manIshA panchakam मनीषापञ्चकं

मनीषापञ्चकं  
manīśā pancakam
మనీషాపఞ్చకం

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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.

What is wisdom?

Wisdom is having the knowledge of that, that there is no knowledge.

Knowledge is something that says to acquire; Wisdom whispers, there is nothing to acquire.
Knowledge is the one that shows duality (dvaita); Wisdom is the one that exhibits non-duality (advaita).
Knowledge is the one which shows many differences; Wisdom is the one that shows there is no difference.
Knowledge is the one that creates waves; Wisdom is the one that merges all the waves into the ocean.
Knowledge is the one that says there are so many things to learn; Wisdom is the one that says everything need to be unlearned.
Knowledge is the one that tells you to react in a situation; while Wisdom is the one that tells you to only act in a situation and not to react at all.
Knowledge is understanding; while Wisdom is realizing it.
Knowledge tries to live in the past or future; while Wisdom lives only in the Present Moment.
Knowledge is like saying an apple is an apple by seeing it; while Wisdom is eating the apple and becoming one with it.
Knowledge is knowing the path; while Wisdom is walking the path.
Knowledge is knowing that there is a path to walk; while Wisdom is knowing that there is no path and everything is a path.
Knowledge is labelling everything; while Wisdom is being with everything and in the awareness of only One-thing or everything.
Knowledge is illusion; while Wisdom is Dis-illusion.
Knowledge is crystallization; while Wisdom is dissolution.
Knowledge tries to identify and seek the Truth expressed in many ways; Wisdom merges into the Truth and is one with it.
Knowledge is the identification of the ego that I am not the Truth and I have to seek the Truth; while Wisdom is Truth itself.
Knowledge and Wisdom are not two opposite words. Knowledge is one of the expressions of Wisdom.

What is God & where is God?

Instead of answering this question directly, we will take a different approach. The approach through the microcosm.

When you look at any object, you say that it is made up of so and so metals or particles. These particles belong to so and so element. When these elements are divided further, then we end up with atoms, protons, neutrons, electrons, mesons.......so on and so on till we reach the lowest particle called quanta. Even the lowest measurable time is also called as quanta and the energy is also called as quanta.. Beyond this any particle cannot be further divided.

Now let us consider many particles of quanta putting together.

Can they be placed together with out any empty space between them?
It is not possible.

So, the one which is present is only empty space. This empty space is the one which is present everywhere and is all pervading. When this empty space dances then the particles are formed and this dance macabre is the whole reason of this physical cosmos that we see. Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda (author of Autobiography of a Yogi) puts it so nicely that Universe is made up of thoughtrons and lifetrons.

The empty space exists as the substratum for everything and no-thing of this whole Cosmos or Universe. Without the empty space no particle and no object can sustain even for quanta of time or for a Planck's time (10^-43 second).

So this empty space which is all pervading, which is present in all the times (past, present and future), which never undergoes any sort of change and which is the sustenance of each and every object can be called as God. So, God is empty-ness, no-thing-ness and can be made aware of only through silence (no-thought). The empty-ness can be as a form or formless, because the form is made from the formless and the formless can manifest into a form. So the form and formless are present only in the form of empty-ness which is the only one that is present. This means that there is no form or formless, there is only one and that is empty-ness. It is the ego which creates an illusion that the empty-ness is present in as a form and formless. Once this identification of ego or i is gone then the awareness of empty-ness happens.

There is also a simili often given in vedanta and Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda in his various lectures; the movie that we see on the screen is actually the shadows created by the light. In reality there are no actors or action being happening there on the screen. The screen is made only to project these shadows, which is nothing but this world. In fact there is no screen also, it is only the light that exists. We get identified ourself with the shadows created in various colours and forms and experience various emotions. But when we take a 180 degree turn and see the light coming from the booth, we can just laugh at the whole situation.

This whole concept will still lie as a concept ........ if one does not get into the awareness of the Truth all by oneself.

When the self merges with the Self (the one-self disappears) and only when the One-Self is perceived all through...... then, such awareness happens.

A Trip to Tiruvannamalai / Arunachalam….

A Trip to Tiruvannamalai / Arunachalam….

Day 0:

Before starting from home I called up my mother-in-law and Swamini Jyotirmayananda to take their blessings for this holy trip. Swamini Jyotirmayananda told aruna = no runa; which means that one can come out of all the clingings or bondages after visiting Arunachalam.  With that blessing started off from Hyderabad in Sabari Express to Katpadi. 

The mind is slowly taking a setback and the chanting of

Arunachala Shiva Arunachala Shiva Arunachala Shiva Arunachala;

Arunachala Shiva Arunachala Shiva Arunachala Shiva Arunachala

 is going on very gently at the background without any effort, completely involuntarily. Due to summer it is very hot and I had to keep a wet cloth on my head to keep myself cool. Spent some time in silence and some time in reading. Slept a bit early to wake up at 2:30am. Got off at Katpadi railway station and moved towards bus stop in an auto. Took the bus to Tiruvannamalai and it started at 4:15am from the bus stand. It took almost 2 ¼ hrs to reach Tiruvannamalai and reached there by 6:30am. Somehow suddenly there was an anxiety in me related to that of a child seeing its father after a very long time. Felt a bit strange. Moved to the place Shiva Sannidhi which is on the opposite side of Ramanasramam where I booked my accommodation.

Day 1:

I started from Shiva Sannidhi and went to Ramanashramam…, had the darshan and moved on to the dining hall and had breakfast of 2 idlis and pongal. After breakfast moved into the meditation hall and sat there for a while and started the Girivalam or the Giripradakshina, the circumambulation of Arunachala Hill. It is a pleasant experience. 

The chanting of

Arunachala Shiva Arunachala Shiva Arunachala Shiva Arunachala;

Arunachala Shiva Arunachala Shiva Arunachala Shiva Arunachala

is constantly going on at the background of mind.

Visited the first of the Ashta Lingams, the Yama Lingam and started moving along the path. After walking for about 9km got a bit tired and as I was not much used for long walks it was pretty tiresome walk across the stretch of 14km of Girivalam or Giri pradakshina. As it was said in many writings over the internet, …………………………. the mind does not function much. The mind takes a setback ……………….. along the path of Girivalam at various instances.

The identification with the body is very very less, …………………………… except for the pain in the body which is felt intermittently and the heat, there wasn’t any thought much. 

The chanting was going on….

Arunachala Shiva Arunachala Shiva Arunachala Shiva Arunachala;

Arunachala Shiva Arunachala Shiva Arunachala Shiva Arunachala

always at the background of the mind.

There is a sense of silence always all through the walking……..even after I entered the busy streets of Tiruvannamali where the Girivalam almost ends………the silence is present as substratum and is felt very clearly. I think it is that awareness of silence which is felt and makes whole Giripradakshina very holy and as a meditation. Visited at the end the Arunachaleshwara Temple also and came back to room, had lunch and slept. Because of the 14km stretch walk I think body got tired and went aloof.

Got up around 2:30pm and set a foot to Ramanashramam to go to Skandashramam. I asked a guy at Ramanashramam……. how to go there? He said it is straight up and questioned, “why are you going in the heat?” I said …… “I just wanted to go”.

I thought it would be too long to go to Skandasramam. The path is well laid with the natural stones from the rock of Arunachal Hill and within 25 minutes I reached skandasramam. And there it is……..the silence is completely prevailing. I sat in the cave for meditation, I thought I would sit for 5 minutes. As I sat, I could not realize that half-an-hour just slipped away. Then took the path downhill which is pretty steep to Virupaksha cave. It is hardly about 7 minutes walk from Skandasramam. Again sat there in silence in Virupaksha cave and there also again time just slipped away. Thought of sitting for 5 minutes but half-an-hour just went aloof. Then it was time for the cave to be closed. So got up and went downhill till the main road at the Arunchaleshwara Temple and then walked down slowly to Shiva Sannidhi.

Day 2:

Got up early and meditated in the room itself. After breakfast started slowly towards Skandasramam. I walked very slowly and rested at various places on the path and sat on small rocks which were laid a bit away from the path.

It is very nice to observe the nature from that place. The shades of the trees, the sunlight passing through between the branches, between the leaves, here and there sometimes lizard moving around making a typical bustle on the fallen dried leaves, wind gently blowing and every where the silence which is embracing the whole atmosphere.

It was anything more than pleasant…......... the whole atmosphere.

As usual mind does not function much. Spent about an hour in the cave at Skandasramam and went downhill to the Virupaksha cave and spent there also an hour in silence.

While coming downhill from Virupaksha cave, met an old man in a small building/hut where he prepared ayurvedic oils and selling them. Two types of oils are being prepared using natural herbs. One is for curing about 100 diseases (but more famous for healing joint pains) which is for both internal & external use and the other one for only external application. His name is Sri Valasitar and his Guru's name is Sri Sadananda Yogi who attained Maha Samadhi in 1993 after living for about 220 years.

The whole Arunachala hill is so much embraced in silence that one can get into the awareness of silence without much effort. I don’t mean to say there will not be any thoughts, but there will not be any clinging towards the thoughts. We don’t remember anything much about the thoughts. The mind does its job of wavering, but the silence also does its job of creating the absolute awareness of the intimacy with the cosmos.

Afternoon, I spent most of the time meditating in the room itself.

Day 3:

Got up a bit early and meditated in the room. Went to Ramanashramam and spent some time in silence. Moved all around the asramam and saw all places. Bid a final adieu. 

Came back to Shiva Sannidhi. Had breakfast and got ready to move to Tirupathi.

Overall it was a trip where No-thing was there and No-thing was felt. It was a Nothing-ness trip. Silence embracing silence.

What is shunya?

This is a conversation between two individuals both existing within. Questioner (Q) and Answerer (A)

Q) What is shunya?

A) Shunya means emptiness. But that is just only a translation of one language into another. In reality if we have to understand emptiness how can we do that. For example.....if there is an empty vessel in front of us and......I say that this vessel is empty.......then one can say, no this is not empty,......there is air in it....In fact the vessel is filled with air which we do not see with our eyes. Then how can we perceive emptiness?

If I can further add up to the confusion, let us just look into the cosmos up there. There are so many stellar bodies around. Planets, stars, comets, meteorites etc. Now between all these stellar bodies there is empty space where there is no air also, which scientists call it as vacuum. So.... can I call that as emptiness?

No.

Q) Why?

A) Because, light travels through vacuum. So there is light which is travelling even in the vacuum. So in reality there is no emptiness up there in the space of the cosmos.

Q) Then what is emptiness?

A) So, by this analogy we can understand that there is no emptiness in this physical or gross world.

Now let us look into the subtle world.

What does the subtle world consists of?

Q) Thoughts.

So, everything is only a thought and nothing else. Our dreams, aspirations, goals etc., are all thoughts in our mind. Or, what we call our mind is nothing but a bundle of thoughts with certain attributes (gunas) like good, bad or neutral. Now, let us look at a situation where there are no thoughts. When there are no thoughts, what is there?......




Just be there...........................a situation.............where there are no thoughts................be in the moment.....



Q) Silence.



That is still a word.



...... situation.............where there are no thoughts....................






Q) One cannot express it.

A) Now that is what shunya is. That is what is emptiness. The one which cannot be expressed. The inexpressible can never be expressed. It is beyond the thoughts, beyond the mind. It is beyond the beyond.

And, I can express my ignorance by stating such a statement that it is inexpressible.

Who is a human being?

Any person being human.

Tattva Bodha by Jagadguru Sri Adishankaracharya

Tattva bodha at a glance (Mind map)

For Tattva Bodha pdf file of above chart please click here

How to understand life?

We cannot understand life.

The understanding that we cannot understand life itself is the understanding. Nature has certain laws and it runs only on those laws. Whoever it might be it does not matter. Everyone has to oblige with nature's laws and it is not easy to understand nature's laws or the laws of the Universe. So, to understand the laws of the Universe, one has to become one with the Universe which simply means one has to forego all the thoughts and be in the state of beyond mind. And, when this being in the state of beyond mind happens then one will not bother about understanding anything or any happening. Whatever happens...one will just observe without any identity.

Mind-thought-world-Nothingness

The mind exists only as long as thoughts exist. The moment there are no thoughts, there is no mind and when there is no mind (no thoughts), then there is no world. So the whole world and all the happenings in the so called world are only the expression of thoughts. The world ceases to exist when thoughts cease. In that emptiness where there are no thoughts the True Existence reveals itself. The Nothing-ness state is the State and that is the True Nature of everyone of us. This Nothing-ness is the Consciousness that prevails as the Substratum of the whole existence.

What is Spirituality?

Bhagawan Ramana Maharshi has put it in four simple words.
Deham (देहं)
naaham (नाहं).
Koham (कोहं)?
Soham (सोहं).

What does it mean?
Deham naaham = I am not this body
then,
koham? = who am I?
soham = I am That

What is Shubhodayam mean?

It is conjugation of two words. Shubha (शुभ)+ udayam (उदयं). Shubha = good or mangalam (मंगलं). Udayam = to rise.When someone wishes or says shubhodayam, then it means let the good or mangalam rise. And, the person who utters also will have a gesture in the form of folded hands nearer to the Heart (not the physical heart) or just a hand touching the Heart. This is a old form of gesture stating that one can be peaceful only when one concentrates on the Heart and not on one's mind or thoughts. This is one way of entering into Silence and wishing the other also to enter into Silence, so that only the Silence prevails (actually awareness of Silence). When the awareness of Silence happens then peace prevails. There is also a Buddhist tradition stating ami tofa  meaning 'let peace be with you'.

What is the use of technique on Spiritual Path?

All techniques on Spiritual path are like vehicles which will lead you till the house on the main road. Once you reach the house, you will leave the vehicle outside and walk alone into the house. Similarly techniques help you to control the mind and once it is done, you leave both the technique and mind; and walk alone in Silence into the house of Stillness. Once you are in the house of Stillness, you know everything, then no one need to tell you anything. You know what the Truth is. No one need to confirm it.

Key to Self Realization

What is the key to Spirituality?

Silence is the key to Stillness
Stillness is the key to Nothingness
Observe the Emptiness &
Be in That Nothingness

Knowledge on Spiritual Path

How much will knowledge help on Spiritual path?
Very much.

How it will help?
Till you forego it.

I could not understand. Can you elaborate it?
By knowledge you mean, the knowledge you gain from the world, from discussions with knowledgeable people, experts, so on; knowledge that you gain by reading scriptures of all sorts of all creeds etc., am I right?

Yes.
It is so much helpful that as a rope is helpful to climb a tree or a wall.

What does that mean?
It is helpful to that extent, that after which you have to leave it or forego it.

How is that so?
All the so called knowledge, whether from scriptures or be it from wise people will help you in giving an indication to the path. They all are pointers and nothing more than that. You have to walk the path alone with your chosen pointer. And, it is unique for each individual. All paths finally merge into Silence. Hence, the final path is the path of Silence and one walks Alone on that path, no Guru no Disciple...Alone...You have to forego every identity, every thought, every concept, all the knowledge that you have gained. Because knowledge itself will become a limitation on that path. Hence you will forego that also. Once you forego everything, beaten so much by everything and fail in everything; then from that failure comes the success. After foregoing everything, you will become aware of the Nothingness which is ever present and that Nothingness will give you everything, because that Nothingness is Everything.

Karma

What is Karma?
Karma is nothing but conditional thinking.

Can you elaborate it?
Let us say you are grown up in a particular religious environment, then your concept of God will be pertaining to the beliefs and the environment in which you have been brought up. A Hindu will think about God as Shiva, Vishnu, Ganapati, Mother Goddess or many other forms in which that person is brought up. In the same way a Christian may think God in terms of Jesus the Christ or Mother Mary; a person brought up in Islam thinks in an other way; like wise each person thinks in a peculiar fashion in which that person is brought up, and that person gets conditioned in this mode of thinking over a period of time and it becomes difficult for that person to come out of this thinking pattern. Hence that person's mind gets conditioned to that kind of thinking. This conditional thinking is not just in the religious matters, but also in all other materialistic matters.

Do you mean to say that, this kind of thinking is not proper?
Not exactly. The thinking pattern in which you think - as long as you are not conditioned by it, then it is ok. If not, then that same thinking pattern becomes your limitation.

I am unable to understand. Can you explain further?
Sure. Let us say there is a wave of the ocean. If the wave thinks that it is completely different from the ocean and gets into a conditional thinking that it is only a wave and not at all a part of the ocean. What will be its status? Miserable. Isn't it? A Wave is having the same characteristics that of the ocean. Only that it is a small part of that vast ocean. So the concept of God of a Hindu, a Christian, or any other is only a part when it is considered and restricted to only one particular aspect of God. However, when you consider that God is Omnipresent and Omniscient, then your conditional thinking about the concept of God will change drastically and you will end up seeing God in everything and everywhere. Now to come to this stage what is that you have done? You have overcome your conditional thinking about God in which you have been brought up.

And, when you come to a stage that you are not even the doer of anything and everything is just happening all by itself, then you will come to a stage called surrender. Then you will understand that there is no karma. Everything, and every happening is just happening and it is there just like that. Even your body is also just a happening in the cosmic drama.

Do you mean to say I can overcome my karma or change my karma by just changing my thinking pattern or my thoughts?
Yes, as simple as that. And, more than that is: when you do not think, then there is no karma.

Actually, it is not the thinking pattern or thoughts that build your karma, it is the attachment towards your thoughts or the identification that you create with your thoughts build your karma.

What is Substratum, Silence & Stillness?

Substratum is the screen without anything (NOTHING). 

Silence is when there is no noise of mind. 

Stillness is the state where there is No thought and no mind state.

For practical purposes, keep watching the screen behind the movie instead of the movie.

What is the meaning of the sloka samudra vasane devi?

Shlokam श्लोकं శ్లోకం:

समुद्रवसने देवि पर्वतस्तनमण्डले ।

विष्णुपत्नि नमस्तुभ्यं पादस्पर्शं क्षमस्वमे ॥

samudravasane devi parvatastanamaṇḍale ।

viṣṇupatni namastubhyaṃ pādasparśaṃ kṣamasvame ॥

సముద్రవసనే దేవి పర్వతస్తనమణ్డలే ।

విష్ణుపత్ని నమస్తుభ్యం పాదస్పర్శం క్షమస్వమే ॥

O! Mother Earth, who has the ocean as clothes and mountains as your bosm, who is the wife of Lord Vishnu, I bow to you. Please forgive me for touching you with my feet. 

This is the meaning which we all know. We will look at it in the impersonified way.

samudra = ocean; vasane = staying; devi = goddess (actual meaning here is the feminine part of the cosmos, i.e., the manifested form of the unmanifested); parvata = mountain; stana = bosom; mandale = space; vishnu = all pervading; patni = wife; (vishnupatni = wife of vishnu - this is how we understand as a person - the meaning turns out as the other half of the vishnu, in the impersonal the meaning would be - the manifested form of the unmanifested); namaha = bow; tubhyam = to you; paada = step; sparsham = touch (paada sparsham means the touch of thought, i.e., going from NOTHING state to Thought state. Because the moment the thought starts, then the duality comes in, the unmanifested becomes manifested); kshamasvame = forgive me (this is one meaning where we understand as a form. The other meaning of this is: kshamasva = king's face; which means the face of the king, that is the manifested form of the unmanifested, considering the king as the unmanifested and the king's face as the manifested.)

Now the whole meaning of the sloka comes out as:
I bow to the manifested One so that every step that I take remind me of the unmanifested One behind this expression of the manifestation and let me be aware of the substratum of this manifestation in every work that I carry out in this manifested world.

What is Brahman?

Brahman = The one which is emanated (not created)

To understand this word, one has to look into the deeper meaning of this.

It is just like an idea that you are thinking not present really but still present. Let us say you are thinking about a beautiful landscape in your mind with green pastures, a creek, river, birds flying around, animals moving here and there, people playing around etc. Now this whole scene is there only as an idea in your mind. It is not there existing outside in gross form. And, if you tell someone - see the beauty of my landscape which is there only as an idea in your mind. People will laugh at you and tell you that you are crazy. They will also say that it is an illusion and it does not exist in reality.

Let us say you have build this idea of beautiful landscape into gross form. Then people will say - oh! here it exists. But you know that it is still only an idea. Because what is existing outside has emanated from within you and in reality does not exist. It is like a spider emanating from it the thread to weave the web. The gross landscape is only a manifested form of the idea that has been emanated from you (your mind). For you - truly speaking both do not exist, it is only an illusion. You as such only exist. The idea and the manifested landscape will undergo change and do not exist.

In the same way this Brahman or the external manifested world is only an idea of the unmanifested One. It is just an illusion. Only the Unmanifested One exists. The rest is all illusion.

Hence, only Brahman exists. The thought, the idea, the manifested world: all are only illusions.


sarvam khalvidam brahma.

Life

Q) What is life?


Just being aware of Being is Life, the rest all is just a dream.

Secret behind birth of Lord Ganesha

Q) What is the secret behind the story of birth of Lord Ganesha?

Hahahhahhahhhahhahh......It is simple. The "I" exists eternally; whether with human head, no head or elephant head. Only the "I" exists, rest is all illusion. This is the subtle meaning hidden behind the story.

Silence & Stillness

Q) How to enter into silence and attain stillness?

Silence & Stillness are both same. They cannot be attained. They are ever existent and eternal. Once our external noise stops (in mind), then we get into the awareness of silence & stillness. It is only a re-cognition of that state. To get into that awareness one need to do nothing, not even thinking. One has to just recognize the ever presence of silence & stillness.

Just recognize that silence & stillness which is ever present as a substratum. No effort is required. Just recognition without any effort.

vedAnta

Q) What is Vedanta?

The word Vedanta is formed by the conjugation of two words veda + anta = vedAnta. Anta means end while veda is derived from the root word vid meaning knowledge. Hence, Vedanta means end of knowledge. So, how can we understand the end of knowledge? The end of knowledge means where the intellect stops and no phenomenon which can be understood by the mind can take us to Vedanta. So, the end of knowledge is that stage where all knowledge ends, there is nothing which can be expressed. So Vedanta is the state which is inexpressible. Hence Vedanta means the avyakta and this can exist when one is aware of that avyakta, the ever existing One. Hence, Vedanta is not a noun, it is a verb where it is existence in that One state. It is Being. Being in that NO-THING state is Vedanta. It is a state which cannot be achieved. It is a state which need to aware of as it is ever existing.

(24 August 2011)

Upanishad

What is upanishad mean?

Upa=near
nishad= to sit
Upanishad = to sit near (to sit nearer)
Near to what? or near to whom?
It is sitting nearer to our own true self. Upanishads are those which take us to our true self. Upanishads are also termed as Vedanta. When Vedas are called as knowledge from the root word vid=knowledge, then Vedanta means end of knowledge. Which means there is nothing after the knowledge. Where knowledge ends there the mind also ends. This is a clear indication that the vedas explain or give information about the manifested (vyaka swarupa) universe while vedanta or upanishads explain or give information about the unmanifested (avyaka swarupa) universe. Since avyakta cannot be expressed in words, it is always expressed in negation as 'not this', 'not this' or 'neti', 'neti'.

The prime requisite to understand upanishads is to understand the word upa, which means near and i.e., nearer to the true self or Self and this is possible only when one stops the external noise and enters into the inner silence or stillness. The near means 'inner' and it is within. In that Silence and with the help of negation one gets aware of the 'Avyakta'.

While vedas explain about 'vyakta', vedanta or upanishads explain about the 'avyakta' and they do it only by negation and with some pointers.

The prime requisite to read or learn upanishads would be to understand stillness and silence. One should be able to enter into that stillness and silence, then only upanishads can be understood.


21 August, 2011 Dakshin Express; 23:40 hrs

Waste, Leisure, Boldness & Truth

What is waste in this world? What is leisure? What is boldness on spiritual path? What is Truth?

Any Thing is waste. 

NO-THING is not waste. 

Leisure is dwelling in anything but Truth. 

Boldness is to forego every concept as above. 

TRUTH is losing every-thing and being in the awareness of NO-THING. 

Boldness is Be-ing in that NO-THING. Boldness is going beyond every concept or getting rid of every concept, because each concept gives an identity. Hence one has to forego every identity. And, there is no path. Stating that there is a materialistic path and spiritual path is all one big illusion. There is only one path and that is awakening and it is not something one has to travel, it is just awareness and it happens only when one stops seeking for something. Just being aware of That is Truth.

Losing everything is gaining eternity. 

Changing the world

Why is the world imperfect, can’t I change the world?

What we see as imperfection in the world is in reality very perfect for the world. World’s perfection is in its imperfection. Hence, there is no need to change the world. Only we have to change. We have to change our thought process and go beyond the thinking process. Once we enter into that stillness or silence or become aware of that stillness and silence, then we understand that the world’s imperfection is indeed perfect. Because everything, every happening, every phenomenon is only an illusion. It is just only a thought and nothing else. The moment the thought is not there, nothing is there. The whole world just appears as an illusion of the thought projection.

Another beauty of this illusory world is its impermanence. Everything changes over a period of time. Everything gets transformed into something. ("Impermanence is the inevitability of the whole cosmos"). Hence when we try to understand this world with our mind we cannot understand it. Moreover we try to label everything and every happening in this world. We try to judge with our intellect. Once we get awakened or get into the awareness of the absolute then we stop labeling and judging. Then we just surrender to every happening and be with every happening. There will not be any anxiety behind any happening and there is no eager that something need to happen also. Because, when we enter into that changeless state of stillness and silence or become aware of that state, then we don’t want to change anything or happening.

One Morning

Another Morning
The awareness of awakening is happening.
Let us be just aware and
Live in the Being more than meing.

Blessed Moment - Poem

Blessed is the day for waking us into new moment.
Blessed is the moment for waking us into new awareness.
Blessed is the moment for making the awareness ever new.
Blessed is the moment for the awareness of stillness.
Blessed is the moment for the awareness of silence.

Blessed is the moment for the recognition of this inherent & intrinsic ever new joy.
Blessed is the moment of awareness which cannot be expressed.
For the moment cannot be expressed in any other way except for the silent and still joy.
For in joy we are born, in joy we live and into that sacred joy we melt.
Nothing is born, nothing is died
Everything is continuing its living,
For it is the consciousness which is living and
't is only the recognition of that eternal awareness which is missing in few moments.

Blessed is the moment for the awareness of stillness.
Blessed is the moment for the awareness of silence.

Expression of Truth

Why Truth cannot be expressed in words?

Truth is existing from the beginning. Words came into existence after the Truth. Hence, no words can describe or explain Truth.

Ego also has come after Truth, so ego also or with ego also one can never understand Truth.

Every manifested part of the cosmos what we see is in fact an illusion of the projected mind.

The best expression of Truth is Silence.

"I am not That"

When I am not That who am I trying to be?

The Truth is "I am That"

But, when I am not That, who am I trying to be?

I am trying to be an idea or thought that is raised in my mind. I am trying to identify myself every time or every moment with that thought only and trying to manifest based upon that thought. So, when I negate the thought also  with a thought "I am not this" then also I am still in the state of unawareness of "I am That". But, when I go beyond thought or mind (because mind is only a bundle of thoughts) then the awareness of "I am That" is happening automatically, rather the consciousness of "I am That" is already there. The only attempt that I have to make is to be aware of That.

What is Self-realization?

Losing the self and getting awakened in the Self is Self-realization.

The whole sadhana or practice is to lose one's self. Losing is gaining. When one makes every effort to lose and practices losing, then one gains in the Eternal One. Losing one's self is not an easy task, one should be brave enough. That is the reason they say Spiritual path is not for cowards.

When one can enter into the stillness or silence effortlessly then that is Self-realization.