Aparokshanubhuthi – 11

 Nitidyasanam-3

Verse 124

Nirvikarataya vrttya brahmakarataya punah I

Vrttivismaranam samyaksamadhirjnanasamjnakah II

The complete forgetfulness of all thought by first making it changeless and then identifying it with Brahman is called Samadhi known also as Knowledge (Jnanam).

Samadhi, the final limb of Nitidyasanam, is also the last step of Sri Patanjali’s Ashtanga yoga. Samadhi is a possible consequence of Dhyana.  In the case of Dhyana one has to take all the efforts to concentrate the mind while in Samadhi the person effortlessly concentrates his mind despite various distractions from the outside world.  Brahmakara-vṛtti means entertainment of “ahaṃ brahma asmi” vrtti.  Forgetfulness of every other vrtti and forgetfulness of all other things including the body and mind and total absorption in Brahmakara-vrtti is Vedanta Samadhi. It is also called Jnana Samadhi, differentiating it from Yoga Samadhi.  Sri Sankara calls it as Knowledge (Jnanam) as well.

Verse 125

Imancakrtrima-anandam tavatsadhu samabhyaset I

vasyo yavatksanatpumsah prayuktah san bhavetsvayam II

The aspirant should carefully practice this that reveals his natural bliss until, being under his full control, it arises spontaneously, in an instant when called into action.

Verse 126

Tatah sadhananirmuktah siddho bhavati yogirat I

Tatsvarupam na caitasya visayo manaso giram II

Then he, the best among Yogis having attained to perfection, becomes free from all practices.  The real nature of such a man never becomes an object of the mind or speech.

In Nitidhyasanam one invokes one’s purṇatva and owns up one’s Ananda. This should be done until the Nitidhyasanam becomes natural and svabhavika.  “Aham Brahma asmi” must become natural and definite. One should say and feel spontaneously that one is Brahman. This Ananda and this contentment should happen instantaneously whenever one invokes the knowledge. This is called Jnana-nishta when the knowledge becomes totally internalised and there is no going back to the state of ajjnanam. For him experience of ananda or Bliss becomes his natural state; Samadhi comes at will, with ease and he has total control over his thoughts, desires and impulses. Then such a person, the master of all Yogis, has become perfect, devoid of any further practices.  He need not practice any sadhana and he is called a Jnani.  As the various practices described here and elsewhere are merely means to achieve the realization of one’s unity with Brahman, they are no longer necessary as the realization has been accomplished with a transformation of one’s perspective of the world and oneself involving changes in response to life situation. Such a person is called “Sthithaprajna” in chapter 2 and “Gunathitha” in chapter 14 in Bhagavad Gita.  Mundaka Upanishad (3-2-9) states:” sa yo ha vai tatparam Brahma veda Brahmaiva Bhavathi (Anyone who realizes that supreme Brahman becomes verily that Brahman)”.  And his nature becomes one that of Brahman of whom Taittriya Upanishad (2-9) says:” yato vacho nivaratante aprapya manasa saha (from where the word returns without reaching along with the mind)”.

Verse 127

Samadhau kriyamane tu vighnanyayanti vai balat I

Anusandhanarahityamalasyam bhogalalasam II

Verse 128

Layastamascha vikshepo rasasvadascha sunyata I

Evam yadvighnabahulyam tyajyam brahmavida sanaih II

While practicing Samadhi there appear many obstacles unavoidably, such as lack of enquiry, idleness, desire for sense-pleasure, sleep, dullness, distraction, tasting of joy, and the sense of blankness.  One desiring the knowledge of Brahman should slowly get rid of such innumerable obstacles.

In these two verses Sri Sankara lists the obstacles in the path to Samadhi and in its practice. They are: -

1)    Lack of enquiry – The mind does not enter into meditation at all.  It is the absence of dwelling upon meditation.

2)    Laziness – One always tries to postpone, feeling lazy to start meditation.

3)    Desire for sense pleasure – Seeking entertainment and shunning loneliness, one cannot remain in meditation for some time.

4)    Sleepiness – Mind mistaking sitting quiet and withdrawing the mind as sleeping time and going to sleep by habit.

5)    Dullness – Inertia and dullness due to the dominance of Tamo-Guna

6)    Vikshepa – Due to dominance of Rajo-Guna, the mind becomes extrovert and starts roaming and gets listless.

7)    Rasasvada – The mind starting to enjoy the bliss and relaxation of meditation which results in loss of enthusiasm for further spiritual practice.

8)    Sunyatha – Also called “Kashaya”, a state of mental blankness which renders one make no progress in the sadhana.  It is as if a cul-de-sac has been reached.

When faced with these obstacles, a mumukshu should not simply give up.  It should actually make one more enthusiastic when one is faced with these ‘challenges’. It should make one put forth more effort in overcoming them and persevere in the sadhanas until the goal of Self-realization is achieved.

Verse 129

Bhavavrttya hi bhavatvam sunyavrttya hi sunyata I

Brahmavrttya hi purnatvam tatha purnatvamabhyaset II

While thinking of an object the mind verily identifies itself with that, and while thinking of a void it really becomes blank, whereas by the thought of Brahman it attains to Purnathvam.  So one should constantly think of (Brahman to attain) Purnathvam.

Verse 130

ye hi vrttim jahatyenam brahmakhyaṃ pavanim param I

Vrthaiva te tu jivanti pasubhischa sama narah II

Those who give up this supremely purifying thought of Brahman, live in vain and are on the same level with animals.

After talking about 15 limbs of Nitidhyasanam Sri Sankara talks of the phala of Nitidhyasanam in verse 129 he presents the phala as Purnatva, the sense of completeness or fulfilment.  It is a sense of fullness or contentment which is there in and through all the experiences.  Again If one has the thought of finite personality then he will be a finite person only.  Then if aham-brahma-vṛtti is there, then he enjoys Brahmatva i.e. Purnatva.  So one should constantly practice this purnatva-vrtti otherwise called Nitidhyasanam.  In verse 130 Sri Sankara glorifies this knowledge for this alone makes a human being worth the name.  Human being’s superiority is found only when he attains Purnatva.   Food, security and reproduction are claimed both by man and animals. The difference between an animal and a human being is that animal does instinctive action while the human does intellectual action. Humans can gain knowledge and get rid of saṃsara and also of birth-death cycle. Human beings alone can go from apurnatva to Purnatva.  This happens only with this Brahman-knowledge or else he is as good as an animal.  

Verse 131

Ye hi vrttim vijananti jnatvapi vardhayanti ye I

Te vai satpurusa dhanya vandyaste bhuvanatraye II

Blessed indeed are those virtuous persons who at first have this Consciousness of Brahman and then develop it more and more. They are respected everywhere.

Verse 132

Yesam vrttih sama vṛddha paripakva cha sa punah I

Te vai sadbrahmatam prapta netare sabdavadinah II

Only those in whom this consciousness (of Brahman) being ever present grows into maturity, attain to the state of ever-existent Brahman; and not others who merely deal with words.

Verse 133

Kusala brahmavartayam vrttihinah suraginah I

Te'pyajnanataya nunam punarayanti yanti cha II

Also those persons who are only clever in discussing about Brahman but have no realization and are very much attached to worldly pleasures, are born and die, again and again, as a consequence of their ignorance

Verse 134

Nimeshardham na tishtanti vrttim brahmamayim vina I

Yatha tishtanti brahmadyah sanakadyah sukadayah II

The aspirant after Brahman should not remain a single moment without the thought of Brahman, just like Brahma, Sanaka, Suka and others.

The Consciousness of Brahman gained in Samadhi has to be nurtured by continuous efforts without falling a prey to the obstacles until one can hold on to this Brahmic Consciousness at all times and in all circumstances so that the identity with Brahman becomes his second nature as the identity with the body was before acquiring Jnanam. Then he becomes completely free from all bonds of duality and ajjnanam, attaining Jnana-nishta.  This is the consummation of the spiritual practice.  Those who have reached this goal are called Sat-Purushas, worthy of the respect and reverence of all. (verse.131).  

The people who lead a life conducive to the Brahmakara-vrtti becomes steady, undisturbed and unfluctuating in their consciousness of Brahman at all times and in all circumstances while others who stop with the study of Vedanta without trying to attain Purnatva, remain in samsara only as they don’t transform themselves to own up Brahman and are lost in the forest of words without imbibing their contents. (verse.132).  

Sri Sankara condemns those who study Vedanta and stop themselves with discussions about Brahman by variously interpreting texts bearing upon It.  They don’t seek vairagya and are very much attached to worldly pleasures.  Their mouth all the time utters Brahman and they are talkers of Brahman but they do not have brahmakara-vṛtti in their heart and they do not seek Purṇatva in their life.  Such people will be categorized in the ajnani group only even though they know everything the Sastras say. They will have punarjanma only and Jivanmukthi and videha-mukthi are not possible to them. (verse 133).   Sri Sankara concludes the discussion on Nitidyasanam quoting Brahmaji, Deavarishi Sanaka and Brahmarishi Suka as a few examples of Jnana-nishtas, ones ever immersed in the consciousness of Brahman. (verse 134).

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