Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 21

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

SLOKA 20:

“Punarapi jananam punarapi maranam
Punarapi jananijaTarae shayanam
Iha samsaarae bahudhusthaarae
Krupayaaparae paahi murarae”

Word meaning:
Punaha api: once again
Jananam: birth
Punaha api: once again
Maranam: death
Punrapi: and again
Janani jaTarae: in the mother’s womb
Shayanam: lying
Iha: here
Samsaarae: in this samsaara
Bahu dhusthaarae: has no end
Krupaya: through thy Infinite Kindness
Paahi: save
Muraarae: oh the destroyer of Mura

“Again Birth, Again death and again lying in the mother’s womb, this samsaara process has no end. Save me, Murarae (Oh! Destroyer of Mura) through Thy Infinite Kindness”

According to scriptures, the Ultimate Reality of Brahman alone exists. Jiva’s essential nature is same as the nature of Ultimate Reality of Brahman. Self, whose very nature itself is Bliss, doesn’t require anything at all to get Bliss. Because of ignorance of this blissful Self, one thinks that he would get happiness in possessing the objects of the world. Because of this desire to possess the objects of the world, he performs action and after performing the action he enjoys the result of the action he had performed. The results of action might be immediate, or might get delayed by days or months or years or even births. Thus the person goes from birth to birth in enjoying the results of the action. In the process of enjoying these results, actions are again performed, this goes on without any end and thus the person goes from birth to birth in enjoying the results of the action.

To perform any action there should be doer and it is the doer who again enjoys the results of the action. The doer is nothing but the ego. Therefore the Samsaara is only for the ego. Self is only a witness to whatever is happening in the world and is never affected by any action. There is neither birth nor death for the Self, all births and deaths are only for the body. To come out of this vicious circle of Samsaara, one has to get rid of the ego. To get rid of the ego completely, one have to surrender unconditionally to the Lord or the Guru. Guru through his teaching, as told in the scriptures, removes the ignorance in the mind of the seeker. Once the ignorance is removed then the ego vanishes and though the person might be seemed to be doing actions yet he is not doing any action and hence no results of action affect such a person. But on the other hand if the person doesn’t surrender the ego to the Lord and doesn’t strive towards the Ultimate Reality of Brahman, he will go from birth to birth and will be pulled in deeper into the ocean of Samsaara.

Isavasyam Upanishad says for those who don’t strive to realize the Ultimate Reality of Brahman,

Asuryaa naama te lokaah, andhena tamasaavritaah
Taanste pretya abhigacchanthi, ye cha aatma hano janaah

Those who kill the Self (by not knowing or realizing it), after giving up this body, again and again attain those worlds of Asuras or devils which are filled with darkness of ignorance (ignorance of the Self).

The only way to realize ones own nature of Self is through renunciation by surrendering the ego unto the Lord. Realizing once own nature of Self is the only to overcome this Samsaara.

Kaivalya Upanishad says,

Na Karmanaa Na Prajaya Dhanena, Tyagenaike amritatvam aanashuhu

Not by action nor by projeny nor by wealth, but some attain the state of immortality with help of Renunciation alone.

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh

Thursday, September 21, 2006

Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 20

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

SLOKA 20:

“Bhagavadgita kinchidhaDheetha
Gangajalalava kanikaa peetha
Sakruthapi ena murari samarcha
Kriyathae thasya yamena na charchaa”

Word Meaning:
Bhagavad Gita: the Bhagavad Gita
Kinchith: (even) a little
aDheetha: has studied
ganga jala lava kanikaa: a drop of Ganges water
peetha: has sipped
sakrutha api: at least once
yena: by whom
muraari samarchaa: worship of the Lord Murari
kriyathae: is done
thasya: to him
yamena: with Yama
na: never
charcha: quarrel

“To one who has studied the Bhagavad Gita even a little, who has sipped atleast a drop of Ganges-water, who has worshipped atleast once Lord Murari, to him there is no discussion (quarrel) with Yama, the Lord of Death.”

In this sloka, the acharya gives the sadhana for the seeker to overcome this ocean of Samsaara and thus realizing ones own nature of Self. Bhagavat Gita is one of the prasthanathraya of Vedanta and this contains the essence of all the Upanishads wherein Lord Krishna teaches this to Arjuna. By learning Bhagavad Gita one gets the intellectual knowledge about the Ultimate Reality of Brahman which all the Upanishads speak about. It is not only Bhagavad Gita that is to be learned, but Vedanta in general which speak about the Ultimate Reality of non-dual Brahman. This Ultimate Knowledge about the non-dual Brahman should be learned from a competent Guru. This knowledge is a perennial flow which is flowing from Guru to his students from time immemorial. Thus, from that Guru the student gets the knowledge about Ultimate Reality of Brahman. Thus here Ganga that is mentioned is this perennial flow of knowledge from Guru to shishya from time immemorial. When a seeker learns about Brahman as ones own nature of Self, he gets the knowledge about Ultimate reality and thus knows that realizing Brahman as the Ultimate goal of oneself.

Once the teaching is understood by the seeker, the seeker has to dwell upon the teaching and reflect the teaching until his mind becomes free from all the doubts about the Reality. This is Mananam. By reflecting the teaching of the Guru about the Brahman, the goal of realizing ones own nature of Self becomes very clear. Once the goal becomes very clear, then the seeker has to contemplate constantly on the Ultimate Reality of Brahman. By contemplating constantly on the Ultimate Reality of Brahman, he realizes ones own nature of Self and thus crosses over the Samsaara. Self is of the nature of Existence-Consciousness. Self never ceases to exist. As long as there is identification of oneself with the ego, he cycle of birth and death continues. Once the ego vanishes, there is only Self and hence there is neither birth nor death.

As Krishna tells in Gita,
“Najaayathae Mriyathae vaa kadhaa chit
Naayam bhoothva bhavithaa vaaba booyaha
Ajonithyaha shaashavathoyam puraano
Nahanyathae hanya maanae shareerae”

The Self has no birth, no death, nor is that it came into existence and it never ceases to exist. That Self is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, undying and primeval. So neither the Self can kill some one nor the Self can be killed by someone.

So in the sloka, by sipping a drop of Ganges-water is dwelling upon the teaching from Guru about Brahman and worshipping the Lord is constant contemplation on the Ultimate Reality of Brahman. When a seeker follows these sadhanas told, the seeker will realize ones own nature of non-dual Blissful Self.

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 19

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

SLOKA 19:

“Yogarathova Bhogarathova
Sangarathova sangaviheenaha
Yasya brahmani ramathae chittam
Nandhati nandhati nandhat eva”


Word meaning:
Yogarathaha: one who revels in yoga
Va: or
Bhogarathova: one who revels in enjoyment or
Sangarathova: one who seek enjoyment in company
Sangaviheenaha: one who revels in solitude away from the crowd
Yasya: for whom
Brahmani: in Brahman
Ramathae: revels
Chittam: the mind
Nandhathi nandhati nandhatheva: enjoys enjoys only he enjoys

Let one revel in Yoga or let him revel in enjoyment or let him seek enjoyment in the crowd or let him revel in solitude away from the crowd. He whose mind revels in Brahman, he enjoys, verily he alone enjoys

In this sloka, the state of a liberated is told. Liberation is when a person realizes ones own nature of non-dual Blissful Self. When a person realizes ones own nature of Self, there will be no desires in the mind at all. Such a person is ever happy, ever satisfied and ever Complete. The state of such a person is been explained in this particular sloka.
Mind is the cause for both liberation and bondage. When the mind is extroverted, it seems to be bonded with the objects of the world. If the mind is introverted towards the Self and always revels in the Self, then it is liberation. When a person realizes ones own nature of Self, then such a person knows nothing but the Self. Since the mind is established in the Self, there is no duality at all as the ego completely vanishes. When the ego vanishes, there is no doer and there is no enjoyer. So therefore no actions cling such a person as he has gone beyond the actions and the results. Therefore, a person might practice Yoga, might be enjoying the worldly pleasures, might stay in the company of others or might be staying alone, since the mind of the person is always reveling in the Ultimate Reality of Brahman which is ones own nature of Self, he always enjoys the Bliss of the Self.

Mundaka Upanishad says that,
Atmakreeda aathmarathihi kriyavaan esha brahmavidhaam varishTam

He disports in the Self, delights in the Self, and performs actions. This one is the chief among the knowers of Brahman.

The person might be seemed to be doing all actions in the world, but still the mind of such a person will always revel only in the Self. Such a mind in spite of doing all actions, still always enjoys the Bliss of the Self only.

Krishna mentions about the liberated person in Gita, Chapter 2
dhuKheshu anudvigna manaah sukheshu vigata-sprhah
veetharaagaBhayakroDhah sThithaDheermuniruchyathae

A man of steady wisdom is said to be one who is not agitated by unpleasant experiences, who doesn’t desire pleasant experiences, who is not affected by attachment, fear and anger and who remains mentally silent.

Since he is ever established in Self, he sees everything as the Self only. There exists no duality at all for the liberated person.

Isa Upanishad says,
Yasthu sarvaani bhootani atmani eva anupashyathi
Sarva bhooteshu cha aatmaanam tato na vijugupsathe

He who sees the all beings in the Self itself and the Self in all beings, feels no hatred by virtue of this realization.

Krishna explains the same in Gita, chapter 6
Sarva bhootastham atmaanam sarva bhooteshu cha atmani
eekshathe yoga yuktaatma sarvatra samadarshinah

The yogi sees oneness everywhere and hence sees the Self in all and all in the Self.

In the last line, the acharya mentions that “he alone enjoys”. The world and the objects of the world are temporary and hence cannot give permanent happiness. According to scriptures, only the Self is Real and Permanent and hence it alone can give permanent happiness. Thus one who has realized ones own nature of Self is ever happy and he is only one happy.

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 18

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.


Word Meaning:
suramandhira tharu moola nivaasaha: dwelling (sheltering) in temples, under some trees
shayyaa: bed
Bhoothalam: on the bare sand
Ajinam: (wearing) skin (deer’s)
Vaasaha: cloth
Sarva parigraha: of the possessions
Bhogaha: of thirst to enjoy
Thyaagaha: renouncing
Kasya: whose
suKham: happiness
na: not
karothi: brings
viraagaha: dispassion

“Sheltering in temples, under some tree, sleeping on the bare sand, wearing a deer-skin, and thus renouncing all idea-of-possession and thirst-to-enjoy, to whom will not dispassion bring happiness?”

Non-dual Bliss is the very nature of the Self, but because of the ignorance of ones own nature of Self one desires for the happiness from the objects of the world. The very nature of mind is to go outside towards the sense objects. The happiness that is obtained from the objects of the world is not permanent because the objects of the world are temporary in itself. Thus the temporary object cannot give a permanent happiness. Knowing this temporary nature of the world one has to turn the mind inwards towards the Self which alone is permanent. Thus we need to discriminate between which is real and unreal and then withdraw from the unreal things and concentrate only on the Real. Thus dispassion or vairagyam is very important to realize ones own nature of Self.

Shankara in Tattvabodha says about vairgyam as
“Ihaswarga bogashu Icharaahityam”
Giving up the enjoyment of the fruits of ones action in this world and in any other world.

The first sloka of Isha Upanishad says
“Ishavasyam idham sarvam ethkinchit jagatyam jagat
Tena tyaktena bunjithaaha maagridha kasya vid dhanam”

Whatever moves here in this world, everything is pervaded or covered by God. Enjoy by renunciation. Do not covet anybody’s wealth for whose is wealth?

It only by renouncing all the desires to enjoy the objects of the world, one can get liberated from this vicious circle of Samsaara. There should be dispassion towards the objects of the world knowing clearly that the objects of the world can give only temporary happiness and the Ultimate Reality of Brahman alone is permanent. Such a person will always have the thought of the Ultimate Reality of Brahman alone at all points of time and thus enjoys in the non-dual Bliss of ones own nature of Self.

So here in this sloka, the acharya tells about the person who has the real dispassion towards the objects of the world and contemplates only on the Self. Such a person always abides in the Self only and rejoices the Blissful nature of Self. It doesn’t matter whether the person stays in the temples, or stays under a tree or sleeps in the sand with some clothes around or without clothes, there is no worries at all as there is no desire to enjoy the pleasure from the objects of the world, rather he always revels in ones own nature and thus rejoices the Blissful nature of Self.

Krishna in 2nd chapter speaks about the sthithaprajna
“prajahaati yadaa kaamaan sarvaan paartha manogataan
Aatmanyevaatmanaa thustaha sThithaprajnasthadhochyathe”

O partha! When a man completely casts away, all the desires of the mind, and satisfied in the Self and by the Self, then he is considered to be a man of steady wisdom.

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh

Monday, September 11, 2006

Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 17

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

SLOKA 17

kuruthae ganga saagaragamanam
vrathaparipaalanamaThavaa dhaanam
jnaanaviheenaha sarvamathaena
mukthim na Bhajathi janmashathena

Word Meaning:
Kuruthae: Goes to pilgrimage
Ganga saagara gamanam: to where the Ganges meet the ocean
Vrthaparipaalana: observe the vows
aThavaa: or
dhaanam: distributes gifts away
jnaana viheenaha: devoid of experience of truth
sarvamathaena: according to all schools of thought
mukti: liberation
na: not
Bhajithi: gains
Janma shathaena: even in hundred lives

One may in pilgrimage go to where Ganges meets the ocean called Gangasagar, or observe vows or distribute gifts away in charity. If he is devoid of first-hand-experience-of-truth, according to all schools of thought, he gains no liberation, even in hundred lives.

Here in this sloka, the invalidity of actions without the Ultimate Knowledge of Brahman is been pointed out. All actions are born out of desire and desires come to the mind due to ignorance of ones own nature of Self. To perform any action there should be a doer. The doer performs action to satisfy his desire which is because of ignorance of ones own Blissful nature of Self, knows that he is performing that action and then later enjoys the results of the action. As long as there is the sense of doership while doing the action, there doer will enjoy the results of the action. When the person realizes ones own nature of Self, then the doer vanishes, since there is no doer there are no results as well. Thus the person, who has the Ultimate Knowledge of Self, is free from both good results and the bad results and such person is liberated even while living. But if a person doesn’t have this Ultimate Knowledge of ones own nature of Self, but still continue performing action, he goes on enjoying the results of the action he had done previously and this process of enjoying the results may even go for many births.

Thus Shankara here says, a person might go on pilgrimage to Kasi and other places, might do lot of charities, might observe lot of vows, but if he doesn’t have the Ultimate Knowledge of Self, he goes from birth to birth in enjoying the either good results or the bad results based on the action he has performed. Thus here he says even in hundred lives, there will be no liberation. Liberation is only when the person gets the Ultimate Knowledge that “I am Brahman”.

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 16

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

SLOKA 16:

agre vahnihi prushTae Bhaanuhu
Raathrou chubhukasamarpithajaanuhu
karathalaBhikshastharuthalavaasaha
thadhapi na muchathi aashaapaashaha

Word Meaning:
Agre: In front
Vahnihi: the fire
prushTae: at the back
Bhaanuhu: the sun
Raathrou: at night
Chubhukasamarpithajaanuhu: with knees held to chin
Karthala Bhikshaha: alms scooped palm
Tharuthala vaasaha: under the shelter of the tree
Thadhapi: and yet
Na: never
Munchathi: leaves
Aashaa paashaha: the rope of desires

“In front the fire, at the back the sun, late at night he sits with his keens held to his chin; he receives alms in his own scooped palm and lives under the shelter of some tree andyet, the ropes of desires spare him not”

In the previous Sloka, Shankara told about the mentality of a householder, in this sloka he speaks about a person who have taken external sanyas and living a life of a Sanyasi. The Sanyasi basks in Sun during the day time and sits in front of the fire during the night time. He may not even have the basic amenities of food, clothing and shelter. He even may not have a proper vessel to have food instead might use his own scooped palm to have food. Such a Sanyasi may also have desires in his mind. Though the person might have renounced all the worldly pleasures externally, still his mind will be moving around the sense objects seeking pleasure.

According to scriptures, our own nature is nothing but Ultimate Reality of Brahman. So realizing our own nature of Self is the Ultimate Goal of everyone and that alone can give permanent happiness. The objects of the world are temporary and though the objects of the world seem to give happiness, on long run will give only sorrow. Therefore, we have to withdraw our mind from the sense objects and have to turn it in towards the Self. So for realizing ones own nature of Self, one has to turn the mind towards the Self knowing that the objects of the world are temporary and cannot give permanent happiness.

Taking external Sanyas will be helpful in concentrating the mind on the Self as there will be no other work except that of having constant thought of the Self. If this is forgotten, then the external sanyas will not be of any use. Withdrawal of mind from the worldly objects and turning it towards the Self is the necessary thing that is to be done and if that is done then it doesn’t matter whether one is a sanyasi or a staying in the world he will always be rejoicing the bliss of the Self. If the mind is not withdrawn from the objects of the world, desiring for it even after renouncing the world, then the external renunciation has no purpose, and they are no different from a person who has not renounced the world.

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh