Nature of Brahman: The Supreme Self By Prof. Harish C. Gaur

[Guest guest]

, " jagbir singh "

<adishakti_org wrote:

>

> " The supreme divinity, Lalita, is one's own blissful Self. "

>

> ~Bhavana Upanishad 1.27

>

>

> " This primeval power is Tripura,

> The supreme sovereign, Tripura;

> Goddess great with ear-rings adorned

> In sphere of fire abiding. "

>

> ~Tripura Tapini Upanishad 1.9

>

>

> " She alone is Atman. Other than Her is untruth, non-self. Hence is

> She Brahman-Consciousness, free from (even) a tinge of being and

> non-being. She is the Science of Consciousness, non-dual Brahman

> Consciousness, a wave of Being-Consciousness-Bliss. The Beauty of

> the three-great-cities, penetrating without and within, is

> resplendent, non-dual, self-subsisting. What is, is pure Being;

> what shines is pure Consciousness; what is dear is Bliss. So here

> is the Maha-Tripura-Sundari who assumes all forms. You and I and

> all the world and all divinities and all besides are the Maha-

> Tripura-Sundari. The sole Truth is the thing named `the

> Beautiful'. It is the non-dual, integral, supreme Brahman. "

>

> ~Bahvricha Upanishad 1.5

>

>

> /message/6781

>

 

Nature of Brahman: The Supreme Self

By Prof. Harish C. Gaur

 

About the importance of knowing Brahman, Yajnavalkya said--- " In this

world, one without knowing the imperishable, may offer oblations

into fire, perform sacrifices, practice austerities for thousands of

years (but still) find all such acts unproductive (of result). Also,

whoever departs from this world (meets death) without knowing the

imperishable, is miserable, but he who departs after knowing, that

as a knower of Brahman (Brahmavit), attains to Brahman. "

 

But how does one know, if It exists? It is said that just as " Oil

exists in sesame seeds, butter in milk, water in (underground)

rivers, fire in (Arani) woods, yet is not apparent. But one can

obtain oil by compressing the sesame seeds, butter by converting the

milk into curd and churning, water by digging the wells and fire by

rubbing together two pieces of dry wood. Likewise, Self is realized

as the Self (within) when one looks for it by truthfulness,

observing austerity " (Svet. Up. I. 15-16).

 

It is emphasized that only the purified Antahkarana of a being is

capable of 'revealing' the self by reflection (Abhasa) like the sun

reflected in a (clean) mirror or in (still and clean) water. But if

polluted by blemishes as attachment arising from contact of senses

with respective objects and possessed of desire, anger, pride,

greed, envy etc., it becomes non-transparent like a stained mirror

or disturbed/polluted water in a lake and does not enable reality of

the Self to be revealed even though it is so near.

 

Also, Supreme Self is not attained by (revealed to) one bereft of

vigor (weak spirit), to one possessed of ignorance (from constant

adherence to body as Self ), delusion (caused by attachment to

mundane things) or from improper practice of austerities etc. The

self of the enlightened (possessed of knowledge) who strives with

diligence and possessed of proper means attains to union with

(enters the abode that is) Brahman (Mund. Up. III. 2.4). In yet

another context, Lord Yama told Nachiketa--- " One who has not

desisted from activities prohibited (not sanctioned by scriptures),

whose senses are not under control, whose mind may not be

concentrated and is not free from anxiety (about the result of

concentration) cannot attain to the Self (even) through knowledge "

(Kath. Up. 1. 2. 24).

 

The favorable condition for the intellect is purity and transparency

like a cleaned mirror or clean and still water. Thus, possessed of

purified intellect (Antahkarana) freed from all desires and by

prolonged and uninterrupted practices that lead to divine traits

(also, subjugating non-divine traits), with control of mind and

senses, one realizes the individual self through meditation

(thinking of it alone) with concentrated mind, by a control of Prana

repeating 'So' while inhaling and 'Aham' while exhaling; Soham (I am

He) being a reminder of oneness of the self with Brahman (Brihad.

Up. I. 4. 1). Also it is emphasized that 'self' alone should be

realized (Brihad. Up. I. 4.7). In the purified intellect, Self is

said to reveal its true nature. About the necessity of freeing one's

self from desires it was said--- " When all desires clinging to one's

heart fall off, then a mortal becomes immortal and he attains to

Brahman here (meaning in this life) (Kath. Up. II. 3.14). The

cessation of bondage from desires is like blowing out a lamp. He

attains to Brahman.

 

Realization of Self is facilitated by association with and the

guidance of a qualified teacher (Guru), who besides being a knower

of Brahman (Brahmavit), should have realized Brahman. The

realization is accomplished in several stages by understanding the

true significance of Sruti Mahavakya as 'Ayam Atma Brahma' (this

individual self is the Supreme Self, Brahman) (Brihad. Up. II. 5.

19), 'Tattawamasi' (Thou art That, Brahman), (Ch. Up. VI. 8.7),

culminating in 'Aham Brahmasmi' (I am Brahman) (Brihad. Up. I.

4.10). The man without desire, has no Karma and therefore no cause

to go through yet another birth, his organs such as of speech etc.,

do not depart (with the subtle body). He is undifferentiated from

the Supreme Self. It is said--- " Any one who knows the supreme

Brahman becomes Brahman indeed " (Mund. Up. III. 2. 9). It is

clarified that if the difference was real, Jiva could not become

Brahman Itself. Knowledge. may destroy ignorance but not what is

real. Because Jiva becomes Brahman, its identity was real, the

ignorance having been destroyed by knowledge leaving only Brahman.

 

When one awakens up from deep (dreamless) sleep (Sushupti), he says

he was not conscious of anything, meaning he did not know or was

ignorant, but he did experience the bliss with no worries or pain.

This is a momentary experience of oneness of individual self with

the Supreme Self, albeit in ignorance. In present day medical

practices, this bliss (freedom from pain) is artificially created

when the body is unable to bear pain as during and after surgery. By

administering anesthetic agents with sedative influence, the patient

is induced to deep-sleep and unconsciousness, oblivious of the pain

the body is undergoing. Realization of the Supreme Self is the

attainment of that bliss while one is conscious (as in Samadhi) and

without the adjunct of ignorance. This is realization of the Supreme

Self by the self.

 

Nature of Brahman: The Supreme Self

By Prof. Harish C. Gaur