Saddarsanam – 7

(Verses 31 to 35)

Verse 31

Maunena majjan-manasa svamula - carcaiva satyatma-vicaranam syat।
Eso'ham-etanna mama svarupam - iti prama satya-vicaranangam ॥

Silent diving by the mind, inquiring about one’s true root alone is true Self-inquiry. “This I am’ and ‘This is not my true nature,” – these thoughts are a limb of  true inquiry.

Self-enquiry involves two parts; 1) seeing what I am not and 2) seeing what I am. With subtle discrimination guided by Guru’s teaching of sastras we distinguish ‘that which we are’ from ‘that which we are not’.  “I am not the body, sense or mind. I am the witnessing Consciousness” is the conclusion we arrive at.  These thoughts should not be mere repetition of learned words but outcome of the realization of a fact.  Such an assertive flow of thoughts regarding my true nature, removes the wrong notion and habits of the mind.  With continuous contemplation in silence on ‘what I am’ and ‘what I am not’, these thoughts lead to the egoless state of being.

Verse 32

Gavesanat-prapya hrdantaram tat pated-ahanta paribhugna-sirsa।
Athaham-anyat-sphurati prakrstam nahankrtis-tat-parameva purnam ॥

Having reached within the Heart, by the search, the “I” notion whose head is broken falls. Then another “I” shines forth, which is the main one. It is not the ego but is the Supreme fullness alone.

From the ignorance of adhishtanam i.e.Athma, ego rises and with the knowledge of adhishtanam i.e. Athma, ego disappears. It is like the appearance of snake on the rope due to one’s ignorance.  Just as the rope seems to appear newly when the ignorant notion that it is a snake is removed, so the Athma, the Real ‘I am’, seems to emerge  newly when the ignorant notion ‘I am this body’ is removed.  Ego is temporarily resolved in many ways like meditation, religious pilgrimage or retreat in ashram etc.  But in successful Athma vichara ego is permanently resolved, which Maharishi describes graphically as ‘ego’s head is broken’.  Athma had been shining all along in all the three avasthas and only our vision was clouded by the play of ego.   With the fall of ego Athma emerges shining as if a new ‘I’ is born, bringing about a new perspective of oneself and a change in perception of the world and others. 

Verse 33

Ahankrtim yo lasati grasitva kim tasya karyam parisistam-asti।
Kincid-vijanati sa natmano'nyat tasya sthitim bhavayitum ksamah kah ॥

For him who shines, having swallowed the ego, what is left remaining to be done? He knows not anything other than the Self. Who is able to conceive of his state?

A jnani who has successfully conducted Self-enquiry and has resolved the ego permanently is described as one who has swallowed the ego.  Having gained the infinite, what more he needs to gain, for in the infinite all the finites are included.  Therefore he has nothing to do.  Further being not a kartha or bhoktha, there is no insistence on action or inaction.  He performs actions of choice for the benefit of others.  So he enjoys fully freedom of action and freedom in action.  In his vision everyone in front of him is no different from him as Athma and all anathmas are non-substantial nama-rupa super-imposed upon the only substance, Athma.  Such a state of peace and bliss without ego and samsara where one is, one was and one ever will be Brahman, the Supreme Reality is beyond the comprehension and understanding of an ordinary ignorant man.  

Verse 34

Aha sphutam tat-tvam-asiti vedas - tathapyasamprapya paratma-nishtam।
Bhuyo vicaro mati-durbalatvam tat-sarvada svatmataya hi bhati ॥

The Veda has clearly stated “That Thou are”. Even then not attaining abidance in the Supreme Self having more inquiry indicates weakness of the mind (weakness of conviction). That (supreme Self) always shines as one’s own Self.

Chandogya Upanishad  has clearly pointed out the identity of individual Self with the Supreme Self repeating nine times the words ‘That Thou are”, where ‘That’ stands for Supreme Self and ‘Thou’ for individual Self.  It did not say ‘Thou shall become That’ or ‘Thou are like That’ or any other similar statement that does not emphasise total identity as an established fact.  So irrespective of one’s belief, disbelief, doubt, ignorance, acceptance or rejection Veda concludes ”Thou are That”.   In spite of this clear teaching many do not remain totally convinced that they are not the ego and the body-mind –intellect it identifies with.  With study of scriptures and participation in satsangs they may become intellectually informed but cannot abide in the Supreme Self, giving up ego as they cannot digest the fact they are Brahman.  That is to be attributed to the weakness, grossness or impurity of mind that has not attained the subtlety and maturity to grasp this Vedic Truth and abide in it.  Remembering the Supreme Self, the only source of bliss and peace, as one’s inner Self, one should continue the enquiry until one gains the total conviction that one is not the impostor ‘ego’ but its adhishtanam, the Supreme Self. 

Verse 35

Na vedmyahaṃ mam-uta vedmyaham mam - iti pravado manujasya hasyah।
Drg-drsya-bhedat-kim-ayam dvidhatma svatmaikatayam hi dhiyam na bhedah ॥

“I know not me,” or “I know me,” - such expressions of man are to be laughed at. From the division of the seer and the seen, is this Self divided twofold? The Oneness of one’s true Self, indeed is the knowledge and  there are no differences.

Self-knowledge is a unique knowledge in which object of knowledge and subject of knowledge is the same, namely the Self ‘I’.  The Self is the knower always and never the known.  And knowledge of oneself is self-evident.  So one cannot say that “I do not know myself” or “I know myself’’.   But a confusion has arisen because the not-Self, the body-mind complex, is misunderstood to be the Self.  So the known is misconstrued as the knower.  The scriptures are studied and inquiry is made only to remove the false notion and not to create new knowledge. When the known is known as the known different from the knower, one is well on the way to Self-Realization. 

-----------------------