Vedas & Choiceless situations

 

(Based on Swami Paramarthananda’s talk)

The Vedas are regarded as anadi with their origin unknown, and handed from generation to generation.  As their author is unknown, Vedas are called apaurusheyam, and knowledge conveyed by them is universal and does not belong to a particular person.  They are called Sruthi, meaning that which is heard as it is learnt by listening to the teacher.  The Sruthi can be broadly classified into two parts, Karma kanda and Jnana kanda.  Karma kanda deals with the common problems faced in the human life.  Human beings face several emotional problems, causing tension and stress, that are unique to human beings only. These problems can be reduced to one basic issue; one’s inability to accept the situations that cause the stress.

Anger in a given situation arises when one person cannot handle what he considers as unacceptable situation. Jealousy towards other person arises when a person is reluctant to accept the other person’s accomplishments or glory. Hatred of a person arises in mind because of the concerned individual’s inability to accept the perceived behavior of the other person. Fear arises because of one’s perceived inability to handle a possible future event.  While the Karma kanda suggests several remedial measures in the form of pujas, prayers and rituals to get over difficult life situations, it also makes it clear that there can be situations for which remedies may not be just available. Such situations are called ‘Prarabdha’.

Prarabdha is of two kinds; durbala (remediable) and prabala (beyond remedy).  While intellect can reason that what cannot be remedied has to be endured, the mind may lack the strength to accept such choiceless situations.  The scriptures advise that one cultivates such acceptance by falling back on faith in Lord through Saranagathi to Lord.  Lord Krishna advises philosophical acceptance as well as surrender in choiceless situations.  He advises Arjuna acceptance born out of wisdom in Gita (2- 47): “karmanye vadhi karaste ma phaleshu kadachana (Your right is to work only; but not to the fruits thereof) and surrender in Gita (3-30): “mayi sarvani karmani sansayadhyatma chetasa (surrendering all actions to Me, with the mind centred on Me, the Self of all”).   So only remedy in the case of choiceless situation is surrender to the Lord with the prayer “O! Lord give me the strength to accept and face what cannot be changed”. 

While this may take care of emotional issues, one is still left with the intellectual question that troubles even a sincere devotee.  It is “why me” when in the grip of unfavourable life situations. Answers given like past karma, prarabdha and other such intangibles may lead to further intellectual issues concerning past birth, rebirth etc.  Jnana kanda, the second part of Vedas, helps to provide answers to such intellectual doubts which fall in the domain of philosophy.  It is important to understand that while the Vedas contain this wonderful treasure to understand life’s problems, the Vedic teaching is not imparted directly. It is as if one needs a key to unlock this teaching treasure.  Purvamimamsa is the key to the first portion of the Vedas. The Uttara Mimamsa is the key to the final portion of the Vedas.  Mimamsa (Sampradaya) is the method of bringing out the teaching.  And this key has been maintained in the form of Guru-Sishya Parampara.

While Bhagawan is the author of Vedas with its Karma kanda and Jnana kanda segments that respectively refer to the emotional and intellectual issues described above, it is Vyasacharya who gets the glory of being a pioneer and honoured as Mukhya Guru.  Besides classifying Vedas, he has unfolded the Purva Mimamsa portion in the form of Dharma Shastra which is there in all the Puranas and also in his Vyasa Smriti etc.  He has equally contributed to the second part of Vedas in the form of his Brahma Sutras which is called Uttara Mimamsa Sutrani or Vyasa Sutrani, or Badarayana Sutrani.  They deal with the deeper philosophical, intellectual problems.  Thus Vyasa has contributed to the solution of emotional problems, to the solution of philosophical, intellectual problems.  Therefore, when the Sanyasis start their Charturmasya Vratam, a Vratam which Sanyasis generally follow for four months when they are supposed to stay in one place, do Swadhyaya, do Pravachana and propagate this teaching, they start with Vyasa Puja.

(Adapted from Sri R.B. Athreya’s article on Swamiji’s talk)

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Kaivalya Upanishad – 2

 

Mantras 2 to 5

Lord Brahma is only too happy to teach a qualified student like Asvalayana rishi and starts his teaching outlining the path to the goal, in Mantra 2

Tasmai sa hovaca pitamahasca shraddhabhaktidhyanayogadavehi || 2 ||

Lord Brahma replied to him “May you know (that Brahman) by resorting to faith, devotion and meditation.

Since sage Asvalayana is a qualified student, Lord Brahma straightaway introduces him to three-fold sadhanas of Sravanam, Mananam and Nitidyasanam of Jnana Yoga, only he names them differently as faith (Shraddah), devotion (Bhakthi) and Dhyana (meditation).

Sravanam – Sravanam is called here as shraddah as shraddah is the most essential quality needed when listening to the teaching of Veda from the guru.  He should have faith in Veda as well, as the primary pramanam without seeking proof with scientific experiment or mystic experience.

Mananam - In reflecting on the teachings to clear the doubts, an attitude of devotion to the studies is an essential quality and so Mananam itself is called here Bhakthi

Nitidyasanam – It is called here Dhyanam or meditation as internalisation of the teachings including Mahavakhyas involves meditating on them.

So Lord Brahma straightaway outlines the three important steps in the journey to the spiritual goal of Brahma Vidya.  Lord Brahma continues:

Na karmana na prajaya dhanena tyagenaika amirtatvamanasuh |

Parena nakam nihitam guhayam vibhrajate yadyatayo visanti || 3 ||

Not by work, nor by progeny, nor by wealth, but by renunciation alone, Immortality is attained.  Higher than the heavens, seated in the cave of the heart, It shines, which the seekers attain. 

After stating the direct sadhana in the previous Mantra, Lord Brahma now discusses the supporting sadhana of renunciation in this Mantra.  This and the next Mantra are famous Mantras as they are among the Mantras chanted while welcoming Sanyasis with Purna Kumbham.  Renunciation discussed in this Mantra can be interpreted as reduction in, what Swami Paramarthananda, calls as PORT i.e. Possessions, Obligatory duties, Relationships, Transactions.  PORT is the infrastructure for Karma, but becomes an obstacle in Jnana being a source of distraction, standing in the way of concentration in the sadhanas. The usual means by which one gets things done in the material world – namely, through work, through family members and through wealth – are discounted here in favour of detachment from them for the attainment of spiritual goals.  With the attainment of Brahma Vidya one acquires the conviction that his true Self is no different from the Supreme Brahman and so is immortal like Brahman.  This can be recognised in the cave of his heart as the Consciousness that illumines all thoughts as the very Self.  Brahman cannot be found by searching outside.  It has to be first realised in oneself in the depths of one’s own being and then Its presence could be felt outside also.  An intellectual knowledge of the Brahman is necessary in order to take up serious enquiry into it and this process cannot be successfully pursued unless the mind is rid of all worldly attachments. It is more than a ritualistic renunciation as in external Sanyasa but the internal Sanyasa with the renunciation of attachments and ego as well.  This is further discussed in the next Mantra 4.

Vedantavijnanasuniscitarthah sannyasayogadyatayah suddhasattvah |

Te brahmalokeshu parantakale, paramrtah parimucyanti sarve || 4 ||

Through renunciation, the pure-minded sanyasis have ascertained Brahman which is the deeper import of Vedantic knowledge. Having become one with the infinite Brahman (while living), they all resolve completely into Brahman at the time of death.

This Mantra is a significant one and is found in Mundaka Upanishad (3-2-6) as well.  This Mantra declares that those pure-hearted aspirants who are fully established in the Vedantic truths and who have fully given up all attachments are liberated at the time of death; they do not return to this cycle of birth and death.  They become Jivan Mukthas while in the body and attain Videha Mukthi at death.  In this Mantra, the word Brahma loka does not refer to one of the 14 lokas but to Brahma Chaitanyam.  They merge into Brahma Chaitanyam which is otherwise called Videha Mukti.  The phrase ‘Vedantavijnanasuniscitarthah’ shows that they have understood well the central message of Vedanta that Brahman alone is Sathyam, Athma is Brahman and anathma is mithya (Brahma Sathyam, Jagan mithya, jiva Brahmaiva na para).  Further Jnana yoga is called Sanyasa yoga here as internal detachment from worldly ties and possessions is necessary for a deep study of the Upanishads and to get the conviction about the truth of their conclusions as epitomised by the Mahavakhyas. The description as ‘suddhasattvah’ shows that they have purified minds by successfully going through the initial sadhanas. Thus this Mantra also serves as the consolidation of the second and third mantras. The teaching of the Upanishad starts from next Mantra 5.

Viviktadese ca sukhasanasthah, suchih samagriva sirahsarirah |

Atyasramasthah sakalendriyani, nirudhya bhaktya svagurum pranamya || 5 ||

In a secluded place, resting in a comfortable posture, clean and pure, with neck. head and body in one line held erect, in a mental attitude of Sanyasa, having controlled all the senses, salute one’s guru mentally with reverence.

The teaching starts with teaching on Dhyanam.  In this Mantra, the preparatory steps are discussed.  Here one can recall the steps outlined by Lord Krishna in Gita Ch. 6. The preparatory steps given are as follows:

Viviktadese – In a secluded place.  A place or a corner where there will be no distraction from environment and people is to be chosen.

Sukhasanasthah – seated in a comfortable posture.  The posture should not cause any physical strain.  It should also be not too cosy to induce sleep

samagriva sirahsarirah –  keeping the body, neck and head erect.  The posture itself is suggested here. In 5-26 of Gita, Lord Krisna prescribes fixing the gaze between the eye-brows.

Suchih – clean and pure. One should be clean and pure at all levels. The place of meditation should be clean; the surroundings should be clean free of insects, flies and mosquitoes etc. One’s body and clothing should be clean. One’s mind also should be free of the impurities such as raga, dwesha, kama, krodha, lobha, moha, mada and matsarya.

sakalendriyani nirudhya – Withdraw all the sense-organs from the external world

Atyasramasthah – to be of sanyasa asrama i.e. at least to renounce mentally all relationships and possessions

svagurum pranamya - Guru’s form is worshipped at the outset to obtain his blessings.

The last two steps i.e. mental sanyasa and guru namaskara are unique to Kaivalya Upanishad as they are not mentioned in Gita.

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Kaivalya Upanishad – 1

 

Shanthi Mantra & Mantra 1

Upanishads form the end portion of Vedas, Veda anta bhaga, and are called Vedanta as well. Since this portion deals with the knowledge of Brahman and its realization and gives the knowledge of jiva, the individual, jagat, the universe and their relationship with each other and with Brahman, this is the philosophical portion of Vedas and is called the jnana khanda.  Upanishad is given many meanings. One of them is by splitting Upanishad as upa+ni+shad where ‘Upa’ stands for ‘to approach’; ‘ni’ stands for ‘steadfast’; ‘shad’ for ‘to destroy”. Together the word  ‘Upanishad’ is interpreted to mean that knowledge, which destroys the ignorance of Brahman of those who approach it with shraddah and mumukshutvam and steadfastly abide by its teaching, in short BrahmaVidya, knowledge of Brahman, the Cosmic Supreme.  The word Upanishad primarily refers to the knowledge of the Brahman, and secondarily to the book that contains the knowledge of Brahman. 

The Kaivalya Upanishad belongs to the Atharvana Veda and is considered to be a minor Upanishad as it does not belong to the group of ten for which Sri Aadhi Sankara has written commentary and are called ‘Major Upanishads’.  The word Kaivalya comes from the basic word Kevala meaning “alone” and refers to the state of aloneness, of unity and identity with the Supreme Reality, Brahman.  Though small in size, comprising only about 25 mantras, its scope is vast; covering a range of initial spiritual disciplines to the ultimate experience of the Supreme Reality. Kaivalya Upanishad is described by Swami Chinmayananda as one of the striking Upanishads among the ‘Minor’ ones.  In his flowery language Swamiji states “Spun from pure philosophy, carefully carded with subjective experience, the ideas weave themselves into a vivid pattern of the attractive Reality”

This Upanishad opens with the peace invocation (Shanthi Mantra), which is unique to all Upanishads belonging to Atharvana Veda. Through this peace invocation the student prays for 1) sound physical, intellectual and emotional health, 2) A full life of worshipful attitude to all devas and 3) freedom from all types of obstacles that may hinder successful completion of the study and understanding of the Upanishad.  Swami Vivekananda interprets the first two lines of this Shanthi Mantra as” Let positive strong helpful thoughts enter into our brain from childhood”

The Shanthi Mantra, which is self-explanatory, runs as:

“Om bhadram karnebhih shrunuyaama devaah Bhadram pashyemaakshabhiryajatraah I Sthirairangaistushtuvaamsastanoobhih
Vyashema devahitam yadaayuh I Swasti na indro vridhashravaah
Swasti nah pooshaa vishwavedaah I Swasti nastaarkshyo arishtanemih
Swasti no brihaspatir dadhaatu.II  Om shantih, shantih, shantih!  II”

 Om, O Devas, may our ears hear what is good and auspicious! May we see what is auspicious! May we sing your praise, live our allotted span of life in perfect health and strength! May Indra, (who is) extolled in the scriptures, Surya, the all-knowing, Garuda, who saves from all harm, and Brihaspati, who protects our spiritual lustre, vouchsafe prosperity in our study of the scriptures and the practice of the truths contained therein! Om peace, peace, peace!

The Shanti Mantra like other Shanthi Mantras, ends with “Om shantih, shantih, shantih! ”.  Here Om is the sound representation of Brahman.  ‘shantih’ stands for the peace that comes from the removal of obstacles to the successful pursuit of study of Upanishad.  The obstacles are classified into three types.  These are:

1. Adhyathmikam – Obstacles arising from within oneself like one’s personal ill-health, negative mood etc. 
2. Aadhi bauthikam – Obstacles arising from other known sources or external situations like ill-health of a family member, noisy neighbourhood etc.
3. Aadhi daivikam – Obstacles arising from unseen sources like floods, storm etc.

Now let us enter the Upanishad proper and see the first Mantra.  The Upanishad opens with a great sage, Asvalayana, a fully qualified student with Chitha suddhi and Chitha ekagratha attained through practice of Karma yoga and Upasana yoga, approaching Lord Brahma requesting that he be taught the Brahma Vidya.  The Mantra reads as:

Athasvanalano bhagavantam paramesthinamupasametyovaca I  -

Adhihi bhagavo brahmavidyam varistam, Sada sadbhih sevyamanam nigudham |

Yayaciratsarvapapam vyapohya, Paratparam purusam yati vidvan || 1 ||

Thereafter, the sage Asvalayana approached Lord Brahma and requested (thus) – “Oh Lord! Teach (me) the noblest and the most secret knowledge of Brahman which is pursued constantly by the noble ones and by which (knowledge) the wise man destroys all the papas before long and attains Brahman which is beyond Maya.

The Upanishad begins with the introduction of the guru and disciple so that the teaching can be presented as a dialogue between them. An indirect message is conveyed through this format that Self enquiry should be conducted only with the help of a competent spiritual guide.  It starts with the word ‘atha’ meaning thereafter to emphasise that only after qualifying himself fully through preliminary sadhanas, the disciple, sage Asvalayana, has approached the guru, Lord Brahma, for the knowledge of Brahman.  A guru’s guidance is necessary for acquiring this knowledge is emphasised in Mundaka Upanishad as well wherein it is stated in the second line of Mantra 1-2-12: “Tadvijnanartham sa gurumevabhigacchet, samitpanih srotriyam brahmanistham (to attain that knowledge (Brahma Vidya), he must necessarily approach, with samit in hand, a teacher who is learned in scriptures and established in Brahman). 

This knowledge is called ‘secret’ because it deals with a subject that is deeply hidden to our mind and senses and also it can be understood and absorbed only by the few who are pure at heart.  Lord Krishna calls it in Gita (9-2) ‘rajavidya rajaguhyam ( the greatest knowledge and the greatest secret)’.  Kathopanishad (1-2-7) also states:

Sravanayapi bahubhiryo na labhyah, srnvanto’pi bahavo yam na vidyuh |

Ascaryo vakta kusalo’sya labdha, ascaryo jnata kusalanusistah ||

This knowledge is not available even for listening to many. In spite of listening, many do not understand this. The one who reveals is a wonder. The one who discovers this is a wonder. Instructed by a (spiritual) master, the one who knows (this) is a wonder.  

As only a rare set of people understand and absorb this knowledge, it is called a secret.  The Knowledge is described as destroying all papas.  Not only papas but all karmas also get destroyed can be seen from Lord Krishna’s words in Gita (4-37) “jnanagnih sarvakarmani bhasmasat kurute (The fire of knowledge will destroy all the karmas)”.  Sanchita and Agami karmas are destroyed and Prarabhdha is as good as destroyed for the Jnani, as he is unperturbed by its presence or absence.

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Role of Prayer

 

(Based on the lectures of Swami Paramarthananda)

Let me begin the blog with a story told by Swami Paramarthananda quoting Swami Chinmayananda. The story is about a kingdom with a unique rule that any citizen can become a king and rule for five years enjoying all the powers and privileges that goes with kingship.  But at the end of five years he will be banished to a big forest in the neighbourhood on the banks of a big, deep river.  The forest is the home of many wild animals and river is the home of crocodiles and sharks and so one left alone in the forest is trapped therein and has to spend his days in the big forest, infested with wild animals with death alone as the relief.   So whosoever became the king spent their last days in throne in agony and anxiety and cried and screamed when the boat-man left them in the forest.  And then an intelligent person ascended the throne as king and he showed no anxiety or agony on the last day on the throne and boarded the boat cheerfully to be taken to the forest on the other bank.  The surprised boat-man asked him how come he is least agitated while everyone he had been taking to the forest was worried and miserable.  The person replied that in the five years he had ruled he had taken care to develop another kingdom in the forest which he will take over now and so has no fear or anxiety on banishment. 

This story is told to remind that all human beings enjoy at one time Yauvana Samrajayam, the kingdom of youth and after years of youth suffer banishment to Vardhakya vanam, forest of old age.  Youth is called Yauvan Samrajayam because in these years one has got all the powers and privileges with all faculties at command.  This along with the physical fitness and strength makes life enjoyable giving one the freedom to try and do whatever one wants to.  In contrast to this in old age with all powers and privileges lost and faculties not under control and degenerative diseases like wild animals attacking the limbs one feels lost as in a dark forest.  So old age is called Vardhakya vanam.  One can enter old age cheerfully and not with fear, if one like the intelligent king makes preparations to face the problems of old age while enjoying the pleasures of youth.  There is a Sloka in Bhartruhari’s Vairagya satakam which reads as follows:

Yavatsvasthamidam sariramarujam yavajjara durato

yavaccendriyasaktirapratihata yavatksayo nayusah |

Atmasreyasi tavadeva vidusa karyah prayatno mahan

samdipte bhavane tu kupakhananam pratyudyamah kidrsah || 75||

As long as this body is healthy and free of infirmity, as long as senility is distant, as long as the faculties have not lost their vigour, as long as life is not enfeebled, till then the wise ones should make great efforts to reach the supreme goal of life.  For what is the use of digging a well when the house is on fire?

The Sloka reinforces the message of the story with an indirect description of the problems of old age and the message can be read as – ‘If one wants to make his old age a success, he should start young'.  Success here stands for spiritual success for that alone can give a confident mind in old age that enjoys calmness and cheerfulness, free of depression, dejection and disillusionment. The first step for a start on the spiritual path is through prayer that connects one mentally to Bhagawan, the one having Bhaga the six-fold attributes of power, courage, fame, wealth and detachment in infinite measures as described in Vishnu Purana:

Aiswaryasya samagrasya Veeryasya Yasasya Sriyaha I

Vairagyasya Jnanasya shannaam Bhaga itheerana II (Vishnu purana 6.5.47).

Prayer can be through Kayika puja which is physical worship or through Vachika puja which is parayanam or recitation of sthuthis or through Manasa puja or silent mental prayer or through Japa which is repeating a chosen Mantra for a fixed no. of time.  Whatever be the method chosen one should do it sincerely with Shraddha and devotion.  Shraddha is very important as Lord Krishna points out in Gita (9-3): 

Asraddadhanah purusha dharmasyasya parantapa |

Aprapya mam nivartante mrtyusamsaravartmani || 9-3||

 Arjuna, people having no faith in this Dharma, failing to reach Me, revolve in the path of the world of death.

When one prays for Bhagawan’s Grace one should remember the following few things:

1)    One takes responsibility for oneself and does not abandon his responsibilities saying “Everything is in God’s grace.”

2)    One does not pray for rest and freedom from activities.  It is rather for the enjoyment of activities with a cheerful mind drawing inspiration from the activity.

3)    One does not pray to control the future but to contribute to the future with enthusiasm.

4)    One does not pray to change others but to influence others positively through his own life and language.

5) One does not pray for change in set-up but for the wisdom to find security and satisfaction within oneself whatever the set-up is. 

Regular, sincere prayer daily confers the following benefits as well:

1)    It helps to deflate one’s ego

2)    It makes the attachment to Lord stronger and consequently attachment to persons and possessions weaker.  In fact when attachment is less one’s expectations from them is less and this makes the love and care easier.

3) As prayer is the best shock absorber it helps one to develop the mental and emotional strength 

Gradually Shraddha in prayer should mature into Shraddha in scriptures and Iswara Jnanam.  As scriptures dealing with Iswara Jnanam are subtle one should take the guidance of a Guru to understand them and absorb the Jnanam.  Study of Upanishads under the guidance of a Guru reveals the important equation that establishes the identity of Bhagawan with Bhaktha through Mahavakhya.  With the wisdom born of the understanding and absorption of the meaning of Mahavakhya, he can enter the Vardhakya vanam calmly with confidence as a Jivan Muktha, without fear or depression.

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Handling Fear

(Adapted from Swami Paramarthananda’s talk)

 Fear is a powerful emotion which can become a very big obstacle in pursuing any goal and in attaining success.  One thing that anyone can notice by one’s sheer observation is that fear is common to all human beings, young and old. In fact it even extends to animals and plants. Therefore, one can see that fear is an instinctive and a natural emotion which is provided by Lord in all living organisms.  Whatever is instinctive and natural, one cannot totally condemn or criticize. Since it is instinctive, since it is natural, and since it is provided by Lord Himself, it must have some purpose and function. Therefore, one should ask the question - what is the function of the instinctive fear that is found in all living organisms, including animals and plants?  The psychologists say that fear is a part of defence mechanism.  Fear occurs as a warning signal to alert the living organisms whenever there is a threat from outside.  Whether threat is an actual or a perceived one, fear acts as a messenger or as a warning signal to alert the organism.  It is a messenger, a warning signal so that one can take precautionary measures to save oneself.  Further when fear comes, certain biochemical changes take place physically and one gets enhanced capacity so that one can have a fight or flight response. In fear, one gets some extra strength as some enzymes are secreted and get activated.  Even sensory powers are activated in animals and human beings.  Therefore, existence of fear is a blessing as well at times and one need not have any regrets if fear comes now and then.  If one wonders why then fear is talked about as a problem to be avoided, Scriptures explain that while fear as a messenger is a blessing, fear as a guest or resident is an obstacle for growth and hence fear, Bhayam, is classified as Tamo Guna while fearlessness, Abhayam, is described as Daivi sampath in the 16^th chapter of Bhagavad Gita.

To discourage the mind from entertaining fear thoughts, Scriptures mention four methods that are strewn all over the Scriptures. The first method is Yogabhyasa.  Training the mind to remove the fear thought continuing in the mind is Yogabhyasa.  Patanjali yoga sutra (1-2) defines yoga as ‘Chitta Vritti Nirodhaha’ i.e. the capacity to control the flow of thoughts. One controls the thought patterns and weeds out unhealthy thoughts by training the mind.  The fear thought arrives without our will and without our permission either because of instinct or because of vasanas. But without support of our will it cannot continue, point out the Sastras.  Patanjali yoga sutra (1-12) declares ‘abhyasa-vairagyabhyam tan-nirodhah’ i.e. through practice and dispassion the thought pattern of the mind is to be controlled. Therefore, whenever it comes, one should deflect the attention of one’s mind by giving the mind constructive and healthy occupation and activity.  Even as the fear arises, one should give an auto suggestion that fear is useless, fear is obstructive and fear is harmful to one’s health.  This practice of deliberate avoidance of fear thought and deflection when it occurs is called Yogabhyasa.

The second method is Bhakti Abhyasa.  This method is based on the principle, ‘whenever fear arises in the mind, the impact of fear is inversely proportional to the self confidence that one possesses’.  Lack of self confidence leads to magnification of the impact of fear.  Lesser the self confidence, greater the impact of fear and greater the impact of fear, wilder the imagination. Wilder the imagination, weaker the self confidence. Thus, one gets into a vicious cycle; fear destroying the self confidence and that improving the fear leading to a panic attack.  Therefore, the second method is weakening the impact of fear by improving self confidence with the thought that I do have the resources to confront and overcome the threats.  And one of the methods of building up self confidence is Iswara Bhakthi.  “Ishwara sarva bhutanam hruddeshe arjuna tishtati (The Lord dwells in the hearts of all beings, O Arjuna,)” declares Lord Krishna in Gita (18-60). So remembering Bhagawan with devotion all the time one can draw strength from Bhagawan and boost one’s self-confidence with the thought that he is not alone and Bhagawan is always with him.  Greater the self-confidence, lesser the impact of fear.  This practice of deriving strength from the thought of Bhagawan with Bhakthi to face any threat with self-confidence is Bhakthi Abhyasa.

The third method is called Vairagya Abhyasa.  This is based on a very important teaching in our Scriptures that the whole cosmos including the Pancha Bhutas is the body of the Bhagawan as Vishwa Rupa Iswara.   So all the living beings including all our bodies are within the body of the Lord.  Therefore, everything belongs to the Lord.  Lord alone is the owner of everything. Lord alone is the controller of everything.  While the individual does not own anything and cannot control anything, his ignorance causes Mamakara, the feeling that I own things.  Mamakara causes attachment and attachment causes fear.  Mamakara, claiming ownership and controllership over persons and objects, is a spiritual offence and Sastras say that fear is a punishment given by the Lord for this offence.  Renouncing ownership idea over objects and persons in favour of the Lord leads to removal of cause for fear and is called Vairagya Abhyasa.

The fourth method is called Jnana Abhyasa.  While the other three methods seen earlier can accomplish only what Swami Paramarthananda calls as FIR reduction in case of fear, where FIR reduction stands for reduction of Frequency, Intensity and Recovery period, Jnana Abhyasa can totally remove fear. This is because in Jnana Abhyasa one does not identify oneself with one’s body-mind complex equipped with the Athma Jnanam that one’s real Self is Sat, Chit, Aananda Athma which is no different from Brahman and has the conviction of the Maha Vakhya “Aham Brahmasmi (I am Brahman)” born of Self-knowledge. Fear is for the mind only and claiming one’s higher stature as Athma and not identifying oneself with the mind, one frees oneself from fear.

Thus, we have four methods given by the Sastras for handling fear; Yogabhyasa, Bhakti Abhyasa, Vairagya Abhyasa for relative freedom from fear and  Jnana Abhyasa for absolute freedom from fear.

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Discovering Divinity through Yoga

(Adapted from Swami Paramarthananda’s talk)

 All human beings are divine as all of them have Athma as their Real self and Athma is same as Brahman.  But only few people know this and of the few who know still fewer succeed in manifesting their divinity through sadhanas and they are revered as Mahathmas.  A rock from the mountain gets transformed into a beautiful figure of a deity through the skill of a sculptor. Here, the sculptor goes through three stages. First he uses gross and very big chisel and removes big chunks of rock because it is totally out of shape. He removes big chunks of rock and then you get some kind of a shape resembling a person. There afterwards, he uses a little bit subtler chisel and removes minor chunks of rock or stone. Then, it has become a finer one but still, he has to make fine adjustments. Eye lids, nose, nostrils, ear and ear holes he has to bring out. Finally, he uses the finest chisel to remove the last layer of minor stone pieces.

Human beings are like the rock with divinity incorporated in them.  To bring out the divinity, one need not acquire anything.  One has to only remove extra coverings, extra impurities, and extra encrustations like the sculptor working on the rock.  When the extra impurities are removed, then the ordinary human being’s divinity comes into manifestation.  So, one’s entire sadhana to bring out the divinity is not acquiring things but removing the extra coverings.  The scriptures point out to three layers of covering. The first layer is called Malam; the second layer is called Vikshepa and the third layer is called Avarana. So, divinity in persons is covered by three layers of obstacles; Malam, the grossest one, Vikshepa, the next subtler one and Avarana, the subtlest covering. 

One has to remove the three layers of obstructions through three types of yoga.  The first one is Karma yoga, to remove the grossest layer of obstacle, Malam.  The next one is called Samadhi yoga or Ashtanga yoga, to remove the second layer of obstacle, Vikshepa. The third is called Jnana yoga, to remove the finest layer of obstacle, Avarana.  As one removes each layer of obstruction by appropriate sadhana, the divinity in one becomes more and more manifest.

Malam literally means dirt or impurity.  The dirt is to divide the world into two parts and label one as the cause of sorrow and the other as the cause of happiness.  This sows the seeds of raga and dwesha in one’s mind causing attachment and aversion in one's behaviour. But as scriptures point out world is neither source of joy or sorrow because no object is universally loved or hated by all at all times.  It is all one’s attitude and reaction to objects and events that bring about joy or sorrow.  Karma yoga sadhana cleans the mind of this impurity and gives Chitta Suddhi.

Karma yoga can be defined as proper action plus proper attitude.  The scriptures divide the actions into three types, Satvic karma, Rajasic karma and Tamasic karma.  Satvic karma is that which is beneficial to all while Rajasic karma is selfish action and Tamasic karma is harmful to others.   And proper action means Satvic karma in which Rajasic karma is less and Tamasic karma is avoided.  Performing action with an attitude of offering to Lord called Iswarpana Bhavana and accepting the result whether beneficial or not as a gift from the Lord called Prasada Buddhi constitute proper attitude.   Therefore Karma yoga is doing Satvic karma with Iswararpana Bhavana and Prasada Buddhi.  This Karma yoga sadhana removes the grossest layer of impurities called Malam.

Second layer of impurity is the subtle impurity of Vikshepa, the wandering mind.  When the mind wanders, the sense-organs it controls and co-ordinates, function disharmoniously.  Through Ashtanga yoga, concentration of mind on the work on hand is achieved.  Through concentration of mind, coordination of the functions of ten sense organs under the control of mind is achieved.  This is called integration of personality.  Even in the material field be it sports, arts etc. all the senses functioning in harmony under the control of mind with concentration is necessary for perfection in performance and success in achievement.  In the spiritual field it is all the more necessary as the subject matter is subtle and not external while the tendency of the mind and sense-organs is to wander in the external world. With the integration of personality through Ashtanga yoga, Vikshepa is removed and one is enabled to perform with Chitta Ekagrata, single pointed mind.

The third and subtlest impurity is Avaranam.   Avaranam is nothing but self ignorance. Self ignorance means that one does not know, whatever one has been seeking in life is already within oneself and keeps looking for it elsewhere. We all have got an eternal, permanent, non-drying source of Ananda within ourselves in Athma as Self.  Not knowing that the source of happiness and security is within oneself, one is going after external sources of happiness and security.  Lord Krishna states in Gita (3-17) that the one who feels fulfilled and is happy with himself is not dependent on the world for anything like happiness, as follows:

Yastwaatmaratir eva syaad aatmatriptashcha maanavah I

Aatmanyeva cha santushtas tasya kaaryam na vidyate. II (3-17)

That person who rejoices only in the Self, who is satisfied in the Self, who is content in the Self alone, verily has no action to perform (as he has no requirement to fulfil).

The scriptures point out that one needs to have the guidance of a competent Guru to gain the Athma Jnanam that reveals that one is source of one’s own happiness and security as one’s true Self, Athma, is none other than Brahman.  Guru guides that seeker with Chitta Suddhi and Chitta Ekagratha through the three stages of Jnana yoga i.e. Sravanam, Mananam and Nitidyasanam to acquire doubt free Jnanam and derive the benefit of the Jnanam through internalising it.  One acquires the scriptural knowledge through Sravanam and has his doubts in the acquired scriptural knowledge removed through Mananam and internalises the doubt-free knowledge through Nitidyasanam.  And that person who is happy with himself and who is not disturbed by whatever happens in the creation is a liberated person, Mukta Purusha.   “Aatmanyevaatmanaa tushtah sthitaprajnastadochyate..(He is satisfied in the Self by the Self and is said to be one of steady wisdom!)” remarks Lord Krishna in Gita (2-55).  When one through Jnana yoga removes the third impurity of Avaranam also after removing the impurities of Malam and Vikshepa he enjoys Purnatvam as the person who has discovered his Divinity.  Such a person is not only a source of joy for himself but also becomes a source of joy for the other people also because he helps other aspirants to discover their divinity by becoming a Guru.

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Guru and Self – Knowledge

 

(adapted from Swami Paramarthananda’s Gurupurnima talk)

One can have a doubt whether a Guru is necessary for gaining Self-knowledge and whether one cannot gain Self-knowledge through self-study of sastras. Scriptures say that Self-knowledge, Athma Jnanam, is about the spiritual truth which is beyond the material world of time and space, and with the limitations of human intellect one cannot attain it by oneself without the guidance of a proper Guru. First let us see the six-fold limitations of human intellect i.e. purusha buddhi doshaha shat, that scriptures talk about.

The six-fold limitations are:

1)    Ajjnanam, ignorance

2)    Samsayaha, doubt

3)    Viparyayaha, erroneous perception

4)    Pramadhaha, negligence or oversight

5)    Vipralabdihi, being misled by other’s teachings or discoveries

6)    Apatukaranatvam, limitations of the instruments i.e. sense-organs

Now let us see them one by one.

Ajnanam – Ajnanam means ignorance.  The intellect is ignorant by itself.  It is through learning, the intellect gains knowledge; degree of knowledge depending on the degree of learning.  For example a doctor will have greater knowledge of one’s body than oneself.  

Samsayaha – Samsayaha means doubt.  One’s study generates doubts and as the understanding of a thing improves with more study, old doubts get cleared only to give rise to new doubts.  So one’s knowledge will always be assailed by Samsayaha and one cannot be absolutely sure about the knowledge one acquires.

Viparyayaha – Viparyayaha means erroneous perception or wrong perception like the parallax error. Looking at something one can make a wrong conclusion due to mistaken perception like concluding the star’s size as small by only looking at it.

Pramadhaha – Pramadhaha means negligence or oversight.  Where many factors are involved, one may miss some hidden factors, some hidden variables in making a conclusion.  This we can see in physical diagnosis or prediction.

Vipralabhdhi – Vipralabhdhi means being deceived by other people’s discoveries or teachings.  Human intellect is subject to be misled by many factors like the false news circulated in the social media.  This susceptibility of human intellect in being prejudiced by other factors is called Vipralabhdhi 

Apatukaranatvam - Apatukaranatvam means being limited by one’s sense organs. The world that one is seeing is as presented by one’s sense organs. One does not know what is there exactly as sense-organs have their limitations.  

So it is said that with defective intellect and defective instruments of knowledge, sense-organs, one can never know the truth of the world by oneself.  So if one requires a Guru or coach to gain correct knowledge even in worldly matters like arts, science etc then what to talk of the highest spiritual knowledge.  That is why scriptures uniformly echo the words of Mundakopanishad, Mantra 1-2-12; “--tad vijnaanaartham sah gurum eva abhigacchhet, samitpaanih shrotriyam brahma-nishtham.( In order to obtain that knowledge (Brahma Vidhya), let him approach that spiritual preceptor, who is well-versed in the scriptures, and who is firmly established in Brahman, in the prescribed manner with fuel in hand)”. Lord Krishna also tells Arjuna as follows in Gita (4-34)

Tadviddhi pranipaatena pariprashnena sevayaa I

Upadekshyanti te jnaanam jnaaninas tattwadarshinah II

Know that through prostration, enquiry and service.  The wise who have realised the Truth will instruct you in (that) knowledge. (4-34)

Vidhyaranya Swami points out in Anubhuthi prakasa that scriptures contain many statements which are seemingly contradictory.  In one place Advaitam is talked about and in another place Dvaitam is talked about and in another place, Visishtadvaitam is talked about. All of them quote Vedic support.  The subject of study, Brahman is subtler than the subtlest. With the result, more one studies by oneself, more will be the doubts. So all the more the necessity for the guidance of Guru in the study of scriptures, Vidhyaranya swami declares.  If we have instances of some Mahathmas who have gained Brahma Vidya and blossomed into Jnanis without the guidance of Guru, we should consider them as exception to the rule that proves the rule.

Granted Guru is required for study of Brahma Vidya, then we come to the next question as to who is a Brahma Vidya Guru.  Guru is a live person who exists in flesh and blood and who communicates the teaching of the Truth contained in the scriptures to the sishya.  Self Knowledge is always the result of a samvadaha.  Samvadaha means a dialogue while Vadaha means an argument.  That is why Upanishads that reveal Self-knowledge are in the form of Samvadha where Guru’s teaching is in the form of reply to sishya’s question.   Guru gives the teaching on the basis of the Scriptures which have come from the Lord who is free from the six-fold Dosha.  The student gets his doubts cleared through discussion with the teacher. That is why the teaching is called a dialogue.

In the Scriptures, the Gurus are divided into three types. They are Uttama Guru, Madhyama Guru and Adhama Guru.  Uttama Guru is a shrotriya, the one who has got the scriptural knowledge by studying under a competent teacher and Brahma Nishta, the one who has assimilated and internalised the knowledge.  Madhyama Guru is one who has the doubt-free knowledge but has not assimilated the knowledge.  So he has the academic knowledge as information only without any impact on his life-style.  Such a person is called kevala shrotriya and he is not a Brahma Nishta.  Adhama Guru is the exceptional case of one who has gained Athma Jnanam without Guru and the systematic study of scriptures and so does not have the methodology of teaching though he is a Brahma Nishta.  So if one wants to learn the scriptures one should approach an Uttama Guru or at least a Madhyama guru.

This brings us to the question, how to find an Uttama Guru.  One can never search and find a Shrotriya Brahma Nishta Guru as one can never know who is a Shrotriya Brahma Nishta Guru because to identify a Shrotriya Brahma Nishta Guru, one should oneself be a Shrotriya Brahma Nishta. With the thirst for guidance, when one prays to the Lord, then through Lord’s Grace one will be blessed with such a Sadguru.  Sri Adhi Sankara affirms this in Viveka Chudamani verse 3.

Durlabham triyamevai tad devanugraha hetukam I

Manushyatvam mumukshutvam mahapurusha samshrayaha II

Very rare indeed are these three things and happen only due to the utmost Grace of God—a human birth, yearning for liberation, and the blessed association with an illumined sage (for getting Self-Knowledge).

Lastly an Uttama Guru does not encourage a cult to grow around him by declaring that whatever greatness attributed to him, that belongs to the Sastras only and also to his own Guru who taught him the sastras.  It is the lineage of such Uttama Gurus that is keeping the tradition alive teaching scriptures to qualified students.  This Guru parampara is remembered and honoured on the Gurupurnima day.

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Spiritual & Mental Liberation

 

(Based on Swami Paramarthananda’s Gurupurnima talk 2015)

In Vedanta, three words are repeatedly used. Those three words are sadhana chathushtayam, Jnanam and Moksha.  Sadhana chathushtayam is the four-fold qualification; Viveka (discrimination), Vairagyam (dispassion), Samadhi shatka sampatthi (six qualities of mind-discipline), and Mumukshutvam (desire for liberation), shortly referred as 4D’s i.e. Discrimination. Dispassion, Discipline and Desire.  Jnanam refers to Self-knowledge, the knowledge of Athma.  Moksha stands for Liberation from samsara which a qualified student with the four-fold qualifications attains when he gains Self-knowledge, Athma Jnanam.  Samsara is translated as emotional disturbances or emotional distress.  Sastras frequently mention soka or grief and bhayam representing worry, fear, anxiety etc. to represent samsara.  So these two words, grief and fear, can be taken to represent all emotional disturbances i.e. samsara.

Swami Vidyaraṇya in his work Jivan mukti viveka, the basis of Swami Paramarthananda’s talk, points out that Moksha as freedom from emotional disturbances can be viewed from two different angles. One is the conventional angle where 'freedom from emotional disturbances' means, 'the mind will be free from all emotional disturbances' as all emotional disturbances belong to the mind.  This we shall call as mental Liberation. A Jnani, as one who has attained this state of mental Liberation, Lord Krishna describes in Gita (14-24) as follows:

Samaduhkhasukhah swasthah samaloshtaashmakaanchanah I

Tulyapriyaapriyo dheerastulyanindaatmasamstutih II  (14-24)

He to whom sorrow and happiness are alike, who is established in his own Self, to whom a lump of earth, iron and gold are the same, to whom the agreeable and the disagreeable are the same, who is wise, to whom censure and praise are the same.

The second interpretation of Moksha is from sastraic angle where a Jnani is described as one who has gained Athma Jnanam i.e, the Jnanam that he is not the body-mind complex but he is the Athma free of body-mind complex.  Athma being independent of body, mind, senses etc, is also free of all disturbances and distresses, physical and mental all the time.  So from the angle of Athma also a Jnani is free from all emotional disturbances and this we can name spiritual Liberation as Athma is usually referred to in West as spirit. Thus Moksha can be defined in two different ways from two different angles i.e. mental Liberation and spiritual Liberation.   As sastras talk about both of them, Swami Vidyaranya states in Jivan Mukthi Viveka that both types of Liberations are important and indeed they are complementary.  He also points out where the two differ and how. That we shall see hereafter. 

Of these two Liberations, spiritual Liberation is directly connected to Jnanam because, through Jnanam alone, one comes to know that "I am the Athma, which is free from all disturbances all the time".  Therefore, Jnanam is the direct cause of spiritual Liberation and sadhana chathushtayam is only a supportive cause for spiritual Liberation.  But sadhana chathushtayam is the direct cause of mental Liberation for which Jnanam can only be a supportive cause, Vidyaraṇya Swami points out.  Secondly Jnanam is not variable and so spiritual Liberation is also non-variable. But sadhana chathushtayam is variable and depending upon that mental Liberation is also variable.  Mental Liberation or mental peace is directly connected to sadhana chathushtayam.  The degree of mental Liberation is dependent on the degree of sadhana chathushtayam. This is true of all including Jnanis.  And all who find their level of mental Liberation or mental peace low should concentrate on improving their level of sadhana chathushtayam. 

Vidyaranya Swami goes on to point out that in sadhana chathushtayam also, two qualifications are extremely important for mental Liberation.  They are Sama, mind control and Vairagyam, dispassion.  Sama can also be defined as the skill of using mind as one’s instrument.  Since mind is a flow of thoughts this will amount to skill of regulating thoughts, which Swami Paramarthananda labels as ‘thought displacing skill’ and we shall use the same term hereafter i.e. ‘thought displacing skill’ for Sama.  When one has this skill, one will be able to handle all emotional disturbances.  Because, all emotional disturbances are in the form of mental activity i.e. in the form of thoughts only, one can displace any type of thought, whether it is bhayam, worry or anxiety with this skill i.e. Sama.

For gaining and improving the thought displacing skill, Vidyaranya Swami emphasises meditation as a means.   It can be upasana dhyanam or nitidyasana dhyanam or any other form of meditation.  The simplest form of meditation suggested is Manasa Japa, the mental chanting of any mantra.  As skill of concentration in meditation improves the capacity to evacuate the mind of emotional disturbances through thought displacement at will, also improves.  This is very important as arrival of emotional disturbance one cannot totally stop.  One can only curtail its duration once it arrives and thereby reduce its impact through thought displacement to a chosen one.  Persistence of emotional disturbances, however legitimate and justifiable they may be is not only non-beneficial but also harmful as they obstruct one’s performance of duties to oneself and others.  So sastras say that persistent emotional disturbance is an obstacle to mental Liberation and even for claiming the spiritual Liberation as mind is preoccupied with the disturbances.  Further persistent emotional disturbances are harmful to one’s health as well.

If the role of Sama is removing/reducing the emotional disturbance, the role of Vairagyam is avoiding emotional disturbances.  Vairagyam is, "the skill of reducing or weakening raga and dwesha i.e. attachment and aversion or likes and dislikes”. Raga and dwesha cannot be eliminated; but they can be weakened.  Weakening of raga-dwesha is required, because raga-dwesha alone is the cause of all emotional disturbances.  World disturbs one only though the channel of one’s raga-dwesha.  Wherever one’s likes and dislikes are there, through that alone, events will disturb.  That raga-dwesha also is only where one has got ahankarah and mamakarah.  Like, in the body, mind, one has ahankarah; in the family, property etc., one has got mamakarah.  This ahankarah, mamakarah, raga and dwesha alone are responsible for the arrival of emotional disturbances. Therefore, if one wants to reduce their arrival, one has to weaken raga, dwesha, ahankarah and mamakarah. To weaken raga, dwesha, ahankarah and mamakarah one has to reduce dwelling on them and surrender to Bhagawan remembering “I am not the controller and owner of anything.  Only Bhagwan is the owner and controller of everything”.  Lord Krishna says to Arjuna in Gita (6-35)

Asamshayam mahaabaaho mano durnigraham chalam I

Abhyaasena tu kaunteya vairaagyena cha grihyate.II

Undoubtedly, O mighty-armed Arjuna, the mind is difficult to control and restless; but, by practice and by dispassion it may be restrained! (6-35)

Practice is the practice of displacing emotionally disturbing thoughts as and when they raise their head and dispassion is to prevent their raising their head itself as far as possible.  Applying together these two can bring the restless mind under control keeping at bay the disturbing thoughts.  Here Vidyaranya Swami sounds a note of caution.  Mind being anathma is subject to the influence of a number of known and unknown factors and so mental Liberation can never be absolute.  It can only be relative and that too fluctuating.  That is why the primary aim of sastras is not mental Liberation but spiritual Liberation gaining which one can improve the mental Liberation through Sama and Vairagyam at his own pace.

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