Cancelling Karma????What is knowledge ?

[Guest guest]

What a thought provoking Thread!

 

Today, it is my pleasure to bring to you a story from Chandogya

upanishads. Jabali muni , since you like to read stories from

upanishads , this one is for you - you will enjoy reading it as much

as i enjoy narrating it!

 

Narada approached Sanatakumara and asked him to teach him .

Sanatakumara asked Narada what he already knew !

 

Narada replied " Revered sir, I know the Rig-Veda, the Yajur-Veda,

the Sama-Veda and the Atharvanas the fourth, the Itihasa-Purana as

the fifth, grammar, the rules for the worship of the ancestors,

mathematics, the science of portents, the science of treasures,

logic, the science of ethics, etymology, the ancillary knowledge of

the Vedas, the physical sciences, the science of war, the science of

the stars, the science related to serpents, and the fine arts – all

this I know, revered sir.'

 

`Revered sir, however, I am only a knower of verbal texts, not a

knower of Atman. Indeed I have heard from persons like your revered

self that a knower of Atman goes beyond grief. I am in such a state

of grief. May your revered self take me across it.'

 

Sanatkumara replied to him,' Whatsoever you have studied here,

really it is only a name.'

 

`Name indeed is Rig-Veda, (so also) Yajur-Veda, Sama-Veda and the

Atharvana as the fourth, the Itihasa-Purana as the fifth, grammar,

the rules of the worship of the ancestors, mathematics, the science

of portents, the science of treasures, logic, the science of ethics,

etymology, the ancillary knowledge of the Vedas, the physical

science, the science of war, the science of the stars, the science

related to serpents, and the fine arts – name alone is all this.

Worship the name.

 

After saying this , Sanatakumar explains to Narada how Speech is

greater than Name, Mind is greater than Speech , Will is greater

than Mind , Intelligence is greater than Will, Contemplation is

greater than Intelligence , Understanding is greater than

Contemplation, Strength is greater than contemplation. Then

Sanatakumara further says how Food is greater than Strength , Water

is greater than Food ,Fire is greater than Water , Akasha is greater

than Fire , memory is greater than Akasha , Aspiration is greater

than Memory and Finally Prana is greater than Aspiration!

 

Then Sanatakumara teaches Narada ATMA VIDYA in this way

 

" Prana springs from Atman, aspiration from Atman, memory from

Atman, Akasa from Atman, fire from Atman, water from Atman,

appearance and disappearances from Atman, food from Atman, strength

from Atman, understanding from Atman, contemplation from Atman,

intelligence from Atman, will from Atman, mind from Atman, speech

from Atman, name from Atman, hymns from Atman, rites from Atman, all

this (springs) from Atman alone.

 

He who sees this does not see death nor illness nor any sorrow. He

who sees this sees all things and obtains all things in all ways. "

 

When nourishment is pure, reflection and higher understanding become

pure. When reflection and higher understanding are pure, memory

becomes strong. When memory becomes strong, there is release from

all the knots of the heart. The revered Sanatkumara showed to

Narada, after his impurities had been washed off, the further shore

of darkness. "

 

To read the detailed text of this dialogue between Narada and

Sanatakumara , pl go to

 

http://www.celextel.org/108upanishads/chandogya,html? page=7

 

From this narration , it is obvious that one may be well well versed

in all shastras etc but one's education is not complete until and

unless one learns Atma Vidya from a Brahma nishta guru!

 

Gurur Brahma Gurur Vishnu Guru Devo Maheswara;

Gurur Sakshat Para Brahma Tasmai Sri Gurave Namaha

 

Om Shanti! Shanti! Shantihi!

[Guest guest]

Oh! Oh! i typed the url wrong

 

the corrected url is

 

http://www.celextel.org/108upanishads/chandogya.html

 

(http://www.celextel.org/108upanishads/chandogya,html? page=7 )

 

and then go to page 7 for the dialogue between Narada and

Sanatakumara.

 

A drop

Melting into the sea,

Everyone can see.

But the sea absorbed

In a drop-- A rare one can follow!

 

I am looking at you,

You at him,

Kabir asks, how to solve

This puzzle-- You, he, and I

 

ENJOY!