Introduction to Athma Bodha

Athma Bodha -1

Athma Bodha meaning ‘Knowledge of Self’ is a prakarana grantha containing 68 verses written by Sri Adi Sankaracharya, whom we shall refer to hereafter as Sri Sankara, for gaining an understanding of Athma, the Self, from the Advaita Vedanta perspective.  Prakarana Grantha is an explanatory text or a supporting text written by a later day Acharya for understanding the main source, the fundamental three works of Vedanta, Prasthana Triam, namely the Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita and Brahma Sutras.  Since one’s Self is in essence Brahman, the Supreme, Self-knowledge, is also known as Brahma Vidya. 

The importance of Self-knowledge can be seen from the dialogue between Narada and Sanatkumara  In chapter 7 of Chandogya Upanishad.  Here Narada approaches Sanathkumara and seeks knowledge.  Guru Sanathkumara tells sishya Narada “First tell me what you know; afterwards I shall tell you byond what you already know”. Narada replied “I know the Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda, Atharva Veda, history and mythology, grammar, the rules for sacrifices for ancestors, the science of numbers, the science of portents, the science of time, logic, ethice, etymology, the science of pronunciation, ceremonials, prosody, the science of elementals, the science of war, astronomy, the science of snake-charming and fine arts.  But with all this knowledge I feel I only know the words of sacred books as I do not know the Self.  And I have heard from eminent men like you that only the one who knows about Self can overcome grief and feel fulfilled.  Sir, teach me Self-knowledge to overcome this feeling of grief in me.”   Sanathkumara replied “Yes, whatever you have read only is a name” and proceeds to teach him through various upasanas, Athma Vidya which is called here Bhuma Vidya, Bhuma meaning Infinite Reality.  In Mundaka Upanishad, Brahma Vidya is called Para Vidya and is described as one knowing which everything in the universe becomes known.

Swami Chinmayananda in the introduction to his commentary on Athma Bodha says  “In the days of his (Sri Sankara’s) perfect maturity he took up his pen to write “introductory books”, introducing the theme of Vedanta for the infants in the spiritual world.  Athma Bodha is one of them.  This is not an original book as there is not a single idea in it which is an entirely original contribution of Sri Sankara.  Every one of them is culled from the garden of Upanishads and strung together on the chord of his poetry, interspersed with exquisite similes“.  Almost in all slokas the idea is explained with an illustrative example that makes understanding easier.  Athma Bodha starts with a sloka that spells out the Anubandha Chathushtayam, the four factors to be introduced in the beginning of any sastram including tarka, vyakarana. Mimamsa etc.  The sloka runs as follows:

Verse 1

Tapobhih ksinapapanam santanam vitaraginam I

Mumuksunamapeksyo’yam atmabodho vidhiyate II

This Atma Bodha is designed for the benefit of those who who have purified themselves by austerities and are peaceful in heart and calm, who are free from cravings and are desirous of Liberation.

The three factors Adhikari, Vishaya,and Prayojanam are introduced through this verse, while the fourth factor Sambandaha is inferred. 

Adhikari details who will benefit by the study of the book.  It means the target audience for the book. It is given here as “Those who have purified themselves by austerities, who are peaceful in heart and calm, free from cravings and desirous of Liberation.”  This in short means those who have got the Sadhana chathustaya sampathi, the four-fold qualification of Viveka, Vairagya, Samadhi shatka sampathi and Mumukshuthvam or in other words, discrimination between the Real and unreal; dispassion; the six qualities of calmness, self-control, self-settledness, forbearance, concentration and faith; longing for Liberation’

          Vishaya means the subject which is given as Athma Bodha, Knowledge of Athma, one’s true Self

          Prayojana means benefit to be obtained from the study of this book which is indicated by the term ‘mumukshu’ i.e. Liberation

          Sambandaha means the relationship of the subject to the goal and here the sambandha is that of illuminator and illumined, the Prakashiya-Prakashaka Sambandha, where the illuminator is this Self- knowledge and illumined is the qualified seeker.

This verse starts with the word “Tapas” which is an auspicious word and so this verse can be taken as an invocation as well for starting the study of this work on Self-knowledge.

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