THUS SPOKE SHANKARA
Bhagavan Adi Shankara in Hymn to Sri Daksinamurthy says in hymn 4;
“Nana-cchidra-ghatodara-sthita-maha dipa prabha bhaswaram
Jnanam yasya tu caksur-adi-karana dvara bahih spandate;
Janamiti tameva bhantam anubhati etat- samastam jagat
Tasmai Sri Gurumurthaye nama idam Sri Daksinamurthaye.”
He, whose intelligence “flashes” outside through the eyes and other sense-organs, just like the bright light of great lamp placed in a jar having many holes, and after whose shining, this whole universe of ‘objects’ shines…..to Him, the divine teacher, Sri Daksinamurthy, is this prostration.
*1The stanza opens with a beautiful picture which explains the “Theory of perception” in Vedanta. The infinite Consciousness by itself never illumines anything in as much as, in the absence of awareness, there are no objects for it to illumine. Electricity itself has no incandescence; only when the current passes through the filament it bursts out into its light-manifestation. Similarly, when consciousness functions in the intellect, then the “beam of light” reflected by the intellect, is the intelligence, by which we come to illumine the objects of the world outside. The light of intelligence can beam out from within us on the world outside through the many pores in the physical body such as eyes, nostrils, ears and innumerable sensory buds on the tongue and the skin. The light of consciousness, thus emanating from the intellect, when it passes through the eyes, it becomes the “power of vision”. So is the case with other sense organs. The disturbances in the mental pool are considered as thought waves and they are illumined by the light of consciousness. Thus every wave of thought is illumined by the awareness and when the light of consciousness illumines the thought- waves, they become my experiences. This is the truth in all experiences and therefore, Shankara defines this great Truth as That “in whose divine light, this whole universe of objects shines.” The Upanishads repeat the same idea, “by His light all these are illumined.”
“Deham pranam-api indriyany-api calam buddhim ca sunyam viduh
Stri-bala-andha-jado-pamas-tvaham-iti bhranta bhrusam vadinah
Maya-sakti-vilasa-kalpita maha-vyamoha-samharine
Tasmai Sri Guru-murtaye nama idam Sri Daksinamurthye.” (V th st.)
*1He who removes all the terrible misconceptions, created by the deluding play of Maya- in these, who intellectually innocent as a woman-child-blind-idiot and consider the reality as their body or their prana, or their senses, or their ever changing intellect or as a mere void and through error,(mis-conception) declare them to be the only reality…..to Him the divine teacher, Sri Daksinamurthy is this prostration.
*1From the dawn of civilization, men of the required caliber have always been trying to unravel the depthless mystery of this universe and reach the reality behind the manifest world of plurality…. Accepting ‘direct’ perception as the only ‘source of knowledge’, Carvakas(uncompromising atheists), declare: ‘The body is the ultimate reality’. Here, the example given by Shankara-(stri bala andha jadopamah)- is to show that Carvakas and others are deluded like woman, children, blind men, or idiots who lack true discrimination to grasp the truth rightly and therefore, conclude it to be different from what it is.
All Scriptures, all the prophets and mystics of all religions have been extolling that the body is not the ultimate reality and only eternal, ever blissful, omniscient, and omnipotent, Atman alone is the ultimate Reality/Truth. Even then, from the begining of evolution, human beings identify themselves with the body. This is our misfortune and this is due to our ignorance. For generations we have been carrying the same genetic material with more evolved traits, and this misconception, though delusory, has gone deep into our nerves and it will be most difficult to cut it asunder with roots. However with the advance of civilization man is rapidly evolving from primitive, man eating man stage to Great Mahatmas like, Rama, Krishna, Gouthama Buddha, Jesus Christ, Prophet Mohammad, Ramakrishna, Vivekananda and Swami Chinmayananda, Kamili baba, Maharshi Somanatha and innumerable saints and mystics who have realized the omniscient, omnipotent divine power and served humanity with an abundance of compassion. The reaction of the world upon the fully awakened intellect of man is that which has paved the grand road to the scientific age of our times.
*2 Vedanta is truly the “Science of Life”. Shankara the great interpreter of Vedanta, not only gave us his commentaries on the Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads, and the Brahma Sutras, but also many primary texts which introduce the seeker into the joys of Vedanta. One of the greatest texts he has written as an introduction to Vedanta is, Vivekachoodamani. As the text indicates, (viveka- discrimination; chooda- crown; mani-jewel), the very theme of the book deals with the development of discrimination between the real and un-real’ the True from the false. Vivekachoodamani means ‘The Crest Jewel of discrimination”
For both the initiates and serious spiritual seekers, study of Vivekachoodamani as a text is a must. For those who have a thorough knowledge of Telugu language, a vivid description of each and every stanza of a total of 581 is given in the text ‘Vivekachoodamani’ with commentary by Sri Sivacharanam, an intimate disciple of Malayalaswami of Vyasasramam and published by Sri Vyasasramam, Sri Vyasasramam post, Erpedu, Chittor district Andhra Pradesh. For them who can understand English, swami Chinmayananda rendered beautiful talks on Sankara’s Vivekachoodamani, and the same was published by central Chinmaya mission trust, Mumbai. Swami Ranganadhananda of Sri Ramakrishna Mission explained each and every intricacy of important stanzas in week end lectures in the premises of Sri Ramakrishna Math,Hyderabad, over a period of two years and the same was brought out as a C.D. by Ramakrishna Math. All the three are good for a spiritual Sadhaka, as it requires sravanam, mananam and Nidhidhyasam for a perfect understanding of scriptural knowledge. For the convenience of the continuity of the subject under discussion, we will take up only a few important slokas and try to grasp the subtle meaning of the same.
“Asthi kaschit swayam nityam,Aham pratyayalambana:
Avasthatrayasakhsi san panchakosavilakshana:” (125th st.)
*2 “Some thing there Is, which is the Absolute Entity, the Eternal Substratum for the very awareness of the Ego. It is the witness of the three states and it is distinct from all the five sheaths.”
If the entire essence of philosophy of Vedanta has to be compressed and put into a capsule form, the above single sloka/stanza is enough. Sri Shankara at the very beginning of ‘Vivekachoodamani’ offers salutations as:
“Sarva vedanta Siddhantagocharam tam agocharam; Govindam paramanandam sadgurum pranatosmyaham.”
*4 “ My salutations to Sri Sad-guru Govinda who is of the nature of Bliss absolute, who can be known only through the import of the essence of Vedanta and who is beyond the reach of known instruments of perception.” As a mortal’s physical act of prostration unto a finite Guru, Shankara prostrates to his master, Acharya Govindapada. ‘As a spiritual salutation’, the ego centre in the seeker identifies with the Real and discovers for itself the supreme Govinda, the essence in all Vedanthic literature, beyond the perception of sense organs, human emotions and reasoning intellect. This can be experienced as the ego’s own real nature while contemplating, i.e. during meditation.
Our ancient Rushis were not dogmatic. They do not say that ‘Here is God and you have to prostrate to him’. They always appeal to your higher intellect and request you to think rationally and use the upper chamber, the cerebral system which a human acquired after millions of years of evolution, crossing so many hurdles and climbing numerous mounts improbable. Unless the upper chamber is activated, a human being can not differentiate himself from four legged animals. In them, the vertebrae supporting the main body with stomach and other important organs, is at the same level of ‘Brain’ housing the mental and intellectual faculties. The entire system of sense organs, transmit their impulses to the upper cerebral system, Brain and in turn receive instructions from Brain only. The ‘Anthahkarana chatustaya’, the four important mental faculties, although constitute one entity only, are divided into four depending on their functional responsibilities. Mind,(Manas);Intellect(Buddhi);Mental faculty of remembrance(Chitta); and Ego (Ahamkara). During the four legged animal stage, the blood circulation is equal both to the lower body and Brain. However due to the necessity of quick mobility to protect itself from predators, Nature facilitates transfusion of more blood and other nutrients to legs. In order to keep its body agile and active, the animals have to take excessive food and to digest the same; more blood and nutrients have to be supplied to stomach also. They used their brain part only to a limited extent. Only when human beings started walking on two legs, Homo-erectus stage, about 1.5 million years back, man’s upper chamber started receiving more attention and more and more nutrients and blood. If we can not/ do not use our upper chamber efficiently, there will be no difference between four legged animals and bipeds.
*2 When I say “I am happy”, “I am unhappy”, “I am joyful”, “I am sorrowful”, “I am educated”, “I am worried”,- in all these conditions, the external conditions around me have changed, The conditions of the body, of the mind, of intellect and of the external world of objects have changed. But all through these changes the subjective sense of I-ness has remained changeless. In all conditions, good, bad or indifferent, this ‘something’ in our life-within us – has remained unchanged, and this is generally indicated by the word ‘I’. The subject ‘I’ remains a changeless entity, common in all changes, experiencing them all. In each one of us it takes different attitudes at different places, and at different times, such as child-hood, youth and old age; waking, dream and deep sleep; happy, un happy etc. In all such conditions, behind the very subject ‘I’, there is a common changeless factor, the Consciousness. This factor is, by its own nature, formless and changeless, depending upon which, we have the constant experience of I…I…I… our individuality. This subject in each one of us is a mere witness of the three states of Consciousness- the waking, dream and deep sleep states.
‘Asthi’ means exists; more appropriately existence. In the very beginning of our discussion of the subject ‘Who is God?’ we have learnt that ‘Existence’ is a reasonable translation of ‘Sat’ of ancient Sanskrit language. Sat is the very syllable representing the ‘existence’ principle of the Omniscient GOD, Sat Chit Ananda. Hence, we can deduce that, the first and foremost attribute of ‘GOD’ principle is ‘Sat’ which means ‘Existence’. Earlier philosophers called it ‘Being’. Master Aurobindo called it as ‘Be-ness’.
So, mentioning the word ‘Asthi’ in the very beginning, Shankara asserts that ‘the God principle or more properly, the divine spark of life, exists and the same is expressing as ‘I’ ‘I’ and ‘I’ from the hearts of all. In Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna Paramatma says; “Eswara sarva bhutanam, hruddeshe Arjuna tishtathi”. Hey Arjuna! God (Eswara) is in the hearts of all. In the child-hood, the same Atma, the divine spark, Eswara, expresses as ‘I’; in the youth-stage also, the same shouts as ‘I’ and in all stages of life, in Men, women and genderless; in people belonging to all castes, Nationalities, irrespective of time and space, the same ‘I’ ness, or Be-ness manifests. Even in birds and animals ‘I’ ness manifests. Hence we can understand from the above discussion that Aham= ‘I’= Atman, the divine spark of life, the God principle. In the waking state, this ‘I’ observes all the objects and gets the knowledge of the objects. It observes a ‘Pot’. Then ‘I’ has the knowledge of Pot. So pot is different from ‘I’, the observer, the subject. Hence ‘I’, atman is different from waking ego. Similarly in dream state, ‘I’ is associated with ‘mind’, at the same time different from the dream ego. In deep sleep state, ‘I’ is associated with intellect, since you can recollect a part of the dream and all the events before you went into deep sleep.
*2 Composed of seven ingredients-marrows, bones, fat, flesh, blood, dermis and epidermis, and consisting of legs, thighs, chest, arms, back (vertebrae) and the head, this body, the seat of delusion, expressing in terms of ‘I’ and ‘mine’, is termed by reputed sages as the gross body. Sky, air, fire, water and earth are the subtle elements. Having united with parts of one another, the subtle elements, become gross, and become the cause for the formation of the gross body, the physical body, with which most of the dwaitins identify ‘Self’/ ‘I’. (Readers are advised to refer Swami Chinmayananda commentary on Vivekachoodamani). Their subtle essence constitutes, the sense objects, five in number such as sound etc., which contribute to the enjoyment of the experiencer, the individual ego. This gross body is the “shelter” for the individual to conduct all his dealings with the world outside just as a house is to a house holder. The individualized ego identifying itself with this body enjoys gross objects such as garlands, sandal- paste, women etc. of an endless variety by means of the sense-organs, in the waking state. (And the mind in dream state.)
This body has resulted by a combination of father’s sperm and ovum from mother. Both sperm and ova are the products of the subtlest portion of the food we eat. After extracting the useful ingredients of the food we eat, the waste is ejected from the body. The gross product of the digested food goes into making bones, flesh etc. The subtler part makes blood. The more subtle portion enriches the Brain and the subtlest part of the food digested makes the ingredients required for further evolution of human species. (From the lectures by Swami Ranganadhananda of Ramakrishna mission on Bruhadaranyaka Upanishad.) The food sheath, the outermost covering of the gross body, is the product of food, and dies without it. After death the body disintegrates and becomes food for worms etc. The gross body lasts only for a short period. Its qualities are changing every moment as old cells that make up the body die and new cells are produced by mutation every moment. Hence Shankara concludes that the food sheath, appearing as gross body can not be the ‘Self’ which is, eternal, and the witness of all changes in all the things. There should be a change-less entity to witness all the changes. A wheel moves around a fulcrum which does not move.
*2Five organs- of- action such as speech etc.; the five organs-of-perception such as ears etc., the five Pranas; the five elements starting from space etc.; along with the discriminative intellect etc. and also ignorance, desire and action constitute the subtle body. This subtle body also called as the Linga sareera, produced from the subtle elements is possessed of the inclinations (Vasanas) and it causes the individual to experience the fruits of his past actions. Vasanas are subtle impulses and tendencies deep in our personality that determine the emotional and intellectual profile in us. Its subtle expression is our ‘desire’ in our intellect. Vasanas are the foot prints of past thoughts and actions left in the personality. Vasanas create thoughts similar to the very thoughts that created them which, flowing out from us, prompt our endless activities. Vasana is often found translated as ‘desire’ although Vasana is the very seed from which a desire springs forth. All the Vasana-s put together in an individual, constitutes his causal body- that which determines the nature and quality of that individual’s subtle and gross bodies. Swami Chinmayananda says that the total Vasanas of all living creatures become ‘Maya’ and Supreme Self expressed through ‘Maya’ is Eswara, who is the very power behind creation, sustenance and destruction in the cosmos.
*2Dream is the state of Consciousness when the self functions exclusively through the subtle body. Acharya Shankara says that it is the mind recognizing its own agitations at a time when the discriminating intellect is partially doped with fatigue and sleep. What we see in our dreams is the expression of the latent impressions (Vasanas), gathered by suppressions during our waking condition and the vivid experiences lived by us.
*2The Prana along with the five organs- of- action, constitutes the vital air sheath, pervaded by which the food-sheath (physical gross body), performs all its activities as though it were living. The Pranamaya-kosa is a modification of air. As long as it is in the body, all the activities of body go on. But once it leaves the body, all the activities of the body stop.
“ Yavat pawano nivasati dehe, tavat pruchhati kusalam gehe
Gatavati vayu deha paye, Bharya bhibhyati tasmin kaye” (Bhajagovindam)
When all the air,(Pranas), stay in the body, every one enquires about our welfare, but once air leaves the body even wife is afraid of the corpse. Since pranamaya kosa- vital air sheath is a modification of air and has the quality of coming in and going out, it can not be Atman, the eternal, Omniscient, Omnipotent Self.
*2 The organs of perception along with the mind form the mental sheath, manomaya-kosa, which is the sole cause for the “I” and “Mine” diversity of things. It has the faculty of creating difference of names etc. and is powerful. It pervades the vital air-sheath; preceding it. Shankara describes beautifully the nature of mind in Vivekachoodamani.
“Mano nama maha vyaghro vishayaranyabhumishu
Charatya atra na gacthanui sadhavo ye mumukshuvah:” (Stanza 176.)
“A huge tiger called “mind” prowls in the thick jungles of sense- pleasures. Let not those virtuous people who have a deep aspiration for liberation ever wander therein.” The mind is an instrument provided by the Lord. By its very nature, it must continuously run out to the sense objects. To cleanse the mind of all its sensuousness is impossible. Even Bhagavan Sri Krishna tells Arjuna in Bhagavad Gita “Doubtless, the mind is fickle and difficult to control. But by practice and detachment, it may be held in check. (St.35, 6thCh. Of Bhagavad Gita)
Mind can function only in the field of Time, Space and causality. As per the latest scientific phenomena, Time and Space are concepts relative and ever changing. Hence it can be easily said that Manomaya-kosa, can not be Self, the eternal. The mental sheath is subject to modifications; pain and suffering characterize it and it is an object of cognition. The subject ‘I’ is different from the object of cognition. The awareness that makes it possible for the individual to perceive and know the outer world of objects and inner world of ideas is the Supreme reality, unborn, all pervading and ever the same.
*2The intellect with its modifications along with the organs of perception forms the intellectual- sheath (Vignanamaya-kosa). It has the characteristics of the “the agent”, which is the cause for transmigration. Consciousness reflected in the intellect is intelligence, just as the electricity reflected in the bulb is light. The mighty power of Eternal Consciousness, God, which is the spark of life in every one of us, is not confined within. It is present everywhere at all times. This consciousness playing in the pools of thought is the individual, in whom it generates the doer-ship idea. It is without beginning, is of the nature of ego and is called ‘Jeeva’. It performs good and evil actions according to its previous vasanas, and experiences their results. It comes and goes, up and down, taking birth in various bodies. It is subject to change, it is inert and insentient, is limited and an object of the senses. A mortal perishable thing can not be said to be immortal, imperishable Atman. The atman, which is Knowledge Absolute, shines within Pranamaya kosa, in the heart. Though it is immutable, it becomes the doer and the experiencer because of its superimposition.
The Anandamaya-kosa, the bliss sheath is in close proximity with Atman, which is Bliss absolute. Pleasure, happiness etc. are its attributes. It manifests when an object agreeable to it presents itself. When the fruits of good actions manifest, the fortunate enjoys it. Every being derives great joy from it. Anandamaya kosa is a state of ignorance and deep sleep. This forms the causal body for the individual. Shankara says, “The ripples of thought- waves arising out of Tamas in our mind, kiss the reflection of the bliss of Infinitude.” This is the characteristic of the Anandamaya-kosa. This is fully manifest in deep sleep state, while in the dream and waking states it is only partially manifest depending on the sight of the pleasing objects etc. Anandamaya-kosa has attributes which are ever changing. It is a modification of Prakriti; (Nature) created as the result of good actions of the past, and lies embedded in the outer sheaths which are in themselves all modifications. As such this kosa can not be The Supreme Self, Omniscient, Omnipotent and eternal.
When all the five sheaths have been negated through reasoning based upon the scriptural authority and discrimination, the Self is apprehended as being the essence of everlasting bliss, as the indwelling, effulgent Spirit Supreme. The five kosas have apparently arisen from Atman. They have their individual properties and accordingly their definite sets of experiences. However their tragedies and comedies do not belong to the Atman, the Consciousness. This Atman is realized subjectively, deep within the heart, and not objectively as some thing existing somewhere outside.
*2 Atman being the witness of the three states of Consciousness is indeed, something other than the five sheaths. That which knows everything that happens in the waking, dream and deep sleep states, ‘That’ which is aware of the presence or absence of mind and its functions, the essence behind the ego is the Self, Atman. In each one of us, it is this Consciousness alone which knows constantly the world of objects around us, as well as its intellect and its thoughts, nay even the absence of thoughts. The grand knowing principle constantly enlivens us. It is the ‘Self’ we talk of as ‘This’ the subject, not the object.
Atman is described in Kenopanishad as That which can not be seen by eye, but by which the eyes are able to see, ….know that alone as
Brahman, and not this, which people worship here.
Brihadaranyakopanishad III-4,2describes Atman as:
“You can not see that which the witness of vision is; you can not hear that which the hearer of hearing is; you can not think that which the thinker of the thought is; you can not know that which the knower of the knowledge is. This is your ‘Self’ that is within all; everything else but this is perishable.”
*2The sense objects of the world are pleasurable only when they are illumined by the Atman- the life spark- the life. They are pleasurable or painful only when I am alive. If I am dead nothing is pleasurable or painful. A thing in it self has no joy or sadness. The happiness that we seem to gain from the objects outside, is in fact, due to the nature of Atman, the Self, which is happiness it self. The most blissful thing in every one of us is our own Atman, the Self.
*3In Bruhadaranyaka Upanishad, Ch.II.iv.5, Yajnavalkya Maharshi said: “It is not for the sake of husband, that he is loved, but for one’s own sake, (For the sake of one’s own self.) That he is loved. It is not for the sake of wife, my dear, that she is loved, but for one’s own sake that she is loved. It is not for the sake of the sons, that they are loved, but for one’s own sake (of one’s own self), that they are loved. It is not for the sake of wealth, that it is loved, but for one’s own sake that it is loved. It is not for the sake of Brahmana, that he is loved, but for one’s own sake that he is loved. It is not for the sake of Kshatriya, that he is loved, but for one’s own sake that he is loved. It is not for the sake of worlds that they are loved, but for the sake of one’s own sake that they are loved. It is not for the sake of Gods that they are loved, but for one’s own sake they are loved. It is not for the sake of beings that they are loved, but for one’s own sake they are loved. It is not for the sake of all, that all is loved, but for one’s own sake that it is loved. The self, my dear Maitreyi, should be realized- should be heard of, reflected on and meditated upon. By the realization of Self, my dear, through hearing, reflection and meditation, all this is known.”
Yajnavalkya replied to the question of his wife Maitreyi :
(“Sir, if indeed this whole earth full of wealth be mine, shall I be immortal through that?”) In the negative and continued that her life would be just like that of people who have plenty of things, but there is no hope of immortality through wealth.
Gaudapada suggested three stage of spiritual development:
1) To hear, reflect, and meditate upon the scriptural contents under the guidance of a master
2) Enters the area of highest meditation to establish in the state of Thuriya.
3) The seekers reach the sought; a sense of absolute fulfillment.
Then why all these problems we face every day? This is due to our ignorance of our real nature say the scriptures. Shankara describes this ‘Maya’, the primordial ignorance in a beautiful sloka in Vivekachoodamani.
“Avyaktha namni Paramesa shakthi- anadyavidya trigunatmika para;Karyanumeya sudhiyaiva maya, yaya jagatsarvamidam prasuyate.” (108th stanza)
*2 Nescience(Avidya), or Maya, our primordial ignorance, is also called “Unmanifest” and is the power of the Lord. It is without beginning; it comprises three Gunas, (attributes like, satva, rajas and tamas.) and is superior to their effects. It is to be inferred only by one who has clear intellect, from the effects it produces. It is this avidya that projects the entire universe. One of the powers of Lord Parameswara, Atman, is the power to delude Him. This power is called “the Unmanifest” and is the causal body. This finite, mortal, ever-changing world that we see around us is born out of Maya only. Due to the non-apprehension of Reality, man recognizes the world of objects, emotions and thoughts. When the sense-objects are conducive, the situation is happy. When they are non-conducive, it is miserable. Happiness and misery are the characteristics of the ego and do not belong to the Atman, which is ever- blissful.
Maya is neither existent, nor non-existent, nor both. This avidya, ignorance can not be said to have a separate existence from Atman. Nor can it be said that it exists not. We can not say that the ghost in the post ‘exists. Nor can we say that ‘It exists not’, because we sweat and perspire when we ‘see’ it. All that we can say about ‘Maya’ is that it is a great wonder. It can only be said to be ‘indescribable’, indefinable. (Anirvachaneeya).This Maya when it manifests, becomes intellect. Maya is also called delusion and a delusion can never be explained. Only by realization of the pure, non-dual Brahman, Maya can be destroyed.
Shankara describes about ‘Maya’ in an abstruse language, compressing everything about the world in a capsule formula.
“Maya maya karyam sarvam mahadadi deha paryantam
Asadidam anatma tatvam viddhi tvam marumaruchika kalpam.”
*2 Everything is due to the effect of Maya-from Cosmos to the gross body. Know thou, that these and Maya itself are the not-Self- therefore, they are un-real, like mirages in the desert. All equipments like body, sense-organs, physiological functions, mind, and the ego, (Aham); all modifications like pain and pleasure etc.; and the perceptible world of objects, emotions and thoughts (up to the un-manifest) all are the not-Self (Anatman).
The Atman at all times is indeed blissful. Never is there any sorrow in the Self. Universally, everybody wants joy, but nobody seems to know where exactly the source of happiness is. Hence every one runs after sense-objects. Shankara asks us to pause for a moment and to reflect upon the location of the fountain head of joy. Indeed, the Atman is of the nature of bliss and beatitude. Scriptural declarations, direct experience, tradition and inference clearly say that in deep-sleep, we experience the Bliss of the Atman independent of sense-objects.
The wise man should discriminate between the Self and not-Self, in order to remove the bondage and fear. Then only he can know his own Self to be the Absolute Existence-Knowledge-Bliss, and be happy. This ‘Atman’ although is the Self in every existing thing, assumes the limitations of the intellect and wrongly identifying with this entirely false entity, It considers Itself as something different-like the mud-pots from the mud of which they are made of. Due to Its relationship with the superimpositions, it assumes the characteristics of these superimpositions and seems to act just as the equipments do –like the changeless fire assuming the forms of the iron pieces which it turns red hot.
“Brahmaivedam viswamityeva vani Srouthi bhruthe adharvanishta varista Tasmadethad Brahmamatram hi Viswam Nadhishtanad bhinnataropitasya”
*4Truly, this entire universe is Brahman-this is the declaration of Atharva Veda. Therefore, this universe is Brahman alone, for a superimposition has no existence independent of its substratum. This entire world of names and forms we perceive is nothing but Brahman.
“Viswadharam gaganasadrusam megha varnam subhangam”
Continuing his teaching Shankara says *4 “When the mind and its various modifications-the ego etc. have been totally negated, that which would then remain is ‘THAT’, by which all other things are experienced by the ego during its existence. ‘That’ by which you are able to experience the various emotions and thoughts of the mind and intellect, but which by itself cannot be experienced, That is to be realized. That, which you had never experienced while you were entertaining thoughts and feelings, but because of which you had all your experiences, that is, in fact, your Self who knew them all ‘This’ is to be experienced and known. Come to know that ‘knower’ of everything, the “principle of knowledge” in whose presence all knowledges are rendered possible”.
(260thst.Vivekachoodamani)
“Ekameva sat aneka karanam karanantara nirasakaranam Karyakarana vilakshanam swayam Brahmatatvam asi bhavaya Atmani”
(260thst.Vivekachoodamani)
*2Consciousness, though uniformly one, is the cause for the entire pluralistic phenomenal world. It alone is the material, the efficient and instrumental cause for the universe. The pluralistic world is our own projection which has sprung from our delusion. The substratum for this delusion is the Consciousness without which the delusion itself would have been impossible. Consciousness alone is the cause for the universe of happenings. Shankara advises “Realizing your innermost self, as the witness of the intellect, and its disturbance and ever maintaining the thought, “That I am” shed your identification with the “not-Self.” Eternal, non dual, unbroken knowledge, the witness of intellect etc., neither gross nor subtle, indicated by the term “I” the embodiment of subjective eternal Bliss, is the nature of the Supreme Self.
“Antarjyothih bahirjyothih Pratyagjyothih paratparam
Jyotirjyotih Swayamajyothi Atmajyothih Sivosruham”
Both inside and out, it is self luminous. That is Paramatma, God, and Easwara. ‘I’ am that eternal light. ‘I’ am Siva! All blissful.
“Satyam jnanam anantam Brahma visudddham param swathassiddham
Nityanandaikarasam pratyagbhinnam niramtaram jayathi.”
(225th stanza) Brahman is Existence-Knowledge-Absolute, extremely pure, Transcendental, Self-existing, Eternal, Indivisible Bliss, not essentially different from the individual Jeeva, and with no difference within or without. It is ever victorious.
“Bhranthikalpita jagatkalasrayam swasrayam cha sadasadvilakshanam
Nishkalam nirupamanamruddhimad Brahma tatvam asi
bhavayatmani” (257th st. Vivekachoodamani)
*2That which is the “substratum” for the universe and its various aspects which are all due to delusion, which supports Itself, which is other than the gross and subtle, which has no parts and truly has no comparison- “That Brahman thou Art” …. Meditate on this in your mind.
Shankara advises spiritual seekers to merge the finite ego, the limited individual self in the Supreme self, like the pot-space in the infinite space, by meditating on their identity, (since both are one and the same without an iota of doubt.) and be for ever peaceful.
Shankara says “Right from Brahma to the most insignificant unicellular organism, all conditionings are quite unreal. Therefore, one should realize one’s Self as the only existing principle.”
“Swayam Brahma, swayam Vishnu,swayam Indra, swayam Sivah
Swayam Viswam idam sarvamswasmath anyatenakinchina” (389th st.)
The self is Brahma. The self is Vishnu. The Self is Indra, the Self is Siva; the Self is the entire universe. Indeed nothing exists except Self.
Acharya Shankara himself has given us the quintessence of the Advaita philosophy in half a verse: “That which is described by millions of books, I shall explain in half a verse, Brahman alone is real, the phenomenal world is an illusion; the individual ego is nothing other than Brahman.”
“Brahma satyam jaganmidhya; Jeevo Brahmaiva naparah:”
Shankara advises seekers to always meditate as “ I am that which is the support of all, which is the illuminator of all things, which is of all forms, which is omnipresent, devoid of multiplicity, eternal ,pure, motionless and absolute, indeed, that non-dual Brahman.”
Just as when a pot is broken the pot-space becomes the limitless space, so too when the conditions (Body, mind and intellect) are destroyed, the knower of the Brahman becomes Brahman Itself.
. . .
Notes:
*1 Hymn to Sri Daksinamurthy by Swami Chinmayananda.
*2 Talks on Vivekachoodamani by Swami Chinmayananda.
*3 Bruhadaranyaka Upanishad by Ramakrishna Math,Madras.
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