PGS: Atma Bodha Verse 01

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Hari AUM!

 

We shall start our journey with the prakaraNa grantha

called

Atma Bodha. As the name indicates, this text deals with

teachings of the Self. I have taken this up first because

it is a brief but a brilliant treatise on the subject of

the

Self. I have based my explanations on the translations

of Swami Chinmayananda-ji and the Vedanta press of the

Ramakrishna mission. However, the translation has been

re-worded by me. Hopefully, this would not violate any

copyrights.

 

Atma Bodha Verse 01 :

 

tapObhih kshiNapApAnAm SAntAnAm vItarAgiNAm |

mumukshuNAm ApekshyOyam AtmabOdhO vidhIyate ||

 

Translation:

For those who have cleansed their sins by austerities,

for those who are calm ( or attained calmness ),

for those who are not bound to cravings of the body,

and

for those who seek liberation, to such worthy people,

I (ShrI Shankara) compose this teaching on the Self.

 

Explanation:

This verse is the introductory verse which identifies

the purpose and the intended audience. The Great Teacher

has laid down certain basic qualifications ( discussed

in other works ) and he mentions a simplified version of

the

same here.

 

The advaita tradition maintains that only certain

people

are qualified to take up the study of advaita vedanta. The

reason being that the path of advaita is like walking a

tightrope across a ravine. One who is not competent to do

so would most certainly injure himself/herself. It is out

of compassion and regard for such souls that such

conditions

exist.

 

What are these qualifications? In other texts, ShrI

Shankara has elaborated upon this and presented the four

basic qualifications. Here, he has offered a simpler

scheme,

as follows,

 

1. Those who have cleansed their minds by spiritual

practices such as tapas, japa etc.

2. Those who have attained a degree of mental calmness

( required to contemplate and meditate )

3. Those who have at the very least realized that the

cravings of the body are ephemeral.

4. Those who posess a desire for liberation ( moksha ).

This is very important!

 

 

 

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