Kanchi Mahaswamigal's Discourses on Advaita Saadhanaa - (KDAS-76)

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Namaste.

 

For a Table of Contents of these Discourses, see

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For the previous post, see

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SECTION 62: SHRAVANA, MANANA, NIDHIDHYASANA - CHARACTERISTICS

Tamil Original: http://www.kamakoti.org/tamil/dk6-135.htm

 

The mental analysis of the upadesha by rolling it over in the mind

repeatedly is what is called mananaM. Thereafter, without scope or

necessity for any more enquiry, analysis, research or debate in the

mind, follows NidhidhyAsana, which is the one-pointed identification in

that Atma-tattva, about which there is now perfect clarity, and the mind

is without any vibration.

 

The Acharya has graced us with an expository work (*prakaraNa-grantha*)

called "AtmA-anAAtma-vivekam" in prose in the form of questions and

answers. What is shravaNa, what is manana, what is nidhidhyAsana, -- all

these are defined there in a very crisp fashion. Usually there are six

components of proof by which a matter is established as a conclusion.

That the advaita truth is what the Vedas declare will be explained by

the Guru through the medium of all these six components of proof. To

listen to and receive it is shravaNaM. Having learnt about the non-dual

entity one analyses and pursues the reasoning in his mind in accordance

with the Veda-ShAstras; this is mananaM. Mark it; I said 'in accordance

with the Veda-shAstras'. This is important. The logic that you follow

has to be in accordance with the Veda-shAstras. Your mental make-up has

already been tuned properly by the sAdhanA-set-of-four, particularly the

component of shraddhA therein. One does the mental analysis of the

Guru's upadesha without being drawn astray by the narrow intellect,

wrongly called rational mind. The Acharya has warned us against this

in his sopAna-pancakaM: *dustarkAt suviramyatAM

shruti-matas-tarko'nusandhIyatAM* -- meaning, Discard distorted logic;

adopt the logic consistent with the purpose of the Vedas. Such an

analysis is mananaM. Having confirmed it by the intellect, now you have

to experience it. So without being distracted by any other thought, the

mind (cittaM) should now flow like flood in the one direction (of the

Atman). That is 'nidhidhyAsanaM' - that is how he defines it in

AtmAnAtma-vivekaM.

 

In between I told you about the six components of proof. What are those

six? The subject of a book can be known from the beginning and end of

it. This is called 'upakrama-upasamhAraM'. This is the first of the six.

The second one is repetition. If a book declares the same thing

repeatedly, it is clear that it is the subject of the book. This is

called 'abhyAsaM'. The third is 'apUrvaM'; if an idea is presented in a

most unusual way, that is the subject. The fourth is the process,

called 'phalaM' of telling something and immediately listing the

positive effects of it one by one. The fifth is the method of praising

something sky-high; this kind of praise is called *artha-vAdaM*. And

the last, namely the sixth, is 'upapatti' which brings out the reason,

the concordance and logic and establishes that such and such is the

subject.

 

SECTION 63: PENULTIMATE STAGE TO SIDDHI

Tamil Original: http://www.kamakoti.org/tamil/dk6-136.htm

 

Several ideas about the Atman will get clarified during the mananaM, and

that itself will lead to the nidhidhyAsana of meditation on that One

Atman alone.

 

When the manana-nidhidhyAsana are deep, many things will occur -- may

occur -- known only to the Ishvara and that Jiva who is the sAdhaka.

Some things may occur which are not comprehensible even by the Jiva.

Here he should not falter just because they are incomprehensible; it is

for this that the Acharya had already instilled into him enough of

shraddhA and bhakti! So without getting confused about the fact that

nothing is being comprehended, he will go on in the straight path that

the Guru has shown him. Ishvara also will do things that wring out any

residual karma or vAsanA in order to take him on to his final

destination. Only when such VasanAs and karma get destroyed, that

process itself will set up the chain of further wringing out in the

heart-nADis - this is called "nAdi mathanaM" - which makes the merging

of the antaHkaraNaM in the heart.

 

I wonder whether it is right for me to say these things to you. Because

the sAdhaka's only thought should be Brahma-anubhavaM

("Brahman-experience"); so when I say 'nADi', 'heart', 'mathanaM' etc.

he might get distracted from his one-pointedness by unnecessary

observations about 'wringing of the nADis', 'merging in the heart' etc.

Actually these things take place involuntarily. So there is no need to

know about them. By being distracted by the beauties of the garden

outside one may finally fail to enter the house!

 

Further Ishvara may not be doing everything the same way to every one.

He might have several ways of handling. The old (karma) balance might be

different from person to person and Ishvara's manner of settling them

also will differ accordingly. Also He has his own style of several

leelAs of pleasing Himself! Once He takes the sAdhaka to his

destination, there will not be any scope for His leela, so he might be

doing something new for every one! Maybe some of them might not have any

such 'wringing' or 'mathanaM' at all! Why, even it may be that for some

there may not be any necessity to make the mind one-pointed at the

Atma-sthana in the heart, and one might be able to think of the Atman as

transcendent and all-pervading and be able to concentrate on it.

 

It is in view of all this that the Acharya simply says "Carry on your

nidhidhyAsana deeper and deeper and keep going" and then just mentions

the Brahman-Realisation as the destination and winds up there.

 

SECTION 64: MANANA THAT TRANSCENDS INTELLECT;

NIDIDHYAASANA THAT TRANSCENDS MENTAL FEELING

 

 

 

(To be Continued)

PraNAms to all students of advaita.

PraNAms to the Maha-Swamigal.

profvk