Sridakshinamurtistotram (Part VIII - d)

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Sridakshinamurtistotram

(Part VIII – d)

shravanam tu guroH pUrvam mananam tadanantaram |

nididhyasanamityetat pUrNabodhasya kAraNam ||

(Hearing the scriptures from the Guru, followed by contemplating and

then meditating on it constitute the cause of complete

enlightenment – shukharahasyopanishad 3.13)

It is the one endeavour of all adhyaatma shaastras to secure for the

seeker the one decisive knowledge that there is nothing other than

Self. This is known as the `apavaada-drishti'. The Strotram

emphasizes this point in various ways:

(a) comparing the universe seen in Atman to a city seen in a

mirror where it does not exist, the picture analogy (first vierse).

(b) Declaring that right from space and time all else inclusive

of creation, sustenance and dissolution, the triad of states viz.,

the waking, the dream and the deep sleep, the bodies, the gross,

subtle and causal are all concocted by Maya (second verse) .

© The use of the phrase `asatkalpaarthagam' in the third verse

is assertive of the non-existence of whatever pertains to parlance

pointing out that the existence and shine everywhere and of

everything is always that of Atman and that the so-called creation

is only a myth, the cause-effect relation, the parlance pertaining

to pramana, prameya, sambandha (relations), bheda (difference),

etc., are all conctions.

 

Enquiry has also shown that the actual svarupa of each one of –

space, time, cause, knowledge, experience, speech, the Guru, the

disciple, the Veda, Iswara, jiva, goal aimed at – is none other than

Brahman-Atman, the Supreme Consciousness, the name and form being a

mere superimposition. The quest for knowledge about anything

whatever, is seen to culminate in revealing Brahman-Atman.

Consideration of the states as also the reasonings pertaining to

them such as – the non-difference between the waking and the dream

states, co-presence and co-absence and reductio ad absurdum

indicated by the words vyAvR^ittaasvanuvartamaanam – points out that

all else other than Brahman-Atman is mithya; that is, in reality

they do not exist, tucchaa.

 

The sadhaka and the sadhana; Devotion the key requirement:

 

The words 'antaH-sphurantam svaatmaanam bhajataam' of the hymn may

now be taken up for analysis:

The objective of the teaching in the Vedanta Shaastra is to secure

for the aspirant the experience of his very Self. The methodology

is by showing, with the help of the Veda, reasoning and the

experience had by those who are enlightened, that his Self is, in

reality, none other than the Supreme Brahman. The Guru who

delineates this teaching is the Self-Realized `person'. The

aspirant who relates to such a Guru is shown that the Self of the

aspirant is non-different from the Self of the Guru. The Guru is

looked upon as verily Para Brahman.

The word `bhajataam' (ardent seekers) indicates the necessary

equipment on the part of the disciple. His sole concern must be only

his One Consciousness that alone exists. That means, he has risen

above the other purusharthas, goals, that the Veda itself permits,

namely, artha (wealth), kama (enjoyment) and Dharma (the means to

secure other-worldly benefits). This seeker after Moksha has found

all the other three goals not to be worthy of striving for, in view

of the defects involved therein.

Says the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad IV.4.21:

21.`The intelligent seeker of Brahman, learning about the Self

alone, should practise wisdom (prajna). Let him not think of too

many words, for that is exhausting to the organ of speech.'

Says the Panchadashi (XI –124) on the word `dhira':

124. Wisdom (dhiratvam) consists in subjugating the desires for

sense-pleasure, even when the passions are strong and in engaging

the mind in meditation on Brahman with the desire to enjoy the

bliss.

The type of sadhaka and the sadhana: The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad

(iii.v.1) mentions the type of sadhaka, the vairagya needed for the

sadhana and the steps of the sadhana:

Having realized this Self, brahmins give up the desire for sons, the

desire for wealth and the desire for the worlds and lead the life of

religious mendicants. That which is the desire for sons is the

desire for wealth and that which is the desire for wealth is the

desire for the worlds; for both these are but desires. Therefore a

brahmin, after he is done with scholarship, should try to live on

that strength which comes of scholarship. After he is done with that

strength and scholarship, he becomes meditative and after he is

done with both meditativeness and non—meditativeness, he becomes a

knower of Brahman.

The Acharya's commentary for the above seminal Sruti vakyam brings

out the significance of the terms `paandityam', `baalyam' , `maunam'

and `braahmanaH' contained in the above Sruti passage:

 

PANDITYA:

 

In accordance with the tradition in this respect, the braahmana,

having secured from the Acharya and the Sruti, the knowledge which

is essentially different - from the means and results, visible and

invisible - of karma i.e., the knowledge of the Self, should

renounce all desires and lead a mendicant's life. This is the

culmination of that knowledge, paaNDityam, for it arises only with

the elimination of desires, this knowledge being contradictory to

them. That renunciation of desires is automatically conjoined with

the knowledge of Self, is seen to be emphasized by the use of the

suffix `ktvaa' in the Sruti, as referring to the same individual.

(For example, in the sentence `buddhvaa karoti' = after knowing, he

carries out..', the act of knowing and the act of carrying out

inhere in the same individual, that is, the one who knows alone

subsequently carries out..This is indicated by the use of the

suffix `ktvaa' in Sanskrit).

 

 

BAALYA:

 

The ignorant, who being overpowered by desires and senses, derives

strength from the means and the results of karma. Quite unlike

these, this knower of Brahman who has renounced all desires and

activity in respect of them should try to live upon that strength

which comes of Knowledge. Strength, balam, is the total elimination

of the vision of objects, by Self-knowledge. This is the baalya or

baalya bhaava.

 

MAUNA:

 

Having known all about this strength and scholarship, he becomes

meditative, in other words, a Yogi. What a knower of Brahman should

do is to eliminate all ideas of non-Self; doing this he accomplishes

his task and becomes a yogi.The Sreyomarga, a Vedantic work, says:

The antahkarana by its very nature assumes always the modes

pertaining to both Self and non-Self. The latter are to be

dispelled leaving the antahkarana to remain with the mode pertaining

to Self only.The culmination of this is mauna.

 

The True BRAAHMANA:

 

Having thus known all about amauna and mauna, he attains the

conviction that `All this is Brahman'. Having reached this goal

that is Brahman, he is literally a Brahmana. He is firmly convinced

that all else is naught. The Vartikasara points out that by

paanditya is meant shravana by which is secured decisive knowledge

of the purport of the Sastra. By baalya is meant manana wherein

with the aid of reasoning, all doubts in this respect are dispelled,

thereby providing the strength necessary to conquer desires and

develop childlike attitude without any sense of pride as pointed out

in the Brahmasutra (iii.iv.50). By mauna is meant nididhyasana

whereby all mental modes pertaining to the non-Self vanish.

Devotion to the Atman is Devotion to Bhagavan:

In respect of the sadhana for the Realization of the Atman, Bhagavan

says in the Gita (V – 17):

With their Consciousness in That, their Self being That, intent on

That, with That for their Supreme goal, they go, never again to

return, their sins being washed away completely by means of

Knowledge.

Again He says (Gita X –9,10): With their thought on Me, with their

life absorbed in Me, instructing one another about Me and ever

speaking of Me, they are content and delighted. To these, ever

devout, worshipping Me with love, I give that devotion of Knowledge

by which they attain Me.

Says the Sutrabhashya 3.2.1.15:

Do you then mean to say that the individual soul has no common

attributes with the Lord?--We do not maintain that; but we say that

the equality of attributes, although existing, is hidden by the veil

of Nescience. In the case of some persons indeed who strenuously

meditate on the Lord and who, their ignorance being dispelled at

last, obtain through the favour of the Lord extraordinary powers and

insight, that hidden equality becomes manifest--just as through the

action of strong medicines the power of sight of a blind man becomes

manifest; but it does not on its own account reveal itself to all

men.

There is a very clear message on the role of devotion:

For those who are steeped in devotion, what other `wealth' is there

to crave for? For those who are utterly impoverished in respect of

this `wealth', what other poverty is there to be got rid of? (The

Sarvadarshanasangraha of Sri Vidyaranya).

 

The use of the word `bhajataam' in the present hymn is intended to

emphasise the twin-aspects of the equipment needed on the part of

the sadhaka for the manifestation of the One Consciousness which is

the Svarupa of Isvara, of the Guru and the seeker as well. While

vichara, enquiry, that has been delineated at length is one of the

aspects, the other, the complementary aspect, is the emotional

involvement ordinarily spoken of as bhakti. The culmination of the

twin-aspects of the sadhana, usually spoken of as jnana and bhakti

implied in the word `bhajataam' as pointed out, is what is voiced by

Sri Bhagavan in the Gita (XV.19). The bhashya on this is:

He who undeluded (i.e., never looking upon the body etc., as

himself or as belonging to himself) thus knows Me, the Supreme Lord

specified above, as `I am He', he being the Atman of all, knows

all. Thus attaining Me, the Atman of all, he worships Me in all

modes.

It is thus seen that the plenary experience, the `akhanadakara-

vritti-jnana' is what is spoken of as the culmination of jnana from

the intellectual standpoint and as the culmination of bhakti from

the emotional standpoint.

Devotion to Atman: Aksharopasana:

Contemplation of the Imperishable which is free from adjuncts

consists in securing the knowledge pertaining to It from the Shastra

and thereafter approaching It by way of identifying oneself with It,

and then abiding in It; that is, ever contemplating the Boundless,

Consciousness of one consistency, the Imperishable, as one's very

Self. It is seeing Atman everywhere and totally being unmindful of

anything like non-Self.

Devotion to the Atman, being not very easy to secure, is preceded by

devotion to Iswara in His cosmic form. This involves engaging in

action and contemplation as taught by the scripture. This prepares

the necessary ground for the devotion to Atman to sprout and grow.

This exercise is coupled with the devotion to the Guru. Devotion to

one's own Guru is looked upon in three phases:

 

1.Liberation from the Mrityu (death) called Karma:

 

The Guru is none other than Iswara who has descended with the sole

objective of rescuing the deserving disciple form samsara. In the

Bhagavadgita it is seen that Bhagavan Sri Krishna Himself

exemplifies this. Such a happening is traced to the immense good

fortune that is the result of worship, in the manner prescribed in

the shastra, done in hundreds of lives with ardent devotion. Such

an avatara who can be seen, approached, spoken to, heard and

touched, before whom one can lay bare one's own problems,

difficulties and doubts as well, is immediately recognized to be

Consciousness Itself with an apparently materialized form, a maayika

vesture; that is Iswara Himself who has become accessible even on

the empirical plane, thereby rendering it easy for the disciple to

attach himself directly to the Infinite. Speaking in the same

language, performing similar actions and leading the same pattern of

life as others, He is the exemplar in a concrete way, of whatever is

to be done in life at every level and in every aspect of it.

Serving Him wholeheartedly is what is to be done by the disciple.

All his karma will be sublimated and the disciple is redeemed from

the throes of the mrityu called karma. Besides obeying the Guru's

behest and refraining from doing anything not sanctioned by Him,

there are no other injunctions and prohibitions. Resting always in

Atman, His svarupa, but coming down to the level of the seeker, as

it were, to lift him up, the Guru is indeed the avatara of

Bhagavan. By way of service to Him, He provides opportunities for

sublimation of all actions on the part of the disciple. As the Gita

exemplifies, He not only instructs formally, but also assures and

encourages at every step. In the Gita we find this method of taking

total care of the disciple's evolvement in these verses, for

example: VI.40, IX.22, 30,31, XVI.5, IX.33, XVIII,58. The Guru

discourses freely and looks after the disciple even by chastising

him when necessary: II.3, XVIII.58,59,60.

2.Liberation from the Mrityu called kaama:

 

The Gita instructs various types of sadhakas, who find themselves

at various stages of evolution in the path of sadhana. The

temperaments of karma, yoga, bhakti and jnana found in various

sadhakas predominantly and in varying degrees are addressed

appropriately. The instruction has this undercurrent:

Surrender to Me completely. I will take up the entire

responsibility of your deliverance as shown in the famous `sarva

dharmaan parityajya…' verse (XVIII.66) of the Gita.

Now, the chief difficulty faced by the sadhaka in accomplishing such

a surrender is his inability to `love' Bhagavan, the Self, above

all, to the exclusion of everything else in life. Having given his

mind to the external world of objects, the sadhaka finds himself in

a difficult situation. But the ever-compassionate Bhagavan

encourages the sadhaka to effect this high-level surrender by

weaning him away from the attachment to the world. The Lord says now

and then how elevating it is to take to this kind of surrender:

Having attained Me they become purified (IV.10)

After leaving this body, they do not take birth again, but attain Me

(IV.9)

The Knower of the Self is verily My Self (VII.8)

Since you are dear to Me, let Me assure you that you will attain to

Me alone (XVIII.65)

The Acharya, as Sri Bhagavatpada has pointed out in the opening

verse of the Shatashloki, confers upon the disciple his (the

Acharya's) own Svrupa – svIyam sAmyam vidhatte. Indeed in the

presence of the Master, one feels `lifted up' completely from the

morass in which he was deeply stuck. Futile and childish arguments

are given up, confidence is gained and one turns a new leaf in one's

life. To realize its value, it is only to be experienced. Such is

the coveted acquisition for which one has been longing all along.

The jnanasadhana variously enumerated as amanitva (egolessness), the

daivi sampat, etc all rise up to the conscious level, being aligned

in His presence, like iron filings in the field of a magnet. By

surrender, i.e., by placing Him in the position occupied by Him, the

ego is got rid of and he is now not other than what He is. The

undercurrent and upsurge of Akhandakaravritti is obvious. This is

actually experienced in the Guru's benign presence where one sees

that his little Self has run away. This is the taste, as it were,

of the Bliss of Realization which defies all verbal description and

assessment. Indeed the disciple no longer has his wagon hitched to

any station in empirical life. He is redeemed and he now transcends

these. Finding his Guru as his very Self, he is no longer misled

into loving his lower self. He now supremely loves only Atman,

Iswara, his Guru; all else is naught for him. This is what is meant

by being liberated from the mrityu, death, called desire.

 

3.Liberation from the murityu called Avidya:

 

Having thus made to transcend karma and kama, the volitional and

emotional aspects of his mind being sublimated, he is now enabled to

transcend non-apprehension, error and doubt i.e., sublimate his

intellectual faculties by enquiry at the feet of the Guru.

Emotional involvement to the fullest extent is what is meant or

implied by the word `bhajataam' of the verse under consideration

now. In the process of the sublimation of the intellectual

faculties, what transpires is the attaining of the

Akhandakaravritti, through enquiry and the disciple transcends the

mrityu, death, called Avidya. Having attained the very Self of

himself, the Guru and Iswara, through devotion to the Self, he now

finds himself totally, truly devoted to his own Self, none other

than the Supreme. Thus here is a situation where devotion leads to

Devotion. Unless the means of steadfast devotion to the Self is

cultivated, one cannot hope to transcend the three-fold mrityu of

Avidya, kama and karma through realization of Atman. Says the

Vivekachumanani (57):

Who but one's own self can get rid of the bondage caused by the

fetters of Ignorance, desire, action and the like, aye even in a

hundred crore of cycles ?

For such a devotee, the Guru, out of compassion, reveals the true

Svarupa: `bhajataam svaatmaanam prakaTIkaroti'. It is the Acharya

who by His infinite Grace removes many an obstacle in the way of

manifestation in Its full glory of this Entity which alone exists

and shines and which though ever shining, had been veiled as it

were.

The `Revealing, prakaTIkarana' will be taken up in the following

section.

(end of Part VIII d)

(to be continued)