Kanchi Maha-Swamigal's Discourses on Advaita Saadhanaa (KDAS-3)

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Namaste.

You may see a Table of Contents, under the Introduction in

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KDAS – 3

 

4. MOKSHA IS BY GRACE OF GOD (Continued)

 

The word ‘anugraha’ may also be interpreted as follows. The

prefix ‘anu’ stands for concordance or conformity; also

continuance. The word ‘graha’ connotes a catching up. When

we try to catch up with the Lord by following or conforming

with His attributeless nature, by the same principle of

conformity He comes and catches us up. That is ‘anugraha’.

The mind of us, instead of being steadfast in its work of

‘catching up’ with the Lord, may also run away from Him.

Even then the Lord’s Grace follows us and makes us ‘catch

up’. That is ‘anugraha’. Here catching up with the Lord

includes both the MAyA-associated Almighty and also the

attributeless Brahman which is not associated with any

MAyA. We may be subject to the whims and fancies of MAyA

but He is in total control of it. So even when He ‘does’ so

many activities under the guise of MAyA, He is always the

actionless Brahman . Thus even if we aim at the

MAyA-associated almighty, he absorbs us into the Brahman

that has no trace of MAyA.

 

It is actually a running race between Ishvara and the Jiva.

The Jiva tries to catch up with Ishvara. But Ishvara thinks

it unfair to grant the Realisation of Brahman to this

Jiva ‘who has so much balance of karma’. And the Jiva

having failed to catch up gives up the attempt and allows

itself to be carried away by all worldly distractions. That

is the time when Ishvara follows him with compassion and

makes the ‘catching-up’ possible. But this compassionate

easing up is done in a subtle way. It turns the mind

towards spiritual matters; that is what it means for

Ishvara to ‘catch up’. At the same time it is done so

gradually that the full ‘catching up’ of the Jiva with

Ishvara does not happen before the time for it is due. To

that extent Ishvara ‘slips’ away. But that itself makes

the Jiva fall headlong into the bottomless pit of sin and

again the compassionate grip of Ishvara tightens. This

tightening and loosening goes on and on until the Jiva

fills up its mind fully with Ishvara and nothing else. And

that is the time for the consummation of the ‘anugraha’.

 

The Lord is called ‘karma-phala-dAtA’ – the dispenser of

the fruits of actions. Like the decision of a judge He has

every right to be very strict in His dispensation of

justice. When He does so, we have no right to fault Him for

His strictness. But He does not do it that way. He very

often condones our failings with His supreme compassion. He

is neither too strict nor too lenient in His dispensation

of justice. When the supreme-most status is granted to us

it is not fair to expect Him to grant it without any

concern whether the grantee deserves it well enough.

Justice may be tempered by mercy but it cannot go to the

extent of denial of justice. In all these, it does not

stop with just doling out the punishment for the karma

done. It is in fact supplemented by the process of

destruction of all pending karma, end of the mind and

finally the benefit of Brahman-realisation. With such a

prospect, the condoning or forgiving nature of Ishvara

cannot be expected to go too far!

 

5. TAKES TIME BUT EFFORT HAS TO BE STARTED.

 

There are two categories: ‘JnAnavAn’ and ‘JnAni’. Both are

above the level of any ordinary human being. A JnAnavAn, by

learning and hearing, has convinced himself that the Atma

that is called JivAtmA is nothing but Brahman itself, and

is trying hard to bring that knowledge into one’s own

experience. A JnAni on the other hand has gone to that peak

of realisation of that knowledge as own experience. The

JnAnavan who is making efforts to have that

Brahman-realisation ‘reaches Me’, says the Lord, ‘only at

the end of several births’ (*bahUnAM janmanAm ante jnAnavAn

mAM prapadyate*) (B.G. VII – 19). Here ‘reaches Me’ means

he attains the consummation of the realisation that Atman

is Brahman). At another place (B.G. VI – 45) He says:

*aneka-janma-samsiddhis-tato yAti parAm gatiM* -- meaning,

slowly graduates to perfection only by several births.

Even this attainment of Realisation after several births

happens only by His Graceful Hand that lifts us up.

Otherwise the ‘bahu’ of (VII – 19) and the ‘aneka’ of (VI

– 45) will be several times larger!

 

The reason is: The goal is great and grand. ‘To become

Brahman’ is something really great. But the one who wants

to win that high prize is so small! Naturally it has to

take several several life-times. Just to conquer another

kingdom like his own a king has to make elaborate

preparations for war. When that is so, for a small man to

win over the kingdom of brahman-realisation, he has to

take enormous efforts. It is the kingdom of the Atman that

the Jiva is set out to conquer!

>From one point of view the whole matter appears simple. We

are not aiming for the kingdom of heaven in Vaikuntha or

Kailasa which are far away from us. What we are aiming at

is to know ourself, to know what is within us. Just to be

what we are is the goal. There should not be any difficulty

here; because we are being asked to be what we are and

nothing more. When it is said that way it looks simple. But

when we attempt it we come to know there is nothing more

difficult than this SAdhanA. It is like walking on razor’s

edge, says the Katha Upanishad. But don’t lose heart, adds

the Upanishad. Wake up, there are excellent teachers to

guide you. Even if it be razor’s edge you can walk on it

and come out successful! Thus the Upanishads speak of the

difficulties of the path but also give you the path. The

Guru’s Guru of our Acharya has also talked of these in very

formidable terms. “Advaita is the only fearless state.

Even great yogis fear to tread that path. It requires that

relentless effort of emptying the waters of the ocean by

using blades of grass, soaking them in the water and

shaking the water off from the ocean. Only by such

unceasing effort can the mind empty itself of all its

thoughts and be in the Atman.”

 

Note: This is from Mandukya Karika: III-39, 41

 

At the same time what we learn from this is that to be the

real Self instead of the false Self it is so difficult. The

false self is the mind, a creation of MayA. The real Self

is the Truth that is Brahman.

 

It may take many life-times; it may be very difficult and

long. But the effort has to start right now. The more you

postpone it, the life-cycle will get more extended. Suppose

we don’t start this ascent of the spiritual ladder now.

What do you think will happen? We will be continuing to

commit further sinful activities and these will accumulate

more and more dirt and trash in the mind. More life-times

have to be spent. That is why I said the effort has to

start rightaway, in order to escape from this life-cycle.

 

I said just now ‘escape from this life-cycle’; I also said

‘efforts have to be done’. These two together constitute

the definition of SaadhanA. Instead of doing certain things

in a haphazard fashion as and when the mood or the occasion

arises, those great ancestors of ours who have reached the

goal have prescribed for us specific methodologies for us.

To walk that path is what is called SaadhanA.

 

(To be Continued)

PraNAms to all students of advaita.

PraNAms to the Maha-Swamigal.

profvk

 

 

 

Prof. V. Krishnamurthy

 

Latest on my website: A conversation on the Concept of God in Hinduism.

http://www.geocities.com/profvk/VK2/ConceptofGOD.html