Upadesha Sashari – Part 29

???????? ?????? ????????? ? ?????????? ?? ?

???????? ?? ????????? ???: ???????????: ?? ??

vikshepaH nAsti tasmAnme samAdhistataH mama

vikshepaH vA samAdhirvA manasaH syAdvikaraNaH

???????: = distraction;  ?????? = not there; ??????? = Hence;  ?? = for me;  ??: = therefore;  ?? = for me; ?????: = contemplation; ? = not there; ???????: =  distraction; ?? = or; ?????: = contemplation; ?? = or;  ???: = of the mind; ?????: = for (the mind) which is subject to change; ??????= modification.

Therefore, there is neither distraction nor contemplation for me. Either distraction or contemplation is of the mind which is subject to change.

Mind is subject to modifications in the form of peace, anxiety, restlessness, joy, fear, despair etc. Appertaining to the mind they have no relation with the AtmA. Any sAdhaNA we undertake is only to make the mind ready and calm. These very modifications in the mind are made known by the self. I, the AtmA am untouched by these variations. The illuminator AtmA is not the illumined.

????????? ???????? ??? ????????? ????? ?? ?

??????????????????? ????????????? ?? ?? ??

amanaskasya shudhasya katham tat syAt dvayam

amanastvAvikAritve videhvyApinaH mama

????????? = To the one without a mind; ???????? = to the pure; ??? ??? ??????  ????? ?? = How can those two be there for me?;

??????????????????? = (I am) without a mind and modifications; ????????????? ?? = for me who is bodiless and all pervading.

How can these two (distraction and contemplation) be there for Me, who is bodiless and all pervading, the one without a mind and pure,? I am without a mind and modification-less.

Distraction and contemplation are for the mind. The AtmA being bodiless how can these mind modifications have any effect on it? The mind is limited while the AtmA is all pervading. The limited mind modifications can have no effect on the limitless AtmA. The self is partless. It is undivided in the form of mind, body, limbs etc. It is the part-less whole. How then can the mind modifications have an effect on it which has no parts? The mind is subject to changes. The self is pure, in that, it remains unaffected whatsoever. It alone is. Hence, I, the self, am without a mind and modification-less.

?????????????????? ??????????? ??????? ?

????????????? ???????? ???????? ? ??? ????—-??

?????????S????????? ?????? ??????????? ????? ?

??? ?? ???????? ? ???????? ? ???????? ???????????? ??—-??

ityetadyAvadaj~nAnam tAvatkAryam mamAbhavat

nityamuktasya shuddhasya buddhasya cha sadA mama

samAdhirvA asamAdhirvA kAryam  chAnyatkutaH bhavet

mAm hi dhyAtvA cha buddhvA cha manyante kRitkRityatAm

???????? = in this manner; ?????????? =  till there was ignorance, ??????????? ?? ????? = Till, then there is duty for me; ????????????? ???????? ???????? ? ??? ?? = For me, who is ever free,  pure and of the form of knowledge.

?????????S????????? = contemplation or restlessness; ?????? ??????? = or any other action; ???: ????? = how can there be?

??? ?? ???????? ? ???????? ? = contemplating on Me and knowing Me; ???????? ???????????? = people attain fulfillment.

For me who is ever free, pure and of the form of knowledge, till there was ignorance until then there was duty. How can there be contemplation, restlessness or any other action for Me? Contemplating on Me and knowing me, people attain fulfillment.

There is no action for the AtmA. Until one attains knowledge, ignorance in him reduces him to a miserable being always looking out for something to make him fuller and more secure. He is under the grip of desires which he falsely believes will give him everlasting peace and joy. He engages in a relentless pursuit of materialistic ends. He is eventually engulfed by more misery. He has to develop discrimination and come out of this cycle. Once he discerns and after undertaking a constant and consistent inquiry, he gains knowledge. After this discovery of his own self, he no longer is bound by hollow desires which prior to knowledge were highly treasured.

Once knowledge is gained, action continues depending on the situation one is in, but the desires don’t hold one ransom. One knows oneself to be the whole. One might be a recluse or actively amidst work, but the action just flows out as one knows what has to be done in a situation. Effort and grace play together in the fulfillment of task at hand without any desires born of notions of finitude.

The AtmA, is ever free, not bound by desires or actions. It is pure, unsullied by ventures and frenzied cravings. AtmA is the form of pure consciousness. In that light of whom a specific knowledge of something or its ignorance thereof is known is AtmA.

Me, the self is neither the doer nor enjoyer. Hence, whether its contemplation, or restlessness or any desire driven enterprise, none of these adulterate the AtmA.

On the contrary, after meticulous, mindful enquiry one knows oneself as the whole. All actions are known as mithyA.  One realizes that one is already what one was seeking. One always was pUrNah, whole. There is nothing to be be done or undone to attain anything. All attainments fade away, all divisions resolve, into this one whole. One knows oneself to be ever fulfilled.

??? ??????????? ?????S???? ?????? ??????S??????: ??? ?

??: ????? ???????????????????: ??—-??

aham brahmAsmi sarvaH asmi shuddhaH buddha: asmi ataH sadA

ajaH sarvataH eva aham ajaraH cha akshayaH amRitaH

??? ??????????? = I am brahman; ????: ????? = I am all; ?????: = pure; ?????: ????? = I am awakened; ??:  therefore; ??? = always;

??: =unborn; ????? ?? = at all places;  ??? = I am; ???:= un-decaying;  ? = and; ?????: = imperishable; ????: = immortal

I am brahman, am all, pure, awakened therefore always unborn, at all places, un-decaying, imperishable and immortal.

I am the whole, brahman. All divisions, duality etc which undergo different modifications, exist because of brahman as the substratum. Brahman is the essence of all, the basis of all. All creation is AtmA yet it is not the creation. It is the creation also and beyond. it is not touched by actions and mental modifications; It is pure. It is the pure consciousness in the presence of which all specific knowledge take place. The three states viz. waking dream and deep sleep toggle while the substratum is the consciousness. I know my dreams because there is the consciousness in the background. I know of having slept well though the mind is resolved during sleep. This is because there is the consciousness present even in the deep sleep state.

This brahman is not born. It is eternal. Any thing born will have modifications of growth, decay death etc. Brahman being infinite is not born. It always is. Not only is it limitless and timeless.

?????: ?????????? ?????? ???????? ??????? ?

?????????????? ?????? ? ???? ??????S????S????: ??—-??

madanyaH sarvaBhUteShu boddhA kashchinna vidyate

karmAdhyakshashcha sAkShI cha chetA nityaH aguNaH advayaH

?????: = apart from Me; ?????????? in all beings;  ?????? = knower; ????????= nothing else; ??????? = exists;

???????????: = Presider of Karma;  ? = and; ?????? = witness; ? = and; ???? = consciousness;  ??????S????S????: = eternal, attribute-less and non dual.

There exists no other knower apart from Me in all beings. I am the presider of Karma, witness, consciousness, eternal, attribute-less and non-dual.

There is only the self without any divisions. All apparent divisions are mithyA alone. They appear on the self, which is the substratum lending them essence. Water can boldly say there is nothing else in the water bodies, lakes, rivers or streams apart from Me; I alone am. Whether a wave, or froth or a breaker, all is water alone. The names are a transactional convenience. There is nothing else but water. If one fills ones palms with water from a wave, one will not say I have a wave in my hand; it is water alone.

So also, all forms, objects, divisions, attributes resolve in the light of knowledge when one knows oneself as the absolute, non dual eternal. One alone is the whole.

Lord Krishna has said in the Bhagavad Gita – ????: ????? ??????? ??????????? ?????? – O Dhananjaya! There is nothing else other than Me.

What one sees as different, is actually not. Any object derives its existence from self, the existence. The is-ness behind every object is the Is-ness that alone is. This very existence principle when shining within a being’s body-mind complex, is the consciousness. There is nothing else but existence- consciousness.

The consciousness within makes things known. I know about my knowledge of things (specific knowledge) and am also aware of my ignorance of things (for e.g. ignorance of Russian language). This sentience within me giving me the status of a sentient being is nothing but consciousness, the eternal. This limited body mind is not the knower. The real knower is the consciousness alone without the divisions of knower – known.

With respect to the body, I can say I am the knower of ‘this’ or ‘that’. This is a relative view and is acceptable transactionally. Yet, one has to undertake a careful inquiry, and go beyond in understanding Vedanta to develop an insight that the knower is not limited to this mind. The knower principle has to be limitless and timeless. It has to be beyond one’s mind enveloping all and providing sentience to all. This knower, the consciousness is a homogeneous whole.