Ravi just informed me by email that the previous Open Thread, started last year, had reached 5,000 comments, and that it was refusing to take any more.
It is the recollection of these experiences, while gliding into the waking state, that enables one to state clearly that 'I slept well; I did not know anything. I was not aware of myself too.' 'While slept well' refers to the past experience of sleep and hence falls under smriti (recollection), 'I' component of the statement does not come under this category of recollection of a past entity or something spasmodically recurrent. It must be classified as Pratyabhijna because it refers to the re-recognition of the unbroken experience of the Self during the past even of sushupti and its continued existence in the present waking state too, without a break or an iota of change.
The only difference then is, in the waking state the 'I' shines prominently because it is available for interacting with the world and exists in the 'transactional mode'. In deep sleep the 'I' becomes a non-transactional entity (eclipsed by Maya) and reverts to the merely 'existential mode' as pure presence (nirvisesha, saamaanya satta) that is, the non prominent substratum. Thus the 'waker' himself was the 'sleeper' and being one and the same jiva, it is a re-recognition. It is neither a new cognition (or knowledge of a new entity) nor mere remembrance of the past. This is the essence of Pratyabhijna. Similarly, Self Knowledge is also an awakening from the beginningless slumber of primal ignorance (See Mandukya Karika, Verse 1.16) and is best described in paradoxical terms like 'Attainment of the Already attained' (prapasya praptih) and 'Revelation of the Ever Revealed ' (anaavrtasya niraavaranam ! Sri Bhagavan says 'thedaathu uRRa tiruvaruL nidhi.'
In Verse 6 of Sri Dakshinamurti Stotram, Sri Sankara clearly states that during sushupti, the experience of 'absence of the world' (jagat abhaava vritti) is because of withdrawal of all sense organs of perceptions into a passive mode and the lapsing of the mind into its causal seed form. That is, the antahkaranam (mind) merges into the kaarana sariram (causal sheath) and ceases to function as the 'inner instrument'. Both I AM (the pure unqualified and limitless Sat aspect) and the 'absence of of 'I'-thought (ahamvritti abhava) are registered in the kaaarana sariram which are recollected upon waking. The imprint of the former, I AM, is responsible for the waker's statement, 'I did not exist in sleep' and the imprint of the later, 'the absence of of I thought' is responsible for his saying, 'I was not aware of myself in sleep.' No one ever says 'I did not exist in sleep'. To claim 'non existence in sleep is ludicrous, for it effectively means 'I died during sleep and revived upon waking mysteriously', since death is nothing but withdrawal of existence.
The Self being Sat Chit Ananda swarupa, the power of Maya can only veil the chit (consciousness) aspect but cannot destroy Sat (being) or ananda (joy) aspects. The Bhagavad Gita declares that for Sat (the Self) which alone qualifies as the real, there can be no non existence while the unreal can never have existence (BG. V.2.16). That is why everyone desires the happiness experienced in sleep and uncaused happiness inheres only in the limitless Pure Existence principle (Sat Tattvam) (Who am I?) Thus when a person enters the state of deep sleep , the Upanishad says, he merges with pure Existence , which is the ultimate reality that constitutes the very nature of his Self and therefore attains his own Self (Chandogya v.6.8.1.).
Bhagavan Ramana affirms that this Self ever shining as Pure Consciousness in all the three states, is alone to be known as the true Knowledge and can never be deemed as a Void. (Sat Darsanam, V.14).
We shall see how it is possible to arrive at the reconciliation of the Advaitic position with the Void theory as also the experiential nature of enlightenment based on Pratyabhijna.
Many people, both today and during Sri Bhagavan's lifetime, have found Self Inquiry too subtle and difficult to practice and He was often asked if there was some alternative that would achieve the same result. He said that Surrender would. 'If one surrenders oneself, then there will be no questions, or to be thought of. Either the thoughts are eliminated by holding to the root thought 'I' or one surrenders oneself unconditionally to the higher power. These are only two ways of realization. (Talks # 321).
First we should define surrender. The concept is ambiguous and conjures up many meanings. It arouses divergent responses according to people's temperament and upbringing. In some cultures, especially today, surrender is equated with failure and defeat because we have been conditioned to strive for 'successs'. To conquer is viewed as good. Therefore surrender is to be a 'loser'. All this is about our ego image. The individual 'I' is the winner or loser and either way, thriving on attention, it grows. It is a struggle, or can be, if we do not establish what is truly important and non negotiable is our lives.
One's definition of surrender, is more often an abandonment of all volition. But how can one function in the world, if one is not allowed to make a decision? If a doctor or an air traffic controller gave up making decisions, the results would be calamitous. There is a pervasive tendency to confuse two states of mind. The recognition 'I am not the body' is a sublime result of enlightenment. But as long as one identifies oneself with one's suffering from a cold or a broken leg, that precept is not applicable. Surrender in its true spiritual sense entails giving up or surrendering one's identification with the body/mind. As in Sri Bhagavan's example of an actor in a play, the part must be acted out, the lines must be said, but the actor must remember that he or she is not the character played. Everything that should be done is done correctly but without attachment to self as the doer. This is a way of achieving liberation. One surrenders one's attachment to the idea of a 'self'.
How does one surrender to the will of a higher power when we have no idea what that divine intention may be? One begins by recognizing that to surrender is to open up to the unknown. It is the catalyst that helps us transcend our limitations. If we surrender to Bhagavan what then is His will? To presume that Bhagavan has an individual will is misunderstanding. If there is no separateness where is the desire to fulfill a personal need? Bhagavan had no will of His own -- there was nothing He wanted exclusively for Himself. Yes, the body required food, and rest to sustain itself. It is also our responsibility to keep both the body and mind clean and safe but not to become identified with them to the point that we assume that that is all there is. We should not fall into the trap of the materialist, mechanical view of life in which all values and motives are judged according to the condition of our physical body. We may have added more years to our lives because of modern medicines but does quantity equate with the precious sense of aliveness? It does not. It may only mean 'more' of 'something' -- more objects to possess, more experiences to accumulate, more time to spend foolishly.
Sri Bhagavan was free on all levels. He lived in the moment and did not accept responsibility for any of the so called miracles which spontaneously occurred with Him; rather He explained them as 'automatic divine action'. When we 'surrender' to Sri Bhagavan it is not for His personal whim but is an affirmation, a commitment, to see things as they are, and not as we want them to be. If Sri Bhagavan had an individual will, His intention would be for us to recognize and share the joy of Jnana.
We must understand that surrender is not an abrogation of responsibility. It is the transcendence of our individual will and is essential if we are to grow in wisdom. There comes a crucial point in our lives when we realize that our individual efforts will never be enough, that we need help. That is why we start our search for a guru, and if we are lucky and blessed, we brought to a genuine guru like Bhagavan Sri Ramana.
We all have been satisfied to some extent by the fulfillment of physical needs but the sense of dissatisfaction always lurks in a corner of our minds. At some level, we realize that we are not strong enough to make things happen as we wish or aware enough to realize the actual nature of things we clutch as if our lives depended on it. We also come to realize that the state of constant awareness is possible.
The nature of the mind is movement. Each moment, no matter how miniscule, expresses change. Nothing remains the same. An instant is over the moment it happens and all we have to show for it are memories. We years to be fully conscious, we yearn to be truly alive, and to understand what is happening around us. It is our nature to register sensation and thought. The conundrum is HOW TO LET GO and yet be confident that all is well. It is a question of trust and surrender to a Higher Power or the Dharma or whatever term one wishes to describe Reality.
When we believe that everything happens for a purpose, then we see an opportunity to comfortably let go of wanting events to be tailored to our expectations. How often have we had a series of events that did not go our way and yet, with patience and lack of self pity, something fortuitous occurred, which would otherwise have been impossible on the fixed tracks of our vasanas, our habitual tendencies. When we flow with events, we may unexpectedly meet an old friend who proves to be a stepping stone on the path. The reverse is also true, when we refuse to flow with circumstances, and learn later that we missed an opportunity. The experiences we all have had in this respect are endless. This tells us something vital. Life is always teaching us if we would but pay attention. Life is not an inert block on which we play our tune; it is a 'livingness' which interacts with us. We miss out on so much of life because we refuse to surrender to the moment, listen and learn.
There is a Jewish Hasidic story:
'When Rabbi Shmelke and his brother visited the maggid (the great spiritual master) of Mezritch, they asked him about the following: Our sages said certain words which leave us no peace because we do not understand them. They are that men should praise and thank God for suffering just as much as for well being, and receive it with the same joy. Will you tell us how we are to understand this, rabbi?'
'The maggid replied: 'Go to the House of Study. There you will find Zusya smoking his pipe. He will give you the explanation.' They went to the House of Study and put their question to Rabbi Zusya. He laughed. 'You certainly have come to right man! Better go to someone else rather than me, for I have never experienced suffering.' But the two knew that, from the day he was born to this day. Rabbi Zusya's life had been a web of need and anguish. Then they knew what it was: "to accept suffering with love." (Tales of the Hasidim, The Early Masters, Martin Buber, 1956).
It is a question of attitude. Surrender is a stance of openness to both the joys and inevitable sorrows life bestows. Resistance to change inhibits our understanding. Resistance is the knot which binds us to the past and makes us suffer. In Yoga these knots are called granthis. They create tension in the body and neurosis in the mind. How can we be fresh and alert if our minds are tied to preconceptions of how things should be or what they were? Do we gracefully accept reality with the attitude of surrender or do we indulge in our illusions and hopes?
Many of the ills of modern world are due to the lack of meaning of in our lives. What is our purpose? Our receptivity to life and willingness to surrender our will and to flow harmoniously with events hinges on our answer to this question. We can see loving surrender to the demands of others in mothers who continuously give up their own desires for the well being of their children. They do it willingly because they feel the joy of their children's development. Though it is frustrating at times, there is never any question of neglecting their responsibility. They give freely with love. To reward is in the giving. To paraphrase Bhagavan, 'the giver gives to him or the Self.' In spiritual surrender the giving is final and complete for one gives oneself.
subramanian, The Real problem is that 'Surrender' is not a proper translation for 'saranagathi'. Saranagathi means to stay rooted at the feet of God.It is something that cannot be done by any contrivance of volitional mind. One cannot 'Practice' it but one may have the attitude,the Bhava that may develop into intense Love of God and lead one to Saranagathi. Namaskar.
Yes. I agree. saranam (feet) gathi (as the way). "Holding the feet of God" is what some translators have used. Some others have used self-surrender or atma samarpanam (to god) or atma nivedanam (to god).
If we understand that surrender means not imposing our desire on circumstances, we learn to remain in the present and act appropriately. We exercise discrimination and do nothing which may harm us or others. We behave respectfully. We learn our lines and play our part. As we seek to be humble, we leave no mark, like the movement of an active hand through air.
One of the fundamentals of the Santana Dharma is sacrifice (yagna). Sacrifice is the central act prescribed in Vedas. It does not mean denial but offering up, letting go. It is not a chore but a joy if one's attitude is in concord with a higher purpose. Harmony exists when there is a still center that allows an openness of mind and heart. This is not weakness but strength.
We practice all kinds of spiritual disciplines to create that still center. Who has not experienced a divine moment when the mind is miraculously still and alert? There are those in history we admire who gave up everything in order to rediscover and deepen the glorious all embracing consciousness.
Meditation is the act of recollecting our central axis of stillness. The knowledge we derive from inquiring into WHO is thinking or experiencing. The understanding we gain from surrendering to the moment -- these cannot be weighed or judged by conventional standards of success. It is a subtle, sustained and positive process. We cannot imitate inner surrender -- we can only practice it, much like the child who valiantly tries to walk and then suddenly after repeated struggles, walks with joy and elan.
As the Self shines fully of its own accord, why is it not generally recognized like the other objects of the world by all persons?
Wherever particular objects are known it is the Self which has known itself in the form of those objects. For what is known as knowledge or awareness is only the potency of the Self (atma shakti). The Self is the only sentient object. There is nothing apart from the Self. If there are such objects they are all insentient and therefore cannot either know themselves or mutually know one another. It is because the Self does not know its true nature in this manner that it seems to be immersed and struggling in the ocean of birth (and death) in the form of the individual soul.
As the Self of a person who tries to attain Self Realization is not different from him and as there is nothing other than or superior to him to be attained by him, Self Realization being only the realization of one's true nature, the seeker of Liberation realizes, without doubts or misconceptions, his real nature, by distinguishing the eternal from the transient, and never swerves from his natural state. This is known as the practice of Knowledge. This is the enquiry leading to Self Realization.
What is the significance of the saying that the nature of the real Guru is that of the Supreme Lord (Sarvesvara)?
In the case of the individual soul which desires to attain the state of true knowledge or the state of Godhood (Isvara) and with that object always practices devotion, when the individual's devotion has reached a mature stage, the Lord who is the witness of that individual soul and identical with it, comes forth in human form with the help of Sat Chit Ananda, His three natural features, and form the name which He also graciously assumes, and in the guise of blessing the disciple, absorbs him in Himself. According to this doctrine the Guru can truly be called the Lord.
All mental concepts are controlled by the mere presence of the real Guru. If he were to say one who has arrogantly claims that he has seen the further shore of the ocean of learning or one who claims arrogantly that he can perform deeds which are well nigh impossible, 'Yes, you learnt all that is to be learnt, but have you learnt to know yourself? And you who are capable of performing deeds which are almost impossible, have you seen yourself?', they will bow their heads in shame and remain silent. Thus it is evident that only by the Grace of the Guru and by no other accomplishments is it possible to know yourself.
'Since all living beings desire to be happy always, without any misery, since everyone supreme love exists only for oneself, and since happiness alone is the cause of love, in order to obtain that happiness, which is one's very nature, and which is experienced daily in deep sleep, where there is no mind, it is necessary for one to know oneself. For that enquiry in the form of Who am I? alone is the principal means.'
Dakshinamurti is known as the silent Guru, the Guru of Gurus. Though he is daily worshipped in every Siva temple in the South, he has few temples of his own. Dakshinamurti is an aspect of the ascetic Siva.
As an example of how eloquent silence can be felt for the sincere seeker, the following episode which I personally witnessed in the Old Hall,some years ago, will illustrate. A gentleman from Kashmir came to the Asramam with his servant who could not speak a word of any other language except his native Kashmiri. One night when the Hall was almost dark except for the pale glimmer of a single hurricane lantern, the servant came to into the Hall and stood before Bhagavan in a respectful manner jabbering something rapidly in his own language. Bhagavan said nothing, but lay quietly gazing him. After a while the servant saluted and left the Hall. Next morning, his master came to Bhagavan and complained. 'Bhagavan, you never told me you could speak Kashmiri, was it fair?'
'Why, what do you mean?' asked Bhagavan. 'I know not a single word of your language.'
Bhagavan asked the gentleman how he had got hold of this absurd idea and the latter explained.
Last night my servant came to you and asked you, several questions in his language. He tells me that you have answered him in the same language and cleared his doubts.'
The individual soul of the form of 'I' is the ego. The Self which is of the nature of consciousness (Chit) has no sense of 'I'. Nor does the insentient body possess a sense of 'I'. The intermediate appearance of a delusive ego between consciousness and the inert body is the root cause of all troubles. Upon its destruction by whatever means, that which really exists will shine as it is really is. This is called Liberation or Moksha.
Softly they fold me into me, These waves. The moon is a white sheet In the sky. I breath deep and more deeply Until I become the sea, until I become the air, the sand, A grain ground into nothing Until I flower into Every single thing. I have become the sun, I have fallen into light. More true is that The 'i' has simply Taken flight. The dream world is A silver sheen of dust Where once I lived But now the heart has exploded.
If one resorts uninterruptedly to Self remembrance (swarupa smaranai, that is, remembrance of or attention to the mere feeling of 'I') until one attains Self, that alone will be sufficient. As long as there are enemies in the fort, they will continue to come out. If one continues to cut all of them down, as and when they come, the fort will fall into our hands.
All mental concepts are controlled by the mere presence of the real Guru. If he were to say to one who arrogantly claims that he has seen the further shore of the ocean of learning or one who claims arrogantly that he can perform deeds which are well nigh impossible, 'Yes, you learnt all that is to be learnt, but have you learnt (to know) yourself? And you who are capable of performing deeds which are almost impossible, have you seen yourself?', they will bow their heads in shame, and remain silent. Thus it is evident that only by the Grace and by no other accomplishment is it possible to know yourself.
The one who lived by the peepul tree, Whose sky unfolded from the leaves as the wind rode through, whose starveling buffalo-mother grazed for her yearling in the dusty yard, who sat on the little stone porch held only by an old, ragged dhoti, his mind kiting beyond the worlds, and calmly smiled when this dhoti was beaten on the washing stone, has climbed the Red Hill, and his white wrapping cloth he gently unfurled into a cloud.
The child unborn lies cradled within the womb of the mother. The love between his father and his mother had blended and descended into the world of matter and created a new human life. As this little creature emerges from sleep, and darkness, and protection of his mother, he enters the world of Man.
From that moment on he will forever be in search of God. His heart will seek the Love that created him, his mind will search for the meaning and purpose of his life. And he keeps searching until he finds either through his heart or his mind the answer to his great quest.
When the moment comes he will return to the origin of his life. He will lose his sense of separate identity, he will become one with the Love that brought him into being, he will rest in peace in the protection that gave him life.
Then he in turn will become part of all life, unbroken, endless, which pervades all that he sees or touches. So that like the Christ, he can say, 'I in my Father and my Father in me.'
Some traverse the Path to God-union with their hearts, submitting their will in trust and prayer, and some through the long effort of search and study. But in the end, both will say as in the commandment - 'Honor thy Father and thy Mother that thy days may be long upon the earth.'
Did not Christ say, 'Suffer little children to come unto me, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven made'? The child is the symbol of that union in God which ever present still eludes those who seek for the secret of life outside the human heart.
Once upon a time,I, Chuang-tse, dreamt I was a butterfly, fluttering hither and thither, to all intents and purposes a butterfly. I was conscious only of following my fancies as a butterfly, and was unconscious of my individuality as a man. Suddenly, I awakened, and there I lay, myself again. Now I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly dreaming I am a man. Between a man and a butterfly there is necessarily a distinction. The transition is called the transformation of material things.
Chuang-tse
(Kafka has also described the same story in his book Metamorphosis.)
I hesitate to ask this basic question...but how is "Ramana" written in sanskrit? रमण or रामण? रामन महर्षि(sanskrit), ரமண மகரிஷி(tamil) ← Are these words spelled correctly?
The call of Arunachala is no call of destiny; it is the silent beckoning of destiny's End. There is nothing to be found beyond its rugged slopes, nothing to be sought. After one arrives at Arunachala, destiny goes begging in the streets, wearing the torn and fading orange rags of clouds whose sun has set. After one arrives at Arunachala, never again to depart, destiny lies down to die, its face as gaunt, its eyes as bleak as those of the moon at dawn. Like a wrongly summoned genie whose master has escaped, it has nothing to do, nowhere to go, no one to turn or to turn to. Its power is unavailing. Its spell is shattered. Scavenge as it will, there is no one left to prey on; death will be its last and bitter morsel. Thus it is no wonder that destiny quivers in fright at the gate of the Heart when first one hears the call of Arunachala. What jailer would respond differently, having found the Invincible One Himself within the walls? Even his keys are now useless. The Liberator is indeed the prisoner himself, unmasked. For Arunachala is everywhere present; It beckons only to Itself. Phantoms like destiny beat wings of mist in vain upon Its rocks; for the call of Arunachala is call of the destiny's End.
I will not have God in his heaven, And part of his creation Still in hell.
I want him sliding down the moon-beams, Hauling the tides, Or holding up the sun; Majestic, strong and perfect. Oh -- I want him there -- Whatever beauty is, Living and glowing like some hidden fire, Behind the flowers, Or flowing in the wind, Or falling, like a blessing, in the dew,
I want him strewn in primrose covered woods, Pure like the yellow there among the leaves; Or blazing with the sun, Or scattered o'er the canopy of night In never ending furnaces of power.
All this I want But this is not enough.
I want God grimy with the grime of men Hewing the face of coal; Glistening in sweat On brows, tired of work. I want God dirty with the dirt of the towns, All soot-encrusted there among the chimney pots.
I want heaven and God put back where they belong -- Waiting on earth Until men come to see The glory of everyday Behind their greed and blindness. Oh - he shall sing with birds upon the bough. Until that joy has risen like a spring Among the earth bound, And the dead.
Then, then shall he be waiting Like a jewel Hid in the dark, clay stuttered Souls of men.
Freed, at long last, from pulpit And from pew, From sect and creed, From Litany and Mass; No longer what we seek, But what we've found -- Here, on the common earth, In common ways, God of the everyday -- With every heart a manger, And every life a throne.
Nought but awareness is the universe; Nought but awareness is all life; Nought but awareness is the goal supreme.
441.
Look with what utter unconcern The serpent in the ant hill puts away Its slough. Our obligation is The like removal of the five-fold sheath Illusive, burning, clinging to us fast.
442.
In full enjoyment of the silent bliss Flowing from the Grace Of the Lord of Wisdom, Lord of Self, Casting off the five-fold sheath that brings Attachment is the jiva's liberation.
443.
Since even in the absence of this world A bodiless awareness is our being, Release from all the sheaths, from form and ego, Is restoration to our natural Self.
444.
As the false dream ends when we we wake up, The Ego dies when the Sun, the true I rises, Ego's destruction by strong Self inquiry, Is what is known as Self -attainment.
Though one may seem lost in this false world, The ending of both 'I' and 'mine' In the clarity of true awareness Void of every sense perception Brings abidance in the bliss Of being That.
446:
The primal truth clings to the heart's deep core And can be seen by strong, keen search alone, Those who with a pestle's broad round end Probe for that target hardly gain it.
447.
Since in His still presence concepts do not rise, Since all three persons are only concepts And since second and third rise only after the first, The Self is the origin of all three persons.
448:
What in the body as 'I' is mind. Enquiring where this 'I' thought was before Its rising here, it sinks in the heart Hence from the heart the mind arises.
449.
In the absence of thought there is no jive, God or world. As in every thought The 'I' thought is the starting point, Whence this thought springs, that is the Heart.
The Self is not limited. It is the mind which produces a form that is limited. That which has got dimensions is he mind and it gives rise to dimensions in others. The real limitation is the mind. The mind is not different from gold. The mind is a wonderful power, a mysterious power (Sakti) of the Supreme Being. It is after the rise of the mind that God, world, and jivas (individuals) appear, whereas in sleep we are not aware of these three. That is the mysterious power of God. But although we are not aware of these in sleep, yet we know that we existed in sleep also. On the rising of the mind we awaken from sleep. Consciousness and unconsciousness are with reference to the mind only. In the wakeful state, we identify ourselves with the mind. If now we find the real Self behind the mind, then we shall not have these limitations.
Veiled by your maya, in secret, you create, Lord, your own offerings; How you repeal our thorny woods with flowers - none knows, O King of Kings. In grim and lonely deserts your sweet fragrance we may not perceive, But you do visit with your peace of stars to bless our hearts at eve, Making your beauty's laughter bloom in this our sad war weary land Of strifes, din and disharmonies; your ways, Lord, who can understand?
*
We sully with our fool passions' murk the rain you pour from your heavenly home; You paint your pictures of Love's play when we sleep in abysmal gloom. So we hark not to the Elysium your Flute invites us all to hail, But your great bounteous sleepless sun illumines still our dismal vale! I wake athrill; no phantom this, but your gleam-garden of fadeless Rose, You, foster, Friend, everlastingly, with what divine seeds -no one knows !
*
Beloved, whenever, disconsolate, to you, the Nebulous, I pray, Answers your Flute; ' Behold, I am so close to you, - not far away!' But blind, I grope for you in vain and cry in tears; 'How can it be?' Then, lo, your miracle touch I feel in an overwhelming ecstasy What a rapturous experience is accorded to me by your Grace; The thorns are gone! I am only kissed by roses of your tenderness !
john Sommers, You're coming from a very dark place and sound really disturbed! Why not pause, reflect on what you're doing or if that doesn't help, pop a pill and calm down?
Through the repeated practice, Knowledge purifies the embodied soul stained by ignorance, and then itself disappears, as the powder of kataka-nut disappears after it has cleaned the muddy water.
knowledge itself disappears - Thus there is no possibility of a second entity besides the Self.
The tangible universe is verily Atman; nothing whatsoever exists that is other than Atman. As pots and jars are verily clay and cannot be anything but clay, so to the enlightened, all that is perceived is Self.
*
A jivanmukta, endowed with Self Knowledge, gives up the traits of his previous upadhis. Because of his realization, that he is of the nature of Existence-Knowledge-Bliss Absolute, he verily becomes Brahman, like the cockroach becomes a brahmara insect.
* A yogi who is a jivanmukta, after crossing the ocean of delusion and killing the monsters of passion and aversion, becomes united with Peace and dwells in the Bliss derived from the realization of the Self alone.
*
Relinquishing attachment to the illusory external happiness, the Self-abiding jivanmukta, satisfied with the Bliss derived from Atman, shines inwardly, like a lamp placed in a jar.
*
Though associated with upadhis, he, the contemplative one, is undefiled by their traits, like the sky, and he remains unaltered under all conditions, like a dumb person. He moves about unattached like the wind.
Atma Bodha - Sri Sankara - tr. in Tamizh verses - Sri Bhagavan:
On the destruction of the upadhis, he the contemplative one, is totally absorbed in Vishnu, the All-Pervading Spirit, like water in water, space in space, and light in light.
*
Realize that to be Brahman the attainment of which leaves nothing more to be attained, the blessedness of which leaves, no other bliss to be desired, and the knowledge of which leaves nothing more to be known.
*
Realize that to be Brahman which, when seen, leaves nothing more to be seen, having become which, one is not born again into the world of becoming, and which, when known, leaves nothing else to be known.
*
Realize that to be Brahman which is Existence, Knowledge-Bliss Absolute, which is non dual and infinite eternal and One, and which fills all the quarters -- all that is above and below and all that exists between.
*
Realize that to be Brahman which is non dual, indivisible, One, and blissful, and which is indicated by Vedanta as the irreducible substratum after the negation of all tangible objects.
Atmabodha - Sri Sankara - Tr. in Tamizh verses - Sri Bhagavan:
Deities like Brahma and Indra taste only a particle of the ultimate Bliss of Brahman and enjoy, in proportion, their shares of that particle.
*
All objects are pervaded by Brahman, all actions are possible because of Brahman; therefore Brahman permeates everything, as butter permeates milk.
*
Realize that to be Brahman which is neither subtle nor gross; neither short nor long; without birth and change; without form, qualities, or color.
*
Realize that to be Brahman by the light of which luminous orbs like the sun and the moon are illumined, but which cannot be illuminated by their light, and by which everything is illumined.
*
The Supreme Brahman pervades the entire universe outwardly and inwardly and shines of Itself, like the fire that permeates a red hot iron ball both inwardly and outwardly and shines of itself.
Atmabodha - Sri Sankara - Tamizh translation in verses by Sri Bhagavan. This English translation is by Swami Nikhilananda:
Brahman is other than the universe. There exists nothing that is not Brahman. If any object other than Brahman, appears to exist, it is unreal like a mirage.
*
All that is perceived, all that is heard, is Brahman, and nothing else. Attaining the Knowledge of Reality, one sees the universe as the non dual Brahman, Existence-Knowledge-Bliss-Absolute.
*
Though Atman is Reality, and Consciousness, and ever present everywhere, yet It is perceived by the eye of Wisdom alone. But one whose vision is obscured by ignorance does not see the radiant Atman, as the blind do not see the resplendent sun.
*
The jiva free from impurities, being well heated in the fire of Knowledge kindled by hearing and so on, shines himself, like gold.
*
Atman, which is the Sun of Knowledge, arises in the firmament of the heart, and destroys the darkness. The Pervader of All and the Sustainer of All, It illumines all and also Itself.
*
He who, renouncing all activities, worships in the sacred and stainless shrine of Atman, which independent of time, place and distance; which is present everywhere, which is the destroyer of heat and cold, and the other opposites, and which is the giver of eternal happiness, becomes all-knowing and all-pervading and attains, hereafter Immortality.
Atma Bodha - Earlier Verses from the beginning - Sri Sankara: Eng.Tr. Swami Nikhilananda:
1. I am composing the Atma Bodha or Self Knowledge, to serve the needs of those who have been purified through the practice of austerities, and who are peaceful in heart, free from cravings, and desirous of liberation.
2.As fire is the direct cause of cooking, so Knowledge, and not any other form of discipline, is the direct cause of Liberation. For liberation cannot be attained without Knowledge.
3. Action cannot destroy ignorance, for it is not in conflict with ignorance. Knowledge alone destroys ignorance, as light destroys dense darkness.
4. It is only because of ignorance that the Self appears to be finite. When ignorance is destroyed, the Self which does not admit any multiplicity whatsoever truly reveals Itself by Itself, like the Sun when the cloud is removed.
5. Through repeated practice, Knowledge purifies the embodied soul stained by ignorance, and then itself disappears, as the powder of the kataka-nut disappears after it has cleaned the muddy water.
6. The world filled with attachments and aversions, and the rest, is like a dream. It appears to be real as long as one is ignorant, but becomes unreal when one is awake.
7. The world appears to be real as long as the non dual Brahman, which is the basis of all, is not known. It is like the illusion of silver in an oyster-shell.
8. All the various forms exist in the imagination of the perceiver, the substratum being the eternal and all pervading Vishnu, whose nature is Existence and Intelligence. Names and forms are like bangles and bracelets, and Vishnu is like gold.
9. As the all pervading akasa appears to be diverse on account of its association with various upadhis, which are different from each other, and becomes one on the destruction of upadhis, so also the omnipresent Lord appears to be diverse on account of His association with various upadhis and becomes one on the destruction of these upadhis.
10. Owing to Its association with various upadhis, such ideas as caste, color, and position are superimposed on Atman, as flavor, color and so forth, on water
11. The gross body, the medium through which the Soul experiences pleasure and pain, is determined by the past action and formed out of the five great subtle elements, which become gross when one half portion of one subtle element, becomes united with one eighth of each of of each of other four.
(This is called Panchikaranam. Sri Bhagavan has not mentioned this at all in His conversations.)
12. The subtle body, the instrument of the Soul's experience, consists of five pranas, the ten organs, the manas, and the buddhi -- all formed from the rudimentary elements before their sub division and combination with one another.
Dear David, What is the nature of the additional material on Maurice Frydman that you intend to publish and what is the estimated day of publication? Looking forward to purchase the book.
13. Avidya or nescience, indescribable and beginningless, is called the cause, which is an upadhi superimposed on Atman Know for certain that Atma is other than the three upadhis.
14.On account of union with five sheaths, the pure Atman appears to be like them, as in the case with a crystal, which appears to be endowed with such colors as blue or red with a blue or red cloth.
15. One should, through discrimination, separate pure and inmost Self from the sheaths by which it is covered, as one separates a rice-kernel from the covering husk, by striking it with a pestle.
16. Though the all pervading Atman does not shine in everything, It is manifest only in the buddhi, like a reflection in clear water, or in a stainless mirror.
17. Realize the Atman to be distinct from the body, sense organs, mind, buddhi, and non differentiated Prakriti, but the Witness of their functions, comparable to a king.
18. As the moon appears to be moving when the clouds move in the sky, so also to the non discriminating, Atman appears to be active when in reality the senses are active.
19. The body, senses, mind and buddhi engage in their respective activities with the help of Consciousness, which is inherent in Atman, just as men work with the help of light that is inherent in the sun.
20. Fools, through non discrimination, superimpose on the stainless Atman, which is Existence and Consciousness Absolute, the characteristics and functions of he body and the senses, just as people attribute such traits as blueness and concavity to the sky.
21. As the movement that belongs to water, is attributed to the moon reflected in it, so also the agency, enjoyment and other limitations which belong to the mind, are falsely attributed to Atman.
22. Attachment, desire, pleasure, pain and the rest, per perceived to exist as long as the buddhi, or mind functions. They are not perceived in deep sleep, when the mind ceases to exist. Therefore, they belong to the mind alone and not to Atman.
23. The nature of the Atman is Eternity, Purity, Reality, Consciousness, and Bliss, just as luminosity is the nature of the sun, coolness of water, and heat of fire.
24. Such a notion as 'I know' is produced by the union, due to non discrimination, of a modification of the mind with two aspects of Atman, namely, Existence and Consciousness.
25. Atman never undergoes change, and the buddhi is never endowed with consciousness. But man believes Atman to be identical with the buddhi and falls under such delusions as that he is the seer and the knower.
I read the following sentences in "Vichara Sangraham".
"It is a great sin to spoil that Reality by superimposing on it various names and forms such as Ganapati, Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Mahesvara, and Sadashiva"
I feel it is rather extreme expression for Bhagavan to use...Is this English translation correct one? We devottees often call that Reality 'Arunachala Siva' for example. It must not be sin to do so. How should I think about this sentences?
""It is a great sin to spoil that Reality by superimposing on it various names and forms such as Ganapati, Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Mahesvara, and Sadashiva"
I will translate the complete sentence for you-a little long winding in the original.
The One God who is atma,(Self)who creates,preserves and destroys us,-to project(it) and spoil(distort)through the bhavana(imagination)as manifold forms as Ganapathi,Brahma,Vishnu,Rudra,Maheswara,Sadasiva -is verily a Great sin say the Vedantins.
Key points: 1.To Differentiate the One Atma as the Many. 2.Vedantins say so.
Sri Bhagavan is not saying this!He is only commenting on them in general.Sri Bhagavan as ever is Neutral.At the same time,he is emphasizing on the Atma as the one Reality.
shiba, I understand that Vichara Sangraha is made available in two formats-1.'Q&A' format and 2.'Essay' Format.I have translated from the Essay format of Vichara Sangraha.The Question and Answer format of the same seems to be a bit different.
Here is the excerpt from The Collected Works of Sri Ramana Maharshi-edited by Arthur Osborne(The Q & A Format):
"The six mystic centres, etc., which are said to be loci of meditation, are but products of imagination. All these are meant for beginners in yoga. With reference to meditation on the six centres, the Sivayogins say, ‘God, who is of the nature of the non-dual, plenary, Consciousness-Self, manifests, sustains and resolves us all. It is a great sin to spoil that Reality by superimposing on it various names and forms such as Ganapati, Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Maheswara and Sadasiva’, and the Vedantins declare, ‘All those are but imaginations of the mind.’ Therefore, if one knows one’s Self which is of the nature of consciousness that knows everything, one knows everything".
Please clarify whether you are referring to the above passage.In any case,the gist of that statement is what I Have posted.
I had a lingering doubt whether Sri Bhagavan would have even admitted -'Vedantins calling it a sin'.This sort of inaccuracy and interpretation creeps in when someone like Natanananda transposes from an available Q&A format into free essay style.I have to say that this is a serious lapse as it has strayed from the Original one recorded by Seshayya.
If something is not in Sri Bhagavan's handwriting or directly scrutinized by him,there is always a possibility of this sort of inaccuracy to creep in.
I cannot but bring in sharp contrast,The Gospel Of Sri Ramakrishna by 'M' which has a stenographic precision!M had this rare gift of capturing the very words of his Master and transcribing it for Posterity.
David may please comment on the two formats of Vichara sangraha.
22. Attachment, desire, pleasure and pain and the rest are perceived to exist as long as the buddhi or mind, functions. They are not perceived in deep sleep, when the mind ceases to exist. Therefore they belong to the mind alone and not to Atman.
23. The nature if the Atman is Eternity, Purity, Reality, Consciousness and Bliss, just as luminosity is the nature of the sun, coolness of water, and heat of fire.
24. Such a notion as "I know" is produced by the union, due to non discrimination, of a modification of the mind with two aspects of Atman, namely Existence and Consciousness.
25. Atman never undergoes change, and the buddhi is never endowed with consciousness. But man believes Atman to be identical with the buddhi and falls under such delusions as that he is the seer and the knower.
The question and answer version and the essay version of Vichara Sangraham were both compiled by Sadhu Natanananda. The question and answer version came first. It was compiled from notes that were donated by Gambhiram Seshayyer. Both versions appeared in early editions of the Tamil version of Collected Works, and both were checked and approved by Bhagavan.
The original notes contained paraphrased summaries by Bhagavan of Tamil texts that Gambhiram Seshayyer could not understand in the original. The text is therefore a mix of explanations of existing texts and original replies from Bhagavan. It is no longer possible to determine exactly which are paraphrased explanations of original texts, and which are original statements by Bhagavan.
V. Ganesan told me around 1980 that T. M. P. Mahadevan had been given the original notes when he did the translation, but when I asked the professor about this, he said he had never ever seen them. It seems they have long since disappeared. Without these notes, it would not be possible to work out the status of individual statements in the text.
The language of this excerpt sounds like one of the paraphrases that Bhagavan provided, but this does not mean that Bhagavan did not approve of the sentiment expressed. Here is verse 777 of Guru Vachaka Kovai, with a comment by Muruganar. It expresses a similar idea:
777 The supreme reality exists as the undivided space of true jnana. When we become different from it and rise as a false ‘I’ that frolics about and suffers, this constitutes the sin of destroying that non-duality by cleaving it into two, the ‘I’ [nan] and God [tan], thus bringing ruination upon the way of dharma.
Muruganar: As swarupa-jnana is free from distinguishing attributes, it is undivided and unlimited. Since the ego splits the non-dual reality, the Atma-swarupa, into two, jiva and Iswara, its rising becomes the sin of killing it [the reality] by severing it into two. So, the foremost dharma is only the ego-free state of mauna.
David, Thanks very much for the clarification on the two versions of Vichara Sangraha.I have the complete works of Sri Bhagavan(Sri Ramana Noor Thirattu) in Tamizh published in 1972.The Footnote to the preface mentions that Pillai(Sivaprakasam Pillai?)helped bring out the script of Seshayya as a book and that Natananandar shaped it into Q & A form.In any case,this tamizh book of collected works carries only the essay format and not the Q & A form. I can see that the Q& A form has more reference to the Yogic centres and the corresponding passage in the essay form has excluded that reference.
Coming to the 'sin' alluded to in the 777 verse of guru Vachaka Kovai,the moment I read your translation,I instantly inferred that it alludes to the Brahma- Hatti Dosham.In common parlance it refers to the sin of killing a Brahmana. The verse just drives home forcefully that the real Brahma hatti Dosha is so-to-say killing the non dual Brahman by slicing it into two-as 'I' and 'God'-as seperate entities. It is more of a metaphor that just does not carry the usual sentiment associated with sin.
We may recall a similiar use by Swami Vivekananda:" Ye divinities on earth -- sinners! It is a sin to call a man so; it is a standing libel on human nature. Come up, O lions, and shake off the delusion that you are sheep; you are souls immortal, spirits free, blest and eternal"
Bhagavan's standpoint is sometimes difficult to understand for me...
・from "Maharshi's Gospel"
D: But how is crucifixion justified? Is not killing a terrible crime? M: Everyone is committing suicide. The eternal, blissful, natural state has been smothered by this ignorant life. In this way the present life is due to the killing of the eternal, positive existence. Is it not really a case of suicide? So, why worry about killing etc.?
・from "Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi"
D.: I am a sinner. I do not perform religious sacrifices (homas), etc. Shall I have painful rebirths for that reason? Pray save me! M.: Why do you say that you are a sinner? Your trust in God is sufficient to save you from rebirths. Cast all burden on Him. In the Tiruvachagam it is said: “Though I am worse than a dog, you have graciously undertaken to protect me. This delusion of birth and death is maintained by you. Moreover, am I the person to sift and judge? Am I the Lord here? Oh Maheswara! It is for you to roll me through bodies (by births and deaths) or to keep me fixed at your own feet.” Therefore have faith and that will save you.
D.: The Bible teaches that Man is born in sin. M.: The Man is sin. There was no man-sense in deep sleep. The bodythought brings out the idea of sin. The birth of thought is itself sin. To another question the Master said: Everyone sees only the Self. The divine forms are only like bubbles in the ocean of Reality, or like pictures moving on a screen.
D.: What I mean is this. You are a Perfect Being; I am a sinner. You tell me that I being a sinner must be reborn in order to perfect myself? M.: No, I do not say so. On the other hand I say that you have no birth and therefore no death
An old American visitor once asked the Master, ‘Maharshi, do you think we are bad boys’? The Master’s characteristic reply was, ‘Do not tell me so. But you need not think you are bad boys’.
"Bhagavan's standpoint is sometimes difficult to understand for me..."
There is no standpoint for Sri Bhagavan.He just answered based on the questioner's standpoint. If at all we attribute a standpoint to Sri Bhagavan it is this-That Self alone abides and Punya and papa are just self imposed on account of wrong sense of identity-'I am the Body' or 'I am the Doer'.
It is only to emphasize this that he says that if the idea of sin can be at all be admitted(for arguement sake)-It can only be this Ignoring of the Self by thinking -'I am a Man';in other words, sin is nothing but a Fundamental error in imagining oneself to be a 'limited Being'-as Man while in truth one is the Limitless Self.
I agree with you. Bhagavan has no standpoint and no school as he actually said.
- sin is nothing but a Fundamental error in imagining oneself to be a 'limited Being'-as Man while in truth one is the Limitless Self
I agree with you in this point too. And I think Vedatins in "vichara Sangraha" called this error 'great sin' and don't criticized to call One Reality various names. I think this view suit Bhagavan's view(Please don't scold me for Bhagavan having no view lol)
In Mr. Shiba's post of Sept 13, he quotes Sri Ramana as saying "The birth of thought is itself sin".
A few years back, while browsing in a bookshop, I came across a book of U.G Krishnamurthi where UG is quoted as saying "Everytime a thought is born, you are born".
Now, it seems to me, that notwithstanding UG's extreme views, what he said above is not so very different from what Sri Ramana said !
26. The Soul regarding Itself as a Jiva is overcome by fear, just like the man who regards a rope as a snake. The Soul regains fearlessness by realizing that It is not a Jiva but the Supreme Soul.
27. The mind, the sense organs, and so on, are illumined by Atman alone, as a jar or a pot by a lamp. But these material objects cannot illumine their own Self.
28. As a lighted lamp does not need another lamp to manifest its light, so Atman, being Consciousness itself, does not need another instrument of consciousness to illumine Itself.
29. By negating all upadhis, through the help of the scriptural statement, 'It is not this, It is not this', realize the oneness of the individual soul and the Supreme Soul by means of the great Vedic aphorisms.
Devotee: Even though the heart and the Brahmarandhra alone are the loci fit for meditation, could one meditate, if necessary, on the six mystic centers of (adharas)?
Maharshi: The six mystic centers, etc., which are said to be loci of meditation, are but products of imagination. All these are meant for beginners of yoga. With reference to meditation on the six centers, the Siva Yogins say, 'God, who is of the nature of the non dual, plenary, Consciousness-Self, manifests, sustains and resolves us all. It is a great sin to spoil that Reality by superimposing on it various names and forms, such as Ganapati, Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Maheswara and Sadasiva', and the Vedantins declare, 'All those are but imaginations of the mind'. Therefore, if one knows one's Self, which is the nature of consciousness that knows everything, one knows everything. The great ones have also said, 'When that One is known as it is in Itself, all that has not been known becomes known'. If we are endowed with various thoughts meditate on God that is the Self, we would get rid of plurality of thoughts by that one thought; then even that one thought would vanish. This is what is meant by saying that knowing one's Self is knowing God. This knowledge is Release.
Shiv, Thanks very much.I have been hesitating to hazard a reply.
"The birth of thought is itself sin".
"Everytime a thought is born, you are born".
Both these statements are thoughts only and have their validity.Yet,no thought expresses the whole Truth but only partially hints and there is always the possibility of catching hold of the wrong tail.
Thought is not a problem as much as identification with it.
There is another term which is also commonly deployed-mano Nasam and this is translated in various ways into English as No Mind,as killing the mind or Killing the ego,etc. Interestingly there is no term as Buddhi Nasam(atleast to my knowledge)as equivalent to the above terms.If at all used,it has a negative connotation. If we can recall that Mind as it is called is an instrument with these aspects of Ahamkara,Buddhi,Manas and Chitta-to be trapped in the imprints of the manas and the thoughts it generates is what may be termed as the psychological baggage of the mind-and to be free of this baggage is what is essential. The Mind,free from this baggage simply responds to the situation and this it does through thought and action only.The 'I' sense then remains free from identifying itself with the thought and action. Earlier there was a psychological centre from where it was reacting to the stimuli from situations.Now that centre is dismantled.
26. The Soul regarding itself as a Jiva is overcome by fear, just like the man who regards a rope as a snake. The Soul regains fearlessness by realizing that It is not a Jiva but the Supreme Soul, Brahman.
27. The mind, the sense organs, and so on, are illumined by Atman alone, as a jar or pot by a lamp. But these material objects cannot illuminate their own Self.
28. As a lighted lamp does not need another lamp to manifest its light, so Atman, being Consciousness itself, does not need another instrument of consciousness to illumine Itself.
29. By negating all the upadhis through the help of the scriptural statement, 'It is not this, It is not this' realize the oneness of the individual soul and the Supreme Soul by means of the great Vedic aphorisms.
30. The body and so on, created by avidya and of the nature of an object, are perishable, like bubbles. Realize through discrimination that you are the stainless Brahman, completely different from them.
31. I am free from changes such as birth, thinness, senility, and death. For I am other than the body. I am unattached to the objects of senses, such as sound, and taste. For I am without sense organs.
32. I am free from sorrow, attachment, malice, and fear; for I am other than the mind, pure, higher than the high, and imperishable.
33. From It are born breath, mind, and all organs of sense, ether, air, light, water, and earth, which is the support of all.
34. I am without attributes and action, eternal and pure, free from stain, and desire, changeless and formless, and always free.
35. I fill all things inside and out, like the ether. Changeless and the same in all, I am pure, unattached, stainless and immutable.
36. I am verily that Supreme Brahman, which is eternal, stainless, and free; which is One, indivisible, and non dual. And which is of the nature of Bliss. Truth, Knowledge and Infinity.
37. The impression of 'I am Brahman', thus created. by uninterrupted reflection, destroys, ignorance, and its distractions, as Rasayana medicine destroys diseases.
38. Sitting in a solitary place, freeing the mind from desires, and controlling the senses, meditate with unswerving attention on the Infinite Atman, which is One without a second.
39. The wise one should intelligently merge the entire objective world in Atman alone and constantly think of that Atman, as the stainless sky.
40. He who has attained the Supreme Goal discards all such objects as name and form and dwells as the embodiment of Infinite Consciousness and Bliss.
41. The Supreme Self on account of Its being of the nature of exceeding Bliss, does not admit of the distinction of the knower, knowledge, and the object of knowledge. It alone shines.
42. By constant meditation (comparable to the rubbing of the fire wood) is kindled the flame of Knowledge which completely burns up the fuel of ignorance.
43. As the sun appears after the destruction of darkness by dawn, so Atman, appears after the destruction of ignorance by knowledge.
44. Though Atman is an ever present reality, yet because of ignorance, It is unrealized. On the destruction of ignorance , Atman is realized. It is like the case of the ornament on one's own neck.
45. Brahman appears to be a Jiva through ignorance, as the stump of a tree appears to be a man. This Jivahood is destroyed when the real nature of the Jiva is realized.
46. The knowledge produced by the realization of the true nature of Reality, destroys immediately the ignorance characterized by notions of 'I' and 'mine' as the sun, the mistake regarding one's direction.
47. The yogi endowed with complete enlightenment sees, through the eye of knowledge, the entire universe in his own Self and regards everything as the Self and nothing else.
48. The tangible universe is verily Atman; nothing whatsoever exists that is other than Atman. As pots and jars are verily clay and cannot be anything but clay, so to the enlightened, all that is perceived is the Self.
49. A jivanmukta endowed with Self Knowledge, gives up the traits of his previous upadhis. Because of his realization, hat he is of the nature of Existence-Knowledge-Bliss Absolute, he verily becomes Brahman, like the cockroach becoming brahmara insect.
50. A yogi who is a jivanmukta after crossing the ocean of delusion and killing the monsters of passion and aversion, becomes united with Peace and dwells in the Bliss derived from the realization of the Self alone.
51. Relinquishing attachment to the illusory external happiness, the Self abiding jivanmukta, satisfied with the Bliss derived from Atman, shines inwardly, like a lamp placed inside a jar.
52. Though associated with upadhis, he, the contemplative one, is undefiled by their traits, like the sky, and he remains unaltered under all conditions, like a dumb person. He moves about unattached like a wind.
53. On the destruction of the upadhis, he, the contemplative one, is totally absorbed in Vishnu, the All pervading Spirit, like water in water, space in space, and light in light.
54. Realize that to be Brahman the attainment of which leaves nothing more to be attained, the blessedness of which leaves no other bliss to be desired, and the knowledge of which leaves nothing more to be known.
55. Realize that to be Brahman which, when seen, leaves nothing more to be seen, having become which, one is not born again into the world of becoming, and which, when known, leaves nothing else to be known.
56. Realize that to be Brahman which is Existence Knowledge Bliss Absolute, which is non dual and infinite, eternal and One, and which fills all the quarters -- all that is above and below and all that exists between.
57. Realize that to be Brahman which is non dual, indivisible One, and blissful and which is indicated by Vedanta as the irreducible substratum after the negation of all tangible objects.
Deities like Brahma and Indra taste only a particle of the unlimited Bliss of Brahman and enjoy, in proportion, their shares of that particle.
59. All objects are pervaded by Brahman, all actions are possible because of Brahman; therefore Brahman permeates everything, as butter permeates the milk.
60. Realize that to be Brahman which is neither subtle nor gross; neither short nor long; without birth and change, without form, qualities, or color.
61. Realize that to be Brahman by the light of which luminous orbs like sun and moon are illumined, but which cannot be illumined by their light, and by which everything is illumined.
63. Brahman is not other than universe. There exists nothing that is not Brahman. If any object other than Brahman appears to exist, it is unreal like a mirage.
64. All that is perceived, all that is heard, is Brahman, and nothing else. Attaining the Knowledge of Reality, one sees the universe as nondual Brahman, Existence Knowledge Bliss Absolute.
65. Though Atman is Reality and Consciousness, and ever present everywhere, yet, It is perceived by the eye of Wisdom alone. But one whose vision is obscured by ignorance, does not see the radiant Atman, as the blind do not see the resplendent sun.
66. The Jiva free from impurities, being well heated in the fire of Knowledge, kindled by hearing and so on, shines of himself, like gold.
67. Atman, which is the Sun of Knowledge, arises in the firmament of the heart and destroys the darkness. The Pervader of all and the Sustainer of all, It illumines all and also Itself.
68. He, who renouncing all activities, worships in the sacred and stainless shrine of Atman, which is independent of time, place and distance; which is present everywhere; which is the destroyer of heat and cold, and other opposites; and which is the giver of eternal happiness becomes all knowing and all pervading and attains hereafter, Immortality.
Sri Bhagavan, unlike Vivekachudamani and Sri Dakshinamurti Stotram, did not translate either in prose or in Tamizh poems. He however recommended 12 slokas (?) for daily meditation.
I am giving Sivananda Lahari as translated in English by Swami Tapasyananda of Sri Ramakrishna Math.
1. I make prostrations to Siva and Parvati, who form the embodiment of all arts (fine and practical), whose matted crests are adorned with the crescent moon, who are to each other the mutual rewards obtained by their respective austerities, who bestow on aspirants liberation and other fruits of devotional life, who are the source of abounding good to the three worlds, who reveal themselves in forms of ever-renewing novelty with the progress of meditation, and whose experience generates supreme bliss in a mind contemplating on them.
2. O Lord, Thou bestower of happiness on the whole world! All glory unto that current of divine bliss, which, brimming from the river of Thy holy stories, flows into the lake of my mind, through canals of the intellect, subduing the dust of sins and cooling the heat of misery born of wanderings in transmigratory cycles.
3. I contemplate in my heart, on the Supreme Deity, Siva, the three eyed and luminous Being, who is to be known through Vedas, who shines in the heart of creatures, who destroys the three bodies (gross, subtle and casual) of His worshippers, who is the first of all beings, who is majestic with His pile of matted locks, who wears a garland of quivering serpents, who sports a deer in hand, who is merciful towards me, who is the Lord of all creatures, who is the support of pure consciousness, who is inseparable from the Divine Mother, and who has disguised Himself in a worldly garb.
4. In this world, many are the minor deities who bestow paltry rewards. I do not, even in dream, attach any importance either to the or their worship or the results accruing from it. O Lord, O Thou bestower of happiness and the embodiment of goodness! For long I have been praying for Thy lotus feet, which are difficult of attainment even of divinities like Vishnu and Brahma who live in close proximity to Thee.
5. I am not proficient in the law codes or the philosophies, in medicine or augury, in poetry or music, histrionics or buffoonery. How then can kings be pleased with me? And who, after all, am I? Ignorant as I am like a beast (or ignorant soul that I am), save me, O Lord! out of Thy far famed mercy, Thou all knowing and all pervading One!
6. O man who deems yourself intelligent! Will the talk of pot, lump of clay, atoms, smoke, fire, mountain, cloth, thread, (and the rest of the logician's favorite examples and categories) ever repel the terrific god of death? In vain, then is all your straining of the throat in heated controversies. Worship the Lord instead and attain quickly to supreme bliss.
7. O Lord! Thou Supreme doer of good to the worlds! May my mind be occupied with Thy lotus feet, my speech with Thy praise, my hands with worship, my ears with sacred accounts about Thee, my intellect with Thy meditation, and my eyes with the glory of Thy form. Then by which organ would I study books unconnected with Thee!
8. O Great God ! Thou Lord of creatures! Just as there is misapprehension of silver in mother of pearl, of gem in imitation stone, of milk in water mixed with flour, of water in mirage, so do ignorant men mistakenly worship various beings as the Deity, without thinking of Thee in their mind.
9. Dull witted man, wandering about for flowers for Thy worship, goes to deep lotus lakes, to uninhabited dense forests and to high mountains. Lo ! He does not know how to be happy in life by offering unto Thee, the Lord of Uma, the unique lotus of his own heart!
10. Let me (if need be) be born as a man or celestial, as wild beast or mosquito, as animal or worm, as bird or any other creature. What harm can accrue from these embodiments, if in every such birth my heart always feels inclined to disport in the waves of supreme bliss, in the constant remembrance of Thy lotus feet?
Your last post was on 22nd March. It is almost six months since your last post. You may think of writing something new e.g. about hitherto not known aspect of Frydman's stay in India, or about your stay in T'malai or about Guhai Namasivaya's verses. We are quite anxious about your long silence. I have also stopped with one post per day, since my many posts make someone say that I am acting your proxy.
11. O Lord! What does it avail a man to be a student, a householder, an anchorite, a mendicant, or one outside these four orders? O Master of all beings! Bestower of all good! He whose heart lotus comes in Thy possession - to him Thou becomeest his 'own', and Thyself bearest his worldly burdens.
12. What does it matter where a man lives - be in a cave, or a house, in the open or in a forest, on mountain top or in water, or in the midst of fires? Lord! If a person's mind resides always at Thy feet, his is the Yogic state, and he is the supreme Yogi and the happy man.
13. O Thou highest of Beings! It befits Thee to save me who, stupefied by ignorance, is wallowing in hollow worldliness, far removed from the worship of Thee, the Lord of all creatures. Where is the person more miserable than I? Where is one more skilled than Thee in saving the wretched? And where in all the three worlds is another apart from Thee who is fit for one to take refuge in?
14. O Lord of creatures! Art Thou not the Almighty as also the greatest friend of the miserable, of whom I am the chief? Is there not, then a close kinship between us two? Therefore, O Thou bestower of good, Thous shouldst forgive me all my transgressions and work for salvation even if it be fraught with difficulty. For this is the test of close relationship everywhere.
15. Were it not for Thy indifference, why dost Thou not cancel the writ of my destiny, which is conducive to evil desires and so unfavorable to Thy constant contemplation? Do not plead incapacity; for, how dist Thou, with but the tips of Thy finger nails pluck off, without any exertion whatever, the head of that Brahma, which is so firm and hard? (The reference is to the Puranic accounts of Siva humbling the pride of Brahma by nipping off one of his five heads for an offence of his. This is to show that even Brahma, who is the determiner of the destinies of all, is under control of Siva.)
16. O Lord! Let Brahma, the creator be long lived. May Thou be pleased to spare his other four heads. For, has he not awarded misery (to the lot of creatures) in this world? It may be asked why one should wish him a long life for this reason? Indeed, it is due to him, O Pure One, that there is occasion for me to be saved by Thy merciful glance, which is naturally intent on rescuing the miserable.
17. O Lord all pervading! Even after Thy be pleased with me,,either due to my meritorious works due to Thy Grace, why is that I cannot get a sight of Thy lotus feet? For they are hidden from me by the golden crowns studded with precious gems belonging to the crowd of celestial beings who prostrate at Thy feet in excitement.
18. Thou alone, O Lord art capable of giving liberation - the highest of all rewards to humans. Other deities like Vishnu only worship Thee, occupying the celestial states awarded by Thee. Unlimited is Thy liberality to devotees, and unlimited, too, are my worldly desires. When art Thou, therefore, going to save me with Thy compassionate look?
19. Worldly life is full of evil desires. It involves servility to wicked masters. It is disastrous at the end. It is a source of sin, and productive of painful experiences. Say, why, and for whose benefit, dost Thou not remove this misery of mine? O Lord! If it, however, contributes to Thy joy, we are indeed, satisfied.
20. O Lord! Thou bearest a skull in hand! Thou mendicant! Thou auspicious and all pervading One! Accepting this monkey of my mind, as my devout offering, bind it with the cord of devotion and bring it under They control -- this extremely wayward monkey that always wanders in the forest of ignorance, dancing on the hill tops of young women's breasts, and moving quickly in diverse directions, according to its promptings, along with the branches of worldly desires.
21. O Thou destroyer of Cupid and ruler of the worlds! Thou auspicious and all pervading One attended upon by thy devotees! May Thou accompanied by Thy Divine Sakti, enter into, and take residence in, the shining and movable tent of my mind, which is fixed everyday on the royal road of divine contemplation, and which has the will as the pillar of its support, the gunas as its strong ropes, the numerous tendencies as its multiple colors, and the psychic centers as its lotus designs.
22. O bestower of good! Thou all- pervading One! Prompted by the greed and other evil qualities, and being enslaved by the tendency to misappropriate wealth, the thief of my mind is roaming extensively, bent on getting entrance into the houses of the rich. How can I suffer him to do so, O Lord of Thieves! (taskarAnAm pataye namah - Sri Rudram). Deign to bring him under Thy control and bestow Thy grace on me, who am innocent of all guilt.
23. O all pervading One! Unto me who am engaged in Thy worship, vouchsafe eternal bliss at once. How could I possibly bear the grief, if as a result of Thy worship, Thou bestowest on me the position of Brahma or Vishnu, and still I fail to find Thee in heaven or earth after searching for Thee as a bird and a beast? (The allusion is to the Arunachala Mahatmyam).
24. When shall I, in a blissful mood, pass like a second the long period covered by the life time of many Brahmas, staying in the very presence of Siva, along with goblins in the heavenly mountain of Kailas and praying with hands folded and held on the head, 'Save me, O Supremely auspicious and all pervading One! Thou that art united with the Divine Mother!
25. When shall I behold Thee, three eyed and blue-throated, siting on the hump of Thy huge and spirited bull, with the battle axe and deer in Thy two hands and Uma holding Thy body in the embrace, while the celestial attendants play about, the divinities like Brahma sing hymns of praise and ascetics cry, 'Hail, Hail!'.
26. O Thou resident of the mountain! When shall I see Thee and gain bliss unattainable even by Brahma and others, holding with my hands Thy holy feet, pressing them against my head, chest and eyes, embracing them and smelling their fragrance resembling that of full blown lotus?
27. Since Thou holdest the golden mountain (Meru) in Thy hand (as the bow); since Kubera, the Lord of Wealth remains close to Thee; since the wish yielding tree of heaven, Kalpagataru, the celestial cow of plenty Kamadenu, and the magic gem that confers all desires, (Chintamani) are in Thy household; since the moon resides on Thy head; and since all auspiciousness abides at Thy feet -- what object of value can I possibly offer unto Thee? Therefore, O Thou resident of the mountain, let my mind be Thine - as the only thing that can be dedicated to Thee.
28. O Lord of Bhavani! I attain to similarity in form with Thee by performing ritualistic worship; to closeness with Thee by singing Thy praise; to residence in Thy heavenly plane by associating and conversing with Thy noble devotees; and to Oneness with Thee by contemplating on Thy form constituted of the whole of this living and non living world. Thus in this very embodiment I shall attain life's fulfillment.
(The four levels in the attainment of the Lord are referred to here. These are in the order stated as SArUpya, SAmIpya, SAlokya and SAyujya.)
29. I worship Thy lotus feet, O All pervading One. I contemplate always on Thee, O Supreme Being! I surrender myself to Thee O Master of the Worlds! I beg of Thee for the fulfillment of my only wish. O Giver of Happiness! Deign to bestow on me, O Teacher of the World, that merciful glance of Thy looks, so eagerly sought by the Divinities, and impart to my mind he instruction that confers eternal bliss.
30. O Thou who hast as ornament the crescent moon in Thy matted locks! Thou master of creatures! Thou the Lord of all! Thou Teacher of the Worlds! Had I a thousand arms like the sun to offer Thee cloth; had I all pervasive like Vishnu, to worship Thee with flowers; had I the power of wafting fragrance like the air to wave incense before Thee; had I control over fire like Indra, the Chief of Agni, to prepare cooked offering for Thee; and had I the origin in the Golden Egg like Hiranyagarbha to worship Thee with the needed vessel - then I could have have accomplished Thy service!
31. O Thou Master of all souls! In order to protect the living and non living beings, that are within and without Thee, Thou didst neither swallow nor vomit but retained in Thy throat that terrible flaming poison (halahala poison) which scared away all the celestials. Is it not this one supreme act of service enough to establish Thy greatness?
(The allusion is to the churning of the Milk Ocean by devas and asuras, using the serpent Vasuki as the churning cord and Mount Mandara as the churning rod. In the course of the churning emerged the deadly poison Kalakuta or halahala, which threatended to destroy the worlds. It was only Siva who could swallow it, retain it in His throat and thus save the world.)
32. O great soul! Thou source of all good! Pray, tell how didst Thou look at that poison flaming fiercely like fire, so terrifying to all the immortal celestials even? And how didst Thou take it and hold it in hand? Was it a ripe Jambu fruit to handle? How, again, didst Thou place it on the tongue like a medicinal pill of the Siddhas? And how, wear it in the throat like blue gem?
33. O Lord! Thou Master of All! For the attainment of liberation, is it not enough for men like me to serve Thee even once by prostration, by praise, by listening to the divine stories, by worship, by contemplation, or by visualization? By what else but these can liberation be achieved? If, however, it is attainable by any of these, what is there to be gained by the arduous worship of ephemeral deities?
34. O Lord of living beings! How audacious is Thy conduct? And, pray, who can ever be a match to Thee in courage? And who attains to that state which is Thine? For Thou fearlessly sport, alone and full of bliss, witnessing the cosmic dissolution when the celestials lose their heavenly positions, the sages feel terror stricken, and the world systems become reduced to their primal state.
35. What am I to petition unto Thee who berest the responsibility for both the present and future welfare of things; who art ready to confer all good on devotees; who are perfect revealer of all religions existing and yet to exist; and who art all knowing and all merciful? Always do I think of Thee in my mind as my dearest and nearest.
36. O Thou united with the Divine Mother! In order to sanctify the house of my body and render it most auspicious, I, Thy devotee, shall perform the purificatory rite, uttering the sacred five lettered mantra and dedicating the pot of my pacified mind, which has joy as the water filling it, devotion as the string wound around it, Thy sacred feet as the tender leaves of mango tree placed on it, and knowledge as the coconut crowning it.
37. Just as the Devas churned the Milky Ocean and obtained the moon, (Soma), the wish fulfilling tree, Karpagam, the cow, Kamadhenu, the magic gem, Chintamani, nectar, and RamA (Lakshmi), so the wise men churn the ocean of the Vedas, using their virtuous mind as the rod, and firm devotion as the rope string, and obtain Thee, who art in union with the Divine Mother, Uma, (Sa+Uma=Soma) -- Thee who fulfills all wants like the wish fulfilling tree, and the cow of plenty, who greatest of all desires like the magic gem, who confers perpetual Bliss, on the wise like nectar, and who gives liberation like Lakshmi.
38. Just as the ocean swells when, attended by the stars, the full moon - pure, auspicious, deer marked, and shattering darkness, -- is revealed in the sky by the 'eastern mountain' - Udaya Giri, so one's joy increases beyond measure, when Thou - who art united with Divine Mother, (Soma), who art pure, auspicious and perfect, and who bears the deer and destroys the ignorance, appear in the heart, -- Thy nectarine form being revealed by the mountain of virtues acquired in the past. Then there is occupation, indeed, for the wise.
39. Just as in the kingdom of a good ruler, there is always preponderance of righteousness, dwindling of evil, general prosperity, enlightenment, and joy, so when Thou - the worshipful King of Kings, the Sovereign of the realm of liberation -- reigns in the lotus of my heart, my righteous activities become complete, my sins dwindle, my passions wane, my life becomes happy, and my knowledge and bliss become fruitful.
40. O Lord! Thou master of the worlds! When the pot of words, with pure waters of the divine stories of Sadasiva, are brought to the fields of the heart, through canals and subchannels of poesy, the rice crop of devotion yields a plentiful harvest. Where is then fear of famine (the dearth of divine love and its fruits) for me who am Thy dependent?
41. O destroyer of Death ! For the destruction of sin and for the attainment of great prosperity, (i.e. liberation), I am requested by the tongue to sing Thy praise, by the head to prostrate to Thee, by the legs to circumambulate Thee, by hands to worship Thee, by the eyes, to see Thee and by the ears to hear Thy stories. Direct me to these endeavors, and remind me of them. May I not become speechless (nor lose powers of any of the organs mentioned above, so that I may practice devotion to Thee without any impediment.
42. O Lord! Thou who art fond of residing in fortresses (durga)! Take Thy residence always in the well supplied fortress of my mind, having calmness as the moat, unyielding resolution as the surrounding walls, the rising of multitude of virtues as the faithful army, the powerful senses located in the body as the gates, and knowledge as abounding wealth.
(There is a pun on the word Durga. It means a fortress and also Parvati, the Divine Mother, the consort of Siva.)
43. O Lord! Thou Resident of the Mountain! Thou the Primeval Hunter! Go not hither and thither but reside within me alone. For the forest of my mind, there are many beasts of prey like envy, infatuation, and the rest. Killing them, Thou shalt satisfy They fondness for the hunt.
44. Thou holdest the deer in hand as the lion its prey. Thou didst kill the elephant shaped and tiger shaped monsters as the lion kills the leaders of the elephant herds and tigers of huge proportions. Thou dost destroy all the beings at the end of the cycle as the lion does the beasts of the forest. When the Lord Siva, - the fair complexioned five faced or panchamukha, who thus resembles in all respects the lion also call the lion also called panchamukha or the five faced, -- resides in the cave of my heart, whence is there any cause of fear for me.
(pancha = five; it also denotes one whose middle portion is narrow and face is large, like panchapatram used by brahmins for sandhya vandhanam. Lion has got a huge face and narrow body.)
This is in response to Shiba's comment - "It is a great sin to spoil that Reality by superimposing on it various names and forms such as Ganapati, Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Mahesvara, and Sadashiva"
The following are taken from "Talks with Ramana Maharishi"
********** D.: Saiva Siddhanta postulates three fundamentals as being eternal. Is it opposed to Vedanta? M.: The three entities are jiva, God and bondage. Such trinities are common in all religions. They are true so long as the mind is operative. They are mere creations of the mind. One can postulate God only after the mind arises. God is not different from the Self. The Self is objectified as God. So also with Guru.
***************
D: “Are the gods Iswara or Vishnu and their sacred regions Kailasa or Vaikuntha real? M.: As real as you are in this body. D.: Where do they exist? M.: In you. D.: Then it is only idea - that which I can create and control? M.: Everything is like that. D.: Do devas and pisachas (devils) exist similarly? M.: Yes.
*************** Sri Bhagavan explained that God means SAMASHTI - i.e., all that is, plus the Be-ing - in the same way as ‘I’ means the individual plus the Be-ing, and the world means the variety plus Be-ing. The Be-ing is in all cases real. The all, the variety and the individual is in each case unreal. So also in the union of the real and the unreal, the mixing up or the false identification is wrong. It amounts to saying sad-asadvilakshana, i.e., transcending the real and the unreal - sat and asat. Reality is that which transcends all concepts, including that of God. Inasmuch as the name of God is used, it cannot be true. The Hebrew word Jehovah = (I am) expresses God correctly. Absolute Be-ing is beyond expression. The word cannot be replaced nor need it be replaced.
************ D.: God is in all - in all the objects we see around us. They say we should see God in all of them. M.: God is in all and in the seer. Where else can God be seen? He cannot be found outside. He should be felt within. To see the objects, mind is necessary. To conceive God in them is a mental operation. But that is not real. The consciousness within, purged of the mind, is felt as God. ************
M.: Soul and God are only mental conceptions. D.: Is God only a mental conception? M.: Yes. Do you think of God in sleep? D.: But sleep is a state of dullness. M.: If God be real He must remain always. You remain in sleep and in wakefulness - just the same. If God be as true as your Self, God must be in sleep as well as the Self. This thought of God arises only in the wakeful state. Who thinks now?
***********
M.: Visvatma darsana is visvarupa darsana i.e., the universal Self of the cosmic Self is the cosmos. Sri Krishna started the discourse in Chapter II, saying, “I have no form”. In Chapter XI, He says, “See my form as the Universe”. Is it consistent? Again he says, “I transcend the three worlds”, but Arjuna sees the three worlds in Him. Sri Krishna says, “I cannot be seen by men, Gods, etc.”; yet Arjuna sees himself and the Gods in Him. No one could see and yet Arjuna was endowed with divine sight to see Him. Does it not look a maze of contradictions? The answer is that the understanding is wrong. Sthula dristi on the physical plane is absurd. Jnana dristi (subtle understanding) is necessary. That is why Arjuna was given divya chakshuh (divine sight). Can such sight be gross? Will such interpretation lead you to a right understanding? Sri Krishna says Kalosmi, ‘I am Time’. Does Time have shape? Again if the universe be His form should it not be one and unchanging? Why does He say to Arjuna, “See in me whatever you desire to see?” That means that His form is according to the desires of the seer. They speak of ‘divine sight’ and yet paint the scene, each according to his own view. There is the seer also in the seen. What is all this? Even a mesmerist can make you see strange scenes. You call this a trick, whereas the other you call divine. Why this difference? Anything seen cannot be real. That is the truth.
45. Thou kingly bird of my mind! Give up thy vain wanderings and quest after other things, and sport for ever in the nest of Siva's feet, which are resorted to by the birds of the holy men fluttering amidst the branches of the tree of the Vedas, and which are rendered charming by the fruits of liberation -- imperishable, joy giving, pain healing, and nectarine.
46. O kingly swan of my mind! Sport at pleasure with ladies of devotion, residing in the privacy of the mansion of Siva's feet -- a mansion rendered brilliant by the rich light diffused by the nails, white washed with nectarine rays of the crescent moon, rendered charming by the ruby like lustre of the lotus feet, and resorted to by the swans of sages, who meditate on the meaning of Hamsa-mantra.
47. The spring-time of divine contemplation having arrived in the garden of the heart, the ripe leaves of sin have fallen away and the creepers of devotion, bearing the sprouts of virtuous acts, have begun to spread, while the buds of virtue, the flowers of holy chants, the fragrance of pious dispositions, the honey flow of bliss that knowledge brings, and the plentiful fruitage of devotion have begun to flourish.
48. O Kingly swan of my mind! Why do you wander in the muddy tanks of worldliness, fit only for mean creatures? Go unto the pure and perpetual lake of divine contemplation, having eternal bliss for its waters, the minds of heavenly sages for its lotus flowers, the holy men as the birds resorting to it, sins as the dirt it cleanses away, and virtuous disposition as the fragrance it emits.
49. Divine love is like a creeper - it is filled with the nectar of joy; it springs from the bed of Siva's lotus feet; it spreads with its ramified branches along the contiguous support of constancy of aspiration. It covers the high roofing of the mind; it is tended by the service of virtuous acts. It is free from the disease of sin. May that creeper of divine love yield the longed for and eternal fruit of liberation unto me !
50. The Lord Siva resembles the flowering Arjuna tree with jasmine creeper entwining it. He dances at dusk when the tree also blossoms (Sandhyarambha vijrmbhitam). He occupies the crest of Vedic wisdom just as Arjuna flowers find a place on the ears and heads of men. (Srutisira-sthanAntar-Adhistitam). He is rendered beautiful by the presence of loving Bhrmarambika (His Consort, Uma) and the tree by that of eager honey bees (Saprema-bhramarAbhirAmaam). He is always distinguished by its good smell (SadavAsana-shobitam). He has the kings of snakes as his ornaments while Arjuna flowers from the decoratations of noted pleasure seekers (BhogindrAbharanam). He is worthy of being worshipped by all other gods, and the Arjuna flowers are laudable among all other flowers (Samasta-sumanah-pUjyam). He reveals the qualities of Nature like Sattva, Rajas and Tamas and the Arjuna flowers their color, fragrance, and other qualities (GunAvishkratam). He is established as the Linga known as Mallikarjuna on the mountain of Sri parvata (Sri Sailam), while the Arjuna tree stands on a beautiful peak (SrigirimallikArjuna-mahAlingam). He is embraced by Parvati and the tree by jasmine creepers (SivAlingitam), who is represented by his emblem known as Mallikarjuna established on the Sri Paravata.
51. Lord Siva is like the king of honey bees. As the bee shows delight in acting according to the desire of the female bee, He likes to see His attendant Bhringi dancing at pleasure, (bhrngicchA-natanokatah). As the bee takes the ichor of elephants, He destroys the pride of elephant demon (karimadagraAhi). As the bee feels delight in the brilliant spring, He is delighted with Vishnu in the form of Mohini, the infatuating damsel (sphranmAdhavAhlAdhah). As the bee always makes the buzzing sound, He is associated with OmkAra (nAdayutah). As the bee is very black, He is extremely white (MahAsita vapuh). As the bee is welcomed by Cupid, as a helper, in his work, He is respected by Cupid, being his subduer, panchesunA adrtah. As the bee flies about in the flower gardens, He takes delight in protecting the celestials (sumanovaneshu satpaaksha). As the bee lives in beautiful mountains, He resides in the Sri Parvata (Sri Sailam). As the bee goes everywhere, He is all pervading, Vibhuh. May Siva, who thus resembles the king bee, sport in the lotus of my heart!
52. O giver of joy! O blue throated one! The chataka (caceulas melnanoeucus) of my mind always longs for the rain cloud Thy Self that pours down the shower of mercy; that has the power of warding off the summer of grave misfortunes; that requires to be adored by the wise men and the gods for the fruition of wisdom; that can assume any form; that is accompanied by the dancing peacocks of devotees; that resides on the mountain peaks; and that is endowed with the lightning of brilliant matted locks;
(The Chataka bird is reputed to subsist only on the water, which it drinks straight as it follows from the clouds)
53. Lord Siva is like unto a dancing peacock. He bears the sky as crest, as the peacock its feathery plume. He has the lord of all serpents as his necklace while the peacock, being deadly enemy of all serpents, has mastery over them. He is decorated with ornaments, as the peacock is with its ornamental tail. He instructs with the sound Om in blessing those whose prostrate, while the peacock utters its cry known as the Keka. He dances in joy, seeing the beautiful young daughter of the mountain (that is, Parvati, His consort), while the peacock dances at the sight of the black colored clouds from the hills (sailasamudbhAvam syAmam ghanaructim). I worship that Siva, the blue throated one, who thus resembles the peacock and delights to sport in the garden of Vedanta.
54. I worship, Neelakanta, the blue throated Siva, the peacock (also blue throated) that excels by His beautiful dances, having the time of dusk as the close of summer (i.e. beginning of rainy season when peacocks dance), the sound of drum beaten by Vishnu's hand as thunder peals, the eyes of the celestials as lightning, the blissful tears of devotees as rain, and the Divine Mother Parvati as the peahen.
55. My prostration to Sambhu, the source of all happiness, who is revealed through the Vedic texts, who is attained through devotion; who is essentially of the nature of knowledge and bliss; who is engaged in the protection of all Yogis; who is praised with hymns by celestials; who controls Maya; who whirls round and round in the performance of the beautiful Tandava dance; and who wears matted locks.
56. My prostrations to Sambhu, the source of all happiness, who is eternal; whose form is composed of the three gunas of Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas; who has conquered the three bodies, gross, subtle and causal; who is Parvati's beatitude; who is Truth; who is the primal householder (Aadi kutumbi); who appears in the minds of sages as formed of the stuff of consciousness; who created the three worlds by the power of Maya; who forms the theme of all Upanishads; and who whirls round in the performance of the Tandava dance at the time of dusk.
57. Alas! Desiring wealth in order to provide myself with food, I wander in vain from one person to another. O all-knowing one! I am not acquainted with the way of worshipping Thee. O Lord of all beings! O destroyer of the sins of devotees! Thou shouldst save me, at least for the reason that, on account of the maturing of my previously acquired merits as it were, Thou residest in the heart of all beings including myself.
58. Lo! If the sun, who is but one, can penetrate through the circle of darkness filling heaven and earth, and become visible, canst Thou not, O Lord of beings, who art endowed with the brilliance of innumerable suns, reveal Thyself? Who knows how thick is the darkness covering me? Therefore, removing it entirely,deign to reveal Thyself unto me!
59. O Lord of all ! Thou all-pervading one! Thou Lord of Gauri! Just as the swan seeks the lake abounding lotus flowers; the Chataka bird, the rain cloud, the Chakravaka bird, the sun, and the Chakora, the moon - so my heart longs for the lotus feet of Thee who shouldst be searched for in the Upanishads and who bestowest the bliss of final liberation!
60. A man caught in a current seeks the shore, a tired traveler, the shade of trees; one caught in rain his comfortable home; a man in quest of hospitality, a householder; a poverty stricken person a charitable and wealthy man; a man in dense darkness, a lamp; and one exposed to cold, a well fired hearth. In the same way, O my mind, seek the lotus feet of Siva - the feet that destroy all fears.
61. That state of mind is called Bhakti wherein all movements of thought go automatically to the lotus feet of the Lord and stick to them for ever, just as the seed of Ankola tree (on falling) gravitates to the parent tree, the iron needle to the magnetic stone, the devoted wife, to her husband, the creeper to the tree and the river to the ocean.
62 O Lord! Mother Devotion nurses her baby, the devotee, laying him on the cot of Thy contemplation. She causes him horripilation with tears of joy, covers him with the wrapper of purity, feeds him with nectar of Thy stories, contained in the mouth of the conch (that is the Vedas) and protects his body with the Rudraksha beads and the sacred ashes.
63. A worn out foot wear becomes the indicator betwixt Siva's eyebrows; the pouring of the water carried in the mouth becomes His sacred bath; a piece of meat, a part of which has been bitten off, takes the place of fresh food offering; and the erstwhile hunter becomes the best of the devotees. What is there that the love of God cannot accomplish?
(The allusion is to the story of Kannappa, the hunter in Kalahasti. The story is available in Periya Puranam of Sekkizhar.)
zee, Truth is stranger than Fiction.Also far Removed from it!Notwithstanding the fictitious 'Devi' and her fictitious 'Bhakta' of Satyajit Ray,the lives of the Great ones and devotees serve in their own way to clear cobwebs.I refer to the life of Sri Anandamoyi Ma;her husband Bholanath came to accept her as Guru. You may be familiar with her Life and Teachings: http://www.srianandamayima.org/
I am not bringing in Sri Ramakrishna and Sri Sarada Devi-that story is too well known.
The Satyajit's Ray directed film 'Devi' is a far cry from this although it does serve as a pointer not to imitate.Not to mistake Emotion for Devotion,imagination for Reality,indulgence for dedication,attachment for steadfastness.It also points to how the 'Devotee' and 'God' or 'Guru' are trapped in the makebelieve world of their own making. Thanks very much. Namaskar
64. O Lord of Parvati! O! bestower of happiness ! The tender feet are engaged in kicking a the chest of God of Death, in pressing down the terrible demon of epilepsy - Apsamara, in traveling on the mountain, and in rubbing against the crown of the celestials that prostrate before Thee. (Therefore as a matter of protection) move about always in putting the bejeweled foot wear of my mind.
65. O Lord of Bhavani! Whosoever worships Thy lotus feet - from him the god of Death runs away fearing another kick at the chest; him the immortals adore by performing the light waving (arti) ceremony wit the gems of lamp like brilliance studding their crowns; him the damsel of liberation holds in her tight embrace. What is there difficult of achivement for him in the three worlds.
(The allusion is to Markandeya who save saved from the God of Death.)
66. O Giver of all good! For Thee, the creation of these worlds is a sport, and all men are like animals kept for sport. Therefore, whatever actions, I have done, they are solely meant for Thy pleasure. Thus, O Lord of Beings, since all my deeds must have surely contributed to Thy entertainment, it behoves Thee to give protection to me.
(The question is asked - What is the purpose of creation? The answer of the Sages, is that God has no purpose to fulfill. It is a spontaneous and effortless expression of His Bliss, and so it is called play. If any purpose is to be attached to it at all, it should be in relation to the Jivas. It enables the Jivas to realize the fruit of their karma, and ultimately attain salvation. An enlightened sense of resignation is the consequence of accepting this world-view.)
67. I resort to contemplation of Lord Siva, which adopted by those who are desirous of the fruit of the eternal state of liberation, and which gives many delightful devotional experiences like tears of joy and horripilations.
68. O Thou merciful cowherd! (Pasupati). Protect that only cow of mine - cow of devotion to Thee - which yields continually as milk an endless supply of the nectar of joy, which lives in the cow-pen of Thy holy feet, and which I have acquired as the result my meritorious deeds.
69. I am not dull unlike the moon on new moon day (jadata). I have no kinship with brutes unlike the moon who has the hare in its heart (pasuta). I am not soiled with impurities unlike the lunar disc with its stains (kalankitA) I have no crookedness in me unlike the moon noted for its irregular course (kutilacharatvam). Even if I have any of these, am I not, O Thou who wearest the moon Thy crest, fit to be Thy ornament just like the moon?
"taking a serious view of reports of lack of care of cows kept at the Tiruvannamalai Arunachaleswarar temple, the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department has come out with a detailed set of guidelines for proper maintenance of cow sheds (‘goshalas’)" Is anyone surprised? As the last time I looked there were almost no sadhus within the temple and temple functionaries had built substantial villa units for themselves on temple ground!!
70. Siva the Lord of all -- the tranquil and the gracious, the bestower of endless rewards -- can be freely worshipped within heart and outside. For He, my Lord, the King of Kings, dwells within my heart and also transcends the worlds.
71. The best among the intelligent bend the bow of their mental disposition wit the bow string of firm devotion, and having destroyed the enemy of sins with the unfailing arrows of divine contemplation, become victorious and attain to the undecaying sovereignty of liberation.
72. Search carefully, having applied the magic ointment of divine contemplation to the eyes. Break open the dark barrier of ignorance, making the Lord's sacred names the great ritual offering. O auspicious One! Whoever does so and obtains, in this very embodiment, treasure trove of Thy lotus feet resorted to by celestioals, and bedecked with serpents as ornaments, attains to the goal of human existence.
73. O my good mind! Worship the lotus feet of Siva, that constitutes the well watered field yielding the valuable herbs of liberation desired by you -- the field for the attainment of which even Vishnu, the husband of Sri (Goddess of Beauty,and Prosperity Lakshmi) and of Bhu (the goddess of earth), took the form of a boar.
74. May the lotus feet of Siva, whose garment consists of the quarters of the sky (i.e. naked), fill the wardrobe of my mind with their exquisite fragrance that destroys the the foul smell of evil tendencies, miseries, binding desires and the like.
75. Lord of all the worlds! Thou destroyer of Cupid! Thou who ridest on the Bull! Move about, riding on the horse of my mind, which is good-natured, possessed of movements beautiful and varied, of great speed, capable of understanding all intentions, flawless, and endowed with all auspicious marks.
76. The cloud of divine love, residing in the sky of Siva's feet, pours down the rain of joy. He, the lake of whose mind gets fulfilled, obtains a good harvest from the crop of life - but not others.
77. O Lord! Like a young wife separated from her husband, my mind seeks to have attachment to Thy lotus feet and constant remembrance of it. Charmed by Siva's name, it engages itself in Thy meditation, visualization and praise.
78. Just as one encourages a newly married bride by narrating her husband's good qualities, even so, O Lord, elevate my mind by sound instruction -- the mind which has been properly trained in Thy service, which is endowed with humility, and which has taken shelter with the good and holy ones.
79. O bestower of good! Thy feet, which are fit to walk on the petals of the lotuses of Yogi's hearts -- how did they manage to break open the door of hard breast bone of the god of Death? Ah, how tender are Thy feet! Anxious thoughts about their safety worry my mind. Deign to reveal them to my vision, O All pervading One, so that I may stroke them with my hands.
(The reference is to the story of how Siva saved Markandeya, the devotee from the hands of Yama, by kicking on his chest when he came to take away of Markandeya's life, who was holding Siva Lingam with both his hands.)
80. 'This man will be born. He will have a very hard heart. I must, however dance upon it' -- it must with such thoughts about effecting my salvation that Thou didst formerly accustom Thy tender feet to tread the mountain ridges. Otherwise, O Lord, why dance on stony surfaces, when there are such places like heavenly mansions, flower beds, and pedestals?
81. O great Lord! Thou are united with Uma (the Divine Mother)! Whoever attains to a state in which he joyfully surrenders his heart to Thee, and spends his time, partly in worship of Thee, partly in meditation and ecstasy, partly in prostrating to Thee, partly in listening to Thy stories, partly in seeing Thy holy image, and partly in singing Thy praise, -- he has attained liberation in this very life, indeed.
82. Lord Vishnu, who took many forms - as Thy arrow,* as Thy mount**, as Thy friend, as Thy drummer,*** etc., - and who offered his eyes at Thy feet**** (in the place of lotus flower) -- that Vishnu, forming part of Thy very being, is indeed the most worshipful among the worshipful. If not he, who is there to excel him?
(* Vishnu became the arrow when Siva went to destroy the Tripura. **He also became his bull in the same occasion. ***Vishnu acted as the drummer when Siva got married to Uma or when He was dancing. ****When Vishnu was praying to Siva with 1000 lotuses, one lotus became short, and he offered his eyes in place of that lotus, thus He is called Hara Netra Arpandeswarar. *****Vishnu in his female form is Uma, and thus occupied the left side of Siva's body.
83. Not even a little of happiness is obtained by the worship of deities who are themselves subject to birth and death. There is no doubt about this. They are the great, and they, indeed, are the happy, that worship Siva, who is united wit the Divine Mother), and who is birthless and deatheless.
84. Giver of all good ! Thou cause of all ! Thou Friend of all the worlds ! Thou Ocean of Existence Knowledge and Bliss ! I shall bestow on Thee the good-natured maiden of my intellect in order to help Gauri (Thy Consort) in serving Thee. Mayest Thou, O merciful one, reside for ever in the house of my heart.
85. O crescent-crested Lord! I am not skilled in churning the ocean (how then am I supply Thee with the poison of hala hala to drink and the flower called the moon to decorate your locks?). I cannot penetrate into the nether worlds - (how then can I provide Thee with serpents for Thy ornaments?). I am not a hunter skilled in chase - (how can I then procure the elephant skin for Thee to wear?). Pray tell me, how shall I therefore, perform Thy worship, which consists in offering food, flowers and ornaments, clothes and the rest?
{The allusion is to the various habits and performances associated with Siva in Hindu mythology. When the milk ocean was churned, of many things that came out of it, Siva drank the poison hala hala and wore the moon on his matted locks. Serpents are His ornaments; they can be secured only from their home, nether world as per puranas. In one of His aspects, He is pictured as wearing elephant skin (in Daruka forest story where the Rishis sent mad elephant and tiger towards Him, to destroy Him.) The devotee confesses his incapacity to procure these rare things for the Lord.}
86. O Lord of Uma! Granted that plenty of ingredients have been secured, how can I, even then, perform Thy worship? For I have not acquired the form of a bird (i.e. of swan) or of a boar (like Brahma and Vishnu), who assuming these forms went in search of Thy head and feet respectively but failed to reach them. So, O all-pervading One, I do not know Thy head or feet. Indeed, even Brahma and Vishnu who had assumed these forms, did not in truth, know them.
(The allusion is to Arunachala story)
87. O Thou source of Bliss ! Poison is Thy food, serpent Thy garland, elephant hide Thy garment, and a big bull Thy vehicle. What, then wouldst Thou give me? What hast Thou got to give? Therefore grant unto me only devotion to Thy lotus feet.
88. I shall be competent, O Siva, to perform Thy worship,, praise and meditation, when I become he who built a bridge across the ocean (i.e. Sri Rama) or he who pressed down the great mountain Vindhya with his palm (i.e. Sage Agasthya) or he over-stepped the creator Brahma (i.e Sri Krishna).
(Sri Rama built Sri Rama Sethu, the bridge across the ocean to reach Lanka after doing puja to Siva in Rameswaram. Agasthya the Sage was a great Siva bhakta. Siva asked him to stay in South India since the crowd for his wedding with Parvati was very great, and the southern land is said to have gone down, and Agasthya helped in retrieving the land back to its original level. So he was given the boon to see Siva Parvati wedding once again in South near Podigai Hill. Sri Krishna was also a great Siva bhakta since He was doing Siva Puja everyday, as per Mahabharata.)
89. O Lord of the worlds! Thou wert not so pleased with prostration, praise, worship, meditation and ecstasy, as with the offering of resistance to Thee with bow, iron pestle and stones. Say what is that pleases Thee and I shall do accordingly.
(The allusion is to Arjuna's encounter with Siva as a hunter. Arjuna was performing worship and austerities with great concentration, in order to propitiate Siva, but before He revealed Himself, He appeared before Arjuna as a hunter and entered into a scuffle with him. In the course of it, Arjuna hit him with his bow, stones, etc., As if more pleased with this than austerities, Siva revealed Himself to him now.).
90. I am not used to meditate on Thee in a concentrated state of mind. With my tongue I speak of Siva's stories, with my mind I adore His form, and with my head I prostrate to Sadasiva, the eternally pure.
91. O moon-crested One ! By Thy Grace that primordial nescience (avidya)lodged in my heart has disappeared and the cherished divine knowledge has dawned. Always, in ecstatic thought, I worship Thy lotus feet, which are capable of conferring what is good, and which constitute the chalice of salvation.
92. O Lord of Gauri! By Thy merciful glance, ill-fate, egoism, misfortune, sorrow,false pride and foul speech - all indicative of a bad destiny -- have been eradicated. Even in this life, uplift me who always drink the nectar of Thy stories.
93. May my heart always delight in Siva, the Supreme Effulgence, the Master of all, the Lord of the daughter of the mountain (i.e Parvati), who wears the crescent moon on His crest, and who has a comely throat, dark blue like a cloud.
94. The tongue that speaks of Siva's stories is the real tongue; the eyes that see His image, the real eyes; the hands that always worship Him, the real hands, and he who ever remembers Him, the attainer of the true end of life.
95. O Lord of Bhavani ! O bestower of good ! Give up the thought of Thy feet are so tender and my heart so hard. If it were so, how dost Thou travel on the mountain where Thou hast to tread on hard rocks?
96. O destroyer of the three bodies (or the three cities, Tripura)! Quickly pulling the hook of firmness, ties the ruttish elephant of my mind to the post of Thy feet with the chain of devotion, using the knowledge of Brahman as fetter.
97. O Supreme One! This elephant of the mind, huge and ruttish, goes about everywhere with forbidding movements. Having seized it tactfully with the rope of devotion, tie it firmly to the post of Thy undecaying state.
Why talk and read about Bliss endlessly?Go and taste it.Ofcourse u got to be ready/timing/eligible.Even if u dont get it first time round,u shud be 3rd time lucky for sure.From my own experience I strongly recommend:
98. O Lord! Thou beloved of Gauri! Deign to accept this -- the maiden of my poesy - adorned with ornaments of various figures of speech, charming by the gait of beautiful diction, possessing the virtuous conduct of excellent meters, having the bright complexion of sweet sounds, praised by the world of good men constituted of holy sages, endowed with the amorous sentiments of devotion, together with the virtue of loftiness, planned with the suitor of Brahman as the objective, invested with the most auspicious marks of high literary qualities, endowed with numerous brilliant decorations of the literary art, revealing the modesty of poetic humility, bearing the 'wealth-line' (dhana reka on the palm) off clear meanings, and possessing the virtue of working for the good of the readers.
"Somewhere in Gospel, I read Thakur saying "If you look for I inside, God will emerge out"
Here is the excerpt from The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna:
"THE YOUNGER NAREN: "Sir, have we any free will?" MASTER: "Just try to find out who this 'I' is. While you are searching for 'I', 'He' comes out. 'I am the machine and He is the Operator.' You have heard of a mechanical toy that goes into a store with a letter in its hand. You are like that toy. God alone is the Doer. Do your duties in the world as if you were the doer, but knowing all the time that God alone is the Doer and you are the instrument. "As long as the upadhi exists there is ignorance. 'I am a scholar', 'I am a jnani', 'I am wealthy', 'I am honourable', 'I am the master, father, and teacher' -all these ideas are begotten of ignorance. 'I am the machine and You are the Operator' - that is Knowledge. In the state of Knowledge all upadhis are destroyed. When the log is burnt up entirely, there is no more sound; no heat either. Everything cools down. Peace! Peace! Peace!"
I will post more excerpts on this theme from the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna.They have an immediacy and simplicity that carries the message home. Namaskar.
Murali/Friends, Further excerpt from The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna on the theme of God alone as the doer:
God alone is the agent
(To the doctor) "Look here. If a man truly believes that God alone does everything, that He is the Operator and man the machine, then such a man is verily liberated in life. 'Thou workest Thine own work; men only call it theirs.' Do you know what it is like? Vedanta philosophy gives an illustration. Suppose you are cooking rice in a pot, with potato, eggplant, and other vegetables. After a while the potatoes, eggplant, rice, and the rest begin to jump about in the pot. They seem to say with pride: 'We are moving! We are jumping!' The children see it and think the potatoes, egg-plant, and rice are alive and so they jump that way. But the elders, who know, explain to the children that the vegetables and the rice are not alive; they jump not of themselves, but because of the fire under the pot; if you remove the burning wood from the hearth, then they will move no more. Likewise the pride of man, that he is the doer, springs from ignorance. Men are powerful because of the power of God. All becomes quiet when that burning wood is taken away. The puppets dance well on the stage when pulled by a wire, but they cannot move when the wire snaps. "A man will cherish the illusion that he is the doer as long as he has not seen God, as long as he has not touched the Philosopher's Stone. So long will he know the distinction between his good and bad actions. This awareness of distinction is due to God's maya; and it is necessary for the purpose of running His illusory world. But a man can realize God if he takes shelter under His vidyamaya and follows the path of righteousness. He who knows God and realizes Him is able to go beyond maya. He who firmly believes that God alone is the Doer and he himself a mere instrument is a jivanmukta, a free soul though living in a body."
Murali/Friends, The stark nature of ignorance that makes people think that they are 'somebody' is brought out in stunning fashion by the Master:
"Umanath again said to the Master from the door. "Mother asks you to bless Keshab." MASTER (gravely): "What can I do? God alone, blesses all. 'Thou workest Thine, own work; men only call it theirs.' "God laughs on two occasions. He laughs when two brothers divide land between them. They put a string across the land and say to each other, 'This side is mine, and that side is yours. God laughs and says to Himself, 'Why, this whole universe is Mine; and about a little clod they say, "This side is mine, and that side is yours"!' "God laughs again when the physician says to the mother weeping bitterly because of her child's desperate illness: 'Don't be afraid, mother. I shall cure your child.' The physician does not know that no one can save the child if God wills that he should die." (All are silent.) Just then Keshab was seized with a fit of coughing, which lasted for a long time. The sight of his suffering made everyone, sad. He became exhausted and could stay no longer. He bowed low before the Master and left the room, holding to the wall as before. Some refreshments had been arranged for the Master. Keshab's eldest son was seated near him. Amrita introduced the boy and requested Sri Ramakrishna to bless him. The Master said, "It is not given to me to bless anyone." With a sweet smile he stroked the boy's body gently. AMRITA (with a smile): "All right, then do as you please." MASTER (to the devotees): " I cannot say such a thing as 'May you be healed.' I never ask the Divine Mother to give me the power of healing. I pray to Her only for pure love."
Murali/Friends, In this excerpt from the Gospel,Sri Ramakrishna says that God alone has become everything:
Is God partial?
Nanda remained silent a few minutes. Then he said: "Oh, yes. People no doubt talk that way. But is God partial? If things happen through God's grace, then I must say God is partial." MASTER: "But God Himself has become everything-the universe and its living beings. You will realize it when you have Perfect Knowledge. God Himself has become the twenty-four cosmic principles: the mind, intellect, body, and so forth. Is there anyone but Himself to whom He can show partiality?" NANDA : "Why has He assumed all these different forms? Why are some wise and some ignorant?" MASTER: "It is His sweet will." ATUL: "Kedar Babu puts it nicely. Once a man asked him, 'Why has God created the world?' He replied, 'I was not present at the conference where God made the plans of His creation.'" MASTER: "Oh! It is His sweet will" So saying, the Master sang: O Mother, all is done after Thine own sweet will: Thou art in truth self-willed, Redeemer of mankind! Thou workest Thine own work; men only call it theirs. Thou it is that holdest the elephant in the mire; Thou, that helpest the lame man scale the loftiest hill. On some Thou dost bestow the bliss of Brahmanhood; Yet others Thou dost hurl into this world below. Thou art the Moving Force, and I the mere machine; The house am I, and Thou the Spirit dwelling there; I am the chariot, and Thou the Charioteer: I move alone as Thou, O Mother, movest me."
Murali/Friends, continuing his conversation,Sri Ramakrishna says that all will be liberated ,for in truth it is only God alone who has become everything:
Liberation for all
He continued: "The Divine Mother is full of bliss. Creation, preservation, and destruction are the waves of Her sportive pleasure. Innumerable are the living beings. Only one or two among them obtain liberation. And that makes Her happy.
"Out of a hundred thousand kites, at best but one or two break free; And Thou dost laugh and clap Thy hands, O Mother, watching them! Some are being entangled in the world and some are being liberated from it. How many are the boats, O mind, That float on the ocean of this world! How many are those that sink!"
NANDA: "It may be Her sweet will; but it is death to us."
MASTER: "But who are you? It is the Divine Mother who has become all this. It is only as long as you do not know Her that you say, 'I', 'I'. "All will surely realize God. All will be liberated. It may be that some get their meal in the morning, some at noon, and some in the evening: but none will go without food. All, without any exception, will certainly know their real Self." PASUPATI: "True, sir. It seems that it is God alone who has become everything."
Murali/Friends, Continuing further the conversation,the nature of 'I' is examined-and here Sri Ramakrishna expounds the nature of 'Ripe Ego' and 'unripe ego'.This leads to the most inspiring of utterances wherein he says that "even Union with God even for one moment surely gives a man liberation".
Nature of "I" MASTER: "Try to find out what this 'I' is. Is this 'I' the bones or flesh or blood or intestines? Seeking the 'I', you discover 'Thou'. In other words, nothing exists inside you but the power of God. There is no 'I', but only 'He'. (To Pasupati) You have so much wealth, but you have no egotism. It is not possible to rid oneself altogether of the ego; so, as long as it is there, let the rascal remain as the servant of God. (All laugh.) The ego that makes a man feel he is a devotee of God or a son of God or a servant of God is good. But the ego that makes a man attached to 'woman and gold' is the 'unripe ego'. That ego is to be renounced." The head of the household and the others were very much pleased to hear this interpretation of the ego. MASTER (to Pasupati): "There are two signs of knowledge: first, absence of pride, and second, a peaceful nature. You have both. Therefore you must have received the grace of God. "Too much wealth makes one forget God. That is the very nature of wealth. Jadu Mallick has become very rich. Nowadays he doesn't talk of God. Formerly he used to enjoy spiritual talk a great deal. "'Woman and gold' is a kind of wine. If a man drinks too much wine, he does not show his father and uncle the respect that is due to them. Very often he abuses them. A drunkard cannot distinguish between his superior and his inferior." NANDA: "That is true, sir."
Murali/Friends, Excerpt from The Gospel continued....
PASUPATI: "Sir, what do you think of Theosophy and Spiritualism? Are these true? What do you think of the solar plane, the lunar plane, the stellar plane?" MASTER: "My dear sir, I don't know about these things. Why bother about them so much? You have come to the orchard to eat mangoes. Enjoy them. What is the use of your calculating how many mango-trees there are, how many millions of branches, how many billions of leaves? I have come to the orchard to eat mangoes. Let me enjoy them. "Once a man's inner spirit is awakened, once he succeeds in knowing God, he doesn't feel the desire even to know about all this rubbish. How incoherently a delirious patient talks: 'I shall eat five seers of rice! I shall drink a whole tank of water!' 'Will you?' says the physician. 'All right! You will have them.' Saying this, the physician goes on with his smoke. But he pays attention to what the patient says when the patient is no longer delirious." PASUPATI: "Will our delirium last for ever?" MASTER: "Why should you think so? Fix your mind on God, and spiritual consciousness will be awakened in you." PASUPATI (smiling): "Our union with God is only momentary. It doesn't last any longer than a pipeful of tobacco." (All Laugh.) MASTER: "What if that is so? Union with God even for one moment surely gives a man liberation. "Ahalya said to Rama, 'O Rama, it doesn't matter if I am born as a pig or any other being; only bless me that my mind may dwell on Thy Lotus Feet and be filled with real devotion to Thee.' "Narada said to Rama: 'O Rama, I want from Thee no other favour. Please give me real love for Thee; and please bless me, that I may not come under the spell of Thy worldbewitching maya.' "When a man sincerely prays to God, he is able to fix his mind on God and develop real love for His Lotus Feet. "Give up all such notions as: 'Shall we be cured of our delirium?', 'What will happen to us?', 'We are sinners!' (To Nanda) One must have this kind of faith: 'What? Once I have uttered the name of Rama, can I be a sinner any more?' " NANDA: "Is there no after-life? What about punishment for our sins?" MASTER: "Why not enjoy your mangoes? What need have you to calculate about the after-life and what happens then, and things like that? Eat your mangoes. You need mangoes. You need devotion to God"
The above is excerpted from the wonderful chapter 43,Visit to Nanda Bose's House.
We will be continuing this theme of God alone is Truth and the Only doer as expounded in The Gospelof Sri Ramakrishna through the parable of the Calf and the story of the Weaver.
99. O Supreme Lord! Thou ocean of all mercy! Vishnu and Brahma, boring down into the earth and flying up in the sky, as a boar and as a swan in order to find out Thy feet and head respectively, only got tired (but did not discover the extremities of Thy form). O bestower of good ! O Lord of all! How is it then that Thou hast become capable of being known to me? Pray, does this conduct befit Thee?
100. Let the hymn of praise stop now. I do not tell lies. O bestower of supreme good! Thy devotees like Brahma and others deem Thee as the first when they take a list of those who deserves to be praised. For, in estimating comparative greatness, they find themselves unimportant (lit. blown away), like a chaff of husk, when rice is winnowed, and consider Thee to the bestower of the highest of all rewards, that is, liberation.
Murali/Friends, The parable of the calf from The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna:
The feeling 'I am the doer' is the outcome of ignorance. But the feeling that God does everything is due to knowledge. God alone is the Doer; all others are mere instruments in His hands.
Parable of the calf
"The misfortune that befalls a man on account of his egotism can be realized if you only think of the condition of the calf. The calf says, 'Hamma! Hamma!' that is, 'I! I!' And just look at its misfortune! At times it is yoked to the plough and made to work in the field from sunup to sundown, rain or shine. Again, it may be slaughtered by the butcher. In that case the flesh is eaten and the skin tanned into hide. From the hide shoes are made. People put on these shoes and walk on the rough ground. Still that is not the end of its misfortunes. Drums are made from its skin and mercilessly beaten with sticks. At last its entrails are made into strings for the bow used in carding cotton. When used by the carder the string gives the sound 'Tuhu! Tuhu!', 'Thou! Thou!'-that is, 'It is Thou, O Lord! It is Thou!' It no longer says, 'Hamma! Hamma!', 'I! I!' Only then does the calf's trouble come to an end, and it is liberated. It doesn't return to the world of action. "Likewise, when the embodied soul says: 'O God, I am not the doer; Thou art the Doer. I am the machine and Thou art its Operator', only then does its suffering of worldly life come to an end; only then does it obtain liberation. It no longer has to be reborn in this world of action." A DEVOTEE: "How can a man get rid of his ego?" MASTER: "You cannot get rid of it until you have realized God. If you find a person free from ego, then know for certain that he has seen God."
Murali/Friends, The Story of the Weaver and 'Will Of Rama' from The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna:
"God has put you in the world. What can you do about it? Resign everything to Him. Surrender yourself at His feet. Then there will be no more confusion. Then you will realize that it is God who does everything. All depends on 'the will of Rama'."
Story of "the will of Rama"
A DEVOTEE: "What is that story about 'the will of Rama'?" MASTER: "In a certain village there lived a weaver. He was a very pious,soul. Everyone trusted him and loved him. He used to sell his goods in the market-place. When a customer asked him the price of a piece of cloth, the weaver would say: 'By the will of Rama the price of the yarn is one rupee and the labour four annas ; by the will of Rama the profit is two annas . The price of the cloth, by the will of Rama, is one rupee and six annas .' Such was the people's faith in the weaver that the customer would at once pay the price and take the cloth. The weaver was a real devotee of God. After finishing his supper in the evening, he would spend long hours' in the worship hall meditating on God and chanting His name and glories. Now, late one night the weaver couldn't get to sleep. He was sitting in the worship hall, smoking now and then, when a band of robbers happened to pass that way. They wanted a man to carry their goods and said to the weaver, 'Come with us.' So saying, they led him off by the hand. After committing a robbery in a house, they put a load of things on the weaver's head, commanding him to carry them. Suddenly the police arrived and the robbers ran away. But the weaver, with his load, was arrested. He was kept in the lock-up for the night. Next day he was brought before the magistrate for trial. The villagers learnt what had happened and came to court. They said to the magistrate, 'Your Honour, this man could never commit a robbery.' Thereupon the magistrate asked the weaver to make his statement. 'The weaver said: 'Your Honour, by the will of Rama I finished my meal at night. Then by the will of Rama I was sitting in the worship hall. It was quite late at night by the will of Rama. By the will of Rama I had been thinking of God and chanting His name and glories, when by the will of Rama a band of robbers passed that way. By the will of Rama they dragged me with them; by the will of Rama they committed a robbery in a house; and by the will of Rama they put a load on my head. Just then, by the will of Rama the police arrived, and by the will of Rama I was arrested. Then by the will of Rama the police kept me in the lock-up for the night, and this morning by the will of Rama I have been brought before Your Honour.' The magistrate realized that the weaver was a pious man and ordered his release. On his way home the weaver said to his friends, 'By the will of Rama I have been released.' "Whether a man should be a householder or a monk depends on the will of Rama. Surrender everything to God and do your duties in the world."
1. The Self is to be known (i.e. realized). It is beyond everything knowable, as there exists nothing else except It. I bow down to that pure, all knowing and omniscient One which is to be known.
2. I always bow down to those teachers, who are conversant with words, sentences, and sources of Knowledge and who, like a lamp, have shown clearly to us Brahman, the secret of Vedas.
3. I bow down to my teacher whose words fell (into my ears) and destroyed ignorance in me, like the sun's rays falling on darkness and destroying it. I shall now state the reasoning leading to the right conclusion about the Knowledge of Brahman.
4. There is no other attainment higher than that of the Self. For that is the purpose for which the teachings of the Vedas, the Smritis and actions (described in the karma kanda of the Vedas) are there.
5. The acquisition on part of oneself considered to be a source of happiness produces the opposite result also. (Pain and misery when there is loss of such acquisition). It is for this reason that the Knowers of Brahman say that the greatest acquisition is that of the Self as It is eternal.
6. Of the nature of being always attained, the Self does not depend on anything else in order to be acquired. The acquisition that depends on other things (e.g. effort etc., ) is due to ignorance and so vanishes when the means to which it is due vanish.
7. The conception of the existence of the non Self is what is called Ignorance, the destruction of which is known to be liberation. This destruction is possible by means of Knowledge only, which is incompatible with Ignorance. (Compatible with Ignorance) actions cannot destroy it.
8. The actions produced by desires caused by Ignorance give rise to results which are perishable, and that Knowledge produces an imperishable result are known on evidence of the Vedas.
9. The learned know the Vedas to be to one continuous whole the only purpose of which is to demonstrate one thing viz., Knowledge in as much as the oneness of the Self to be known by the understanding of the Vedic sentences. (Thou art That, I am Brahman etc.,)
10. One may object that Brahman and the individual Self are different from each other as they are meanings of the two words which are not synonymous. The objection is not reasonable in as much as one has to know the difference between the words from that between their meanings and the difference between their meanings from that between the words. (Therefore the objector is led to the fallacy of reciprocal dependence. So no difference between them can be accepted, there being no Vedic evidence.) (Objection): As the Sruti states three things besides the Self viz., names, forms and actions it evidently supports the existence of things other than the Self.
11,12. Reply: As they are inter dependent like a painting and a description of it, they are unreal. So the whole of the universe is really non existent but exists only for a deluded intellect.
13. It is, therefore, reasonable that this universe is unreal. Existence-Knowledge only is real. Existing prior to everything, It is both the knower and the known. It is the forms only that are unreal.
14,15: Existence-Knowledge through which all things in dream are known is the knower. It is the same entity that is known in dream by Maya. It is the same Consciousness through which one sees, hears, speaks, smells, tastes, touches and thinks in that state is respectively called the eye, the ear, the larynx, the auditive organ, the tongue, the organ of touch, and the mind. Similarly, It is the same Consciousness that becomes in dream the other organs also functioning variously.
16. Just as the same jewel assumes different colors owing to its proximity to different colored things, so, Pure Consciousness assumes different forms on account of various adjuncts which are superimposed on It in dream.
17. As in dream so in the waking state, different forms are superimposed on this Consciousness. It manifests the objects of intellect when It performs actions produced by desires due to delusion. (See also Gaudapada Karika).
18. The events in the waking state are similar to those in dream. The ideas of the interior and exterior in the former state is as unreal, as in the latter like reading and writing depending on each other. (Reading depends on a written page without which nothing can be read; and writing also depends on reading, as we first read and then write. So both of them are unreal as the sounds represented by written letters are all pervasive and have no forms. Hence they can neither be really written nor read.)
19. When the Self manifests different objects, It desires to have them. And accordingly there arises in It a determination (to acquire those objects). It then meets with those particular results of actions done according to particular desires followed by particular determinations.
20. Unperceived in deep sleep, but perceived in waking and dream, by those only who are ignorant, the whole of this universe is an outcome of Ignorance and therefore unreal.
21. It is said in Sruti that the Consciousness of the oneness (of the individual and Brahman) is Knowledge. Knowledge is, therefore, demonstrated in the scriptures with great care.
22. When the mind becomes purified like a mirror, Knowledge is revealed in it. Care should, therefore, be taken to purify the mind by Yama and Niyama, sacrifices, and religious austerities.
23. The best austerities regarding the body, the mind and speech should be practiced in order to purify the mind. The controlling of the mind and the emaciating of the body in different seasons should be undertaken.
24. The attainment of the onepointedness (Regarding Brahman) of the mind and the senses is he best of austerities. It is superior to all religious and all other austerities.
25. Sensuous perceptions are to be regarded as the waking state. Those very perceptions revealed in sleep as impressions constitute the dream state. The absence of perceptions and their impressions is known to be deep sleep. The Witness of the three states, one's own Self should be regarded as the Supreme Goal to be realized.
26. What is called deep sleep, Darkness or Ignorance is the seed of the waking and dream states. It gets perfectly burnt by the fire of Self Knowledge and it no more produces effects, like a burnt seed that does not germinate.
27. That one seed, called Maya, is evolved into the three states, which come one after another, again and again. The Self, the Substratum of Maya, though only one and immutable, appears to be many, like the reflections of the sun in water.
28. Just as the one seed called Maya, is regarded as different to different states such as, the Undifferentiated (Hiranyagarbha), dream, etc., so the Self appears to be different in waking and dream bodies, both individual and aggregate like reflections of the moon in water.
29. Just as a magician comes and goes on an elephant (created by his own magic), so, the Self though devoid of all motion, appears to be undergoing conditions such as, the Undifferentiated, dream etc.,
30. Just as (in the above example) there is no elephant nor its driver, but there stands the magician different from them, so, there are no undifferentiated etc., nor their knower. The Witness which is always of the nature of Pure Consciousness is different from them.
31. There is no magic for the people of right vision, nor the magician himself. It is only for the people of clouded vision that magic exists. Hence, one, not really a magician, wrongly appears to be so. (So it is the ignorant only that wrongly believe that Brahman is the wielder of Maya which is equally non existent both for men of Knowledge and for Brahman).
32. The Self should be regarded as Brahman in accordance with the Srutis, 'The Self is immediate', 'All knots of the heart are torn asunder.' (Br.Up. 3.4.1,2. and Mundaka Up. 2.2.8, Kena Up. 1.5)
33. Objection: It is not perceived by the senses as It is devoid of sound etc., Again how can It be perceived by the intellect as It is different from pleasure and so on?
34. Reply: Just as Rahu though invisible, is seen in the moon during eclipse and the reflections of the moon etc., are seen in water, so, the Self, though omnipresent, is perceived in the intellect.
35. Just as the reflection and the heat of the sun, found in water, do not belong to it, so, Consciousness, though perceived in the intellect, is not its quality; for It is of a nature opposite to that of intellect.
36,37: The Self whose Consciousness never goes out of existence, is called the Seer of seeing when it illumines the modification of the intellect which is connected with the eye, and similarly, It is called the Hearer of hearing and so on. The Unborn One is called the thinker of thought when It illumines that modification of the mind which is independent of external objects. It is called the knower and Its power of Consciousness never fails. So the Sruti says, 'The Seeing of the Seer is not destroyed.' (Br. Up. 4.3. 23 - 30).
38. That the Self is immutable is known from the Srutis, 'As if It were at rest and It moves as it were.' (Br.Up. 4.3.7). That It is Pure is known from other Srutis, 'The thief in this state' and the Unattached.' (Br.Up. 4.3.22)
39. The Self is conscious even in deep sleep as well as in waking and dream as Its power of Consciousness never ceases to exist and as It is changeless. It is only in the object of knowledge that there is a difference, (in dreamless deep sleep) as the Sruti says,'When there is.' (In deep sleep, the objects of Knowledge get merged in Ignorance. Br.Up. 4.5.15).
40. The consciousness of objects (which arises out of the functioning of the eye etc.,) is mediately known, for it depends on an intervening reflection of the Self (in order to be known). As It is the Self of (phenomenal) consciousness, Brahman is immediately known.
41. Just as a second lamp is not necessary in order to illumine a lamp, so, a second consciousness is not necessary to make known Pure Consciousness which is of the nature of the Self.
42. The Self is not an object of knowledge. There is no change or manyness in It. It, is, therefore, capable of neither being accepted nor rejected by Itself or by anyone else. (For no one exists other than the Self).
43. Why should a man have even the least fear who knows that he is the Self comprising the interior and exterior, beyond birth, decay, death and old age.
44. It is only before the negation of the idea of caste etc., on the evidence of the Sruti 'Not large', the ascertainment of the nature of the Self, on the authority of the sentence, 'Thou Art That' and before the demonstration of the Self to one, on the part of the knowledge portion of the Vedas (Jnana KAndas), that Vedic action are to be performed and not afterwards.
45. Caste etc., given up with the giving up of the previous body only and not to the Self. for the very same reason of being perishable the body is also not the Self.
46. The conception of 'me' and 'mine' with regard to the non Self, the body etc., are due to Ignorance and should be renounced by means of Self Knowledge as there is the Sruti of the Asruras. (Opponents of Gods).
47. Just as the duty of observing defilement for ten days (following the child birth or death of a kinsman) is refrained from when one becomes a religious wandering mendicant; so the duties belonging to the particular castes etc., come to an end when right Knowledge is achieved.
48. A man of Ignorance reaps the results of those actions done according to particular desires, followed by particular determinations. But when the desires, of a man of Self Knowledge vanish he becomes immortal.
49. The outcome of the ascertainment of the real nature of the Self is cessation from actions etc., The Self is neither an end nor a means. It is, according to the Smriti, eternally contended. (Bhagavad Gits 4.20).
50. Four things only are the results of actions viz., the production, acquisition, transformation, and purification of some thing. They produce no other results. All actions with their accessories (wife, children, wealth, sacred tuft of hair and holy thread) should therefore be given up.
51, 52. One desirous of attaining Truth should withdraw into the Self the love that he has for external persons or things. For this love, secondary to that for the Self, is evanescent and and entails pain. He then should take refuge in a Teacher, a knower of Brahman, who is tranquil, free, bereft of actions and established in Brahman as the Sruti and Smriti say, 'One having a Teacher knows' and ' Know That.' (Ch.Up. 6.14.2 & Bhagavad Gita 4.34.).
Today, I bought a copy of "Conscious Immortality" from Sri Ramana Kendram, Hyderabad. I was searching for this book for almost 10 years. Finally, Sri Ramanashram published it.
Thought of informing all of you, who may not know this.
53. That teacher should immediately take disciple in the boat of Knowledge of Brahman across the great ocean of darkness (ignorance), which is within him - the disciple who is of a one pointed mind and endowed with the qualities of a true disciple.
54. The powers of seeing, touching, hearing, smelling, thinking and knowing and so on, though of the nature of Pure Consciousness, differ on account of adjuncts.
55. Just as the sun illumines the world with its rays which are free from growth and decay, so the Self always knows all things in general and all particular things and is pure.
56. Appearing to be in the body owing to Ignorance and, therefore, appearing to be of the same size, as the body, the Self is regarded as different from things other than the body (and possessed of its qualities) like the moon etc., reflected in water and appearing to be possessed of its qualities.
57. One who merges the gross external objects experienced in the waking state in the subtle objects, experienced in dream, and these again in Ignorance, and then comes to know the Consciousness of the Self attains Brahman, and has not to follow any path, 'northern' or 'southern' (The path which leads one to the region of death at death is 'northern path.' The path leading to the region of the moon when one dies is called 'southern path.')
58. Having thus renounced the three states of the undifferentiated etc., one gets across the great ocean of Ignorance, for one is by nature, established in the Self without qualities, pure, awakened and free.
59. One is not born again when one knows that one is unborn, deathless, devoid of old age, free from fear, pure, and knowing all particular things and things in general.
60. How can one be born again who has known the oneness of the Self and Brahman and is sure of the non existence of the seed called Ignorance stated before? (See verse 26).
61. When the Witness is discriminated from the intellect etc., which are unreal, It does not identify Itself again with the gross or the subtle body as before, just as butter raised from milk and thrown into it does not get mixed with it again.
62. One becomes free from fear when one knows that one is Brahman which is Existence Knowledge and Infinite, beyond the five sheaths consisting of food etc., and which is described in the Sruti as 'not perceivable and so on.' (Taitt. Up. 2.7).
63. That knower of the Truth of the Bliss of the Self has no cause of fear whatsoever. For afraid of him the organs of speech, the mind, fire and so on act regularly. (Taitt. Up. 2.8.1.).
64. Whom should the knower of the Self salute if he is established in his own Glory which is Infinite, non dual, and beyond name etc.,? Actions then have no utility for him. (Ch.Up. 7.1-15).
65,66: The externally conscious individual which is one with the aggregate of the gross bodies and the individual which is conscious internally and one with the aggregate of the subtle bodies are both merged in the individual experiencing deep sleep which is one with the undifferentiated.
As the three states viz., deep sleep etc., have words only for their support they are unreal. The truthful man, therefore, who knows that he is Existence - Brahman gets liberated. (Ma.Up. 3-7; Ch.Up. 6.16.1-3)
67. I have no knowledge or ignorance in Me as I am of the nature of homogeneous Consciousness only, just as there is no day or night in the sun which is of the nature of light only.
68. As the truth of the scriptures may never be doubted one should always remember that one identified with Brahman has nothing to accept or reject.
69. A man is never born again who knows that he is only in all beings like the ether and that all beings are in him.
70. The Self is pure and self effulgent having by nature, no interior, exterior, middle, or anything else anywhere, according to the Sruti, "devoid of the interior and exterior." (Br. Up. 2.5.19).
71. The Self is non dual (and left over) by the negation of the universe according to the Sruti. 'Not this, not this,' (Br. Up. 2.3.6). It should be known as described in the Sruti, 'Unknown knower' and never otherwise. (Br. Up. 3.8.11).
72. If one knows that one is the supreme Brahman, the Self of all, one should be regarded as the Self of all beings according to the Sruti, 'their Self.' (Br. Up. 1.4.10).
73. An individual becomes adorable by gods and free from being under their control (unlike beasts under men), if he clearly knows the supreme Self, the shining one to be himself. (Br. Up. 1.4.10).
74. The Truthful man who has renounced everything unreal does not get bound again when he knows that he is always Consciousness, the eternally existing Self devoid of everything like the ether. (Ch. Up. 6.16.1--3).
75. Those are to be pitied who know the Supreme Brahman to be otherwise. (i.e. other than the Self). Those, on the other hand, who know It to be not different from themselves are established in the Self and are their own masters. (Ch. Up. 7.25.2). They have all the gods under the control.
76,77: Give up all connection with caste, etc., all actions and all talk regarding the non-Self. Always meditate on the pure Self, the all-comprehensive Principle, as AUM (The sound AUM is the name and symbol of Brahman. Kath. Up. 12.16-17). The Self which like a causeway that protects everything established (such as castes, orders of life etc.,) and which, untouched by day and night, is in all directions, horizontal, upward and downward, and free from unhappiness, is of the nature of eternal consciousness.
I translated it into Japanese and posted it on my blog. Then I found more detailed version of it on the web somewhere. But I failed to add it into my bookmark so I now can't find where it is. I would like to rewrite my translation if I find more detailed version.
78. One should know oneself to be the Supreme Brahman, free from all bondage, merit and demerit, past and future, and also from cause and effect.
79.
The Self is regarded as the doer of everything, though It is a non doer. It is pure. It runs ahead of those that run, though It does not move at all. It appears to be many though unborn. For it possess all powers of Maya.
80. Without action, a non agent, and one without a second, I, the universal Self, make the world go round like a king who is only a witness, or like the loadstone which moves iron by its proximity only.
81. One should have the conception that one is Brahman, which is without qualities, without actions Eternal, free from duality, free from unhappiness, pure, awakened, and free.
82. Having gained a perfect knowledge of bondage and liberation, with their causes (viz., Ignorance and Knowledge respectively), having acquired a complete understanding of causes and effects which are objects of knowledge, and are therefore, to be negated and having properly known the one supreme and pure Truth (the Self) which is beyond all objects of knowledge, known in the Vedantas and taught by the Sruti and the teacher, a knower of Brahman stands freed from the fear of being born again, becomes all and all knowing, goes beyond grief and delusion and has the acme of his life fulfilled.
83. The Self cannot be accepted or rejected by Itself or others, nor does It accept or reject anyone else. This is right Knowledge.
Siba -- I appreciate your Japanese translation projects but in that endeavour, dont get confused by this 'superimpose , sin etc.'
Maharishee Sri Ramana is a great Brahma Jnani and son of Lord Shiva.
It is very hard to read, learn , interpret his teachings like Ulladhu Narpadhu, Upadesa undiyar etc.
It is very difficult to come to any conclusion intellectually.
So Vichara Sangraha also falls under the same.
The best approach towards Bhagavan Sri Ramana is utter silence and devotion -- dont even read or think logically on anything.
Just sit before the great Maharishee mentally and all your doubts will fade away.
Otherwise, all the devotees past and present will confuse you . Esp. vedantic statements are often misinterpreted by totally unqualified people.
it is not easy to read the works of Bhagavan by books. If one's attitude is of total humility and innocence, he will get the mearnings clearer, otherwise, it will be worse than atheism.
Where is sin and where is virtue?
All are Atma and it is our beloved Bhagvan Sri Ramana.
So let us all sit in silence before this great sage and receive the same teaching in the lineage of Sri Dakshnamurthy.
I had darshan of Ammachi in Mysore and had a hugging and few words of exchange.
No doubt , she is unparallel in mad devotion and nama japa.
She has the love the binding force as the weapon and indeed an avatar of Devi Divine Mother.
But I think the organizers of retreat events need to realize one thing -- Bliss Ananda and Jnana are won by hard sadhana and efforts ,not by registration with a fee and check-in to a ready made treat.
Only God has to give that basic awakening to people.
We all want a short cut to have Guru's grace.
We fail to realize that only by lot of effort over several life times, people can get close and sit before a Guru.
84. For this Knowledge which is the subject of all the Vedanta, produces the conviction that the Self is Brahman. One becomes perfectly free fro bondage of this transmigratory existence when one achieves it.
85. This Knowledge which is the supreme purifier and the greatest secret of all the Vedas and gods is revealed here.
86. This supreme and secret Knowledge should not be imparted to one who has not controlled oneself, but should be given to a disciple who is obedient and dispassionate.
87. As there is no other equivalent which a disciple may offer to the teacher for imparting to him Self Knowledge, one should always possess the qualities of a disciple, achieve Knowledge and thus get across the ocean of transmigratory existence.
88. I bow down to that All Knowing and All Powerful One who is of the nature of consciousness and besides whom there is nothing else viz., a knower, knowledge, or an object of knowledge.
89. I bow down to my most adorable Teacher who is all knowing and thus has, by imparting Knowledge to me, saved me from the great ocean of births and deaths, filled with Ignorance.
1. I bow down to that Eternal Consciousness, the Self of the modifications of the intellect, in which they merge from which they spring. (See AlAta Santhi of Mandukya Karika).
2. I bow down to the great mendicant, the Teacher, of my Teacher*, who of great intellect, routed hundreds of enemies of the Sruti by means of words comparable to swords made impenetrable through thunder like reasoning and protected the treasure of the real import of Vedas. (refers to Gaudapada).
3. If the conviction, 'I am nothing but Existence and am ever free' were impossible to be attained, why should the Sruti teach us that so affectionately like a mother?
5. Brahman should be regarded as the Self on the evidence of the scriptures just as religious duties are known from the same source. Ignorance vanishes immediately on the attainment of the right Knowledge.) like the effect of poison coming to an end when mantras are remembered. (E.g Garuda mantram to remove the snake poison.).
6,7: It is reasonable that of the two ideas 'I am Existence Brahman' and 'I am no agent', both of which have the Self for their Witness, the one owing to its origin to Ignorance should he given up. Springing from evidences which are only apparently so viz., sense perceptions etc., it gets like a mistaken notion of a direction by the other one which has its source in the right evidence by the other one which has its source in the right evidence of the Vedas. (See Br.Sutra 1.1.3).
8. When they say, 'do this' and 'You are the experiencer', the scriptures restate the popular conceptions. The Knowledge, 'I am Existence' arises from the Sruti. The other (the idea of agency and of experiencing) arising from injunctive scriptures - is negated by it.
9. Objection: 'Absolute liberation does not arise when one is told, 'Thou art That'. One should, therefore have recourse to repetition of the idea of 'I am Brahman' and support it with reasoning.
10. Even acquainted with the literal meaning of the sentence, one, once told, cannot know its import but requires other things which, we have said are two.
11. Just as an injunction regarding Vedic actions is necessary so it is not incompatible in the case of one so long as one has not directly Known the Self and Its Knowledge has not been firmly grasped.
12. All one's efforts (viz., self control etc.,) become useless if one can know Brahman without being enjoined. One should therefore, go on with the repetition so long as the Self is not known.
13. Firm impressions originating from sense perceptions do surely negate the Knowledge, 'I am Brahman' arising from the Sruti. (Br. Up. 14.10). Moreover an aspirant is attracted towards external objects through impurities such as attachment and so on.
14. Perceptional Knowledge which has for its objects particular properties of things does surely contradict that which arises from hearsay and inference and which is related only to generic properties of things.
15, 16: No one is seen freed from the distresses of this transmigratory existence simply by understanding the meaning of the sentence. If, however, a rare man is seen to be freed from such distress on the mere hearing of it, he must be inferred to have practiced repetition in previous lives. Moreover, our conduct will have to be regarded as non scriptural if you do not admit the existence of an injunction in this case. But that is not desirable.
17. Just as everywhere in the Vedas the means to an end is enjoined after stating the result to be achieved, so here, the result 'Thou art That' is stated and the means can be nothing but this repetition which only is regarded as being capable of revealing an eternally existing thing.
18. Therefore, practicing self control etc., and renouncing everything is incomparable with this end and the means to it, one should carefully practice the said repetition in order directly to know the Self.
19. (Reply): This is not so. For the Upanishads end with 'Not this, not this' (and deal with nothing else). Results to be achieved by means of actions are heard of in the previous part (Karma Kanda) of the Vedas but not liberation which has an eternal existence and is not available by means of any action.
20. Just as the distress experienced by one's son is superimposed by the father on himself who has no distress at all, so, the ego is superimposed on the Self which is eternally free from any pain whatsoever.
21. The superimposition (of the ego, on the Self) is negated on the evidence of the Sruti 'Not this, not this, as if it were a reality. And hence no injunctions which are due to superimposition can by any means be reasonable after such a negation has taken place.
22. Just as the color is superimposed on and negated from the sky by ignorant people so, there are the superimposition of the ego on the Self and its negation from It.
23. This negation is not one of reality, but is of a false superimposition of the placing of fire, on the highest region of the sky. For liberation would have surely been transitory if things really existing were negated. (There is the scriptural statement that fire should be placed neither in the highest nor in the middle region of the sky. The placing of fire in those two regions is an impossibility; still it is forbidden like the real placing of fire on earth.)
24. It is only to objects of knowledge and not to non objects that a word or an idea can be applied. Brahman which is the Self of them and also of the ego is not within the scope of a word or an idea.
25. Everything such as agency, etc., superimposed by the ego on the Self which is Pure Consciousness is negated together with the ego on the evidence of the Sruti, 'Not this, not this.'
26. The Self is then known to be Intelligence, Self Effulgent, a Seer, the Innermost, Existence, free from action, directly cognised, the Self of all, the Witness, One imparting consciousness to others, Eternal, devoid of qualities and without a second.
27. On account of the constant proximity of the conscious Self, the ego also appears to be conscious. Hence the two things, viz., oneself and things related to oneself that are denoted by the words 'I' and 'mine' originate.
28. As the ego is possessed of species, action, etc., words are applicable to it. But no word can be used with respect to the innermost Self owing to the absence of these from It.
29.30: Words which denote the ego and other things which reflect the innermost Self express the latter only indirectly, and by no means describe It directly. For nothing that has no species etc., can be described by means of words.
31. Just as words denoting the action of fire (e.g torch) are applied only to torches etc., leaving the fire in them and not directly as they imply a thing different from them. (e.g. Fire). So, words implying the Self ('I') are applied to the ego having the reflection of the Self and appearing like It.
32,33: As it imitates the mirror the reflection of face is different from the face. The face which does not depend on the mirror for its existence, is also different from reflection. Similarly, the reflection of the Self in the ego is also regarded as different from the pure Self like that of the face which is different from the face. The pure Self is considered to be different from Its reflection like the face (which is different from its own). In fact, however, the Self and Its reflection are free from real distinction between each other like the face and its reflection.
34. (Objection): Some say that the reflection to the ego (as distinct from the Self) is the individual soul. But if one asks how the reflection which is not a reality can experience anything at all, the objector answers that, the reflection is a reality as the shadows of things are known to be realities according to the Smriti. (One should not deliberately cross the shadow of one's teacher and other superiors.). Not only so, there is another reason also (why a shadow should be regarded as a reality). For a man in a shadow feels refreshingly cool. (Therefore, a shadow must be a real thing having the property of coolness.).
35. (Other objections): Some say that the individual soul is a part of Pure Consciousness. Others hold that it is a modification of the same. Still others are of opinion that the ego together with the reflection of Pure Consciousness in it is the individual soul. Others again think that it is the independent ego (neither a part nor a modification), which is the experiencer of this mundane existence.
36. The Buddhists say that the individual soul is the momentary consciousness, 'I'. There is witness (distinct from the series to see the beginning and the end of these momentary phenomena). Now examine which of these doctrines is reasonable.
37. Let us now stop discussing the different doctrines about the transmigratory soul. Let us go on with the present subject viz., the reflection of the Self. The reflection of the face in the mirror is a property neither of the face nor of the mirror. For if it were, the property of either of the two, it would continue even if the other were removed.
38. If it is argued that it is a property of the face because it is called after, it cannot be do so. For it imitates the mirror and is not seen even when the face is there, but the mirror is removed.
39. Objection: If you say that it is the property of both, we say, 'No' because it is not seen even when both were present (but improperly placed.) It may be said, that Rahu, a real thing, though invisible, is sometimes seen in the sun and the moon, (so the reflection of the face, a reality, though invisible, is sometimes seen in the mirror.
40. Reply: That Rahu is a real thing is known from the scriptures before one sees it in the sun or moon. But according to those who hold that it is the shadow of the earth, it cannot be a real thing and the unreality of the reflection has been proved by arguments before. (verses 37-39 above).
41. There is a prohibition regarding the crossing of the shadows of one's teachers and other superiors. But it does not prove the reality of a shadow as a sentence expressing one meaning cannot express another at the same time.
42. That one feels cool while sitting in a shadow is not the effect of the shadow on one. It is due one's refraining from using warm things. Coolness is found to belong to water but not to shadow. (For, sitting in the shadow of a hot piece of stone, one does not feel cool at all).
43. The Self, Its reflection and the intellect are comparable to the face, its reflection and the mirror. The unreality of the reflection is known from the scriptures and reasoning.
44. (Objection): Who is the experiencer of transmigratory existence as it cannot belong to the Self which is changeless, neither to the reflection which is not real, nor to the ego, which is not a conscious entity.
45. (Reply): Let the transmigratory condition then be only a delusion due to the indiscrimination between the Self and the non-Self. It always has an apparent existence due to the real existence of the changeless Self and, therefore, appears to be pertaining to It.
46. Just as a rope-snake ( a rope mistaken for a snake), though unreal, has an existence due to that of the rope before the discrimination between the rope and the snake takes place. So, the transmigratory condition, though unreal, is possessed of an existence due to that of the changeless Self.
47. Some say that the Self to which the reflection belongs, though changeful on account of modification of the mind pertaining to Itself such as, 'I am happy', 'I am miserable' and though an experiencer of the transmigratory condition, is eternal.
48. Having no knowledge of the Vedas and deluded on account of the lack of real knowledge of the Self and Its reflection, they consider the ego to be the Self.
49. The transmigratory existence consisting of agency and the experiencing of pain and pleasure is, according to them, a reality. They, therefore, continue to be born again and again on account of the ignorance of the nature of the Self, its reflection and the intellect between which they cannot discriminate.
50. That the Vedas imply the Self by means of words such as Knowledge etc., becomes reasonable if it is true that the Self is of the nature of Pure Consciousness and the intellect reflects It.
51,52: (Objection): It is well known among the people that the meaning of the root and that of the verbal suffix, though different from each other, in each of the worlds such as, 'does', 'goes' etc., are seen to belong to the same subject. They are not seen to belong to two different subjects either according to ordinary people or grammarians. Now, please tell me the reason why the meanings of the root and suffix should belong to two different subjects, in the case of the words such as 'knows', etc.,
53.(Reply): The meaning of the suffix is the reflection of the Self in the intellect and the root denotes an action, i.e., a modification of the intellect. As in the intellect and the reflection are not discriminated from the Self, the word 'knows' is applied falsely to It.
54. The intellect has no consciousness and the Self no action. The word 'knows' can, therefore, reasonably applied to neither of them.
55. The word 'knowledge' in the sense of the action of knowing, cannot similarly be applied to the Self. For the Self is not a change only (which is indicated by an action as it is taught in the Srutis that It is eternal.
56. The word 'knowledge' in the sense of the instrument of the action of knowing, is applied to the intellect and not to the Self as an instrument cannot exist without any agent. Neither is the word, in the sense of that which is the object of the same action, can be applied to the Self.
57. The Self is never knowable and is not directly denoted by any word according to those who hold that It is eternally changeless, free from pain and one only.
58. If the ego were the Self, a word might be applied to it in its primary sense. But it is not the Self according to the Sruti as it is possessed of hunger etc.,
59-62: (Objection) Well, words that have no primary meanings can have no secondary ones also. Therefore, you are to explain the application of the words 'knows' etc.,
The Vedas would lose their authority as an evidence if words were false, which is not desirable. (Reply) Should one, therefore have to accept the application of words according to popular usage?
(Objection) If you accept the usage of ignorant people, you will have to arrive at the conclusion of the Charvaakas who hold that there is no Self (other than the body). But that is undesirable.
If, in on the other hand, you accept the usage of the learned, you will arrive at the same dilemma as before. The Vedas which are an authority do not use meaningless words.
63-64. (Reply) As the reflection appears like the face people accept its oneness with its reflection in a mirror.
All people, therefore, naturally use the verbs 'knows' etc., owing to the indiscrimination between between that in which there is the reflection and that which is reflected.
65. The Self is said to be knowing things on account of the superimposition of the agency of the intellect on it. Similarly, the intellect is called a knower owing to the superimposition of Consciousness on it.
66. Eternal Knowledge which is the nature of the Self described by the Srutis as the Light of Consciousness is never created by the intellect, by Itself or by anything else.
67. Just as people regard their bodies as themselves and say that they (bodies) know things, so, they speak of the intellect having the agency in producing knowledge and of the Self as being its seat.
68. Deluded by the modifications of the intellect which appear to be conscious and are created, the argumentative philosophers say that knowledge is produced.
69. Therefore the words 'knows' etc., the corresponding modifications of the mind and their memory are possible on account of the indiscrimination regarding the Self, the intellect and the reflection of the Self in it.
70. Just as the properties of a mirror assumed by the reflection of the face in it are attributed to the face, so are the properties of the intellect assumed by the reflection of the Self are superimposed on It.
71. Just as torches and other things appear to be possessed of the power of burning (on account of there being fire in them), so, the modification of the intellect, illumined by the reflection of the Self, appear to be endowed with the power of perception.
72. The Buddhist philosophers forbid the existence of a Witness by saying that the modifications of the intellect are themselves perceives and are also perceived by themselves.
73,74: Say how to refute (the Buddhists who hold) that the modifications of the intellect are not illumined by a witness different from them. (In refuting the Buddhists it may be said that) though a persistent knower must be accepted on account of reality different from the modifications revealing their presence and absence, it is not necessary to assume a reflection of the Self.
(Reply) This persistent knower also is no better than the modifications themselves as the said knower, different from the modifications, will be equally non-Conscious.
75. If you are of the opinion that the presence of the modifications will be known owing to the proximity of the permanent knower, we say 'No', for he changeless knower will be of no utility in that respect. (Even admitting that it will reveal them by its proximity only) everything will have mental modifications.
76-78: (First line). Is the disciple, who is suffering from the misery due to transmigratory existence and seeking liberation, the Witness Itself or other than It? That the Witness is miserable and desirous of liberation is not your view.
If, on the other hand, he be an agent other than the Witness, he cannot accept the idea, 'I am Brahman, the Witness.' (In that case) also the teaching of the Sruti 'Thou art That' would be false, which is not reasonable.
But this teaching may be accepted if the Sruti teaches it without discriminating the two the Self and the ego.
78. (Last two lines). But if the ?Sruti discriminates the ego from the innermost Self and then says to the ego, 'Thou art That' the defects spoken of (in the previous verse) will creep in.
79. If you say that the word 'thou' finally means the Witness, you must explain how there can be a relation between It and the ego so that the word 'thou' may express the Witness indirectly.
80. (Objection) Suppose the relation is one of seer and seen. (Reply): How can it be with regard to the Witness which is devoid of activity?
81. If it be contended that there will be identity of the ego and the Witness, though the latter is devoid of activity, (we say it cannot be so; for) the knowledge of the said identity will not be there in the absence of the knowledge of the relation tht my Self, the Witness, exists.
82. If you think that the relation will be known from scriptures, it cannot be so. For (in that case) all three (a. The ego cannot know the relation as it is non conscious, (b) the same is the case with the Witness as it is changeless and (c) the non conscious ego cannot be taught by the Sruti) defects spoken of before will arise. (And if there be a knowledge of the relation at all), it will be one of 'mine' (but not of identity).
83. When it is accepted that the non conscious intellect appears to be conscious, its modifications also appear to be so like sparks of red hot iron.
84. The knowledge on the part of the people of the appearance and disappearance of the mental modifications is possible only on account of the Witness which is the limit and in no other way. And if the reflection of the Self is accepted, the intellect may know itself to be Brahman.
85. (Objection). Is it not a change on the part of the Self to pervade the intellect like fire pervading a mass of iron?
(Reply) We have refuted this in the example of the face and its reflection in the mirror.
86. That black iron appears to be red is only an example (to illustrate the fact that the non conscious intellect appears to be conscious). An illustration and its object can nowhere be absolutely similar in all respects.
87. Reflecting Consciousness, therefore, the intellect appears to be conscious like a mirror reflecting a face and appearing like it. It has already been said that the reflection is not real.
88. It is not supported by the scriptures or reasoning that he intellect is conscious. For in that case, the body, the eye, etc., also would be so.
89. (Objection) Let them be so. (Reply) No. for (in that case) the position of Charvaka philosophers comes in. Moreover the knowledge, 'I am Brahman' also will not be possible, if there be no reflection of the Self in the intellect.
90. The teaching 'Thou art That' will surely be useless in the absence of the knowledge 'I am Brahman'. This teaching is of use to those only who are acquainted with the discrimination between the Self and the non-Self.
91. 'Mine' and 'it' are ideas predicated of the non-Self and the idea 'I' of the ego. The ideas such as, 'I am a man' are predicated of both the Self and the non-Self.
92. They should be regarded as principal and subordinate with relation to one another and should be taken as the qualified or qualifying according to reason.
93. Both the ideas 'mine' and 'it' are qualifications of the ego, as for example, 'a man having wealth' and 'a man having a cow.' Similarly, the gross body is the qualification of the ego.
94. Everything pervaded by the intellect together with the ego, is the qualification of the Witness. Without being connected with anything and pervading everything by means of Its reflection the Self is, therefore, always of the nature of Knowledge Itself.
95. All this non-Self exists only for those people who are discriminating, but it does not exist at all for men of Knowledge.
96. Agreement and contrariety with regard to words and with regard to their meanings are the only means by which the meaning implied by the word 'I' may be ascertained.
97. (Waking up from deep sleep one says) 'I did not see anything at all in that state.' From this it is clear that, one denies the existence of the knower, knowing and the known in deep sleep. But not that of Knowledge Itself.
98. The scriptures themselves discriminate between the Knowledge Itself on the one hand and the knower, knowing and the known on the other, and prove that the former is changeless and really existing, and that the latter deviate from existence as they say, 'It is self luminous' and 'The Knowledge of the knower does not cease to exist.' (Br. Up. 4.3.9 and 4.3.23)
99-100. Just as Brahma removed the Ignorance of the son of Dasaratha by means of words only, (Taitt. Up. 2.1.) but did not teach him any action in order to remove it so that he might know that he was Vishnu. So the Sruti taches one 'Thou art That' in order that one's Ignorance may be removed when one has learned the meanings of the subordinate sentences according to the Surtis and popular grammar.
101. It is the indirectly expressed meaning of the word 'I' viz., the innermost and self luminous Self which is expressed in the teaching, 'Thou art That.'. And the result is liberation.
102. It would surely be necessary to admit an injunction, if right knowledge were not produced immediately when one was taught (that one was Brahman). The Self exists in Its own nature even before one is taught. That is the meaning of the sentence 'Thou art That.'
103. The listening to the teaching and the production of right knowledge are simultaneous, and the result is the cessation of the transmigratory existence consisting of hunger, etc., There can be no doubt about the meaning of the sentences like 'Thou art That' in the past, present and future.
104. The right knowledge of the Self which is of the nature of Pure Consciousness is, no doubt, produced in one at the time of listening to the teaching as all obstacles are removed beforehand.
105,106: Is the knowledge 'I am Brahman Itself' or 'I am something other than It' is produced when one is taught 'Thou art That? If the meaning implied by the word 'I' is something which is Brahman Itself, you must accept the absolute identity of the innermost Self and Brahman. But if the word 'I' imply something other than Brahman, the knowledge 'I am Brahman' certainly becomes false. The knowledge of their absolute identity, cannot, therefore, be forbidden.
107. The intellect and its modifications having the reflection of the Self in them exist for It and are non-conscious. Liberation, the result is therefore, supposed to be in the conscious Self.
108. As neither intellect (with the reflection of the Self) nor its modifications in the form of the ego, is of the nature of the result or its material cause, the result is capable of behind attributed to the Self, though, immutable, like victory of a King.
109. Just as the reflection of a face which makes a mirror appear like it is the face itself, so the reflection of the Self in the mirror of the ego making it appear like the Self (is the Self). So the meaning of the sentence, 'I am Brahman' is reasonable.
110. It is only in this way, and in other that one knows that one is Brahman (and that Brahman is oneself). Otherwise the teaching, 'Thou art That' also becomes useless in the absence of a medium.
111. The teaching becomes useful if is meant for a listener. Who will the listener if the Witness is not?
112. If you are of the opinion that the intellect proximate to the Witness is the listener, it cannot be regarded as deriving any benefit from the Witness as from a piece of wood.
113. But the Witness must be admitted to subject to change if there be any benefit rendered by It to the intellect. What harm is there if the reflection of the Self is accepted as it is supported by the Srutis and Smritis? (Br. Up. 2.5.19 & Bh. Gita 15.7.)
114. If you say that there will be changes in the Self in case the reflection is accepted, we say, 'No.' For we have already said that the reflection of Consciousness in the intellect is an unreality like a snake appearing to be a rope and life the reflection of a face in a mirror appearing to the face itself.
115-116: (Objection). No. There will the fallacy of reciprocal dependence here as the knowledge of the reflection of the Self depends on that of the Self (and the knowledge of the Self depends on that of the reflection); (but it is not so in the case of the face etc., and their reflections) as the face etc., are always known independent of their reflection. The reflection may be said to belong to the Self if the latter be known to have an independent existence. Again, the Self may have an independent existence if the reflection belongs to It.
117. (Reply) It is not so. For the intellect and the Self are known to exist independent of each other in dream like the face and its reflection, as the Self then illumines the modifications of the intellect in the forms of objects such as chariots, etc., though they are not present in that state.
120. The ego which is pervaded by the reflection of Consciousness is called the knower or the agent of the action of knowing. One who knows oneself (the Witness) to be distinct from all these three is a real knower of the Self.
121. The modifications of the intellect called 'right knowledge','doubtful knowledge' and 'false knowledge' deviate from their existence. There is one and the same Consciousness in all of them, but the differences are due to the modifications.
122. Just as a jewel differs in color owing to the proximity of colored things, so, Consciousness differs (according to different modifications of the mind superimposed on It). Impurities and changes in the Self are all due to Its connection with these modifications.
123. The modifications of the intellect are manifested, known and endowed with existence by the Self which is immediately known and different from them. It is inferred with the help of the example of a lamp.
124. Does one make another accept the Self by means of a positive evidence or without one by merely negating the non-Self and leaving over the Self only. (After stating that the Self is proved by positive evidence in Verse 123, the author refutes the doctrine that It is proved by negative evidence only in Verses 124-140).
125. The possibility of a void comes in owing to the Witness being unknown. If the non-Self be meant to be negated by means of the evidence of words.
126. (Objection) 'You are a conscious being, how can you be the body?' (Reply): It cannot be proved as the Self is not known from another evidence. It might be proved by negating the non-Self if pure Consciousness were known to exist.
127. (Objection): The Self is self existent as Pure Consciousness is immediately known. (Reply): The knowledge of the Self according to you then becomes similar to that of void assumed by Nihilists.
128. (Objection). That the agent, the object and instrument are known to exist simultaneously is proved by memory (e.g when one says) 'I knew it.'
129. (Reply) Though memory is a right evidence, simultaneity is a misconception due to quick perception. So they were perceived before one after another and afterwards remembered in the same way.
130. Relative to, and characteristically different from each other, the things denoted by the words 'it' and 'myself' in the sentence 'I knew it and myself,' and cannot be the objects of simultaneous perception.
131. Three things (namely, as an agent, an instrument and an object) are necessary in the perception of each of the knower, knowledge and the known. (And in order to avoid a regressus ad infinitum it cannot be said that each of these three things will prove its own evidence, because) the agency of the agent exhausted in proving its own existence will not be available to prove that of the instrument and the object at the same time.
132. What is desired to be governed by the action of an agent is an object of that action. The object, therefore, depends on the agent and not on the Self which is other than it.
133. It is only through evidences such as, words, inference, etc., and in no other way that all things become known to those who do not know them.
134. Is the Self also substantiated by means of an evidence or not? Though the Self Itself is independence, evidence is necessary in order to know It.
135. If the conscious Self Itself is taken to be ignorant, an evidence is necessary in order that It may know Itself. It is surely necessary in knowing the Self if one (i.e. the ego) other than It be regarded as ignorant.
136,137: Does substantiation mean being known, being endowed with existence of or anything else? You should remember the two alternatives spoken of in the previous verse if it means 'being known'. As it is well known that all things come to existence from their causes, no effort (by way of the application of an evidence) is necessary for substantiation.
136,137. Does substantiation mean being known, being endowed with existence or anything else? You should remember the two alternatives spoken of in the previous verse if it means 'being known.' As it is well known that all things come to existence from their causes, no effort (by way of the application of an evidence) is necessary for substantiation.
138. Substantiation, therefore means 'being known' according to the doctrine in which the knower, knowing, and the known are admitted. In the case of both the witness and the witnessed it denotes 'being known.' and not 'endowed with existence.'
139. If it is to be assumed that the distinctness of he agent, the object etc., is what is substantiation (we say that) there can be distinctness or indistinctness with respect to the other (i.e the witness) only, but not the agent.
140. There is no distinctness of a jar to a blind person. (It is nothing more than the jar being known). It however, they want to predicate distinctness of the agent etc., they must admit that knowingness belongs to the Self.
141. Please tell us what benefit you derive by holding that knowledge depends on other things. If it is contended that dependence of knowledge on the knower is desirable (we reply that) the knower also, according to us, is nothing but Knowledge.
142. The intellect itself, though indivisible, is looked upon by deluded people as consisting of the divisions of the knower, knowing and the known.
143. Actions, agents etc., consist, according to us, (Idealists) of knowledge only.
(Reply) You must accept an agent of this knowledge if you admit its existence and destruction every moment.
144. You own conclusion is given up if you do not admit any quality belonging to knowledge. (Objection) The qualities of existence etc., are nothing but the negation of their own non existence and so on. (Reply) Even then knowledge cannot be liable to destruction every moment as it is known by itself according to you.
145. Destruction has for its ultimate limit something which is self existent. You say that destruction is the negation of non-destruction. A cow is defined according to you as the non existence of a non-cow. It cannot be the definition of a cow.
The Asramam is celebrating the hundred years of Arunachala Aksharamana Malai. Sri Bhagavan is said to have a written a few lines of it and then stopped it. After some time, when He went for giri pradakshina with devotees, words gushed forth from His lips and the entire song was completed.
Many commentaries have come for Aksharamana Malai. The first Tamizh one is from Muruganar titled Viruthi Urai. And this contains many new insights into the words and meaning of the verses. The later Tamizh commentary is from Smt. Kanakammal. It is simple and can be eaaily understood. The same was translated by her in English also.
Sri B.Anaatha Swami (who was responsible for Ramana Kendra along with Prof. Swaminathan) had written a Tamizh commentary.
In English, Arthur Osborne has made a verse to verse meanings with some comments and this is available in English Collected Works.
Akshara Mana Malai means a garland of letters. It is also said to mean akshara, eternal without end. This can also be split as Ramana Malai. It starts with Tamizh A and goes up to Vai and certain alphabets are repeated in the end to complete 108 verses.
146. Things denoted by the word 'momentary' are also, according to you only the negation of things that are non-momentary.
147. (The Idealists) As there cannot be any difference in non- existence differences are due to names only. (Reply). Please tell me how there can be many-ness in one indivisible non existence due only to different names.
148. How can the negation of a non cow denote a cow if by the word negation, the negation of different things is meant? Again, non negation distinguishes one thing from another, nor can special properties do it.
149. Just as names, species, etc., do not qualify Knowledge according to you, as it has no special properties, so the negation of a non cow, horn-less-ness etc.,do not qualify a cow.
150. As you have to accept sense perception and inference in everyday life, you have to admit difference; for they consist of actions, agents, and so on.
151. Entities qualifying knowledge such as jars, blue, yellow etc., and also the knower by which these are known must be accepted.
152. Just as the perceiver is different from colors etc., which are perceivable, so the knower, the Self is different from the modifications of the intellect which are knowable. Again just as a lamp which reveals things is different from them, so is knower different from things known.
I propose to use this blog primarily to air my occasional musings on any matters relating to the life and teachings of Ramana Maharshi. There will also be occasional contributions about Arunachala, the sacred mountain where Sri Ramana spent all of his adult life.
Articles and interviews on these topics can also be found on my site: www.davidgodman.org.
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«Oldest ‹Older 1201 – 1400 of 2142 Newer› Newest»On the Nature of Enlightenment As Pratyabhijna:
continues...
It is the recollection of these experiences, while gliding into the waking state, that enables one to state clearly that 'I slept well; I did not know anything. I was not aware of myself too.' 'While slept well' refers to the past experience of sleep and hence falls under smriti (recollection), 'I' component of the statement does not come under this category of recollection of a past entity or something spasmodically recurrent. It must be classified as Pratyabhijna because it refers to the re-recognition of the unbroken experience of the Self during the past even of sushupti and its continued existence in the present waking state too, without a break or an iota of change.
The only difference then is, in the waking state the 'I' shines prominently because it is available for interacting with the world and exists in the 'transactional mode'. In deep sleep the 'I' becomes a non-transactional entity (eclipsed by Maya) and reverts to the merely 'existential mode' as pure presence (nirvisesha, saamaanya satta) that is, the non prominent substratum. Thus the 'waker' himself was the 'sleeper' and being one and the same jiva, it is a re-recognition.
It is neither a new cognition (or knowledge of a new entity) nor mere remembrance of the past. This is the essence of Pratyabhijna. Similarly, Self Knowledge is also an awakening from the beginningless slumber of primal ignorance (See Mandukya Karika, Verse 1.16) and is best described in paradoxical terms like 'Attainment of the Already attained' (prapasya praptih) and 'Revelation of the Ever Revealed ' (anaavrtasya niraavaranam ! Sri Bhagavan says 'thedaathu uRRa tiruvaruL nidhi.'
contd.,
***
On the Nature of Enlightenment As Pratyabhijna:
continues.....
In Verse 6 of Sri Dakshinamurti Stotram, Sri Sankara clearly states that during sushupti, the experience of 'absence of the world' (jagat abhaava vritti) is because of withdrawal of all sense organs of perceptions into a passive mode and the lapsing of the mind into its causal seed form. That is, the antahkaranam (mind) merges into the kaarana sariram (causal sheath) and ceases to function as the 'inner instrument'. Both I AM (the pure unqualified and limitless Sat aspect) and the 'absence of of 'I'-thought (ahamvritti abhava) are registered in the kaaarana sariram which are recollected upon waking. The imprint of the former, I AM, is responsible for the waker's statement, 'I did not exist in sleep' and the imprint of the later, 'the absence of of I thought' is responsible for his saying, 'I was not aware of myself in sleep.' No one ever says 'I did not exist in sleep'. To claim 'non existence in sleep is ludicrous, for it effectively means 'I died during sleep and revived upon waking mysteriously', since death is nothing but withdrawal of existence.
The Self being Sat Chit Ananda swarupa, the power of Maya can only veil the chit (consciousness) aspect but cannot destroy Sat (being) or ananda (joy) aspects. The Bhagavad Gita declares that for Sat (the Self) which alone qualifies as the real, there can be no non existence while the unreal can never have existence (BG. V.2.16). That is why everyone desires the happiness experienced in sleep and uncaused happiness inheres only in the limitless Pure Existence principle (Sat Tattvam) (Who am I?) Thus when a person enters the state of deep sleep , the Upanishad says, he merges with pure Existence , which is the ultimate reality that constitutes the very nature of his Self and therefore attains his own Self (Chandogya v.6.8.1.).
Bhagavan Ramana affirms that this Self ever shining as Pure Consciousness in all the three states, is alone to be known as the true Knowledge and can never be deemed as a Void. (Sat Darsanam, V.14).
We shall see how it is possible to arrive at the reconciliation of the Advaitic position with the Void theory as also the experiential nature of enlightenment based on Pratyabhijna.
concluded for present.
will continue in Oct. 2013.
*****
Surrender:
(Editorial - Apr.June 2009 of M.P)
Many people, both today and during Sri Bhagavan's lifetime, have found Self Inquiry too subtle and difficult to practice and He was often asked if there was some alternative that would achieve the same result. He said that Surrender would. 'If one surrenders oneself, then there will be no questions, or to be thought of. Either the thoughts are eliminated by holding to the root thought 'I' or one surrenders oneself unconditionally to the higher power. These are only two ways of realization. (Talks # 321).
First we should define surrender. The concept is ambiguous and conjures up many meanings. It arouses divergent responses according to people's temperament and upbringing. In some cultures, especially today, surrender is equated with failure and defeat because we have been conditioned to strive for 'successs'. To conquer is viewed as good. Therefore surrender is to be a 'loser'. All this is about our ego image. The individual 'I' is the winner or loser and either way, thriving on attention, it grows. It is a struggle, or can be, if we do not establish what is truly important and non negotiable is our lives.
One's definition of surrender, is more often an abandonment of all volition. But how can one function in the world, if one is not allowed to make a decision? If a doctor or an air traffic controller gave up making decisions, the results would be calamitous. There is a pervasive tendency to confuse two states of mind. The recognition 'I am not the body' is a sublime result of enlightenment. But as long as one identifies oneself with one's suffering from a cold or a broken leg, that precept is not applicable. Surrender in its true spiritual sense entails giving up or surrendering one's identification with the body/mind. As in Sri Bhagavan's example of an actor in a play, the part must be acted out, the lines must be said, but the actor must remember that he or she is not the character played.
Everything that should be done is done correctly but without attachment to self as the doer. This is a way of achieving liberation. One surrenders one's attachment to the idea of a 'self'.
contd.,
****
Surrender:
continues...
How does one surrender to the will of a higher power when we have no idea what that divine intention may be?
One begins by recognizing that to surrender is to open up to the unknown. It is the catalyst that helps us transcend our limitations. If we surrender to Bhagavan what then is His will? To presume that Bhagavan has an individual will is misunderstanding. If there is no separateness where is the desire
to fulfill a personal need? Bhagavan had no will of His own -- there was nothing He wanted exclusively for Himself. Yes, the body required food, and rest to sustain itself. It is also our responsibility to keep both the body and mind clean and safe but not to become identified with them to the point that we assume that that is all there is. We should not fall into the trap of the materialist, mechanical view of life in which all values and motives are judged according to the condition of our physical body. We may have added more years to our lives because of modern medicines but does quantity equate with the precious sense of aliveness? It does not. It may only mean 'more' of 'something' -- more objects to possess, more experiences to accumulate, more time to spend foolishly.
contd.,
***
Surrender:
continues....
Sri Bhagavan was free on all levels.
He lived in the moment and did not accept responsibility for any of the so called miracles which spontaneously occurred with Him; rather He explained them as 'automatic divine action'. When we 'surrender' to Sri Bhagavan it is not for His personal whim but is an affirmation, a commitment, to see things as they are, and not as we want them to be. If Sri Bhagavan had an individual will, His intention would be for us to recognize and share the joy of Jnana.
We must understand that surrender is not an abrogation of responsibility. It is the transcendence of our individual will and is essential if we are to grow in wisdom. There comes a crucial point in our lives when we realize that our individual efforts will never be enough, that we need help. That is why we start our search for a guru, and if we are lucky and blessed, we brought to a genuine guru like Bhagavan Sri Ramana.
We all have been satisfied to some extent by the fulfillment of physical needs but the sense of dissatisfaction always lurks in a corner of our minds. At some level, we realize that we are not strong enough to make things happen as we wish or aware enough to realize the actual nature of things we clutch as if our lives depended on it. We also come to realize that the state of constant awareness is possible.
The nature of the mind is movement. Each moment, no matter how miniscule, expresses change. Nothing remains the same. An instant is over the moment it happens and all we have to show for it are memories. We years to be fully conscious, we yearn to be truly alive, and to understand what is happening around us. It is our nature to register sensation and thought. The conundrum is HOW TO LET GO and yet be confident that all is well. It is a question of trust and surrender to a Higher Power or the Dharma or whatever term one wishes to describe Reality.
contd.,
****
Surrender:
continues....
When we believe that everything happens for a purpose, then we see an opportunity to comfortably let go of wanting events to be tailored to our expectations. How often have we had a series of events that did not go our way and yet, with patience and lack of self pity, something fortuitous occurred, which would otherwise have been impossible on the fixed tracks of our vasanas, our habitual tendencies. When we flow with events, we may unexpectedly meet an old friend who proves to be a stepping stone on the path. The reverse is also true, when we refuse to flow with circumstances, and learn later that we missed an opportunity. The experiences we all have had in this respect are endless. This tells us something vital. Life is always teaching us if we would but pay attention. Life is not an inert block on which we play our tune; it is a 'livingness' which interacts with us. We miss out on so much of life because we refuse to surrender to the moment, listen and learn.
There is a Jewish Hasidic story:
'When Rabbi Shmelke and his brother visited the maggid (the great spiritual master) of Mezritch, they asked him about the following: Our sages said certain words which leave us no peace because we do not understand them. They are that men should praise and thank God for suffering just as much as for well being, and receive it with the same joy. Will you tell us how we are to understand this, rabbi?'
'The maggid replied: 'Go to the House of Study. There you will find Zusya smoking his pipe. He will give you the explanation.' They went to the House of Study and put their question to Rabbi Zusya. He laughed. 'You certainly have come to right man! Better go to someone else rather than me, for I have never experienced suffering.' But the two knew that, from the day he was born to this day. Rabbi Zusya's life had been a web of need and anguish. Then they knew what it was: "to accept suffering with love." (Tales of the Hasidim, The Early Masters, Martin Buber, 1956).
contd.,
****
Surrender:
continues.....
It is a question of attitude. Surrender is a stance of openness to both the joys and inevitable sorrows life bestows. Resistance to change inhibits our understanding. Resistance is the knot which binds us to the past and makes us suffer. In Yoga these knots are called granthis. They create tension in the body and neurosis in the mind. How can we be fresh and alert if our minds are tied to preconceptions of how things should be or what they were? Do we gracefully accept reality with the attitude of surrender or do we indulge in our illusions and hopes?
Many of the ills of modern world are due to the lack of meaning of in our lives. What is our purpose?
Our receptivity to life and willingness to surrender our will and to flow harmoniously with events hinges on our answer to this question. We can see loving surrender to the demands of others in mothers who continuously give up their own desires for the well being of their children. They do it willingly because they feel the joy of their children's development. Though it is frustrating at times, there is never any question of neglecting their responsibility. They give freely with love. To reward is in the giving. To paraphrase Bhagavan, 'the giver gives to him or the Self.' In spiritual surrender the giving is final and complete for one gives oneself.
contd.,
****
subramanian,
The Real problem is that 'Surrender' is not a proper translation for 'saranagathi'.
Saranagathi means to stay rooted at the feet of God.It is something that cannot be done by any contrivance of volitional mind.
One cannot 'Practice' it but one may have the attitude,the Bhava that may develop into intense Love of God and lead one to Saranagathi.
Namaskar.
Dear Ravi,
Yes. I agree. saranam (feet) gathi
(as the way). "Holding the feet of
God" is what some translators have used. Some others have used self-surrender or atma samarpanam (to god) or atma nivedanam (to god).
Subramanian. R
Surrender:
continues....
If we understand that surrender means not imposing our desire on circumstances, we learn to remain in the present and act appropriately. We exercise discrimination and do nothing which may harm us or others. We behave respectfully. We learn our lines and play our part. As we seek to be humble, we leave no mark, like the movement of an active hand through air.
One of the fundamentals of the Santana Dharma is sacrifice (yagna). Sacrifice is the central act prescribed in Vedas. It does not mean denial but offering up, letting go. It is not a chore but a joy if one's attitude is in concord with a higher purpose. Harmony exists when there is a still center that allows an openness of mind and heart. This is not weakness but strength.
We practice all kinds of spiritual disciplines to create that still center. Who has not experienced a divine moment when the mind is miraculously still and alert? There are those in history we admire who gave up everything in order to rediscover and deepen the glorious all embracing consciousness.
Meditation is the act of recollecting our central axis of stillness. The knowledge we derive from inquiring into WHO is thinking or experiencing. The understanding we gain from surrendering to the moment -- these cannot be weighed or judged by conventional standards of success. It is a subtle, sustained and positive process. We cannot imitate inner surrender -- we can only practice it, much like the child who valiantly tries to walk and then suddenly after repeated struggles, walks with joy and elan.
concluded.
****
Sri Ramana Maharshi, Spiritual Instruction:
As the Self shines fully of its own
accord, why is it not generally recognized like the other objects of the world by all persons?
Wherever particular objects are known it is the Self which has known itself in the form of those objects. For what is known as knowledge or awareness is only the potency of the Self (atma shakti).
The Self is the only sentient object. There is nothing apart from the Self. If there are such objects they are all insentient and therefore cannot either know themselves or mutually know one another. It is because the Self does not know its true nature in this manner that it seems to be immersed and struggling in the ocean of birth (and death) in the form of the individual soul.
****
Sri Ramana Maharshi - Spiritual Instruction:
What is the method of practice?
As the Self of a person who tries to attain Self Realization is not different from him and as there is nothing other than or superior to him to be attained by him, Self Realization being only the realization of one's true nature, the seeker of Liberation realizes, without doubts or misconceptions, his real nature, by distinguishing the eternal from the transient, and never swerves from his natural state. This is known as the practice of Knowledge. This is the enquiry leading to Self Realization.
****
Sri Ramana Maharshi - Spiritual
Instruction -
1. What are the marks of a real teacher (Sadguru)?
Steady abidance in the Self, looking at all with an equal eye, unshakable
courage at all times, and in all places, and circumstances.
2. What are the marks of an earnest disciple (Sad sishya)?
An intense longing for the removal of sorrow and attainment of joy and an intense aversion for all kinds of mundane pleasure.
****
What is the significance of the saying that the nature of the real Guru is that of the Supreme Lord (Sarvesvara)?
In the case of the individual soul which desires to attain the state of true knowledge or the state of Godhood (Isvara) and with that object always practices devotion, when the individual's devotion has reached a mature stage, the Lord who is the witness of that individual soul and identical with it, comes forth in human form with the help of Sat Chit Ananda, His three natural features, and form the name which He also graciously assumes, and in the guise of blessing the disciple, absorbs him in Himself. According to this doctrine the Guru can truly be called the Lord.
****
Sri Ramana Maharshi - Spiritual Instruction:
All mental concepts are controlled by the mere presence of the real Guru. If he were to say one who has arrogantly claims that he has seen the further shore of the ocean of learning or one who claims arrogantly that he can perform deeds which are well nigh impossible, 'Yes, you learnt all that is to be learnt, but have you learnt to know yourself? And you who are capable of performing deeds which are almost impossible, have you seen yourself?', they will bow their heads in shame and remain silent. Thus it is evident that only by the Grace of the Guru and by no other accomplishments is it possible to know yourself.
****
Sri Ramana Maharshi -
Spiritual Instruction: ch. II:
What is the difference between dhyana and samadhi?
Dhyana is imagination of the mind,
made through one's own effort. In Samadhi, there is no such effort.
****
'Since all living beings desire to
be happy always, without any misery,
since everyone supreme love exists only for oneself, and since happiness alone is the cause of love, in order to obtain that happiness, which is one's very nature, and which is experienced daily in deep sleep, where there is no mind, it is necessary for one to know oneself. For that enquiry in the form of Who am I? alone is the principal means.'
Sri Ramana Maharshi - in Who am I?
****
Dakshinamurti is known as the silent Guru, the Guru of Gurus. Though he is daily worshipped in every Siva temple in the South, he has few temples of his own. Dakshinamurti is an aspect of the ascetic Siva.
As an example of how eloquent silence can be felt for the sincere seeker, the following episode which I personally witnessed in the Old Hall,some years ago, will illustrate. A gentleman from Kashmir came to the Asramam with his servant who could not speak a word of any other language except his native Kashmiri. One night when the Hall was almost dark except for the pale glimmer of a single hurricane lantern, the servant came to into the Hall and stood before Bhagavan in a respectful manner jabbering something rapidly in his own language. Bhagavan said nothing, but lay quietly gazing him. After a while the servant saluted and left the Hall. Next morning, his master came to Bhagavan and complained. 'Bhagavan, you never told me you could speak Kashmiri, was it fair?'
'Why, what do you mean?' asked Bhagavan. 'I know not a single word of your language.'
Bhagavan asked the gentleman how he had got hold of this absurd idea and the latter explained.
Last night my servant came to you and asked you, several questions in his language. He tells me that you have answered him in the same language and cleared his doubts.'
'But I never opened m mouth, Bhagavan replied.
Major Chadwick.
*****
Sri Ramana Maharshi - Spiritual Instruction:
What is the mark of the ego?
The individual soul of the form of 'I' is the ego. The Self which is of the nature of consciousness (Chit) has no sense of 'I'. Nor does the insentient body possess a sense of 'I'. The intermediate appearance of a delusive ego between consciousness and the inert body is the root cause of all troubles. Upon its destruction by whatever means, that which really exists will shine as it is really is. This is called Liberation or Moksha.
****
I AM - Anna Ramana
Softly they fold me into me,
These waves.
The moon is a white sheet
In the sky.
I breath deep and more deeply
Until I become the sea, until
I become the air, the sand,
A grain ground into nothing
Until I flower into
Every single thing.
I have become the sun,
I have fallen into light.
More true is that
The 'i' has simply
Taken flight.
The dream world is
A silver sheen of dust
Where once I lived
But now the heart has exploded.
****
If one resorts uninterruptedly to
Self remembrance (swarupa smaranai,
that is, remembrance of or attention to the mere feeling of 'I') until one attains Self, that alone will be sufficient. As long as there are enemies in the fort, they will continue to come out. If one continues to cut all of them down, as and when they come, the fort will fall into our hands.
Sri Ramana Maharshi - Who am I?
****
Sri Ramana Maharshi - Spiritual Instruction:
All mental concepts are controlled by the mere presence of the real Guru. If he were to say to one who arrogantly claims that he has seen the further shore of the ocean of learning or one who claims arrogantly that he can perform deeds which are well nigh impossible, 'Yes, you learnt all that is to be learnt, but have you
learnt (to know) yourself? And you who are capable of performing deeds which are almost impossible, have you seen yourself?', they will bow their heads in shame, and remain silent. Thus it is evident that only by the Grace and by no other accomplishment is it possible to know yourself.
****
To Muruganar:
By Charles G. Reeder:
(From Mountain Path - July 1975)
The one who lived by the peepul tree,
Whose sky unfolded from the leaves
as the wind rode through,
whose starveling buffalo-mother
grazed for her yearling
in the dusty yard,
who sat on the little stone porch
held only by an old, ragged dhoti,
his mind kiting beyond the worlds,
and calmly smiled when this dhoti
was beaten on the washing stone,
has climbed the Red Hill, and his white wrapping cloth he gently
unfurled into a cloud.
*****
RETURN - CORNELIA BAGAROTTI
The child unborn lies cradled within the womb of the mother. The love between his father and his mother had blended and descended into the world of matter and created a new human life. As this little creature emerges from sleep, and darkness, and protection of his mother, he enters the world of Man.
From that moment on he will forever be in search of God. His heart will seek the Love that created him, his mind will search for the meaning and purpose of his life. And he keeps searching until he finds either through his heart or his mind the answer to his great quest.
When the moment comes he will return to the origin of his life. He will lose his sense of separate identity, he will become one with the Love that brought him into being, he will rest in peace in the protection that gave him life.
Then he in turn will become part of all life, unbroken, endless, which pervades all that he sees or touches. So that like the Christ, he can say, 'I in my Father and my Father in me.'
Some traverse the Path to God-union
with their hearts, submitting their will in trust and prayer, and some through the long effort of search and study. But in the end, both will say as in the commandment -
'Honor thy Father and thy Mother that thy days may be long upon the earth.'
Did not Christ say, 'Suffer little children to come unto me, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven made'? The child is the symbol of that union in God which ever present still eludes those who seek for the secret of life outside the human heart.
(Mountain Path, July 1975)
***
The Illusion:
Once upon a time,I, Chuang-tse, dreamt I was a butterfly, fluttering hither and thither, to all intents and purposes a butterfly. I was conscious only of following my fancies as a butterfly, and was unconscious of my individuality as a man. Suddenly, I awakened, and there
I lay, myself again. Now I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly dreaming I am a man. Between a man and a butterfly there is necessarily a distinction. The transition is called the transformation of material things.
Chuang-tse
(Kafka has also described the same story in his book Metamorphosis.)
****
Hello. It's very hot this summer in Japan.
I hesitate to ask this basic question...but how is "Ramana" written in sanskrit? रमण or रामण?
रामन महर्षि(sanskrit), ரமண மகரிஷி(tamil) ← Are these words spelled correctly?
thank you
Dear shiba,
Ramana Maharshi is spellled and pronounced as Ramana Maharshi and not
RAmana Maharshi. It is again,
Maharshi and not Maharishi.
Subramanian. R
The Call of Arunachala -
By Saniel Bonder.
(July 1975, Mountain Path):
The call of Arunachala
is no call of destiny;
it is the silent beckoning
of destiny's End.
There is nothing to be found
beyond its rugged slopes,
nothing to be sought.
After one arrives
at Arunachala,
destiny goes begging
in the streets, wearing
the torn and fading orange
rags of clouds whose sun
has set. After one arrives
at Arunachala,
never again to depart,
destiny lies down
to die, its face as
gaunt, its eyes as bleak
as those of the moon
at dawn. Like a
wrongly summoned genie
whose master has escaped,
it has nothing to do,
nowhere to go, no one
to turn or to turn to.
Its power is unavailing.
Its spell is shattered.
Scavenge as it will,
there is no one left
to prey on; death will
be its last and bitter
morsel. Thus it is
no wonder that destiny
quivers in fright at
the gate of the Heart
when first one hears
the call of Arunachala.
What jailer would
respond differently,
having found the
Invincible One
Himself within
the walls? Even his keys
are now useless. The Liberator
is indeed the prisoner himself,
unmasked. For Arunachala
is everywhere present; It
beckons only to Itself.
Phantoms like destiny beat
wings of mist in vain
upon Its rocks; for
the call of Arunachala
is call of the destiny's End.
*****
Dear, Subramanian. R
Thank you very much for your reply.
I checked Sri Ramanashramam official HP in Hindu and in Tamil.
According to HP,
Hindi:रमन महर्षि Ramana Maharshi
Tamil:ரமண மகரிஷி Ramana Maharishi
thank you
God of Everyday:
Derek Neville
(April 1975, Mountain Path)
I will not have God in his heaven,
And part of his creation
Still in hell.
I want him sliding down the moon-beams,
Hauling the tides,
Or holding up the sun;
Majestic, strong and perfect.
Oh -- I want him there
-- Whatever beauty is,
Living and glowing like some hidden fire,
Behind the flowers,
Or flowing in the wind,
Or falling, like a blessing, in the dew,
I want him strewn in primrose covered woods,
Pure like the yellow there among the leaves;
Or blazing with the sun,
Or scattered o'er the canopy of night
In never ending furnaces of power.
All this I want
But this is not enough.
I want God grimy with the grime of men
Hewing the face of coal;
Glistening in sweat
On brows, tired of work.
I want God dirty with the dirt of the towns,
All soot-encrusted there among the chimney pots.
I want heaven and God put back where they belong
-- Waiting on earth
Until men come to see
The glory of everyday
Behind their greed and blindness.
Oh - he shall sing with birds upon
the bough.
Until that joy has risen like a spring
Among the earth bound,
And the dead.
Then, then shall he be waiting
Like a jewel
Hid in the dark, clay stuttered
Souls of men.
Freed, at long last, from pulpit
And from pew,
From sect and creed,
From Litany and Mass;
No longer what we seek,
But what we've found --
Here, on the common earth,
In common ways,
God of the everyday --
With every heart a manger,
And every life a throne.
*****
Garland of Guru's Sayings:
(Tr. Prof. K. Swaminathan)
440.
Nought but awareness is the universe;
Nought but awareness is all life;
Nought but awareness is the goal
supreme.
441.
Look with what utter unconcern
The serpent in the ant hill puts
away
Its slough. Our obligation is
The like removal of the five-fold
sheath
Illusive, burning, clinging to us
fast.
442.
In full enjoyment of the silent
bliss
Flowing from the Grace
Of the Lord of Wisdom, Lord of
Self,
Casting off the five-fold sheath
that brings
Attachment is the jiva's
liberation.
443.
Since even in the absence of this
world
A bodiless awareness is our being,
Release from all the sheaths, from
form and ego,
Is restoration to our natural Self.
444.
As the false dream ends when we
we wake up,
The Ego dies when the Sun, the true
I rises,
Ego's destruction by strong Self
inquiry,
Is what is known as Self
-attainment.
****
Garland of Guru's Sayings:
(Prof. K. Swaminathan)
445:
Though one may seem lost in this
false world,
The ending of both 'I' and 'mine'
In the clarity of true awareness
Void of every sense perception
Brings abidance in the bliss
Of being That.
446:
The primal truth clings to the
heart's deep core
And can be seen by strong, keen
search alone,
Those who with a pestle's broad
round end
Probe for that target hardly gain
it.
447.
Since in His still presence
concepts do not rise,
Since all three persons are only
concepts
And since second and third rise
only after the first,
The Self is the origin of all three
persons.
448:
What in the body as 'I' is mind.
Enquiring where this 'I' thought
was before
Its rising here, it sinks in the
heart
Hence from the heart the mind
arises.
449.
In the absence of thought there
is no jive,
God or world. As in every thought
The 'I' thought is the starting
point,
Whence this thought springs,
that is the Heart.
****
Sri Muruganar:
Birds in the sky and fish in water
Dart and leave no track behind.
And none can trace the path by which
The Sages journeyed to the Self.
(Mountain Path, April, 1975)
*****
From Crumbs From His Table)
The Self is not limited. It is the mind which produces a form that is limited. That which has got dimensions is he mind and it gives rise to dimensions in others. The real limitation is the mind. The mind is not different from gold. The mind is a wonderful power, a mysterious power (Sakti) of the Supreme Being. It is after the rise of the mind that God, world, and jivas (individuals) appear, whereas in sleep we are not aware of these three. That is the mysterious power of God. But although we are not aware of these in sleep, yet we know that we existed in sleep also. On the rising of the mind we awaken from sleep. Consciousness and unconsciousness are with reference to the mind only. In the wakeful state, we identify ourselves with the mind. If now we find the real Self behind the mind, then we shall not have these limitations.
*****
Descent of Grace:
Dilip Kumar Roy
(July 1975, Mountain Path)
Veiled by your maya, in secret, you
create, Lord, your own offerings;
How you repeal our thorny woods
with flowers - none knows, O King
of Kings.
In grim and lonely deserts your
sweet fragrance we may not
perceive,
But you do visit with your peace
of stars to bless our hearts at
eve,
Making your beauty's laughter bloom
in this our sad war weary land
Of strifes, din and disharmonies;
your ways, Lord, who can
understand?
*
We sully with our fool passions'
murk
the rain you pour from your
heavenly home;
You paint your pictures of Love's
play
when we sleep in abysmal gloom.
So we hark not to the Elysium
your Flute invites us all to hail,
But your great bounteous sleepless
sun
illumines still our dismal vale!
I wake athrill; no phantom this,
but your gleam-garden of fadeless
Rose,
You, foster, Friend, everlastingly,
with what divine seeds -no one
knows !
*
Beloved, whenever, disconsolate,
to you, the Nebulous, I pray,
Answers your Flute; ' Behold, I am
so close to you, - not far away!'
But blind, I grope for you in vain
and cry in tears; 'How can it be?'
Then, lo, your miracle touch I feel
in an overwhelming ecstasy
What a rapturous experience is
accorded to me by your Grace;
The thorns are gone! I am only
kissed
by roses of your tenderness !
******
john Sommers, You're coming from a very dark place and sound really disturbed!
Why not pause, reflect on what you're doing or if that doesn't help, pop a pill and calm down?
Atma Bodham - Sri Sankara -
Sri Bhagavan (tr.)
Through the repeated practice, Knowledge purifies the embodied soul
stained by ignorance, and then itself
disappears, as the powder of kataka-nut disappears after it has cleaned the muddy water.
knowledge itself disappears - Thus there is no possibility of a second
entity besides the Self.
See also verse 27 of Upadesa Undiyar.
*****
Atma Bodha - Sri Sankara -
tr. Sri Bhagavan:
The tangible universe is verily Atman; nothing whatsoever exists that is other than Atman. As pots and jars are verily clay and cannot be anything but clay, so to the enlightened, all that is perceived is Self.
*
A jivanmukta, endowed with Self Knowledge, gives up the traits of his previous upadhis. Because of his realization, that he is of the nature of Existence-Knowledge-Bliss Absolute, he verily becomes Brahman, like the cockroach becomes a brahmara insect.
*
A yogi who is a jivanmukta, after crossing the ocean of delusion and killing the monsters of passion and aversion, becomes united with Peace and dwells in the Bliss derived from the realization of the Self alone.
*
Relinquishing attachment to the illusory external happiness, the Self-abiding jivanmukta, satisfied with the Bliss derived from Atman, shines inwardly, like a lamp placed in a jar.
*
Though associated with upadhis, he, the contemplative one, is undefiled
by their traits, like the sky, and he remains unaltered under all conditions, like a dumb person. He moves about unattached like the wind.
****
beautiful!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Jsswtme-Dw
Atma Bodha - Sri Sankara -
tr. in Tamizh verses - Sri Bhagavan:
On the destruction of the upadhis, he
the contemplative one, is totally absorbed in Vishnu, the All-Pervading
Spirit, like water in water, space in space, and light in light.
*
Realize that to be Brahman the attainment of which leaves nothing more to be attained, the blessedness of which leaves, no other bliss to be desired, and the knowledge of which leaves nothing more to be known.
*
Realize that to be Brahman which, when seen, leaves nothing more to be seen, having become which, one is not born again into the world of becoming, and which, when known, leaves nothing else to be known.
*
Realize that to be Brahman which is Existence, Knowledge-Bliss Absolute, which is non dual and infinite eternal and One, and which fills all the quarters -- all that is above and below and all that exists between.
*
Realize that to be Brahman which is non dual, indivisible, One, and blissful, and which is indicated by Vedanta as the irreducible substratum after the negation of all tangible objects.
****
Atmabodha - Sri Sankara - Tr. in
Tamizh verses - Sri Bhagavan:
Deities like Brahma and Indra taste only a particle of the ultimate Bliss of Brahman and enjoy, in proportion, their shares of that particle.
*
All objects are pervaded by Brahman, all actions are possible because of Brahman; therefore Brahman permeates everything, as butter permeates milk.
*
Realize that to be Brahman which is neither subtle nor gross; neither short nor long; without birth and change; without form, qualities, or color.
*
Realize that to be Brahman by the light of which luminous orbs like the sun and the moon are illumined, but which cannot be illuminated by their light, and by which everything is illumined.
*
The Supreme Brahman pervades the entire universe outwardly and inwardly and shines of Itself, like the fire that permeates a red hot iron ball both inwardly and outwardly and shines of itself.
****
Atmabodha - Sri Sankara - Tamizh translation in verses by Sri Bhagavan. This English translation is by Swami Nikhilananda:
Brahman is other than the universe.
There exists nothing that is not Brahman. If any object other than Brahman, appears to exist, it is unreal like a mirage.
*
All that is perceived, all that is heard, is Brahman, and nothing else. Attaining the Knowledge of Reality, one sees the universe as the non dual Brahman, Existence-Knowledge-Bliss-Absolute.
*
Though Atman is Reality, and Consciousness, and ever present everywhere, yet It is perceived by the eye of Wisdom alone. But one whose vision is obscured by ignorance does not see the radiant
Atman, as the blind do not see the resplendent sun.
*
The jiva free from impurities, being well heated in the fire of Knowledge kindled by hearing and so on, shines himself, like gold.
*
Atman, which is the Sun of Knowledge, arises in the firmament of the heart, and destroys the darkness. The Pervader of All and the Sustainer of All, It illumines all and also Itself.
*
He who, renouncing all activities, worships in the sacred and stainless shrine of Atman, which independent of time, place and distance; which is present everywhere, which is the destroyer of heat and cold, and the other opposites, and which is the giver of eternal happiness, becomes all-knowing and all-pervading and attains, hereafter Immortality.
****
Atma Bodha - Earlier Verses from
the beginning - Sri Sankara:
Eng.Tr. Swami Nikhilananda:
1. I am composing the Atma Bodha or Self Knowledge, to serve the needs of those who have been purified through the practice of austerities, and who are peaceful in heart, free from cravings, and desirous of liberation.
2.As fire is the direct cause of cooking, so Knowledge, and not any other form of discipline, is the direct cause of Liberation. For liberation cannot be attained without Knowledge.
3. Action cannot destroy ignorance, for it is not in conflict with ignorance. Knowledge alone destroys ignorance, as light destroys dense darkness.
contd.,
****
Atma Bodha - Sri Sankara:
continues....
4. It is only because of ignorance
that the Self appears to be finite.
When ignorance is destroyed, the Self which does not admit any multiplicity whatsoever truly reveals Itself by Itself, like the Sun when the cloud is removed.
5. Through repeated practice, Knowledge purifies the embodied soul stained by ignorance, and then itself disappears, as the powder of the kataka-nut disappears after it has cleaned the muddy water.
6. The world filled with attachments and aversions, and the rest, is like a dream. It appears to be real as long as one is ignorant, but becomes unreal when one is awake.
contd.,
****
Atma Bodha - Sri Sankara:
7. The world appears to be real as long as the non dual Brahman, which is the basis of all, is not known. It is like the illusion of silver in an oyster-shell.
8. All the various forms exist in the imagination of the perceiver, the substratum being the eternal and all pervading Vishnu, whose nature is Existence and Intelligence. Names and forms are like bangles and bracelets, and Vishnu is like gold.
9. As the all pervading akasa appears to be diverse on account of its association with various upadhis, which are different from each other, and becomes one on the destruction of upadhis, so also the omnipresent Lord appears to be diverse on account of His association with various upadhis and becomes one on the destruction of these upadhis.
contd.,
****
Atma Bodha - Sri Sankara -
continues....
10. Owing to Its association with various upadhis, such ideas as caste, color, and position are superimposed
on Atman, as flavor, color and so forth, on water
11. The gross body, the medium through which the Soul experiences pleasure and pain, is determined by the past action and formed out of the five great subtle elements, which become gross when one half portion of one subtle element, becomes united with one eighth of each of of each of other four.
(This is called Panchikaranam. Sri Bhagavan has not mentioned this at all in His conversations.)
12. The subtle body, the instrument of the Soul's experience, consists of five pranas, the ten organs, the manas, and the buddhi -- all formed from the rudimentary elements before their sub division and combination with one another.
contd.,
***
Dear David, What is the nature of the additional material on Maurice Frydman that you intend to publish and what is the estimated day of publication?
Looking forward to purchase the book.
Atma Bodha - Sri Sankara:
13. Avidya or nescience, indescribable and beginningless, is called the cause, which is an upadhi superimposed on Atman Know for certain that Atma is other than the three upadhis.
14.On account of union with five sheaths, the pure Atman appears to be like them, as in the case with a crystal, which appears to be endowed with such colors as blue or red with a blue or red cloth.
contd.,
***
Atma Bodha - Sri Sankara:
15. One should, through discrimination, separate pure and inmost Self from the sheaths by which it is covered, as one separates a rice-kernel from the covering husk, by striking it with a pestle.
16. Though the all pervading Atman does not shine in everything, It is manifest only in the buddhi, like a reflection in clear water, or in a stainless mirror.
17. Realize the Atman to be distinct from the body, sense organs, mind, buddhi, and non differentiated Prakriti, but the Witness of their functions, comparable to a king.
18. As the moon appears to be moving when the clouds move in the sky, so also to the non discriminating, Atman appears to be active when in reality the senses are active.
****
Atma Bodha - Sri Sankara:
continues...
19. The body, senses, mind and buddhi engage in their respective activities with the help of Consciousness, which is inherent in
Atman, just as men work with the help of light that is inherent in the sun.
20. Fools, through non discrimination, superimpose on the stainless Atman, which is Existence and Consciousness Absolute, the characteristics and functions of he body and the senses, just as people attribute such traits as blueness and concavity to the sky.
21. As the movement that belongs to water, is attributed to the moon reflected in it, so also the agency, enjoyment and other limitations which belong to the mind, are falsely attributed to Atman.
contd.
*****
Atma Bodha - Sri Sankara:
continues....
22. Attachment, desire, pleasure, pain and the rest, per perceived to exist as long as the buddhi, or mind functions. They are not perceived in deep sleep, when the mind ceases to exist. Therefore, they belong to the mind alone and not to Atman.
23. The nature of the Atman is Eternity, Purity, Reality, Consciousness, and Bliss, just as luminosity is the nature of the sun, coolness of water, and heat of fire.
24. Such a notion as 'I know' is produced by the union, due to non discrimination, of a modification of the mind with two aspects of Atman, namely, Existence and Consciousness.
25. Atman never undergoes change, and the buddhi is never endowed with consciousness. But man believes Atman to be identical with the buddhi and falls under such delusions as that he is the seer and the knower.
contd.,
****
Hello, everyone
I read the following sentences in "Vichara Sangraham".
"It is a great sin to spoil that Reality by superimposing on it various names and forms such as Ganapati, Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Mahesvara, and Sadashiva"
I feel it is rather extreme expression for Bhagavan to use...Is this English translation correct one? We devottees often call that Reality 'Arunachala Siva' for example. It must not be sin to do so. How should I think about this sentences?
thank you
shiba,
""It is a great sin to spoil that Reality by superimposing on it various names and forms such as Ganapati, Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Mahesvara, and Sadashiva"
I will translate the complete sentence for you-a little long winding in the original.
The One God who is atma,(Self)who creates,preserves and destroys us,-to project(it) and spoil(distort)through the bhavana(imagination)as manifold forms as Ganapathi,Brahma,Vishnu,Rudra,Maheswara,Sadasiva -is verily a Great sin say the Vedantins.
Key points:
1.To Differentiate the One Atma as the Many.
2.Vedantins say so.
Sri Bhagavan is not saying this!He is only commenting on them in general.Sri Bhagavan as ever is Neutral.At the same time,he is emphasizing on the Atma as the one Reality.
Namaskar.
Thank you very much for your kind answer, Ravi.
Your excellent translation and explanation cleared my doubt as rising sun dispel darkness.
I will preserve this translation carefully.
thank you
shiba,
I understand that Vichara Sangraha is made available in two formats-1.'Q&A' format and 2.'Essay' Format.I have translated from the Essay format of Vichara Sangraha.The Question and Answer format of the same seems to be a bit different.
Here is the excerpt from The Collected Works of Sri Ramana Maharshi-edited by Arthur Osborne(The Q & A Format):
"The six mystic centres, etc., which are said to be loci of
meditation, are but products of imagination. All these are
meant for beginners in yoga. With reference to meditation on
the six centres, the Sivayogins say, ‘God, who is of the nature
of the non-dual, plenary, Consciousness-Self, manifests,
sustains and resolves us all. It is a great sin to spoil that Reality
by superimposing on it various names and forms such as
Ganapati, Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Maheswara and Sadasiva’,
and the Vedantins declare, ‘All those are but imaginations of
the mind.’ Therefore, if one knows one’s Self which is of the
nature of consciousness that knows everything, one knows
everything".
Please clarify whether you are referring to the above passage.In any case,the gist of that statement is what I Have posted.
I had a lingering doubt whether Sri Bhagavan would have even admitted -'Vedantins calling it a sin'.This sort of inaccuracy and interpretation creeps in when someone like Natanananda transposes from an available Q&A format into free essay style.I have to say that this is a serious lapse as it has strayed from the Original one recorded by Seshayya.
If something is not in Sri Bhagavan's handwriting or directly scrutinized by him,there is always a possibility of this sort of inaccuracy to creep in.
I cannot but bring in sharp contrast,The Gospel Of Sri Ramakrishna by 'M' which has a stenographic precision!M had this rare gift of capturing the very words of his Master and transcribing it for Posterity.
David may please comment on the two formats of Vichara sangraha.
Namaskar.
Dear, Ravi
The passage I am referring to is from "The Collected Works of Sri Ramana Maharshi-edited by Arthur Osborne ".
The following article that Mr.Godman wrote may be useful for you.
http://sri-ramana-maharshi.blogspot.jp/2008/05/authenticity-of-bhagavans-writings-and.html
thank you
Atma Bodha: Sri Sankara:
22. Attachment, desire, pleasure and pain and the rest are perceived to exist as long as the buddhi or mind,
functions. They are not perceived in deep sleep, when the mind ceases to exist. Therefore they belong to the mind alone and not to Atman.
23. The nature if the Atman is Eternity, Purity, Reality, Consciousness and Bliss, just as luminosity is the nature of the sun, coolness of water, and heat of fire.
24. Such a notion as "I know" is produced by the union, due to non discrimination, of a modification of the mind with two aspects of Atman, namely Existence and Consciousness.
25. Atman never undergoes change,
and the buddhi is never endowed with consciousness. But man believes Atman to be identical with the buddhi and falls under such delusions as that he is the seer and the knower.
contd.
****
The question and answer version and the essay version of Vichara Sangraham were both compiled by Sadhu Natanananda. The question and answer version came first. It was compiled from notes that were donated by Gambhiram Seshayyer. Both versions appeared in early editions of the Tamil version of Collected Works, and both were checked and approved by Bhagavan.
The original notes contained paraphrased summaries by Bhagavan of Tamil texts that Gambhiram Seshayyer could not understand in the original. The text is therefore a mix of explanations of existing texts and original replies from Bhagavan. It is no longer possible to determine exactly which are paraphrased explanations of original texts, and which are original statements by Bhagavan.
V. Ganesan told me around 1980 that T. M. P. Mahadevan had been given the original notes when he did the translation, but when I asked the professor about this, he said he had never ever seen them. It seems they have long since disappeared. Without these notes, it would not be possible to work out the status of individual statements in the text.
The language of this excerpt sounds like one of the paraphrases that Bhagavan provided, but this does not mean that Bhagavan did not approve of the sentiment expressed. Here is verse 777 of Guru Vachaka Kovai, with a comment by Muruganar. It expresses a similar idea:
777 The supreme reality exists as the undivided space of true jnana. When we become different from it and rise as a false ‘I’ that frolics about and suffers, this constitutes the sin of destroying that non-duality by cleaving it into two, the ‘I’ [nan] and God [tan], thus bringing ruination upon the way of dharma.
Muruganar: As swarupa-jnana is free from distinguishing attributes, it is undivided and unlimited. Since the ego splits the non-dual reality, the Atma-swarupa, into two, jiva and Iswara, its rising becomes the sin of killing it [the reality] by severing it into two. So, the foremost dharma is only the ego-free state of mauna.
David,
Thanks very much for the clarification on the two versions of Vichara Sangraha.I have the complete works of Sri Bhagavan(Sri Ramana Noor Thirattu) in Tamizh published in 1972.The Footnote to the preface mentions that Pillai(Sivaprakasam Pillai?)helped bring out the script of Seshayya as a book and that Natananandar shaped it into Q & A form.In any case,this tamizh book of collected works carries only the essay format and not the Q & A form.
I can see that the Q& A form has more reference to the Yogic centres and the corresponding passage in the essay form has excluded that reference.
Coming to the 'sin' alluded to in the 777 verse of guru Vachaka Kovai,the moment I read your translation,I instantly inferred that it alludes to the Brahma- Hatti Dosham.In common parlance it refers to the sin of killing a Brahmana.
The verse just drives home forcefully that the real Brahma hatti Dosha is so-to-say killing the non dual Brahman by slicing it into two-as 'I' and 'God'-as seperate entities.
It is more of a metaphor that just does not carry the usual sentiment associated with sin.
We may recall a similiar use by Swami Vivekananda:" Ye divinities on earth -- sinners! It is a sin to call a man so; it is a standing libel on human nature. Come up, O lions, and shake off the delusion that you are sheep; you are souls immortal, spirits free, blest and eternal"
Namaskar.
Bhagavan's standpoint is sometimes difficult to understand for me...
・from "Maharshi's Gospel"
D: But how is crucifixion justified? Is not killing a
terrible crime?
M: Everyone is committing suicide. The eternal, blissful,
natural state has been smothered by this ignorant
life. In this way the present life is due to the killing
of the eternal, positive existence. Is it not really a
case of suicide? So, why worry about killing etc.?
・from "Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi"
D.: I am a sinner. I do not perform religious sacrifices (homas), etc.
Shall I have painful rebirths for that reason? Pray save me!
M.: Why do you say that you are a sinner? Your trust in God is sufficient
to save you from rebirths. Cast all burden on Him.
In the Tiruvachagam it is said: “Though I am worse than a dog, you
have graciously undertaken to protect me. This delusion of birth
and death is maintained by you. Moreover, am I the person to sift
and judge? Am I the Lord here? Oh Maheswara! It is for you to
roll me through bodies (by births and deaths) or to keep me fixed
at your own feet.” Therefore have faith and that will save you.
D.: The Bible teaches that Man is born in sin.
M.: The Man is sin. There was no man-sense in deep sleep. The bodythought
brings out the idea of sin. The birth of thought is itself sin.
To another question the Master said: Everyone sees only the Self.
The divine forms are only like bubbles in the ocean of Reality, or
like pictures moving on a screen.
D.: What I mean is this. You are a Perfect Being; I am a sinner. You tell
me that I being a sinner must be reborn in order to perfect myself?
M.: No, I do not say so. On the other hand I say that you have no birth
and therefore no death
An old American visitor once asked the Master, ‘Maharshi, do you
think we are bad boys’? The Master’s characteristic reply was, ‘Do
not tell me so. But you need not think you are bad boys’.
Shiba,
"Bhagavan's standpoint is sometimes difficult to understand for me..."
There is no standpoint for Sri Bhagavan.He just answered based on the questioner's standpoint.
If at all we attribute a standpoint to Sri Bhagavan it is this-That Self alone abides and Punya and papa are just self imposed on account of wrong sense of identity-'I am the Body' or 'I am the Doer'.
It is only to emphasize this that he says that if the idea of sin can be at all be admitted(for arguement sake)-It can only be this Ignoring of the Self by thinking -'I am a Man';in other words, sin is nothing but a Fundamental error in imagining oneself to be a 'limited Being'-as Man while in truth one is the Limitless Self.
Namaskar.
Dear, Ravi
I agree with you. Bhagavan has no standpoint and no school as he actually said.
- sin is nothing but a Fundamental error in imagining oneself to be a 'limited Being'-as Man while in truth one is the Limitless Self
I agree with you in this point too. And I think Vedatins in "vichara Sangraha" called this error 'great sin' and don't criticized to call One Reality various names. I think this view suit Bhagavan's view(Please don't scold me for Bhagavan having no view lol)
by A great sinner
Mr. Shiba and Ravi,
In Mr. Shiba's post of Sept 13, he quotes Sri Ramana as saying "The birth of thought is itself sin".
A few years back, while browsing in a bookshop, I came across a book of U.G Krishnamurthi where UG is quoted as saying "Everytime a thought is born, you are born".
Now, it seems to me, that notwithstanding UG's extreme views, what he said above is not so very different from what Sri Ramana said !
Thank you,
shiv
Atma Bodha - Sri Sankara:
26. The Soul regarding Itself as a Jiva is overcome by fear, just like the man who regards a rope as a snake. The Soul regains fearlessness by realizing that It is not a Jiva but the Supreme Soul.
27. The mind, the sense organs, and so on, are illumined by Atman alone, as a jar or a pot by a lamp. But these material objects cannot illumine their own Self.
28. As a lighted lamp does not need another lamp to manifest its light, so Atman, being Consciousness itself, does not need
another instrument of consciousness to illumine Itself.
29. By negating all upadhis, through the help of the scriptural statement, 'It is not this, It is not this', realize the oneness of the individual soul and the Supreme
Soul by means of the great Vedic aphorisms.
contd.,
*****
Vichara Sangram:
(tr. T.M.P. Mahaevan)
The relevant portion discussed here.
Chapter 30.
Devotee: Even though the heart and the Brahmarandhra alone are the loci fit for meditation, could one meditate, if necessary, on the six mystic centers of (adharas)?
Maharshi: The six mystic centers, etc., which are said to be loci of meditation, are but products of imagination. All these are meant for beginners of yoga. With reference to meditation on the six centers, the Siva Yogins say, 'God, who is of the nature of the non dual, plenary, Consciousness-Self,
manifests, sustains and resolves us all. It is a great sin to spoil that Reality by superimposing on it various names and forms, such as Ganapati, Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Maheswara and Sadasiva', and the Vedantins declare, 'All those are but imaginations of the mind'. Therefore, if one knows one's Self, which is the nature of consciousness that knows everything, one knows everything. The great ones have also said, 'When that One is known as it is in Itself, all that has not been known becomes known'. If we are endowed with various thoughts meditate on God that is the Self, we would get rid of plurality of thoughts by that one thought; then even that one thought would vanish. This is what is meant by saying that knowing one's Self is knowing God.
This knowledge is Release.
****
Shiv,
Thanks very much.I have been hesitating to hazard a reply.
"The birth of thought is itself sin".
"Everytime a thought is born, you are born".
Both these statements are thoughts only and have their validity.Yet,no thought expresses the whole Truth but only partially hints and there is always the possibility of catching hold of the wrong tail.
Thought is not a problem as much as identification with it.
There is another term which is also commonly deployed-mano Nasam and this is translated in various ways into English as No Mind,as killing the mind or Killing the ego,etc.
Interestingly there is no term as Buddhi Nasam(atleast to my knowledge)as equivalent to the above terms.If at all used,it has a negative connotation.
If we can recall that Mind as it is called is an instrument with these aspects of Ahamkara,Buddhi,Manas and Chitta-to be trapped in the imprints of the manas and the thoughts it generates is what may be termed as the psychological baggage of the mind-and to be free of this baggage is what is essential.
The Mind,free from this baggage simply responds to the situation and this it does through thought and action only.The 'I' sense then remains free from identifying itself with the thought and action.
Earlier there was a psychological centre from where it was reacting to the stimuli from situations.Now that centre is dismantled.
These are some 'thoughts' that I am sharing here.
Namaskar
Atma Bodha: Sri Sankara:
26. The Soul regarding itself as a Jiva is overcome by fear, just like the man who regards a rope as a snake. The Soul regains fearlessness by realizing that It is not a Jiva but the Supreme Soul, Brahman.
27. The mind, the sense organs, and so on, are illumined by Atman alone, as a jar or pot by a lamp. But these material objects cannot illuminate their own Self.
28. As a lighted lamp does not need another lamp to manifest its light, so Atman, being Consciousness itself, does not need another instrument of consciousness to illumine Itself.
29. By negating all the upadhis through the help of the scriptural statement, 'It is not this, It is not this' realize the oneness of the individual soul and the Supreme
Soul by means of the great Vedic aphorisms.
30. The body and so on, created by avidya and of the nature of an object, are perishable, like bubbles. Realize through discrimination that you are the stainless Brahman, completely different from them.
contd.,
****
Atma Bodha - Sri Sankara:
continues...
31. I am free from changes such as birth, thinness, senility, and death. For I am other than the body. I am unattached to the objects of senses, such as sound, and taste. For I am without sense organs.
32. I am free from sorrow, attachment, malice, and fear; for I am other than the mind, pure, higher than the high, and imperishable.
33. From It are born breath, mind, and all organs of sense, ether, air, light, water, and earth, which is the support of all.
34. I am without attributes and action, eternal and pure, free from stain, and desire, changeless and formless, and always free.
35. I fill all things inside and out, like the ether. Changeless and the same in all, I am pure, unattached, stainless and immutable.
contd.,
***
Atma Bodha - Sri Sankara:
continues..
36. I am verily that Supreme Brahman, which is eternal, stainless, and free; which is One, indivisible, and non dual. And which is of the nature of Bliss. Truth, Knowledge and Infinity.
37. The impression of 'I am Brahman', thus created. by uninterrupted reflection, destroys, ignorance, and its distractions,
as Rasayana medicine destroys diseases.
38. Sitting in a solitary place, freeing the mind from desires, and controlling the senses, meditate with unswerving attention on the Infinite Atman, which is One without a second.
39. The wise one should intelligently merge the entire objective world in Atman alone and constantly think of that Atman, as the stainless sky.
contd.,
*****
Atma Bodha - Sri Sankara -
continues....
40. He who has attained the Supreme Goal discards all such objects as name and form and dwells as the embodiment of Infinite Consciousness and Bliss.
41. The Supreme Self on account of Its being of the nature of exceeding Bliss, does not admit of the distinction of the knower, knowledge, and the object of knowledge. It alone shines.
42. By constant meditation (comparable to the rubbing of the fire wood) is kindled the flame of Knowledge which completely burns up the fuel of ignorance.
43. As the sun appears after the destruction of darkness by dawn, so Atman, appears after the destruction of ignorance by knowledge.
contd.,
***
Atma Bodha - Sri Sankara:
continues....
44. Though Atman is an ever present reality, yet because of ignorance, It is unrealized. On the destruction of ignorance , Atman is realized. It is like the case of the ornament on one's own neck.
45. Brahman appears to be a Jiva through ignorance, as the stump of a tree appears to be a man. This Jivahood is destroyed when the real nature of the Jiva is realized.
46. The knowledge produced by the realization of the true nature of Reality, destroys immediately the ignorance characterized by notions of 'I' and 'mine' as the sun, the mistake regarding one's direction.
47. The yogi endowed with complete enlightenment sees, through the eye of knowledge, the entire universe in his own Self and regards everything as the Self and nothing else.
48. The tangible universe is verily Atman; nothing whatsoever exists that is other than Atman. As pots and jars are verily clay and cannot be anything but clay, so to the enlightened, all that is perceived is the Self.
contd.,
****
Atma Bodha - Sri Sankara:
continues....
49. A jivanmukta endowed with Self Knowledge, gives up the traits of his previous upadhis. Because of his realization, hat he is of the nature of Existence-Knowledge-Bliss
Absolute, he verily becomes Brahman, like the cockroach becoming brahmara insect.
50. A yogi who is a jivanmukta after crossing the ocean of delusion and killing the monsters of passion and aversion, becomes united with Peace and dwells in the Bliss derived from the realization of the Self alone.
51. Relinquishing attachment to the illusory external happiness, the Self abiding jivanmukta, satisfied with the Bliss derived from Atman, shines inwardly, like a lamp placed inside a jar.
52. Though associated with upadhis, he, the contemplative one, is undefiled by their traits, like the sky, and he remains unaltered under all conditions, like a dumb person. He moves about unattached like a wind.
contd.,
****
Atma Bodha - Sri Sankara:
continues....
53. On the destruction of the upadhis, he, the contemplative one, is totally absorbed in Vishnu, the All pervading Spirit, like water in water, space in space, and light in light.
54. Realize that to be Brahman the attainment of which leaves nothing more to be attained, the blessedness of which leaves no other bliss to be desired, and the knowledge of which leaves nothing more to be known.
55. Realize that to be Brahman which, when seen, leaves nothing more to be seen, having become which, one is not born again into the world of becoming, and which, when known, leaves nothing else to be known.
56. Realize that to be Brahman which is Existence Knowledge Bliss Absolute, which is non dual and infinite, eternal and One, and which fills all the quarters -- all that is above and below and all that exists between.
57. Realize that to be Brahman which is non dual, indivisible One,
and blissful and which is indicated by Vedanta as the irreducible substratum after the negation of all tangible objects.
contd.,
****
Sri Atma Bodha - Sri Sankara:
continues...
Deities like Brahma and Indra taste only a particle of the unlimited Bliss of Brahman and enjoy, in proportion, their shares of that particle.
59. All objects are pervaded by Brahman, all actions are possible because of Brahman; therefore Brahman permeates everything, as butter permeates the milk.
60. Realize that to be Brahman which is neither subtle nor gross; neither short nor long; without birth and change, without form, qualities, or color.
61. Realize that to be Brahman by the light of which luminous orbs like sun and moon are illumined, but which cannot be illumined by their light, and by which everything is illumined.
contd.,
***
Atma Bodha - Sri Sankara:
continues....
63. Brahman is not other than universe. There exists nothing that is not Brahman. If any object other than Brahman appears to exist, it is unreal like a mirage.
64. All that is perceived, all that is heard, is Brahman, and nothing else. Attaining the Knowledge of Reality, one sees the universe as nondual Brahman, Existence Knowledge Bliss Absolute.
65. Though Atman is Reality and Consciousness, and ever present everywhere, yet, It is perceived by the eye of Wisdom alone. But one whose vision is obscured by ignorance, does not see the radiant
Atman, as the blind do not see the resplendent sun.
66. The Jiva free from impurities, being well heated in the fire of Knowledge, kindled by hearing and so on, shines of himself, like gold.
67. Atman, which is the Sun of Knowledge, arises in the firmament of the heart and destroys the darkness. The Pervader of all and the Sustainer of all, It illumines all and also Itself.
68. He, who renouncing all activities, worships in the sacred and stainless shrine of Atman, which is independent of time, place and distance; which is present everywhere; which is the destroyer of heat and cold, and other opposites; and which is the giver of eternal happiness becomes all knowing and all pervading and attains hereafter, Immortality.
concluded.
****
Sivananda Lahari: Sri Sankara:
Sri Bhagavan, unlike Vivekachudamani and Sri Dakshinamurti Stotram, did not translate either in prose or in Tamizh poems. He however recommended 12 slokas (?) for daily meditation.
I am giving Sivananda Lahari as translated in English by Swami Tapasyananda of Sri Ramakrishna Math.
1. I make prostrations to Siva and Parvati, who form the embodiment of all arts (fine and practical), whose matted crests are adorned with the crescent moon, who are to each other the mutual rewards obtained by their respective austerities, who bestow on aspirants liberation and other fruits of devotional life, who are the source of abounding good to the three worlds, who reveal themselves in forms of ever-renewing novelty with the progress of meditation, and whose experience generates supreme bliss in a mind contemplating on them.
2. O Lord, Thou bestower of happiness on the whole world! All
glory unto that current of divine bliss, which, brimming from the river of Thy holy stories, flows into the lake of my mind, through canals of the intellect, subduing the dust of sins and cooling the heat of misery born of wanderings in transmigratory cycles.
3. I contemplate in my heart, on the Supreme Deity, Siva, the three eyed and luminous Being, who is to be known through Vedas, who shines in the heart of creatures, who destroys the three bodies (gross, subtle and casual) of His worshippers, who is the first of all beings, who is majestic with His pile of matted locks, who wears a garland of quivering serpents, who sports a deer in hand, who is merciful towards me, who is the Lord of all creatures, who is the support of pure consciousness, who is inseparable from the Divine Mother, and who has disguised Himself in a worldly garb.
contd.,
****
Sivananda Lahari - Sri Sankara:
continues...
4. In this world, many are the minor deities who bestow paltry rewards. I do not, even in dream, attach any importance either to the or their worship or the results accruing from it. O Lord, O Thou bestower of happiness and the embodiment of goodness! For long I have been praying for Thy lotus feet, which are difficult of attainment even of divinities like Vishnu and Brahma who live in close proximity to Thee.
5. I am not proficient in the law codes or the philosophies, in medicine or augury, in poetry or music, histrionics or buffoonery. How then can kings be pleased with me? And who, after all, am I? Ignorant as I am like a beast (or ignorant soul that I am), save me, O Lord! out of Thy far famed mercy, Thou all knowing and all pervading One!
6. O man who deems yourself intelligent! Will the talk of pot, lump of clay, atoms, smoke, fire, mountain, cloth, thread, (and the rest of the logician's favorite examples and categories) ever repel the terrific god of death? In vain, then is all your straining of the throat in heated controversies. Worship the Lord instead and attain quickly to supreme bliss.
7. O Lord! Thou Supreme doer of good to the worlds! May my mind be occupied with Thy lotus feet, my speech with Thy praise, my hands with worship, my ears with sacred accounts about Thee, my intellect with Thy meditation, and my eyes with the glory of Thy form. Then by which organ would I study books unconnected with Thee!
contd.,
****
Sivananada Lahari - Sri Sankara:
continues...
8. O Great God ! Thou Lord of creatures! Just as there is misapprehension of silver in mother of pearl, of gem in imitation stone, of milk in water mixed with flour, of water in mirage, so do ignorant men mistakenly worship various beings as the Deity, without thinking of Thee in their mind.
9. Dull witted man, wandering about for flowers for Thy worship, goes to deep lotus lakes, to uninhabited dense forests and to high mountains. Lo ! He does not know how to be happy in life by offering unto Thee, the Lord of Uma, the unique lotus of his own heart!
10. Let me (if need be) be born as a man or celestial, as wild beast or mosquito, as animal or worm, as bird or any other creature. What harm can accrue from these embodiments, if in every such birth
my heart always feels inclined to disport in the waves of supreme bliss, in the constant remembrance of Thy lotus feet?
contd.,
****
Dear David,
Your last post was on 22nd March.
It is almost six months since your last post. You may think of writing something new e.g. about hitherto not known aspect of Frydman's stay in India, or about your stay in T'malai or about Guhai Namasivaya's verses.
We are quite anxious about your long silence. I have also stopped with one post per day, since my many posts make someone say that I am acting your proxy.
With regards,
Subramanian. R
Sri Sivananda Lahari - Sri Sankara:
continues.....
11. O Lord! What does it avail a man to be a student, a householder, an anchorite, a mendicant, or one outside these four orders? O Master of all beings! Bestower of all good! He whose heart lotus comes in Thy possession - to him Thou becomeest his 'own', and Thyself bearest his worldly burdens.
12. What does it matter where a man lives - be in a cave, or a house, in the open or in a forest, on mountain top or in water, or in the midst of fires? Lord! If a person's mind resides always at Thy feet, his is the Yogic state, and he is the supreme Yogi and the happy man.
13. O Thou highest of Beings! It befits Thee to save me who, stupefied by ignorance, is wallowing in hollow worldliness, far removed from the worship of Thee, the Lord of all creatures. Where is the person more miserable than I? Where is one more skilled than Thee in saving the wretched? And where in all the three worlds is another apart from Thee who is fit for one to take refuge in?
14. O Lord of creatures! Art Thou not the Almighty as also the greatest friend of the miserable, of whom I am the chief? Is there not, then a close kinship between us two? Therefore, O Thou bestower of good, Thous shouldst forgive me all my transgressions and work for salvation even if it be fraught with difficulty. For this is the test of close relationship everywhere.
contd.,
***
Sri Sivananda Lahari - Sri Sankara:
continues.....
15. Were it not for Thy indifference, why dost Thou not cancel the writ of my destiny, which is conducive to evil desires and so unfavorable to Thy constant contemplation? Do not plead incapacity; for, how dist Thou,
with but the tips of Thy finger nails pluck off, without any exertion whatever, the head of that Brahma, which is so firm and hard? (The reference is to the Puranic accounts of Siva humbling the pride of Brahma by nipping off one of his five heads for an offence of his. This is to show that even Brahma, who is the determiner of the destinies of all, is under control of Siva.)
16. O Lord! Let Brahma, the creator be long lived. May Thou be pleased to spare his other four heads. For, has he not awarded misery (to the lot of creatures) in this world? It may be asked why one should wish him a long life for this reason? Indeed, it is due to him, O Pure One, that there is occasion for me to be saved by Thy merciful glance, which is naturally intent on rescuing the miserable.
17. O Lord all pervading! Even after Thy be pleased with me,,either due to my meritorious works due to Thy Grace, why is that I cannot get a sight of Thy lotus feet? For they are hidden from me by the golden crowns studded with precious gems belonging to the crowd of celestial beings who prostrate at Thy feet in excitement.
18. Thou alone, O Lord art capable of giving liberation - the highest of all rewards to humans. Other deities like Vishnu only worship Thee, occupying the celestial states awarded by Thee. Unlimited is Thy liberality to devotees, and unlimited, too, are my worldly desires. When art Thou, therefore, going to save me with Thy compassionate look?
contd.,
***
Sri Sivananda Lahari - Sri Sankara:
continues...
19. Worldly life is full of evil desires. It involves servility to wicked masters. It is disastrous at the end. It is a source of sin, and productive of painful experiences. Say, why, and for whose benefit, dost Thou not remove this misery of mine? O Lord! If it, however, contributes to Thy joy, we are indeed, satisfied.
20. O Lord! Thou bearest a skull in hand! Thou mendicant! Thou auspicious and all pervading One! Accepting this monkey of my mind, as my devout offering, bind it with the cord of devotion and bring it under They control -- this extremely wayward monkey that always wanders in the forest of ignorance, dancing on the hill tops of young women's breasts, and moving quickly in diverse directions, according to its promptings, along with the branches of worldly desires.
21. O Thou destroyer of Cupid and ruler of the worlds! Thou auspicious and all pervading One attended upon by thy devotees! May Thou accompanied by Thy Divine Sakti, enter into, and take residence in, the shining and movable tent of my mind, which is fixed everyday on the royal road of divine contemplation, and which has the will as the pillar of its support, the gunas as its strong ropes, the numerous tendencies as its multiple colors, and the psychic centers as its lotus designs.
contd.,
***
Sri Sivananda Lahari - Sri Sankara:
continues...
22. O bestower of good! Thou all-
pervading One! Prompted by the greed and other evil qualities, and being enslaved by the tendency to misappropriate wealth, the thief of my mind is roaming extensively, bent on getting entrance into the houses of the rich. How can I suffer him to do so, O Lord of Thieves! (taskarAnAm pataye namah -
Sri Rudram). Deign to bring him under Thy control and bestow Thy grace on me, who am innocent of all guilt.
23. O all pervading One! Unto me who am engaged in Thy worship, vouchsafe eternal bliss at once. How could I possibly bear the grief, if as a result of Thy worship, Thou bestowest on me the position of Brahma or Vishnu, and still I fail to find Thee in heaven or earth after searching for Thee as a bird and a beast? (The allusion is to the Arunachala Mahatmyam).
contd.,
****
Sri Sivananda Lahari - Sri Sankara:
continues.....
24. When shall I, in a blissful mood, pass like a second the long period covered by the life time of many Brahmas, staying in the very presence of Siva, along with goblins in the heavenly mountain of Kailas and praying with hands folded and held on the head, 'Save me, O Supremely auspicious and all pervading One! Thou that art united with the Divine Mother!
25. When shall I behold Thee, three eyed and blue-throated, siting on the hump of Thy huge and spirited bull, with the battle axe and deer in Thy two hands and Uma holding Thy body in the embrace, while the celestial attendants play about, the divinities like Brahma sing hymns of praise and ascetics cry,
'Hail, Hail!'.
26. O Thou resident of the mountain! When shall I see Thee and gain bliss unattainable even by Brahma and others, holding with my hands Thy holy feet, pressing them against my head, chest and eyes, embracing them and smelling their fragrance resembling that of full blown lotus?
contd.,
****
Sri Sivananda Lahari - Sri Sankara.
continues...
27. Since Thou holdest the golden
mountain (Meru) in Thy hand (as the bow); since Kubera, the Lord of Wealth remains close to Thee; since the wish yielding tree of heaven, Kalpagataru, the celestial cow of plenty Kamadenu, and the magic gem that confers all desires, (Chintamani) are in Thy household; since the moon resides on Thy head;
and since all auspiciousness abides at Thy feet -- what object of value can I possibly offer unto Thee? Therefore, O Thou resident of the mountain, let my mind be Thine - as the only thing that can be dedicated to Thee.
28. O Lord of Bhavani! I attain to similarity in form with Thee by performing ritualistic worship; to closeness with Thee by singing Thy praise; to residence in Thy heavenly plane by associating and conversing with Thy noble devotees; and to Oneness with Thee by contemplating on Thy form constituted of the whole of this living and non living world. Thus in this very embodiment I shall attain life's fulfillment.
(The four levels in the attainment of the Lord are referred to here. These are in the order stated as SArUpya, SAmIpya, SAlokya and SAyujya.)
contd.,
****
Sri Sivananda Lahari - Sri Sankara:
continues....
29. I worship Thy lotus feet, O All pervading One. I contemplate always on Thee, O Supreme Being! I surrender myself to Thee O Master of the Worlds! I beg of Thee for the fulfillment of my only wish. O Giver of Happiness! Deign to bestow on me, O Teacher of the World, that merciful glance of Thy looks, so eagerly sought by the Divinities,
and impart to my mind he instruction that confers eternal bliss.
30. O Thou who hast as ornament the crescent moon in Thy matted locks! Thou master of creatures! Thou the Lord of all! Thou Teacher of the Worlds! Had I a thousand arms like the sun to offer Thee cloth; had I all pervasive like Vishnu, to worship Thee with flowers; had I the power of wafting fragrance like the air to wave incense before Thee; had I control over fire like Indra, the Chief of Agni, to prepare cooked offering for Thee; and had I the origin in the Golden Egg like Hiranyagarbha to worship Thee with the needed vessel - then I could have have accomplished Thy service!
contd.,
***
Sri Sivananada Lahari: Sri Sankara:
continues....
31. O Thou Master of all souls! In order to protect the living and non living beings, that are within and without Thee, Thou didst neither swallow nor vomit but retained in Thy throat that terrible flaming poison (halahala poison) which scared away all the celestials. Is it not this one supreme act of service enough to establish Thy greatness?
(The allusion is to the churning of the Milk Ocean by devas and asuras, using the serpent Vasuki as the churning cord and Mount Mandara as the churning rod. In the course of the churning emerged the deadly poison Kalakuta or halahala, which threatended to destroy the worlds. It was only Siva who could swallow it, retain it in His throat and thus save the world.)
32. O great soul! Thou source of all good! Pray, tell how didst Thou look at that poison flaming fiercely like fire, so terrifying to all the immortal celestials even? And how didst Thou take it and hold it in hand? Was it a ripe
Jambu fruit to handle? How, again, didst Thou place it on the tongue like a medicinal pill of the Siddhas? And how, wear it in the throat like blue gem?
contd.,
***
Sri Sivananada Lahari - Sri Sankara:
33. O Lord! Thou Master of All! For
the attainment of liberation, is it not enough for men like me to serve Thee even once by prostration, by praise, by listening to the divine stories, by worship, by contemplation, or by visualization? By what else but these can liberation be achieved? If, however, it is attainable by any of these, what is there to be gained by the arduous worship of ephemeral deities?
34. O Lord of living beings! How audacious is Thy conduct? And, pray, who can ever be a match to Thee in courage? And who attains to that state which is Thine? For Thou fearlessly sport, alone and full of bliss, witnessing the cosmic dissolution when the celestials lose their heavenly positions, the sages feel terror stricken, and the world systems become reduced to their primal state.
contd.,
***
Sri Sivananada Lahari - Sri Sankara:
continues....
35. What am I to petition unto Thee who berest the responsibility for both the present and future welfare of things; who art ready to confer all good on devotees; who are perfect revealer of all religions existing and yet to exist; and who art all knowing and all merciful?
Always do I think of Thee in my mind as my dearest and nearest.
36. O Thou united with the Divine Mother! In order to sanctify the house of my body and render it most auspicious, I, Thy devotee, shall perform the purificatory rite, uttering the sacred five lettered mantra and dedicating the pot of my pacified mind, which has joy as the water filling it, devotion as the string wound around it, Thy sacred feet as the tender leaves of mango tree placed on it, and knowledge as the coconut crowning it.
contd.,
****
Sri Sivananada Lahari - Sri Sankara:
continues.....
37. Just as the Devas churned the Milky Ocean and obtained the moon,
(Soma), the wish fulfilling tree, Karpagam, the cow, Kamadhenu, the magic gem, Chintamani, nectar, and RamA (Lakshmi), so the wise men churn the ocean of the Vedas, using their virtuous mind as the rod, and firm devotion as the rope string, and obtain Thee, who art in union with the Divine Mother, Uma, (Sa+Uma=Soma) -- Thee who fulfills all wants like the wish fulfilling tree, and the cow of plenty, who greatest of all desires like the magic gem, who confers perpetual Bliss, on the wise like nectar, and who gives liberation like Lakshmi.
38. Just as the ocean swells when, attended by the stars, the full moon - pure, auspicious, deer marked, and shattering darkness, -- is revealed in the sky by the 'eastern mountain' - Udaya Giri, so one's joy increases beyond measure, when Thou - who art united with Divine Mother, (Soma), who art pure, auspicious and perfect, and who bears the deer and destroys the ignorance, appear in the heart, -- Thy nectarine form being revealed by the mountain of virtues acquired in the past. Then there is occupation, indeed, for the wise.
contd.,
***
Sri Sivananda Lahari - Sri Sankara:
continues....
39. Just as in the kingdom of a good ruler, there is always preponderance of righteousness, dwindling of evil, general prosperity, enlightenment, and joy, so when Thou - the worshipful King of Kings, the Sovereign of the
realm of liberation -- reigns in the lotus of my heart, my righteous activities become complete, my sins
dwindle, my passions wane, my life becomes happy, and my knowledge and bliss become fruitful.
40. O Lord! Thou master of the worlds! When the pot of words, with pure waters of the divine stories of Sadasiva, are brought to the fields of the heart, through canals and subchannels of poesy,
the rice crop of devotion yields a plentiful harvest. Where is then fear of famine (the dearth of divine love and its fruits) for me who am Thy dependent?
contd.,
****
Sri Sivananda Lahari - Sri Sankara:
continues...
41. O destroyer of Death ! For the destruction of sin and for the attainment of great prosperity, (i.e.
liberation), I am requested by the tongue to sing Thy praise, by the head to prostrate to Thee, by the legs to circumambulate Thee, by hands to worship Thee, by the eyes, to see Thee and by the ears to hear Thy stories. Direct me to these endeavors, and remind me of them. May I not become speechless (nor lose powers of any of the organs mentioned above, so that I may practice devotion to Thee without any impediment.
42. O Lord! Thou who art fond of residing in fortresses (durga)! Take Thy residence always in the well supplied fortress of my mind, having calmness as the moat, unyielding resolution as the surrounding walls, the rising of multitude of virtues as the faithful army, the powerful senses located in the body as the gates, and knowledge as abounding wealth.
(There is a pun on the word Durga. It means a fortress and also Parvati, the Divine Mother, the consort of Siva.)
contd.
***
Sri Sivananada Lahari - Sri Sankara:
continues...
43. O Lord! Thou Resident of the Mountain! Thou the Primeval Hunter!
Go not hither and thither but reside within me alone. For the forest of my mind, there are many beasts of prey like envy, infatuation, and the rest. Killing them, Thou shalt satisfy They fondness for the hunt.
44. Thou holdest the deer in hand as the lion its prey. Thou didst kill the elephant shaped and tiger shaped monsters as the lion kills the leaders of the elephant herds and tigers of huge proportions. Thou dost destroy all the beings at the end of the cycle as the lion does the beasts of the forest. When the Lord Siva, - the fair complexioned five faced or panchamukha, who thus resembles in all respects the lion also call the lion also called panchamukha or the five faced, -- resides in the cave of my heart, whence is there any cause of fear for me.
(pancha = five; it also denotes one whose middle portion is narrow and face is large, like panchapatram
used by brahmins for sandhya vandhanam. Lion has got a huge face and narrow body.)
contd.,
***
This is in response to Shiba's comment - "It is a great sin to spoil that Reality by superimposing on it various names and forms such as Ganapati, Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Mahesvara, and Sadashiva"
The following are taken from "Talks with Ramana Maharishi"
**********
D.: Saiva Siddhanta postulates three fundamentals as being eternal. Is it opposed to Vedanta?
M.: The three entities are jiva, God and bondage. Such trinities are common in all religions. They are true so long as the mind is operative. They are mere creations of the mind. One can postulate God only after the mind arises. God is not different from the Self. The Self is objectified as God. So also with Guru.
***************
D: “Are the gods Iswara or Vishnu and their sacred regions Kailasa or Vaikuntha real?
M.: As real as you are in this body.
D.: Where do they exist?
M.: In you.
D.: Then it is only idea - that which I can create and control?
M.: Everything is like that.
D.: Do devas and pisachas (devils) exist similarly?
M.: Yes.
***************
Sri Bhagavan explained that God means SAMASHTI - i.e., all that is, plus the Be-ing - in the same way as ‘I’ means the individual plus the Be-ing, and the world means the variety plus Be-ing. The Be-ing is in all cases real. The all, the variety and the individual is in each case unreal. So also in the union of the real and the unreal, the mixing up or the false identification is wrong. It amounts to saying sad-asadvilakshana, i.e., transcending the real and the unreal - sat and asat. Reality is that which transcends all concepts, including that of God. Inasmuch as the name of God is used, it cannot be true. The Hebrew word Jehovah = (I am) expresses God correctly. Absolute Be-ing is beyond expression. The word cannot be replaced nor need it be replaced.
************
D.: God is in all - in all the objects we see around us. They say we should see God in all of them.
M.: God is in all and in the seer. Where else can God be seen? He cannot be found outside. He should be felt within. To see the objects, mind is necessary. To conceive God in them is a mental operation. But that is not real. The consciousness within, purged of the mind, is felt as God.
************
M.: Soul and God are only mental conceptions.
D.: Is God only a mental conception?
M.: Yes. Do you think of God in sleep?
D.: But sleep is a state of dullness.
M.: If God be real He must remain always. You remain in sleep and in wakefulness - just the same. If God be as true as your Self, God must be in sleep as well as the Self. This thought of God arises only in the wakeful state. Who thinks now?
***********
M.: Visvatma darsana is visvarupa darsana i.e., the universal Self of the cosmic Self is the cosmos. Sri Krishna started the discourse in Chapter II, saying, “I have no form”. In Chapter XI, He says, “See my form as the Universe”. Is it consistent? Again he says, “I transcend the three worlds”, but Arjuna sees the three worlds in Him. Sri Krishna says,
“I cannot be seen by men, Gods, etc.”; yet Arjuna sees himself and the Gods in Him. No one could see and yet Arjuna was endowed with divine sight to see Him. Does it not look a maze of contradictions? The answer is that the understanding is wrong. Sthula dristi on the physical plane is absurd. Jnana dristi (subtle understanding) is
necessary. That is why Arjuna was given divya chakshuh (divine sight). Can such sight be gross? Will such interpretation lead you to a right understanding?
Sri Krishna says Kalosmi, ‘I am Time’. Does Time have shape? Again if the universe be His form should it not be one and unchanging? Why does He say to Arjuna, “See in me whatever you desire to see?” That means that His form is according to the desires of the seer. They speak of ‘divine sight’ and yet paint the scene, each according to his own view. There is the seer also in the seen. What is all this? Even a mesmerist can make you see strange scenes. You call this a trick, whereas the other you call divine. Why
this difference? Anything seen cannot be real. That is the truth.
Sri Sivananada Lahari - Sri Sankara:
continues....
45. Thou kingly bird of my mind! Give up thy vain wanderings and quest after other things, and sport for ever in the nest of Siva's feet, which are resorted to by the birds of the holy men fluttering amidst the branches of the tree of the Vedas, and which are rendered charming by the fruits of liberation -- imperishable, joy giving, pain healing, and nectarine.
46. O kingly swan of my mind! Sport at pleasure with ladies of devotion, residing in the privacy of the mansion of Siva's feet -- a mansion rendered brilliant by the rich light diffused by the nails, white washed with nectarine rays of the crescent moon, rendered charming by the ruby like lustre of the lotus feet, and resorted to by the swans of sages, who meditate on the meaning of Hamsa-mantra.
contd.,
****
Sri Sivananda Lahari - Sri Sankara:
continues....
47. The spring-time of divine contemplation having arrived in the garden of the heart, the ripe leaves of sin have fallen away and the creepers of devotion, bearing the sprouts of virtuous acts, have begun to spread, while the buds of virtue, the flowers of holy chants, the fragrance of pious dispositions, the honey flow of bliss that knowledge brings, and the plentiful fruitage of devotion have begun to flourish.
48. O Kingly swan of my mind! Why do you wander in the muddy tanks of worldliness, fit only for mean creatures? Go unto the pure and perpetual lake of divine contemplation, having eternal bliss for its waters, the minds of heavenly sages for its lotus flowers, the holy men as the birds resorting to it, sins as the dirt it cleanses away, and virtuous disposition as the fragrance it emits.
contd.,
***
Sri Sivananda Lahari - Sri Sankara:
continues...
49. Divine love is like a creeper - it is filled with the nectar of joy; it springs from the bed of Siva's lotus feet; it spreads with its ramified branches along the contiguous support of constancy of aspiration. It covers the high roofing of the mind; it is tended by the service of virtuous acts. It is free from the disease of sin. May that creeper of divine love yield the longed for and eternal fruit of liberation unto me !
50. The Lord Siva resembles the flowering Arjuna tree with jasmine creeper entwining it. He dances at dusk when the tree also blossoms (Sandhyarambha vijrmbhitam). He occupies the crest of Vedic wisdom just as Arjuna flowers find a place on the ears and heads of men. (Srutisira-sthanAntar-Adhistitam). He is rendered beautiful by the presence of loving Bhrmarambika (His Consort, Uma) and the tree by that of eager honey bees (Saprema-bhramarAbhirAmaam). He is always distinguished by its good smell (SadavAsana-shobitam). He has the kings of snakes as his ornaments while Arjuna flowers from the decoratations of noted pleasure seekers (BhogindrAbharanam). He is worthy of being worshipped by all other gods, and the Arjuna flowers are laudable among all other flowers (Samasta-sumanah-pUjyam). He reveals the qualities of Nature like Sattva, Rajas and Tamas and the Arjuna flowers their color, fragrance, and other qualities (GunAvishkratam). He is established as the Linga known as Mallikarjuna on the mountain of Sri parvata (Sri Sailam), while the Arjuna tree stands on a beautiful peak (SrigirimallikArjuna-mahAlingam). He is embraced by Parvati and the tree by jasmine creepers (SivAlingitam), who is represented by his emblem known as Mallikarjuna established on the Sri Paravata.
contd.,
***
Sri Sivananda Lahari - Sri Sankara:
continues....
51. Lord Siva is like the king of honey bees. As the bee shows delight in acting according to the desire of the female bee, He likes to see His attendant Bhringi dancing at pleasure, (bhrngicchA-natanokatah). As the bee takes the ichor of elephants, He destroys
the pride of elephant demon (karimadagraAhi). As the bee feels delight in the brilliant spring, He is delighted with Vishnu in the form of Mohini, the infatuating damsel (sphranmAdhavAhlAdhah). As
the bee always makes the buzzing sound, He is associated with OmkAra (nAdayutah). As the bee is very black, He is extremely white (MahAsita vapuh). As the bee is welcomed by Cupid, as a helper, in his work, He is respected by Cupid, being his subduer, panchesunA adrtah. As the bee flies about in the flower gardens, He takes delight in protecting the celestials (sumanovaneshu satpaaksha). As the bee lives in beautiful mountains, He resides in the Sri Parvata (Sri Sailam). As the bee goes everywhere, He is all pervading, Vibhuh. May Siva, who thus resembles the king bee, sport in the lotus of my heart!
contd.,
***
Sri Sivananda Lahari - Sri Sankara:
continues....
52. O giver of joy! O blue throated one! The chataka (caceulas melnanoeucus) of my mind always longs for the rain cloud Thy Self that pours down the shower of mercy; that has the power of warding off the summer of grave misfortunes; that requires to be adored by the wise men and the gods for the fruition of wisdom; that can assume any form; that is accompanied by the dancing peacocks of devotees; that resides on the mountain peaks; and that is endowed with the lightning of brilliant matted locks;
(The Chataka bird is reputed to subsist only on the water, which it drinks straight as it follows from the clouds)
53. Lord Siva is like unto a dancing peacock. He bears the sky as crest, as the peacock its feathery plume. He has the lord of all serpents as his necklace while the peacock, being deadly enemy of all serpents, has mastery over them. He is decorated with ornaments, as the peacock is with its ornamental tail. He instructs with the sound Om in blessing those whose prostrate, while the peacock utters its cry known as the Keka. He dances in joy, seeing the beautiful young daughter of the mountain (that is, Parvati, His consort), while the peacock dances at the sight of the black colored clouds from the hills (sailasamudbhAvam syAmam ghanaructim). I worship that Siva, the blue throated one, who thus resembles the peacock and delights to sport in the garden of Vedanta.
contd.,
***
Sri Sivananada Lahari - Sri Sankara:
continues....
54. I worship, Neelakanta, the blue throated Siva, the peacock (also blue throated) that excels by His beautiful dances, having the time of dusk as the close of summer (i.e. beginning of rainy season when peacocks dance), the sound of drum beaten by Vishnu's hand as thunder peals, the eyes of the celestials as lightning, the blissful tears of devotees as rain, and the Divine Mother Parvati as the peahen.
55. My prostration to Sambhu, the source of all happiness, who is revealed through the Vedic texts, who is attained through devotion; who is essentially of the nature of
knowledge and bliss; who is engaged in the protection of all Yogis; who is praised with hymns by celestials; who controls Maya; who whirls round and round in the performance of the beautiful Tandava dance; and who wears matted locks.
contd.,
***
Sri Sivananda Lahari - Sri Sankara:
continues....
56. My prostrations to Sambhu, the source of all happiness, who is eternal; whose form is composed of the three gunas of Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas; who has conquered the three bodies, gross, subtle and causal; who is Parvati's beatitude; who is Truth; who is the primal householder (Aadi kutumbi); who appears in the minds of sages as formed of the stuff of consciousness; who created the three worlds by the power of Maya;
who forms the theme of all Upanishads; and who whirls round in the performance of the Tandava dance at the time of dusk.
57. Alas! Desiring wealth in order to provide myself with food, I wander in vain from one person to another. O all-knowing one! I am not acquainted with the way of worshipping Thee. O Lord of all beings! O destroyer of the sins of devotees! Thou shouldst save me, at least for the reason that, on account of the maturing of my previously acquired merits as it were, Thou residest in the heart of all beings including myself.
contd.,
***
Sri Sivananda Lahari - Sri Sankara:
58. Lo! If the sun, who is but one, can penetrate through the circle of darkness filling heaven and earth, and become visible, canst Thou not, O Lord of beings, who art endowed with the brilliance of innumerable suns, reveal Thyself? Who knows how thick is the darkness covering me? Therefore, removing it entirely,deign to reveal Thyself unto me!
59. O Lord of all ! Thou all-pervading one! Thou Lord of Gauri!
Just as the swan seeks the lake abounding lotus flowers; the Chataka bird, the rain cloud, the Chakravaka bird, the sun, and the Chakora, the moon - so my heart longs for the lotus feet of Thee who shouldst be searched for in the Upanishads and who bestowest the bliss of final liberation!
contd.
***
Sri Sivananda Lahari - Sri Sankara:
continues.....
60. A man caught in a current seeks the shore, a tired traveler, the shade of trees; one caught in rain his comfortable home; a man in quest of hospitality, a householder; a poverty stricken person a charitable and wealthy man; a man in dense darkness, a lamp; and one exposed to cold, a well fired hearth. In the same way, O my mind, seek the lotus feet of Siva - the feet that destroy all fears.
61. That state of mind is called Bhakti wherein all movements of thought go automatically to the lotus feet of the Lord and stick to them for ever, just as the seed of Ankola tree (on falling) gravitates to the parent tree, the iron needle to the magnetic stone, the devoted wife, to her husband, the creeper to the tree and the river to the ocean.
contd.,
***
Sri Sivananda Lahari - Sri Sankara:
continues.....
62 O Lord! Mother Devotion nurses her baby, the devotee, laying him on the cot of Thy contemplation. She causes him horripilation with tears of joy, covers him with the wrapper of purity, feeds him with nectar of Thy stories, contained in the mouth of the conch (that is the Vedas) and protects his body with the Rudraksha beads and the sacred ashes.
63. A worn out foot wear becomes the indicator betwixt Siva's eyebrows; the pouring of the water carried in the mouth becomes His sacred bath; a piece of meat, a part of which has been bitten off, takes the place of fresh food offering; and the erstwhile hunter becomes the best of the devotees. What is there that the love of God cannot accomplish?
(The allusion is to the story of Kannappa, the hunter in Kalahasti. The story is available in Periya Puranam of Sekkizhar.)
contd.,
****
zee,
Truth is stranger than Fiction.Also far Removed from it!Notwithstanding the fictitious 'Devi' and her fictitious 'Bhakta' of Satyajit Ray,the lives of the Great ones and devotees serve in their own way to clear cobwebs.I refer to the life of Sri Anandamoyi Ma;her husband Bholanath came to accept her as Guru.
You may be familiar with her Life and Teachings:
http://www.srianandamayima.org/
I am not bringing in Sri Ramakrishna and Sri Sarada Devi-that story is too well known.
The Satyajit's Ray directed film 'Devi' is a far cry from this although it does serve as a pointer not to imitate.Not to mistake Emotion for Devotion,imagination for Reality,indulgence for dedication,attachment for steadfastness.It also points to how the 'Devotee' and 'God' or 'Guru' are trapped in the makebelieve world of their own making.
Thanks very much.
Namaskar
Sri Sivananda Lahari - Sri Sankara:
continues....
64. O Lord of Parvati! O! bestower of happiness ! The tender feet are engaged in kicking a the chest of God of Death, in pressing down the terrible demon of epilepsy - Apsamara, in traveling on the mountain, and in rubbing against the crown of the celestials that prostrate before Thee. (Therefore as a matter of protection) move about always in putting the bejeweled foot wear of my mind.
65. O Lord of Bhavani! Whosoever worships Thy lotus feet - from him the god of Death runs away fearing another kick at the chest; him the immortals adore by performing the light waving (arti) ceremony wit the gems of lamp like brilliance studding their crowns; him the damsel of liberation holds in her tight embrace. What is there difficult of achivement for him in the three worlds.
(The allusion is to Markandeya who save saved from the God of Death.)
contd.,
****
Sri Sivananada Lahari: Sri Sankara:
66. O Giver of all good! For Thee, the creation of these worlds is a sport, and all men are like animals kept for sport. Therefore, whatever actions, I have done, they are solely meant for Thy pleasure. Thus, O Lord of Beings, since all my deeds must have surely contributed to Thy entertainment, it behoves Thee to give protection to me.
(The question is asked - What is the purpose of creation? The answer of the Sages, is that God has no purpose to fulfill. It is a spontaneous and effortless expression of His Bliss, and so it is called play. If any purpose is to be attached to it at all, it should be in relation to the Jivas. It enables the Jivas to realize the fruit of their karma, and ultimately attain salvation. An enlightened sense of resignation is the consequence of accepting this
world-view.)
67. I resort to contemplation of Lord Siva, which adopted by those who are desirous of the fruit of the eternal state of liberation, and which gives many delightful devotional experiences like tears of joy and horripilations.
contd.,
***
Sri Sivananda Lahari - Sri Sankara:
continues.....
68. O Thou merciful cowherd! (Pasupati). Protect that only cow of mine - cow of devotion to Thee - which yields continually as milk an endless supply of the nectar of joy, which lives in the cow-pen of Thy holy feet, and which I have acquired as the result my meritorious deeds.
69. I am not dull unlike the moon on new moon day (jadata). I have no kinship with brutes unlike the moon who has the hare in its heart (pasuta). I am not soiled with impurities unlike the lunar disc with its stains (kalankitA) I have no crookedness in me unlike the moon noted for its irregular course (kutilacharatvam). Even if I have any of these, am I not, O Thou who wearest the moon Thy crest, fit to be Thy ornament just like the moon?
contd.,
***
"taking a serious view of reports of lack of care of cows kept at the Tiruvannamalai Arunachaleswarar temple, the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department has come out with a detailed set of guidelines for proper maintenance of cow sheds (‘goshalas’)"
Is anyone surprised? As the last time I looked there were almost no sadhus within the temple and temple functionaries had built substantial villa units for themselves on temple ground!!
Sri Sivananda Lahari - Sri Sankara:
continues..
70. Siva the Lord of all -- the tranquil and the gracious, the bestower of endless rewards -- can be freely worshipped within heart and outside. For He, my Lord, the King of Kings, dwells within my heart and also transcends the worlds.
71. The best among the intelligent bend the bow of their mental disposition wit the bow string of firm devotion, and having destroyed the enemy of sins with the unfailing arrows of divine contemplation, become victorious and attain to the undecaying sovereignty of liberation.
contd.,
***
Sri Sivananda Lahari - Sri Sankara:
continues...
72. Search carefully, having applied
the magic ointment of divine contemplation to the eyes. Break open the dark barrier of ignorance, making the Lord's sacred names the great ritual offering. O auspicious One!
Whoever does so and obtains, in this very embodiment, treasure trove of Thy lotus feet resorted to by celestioals, and bedecked with serpents as ornaments, attains to the goal of human existence.
73. O my good mind! Worship the lotus feet of Siva, that constitutes the well watered field yielding the valuable herbs of liberation desired by you -- the field for the attainment of which even Vishnu, the husband of Sri (Goddess of Beauty,and Prosperity Lakshmi) and of Bhu (the goddess of earth), took the form of a boar.
(The allusion is to Arunachala Purana.).
contd.,
****
Sri Sivananda Lahari - Sri Sankara:
continues.....
74. May the lotus feet of Siva, whose garment consists of the quarters of the sky (i.e. naked), fill the wardrobe of my mind with their exquisite fragrance that destroys the the foul smell of evil tendencies, miseries, binding desires and the like.
75. Lord of all the worlds! Thou destroyer of Cupid! Thou who ridest on the Bull! Move about, riding on the horse of my mind, which is good-natured, possessed of movements beautiful and varied, of great speed, capable of understanding all intentions, flawless, and endowed with all auspicious marks.
76. The cloud of divine love, residing in the sky of Siva's feet, pours down the rain of joy. He, the lake of whose mind gets fulfilled, obtains a good harvest from the crop of life - but not others.
contd.,
****
Sri Sivananda Lahari - Sri Sankara:
continues....
77. O Lord! Like a young wife separated from her husband, my mind seeks to have attachment to Thy lotus feet and constant remembrance of it. Charmed by Siva's name, it engages itself in Thy meditation, visualization and praise.
78. Just as one encourages a newly married bride by narrating her husband's good qualities, even so, O Lord, elevate my mind by sound instruction -- the mind which has been properly trained in Thy service, which is endowed with humility, and which has taken shelter with the good and holy ones.
contd.,
****
Sri Sivananda Lahari - Sri Sankara:
continues....
79. O bestower of good! Thy feet, which are fit to walk on the petals of the lotuses of Yogi's hearts -- how did they manage to break open the door of hard breast bone of the god of Death? Ah, how tender are Thy feet! Anxious thoughts about their safety worry my mind. Deign to reveal them to my vision, O All pervading One, so that I may stroke them with my hands.
(The reference is to the story of how Siva saved Markandeya, the devotee from the hands of Yama,
by kicking on his chest when he came to take away of Markandeya's life, who was holding Siva Lingam with both his hands.)
80. 'This man will be born. He will have a very hard heart. I must, however dance upon it' -- it must with such thoughts about effecting my salvation that Thou didst formerly accustom Thy tender feet to tread the mountain ridges. Otherwise, O Lord, why dance on stony surfaces, when there are such places like heavenly mansions, flower beds, and pedestals?
contd.,
***
Sri Sivananada Lahari: Sri Sankara:
continues.....
81. O great Lord! Thou are united with Uma (the Divine Mother)! Whoever attains to a state in which he joyfully surrenders his heart to Thee, and spends his time, partly in worship of Thee, partly in meditation and ecstasy, partly in prostrating to Thee, partly in listening to Thy stories, partly in seeing Thy holy image, and partly in singing Thy praise, -- he has attained liberation in this very life, indeed.
82. Lord Vishnu, who took many forms - as Thy arrow,* as Thy mount**, as Thy friend, as Thy drummer,*** etc., - and who offered his eyes at Thy feet**** (in the place of lotus flower) -- that Vishnu, forming part of Thy very being, is indeed the most worshipful among the worshipful. If not he, who is there to excel him?
(* Vishnu became the arrow when Siva went to destroy the Tripura.
**He also became his bull in the same occasion. ***Vishnu acted as the drummer when Siva got married to Uma or when He was dancing. ****When Vishnu was praying to Siva with 1000 lotuses, one lotus became short, and he offered his eyes in place of that lotus, thus He is called Hara Netra Arpandeswarar. *****Vishnu in his female form is Uma, and thus occupied the left side of Siva's body.
contd.,
****
Sri Sivananda Lahari - Sri Sankara:
continues....
83. Not even a little of happiness is obtained by the worship of deities who are themselves subject to birth and death. There is no doubt about this. They are the great, and they, indeed, are the happy, that worship Siva, who is united wit the Divine Mother), and who is birthless and deatheless.
84. Giver of all good ! Thou cause of all ! Thou Friend of all the worlds ! Thou Ocean of Existence Knowledge and Bliss ! I shall bestow on Thee the good-natured maiden of my intellect in order to help Gauri (Thy Consort) in serving Thee. Mayest Thou, O merciful one, reside for ever in the house of my heart.
contd.,
****
Sri Sivananda Lahari - Sri Sankara:
continues....
85. O crescent-crested Lord! I am not skilled in churning the ocean (how then am I supply Thee with the poison of hala hala to drink and the flower called the moon to decorate your locks?). I cannot penetrate into the nether worlds - (how then can I provide Thee with serpents for Thy ornaments?). I am not a hunter skilled in chase - (how can I then procure the elephant skin for Thee to wear?). Pray tell me, how shall I therefore, perform Thy worship, which consists in offering food, flowers and ornaments, clothes and the rest?
{The allusion is to the various habits and performances associated with Siva in Hindu mythology. When the milk ocean was churned, of many things that came out of it, Siva drank the poison hala hala and wore the moon on his matted locks. Serpents are His ornaments; they can be secured only from their home, nether world as per puranas. In one of His aspects, He is pictured as wearing elephant skin (in Daruka forest story where the Rishis sent mad elephant and tiger towards Him, to destroy Him.) The devotee confesses his incapacity to procure these rare things for the Lord.}
contd.,
***
Sri Sivananada Lahari - Sri Sankara:
86. O Lord of Uma! Granted that plenty of ingredients have been secured, how can I, even then, perform Thy worship? For I have not acquired the form of a bird (i.e. of swan) or of a boar (like Brahma and Vishnu), who assuming these forms went in search of Thy head and feet respectively but failed to reach them. So, O all-pervading One, I do not know Thy head or feet. Indeed, even Brahma and Vishnu who had assumed these forms, did not in truth, know them.
(The allusion is to Arunachala story)
87. O Thou source of Bliss ! Poison is Thy food, serpent Thy garland, elephant hide Thy garment, and a big bull Thy vehicle. What, then wouldst Thou give me? What hast Thou got to give? Therefore grant unto me only devotion to Thy lotus feet.
contd.,
***
Sri Sivananda Lahari - Sri Sankara:
continues...
88. I shall be competent, O Siva,
to perform Thy worship,, praise and meditation, when I become he who built a bridge across the ocean (i.e. Sri Rama) or he who pressed down the great mountain Vindhya with his palm (i.e. Sage Agasthya) or he over-stepped the creator Brahma (i.e Sri Krishna).
(Sri Rama built Sri Rama Sethu,
the bridge across the ocean to reach Lanka after doing puja to Siva in Rameswaram. Agasthya the Sage was a great Siva bhakta. Siva asked him to stay in South India since the crowd for his wedding with Parvati was very great, and the southern land is said to have gone down, and Agasthya helped in retrieving the land back to its original level. So he was given the boon to see Siva Parvati wedding once again in South near Podigai Hill. Sri Krishna was also a great Siva bhakta since He was doing Siva Puja everyday, as per Mahabharata.)
89. O Lord of the worlds! Thou wert not so pleased with prostration, praise, worship, meditation and ecstasy, as with the offering of resistance to Thee with bow, iron pestle and stones. Say what is that pleases Thee and I shall do accordingly.
(The allusion is to Arjuna's encounter with Siva as a hunter. Arjuna was performing worship and austerities with great concentration, in order to propitiate Siva, but before He revealed Himself, He appeared before Arjuna as a hunter and entered into a scuffle with him. In the course of it, Arjuna hit him with his bow, stones, etc., As if more pleased with this than austerities, Siva revealed Himself to him now.).
contd.,
***
Sri Sivananda Lahari - Sri Sankara:
continues....
90. I am not used to meditate on Thee in a concentrated state of mind. With
my tongue I speak of Siva's stories, with my mind I adore His form, and with my head I prostrate to Sadasiva, the eternally pure.
91. O moon-crested One ! By Thy Grace that primordial nescience (avidya)lodged in my heart has disappeared and the cherished divine knowledge has dawned. Always, in ecstatic thought, I worship Thy lotus feet, which are capable of conferring what is good, and which constitute the chalice of salvation.
contd.,
***
Sri Sivananda Lahari - Sri Sankara:
continues....
92. O Lord of Gauri! By Thy merciful glance, ill-fate, egoism, misfortune, sorrow,false pride and foul speech - all indicative of a bad destiny -- have been eradicated. Even in this life, uplift me who always drink the nectar of Thy stories.
93. May my heart always delight in Siva, the Supreme Effulgence, the Master of all, the Lord of the daughter of the mountain (i.e Parvati), who wears the crescent moon on His crest, and who has a comely throat, dark blue like a cloud.
contd.,
***
Sri Sivananda Lahari - Sri Sankara:
continues....
94. The tongue that speaks of Siva's stories is the real tongue; the eyes that see His image, the real eyes; the hands that always worship Him, the real hands, and he who ever remembers Him, the attainer of the true end of life.
95. O Lord of Bhavani ! O bestower of good ! Give up the thought of Thy feet are so tender and my heart so hard. If it were so, how dost Thou travel on the mountain where Thou hast to tread on hard rocks?
contd.,
***
Sri Sivananda Lahari - Sri Sankara:
continues....
96. O destroyer of the three bodies (or the three cities, Tripura)!
Quickly pulling the hook of firmness, ties the ruttish elephant of my mind to the post of Thy feet with the chain of devotion, using the knowledge of Brahman as fetter.
97. O Supreme One! This elephant of the mind, huge and ruttish, goes about everywhere with forbidding movements. Having seized it tactfully with the rope of devotion, tie it firmly to the post of Thy undecaying state.
contd.,
***
Why talk and read about Bliss endlessly?Go and taste it.Ofcourse u got to be ready/timing/eligible.Even if u dont get it first time round,u shud be 3rd time lucky for sure.From my own experience I strongly recommend:
Ammachi's American Tour:
http://amma.org/meeting-amma/north-america/retreats
Sri Sivananda Lahari - Sri Sankara -
continues.....
98. O Lord! Thou beloved of Gauri! Deign to accept this -- the maiden of my poesy - adorned with ornaments of various figures of speech, charming by the gait of beautiful diction, possessing the virtuous conduct of excellent meters, having the bright complexion of sweet sounds, praised by the world of good men constituted of holy sages, endowed with the amorous sentiments of devotion, together with the virtue of loftiness, planned with the suitor of Brahman as the objective, invested with the most auspicious marks of high literary qualities, endowed with numerous brilliant decorations of the literary art, revealing the modesty of poetic humility, bearing the 'wealth-line' (dhana reka on the palm) off clear meanings, and possessing the virtue of working for the good of the readers.
contd.,
***
Zee,
Delighted to see your post .Amma is indeed a great soul.
Namaskar.
Murali/Friends,
"Somewhere in Gospel, I read Thakur saying "If you look for I inside, God will emerge out"
Here is the excerpt from The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna:
"THE YOUNGER NAREN: "Sir, have we any free will?"
MASTER: "Just try to find out who this 'I' is. While you are searching for 'I', 'He' comes
out. 'I am the machine and He is the Operator.' You have heard of a mechanical toy that
goes into a store with a letter in its hand. You are like that toy. God alone is the Doer. Do
your duties in the world as if you were the doer, but knowing all the time that God alone is
the Doer and you are the instrument.
"As long as the upadhi exists there is ignorance. 'I am a scholar', 'I am a jnani', 'I am
wealthy', 'I am honourable', 'I am the master, father, and teacher' -all these ideas are
begotten of ignorance. 'I am the machine and You are the Operator' - that is Knowledge. In
the state of Knowledge all upadhis are destroyed. When the log is burnt up entirely, there is
no more sound; no heat either. Everything cools down. Peace! Peace! Peace!"
I will post more excerpts on this theme from the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna.They have an immediacy and simplicity that carries the message home.
Namaskar.
Murali/Friends,
Further excerpt from The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna on the theme of God alone as the doer:
God alone is the agent
(To the doctor) "Look here. If a man truly believes that God alone does everything, that He
is the Operator and man the machine, then such a man is verily liberated in life. 'Thou
workest Thine own work; men only call it theirs.' Do you know what it is like? Vedanta
philosophy gives an illustration. Suppose you are cooking rice in a pot, with potato, eggplant,
and other vegetables. After a while the potatoes, eggplant, rice, and the rest begin to
jump about in the pot. They seem to say with pride: 'We are moving! We are jumping!' The
children see it and think the potatoes, egg-plant, and rice are alive and so they jump that
way. But the elders, who know, explain to the children that the vegetables and the rice are
not alive; they jump not of themselves, but because of the fire under the pot; if you remove
the burning wood from the hearth, then they will move no more. Likewise the pride of man,
that he is the doer, springs from ignorance. Men are powerful because of the power of God.
All becomes quiet when that burning wood is taken away. The puppets dance well on the
stage when pulled by a wire, but they cannot move when the wire snaps.
"A man will cherish the illusion that he is the doer as long as he has not seen God, as long
as he has not touched the Philosopher's Stone. So long will he know the distinction between
his good and bad actions. This awareness of distinction is due to God's maya; and it is
necessary for the purpose of running His illusory world. But a man can realize God if he
takes shelter under His vidyamaya and follows the path of righteousness. He who knows
God and realizes Him is able to go beyond maya. He who firmly believes that God alone is
the Doer and he himself a mere instrument is a jivanmukta, a free soul though living in a
body."
continued...
Murali/Friends,
The stark nature of ignorance that makes people think that they are 'somebody' is brought out in stunning fashion by the Master:
"Umanath again said to the Master from the door. "Mother asks you to bless Keshab."
MASTER (gravely): "What can I do? God alone, blesses all. 'Thou workest Thine, own
work; men only call it theirs.'
"God laughs on two occasions. He laughs when two brothers divide land between them.
They put a string across the land and say to each other, 'This side is mine, and that side is
yours. God laughs and says to Himself, 'Why, this whole universe is Mine; and about a
little clod they say, "This side is mine, and that side is yours"!'
"God laughs again when the physician says to the mother weeping bitterly because of her
child's desperate illness: 'Don't be afraid, mother. I shall cure your child.' The physician
does not know that no one can save the child if God wills that he should die." (All are
silent.)
Just then Keshab was seized with a fit of coughing, which lasted for a long time. The sight
of his suffering made everyone, sad. He became exhausted and could stay no longer. He
bowed low before the Master and left the room, holding to the wall as before.
Some refreshments had been arranged for the Master. Keshab's eldest son was seated near
him. Amrita introduced the boy and requested Sri Ramakrishna to bless him. The Master
said, "It is not given to me to bless anyone." With a sweet smile he stroked the boy's body
gently.
AMRITA (with a smile): "All right, then do as you please."
MASTER (to the devotees): " I cannot say such a thing as 'May you be healed.' I never ask
the Divine Mother to give me the power of healing. I pray to Her only for pure love."
continued...
Murali/Friends,
In this excerpt from the Gospel,Sri Ramakrishna says that God alone has become everything:
Is God partial?
Nanda remained silent a few minutes. Then he said: "Oh, yes. People no doubt talk that
way. But is God partial? If things happen through God's grace, then I must say God is
partial."
MASTER: "But God Himself has become everything-the universe and its living beings.
You will realize it when you have Perfect Knowledge. God Himself has become the
twenty-four cosmic principles: the mind, intellect, body, and so forth. Is there anyone but
Himself to whom He can show partiality?"
NANDA : "Why has He assumed all these different forms? Why are some wise and some
ignorant?"
MASTER: "It is His sweet will."
ATUL: "Kedar Babu puts it nicely. Once a man asked him, 'Why has God created the
world?' He replied, 'I was not present at the conference where God made the plans of His
creation.'"
MASTER: "Oh! It is His sweet will"
So saying, the Master sang:
O Mother, all is done after Thine own sweet will:
Thou art in truth self-willed, Redeemer of mankind!
Thou workest Thine own work; men only call it theirs.
Thou it is that holdest the elephant in the mire;
Thou, that helpest the lame man scale the loftiest hill.
On some Thou dost bestow the bliss of Brahmanhood;
Yet others Thou dost hurl into this world below.
Thou art the Moving Force, and I the mere machine;
The house am I, and Thou the Spirit dwelling there;
I am the chariot, and Thou the Charioteer:
I move alone as Thou, O Mother, movest me."
continued...
Murali/Friends,
continuing his conversation,Sri Ramakrishna says that all will be liberated ,for in truth it is only God alone who has become everything:
Liberation for all
He continued: "The Divine Mother is full of bliss. Creation, preservation, and destruction
are the waves of Her sportive pleasure. Innumerable are the living beings. Only one or two
among them obtain liberation. And that makes Her happy.
"Out of a hundred thousand kites, at best but one or two break free;
And Thou dost laugh and clap Thy hands, O Mother, watching them!
Some are being entangled in the world and some are being liberated from it.
How many are the boats, O mind,
That float on the ocean of this world!
How many are those that sink!"
NANDA: "It may be Her sweet will; but it is death to us."
MASTER: "But who are you? It is the Divine Mother who has become all this. It is only as
long as you do not know Her that you say, 'I', 'I'.
"All will surely realize God. All will be liberated. It may be that some get their meal in the
morning, some at noon, and some in the evening: but none will go without food. All,
without any exception, will certainly know their real Self."
PASUPATI: "True, sir. It seems that it is God alone who has become everything."
continued....
Murali/Friends,
Continuing further the conversation,the nature of 'I' is examined-and here Sri Ramakrishna expounds the nature of 'Ripe Ego' and 'unripe ego'.This leads to the most inspiring of utterances wherein he says that "even Union with God even for one moment surely gives a man
liberation".
Nature of "I"
MASTER: "Try to find out what this 'I' is. Is this 'I' the bones or flesh or blood or
intestines? Seeking the 'I', you discover 'Thou'. In other words, nothing exists inside you but
the power of God. There is no 'I', but only 'He'. (To Pasupati) You have so much wealth,
but you have no egotism. It is not possible to rid oneself altogether of the ego; so, as long as
it is there, let the rascal remain as the servant of God. (All laugh.) The ego that makes a
man feel he is a devotee of God or a son of God or a servant of God is good. But the ego
that makes a man attached to 'woman and gold' is the 'unripe ego'. That ego is to be
renounced."
The head of the household and the others were very much pleased to hear this interpretation
of the ego.
MASTER (to Pasupati): "There are two signs of knowledge: first, absence of pride, and
second, a peaceful nature. You have both. Therefore you must have received the grace of
God.
"Too much wealth makes one forget God. That is the very nature of wealth. Jadu Mallick
has become very rich. Nowadays he doesn't talk of God. Formerly he used to enjoy
spiritual talk a great deal.
"'Woman and gold' is a kind of wine. If a man drinks too much wine, he does not show his
father and uncle the respect that is due to them. Very often he abuses them. A drunkard
cannot distinguish between his superior and his inferior."
NANDA: "That is true, sir."
continued....
Murali/Friends,
Excerpt from The Gospel continued....
PASUPATI: "Sir, what do you think of Theosophy and Spiritualism? Are these true? What
do you think of the solar plane, the lunar plane, the stellar plane?"
MASTER: "My dear sir, I don't know about these things. Why bother about them so much?
You have come to the orchard to eat mangoes. Enjoy them. What is the use of your
calculating how many mango-trees there are, how many millions of branches, how many
billions of leaves? I have come to the orchard to eat mangoes. Let me enjoy them.
"Once a man's inner spirit is awakened, once he succeeds in knowing God, he doesn't feel
the desire even to know about all this rubbish. How incoherently a delirious patient talks: 'I
shall eat five seers of rice! I shall drink a whole tank of water!' 'Will you?' says the
physician. 'All right! You will have them.' Saying this, the physician goes on with his
smoke. But he pays attention to what the patient says when the patient is no longer
delirious."
PASUPATI: "Will our delirium last for ever?"
MASTER: "Why should you think so? Fix your mind on God, and spiritual consciousness
will be awakened in you."
PASUPATI (smiling): "Our union with God is only momentary. It doesn't last any longer
than a pipeful of tobacco." (All Laugh.)
MASTER: "What if that is so? Union with God even for one moment surely gives a man
liberation.
"Ahalya said to Rama, 'O Rama, it doesn't matter if I am born as a pig or any other being;
only bless me that my mind may dwell on Thy Lotus Feet and be filled with real devotion
to Thee.'
"Narada said to Rama: 'O Rama, I want from Thee no other favour. Please give me real
love for Thee; and please bless me, that I may not come under the spell of Thy worldbewitching
maya.'
"When a man sincerely prays to God, he is able to fix his mind on God and develop real
love for His Lotus Feet.
"Give up all such notions as: 'Shall we be cured of our delirium?', 'What will happen to us?',
'We are sinners!' (To Nanda) One must have this kind of faith: 'What? Once I have uttered
the name of Rama, can I be a sinner any more?' "
NANDA: "Is there no after-life? What about punishment for our sins?"
MASTER: "Why not enjoy your mangoes? What need have you to calculate about the
after-life and what happens then, and things like that? Eat your mangoes. You need
mangoes. You need devotion to God"
The above is excerpted from the wonderful chapter 43,Visit to Nanda Bose's House.
We will be continuing this theme of God alone is Truth and the Only doer as expounded in The Gospelof Sri Ramakrishna through the parable of the Calf and the story of the Weaver.
Namaskar.
Sri Sivananda Lahari - Sri Sankara:
continues.....
99. O Supreme Lord! Thou ocean of all mercy! Vishnu and Brahma, boring down into the earth and flying up in the sky, as a boar and as a swan in order to find out Thy feet and head respectively, only got tired (but did not discover the extremities of Thy form). O bestower of good ! O Lord of all! How is it then that Thou hast become capable of being known to me? Pray, does this conduct befit Thee?
100. Let the hymn of praise stop now. I do not tell lies. O bestower of supreme good! Thy devotees like Brahma and others deem Thee as the first when they take a list of those who deserves to be praised. For, in estimating comparative greatness, they find themselves unimportant (lit. blown away), like a chaff of husk, when rice is winnowed, and consider Thee to the bestower of the highest of all rewards, that is, liberation.
concluded.
***
Murali/Friends,
The parable of the calf from The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna:
The feeling 'I am the doer' is the outcome of
ignorance. But the feeling that God does everything is due to knowledge. God alone is the
Doer; all others are mere instruments in His hands.
Parable of the calf
"The misfortune that befalls a man on account of his egotism can be realized if you only
think of the condition of the calf. The calf says, 'Hamma! Hamma!' that is, 'I! I!' And just
look at its misfortune! At times it is yoked to the plough and made to work in the field from
sunup to sundown, rain or shine. Again, it may be slaughtered by the butcher. In that case
the flesh is eaten and the skin tanned into hide. From the hide shoes are made. People put
on these shoes and walk on the rough ground. Still that is not the end of its misfortunes.
Drums are made from its skin and mercilessly beaten with sticks. At last its entrails are
made into strings for the bow used in carding cotton. When used by the carder the string
gives the sound 'Tuhu! Tuhu!', 'Thou! Thou!'-that is, 'It is Thou, O Lord! It is Thou!' It no
longer says, 'Hamma! Hamma!', 'I! I!' Only then does the calf's trouble come to an end, and
it is liberated. It doesn't return to the world of action.
"Likewise, when the embodied soul says: 'O God, I am not the doer; Thou art the Doer. I
am the machine and Thou art its Operator', only then does its suffering of worldly life come
to an end; only then does it obtain liberation. It no longer has to be reborn in this world of
action."
A DEVOTEE: "How can a man get rid of his ego?"
MASTER: "You cannot get rid of it until you have realized God. If you find a person free
from ego, then know for certain that he has seen God."
continued...
Murali/Friends,
The Story of the Weaver and 'Will Of Rama' from The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna:
"God has put you in the world. What can you do about it? Resign everything to Him.
Surrender yourself at His feet. Then there will be no more confusion. Then you will realize
that it is God who does everything. All depends on 'the will of Rama'."
Story of "the will of Rama"
A DEVOTEE: "What is that story about 'the will of Rama'?"
MASTER: "In a certain village there lived a weaver. He was a very pious,soul. Everyone
trusted him and loved him. He used to sell his goods in the market-place. When a customer
asked him the price of a piece of cloth, the weaver would say: 'By the will of Rama the
price of the yarn is one rupee and the labour four annas ; by the will of Rama the profit is
two annas . The price of the cloth, by the will of Rama, is one rupee and six annas .' Such
was the people's faith in the weaver that the customer would at once pay the price and take
the cloth. The weaver was a real devotee of God. After finishing his supper in the evening,
he would spend long hours' in the worship hall meditating on God and chanting His name
and glories. Now, late one night the weaver couldn't get to sleep. He was sitting in the
worship hall, smoking now and then, when a band of robbers happened to pass that way.
They wanted a man to carry their goods and said to the weaver, 'Come with us.' So saying,
they led him off by the hand. After committing a robbery in a house, they put a load of
things on the weaver's head, commanding him to carry them. Suddenly the police arrived
and the robbers ran away. But the weaver, with his load, was arrested. He was kept in the
lock-up for the night. Next day he was brought before the magistrate for trial. The villagers
learnt what had happened and came to court. They said to the magistrate, 'Your Honour,
this man could never commit a robbery.' Thereupon the magistrate asked the weaver to
make his statement.
'The weaver said: 'Your Honour, by the will of Rama I finished my meal at night. Then by
the will of Rama I was sitting in the worship hall. It was quite late at night by the will of
Rama. By the will of Rama I had been thinking of God and chanting His name and glories,
when by the will of Rama a band of robbers passed that way. By the will of Rama they
dragged me with them; by the will of Rama they committed a robbery in a house; and by
the will of Rama they put a load on my head. Just then, by the will of Rama the police
arrived, and by the will of Rama I was arrested. Then by the will of Rama the police kept
me in the lock-up for the night, and this morning by the will of Rama I have been brought
before Your Honour.' The magistrate realized that the weaver was a pious man and ordered
his release. On his way home the weaver said to his friends, 'By the will of Rama I have
been released.'
"Whether a man should be a householder or a monk depends on the will of Rama.
Surrender everything to God and do your duties in the world."
concluded.
UPADESA SAHASRI - Sri Sankara -
(some excerpts only)
Chapter XVII
Right Knowledge:
1. The Self is to be known (i.e. realized). It is beyond everything knowable, as there exists nothing else except It. I bow down to that pure, all knowing and omniscient One which is to be known.
2. I always bow down to those teachers, who are conversant with words, sentences, and sources of Knowledge and who, like a lamp, have shown clearly to us Brahman, the secret of Vedas.
3. I bow down to my teacher whose words fell (into my ears) and destroyed ignorance in me, like the sun's rays falling on darkness and destroying it. I shall now state the reasoning leading to the right conclusion about the Knowledge of Brahman.
4. There is no other attainment higher than that of the Self. For that is the purpose for which the teachings of the Vedas, the Smritis and actions (described in the karma kanda of the Vedas) are there.
5. The acquisition on part of oneself considered to be a source of happiness produces the opposite result also. (Pain and misery when there is loss of such acquisition). It is for this reason that the Knowers of Brahman say that the greatest acquisition is that of the Self as It is eternal.
6. Of the nature of being always attained, the Self does not depend on anything else in order to be acquired. The acquisition that depends on other things (e.g. effort etc., ) is due to ignorance and so vanishes when the means to which it is due vanish.
contd.,
****
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVII - RIGHT KNOWLEDGE;
continues....
7. The conception of the existence
of the non Self is what is called Ignorance, the destruction of which is known to be liberation. This destruction is possible by means of Knowledge only, which is incompatible with Ignorance. (Compatible with Ignorance) actions cannot destroy it.
8. The actions produced by desires caused by Ignorance give rise to results which are perishable, and that Knowledge produces an imperishable result are known on evidence of the Vedas.
9. The learned know the Vedas to be to one continuous whole the only purpose of which is to demonstrate one thing viz., Knowledge in as much as the oneness of the Self to be known by the understanding of the Vedic sentences. (Thou art That, I am Brahman etc.,)
10. One may object that Brahman and the individual Self are different from each other as they are meanings of the two words which are not synonymous. The objection is not reasonable in as much as one has to know the difference between the words from that between their meanings and the difference between their meanings from that between the words. (Therefore the objector is led to the fallacy of reciprocal dependence. So no difference between them can be accepted, there being no Vedic evidence.) (Objection): As the Sruti states three things besides the Self viz., names, forms and actions it evidently supports the existence of things other than the Self.
11,12. Reply: As they are inter dependent like a painting and a description of it, they are unreal. So the whole of the universe is really non existent but exists only for a deluded intellect.
contd.,
***
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVII:
Right Knowledge:
continues....
13. It is, therefore, reasonable that this universe is unreal. Existence-Knowledge only is real. Existing prior to everything, It is both the knower and the known.
It is the forms only that are unreal.
14,15: Existence-Knowledge through which all things in dream are known is the knower. It is the same entity that is known in dream by Maya. It is the same Consciousness through which one sees, hears, speaks, smells, tastes, touches and thinks in that state is respectively called the
eye, the ear, the larynx, the auditive organ, the tongue, the organ of touch, and the mind. Similarly, It is the same Consciousness that becomes in dream the other organs also functioning variously.
16. Just as the same jewel assumes different colors owing to its proximity to different colored things, so, Pure Consciousness assumes different forms on account of various adjuncts which are superimposed on It in dream.
17. As in dream so in the waking state, different forms are superimposed on this Consciousness. It manifests the objects of intellect when It performs actions produced by desires due to delusion. (See also Gaudapada Karika).
contd.,
****
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVII:
Right Knowledge:
continues....
18. The events in the waking state are similar to those in dream. The ideas of the interior and exterior in the former state is as unreal, as in the latter like reading and writing depending on each other. (Reading depends on a written page without which nothing can be read; and writing also depends on reading, as we first read and then write. So both of them are unreal as the sounds represented by written letters are all pervasive and have no forms. Hence they can neither be really written nor read.)
19. When the Self manifests different objects, It desires to have them. And accordingly there arises in It a determination (to acquire those objects). It then meets with those particular results of actions done according to particular desires followed by particular determinations.
20. Unperceived in deep sleep, but perceived in waking and dream, by those only who are ignorant, the whole of this universe is an outcome of Ignorance and therefore unreal.
21. It is said in Sruti that the Consciousness of the oneness (of the individual and Brahman) is Knowledge. Knowledge is, therefore, demonstrated in the scriptures with great care.
22. When the mind becomes purified like a mirror, Knowledge is revealed in it. Care should, therefore, be taken to purify the mind by Yama and Niyama, sacrifices, and religious austerities.
contd.,
***
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara -
Chapter XVII:
Right Knowledge:
continues......
23. The best austerities regarding the body, the mind and speech should be practiced in order to purify the mind. The controlling of the mind and the emaciating of the body in different seasons should be undertaken.
24. The attainment of the onepointedness (Regarding Brahman)
of the mind and the senses is he best of austerities. It is superior to all religious and all other austerities.
25. Sensuous perceptions are to be regarded as the waking state. Those very perceptions revealed in sleep as impressions constitute the dream state. The absence of perceptions and their impressions is known to be deep sleep. The Witness of the three states, one's own Self should be regarded as the Supreme Goal to be realized.
26. What is called deep sleep, Darkness or Ignorance is the seed of the waking and dream states. It gets perfectly burnt by the fire of Self Knowledge and it no more produces effects, like a burnt seed that does not germinate.
27. That one seed, called Maya, is evolved into the three states, which come one after another, again and again. The Self, the Substratum of Maya, though only one and immutable, appears to be many, like the reflections of the sun in water.
contd.,
****
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVII:
Right Knowledge:
continues.....
28. Just as the one seed called Maya, is regarded as different to different states such as, the Undifferentiated (Hiranyagarbha), dream, etc., so the Self appears to be different in waking and dream bodies, both individual and aggregate like reflections of the moon in water.
29. Just as a magician comes and goes on an elephant (created by his own magic), so, the Self though devoid of all motion, appears to be undergoing conditions such as, the Undifferentiated, dream etc.,
30. Just as (in the above example) there is no elephant nor its driver, but there stands the magician different from them, so, there are no undifferentiated etc., nor their knower. The Witness which is always of the nature of Pure Consciousness is different from them.
31. There is no magic for the people of right vision, nor the magician himself. It is only for the people of clouded vision that magic exists. Hence, one, not really a magician, wrongly appears to be so. (So it is the ignorant only that wrongly believe that Brahman is the wielder of Maya which is equally non existent both for men of Knowledge and for Brahman).
32. The Self should be regarded as Brahman in accordance with the Srutis, 'The Self is immediate', 'All knots of the heart are torn asunder.' (Br.Up. 3.4.1,2. and Mundaka Up. 2.2.8, Kena Up. 1.5)
contd.,
***
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVII:
Right Knowledge:
33. Objection: It is not perceived by the senses as It is devoid of sound etc., Again how can It be perceived by the intellect as It is different from pleasure and so on?
34. Reply: Just as Rahu though invisible, is seen in the moon during eclipse and the reflections of the moon etc., are seen in water, so, the Self, though omnipresent, is perceived in the intellect.
35. Just as the reflection and the heat of the sun, found in water, do not belong to it, so, Consciousness, though perceived in the intellect, is not its quality;
for It is of a nature opposite to that of intellect.
36,37: The Self whose Consciousness never goes out of existence, is called the Seer of seeing when it illumines the modification of the intellect which is connected with the eye, and similarly, It is called the Hearer of hearing and so on. The Unborn One is called the thinker of thought when It illumines that modification of the mind which is independent of external objects. It is called the knower and Its power of Consciousness never fails. So the Sruti says, 'The Seeing of the Seer is not destroyed.' (Br. Up. 4.3. 23 - 30).
38. That the Self is immutable is known from the Srutis, 'As if It were at rest and It moves as it were.' (Br.Up. 4.3.7). That It is Pure is known from other Srutis, 'The thief in this state' and the Unattached.' (Br.Up. 4.3.22)
contd.,
*****
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVII:
Right Knowledge:
continues....
39. The Self is conscious even in deep sleep as well as in waking and dream as Its power of Consciousness never ceases to exist and as It is changeless. It is only in the object of knowledge that there is a difference, (in dreamless deep sleep) as the Sruti says,'When there is.' (In deep sleep, the objects of Knowledge get merged in Ignorance. Br.Up. 4.5.15).
40. The consciousness of objects (which arises out of the functioning of the eye etc.,) is mediately known, for it depends on an intervening reflection of the Self (in order to be known). As It is the Self of (phenomenal) consciousness, Brahman is immediately known.
41. Just as a second lamp is not necessary in order to illumine a lamp, so, a second consciousness is not necessary to make known Pure Consciousness which is of the nature of the Self.
42. The Self is not an object of knowledge. There is no change or manyness in It. It, is, therefore, capable of neither being accepted nor rejected by Itself or by anyone else. (For no one exists other than the Self).
43. Why should a man have even the least fear who knows that he is the Self comprising the interior and exterior, beyond birth, decay, death and old age.
contd.,
***
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
continues..
Chapter XVII:
Right Knowledge:
44. It is only before the negation of the idea of caste etc., on the evidence of the Sruti 'Not large', the ascertainment of the nature of the Self, on the authority of the sentence, 'Thou Art That' and before the demonstration of the Self to one, on the part of the knowledge portion of the Vedas (Jnana KAndas), that Vedic action are to be performed and not afterwards.
45. Caste etc., given up with the giving up of the previous body only and not to the Self. for the very same reason of being perishable the body is also not the Self.
46. The conception of 'me' and 'mine' with regard to the non Self, the body etc., are due to Ignorance and should be renounced by means of Self Knowledge as there is the Sruti of the Asruras.
(Opponents of Gods).
47. Just as the duty of observing defilement for ten days (following the child birth or death of a kinsman) is refrained from when one becomes a religious wandering mendicant; so the duties belonging to the particular castes etc., come to an end when right Knowledge is achieved.
48. A man of Ignorance reaps the results of those actions done according to particular desires, followed by particular determinations. But when the desires, of a man of Self Knowledge vanish he becomes immortal.
contd.,
***
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVII:
Right Knowledge:
continues....
49. The outcome of the ascertainment of the real nature of the Self is cessation from actions etc., The Self is neither an end nor a means. It is, according to the Smriti, eternally contended. (Bhagavad Gits 4.20).
50. Four things only are the results of actions viz., the production, acquisition, transformation, and purification of some thing. They produce no other results. All actions with their accessories (wife, children, wealth, sacred tuft of hair and holy thread) should therefore be given up.
51, 52. One desirous of attaining Truth should withdraw into the Self the love that he has for external persons or things. For this love, secondary to that for the Self, is evanescent and and entails pain. He then should take refuge in a Teacher, a knower of Brahman, who is tranquil, free, bereft of actions and established in Brahman as the Sruti and Smriti say, 'One having a Teacher knows' and ' Know That.' (Ch.Up. 6.14.2 & Bhagavad Gita 4.34.).
contd.,
****
Today, I bought a copy of "Conscious Immortality" from Sri Ramana Kendram, Hyderabad. I was searching for this book for almost 10 years. Finally, Sri Ramanashram published it.
Thought of informing all of you, who may not know this.
Regards Murali
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVII:
Right Knowledge:
continues....
53. That teacher should immediately take disciple in the boat of Knowledge of Brahman across the great ocean of darkness (ignorance), which is within him - the disciple who is of a one pointed mind and endowed with the qualities of a true disciple.
54. The powers of seeing, touching, hearing, smelling, thinking and knowing and so on, though of the nature of Pure
Consciousness, differ on account of adjuncts.
55. Just as the sun illumines the world with its rays which are free from growth and decay, so the Self always knows all things in general and all particular things and is pure.
56. Appearing to be in the body owing to Ignorance and, therefore, appearing to be of the same size, as the body, the Self is regarded as different from things other than the body (and possessed of its qualities) like the moon etc., reflected in water and appearing to be possessed of its qualities.
contd.,
***
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVII:
Right Knowledge:
continues....
57. One who merges the gross external objects experienced in the waking state in the subtle objects, experienced in dream, and these again in Ignorance, and then comes to know the Consciousness of the Self attains Brahman, and has not to follow any path, 'northern' or 'southern' (The path which leads one to the region of death at death is 'northern path.' The path leading to the region of the moon when one dies is called 'southern path.')
58. Having thus renounced the three states of the undifferentiated etc., one gets across the great ocean of Ignorance, for one is by nature, established in the Self without qualities, pure, awakened and free.
contd.,
***
Friends,
Jnana and bhakti are one and the same thing. The difference is like this: one man says 'water', and another, 'a block of ice'.
The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVII:
Right Knowledge:
continues.....
59. One is not born again when one knows that one is unborn, deathless, devoid of old age, free from fear, pure, and knowing all particular things and things in general.
60. How can one be born again who has known the oneness of the Self and Brahman and is sure of the non existence of the seed called Ignorance stated before? (See verse 26).
61. When the Witness is discriminated from the intellect etc., which are unreal, It does not identify Itself again with the gross or the subtle body as before, just as butter raised from milk and thrown into it does not get mixed with it again.
62. One becomes free from fear when one knows that one is Brahman which is Existence Knowledge and Infinite, beyond the five sheaths consisting of food etc., and which is described in the Sruti as 'not perceivable and so on.' (Taitt. Up. 2.7).
63. That knower of the Truth of the Bliss of the Self has no cause of fear whatsoever. For afraid of him the organs of speech, the mind, fire and so on act regularly. (Taitt. Up. 2.8.1.).
64. Whom should the knower of the Self salute if he is established in his own Glory which is Infinite, non dual, and beyond name etc.,? Actions then have no
utility for him. (Ch.Up. 7.1-15).
contd.,
***
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVII:
Right Knowledge:
continues...
65,66: The externally conscious individual which is one with the aggregate of the gross bodies and the individual which is conscious internally and one with the aggregate of the subtle bodies are both merged in the individual experiencing deep sleep which is one with the undifferentiated.
As the three states viz., deep sleep etc., have words only for their support they are unreal. The truthful man, therefore, who knows that he is Existence - Brahman gets liberated. (Ma.Up. 3-7; Ch.Up. 6.16.1-3)
67. I have no knowledge or ignorance in Me as I am of the nature of homogeneous Consciousness only, just as there is no day or night in the sun which is of the nature of light only.
68. As the truth of the scriptures may never be doubted one should always remember that one identified with Brahman has nothing to accept or reject.
69. A man is never born again who knows that he is only in all beings like the ether and that all beings are in him.
contd.,
***
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVII:
Right Knowledge:
continues....
70. The Self is pure and self effulgent having by nature, no interior, exterior, middle, or anything else anywhere, according to the Sruti, "devoid of the interior and exterior." (Br. Up. 2.5.19).
71. The Self is non dual (and left over) by the negation of the universe according to the Sruti. 'Not this, not this,' (Br. Up. 2.3.6). It should be known as described in the Sruti, 'Unknown knower' and never otherwise. (Br. Up. 3.8.11).
72. If one knows that one is the supreme Brahman, the Self of all, one should be regarded as the Self of all beings according to the Sruti, 'their Self.' (Br. Up. 1.4.10).
73. An individual becomes adorable by gods and free from being under their control (unlike beasts under men), if he clearly knows the supreme Self, the shining one to be himself. (Br. Up. 1.4.10).
74. The Truthful man who has renounced everything unreal does not get bound again when he knows that he is always Consciousness, the eternally existing Self devoid of everything like the ether. (Ch. Up. 6.16.1--3).
75. Those are to be pitied who know the Supreme Brahman to be otherwise. (i.e. other than the Self). Those, on the other hand, who know It to be not different from themselves are established in the Self and are their own masters. (Ch. Up. 7.25.2). They have all the gods under the control.
76,77: Give up all connection with caste, etc., all actions and all talk regarding the non-Self. Always meditate on the pure Self, the all-comprehensive Principle, as AUM (The sound AUM is the name and symbol of Brahman. Kath. Up. 12.16-17). The Self which like a causeway that protects everything established (such as castes, orders of life etc.,) and which, untouched by day and night, is in all directions, horizontal, upward and downward, and free from unhappiness, is of the nature of eternal consciousness.
contd.,
***
Hello, eveyone
In "Sri Ramana Leela" there is a stroy about 'Guru Dakashina'.
http://www.arunachala-ramana.org/forum/index.php?topic=7222.170;wap2
I translated it into Japanese and posted it on my blog. Then I found more detailed version of it on the web somewhere. But I failed to add it into my bookmark so I now can't find where it is. I would like to rewrite my translation if I find more detailed version.
If anyone know about it, please tell me.
thank you
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVII:
Right Knowledge:
continues...
78. One should know oneself to be the Supreme Brahman, free from all bondage, merit and demerit, past and future, and also from cause and effect.
79.
The Self is regarded as the doer of everything, though It is a non doer. It is pure. It runs ahead of those that run, though It does not move at all. It appears to be many though unborn. For it possess all powers of Maya.
80. Without action, a non agent, and one without a second, I, the universal Self, make the world go round like a king who is only a witness, or like the loadstone which moves iron by its proximity only.
81. One should have the conception that one is Brahman, which is without qualities, without actions
Eternal, free from duality, free from unhappiness, pure, awakened, and free.
contd.,
****
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVII:
Right Knowledge:
continues..
82. Having gained a perfect knowledge of bondage and liberation, with their causes (viz., Ignorance and Knowledge respectively), having acquired a complete understanding of causes and effects which are objects of knowledge, and are therefore, to be negated and having properly known the one supreme and pure Truth (the Self) which is beyond all objects of knowledge, known in the Vedantas and taught by the Sruti and the teacher, a knower of Brahman stands freed from the fear of being born again, becomes all and all knowing, goes beyond grief and delusion and has the acme of his life fulfilled.
83. The Self cannot be accepted or rejected by Itself or others, nor does It accept or reject anyone else. This is right Knowledge.
contd.,
****
to Siba and others on vichara sangraham passage,
Siba -- I appreciate your Japanese translation projects but in that endeavour, dont get confused by this 'superimpose , sin etc.'
Maharishee Sri Ramana is a great Brahma Jnani and son of Lord Shiva.
It is very hard to read, learn , interpret his teachings like Ulladhu Narpadhu, Upadesa undiyar etc.
It is very difficult to come to any conclusion intellectually.
So Vichara Sangraha also falls under the same.
The best approach towards Bhagavan Sri Ramana is utter silence and devotion -- dont even read or think logically on anything.
Just sit before the great Maharishee mentally and all your doubts will fade away.
Otherwise, all the devotees past and present will confuse you . Esp. vedantic statements are often misinterpreted by totally unqualified people.
it is not easy to read the works of Bhagavan by books. If one's attitude is of total humility and innocence, he will get the mearnings clearer, otherwise, it will be worse than atheism.
Where is sin and where is virtue?
All are Atma and it is our beloved Bhagvan Sri Ramana.
So let us all sit in silence before this great sage and receive the same teaching in the lineage of Sri Dakshnamurthy.
Regards,
Krishna
Dear Zee
I had darshan of Ammachi in Mysore and had a hugging and few words of exchange.
No doubt , she is unparallel in mad devotion and nama japa.
She has the love the binding force as the weapon and indeed an avatar of Devi Divine Mother.
But I think the organizers of retreat events need to realize one thing -- Bliss Ananda and Jnana are won by hard sadhana and efforts ,not by registration with a fee and check-in to a ready made treat.
Only God has to give that basic awakening to people.
We all want a short cut to have Guru's grace.
We fail to realize that only by lot of effort over several life times, people can get close and sit before a Guru.
Upadesa SAhasri: Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVII:
Right Knowledge: continues..
84. For this Knowledge which is the subject of all the Vedanta, produces the conviction that the Self is Brahman. One becomes perfectly free fro bondage of this transmigratory existence when one achieves it.
85. This Knowledge which is the
supreme purifier and the greatest secret of all the Vedas and gods is revealed here.
86. This supreme and secret Knowledge should not be imparted to one who has not controlled oneself, but should be given to a disciple who is obedient and dispassionate.
87. As there is no other equivalent which a disciple may offer to the teacher for imparting to him Self Knowledge, one should always possess the qualities of a disciple, achieve Knowledge and thus get across the ocean of transmigratory existence.
88. I bow down to that All Knowing and All Powerful One who is of the nature of consciousness and besides whom there is nothing else viz., a knower, knowledge, or an object of knowledge.
89. I bow down to my most adorable Teacher who is all knowing and thus has, by imparting Knowledge to me, saved me from the great ocean of births and deaths, filled with Ignorance.
The chapter on Right Knowledge - concluded.
****
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVIII:
Thou Art That - Tat tvam asi:
1. I bow down to that Eternal Consciousness, the Self of the modifications of the intellect, in which they merge from which they spring. (See AlAta Santhi of Mandukya Karika).
2. I bow down to the great mendicant, the Teacher, of my Teacher*, who of great intellect, routed hundreds of enemies of the Sruti by means of words comparable to swords made impenetrable through thunder like reasoning and protected the treasure of the real import of Vedas. (refers to Gaudapada).
3. If the conviction, 'I am nothing but Existence and am ever free' were impossible to be attained, why should the Sruti teach us that so affectionately like a mother?
contd.
****
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVIII:
Thou Art Thar - Tat tvam asi:
continues.....
5. Brahman should be regarded as the Self on the evidence of the scriptures just as religious duties are known from the same source. Ignorance vanishes immediately on the attainment of the right Knowledge.) like the effect of poison coming to an end when mantras are remembered. (E.g Garuda mantram to remove the snake poison.).
6,7: It is reasonable that of the two ideas 'I am Existence Brahman' and 'I am no agent', both of which have the Self for their Witness, the one owing to its origin to Ignorance should he given up. Springing from evidences which are only apparently so viz., sense perceptions etc., it gets like a mistaken notion of a direction by the other one which has its source in the right evidence by the other one which has its source in the right evidence of the Vedas. (See Br.Sutra 1.1.3).
contd.,
****
Upadesa SAhasri: Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVIII:
Thou art That - Tat tvam asi:
8. When they say, 'do this' and 'You are the experiencer', the scriptures restate the popular conceptions. The Knowledge, 'I am Existence' arises from the Sruti. The other (the idea of agency and of experiencing) arising from injunctive scriptures - is negated by it.
9. Objection: 'Absolute liberation does not arise when one is told, 'Thou art That'. One should, therefore have recourse to repetition of the idea of 'I am Brahman' and support it with reasoning.
10. Even acquainted with the literal meaning of the sentence, one, once told, cannot know its import but requires other things which, we have said are two.
11. Just as an injunction regarding Vedic actions is necessary so it is not incompatible in the case of one so long as one has not directly Known the Self and Its Knowledge has not been firmly grasped.
12. All one's efforts (viz., self control etc.,) become useless if one can know Brahman without being enjoined. One should therefore, go on with the repetition so long as the Self is not known.
(objections continue up to Verse 18).
contd.,
****
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVIII:
Thou art That - Tat tvam asi
continues.....
13. Firm impressions originating from sense perceptions do surely negate the Knowledge, 'I am Brahman' arising from the Sruti. (Br. Up. 14.10). Moreover an aspirant is attracted towards external objects through impurities such as attachment and so on.
14. Perceptional Knowledge which has for its objects particular properties of things does surely contradict that which arises from hearsay and inference and which is related only to generic properties of things.
15, 16: No one is seen freed from the distresses of this transmigratory existence simply by understanding the meaning of the sentence. If, however, a rare man is seen to be freed from such distress on the mere hearing of it, he must be inferred to have practiced repetition in previous lives. Moreover, our conduct will have to be regarded as non scriptural if you do not admit the existence of an injunction in this case. But that is not desirable.
17. Just as everywhere in the Vedas the means to an end is enjoined after stating the result to be achieved, so here, the result 'Thou art That' is stated and the means can be nothing but this repetition which only is regarded as being capable of revealing an eternally existing thing.
18. Therefore, practicing self control etc., and renouncing everything is incomparable with this end and the means to it, one should carefully practice the said repetition in order directly to know the Self.
Reply starts from Verse 19:
contd.,
****
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVIII:
That thou art - Tat tvam asi:
continues....
19. (Reply): This is not so. For the Upanishads end with 'Not this, not this' (and deal with nothing else). Results to be achieved by means of actions are heard of in the previous part (Karma Kanda) of the Vedas but not liberation which has an eternal existence and is not available by means of any action.
20. Just as the distress experienced by one's son is superimposed by the father on himself who has no distress at all, so, the ego is superimposed on the Self which is eternally free from any pain whatsoever.
21. The superimposition (of the ego, on the Self) is negated on the evidence of the Sruti 'Not this, not this, as if it were a reality. And hence no injunctions which are due to superimposition can by any means be reasonable after such a negation has taken place.
22. Just as the color is superimposed on and negated from the sky by ignorant people so, there are the superimposition of the ego on the Self and its negation from It.
23. This negation is not one of reality, but is of a false superimposition of the placing of fire, on the highest region of the sky. For liberation would have surely been transitory if things really existing were negated. (There is the scriptural statement that fire should be placed neither in the highest nor in the middle region of the sky. The placing of fire in those two regions is an impossibility; still it is forbidden like the real placing of fire on earth.)
contd.,
****
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVIII;
Thou art That - tat tvam asi:
continues....
24. It is only to objects of knowledge and not to non objects that a word or an idea can be applied. Brahman which is the Self of them and also of the ego is not within the scope of a word or an idea.
25. Everything such as agency, etc., superimposed by the ego on the Self which is Pure Consciousness is negated together with the ego on the evidence of the Sruti, 'Not this, not this.'
26. The Self is then known to be Intelligence, Self Effulgent, a Seer, the Innermost, Existence, free from action, directly cognised, the Self of all, the Witness, One imparting consciousness to others, Eternal, devoid of qualities and without a second.
27. On account of the constant proximity of the conscious Self, the ego also appears to be conscious. Hence the two things, viz., oneself and things related to oneself that are denoted by the words 'I' and 'mine' originate.
28. As the ego is possessed of species, action, etc., words are applicable to it. But no word can be used with respect to the innermost Self owing to the absence of these from It.
contd.,
***
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVIII:
Thou art That - tat tvam asi:
continues....
29.30: Words which denote the ego and other things which reflect the innermost Self express the latter only indirectly, and by no means describe It directly. For nothing
that has no species etc., can be described by means of words.
31. Just as words denoting the action of fire (e.g torch) are applied only to torches etc., leaving the fire in them and not directly as they imply a thing different from them. (e.g. Fire). So, words implying the Self ('I') are applied to the ego having the reflection of the Self and appearing like It.
32,33: As it imitates the mirror the reflection of face is different from the face. The face which does not depend on the mirror for its existence, is also different from reflection. Similarly, the reflection of the Self in the ego is also regarded as different from the pure Self like that of the face which is different from the face. The pure Self is considered to be different from Its reflection like the face (which is different from its own). In fact, however, the Self and Its reflection are free from real distinction between each other like the face and its reflection.
contd.,
****
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVIII:
Thou art That - tat tvam asi:
continues...
34. (Objection): Some say that the reflection to the ego (as distinct from the Self) is the individual soul. But if one asks how the reflection which is not a reality can experience anything at all, the objector answers that, the reflection is a reality as the shadows of things are known to be realities according to the Smriti. (One should not deliberately cross the shadow of one's teacher and other superiors.). Not only so, there is another reason also (why a shadow should be regarded as a reality). For a man in a shadow feels refreshingly cool. (Therefore, a shadow must be a real thing having the property of coolness.).
35. (Other objections): Some say that the individual soul is a part of Pure Consciousness. Others hold that it is a modification of the same. Still others are of opinion that the ego together with the reflection of Pure Consciousness in it is the individual soul. Others again think that it is the independent ego (neither a part nor a modification), which is the experiencer of this mundane existence.
36. The Buddhists say that the individual soul is the momentary consciousness, 'I'. There is witness (distinct from the series to see the beginning and the end of these momentary phenomena). Now examine which of these doctrines is reasonable.
contd.,
****
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVIII:
That Thou Art - tat tvam asi:
continues...
37. Let us now stop discussing the different doctrines about the transmigratory soul. Let us go on with the present subject viz., the reflection of the Self. The reflection of the face in the mirror is a property neither of the face nor of the mirror. For if it were, the property of either of the two, it would continue even if the other were removed.
38. If it is argued that it is a property of the face because it is called after, it cannot be do so. For it imitates the mirror and is not seen even when the face is there, but the mirror is removed.
39. Objection: If you say that it is the property of both, we say, 'No' because it is not seen even when both were present (but improperly placed.) It may be said, that Rahu, a real thing, though invisible, is sometimes seen in the sun and the moon, (so the reflection of the face, a reality, though invisible, is sometimes seen in the mirror.
40. Reply: That Rahu is a real thing is known from the scriptures before one sees it in the sun or moon. But according to those who hold that it is the shadow of the earth, it cannot be a real thing and the unreality of the reflection has been proved by arguments before. (verses 37-39 above).
contd.,
***
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVIII:
Thou art That - tat tvam asi.
continues....
41. There is a prohibition regarding the crossing of the shadows of one's teachers and other superiors. But it does not prove the reality of a shadow as a sentence expressing one meaning cannot express another at the same time.
42. That one feels cool while sitting in a shadow is not the effect of the shadow on one. It is due one's refraining from using warm things. Coolness is found to belong to water but not to shadow.
(For, sitting in the shadow of a hot piece of stone, one does not feel cool at all).
43. The Self, Its reflection and the intellect are comparable to the face, its reflection and the mirror. The unreality of the reflection is known from the scriptures and reasoning.
44. (Objection): Who is the experiencer of transmigratory existence as it cannot belong to the Self which is changeless, neither to the reflection which is not real, nor to the ego, which is not a conscious entity.
45. (Reply): Let the transmigratory condition then be only a delusion due to the indiscrimination between the Self and the non-Self. It always has an apparent existence due to the real existence of the changeless Self and, therefore, appears to be pertaining to It.
contd.,
***
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVIII:
Thou art That - tat tvam asi:
continues...
46. Just as a rope-snake ( a rope mistaken for a snake), though unreal, has an existence due to that of the rope before the discrimination between the rope and the snake takes place. So, the transmigratory condition, though unreal, is possessed of an existence due to that of the changeless Self.
47. Some say that the Self to which the reflection belongs, though changeful on account of modification of the mind pertaining to Itself such as, 'I am happy', 'I am miserable' and though an experiencer of the transmigratory condition, is eternal.
48. Having no knowledge of the Vedas and deluded on account of the lack of real knowledge of the Self and Its reflection, they consider the ego to be the Self.
49. The transmigratory existence consisting of agency and the experiencing of pain and pleasure is, according to them, a reality. They, therefore, continue to be born again and again on account of the ignorance of the nature of the Self, its reflection and the intellect between which they cannot discriminate.
50. That the Vedas imply the Self by means of words such as Knowledge etc., becomes reasonable if it is true that the Self is of the nature of Pure Consciousness and the intellect reflects It.
contd.,
***
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVIII:
Thou art That - tat tvam asi:
continues...
51,52: (Objection): It is well known among the people that the meaning of the root and that of the verbal suffix, though different from each other, in each of the worlds such as, 'does', 'goes' etc., are seen to belong to the same subject. They are not seen to belong to two different subjects either according to ordinary people or grammarians. Now, please tell me the reason why the meanings of the root and suffix should belong to two different subjects, in the case of the words such as 'knows', etc.,
53.(Reply): The meaning of the suffix is the reflection of the Self in the intellect and the root denotes an action, i.e., a modification of the intellect. As in the intellect and the reflection are not discriminated from the Self, the word 'knows' is applied falsely to It.
54. The intellect has no consciousness and the Self no action. The word 'knows' can, therefore, reasonably applied to neither of them.
55. The word 'knowledge' in the sense of the action of knowing, cannot similarly be applied to the Self. For the Self is not a change only (which is indicated by an action as it is taught in the Srutis that It is eternal.
contd.,
***
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVIII:
Thou art That - tat tvam asi.
continues....
56. The word 'knowledge' in the sense of the instrument of the action of knowing, is applied to the intellect and not to the Self as an instrument cannot exist without any agent. Neither is the word, in the sense of that which is the object of the same action,
can be applied to the Self.
57. The Self is never knowable and is not directly denoted by any word according to those who hold that It is eternally changeless, free from pain and one only.
58. If the ego were the Self, a word might be applied to it in its primary sense. But it is not the
Self according to the Sruti as it is possessed of hunger etc.,
59-62: (Objection) Well, words that have no primary meanings can have no secondary ones also. Therefore, you are to explain the application of the words 'knows' etc.,
The Vedas would lose their authority as an evidence if words were false, which is not desirable. (Reply) Should one, therefore have to accept the application of words according to popular usage?
(Objection) If you accept the usage of ignorant people, you will have to arrive at the conclusion of the Charvaakas who hold that there is no Self (other than the body). But that is undesirable.
If, in on the other hand, you accept the usage of the learned, you will arrive at the same dilemma as before. The Vedas which are an authority do not use meaningless words.
63-64. (Reply) As the reflection appears like the face people accept its oneness with its reflection in a mirror.
All people, therefore, naturally use the verbs 'knows' etc., owing to the indiscrimination between between that in which there is the reflection and that which is reflected.
contd.,
****
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Krishna:
Chapter XVIII:
Thou art That - tat tvam asi.
continues....
65. The Self is said to be knowing things on account of the superimposition of the agency of the intellect on it. Similarly,
the intellect is called a knower owing to the superimposition of Consciousness on it.
66. Eternal Knowledge which is the nature of the Self described by the Srutis as the Light of Consciousness is never created by the intellect, by Itself or by anything else.
67. Just as people regard their bodies as themselves and say that they (bodies) know things, so, they speak of the intellect having the agency in producing knowledge and of the Self as being its seat.
68. Deluded by the modifications of the intellect which appear to be conscious and are created, the argumentative philosophers say that knowledge is produced.
69. Therefore the words 'knows' etc., the corresponding modifications of the mind and their memory are possible on account of the indiscrimination regarding the Self, the intellect and the reflection of the Self in it.
70. Just as the properties of a mirror assumed by the reflection of the face in it are attributed to the face, so are the properties of the intellect assumed by the reflection of the Self are superimposed on It.
contd.,
***
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVIII -
Thou arr That - tat tvam asi.
continues....
71. Just as torches and other things appear to be possessed of the power of burning (on account of there being fire in them), so, the modification of the intellect,
illumined by the reflection of the Self, appear to be endowed with the power of perception.
72. The Buddhist philosophers forbid the existence of a Witness by saying that the modifications of the intellect are themselves perceives and are also perceived by themselves.
73,74: Say how to refute (the Buddhists who hold) that the modifications of the intellect are not illumined by a witness different from them. (In refuting the Buddhists it may be said that)
though a persistent knower must be accepted on account of reality different from the modifications revealing their presence and absence, it is not necessary to assume a reflection of the Self.
(Reply) This persistent knower also is no better than the modifications themselves as the said knower, different from the modifications, will be equally non-Conscious.
contd.,
***
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVIII:
Thou art That - tat tvam asi
continues....
75. If you are of the opinion that the presence of the modifications will be known owing to the proximity of the permanent knower, we say 'No', for he changeless knower will be of no utility in that respect. (Even admitting that it will reveal them by its proximity only) everything will have mental modifications.
76-78: (First line). Is the disciple, who is suffering from the misery due to transmigratory existence and seeking liberation, the Witness Itself or other than It? That the Witness is miserable and desirous of liberation is not your view.
If, on the other hand, he be an agent other than the Witness, he cannot accept the idea, 'I am Brahman, the Witness.' (In that case) also the teaching of the Sruti 'Thou art That' would be false, which is not reasonable.
But this teaching may be accepted if the Sruti teaches it without discriminating the two the Self and the ego.
78. (Last two lines). But if the ?Sruti discriminates the ego from the innermost Self and then says to the ego, 'Thou art That' the defects spoken of (in the previous verse) will creep in.
79. If you say that the word 'thou' finally means the Witness, you must explain how there can be a relation between It and the ego so that the word 'thou' may express the Witness indirectly.
contd.,
***
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVIII:
Thou art That - tat tvam asi.
continues....
80. (Objection) Suppose the relation is one of seer and seen. (Reply): How can it be with regard to the Witness which is devoid of activity?
81. If it be contended that there will be identity of the ego and the Witness, though the latter is devoid of activity, (we say it cannot be so; for) the knowledge of the said identity will not be there in the absence of the knowledge of the relation tht my Self, the Witness, exists.
82. If you think that the relation will be known from scriptures, it cannot be so. For (in that case) all three (a. The ego cannot know the relation as it is non conscious, (b) the same is the case with the Witness as it is changeless and (c) the non conscious ego cannot be taught by the Sruti) defects spoken of before will arise. (And if there be a knowledge of the relation at all), it will be one of 'mine' (but not of identity).
contd.,
***
A Journalist's interviews of a lot of spiritual travellers primarily focussing on Sathya Sai
http://souljourns.net/
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVIII -
Thou art That - tat tvam asi.
continues...
83. When it is accepted that the non conscious intellect appears to be conscious, its modifications also appear to be so like sparks of red hot iron.
84. The knowledge on the part of the people of the appearance and disappearance of the mental modifications is possible only on account of the Witness which is the limit and in no other way. And if the reflection of the Self is accepted, the intellect may know itself to be Brahman.
85. (Objection). Is it not a change on the part of the Self to pervade the intellect like fire pervading a mass of iron?
(Reply) We have refuted this in the example of the face and its reflection in the mirror.
86. That black iron appears to be red is only an example (to illustrate the fact that the non conscious intellect appears to be conscious). An illustration and its object can nowhere be absolutely similar in all respects.
87. Reflecting Consciousness, therefore, the intellect appears to be conscious like a mirror reflecting a face and appearing like it. It has already been said that the reflection is not real.
88. It is not supported by the scriptures or reasoning that he intellect is conscious. For in that case, the body, the eye, etc., also would be so.
89. (Objection) Let them be so.
(Reply) No. for (in that case) the position of Charvaka philosophers comes in. Moreover the knowledge, 'I am Brahman' also will not be possible, if there be no reflection of the Self in the intellect.
90. The teaching 'Thou art That' will surely be useless in the absence of the knowledge 'I am Brahman'. This teaching is of use to those only who are acquainted with the discrimination between the Self and the non-Self.
contd.,
****
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVIII:
Thou art That - tat tvam asi.
91. 'Mine' and 'it' are ideas predicated of the non-Self and the idea 'I' of the ego. The ideas such as, 'I am a man' are predicated of both the Self and the non-Self.
92. They should be regarded as principal and subordinate with relation to one another and should be taken as the qualified or qualifying according to reason.
93. Both the ideas 'mine' and 'it' are qualifications of the ego, as for example, 'a man having wealth' and 'a man having a cow.' Similarly, the gross body is the qualification of the ego.
94. Everything pervaded by the intellect together with the ego, is the qualification of the Witness. Without being connected with anything and pervading everything by means of Its reflection the Self is, therefore, always of the nature of Knowledge Itself.
95. All this non-Self exists only for those people who are discriminating, but it does not exist at all for men of Knowledge.
contd.,
***
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVIII:
Thou art That - tat tvam asi.
96. Agreement and contrariety with
regard to words and with regard to their meanings are the only means by which the meaning implied by the word 'I' may be ascertained.
97. (Waking up from deep sleep one says) 'I did not see anything at all in that state.' From this it is clear that, one denies the existence of the knower, knowing and the known in deep sleep. But not that of Knowledge Itself.
98. The scriptures themselves discriminate between the Knowledge Itself on the one hand and the knower, knowing and the known on the other, and prove that the former is changeless and really existing, and that the latter deviate from existence as they say, 'It is self luminous' and 'The Knowledge of the knower does not cease to exist.' (Br. Up. 4.3.9 and 4.3.23)
contd.,
***
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara.
Chapter XVIII;
Thou art That - tat tvam asi.
99-100. Just as Brahma removed the Ignorance of the son of Dasaratha by means of words only, (Taitt. Up. 2.1.) but did not teach him any action in order to remove it so that he might know that he was Vishnu. So the Sruti taches one 'Thou art That' in order that one's Ignorance may be removed when one has learned the meanings of the subordinate sentences according to the Surtis and popular grammar.
101. It is the indirectly expressed meaning of the word 'I' viz., the innermost and self luminous Self which is expressed in the teaching, 'Thou art That.'.
And the result is liberation.
102. It would surely be necessary to admit an injunction, if right knowledge were not produced immediately when one was taught (that one was Brahman). The Self exists in Its own nature even before one is taught. That is the meaning of the sentence 'Thou art That.'
contd.,
****
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara -
Chapter XVIII:
Thou art That - tat tvam asi.
103. The listening to the teaching and the production of right knowledge are simultaneous, and the result is the cessation of the transmigratory existence consisting of hunger, etc., There can be no doubt about the meaning of the sentences like 'Thou art That' in the past, present and future.
104. The right knowledge of the Self which is of the nature of Pure Consciousness is, no doubt, produced in one at the time of listening to the teaching as all obstacles are removed beforehand.
105,106: Is the knowledge 'I am Brahman Itself' or 'I am something other than It' is produced when one is taught 'Thou art That? If the meaning implied by the word 'I' is something which is Brahman Itself, you must accept the absolute identity of the innermost Self and Brahman. But if the word 'I' imply something other than Brahman, the knowledge 'I am Brahman' certainly becomes false. The knowledge of their absolute identity, cannot, therefore, be forbidden.
contd.,
***
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVIII:
Thou art That - tat tvam asi
107. The intellect and its modifications having the reflection of the Self in them exist for It and are non-conscious. Liberation, the result is therefore, supposed to be in the conscious Self.
108. As neither intellect (with the reflection of the Self) nor its modifications in the form of the ego, is of the nature of the result or its material cause, the result is capable of behind attributed to the Self, though, immutable, like victory of a King.
109. Just as the reflection of a face which makes a mirror appear like it is the face itself, so the reflection of the Self in the mirror of the ego making it appear like the Self (is the Self). So the meaning of the sentence, 'I am Brahman' is reasonable.
contd.,
***
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVIII:
Thou art That - tat tvam asi
110. It is only in this way, and in other that one knows that one is Brahman (and that Brahman is oneself). Otherwise the teaching, 'Thou art That' also becomes useless in the absence of a medium.
111. The teaching becomes useful if is meant for a listener. Who will the listener if the Witness is not?
112. If you are of the opinion that the intellect proximate to the Witness is the listener, it cannot be regarded as deriving any benefit from the Witness as from a piece of wood.
113. But the Witness must be admitted to subject to change if there be any benefit rendered by It to the intellect. What harm is there if the reflection of the Self is accepted as it is supported by the Srutis and Smritis? (Br. Up. 2.5.19 & Bh. Gita 15.7.)
contd.,
***
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVIII
Thou art That - tat tvam asi
114. If you say that there will be changes in the Self in case the reflection is accepted, we say, 'No.' For we have already said that the reflection of Consciousness in the intellect is an unreality like a snake appearing to be a rope and life the reflection of a face in a mirror appearing to the face itself.
115-116: (Objection). No. There will the fallacy of reciprocal dependence here as the knowledge of the reflection of the Self depends on that of the Self (and the knowledge of the Self depends on that of the reflection); (but it is not so in the case of the face etc., and their reflections) as the face etc., are always known independent of their reflection. The reflection may be said to belong to the Self if the latter be known to have an independent existence. Again, the Self may have an independent existence if the reflection belongs to It.
117. (Reply) It is not so. For the intellect and the Self are known to exist independent of each other in dream like the face and its reflection, as the Self then illumines the modifications of the intellect in the forms of objects such as chariots, etc., though they are not present in that state.
contd.,
***
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri
Sankara:
Chapter XVIII:
Thou art That - tat tvam asi
120. The ego which is pervaded by the reflection of Consciousness is called the knower or the agent of the action of knowing. One who knows oneself (the Witness) to be distinct from all these three is a real knower of the Self.
121. The modifications of the intellect called 'right knowledge','doubtful knowledge' and 'false knowledge' deviate from their existence. There is one and the same Consciousness in all of them, but the differences are due to the modifications.
contd.,
***
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVIII:
Thou art That - tat tvam asi
122. Just as a jewel differs in color owing to the proximity of colored things, so, Consciousness differs (according to different modifications of the mind superimposed on It). Impurities and changes in the Self are all due to Its connection with these modifications.
123. The modifications of the intellect are manifested, known and endowed with existence by the Self which is immediately known and different from them. It is inferred with the help of the example of a lamp.
124. Does one make another accept the Self by means of a positive evidence or without one by merely negating the non-Self and leaving over the Self only. (After stating that the Self is proved by positive evidence in Verse 123, the author refutes the doctrine that It is proved by negative evidence only in Verses 124-140).
contd.,
***
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVIII:
Thou art That
125. The possibility of a void comes in owing to the Witness being unknown. If the non-Self be meant to be negated by means of the evidence of words.
126. (Objection) 'You are a conscious being, how can you be the body?'
(Reply): It cannot be proved as the Self is not known from another evidence. It might be proved by negating the non-Self if pure Consciousness were known to exist.
127. (Objection): The Self is self existent as Pure Consciousness is immediately known. (Reply): The knowledge of the Self according to you then becomes similar to that of void assumed by Nihilists.
contd.,
***
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVIII:
Thou art That - tat tvam asi.
128. (Objection). That the agent, the object and instrument are known to exist simultaneously is proved by memory (e.g when one says) 'I knew it.'
129. (Reply) Though memory is a right evidence, simultaneity is a misconception due to quick perception. So they were perceived before one after another and afterwards remembered in the same way.
130. Relative to, and characteristically different from each other, the things denoted by the words 'it' and 'myself' in the sentence 'I knew it and myself,'
and cannot be the objects of simultaneous perception.
131. Three things (namely, as an agent, an instrument and an object) are necessary in the perception of each of the knower, knowledge and the known. (And in order to avoid a regressus ad infinitum it cannot be said that each of these three things will prove its own evidence, because) the agency of the agent exhausted in proving its own existence will not be available to prove that of the instrument and the object at the same time.
132. What is desired to be governed by the action of an agent is an object of that action. The object, therefore, depends on the agent and not on the Self which is other than it.
contd.,
***
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVIII:
Thou art That:
133. It is only through evidences such as, words, inference, etc., and in no other way that all things become known to those who do not know them.
134. Is the Self also substantiated by means of an evidence or not? Though the Self
Itself is independence, evidence is necessary in order to know It.
135. If the conscious Self Itself is taken to be ignorant, an evidence is necessary in order that It may know Itself. It is surely necessary in knowing the Self if one (i.e. the ego) other than It be regarded as ignorant.
136,137: Does substantiation mean
being known, being endowed with existence of or anything else? You should remember the two alternatives spoken of in the previous verse if it means 'being known'. As it is well known that all things come to existence from their causes, no effort (by way of the application of an evidence) is necessary for substantiation.
contd.,
***
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVIII:
Thou art That - tat tvam asi
136,137. Does substantiation mean being known, being endowed with existence or anything else? You should remember the two alternatives spoken of in the previous verse if it means 'being known.' As it is well known that all things come to existence from their causes, no effort (by way of the application of an evidence) is
necessary for substantiation.
138. Substantiation, therefore means 'being known' according to the doctrine in which the knower, knowing, and the known are admitted. In the case of both the witness and the witnessed it denotes 'being known.' and not 'endowed with existence.'
139. If it is to be assumed that the distinctness of he agent, the object etc., is what is substantiation (we say that) there can be distinctness or indistinctness with respect to the other (i.e the witness) only, but not the agent.
140. There is no distinctness of a jar to a blind person. (It is nothing more than the jar being known). It however, they want to predicate distinctness of the agent etc., they must admit that knowingness belongs to the Self.
contd.,
***
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVIII:
Thou art That- tat tvam asi
141. Please tell us what benefit you derive by holding that knowledge depends on other things. If it is contended that dependence of knowledge on the knower is desirable (we reply that) the knower also, according to us, is nothing but Knowledge.
142. The intellect itself, though indivisible, is looked upon by deluded people as consisting of the divisions of the knower, knowing and the known.
143. Actions, agents etc., consist, according to us, (Idealists) of knowledge only.
(Reply) You must accept an agent of this knowledge if you admit its existence and destruction every moment.
contd.,
***
Dear All,
Wish you all a Very Happy Spiritual New Year 2014. Let us all resolve to "attend to what we came for".
Regards Murali
Dear Murali,
Thanks. I wish you a Happy Spiritual New Year, 2014, with progress in spiritual pursuits.
I also wish all blog members a Happy Spiritual New Year, 2014, with the same aim.
Subramanian. R
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVIII:
Thou art That - tat tvam asi
144. You own conclusion is given up if you do not admit any quality belonging to knowledge. (Objection) The qualities of existence etc., are nothing but the negation of their own non existence and so on. (Reply) Even then knowledge cannot be liable to destruction every moment as it is known by itself according to you.
145. Destruction has for its ultimate limit something which is self existent. You say that destruction is the negation of non-destruction. A cow is defined according to you as the non existence of a non-cow. It cannot be the definition of a cow.
contd.
****
100 Years of Arunachala Akshara Mana Malai:
The Asramam is celebrating the hundred years of Arunachala Aksharamana Malai. Sri Bhagavan is said to have a written a few lines of it and then stopped it. After some time, when He went for giri pradakshina with devotees, words gushed forth from His lips and the entire song was completed.
Many commentaries have come for Aksharamana Malai. The first Tamizh one is from Muruganar titled Viruthi Urai. And this contains many new insights into the words and meaning of the verses. The later Tamizh commentary is from Smt. Kanakammal. It is simple and can be eaaily understood. The same was translated by her in English also.
Sri B.Anaatha Swami (who was responsible for Ramana Kendra along with Prof. Swaminathan) had written a Tamizh commentary.
In English, Arthur Osborne has made a verse to verse meanings with some comments and this is available in English Collected Works.
Akshara Mana Malai means a garland of letters. It is also said to mean akshara, eternal without end.
This can also be split as Ramana Malai. It starts with Tamizh A and goes up to Vai and certain alphabets are repeated in the end to complete 108 verses.
***
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVIII:
Thou art That - tat tvam asi.
146. Things denoted by the word
'momentary' are also, according to you only the negation of things that are non-momentary.
147. (The Idealists) As there cannot be any difference in non-
existence differences are due to names only. (Reply). Please tell me how there can be many-ness in one indivisible non existence due only to different names.
148. How can the negation of a non cow denote a cow if by the word negation, the negation of different things is meant? Again, non negation distinguishes one thing from another, nor can special properties do it.
149. Just as names, species, etc., do not qualify Knowledge according to you, as it has no special properties, so the negation of a non cow, horn-less-ness etc.,do not qualify a cow.
contd.,
****
Upadesa SAhasri - Sri Sankara:
Chapter XVIII
Thou art That - tat tvam asi
150. As you have to accept sense perception and inference in everyday life, you have to admit difference; for they consist of actions, agents, and so on.
151. Entities qualifying knowledge such as jars, blue, yellow etc.,
and also the knower by which these are known must be accepted.
152. Just as the perceiver is different from colors etc., which are perceivable, so the knower, the Self is different from the modifications of the intellect which are knowable. Again just as a lamp which reveals things is different from them, so is knower different from things known.
contd.,
****
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