Pittsburgh from Philadelphia . This knowledge gained by this map does not actually get me to Pittsburgh . The map has only informed or better prepared me for that particular journey. In order to "experience" or "reach" Pittsburgh I now need to act on that knowledge. Similarly a cookbook knowledge does not allow me to taste a gulab jamun. Fortunately this is not the case with brahmavidyA – this is a extremely crucial point to bear in mind. This belongs to the latter type or pratipaadya- pratipaadaka. Here the knowledge itself gives the result. How is this possible? This is possible ONLY when the thing to be attained is already a given, is already pre-attained, but we are unaware of it due to ignorance. The best example of this is also Adi Shankara’s favorite example of the tenth man. Ten men cross the river and each of them tries to get a head count to verify that allten men reached the other bank safely and in the process forget to count themselves and so always fall short by one. A competent person in whom these men have faith in tells this man who is counting that you alone are that tenth man. Here the knowledge conveyed by the words “That thou art” itself brings about the end of the search. Pratipaadya means 'that which is to be revealed', while pratipaadaka means 'that which reveals'. The moment we catch the implied meaning, (not the primary meaning) of tat tvam asi, that very moment the Truth is as though attained. So knowledge gained from shravam alone is primary. Hence alone does Shankara begin the Brahmasutra bhashya with his famous treatise on adhyAsa, because without establishing adhyAsa as a fact, there is no way to establish knowledge gained from the mahavAkyas - which is direct and immediate - as the means to liberation or mukti. And once it is established that the only and immediate means to moksha is understanding of the mahAvAkyas then there is only one primary means to moksha and that is shravana. If some one thinks that after getting knowledge one has to perform some actions or sadhana, then more shravana is needed, till the real implication has been correctly andcomprehensively understood. Hence alone does shraddhA assume paramount importance – for the words to reveal themselves one must surrender to them and allow them to work. Now there is a misconception among many (even within the fold of Vedanta) that the knowledge of "tat tvam asi" so gained is only "indirect" or "intellectual" – paroksha jnAnam - and it has to be converted by meditation into direct knowledge or aparoksha jnanam. Or that mere book knowledge only produces jnanam and what is needed is put that into practice to gain vijnanam! Some stock examples will also be provided - one will not get a taste of a mango fruit by mere book knowledge - only by tasting it can it be known. Shankara categorically dismisses (in his Up.Sahasri). 18.201(objection)The Bliss of liberation is not obtained afterascertaining the meaning of the sentence (tat tvamasi) unlike the satisfaction which is felt byeating.(Sankara's reply)Indirect knowledge it is true is the result producedby the sentences regarding the non-Self but it is notso in the case of those regarding the Innermost self.It is on the other hand direct and certain knowledgelike that in the case of the tenth boy.Proponents of such types of misconstrued and misconceived views of Vedanta will say sharvanam is hearing the mahAvAkya, mananam is understanding these words and nididhyasanam is intensely meditating on those words till a mystic experience of the Atman - atmasakshatkara - is attained - at some point in time. What leads to Moksha then is the actual special Atman "experience" brought about by the meditation (nidhidhyasanam) , not the understanding of the mahAvAkya (shravanam) itself! Once again this is extremely misleading. Using the tenth man example – paroskha jnAnam or indirect knowledge is simply the instruction that the tenth man very much is alive – confirming the presence of the tenth man. So when the Shruti talks about Brahman as the substratum as satyam - that sarvam khalvidam Brahman - all this Brahman alone, etc - that is paroskha jnAnam. What then is aparoksha jnAnam? the understanding that "that" Brahman is "me" alone! - in other words the understanding of "aham brahmasmi". Again going back to the the tenth man example when the true identity of the tenth man is revealed and that too as myself and when this is understood that alone is aparoksha jnAnam. Once I have gained the conviction based on my shraddha in the shabda pramAna the sense of closure to my seeking alone is the freedom – knowing that I am what I was seeking. Shankara affirms this as much in the VakyaVrtti “When, as explained above, the mutualidentity between the two words ‘thou’ and ‘that’ is comprehended, then the idea ‘I am not Brahman’, entertained by ‘thou’, shall immediately end.” And again the same text goes into great length to provide a template as it were for the teacher to unfold the intended meaning of the mahAvAkya so as to confer this liberating knowledge. So once again, the mahAvAkya itself and hence shravana alone is the primary means to moksha. Without shravanam – without gaining a clear and complete and comprehensive understanding of the words of the mahavAkyas which the Upanishads or Shruti itself says is the only means to know Brahman (Br. Up 3.9.26 - ....I ask you of that Purusha who is to be known ONLY from the Upanishads.. .) - there can be no jnAnam - without jnAnam - no MokshA. Once this understanding (to say "intellectual" understanding is tautology - there being no other kind of understanding) has taken place, there is nothing more to be known, and nothing more to be done. Then what role does manana and nidhidhyasana play. The reason is there may be lack of either clarity, or conviction, in this knowledge. Lack of clarity is in the form of doubts – after all the Universe is 14 billion years old and I am lucky if have 14 more years to live! – how can I possibly resolve this Universe unto myself. Solar and nuclear powers – so immense – and yet the Upanishad says I verily am the Source of this power when I cannot benchpress 50 pounds! Isnt this all quite farfethced? is it possible all this could be a farce? In what way can I understand myself to be equated to God. How can God be dismissed as being unreal? Many many such doubts may be thrown up again and again by the mind and this is the job of yukti or manana - it is not an independent logical analysis – but a progressive and gradual removal of these internal intellectual obstacles by taking recourse to the teaching already assimilated during the process ofshravana - by a constant dwelling on the Vedantic teaching and by means of questioning the Guru as well. Finally nidhidhyasana to fully internalize and assimilate the teaching – in other words, anubhava , which involves assimilating the knowledge as one's own. Once again this anubhava is confused by people as meaning some kind of mystic experience that comes and goes – one keeps on waiting for the Atman experience – that grand “promised” mega-spectacle - the elusive Atman finally revelas itself in all its glory and majesty as a reward for years of effort - which one and for all and forever will end this sense of duality – and sadly this itself is one of the biggest obstacles – my waiting itself is a sign of my habitual notions holding sway over my antahkarana. We may keep getting plagued by our samsaaric anubhava as - I am limited, I am small, I am mortal, I am inadequate, the world is a source of grief unto me, - from beginningless time these vasanas have led to a buildup of habitual notions which do not easily and readily go away. AsShankara says in the Br.Up 1.4.10 "Morover false notions do not arise in a Realized Man........however sometimes memories due to the impressions of false notions antecendent to the dawning of knowledge, simulating those notions, suddenyl appear and throw him into the error of regarding them as actual false notions."What is the remedy then so that I can abide in the purNatvam, the wholeness that is ever my True intrinsic nature?? Directing my thoughts at all times towards the knowledge of my true nature, that which has already been doubtlessly assimilated by me (through the process of shravanam) will alone enable an abidance in that knowledge – which is in the form of full freedom from all limitations. Until when? Until it is spontaneous – the samsara bhavana goes away. What should be clear here is that for nidhidhyasana, the understanding of tat tvam asi already needs to be complete! – one cannot NOT know and do nidhidhyasanam. There is no enquiry – no vichara involved here. “Aham BrahmAsmi” has to be already and completely understood and known to me as a fact. The job of nidhidhyasana then is only this – to not allow my habitual tendencies to come in the way. As Shankara says in the Br.Up1.4.7 the Jnani needs to “regulate the train of remembrance of the knowledge of the Self (atmavijnana smrti) by means of renunciation and dispassion.” And hence alone doesvairagyam and sannyasa become critical - nay indispensable - here.Now suppose one takes a position - OK I have no interest in shravana - in scriptural teachings, I will resort to some other means to control the mind and its flow of thoughts so they be directed inwards - wont I gain a vision of the Atman? - Shankara categorically dismisses this - "for it is not a means to liberation.. .there is no other means for the control of mental states except the knowledge of the Self and the train of remembrance about it" Note here the very crucial point that knowledge of the Self must already be present for nidhidhyasana to occur. An ignorant jivA, one lacking in self-knowledge, cannot do nidhidhyasana - hence there is no equating nidhidhyasana with meditation - Yogic,etc or any other method that has not been preceded by Vedanta shravana-manana. The steady recollection of Self-knowledge, by a constant flow of the mind towards the Self, enabled with renuncation and dispassion, serves to counter the residual effects of prior karma. When I have a thought – it is consciousness plus the content of the thought – my attention previously being focused solely on the content, the consciousness was as though hidden – similarly when I perceive an object – it is existence plus name and form – but my attention was previously exclusively on the name and form and the existence aspect is as though hidden – nididhyasana then is an abidance on my part in the Atma which isever-experienced - in the recognition that at all times - the existence principle - the consciousness principle - in and through all thoughts and all perceptions as being of the nature of one’s own Self which is limitless. Then as the bhaja govindam says – yasya brahmani ramate cittam nandati nandati nandatyeva – He alone is in Bliss, whose mind is steadily established in Brahman.