Bhati and Jnanam

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Bhakti and Jnanam

 

For a Jnananishtha, Bhagavadbhakti and Gurubhakti are not different. Many are

the instances in the life of our Acharya, Sri ShankaraBhagavatpada, that

demonstrate that the ideal Jnani is truly devoid of even the slightest ego and

humility is deep rooted in him. There is an excellent account of this trait of

Bhagavatpada in the Srimat-Shankaradigvijaya. Towards the end of his human

role, Bhagavatpada was questioned by His Paramaguru Gaudapadacharya:

 

Kacchitsarvaam vetsi Govindanaamno hrdyaa vidyaa samsrud-uddhaarakrtyaa |

Kacchit-tattvam Tattvamaanandaruupam nityam sacchinnirmalam vetsi vedyam ||

16.38

………

KacchinnityaaH shatravo nirjitaaste kacchitpraaptaaH sadgunaaH shaantipuurvaaH

|

KacchidyogaH saadhito-ashtaangayuktaH kacchitchittam saadhu chit-tattvagam te

|| 16.40

 

"Do You fully know the delightful teaching of Govindapada which saves one from

transmigratory existence? Have You realized the Truth, which is eternal,

blemishless, of the nature of existence, consciousness and bliss and which

should be known? Have You conquered the constant foes (lust, anger, greed,

pride, delusion and jealousy)? Have You acquired good qualities such as

tranquillty? Have You accomplished the eight-limbed Yoga? Is Your mind absorbed

in the supreme consciousness?"

 

Ityaachaaryavaryena tena premnaa prshtaH ShankaraH SaadhushiilaH |

Bhaktyudrekaad-baashpa-paryaakuleksho badhnan moordhanyanjalim vyaajahaara ||

16.41

 

Yadyatprshtam spashtamaacharyapaadais-tattatsarvam Bho bhavishyatyavashyam |

KaarunyaabdheH kalpayushmat-kataakshair-drshtasya-aahur-durlabham kinnu jantoH

||

16.42

 

"On being so questioned lovingly by the excellent Advaitic preceptor,

Shankara, of noble conduct, reverentially joined His palms above His head and,

with His eyes filled with tears owing to a surfeit of devotion, said:

 

'Whatever has been clearly asked by Your Holiness will certainly come to pass.

What indeed is difficult of attainment for a being on whom have fallen the

side-glances of an ocean of mercy, Yourself.' "

 

Let us contemplate on the reply of Bhagavatpada. To contend that Shankara did

not mean what He said and that He spoke thus as He did not wish to proclaim His

own greatness would be tantamount to charging that He lied. What else is it but

falsehood when a person deliberately says something contrary to what he knows?

Further, does a person endowed with true humility feel, 'I am great' and merely

say,'I am not distinguished'? It is absurd to imagine that Bhagavatpada would

have lied to none other than His own Paramaguru. Complete lack of egoism is

what led Bhagavatpada to think at the time of this utterance exactly what He

said.

 

Now the crucial question. If the above is the case, is it that Bhagavatpada

did not have the qualities enumerated in the question by Gaudapadar? An answer

to this lies in this teaching of Sureshwaracharya in the Naishkarmyasiddhi:

 

Na cha adhyaatmaabhimaanopi vidusho asti aasuratvataH

 

" The knower of Brahman is unsmitten by egoism even with regard to his

Self-realization, for pride is base."

 

Such is the greatness of our venerable Acharya Shankara!!

 

To be free of egoism is the greatest challenge. Sri Ramakrishna has said:

'God might grant even Mukti but would not so easily grant Bhakti.' True Bhakti

is marked by the highest order of egolessness.

 

Bhava Shankaradeshika me sharanam!!

 

Om Tat Sat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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