Self Enquiry

[Guest guest]

If the enquiry, 'Who am I?' were a mere mental

questioning, it would not be of much value.

The very purpose of Self-enquiry is to focus the

entire mind at its Source.

It is not, therefore, a case of one 'I' searching

for another 'I'.

 

Much less is Self-enquiry an empty formula, for

it involves an intense activity of the entire mind to

keep it steadily poised in pure Self-awareness.

 

Self-enquiry is the one, infallible means, the only

direct one, to realize the unconditioned, abolute

being that you really are.

 

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Maharshi's Gospel

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[Guest guest]

One day, Bhrigu, the son of Varuna approached his father and asked him: "Father!

Will you enlighten me about Brahman?"

>

> Sage Varuna replied endearingly: "Son, none can enlighten anyone on Brahman.

One has to experience Brahman through meditation. Go and do meditation and carry

on self - enquiry. I bless you."

>

> Bhrigu went into a forest and sat for meditation. He carried on self - enquiry

too and contemplated on several questions related to the spiritual world. One

day, he thought: 'What is the most essential thing that is necessary for the

existence of all living beings in general and man in particular? It must be

food', he decided. Man lives, grows and works only because of food, the most

essential thing for life is food, so food is Brahman." He ran to his father and

said: "Father, I know what is Brahman. Food is Brahman."

>

> Varuna replied with a smile: "No, my son, food is not Brahman. Go and

meditate."

>

> Bhrigu went to the forest and continued his tapas for some more time. He

thought further, 'Food may be essential, but unless there is energy, how can the

food be digested? What is that energy? It must be prana (vital air) so prana is

Brahman.' Thus, again he went to his father and said: "Father, I know what is

Brahman, Prana is Brahman."

>

> Varuna replied: "No, my son, go and meditate for some more days."

>

> Bhrigu obeyed his father's command. He continued his meditation. One day he

thought, 'Food maybe essential, so to prana, but what is more essential? Unless

one has the desire to live and to eat, of what use is food and prana? The seat

of desire is the mind. So Manas is Brahman' he decided. Bhrigu reported about

his discovery and said: "Father, Manas is Brahman."

>

> Varuna smiled and said: "Son, no, Manas is not Brahman. Go and do tapas for

some more days."

>

> Bhrigu continued his meditation. One day it occurred to him, ' Food is

essential, prana is essential too, manas is also essential, but what is still

more essential? Unless one is able to distinguish and discriminate between good

and evil, of what use is this life? What is the seat of this discriminating

faculty? It is the intellect, vijnan.' So vijnan is Brahman.' he decided. Bhrigu

went and told his father: "Father, vijnan is Brahman".

>

> Varuna once again said: "Son, no, vijnan is not Brahman. Go and do tapas for

some more time."

>

> Bhrigu once again continued his tapas. And probed further, 'Food gives

strength, parna energises, manas causes desires, and vijnan endows man with

discrimination (viveka). But, I must find out what is the ultimate goal of man's

life. I have to experience it'. Having thus resolved, he went into deep

meditation again.

>

> One day, he experienced an ineffable joy and he sat utterly unconscious of the

outside world. That day, Varuna came to the forest in search of his son. He was

happy to see his son in samadhi. From the effulgence which shone on Bhrigh's

face he knew that his son had realised that 'Bliss is Brahman'.

>

> In the upanishadic age, parents and preceptors used to encourage their pupils

to ask questions, yet they would not give them immediate answers. They would

advise them to carry on their self enquiry and find out the answers for

themselves.

>

> aum shanti!

(Taittiriya Upanishad - Bhrigu Valli - Part III)