Spiritual Questions - Part 12 (What does the phrase mean "don't die with your music still in you"?)

Q. What does the phrase mean "don't die with your music still in you"?
A. It is very simple but most difficult. The word music here is related to thoughts, those unfulfilled desires, wants, needs etc. Whenever a person has the music still in the mind while the person dies, that person has to take birth again to fulfill those unfulfilled thoughts which are in the form of unfulfilled desires, wants or needs. So the best way is to dissolve all desires by entering into Silence and Stillness. When the person enters Stillness and be in that Silence, then all thoughts are dissolved and there is no more music in the mind. That person is free from all entanglements, attachments and detachments also. A free person need not take birth again.

Spiritual Questions - Part 11 (What is Love?)

Q. What is Love?
A. The free tendency to expand and become One with everything.

Q. This definition is strange! Why do you say "free tendency to expand"?
A. When you have a tendency to expand with your will, there is ego in it; then it does not expand freely to everything around the whole cosmos. May be it expands to your nearest family members, may be pets, may be to some extent to friends - but not beyond that. Where as when it happens freely without any will, then it expands to the whole cosmos. Then, that is called as Love.

Q. When you mean to the whole cosmos, what do your really mean in that?
A. It means everything. It includes trees, shrubs, all types of animals, flowers, mountains, rocks, planets, galaxies, everything animate and inanimate; seen and unseen; perceived and unperceived, felt and unfelt.

Q. How to sense and experience such kind of love?
A. It is very simple. Just let go everything, even the I also. Just go beyond the mind also. Then it just flows. Flows like a perennial river, expands and engulfs like an ocean.

Q. What happens when such a thing happens, I mean when that Love is experienced?
A. May be in slang, I would call it as you are on the 9th Cloud always (not the general excited state) where others does not even know and they sense only a smile on your face or may be not that also. It is soft like a cotton cushion and as hard as a coir mattress. It is very peaceful, calm, serene, still and silent.

Q. I heard that sometimes it is very difficult to stay with an awakened person. Why is it so?
A. Actually it is not difficult. If there is no ego, then it is the most easiest way to stay with such a person. If ego enters, then there will not be any recognition or entertainment for that ego, that is when it becomes difficult to stay. It is as simple as that. With an awakened person you will be able to see your true nature very clearly. And, there will be no ego boosters from that person. So, either you (actually your ego) are crushed literally (because it is completely ignored without the knowledge of that awakened person) or you are loved (your True nature as Spirit) infinitely. For any normal person these ups and downs are too traumatic, that is when it becomes difficult to stay with an awakened person.

Spiritual questions - Part 10 (What is mumukshatva?)

Q. What is mumukshatva (ममुक्षत्व)?

A. Mumukshatva (मुमुक्षत्व) means yearning desire for liberation. It is the one desire beyond all desires.

Q. Why is it desire beyond all desires?

A. First and foremost it is not a desire. It is a zeal for liberation. The individual who wants to get liberated or attain absolute freedom will work in a complete different way. In the beginning that individual starts to have a desire for liberation and tries to forego every other desire trying to be with the bare necessities of the body and if so with the bare necessities of the society. As the individual progresses, he/she will try to analyze every situation and reacts accordingly. Then over a period of time, that individual will stop analyzing and just acts in the situation instead of reacting to the situation. Later when the individual is all by himself/herself, he/she will question "why this situation has come?", "what made me to attract such a situation?" He/she will understand that whatever is happening is preordained and since everything is preordained he/she surrenders to the situation and just only acts according to the situation. In fact his/her body will act, being he/she as only an observer of the whole situation. Later the individual  will get to a state where, a realization comes that "my mind is my karma", "my thought is my karma." Once this state comes, the individual will not have any attachment towards his/her thoughts and will completely stop trying to control the mind. That individual will only observe the thoughts if they rise and over a period of time does even bother about them. That individual will act as the situation demands and will not have any reaction towards any situation.

When there is no reaction to any thought, there is no desire for anything. Hence that individual will not have any attachment towards thoughts. That individual will become effortless and choiceless. When there is no choice, there is only surrender. When there is no effort, Silence prevails all the time, Stillness is ever present. So mumukshatva (मुमुक्षत्व) makes one effortless and choiceless. Because any choice and effort is attachment towards thought, and any attachment towards thought is bondage and it will bind the individual making that individual to go through the wheel of samsara (संसार) again and again.

Q. Why is that we get attached to our thoughts, and how we create bondage out of them?

A. Let us take an example. Let us say an individual works very hard probably 14 hours a day to make a living and helps in rearing the kids, brings up the family and ensures that everyone is happy. Now that individual will expect that his/her family members should have some gratitude towards him and he/she should be rewarded with some kind of  goodness (punyam - पुण्यं) for all the hardwork that he/she has put forth for so many years. This kind of expectancy in us creates a bondage towards our work and forces us to enter into the wheel of samsara again and again to reap those benefits. Remember, good or bad, both are thoughts and both will create bondage. So every thought that we desire for, will eventually happen based upon the strength of attachment that we have towards that thought. More the attachment towards the thought more the bondage, more the identity and more the suffering. In fact we get so much attached to our thoughts, that we start identifying with them and call ourselves with various names based upon the continuation of that thought process. Some call themselves as psychologists, while some call themselves as psychiatrists, doctors, chemists, pharmacists, technicians, engineers, drillers, singers, musicians, composers, programmers, spiritual persons ..... so on and so forth, what not with so many names. Every name is an identification and every identity will become a bondage the moment we get attached to it and every bondage will bind us to the wheel of samsara and will make us to enter into the birth-and-death cycle. So a jnani (झानि) will let go every thought by surrendering to the moment and jumps out of the wheel of samsara. A jnani (झानि) will realize that any expectancy is going to create bondage and he/she will become choiceless. Because expecting anything is also a choice.

Q. So, do you mean to say we all should become choiceless and effortless?

A. In a way yes. But even if we do not become choiceless and effortless, we will be forced by cosmos to become so. It is better if we accept it out of our free will what the fact is. Because, the sooner we accept it, the lesser the suffering. And, the fact is that we have created this body and we only have created the situations. That is why it is all preordained. So, if have to not to create any more situations like this, we have to become choiceless and effortless. Then what ever has to happen in this life with the present body, it will surely happen and since there are no more choices and efforts we are out of the wheel of samsara.

Q. So, do you mean to say we should avoid all sorts of feelings?

A. Most of our feelings are worldly like love (the worldly or conjugal love), hatred, resentment, resilience, etc. Let go all these feelings. Once we enter into Stillness then the true feeling that comes out of that Stillness is pure Love. With that pure Love we can love everything in the cosmos. We will have the same feeling towards our children, our spouse, our friends, animals (a caterpillar, a snake or a scorpion), mountains, rivers, lakes, etc. it does not matter; we will have the same feeling and that feeling is born out of pure Love. so mumukshatva leads us to that pure Love.

Spiritual Questions - Part 9 (What is devotion?)

Q. What is devotion?

A. The non-emotional form of Emotion of True Love is Devotion.

Q. Can you cultivate devotion?

A. No

Q. Why?

A. Because, anything that you try to create or cultivate will be with the I and that will be ego driven. So, in reality it cannot happen. Because, anything that is created based on ego will be emotional in nature and it will bind you to that concept. Devotion is not like that. Devotion has to happen all by itself. Then, how can anything happens all by itself? It is not possible. That means it has to be present already. So, Devotion is the same-thing as Silence which is ever present. Only thing is we should make ourselves aware of that. That is why it is called as non-emotional Emotion of True Love. Because, in Devotion you will love everything unconditionally. Actually you will love your True Self in it. Since your True Self is the One which is present everywhere, you will love everything. Because everything is a projection of that True Self. Anything that is projected is projected as a thought only. That means in reality it does not exist. It is a dream only. When any-thing does not exist, what will exist? Only Nothing-ness exists. So Devotion is that kind of non-emotional Emotion of True Love that reveals that Nothingness. All this happens only in surrender. In fact, in   Devotion lies surrender. In Devotion there is a complete surrender in it. Surrender means nothing. There is no I in it. When there is no I, is there a You? No. Surrender is a state where there is neither I nor You. Just it is. Surrender is the state where everything is happening all by itself. There is not even a process of thinking that whatever is happening is done by Him. It is a state where you may want to say to explain someone "it is happening all by itself", but underneath at the substratum you know that even that is not happening; it is only a projection of mind and it is an illusion. In fact nothing is ever happening. You are in that Nothing-ness state.

So Devotion or surrender is a state of neither I nor You. It is a state of Emptiness. Just it is!

Spiritual Questions - Part 8 (What is ego, etc?)

Q) What is ego?
A) It is the identification with a self created identity.

Q) How is identity created?
A) Identity is created because of attachment towards a thought process.

Q) How to forego the identity?
A) By foregoing the attachment to thought process.

Q) How to forego the attachment to thought process.
A) By entering into Silence.

Q) How to enter into Silence?
A) By letting go the attachment towards all thoughts.

Q) How to let go the attachment towards all thoughts?
A) By becoming effortless and choiceless.

Q) How to become effortless and choiceless.
A) By surrendering.

Q) To whom we have to surrender?
A) We have to surrender to our own Self.

Q) What happens when we surrender to our Self?
A) We become choiceless and effortless.

Q) What happens when we become choiceless and effortless?
A) We will be always peaceful and be in the awareness of Self.

Actually the Awareness Itself will be aware of Awareness.

Annamacharya Kirtana - vADala vADala venTa vADevO vADevO

This kirtana completely explains Sankhya Yoga

Song in Telugu lipi	Transliteration	Spiritual Interpretation
వాడల వాడల వెంట వాడెవో వాడెవో నీడనుండి చీరలమ్మే నేత బేహారీ	vADala vADala venTa vADevO vADevO neeDa nunDi cheeralammE nEta bEhAree	The One which is unmanifested has manifested into many and is Omnipresent. [Avyakta (Purusha)  to Vyakta (Prakruti)]
పంచభూతములనెడి పలువన్నెల నూలు చంచలపు గంజి తోడ చరిసేసి కొంచెపు కండెల నూలి గుణముల నేసి మంచి మంచి చీరలమ్మే మారు బేహారి	pancha bhutamulaneDi paluvanne noolu chanchalapu ganji tODa charisEsi konchepu kanDela nooli guNamula nEsi manchi manchi cheeralammE mAru bEhAri	The unmanifested has manifested by dividing itself into 5 elements of various natures. Pancha Gnanedriyas, Pancha Karmendriyas, Pancha Mahabhutas and Pancha Tanmatras with the help of Trigunas and the ego.
మటు మాయముల దన మగువ పసిడి నీరు చిటిపొటి యలుకలజిలికించగ కుటిలపు జేతలు కుచ్చులుగ గట్టి పటవాళి చీరలమ్మే బలు బేహారి	maTu mAyamula dana maguva pasiDi neeru chiTi poTi yalukalajilikinchaga kuTilapu jEtalu kuchchuluga gaTTi paTavALi cheeralammE balu bEhAri	The mind considers everything as reality because of illusion and makes so many dreams and aspirations in this Dream (which is nothing but a thought projection of the Purusha). The dream is nothing but Prakruti.
మచ్చిక జీవుల పెద్ద మైల సంతలలోన వెచ్చపు కర్మ ధనము విలువ చేసి పచ్చడాలుగా గుట్టి బలు వేంకటపతి ఇచ్చకొలదులనమ్మే ఇంటి బేహారి	machchika jeevula pedda maila santala lOna vechchapu karma dhanamu viluva chEsi pachchDAluga guTTi balu vEnkaTapati ichchakoladula nammE inTi bEhAri	By creating more and more dreams man enters into the cycle of karma and accumulates karma. Finally he surrenders to the Lord Venkatapati [(vem = illusion of desire / sin / paapam); kata = to cut; pati = husband / the One who has created this = Purusha] and after overcoming the karma he enters back into the house of Purusha or enters the state of Avyakta.

Spiritual Questions - Part 7 (Why one gets bored on Spiritual path after some time?)

Q. Why one gets bored on Spiritual path after some time?
A. Because there is nothing encouraging for the mind. There will be no entertainment for the mind. Since mind does not find anything exciting, it gets bored. It will give the feeling of boredom so that the individual will try to search or look for something that is more exciting and entertaining. The height of boredom will be the death of the mind. The death of the mind will be the death of the ego. This is what it means, what the saints say it as - die before you really die. The death of the ego is the real death. The physical death is not death at all. It is only a transformation from one form to another. The ego continues to live even after the physical death or transformation of the body. It is the ego which gives rise to re-birth. There is a small catch here. The mind can play many tricks. One of the trick that mind plays while in meditation is sleep. The aspirant can feel sleepy after some time, when mind does get some rest or when it gets bored. Sri Ramana Maharshi used to say, "observe even while you are sleeping or just before going to sleep. Who is that actually going to sleep?"  In short it's a mind game, so just ignore it. Ignore the mind which says that and ignore the boredom also. Just keep practicing whatever you are practicing without anticipating any thing.

Q. Why should I opt for spiritual path?
A. Hmmm....... pretty difficult question to answer.

Q. Why is it difficult to answer?
A. Because, there is nothing you can gain on spiritual path. You will lose everything, including your identity. This loss is not at all physical or materialistic. The loss is only related to the causal. All the causes are lost. When there is no cause, then there is no effect. So, if someone has to show you that spiritual path is very exciting, then they will tell you only the part of the journey and not the end of the journey. Because, at the end of the journey there is nothing you gain. Of course the journey could be exciting, and it will be exciting as long as the mind exists. Once the mind is gone or the attachment towards the thoughts is gone, then there is nothing. In fact what remains is nothingness. The nothingness cannot be expressed. Since it cannot be expressed, others who are attached to thoughts will get bored. And, how can you ask an individual to opt for   spiritual path? When you tell the Truth that there is nothing what will you say? You have to tell the individual to opt for nothingness on the spiritual path. And, how will you say that to an individual who is so much attached to his/her thoughts?

Q.People say that one get powers on the spiritual path, how far it is true?
A. Anything which is manifested is impermanent, temporary and will perish in time. So, all the powers that one get or obtain on the spiritual path are impermanent, temporary and they will perish in time. In fact an aspirant should not show even an iota of interest on to such things.

Q. What about service to others? Don't you think it is necessary?
A. There are two ways of looking at this point.

1. When you say I do service to people - then you feel that you are different from that individual and hence get into an egoistic state - saying that "I have done this and that." Such things will not do any good. Instead they will spoil you further.

2. When you feel that you are not different from others, in fact you are the same spirit as the others, then there is no service. By talking to other person, you are talking to your own self in others. By giving food to others, you are giving food to your own self present in others.
This you will say as - "I am existing here in this body in the same way as in that body also."

Q. What is advaita vedanta (अद्वैत वेदान्त)
A. Both the words have same meaning and both mean One.

Q. Can you elaborate?
A. Advaita means non-duality. It means there is no two. So, when there is no two, there is no three also. Hence there is only one.

Vedaanta (वेद + अन्त) means - the end of knowledge. Now, where knowledge ends, there the mind stops. Where the mind stop its existence, there - there is nothingness. Where there is nothingness, there is no duality. Where there is no duality, there it is only One that is present.

Q. Is it good to follow, and is it the right path for everyone?
A. It all depends upon the conditional thinking of the individual. Initially it may be pretty difficult for anyone to come on to this path, but eventually one has to come to this path of advaita or non-duality, for it is not a path, it is the Truth.

Sāṅkhya yoga (साङ्ख़्य योग)

Sāṅkhya yoga (साङ्ख़्य योग)

Given below the flow chart of sāṅkhya yoga for easy understanding.

For pdf file of the above flowchart please click here

Explanation:

The ONE which is ever present is called as Purusha which is Universal Awareness and Universal Consciousness. This is the unmanifested form of the Universe. This when gets expressed into manifested form is called as Prakruti which will have limited consciousness and hence called as unconscious. (The word consciousness here should not be considered as the word that we use in general forms that of related to mind.)

The Prakruti gets expressed into the Cosmos that we perceive and see. For this Prakruti to get expressed in various forms, it splits into three characteristics called as Triguna - Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas. While the Rajas characteristic takes care of activity, the Tamas characteristic takes care of the inertia. The Sattwa characteristic takes care of the equilibrium of activity and inertia. What ever we see, perceive and experience in this cosmos is a combination or recombination of these three characteristics.

While the three characteristics makes the framework for the manifestation of the cosmos, it is further manifested into 23 elements. The first is the Mahat tattwa which forms the basis for the Buddhi or Cosmic Intelligence. The Buddhi gives rise to Ahankara. Ahankara with the help of Sattwa characteristic expresses into the subtle substance of thoughts called as Mind, 5 organs of perception called Jnanendriyas, 5 organs of action called Karmendriyas. The same Ahankara with the help of Tamas characteristic expresses into the 5 gross elements called Pancha Bhutas and 5 subtle elements called Pancha Tanmatras. The Rajas characteristic provides energy for the evolution and existence of these 21 elements.

Since the most subtle part of these 21 elements is mind, the Saints advice to quieten the mind and prescribe various methods of practices. While the Yama, Niyama, Asana methods of practice reduce the effect of Rajas characteristic; the Pranayama, Pratyahara reduces the effect of Tamas Characteristc and makes the aspirant to look into its mind through Dharana. During the Dhyana the mind is perceived as something else. And, during Samadhi the mind is treated as nothing but a bundle of thoughts and is just a wave which is part of the ocean, hence is completely ignored. This rises to Atma Jnana where the aspirant (henceforth called as Spirit) clearly realizes that It (He/She) is not only different from Prakruti and also a part of it which was its temporary existence and is beyond the three characteristics or Triguna and goes beyond duality. Then Once the Spirit completely realizes the transitoriness and the impermanence of the manifested cosmos as only an expression of the Purusha or Unmanifested, It merges into That - rather is constantly in that Universal Awareness.

Spiritual Questions - Part 6 (Birth of Vinaayaka)

Q. In the Vinaayakotpatti - Birth of Vinaayaka: I feel that there is completely an esoteric meaning and it goes like this. If we consider Parvati as Prakruti and Shiva as Purusha, then Vinayaka who is made by Parvati/Prakruti will not recognize Shiva/Purusha which could be the ego and Shiva removes that head - ego of Vinayaka and gives him the head of Elephant. What do you say?

A. Your thought process is on the right track. Let us slightly go into it in a more detailed way.

The story goes as follows:
Parvati makes an idol with flour/mud (actually from the dirt of her own body) and puts life into it. After placing life into it, She keeps the idol on guard and tells him to not let any one in and She goes to have a bath to get ready to greet Shiva.

When Shiva comes and tries to enter Kailasa (His abode), He is not allowed inside by Vinaayaka and out of anger He slews the head of Vinaayaka and after persuasion of Parvati, He bestows the head of an Elephant (which is the head of Gajaasura).

Now let us look into the meanings of these names.
vinAyaka (विनायक) = one of the meanings is remover
but when we look at the same word as an adjective the various meanings are = removing, impediment, obstacle
Parvati (पार्वती) = of Parvata or of mountain
Shiva (शिवा) = Final emancipation
kailaasa (कैलास) = particular form of temple

Now let us look into the esoteric meaning behind this story.
Consider Paarvati as prakruti or nature as you said. So the nature creates an image Vinaayaka (by the help of Trigunas) and tells it to guard so that unwanted elements are prevented to enter its abode. Considering Vinaayaka as ego, ego does not realize that Shiva is not an unwanted element but is the Master of Prakruti (husband of Paarvati) and He (Bliss) is the One which Paarvati/Prakruti (in this case the aspiratnt) is always waiting for so that She gets emancipated.

So, when a human being is born - it is the ego that rules the human being and thinking that he is the one who can stop everyone entering into its mind, he stops the thought of emancipation also because of the ignorance and gives high importance to the external nature there by he makes merry only with the nature. To get emancipated the ego has to be removed and by getting the elephant face one's perception of the nature completely changes. Let us look into this incident also. The elephant face is not the real face of Vinaayaka. When we reverse the word gaja (गज), we get jaga (जग) which means world. So, the elephant face tells us about the temporariness of this world.

So, in the vinaaykotpatti (विनायकोत्पत्ति) we have to understand that the world is temporary and should not listen to the external nature completely. We have to overcome all kinds of external nature's influence on our mind which have become as impediments from attaining liberation and let in the zeal for emancipation or mumukshtvam (मुमुक्षत्वं)- the yearning zeal for liberation so that we attain final emancipation.

An aspirant understands the transitoriness of the external world goes within and after performing intense saadhana awakens Kundalini in a highly regulated manner and goes beyond the avasthatraya (the trifold nature of the world) and finally gets emancipated. This is the esoteric meaning of birth of Vinaayaka.

After getting the elephant face Vinaayaka He is called as Gajaanana (गजानन) and after obtaining ganaadhipatyam (गणाधिपत्यं) He becomes Ganapati (गणपति). We can learn more about Ganapati in Ganapati Upanishat which clearly says, Ganapati is the one who abodes the coccygeal center or the moolaadhaara chakra and when an aspirant follows the yogic method how Ganapati becomes everything, in turn how a human being can attain liberation.

Some day we will look into Ganapati Upanishat also.

Ganapati Upanishat - गणपति उपनिषत

गणपति उपनिषत (गणपत्युपनिषत)

यं नत्वा मुनयः सर्वे निर्विघ्नं यान्ति तत्पदं ।
गनेशोपनिषद्वेद्यं तद्ब्रह्मैवास्मि सर्वगं ।।

ॐ  भद्रं कर्णेभिः श्रुणुयाम देवाः । भद्रं पश्येमाक्षभिर्यजत्रा: ।
स्थिरैरन्गैस्तुष्टुवा  सस्तानूभिरव्यशेम देवहितं यदायु: ।।

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ।।

Spiritual Questions - Part 5 (What is stillness and doing nothing mean?)

Q. When I went to a certain temple, it draws me irresistibly...like a magnet. What does it mean or what does it tell me?
A. The one that stays only for a brief time because of some external object is not Truth. The one that stays permanently is only the Truth.

Q. How to overcome the veil to go into stillness?
A. Just do nothing.

Q. What do you mean, by doing nothing?
A. Just do no-thing. No thoughts, no emotions, no vibrations, just observe. Then automatically you will be in stillness.

Q. Is God satchidananda or stillness?
A. It is both and not also.

Q. How come so?
A. When you say God as stillness, yes He is that. When you say God as satchidaananda, He is that too.

Q. Then why do you say, He is not also?
A. Because the Truth is beyond the stillness and satchidaananda. One of the expressions of God is stillness and one of the expressions is satchidaananda also. Now when you are in satchidaananda or in stillness, how are you able to sense that you are in that state?

Q. I don't know.
A. You will not know when you are in that state. You will be able to know only when you come out of that state. In reality the Truth is that awareness that by which you are able to undergo through the experience of stillness or satchidaananda. And, that awareness is telling you that you are undergoing such and such experience. Hence, it is only the awareness that exists, nothing else. There is no experience, experiencer and the object that is being experienced.

Spiritual Questions - Part 4 (Difference between Purusha and Prakriti)

Q. Three doesn't have mrityu (मृत्यु) or damage - naasha (नाश); 1. Purusha (पुरुष), 2. Prakruti (प्रकृति),  3. Gnana (ज्ञान); and when the Purusha and Prakruti combines, it forms Gnana. Is it correct?

A. No

Q. Why?

A. You have to understand what Purusha means. Can you say what Purusha means?

Q. Not exactly.

A. Well, if you look into Purusha Suktam, it clearly explains what Purusha means. ....purusha evedagam sarvam, yat bhootam yaccha bhavyam... Purusha is the One which is everything. It is the one which is present in everything (this is only the implied meaning, not the exact meaning).

Q. So, do you mean to say Purusha is also present in the Prakruti?

A. Yes, there is no presence of Prakruti without Purusha. Purusha and Prakruti are different sides of the same coin. Prakruti cannot exists without Purusha. While Purusha is avyakta swarupa (अव्यक्त स्वरूप); Prakruti is vyakta swarupa (व्यक्त स्वरूप). As long as one sees them as different, then it is dvaita and that is duality, then one is said to be in maya (माया). The moment one does not see any difference between them then it is advaita (non-duality), then one is said to have gnana. So your 2nd part of the question of Purusha combining with Prakruti and that being called as Gnana needs to be slightly modified. Because there are no two, so you cannot combine. Only Purusha is present, there is no Prakruti. Prakruti is only an expression of thought of Purusha.

Now coming to the first part of the question. When there are no two, three does not exist. When there is no more than one, there is no mrityu or damage. There is only change that exists or transformation from one thought process to another thought process which is expressed in the form of Prakruti.

The moment one enters into the state of non-duality or advaita, that state is called as gnana. So gnana is only a state. We cannot consider it as a proper noun and say that it doesn't have mrityu or damage. It is only a state of awareness of non-duality. So if only the first part of the question is considered, then it is right. Since three does not exist (because two itself does not exist, so there is no question of three). The one which does not exist cannot have mrityu or damage.

Q. Then what is that which exists?

A. It is that Universal Consciousness that exists. And, because of the veil of maaya we perceive it as Purusha and Prakriti. In reality neither the Purusha nor the Prakruti exists. Both are there only as a thought. When that Universal Consciousness gets projected then we are calling a part of the Universal Consciousness which is yet not expressed as Purusha and a part of that Universal Consciousness which is expressed as Prakruti.

So ignore the vyakta swarupa (manifested form) and go beyond it and when you go beyond the vyakta and enter the avyakta (unmanifested form), then you become that itself. Because you are already that.

Q. How can I become that, when I am already that?

A. You don't become that. You get into that awareness, that you are already that. Tat-tvam-asi (तत्वमसि).

Spiritual Questions - Part 3 (What is nothing-ness?)

Q. What is it like, when there is nothing to do, nothing to seek, no desires, no wants, etc?
A. Then it is being in that Nothing-ness.

Q. When there is no experience of being also?
A. Then it is only existence in that Nothing-ness.

Q. Who exists in Nothing-ness?
A. The One which is ever existent.

Q. The One which is ever existent, can we call that it is existing?
A.



    (Silence. Metaphorically no, Silence is the answer)

Q. How do you feel that the One which is ever existent is existing?
A.





(Silence)

It is not felt. It is only awareness.

Q. Are we truly independent?
A. No we all are completely dependent upon the cosmos.

Q. Are we dependent on the Cosmos?
A. Yes. As far as this five elemental substance is concerned. When one goes beyond that, then that one is not dependent on the Cosmos.

Q. How come so?
A. The whole Cosmos exists only as a expression of thought. Hence, in reality it is only a thought. Thought exists as long as the mind exists. The moment one is beyond mind, then it does not exist.

Metaphysical Interpretation of the Rāmāyaņa

The Rāmāyaņa (श्री रामायण) 

 Rāmāyaņa = Rāmā + āyaņa =  it is the journey that has been walked by Rāmā. The word Rāmā means: ramayate iti rāmaH (रमयते इति रामः) which means the one who is always ever effulgent in Bliss. The word āyaņa means path. It is a path on which one can travel. There is one more meaning of āyaņa and it means advancing. If we look into the characters in the  Rāmāyaņa as only persons, then we cannot learn anything from that except that certain incidents happened in history and we can use it only to tell bed time stories to our children.

The Rāmāyaņa and Mahābhārata are called as itihāsa's (इतिहास) which mean in simple terms as history. If they are just epics of history then what is the use?

If we look at the word itihāsa (इतिहास) the amarakosha (अमरकोश) says itihAsaH purAvR^ittam (इतिहासः पुरावृत्तम्) that means it is related to the events of the past. Now, when we mean past - is it the past which is some years earlier, or some centuries earlier, when is it? To what extent we have to look into the past? Are the Rishis indicating only at the past as a historical events that happened in one's life, or are they indicating somewhere else?

When we go deeper into this, it ends at the origin of the cosmos, i.e., it is very clear that the past in this sense is nothing but age old or sanātana dharma (सनातन धर्म). So, it is nothing but the age old dharma or duty of a soul or consciousness. Here I am forced to use the word soul just because if I don't use the word soul and use only the word consciousness, then readers may not understand it clearly. Hence, request the readers not to misinterpret the soul as some kind of object. Coming to the point,  itihāsa  means - the one which tells about the manifestation (vyakta व्यक्त ) of the consciousness (chaitanayam चैतन्यम्)  from the unmanifested One (avyakta अव्यक्त). So Rāmāyaņa is the journey or the path that is taken by the individual consciousness to merge into the Universal consciousness. Rāmāyaņa depicts that the consciousness can dwell and be in the Bliss and none else and shows us the way that we all can travel so to effuse ourselves with that eternal Bliss and merge into Universal consciousness.

Rāmāyaņa tells us about how the individual consciousness manifests into many forms and how each part of the consciousness that is present in every manifested form is making an attempt to go back and merge into the unmanifested. This is the path of the every drop of ocean that has evaporated from its surface and the path it travels to merge into the ocean.

The three main characters in Rāmāyaņa and their meanings:

1. Rāmā (रामः) = ramayate iti rāmaH (रमयते इति रामः) which means the one who is always ever effulgent in Bliss
2. Sitā (सीता) = spirituous liquor (it is that drink of Nothingness in which Rāmā always dwells in)
3. Hanumān (हनुमान): Life force that connects the Individual Soul with the Universal Soul.

When the aspirant (saadhak साधक) learns Pranayama (प्राणायाम) and understands the control of life-force, then by proper methodology (pranayama technique that allows to still the mind and takes beyond mind) unites Sitā (सीता) with Rāmā (रामः). The whole of  Rāmāyaņa tell us about how an individual by learning life force control can return the consciousness from the manifested world (vyakta व्यक्त) to the unmanifest (avyakta अव्यक्त) or that eternal Nothingness (shunya शून्य).

Spiritual Questions - Part 2 (What is sadhana / practice ?)

Q. What is sadhana / practice?
A. Sadhana / practice is part of the maya (माया = illusion) by / through which one wants to overcome maya.

Q. Can we overcome maya through practice?
A. No it is not possible. Because as long as you are in maya, the thought of overcoming it will be there and it cannot happen. It is something like you are in quicksand and the thought of coming out of quicksand is there, through which  you can never come out of it. Once you are out of the quicksand then there is no thought or purpose of coming out of it.


Q. Do you mean to say that, no practice is required?
A. The thought of practicing some spiritual practices occurs as long as you are in maya. The moment you are out of it, it does not exist. Once you are out of illusion, the thought of practicing does not exist.


Q. I could not understand.
A. In reality maya does not exist. It is only an illusion. It is present in you as only a thought. So how can you overcome the one which does not exist at all. You have to simply overcome the thought - that's all.

Q. How to overcome thought?
A. To overcome thought, you just go beyond thought. To go beyond thought, you ignore every thought and do not give any importance to any of the thoughts. Like a non-entertained guest leaves faster, the unrecognized thought does not stay and does not bother you at all. When there is no thought, there is nothing to overcome and the One which is ever present automatically reveals itself.

Q. Can I call "ignoring thoughts" as a practice?
A. It is up to you.

Q. What happens when thoughts are not there?
A. When ripples are not there in the pond, then one can see one's image very clearly. When thoughts are not there one can see one's True Self.

Q. What happens when one sees one's True Self?
A. Everything dissolves in It. Beyond this there is no explanation. Then only the Silence and Stillness prevails.

Spiritual Vedic Names

http://spiritualvedicnames.com/

Love is a river

Love is a river. Flow with it. Jump into it. Don't take a sip by sitting at the shore, merge into it. Be One with it. Become Love itself. - Ravi
(Inspired by Rumi)

Spiritual Questions - Part1 (What is enlightenment, karma, etc.)

Q. What is enlightenment?
A. Being in the constant awareness of the Truth.

Q. What is awareness?
A. Being in nothing-ness and in the constant of being with the One.

Q. What is being with One mean?
A. It means there is only One and no-thing else.

Q. How to perceive the One?
A. No one can perceive the One. Because perception is still with the mind. When the mind stops, then the awareness of One happens spontaneously.

Q. What is the Truth?
A. The Truth is that there is only One and the rest is all illusion and even the illusion also lies in the Truth.

Q. What happens when any one knows the Truth?
A. No one can know the Truth by mind. It is not a happening. When the mind stops, the awareness of the Truth is revealed like the sun glows once the clouds disappear. The sun is always there. It is only the clouds which make the sun to not to appear. Just because of the clouds we cannot say that the sun is not present.

Q. So how to clear the clouds (thoughts)?
A. Remove the mind that creates the clouds (thoughts).

Q. How to remove the mind?
A. Just ignore every vibration (thought) that gets generated in it. Do not pay any attention towards them. When you ignore the guest, he will go. No guest would like to stay where he is not entertained. So, don't entertain your thoughts. Don't feed them. If you keep feeding them, they will become stronger and stronger and finally make you to think and act as they please.

Q. Now, during the nights I don't see the sun (laughs)?
A. Yeah, it doesn't mean still that sun is not there. It is very much there. The night is ignorance. You are unable to see the sun because your attention is always outside. So instead of always seeing outside, take a 180 degree turn and look within you will able to see the sun.

Q. What is karma?
A. Karma is nothing but conditional thinking.

Q. How to overcome karma?
A. Just by overcoming one's conditional thinking.

Q. Yeah, but how to overcome one's conditional thinking?
A. Stop the thought process.

Q. How to stop the thought process?
A. By ignoring the thought process.

Q. But, ignoring is also a thought process?
A. Ignore the one which is asking you to ignore the whole process.






Q. Ummm.... I am unable to understand.
A. Who is unable to understand?

Q. I can't say. It's like there is no one which ignores the process.
A. Good. Since there is no one which ignores, the one which is present is only the awareness that there is no one to ignore and there is nothing to ignore. Since, there is nothing to ignore there is nothing to recognize. Since, there is nothing to recognize there is nothing to seek. Since, there is nothing to seek there is no-thing and only nothingness is present and is ever existing. So, your seeking of nothingness does not really need to have an agenda (laughs).







Q. It is so still and silent here (gentle smile).
A. Yeah, I know. Enjoy it (blissful smile).

One of the ways to enter into Silence.

Poetry is the first form of expression of that Silence in words. Hence, by reading poetry - especially written by  Self-realized personnel will make us enter into Silence faster. Because, poetry is mostly understood by Heart rather than the mind.

manIshA panchakam मनीषापञ्चकं

मनीषापञ्चकं  
manīśā pancakam
మనీషాపఞ్చకం

For a pdf file of this post please click here.

Introduction

manIShA panchakam was written by Jagadguru Shri Adi Shankaracharya.

Shri Adi Sankaracharya gives a very lucid and straight version of advaita vedanta in five verses called as मनीषा पञ्चकं ; manīśā pancakam. These five verses are placed in such a simple manner that it becomes very difficult for one to understand with the so called mind. But, when one is clear of all thoughts and the mind is perfectly calm like without waves in a pond, then one can see the bottom of the pond provided the water in the pond is crystal clear also. In the same way the reader is requested to purify the mind and keep it still so that the advaita vedanta reveals itself from these verses.

Even though there are only five verses in the मनीषा पञ्चकं ; manīśā pancakam, the  first two verses which are in the question form before the 5 verses that are asked by chAnDAla should not be ignored at all. These two verses are like preparatory exercise for the main marathon of five verses. It is like preparing a lamp with oil and wick so that the lamp can be lit. For a lamp to be lit, we all know how important is the oil and wick; these two verses are like that. To remove darkness from a room, we need not try to remove the darknes step by step, we have to just bring in a lamp into the room, the darkness automatically gets removed. In the same way the ignorance cannot be removed step by step from the mind. One has to bring in the wisdom or the knowledge of advaita vedanta. Immediately after the entry of advaita vedanta, the duality of nature gets removed.

Instead of these two verses in total, one has to look into the words and ponder on them. Each word itself reveals a lot on preparation that is required on the path of advaita. The famous neti (न  na + इति  iti – Not this) doctrine is put forth indirectly in these two verses. The साधना चतुष्टय sAdhana chatushTaya – Four fold Qualifications (विवेकं ; vivekaM-discrimination, वैराग्यं ; vairAgyaM-dispassion, समादी षट्क संपत्ति samAdi ShaTka sampatti (सम  sama – control of mind, दम  dama – control of external sense organs, उपरम /उपरति  uparama/uparati – following one’s duty, तीतीक्ष  titiksha – acceptance of pairs of opposites (heat and cold; pain and pleasure etc., श्रद्धा shraddha – faith in Guru’s words, समाधानं ; samAdhAnam – one pointedness of mind), मुमुक्षत्वं  - yearning desire for liberation) are placed in a very subtle manner, which can be overlooked if we do not concentrate on each word in the verses in a deeper way. (Please refer to tattvabodha for further details).

HISTORY:

It is known that this act happened in the city of Benaras/Kashi during the period of Sri Shankara’s life. It happened in such a way that, one day as Shri Shankara went to river ganges for his daily bath and rituals along with his disciples, and on the way back from the river, as he was walking on the streets, a chAnDAla (literally a dog eater - an outcaste) was walking on the same path in the opposite direction. It is customary in India that whenever a brahmin or an ascetic moves on a path, other people do not walk against his direction; they give way to the brahmin or ascetic to walk first. Now, this chAnDAla has not moved aside; instead, he was also walking in the opposite direction towards Shri Shankara. After seeing this chAnDAla’s movement Shri Shankara addresses chAnDAla to move away by using the words गच्छ , गच्छ  gaccha, gaccha meaning go, go away.

Scribe’s additional Note

It is futile to debate here, that whether the chAnDAla is really a chAnDAla or Lord Shiva himself who came in disguise to remove the ignorance of casteism from Sri Shankara. If chAnDAla is really a chAnDAla, how can he speak in such a high poetic language and that too in Sanskrit? If we see this as a moment that occurred in history some centuries ago, then it does not fetch us anything. However, if we consider that the Cosmos has arranged for this kind of a situation, for us to probe deeper, learn and perceive the Truth so that we make a way for our own Self realization, then only is the situation helpful to us. Here the Cosmos has arranged a situation for us to go deeper and deeper into our mind and later on go beyond the mind. So instead of saying to our mind gaccha, gaccha….for the mind to go outward, let us say gaccha, gaccha…for the mind to go inward and within. Because, when the mind goes within and tries to perceive the chaitanyam - the consciousness present within, then the mind will be trained to perceive the same chaitanayam – the consciousness in the external world and everywhere. When the sAdhak gets to this stage of perceiving the chaitanyam being all pervading and present everywhere, then the sAdhak enters into silence and gets aware of the Stillness which is ever present and is the substratum of the whole Cosmos.

annamayAdannamayam – made up of food. This body and the external world that we perceive is all panchikruta - made up from the food of five elements earth, water, fire, air & ether. Anything that is made up of these five elements is bound to be impermanent and will go away or perish in the time. So, here the Cosmos is telling us in the form of chAnDAla to look into the impermanence of this external world. The one that remains always and is perennial is nothing but chaitanyam or the consciousness which is all pervading.

Now let us look into the conversation between chAnDAla and Sri Shankara. Here Shri Shankara is asking chAnDAla to go away from his path. If we consider these two characters as two individuals, then the conversation may not be completely helpful. Instead, let us consider these two characters as two kinds of conditioning of thought process. We all are taught from our childhood to be pious, religious, to perform good activities, and to avoid bad. Now what is good and bad? We say a particular situation that favors us to be good and a situation that does not favor us to be bad. But is it really so? Because, any situation is just a situation. We only label the situation with either good or bad. If a situation is favorable to us, then it might not be favorable to someone. So, what is a good situation for us is becoming a bad situation for someone. This is the paradox of life. Isn’t it? In this scenario, how can the chAnDAla be bad to a brahmin? Has the chAnDala created any hurdle to the brahmin? No. So, the situation of appearing of a chAnDala in front of a brahmin as a bad situation is only a thought process which has been conditioned by the illusion of duality. It is a perception by which the brahmin has created a situation, and a limitation for himself and his thought process. Hence, in reality there is no good and bad. These are only our perceptions that are creating limitations for our pre-conditioned thought processes. As the chaitanyam is all pervading, God is present both in good and bad. Hence, one has to overcome this illusion of duality. So, in this case the wisdom in the form chAnDala is telling the knowledge, which is in the form of Shri Shankara, that one has to overcome the duality (dvaita) and step into the non-duality (advaita) to understand the Cosmos. Only when, one perceives the chaitnayam being all pervading, then only the ocean of bliss is blessed.

The conversation between chAnDAla and Sri ShankarAchArya:

अन्नमयादन्नमयमथवा चैतन्यमेवचैतन्यात् यतिवर दूरीकर्तुम् वांछसि किम् ब्रूहि गच्छ गच्छेति

annamayAdannamayamathavA chaitanyameva chaitanyAt. yativara dUrikartuM vA~nChasi kiM brUhi gacCha gacCheti..

అన్నమయాదన్నమయమథవా చైతన్యమేవ చైతన్యాత్।

యతివర దూరికర్తుం వాఞ్ఛసి కిం బ్రూహి గచ్ఛ గచ్ఛేతి॥

yativara = O! great ascetic!; kim = whom; vAnChasi = (you) desire to;  gachCha = go (away); brUhi = (by) uttering (asking to) ;   gachCheti = go away, go away;  durI kartum = keep or move away (from my path); annamayaat = this body which is made from food; annamayam = same as yours nourished by food;  athavaa = or else, if not so; chaitanyam = the consciousness (in me);  (eva = it is also the); iva = just like;  chaitanyaat = (same as your) consciousness.

O great ascetic! Please tell me. Whom you desire to move away from your path by uttering the words “go away, go away”? Is it this body, which is made from food to move away from your body, which is also similarly made from food? Or, is it the consciousness, which is present in this body (physical appearance) to move away from the consciousness which is similar to the consciousness present in your body (physical appearance)? Please tell me.

Scribe’s additional Note

This introductory question is the most important one in the manIshApa~nchakaM. Kim = whom, is the question that is being asked. In vedAnta this is called as pari prashna – the question that probes one, so much that, one has to come out of the realm of duality (dvaita) and enter the realm of non-duality (advaita) to answer any such questions. If we are always seeing the difference between our body and the external world, then we are conditioned by that thought process. But, for an instance we come out of that conditioning (conditional thinking – karma) and start observing as an eternal observer and question - is there any difference between me (the internal Intelligence or consciousness) and this external body or world (external Intelligence or consciousness)? Then, at once the thought process comes to a halt and enters into the realm of stillness from where the awareness rises.

It is very natural for us to acquire knowledge. Our inquisitiveness for knowledge will make us to go here and there - to collect, acquire and accumulate. This is one part of the mind which is always saying to go here and to go there…gaccha, gaccha. It says to go to movies, watch TV, go to parties, go here and go there. When this so called inquisitiveness stops and when one stops acquiring this knowledge from the external world and looks within for revelation, then the same knowledge turns into wisdom. That is instead of going outwards…. gaccha, gaccha bAhyaM… we should try to go within….gaccha, gaccha antaraM. While the knowledge or the intellect tells us to go out, it is the wisdom that tells us not to go out, but to go within. Here the knowledge is asking us to go out always, rather than concentrating on God or the Absolute, while the wisdom tell us to go within. The wisdom also tells us that this world is made up of food. Here food literally does not mean only the gross food that one eats. The food here means the objects that are made up of five elements of nature (earth, water, fire, air and ether) and the food that we think, viz., thoughts in our minds. Thoughts are considered to be the subtle food. Because thoughts are the one which make the man. The thoughts when converted into desire (vAncha  वांछसी ) will materialize into the gross world. The food that is there in the mind is getting converted into the food to exist or to get manifest in the external world.

Here in this verse the Guru in the form of chAnDAla is telling us to rise above the realm of physical world and enter the realm of chaitanya or consciousness. When we stop seeing the external world in the gross form and try to see in a subtle way through an elctronic microscope, then we say that everything is made up of subatomic particles and literally there is no difference among any objects. Further when we rise to higher realms of consciousness the discrimination tells us the real Truth of all objects i.e., pratyag vastuni which is further questioned by chAnDAla.

प्रत्यग्वस्तुनि निस्तरन्ग सहजानन्दावबोधाम्बुधौ विप्रोयम् श्वपचोयमित्यपि महान् को यम् विभेद भ्रमःकिम् गंगाम्बुधि बिंबितेम्बर मणौ चंडाल वीधी पयः पूरेवा अन्तरमस्ति कांचनघटी मृत्कुम्भयोर्वांबरे?

pratyagvastuni nistara~NgasahajAnandAvabodhAmbudhau vipro.ayaM shvapacho.ayamityapi mahAnko.ayaM  vibhedhabhramaH . kiM ga~NgAmbuni bimbite.ambaramaNau chANDAlavIthIpayaH pUre vA.antaramasti kA~nchanaghaTImR^itkumbhayorvA.ambare ..

ప్రత్యగ్వస్తుని నిస్తరఙ్గసహజానన్దావబోధామ్బుధౌ
విప్రోఽయం శ్వపచోఽయమిత్యపి మహాన్కోఽయం  విభేధభ్రమః ।
కిం గఙ్గామ్బుని బిమ్బితేఽమ్బరమణౌ చాణ్డాలవీథీపయః
పూరే వాఽన్తరమస్తి కాఞ్చనఘటీమృత్కుమ్భయోర్వాఽమ్బరే ॥

pratyag vastuni = the Truth indwelling in everything; nistaranga = without waves i.e., stillness; ambudhau = ocean; sahaja= natural (which is present always); ananda= Bliss; avabodha = faculty of being resolute in judgment or action; mahaan = Oh Great One!; ko = why; ayam = this; vibhedha = discrimination; bhramah = illusion; ayam = this;  vipro = learned Brahmin;  iti = this; api = that part also; ayam = this;  shwapacho = literally the one who eats dogs, (Shwa.N pacha = dog eat) one who is an outcaste (chanDaala);

gangaa ambudhi = sacred waters of Ganges; payah poore = full of water;  vaa = or; chandaala veedhi = the street in which chanDaala lives or slum area; bimbita = reflected; ambara maNou = the jewel of the sky, i.e., the Sun; antaram = difference; kim = what; asti = exists; vaa = or; kAnchana ghaTI = pot made of gold; mrit kumbha = earthen pot; yoH = who / which; ambare = in the reflected sky; vaa = or; antaram = difference;  kim = what; asti = exists.

Scribe’s additional Note

This is one of the beautiful verses where he is preparing us to understand advaita. This verse is a platform on which we have to build the basis to understand the further verses. This verse is more like a warm up or a preparatory exercise. This is the verse where still waters are being spoken of i.e., to keep the mind still without any thoughts. To have right discrimination so that one can clearly identify the Truth from Untruth. To have a clarity of what is being reflected or being thought of in the mind. To look for the true substance which is present but not be able to see with the naked eye. For example the empty space that is present in a container be that of a golden pot or earthen pot, the empty space is the same. This is where the inclination to see the equality is being taught.

chAnDAla is further asking Shri Shankara. Oh Great One! Please answer me. (There are two ways of looking at this verse).

First one: Oh Great One! You, who has stilled the mind and are always in the ocean of bliss, how can you have the illusion and differentiate between an outcaste and a brahmin? Don’t you know that both are same and the same Truth dwells in everyone and everything?

Another one: When one is in the ocean of bliss through natural stillness, then only one can have the pure discrimination power so that one will not find any difference between an outcaste and a brahmin. Being in stillness, one overcomes the illusion of duality and perceives the One in everything.

Verse meaning

Oh Great One! Please answer me. How can you get into the illusion of difference that the same Truth and natural perennial bliss do not exist in an outcaste and a brahmin, when it is as clear as a reflection of the sun in the still waves of an ocean? What happened to your faculty of judgement?

Also please answer me. Is there any difference between the empty space that exists in a golden pot and an earthen pot? And, is there any difference between the reflection of the sun that is being reflected in the waters of Ganges and in the waters that passes through the slum areas?

Scribe’s additional Note

These two verses are the preparatory exercise for every sAdhak. Because, in these two verses the minimum requirements for a sAdhak have been prescribed. Those are:

1.    To understand the Truth one need to have pure discrimination and stillness of mind.

2.    To have equality so that one should be able to see that there is in reality no difference in any thing and everything.

3.    All the external world is only a reflection of the Absolute.

With this background, now we will enter the realm of advaita vedanta where the manIsha panchakam is being told.

मनीषापञ्चकं  

manīṣāpañcakaṃ
మనీషాపఞ్చకం

Verse 1

जाग्रत्स्वप्न सुषुत्पिषु स्फुटतरा या संविदुज्जृम्भते या ब्रह्मादि पिपीलिकान्त तनुषु प्रोता जगत्साक्षिणी, सैवाहं न च दृश्य वस्त्विति दृढ प्रज्ञापि यस्यास्तिचे च्चण्डालोस्तु स तु द्विजोस्तु गुरुरित्येषा मनीषा मम..1..	jāgratsvapnasuṣuptiṣu sphuṭatarā yā saṃvidujjṛmbhate yā brahmādipipīlikāntatanuṣu protā jagatsākṣiṇī । saivāhaṃ na ca dṛśyavastviti dṛḍhaprajñāpi yasyāsti ce- ccāṇḍālo'stu sa tu dvijo'stu gururityeṣā manīṣā mama ॥ 1॥
జాగ్రత్స్వప్నసుషుప్తిషు స్ఫుటతరా యా సంవిదుజ్జృమ్భతే యా బ్రహ్మాదిపిపీలికాన్తతనుషు ప్రోతా జగత్సాక్షిణీ । సైవాహం న చ దృశ్యవస్త్వితి దృఢప్రజ్ఞాపి యస్యాస్తి చే- చ్చాణ్డాలోఽస్తు స తు ద్విజోఽస్తు గురురిత్యేషా మనీషా మమ ॥ ౧॥ Rearranging the words in lines for easy understanding:
जाग्रत् स्वप्न सुशुप्ति शु स्फुटतरा उज्रुम्भते सम्विद् या प्रोता ब्रह्मादि पिपीलिकान्त तनुषु जगत्साक्षिणी सैवाहं न च दृश्य वस्त्विति अपि दृढ प्रज्ञ अस्ति चेत् अस्तु चान्डालो स तु अस्तु द्विजो मनीषा मम एषा गुरु इति	jāgrat svapna suśupti śu sphuṭatarā ujrumbhate samvid yā protā brahmādi pipīlikānta tanuṣu jagatsākṣiṇī saivāhaṃ na ca dṛśya vastviti api dṛḍha prajña asti cet astu cānḍālo sa tu astu dvijo manīṣā mama eṣā guru iti

jaagrat = wakeful state; swapna = dream state;  sushupti = deep sleep state;  shu = also;  sphuTataraa = that which is very clear; ujjrumbhate = shines in all beings; samvid = consciousness; yaa = the one which; protaa = embedded, indwelling, pervaded by, contained in; brahmaadi = from the Creator onwards; pipIlikAnta = upto the ant, tanu shu = all living bodies and, jagat sAkshiNI = the one who is the witness all worldly activities;  saivAham = he is that I;  na = not; cha = and; drusya = that which is seen (na cha drusya = not be perceived) ; vastviti = this as an object; api = also;  druDha = firm;  praj~na = intelligence; asti chet = it exists as the same;  astu = let it be; chAnDaalo = the outcaste; sa tu = in the same way; astu = let it be; Dwijo = the twice born, learned (Brahmin);  maneesha mama = my prudent reflection; eshaa = this; Guru iti = is the real preceptor.

If one says with firm conviction, that he is the one who is present in all the states of wakefulness, dream and sushupti (deep sleep), and present in all beings and objects beginning from Brahma (the creator) to the tiny ant and who is vibrant as energy consciousness in everything and being witness of the whole cosmos, then this I say with my prudent reflection that, that individual is revered preceptor, be he a twice born (brahmin) or an outcaste. Do not see that person in any other way.

Scribe’s additional Note

This first verse itself is breaking all the shackles of dogmatic rituals. Now, we have to clearly understand the word dwija = twice born. It is foolish and erroneous to say that all those persons who undergo the thread ceremony (upanayana) ritual are twice born. Remember in nature no one and no thing can take re-birth without dying first. So, how can a thread ceremony makes one twice born? This sacred ceremony is a ritual where the person is asked to die before his physical death. That is the ego has to be completely get rid of. When the “i” dies, then that person is ready to perceive the cosmos with pure discrimination and see the Truth in everything and treats with equality every part of the cosmos. That person sees and perceives the same in all the three states of jagrat, swapna & sushupti. That person, the twice born perceives the inherent vibrant energy being existing as a substratum in every thing in the whole cosmos. That person sees himself in everything and every part of the cosmos. Such person becomes indeed none other than the Guru, Preceptor.

Verse 2:

ब्रह्मैवाहमिदं जगच्च सकलं चिन्मात्रविस्तारितं सर्वं चैतदविद्यया त्रिगुणयाशेषं मया कल्पितम् इत्थं यस्य दृढा मतिः सुखतरे नित्ये परे निर्मले चण्डालोस्तु स तु द्विजोस्तु गुरुरित्येषा मनीषा मम ||2||	brahmaivāhamidaṃ jagacca sakalaṃ cinmātravistāritaṃ sarvaṃ caitadavidyayā triguṇayā'śeṣaṃ mayā kalpitam । itthaṃ yasya dṛḍhā matiḥ sukhatare nitye pare nirmale cāṇḍālo'stu sa tu dvijo'stu gururityeṣā manīṣā mama ॥ 2॥
Rearranging the words in lines for easy understanding
ब्रह्म एव अहं इदं जगत् च सकलं चिन्मात्र विस्तारितं सर्वं च एतत् अविद्यया त्रिगुणया शेशं कल्पितं मया यस्य दृउढ मतिः इत्थं नित्ये परे निर्मले सुखतरे अस्तु चाण्डालो स तु अस्तु द्विजो मनीषा मम एषा गुरु इति	brahma eva ahaṃ idaṃ jagat ca sakalaṃ cinmātra vistāritaṃ sarvaṃ ca etat avidyayā triguṇayā śeśaṃ kalpitaṃ mayā yasya dṛuḍha matiḥ itthaṃ nitye pare nirmale sukhatare astu cāṇḍālo sa tu astu dvijo manīṣā mama eṣā guru iti

Brahma = The Brahman; eva = really; Aham = the inner Self or “I”; idam = this; jagat = universe; cha = and;  sakalam = total, whole, everything; chinmaatra = pure intelligence, mere consciousness alone; vistAritam = fully stated and extended; sarvam = completely; cha = and; etat = this;  avidyayaa = ignorance together with non-existence; triguNayaa = set of three characteristics (attributes – sattva, rajas & tamas); sesham = that which remains as; kalpitam = imagined; mayA = by me; yasya = Who so ever,  dhruda matih = with firm conviction (with accurate knowledge and perception); ittham = this way of understanding; nitye = that which is everlasting, permanent, does not undergo any change or modification; pare = that which is other (Supreme or Eternal consciousness); nirmale = pure, stainless, resplendent; sukhatare = bliss; astu = let it be; chAnDaalo = the outcaste; sa tu = in the same way; astu = let it be; Dwijo = the twice born, learned (Brahmin);  maneesha mama = my prudent reflection; eshaa = this; Guru iti = is the real preceptor.

If one says with firm conviction, that he is the one who is present in Brahma as the creator; he is pervaded in the whole cosmos as pure intelligence and consciouness; he who says that he has imagined this world with the three characteristics of sattva, rajas and tamas because of ignorance of the Truth; he who is pure, stainless, resplendent, always in that bliss; then this I say with my prudent reflection that, that individual is revered preceptor, be he a twice born (brahmin) or an outcaste. Do not see that person in any other way.

Scribe’s additional Note

A person who constantly meditates on the Absolute will one day gets awakened. He realizes that all the emotional experiences that are undergone are because of illusion/maya or ignorance of Truth. He understands that this illusion is governed by three characteristics or gunas – sattva, rajas and tamas. Once he overcomes these three gunas and becomes nirguna - guna rahita (not characterless, but beyond characters), his mind becomes pure, stainless and would be able to reflect the Absolute. Then such person will always be in that bliss.

Verse 3

शश्वन्नश्वरमेव विश्वमखिलं निश्चित्य वाचागुरोरः नित्यं ब्रह्म निरन्तरं विमृशता निर्व्याज शान्तात्मना, भूतं भावि च दुष्कृतं प्रदहता संविन्मये पावके प्रारब्धाय समर्पितं स्ववपुरित्येषा मनीषा मम ॥3||	śaśvannaśvarameva viśvamakhilaṃ niścitya vācāguroraḥ nityaṃ brahma nirantaraṃ vimṛśatā nirvyāja śāntātmanā, bhūtaṃ bhāvi ca duṣkṛtaṃ pradahatā saṃvinmaye pāvake prārabdhāya samarpitaṃ svavapurityeṣā manīṣā mama ॥3||
శశ్వన్నశ్వరమేవ విశ్వమఖిలం నిశ్చిత్య వాచాగురోరః నిత్యం బ్రహ్మ నిరన్తరం విమృశతా నిర్వ్యాజ శాన్తాత్మనా, భూతం భావి చ దుష్కృతం ప్రదహతా సంవిన్మయే పావకే ప్రారబ్ధాయ సమర్పితం స్వవపురిత్యేషా మనీషా మమ ॥3|| Rearranging the words in lines for easy understanding
विश्वं अखिलं शश्वत् एव नश्वरं निश्चित्य गुरुः उवाच ब्रह्म नित्यं निरन्तरं विम्रुशता निर्व्याज शान्त आत्मना स्व वपुः समर्पितं प्रारब्धाय दुष्कृतं भूतं भाति च एषा प्रदहता पावके संविन्मये	vishwaM akhilaM shashwat eva nashvaraM nishchitya guruH uvaacha brahma nityaM nirantaraM vimrushataa nirvyaaja shaanta Atmanaa sva vapuH samarpitaM prArabdhaaya duShkR^itaM bhUtaM bhaati cha eShaa pradahataa paavake saMvinmaye

vishwaM = Universe; akhilaM = whole, entire; shashwat = perpetual, endless, permanent;  eva = really;  nashvaraM = perishable, transitory; nishchitya = having determined;  guruH = the Guru, preceptor;  uvaacha = saying, words (vaca gurae vaachaa guro = words of Guru); brahma = Supreme Spirit, Absolute; nityaM = permanent;  nirantaraM = eternally; vimrushataa = carefull analysis; nirvyaaja = pure, sincere; shaanta = peaceful (without any attachments); Atmanaa = you yourself, by yourself; sva = of self; vapuH = body;  samarpitaM = delivered unto; prArabdhaaya = revenue of prArabdha, revenue of the undertaken deeds; duShkR^itaM = wrongly or wickedly done; bhUtaM = of the past; bhaati = pass for (to present and future); cha = and; eShaa =this; pradahataa = burns of; paavake =  fire, shining; saMvinmaye = consisting of that intellect; esha = this; maneesha mama = my prudent reflection.

I say with my prudent reflection and conviction through Guru’s words, that this entire Universe is transitory and only the Brahma or Supreme Spirit is permanent; the human body is delivered unto us as our praarabdha to meditate on that Absolute constantly with a calm and pure mind and after awakening with this fire of self effulgent intellect (wisdom), that individual burns his past and the future karma in that shining fire of knowledge and will just surrender his present body to the praarabdha.

Scribe’s additional Note

As per the ancient scriptures it is said that man is bound by three types of karma or conditional thinking. The first one is called as sanchita karma, which is based upon his past lives. This is the conditional thinking which he has brought from his past lives. This is the conditioning by which some people like certain things and do not like some other things. May be a person lived in India in his previous life may be speaking the Indian languages very well even though that person might be born in USA and might have never heard or written these languages in his present life. It is the same with many of the emotions also. If a person is very angry and is unable to control his anger in his previous life may have more or less the same tendencies in this life. A person who might be interested in yoga in his previous life will continue the same in this life also. The second type of karma is the praarabdha karma. This karma is based upon the deeds that person performed in his previous lives, which made him to obtain his present body. A person who might be an athlete in his previous life will have a strong physique even in this life. A person who might be following all the health restrictions may have a very healthy body in this life. The third type of karma is called as aagaami karma. This is the karma which an individual is going to obtain in future based upon his present & future nature and deeds. Simplest example would be, if any individual over eats, the immediate result would be indigestion. He is bound to fall sick. If any individual irritates someone, he is going to get the repercussions from the individual whom he irritated. If any individual pollutes the environment, he is bound to inhale polluted air. The Nature’s laws are always certain and there will be no deviation in the consequences of Nature.

So, when one meditates on the Absolute and constantly is in the state of awareness of the Absolute, will clear all thoughts in the mind i.e., will not have any attachment towards thoughts. Such individual will merge the mind in the Absolute and becomes one with the Absolute. In Vedanta a simile is given where a doll made of salt went into the ocean to measure the depth of the ocean and not only lost itself, but has become one with the ocean. So, the individual who meditates on the Absolute not only melts and becomes one with the Absolute, but becomes the Absolute itself. For such a person the sanchita and aagaami karma gets burnt and he will be living just to burn his praarabdha karma. He surrenders himself to the Absolute. Such kind of a person has overcome all his conditional thinking from the past and will not be succumbed to any conditional thinking in future. Such a person will act only as per the situation as long as the present body stays alive and may not react in any situation.

Verse 4

या तिर्यङ्नरदेवताभिरहमित्यन्तः स्फुटा गृह्यते यद्भासा हृदयाक्षदेहविषया भान्ति स्वतो चेतनाः, ताम् भास्यैः पिहितार्कमण्डलनिभां स्फूर्तिं सदा भावय न्योगी निर्वृतमानसो हि गुरुरित्येषा मनीषा मम ||4||	yā tiryaṅnaradevatābhirahamityantaḥ sphuṭā gṛhyate yadbhāsā hṛdayākṣadehaviṣayā bhānti svato'cetanāḥ । tāṃ bhāsyaiḥ pihitārkamaṇḍalanibhāṃ sphūrtiṃ sadā bhāvaya- nyogī nirvṛtamānaso hi gururityeṣā manīṣā mama ॥ 4॥
యా తిర్యఙ్నరదేవతాభిరహమిత్యన్తః స్ఫుటా గృహ్యతే యద్భాసా హృదయాక్షదేహవిషయా భాన్తి స్వతోఽచేతనాః । తాం భాస్యైః పిహితార్కమణ్డలనిభాం స్ఫూర్తిం సదా భావయ- న్యోగీ నిర్వృతమానసో హి గురురిత్యేషా మనీషా మమ ॥ ౪॥ Rearranging the words in lines for easy understanding
या स्फुटा गृह्यते अहं इति अन्तः तिर्यङ् नर देवता अभिः यद्भास स्वतो चेतना विशया भान्ति हृदय देह अक्ष ताम् भास्यैः पिहिता अर्कमण्डल निभां स्फूर्तिं योगी निर्वृत सदा भावयन् मानसोहि मनीषा मम एषा गुरु इति	yā sphuṭā gṛhyate ahaṃ iti antaḥ tiryaṅ nara devatā abhiḥ yadbhāsa svato cetanā viśayā bhānti hṛdaya deha akṣa tām bhāsyaiḥ pihitā arkamaṇḍala nibhāṃ sphūrtiṃ yogī nirvṛta sadā bhāvayan mānasohi manīṣā mama eṣā guru iti

yaa = arrive at;  sphuTaa = clear, apparent;  gR^ihyate = perceived; ahaM = as the I; iti = this; antaH = within, inside; tirya~N.h = all animals; nara = human beings; devatA = the gods; abhiH = inclusive of;  yadbhaaasa = with that effulgence or consciousness;  swataH = self;  achetanaa = insentient (jaDa = without any feeling); vishayaa = the sense objects; bhaanti = understood, illuminated by; hR^idaya = the heart; deha = the body; axa = the eyes (here it is all five senses that capture the vishaya);  taam = those (the heart, body, all sense organs); bhaasyaiH = to be brought to light, to be made visible;  pihitaa = concealed, hidden;  arkamaNDala = the sun’s outer layer effulgent with luminous light, sun’s halo;  nibhaaM = similar to that of; sphUrtiM = appearance or display; yogI = yogi, contemplative saint;  nirvR^ita = be accomplished;  sadaa = always; Bhaavayan = present in that state of condition (meditation); maanasohi = always in that mind or consciousness; maneesha mama = my prudent reflection; eshaa = this; Guru iti = is the real preceptor.

I clearly arrive at the perception with my prudent reflection and say with conviction that, the one who sees the ever effulgent consciousness in all animals, human beings and gods; and the one who says that it is by the reflection of this effulgent consciousness that makes all the body, mind and sense organs as sentient even though they are insentient; who says that all the external objects are perceived only through this consciousness, which is hidden as the clouds hide the self-effulgent sun’s halo; the one who meditates always on that eternal consciousness and is always in that state of stillness, that great one is the Guru, preceptor.

Scribe’s additional note

The heart, body, mind and senses are in reality insentient. But we perceive them as sentient. So, what is that, which is present in them to appear them as sentient? It is the self effulgent consciousness which is actually making them to appear sentient. So, this self effulgent consciousness is present as substratum in all these and creating an illusion that all these are sentient. It is like when we watch a movie on a screen we see various colorful shadows created by the reel through which the light is passed through. In reality all these shadows or the casting/movie that we see on the screen is not real. Only the light is real. This self effulgent consciousness is shadowed by the mAya as the clouds hide the sun’s halo.

We can see all the objects in the world in a broad day light even if the sun is covered by the clouds. Does it mean that the sun is not present when the clouds cover the sun? No. There is another simile to understand it easily. When we see the full moon in the night we say that the moon is so good and the moon light is making us to see all the objects in the night also. But in reality moon is not self-luminance. What we see the moon is actually the reflection of the sun’s light which is falling on the moon. In the same way this whole world is only a reflection of that self effulgent consciousness as the substratum.

While we watch a movie we undergo through many emotions as similar to that of the emotions that are projected on the screen. Now let us say instead of watching the movie on the screen if we take 180^o turn and see the light coming from the booth/projector, we will not be undergoing any emotions; instead, we will be so peaceful without any thoughts/emotions. Suddenly the illusion of the movie is gone from us. In the same way the one who sees, perceives and always be in the awareness of that self effulgent consciousness i.e., always meditating on that self effulgent consciousness is always peaceful to the brim, completely fulfilled, contented, self-satisfied, without any desires (no thoughts – in a perfect stillness) and full of bliss. Such an individual is none other than a Guru, preceptor.

Verse 5

यत्सौख्याम्बुधि लेशलेशत इमे शक्रादयो निर्वृता यच्चित्ते नितरां प्रशान्तकलने लब्ध्वा मुनिर्निर्वृतः यस्मिन्नित्य सुखाम्बुधौ गलितधीर्ब्रह्मैव न ब्रह्मविद् यः कश्चित्स सुरेन्द्रवन्दितपदो नूनं मनीषा मम ॥5||	yatsaukhyāmbudhileśaleśata ime śakrādayo nirvṛtā yaccitte nitarāṃ praśāntakalane labdhvā munirnirvṛtaḥ । yasminnityasukhāmbudhau galitadhīrbrahmaiva na brahmavid yaḥ kaścitsa surendravanditapado nūnaṃ manīṣā mama ॥ 5॥
యత్సౌఖ్యామ్బుధి లేశలేశత ఇమే శక్రాదయో నిర్వృతా యచ్చిత్తే నితరాం ప్రశాన్తకలనే లబ్ధ్వా మునిర్నిర్వృతః యస్మిన్నిత్య సుఖామ్బుధౌ గలితధీర్బ్రహ్మైవ న బ్రహ్మవిద్ యః కశ్చిత్స సురేన్ద్రవన్దితపదో నూనం మనీషా మమ ॥5|| Rearranging the words in lines for easy understanding
यत् अम्बुधि सौख्य लेश लेशत इमे निर्वृता शक्रादयो प्रशान्त कलने चित्ते यत् न इतरां मुनिः लब्ध्वा निर्वृतः यस्मिन् धी नित्य गलित अम्बुधौ सुख न ब्रह्मविद् ब्रह्मैव स यः कश्चित् पदो वन्दित सुरेन्द्र नूनं मनीषा मम	yat ambudhi saukhya leśa leśata ime nirvṛtā śakrādayo praśānta kalane citte yat na itarāṃ muniḥ labdhvā nirvṛtaḥ yasmin dhī nitya galita ambudhau sukha na brahmavid brahmaiva sa yaḥ kaścit pado vandita surendra nūnaṃ manīṣā mama

yat = that (The Self – Brahman);  ambudhi = ocean;  saukhya = supreme bliss; lesha leshata = even the smallest of the smallest portion; ime = this; nirvR^itaa = be accomplished, become; shakraadayo = Surendra (Indra) and other gods; prashaanta = composed, indifferent, peaceful; kalane = state of being fulfilled with;  chitte = consciouness;  yat = that; na itaraaM = not by any other special means; muniH = the munis or sages; labdhvaa = having received such experience, who is in that awareness; nirvR^itaH = being accomplished of fulfillment; Yasmin = whose;  dhI = mind, mental attitude; nitya = always ever permanent; galita = melted in (here it means that, that individual who have overcome all thoughts – mind, who has gone beyond mind, beyond all experiences, whose mind has dissolved in the ocean of bliss, who does not have any identity – ego or I); ambudhau = ocean; suo sukha = eternal bliss; na brahmavid brahmaiva = that is not Brahma, but Brahman itself;  sa = such an individual; yaH kashchit = whosoever; pado = feet (his feet); vandita = worthy to be worshipped of;  surendra = Indra, king of gods; nUnaM = indeed, certainly; maneesha mama = my prudent reflection  

It is my strong conviction that the person who is always in that ocean of eternal bliss is not a mere knower of Brahman, but Brahman itself. Even the minutest portion of that bliss is enough to satisfy the Indra and other gods. By meditating on that Supreme ever effulgent, permanent consciousness with calm mind melted in that ocean of bliss and is always in that awareness, he is completely fulfilled. Whosoever that individual, his feet are fit to be worshipped even by the lord of kings Indra himself. This is my prudent reflection and conviction.

Scribe’s additional note

An individual who has overcome every kind of conditional thinking is free from all kinds of desires. Such a person need not worry about anyone and anything in life. Such a person is full of Love, kindness and joy. Such a person responds to everyone and everything happening around him, but will not react to anyone or anything. Such a person is always in that eternal self effulgent bliss. Such a person is completely fulfilled and self-contented. Even if a minutest portion of that bliss is tasted, then it will satisfy king of gods, Indra himself. That means that joy is far more than billions of billions of happiness experienced together.

SURRENDER

दास ते अहम् देह दृष्टचा अस्मि शम्भो जात ते अंश जीव दृष्टचा त्रिदृष्टे सर्वस्या आत्मन्नात्म दृष्टचा त्वम् एवं इति एवम् मे धी निष्चिता सर्व शास्त्रैः

dāsa te aham deha dṛṣṭacā asmi śambho jāta te aṃśa jīva dṛṣṭacā tridṛṣṭe sarvasyā ātmannātma dṛṣṭacā tvam evaṃ iti evam me dhī niṣcitā sarva śāstraiḥ

దాస తే అహమ్ దేహ దృష్టచా అస్మి శమ్భో
జాత తే అంశ జీవ దృష్టచా త్రిదృష్టే
సర్వస్యా ఆత్మన్నాత్మ దృష్టచా త్వమ్
ఏవం ఇతి ఏవమ్ మే ధీ నిష్చితా సర్వ శాస్త్రైః

dAsa = slave; te = your; aham = I; deha = body; dR^iShTachA = dressed in the form of;  asmi = I am;  shambho = O Lord!; jAta = race; te = your; aMsha = part of; jIva = life; dR^iShTachA = dressed in the form of; tridR^iShTe = three eyed one; sarvasyaa = all pervading (within and without); aatmannaatma = soul and non soul related (each and every soul); dR^iShTachA = dressed in the form of; tvam = you; evaM = one and only; iti = this; evam = one and only; me = my; dhI = knowledge, understanding, aware of; niSchitA = definite; sarva = all; SAstraiH = scriptures.

Oh Lord! I am thy servant dressed in the form of this body. Oh three eyed one! I am a part of Yourself dressed in the form of life. Thou art alone who is present in the form of soul within me and without me; inside me, outside of me and in every other soul. I arrive at this conclusion with conviction through the intellect and based upon the authentic knowledge of all scriptures  that Thou Art the Only One.

इति  श्रीमत  शंकर भगवतः कृतौ  मनीष पञ्चकं  सम्पूर्णं  

.. iti shrImacCha~NkarabhagavataH kR^itau manIshApa~nchakaM saMpUrNam..

Thus ends the manIshApa~nchakaM composed by Shri ShankarAchArya

समस्त लोकाः सुखिनोभवन्तु 

samasta lokAH sukhinobhavantu

The scribe Ravi Kiran Muddha would like to confess that the words in the commentary are not of the scribe and have been introduced as it is revealed to the scribe by the Cosmos itself.