Kanchi Maha-swamigal's Discourses on Advaita Saadhanaa (KDAS-71)

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Namaste.

 

For a Table of Contents of these Discourses, see

advaitin/message/27766

For the previous post, see

advaitin/message/33434

 

SECTION 56: SANNYAASA (continued)

Tamil Original: http://www.kamakoti.org/tamil/dk6-129.htm

 

To hear and listen to such mahAvAkya teaching is what is called 'shravaNa'

in Brahma-VidyA-shAstra. The direct meaning of 'shravaNaM' is

'hearing/listening'.In the Tamil Tirumandhiram Verse #139, Tirumoolar means

by this word 'Receiving the mahAvakyopadesha'. Tayumanavar, in one of his

songs, refers to the three processes, 'shravaNa, manana and nidhidhyAsana'.

Tirumoolar follows the 'shravaNa' word by *guru-vuru-cintittal* meaning the

memorisation of the mantra taught by the guru. The Tamil word *uru* here

means mantra-japa that is manana. By thus memorising and repeating the

mantra one is automatically led on to the next stage of 'nidhidhyAsana'.

 

There is an old saying *sannyasya shravaNaM kuryAt* -- one should do the

'listening' part only after taking up sannyAsa.

 

The object of this shravaNa is to obtain mukti as nirguNa-brahman right

where you are without having to go anywhere. Inferior to this is the union

with saguNa-brahman by going to Brahma-loka along the path of the Sun. Even

for that, according to Mundakopanishad (1.2.11) a mature Jiva - who is

learned and also accomplished with the qualities of shama, dama, etc. has to

leave home, go to the forest, and do penance, living by bhikshA. So does it

not mean that one who receives the teaching on NirguNa-brahman has to take

SannyAsa first? The next mantra talks about him. He examines the whole

world-experience and decides: "Everything revolves around karma. Our goal of

the Atman will not be accessible to/by any karma. So let me abandon all

karma". In other words he is ready to take up SannyAsa. But it has to be

done only through a guru. So he goes in search of a guru. The words 'only

through a guru' is because of the emphasis *guruM eva* in the Upanishad.

The Acharya explains why *guruM eva* occurs there: "Even a scholar who is

knowledgeable on everything should not make his own efforts and hope to

independently obtain Brahma-jnAnaM".

 

Later in the same Upanishad (III-2.4) it says, 'It is not only by a man

devoid of spiritual strength or a man overcome by delusion that the Atman is

unattainable, it is not attainable even by one who is doing the austerities

but who is 'alinga', that is, one devoid of the symbol that represents

sannyAsa'. This is the way the Acharya comments on the word 'alinga' in the

Upanishad.

 

In BrihadAraNyakaM also (IV-4-22) the qualifications for sannyAsa are

enunciated: "The one who wants the spiritual world, renounces the present

world and his home. Because that is how in ancient times the learned ones

whoi studied the spiritual vidyA just discarded the desire for kith and kin,

desire for wealth and property and desire for the other worldly attractions

and they left home literally as beggars".

 

In every work there are always expressions of different opinions but

following them there is also the reconciliation passage that comes later. So

also in this BrihadAraNyakaM, earlier to this passage in (III-5 ) it says

"AtmAnaM viditvA", that is, cognising the Atman, 'discarding desires for

kith and kin, wealth and property and the other world, they run away as

beggars'. Here the words "AtmAnaM viditvA" looks like saying 'after one has

cognised the Atman'. It appears that this means, in contrast to what was

said earlier, namely the earning of eligibility for SannyAsa for the sake of

earning the Atma-jnAna, it is now said that sannyAsa takes place after the

acquisition of jnAna. This is a legitimate question; but the answer comes

if we carefully examine the context. In the same mantra, the question is

raised: "How will a jnAni behave?". And the answer comes; "Howsoever he may

behave, he is just such, he is a jnAnai".In other words he is not regimented

by any shAstra or regulation. For such a person , where is the need for the

rule that he should adopt the fourth Ashrama among the four Ashramas? So we

should not interpret "AtmAnaM viditvA" to say "after learning by experience"

but should interpret it as "understanding by the intellect".It is clear

therefore "He who confirms by his intellectual understanding that what he

has heard and learnt from the advaita-shAstras is true, now throws away all

his desires and becomes a sAnnyAsi" is what is said here.

 

There is a custom of offering me

[Recall: the Mahaswamigal is speaking]

 

a PoorNa-kumbha (the formal ritual reception with a vessel full of purified

water). At that time, as well as in your marriages and other functions when

you offer the sacred offering to the Achareya, there is a mantra which is

recited by the Pundits. It refers to "those great ones whose antaH-karaNa

has been purified by sannyAsa-yoga"

[cf. Mundaka U. III-2.6.

*vedAnata-vijnAna-sunishcitarthAH

sannyAsa-yogAd-yatayaH shuddh-satvAH*]

 

Here the reference is to the jnAnis. And this again shows the contention of

the Upanishad that sannyAsa is first, and then only, through that

purification one obtains jnAna.

 

An 'atyAshrami' is one who is either in the SannyAsa-Ashrama or one who is

even higher than that, namely one who is a jnAni whom no ShAstraic

injunctions touch. The Svetasvataropanishad (VI-21) seems to be teaching

Brahma VidyA only to such atyAshramis. There is an Upanishad called

Kaivalyopanishad. The Acharya used to quote from it often. In the beginning

of that Upanishad it says the atyAsharami goes to a solitary place, sits in

a straight Asana, controls his senses and mind and meditates on the Shiva

svarUpa, his Atman.

 

 

(To be Continued)

PraNAms to all students of advaita.

PraNAms to the Maha-Swamigal.

profvk

 

 

 

 

 

 

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