Special Lectures on Atmabodh - Everyone is Invited

[Guest guest]

Namaste;

 

Those of you live in Washington Metropolitan are invited to attend

the special summer lectures on Adi Sankaracharya's Text - Atmabodh

(Self-Knowledge). The entire text will be covered in 8 lectures

conducted every Saturday from 9th July till 27th August at Durga

Temple, Northern Virginia. The lectures are free and every one is

welcome. These lectures are jointly sponsored by Chinmaya Mission and

Durga Temple.

 

Atmabodh is the primary text explaining the principles of Vedanta.

Using everyday references to illustrate advaitic concepts, the

Atmabodha, set in 68 verses, seeks to put the abstruse philosophy of

the Brahma-Sutras within easy reach of the average person. Sankara

begins by stating that the Atmabodha will serve as a primer to those

desirous of liberation, equipped with the tools of discernment and

renunciation. The second verse gets to the heart of the matter

bluntly: It declares that knowledge alone can be the cause of

liberation, just as fire is the direct cause of cooking. Requirements

might include water, pots and pans; but it is fire which actually

makes cooking possible. The concluding verses are a lucid exposition

of advaita, in which Sankara seems to speak from a meditative trance,

as he alludes to the nature of Brahma — sat-chit-ananda (knowledge-

existence-bliss). These ver-ses reflect the cosmic nature of his

thought as he exhorts: "All things, which can be perceived or heard,

are Brahma itself, and nothing else...and though atma is reality, it

can be perceived by one who has the eye of wisdom..." Sankara asks us

to undertake the real pilgrimage to "the shrine of the atma..." which

will bestow real equanimity. Most importantly, Atmabodha is one of

the Study Group Topic recommended by Chinmaya Mission for a beginning

student of Vedanta.

 

Dr. Sadananda, a scientist by profession is an ardent disciple of

Swami Chinmayananda and is one of the founding member and moderator

of advaitin. He has been quite active in Chinmaya Mission and has

been conducting adult Satsangs in the Virginia area.

 

Every Saturday Starting from 9th of July till 27th of August 2005

 

Time: Between 10:30 AM and Noon

Location: Durga Temple, Northern Virginia

 

Note: Those interested to attend these discourses are requested to

register on or before 10th of June 2005 by sending an email to Ram

Chandran (ramvchandran)

 

Directions to Durga Temple: From Fairfax County Parkway,

Virginia:Take the VA-7100 SOUTH/FAIRFAX COUNTY PKWY towards

Springfield, VA; Take Exit for HOOES RD South/SR-636; After about a

mile, turn right onto Copper Leaf Way;Temple will be on the left, at

the intersection of HOOES RD and SILVERBROOK RD

 

Looking forward to see you those who live in Washington Metropolitan.

 

Harih Om!

Ram Chandran