Shankara on ShravaNa, etc.

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ShrIgurubhyo NamaH

 

Pranams sadhakas,

 

In the BrihadAraNyaka UpaniShad II.iv.5 occurs this sentence as a

part of the mantra:

 

//AtmA vA arey draShTavyaH, shrotavyo mantavyo nididhyAsitavyo

maitreyi, Atmano vA arey darshanena shravaNena matyA vijnAnena idam

sarvam viditam //

 

After considering all the objects of desire and concluding that all

these objects become desirable only as subservient to one's own

Self, which is what is the dearest to oneself, Sage Yajnavalkya

instructs wife Maitreyi that since such is the case, AtmA, the Self,

indeed is to be realized. It has to be heard from the Acharya as

taught in the scriptures, ratiocinated upon and meditated upon.

When this is done and the sAkShAtkara, the direct realization, had,

everything that constitutes 'this', that is, the entire objective

universe, becomes known. The idea is that the Realization of the

Self is the ultimate knowledge that one could obtain, as a result of

which all seeking in order to make oneself 'complete' ends.

 

The Acharya's Bhashyam for the above instruction covering darshana,

shravaNa, manana and nididhyAsana is:

 

AtmA vA arey draShTavyaH - darshanArho darshana-viShayam-

ApAdayitavyaH. (The Self is worthy or realization, should be made

the object of realization)

 

shrotavyo - (pUrvam) AchAryataH Agamatashcha (It should first be

heard from a teacher and from the scriptures,)

 

mantavyo - (pashchAt)mantavays-tarkataH (then reflected on through

reasoning)

 

nididhyAsitavyo - (tato)nishchayena dhyAtavyaH (and then steadfastly

meditated upon)

 

The Bhashya goes on to say:

 

//Then only is It realized - when these means, viz hearing,

reflection and meditation, have been gone through. When these three

are combined, then only true realization of the unity of Brahman is

accomplished, not otherwise - by hearing alone. The different

castes such as the Brahmana or the Kshatriya, the various orders of

life, and so on, upon which rites depend, and which consist of

actions, and their factors and results, are objects of notions

superimposed on the Self by ignorance - i.e, based on false notions

like that of a snake in a rope. In order to destroy these he (Sage

Yajnavalkya) says, 'By the realization of the Self, my dear, through

hearing, reflection and meditation, all this is known'.//

(Translation by Swami MAdhavaananda, Advaita Ashrama, Sri

Ramakrishna Mutt)

 

Humble praNAms to all,

Om Tat Sat