samadhana and nidhidyasana

[Guest guest]

Dear all,NamasteInquiring into the methodology of vedantic teaching I have looked into sadhana chatustaya sampatti. I wonder whether I have the proper understanding of samadhana. It seems to me that it is almost another name for nidhidyasana, both referring to one pointed contemplation of ultimate truth.I would be very thankful for any comment on this.Om ShantiSitara

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[Guest guest]

advaitin , Sitara Mitali <smitali17 wrote:

 

>

> Inquiring into the methodology of vedantic teaching I have looked into sadhana

chatustaya sampatti. I wonder whether I have the proper understanding of

samadhana. It seems to me that it is almost another name for nidhidyasana, both

referring to one pointed contemplation of ultimate truth.

 

 

Namaste,

 

This has been explained exhaustively in the File - Advaita Saadhanaa

(transl. by Prof. VK. of Kanchi Mahasvamigal's lectures in Tamil) - esp. pp

88-98, and pp. 170-192

 

 

Regards,

 

Sunder

[Guest guest]

Namaste dear Sitaraji:

 

In addition to the reference provided by Sunderji, let me add some additional

points based on my understanding>

 

 

The Path of Jnana Yoga consists of Yoga and Jnana the two wings of Moksha (Hamsa

bird). There are four means of Salvation knows as the Sadhana-Chatushtaya. One

of the four means is Shatsampat (six-fold virtues). Of these six virtues, Sama

(calmness of mind through Karma Yoga or keeping the Prashada buddhi), Dama

(restraint of the Indriyas through Vairagya) and Samadhana (preparing the mind

for the single pointed concentration ) are the Yogic practices to control the

mind.

The above purification of the mind will not, by itself, bring about

Brahma-Jnana. The purified mind is quite necessary to receive the transcendental

light and the truth of the absolute reality but in addition we will have to take

refuge in Sravana, Manana and Nididhyasana. Sravana, Manana and Nididhyasana

(hearing truth of the Srutis from the teacher, self reflection along with

interaction with the teacher and most importantly meditation on Brahman) are

the three Vedantic processes for the attainment of Jnana. This is the ladder

with three steps through which the Vedantin ascends to Brahman. If we do Sravana

or hearing of the Srutis once, we must do Manana hundred times (reflection of

what we have heard) and a a thousand times Nididhyasana (profound and constant

meditation). Then only final destination of Moksha can be attained.

Even though both Samadhana and Nididhyasana appears quite similar, if we have

close at these two definitions, we will be able to get the similarities as well

as their distinctions:

Both Samadhana and Nididhyasana are essentials for attaining the Brahma-Jnana.

Samadhana is the essential Yogic practice for mind purification and Nididhyasana

is the final step of attaining the Jnana!

 

The list had many interesting discussions on Sadhana-Chatushtaya and Shatasmapat

and they can be searched and discussions can be downloaded for further reading

from the list archives (see September to November 2009 postings of the list)

 

advaitin/messages

 

Another useful reference with further insights is the following:

http://www.advaita.org.uk/discourses/definitions/shamAdi_ShaTka_sampatti.htm

 

With my warm regards,

 

Ram Chandran

 

 

 

advaitin , Sitara Mitali <smitali17 wrote:

>

>

> Inquiring into the methodology of vedantic teaching I have looked into sadhana

chatustaya sampatti. I wonder whether I have the proper understanding of

samadhana. It seems to me that it is almost another name for nidhidyasana, both

referring to one pointed contemplation of ultimate truth.

>

[Guest guest]

Sitarji - praNams

 

The perspectives that are currently in progress are related to nidhidhyasana and

sadhana chatuShTaya sampatthi only in terms of manda, madhya and uttama

adhikaaries and how Vedantic teaching applies to them.

 

Hari Om!

Sadananda

 

 

--- On Fri, 3/19/10, Sitara Mitali <smitali17 wrote:

 

 

Sitara Mitali <smitali17

samadhana and nidhidyasana

advaitin

Friday, March 19, 2010, 3:58 PM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear all,

 

 

Namaste

 

 

Inquiring into the methodology of vedantic teaching I have looked into sadhana

chatustaya sampatti. I wonder whether I have the proper understanding of

samadhana. It seems to me that it is almost another name for nidhidyasana, both

referring to one pointed contemplation of ultimate truth.

 

 

I would be very thankful for any comment on this.

 

 

Om Shanti

Sitara

 

____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ __

 

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Massenmails.

http://mail.

[Guest guest]

Dear Sitara-ji,

samAdhAna is defined in Vivekachudamani, shloka 27 as – The perfect

establishment of the buddhi always in nirguNa brahman. In the list of items

making up the sAdhanacatuShTayam it comes immediately before mumukShutvam. It

is thus the last step which has to be crossed by one who wishes to become a

mumukShu.

A mumukShu is a person who desires mokSha alone and nothing else. If there is

even the slightest trace of any other desire, he will not qualify as a mumukShu,

even if he desires mokSha also intensely. So all other desires must be

completely rooted out from the mind. This is what samAdhAna means—making the

mind one-pointed towards the goal of mokSha by fixing the mind all the time in

brahman. This is thus the last item in the preparation of the mind for

Self-knowledge.

 

nididhyAsana is contemplation after shravaNa and manana and is therefore

different.

Best wishes,

S.N.Sastri

 

 

advaitin , Sitara Mitali <smitali17 wrote:

>

> Dear all,

>

> Namaste

>

> Inquiring into the methodology of vedantic teaching I have looked into sadhana

chatustaya sampatti. I wonder whether I have the proper understanding of

samadhana. It seems to me that it is almost another name for nidhidyasana, both

referring to one pointed contemplation of ultimate truth.

>

> I would be very thankful for any comment on this.

>

> Om Shanti

> Sitara

>

>

>

> Sie sind Spam leid? Mail verfügt über einen herausragenden Schutz gegen

Massenmails.

>

>

[Guest guest]

advaitin , Sitara Mitali <smitali17 wrote:

>

> Dear all,

>

> Pranams

>

> a week ago I asked the below question....

 

> So the question remains: What is the difference between nidhidyasana and

samadhana? Does there have to be a difference?

>

> Om Shanti

> Sitara

>

 

Hari Om! Pranaams!

 

The following are considered the differences between samAdhAna and nididhyAsanA

or dhyAna and samAdhi.

 

1. dhyAna is with effort - vritti rUpa and samAdhi is effortless - anuvritti

rUpa.

 

2. dhyAna does not but samAdhi eradicates vAsanAs.

 

3. samAdhi uttitaH is established in abhaya and sarvAtmabhAva which dhyAna do

not confer.

 

In Shri Guru Smriti,

Br. Pranipata Chaitanya

[Guest guest]

advaitin , Sitara Mitali <smitali17 wrote:

>

Hari Om Sitaraji, Pranaams!

 

> There is some confusion in my mind as samadh is part of the word samadhana,

yet I understand you to relate samadhi to dhyana. Is this so?

>

when derived in the sense of that into which all thoughts are gathered, samAdhi

can mean mind (BG 2.44), when derived in the sense of that upon which the

mind(thought) is fixed, samAdhi can mean the object of dhyAna - the Self (BG

2.53), and while referring to the fixation/absorbtion, it can mean

Self-absorbtion (BG 2.54).

 

In first two cases,with possiblity of duality or triputi (dhyAtA, dhyAna and

dhyeya), samAdhi can be placed on par with samAdhAna. In last case, when we

remove the dualities and differences of meditator, meditation and the state of

meditator merging and becoming one with the meditated is implied, samAdhi is not

samAdhana and is the culmination of nididhyAsana.

 

 

> Samadhana relates to dhyana and nidhidyasana to samadhi?

>

Yes.

 

> Also I do not understand the last sentence, possibly due to lack of

understanding the sanskrit terms: 3. samAdhi uttitaH is established in abhaya

and sarvAtmabhAva which dhyAna do not confer.

>

samAdhi-utthitaH - samAdheH utthitaH means one who has been in samAdhi state

earlier - a jnAni or jivanmuktaH.

 

mukti or final beatitude lies in one getting firmly established in abhaya -

fearlessness and having equanimity - seeing everything as not different from the

Self - sarvAtmabhAva.

 

One who practise meditation(dhyAna) or have the quality of samAdhana do not get

fearlessness.

 

Arjuna who asks the Lord in the tenth chapter in which objects you are to be

mediated upon, is in the stage of one who has got samAdhana as a quality; but

when he was shown the ekAtmya of all in eleventh chapter become terrified, lost

steadiness and calmness of mind.

 

Instead of samsthA he got pravyathitA.(BG 11.23)

 

samAdhi is generally explained as sam - samyak - well; A - placed; dhI -

intellect. When that placing/fixing/absorbing is acalA, nishcalA and samsthA

(BG 2.53) it qualifies to be called as nididhyAsana.

 

In Shri Guru Smriti,

Br. Pranipata Chaitanya

[Guest guest]

advaitin , Shyam <shyam_md wrote:

>

> Pranams Sitara-ji

> Here is my understanding.

> Samadhana is one-pointedness of the mind. It is hence a mind with a

extraordinary capacity to focus, singlepointedly, as opposed to our normal

" scatterbrain " prone minds which are running off in a hundred different

directions.

 

> Shankara crisply points this out in huis tattvabodha - Samadhanam Kim? What is

samadhana? Chitta Ekaagratha It is singlepointedness of the mind.

 

>

> I hope this is perspective is of help.

>

> Hari OM

> Shri Gurubhyoh namah

> Shyam

 

Namaste Sitaraji,

 

Sri Shyamji has hit the nail on the head, IMO.

 

I couldn't remember what samadhana meant,

and then after reading his post, I remembered.

It means, the ability to stay single-pointed.

 

Let's say a friend tells me about a Vedanta

class, and I think, " Oh, that sounds good,

I think I'll give it a try. "

 

Then tomorrow someone tells me about a good

movie. So I give that a go. Then the next day

I take a ballroom dancing class. Then I think,

" Well, maybe I'll check out sky diving. "

 

So that person doesn't have samadhana. You

need samadhana in order to benefit from the

study of Vedanta, or otherwise Vedanta could

just become one in a list of 'things,' a pursuit

as easily dropped as it is taken up.

 

One really needs to take the study of Vedanta as one's

top commitment. Yes, one will probably need to work,

and one may have family and perhaps community commitments,

(and they can all help with one's sadhana

from the POV of karma yoga), but one's

highest priority should be listening to

the teachings and focusing on gaining the vision

which they have to give.

 

Nidhidhyasana can only be done when the

mind has recognized that my self is the self

of the whole, my atma is brahman.

 

Then why do we do it after that recognition has occurred?

We do it for nishta, to become firm in our 'knowledge.'

 

As my teacher often says, " We have lifetimes

of conditioning, lifetimes of taking who I

am to be a body/mind/sense organs individual. "

 

So in the early stages of knowledge the mind

can sometimes get swept away by past conditioning,

and we can even act like an old samsari again.

The we need to bring in what we know to be true.

To recognize, " I don't need to act like that

anymore. " My source of happiness is my self.

 

A version of a story from my teacher

(and from her teacher) A prince

as a young child somehow became lost and lived

as a beggar for awhile. Then he was found,

and brought back to the palace to live in

luxury and splendor. One day as his retinue

was traveling down a street he saw a man

distributing free candy to some children.

 

The prince ran to the man, holding out his hand,

pushing the other children aside,

so he too, could receive some candy. Then

he remembered, " I am a prince. I am

not a beggar. I don't need to act

this way anymore, " and he retired

slightly embarrassed by his behavior.

 

Thus one needs to do nidhidhyasana again and

again, until one doesn't need to do it any

more. Until one's hand will never go out

for candy, because one knows without

even the slightest waver, that the entire

kingdom of happiness is mine already,

and that happiness I am.

 

Best wishes,

Dhanya (new name from my teacher) Om

[Guest guest]

Namaste to all.

This is only to put forward some thoughts that occurred to me when I read the

various posts on this subject.

 

The requirement that the mind should be fixed on the Self all the time applies

to all spiritual aspirants even at the stage of karma yoga as seen from Gita,

8.7, " Therefore, think of Me at all times and fight (do your duty) " . Here `Me'

stands for the Self.

Again, in sAdhanacatuShTayam, samAdhAna is fixing the buddhi on nirguNa brahman

always. If nididhyAsana also says the same thing, there is nothing added by it.

In br. up. II. iv. 5 where Yajnavalkya speaks of nididhyAsana, Shri Shankara

explains the word as ` nishcayena dhyAtavyam', which means—meditation with

determination. Thus this is something over and above the already stated

requirement of keeping the mind fixed on the Self. It could only mean intense

meditation on the mahAvAkya, which has necessarily to be for a specific period.

By this interpretation nididhyAsana would be different from samAdhAna.

 

But there is another view also, which makes nididhyAsana totally different from

samAdhAna. This is the view of no less a person than the great SureshvarAchArya.

In his vArtika on br. up, 2.4.217 to 2.4.221, he says that nididhyAsana means

realization itself. That means that shravaNa and manana together themselves

result in realization and there is nothing more to done. The question was raised

whether this would not mean that nididhyAsana is only a repetition of the idea

`draShTavyah', the Self is worthy of being seen (or known). The answer is that

draShTavyaH indicates what is to be done and nididhyAsitavyaH expresses the

final result, and so there is no repetition. This interpretation is not commonly

known.

 

As regards the view that jnAna has to become jnAnaphalam, Shri Shankara points

out that realization is not a phalam or effect, because it is eternal. He says

in br. up. 3.3.1. bhAShya--

 

Because Self-knowledge removes the obstruction in the form of ignorance,

liberation is metaphorically said to be the effect of knowledge (jnAnakAryam).

(Liberation is not really an effect or result at all, since it is already

existent in the sense that there is really no bondage at all).

 

The upaniShad says- brahmavid brahmaiva bhavati- The knower of brahman becomes

brahman. Knowledge of brahman is itself realization. So there is no such thing

as jnAna subsequently becoming jnAnaphalam. jnAnam only removes the ignorance.

Realization is not an effect of knowledge, but it is knowledge itself.

Best wishes,

S.N.Sastri

[Guest guest]

advaitin , Sitara Mitali <smitali17 wrote:

>

> Would you be so kind and explain some sanskrit terms that you used in your

post:

>

> samsthA

> pravyathitA

>

> and also in this context: nishkala, akala

>

Hari Om Sitaraji, Pranaams!

 

It is told, in vedantic parlance there is no paryAya shabda - synonyms so no

punarukti-doSha - repetition implying every word has got distinct meaning to

convey according to context eventhough they generally appear as giving the same

sense.

 

acalA, nischala, saMsthA are all of this kind but commentator interprets to

state different contextual meaning which is reproduced:

 

pravyathitaH (BG 11.23) - struck with terror

 

samsthaH - well placed or firmly rooted.

 

acalA (BG 2.53) - unshakeable - free from doubt

nischalA (BG 2.53) - unshakeable - free from distractions i.e. contrary notions.

 

Since the samAdhi refered in in BG verse 2.53 is qualified with acalA and

nischalA i.e. samyak tAtparya nischaya pUrvaka thro shravana and yuktyA nirasta

samshaya thro manana the samAdhi referred is nididhyAsana.

 

In Shri Guru Smriti,

Br. Pranipata Chaitanya

 

>

>

>

>

> ________________________________

> Von: Br. Pranipata Chaitanya <pranipatachaitanya

> An: advaitin

> Gesendet: Dienstag, den 23. März 2010, 23:20:32 Uhr

> Betreff: Re: samadhana and nidhidyasana

>

>

>

>

> advaitin@ s.com, Sitara Mitali <smitali17@ ..> wrote:

> >

> Hari Om Sitaraji, Pranaams!

>

> > There is some confusion in my mind as samadh is part of the word samadhana,

yet I understand you to relate samadhi to dhyana. Is this so?

> >

> when derived in the sense of that into which all thoughts are gathered,

samAdhi can mean mind (BG 2.44), when derived in the sense of that upon which

the mind(thought) is fixed, samAdhi can mean the object of dhyAna - the Self (BG

2.53), and while referring to the fixation/absorbtion , it can mean

Self-absorbtion (BG 2.54).

>

> In first two cases,with possiblity of duality or triputi (dhyAtA, dhyAna and

dhyeya), samAdhi can be placed on par with samAdhAna. In last case, when we

remove the dualities and differences of meditator, meditation and the state of

meditator merging and becoming one with the meditated is implied, samAdhi is not

samAdhana and is the culmination of nididhyAsana.

>

> > Samadhana relates to dhyana and nidhidyasana to samadhi?

> >

> Yes.

>

> > Also I do not understand the last sentence, possibly due to lack of

understanding the sanskrit terms: 3. samAdhi uttitaH is established in abhaya

and sarvAtmabhAva which dhyAna do not confer.

> >

> samAdhi-utthitaH - samAdheH utthitaH means one who has been in samAdhi state

earlier - a jnAni or jivanmuktaH.

>

> mukti or final beatitude lies in one getting firmly established in abhaya -

fearlessness and having equanimity - seeing everything as not different from the

Self - sarvAtmabhAva.

>

> One who practise meditation(dhyAna) or have the quality of samAdhana do not

get fearlessness.

>

> Arjuna who asks the Lord in the tenth chapter in which objects you are to be

mediated upon, is in the stage of one who has got samAdhana as a quality; but

when he was shown the ekAtmya of all in eleventh chapter become terrified, lost

steadiness and calmness of mind.

>

> Instead of samsthA he got pravyathitA. (BG 11.23)

>

> samAdhi is generally explained as sam - samyak - well; A - placed; dhI -

intellect. When that placing/fixing/ absorbing is acalA, nishcalA and samsthA

(BG 2.53) it qualifies to be called as nididhyAsana.

>

> In Shri Guru Smriti,

> Br. Pranipata Chaitanya

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Sie sind Spam leid? Mail verfügt über einen herausragenden Schutz

gegen Massenmails.

>

>

[Guest guest]

advaitin , Sitara Mitali <smitali17 wrote:

>

> Dear Dhanyaji,

>

> Pranams

>

> whereas I totally agree with what you said about nidhidyasana, I have a

different view of samadhana (which is still " in the making " , so to say).

>

> What you described as samadhana seems to me the natural result of a

combination of shama, dama and maybe also uparati. It does not seem to do

justice to the very high position of smadhana as the last of the shatka sampatti

and the one before last of all ten.

>

> I think one has to look deeper into it, considering 1. the fact of its

position in the chatushtaya sampatti and 2. that is has been desribed as

something happending IN the buddhi.

>

> Om Shanti

> Sitara

>

 

Namaste Sitaraji,

 

Maybe you are right, I don't know. Perhaps there

is some other definition for samadhanam other than

'single-pointedness.' I can only tell you what my

teacher has told me, and I have always found what

she has to say on the subject of Vedanta to be entirely

sufficient. I may ask her again if she would expand

upon the definition.

 

I would think that single-pointedness would be

highly important. Otherwise one might just

be a dilettante, and thus Vedanta becomes one in

a list of activities, and not the most important

pursuit in one's life.

 

Also is placement the most important way to

judge the importance of a qualification? Perhaps it is,

and perhaps one qualification might lead to another,

like viveka leads to vairagya. But sama (if it fails)

needs (dama) to take over.

 

So does sama lead to dama? It is because of a

lack of sama that dama becomes important. But

can one develop vairagya if one has no viveka?

I don't think so.

 

Sometimes I wonder if it is always useful to be so

absolutely precise about all of this, lest we loose

the general overall view in the particulars.

 

Sraddha doesn't have an apparently significant

placement in the list (if last indicates the most important),

and yet the Gita states, " the one who has shraddha gains

knowledge, " So according to that statement, sraddha

could be viewed as the most important quality, and I

have heard it described as such.

 

Sraddha is not the final one on the list, and not necessarily

one which is a product of the others, but perhaps one which is

only arrived at only by grace.

 

In terms of something taking place in the buddhi.

 

It is my understanding that in this case the

definition of buddhi would be decisive thinking,

or a decisive type of thought.

 

Thus the thoughts the mind has are broken

into four types.

 

Manas fluctuating thoughts (this includes emotions,

and uncertain thoughts, such as, did I unplug the

iron when I left the house or not?)

 

Buddhi decisive thoughts, or decisive thinking,

such as, I went back and checked and I know without

a shadow of a doubt that I unplugged the iron.

 

Ahankara the 'I' maker thought, I am the body

I am the mind, I am a product of the upadhi.

 

Chitta memory

 

So, if one is single-pointed in one's pursuit,

where is that single-pointed type of thinking

going to occur, or how could one classify it?

What type of thinking is it? It's decisive

thinking, no? 'I am committed without

exception to the study of Vedanta for the

gain of self-knowledge.'

 

And where does decisive thinking take place?

In the buddhi. In fact, don't all of these

qualifications take place in the buddhi?

IMO, they do.

 

Anyway, those are my thoughts on the matter.

 

Best wishes,

Dhanya

[Guest guest]

Pranams Sitara-ji, Dhanya-ji and other respected followers of this thread.

 

To begin with here is a link for an essay about samadhana by Pujya Swami

Dayananda-ji which will hopefully make the concept quite clear for our

understanding.

http://www.avgsatsang.org/hhpsds/pdf/FOCUS_SAMADHANA.PDF

 

Now the question is - why is it seemingly enjoy an exalted status amongst all

the qualifications for a student seeker, a mumukshu? The reason is that a mind

equipped with this one quality alone has the capacity to gain self-realization.

 

In the words of the Katha Upanishad this is very strikingly explained.

Na aviratah Na asantah Na asamahitah..

One cannot obtain Self knowledge if one has not desisted from bad conduct, if

one's senses are not under control AND whose mind is not concentrated (i.e.

singlepointed)

 

Samadhana is not exclusively related to nidhidhyasana - it is equally valid, nay

indispensible, in the realm of karmayoga, where-in the mind is devoutly focussed

on saguna Brahman (Ishwara) until such time as it is rendered capable of taking

flight to the loftier peaks of atma vichara.

 

Hari OM

Shri Gurubhyoh namah

Shyam

 

advaitin , Sitara Mitali <smitali17 wrote:

>

> Dear Dhanyaji,

>

> Pranams

>

> whereas I totally agree with what you said about nidhidyasana, I have a

different view of samadhana (which is still " in the making " , so to say).

>

> What you described as samadhana seems to me the natural result of a

combination of shama, dama and maybe also uparati. It does not seem to do

justice to the very high position of smadhana as the last of the shatka sampatti

and the one before last of all ten.

>

> I think one has to look deeper into it, considering 1. the fact of its

position in the chatushtaya sampatti and 2. that is has been desribed as

something happending IN the buddhi.

> One really needs to take the study of Vedanta as one's

> top commitment. Yes, one will probably need to work,

> and one may have family and perhaps community commitments,

> (and they can all help with one's sadhana

> from the POV of karma yoga), but one's

> highest priority should be listening to

> the teachings and focusing on gaining the vision

> which they have to give.

>

[Guest guest]

Also listen to Swami Tattvavidanandaji's (he is a great Mahatama - no wonder a

disciple of Pujya Swamiji) lecture on shravanam, mananam and nidhidhyasanam on

the following page.

 

http://avgsatsang.org/hhstvs.html

 

advaitin , " shyam_md " <shyam_md wrote:

>

> Pranams Sitara-ji, Dhanya-ji and other respected followers of this thread.

>

> To begin with here is a link for an essay about samadhana by Pujya Swami

Dayananda-ji which will hopefully make the concept quite clear for our

understanding.

> http://www.avgsatsang.org/hhpsds/pdf/FOCUS_SAMADHANA.PDF

>

> Now the question is - why is it seemingly enjoy an exalted status amongst all

the qualifications for a student seeker, a mumukshu? The reason is that a mind

equipped with this one quality alone has the capacity to gain self-realization.

>

> In the words of the Katha Upanishad this is very strikingly explained.

> Na aviratah Na asantah Na asamahitah..

> One cannot obtain Self knowledge if one has not desisted from bad conduct, if

one's senses are not under control AND whose mind is not concentrated (i.e.

singlepointed)

>

> Samadhana is not exclusively related to nidhidhyasana - it is equally valid,

nay indispensible, in the realm of karmayoga, where-in the mind is devoutly

focussed on saguna Brahman (Ishwara) until such time as it is rendered capable

of taking flight to the loftier peaks of atma vichara.

>

> Hari OM

> Shri Gurubhyoh namah

> Shyam

>

> advaitin , Sitara Mitali <smitali17@> wrote:

> >

> > Dear Dhanyaji,

> >

> > Pranams

> >

> > whereas I totally agree with what you said about nidhidyasana, I have a

different view of samadhana (which is still " in the making " , so to say).

> >

> > What you described as samadhana seems to me the natural result of a

combination of shama, dama and maybe also uparati. It does not seem to do

justice to the very high position of smadhana as the last of the shatka sampatti

and the one before last of all ten.

> >

> > I think one has to look deeper into it, considering 1. the fact of its

position in the chatushtaya sampatti and 2. that is has been desribed as

something happending IN the buddhi.

> > One really needs to take the study of Vedanta as one's

> > top commitment. Yes, one will probably need to work,

> > and one may have family and perhaps community commitments,

> > (and they can all help with one's sadhana

> > from the POV of karma yoga), but one's

> > highest priority should be listening to

> > the teachings and focusing on gaining the vision

> > which they have to give.

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Dear Shyam-ji,

My profound thanks to you for reproducing the most illuminating talk of Pujya

Paramacharya on samAdhAna. If there is any talk by him on nididhyAsana I shall

be grateful if you could reproduce it.

Prof VK has done a wonderful job in translating the talk.

Best wishes,

S.N.Sastri

 

advaitin , Shyam <shyam_md wrote:

>

> Pranams Sitaraji.

> I am reproducing here some profound and strikingly sublime words by the Kanchi

Mahaperiyavar [as reproduced by respected Prof VK in Advaita Sadhana (the entire

text can be found at

http://www.advaita.org.uk/discourses/downloads/sadhana.pdf)]

> My prostrations to Prof VK, and koti namaskarams to His Holiness the Sage of

Kanchi.

>

> Hari OM

> Shri Gurubhyoh namah

> Shyam

[Guest guest]

Dear Shastri-ji

Saashtang pranams.

Yes, all of us sadhakas owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to Prof VK-ji for this wonderful treasure of the nectarine words of our beloved Paramacharyal.

 

I am reproducing the relevant exceprt from Advaita Sadhana on nidhidhyasanam - once again it is (most fortunately) very extensive and extraordinarily exhaustive. My prostrations to Prof VK-ji and koti koti namaskarams to His Holiness the Sage of Kanchi - may His Grace ever inspire us on our paths.

 

Hari OM Shri Gurubhyoh namah

Shyam

***********************************************

Now we have come to the stage where one has taken up sannyAsa and also received the upadesha from the Guru. Afterwards what should the Sannyasi do? Let me tell you that he should certainly not be doing what I am doing now! [The Swamigal laughs]. I am getting into all sorts of newspaper gossip; am I not? History, Geography, Local news all of it are coming into my speeches and actions. A true SannyAsi would have nothing to do with all these. All the time he has to be only in the thought of the Atman; that should be his speech, that should be his goal. The Mundakopanishad says (II – 2) "Leave off all talk about anything that is non-Self. In the bow of PraNava (that is, the MahAvakyas), mount the arrow of your own self, shoot yourself at the goal and be fixed there". The one idea of the non-difference between Jiva and Brahman should be the only occupation of your mind. All other talk is only an unnecessary exertion for the throat, says

BrihadAraNyakopanishad IV-4-21. Lord Krishna builds it up like this: *tad-buddhayaH tad-AtmAnaH tan-nishhTAH tat-parayaNAH*. Keeping the intellect in the Atman, the life itself in the Atman, and firmly established in that one Self, with That only as the goal (B.G. V – 17) – this is how he should be. This is what He says in "sannyAsa-yoga". When he talks in "vibhUti yoga" it is He who plays all the other roles and those who know this revel in His thought only, their very life in Him, exchanging with one another thoughts about Him and narrating to one another the stories of His Glory and thus dance and revel in great satisfaction about Him. maccittAH madgata-prANAH bodhayantaH parasparaM / kathayantashca mAM nityaM tushhyanti ca ramanti ca // In the same context, Vidyaranya Swamigal talks about nirguNa upAsanA (that is what a SannyAsi should be doing) and says: The only thought being Brahman, the only conversation between each other being That, the only teaching among one another is That – thus a Sannyasi has That as his only occupation. In sum, after one gets the upadesha, the Sannyasi has to have the only goal of obtaining a direct perception of the advaita brahma-bhAva that has been taught to him by his guru. To achieve this, two processes – manana and nidhidhyAsana – are prescribed. NidhidhyAsana may also be called nidhidhyAsa. 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. 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. 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. 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. There are three authorities -- shruti (the Vedas), yukti (reasoning), anubhava (experience) – for knowing the Truth. Of these it is said that shruti corresponds to shravaNaM, yukti corresponds to mananaM and anubhava corresponds to nidhidhyAsanaM. The mantras of shruti and all the matters pertaining to Brahma-vidyA are heard by the disciple through his ears (shrotra) from the guru. It is quite fitting therefore to associate shravaNaM with shruti. The concept of ‘yukti’ is a little more tough to be understood correctly. This ‘yukti’ (reasoning) is not the rational thinking by which in the ordinary world we use our intellect to arrive at conclusions. Nor has this word ‘anubhava’ (experience) the common connotation of experience that happens to us merely at the level of the mind in several alternating ways! What is being said here is a ‘yukti’ (reasoning) that will be done, at the highest sophisticated level, by the mind

and intellect – which have been flooded by shraddhA and bhakti, calmed, rested and purified, after all that sAdhanA -- when they are converging to the very base of the ego for the purpose of destroying that ego. Similarly, the ‘anubhava’ is what such refined and tempered mind and intellect have known by this ‘yukti’, as now experienced at the deepest layer of the mind right from the very base of the ego. I dare not lecture about them now. If it truly happens to a fortunate one amongst us, he will know it by himself. The only involvement should be for Release (from samsAra). All attachment to sense objects should have been uprooted. And accordingly leaving off all karmas, becoming a sannyAsi, whoever with shraddhA is established in shravana, manana and nidhidhyAsana, he it is that discards all rajas nature of the intellect. Note that the sAdhanA regimen of mumukshutvaM, sannyAsaM and shravaNa etc. have all been mentioned. And in that state, the reasoning itself will be unique. So also in that stage, the ‘anubhava’ or experience will also be unrelated to the senses but related to the antarAtmA. [Laughing, the Mahaswamigal says] I am telling you in the manner of a professor. That kind of reasoning will be ‘super-rational’ and the experience ‘mystic’! MananaM, the process of mental repetitions of the upadesha, is for the purpose of the mind to stay put instead of giving any scope for digression or distraction. It is this mananaM that is called ‘AvRtti’ in Brahma-sUtra. "The Vedas have repeatedly prescribed repeated memorisation": -- *asakRd upadeshAt* (IV – 1.1.) How long should one do this memorisation? The Acharya replies with a sense of humour: If you are told to husk paddy, you should not be asking ‘how long should I husk it?’. You have to husk until you see the rice coming out. So also until the Atman comes out of the cloud of avidyA, you have to be in that same thought, same repetition, same dhyAnaM. However much the mind and intellect might have matured, until the Brahman Realisation happens, mAyA does not spare you. Maybe it is not right to throw the blame on mAyA. Realisation is the apex of all sAdhanA. It cannot be achieved unless all karma is extinguished. What

can be done if, inspite of all the sAdhanA done, the earlier karma is several times heavier? Maybe for their extinction, right now, not by the work of mAyA, but by the Grace of Ishvara, there arise undesirable thoughts that shake up the sAdhaka. I am not referring to thoughts of kAma, krodha, etc. They have all been extinguished much earlier. There are two other undesirable thoughts or conceptions. One is called *asambhAvanA* and the other is called *viparIta-bhAvanA*. "SadhanA has been done for so long. The so-called goal is impossible. After all I am finite. How can this finite little being become the Infinite Universal Brahman?" This is ‘asambhAvanA’. In fact it is the question which casts a doubt on whether the advaita experience is a possibility at all. When this doubt crystallises and matures, instead of being a doubt it turns out into a reply to the question and says to itself: "No. It is not possible. It is only Duality that is possible. And that is the truth. Jiva is different and Brahman is different" – this is ‘viparIta-bhAvanA’. ‘After such long effort, I am still only a separate Jiva, so I have to remain only as a separate Jiva. This is the duality in which I have to be always’ – it is this trend of thought that creates the ‘viparIta-bhAvanA’. Of these two, to eradicate the ‘asambhAvanA’ one needs to do mananaM. And to get rid of ‘viparIta-bhAvanA’ one needs ‘nidhidhyAsana’. ‘asambhAvanA’ might have covered one entirely like moss. But if one is constantly chewing in the mind the Vedanta statements and analysing them by the matured mind, repeating the powerful mantras in the form of the mahAvAkyas, even if the real Brahman experience does not occur, the possibility of its occurrence will get crystallised in the mind. Maybe the possibility becomes acceptable, but unless it has actually occurred, thus leading to resolution of all doubts once for all, how will this acceptance be sufficient? The present everyday experience is a direct experience of duality. We are having a direct observational experience of Brahman as something different from us. If advaita is the truth that also should become a direct such experience. In other words, without a Brahman-realisation, how can the viparIta-bhAvanA disappear? That direct experience will occur only if the nidhidhyAsanA continues as a single dhyAna to the exclusion of everything else. There is no other way. That the (familiar-to-the–Tamil-world) ‘panchAmRtaM’ is composed of honey, milk and ghee, etc. and can therefore be expected to be nothing but sweet, is mananaM. However, there could be a doubt. ‘Is it truly a sweet dish? Maybe the sweet things together by some combination make it bitter. Who

knows?’ When such a doubt arises, the only way to get out of the doubt is to taste it; how can there be a resolution of the fact otherwise? If one goes through the nidhidhyAsanaM with perfect dedication to the prospect that the Ultimate Reality, the existence of which was conclusively confirmed by reasoning in the course of the process of mananaM, must show itself up in one’s experience, it will certainly show its taste off and on. Of course the taste, the taster and the taste-Giver would have become all one! Even though that state disappears, one gets the confirmation that there is certainly an advaita experience. How can the viparIta-bhAvanA rise up thereafter? The very fact that in this third stage these negative bhAvanAs pop up is in a sense a God-sent blessing in disguise! It is because of that the sAdhaka continues in full earnest his manana-nidhidhyAsana efforts in order, one, to get the intellectual conviction at the level of his antaHkaraNa that advaita is the Truth and two, to get one’s own shades of experience at the level of the inner Self! Otherwise he may be a little easy-going and miss it entirely! Even if it is not missed it may certainly get postponed. Only when a counter-thought occurs one gets the motivation for a full-fledged no-mercy onslaught to check it either way. It is in that sense the two dispositions of asambhAvanA and viparIta-bhAvanA help as ‘incentives’! The mananaM that keeps analysing the conceptual matter off and on leads on to the nidhidhyAsana which shows the same thing as an experience. Thereafter there is no analysis or churning. There is only that

single thought, dhyAna. The Acharya has a favourite way of saying this. *samAna-pratyaya-pravAha-karaNaM*. He uses this expression in many places. (Sutra-Bhashya IV-1.7.8; Gita Bhashya XII – 3). Just as the flow of a flood of water converges in one direction so also the converging of thought in one direction is what dhyAna means. ‘Just as oil flows down in a straight wire-like appearance – taila-dhArAvat’ is also another expression of his. ‘Muni’ is a Sanskrit word for a great person who is a perfect jnAni and spiritually very powerful. He is actually the best among Rishis. Only he who is an adept in the process of ‘mananaM’ is called a ‘muni’. In Sutra Bhashya III – 4 – 47, this is how the Acharya speaks of the derivation of the word ‘muni’: *mananAn munir-iti (ca) vyutpatti-sambhavAt*. He also says there that the word ‘muni’ has a special significance in jnAna-- *jnAna-atishaya-arthatvAt*. Thus the process of ‘mananaM’ is not just repetition for memorisation, nor it is, as we think of it usually, a logical reasoning at the intellectual level to import spiritual matters just into the brain. It is far higher than that. It is something that dwells on matters clarified by the touch of intuition. Remember our Acharya is one who gave the noblest status to the hearing (shravaNa) of the teaching from the guru. If the same Acharya says "Let it be understood that mananaM is a hundred times greater than shravaNaM". *shataguNaM vidyAn-mananaM*, then at how really a high level should shravaNaM be counted? And he doesn’t stop there. If mananaM is a hundred times greater than shravaNaM, he says nidhidhyAsanaM is a hundred-thousand times greater than mananaM: *mananAdapi nidhidhyAsaM lakshha-guNaM*. MananaM is not just dead information; it is knowledge full of life. But even that knowledge becomes tiny little in the face of experience. You may know everything about sugar, you might have bales and bales of high class sugar, but they are not equivalent to that experience one gets from the taste of a little pinch of that sugar. That is why he says nidhidhyAsaM is one hundred thousand times greater than mananaM. NidhidhyAsaM is also not a one-shot affair by which one gets established into a permanent Brahman-experience. It is only with a self-effort that one does what is called nidhidhyAsaM. And he gets flashes of that Brahman-experience. The moment we say this we know there is duality in this. The Brahman-experience, instead of glittering, twinkling and disappearing like a lightning flash, if that lightning of brahmAnubhava ‘electrocutes’ him in a sense, killing his Jiva-bhAva, and makes him the nectarine brahman itself, that will be the end of it all; that is the siddhi position. The sAdhanA stops there, the sAdhaka himself becoming the sAdhya (the goal) sthAna (locus). Just as hands and feet do works, so also nidhidhyAsa is work done mentally. However glorified it is, there is the duality of action and of doer; so how can it be considered as the Final Truth that stands alone by Itself? Even so, so long as one continues as a Jiva, the one noblest thing that he can do not to be that Jiva is to keep thinking only of Brahman; as such one has to steadfastly hold on to the nidhidhyAsa-action. The action of constantly thinking about brahman ends up in the state where one has become the action-less brahman. There is what is called a *bhramara-kITa-nyAyaM*. Bhramara is the wasp. KITa means a worm. The worm is said to be constantly thinking of becoming a wasp. That constant thinking, it appears, causes its own transformation of its form and the growth of wings and finally it becomes a wasp and flies away from the nest. So it is said! The nidhidhyAsaM of the worm makes it the wasp – this is bhramara-kITa-nyAya. In the same manner the Jiva in the constant thought of Brahman, thinks of ‘this’ Jiva becoming ‘that’ Brahman, thinks that even now ‘this’ is only ‘that’ and such a nidhidhyAsana all the time ends up with the Jiva becoming Brahman – so says the Acharya in Viveka chudamani 358-359/359-360. This has been said by the Acharya in order that the jnAna-pathfinder does not get side-tracked into the direction of saguNa-brahman. In other words he has wound up the context of Vivekachudamani by saying that by the sheer power of this constant thought one automatically becomes Brahma-svarUpa. In actual fact this becoming happens only by the Grace of God! It is by His Grace that the JivAtma becomes the ParamAtmA! The Acharya certainly knows this; and knows this quite well. To win over the karma-mimamsaka-upholders this is the final BrahmAstra that the Acharya used: "No action by itself gives the result; the results are given by Ishvara". When that was the case, he would have never d to the idea that the very mental action of nidhidhyAsana would automatically produce the great result of Brahma-nirvANaM. MayA’s function of hiding things is called ‘tirodhAnaM’. Right now the real Brahman that we are is *tirohitaM*, that is, hidden from us. The hidden thing comes out by the dhyAna of ParamAtmA – so says BrahmasUtra, but immediately, lest we may think it is an automatic consequence, it adds, clearing up any confusion, "This hiding as well as the bondage (caused by the hiding) are both by Ishvara. When we do nidhidhyAsanaM, the removal of the hiding, the manifestation of the Truth and the grant of mokshha, all are again the work of Ishvara". (III – 2-5). When the Acharya writes the BhashyaM on this, he says, more explicitly, "This manifestation will not happen automatically or naturally for all and sundry. Only to that rare person who makes effort to do intense nidhidhyAsana it happens by God’s Grace". *na svabhAvata eva sarveshhAM jantUnAM* -- ‘Revelation’ does not happen naturally for everybody. *Ishvara-prasAdAt

samsiddhasya kasyacit eva Avirbhavati* -- ‘By God’s Grace It reveals only to that rare person who has the highest achievement’.

Though the Acharya said "You have to do it yourself" he must have also thought this might end up in boosting up one’s ego in the thought "Thus after all it is our own effort that has all the power". So he also says that even though it is you who do it, that is also Ishvara’s Grace. It is He who prompts you and keeps you company. If we carefully note what the Lord says in the Gita we would know the Acharya has said the same thing. When He winds up the Gita, the Lord says: "Surrender to me and rest. I will take care of you!" A little before that he also says "Do a total surrender to the Lord in every possible way. By His Grace you will attain the highest goal of Peace". And He Himself says in another place *uddhared-AtmanAtmAnaM* ‘one has to lift oneself by oneself’ and thus talks of self-effort as great. Unless one does the total surrender, it is self-effort that wins – this is the sum and substance. In all this also there is

God’s Grace in hiding! He who does the nidhidhyAsana really deeply does forget himself off and on and gets hooked up to Brahman but he also comes out of it. He who causes them to happen is Ishvara. From the very beginning, from the time one begins with nitya-anitya-vastu-vivekaM – why, even further down, from the rock bottom practice and performance of karma and bhakti -- the agent-provocateur who takes him up inch by inch, in answer to his efforts, is only the Ishvara. But He never explicitly shows Himself, even a little, to be so. It is the sAdhaka who has to infer it, by the thoughts ‘I think my mind is now purified a little, some dispassion has come, it is now possible to still the mind for a moment at least’ and so on, by observing himself. He does the nidhidhyAsana, but to be lost in that trance even for a moment is His work! Formerly, the action of progressing in the sAdhanA, as well as attaining greater and greater maturity, was the

responsibility of the JIva. But now he is progressing towards the state of actionlessness; what action shall he do now? He can only think of it; except for that how can he do the ‘becoming That’ as an action? We say ‘I passed the examination’. Actually the act of passing, was not done by us. Our action was only to write the examination. Yes, we did it well. But we cannot ‘pass’ ourselves. Some responsible official has to ‘pass’ us. Our business ends with writing the examination. The awarding of the ‘pass’ is by the person responsible for it. (Of course I am talking about the period before Indian Independence. The methods of ‘gratification’ or ‘applying pressure’ for the purpose of ensuring a ‘pass’ were not known in those days!). To ‘pass’ in the sAdhanA examination, which means to ‘pass’ to be admitted to the world of actionlessness, it is the Grace of the Ishvara, the ‘phala-dAtA’ (dispenser of fruit) that is not only the capital but also the instrument of action. Unlike the case of the ordinary examination, where the result is only a piece of news, the value of which is only a further job or an eligibility to pursue studies further , in the case of sAdhanA, a pass in the final examination of nidhidhyAsanA is indeed a great Experience. There is nothing above or beyond that. It is nothing but Brahma-nirvANa, advaita-moksha. The truth certainly is that the Lord makes the JIvAtma as paramAtmA, as a result of the constant thinking of the former. In the Tamil world, there is a saying which is in conformity with ‘bhramara-kITa-nyAya’. "The wasp stings and stings and makes the worm one of its family" goes the saying. *koTTik-koTTi kuLavi tan-niRam AkkitrAm*! It is not that the worm becomes the wasp by itself; it keeps on thinking about the wasp, the wasp continues to sting and converts it into the form of the wasp – so goes this saying. It is in that manner Ishvara does to the JIvAtmA who does the nidhidhyAsana. Mark it! There is a difference! The One who does the transformation here is the Ishvara who is the saguNa-brahman. But the transformation he does to the JIvAtmA is the formless nirguNa-brahman! And the Jiva does the dhyAna only to become nirguNa and not for becoming the saguNa Ishvara! So this transcends all analogy and stands very high! From the beginning Ishvara did not reveal Himself as the one who was granting the progress step by step. Even now he only plays ‘blind and seek’. Now and then he takes the sAdhaka to samAdhi and later permanently makes him a JIvan-mukta or a videha-mukta. However there is a major difference. In earlier stages, all the cleaning up or purification and other touches-up that were happening in the mind, had Him as their Cause. But now He destroys the very mind itself! Once the mind has vanished, how can this (sAdhaka) get to know Him (the saguNa Brahman)? And that is why even now the work of Ishvara is a black box to the JIva! But though it is not visible to the eyes, it is million times proximate in the sense that there is a unification between ‘this’ and ‘that’ NirguNa. The saguNa Ishvara who makes the JIva a nothing, also makes Himself a nothing and shines only as a sat-cit-Ananda tattva only. [The Mahaswamigal laughs here] I

said ‘shines’; is it the light of a bulb of one thousand watts? We are running out of language here! We are only talking at our level like this in order to attempt to communicate! Indescribable by words, unreachable by the mind – nothing more blissful, nothing more peaceful than that, nothing more independent, nothing more of knowledge – it is a state, the truth of truths, the universal One! That is the destination for the jnAna path, and for the regimen of advaita-sAdhanA, wonderfully paved for us into a royal path by the Acharya. By his Grace we got the fortunate opportunity of talking about it, hearing about it and thinking about it. Let us pray to him that we should be able to march forward in that path, little by little.

****************************************************--- On Fri, 3/26/10, snsastri <sn.sastri wrote:

snsastri <sn.sastri Re: samadhana and nidhidyasanaadvaitin Date: Friday, March 26, 2010, 2:28 AM

Dear Shyam-ji,My profound thanks to you for reproducing the most illuminating talk of Pujya Paramacharya on samAdhAna. If there is any talk by him on nididhyAsana I shall be grateful if you could reproduce it. Prof VK has done a wonderful job in translating the talk. Best wishes,S.N.Sastri

[Guest guest]

Dear Shyam-ji,

Thanks a lot for giving the enlightening talk of Paramacharya.

Best wishes,

S.N.sastri

advaitin , Shyam <shyam_md wrote:

>

>

> Dear Shastri-ji

> Saashtang pranams.

> Yes, all of us sadhakas owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to Prof VK-ji for

this wonderful treasure of the nectarine words of our beloved Paramacharyal.

>  

> I am reproducing the relevant exceprt from Advaita Sadhana on nidhidhyasanam

- once again it is (most fortunately) very extensive and extraordinarily

exhaustive. My prostrations to Prof VK-ji and koti koti namaskarams to His

Holiness the Sage of Kanchi - may His Grace ever inspire us on our paths.

>  

> Hari OM

> Shri Gurubhyoh namah

> Shyam