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AUM NAMAH SHIVAYA VEDANTA DARSHANAM Feb 1

Vedanta Darshanam

`Om

vedaNtdzRn< ySmat! pu<s Aaßaeit saMàtm!,mui´> suo< pr< t< ih mumu]U[a< iht< sda.1.vedäntadarçanaà yasmät puàsa äpnoti sämpratam|muktiù sukhaà paraà taà hi mumukñüëäà hitaà sadä||1||

prmanNdêpa ya Éi´mui´àdaiynI,matam&teñrI cEv ta< devI— à[maMyhm!.2.paramänandarüpä yä bhaktimuktipradäyiné|mätämåteçvaré caiva täà devéà praëamämyaham||2||

vedaNtacayRdevaÂ balk«:[< jgÌ‚ém!,}aniv}andat&Â ÉUyae ÉUyae nmaMyhm!.3.vedäntäcäryadeväïca bälakåñëaà jagadgurum|jïänavijïänadätåïca bhüyo bhüyo namämyaham||3||

nvgtmagaT< twa jna> sveR=ip SvSvkamnaiïtain lúyai[ mnis iniíTy tain àaÝu< ïm< k…vRNte #it mnis ivicNtyiNt, ikNtu @kiÖmaspíat! kamna> kamnaêpe[Ev itóiNt, n jnana< dae;> Aiptu mns> SvÉavae=ym!, lúyàaiÝ> tIìkamnyEv, At> y> y< y< lúy< ka'œ]it tiSmn! tiSmn! iv;ye Aittra< ïaxa< àaÝu< ïmae=vZyk>, ïÏa AStIit cet! ikiÂdip lúy< suleÉ< àaÝu< z²aetIit àTy]e[ }ayte.navagatamägätà tathä janäù sarve'pi svasvakämanäçritäni lakñyäëi manasi niçcitya täni präptuà çramaà kurvante iti manasi vicintayanti| kintu ekadvimäsapaçcät kämanäù kämanärüpeëaiva tiñöhanti| na janänäà doñaù apitu manasaù svabhävo'yam| lakñyapräptiù tévrakämanayaiva| ataù yaù yaà yaà lakñyaà käìkñati tasmin tasmin viñaye atitaräà çrädhäà präptuà çramo'avaçyakaù| çraddhä astéti cet kiïcidapi lakñyaà sulebhaà präptuà çaknotéti pratyakñeëa jïäyate||

ywa laeke lúyàaÝe> AavZyka ïÏa twEv mae]mageR=ip, mae]mageR lúy}an< guê[amev iv*te, gué> zaô}ata http://vedantatattva.org/vedantagroup/VedantaDarshanam of 85

http://vedantatattva.org/vedantagroup/VedantaDarshanam


zaôaiïtmev äü}animTyt>, At> ïÏa guézaôvaKye;u Éi´> #it àae´< ÉgvdœpadE>, ivna ïÏa< n vy< mae]pd< àaßuyam>, ïaxa< àaÝumavZyk< zaô}anm!, ALpmip zaô}an< ivna guraE ivñs> n l_y> #Tyt>, n c gué[a zaô}an< zaô}anen gué> #it ANyaeNyaïTvimit vaCy<, zaômev àama{yimTyt>, ALp}anenEv gué< }atu< zKyte, kevlgué[a n àaßaeit mae]< #it tu AaïMvI][enEv }ayte.yathä loke lakñyapräpteù ävaçyakä çraddhä tathaiva mokñamärge'pi| mokñamärge lakñyajïänaà gurüëämeva vidyate| guruù çästrajïätä çästräçritameva brahmajïänamityataù| ataù çraddhä guruçästraväkyeñu bhaktiù iti proktaà bhagavadpädaiù| vinä çraddhäà na vayaà mokñapadaà präpnuyämaù| çrädhäà präptumävaçyakaà çästrajïänam| alpamapi çästrajïänaà vinä gurau viçvasaù na labhyaù ityataù| na ca guruëä çästrajïänaà çästrajïänena guruù iti anyonyäçratvamiti väcyaà, çästrameva prämäëyamityataù| alpajïänenaiva guruà jïätuà çakyate| kevalaguruëä na präpnoti mokñam iti tu äçramvékñaëenaiva jïäyate||

%´< c ve<kqrammhaedyE> rm[mh;eR> %pdezan! }atu< vedaNt}anmavZykimit, zaô< vedaNtmev ttí mui´irTyt>, vedaNt< àSwanÇy< tdaiïtan! Anekan! ¢Nwan! c, y*ip bhv> ivmuýiNt vedaNt< ÊlRÉ< piQtu< twa piQTva sNySyit puman! #it twaip saxka> siNt laeke ye vedaNt< piQtuimCDiNt, te;amupkarawRmev Ay< maiska> àv&Äa>.uktaà ca veìkaöarämamahodayaiù ramaëamaharñeù upadeçän jïätuà vedäntajïänamävaçyakamiti| çästraà vedäntameva tataçca muktirityataù| vedäntaà prasthänatrayaà tadäçritän anekän granthän ca| yadyapi bahavaù vimuhyanti vedäntaà durlabhaà paöhituà tathä paöhitvä sanyasyati pumän iti tathäpi sädhakäù santi loke ye vedäntaà paöhitumicchanti| teñämupakärärthameva ayaà mäsikäù pravåttäù||

nnu maiska< kiídev pQit #Tyt> in:àyaejka #it cet!, Aam!, ikNtu maiskaya> àyaejn< n ANyan! tariytu< Aiptu SvmitzuÏ(w¡ c, @v< c Égvan! @k< iz:ymjuRnmev paQyit, At> vedaNte n s'œOyaya> àaXyaNy< Aiptu }anSy, ik< àyaejn< yid svaRnip vedaNt¢Nwan! }ayte yid äü }aTva n nNdit cet!? %´< c "ctuveR*ip yae ivà> susUúm< äü n ivNdit, vedÉarÉra³aNt> s vE äaü[gdRÉ>." #it.http://vedantatattva.org/vedantagroup/VedantaDarshanam of 85



nanu mäsikäà kaçcideva paöhati ityataù niñprayojakä iti cet, äm| kintu mäsikäyäù prayojanaà na anyän tärayitum apitu svamatiçuddhyarthaà ca| evaà ca bhagavän ekaà çiñyamarjunameva päöhayati| ataù vedänte na saìkhyäyäù prädhyänyam apitu jïänasya| kià prayojanaà yadi sarvänapi vedäntagranthän jïäyate yadi brahma jïätvä na nandati cet? uktaà ca "caturvedyapi yo vipraù susükñmaà brahma na vindati| vedabhärabharäkräntaù sa vai brähmaëagardabhaù||" iti||

y*ip bøn! ¢Nwan! pQit saxk> twaip te;a< äüi[ smNvyaÉavadev tSy n puraegit> nEv mui´í, At> AavZyk< äüi[ smNvymev, %´< c äüsUÇe "tÄu smNvyat!" #it smNvyaixkr[e, äü A}aTva sveR=ip VywaR> ÉveidTyu´< ÉgvdœpadE> "Aiv}ate pre tÅve zaôaxIitStu in:)la>, iv}ate=ip pre tÅve zaôaxIitStu in:)la>." #it, ASya< maiskaya< @k> %ÏeZy> svaRnip ¢Nwan! iv;yan! c äüi[ smNvyêpe[ v[Rnm!, ta†zen }anen sv¡ äüeit mTva saxk> zIºmev äüpd< àaßaetIit iv;ye n s<zylezae=ip, Égvta àawRna sveR=ip saxka> mu´a> ÉUTva nNdeyu> #it.yadyapi bahün granthän paöhati sädhakaù tathäpi teñäà brahmaëi samanvayäbhävädeva tasya na purogatiù naiva muktiçca| ataù ävaçyakaà brahmaëi samanvayameva| uktaà ca brahmasütre "tattu samanvayät" iti samanvayädhikaraëe| brahma ajïätvä sarve'pi vyarthäù bhavedityuktaà bhagavadpädaiù "avijïäte pare tattve çästrädhétistu niñphaläù| vijïäte'pi pare tattve çästrädhétistu niñphaläù||" iti| asyäà mäsikäyäm ekaù uddheçyaù sarvänapi granthän viñayän ca brahmaëi samanvayarüpeëa varëanam| tädåçena jïänena sarvaà brahmeti matvä sädhakaù çéghrameva brahmapadaà präpnotéti viñaye na saàçayaleço'pi| bhagavatä prärthanä sarve'pi sädhakäù muktäù bhütvä nandeyuù iti||

Salutations to all.

1. That Vedanta Darshanam through which a person will be able to attain moksha soon of the nature supreme happiness, that alone is ever good for people desiring moksha.

2. One who is of the nature of supreme bliss, one who provides devotion and moksha and one who is the mother amriteshwari, that Devi I prostrate.

http://vedantatattva.org/vedantagroup/VedantaDarshanam of 85



3. Those who are acharyas of Vedanta, he who is baala Krishna, he who is jagadguru and those who are providers of knowledge and wisdom, them I prostrate again and again.

New year has come and all people set goals in their mind based on their actions and think that they should put effort to attaining them. But after one or two months, desires remain as desires alone. This is not the fault of people but the nature of the mind. Attainment of goal is only through strong desires. Therefore one who seeks what all goal, in that object it is important that he puts effort to have extra-ordinary faith in it. If there is faith or focus then any goal can be easily attained, this we know through direct experience (observing people in the world itself).

Even as in the world, in order to attain a goal it is important to have faith similar is the case with the path of moksha also. In the path of moksha, knowledge of the goal is of the Guru alone. Guru is knower of the scriptures because knowledge of Brahman is based on the scriptures. Therefore faith is devotion in the words of Guru and shaastras, thus has been said by Adi Sankara. Without faith, we will not be able to attain the goal of moksha. In order to attain faith, scriptural knowledge is important. Without little bit of scriptural knowledge, faith in the Guru will not be attained. It cannot be said that there is the mutual dependency error that "from Guru, the scriptures and the scriptures are from the Guru", because scriptures are the ultimate valid means of knowledge. With little knowledge itself a person can know about a Guru. Through a Guru alone a person cannot attain moksha, thus is seen directly from analysis of the various ashrams (of today).

It has been said by Nochur Venkataraman that in order to know the teachings of Ramana Maharshi, knowledge of Vedanta is important. Scriptures are Vedanta alone, as moksha is through them alone. Vedanta is prasthaana traya of Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita and Brahma Sutras and other works based on these. Though many get deluded into thinking that Vedanta is very tough to learn and after learning a person will take into sanyaasa, still many sadhakas are there in the world desiring to learn Vedanta. This magazine works in order to be of help to them alone.

Objection: magazine is read only by few and therefore it is purposeless. Answer: Yes, but the purpose of magazine is not to uplift others but for purification of one's own intellect (knowledge). And the Lord taught only one student of Arjuna. Therefore in Vedanta there is no importance of counts or numbers but of knowledge alone. What is the use of knowing all the Vedantic works if the person doesn't rejoice after knowing Brahman? It has been said




"One who has known all the four Vedas but doesn't know the subtle Brahman, he is like a donkey carrying the load of Vedas".

Though a sadhaka might learn many granthas still because of lack of harmony in Brahman therefore there is no progress and moksha. Therefore what is required is harmony or focus on Brahman. It has been said in Brahma Sutra that Brahman is the subject-matter of all Vedanta due to harmony. Without knowing Brahman all will become futile or useless thus has been said by Adi Sankara "without knowing the supreme truth, the scriptures are of no use and after knowing Brahman as well the scriptures are of no use". In this magazine, there is only one purpose which is all scriptures and subjects to be harmonized in Brahman and explained in that way. Through such knowledge that everything is Brahman a sadhaka will very soon attain the state of Brahman, in this matter there is not even little doubt. Prayer to the Lord that all become liberated and rejoice in bliss.

AUM NAMAH SHIVAYAFeb 1, 2017




Anukramaanika

Vedanta Darshanam....................................................................................................................................1

Vedanta Parichayah.....................................................................................................................................8

Upanishad Vivaranam................................................................................................................................17

Gitaamritham............................................................................................................................................27

Prakarana Prakaashah...............................................................................................................................38

Madhuraamritham....................................................................................................................................46

Praadeshikam............................................................................................................................................56

SlokaVivaranam.........................................................................................................................................67

Vedanta Kathaa.........................................................................................................................................77

Amrita Madhuryam...................................................................................................................................85

Anukramaanika Nirdesham.......................................................................................................................91




Vedanta Parichayah

Sloka 3 – Knowledge as means to Brahman, nature of Brahman-knowledge and a knower of Brahman

}angMy< turIy< ùidSw<AaTmêp< ih t*en }at<sae=Xvn> parmaßaeit sTym!.3.jïänagamyaà turéyaà hådisthaàätmarüpaà hi tadyena jïätaàso'dhvanaù päramäpnoti satyam||3||

3. Goal of moksha or Brahman is attained through knowledge, known as the state of turiya and in one’s very heart; it is known as one’s very Self (Consciousness); and such a person who knows Brahman has attained the ultimate goal.

RecapPreviously we saw the abode of moksha or the Self or Brahman as one's very heart or one's very nature. It is really an irony that majority of people search the entire world for realization of the Self or Brahman; and many are those who don't even realize what they are seeking or searching for. It is moksha of the nature of complete cessation of sorrow and ever rejoicing in bliss that we all are knowingly or unknowingly seeking out in the world. Though it is only rarely few who are able to know that what they are searching for is moksha, still there are fewer who know as to where they can find the moksha that is being sought out by all.

Many people go to different pilgrimage places, ashrams, temples etc. in order to find out moksha. It is moksha that which we also unknowingly call as Ishwara. Ishwara, as per general notion, is one who can grant all our desires. When desires are fulfilled we will be contented or happy or blissful. Therefore Ishwara is one who can provide us with bliss and such an Ishwara is what Vedanta calls as moksha. Not knowing that moksha or Ishwara is right inside ourselves, we search the entire world for Ishwara.

Yoga Vasistha, though in a harsh tone, gives this beautiful sloka about this searching thus:

tyaktvaa hridgriheshaanam devamanyam prayaanti yete ratnamabhivaanchanti tyaktvaa hasthasthakausthubhamhttp://vedantatattva.org/vedantagroup/VedantaDarshanam of 85



Those who renounce the God in their very hearts and seek out other Gods (in temples and all) they are like those who are searching for jewels but have the crest jewel of kausthubha in their very hands!

If a person would just analyze their very lives in brief then he would realize that the abode of God is not external but in one's very heart itself. In a day a person experiences the three states of waking, dream and dreamless deep sleep. In the waking state, the external world is perceived whereas in the dream world, a world created by one's mind (based on the tendencies developed in waking) is experienced. But in the dreamless deep sleep state a person sleeps very peacefully and therefore he proclaims after waking up that he slept well (didn't know anything at all but was very happy). Vidyaranya says in Panchadashi that it is this bliss that makes the person to remain calm just after waking up - he still wants to enjoy the bliss. There would hardly be a person who doesn't want to sleep and nobody wants to sleep for dream as dream is as exhaustive as waking itself; but all want to sleep because it relaxes them; in other words, in sleep they are able to go to their very heart.

Previously we saw that the heart is the abode of desirelessness or where all desires end or all desires are fulfilled through experience of bliss. Even as a person who has gone far from home and is tired will return back home and then sleep or rest peacefully similarly we have been going away from our very heart and therefore the time we are able to return back to the heart, we will just relax. Unfortunately except spiritual sadhanas, no other activity in the world takes us closer to the heart but all take us farther away from the heart. Therefore we have to regularly sleep in order to position ourselves back to the heart. And it is for this reason that those sadhakas who are able to do enough dhyaana (and other sadhanas) will find themselves sleeping lesser and lesser (and that is enough for them because they are abiding in the heart and relaxing through sadhanas itself thereby reducing the time required for sleep as the purpose of sleep is fulfilled otherwise).

We also saw Ramana Maharshi's words that heart is that from which all thoughts arise. All thoughts are preceded by the thought of "I" or Ego. And this thought of "Ego" arises from oneself or one's very heart. This heart isn't the spiritual heart but the abode of one's very existence. Though we all think wrongly that we are the body-mind-intellect still we will always be pointing out to our heart or ourselves when somebody asks where are you -- this abode from which all thoughts arise is the heart.




And in order to find out the heart we will have to remove all thoughts. This is achieved through enquiring into ourselves as to "who am I". This is vichaara or self-enquiry that has been mentioned by Adi Sankara himself in Vivekachoodamani thus:

cittasya shuddhaye karma na tu vastuupalabdayevastusiddhirvicaarena na kincit karmakotibhihPurity of mind alone is achived through actions and not an object; knowledge of object is through enquiry alone and not through crores of actions.

Wrongly many think that it is Ramana Maharshi who created the vichaara maarga (path of enquiry). They don't realize that Maharshi only propounded whatever has already been propounded by other acharyas and they themselves have only restated the views of the scriptures (rather than create a new path). And many who think that just by actions or yoga or devotion they can realize the goal of moksha are wrong because moksha has to be realized in one's very heart. And for this there needs to be enquiry else we will only be going away from ourselves (and not realizing ourselves). It is for this reason that even great acharyas or masters will prescribe learning of the scriptures which are the only source of knowledge of the Self or Brahman. If we don't have knowledge of the scriptures then though we might be performing sadhanas like dhyaana still we will not know what is to be achieved by them and therefore we will be deluded by the siddhis that ensue as a result of them.

Patanjali himself says in Yoga Sutras that vibhutis or siddhis are an obstacle to samaadhi because they are born out of thoughts and samaadhi is when we are devoid of thoughts. In Vedanta as well we have to go beyond all thoughts to the state from where all thoughts arise and therefore we need to go beyond siddhis. Siddhis will veil the heart and therefore we will not be able to reach the heart and realize the Lord or Brahman abiding in the heart of the nature of Consciousness that pulsates as I-exist, I-exist at all times.

Though it was mentioned that moksha or Brahman or Lord is realized in the heart, there can be doubt as to whether this Brahman or Lord is one's very nature or totally different from oneself. The author is answering that in the second line through stating that Brahman is realized as one's very nature only.

Brahman and Self or kutastha - one and the sameThough really speaking there is no contradiction between Brahman and the Self or "I" still when "I" or Ego is thought of as the Self then there will be contradictions. This is because Brahman is all-knowing and all-pervasive whereas Ego I is limited-knowing and limited-




pervasive. Therefore there is no chance that Ego I can be one with Brahman. This is true that Vedanta never equates the Ego I with Brahman but equates only the kutastha or the changeless "I" as one with Brahman.

As to how even the changeless I can be Brahman, even though we never experience this changeless I as all-knowing and all-pervasive, Vedanta uses the analogy of space to answer. Though space by nature is unlimited still it seems to be limited by the pot and the room. When space gets into the pot then it seems to be limited by the pot and when inside the room it seems to be limited by the room. Therefore we have pot-space (space inside the pot) and room-space (space inside the room) which appear to be different from infinite-space (space itself which is unlimited). Pot-space and room-space are different from infinite space in that they are limited by pot and room. But truly speaking, such limitation isn't real. It is just an appearance. As long as the adjuncts of pot and room are there, space will seem to be limited by pot and room - thereby pot-space and room-space will seem to be different from infinite space. But when the adjuncts are broken or removed then we will realize that there is only one infinite space. And even before as well, pot-space and room-space weren't really different from infinite space but one with it only.

It cannot be argued that pot-space cannot have same knowledge as infinite space because pot-space's knowledge is limited by the pot. Remove the pot and the infinite-space's knowledge and pervasiveness will be found in all spaces.

That the changeless I or kutastha or Self is different from Ego I is pointed out in Advaita Makaranda thus:saakshii sarvaanvitah preyaanaham naaham kadaacanaparinaama pariccheda paritaapairupaplavaat

Know me to be the all-pervasive witness Self and not the Ego I ever; because Ego I is changing, limited and into sorrows (whereas I am changeless, unlimited and ever blissful).

That I am changeless can be known through the three states of waking, dream and dreamless deep sleep where though many changes happen to Ego I, I am still the same. Thereby I say that "I who was asleep and dreaming earlier, am awake now". And that I am of the nature of bliss can easily be known through the dreamless deep sleep state where I am ever blissful (and hence everybody wants to go to sleep again and again). I am also unlimited because whatever needs to be achieved in life can be achieved by me - though I might need to put some effort into it.




Since I am not the Ego I but kutastha, let's now apply the analogy of space with respect to Brahman and kutastha. There are many body-mind-intellect and therefore one Consciousness or Brahman is limited by all of those. Body-mind-intellect is the adjunct which limits Brahman and this limited Consciousness (that which is limited) is called as kutastha chaitanya (or saakshi). Vidyaranya defines kutastha as that which is nirvikaara - kuutavannirvikaarena sthitah kutastha ucyate - that which removes like a kuuta or anvil remaining unaffected when everything around it (or related to it) is changing is called kutastha.

Kutastha is one with Brahman in that both are of the nature of Consciousness. But it is the adjunct of body-mind-intellect that makes it appear that kutastha and Brahman are different from one another. Therefore we have as if many kutasthas who are different from Brahman. But like pot-space and room-space are not different from infinite space and one infinite space alone exists similarly only Brahman exists and different kutasthas are Brahman alone (not different from Brahman).

As to how I as kustastha am Brahman only, Advaita Makaranda provides the logic thus:ahamasmi sadaa bhaami kadaacinnaahamapriyahbrahmaivaahamatah siddham saccidaanandalakshanamI exist, I am ever shining and I am never hated; therefore it is proven that I am Brahman of the nature of Existence, Consciousness and Bliss.

It is known from the scriptures that Brahman is of the nature of Existence, Consciousness and Bliss. There is no time that I don't exist - from day of birth till day of death I do exist and therefore I am of the nature of Existence. But existence cannot be illumined without the light of Consciousness falling upon it.

Ramana Maharshi says thus:sattva bhaasikaa citkvavetaraasattayaa hi cit cittayaa hyahamExistence is only illumined by Consciousness and since I am Existence, therefore I am of the nature of Consciousness.

Advaita Makaranda says:aabhaaruupasya vishwasya bhaanam bhaasamnidher vinaakadaacinnaavakalpet bhaa caaham tena sarvagah




The world which appears as existing cannot be existing without the light of Consciousness and that light I am, therefore I am all-pervasive.

na hi bhaanaat rite sattvamWithout Consciousness, there cannot be any existence whatsoever.

Therefore I am of the nature of Consciousness (without Consciousness I would cease to be of the nature of Existence or existing at all times). That which exists at all times is without any limitation of time, space and causation. That which is limited will lead to temporary happiness whereas that which is unlimited will lead to eternal bliss. Since I am unlimited therefore I am of the nature of bliss.

Since I am of the nature of Existence, Consciousness and Bliss and Brahman is also of the same nature therefore it is proven that I am Brahman alone (there cannot be two entities who are of the same nature but different from one another - we can have different forms of fire but fire is one alone as all fires have the nature of heat and firing). Therefore kutastha or I am Brahman only - not different from Brahman.

It can be questioned as to if I am Brahman then what about the various I's in the world - are they all Brahman or not? If they are not one with Brahman then it would lead to dvaita or duality; if they are all one with Brahman then how is it that one person doesn't understand the mind or mental state of others? Vedanta answers by saying that though all I's are Brahman, there aren't really all I's - there is only one I or Consciousness. The many I's are the Egos that are associated with the body-mind-intellect. Even as the adjuncts of pot and room define the space inside them similarly the adjuncts of body-mind-intellect defines the kutastha (or seemingly defines). Unless a person realizes that he isn't the Ego I but kutastha, he will be limited to the body-mind-intellect. Thereby he will never be able to understand the minds of others. And when he realizes that he is kutastha then he will know himself to be the essential nature of everything. But then he is changeless and unaffected witness of the body-mind-intellect. Therefore he doesn't really care about body-mind-intellect of himself or others. And even if he cares, he cannot know other body-mind-intellect because he can only know his own body-mind-intellect or that which seemingly limits him. When he goes beyond the limits then there are no real limits therefore there is no question of knowing any other body-mind-intellect.




Therefore Ramana Maharshi would always answer such questions with respect to finding out oneself first. Once a person realizes that "I" or kutastha then there is nothing more to know or reveal as he realizes that the body-mind-intellect or the entire world itself is just an illusion, like dream; even as we don't ponder too much over our dream similarly a realized master or even an advanced sadhaka will not worry about the body-mind-intellect. This doesn't mean that he will ignore the body-mind-intellect. He will take care of them because they are needed in order to get rid of ignorance in the mind. Once ignorance vanishes then he knows that there is no body-mind-intellect and therefore he will just rejoice in bliss. Until then he will take care of the body-mind-intellect while always contemplating on the truth that He is the non-dual reality of Brahman which is the saakshii kutastha or I that pulsates inside as I-exist, I-exist at all times.

Goal of realization of BrahmanIt is said "prayojanamanuddishya na mandopi pravartate" - without any expectation or any fruit, not even a foolish person will do any action. Therefore all our actions are in order to seek something or the other. Unless there is something in return for us we will never indulge in anything at all.

It can be argued that a lover does things for his love without any expectation but this is wrong. In the world, a lover does so that he would get the love of his loved object. And in rare cases of love where the lover gives up his love for the sake of happiness of his love, it is only for his own happiness as when his love is happy, he is happy. Therefore without any expectation or fruit for oneself we will not indulge in anything.

Since somehow we have come to the world of ignorance therefore in order to pursue the path of spirituality as well we need some fruit or result. Without any fruit or result we will not take up the spiritual path. Therefore we see many people not even treading the spiritual path as they think that it is just a waste and will not lead to anything real or fruitful. And many don't pursue the spiritual path as they think that results in the spiritual path take longer than other paths and therefore it isn't worth spending so much time. Rather they would go behind worldly pleasures that would lead to result soon itself.

But such people fail to realize that worldly happiness is short-lived and will eventually lead to only sorrow. Not realizing this they just will be running behind pleasures of the world over and over again. Unlike the spiritual path where the option is only for the goal of moksha, in the world path we have so many goals - infinite are possibilities in the world. Therefore when one goal fails or stops giving happiness, another goal can be sought out. This can be




continued over and over; still there will be no dearth of goals. Therefore majority of people tread the worldly path. Moreover few are those who are able to get the bliss of the Self - at least a bit of the bliss of the Self. This is only possible after treading the spiritual path for a while or after meeting a realized master or Sadgurus like Sri Ramakrishna, Ramana Maharshi or AMMA. Since patience is something that people are not used to, therefore they will not tread the spiritual path.

Without mentioning the goal of moksha, the spiritual path will be futile or will never be sought out even by few people and therefore the author mentions about moksha or the fruit of moksha in the last line of the sloka. This line is a direct take from the Upanishads. It says that a person who treads the spiritual path and realizes the non-dual reality of Brahman as one's very Self and in the heart, he will cross over the ocean of samsaara and thereby he will attain the supreme truth (which is of the nature of eternal bliss).

Samsaara is the ocean of transmigration which involves birth and death over and over again. It is called an ocean because it is never ending like an ocean and a person easily gets deluded and immersed in it. The ultimate goal of life is to avoid any changes and thereby rejoice in bliss. But this is only possible when a person goes beyond samsara and therefore the author states the phala or fruit of Vedantic knowledge as going beyond the ocean of samsara (or ending sorrow once and for all). More analysis on samsara and overcoming it will be dealt in the next month. Until then we should strive to remember the non-dual reality of Brahman (or the goal of moksha) as our very nature of Consciousness or kutasha (changeless Self that which pulsates inside as I-exist, I-exist at all times). It is remembrance of this knowledge that is the essence of the scriptures (and explained through mahavakyas). Though it might seem illogical still if a sadhaka uses proper logic as per the scriptures he or she will find it utmost logical and through following the same, he or she will soon attain the goal of moksha. Rather than continuing to struggle in the ocean of samsara a sadhaka therefore should strive to put effort in order to overcome it. Since all are seeking the ultimate goal of life of rejoicing in bliss therefore it is apt if the sadhaka starts putting effort towards attaining it and this only requires the sadhaka to remember at all times that I am the non-dual reality of Brahman which is the substratum of the illusory world that we currently experience.

May we all strive to remember our very nature of the non-dual reality of Brahman as kutastha so that through realization all sorrows will end and we will be able to ever rejoice in bliss.




Upanishad Vivaranam

Second mundaka second khanda sloka 2

ydicRm*d[u_yae=[u cyiSm<‘aeka inihta laeikní,tdetd]r< äü s àa[StÊ va'œmn>tdetTsTy< tdm&t< tÖeÏVy< saeMy iviÏ.2-1-2.yadarcimadyadaëubhyo'ëu cayasmiàllokä nihitä lokinaçca|tadetadakñaraà brahma sa präëastadu väìmanaùtadetatsatyaà tadamåtaà tadveddhavyaà somya viddhi||2-1-2||

That which is radiant, subtler than the subtlest, that by which all the worlds and their people are supported – that is indestructible Brahman; he alone is prana, he alone is words and he alone is the mind; he alone is the truth, he alone is immortality and he alone is to be known, O Dear.

RecapPreviously we saw the first sloka of the second khanda of the second mundaka. Brahman was the subject-matter and the Upanishad mentioned that Brahman is to be sought out (and whatever exists is that which alone exists here).

Generally we think that there are different things or goals to be sought out in the world but we are wrong because irrespective of whatever we seek and attain we will never attain the goal of contentment or satisfaction or eternal bliss. This is because the entire world that is being sought out is temporary and therefore sorrowful. That which exists for a short period of time will only lead to sorrow in the long run because we will expect the object to be existing for a long period of time. When we find that it will not be there, then we will experience sorrow. Therefore it is said that wise people will not seek out the external world or any other world (as it is temporary and sorrowful).

The Lord says thus in Gita:ye hi samsparshajaa bhogaa dukhayonaya eva teaadyantavantah kaunteya na teshu ramate budhahhttp://vedantatattva.org/vedantagroup/VedantaDarshanam of 85



The pleasures born out as a result of contact of sense organs with sense objects are seeds of sorrow (they will lead to sorrow only in the long run) because they have a beginning and an end; therefore the wise will not seek them.

Anything that is an object is temporary or has a beginning and an end. Therefore it will only lead to sorrow. The world that we see now is constantly changing and therefore it has a beginning and an end. When the world ends, we will experience nothing but sorrow alone. Therefore though we might seem to experience temporary happiness from the world, it will vanish. Which person would eat food that might be tasty but will lead to death or dysentry? Therefore if a person sees that a lizard has peed in an ice cream he will not take the ice cream (as it will only lead to death).

It can be questioned as to why then knowing that the world is sorrowful, majority of people seek out the world only. The answer is that majority of people think that there might be happiness somewhere or the other in the world. And even if there is no happiness that is permanent in the world, still it takes a long time to follow the path of spirituality and attain the ultimate goal of life of moksha. It is easier to seek out temporary happiness than seek bliss which might take long to attain. Since the world of happiness can be easily attained and we can shift from one object to another, therefore majority of people run behind temporary happiness of the world. Thus we find that even if one marriage ends up in divorce, people seek out more marriages in the hope that someday their marriage might not end in divorce and it will be an ever-lasting marriage that only leads to happiness.

That such people are foolish need not be said. And just because the entire world is running behind the world of happiness doesn't mean that we should also run behind it. Though the majority of people didn't believe in Einstein and went against him, still he pursued what he thought was right. Similarly we have to just pursue what we think as right instead of going by what the entire world is doing. This is only if we really want eternal bliss and not just temporary happiness that will eventually lead to sorrow.

Since the entire world of objects is sorrowful therefore a person has to seek out the cause-substratum of the world which is termed in the scriptures as Brahman. Seeking Brahman we will be slowly able to experience the bliss of Brahman. This itself will inspire us to follow the spiritual path and eventually we will be able to realize the non-dual reality of Brahman and ever rejoice in bliss.

Brahman - to be known




Since Brahman alone is real amidst the temporary world therefore we have to seek out Brahman or Brahman is to be known. Though it might take a long time to realize Brahman (and rejoice in bliss) still if we tread the spiritual path itself we will be able to get glimpses of the bliss of Brahman. Moreover strength to focus on the spiritual path and on Brahman itself will make us happy or blissful. This happiness that one gets from the spiritual path will never diminish and it will only increased day by day. If somebody finds that there is no happiness in the spiritual path or spiritual path is leading to decrease in happiness then such a sadhaka needs to revisit as to how he is following the spiritual path. If he followed it properly then he would definitely be getting more and more happier. Even as if a food is properly cooked it will be boiled or cooked properly similarly if a person treads the spiritual path properly then he will be able to attain the goal of moksha. Even as when a person goes near fire he will slowly feel the heat of the fire; even as when a person nears his home (when he has been traveling a long time and distance to reach home) he will become more and more happy similarly a sadhaka who follows the spiritual path religiously will find himself becoming more and more happier or blissful. This happiness or bliss though might be momentary but still is something that cannot be expressed in words and is definitely much more than and much more worth than happiness achieved from the world in one or the other way. Therefore the scriptures proclaim again and again that Brahman is to be sought out or Brahman is to be known.

When we have to know something there are two steps - first is knowing the object as without knowledge of the object to be sought out we cannot really attain it or realize it. Though it might be argued that knowing Brahman means realizing Brahman, still here what is meant is just knowing the object through its qualities or some definition. Even as a person will not carry a journey in which he doesn't know what is the goal (or what will be achieved at the goal) similarly a person who doesn't know the goal of moksha theoretically will never tread the spiritual path. Hence the Upanishad in this sloka talks about Brahman or what Brahman is really.

The second step is sadhanas or practices that will help the sadhaka reach the goal of moksha (or help the sadhaka realize Brahman). This is mentioned as pranavopaasana in the next slokas which we will see in the coming months.

Brahman - radiantBrahman is mentioned in the Upanishads as that which is the light of all lights. For any existence to exist, there should be light falling upon it. For example in order to see a pot on the floor, we need a light. Without the light, though the pot might be there we will not




experience the pot (or the pot doesn't really exist). But even if lights are there, still we need the light of Consciousness. Lack of a Conscious being will ensure that the pot has no existence whatsoever. Therefore we can say that everything in the world (or all existence) is based on the light of all lights which is Consciousness.

Consciousness existing, everything else exists and if Consciousness ceases to exist then nothing at all will exist. Brahman is propounded in the Aitareya Upanishad as that which is of the nature of Consciousness. Therefore Brahman is the light of all lights. Such a light is always radiant or ever shining. Though we may think that the light of Consciousness will cease to exist after a period of time, this isn't the case because Brahman as of the nature of Consciousness exists at all times. Before creation Brahman existed; during creation Brahman exists and after destruction of the world as well Brahman will exist (hence Brahman is said to be of the nature of Existence - that which is beyond all limitations of time, space and causation).

It cannot be argued that Brahman of the nature of Existence and Consciousness doesn't really exist because it is a matter of direct experience. Brahman is that Consciousness which pulsates inside us as I-exist, I-exist at all times. Irrespective of where we are and what we are doing, we do exist and it is as a result of Consciousness - in other words, I as Consciousness exists at all times. I never cease to exist. Though the world is constantly changing and experiences as well are changing (like the different states are experienced) but still I do exist as the same. Therefore from the day of birth to the day of death I am the same. It is due to superimposition and ignorance that a person thinks that he is the body - thereby he thinks that he was young yesterday and old today; ignorant yesterday and learned today; yesterday living and today going to die. All such statements are as a result of superimposition only. Taking an example, how can I be young yesterday and today old because then I am myself changing. A changing entity cannot experience its own changes. The body's change can only be experienced by someone who is not the body. Since I do experience the changes of the body therefore I am not the body but that Consciousness which is the witness to changes of the body. In a similar way we can extend this to the mind and intellect as well. Therefore ultimately I am changeless and existing at all times irrespective of the changes of the world.

Brahman's radiance means that Brahman is the basis of the entire world. The world exists in Brahman only. That Brahman is the light of all lights will be mentioned in a later sloka in this chapter.




Brahman -- subtler than the subtlestThe Katha Upanishad talks about Brahman thus:

anoraniiyaan mahato mahiiyaanaatmaasya jantornihitam guhaayaamThe Self is subtler than the subtler and bigger than the biggest; it is the inside of all beings and exists in the cave-heart of all beings (as the nature of Consciousness).

Ishavasya Upanishad gives this sloka as to how to always focus on the non-dual reality of Brahman and realize Brahman thus:

yastu sarvaani bhuutaani atmanyevaanupashyatisarvabhuuteshu caatmaanam tato na vijugupsateOne who sees all in the Self and the Self in all, he doesn't have any hatred.

yasmin sarvaani bhuutaani aatmaivaabhudvijaanatahtatra ko mohah kah shokah ekatvamanupashyatahOne who knows that everything is his very Self only; what delusion and sorrow such a person who sees oneness has? (he doesn't have any delusion or sorrow).

When we take the world as a whole we have to two aspects - one is the whole or samasti and other is individual or vyasti. The world is a mix of both vyasti and samasti. But since the entire world has come from the non-dual reality of Brahman therefore vyasti and samasti should both be the same. Therefore the Upanishads tell that we should see the Self in all and all in the Self - this way seeing vyasti in samasti and samasti in vyasti, we will go beyond both vyasti and samasti. Thereby going beyond duality we will realize the non-dual reality of Self or Brahman.

Another way to look at this is that in order to realize Brahman we should go beyond our normal understanding or normal spectrum of knowledge. In order to do this we need to go beyond both the subtle and the gross. With respect to the subtle, we have to go beyond it - this means we have to find the subtlest of the subtle. And with respect to the gross we need to find the greatest of the great. And what else can be there beyond both the subtle and the gross, other than the non-dual reality of Brahman (as the entire world is made up of Brahman only as names and forms, therefore if we go beyond the world we will only end up with Brahman)?




Another perspective to look at the statement that Brahman is subtlest than the subtle is that Brahman is the indwelling Self or innermost Self. Taittiriya Upanishad takes us from the gross body inside and to the non-dual reality of Self as being beyond the pancha koshas or the five sheaths that appear to cover the Self. Even as a sword is kept in its sheath, similarly the Self appears to be covered by five sheaths and in order to realize the Self we have to go beyond the five sheaths. The outermost is the annamaya kosha which consists of the panchabhuutaatmaka shariira or the body composed of the five elements of space, air, fire, water and earth. Beyond the annamaya kosha (or inside the annamaya kosha) is the pranamaya kosha which consists of the five pranas or vital forces that help in various actions of the body. The five pranas are those of prana that helps in upward motion in the body, apana that goes downward motion or movement in the body (or prana helps in inhalation and apana in exhalation), vyaana which pervades the body, samaana which helps in digestion and udaana which helps in jumping and at the time of death (for the antah karana along with jeeva to go out of the body). Since the pranas are helpful for actions therefore we also have the five organs of actions in this kosha - the five organs of action are that of words, hands, legs, organ of excretion and organ of procreation. Next is the manomaya kosha where the mind is situated. Beyond the manomaya kosha is the vijnaanamaya kosha which has the intellect. Though mind and intellect are part of the antah karana and therefore is bundle of thoughts still depending on the strength or nature of thoughts, antah karana is classified into four. Mind is that which enters into doubts whereas intellect is that which asserts. Ego is that which identifies and citta is that which stores memories (useful the future). Both manomaya kosha and vijnaanamaya kosha cannot work without the organs of perception and therefore they are included in both the koshas (or they are performing in both the koshas). The five organs of perception are that of hearing (ears), touch (skin), sight (eyes), taste (tongue) and smell (nose). It shouldn't be thought that the openings of eyes, nose etc. are the organs because they are just openings through which the sense organs function. Therefore though a person might not be able to see, still he will have the openings of the eyes or the external eye. Therefore organs are subtle and not the gross openings that we perform. Even as a lamp inside a pot throws its light to the room through the openings in the pot similarly the sense organs throw light upon the world and perceive the world through the openings of eyes, nose etc.

Beyond all the four koshas is the anandamaya kosha or the sheath of bliss. Here bliss isn't the bliss of the Self because it is temporary and associated with ignorance. Ignorance is there in its root form and therefore bliss isn't complete or perfect with respect to time. But it is this sheath that gives us happiness and therefore makes us feel as if there is some happiness in the world. Even the person who commits suicide does so because he thinks




suicide will give him happiness - therefore there is experience of happiness in the world. It should be remembered that wherever we find any happiness in the world it is as a result of the Self or Brahman alone. It is when a person becomes calm that he experiences intuitively the Self even as when a person is calm and relaxed he is his own self and peaceful; therefore when we gain any experience in the world that leads to happiness we will immediately become satisfied or content or relaxed. Even if it is for a moment still we experience the bliss of the Self through abiding in the Self that time. Thus all happiness comes from the Self only and not from external objects; if external objects could lead to happiness then we would become happy with the objects at all times but this is not what we experience. The same object that gives happiness today will give only sorrow tomorrow. For example when we were children we would love ice cream but after growing up if we have sinus then ice cream will not give happiness at all. Put in a humor sense, when a couple get married they are very happy but their happiness diminishes and totally vanishes after days or months or years; similarly when a child is born the parents are very happy but once the child grows up and decides his own life then the parents become very sad. In all these cases we find that happiness is not in the external objects because the objects remaining the same we don't experience happiness at all times - therefore happiness is in the Self inside and not in the external world.

If it be argued that we don't experience the bliss of the Self as such - as in the world happiness is momentary only; then Vedanta says that we have the state of dreamless deep sleep to show that there is happiness in the Self. A person goes to sleep and he doesn't dream any internal world but he sleeps peacefully. For example he closes his eyes and opens it to realize that hours have passed and he slept peacefully. He proclaims that he slept blissfully and didn't know anything at all. It is the bliss that makes him tell that he slept well and it is the same bliss that makes him go to sleep daily irrespective of whatever happens in the world. Even if he is very busy with work or other matters or tensed still he will try to sleep; and since tensions are very high in the world therefore we have the market of sleeping pills that enable us to sleep. Though it might appear that very little time of sleep is dreamless deep sleep and much of the time is dream, it has been proven that dream takes up only very little of our sleep and most of the time is dreamless deep sleep. If only we were to dream in most of our sleep then we will get up exhausted as dream also has experiences like the waking world experiences. But after waking up we are generally energized and this means we have perfectly relaxed in sleep; this is only possible if there was no dream and we were abiding in the Self only. Therefore it is proven that in the state of dreamless deep sleep we do experience the Self as blissful in nature.




But still those who claim that the Self isn’t blissful and only sorrowful they can never be convinced. If it be asked as to why we don’t experience the bliss of the Self now then the answer is that we think duality is real now. In the state of dreamless deep sleep there is nothing but the non-dual reality of Brahman or Self. But after waking up there is duality. As long as a person thinks that the duality being perceived is real he will experience only sorrow because duality or difference can lead only to sorrow in the long run. Duality leads to likes and dislikes which in turn lead to happiness and sorrow. When something good happens to that which is liked we will become happy and when something good happens to that which we don’t like we will become sad. And when something bad happens to that which is liked we will become sad and when something bad happens to that which we don’t like we will become happy. Since the entire world is constantly changing therefore everything will be lead to both happiness and sorrow. As to when happiness and when sorrow we cannot really say but eventually even the temporary happiness that is found from the world will only lead to sorrow (because it is temporary). Therefore a person who thinks duality to be real and depends on it will be lead to sorrow in the long run.

This doesn’t mean that we can get rid of duality by going to a cave or going to samaadhi because duality isn’t real. If duality were real then we could try removing it but that which is real cannot be removed (because it is real). And that which isn’t real can never be proved because it doesn’t exist ultimately. Therefore what is required of the world is to remember that it isn’t real or the reality-status of the world has to be renounced. We now think that the world is real and therefore we experience sorrow from it but when we realize that the world isn’t real then we will be able to remain unaffected. That the world isn’t real or the world is an illusion is to be remembered in the mind and not externally. Externally the world will still appear to be real but since we know internally that the world isn’t real therefore we will not be affected by it.

Taking the example of the illusion of water seen in desert, if a person thinks that the water is real then he will be lead to sorrow when he runs behind the water and doesn’t find the water (eventually he will not find water). But since there is no real water, water cannot be removed from desert but a person can remember in the mind that there is no real water or the water perceived is just an illusion. Then when he still sees water in the desert he will not be affected by the water as he knows that there is no real water and it is just an illusion. Like any other worldly person he too might still keep seeing the water but he knows internally that there is no water and therefore he remains unaffected.




Similarly a person who remembers the truth of Vedanta that the world is just an illusion will not be affected by perception of the world. Whether the world appears or not he will just remain unaffected. He still will live in the world and perform actions like any other person but unlike a worldly person who gets affected by the changes in the world (thinking that the world is real) he will remain unaffected and yet living in the world.

The Lord says thus about such a person who performs actions in the world but remains unaffected:Brahmanyaadhaaya karmaani sangham tyaktvaa karoti yahLipyate na sa paapena padmapatramivaambasaaOffering all actions unto Brahman and renouncing attachment to the action (or its fruit) a person doesn’t get affected by the sins of the actions (results of actions) like the lotus leaf which is in water but not wet by water.

Ramana Maharshi says thus about how to overcome karma and attain moksha through karma indirectly:Ishwaraarpitam necchayaa kritamCittashodhakam muktisaadhakam

Actions offered unto Ishwara and performed without desiring for the fruits thereof will lead to purification of mind and thereby indirectly to liberation.

Merely remembering internally that whatever exists is the non-dual reality of Lord or Brahman and thereby offering everything unto Brahman, a person will be able to go beyond the bondage of action (wherein he is attached to either the action or craving for the result of action). Through remembering non-dual reality behind the illusory world he will thereby be able to ever rejoice in bliss irrespective of whatever happens in the external world.

We will continue with analysis of this sloka in the next month.

May we all strive to remember at all times that the non-dual reality of Brahman alone exists so that through going beyond the pancha koshas we will be able to ever rejoice in bliss.




Gitaamritham

15 th Chapter 17 th Sloka – Uttama Purusha – greater than kshara and special among akshara purushas

ySmat! ]rmtItae=hm]radip caeÄm>,Atae=iSm laeke vede c àiwt> pué;aeÄm>.15-18.yasmät kñaramatéto'hamakñarädapi cottamaù|ato'smi loke vede ca prathitaù puruñottamaù||15-18||

15.18. Because I am beyond the kshara purushas and special among akshara purushas therefore I am known in the world and Vedas as uttama purusha.

RecapPreviously we saw the 17th sloka where the Lord defined the Uttama Purusha. Uttama Purusha is the greatest purusha and he is variously termed in the scriptures as Brahman, Ishwara, Paramatman, Vishnu, Siva etc. All these are synonyms for that uttama purusha alone.

Bhagavatham says thus:

vadanti tattattvavidah tattvam yat jnaanamadvayambrahmeti paramaatmeti bhagavaaniti shabdyateKnowers of the truth talk about truth as being of the nature of non-dual Consciousness and they variously term it as Brahman, Paramatman, Bhagavan etc.

That Uttama Purusha alone existed before creation is mentioned in the Upanishad as "sadeva soumya idamagre aasiidekamevaadvitiiyam" or "O Dear! Existence alone existed before creation, one without a second".

Uttama purusha is the supreme Self as he pervades and supports the entire world. Vedanta uses the analogy of mud and pot to illustrate as to how Brahman or Uttama Purusha pervades the entire world and is the support of the world by being the cause-substratum of the world. There are different objects made of mud like pot, wall etc. Pot is nothing but name and form in mud as at all times pot is mud alone. Whatever exists is mud alone. Therefore pot is supported by mud and pot is pervaded by mud as the cause-substratum.




Similarly this entire world that we see is pervaded and supported by the non-dual reality of Brahman or Uttama Purusha.

The analogy of mud and pot illustrates that any cause pervades its effect. Taking the analogy of gold ornaments, all ornaments are pervaded in and out by gold as its cause and substratum. Though gold ornaments appear different from one another (and different from gold) they are but one with gold only. Though a normal person gets deluded into thinking that different ornaments are different from one another, a goldsmith knows that they are all gold only. Therefore when a person goes to the goldsmith to change the ornament, the goldsmith easily does it. The normal person isn't aware of or doesn't remember at all times that all ornaments are gold alone but a goldsmith remembers. Therefore a goldsmith is able to remain unaffected at all times irrespective of whatever happens to the gold ornaments whereas a normal person gets deluded into thinking that the ornament has changed, has become out of fashion or has been spoiled.

Similarly an ignorant person doesn't realize that this entire world of names and forms is nothing but the non-dual reality of Lord alone. Therefore he gets affected whenever changes happen to the names and forms of the world. Going from one birth to birth as a result of his desires which are as a result of his likes and dislikes, he just experiences sorrow alone. Though temporary happiness he gets from the world, it is temporary and therefore eventually leads to sorrow alone. But a wise person remembers that the entire world of names and forms is nothing but the non-dual reality of Lord alone. Therefore he remains unaffected whatever happens in the world.

The Vedas and the Upanishads proclaim again and again that Ishwara is the cause from which the world has come, in which the world exists and unto which the world merges at the time of destruction. Therefore Ishwara being the cause pervades the effect of the world even as mud pervades pot and gold pervades gold ornaments.

After defining the Uttama Purusha the Lord now differentiates the uttama purusha or explains the uttama purusha with respect to kshara and akshara purusha.

Two entities in analysisWhen we analyze the entire world or the spectrum of our experience we will come up with just two entities - they are variously termed as chit-jada, drig-drishya, nitya-anitya, sukha-




dukha etc. One is of the nature of Consciousness, real, eternal, blissful and Seer whereas the other is of the nature of insentience, non-eternal, sorrowful and Seen.

Adi Sankara says thus in Brahmajnaanaavaliimaala:drigdrishyau dvau padaarthau stah parasparavilakshanaudrigbrahma drishyam maayeti sarvavedaantadindimah

There are only two entities of Seer and Seen in the world and both are contrary in nature. Seer is Brahman and the Seen is an illusion, thus says Vedanta.

The Lord defines these two entities as Akshara and kshara purusha. But before we enter into these both we need to understand the meaning of the term Purusha. Purusha is defined in two ways - one is puri shete iti purushah or one who lives in the town of body is called Purusha; and second is purnam anena sarvamiti purushah or that which is full or pervading in everything is called Purusha.

When we take the world as a whole we have the two categories of vyasti or individual and samsasti or total. All individuals put together become the total. It is this category of individual and total that causes duality or differences in the world. Though difference is apparent still many get deluded by it. As we have seen earlier, the entire world is its cause-substratum of one Ishwara. As long as this truth isn't realized a person will see duality and get into likes and dislikes. Likes and dislikes get strengthened into attachment and aversion which in turn leads to happiness and sorrow depending on what happens to things we like and dislike. Eventually we will be destroyed only as happiness and sorrow will keep changing; moreover as the Lord says in Gita, aversion will destroy our intellect and memory and thereby we will be totally destroyed. Here destruction means experience of sorrow at all times. If we just look at those who get angry or averted we can see that within minutes they will taken from a state of peace to that of utter sorrow or remorse or regret. A person who sees duality and considers it to be real will be taken from birth to birth experiencing nothing but sorrow alone. Since the goal of life is to go beyond all sorrows and rejoice in bliss therefore the way out is through getting rid of the notion that duality is real.

It might be argued that duality has to be removed in order to experience bliss but this isn't the case. Duality isn't even real that it has to be removed. Even as the ghost seen in the post cannot be removed but we have to gain knowledge that the ghost isn't real similarly we have to get rid of the notion that duality is real (rather than removing duality altogether - which is not possible).




Vidyaranya also gives the logic as to why just removal of duality isn't moksha or bliss thus:naapratiitistayorbaadhah kintu mithyaatvanishcayahno cetsuptimuurcaadau mucyetayatnato janah

Moksha isn't removal or getting rid of individual and the world but knowing their illusoriness. If not, then people will become realized in states of dreamless deep sleep and unconscious.

In order to get rid of duality in the mind we have to see everything as one or have the vision of non-duality. This is through seeing the individual in the total and the total in the individual - vyasti in samasti and samasti in vyasti. This is called called samadarshanam or samatva in the Gita.

Ishavasya Upanishad says thus about this vision of non-duality:yastu sarvaani bhuutaani aatmanyevaanupashyatisarvabhuuteshu caatmaanam tato na vijugupsate

One who sees all in the Self and the Self in all, he doesn't get hatred.

As to why he cannot have any emotions, the Upanishad says that because he only sees one and he knows that it is one Brahman or Self that has become the entire world.

yasmin sarvaani bhuutaani aatmaivaabhuudvijaanatahtatra ko mohah kah shokah ekatvamanupashyatah

One who knows that it is one Self that has become the entire world of beings, there how can he have any delusion or grief as he only sees oneness everywhere?

Resonating the view of the Upanishad, the Lord says thus in the 6th chapter og Gita:sarvabhuutasthamaatmaanam sarvabhuutaani caatmanaiiikshate yogayuktaatmaa sarvatra samadarshinah

Seeing the Self in all and all in the Self, a person who is established in the Self sees oneness everywhere (he has vision of oneness).




When a person sees everything as one then he will not get into any likes and dislikes. Thereby whatever happens in the world he will remember that the non-dual reality of Lord alone exists here. Therefore he experiences neither happiness nor sorrow in the mind. Though externally he might experience duality in the form of happiness and sorrow still internally he rejoices in bliss knowing that everything is one Self alone.

The Lord says thus about such a person's vision in the 5th chapter of Gita:na prahrishyet priyam praapya nodvijet praapya caapriyamsthirabuddhirasammuudah brahmavid brahmani sthitah

A person who doesn't get excited when experiencing liked things and doesn't get averted or angry when getting disliked things - such a person whose buddhi is established and without any delusion, he is a knower of Brahman who is established in Brahman.

Therefore the very word of Purusha is meant to take us beyond duality and make us realize that there is only one entity that appears as the dual of vyasti and samasti or individual and total. A wise person will keeep this in mind and through implementing vision of oneness, he will go beyond all duality in the mind. It might be argued that vision of non-duality might be just a sadhana and not the truth; but then how will such a sadhana do us any benefit if it isn't true? Has any person who has just dreamt of money become rich or a person who has dreamt of becoming a king really became a king? Similarly unless the vision of non-duality isn't for real it will not do us any good. The difference between a jnaani and sadhaka's mental state is that a jnaani naturally abides in the vision of non-duality whereas a sadhaka performs it as a sadhana (with effort). Eventually through sadhana, the sadhaka will naturally abide in the truth that everything is one Lord or Brahman alone and thereby he will become a jnaani.

Getting back to the two entities of Seer and Seen or Chit and Jada, we have the Lord mentioning the two purushas as that of Akshara and Kshara. Kshara Purusha is the changing jeeva or one who is associated with the body-mind-intellect whereas akshara purusha is the changeless kutastha (one who is ever unaffected amidst all the changes). Put in Vedantic terms, jeeva is the reflection of Consciousness in the intellect whereas kutastha is the original consciousness. Even as the reflection of one's face in the mirror cannot exist without the mirror similarly jeeva has no existence apart from the kutastha. But since both jeeva and kutastha are denoted by "I" therefore people get deluded into thinking that they are the jeeva and not the kutastha.




How can we differentiate ourselves from the jeeva and identify ourselves as the kutastha?This is through enquiring into the nature of I. Or in other words we have to use apavada or negation to negate everything that can be the I and whatever will remain behind is the changeless I (that which cannot be negated). The method of enquiry has been mentioned by Ramana Maharshi through saying that we have to enquiry into I and thereby everything will cease and only changeless I will remain behind. Apavada is mentioned in the traditional systems and it is just another word in a slightly different perspective for enquiry. Here as well everything is negated and then whatever remains behind as un-negatable or non-negatable is the kutastha Self or akshara purusha.

But in order to remove ourselves as the jeeva and identify as the kutastha we need to apply logic or manana in our mind. Advaita Makaranda beautifully gives this sloka as to how I am the witness Self and not the Ego:saakshii sarvaanvitah preyaanaham naaham kadaacanaparinaama pariccheda paritaapairupaplavaat

I am the witness Self and not the Ego I ever because Ego I is changing, limited and filled with sorrow whereas I as witness Self is changeless, unlimited and blissful.

A brief analysis of the three states of waking, dream and dreamless deep sleep itself will clearly show that I am not the Ego but the witness Self. We undergo three states in a day (which can be said to be a shortest period for analysis). First is the waking state where we experience gross objects of the world. Second is the dream state where we experience subtle objects which are a creation of one's own mind. Third is the dreamless deep sleep state where there is neither experience of gross objects nor that of subtle objects. In these three states, there is a changing I that undergoes changes due to the identification and association with objects. I who was dreaming am not I who am awake now because I am a rich person now but was a poor person in dream. Therefore these two states are mutually negating themselves. And both these I's of waking and dream are negated in the dreamless deep sleep state. After waking up a person says I slept well and I didn't know anything. "Sleeping well" means that bliss of the Self was experienced. The bliss is such that it attracts everybody from rich to poor to learned to ignorant to daily sleep at night. But I didn't know anything indicates that there was ignorance in the state which veiled everything. Since there were no objects therefore ignorance was in its dormant state. And once the person wakes up, then ignorance manifests itself as the dream and the waking world. In deep sleep therefore both the I's of waking and dream are negated. Thus all the three states are mutually negating each other but still a person is able to proclaim "I who am awake now was




asleep earlier and dreamt as well". Such statement is only possible if there is a changeless I that goes through the three states. But if this changeless I were to change based on the three states then it wouldn't be changeless and the substratum or basis of the three states. Therefore this changeless I is different from the changing I or jeeva and is just the witness of the three states (that which illumines the three states).

Kaivalya Upanishad thus says:puratraye kriidati yashca jiivahtatastu jaatam sakalam vicitramaadhaaramaanandamakhandabodhamyasmin layam yaati puratrayam ca

The I which plays through the three states, from him comes everything miraculous in the three states; he is the basis, blissful, indivisible Consciousness in whom the three states also merge.

Though here the Upanishad mentions I as jeeva, still jeeva is essentially kutastha only as jeeva has no existence apart from kutastha. Therefore kutastha or changeless I is the basis of the three states. Though a person ignorantly proclaims that he is the changing I still he is ever the changeless substratum of I or kutastha. To sum it up, kutastha is real whereas jeeva is just a reflection and a superimposition on kutastha.

Since uttama purusha is Consciousness in nature and kshara purusha is insentient therefore the Lord says that uttama purusha is beyond the kshara purusha. But then the question arises as to whether he is same with kutastha as both are of the nature of Consciousness or different from kutastha.

Akshara purusha and uttama purushaVedanta uses the analogy of the different limitations of pot to illustrate the difference between akshara purusha and uttama purusha. Though space by nature is infinite and unlimited still space appears to be limited as a result of various adjuncts of pot etc. For example when there is a pot, space appears to be limited by the pot and this is called pot-space (space which appears to be limited by pot). Though pot-space is different from unlimited space still both are the same only; difference being that of limitation of adjunct of pot. As long as the adjunct is there, we will have the apparent difference between pot-space and infinite space. But once adjunct is removed we will realize that there never was and never will be any difference between pot-space and infinite-space as space is always one




and unlimited only. It is just the adjunct that makes it appear as if there are differences in space. This is called theory of upaadhi or adjuncts.

Similarly uttama purusha is non-dual reality of Brahman which is ever unlimited. But when we have the adjuncts of body-mind-intellect, Brahman appears to be limited by the adjuncts. And this seemingly-limited Consciousness is called as Akshara Purusha. Hence the Lord says that uttama purusha is special or great among akshara purushas. Though essentially akshara purusha is same as uttama purusha still as a result of the adjuncts of body-mind-intellect akshara purusha appears different from uttama purusha. As many as pots are there so many pot-spaces will be there though all are one and the same alone. Similarly as many are the body-mind-intellects or jeevas, so many will be akshara purushas. But essentially all akshara purushas are one with uttama purusha.

When a person thinks that he is the kshara purusha or the reflection of akshara purusha in the intellect (akin to reflection of pot-space in the water in the pot) then he will be affected by the changes that happen to the reflecting medium of intellect or antah karana. But when a sadhaka realizes that he isn't the jeeva but the kutastha chaitanya or akshara purusha, then he will not longer be affected by whatever happens in the world. Instead at all times he will ever rejoice in bliss in the knowledge that I am the uttama purusha who alone exists here. This doesn't mean that he will be egoistic about being uttama purusha; instead he will do whatever is ordained of him in the world through the adjuncts of body-mind-intellect. But he will perform actions thinking that he is just an instrument in the hands of the Lord (or that he isn't the doer but the Ego, mind, sense organs etc. are the doers). Taking both good and bad effects as they come, he will remain unaffected at all times. He has thereby attained the state of jeevan mukti wherein he is ever rejoicing in bliss irrespective of whatever happens in the external world.

Since kshara purusha is an illusion and akshara purushas are one with the uttama purusha therefore whatever really exists at all times is the uttama purusha alone. Therefore the scriptures always have import only on advaita or non-duality (which means that ultimately there exists one entity and empirically the duality is just an illusion in the non-dual reality of uttama purusha or Brahman or Lord).

Uttama purusha - known in the world and the VedasThe Lord says that the uttama purusha is known as himself because he is beyond the kshara purusha and special among the akshara purushas (as akshara purushas are seemingly limited whereas he is ever unlimited only). The question might be asked as to where the




uttama purusha is known or how the uttama purusha is known - the Brahma Sutras say that Uttama Purusha is known only from the scriptures (shaastrayonitvaat). But here the Lord says that he is known as uttama purusha both in the world and the Vedas too. This is because even from worldly perspective or from the view of worldly people as well there has to be a supreme or superior cause that controls the entire world that we currently perceive. Without such an entity existing there would only be chaos in the world. If it be thought that just by having a ruler part of the world, the world will be a heaven then it isn't the case. We have Donald Trump and his followers fighting with Barack Obama and Obama is spending his last days in office of the United States (as the President) trying to protect the things that he has introduced. When such fights are seen in big countries who are well advanced and capable of ruling or living in perfect harmony then what to talk about the world as a whole? That the world or nature is continuing on its own without interference of any individual part of the world itself clearly shows that there is a supreme power - without whom the entire world will be in total chaos only.

Though the world is still in chaos partially still the Sun, the Moon, Fire etc. are acting properly only. Though science might say that the Sun also is depleting or dying still the Sun doesn't take paid leaves like we all do or vacation once in a year; if only Sun would do that, the entire world will cease to exist anymore. It is not that the Sun is a perfect doer, but that there is a supreme power fearing which Sun also does actions (like subordinates in an office work fearing their superior officer who is constantly keeping an eye on them).

Katha Upanishad says thus:bhayaadasya agnistapati bhayaattapati suuryahbhayaadindrashca vaayushca mrityurdhaavati panchamah

Fearing this (Brahman or Uttama Purusha), the fire burns; the Sun shines; Indra and Vayu act and death runs. This supreme being holds a mace fearsome that everybody does their actions properly (lest their existence itself will be in trouble).

Therefore any wise person will easily be able to conclude that there is a supreme power of Uttama Purusha or Ishwara who is there in the world and therefore everything is happening properly in the world. If not for this uttama purusha, there will be chaos and destruction within minutes or hours or days. Hence he is known in the world itself. Only fools will claim themselves to be atheists and ignore the presence of a supreme power that controls the entire world or holds the entire world.




The Lord’s statement that the Uttama Purusha is known in the world and the Vedas means that any person who doesn’t know or seek to know such a Lord will only experience sorrow in this or other worlds because whatever really needs to be known is the Uttama Purusha alone.

Knowingly or unknowingly everybody is seeking the ultimate goal of life of moksha characterized by complete cessation of sorrow and ever rejoicing in bliss. Until this goal is achieved, a person will only experience sorrow in this birth or other births and therefore all effort should be to realize this goal. And since this goal is characterized by the non-dual reality of Brahman or Uttama Purusha therefore all efforts should be towards realizing Uttama Purusha. Through mentioning of the three purushas and that the Uttama Purusha is the greatest and to be known, the Lord’s teachings as part of Gita to Arjuna is literally over (as there remains nothing else to be known apart from these three purushas – from empirical viewpoint or ultimate viewpoint).

It can be asked or questioned as to what are the next chapters of Gita talking about, Adi Sankara answers by saying that there are some topics that were not fully explained by the Lord and these are taken up in the 16th chapter and the 17th chapter is continuation of the 16th chapter whereas the last chapter is a summarization of the entire truth mentioned in the Gita.

Since the starting and ending of any discourse or text is important therefore this chapter and its concepts are very important for sadhakas. Therefore Swami Chinmayananda says that the 15th Chapter of Gita is like an Upanishad and therefore its understanding only can be fully had after learning few Upanishads. But if a sadhaka is able to understand this chapter then entire Vedanta has been known and soon itself such a sadhaka will be able to attain the ultimate goal of life of moksha.

As to what will happen to a person who knows the Uttama Purusha (the phala sruthi) that is mentioned by the Lord in the last two slokas of this chapter which we will see in the next months.

May we all strive to remember that everything is the non-dual reality of Lord or Uttama Purusha so that all sorrows will end and through realization of Uttama Purusha we will be able to ever rejoice in bliss.




Prakarana Prakaashah

Advaita Makaranda 4 – I always exist and am without any destruction

n Svt> àTyiÉ}anaiÚr<zTvaÚcaNyt>,n caïyivnazaNme ivnaz> Syadnaïyat!.4.na svataù pratyabhijïänänniraàçatvännacänyataù|na cäçrayavinäçänme vinäçaù syädanäçrayät||4||

4. I don’t cease to exist of my own due to recognition; I can’t be destroyed by others because I am without any parts; and I cannot have destruction by destroying the substratum because I am without any substratum (or support).

RecapPreviously we saw the third sloka where it was mentioned that Brahman is all-knowing and all-pervasive cause of the entire world that we currently perceive. Though the scriptures are the only direct proof of Brahman, as Brahman is beyond all words and thoughts, but still logic can be used in order to ascertain Brahman. But such logic should be kept as secondary and not primary. Logic that is approved by the scriptures and that substantiates the scriptures can be used in order to proof Brahman or Vedantic concepts in general. Else Brahma Sutras themselves will become illogical or invalid because they are based on logic. But since Brahma Sutras also take up the scriptural statements and answer the objections raised in them therefore they are valid; and similarly any logic (or logical work) that explains the scriptures or is used as a secondary to the scriptures are valid alone.

In Bhagavatham, the Lord after explaining the truth to Brahmaa in chathushlokii bhaagavatham says that Brahmaa should now ascertain as to what is there through the logic of anvaya vyatireka (co-existence and co-absence). When there are two entities present then this logic is used to figure out as to what is independent and what is dependent. For example A and B are there; anvaya says that when A is there, B is there. Vyatireka says that when A is not there, B is not there. Therefore through anvaya vyatireka it is proven that A is independent whereas B is dependent on A. Anything that is dependent isn't worth running behind because it will eventually fall off. A wise person will go behind only the independent as that will lead to happiness in the long run. Only a foolish person will run behind that is dependent and experience sorrow.




Now extending anvaya vyatireka to Brahman and the world. It cannot be argued that there are other entities than Brahman and the world because we cannot have anything other than Brahman and the world here. It cannot be argued that there is no cause of Brahman for the world because anything that we see as existing has a cause and that cause of the world has to be non-dual in nature (else there would be two causes which are related or unrelated; if related then there should another unrelated cause of these two causes and if unrelated then as well there should be another cause for both). Therefore the scriptures say that the entire world has come from the non-dual reailty of Brahman.

yato vaa imaani bhuutaani jaayanteyena jaataani jiivantiyat prayantyabhisamvishantitadvijijnaasasva tadbrahmeti

From whom the entire world has come; in whom the entire world exists and unto whom the world merges, that is to be known and know that to be Brahman.

But even if Brahman is the cause of the world, what about "I"? If I am Brahman then I should be the cause of the world but I don't experience myself as cause of the world. Instead I am just part of the world and limited in all ways. Therefore the work said that I am the cause of the world by being of the nature of Consciousness. The world comes out and exists in Consciousness which is my very nature. Nobody can deny their very nature of Consciousness (the "I" that pulsates inside as I-exist, I-exist at all times). Though the entire world might be rejected still Consciousness can never be rejected. Therefore Consciousness is the basis of the entire world.

Using anvaya vyatireka, if Consciousness is there, then the world exists and if Consciousness doesn't exist then the world ceases to exist. Therefore it is proven that Consciousness is the basis of the world; in other words, Consciousness is independent and the world is dependent on Consciousness for its existence. Therefore I of the nature of Consciousness am the very basis of the world. The world arises in me, exists in me and merges unto me.

Since I am the cause of the world therefore I pervade the world even as the cause of mud pervades the effect of pot. It cannot be argued that I am only the efficient cause of the world and not the material cause because here we only have one material and efficient cause. The Upanishads give the example of a spider which is both the material and efficient cause of web. Similarly I or Brahman of the nature of Consciousness is the material and efficient




cause of the world. As the cause I pervade the entire world or I am all-pervasive with respect to the world. Also since I am the cause, I am all-knowing with respect to the effect of world. Therefore I am all-pervasive and all-knowing with respect to the world.

I - eternalSince I as Consciousness was there before creation and after creation therefore I am eternal or without any cessation of existence. It cannot be argued that I might have cessation of existence because I never experience it and it cannot be proven otherwise (unless proven otherwise it stands that I am eternal). As mentioned, the ultimate proof on Brahman or Consciousness is the scriptures. Anything that the scriptures say, even though might not initially look like supported by logic, is valid always. This doesn't mean that logic will disprove the scriptures but just that sometimes if we don't apply the right logic we might end up with logic going against the scriptures. During such time we should just take the view of the scriptures. It is improper understanding of the scriptures that makes us think that it is illogical. The more we go deeper into the teachings of the scriptures we will find that there is no illogicality whatsoever. It wouldn't be wrong to say that in order to gain the right knowledge of the scriptures we need a Guru - one who has not only theoretically learned the scriptures but one who lives the scriptures in his day to day life or one who is a living embodiment of the scriptures. Though many might have seen the pictures of Taj Mahal still a person who has visited Taj Mahal will be able to tell clearly about it; and his words will have more conviction than that of others. It is for this reason that though a sadhaka might meet a lot of so-called masters they will not be convinced of the path itself but once they meet a realized master, then automatically they will gain conviction. Even if the master isn't externally learned in the scriptures still such a master knows the scriptures in their essence and is living it in their day to day life, therefore the master's words will have conviction. Put in other words, such a true master's words will touch the heart of any person and therefore a change will be created in the life of the person.

Swami Vivekananda is a perfect example of this. Though he had learned all the scriptures and had met many people who claimed to know God (but couldn't show him God - just dogmas alone) still he couldn't gain conviction that God does exist because nobody could show him God or even tell so strongly that he would believe they know and have seen God. But when he met Sri Ramakrishna and put forth the question as to whether he had seen God, Sri Ramakrishna just replied "I see God like I see". This is a very simple answer and any person who has a brief understanding of Vedanta will clearly tell that "everything is God" but Sri Ramakrishna's words had the power to gain confidence in Swamiji. Though he didn't know why he liked or was attracted to Sri Ramakrishna, still he would regularly visit Sri




Ramakrishna. This is akin to a Nuclear Physicist talking about nuclear physics and a normal person talking about his (through his just bookish knowledge). Though in today's world it is easy to fool others (and we find only majority of people trying to fool others) still not everybody can be fooled all the time; and conviction is gained when the heart is touched and the heart can only be touched with true love. And true love is that directed towards God or Brahman (through realization) and therefore such masters alone can make the flower of love blossom in us. Hence the importance of a Guru in the life of a sadhaka.

Unlike worldly sciences which only talks about objects or objective way of looking at things, Vedanta looks at one's own Self (subject or subjective) and therefore it is very tough indeed to understand. Today psychology is in the rise which tries to analyze the minds of people; and there are so many diverse schools each having so big faults that they don't even deem to be called "science" or they can never be called "science"; but they are utter failures and this itself goes on to show that whatever is subjective is very tough to apprehend and only sadhakas will subtle mind can understand Vedanta. A Guru will aptly guide a sadhaka so that he progresses in the path, gains pre-requisites and thereby is able to apprehend the truth propounded in the scriptures.

Since the scriptures say that I am eternal therefore it goes without saying that I am eternal. The Lord anticipating Arjuna's sorrow or worries that he would kill his own kith and kin says that there was never a time when he or the Lord or others were not there; but this is impossible if we look at people as external people or the body-mind-intellect; therefore it means that the Self is pointed out as eternal. It cannot be argued that the jeeva is pointed out and this jeeva goes from one body to another taking with it the subtle body because the subtle body too had a beginning and therefore is non-eternal. Hence the only solution or proper way to understanding this is that the Self is pointed out as eternal. It also cannot be argued that there are many Self-s for each person because Self or Consciousness is without any duality (the scriptures also tell that Brahman was one without a second before creation and therefore now as well Brahman or Consciousness has to be one without a second alone). Instead we have to understand that though Self is one still it appears as many as a result of the adjuncts of mind or intellect. Even as one infinite space appears as many as a result of the adjuncts of pot, room etc. similarly it is one Self that appears as many. Truly Self is one alone like space and only limitations make it appear as if there are many Self-s. Hence the Lord also clearly says that the Self is eternal. The Lord's statement, which is a take from the Upanishads, that the Self cannot be destroyed will be mentioned with different words by Lakshmidhara in the next sloka but here we can just assert that the scriptures and the Lord as well says that the Self or I am eternal only.http://vedantatattva.org/vedantagroup/VedantaDarshanam of 85



In order to prove that I am eternal, through logic, there are two paths that can be taken; one is to directly prove that I am eternal and second is through proving that I never cease to exist. That I am eternal or always exist is a matter of direct experience and therefore it need not be mentioned or proven. Even if this that I am eternal is proven there still can be doubt as to whether I cease to exist or not; therefore the second of proving that I never cease to exist is required (and this is more powerful than direct statement - often saying to a student "you study" isn't as effective as "if you don't study you will fail and get no job". Therefore the negative way of proving is used by Lakshmidhara in this sloka.

Cessation of existence - three waysThere are three ways an entity can get destroyed. One is by itself or directly. For example the body gets destroyed by itself eventually; through decaying and all. Second is by some other medium or entity (different from oneself). The body can be burnt or fire which is different from the body becomes the cause of destruction of the body. Third is when an entity's substratum is destroyed then that entity also is destroyed. For example when a room is destroyed then the wall that is in the room also gets destroyed (not an apt example but serves the purpose here). Therefore if we have to proven that an entity undergoes death or destruction then we have to show that it can be destroyed in one of the three ways. Or if we want to prove that an entity is without any destruction or eternal then we have to prove that it doesn't get destroyed in any of the mentioned three ways.

Self - never ceases to existThe Self or I is a matter of direct experience at all times. Therefore it is never destroyed. It cannot be argued that I gets destroyed by itself like the buddhist school says. Buddhist school of kshanika vijnaanavaada or yogaachaara says that changing Consciousness is the Self and each moment there is change of Consciousness (or perception). But this isn't true because then we will not be able to recognize ourselves from the past and now. For example a person says now "I was ten years younger earlier" - he can only make this statement if there is a recognition or pratyabhijnaa of the past. This pratyabhijnaa or recognition itself shows that I am not destroyed of my own. Therefore the first way or type of cessation doesn't apply to the Self or I.

Now what about the second type of cessation?In the second type of cessation an object ceases to exist because of some other entity. This is only possible if there is some relationship between the other entity and the object. This relationship has to be that of samyoga or association. But association is based on parts and




therefore an entity without parts cannot be destroyed in this way. For example, the body can be destroyed by fire because the body has parts and therefore association with fire is possible. But space cannot be destroyed in this way because space doesn't have any parts and therefore no association whatsoever is possible for space. It is for this reason that though space appears to be inside a pot or a room, it is just seeming limitation and not real limitation; and we say that space itself remains the same and only gives the illusion of different spaces being there. In the same way, the Self is without any parts. The scriptures term the Self as "nishkala" or "without parts". And anything with parts is subject to the six changes of birth, existence, growth, change, decay and death. Examples are the body, tree, rock etc. All these undergo change and therefore are subject to birth and death. But that which is without parts is without any birth or death. Anything that comes into existence has birth and death - and is with parts. But since the Self is without any change therefore it is without any parts. In other words, it is without any association (and eternal as it is without any association that can cause destruction of itself).

It cannot be argued that space is without parts as well and therefore is eternal; because space is created. The scriptures talk about space being created out of the Self. And it is our experience that space vanishes into the Self (as in the deep sleep state) and therefore due to having birth, space is subject to death as well. We should also remember that space is an exception and therefore cannot be considered as such for entities without parts being eternal. Moreover the scriptural statements have higher validity than logic and therefore as well space has birth and death whereas the Self is eternal.

Or in simpler terms, that which has parts has association and therefore can be destroyed by something else. The Self is without any parts and therefore no association is possible; and hence no destruction from other entities is possible for the Self. Thus cessation by the second way or of second type is not possible for the Self.

And the third type of cessation is only possible for that entity which has a substratum. That which has a substratum is a dependent entity. The Self or Consciousness, as we have seen, is the very basis of the entire world - or the entire world is dependent on the independent Self. Therefore the Self has no substratum or dependency. Hence it gets proven that destruction of substratum isn't possible for the Self (that which has substratum can be destroyed when the substratum is destroyed but that which has no substratum cannot be destroyed in this way). Thus the third type of cessation is also not possible for the Self.




Since it has been shown that the three types of cessation isn't possible for the Self therefore it is proven that the Self's cessation is not possible; in other words, the Self is eternal (until proven otherwise and proving otherwise is not really possible). This is where the ancient darshanas including the nyaaya darshana which emphasize on nyaaya or logic are stronger and irrefutable when compared to today's sciences or laws. A person who is proven to be guilty of a particular crime might appeal to a higher court where it might be proven that he is not guilty. Such reversal of judgement is possible not just in law but in science too. Whatever was proven in science ages ago have been disproven as of today. This is because science or law is based on assumptions whereas the darshanas are based on the scriptures and experience of realized masters. Their findings cannot really be overturned unlike science and law which are based on assumptions. If the assumptions are proven wrong then automatically they will be reversed or proven wrong. It is for this reason that our ancient sages focused only on the scriptures and any experience needs to be justified or proven through the scriptures (if not, then they are not valid or not worth following by a sadhaka).

Though worldly sciences and laws can lead to temporary happiness that only stays for a short period of time still they are sought out by majority of people because they think that they will not get eternal bliss through the scriptures which are tough to follow. Such people though might be told many times that the path of spirituality will lead to eternal bliss still will not follow the path. AMMA narrates a short story to illustrate how they are - once Uddhava got angry on the Lord that he isn't giving bliss or moksha to the people of the world. Though the Lord told Uddhava that he is ready to give moksha but majority of people don't want moksha still Uddhava didn't believe. Therefore the Lord told Uddhava to go out in the world and ask the first ten beings as to whether they want moksha; if they are ready to accept moksha then the Lord will give them moksha instantly. Uddhava was very happy and he set out. The first being he came across was a pig. Uddhava was able to communicate with all beings therefore he started speaking to the pig. After normal enquiries Uddhava told the pig that the Lord was willing to give moksha; upon this the pig asked as to what is moksha. Uddhava replied that it is a state or place where there is only bliss. The pig asked as to whether there will be filth in moksha. Uddhava replied that there is no filth in moksha but eternal bliss. The pig retorted angrily that he doesn't want moksha and all but he only wants filth so that he and his children and grand children can play in it. Saying so the pig went away. Realizing his mistake, Uddhava went running back to the Lord and fell at his feet; as he had realized that it isn't that the Lord isn't giving moksha and that moksha is ever available but people don't want it.




Majority of people in the world are like the pig in the story and they don't want moksha. Therefore they only go through sorrows and sufferings in the world. But those who really seek eternal bliss will be able to find out that there is no true happiness in the world and thereby through seeking the scriptures and using logic as per the scriptures they will be able to quickly attain the ultimate goal of life of moksha.

As to whether the Self can be destroyed by worldly means, the author resonates the views of the Lord in Gita in the next sloka while adding his own beautiful addition which we will see in the next month.

May we all strive to remember that I or the Self or Brahman is eternal and cannot be destroyed in any possible way so that we will be able to get rid of all sorrows and will be able to ever rejoice in bliss.




Madhuraamritham

Summary - 2Previously we started with the summary of Hanuman Chalisa. We saw as to what is true devotion and a true devotee. The Lord defines bhakti as the attitude wherein a person remembers nothing other than the non-dual reality of Lord. Such a person is called a devotee who is ever focused on the Lord irrespective of where he is or what he is doing. Even as for a child the mother is everything and the child looks forward always to his mother similarly for the devotee everything is the Lord alone and the devotee always looks forward to the Lord alone. Though a kid might run hither and thither but when he is hungry or when he is affected, he will run back to his mother; similarly an initial devotee is one who does everything of his own but when he finds that he is incapable of something he will run to the Lord. But as time passes by and the devotion strengthens then he will be running to the Lord at all times. It is said that the great devotee of Namdev would always be talking and conversing with the Lord. Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa also would be constantly talking to Devi alone. For a true devotee, there is nothing other than the Lord. But though the Lord might be somewhere far off still he is very near to the devotee.

In devotion as well we can have differences or duality. There is a famous sloka of Madhusudana Saraswati that says thus:Bhaktyartham kalpitam dvaitamadvaitaadapi sundaramThat duality which is imagined due to or for devotion is more beautiful than non-duality.

In non-duality there is nothing but one alone and since we are living in the world which is full of duality therefore we have to see differences alone in the world. From the perspective of the world or in the world a devotee sees everything as the Lord (yet he is different from the Lord). But ultimately or in his mind he knows that he also doesn’t really exist but only the Lord exists. Thus though externally a devotee maintains difference still internally there is nothing but the Lord alone.

Initially a devoee looks forward to the Lord who is different from oneself but eventually through seeing everything as the Lord, duality merges unto the Lord and thereby he only sees the Lord everywhere. In his mind there is no difference or duality at all – but the non-dual reality of Lord alone exists.




Even as a goldsmith sees nothing but gold alone in all gold ornaments, in his mind, though externally he acknowledges the differences of names and forms similarly a devotee though externally acknowledges all differences, internally sees them all as the non-dual reality of Lord. Even as an actor dons his role in a movie which isn’t real similarly a devotee just plays his role in the world while always remembering that the non-dual reality of Lord alone exists.

Irrespective of whether the devotee sees himself as different or same as the Lord still only the Lord exists and therefore there is no harm whatsoever to non-duality. Eventually a true devotee will merge unto the Lord and thereby only the Lord exist (nothing but the Lord alone). Though it might take a while to attain this state of true devotion still if a devotee persists in the spiritual path then eventually he will attain this state of devotion and thereafter he will experience only bliss. Irrespective of where he is or what he is doing, he will just rejoice in bliss. What else can be the effect of remembering the blissful non-dual reality of Lord other than bliss?

But initially a bhakti takes up a particular form of the Lord and he will only run behind that form. Though for him the form is real still he will not consider anything and everything as the form; instead he will see things as different and inferior to the form. But since the devotee has surrendered unto the Lord therefore it is no longer the devotee’s responsibility to progress in the path; instead it is the responsibility of the Lord to ensure that the devotee progresses and becomes a true devtoee.

Tulasidas, like any of us, initially only believed in the form of the Lord. And he thought that only the Lord is the Lord (anything other than the Lord isn’t the Lord). Therefore he looked down upon even devotees of the Lord (or he saw them as different from the Lord). But the Lord didn’t appear to him as he didn’t worship or accept his devotee of Hanuman. The Lord asked Tulasidas to worship his devotee of Hanuman and that only after that he will show himself. Thus Tulasidas wrote Hanuman Chalisa praising the devotee of Hanuman and thereby was able to get vision of the Lord.

By “vision of the Lord” we shouldn’t think that the Lord will appear in his four-handed form or that of Krishna etc. Whatever is there is the Lord alone; whatever is bright or special in the world is nothing but the Lord alone. Also mysterious are the ways of the Lord. For the avadhuta in Bhagavatham, the Lord taught that everything in the world is a Guru or leads to the Lord (in other words, everything is the Lord alone as Guru is none other Lord). The moment we differentiate between the Lord’s creation and the Lord, we no longer know the Lord at all. This doesn’t mean that we should go and hug a snake as then the snake will bite




us. We should stay away from the snake but we should remember in our mind that the snake is also the Lord only (not different from the Lord).

Adi Sankara therefore says:Bhaavaadvaitam sadaa kuryaat karmaadvaitam na karhicitA person should implement non-duality in attitude or the mind and never in actions.

In actions or in the external world we can never have any non-duality because duality is the very svabhava or nature of the world. But we should remember in our mind that whatever is there is the Lord alone. And externally we should behave or act as is required in a situation. For example we can go and sing in a bhajan hall but we cannot do so in an embassy or in a railway station; everywhere we have to follow the rules or norms that are there. Though there might be great masters like Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who would just be singing and dancing about the Lord anywhere and everywhere, such masters are rare and we should never strive to imitate such masters. Instead we should just remember in our mind that whatever exists is the non-dual reality of Lord alone.

A real-life incident in the life of a devotee of AMMA illustrates as to how we shouldn’t fall for external forms and instead we should remember that whatever exists is the Lord alone and we should consider everything as the Lord’s only (if something good happens then it is the Lord’s grace and if something bad happens then it is the Lord’s will). Once a devotee said to AMMA that she had got a saree for AMMA and AMMA should accept it. AMMA said that she will come to her house the next day noon and collect the saree. The devotee was very happy. The next day the devotee waited patiently but to her dismay, AMMA didn’t come. The entire day passed and still AMMA hadn’t come. The next day the devotee went to AMMA and complained that AMMA didn’t come to her house, as AMMA had said. AMMA replied that AMMA came to the house. The devotee answered with surprise that AMMA didn’t come. AMMA still persisted on the reply. The devotee as to how AMMA came and if AMMA had come, how the devotee will not know? AMMA replied that AMMA came asking for a saree but the devotee sent AMMA away. The devotee was perplexed but upon thinking she realized that the previous day noon a beggar had come to the house and asked for a saree but she had sent the beggar away as she was anxiously waiting for AMMA. AMMA said that AMMA can come in any form and the devotee should all forms as AMMA. AMMA always says that our dharma is to be of service to the entire world and service to the world is service to the Lord (maanava seva maadhava seva). But unfortunately this statement is misunderstood and wrongly spoken about by many people who claim that we should serve others who are near to us. AMMA says that we should serve those who really need the help. Just being of




service to our near and dear isn’t service because it has attachment to it. We should serve others who are in dire need of it. And any sadhaka who asks others to be service to them because of this statement are not true sadhakas. AMMA always says that a sadhaka should always strive to be of service to others (rather than getting service).

Tulasidas got vision of the Lord after worshipping his devotee of Hanuman because a true devotee isn’t different from the Lord. Moreover as we saw previously a true devotee is easy to catch than the Lord. A true devotee is living in a particular form whereas the Lord is essentially formless. Since we have forms and appearances of the true devotee therefore we can easily worship or seek him unlike the Lord who takes any form in the world.

Though devotion is ultimately nothing but total focus on the Lord still some means are required in order to attain this devotee. It might appear very easy to say that the Lord has to be remembered but it is very tough to implement. We might be able to implement this when situations are good for us but when situations are bad for us then we will not be able to even remember the Lord (let alone think that everything is the Lord alone).

There is a story narrated by AMMA that illustrates this. Once Narada went to the Lord asking as to who is his greatest devotee. Narada expected the answer to be himself but the Lord told Narada to go to a particular place where in a forest a person was living in a house and he was the Lord’s greatest devotee. Narada went there and observed the person for an entire day. To his surprise Narada found that the person only chanted the name of the Lord two times in a day – while starting the day and while ending the day. While the day starts he would pray the Lord that everything is ok in that day and while the day ends he would thank the Lord for all that was provided to him. Narada was totally perplexed and angered a bit that this person who only took the Lord’s name twice in a day is the greatest devotee. He went back to the Lord and questioned the Lord. The Lord has his own unique way of answering questions and rather than answer the question directly the Lord gave a task to Narada. The Lord gave Narada a cup of oil full to the brim and asked Narada to go around the entire world but without the oil spilling even one drop. Narada started and with full focus he covered the entire world. He came back happy that he was victorious in the task given to him by the Lord. The Lord then asked him as to how many times he took the Lord’s name. Narada retorted back angrily “How can I take your name when all my attention was on the oil not spilling from the cup?”. The Lord smilingly replied that the devotee was doing his activities in a day and yet remembered to take the Lord’s name twice in a day whereas Narada couldn’t even take the Lord’s name once while giving a small task. Narada immediately understood the Lord’s words. When situations were smooth for Narada he was




able to remember and call out the name of the Lord but when situation was tough then he wasn’t able to call out the Lord even once.

Therefore true devotion is when we are able to remember the Lord at all times irrespective of where we are or what we are doing. Prof. Balakrishnan Nair used to say that suddenlyin tough situations we will not be able to remember the Lord and therefore we should practice remembrance of the Lord in good times. Then in bad times we will at least be able to remember the Lord once or twice. This is like a person trying to swim directly under strong current when he hasn’t learned swimming at all. He should first learn swimming in a pool and then alone he might be able to give swimming a try under strong currents. Else he would be total failure when situations are not in his favor.

Swami Vivekananda says that we shouldn’t judge people by the great deeds they do or how they behave after doing great deeds because everybody behaves the same way when they have done something great (or when they are capable of doing great deeds). Instead we should judge people when they are normally living in the world. Then not all will be able to remain blissful. Even a small child will be blissful when he is the class topper but even when he has scored normal marks if he is able to remain blissful then that is a great thing to achieve.

People generally praise others who have achieved something great in life but the Lord says in Gita that wherever we find something great we should remember the Lord’s presence there; without the Lord’s presence, the greatness can never be achieved. And as Swamiji says we should judge people when they are very normal. The greatness of realized masters is that they are able to remain blissful even when there are no followers; else who will not be happy when there are followers flocking him? Who will not be happy when plenty of money or food is there? But when there is lack of food or money or just barely enough there then are we able to remain happy or blissful, this is what determines whether we are true devotees of the Lord. A true devotee will remember the Lord in his mind at all times and therefore he will ever be rejoicing in bliss. A true devotee is a great in that his mind is ever focused on the Lord alone and therefore such a devotee’s very presence will remind others about the Lord (he will be the very symbolism of the Lord). Whenever we hear the name of Hanuman we don’t just remember Hanuman but we remember the Lord because Hanuman stands for the Lord alone. Hanuman has no existence apart from the Lord. Hanuman’s words, deeds and thoughts are pervaded by the Lord and therefore mere remembrance of Hanuman will make us remember the Lord.




Though we have devotees of the Lord and the Lord himself, still it isn’t that easy to realize the Lord or gain true devotion towards the Lord. Therefore it is important to understand as to how to attain true devotion.

Devotion – through focus on activities which are primarily based on the LordWhen a person is filled with love towards his love then it is because he has thought more and more about his love. He would remember how his love would walk, talk, eat etc. All these thoughts will eventually make him love the object of love. Similar is the case with devotion as well. Devotion isn’t that different from love except that love is generally focused on worldly objects whereas love focused on the Lord is devotion.

It might be thought that we cannot really seek out the Lord but seeking objects of the world is easy but this isn’t true because the moment we remember that the world we currently experience is sorrowful that very moment we will no longer be able to focus on the world. A wise person will not run behind the worldly objects or pleasures derived out of them because he will remember that the world is sorrowful.

It cannot be argued that the world isn’t sorrowful because it does lead to happiness because the happiness derived from the world is temporary. Such temporary happiness will eventually lead to sorrow alone. Therefore the Lord says in Gita that wise people don’t fall for worldly pleasures thus:

Ye hi samsparshajaa bhogaah dukhayonaya eva teAadyantavantah kaunteya na teshu ramate budhahThose pleasures that are born out of contact of sense organs with sense objects of the world are seeds of sorrow because they have a beginning and an end; therefore the wise will not take resort to them.

And since humans are considered to be smart or wise beings therefore they shouldn’t really fall for worldly pleasures (keeping in mind that they will only lead to sorrow in the long run). But then majority of people fall for worldly pleasures because the world has infinite possibilities. If there is only a hotel nearby and there is no food available in it, then a person will seek food but cook himself; but if there are 100s of hotels available around then he will search for food in any one of them. Even when one hotel food isn’t good he will go for another hotel; this will go on until he has visited all the hotels. Since the world consists of infinite possibilities therefore people will not get fed up of the world. It requires viveka or




discrimination to remember at all times that the world is sorrowful alone and since majority of people lack discrimination therefore they run behind pleasures of the world.

When a person thinks that he can get happiness from the world then he will not go behind the Lord. And when a person goes behind the Lord he will not go behind the pleasures of the world. There was once a great avadhuta in the Rishikesh called trailing swami. He was fat and for many days wouldn’t eat or drink anything. And all of a sudden he would drink buckets of milk that devotees would bring him. A king once offered him a kingdom. To this the swami replied that the entire world is mine so why do I need a petty kingdom?

To the devotee, the Lord is the greatest and everything else is like grass (trinatulyam). Vasistha therefore says to Rama that in order to progress in the spiritual path a sadhaka has to first remember and see the entire world like a grass – being useless. And if needed, the sadhaka should also think that unlike the grass which is just useless, the world is not only useless but will also lead to sorrow alone. Therefore he should stay away from seeking pleasures of the world. This doesn’t mean that he should renounce the world and sit inside a cave but just that even while living in the world and performing actions of the world he shouldn’t be attached or affected by them – as he knows that they will eventually lead to sorrow alone.

Though it might be very tough to initially remain detached to the world, still it is very easily possible if a sadhaka remembers that focusing on the Lord alone will lead to the ultimate goal of moksha or eternal bliss. Since each and every person is knowingly or unknowingly seeking only moksha therefore just remembering the nature of the world and the Lord itself will make him focus more and more on the Lord.

Initially a sadhaka shouldn’t directly try offering any action unto the Lord as it is not just tough but impossible. Therefore he should strive to perform actions which are focused on the Lord primarily. These include japa, dhyaana, puja, bhajans etc. All these actions have their focus on the Lord and therefore automatically the sadhaka will remember the Lord while performing them. Remembrance of the Lord is natural when in a temple or ashram whereas remembering the Lord while in a party is very tough. Therefore sadhaka should spend more and more time in temples and ashrams rather than in other places.

Swami Gautamananda, the head of Ramakrishna Mission Chennai, says that we should spend 10 hours a week in the world and rest of the hours on the Lord (in order to attain the goal of moksha) but we spend only 2 hours a week for the Lord and rest of the time we




spend in the world. Therefore who is to blame if we are not able to attain the goal of moksha? Who is to blame if we are not able to rejoice in bliss?

Though there might be initially obstacles or hurdles from people when focus is more on the Lord, it is just a state that will eventually pass. A sadhaka shouldn’t think too much about it and any hurdles also should be offered to the Lord. The sadhaka should just pray to the Lord to remove hurdles and the Lord will ensure that hurdles are automatically removed. If not, the sadhaka has to just consider it as the Lord’s testing or will and thereby he should still progress in the spiritual path (with focus on the Lord).

Though lot of actions, as mentioned earlier, are there where focus is on the Lord still the easiest is that of singing the Lord’s name. This is because like for a kid it is very easy to call out to his mother similarly for us just to call out the Lord is very easy. But since we are mature people we might think that we shouldn’t stoop low or seek out somebody else. The fact is that we do seek out money, name, fame and people for living in the world (or for promotion, relationship etc.) and therefore it is wrong to put a brake on seeking out the Lord rather than on everything else.

A wise sadhaka therefore will be able to call out to the Lord so that all his problems will vanish. It requires courage to be independent but it requires more courage to be dependent. In today’s world people are full of preferences and limitations but still they think that they are independent and therefore we find only issues with relationships everywhere (and divorce is in the rise). A devotee will be able to surrender unto the Lord and will boldly call out to the Lord as the Lord is his solace. If the Lord doesn’t come then who else will come?

As the sadhaka calls out the Lord’s names regularly it becomes a natural habit to call out to the Lord frequently. Even as in the west or those who are accustomed to the west call out bad names like “Shit” when somebody bad or unfavorable happens (and this isn’t natural but habitual) similarly when anything happens a devotee will just call out to the Lord. And the Lord is mentioned in Bhagavatham as the servant of his devotees as the devotees have locked the Lord up in their hearts. So all it takes is just calling out the Lord. Even when an elephant like Gajendra called out to the Lord, the Lord arrived. Even when the enemy of Duryodhana came to ask for the Lord’s army in the Mahabharatha yuddha, the Lord obliged happily. There is neither anger nor aversion nor like for the world. He is like the ever-flowing air but where there is a devotee’s heart there the air of the Lord gets trapped and thereby the devotee will always be protected by the Lord (whether he wants the protection or not).




Tulasidas’s Hanuman Chalisa though is about Hanuman still since Hanuman has no separate existence other than the Lord and since Hanuman’s every action will point out only the Lord therefore singing it will easily take us closer to the Lord. As Tulasidas himself says at the end, if a person is able to sing this daily then he will not have to worry about anything in the world.

Only a foolish person will seek out worldly benefits from the Lord. A wise person will seek out nothing but the Lord himself (or the goal of moksha). And he will not rest until the Lord is attained. For this he should keep on singing Hanuman Chalisa dialy and regularly. Eventually the Lord will show up and all the problems of the devotee will be solved.

Spiritual path is one where though we might theoretically learn a lot of thing still we will only clearly understand when we tread the path. Though there have been thousands of people who have been saved and protected by Hanuman Chalisa stll only when we sing it regularly we will understand its true strength or power. Therefore without any hesitation and without any delay we should start singing Hanuman Chalisa so that at least towards the end of this birth we will be able to attain the goal of moksha and rejoice in bliss.Summarizing each doha of Hanuman Chalisa is not an easy task and therefore we will not get into it. With this summary we have to come to the end of the analysis of Hanuman Chalisa.

Through one of the most powerful chants of the Lord may we all strive to quickly become true devotees of the Lord and thereby through remembering the Lord naturally may we all ever rejoice in bliss.




Praadeshikam

Hari Naama Keerthanam– 38Jhankaaranaadamiva yogiindrarullilumo-thunna giitakalilum paalpayonidhiyilumaakaashaviithiyilumonnaay niranjarulu-maanandaruupa hari naaraayanaaya namaha

Like the sound of jhankaara inside of the yogisSounding in songs and the songs of the waves in milk oceanAnd as one in the sounds of space as wellThat blissful form, unto you O Narayana, my prostrations.

RecapPreviously we saw that the Lord is all-pervasive and lives in the heart of all beings. Though it is said that the Lord resides in the heart of all beings still it only means that everything is essentially the Lord alone. Whatever really exists is the non-dual reality of Lord alone as the cause-substratum. Anything that we see or experience in the world exists and any existence is possible only through the light of Consciousness. It is the light of Consciousness that illumines all existence. Therefore whatever is present is Consciousness or the Lord of the nature of Consciousness alone. Without Consciousness, the entire world will cease to exist and therefore it is only the Lord who is present as all beings in the world.

It might be argued as to how the Lord who is of the nature of Consciousness is the basis of everything which is insentient in nature. The Upanishad replies that even as hair that is insentient comes out of a sentient being similarly this insentient world has come from the Lord of the nature of Consciousness. That the world has come from the sentient Lord is beyond question because else the world will be in total chaos. Though today the world is still in chaos still it isn't destroyed fully because the Lord is watching over it. Even as people in office will not work unless their boss or supervisor is looking after them similarly if the Lord wasn't there then the entire world will be chaos.

The Upanishad says thus:bhayaadasya agnistapati bhayaattapati suuryahbhayaadindrashcavaayushca mrityurdhaavati panchamah




Fearing this (the Lord) fire burns; sun shines; Indra and Air act and Mrityu (lord of death) runs.

If not for the non-dual reality of Lord there will be no world or it will be destroyed completely. As AMMA says, even in other beings we see some harmony but rarely we see harmony in humans who want everything for themselves and therefore will fight with each other. Instead of trying to adjust with each other and following the motto of "live and let live" humans just want to live for themselves. Anything that doesn't suit them or that doesn't help them will be ignored and therefore we find that even nature's abundant resources are not enough. Brothers are fighting, communities are fighting and countries are fighting. But amidst all this, still the world goes on because of the non-dual reality of Lord who oversees all. When the time is apt he will step in and lead the world to destruction so that the next creation can happen wherein some harmony will be there (at least in the beginning).

The scriptures use the analogy of beads strung on a thread to illustrate as to how the entire world of beings is controlled or maintained together by one Lord. It is the string that is the basis of the beads similarly though there are many beings still they are all controlled or kept alive or kept together by the non-dual reality of Lord.

Since we ignore the Lord and search for everything except the Lord in the world therefore we only experience sorrow. If only we stop for a second and look for the Lord inside us then we will be able to find the bliss that we have been and are seeking always. This doesn't mean that if we look inside ourselves we become selfish or self-centered. Along with looking into ourselves we will not differentiate between anything in the world (we will remember and see everything internally as the non-dual reality of Lord). Even as a goldsmith though sees duality externally, internally sees all gold ornaments as names and forms in gold similarly a sadhaka will be able to see the entire world as just names and forms in the world. The moment he finds the Lord inside him he will also be able to find that the Lord pervades the entire world. This is different from selfishness or nurturing the Ego. The fruit of Ego is sorrow or discontentment whereas that of remembering the Lord (even if it is for a single moment) is bliss. Through this effect or fruit we will be able to figure out whether we are egoistic or we are looking into the Lord present in each one of us. A wise sadhaka therefore through looking the Lord in themselves will see everything as the Lord. There is no more anything left to attain in the world for such a sadhaka. It cannot be argued that the goal and the path cannot be the same (both being focusing on the non-dual reality of Lord or seeing everything as the non-dual reality of Lord) because the




path and the goal are the same with respect to anything that is an illusion. For example in order to get rid of the snake seen in rope, the path and the goal are both the same which is knowledge that there is no snake and only rope exists. The only difference between the sadhaka and a jnaani is that a sadhaka puts effort and thereby sees everything as Ishwara whereas a jnaani knows and sees everything as Ishwara effortlessly. Examples like that of driving easily prove that this is possible in the world. A learning person has to put effort and then only can drive whereas an experienced driver will be able to drive effortlessly. For him driving happens automatically and therefore he is able to do multi-tasking while driving whereas the learning person can only focus on driving while driving. Though initially a sadhaka will find it tough to remember that everything is one Lord still eventually, through practice, he will be able to naturally abide in this truth that everything is the Lord.

And when a person sees everything as one there is no scope for any preference or likes-dislikes. Likes and dislikes get strengthened into attachment and aversion which lead to happiness and sorrow and eventually to sorrow (or one's own destruction). But a sadhaka who sees everything as one is able to go beyond all duality and thereby he will be able to ever rejoice in bliss. The scriptures say that fear arises out of duality and fear leads to sorrow. In a way all sorrow is caused because of duality or thinking duality to be real. When a person is able to get rid of this duality through the knowledge that whatever exists is one non-dual reality of Brahman or Lord alone then all sorrow will end and thereby the person will be able to rejoice in bliss.

Sorrow and happiness are part of the mind or mental perception. Duality or thinking that duality or difference is real will lead to likes and dislikes. A person cannot see everything as the same unless there is knowledge that the entire world of dualitiy is just an illusion of names and forms in the Lord. Therefore when differences are seen, somethings will be liked and other things will be disliked. These likes and dislikes will lead to stronger attachments and aversions. And depending on whatever happens to objects of attachments and aversions, the person will be lead to happiness and sorrow. When something good happens to whatever is attached to, then there will be happiness and when the same happens to whatever is averted to then there will be sorrow. And similarly when something bad happens to whatever is attached to then there will be sorrow and when the same happens to whatever is averted to then there will be happiness. Since the world is temporary and all objects will be constantly changing therefore a person will be lead to both happiness and sorrow. Since happiness from objects is temporary or short-llived therefore eventually the person will only experience sorrow in the long run.




But a person who remembers that everything is one non-dual reality of Brahman or Lord alone, such a person will go beyond both happiness and sorrow. Though externally he will experience situations of both happiness and sorrow still internally remembering that everything is one non-dual reality of Lord, he will ever rejoice in bliss. Bliss is not happiness but it is the state where a person is beyond both happiness and sorrow. Therefore AMMA says that bliss is when we are happy for no particular reason at all. And AMMA says that happiness is also a decision; a decision that I will be happy no matter whatever happens. Such happiness is only possible when there is knowledge or thought in the mind that everything is one non-dual reality of Lord alone. Though one might do a lot of karma, devotion, yoga etc. still it is the knowledge that one alone exists that alone can lead to eternal bliss (and there is no other way at all).

Ezhutthacchan following the Lord’s words said that everything is woven into a thread. In other words everything is beads that are strung on the one thread of Ishwara or Brahman. This means that Ishwara or Lord is the basis of everything. But in order to understand better, another analogy is used by Ezhutthacchan in this sloka.

Dhwani or soundAll words are formed out of sounds and all words are born out of thoughts (or it is thoughts that become manifest as words). Therefore it is sound in the heart that comes out as different sounds, words and thoughts. AMMA says that even the heart beat has a music or sound to it – since heart beat is the basis of physical life therefore we can say that sound is the basis of life itself. Even in Vedanta, everything springs up after the thought of I-I or aham-aham sphuranam. Though this is sphuranam or pulsation, stlll it leads to the first thought of Ego or I; this itself can be considered as a sound. In other words, all sounds come out of the heart or the Self or Lord or Brahman.

It is a known fact that we all cannot live without any sound. Even among the pancha bhutas first came akaasha which has only the quality of sound and from akaasha alone can other elements that extend akaasha’s sound and add their own quality.

Contemplating on nirguna or quality-less Brahman isn’t that easy and therefore yogis contemplate on Brahman by focusing on the sound of AUM. AUM is said to be the basis of everything as it stands for the non-dual reality of Brahman. Therefore we have the Mandukya Upanishad starting with AUM and explaining everything based on the letters of AUM. The Lord also says in Gita that the word AUM denotes the non-dual reality of Brahman.




Though the path to moksha is through knowledge of one’s very nature of the non-dual reality of Brahman which is the substratum of the entire world still there are slight differences in different paths based on the emphasis of sadhana. In jnaana the sadhana involves learning of the scriptures, reflecting upon them and contemplating on them whereas in bhakti the sadhana involves doing actions with focus on the Lord, listening to the glories of the Lord etc. There is bhakti in jnaana and jnaana in bhakti and therefore only fools will argue over which path is greater but still each path has its own specific sadhana or practices. The different paths are set so that sadhakas at different levels and of different temperaments can take resort to whatever suits them and thereby quickly progress towards the goal of moksha.

If a sadhaka who isn’t suited to a particular path takes up the path then he will end up going away from the path (or renouncing the path) because he doesn’t find any passion or progress in it. Even as there are different professions in the world to earn money and each person can choose whatever he likes the most so that through studying he makes it a successful profession similarly there are different paths that sadhakas can choose based on whatever suits them the best. A Guru is one who will be able to easily guide the shishya as to whatever is suited for the shishya and therefore one who has found a Guru need not worry about anything else. He will be aptly guided by the Guru whenever required. But those who don’t have a Guru need not worry because they just have to follow their passion and choose a path. Even as in the world we do trial and error with respect to buying anything similarly we can do trial and error while choosing the path as well. Eventually through practice we will know as to what is best suited for us and through following that we will be able to quickly progress in the spiritual path towards the ultimate goal of life of moksha.

Though the path is important, still what is more important is the goal of moksha. Even as it is more important for a person to get to office rather than as to how he will be getting to office, similarly it is more important to have moksha as the ultimate goal of life. If the goal is set, then the path will eventually reveal itself.

Lord – as the sound in yogisThe Lord is present in the various yogis as their sound, that which is the very basis of their existence. Yogis here are meant those who have done yoga sadhana and thereby have attained some state in life. Though they may not be realized still they have attained enough siddhis that they are able to live a peaceful life in the world. Eventually they will be made to realize the non-dual reality of Brahman or Lord though it might take ages or even births to attain such a state. Such yogis who have attained perfection in their practice have their




basis on the dhwani or sound in their heart. It is this sound or aumkaara that is the Lord himself.

Lord – ragas in various songsSong or music is said to be the beat or rhythm of the Self and therefore majority of people easily fall for music. Though they might not understand even a bit of what a singer is singing still it will captivate them and they will be spellbound while listening to the music. This cannot be said to be of any other branch in the world; whether it be physics or chemistry or biology or mathematics or even yoga; it is only music that has the universal appeal that everybody naturally and easily falls for it. When music is heard, it automatically sinks into the heart or the individual is taken to his heart. And when a person abides in his heart – that abode from which the Ego arises and causes all turmoils – then the person will rejoice in bliss. It is for this reason that when people cry due to happiness, they are touched in their hearts and therefore, even if it is for a second, go into the state of bliss (as unknowingly they are abiding as Brahman or Lord or their very Self).

Since bhakti or the path of devotion is primarily focused on music or singing the names of the Lord therefore it is said to be the easiest way to moksha. Adi Sankara says thus:

Mokshasaadhanasaamagryaam bhaktireva gariiyasiiOf all the paths to moksha, devotion alone is the supreme.

Devotion is also supreme because it is based on love and love is a natural manifestation or representation of the Self. Therefore love comes naturally. It is only when we tend to make it artificial that we get into trouble or love breaks. True love is always natural and love of the Self is felt through music. Therefore great masters like Chaitanya Mahaprabhu have been always focused on music.

Sankara provides this sloka to show the easiest way to attain moksha or realize the Self in the kali yuga:Dhyaayan krite yajan yajnaishca tretaayaam dvaapare archayanYadaapnoti tadaapnoti kalau sankiirtya keshavamIn the Krita yuga Ishwara is attained through dhyaana; in the Treta yuga Ishwara is attained through yajnas; in the Dvaapara yuga Ishwara is realized through archana. And whatever is attained in the three yugas is attained in the Kali Yuga by singing the names of the Lord.




In order to sing the name of the Lord there is no real need of anything. One need not know lyrics as Ratnakara became Valmiki just by chanting the name of the Lord (as rama). One need not learn even music; just calling out to the Lord like a child calls out to his mother is enough. Even as the mother will come running similarly the Lord will come running to the devotee if the devotee calls out to the Lord. And calling out to the Lord with open heart is true music.

But some are blessed in the world to know music and thereby they will enjoy singing or calling out the Lord. Music is based on scales and notes. Notes are seven in number and the combination of the notes is called raga. There are many ragas and each raga has a bhava represented or shown through it. It is the raga that gives life to the song though tala and bhava add on to the raga. Since raga can be said to be the essence of music or song, therefore the Lord is mentioned as the raga in various songs.

It can be argued that lyrics are important in songs but this isn’t true as many time songs might not have any lyrics at all. They will just be based on the svaras or notes alone. Or they may be thillanas which have just some lyrics and most of the part are without lyrics. What is important therefore in a song is raga alone. It also cannot be argued that bhava or emotion is more important than raga because bhava is set by the raga. For example though emotions of sringara are brought out in Mohana, we cannot bring out any other emotion through the raga. Emotion of karuna can be brought out by Darbari Raga but sringara cannot really be brought out. Similarly veera rasa only can be brought out through the Raga of Atana. Therefore bhavas are based on ragas alone and this itself proves that raga is most important in music or songs. Hence the Lord is mentioned as the essence of all songs. In other words, the path of devotion which has the foremost sadhana of singing or music is based on the Lord alone (or the Lord is the focus of the path of devotion).

Lord – as sound of the waves in the milk-oceanPuranas tell that the Lord Vishnu lives in the milky ocean and he sleeps or rests on the big snake. It might be argued that such statements are mere beliefs and there is no proof or logic backing them up. But is there any logic at all in the world? Though we are in a world where science and technology has improved in all aspects still there are more unknown than knowns in the world. Forget knowing about Mars or Jupiter or Saturn we still don’t know the various phenomena happening in the world itself. Though study of climate has improved a lot still we are nowhere near accurate predictions in the same. Whether it be with respect to tsunamis of earthquakes or volcanos or tornados or hurricanes, whatever we know is nothing at all. Even though it might be predicted that there are chances to rain in a




particular day we will find that there is no rain at all happening. That’s how much we know things in the wold. When such is the case, how it is right to question our puranas? After all, everything is based on belief only. St. Augustine therefore says that faith is belief in something that we don’t know so that we may come to know what we believe.

AMMA says that all beliefs are blind only. We get into a train to reach our destination but the next minute there is an accident and we die. We get into a hotel expecting to eat food but the hotel is closing or the food that we need isn’t there (though we daily eat in the hotel still today that food is not available). We find in the world that everything is based on blind belief only; all beliefs therefore are blind alone. Hence it is wrong to say that our traditional beliefs are foolish and we should set them aside.

Whatever is mentioned or followed in the scriptures are for our benefit. As to whether we understand it or not isn’t the point. In order to understand our scriptures or our beliefs we need faith and we need to learn them properly. Even as a child might not understand nuclear physics and therefore might ward it off as wrong similarly we might ward off spirituality saying that it is wrong (or it has no proof whatsoever).

One moment we see a person living and the next moment we see him die. This is the state of the world and therefore nothing can really be proven in the temporary illusory world. But if we follow what the puranas and dharma shaastras tell us then we will eventually be lead to the goal of moksha and temporarily we will also be lead to happiness in the world (though such happiness is temporary and will only lead to sorrow in the long run). Therefore rather than seeing our scriptures with a cynical attitude or approach we should embrace it and if we need logical explanations then ask the right Guru and we will get answers to all our questions or doubts.

Ocean denotes something that is vast and we cannot find the other end from one end. That anything and everything can become both good and bad depending on how we use it is found in the example of ocean. Vedanta says that we are in the ocean of samsara which is characterized by birth and death continuously without any end at all. But we also have the Lord in the milk ocean; it is the ocean of knowledge. If we find the ocean of knowledge or if we find knowledge then we will be able to reach the Lord who is the basis of the milk ocean. This means that we have choice unto ourselves as to whether we want to get immersed in the ocean of samsara or through knowledge found in the scriptures we want to go beyond the ocean by seeking out the Lord who is the basis of the ocean.




Many think that the Lord can be found in some place like Kailasa or Vaikunta or Dwaraka; this is never possible. Though there have been masters who have not left their abode still we also have masters like AMMA who are rarely in their ashram. We cannot know how mahatmas will behave in the world. Whatever is needed for their disciples and devotees will be accomplished by mahatmas. But the contradiction of mahatmas with respect to place or abode shows that we cannot find Ishwara in just a place. The very concept of Ishwara is one who is the creator, protector and destroyer of the entire world that we currently perceive. If and when this is the case, how can we limit Ishwara who is beyond the world? Ishwara as the creator of the world has to be definitely beyond the world and if we limit Ishwara to a particular place then we will be limiting Ishwara; and this goes against the very definition of Ishwara itself. Therefore the scriptures tell again and again that Ishwara pervades the entire world. In other words, there is no place that Ishwara isn’t present.

It cannot be argued that since Ishwara is present everywhere therefore we can go to the liquor shop and try to find Ishwara. Swami Chinmayananda gives a beautiful analogy to illustrate this. Though milk is the very essence of a cow and therefore is present all over the cow still we will get milk only when we milk the udder. Similarly though Ishwara is present everywhere still we haven’t yet realized it and in order to realize it we have to find out places where Ishwara is prominently present. Taking another analogy, though air is there everywhere still we will find it cool under the shades of a tree rather than in the desert. Though eventually a realized master will find himself at ease and bliss irrespective of whether he is under the shade of a tree or in the desert still until we achieve that state we have to find places where Ishwara’s presence is prominently felt. Such places are temples, pilgrimage places, ashrams etc. In these places Ishwara is worshipped and therefore when we go there we will automatically be made to remember Ishwara. Eventually through practice of fixing the mind on Ishwara we will be able to see Ishwara everywhere and in anything and everything.

In the ocean also there is sound of the waves. The sound of the waves is also like music and it continues without any end. But if we go deeper into the ocean then we will find stillness. There in the stillness also there is the sound of the Lord and even in the waves there is the sound of the Lord. Or in other words, the sound that is present in the waves of the ocean also is that of the Lord alone.

Lord – sound of space Space is that pancha bhutha which has sound as its main quality and other pancha bhuthas derive sound from space alone. But the sound that comes from space or that which is the




basis of space itself is the Lord alone. Through this statement, Ezhuthacchan is pointing out that the basis of entire creation is the non-dual reality of Lord alone as everything comes out of space and exists in space; without space existing, none of the entities in the world can even exist.

Lord – basis of all soundsThrough saying that various sounds that are there in the world are the non-dual reality of Lord alone, Ezhutthacchan is pointing out that the very basis of the entire world is the Lord alone. Whatever is present in essence in the world is the Lord alone even as the essence of all objects that have sounds or produce sounds is the Lord alone. In other words, the Lord is the main material behind the entire world that we currently perceive.

Though it might be enough to say that the entire world is the Lord alone still sometimes we will have to be told through enumeration that whatever is present is the non-dual reality of Lord alone. This is essential for majority of people who see duality as existing in the world and think that duality is real. For such people though it might be summarized in one statement that whatever exists is the Lord alone still they may not be able to apprehend it; thereby they will have doubts when perceiving the world as to whether everything is the Lord or not. For such people (who are the majority) it is important to enumerate everything in the world and say that all those are the Lord alone.

In the 10th Chapter of Gita the Lord enumerates everything as being the non-dual reality of Lord and then concludes by saying that whatever is present is the Lord alone. Through enumerating everything in the world, it is meant that we should see everything not as names and forms but as their essence of the Lord. Though externally we may still see names and forms still internally we have to remember them to be the non-dual reality of Lord alone. Even as a goldsmith sees names and forms externally but sees internally that all ornaments of gold are gold alone similarly we should strive to see internally that everything is the Lord alone. Thereby we will go beyond likes and dislikes which alone lead to sorrow in the long run and thus we will be able to ever rejoice in bliss (through vision of oneness). Since the ultimate goal of life is to go beyond all sorrows and rejoice and this is attained through seeing oneness everywhere therefore we should strive see anything and everything as the Lord. Though it might be tough to perceive everything as the Lord in initially still through practice we will easily be able to perceive everything as the Lord in our mind; and thus we will be able to rejoice in bliss while living in the world and the purpose of our very life will be fulfilled.




May we all strive to see the entire world as filled in and out with the non-dual reality of Lord so that likes and dislikes will end and internally we will be able to rejoice in bliss irrespective of whatever happens externally in the illusory world.




SlokaVivaranam

Gita 5.3

}ey> s inTysNyasI yae n Öeiò n zaecit,inÖRNÖae ih mhabahae suo< bNxadœàmuCyte.5-3.jïeyaù sa nityasanyäsé yo na dveñöi na çocati|nirdvandvo hi mahäbäho sukhaà bandhädpramucyate||5-3||

5.3. Know him to be eternal-renunciate who doesn’t get averted or sad; O Great-handed one! He who is beyond dual notions will easily overcome bondage.

The ultimate goal of life is moksha characterized by complete cessation of sorrow and ever rejoicing in bliss. It is this goal that everybody is knowingly or unknowingly seeking. But though majority are seeking it still they are doing it unknowingly and therefore they don't go behind moksha. For many people even if moksha is offered they will ward it off saying that moksha can be had later and now life has to be enjoyed. If young then work has to be done; if middle-aged then lot to achieve with respect to career, life etc.; and if old-aged then children and grand-children have to be taken care of.

Sankara therefore beautifully says:baalastaavat kriidaasaktahtarunastaavat taruniisaktahvriddhastaavat cintaasaktahparabrahmani kopi na saktah

When young, a kid is focused on playing; a youth is focused on the opposite sex and the old are focused on just thoughts (about how life was and how life will be); alas nobody is focusing on Brahman.

Though we might run behind the worldly pleasures still they will only lead to sorrow in the long run. One Swami beautifully says that sense objects are worse than poisons because poisons only poison you when you intake them but sense objects you have to just see and they will poison your mind. The passion of sense objects are very tough to overcome and rarely people are able to overcome. AMMA says that even the great tapasvi of Vishwamithra fell a prey to Menaka. AMMA says that though Vishwamithra was unaffected he just played




his role in order to show us that until moksha a person can easily fall a prey to sense objects and the pleasures derived from them.

Not only that sensual pleasures will lead to sorrow but they will take us from one birth to another. One desire when fulfilled will lead to another desire which in turn will lead to another; and this will go on forever.

Manu says:na jaatuh kaamah kaamaanaamupabhogena shaamyatehavishaa krishnavartma iva bhuuya evaabhivardhate

An end cannot be put to desires by enjoying them; it is like trying to extinguish fire by pouring ghee unto it. Even as fire will burn more vigorously similarly desires will only keep growing when they are enjoyed. Taking an example, the desire to buy a car will want to buy accessories for the car. Then the car needs to have people as friends or relatives. Their needs have to be taken care; and this will go on and on without any end. Therefore a wise person will understand that desires cannot be just ended by fulfilment.

The way to putting an end to desires is through realizing our very nature of perfection. All desires are indirectly for perfection and it is ignorance that makes us think that we are not perfect. Therefore we do actions in order to fulfill desires and thereby continues the chain of birth and death. Therefore attaining perfection isn't through actions but through the knowledge about one's very nature. Thus Vedanta says that moksha is through knowledge alone and not through any other means (because if moksha is newly attained then it will become non-eternal).

Though moksha is directly attained through knowledge alone still knowledge requires some pre-requisites. Adi Sankara says following the scriptures that we need the sadhana chatustayam or the four-fold qualifications which are:1. Viveka or discrimination between real and unreal - knowing that Brahman alone is real and the world is temporary/illusion/unreal2. Vairagya or dispassion - dispassion towards the world knowing it to be sorrowful and passion towards Brahman knowing Brahman to be eternal and blissful3. Shamaadi shatka sampatti or the six qualities of the mind - shama or mental peace or calmness of the mind, dama or control of sense organs, uparati or withdrawal of sense organs from their sense objects, titiksha or forbearance when facing tough situations in life,




shraddha or faith in the scriptures and Guru and samaadhaana or tranquility of mind wherein the mind isn't fluctuating but steady on its goal or object of focus.

A person who is not endowed with these four-fold qualifications, though might tread the path of knowledge, still knowledge will not be fruitful for him (it will not lead to the necessary goal of moksha). Hence they are essential before gaining knowledge. Even as though a bright student might be able to do post graduation without even the need to graduate but still majority of people need graduation before post graduation and therefore it is the rule that first one needs to do graduation and then alone he or she can do post graduation.

But even before getting into knowledge, a sadhaka requires two pre-requisites in the path. They are purity of mind and concentration of mind. Purity of mind is wherein the mind is devoid of unwanted thoughts whereas concentration of mind is wherein the mind is able to focus on one object at will and for long period of time (as long as is required or decided by the person). With these both, the mind will be under control and such a mind alone can use knowledge and realize one's very nature of Self or Brahman (or the goal of moksha).

Two-fold pathThe Lord says in the 3rd chapter of Gita:lokesmin dvividhaa nisthaa puraa proktaa mayaanaghajnaanayogena saankhyaanaam karmayogena yoginaam

In the world there are two paths prescribed by Me long back; they are the path of knowledge for sankhyaas (or jnaanis) and the path of action for yogis (those who are still living in the world and performing actions).

Though ultimately knowledge alone will lead to moksha and for knowledge, one needs to attain sanyaasa definitely (because actions can never lead to knowledge or moksha and actions need to be renounced in order to go beyond them and attain moksha through knowledge) still majority of people are not eligible for knowledge and therefore they have to live in the world and keep performing actions, but in a selfless way. Therefore we have the path of action and the path of renunciation or that of knowledge. Though knowledge needs only internal renunciation still external renunciation might be essential for majority of people and hence generally it is considered that for knowledge, renunciation is essential.

But before getting into renunciation or knowledge, a person has to perform actions without the sense of Ego. With respect to actions we have two perspectives - the attitude behind the




action (while doing action) and with respect to the fruit of action. Normally we do action seeking some result and we also are interested in how the action is performed. For example though it doesn't really matter if we travel by bus or car still we will travel by car because it is more prestigous (though genuine cases where we want to save time or avoid standing in the bus due to back-pain etc. are there still they are not the majority). And we will buy a car only knowing that it will run well (or serve its purpose which is our purpose). Hence we have the age-old saying "prayojanamanuddhishya na mandopi pravartate" or "without expecting anything in return, not even a fool will perform any action". All perform actions seeking one thing or the other alone. But instead of seeking worldly goals we can seek purity of mind.

Purity of mind is attained when we are detached to the way action is performed and we don't seek in particular the fruit of action. A sadhaka, as AMMA says, should consider everything as Ishwara's. If something good happens then it is Ishwara's grace and if something bad happens then it is Ishwara's will. Everything is Ishwara's and therefore we will never be affected by the actions.

Through such selfless actions we will gain purity of mind; thereby we will easily be able to focus the mind on knowledge or the non-dual reality of Brahman or Lord. Therefore, through knowledge, we will be able to attain the ultimate goal of life of moksha.

Though Adi Sankara says that pravritti maarga is for those who have desires yet to be fulfilled and nivritti maarga or sanyaasa is for those who have only the desire for moksha, following Ishavasya Upanishad, still truly speaking pravritti and nivritti are based on the mind or mental attitude and not merely external. We can have sanyaasis who are desirous of name and fame whereas we can have grihasthas who are doing actions in a selfless way. Though external renunciation might help with the internal renunciation still the goal is internal renunciation which the Lord speaks about in this sloka.

Sanyaasa - external and internalRenunciation or giving up is called sanyaasa. It is of two types - external and internal. External sanyaasis are those who have given up their lives. They wear ochre robes and live on alms. Their purpose is two fold - aatmano rakshaartham jagat hitaaya ca -- protecting their Self (or realizing their Self) and being of service to the world (helping out the world). Sanyaasis, in the true sense, should be serving the world at all times. When AMMA"s senior most disciple, Balu, became a sanyaasi named Swami Amritasvarupananda Puri, then AMMA said that this son is now no longer of the world but he is of service to the entire world (he is the world's).




But today we only see many false sanyaasis running here and there in the guise of sanyaasa. That such false sanyaasis who haven't imbibed the actual meaning of sanyaasa into their lives was there long back itself has been mentioned by Adi Sankara in Bhaja Govindam in many slokas. One such sloka says that the vesha-bhuusha is only for filling one's tummy (and not really for the Self) thus:

jatilo mundii luncita keshahkaashaayambara bahukrita veshahpashyannapi na pashyati muudohyudaranimittam bahukrita veshah

Shaven head, wearing tuft in hair and ochre robes; such people don't see the ever-present Self as all dressing up is only for the sake of the tummy.

Truly speaking, of what use is anything other than seeking moksha as the entire world is just an illusion but still those who are living in the world are sanyaasis are supposed to live for the world rather than for themselves (or their tummy). And sanyaasis should be striving for moksha than anything else. It is wrong notion that people who seek moksha don't really care about others - people who seek moksha will strive to see the entire world as one Brahman or their ishtadevataa therefore how can they not help others? Hence such sadhakas will truly be helping out the entire world through good words and actions. If such words and actions are not possible, as AMMA says, they will live in the world with a smiling face so that others who see them are happy when they see them. One smile to a person who is sad or suffering might be enough to uplift the person. As AMMA says, there are people who are ready to commit suicide now but if we were to smile and offer few words of solace then they will not commit suicide and they will also strive to live in the world (thereby getting ready to face the problems they face in the world).

Purpose of external sanyaasa, therefore, can also be put as two-fold - one is striving in the spiritual path to ultimate gain internal sanyaasa and two is to serve the world so that one's life isn't futile for oneself or others. It is the first purpose that is the true purpose of all sadhana. Though the second purpose of helping out others will come back to our grace of the Lord, still of what use is grace if we aren't able to progress in the spiritual path? (or if we aren't able to imbibe the grace and implement it in our day-to-day life).




Moreover we have many people in the world thinking that they are or will be helping out others but all they do is trouble others only. Even as only a well swimming person can help out another swimming person similarly only a realized master can truly help others in the spiritual path. All others can only consider helping out as a service to the Lord present in all - therefore they are not really helping out but they are being given a chance to do seva or nishkaama karma.

Internal sanyaasaThe Lord beautifully defines internal sanyaasa in this sloka. An internal sanyaasi is a total renunciate in the mind. He has renounced all notions of doership and therefore he isn't the enjoyer anymore. Whoever is the doer will be the enjoyer as well. If I do an action I will reap the appropriate fruit for the action. But if I am not the doer then I am not the enjoyer. Enjoyment can be that which is liked or that which is disliked. There is no control of an individual over the result of actions. Though we will only reap the appropriate result for our actions still since it is not in our control and there are many factors involved in actions therefore a sadhaka should strive to go beyond actions by becoming the non-doer. Such a non-doer will remain unaffected irrespective of whatever is the result of actions.

When situation comes that he has to get angry he will not get angry. When situation comes that he should be in grief, he will not be in grief. He literally goes beyond all emotions by not getting affected by whatever is happening in the world to him. The world is ever changing and therefore a person will experience all situations for emotions in the world but he is a wise person who is able to go beyond all emotions. This doesn't mean that he doesn't experience situation of emotion in the world but just that he isn't affected internally by the emotions. He also will tremble in cold or heat but unlike others who get affected internally and externally he will not get affected internally.

If we analyze as to how or when people fall a victim or get affected by the external situations it is when they are unable to cope up with the situation in their mind or they fall a prey to their emotions. A true internal sanyaasi is one who has overcome his emotions and therefore he will be able to think straight as to what to do and what not to do in the world when faced with situations. If he is sick he will go to the doctor to take care of the sickness. But if the sickness still doesn't go he will not be affected. He will remember that he isn't the body and it is the nature of the body which is part of the world to get diseased (or experience sickness). Ultimately a person should remain unaffected by whatever happens in the world including his own body - but remaining unaffected doesn't mean he shouldn't take




care of things; instead he should do whatever he can for the better of the entire world. When nothing works out then he should remain blissful like always.

AMMA sings in one of the songs thus:enthinu shokam manasse nin divya bhaavamatalleO Mind! Why are you in sorrow? That is not your true/divine nature. Your divine nature is that of bliss.

Sadasiva Brahmendra sings:maanasa sancara re brahmaniO Mind revel in Brahman

Yoga Vasistha says:cittameva hi samsaarah tatprayatnena shodayetMind alone is samsaara and through effort one should control or subside it.

citcetyakalitaa bandhah tanmuktaa muktirucyatecidacetyaa kilaatmeti sarvavedaantasangrahahConsciousness when with thoughts is called bondage and when it is pure then it is nothing but the Self alone - this is the summary of Vedanta.

Though the mind and the entire world will exist, still they are not real. A person who thinks of them as real will get affected by them whereas a person who knows that they are not real will not be affected by them. Even as a wise person will go and see a movie while remaining unaffected (and the movie is just some time-pass or fun for him) similarly a sadhaka should become a true renunciate by not getting affected by whatever happens in the world (as he will remember that everything is just an illusion).

Madhusudana Saraswati says in Advaita Siddhi: "advaitasiddherdvaitamithyaatvapuurvakatvaat dvaitamithyaatvameva prathamamupapaadaniiyam" or Since establishment of Advaita is after proving the illusoriness of duality therefore illusoriness of duality is to be first explained. Unless a person knows that the world is an illusion he will cling on to the world and such a person cannot follow the spiritual path. Spiritual path is wherein focus is on the non-dual reality of Brahman or Self which is beyond the world. As long as focus is on the world there will be no focus possible on Brahman and therefore though externally or figuratively such a person will be treading the spiritual path he will have no faith or progress (and eventually will drop off from




the path and become an atheist). It is therefore important for a sadhaka to always remember that the world of duality is an illusion as it is constantly changing and therefore its cause-substratum of Brahman has to be sought out.

Knowing that Brahman is one's own nature and the sadhana to attain Brahman is through seeing oneness everywhere, a sadhaka will be able to remain unaffected in the mind. Such a sadhaka is a true sanyaasi; or in other words, he alone is a true sanyaasi. Other external sanyaasis are just striving to attain this inner sanyaasa.

Bhagavatham narrates the story of Ambarisha who was confronted by Durvaasa. Durvaasa came to meet Ambarisha and then he went to take bath before food. Ambarisha was fasting for the welfare of his people and the auspicious time to end the fast was coming to an end. Since the auspicious time to end the fast will be gone if Ambarisha waited for Durvaasa therefore Ambarisha, upon the instruction of his ministers, decided to end his fast with drinking a bit of water. Thus his fasting was ended. Durvaasa who had miraculous powers found out that Ambarisha had taken bit water. Not caring whether it was for breaking the fasting and thinking that it was wrong of Ambarisha to not have waited for him, Durvaasa unleashed an asura to attack Ambarisha. The asura came to attack Ambarisha but found out the Lord has provided the sudarshana chakra or discus to protect Ambarisha who was a true devotee of the Lord. Therefore the asura was killed and the chakra came to attack Durvaasa and kill him. Not knowing what to do and since his curse had backfired, Durvaasa started running hither and thither. He went to Indra but Indra gave up saying that he cannot save Durvaasa from the chakra of Vishnu. He goes to Vishnu but Vishnu replies that he is but a servant of his devotees and therefore Ambarisha is the only person who can save him. Durvaasa thereby runs to Ambarisha who hasn’t still eaten and is taking care of other activities in the kingdom. Being surprised himself about the chakra protecting him, Ambarisha immediately saves Durvaasa from the chakra. Thereby he invites Durvaasa to eat with him and after eating Durvaasa walks away from the kingdom.

In this story we find on one side the external sanyaasi of Durvaasa who isn’t even able to control his anger whereas we have the internal sanyaasi of Ambarisha for whom nothing at all matters. The difference is that Ambarisha knows internally that the non-dual reality of Lord alone exists as the entire world and therefore he isn’t affected by whatever happens in the world. Though Durvaasa comes back to Ambarisha to save himself still Ambarisha doesn’t show any aversion to the person who had tried to attack him previously as Ambarisha knows that everything is one Lord or Brahman alone.




As the Lord mentions in the sloka, an internal sanyaasi or ever-sanyaasi is one who doesn’t get affected by dual notions or dualities in the world. Normally a person who thinks that duality is real will get affected by the duality that is perceived. He will develop either like or dislike with respect to the world whereas a person who knows that duality is just an illusion in the non-dual reality of Lord will not be affected at all. He will remain the same irrespective of whether situations of anger, attachment, jealousy etc. are thrown at him. Even as a witness is able to remain unaffected to whatever he is witnessing similarly such a true sanyaasi will be able to remain a mere witness to the entire world itself.

The ultimate goal of life is to attain that state wherein we are able to remain blissful. Such bliss is only possible if we are able to see everything as one non-dual reality of Lord or Brahman. Once we start seeing everything as Brahman internally then we will find duality vanishing from our mind and only calmness or peace or happiness prevailing in the mind. This doesn’t mean that such a sanyaasi will not show emotions externally but he will not be affected externally.

Even as an actor demonstrates all emotions externally but remains unaffected internally at all times similarly such a sanyaasi will be able to remain unaffected internally at all times. By the mere presence of such a master we will be able to experience the bliss of his mind if we have an open mind (and are able to attain even a little bit of surrender towards him or towards the Lord).

We have come to the end of analysis of this important sloka of Gita. May we all surrender unto a master, be of service to the master and ask the right questions to the master so that we will be able to progress in the spiritual path and through attaining the goal of moksha we will be able to ever rejoice in bliss.




Vedanta Kathaa

Story of MuchukundaMany times it so happens that our perspective or view is limited and therefore we will not be able to understand the larger or the bigger picture. People often answer criticisms directed unto them by saying that others don't have birds-view or bigger picture but truly speaking it is we all who are part of the world that don't have the whole picture with respect to the entire world. The entire world is mentioned in Brahma Sutras as a divine play of the Lord. It is for this reason that Vidyaranya says that the world is not an obstacle for moksha and it only helps in moksha. The world isn't an obstacle because it is filled with the Lord and it helps in moksha by making us remember that it is pervaded in and out by the Lord. Even as the dream world is pervaded by the dreamer, even as the magician's creation is pervaded by the magician similarly this entire world which is created out of Ishwara is pervaded by Ishwara. Whatever exists is nothing but Ishwara alone. The scriptures proclaim again and again this truth that the world is pervaded in and out by Ishwara.

yacca kincit jagat sarvam drishyate sruyatepi vaaantarbahischa tatsarvam vyaapyannaaraayanah sthitahThis entire world which consists of objects that can be seen, heard etc., it is pervaded inside and outside by the Lord (the Lord pervades the entire world).

Even as the cause of mud pervades its effect of pot etc. similarly this world which is the effect of the cause of the Lord is pervaded by the Lord. Therefore such a world can lead us to nothing but remembrance of the Lord.

It can be questioned as to then why people don't realize the world to be pervaded by the Lord, the answer is that there is duality as if appearing real in the world. Majority of people fall a prey to this duality which is a result of the Lord's illusory power of Maya. Even as people get deluded by the magician's power, even as people get deluded into thinking that the dream world is real similarly this entire world of duality is thought to be real. As long as a person is dreaming the dream world is real but once he wakes up he realizes that the entire dream world is just an illusion in him; similarly as long as we are in the illusory waking world we will think that it is real but once we gain knowledge and therefore wake up from this long dream then we will realize that whatever exists is the Lord alone, who is the substratum of the illusory world of duality.




Chandogya Upanishad says thus about creation as just names and forms in the Lord:

yathaa soumya ekena mritpindena sarvam mrinmayam vijnaatam syaatvaacaarambhanam vikaaro naamadheyam mrittiketyeva satyamO Dear! Even as by knowing one piece of mud, all objects made of mud are known similarly (is the case with the world and) know that all modifications are just names alone; mud alone is true in all objects of mud.

The scriptures also say that even as various gold ornaments are nothing but names and forms in gold similarly this entire world is just names and forms in the Lord. A normal person gets deluded into thinking that the names and forms are real. Therefore he often wants to change the pattern of the gold and goes to the goldsmith. But the goldsmith is totally unaffected to all changes happening to the ornaments because he knows that they are just names and forms in gold. He just takes the gold, changes the names-forms and returns it back. Similarly though a normal person gets deluded into thinking names and forms of the world are real still a realized master remembers, like the goldsmith, that the entire world is the Lord alone - names and forms are not real but just make it appear as if there is duality in the entity of Lord.

It is upto an individual whether he chooses to see and think that the names and forms are real or to see all names-forms as the underlying reality or substratum of the non-dual reality fo Lord. Seeing names-forms will make a person experience sorrow whereas seeing everything as the Lord will make a person rejoice in bliss. Duality or dual vision will lead to likes and dislikes which in turn will be strengthened into attachments and aversions. These will eventually be lead to sorrow only as even temporary happiness that is derived from the world is sorrowful as it is temporary (and the object of happiness will eventually cease to exist thereby leading to sorrow). Therefore a wise person will not run behind temporary pleasure that leads to sorrow. Instead he will see through the names-forms and remember them to be the non-dual reality of Lord.

The change has to happen in the mind and not externally. The entire world is the Lord only and therefore nothing needs to change in the world. People try to change the world but that is foolish because the world cannot be changed. The world in essence is the Lord who is changeless. And the world in name-form will always keep changing and being an illusion, there is no real change possible by others to it. Trying to change the changing illusory world is like trying to change the water in desert (mirage). Since there is no water therefore no change is possible of it or in it. Great masters like Rama, Krishna, Jesus etc. have been




failures with respect to changing the world. But the difference between these masters trying to change the world and other social service workers is that these masters knew that no change can happen. They just did their part or role in the play of the Lord. Therefore when the world wasn't changed, they weren't sad and they were still happy. But others become sad when they find that the world isn't changing. Therefore they get into sorrow alone in the long run.

A wise sadhaka will always remember that the entire world is the Lord alone and this alone will lead him to the ultimate goal of moksha which is ever abiding in the non-dual reality of Lord. But even when we are in the world we can only just remember that the world is pervaded in and out by the Lord because anything else is beyond our mind or intellect. Though we might try our best to understand about the world such understanding will always be limited and therefore wrong too. Even as a normal employee of a company cannot understand the entire picture about the company similarly we as part of the world cannot understand the entire big picture about the world (that the world is just a play of the Lord).

This story of Muchukunda, amongst showing many things, also tells us that we cannot really judge or understand the world. Everything that is part of the world is miraculous and we therefore should just surrender unto the Lord. If we need to understand something out of the world then it is that everything that comes out of the Lord will have multiple purposes - unlike our actions which only have purpose for one or another person (or it has purpose in one perspective or direction alone). The Lord's all actions help multiple people or serves multiple purposes. And therefore a wise person will not run behind even understanding them - instead he will just surrender unto the Lord and remembering that everything is the Lord's play he will just spend time in contemplation and rejoicing in bliss in remembrance of the Lord. Even as a wise person will not try to understand the magic of the magician; instead he will just surrender unto the magician and thereby try to go beyond the magic and just rejoice, similarly a wise sadhaka will strive to go beyond the world through seeking and remembering that the Lord alone is present here.

Dharma and mokshaDharma is something which is very tough to understand but we have to just understand it as implementation of our own duties and responsibilities in the world. The catch here is implementation of actions without leading to obstruction towards the goal of moksha.




Whatever matters, a person has to stick to the goal of moksha because unless moksha is strived for and attained, entire life will be a waste. And of what use is life in which we do a lot of actions and gain things only to be given up later? Therefore the ultimate purpose of life is moksha alone which is to be sought out at all times. When moksha was an obstacle, Vibhishana set aside his brother, Prahlada set aside his own father and Mahabali set aside his own Guru. Nothing matters unless a person is progressing in the spiritual path towards the goal of moksha (which is and should be the ultimate focus of a person - not just a sadhaka but everybody as knowingly or unknowingly we all are seeking the one goal of moksha alone).

It is always confusing as to what needs to be done in the world when we are treading the spiritual path as worldly life seems contrary to moksha. Truly speaking there is no contrariness. We all have been given some duty in life and this is called svadharma. Dharma by itself varies from person to person - what is dharma to a king (which is killing enemies) isn't dharma for a brahmana (he should be protecting people) and therefore we should take resort to svadharma. Keeping moksha in sight, we should abide by our dharma in the world. And then dharmaacharana will purify our mind and sadhanas and jnaana will eventually take us to the goal of moksha. Dharmaacharana can only purify the mind if we are performing our actions as an offering unto the Lord (or with the notion that I am not the doer). Else Ego only be boosted and as long as Ego is not subdued there will never be any progress in the spiritual path (as spiritual path is based on removal or subduing of Ego and a person abiding as his own very Self, performing actions in an unaffected way).

Dharma as mentioned has to as per one's abilities. Though it is wrongly thought that the varna system was based on birth, this isn't exactly the case.

The Lord says in Gita that the varna system is based on qualities and actions.

caaturvarnyam mayaa sristam gunakarmavibhaagashahThe four varna system has been created by me based on guna and karma (qualities and actions).

But in ancient times whatever the father used to do is suited for the son too - as a result of genes as well as because of the upbringing. Therefore the tradition of actions as well being passed from father to son. This was wrongly thought to be based on birth but it was based on the genes of the children. Not understanding this, people take sides on this issue - some say that ancient varna system is not right and only suited for ancient times; and others say




that varna system alone is apt. In this, there are many who proclaim to be brahmins because they were born in traditional families and others who claim to be brahmins because they are renunciates or in ashrams. That both these people are foolish need not really be mentioned. A wise sadhaka shouldn't spend too much time analyzing or working on these. Instead he should strive to follow whatever dharma is possible for him in the world while ever focused on the goal of moksha.

AMMA says that a sadhaka should be like a street vendor who checks his profits and gains at the end of each day. Similarly a sadhaka should check at the end of day as to how much he or she has progressed in the spiritual path. It cannot be argued as to that we cannot judge progress and only a Guru can - because the scriptures and all Gurus proclaim as to how to judge progress. In simple terms a sadhaka should be happier than before or at least happiness shouldn't reduce than before. And in similar terms, a sadhaka should feel for the sorrow for others and help others whenever possible. But this aspect of helping out others isn't easily understood by majority of people (as Chinmaya says Vedanta is subtle and therefore very tough to understand). Many people think that when others serve them, they are doing social service or being of help others. True help to others when we help out those whom we don't know at all. Helping our kith and kin isn't true help. Moreover the Lord says in Gita that help is when it is properly given; properly means it should be given in the right time, in the right way and to the right person. The most deserving people should be given help -- else such help will not make us progress in the path and will only lead to more Ego.

Now it can be argued as to whether dharma will fall off when we follow the path of moksha; when and if we look at the various masters we will realize that this isn't the case. If we are truly following the spiritual path then we will find that dharma automatically follows. This is because the focus in the path of moksha is on the non-dual reality of Lord who is the Lord or ruler of dharma (dharmasya prabhuracyutah).

Muchukunda - being of service to the DevasMuchukunda was in the dynasty of Ikshvaaku and the son of Maandaataa. He was a great king and therefore his help was sought by the devas in order to ward off asuras. The great and righteous king that he was, he offered his help. He started fighting the asuras and thereby protecting the devas. This went on and on. Many years passed by and he was still doing this service to the devas. The devas were very pleased with him and thereby asked him to rest. He also felt himself very tired. Thereby he gave up his kingdom to his sons and grandsons. Thereby he went to rest in a cave. The devas gave him the boon that he would




be able to sleep for a very long time and whoever would wake him from his sleep, they would be burnt by the fire of his eyes when he sees them. This means that the first person he would see when woken up from sleep involuntarily would be burnt into ashes. Happy with the boon, Muchukunda started sleeping for ages.

That his service to the devas, through accepting all actions as offering unto the Lord, came to his help eventually and thereby he was benefitted by the boon of sleeping. We should always remember that though bad actions might appear to lead to happiness in the beginning, it will only lead to sorrow in the long run whereas good actions though might appear as not leading to any happiness in the beginning will only lead to happiness in the long run. Therefore we should always take resort to good actions. Good actions are those which are performed as an offering unto the Lord and thereby it will always be good or helpful for others in one or the other way. We don't have to analyze and perform actions in such a way that it is helpful to others but we can try to perform all actions as an offering unto the Lord and that we are just instruments in his hands. Thereby eventually they will be helpful to others.

KaalaYavana and the LordThere are some people in the world whose only goal is to destroy the Lord and his devotees. Therefore we find many people always trying to attack ashrams like Ramakrishna Mission, Chinmaya Mission, Mata Amritanandamayi Math etc. Though they might be smart still their smartness will never work with the Lord. The Lord is all-knowing whereas we all have limited-knowledge alone; even if the limited-knowledge appears very peak it is just a small portion of knowledge when compared to the Lord's all-knowing-ness. Therefore any wise person will not try to fight the Lord but instead he will just surrender unto the Lord.

But as the age-old saying goes that when time is bad we will always lose our buddhi and do wrong things only. Jarasandha was one person who only had vengeance towards the Lord after he killed Kamsa. Therefore Jarasandha tried to defeat the Lord but always he would himself be defeated and sent back by the Lord. But once it so happened that Jarasandha got help from Kaala Yavana (a Yavana king) and thereby they surrounded the Lord's people. The Lord smartly took them to a secretive tough to reach place which is now called as Dwaraka. But the Lord himself ran away from Jarasandha in order for his people to escape from the attention of Jarasandha (a classic example of distraction).

The yavana along with his army chased the Lord but the Lord escaped fastly. Not giving up, the yavana king who was separated from his army chased the Lord. The Lord went to the




cave where Muchukunda was sleeping. He then escaped from there. Yavana saw a person sleeping in the cave and thought that it was Krishna who was hiding in the guise of sleeping. He kicked and tried waking up Muchukunda. After few trials, Muchukunda woke up. His eyes fell on Yavana and instantly Yavana was burnt to ashes by the fire from his eyes.

Muchukunda then prayed to the Lord who appeared in front of him and blessed him.

In this short story we find in Bhagavatham, the Lord's multifaceted actions or multipurposeful actions can be found. It is very tough to perform actions for a single purpose, let alone for multiple purposes. Such multipurpose serving actions is only possible by the Lord or avatarapurushas. Through blessing Muchukunda the Lord also destroyed the Yavana.

More important in this story is also to remember that a devotee of the Lord, one who offers all actions unto the Lord, is ever protected by the Lord. And anybody who goes against the Lord will eventually be destroyed in one or the other way. Therefore all sadhakas who seek eternal bliss or happiness should take refuge in the Lord and through performing all actions as an offering unto the Lord, should live life like an instrument in the hands of the Lord. Thereby both dharma and moksha will be served and attained. At least by the end of one or two births such sadhakas will be able to attain the ultimate goal of life of moksha and live life blissfully until this particular body drops off. Though their body appears to be there for others, they don't have any body; they only see everything as one non-dual reality of Brahman. Therefore they ever rejoice in bliss.Since everybody is knowingly or unknowingly seeking this ultimate goal of life of rejoicing in bliss therefore we should strive to achieve this through becoming a true devotee of the Lord. Since it only requires us to remember the Lord at all times in our mind and offering all actions unto the Lord (and nothing, absolutely nothing in our external life does change at all) therefore we should all strive to implement the same. If we at least strive now to remember the Lord and offer all actions unto the Lord then eventually through practice we will be able to realize the Lord, at least, by the end of this birth (or in one or two births). Thereby our lives will be fulfilled and we will rejoice in bliss.

May we all strive to abide by worldly dharma while focusing on the non-dual reality of Lord through offering everything unto the Lord so that we are ever protected by th eLord and through quickly attaining the goal of moksha we will be able to ever rejoice in bliss.




Amrita Madhuryam

raama raama raama raama raama naama taarakamraama krishna vaasudeva bhakti mukti daayakam

jaanaki manoharam sarvalokanaayakamsankaraadisevyamaanadivyanaamakeertanam

raama hare krishna hare

raamasmaraNaadanyopaayaM na hi pashyaamo bhavataraNe.raama hare krishna hare tava naama vadaami sadaa nR^ihare..

The world is governed by four yugas that cycle one after the other. The four yugas are Krita, Treta, Dwaapara and Kali. It is said and found that in Krita Yuga dharma is at its peak but as the yugas progress till Kali, dharma deteriorates and eventually we find no dharma in the world. Though Dharma is a very tough to explain, it just means that which upholds life; or that which is required in order to live. Just by breathing we will not live; just by eating we will not live; in order to eat we have to work and we cannot just do any work that we like but work that is ordained in the world. Even as we cannot go to the west and drive on the left side (but driving is on the right side) similarly there are rules in the world as to how each person should behave. If rules are the same for everybody under the Sun then such ruling system will become like our judicial system of today which doesn't serve much purpose. Whatever is ruled in the lower court might be repealed and reversed in the higher court. Whatever is being ruled in the higher court today might be reversed tomorrow. But ancient laws weren't of this type. They were fully set and there cannot be any exception to the laws - whether it be a king or a normal person; whether it be an ignorant person or even avataara of the Lord - all had to follow the rules. Rules were set differently for different people. And these rules in general were called as svadharma or one's own dharma (whatever a person is supposed to do as per his qualities).

Even as rules are voilated in the world similarly dharma also started deteriorating as the Yugas progressed and in the Kali Yuga, dharma is the worst followed. And since a person is supposed to abide by dharma to ensure that worldly life goes smoothly in order for him to




progress in the spiritual path towards the goal of moksha therefore as yugas progress, the means to moksha also kept changing (or will be changing). This is like saying that whatever was applicable in the 1950's with respect to communication are not applicable today.

Adi Sankara in his Vishnu Sahasranama bhashya gives this quotation from the purana about the means to attain God (moksha) in the various yugas thus:

dhyaayan krite yajan yajnaishca tretaayaam dvaapara archayanyadaapnoti tadaapnoti kalau sankiirtya keshavam

In the Krita or Satya yuga, Ishwara is attained through dhyaana; in the Treta Yuga it is through yajnas and in the Dwaapara Yuga it is through archana. And whatever is attained so is attained through singing the names of the Lord in Kali Yuga.

Even as a child doesn't need to know anything but just has to call out to his mother and the mother will come running, similarly a devotee just needs to call out to Ishwara and Ishwara will come running to the rescue. Therefore what is required is just singing the names of the Lord. Since in Kali Yuga there are so many distractions and people are far away from dharma, therefore all other means are tough to practice or implement whereas singing the names of the Lord is very easy. Anybody can sing or call out the Lord's name. Though songs require raga, bhava, tala etc. with respect to Ishwara's singing, we don't need anything at all. We just have to chant or call out the Lord's names. Just by chanting the name of the Lord continuously, the robber Ratnakara was purified of all his sins and became the great Valmiki. Similarly if we are able to call out the Lord at least a few times in a day then we will find ourselves purified of all sins and we will directly attain the ultimate goal of life of moksha.

It can be argued that moksha is through knowledge alone or through realization of our very nature of Lord; if not, there will be non-eternality of moksha as it will be something that is newly attained; but such arguments aren't valid as devotion or through chanting the names of the Lord we will be made to realize our very nature of Lord by the Lord himself.

The Lord says thus in Gita about those devotees who seek out the Lord through his name-form:

ye tu sarvaani karmaani mayi sanyasya matparaahananyenaiva yogena maam dhyaayanta upaasateteshaamaham samuddharthaa mrityusamsaarasaagaraat




bhavaami naciraat paartha mayyaaveshitacetasaam

Those who offer all actions unto me, are focused on me and worship me through one-pointed concentration; for them I become the savior from the ocean of samsaara, very soon itself; as their minds have entered or fixed unto me.

Therefore those who are devotees and chant the names of the Lord they will be uplifted or made to realize that the non-dual reality of Lord alone exists here by the Lord himself. Hence devotion or chanting the names of the Lord doesn't contradict with the concepts of Vedanta.

This simple naama sankiirtanam talks about the name of the Lord protecting a person or uplifting a person from the ocean of samsaara. As mentioned earlier, a person who chants the names of the Lord will always be protected and therefore it becomes the duty of the Lord to take care of such a person. The Lord says in Bhagavatham that he is a slave to his devotees as his devotees have locked him up in their hearts.

Raama naama - bhakti mukti pradam

A normal doubt arises in the minds of many people that if a person is following the spiritual path then what will happen to his worldly needs; such doubt isn't valid because whatever happens, the Lord will take care of his devotee. Even as a mother takes care of all the needs of her child similarly the Lord takes care of all the needs of his devotees.

The Lord says thus in Gita:ananyaashcintayanto maam ye janaah paryupaasateteshaam nityaabhiyuktaanaam yogah kshemam vahaamyaham

Those who worship me at all times and in all ways with thought of me alone (no other thought being of higher priority or value), such people's all needs I will take care of. Their yoga or getting new things and kshema or protection of whatever is already there, the Lord himself will take care.

Any sadhaka who wants to test this out can put faith in the Lord and he will automatically find that the Lord takes care of all his needs.




There is a beautiful incident in the life of Paramahamsa Yogananda that illustrates this (as found in his book "Autobiography of a Yogi". To prove that Ishwara will take care of all needs, Yogananda was sent away from his house to another town along with a friend of his (who would verify as to whether Yogananda cheated or not). The rules were that Yogananda was given just some money to reach the town via train. He should reach the town, eat food, stay at a place and return back the next day by train - all this should happen when he had no money of his own. After reaching the town, his friend was angry that he came into this trap as they were getting hungry and no food was in sight. Yogananda had faith and told his friend to wait. Slowly a devotee came and met them; they were offered food, stay at night and money to return back the next day. On returning back, Yogananda's brother who had challenged Yogananda realized his mistake and apologized to Yogananda.

Thus if we were to have faith on the Lord then we will find ourselves protected at all times by the Lord himself (irrespective of whatever it is that we want, we will be provided by the Lord directly or indirectly).

Since all resorts in the world will only eventually fall off or lead to sorrow therefore we should strive to have faith and surrender unto the Lord so that we will be able to attain the ultimate goal of life of moksha soon itself (which would put an end to sorrows once and for all).

Chanting name - only way to cross over samsaara

Samsaranam means transmigration or going from birth to end; or being in the vicious circle of birth and death. Put in Sankara's words, again birth, again death and again in the womb of the mother - this is samsaara. It is called an ocean as it is very tough to overcome or cross over. Or in other words, it is vast and from one end we cannot see the other end. But in order to cross over this ocean we need to take resort to the Lord. Even as Gajendra called out to the Lord and the Lord appeared to him similarly we should just call out the Lord's name and thereby the Lord will come and save us from the ocean of samsaara.

Though learning Vedanta can take us over the ocean of samsaara but still it is tough for normal people and therefore the easiest and most feasible way today is singing the names of the Lord. Through continuous chanting our minds will be filled with the Lord and thereby eventually we will merge unto the Lord. And a person who knows nothing other than the Lord in his mind cannot have any sorrow whatsoever. Though he may be suffering in the




world still the suffering is nothing in his mind as he knows that the non-dual reality of Lord alone exists.

Chanting name - at all times

Lastly the song says that I will constantly sing the names of the Lord. What more is required for a person to rejoice in bliss other than singing the names of the Lord? There need be no audience; there need be no accompaniment; there need be nobody else to sing; but mere singing of the Lord's names will make us rejoice in bliss.

The great carnatic musician of M D Ramanathan would sing even for a handful of people and sometimes he would sing without any audience. Once he was in a temple and naturally he started singing the song of Ksheenamai in Mukhaari raga. His guru Tiger Varadarachariar knew that his time to go from the world had come and thereby he summoned M D Ramanathan and asked him to sing songs; listening to the songs, Tiger Varadarachariar gave up his life. What more is needed in life when one is able to give up life remembering the Lord? Bhagavatham beautifully sums this up by saying "ante naarayana smritih" - what is needed in life for humans is to remember the Lord at the end of life.

But in order to remember the Lord at the end of life we have to remember the Lord throughout our lives. It isn't possible to remember worldly matters for 80 years and then suddenly in one year try to remember the Lord. This is like saying that we spent the entire day thinking about how to earn money and at the end of the day we try to remember the Lord; though we might want to remember the Lord, we will just not be able to remember. In order to remember the Lord at the end of the day we should remember the Lord throughout the day. Similarly in order to remember the Lord at the end of our lives we should remember the Lord throughout our lives. Though other thoughts might be there still the majority of time of our mind should be spent remembering the Lord alone.

If we remember the Lord at the end of life then we will merge unto the Lord and worst case we will be born again in good families where remembrance of the Lord is easily possible; in other words the next birth is determined by what we think the last minute of this birth and what we think the last minute of this birth is determined by what we think this whole birth. If we want the chain of birth and death to end or at least to continue with a good pious birth then we should start remembering the Lord now itself.




Since remembering the Lord doesn't change anything externally and we just have to chant the names of the Lord in our mind alone therefore we should strive to do it from now itself. Then slowly when aging happens we will find peace and bliss pervading our mind in the form of thought and presence of the Lord. We will finally be able to give up this life blissfully as if it is just like removing one dress and wearing another dress.

May we all strive to sing the names of the Lord at all times in our mind so that we will be able to merge unto the Lord and ignoring all sorrows we will be able to ever rejoice in bliss.




Anukramaanika Nirdesham

1. Editorial – a general message2. Vedanta Parichayah – an introductory text taken up to explain the basic tenets of

Vedanta.3. Upanishad Vivaranam – verse-by-verse explanation of Upanishad (Mundaka

Upanishad)4. Gitaamritham – verse-by-verse explanation of a chapter of Gita (Purushottama Yoga,

15th chapter)5. Prakarana Prakaashah – illumination of a prakarana grantha (Advaita Makaranda)6. Madhuraamritham – a devotional/song work explained verse-by-verse (Hanuman

Chalisa)7. Praadeshikam – detailed explanation of two regional works (Hari Naama Keerthanam

and Kanda Shashti Kavacham)8. Darshana samskhepa– a multi-series analysis of the various darshanas (astika

darshanas)9. Sloka Vivaranam – explanation of a sloka from Gita10. Vedanta Kathaa – a short story with import on Vedanta and its brief explanation11. Amrita Madhuryam – brief analysis of a song of AMMA

1. Comments2. Suggestions3. Corrections (word, sloka, content etc.)4. Would like to see specific content5. Would like to contribute (through research from websites, don’t need to write up the

content yourself)Mail [email protected].

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