Narada Bhakthi Sutra – 5

 

Sutras 34 to 42

            We had so far seen the first two chapters covering 33 Sutras that described Para Bhakthi, which is the goal to be reached.  Now we shall see the next chapter that describes the sadhanas that take one to the goal of Para Bhakthi.

 Sutra 34

Tasyaaha sadhanaani gayantyaachaaryaaha.

For that (Para Bhakthi) teachers sing (many) practices.

Sutra 35

Tat tu vishayatyaagaat sangatyaagaachcha.

Now that (goal) by renunciation of worldly things and giving up attachment.

               Sutra 34 describes that the various spiritual masters prescribe the several sadhanas through “stuthis” or songs, in a poetic way by using the expression “Teachers sing”.  From the next Sutra, start the sadhanas.

          One of the sadhanas to reach the goal of para-bhakti is by way of renouncing worldly objects and giving up attachment.  Kaivalya Upanishad (Mantra 3) states: “Na karmana na prajaya dhanena tyagenaika amirtatvamanasuh (Not by work, nor by progeny, nor by wealth, but by renunciation alone, Immortality is attained.”).  Renunciation of worldly things is an attitude born of the understanding that the worldly objects have only limited value and that they will not give one that inner peace and contentment. One may intellectually recognize the limited worth of the worldly objects, but may not quite accept it emotionally.  One must renounce the emotional attachment to objects and cultivate the freedom from desire for these objects.  The second aspect of this sadhana is giving up attachment to the beings around in one’s life and to one’s possessions.  As regards relationship to living beings, these are not to be renounced but one’s relationship is to be chastened by freeing oneself from emotional dependence on them.

Sutra 36 

Avyaavritat bhajanaat.

Through uninterrupted (continuous), loving service of the Lord

Sutra 37

Loke’pi bhagavadgunasravanakirtanaat.

By hearing and singing the glories of the Lord even while engaged in worldly activities.

          In Sutra 35, spiritual service was of a negative character.  But in Sutra 36 spiritual service of positive character is prescribed.  The worship that sage Narada is advocating in this Sutra is continuous non-stop worship. Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita (8-14):

Ananyachetaah satatam yo maam smarati nityashah;

Tasyaaham sulabhah paartha nityayuktasya yoginah. 

O Arjuna, to that yogi of constant concentration and single-minded attention, who remembers Me uninterruptedly and for long, I am easy of attainment.

Sage Narada echoes this idea in this Sutra by saying “Constantly remembering the Lord throughout one’s life is an easiest way of attaining Him.”        

          Sutra 36 presents another sadhana, viz., remembering God by listening to the glories of God in stories and by singing His praises always, even while engaging in worldly activities. Sage Narada is here apparently referring to the nine types of bhakthi (Nava-vidha-bhakthi) stated in Srimad Bhagavadam, as follows:

“Sravanam, Kirtanam, Vishno-smaranam, Pada-sevanam,

Archanam, Vandanam, Daasyam, Sakhyam, Athma-nivedanam.”

The nine types of bhakthi listed in the above verse are as follows:

1)    Sravanam – listening to epics and puranas.

2)    Kirtanam – Singing devotional songs.

3)    Vishno-smaranam – Uninterrupted thinking of God as Vishnu or one’s Ishta devata.

4)    Padasevanam – Worship of God’s feet meaning worship of God through service to people.

5)    Archanam – Doing puja or any simple ritual.

6)    Vandanam – Chanting hymns and singing His glories.

7)    Daasyam – Thinking and behaving as God’s servant.

8)    Sakhyam – Acting and thinking with a feeling of love and close intimacy with God as in friendship.

9)    Athma-nivedanam – Surrender of self in intense devotion.

Adopting one or more of these above modes one can engage in uninterrupted devotion all the time. After stressing self-effort, Sage Narada stresses the importance of Grace of God, Guru and Mahapurushas in the next five Sutras.

Sutra 38

Mukhyatastu mahatkripayaiva bhagavatkripalesaad va. 

Primarily through the compassion of great beings and a little of Divine grace.

Sutra 39

Mahatsangastu durlabho’gamyo’moghashcha. 

But (to obtain) the company of some one great is extremely difficult; it is impossible to know them fully, yet it is infallible in its effect.

Sutra 40

Labhyate’pi tatkripayaiva.

Nevertheless, it is attainable through God’s grace.

          One cannot reach the goal of uninterrupted bhakthi through one’s own efforts alone; one needs help.  Primarily, what one needs is the compassion of a loving, compassionate person like a spiritual teacher, or a saint. It is through their compassion or through a bit of God’s Grace that one’s efforts will bear fruit.

          In Sutra 39 sage Narada warns that finding a proper teacher is extremely difficult and even when the opportunity arises it is not obvious; it is subtle.  Sri Sankara says in Vivekachudamani (verse 3)

 Durlabham trayamevaitad devanugrahahetukam I

Manushyatvam mumukshatvam mahapurushasamsrayaha II

Human birth, mumukshuthvam, the tutelage of a mahapurusha (a great realised person) are difficult to gain without God’s Grace.

Also, one has to be beware of false teacher who tempts the seeker with the promise of an easy path without much sadhanas.  And, there is also the danger of not recognizing a true teacher when one meets him.

          So, sage Naradha states in Sutra 40, that one should seek the Grace of God for getting the proper spiritual teacher. It is by the Grace of God only that one turns a mumukshu.  Again, it is only the Grace of God that will lead him to the right Guru who will guide him in that path. 

Sutra 41

Tasmintatjane bhedabhavaat.

Because between God and His devotees there is no difference.

             ‘Devotee’ in this context means the Para Bhakta and not every devotee. Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita (7-18) that He views the Jnani Bhaktha (Para Bhaktha) as His very Self.  Mundaka Upanishad (3-2-9) states: -“Brahmavit Brahmaiva Bhavathi (The knower of the Brahman becomes Brahman). Para Bhaktha is one who has realized his oneness with Brahman and does not stray from this knowledge in all his activities.  This Sutra is also interpreted as “that the love of God knows no distinction among His children” and so anyone seeking His Grace sincerely, steadfastly, and with single minded devotion will get it with kindness, irrespective of his past before coming to the path of spiritual seeking.

Sutra 42

Tadeva saadhyataam tadeva saaadhyataam.

That alone is to be accomplished; that alone is to be accomplished.

          The repetition in the sutra is to emphasize the point that the sadhana as would enable one to obtain God’s Grace that would ultimately reveal God through the teaching of a spiritual teacher is only to be practiced.  Sadhana clears away all obstructions in the way of understanding the true identity of one’s Self with Brahman. 

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Aparokshanubhuthi – 8

Prarabdha for a Jnani 

Verse 89

Athmanam satatam janankalaṃ naya mahadyute I

Prarabdhamakhilam bhunjannodvegam kartumaharsi II

O enlightened one, pass your time always contemplating on Athma while you are experiencing all the results of prarabdha for it ill becomes you to feel distressed.

This verse is a verse of advice to the student who has the grasped the teaching so far. This teaching can be broadly classified into two lessons.  The first lesson is on Athma-anathma-Viveka; separating world including one’s own body-mind complex as anathma from One’s own Self, ’I’, as Athma that is same as Brahman, the super Self.  Second lesson is; anathma is mithya and non-substantial and Athma alone is the substance and Sathya and is One only, without changes. Sri Sankara is advising the student to spend his time thinking of himself as “I”, the Athma, without bothering about the problems of body, the anathma.  Body will not get liquidated on Liberation, but will continue until exhaustion of prarabdha, experiencing problems of health and environs.  He cannot change the experience but he can change his attitude to the experience. The changed attitude is - “All these problems concern the body which is not me, the Athma”.  This change of attitude and constant contemplation of Self as Athma will change the impact of prarabdha on him.  From the next verse a discussion on prarabdha and Jnani is started.

Verse 90

Utpanne'pyathmavijnane prarabdham naiva munchati I

Iti yacchruyate sastre tannirakriyate'dhuna II

The theory one hears of from the scripture, that prarabdha does not lose its hold upon one even after the origination of the knowledge of Athma, is now being refuted.

Verse 91

Tattvajnanodayadurdhvaṃ prarabdham naiva vidyate I

Dehadinamasatyatvadyatha svapno vibodhatah II

After the origination of Athma Jnanam, prarabdha verily ceases to exist, inasmuch as the body and the like become non-existent; just as a dream does not exist on waking

Verse 92

Karma janmantariyam yatprarabdhamiti kirtitam I

Tattu janmantarabhavatpumso naivasti karhichit II

That karma which is done in a previous life is known as prarabdha (with respect to this life which it has brought forth).  But such a prarabdha does not exist (for a Jnani) as he has no other birth.

Verse 93

Svapnadeho yathadhyasthastathaivayam hi dehakah I

Adhyastasya kuto janma janmabhave hi tatkutah II

Just as a body in a dream is superimposed (and therefore illusory), so is also this body.  How could there be any birth of the superimposed (body), and in the absence of birth (of the body) where is the room for that (prarabdha) at all?

Prakarana granthas like Tattvabodha have said that a Jnani has got prarabdha.  “On gaining Jnanam the sanchitha gets removed and agami is avoided but prarabdha continues for a Jnani because of which he survives until its exhaustion” is what one learns from them. Sri Sankara after recalling this in verse 90 proceeds to refute it in succeeding verses. Verse 91 points out that one who has acquired Athma Jnanam is a person with the realization that as Athma he is neither a kartha nor bhoktha and his body-mind complex is an unReal upadhi only and is like the dream body that does not exist for the waker.  So though from vyavaharika-drshti a Jnani is said to have prarabdha, a Jnani does not have prarabdha from Paramarthika-drshti

 Verse 92 advances another argument in support of this.  The karma of the previous other births are known as prarabdha. For the realized Jnani, there is no question of other births and so the prarabdha also does not exist.  Verse 93 explains why it is said there is no purva janma for Jnani.  Just as a dream-body is superimposed on the waker, the sthula sareera, which is unreal for the Jnani, is a superimposition on the Jnani, the Athma. How can prarabdha, which is said to be the cause for birth of the body exist when there is no body in the first place, just like the date of birth for the rope-snake.

Verse 94

Upadanam prapanchasya mrdbhandasyeva kathyate I

Ajnanam chaiva vedantaistasminnashte kva visvata II

The Vedanta texts declare ignorance to be verily the material (cause) of the world, just as clay is of the pot. That (ignorance) being destroyed, where can the world, subsist?

Verse 95

Yatha rajjum parityajya sarpam gṛhnati vai bhramat I

Tadvatsatyamavijnaya jagatpasyati mudhadhih II

Just as a person out of confusion perceives only the snake leaving aside the rope, so does an ignorant person see only the world without knowing the Reality

Verse 96

Rajjurupe parijnate sarpakhandam na tisthati I

Adhisthane tatha jnate prapanchah sunyatam gatah II

The real nature of the rope being known, the appearance of the snake no longer persists; so the substratum being known, the world becomes extinct.

Verse 97

Dehasyapi prapanchatvatprarabdhavasthitih kutah I

Ajnanijanabodhartham prarabdham vakti vai srutih II

The body also being within the world (and therefore unReal), how could prarabdha exist? It is therefore for the understanding of the ignorant alone that the Sruthi speaks of prarabdha (for the Jnani). 

In the above verses, two examples quoted earlier to prove mithyathvam of the world is restated to support the statement that prarabdha does not exist for Jnani.  The clay-pot example is repeated in verse 94 and the rope-snake example is repeated in verses 95 and 96 to emphasize mithyathvam of the phenomenal world for the Jnani, which the ajjnani treats as Real.  Verse 97 explains in the second line why Sruthi in some places speaks of prarabdha for Jnani.   In the first line it continues the statement of earlier verses that the world is falsified for the Jnani. Body being part of the world is also falsified as well and the prarabdha that affects the body has no impact on him as body does not exist for him. But ajjnani argues that if ignorance with all its effects is destroyed by knowledge how does a body of a Jnani live and how is it possible for him to behave like ordinary mortals?  It is for their sake Sruthi gives a tentative explanation that Jnani has prarabdha and only the other two karmas get destroyed with the dawn of Jnanam only to get refuted at the advanced stage of spiritual learning.  Sri Sankara himself who has earlier stated in Tattvabodha that Jnani has prarabdha, later refutes it in Vivekachudamani in 18 slokas (446 to 464)

Verse 98

Ksiyante chasya karmnni tasmindrste paravare I

Bahutvam tannisedhartham srutya gitam cha yatsphutam II

“And all the actions of a man perish when he realizes that (Athma) which is both the higher and the lower”.  Here the clear use of the plural by the Sruthi is to negate prarabdha as well.

Verse 99

Uchyate'jnairbalccaitattadanarthadvayagamah I

Vedantamatahanam cha yato jnanamiti srutih II

If the ignorant still arbitrarily maintain this, they will not only involve themselves into two absurdities but will also run the risk of forgoing the Vedantic conclusion.  So one should accept those Sruthis alone from which proceeds true knowledge.

Verse 98 has as its first line the second line of Mundaka Upanishad Mantra (2-2-8) which states that for the one who has realized Brahman as both Nirguna and Saguna, the karmas get exhausted.  To prove that the karmas include all the three, the second line of the verse quotes a grammar point. In Sanskrit we have singular, dual and plural which is more than two.  In the Mandukya Mantra plural is used and so the word ‘karmas’ denote all the three i.e. agami, sanchitha and prarabdha karmas. So the Upanishad statement is a support for the argument that Jnani has no prarabdha from paramarthika dhrishti.

Verse 99 which is the concluding verse of the discussion on Jnani and Prarabdha outlines the problem if one ignorantly holds on to the view that Jnani has prarabdha. This will mean that prarabdha cannot be destroyed by Jnanam and then prarabdha also will become Real or Sathyam along with Athma and that is duality. From duality arises fear and fear leads to samsara. If samsara is there Moksha is not possible and so acceptance of prarabdha for Jnani means there is no Moksha possible for him and he will be in eternal samsara.  The second defect is that the whole parampara, Guru-sishya-parampara, will become redundant in the absence of Moksha for the Jnani.  Further this view will also be contradicting the Sruthi teaching that clearly says Jnanam is the only Moksha-sadhanam.  If Jnanam does not destroy prarabdha then Jivanmukthi also will not be there.  So prarabdha is negatable by Jnanam and Jnani is free from prarabdha also.  

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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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Scriptural study and Behaviour

(Adapted from Swami Paramarthananda’s talk)

Study of scriptures is not for preaching to others or for changing others but for changing oneself.  One can change only oneself.  And one cannot change others unless they want to change.  Changing others is possible under three conditions only.  The first condition is that the person has made a decision to change. Second condition is even as the other person has decided to change he must have a desire to take help from this person. One can offer help only when the other person wants to change and he has a desire to take help from this one. Because one cannot give something unless the other person is willing to receive. Otherwise whatever one gives will only drop out. And the third condition, the most important condition, is that the person offering to help should be competent to help others. If these three conditions are satisfied then one can try to help others to change.

As regards changing oneself, one should have strong desire to change.  Second he should take help from God through surrender to God.  And if these two conditions are met then God Himself will change one or He will send competent people to help one to change for the better.  When one recognizes this fact then one’s attitude to scriptural study will become different and he will find that his personality changes gradually like a butterfly changing from a caterpillar to a beautiful butterfly. In the case of a human being the change will be internal and one will mature into a wonderful and attractive person internally.  But between a butterfly and human being, there is a big difference. In the case of a butterfly, the change happens naturally for it is programmed that way genetically.  In the case of a human being it does not happen automatically but one has to use one’s free will to initiate the change and seek God’s Grace through surrender for complete transformation.  Otherwise scriptural study will cause no transformation and remain mere information only.

One unfortunate fact about change is, it is a painful affair.  As one becomes cosy and comfortable in one’s habits and in one’s way of behaviour one does not want to give it up to change.  Unless one is willing to undergo that pain, there cannot be change. The scriptures constantly emphasize the fact that along with scriptural study, there must be a change in our personality.   It is said, “as vichara changes, the achara must also change.”  Vichara means the changes in the thought process as learning takes place. The internal change must bring a change in our external personality.  Achara means speech and action.  We find that one has got all the knowledge in the world when it comes to advising others. But when it comes to one’s own life, one forgets this knowledge and does not apply the values he had learnt in his own life.  One should guard oneself against this weakness in his behaviour.

One must lead a disciplined life by Achara – speech and actions- learnt in the scriptures.  In regard to speech, one should not talk too much and exercise quantity control in talk.  Then only one can have quality control over words, as Sri Adhi Sankaracharya advises in Viveka Chudamani.  Secondly one should be alert in one’s actions.  Dharma is not something that is only spoken in words but it should exist through one’s actions.  Scriptures emphasize Achara.  That is, one must remove the gap between what one knows and what one is.

For persons who do not change and also do not want to change, in spite of all the scriptural studies, the scripture sounds a warning.  Digested food contributes to one’s growth. But the very same food when not properly digested can turn into poison and harm the person.  The study of scriptures is akin to taking food.  When it is assimilated and leads to change in behaviour it aids one’s spiritual growth.  When they are not assimilated but simply stuffed they become counter-productive by contributing to one’s ego problem through VidyaGarvam.   VidyaGarvam is the worst garvam for which there is no parihara because for all kinds of arrogance, Vidya is the solution. But if Vidya itself is a cause of pride then even Bhagawan cannot help one. So one should assimilate the teaching and guard against it itself contributing to arrogance.

Any amount of scriptural study will not benefit or purify the mind unless the person is keen to follow what he has been taught. One might have studied all the four Vedas and also the six Angas but he can still be cantankerous and problematic and as egoistic as before.   Without Achara, Vedas cannot purify a person.  During crisis that knowledge as mere book knowledge will not help and it will be only in his head without being of any practical use to him.   A Vedic scholar is one whose life is dharmic.  Mere scriptural knowledge is useless unless it is backed by a dharmic life.   So to benefit by this knowledge one should change oneself and one’s behaviour to conform to the Achara emphasised by the scriptures, with the scriptural knowledge embedded in one’s mind, well assimilated.

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Maya Panchakam

Maya Panchakam is a small work of five verses by Sri Adi Sankara describing the power of Maya over Jiva.  Maya is the power of Brahman that makes impossible things to happen. Maya literally means that which is not there (ma=not; ya=that).  It is not there really but it is there valid for transactions, like sunrise.  Sri Adi Sankara himself describes Maya in his prakarana grantha “Viveka Chudamani” thus in verse 108:

avyaktanamni paramesasaktiḥ

anadyavidya triguṇatmika para |

karyanumeya sudhiyaiva maya

yaya jagatsarvamidam prasuyate.II 108

Maya, also called the Unmanifest, is the power of the Lord. It is the beginningless ignorance; it comprises the three gunas and is superior to their effects (as their cause). It is to be inferred only by one who has a clear intellect, from the effects it produces. It is this Maya which projects the entire universe.

With this brief introduction let us proceed to the text.

Verse1

Nirupama Nithya Niramshake Api Akhande
Mayi Chithi Sarva Vikalpanadi Shoonye
Ghatayathi Jagadeesha Jeeva Bhedham
Tvadh Agaditha Ghatana Patiyasi Maya

Maya which is capable of making the impossible possible, brings about the distinctions of the world, Iswara, and jiva in my consciousness, which is unique and eternal, partless and division-less, and which is free from all superimpositions.

Maya has two powers; veiling power, Avarana sakthi and projecting power, Vikshepa sakthi.  Brahman as Iswara projects the world using the Vikshepa sakthi of Maya.  Maya is only an alankara for Iswara as it is under His control.  But for Jiva it is bondage as Jiva is under the control of Maya.  Its Avarana sakthi makes the Jiva blind to its Real nature as Brahman. As a result Jiva mistakes the body-mind complex as its true self and under the influence of Vikshepa sakthi perceives difference where none exists.  Maya with Brahman is like the policeman, accompanying a V.I.P., who is serving the V.I.P.  Maya with Jiva is like the policeman, accompanying a thief, where the policeman is controlling the thief.

One’s true Self is pure Consciousness that is Brahman and it is eternal, unique, without any parts, without any divisions and free from modifications. Maya creates the differentiation of Jiva, Jagat and Iswara i.e. individual, world and God in the Consciousness that makes the Jiva believe that he is a distinct individual who is experiencing the world, Jagat and that there is a God, Iswara, who controls the world. This differentiation creates the notion of samsara and bondage which can be demolished only with Athma Jnanam that reveals Jiva-Brahma-Ikyam, and makes one realize one’s true Self as the immortal Consciousness which is only the witness of the three states of wakefulness, dream and deep sleep and not the mortal body-mind complex undergoing these three states.

Verse 2

Sruthi Shatha Nigamantha Shodakan
Api Ahaha Dhanadi Nidarshanena Sadya:
Kalushayahti ChadushPada: Abhinnan
Tvadh Agaditha Ghatana Patiyasi Maya

Alas! Maya which is capable of making the impossible possible, deludes even the scholars who have mastered the Vedas and Upanishads to behave no better than four-legged animals by tempting them with wealth and possessions.

This verse describes how Maya can lead astray one, with mere academic scholarship in Vedas and Upanishads, with the temptations of wealth, power and possessions and make them behave like animals that know nothing but “eating, drinking, mating and sleeping”. To escape the clutches of Maya these scholars should acquire aproksha jnanam of Brahman along with academic knowledge.  One should know not only the scriptures but also the import of scriptures which is possible only when they have the inner urge for Liberation.

Verse 3

Sukhachita Akhanda Vibhotham Advitheeyam
Viyadha Anala Dhivi Nirmithe Niyojya
Bramayathi Bhavasaagare Nithantham
Tvadh Agaditha Ghatana Patiyasi Maya

Maya which is capable of making the impossible possible, causes Athma, which is Bliss, Awareness, and undifferentiated Knowledge, to identify with the physical body (made up of elements namely space, fire, etc.) thereby deluding non-dual Self whirl in the ocean of Samsara.

This verse adds to the first one, by declaring that, the Self deviates from its own true nature (Swaroopa Lakshanam) due to the magical powers of Maya.  Self is of the nature of Consciousness and Bliss, without parts and is non-dual.  As long as one imagines that one was born at a certain place and time and remains identified with the body and a name and status, the cycle of samsara will not cease.

Verse 4

Apagatha Guna Varna Jathi Bedhe
Sukhachithi Vipra  Vidadyahamkruthim cha
Sputayathi SuthaDhara GehaMeham
Tvadh Agaditha Ghatana Patiyasi Maya

Maya which is capable of making the impossible possible, creates in the pure Bliss-Consciousness which is devoid of attributes of caste, creed and the like, the notion of ‘I’ness, of looking upon oneself as Brahmana, Vaisya etc. as well as attachment to son, wife and home.  

In the Self which is of the nature of Consciousness and Bliss and devoid of the various differences of caste, creed, quality etc. the “I” notions that “I am a Brahmin”, “I am a Vaisya” etc., and the “Mine” notions of “my wife, my children, my son” etc., which are delusions are created and a person is strongly deluded into these notions by Maya.

Verse 5

Vidhi Hari Hara Vibhedham Api Akhande
Batha Virachayya Bhudhanapi Prakaamam
Bhramayahti Harai Hara Bedha Bhaava
Tvadh Agaditha Ghatana Patiyasi Maya

Maya, that makes impossible possible, creates the various differences of Hari and Hara in the absolute, division-less, Brahman, and alas, it deludes even the scholars into the differentiation of Hari and Hara and thereby make them fight amongst each other.

Maya super-imposes difference of name and form even on Nirguna Brahman.  One non-dual Brahman is projected as Brahma, Vishnu, Siva etc. So Saiva-Vaishnava bhedam is only an illusion and both Siva and Vishnu are veiled forms of Brahman only.  We can remember in this context that Sri Sankara pointed out that the caste differences in society also are only the play of Maya, in the previous verse. 

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“Kamini, Kanchana” delusion & uncertain life

Bhaja Govindam-2

Verse 2

muda jahihi dhanagamatrsnam kuru sadbuddhim manasi vitrsnam |

yallabhase nijakaramopattam vittam tena vinodaya cittam ||

Oh fool! Give up now the thirst to amass wealth.  Getting rid of vain desires, fill

the mind with good and holy thoughts.  Entertain it with the wealth you acquire by

fair means.

If in the first verse, Sri Sankara denounced the delusion in respect of the worldly education, here in the second stanza he decries the delusion in respect of the money, adoring it as an end instead of treating it just as a means only.  It is not seeking money that is deplored; it is the ‘thrushna’, the relentless quest for money that is decried.  Here ‘Dhana’ stands not for money alone but for the entire artha purushartha.  It is forgetting God in the chase of artha purushartha, that is denounced here.  Earning money through honest means is Okay. But one shouldn’t become greedy.   It is greed that is the villain that makes one indulge in unlawful means to amass money.  There is no end to one’s greed if it gains a free hand.  As Nachiketas tells Lord Yama in Kathopanishad (1-1-27) “ Na vithena tarpaneyo manushyaha” meaning ‘ man is not to be satisfied with wealth’.  Mind is always in a restless state and needs something to engage itself.  The mind isolated from greed should be filled with spiritual thoughts, thoughts turned Godward.  Wealth thus acquired without greed, through fair and legitimate means, when shared with the needy instead of hoarding, cools down the passions in the mind.  With a mind free from passions, one is able to concentrate on spiritual thoughts and engage in study of spiritual literature.

So Sri Sankara in this sloka points out that while acquisition of wealth is required to function in the materialistic world, one should do it without developing thirst to acquire wealth for  hoarding and be content with what one gets through legitimate means and this also he should do with prasada-buddi.  The mind thus freed of thoughts of amassing wealth should be engaged in thoughts of contemplation on God.  Cultivate detachment toward material enjoyments and fill the mind with love of God and good thoughts. Of such a householder who also uses his excess wealth to distribute to the needy, Swami Vivekananda states “the householder who struggles to become rich by good means and for good purposes is doing practically the same thing for the attainment of salvation as the anchorite does in his cell when he is praying”.   

Verse 3

naristanabhara nabhidesam drstva magamohavesam |

etanmamsavasadi vikaram manasi vicintaya varam varam ||

Don’t get excited with desire seeing the full breasts and navel area of women.

Think of them again and again as mere modifications of flesh, fat and the like.

Just like preoccupation with money, preoccupation with opposite sex also takes one away from the pursuit of spiritual goal of life.  It is natural for one to seek money for security.  Once feeling secure, one’s mind turns to seeking pleasure and sex comes to mind naturally because of the basic animal nature of human beings. That is why even when one rises to higher nature, one can fall a prey to kama easily if one is not careful and vigilant  against carnal slipups. Sri Sankara is talking about adopting prathipaksha bhavana to turn one’s mind away from the glamorous curves of a female body whenever the thought occurs.   In prathipaksha bhavana you try to see the full picture by seeing the other side as well along with the attractive side.  In this case one tries to picture the repulsive flesh and bones behind the attractive features of the body whenever one’s mind strays towards them so that an aversion to counter the attraction is also built up in the mind. This counter thought has to be reinforced again and again (vaaram, vaaram) for it to take firm root and ensure that one does not get lost in the temptation of the body,  to the exclusion of higher things in life a human life is meant for.   

This type of exercise is described in Viveka chudamani (verse 22) as “doshadrstya muhurmuhuḥ” meaning ‘observing the defects again and again’.  In Kathopanishad Yama tells Nacchiketas (1-2-2): “Sreyas (the good and preferable) and Preyas (the pleasant and pleasurable) approach a man; the wise one using his intelligence chooses Sreyas while the ignorant one yielding to temptation prefers Preyas”    Sri Sankara is here cautioning about Preyas and helping to choose Sreyas as in the previous verse.  We should remember here that when sexual pleasure is criticized, it is not man or woman or marriage that is the target, but it is the uncontrolled temptation that has the effect of making one completely forget the spiritual purpose of human life that is denounced.  Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa often advised his devotees to slowly get rid of desire for “kamini kanchana” meaning women and wealth, as these two create the biggest obstacles for the sadhakas who want to progress on the spiritual path.

Verse 4

nalinidalagata jalamatitaralam tadvajjivitamatisayacapalam |

viddhi vyadhyabhimanagrastam lokam sokahatam ca samastamII

Life is uncertain and unstable as a drop of water trapped in a lotus petal; know

that it is prone to various maladies like diseases and egoism and the entire

worldly life of man is mostly grief-stricken.

After addressing the artha, kama  purusharthas in the previous two verses Sri Sankara is addressing the uncertainty of human life in this verse by comparing it to a water drop on a lotus leaf in the pond. Water drop on a lotus leaf is a beautiful simile in more than one respect.  It brings out the uncertainty of human life and the hollowness of its attractions.   The first look of a droplet delicately balanced on the lotus leaf is one of sheer beauty.  But on a closer look the other side is revealed – its shaky uncertain existence, for it faces many threats to its survival.

1.     A slight wind can simply blow it off the leaf.

2.     A slight wave in the water can shake off the droplet back into the water.

3.     Even if it survives that, as soon as the sun rises a bit higher, even without any

wind the droplet cannot avoid getting dried up out of existence

Life is similarly uncertain in duration. No one can escape from the clutches of death and death stalks at every moment.  Life is not only unstable, but it is afflicted with the maladies like diseases, pride and egoism.  Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa says “Jnana and mukti cannot be had as long as egoism persists. Birth and death also do not come to an end to him who is given to egoism.”

This simile has also a Vedantic angle. Lotus grows in water. Hence the water drop which falls into the water again, joins its original source i.e, water.  If we think of the infinite Brahman as water in the pond and the Jeevatma as the water drop on the lotus leaf, then it conveys the idea of identity of Jeevathma and Paramathma indicated by the Mahavakya, ‘Tat Tvam Asi’ - Thou Art That (You are that), lotus plant growing out of water standing for the worldly life that creates the delusion of separation between Jeevathma and Paramathma.   Pratipaksha Bhavana is brought into play in this verse also.  When we realize the uncertainty of life, it will lead us to take to spiritual life more seriously, and with a sense of urgency.

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