Swamiji Talks 2

101 Snippets from Swamiji Talks
01
Present requires Acceptance
Future requires Hardwork
Our Future is the resultant of Fate and Freewill
It is neither controlled only by Fate nor controlled only by Freewill but by resultan of both.
Fate has got 3 grades depending upon the intensity of karma :
1. Prabhala prarabdham
2. Madhyama prarabdham
3. Durbhala prarabdham
Depending upon the type of Fate, we apply a casual or serious approach in efforts.
For Prabhala prarabdham, our Freewill is there but helpless, however we ask for inner strength
to face it.
For Madhyama prarabdham, our Freewill will be strong enough to manage and reduce the impact.
For Durbala prarabhdham, we can put sufficient efforts called as prayaccitta karma and nullify
the prarabhdham.
So, if u ask whether Fate can be changed or not, my answer is, it depends on the intensity of Fate.
If it is Prabhalam then not much remedy but efforts to face it. If it is durbalam there is remedy..
Therefore, our future is neither controlled by Fate alone or by Freewill alone, but by the resultant
of Fate and Freewill (physics language).
Accept both Fate and Freewill as two forces that determines our future.
Therrefore, Present requires Acceptance,
Future requires Hard work.
Bhagavad Gita talks

02
Bhagavad Gita Topics - Birds Eye View (compilation)
Gita Talks - By Swamiji

03
Why people suffer in this world when everything is God ? Samsara karanam Kim?
Krishna answers in 13th verse of 7th Chapter
Krishna points out that, whole Universe is mixture of Para prakrti and Apara prakrti
Apara prakrti is saguna, savikara.. has all properties perceptable for sense organs.
So, Apara prakrti is visible to us, Para prakrti is invisible formless principle. When there is mixture
of visible and invisible principles, we are always attracted to visible changing Apara prakrti.
Tf, Krishna says, we are distracted by Apara prakrti to such an extent that we lose sight of Para
prakrti, the Higher Nature.
Apara prakrti can never give fundamental needs like, Purnatvam/Completeness; always in
Constant Flux so no permanent security also.
But hold on to something permanent and play around the impermanent. Just like in a flowing
river, we need a non-flowing chain to hold on.
If you want hundreds of changing relationships, at least you require One Changless relationship.
If we have got the chain called the Lord, then worldly life is enjoyable.
Krishna says, this is the trouble with humanity. You need not renounce Apara prakrti, use them
but hold on to Para prakrti for security.
Apara prakrti is the river, Para prakrti is the chain, hold on to that and play with Apara prakrti, it
cannot threaten you.
Bhagavad Gita Talks

04
Why some people feel Vedanta does not work ?
Shankara says, knowledge is there through sravanam, Brahman experience is there all the
time.
We don't lack conviction nor knowledge but the only thing is, that the knowledge is in the
hostage of trivida vasanas.
Jnanam is capable of giving you peace of mind but the trivida vasanas have tied the jnanam.
What are the three vasanas?
Loka vasana - obsessed with worldly pursuits
Deha vasana - obsessed with body all the time
Sastra vasana - buddhi abhimana or interested in sastra only for intellectual thrill
The problem is not with the knowledge but pratibandha nivrtti has not been done by me.
Suppose a person has a desire to get released from prison and the prison doors are open by
the keys, but still he does not come out as his hands and legs are tied by powerful iron blocks.
In the same way, through Sravana-Manana key, I might open the door of samsara karagriha
because I have clear knowledge, in fact I can teach others too.
But what happened is, there are three iron blocks tied to our mind legs which are loka, sastra
and deha vasanas.
Opening the door of the prison and removing the chain tied to the legs, both are required.
Opening the door is Jnana prapthi and removing the chain is Vasana ksyah.
Therefore who ever is free from powerful influence of these vasanas, that person enjoys jivan
mukti, glory of knowledge.
Atman Eva Atmana Tustah....
I am relaxed inspite of problems in life.
Vivekachudamani talks
05
How do I work for Brahma Jnana Phala anubhava?
The experience of the benefit of Brahma Jnanam is in the form of Peace, Completeness
Contentment, Fearless, freedom from likes-dislikes, kama-krodha,lobha-moha etc..
Answer
By removing the obstacles that stand in between Jnanam and Jnana phala anubhava.
The obstacles are two :
1- At Intellectual level : I am not convinced of Vedantic teaching itself, consisting of three
essential teachings I.e. Brahma Satyam Jagan Mithaya Jivo Brahmaiva Naparah.
2- At Emotional level : I am convinced of Vedantic teaching, but I am miserable in life.
I am so convinced that I can teach Vedanta to others, but I sit & cry, my life has become like
this.
For Intellectual problem, meditation is not the solution, reasoning is the solution. Upanisads
say, Srotavyah and Mantavyah. Reasoning must be done to convince the Intellect. Only
through Manana, Intellectual obstacle has to be removed.
For Emotional problem, Mananam is not the solution, Nididhyasanam is the solution.
Nididhyasanam is not meant for Brahma Jnanam, but for removal of psychological obstacles,
which gives Santih, Trptih, Purnatah, Abhayam.. these benefits.
06
Why dream is very important in Vedantic study? Shankara explains.
In dream alone, mind clearly becomes an object of my experience, because every object in the
dream is nothing but my mind.
Therefore, when I say I saw tiger in the dream, the tiger is nothing but my own mind/my own
thought.
So, significance of dream is that the mind is an object in dream, whereas in the waking state mind
is functioning as an instrument.
During waking, mind is an instrument and world is the object.
Therefore, Waking is mind-instrument state ; Dream state is mind-object state.
Example :
When I am not wearing the spectacles, I am handling it as an object.
When I put the spectacle on, it becomes integral part of me. I forget the fact that it is an object & I
take it as subject in me.
Thus in waking state, when I say I, I am including the mind in myself, instead of knowing it as only
an instrument.
Vedanta says, whether the mind is serving as an object or an instrument, it cannot be the subject.
Whether you look at the mind as an object or as an instrument, either way, You are different from
the mind.
Whether the spectacle serves as an object when I am cleaning it or as an instrument when I am
reading the book, I am not the spectacle.
I am neither an objective mind nor the instrumental mind, I am neither an object nor an
instrument, I am Atma illumining the mind.
07
Aham Brahm Asmi verbal statement is not enough.
Mere verbal statement of Aham Brahmasmi will not lead to liberation.
It should become my own conviction, should become sthira prajnah
A king had lost his kingdom, taken away by his enemies. Legitimately kingdom belongs to the king
only. Even though it is a fact, until he is able to take back the kingdom by driving away the
enemies, mere starement of Aham King Asmi will not be of use.
He goes on telling everyone in the forest Aham Raja Asmi, but they have taken the kingdom from
me.
He should stop verbalizing and start acting. He should collect his forces, gather strength and
attack enemies and drive them away, he must be in the capital and claim Aham Raja Asmi.
In the same way, Upanisads says Aham Brahma Asmi is a fact, the kingdom of moksa is within you
and you can legitimately claim this fact. For this, we have to destroy Ajnana (Ignorance), by
becoming sufficiently strong with enough forces viz viveka, vairagyam, Sama, dama, uparama,
titiksa, sraddha, samadhanam, mumuksutvam, sastra,Guru.
The war is Sravana, Manana, Nididhyasanam and the army is Viveka, Vairagya, Samadi Satka
Sampatti, Mumuksutva, Guru, Sastra.
Therefore better start acting.
Ask What do I require? More Sravanam,
More Mananam or More Nididhyasanam, according to the requirements spend time on that.
So, do not simply verbalize, Start acting. Shankara says
08
What is difference between 'Descending and Falling' ?
Descending is a deliberate process with control
Falling is a happening in which I have no control
In the initial stages of Vedanta, my general idea is I am Ahamkara and in class I put the vesam of
Aham Brahma Asmi.
In the Vedantic classes, the idea conveyed is,
I am the Saksi Caitanyam and in all the transactions I invoke my ahamkara personality.
Therefore there is a constant contradiction.
In the class I am Saksi caitanyam outside I am ahamkarah.
Which is original and which is vesam should be remembered all the time.
Later the whole process should be reversed and this reversal process is Nididhyasanam.
Slipping from the Higher Nature and Falling into ahamkara Nature is the biggest fall for a vedantic
student.
During my day to day transactions, have I descended to ahamkara or have I fallen down to
ahankara level, how do I know ?
If I have consciously descended down, I am in charge of life, raga-dvesa will not affect me, kamah-
krodah will not torment me..
Anytime, if I am a slave of violent emotions, that is warning, sastra tells you, instead of descending
down you have fallen down to ahamkara.
Whether I am incharge and in control by deliberately coming down or have I fallen down in which
I have no control, once the doubt comes, I should be alert and remember sastra and revert back
to my Higher Nature.
When Bhagavan comes down it is Avataara.
When Jiva comes down it is Pathanam.
09
Self Knowledge is required for Self Mastery &
Self Knowledge involves knowing my composition.
Brahman & Maya are inseparable
Father & Mother are inseparable
Hence, Vishnu and Laksmi are inseparable. Lakshmi always occupies the chest of the Lord
Brahmaji keeps Sarasvathi in the tongue itself.
Shiva's half body is always occupied by Devi, Ardhanaarishvara.
So, in all trinity we find, father & mother cannot be separated.
Philosophical significance is, Brahman & Maya are inseparable.
When you worship mother, father is included; when you worship father, mother is included.
And either of them cannot independently become the cause of creation.
Father principle Purusa and Mother principle Prakrti, put together is called Isvara,
Ardhanarisvarah or the Cause of creation.
And every individual jiva is the mixture of Purusa, father principle as well as Prakrti the Mother
principle.
If we do not recognize this nature of ours that I am a mixture of,
Purusa tatvam - Nirguna-Nirakara-Satya-Cetana tatvam; and
Prakrti tatvam-
Saguna-Savikara-Mithya-Acetana tatvam,
If I don't understand my composition clearly,
I will not know how to handle myself properly.
Krishna says that you are composed of Purusa aspect & Prakrti aspect. Karanam Iswara is a
mixture of both, Karyam jiva is also a mixture of both.
Bhagavad Gita Talks

10
Moksa is expansion and not contraction. Moksa is defined as Brahma bhaavah.
Withdrawing from a few things to expand to accommodate the whole world is Moksa.
Vedantic pursuit is not selfish withdrawal but Vedantic pursuit is accommodation of the whole
universe, the true meaning of I.
The pursuit of moksa is the expansion of I from identifying with one's family or society or
community, to identify with the entire cosmos.
If I don't have I-notion anywhere including my body, I am Brahma.
If I have I-notion in all bodies, I am Iswara.
No dehabhimana, you have Brahma tatvam
Total dehabhimana, you have Iswara tatvam
Partial dehabhimana, you have Jivatvam
Jivatva alone gives samsara.
Jnani knows only two stages, either he is Brahman when he is sitting alone
Or
Jnani is Iswara when he is transacting with the world
Jnani is never a jiva.
Oh Lord if I should I have I-notion let it be there but that I should extend to the whole creation as
I am interested in the happiness of the entire cosmos.
Sarva-bhuta-atma bhuta-atma - One's whose I extends to all bodies.
Bhagavad Gita Talks

11
Iswara is paroksam or pratyaksam?
With ornaments in front, will u ask when will
I get gold darsanam?
Iswara is both creator and is the material also out of which creation has come.
Gold is never away from ornaments,
Wood is never away from furnitures,
Clay is never away from pots
Similarly, Iswara is never remote nor an inferred object but is a perceived object.
When you say Iswara is creator, Iswara becomes paroksa,
When you say Iswara is the very material out of which the creation has come, Iswara becomes
pratyaksam
TF, Iswara is pratyaksam.
Then, what is the form of Iswara?
All ornaments forms like bangle form, chain form, ring forms, all visible forms belong to gold
alone.
Similarly, all forms of creation here, are all the forms of God alone.
So, what is complete understanding of God?
Iswara is not only creator but happens to be the very material of this creation.
I need not be anxious for Iswara darsanam because, I am having all the time, Iswara darsanam
only.
Oh Lord, let me not forget the fact that the entire creation is your manifestation only.
Bhagavad Gita Talks

12
There is no rope underneath the snake.
What you see as snake is in reality rope.
The word substratum can create a confusion.
Student may wrongly understand the use of substratum as, there is a world and underneath the
world there is Consciousness.
In other words, there is world above and there is Consciousness below supporting the world. This
is a wrong understanding.
There is no question of rope underneath the snake. We don't retain the snake and introduce rope
underneath. Infact, we displace the snake by the rope.
Similarly, we displace the world by the knowledge of Brahman.
Brahma jnanam must displace the world, else the fight with the world will continue.
The conviction should be either the world is not there at all or the perceived world has only a
dream status. Both are same.
Quite often complaints from students is, I have understood the Maha vakyam, I have knowledge
of Brahman but my worldly problems persists.
The student wants to get Brahma Jnanam and use it for fighting the worldly problems..
Unfortunately he will never win a fight with the world.
There is no world outside ME, there is no world inside ME. I alone am there.
When I say the world is non-different from Me,
I am Iswara.
When I say there is no world, I am Turiyam.
Naishkarmya siddhi talks

13
Within every individual body, there are two “Observers, one is Atman – observer of the mind,
second is the mind- observer of the world”.
One is Original Consciousness and other is Borrowed Consciousness.
Because both of them are observers, we get confused between the secondary observer, the mind
and the primary observer, the Atman.
Wisdom consists in differentiating the two observers intellectually, though the two cannot be
physically separated.
Naishkarmya siddhi talks compilation.

14
Anatma is described as 'avicharita siddhika' means, having 'seeming' existence as long as no
Enquiry is made.
Paramarthika drusti, I am Saaksi,
Vyavaharika drusti, I am a 'seeming' samsari.
Who is Saaksi? I am.
Who is 'seeming' knower? I am.
If you show an old group photograph in which you figure, and ask your friends to identify you,
your question will be , 'where am I in the photograph'.
The friends also identify your figure and points out 'this is you'.
Both friends and you have not made any distinction between the real 'you' and your figure in the
photo.
You have used the word 'aham' for both the figure in the photo and for the real you.
If the photo wears out or gets destroyed, you don't say 'I have worn out'.
Similarly, if there 10 copies of the photograph, you don't claim that there are 'ten of yourself'.
You clearly make a distinction between you and your picture.
You are 'seemingly' your picture, but in reality you are not.
Just as the photograph has utility, ahamkara also has got utility..
We use the picture, knowing fully well that the picture is not the real person.
Anatma is the lower version of Atma itself.
I the waker myself appear as dreamer in lower reality.
I alone appear as 'seeming' body, 'seeming' mind, 'seeming' knower also..
Naishkarmya siddhi talks.

15
Who is really the knower of 'Aham Brahma Asmi' ?

Neither the pure Atma nor the pure Ahamkara, but it is the mixture of the two, which is the
knower.
What illumines the room? Is it electricity or the bulb?
The bulb by itself cannot illumine. It has to be backed by electricity.
Electricity also by itself cannot illumine, it needs the bulb to do the job.
So, it is the bulb backed by electricity or the electricity through the bulb, that illumines.
It is the combination of electricity and bulb that results in illumination.
Similarly, it is the combination of Original Consciousness, Reflected consciousness and Reflective
medium together is the knower.
Conclusion is, Atma, Anatma (Ahankara) and Chidabhasa are together required for the knowledge
to arise.
Therefore, whenever a human being claims
'I am' , that I consists of 3 components, Chit, Body-mind complex and Chidabhasa.
Of this mixture, which one should I claim as I,Myself?
Initially, all of us tend to give importance to Body-mind complex as we are attached to and
identified with the body.
But as Spiritual aspirants, we should gradually evolve and switch over from our abhimaana for
Body-mind to reflected consciousness (jeeva abhimaana) and finally switch or focus on the
Original Consciousness.
Only when we see Original Consciousness as the most important component, we could claim
'Aham Brahma Asmi '.
Remember, pure chit does not have self awareness, it requires Chidabhasa (Body-mind) for Self
Awareness. Therefore, keeping Chidabhasa (Body-mind), the aspirant should claim, "I am not this
Chidabhasa, the mind will come and go, I am ever the chit." Naishkarmya siddhi talks
16
How to convert limited Saksi into limitless Saksi?
Guru says, the question itself is wrong. Why do you ask this question? You ask this
because you think that the limited Saksi obtained in all three states of experience is
actually the Limitless Saksi. This is wrong understanding.
Atma iti eva upaseeta - Upaseeta means one should understand and own up Atma.
Jivatma's feeling of limitation is only a feeling born out of confusion. So, remove the
confusion with a correction in thought, which alone is required.
When mind is awake, it seems as though consciousness is extrovert and when mind is
inward, as in dream, it looks as though introvert. But both the extrovertedness and
intovertedness belongs to mind.
The activity, inactivity, extrovertedness, introvertedness, location.. all these belong to
mind alone. I am located in Madras is an attribute belonging to the mind-body.
You are really, unlocated awareness even now. Drop the sense of location through
understanding.
Consciousness is in the seer, but it itself is not the seer, Consciousness is in the thinker
but it itself is not the thinker, Consciousness is in the hearer but it will not hear, ....
Hearer minus hearerhood is Consciousness
Thinker minus thinkerhood is Consciousness. .
Every hood or any status is because of specific function of different organs alone.
The hearer, thinker, speaker etc..are all mutually exclusive. When you have one
personality working, you cannot have another.
Example - While speaking, you can't hear. Speaker and hearer cannot be simultaneously
present.
But Saksi, I is not exclusive one. When speaker comes Saksi is there, when thinker comes,
Saksi is there.. all organs dissolved in sleep, Saksi continues to be there.
So, Saksi is absolute and not relative.
One must know for oneself to be the un-located, non-specific Consciousness, Nirvishesha
Chaitanyam. In this Nirvisesha Chaitanyam, all other roles/personalities are
superimposed, they come and go.
Aapnoti iti Atma - That which includes all and pervades all, at same time different from
all.
Brihadaranyaka Upanisad talks
17
Brahman alone can know 'Aham Brahma Asmi'
If someone else knows Aham Brahma Asmi it will be an error. Only Brahman gains the knowledge.
Of course, Brahman can use Intellect, body.. and when knowledge comes, the superimposed
finitude goes away.
Brahman alone gains Brahma vidya.
- If jiva gets Self Knowledge it can be called jiva vidya.
- If jiva gets moksa or jiva vidya, then Brahma vidya becomes redundant.
- Jiva can never know Aham Brahma Asmi, if jiva is different from Brahman.
Therefore, Jiva is non-different from Brahman.
Brahman alone is samsari through avidya and Brahman alone turns mukta purusa through
Brahma vidya.
Brahman alone is appearing as jivatma during the state of ignorance, Brahman alone is going
through samsara during ignorance and Brahman alone knows Aham Brahma Asmi after sadhana
and Brahman alone becomes free of all problems.
Here, two avasthas are there, Ajnana avastha in which Brahman is called jivah and called Brahman
in Jnana avastha.
How can Brahman be called Jivatma?
Jivatma is another name for Brahman. It is called Jivatma in ajnana avastha and when it is
otherwise it is Brahman.
Two names based on two avasthas and they are not two substances.
Jivatma Paramatma Aikyam is very clearly pointed out in 1.4.10 mantra.
Brihadaranyaka Upanisad talks

18
'Utility' does not prove 'reality'
Mithya is useful, but utility alone does not make mithya real.
- Sunrise is useful for all loukika vyavahara but Sunrise does not become reality.
- Reflected face is useful for applying thilakam, but reflected face is not real.
- Mind is useful for knowledge but it is real is a wrong perspective.
To claim 'Aham Brahma Asmi', I have to use the mind, reflected consciousness both. But, in my
understanding of ME, I should not include either mind or reflected consciousness.
All the three components, original consciousness, mind & reflected consciousness are mutually
dependent on each other for knowing and hence all the three are important. But only Original
Consciousness is Satyam and other two are mithya.
Mithya is useful but mere utility does not make mithya real.
In reality, I am Saksi the changeless one but in vyavaharika plane, I am ahamkara.
If ahamkara is false, how can it be useful?
Vedanta says, ironically :
Gold is never useful as an ornament directly as a bar of gold. It is useful only when it is shaped
into an ornament I.e. it's utility arrives becz of nama-rupa.
Pure wood is not useful unless shaped into furniture
Pure clay is not useful unless shaped into a pot.
The above shows, only nama-rupas are useful for vyavahara but neither nama nor rupa has
existence of its own, they are mithya by nature.
So, conclusion is, Mithya is useful, False things are useful. Therefore, because ahankara is false, it
is useful.
Pure Brahman is not of use for transactions.
Vedanta advises, Be Brahman, use the false nama-rupas and do all transactions.

19
Seeing is creation; Not seeing is resolution, Dristi - Sristi vaada (dvividha satta vaada)
Before seeing and after seeing, the object does not exist at all. (Ajaati vada)
Kaarya-kaarana sambandha is mithya.
For a dreamer, "dream is not a dream in dream"
Mother elephant and baby elephant are projected at the same time by the waker in dream. Once
he wakes up, everything resolves into him, the waker.
Similarly, jagrat prapanca comes into existence when we wake up. I don't experience an existent
jagrat prapanca, but I experience a jagrat prapanca I create.
I am Consciousness, all pervading. When I go to sleep, I resolve the jagrat prapanca exactly like
how I create and resolve swapna prapanca.
Mind, world, time, space all 4 simultaneously resolve into ME, the Consciousness projected by
Maya, which is in ME.
Dream is absent when I don't experience, similarly the world is not there when I don't experience
( ajnaata satta naasti).
World continuity without mind is not possible. Waker's world and Waker's mind simultaneously
arise exactly like dream.
Dristi-Sristi vada looks at both swapna and jagrat prapanca as pratibhasika satyam only. They
both are projected by moola avidya, material cause.
For junior students, we say adhistanam for jagrat prapanca is Iswara and adhistanam for swapna
is jiva.
For senior students, the adhistanam for both jagrat and swapna is Chaitanyam with moola avidya
being material cause.
Mayyeva sakalam jaatam mayi sarvam pratishtitam .. I alone appear as jagrat prapanca as well as
swapna prapanca.
Vicara sagara talks

20
Final page summary of :

Drsti-Srsti vada / Dvivida satta vada
(Compilation based on Vicara sagara talks)
20 contd..
Final page summary of continued:
Drsti-Srsti vada / Dvivida satta vada
(Compilation based on Vicara sagara talks)
21
Trivida satta vada v/s Dvivada satta vada
(Sristi - Dristi vada v/s Dristi - Sristi vada)
A comparison done for quick reference.
Based on Vicara sagara talks

22
Invoke the relevant one in relevant time.
A Jnani lives in two houses, one is non-moving house (Atma) and other is moving house
(Ahankara)
The word 'Aham' has got two amsas, one is vyavaharika amsa (ahamkara) and other is
paramartika amsa (atma).
Sankara says, one should clearly know both the lower Nature of ahamkara and higher nature of
Atma clearly. After understanding both nature, I should invoke anyone of the nature according to
the transaction.
When you are bored with ahankara, invoke the higher nature. If you want to invoke lower nature,
live with your family, grandchildren etc.
But remember, when invoking ahamkara, both favorable and unfavorable situations will be there,
which has to be accepted.
Ahankara cannot give you uniform sukah. Accept both the pleasure and pain uniformly when u
invoke ahankara. Or else reject ahankara and renounce both sukham and dukham.
There is no conflict or complication, because one is of lower order of reality and other is of higher
order of reality. So, Sankara says meditate upon the distinction between Ahamkara and Atma
clearly.
Invoke the relevant one in relevant time. In vyavahara, move with ahankara & without resistence
move along with the life. When alone, go to green room and own up your real svarupam and enjoy.
A Jnani lives in two houses, one is non-moving house and other is moving house. During
vyavahara, he lives in ahankara the moving house and at other times, he lives in non-moving
house, the Atma.
Upadesa Sahasri talks

23
Tvam kuru ; Tvam Tad Eva.
Both are different quotations.
Tvam kuru : You do karma, it comes under karma Kanda, indirectly says you are a karta.
Tvam Tad Eva : You are Brahman, means akarta, non-doer, in Veda Anta bhagah
Which one should I follow? One is Veda purva and other is Veda anta. Veda is from God. Whole
Vedas is valid but which part I should take?
In karma Kanda, sruti ask me to do lots of karma. After the karmas, sruti ask me to negate
kartrtvam. Why should veda says to negate kartrtvam in the end.
Ahankara should be ripened to be removed from Saksi like banana skin. The skin cannot be
removed when unripe. Skin will not come out and even if it comes out it will not be sweet.
We are all bananas who should ripen and once we are ripened, the kartrtvam skin is removed and
fully ripe banana is ready and kartrtvam should be there for sometime and therefore sruti has
allowed the kartrtvam to be there.
Shankara says, though kartrtvam is temporarily accepted in karma Kandah, it is negated on
reaching jnana Kandah. He never criticises karma totally and respects karma kandah of Vedas.
Shankara's teaching is, follow karma which is very important, attain purification of mind (citta
suddhi) and then drop kartrtvam by comming to Jnana kandah
Prakasa prakaranam

24
Confusion between Atma and Ahamkara is the cause of samsara.
Ahankara and Atma are inseparable. When I use the word 'I', the statement is made by ahamkara
alone.
Though ahamkara makes statement, does all vyavahaaraas, but it can't function without the
adhistanam or support of Atma.
Therefore, we can say Atma is the essential nature or higher nature of Ahankara itself.
It's vyavaharika svarupam is ahamkara and its Paramarthika svarupam is Atma.
I have a relative nature which is ahamkara and I have the Paramarthika svarupam which is Atma
without which ahamkara cannot exist or function.
So, where is the confusion? When I don't known my essential nature of Atma, I mistake the
ahamkara to be my essential nature.
Once I do that, then life becomes serious because ahamkara has got umpteen problems. Then I
become a samsari. And I will not be able to solve the problem because ahamkara has to face the
world whether u like or not. Ahamkara should have relationship whether it likes or not.
So, because of aviveka (ignorance/confusion) One mistakes himself to be mortal, impure..
Instead of taking the primary illuminator as myself, I have taken secondary illuminator or anitya
drsti as myself due to confusion.
Atma requires ahamkara for illumining the external world and to do vyavahara. And using this
Ahankara medium all the time, the mixture takes place of both Atma and Ahankara.
Just like spectacles are the medium for seeing the external world, ahamkara is the medium for
Atma to illumine the world.
I can knowingly use both the meaning. When a Jnani uses the word I, he refers to ahamkara
sometimes and Atma sometimes because he knows from both the standpoints.
You can enjoy both, when in vyavahara enjoy ahamkara and don't confuse Atma in vyavahara
situations. And in Atma, don't confuse yourself with ahamkara.
Svapnasmriti Prakaranam Upadesa Sahasri talks

25
Fundamental law of Vedanta :
Anything observed is different from the observer.
I am the observer of the clip and I am not the clip, I am the observer of the book and I am not the
book.
Similarly Sankara says, I am the observer of the mind and I am not the mind. Mind is an intimate
object and it can never become the subject.
Therefore Sankara says, "drastu anyad bhaved drsyam", any observed object has to be different
from the observer.
The observer can never become the observed.
When u take a picture with the camera, in the picture everything is there except the camera. The
most powerful camera cannot take its own picture.
The very presence of the picture proves the existence of the camera. It's existence is never
questioned.
Similarly, is there anything which is never experienced by me but whose existence is never
questioned?
And that is I, the Consciousness principle. It never fall within any particular experience just as
camera never fall within any particular picture.
You will not see Consciousness in a particular experience but Consciousness is proved in every
particular experience as "I the Experiencer".
Kenopanisad says, Pratibodha viditam matam.
So, don't look for Atma experience or don't look for Atma in a particular experience.
You will never find the camera in any of the pictures. As long as I look for Atma in a particular
experience, I should remember I am looking for camera in a particular picture.
Atma is evident in all particular experience.
Naanyadanyat Prakaranam

26
Atma enters the uniform called Ahamkara
(Aham kanchukam - Ahamkara uniform)
Ahamkara is superimposed on Atma, Samsara belonging to Ahamkara is also superimposed on
Atma.
This is because, Ahamkara is Atmani adhystah, even though ahankara is Unreal, it has the support
of Atma.
Therefore we say, Atmani adhyastah ahankarah samsari, or Atma backed ahankara is samsari.
Adhyastah ahankara dvaara Atma samsari bhavati ;
Adhyastah ahankara dvaara Atma sadhaka bhavati;
Adhyastah ahankara dvaara Atma srota bhavati;
Adhyastah ahankara dvaara Atma manta bhavati ;
Adhyastah ahankara dvaara Atma mukto bhavati
Mukti also belongs to Atma not directly but ahankara dvaara.
So, all vyavahaaraas are done by Atma Adhyastah ahankara dvaara.
Sureshwaracharya says with aham kanchukam i.e. with uniform called ahankara.
Atma enters the uniform called ahankara.
Aham Brahm Asmi is said by Atma but Ahamkara dvaara Atma alone.
Atma alone cannot say Aham Brahma Asmi as it is akartrtvad.
Through sravanam mananam nididhyasanam, I negate Adhyastah Ahamkara.
Then I am Atma minus the Adhyastah Ahamkara.
Through Ahamkara I am samasri, Through Ahamkara I am sadhaka, and by negating Ahamkara I
am muktah.
The negation of Ahamkara is also done by Ahamkara.
Atma becomes mutah means we drop the Ahamkara. Ahamkarasya sva nisedah.
Tat Tvam Asi Prakaranam

27
"Aham Brahma Asmi", who makes this statement?
Atma with ahankara or Atma without ahankara?
To make a statement I need ahankara. I hear everything with the dress of ahankara. If ahankara
dress is not there, I cannot contact sruti or sruti cannot contact me.
What does sruti do?
Sruti says Tat Tvam Asi.
Once I receive the sruti vakyam, it begins to work intellectually for me and I remove the dress of
ahankara. And I own up Brahman.
To make the statement, Aham Brahma Asmi,
I need ahankara. Even though the statement is made by the mixture of Atma and Ahamkara, but
in my buddhi, I understand that I does not include this ahankara which I am using to say Aham
Brahma Asmi.
So, when sruti talks to you, it expects ahankara to be there with you, if ahamkara is not there then
no listening is possible.
But the moment sruti says You are Brahman, sruti expects you to immediately drop ahankara.
Therefore one part of the statement requires you to keep ahankara and another part of teaching
wants you to drop ahankara.
Ahankara should be with you when you come to the class, and once you understand the teaching,
you should drop off the ahankara intellectually.
Only then the grasping or understanding of Aham Brahma Asmi is possible.
Therefore you need a Guru to explain the teaching and implicit meaning of the sruti vakyam.

28
Three entities ; Two confusions
Atma, Buddhi and Aabhaasa (RC)
Confusuon 1 : First mixing up is between Buddhi & Aabhaasa.
Due to this mixture, formation of Ahamkara takes place.
The reason for confusion is that buddhi and aabhaasa are intimately associated.
Confusion 2 : Second mixing up is between Atma I & Ahamkara.
This confusion is because of intimate association of Atma and Ahamkara.
In the three factors Buddhi, Aabhasa and Atma, Buddhi and Aabhaasa are mithya, Atma alone is
Satyam.
So, Ahamkara is mithya. Jnani knows this fact that, Aabhasa buddhi ahamkara is mithya and Aham
caitanyam alone Satyam.
Because of aabhasa, the mind or ahamkara also appears like Atma (Ahamkara is mind plus
cidabhasa).
Atma is prakasa rupah, Ahamkara is also prakasa rupam because of aabhasa vyaptatvad.
Both being prakasam, there is tadatmya between Atma and Ahamkara and both begins to behave
as though one entity. Therefore srota, jnata, karta etc is the mixture.
I hear everything with the dress of ahankara.
So, with buddhi, the borrowed shining and Atma the original shining there is tadatmya sambanda.
Mere Saksi caitanyam will never say I, because there is ahamkara (buddhi plus RC) together.
Therefore I, Saksi am intimately associated with ahankara and in fact with adhyastha ahamkara I
do all vyavahaaraas. It is tadatmya sambandha.
Upadesa Sahasri Talks

29
Atma is well, Ahamkara is the mud.
You say you dig the well. Nobody digs well. Well is space where water is accommodated.
You don't dig well but you remove the mud. While you remove the mud, it is falsely said as digging
the well.
Nobody can dig the well. Well is that space where water is held.
Atma is the well and Ahamkara is the mud.
Mahavakya only removes the ahankara mud and then what happens, previously space was there
with mud and now space is there without mud.
Previously aparoksa Atma was there with adhyastha ahamkara and after mahavakyam aparoksa
Atma is there without adhyastha ahamkara.
Mahavakya removes the aparoksa adhyasa of ahamkara. Ahamkara is also nitya aparoksa. After
mahavakyam, ahankara is negated.
This alone is called Aparoksha Jnanam.
Ahamkara nisheda is figuratively called Saksi aparoksha anubhava.
Aparoksha anubhava never takes place as an event whereas ahankara nisheda is an event.
Aparoksha Jnanam is, I the Saksi is Brahman.

30
Nothing belongs to me,

But everything is superimposed on me, Therefore everything falsely belongs to me.
Ahankara is also adhyastha on me. Whatever ahamkara does also are adhyastham on me, the
Saksi Atma.
Atma ahankara dvaara is baddha and muktah.
If you remove adhyastha ahamkara, who am I, I am neither a sadhaka nor a baddah or a muktah.
How does mukti takes place? Shankara explains here..
Before vedanta study I entertained avivekah pratyaya because of adhyastha ahamkara. Aviveka
pratyaya is Aham vikari, Aham samsari, Aham baddha, Aham jnaata...
After vedanta study, I again entertain New Pratyaya called vivekah pratyaya. Any new pratyaya
is also through adhyastha ahamkara.
Vivekah pratyaya, Aham nirvikarah knocks out avivekah pratyayah aham vikarah.
Viveka pratyaya falsifies everything and falsifies itself also. Aham Brahma Asmi vrtti, viveka
pratyaya is also mithya. Mithya moksa is enough to remove mithya bandah.
A wrong knowledge is negated by the right knowledge, both belonging to Atma through the
adhyastha ahamkara (buddhi). Through buddhi they seep into Atma without wetting Atma.
A viveka pratyaya is a thought in which a person identifies with pratyagatma and with this viveka
pratyaya, aviveka pratyaya i.e. anatma abhimani pratyaya is negated.
What is common between all other vrtti jnanam and Aham Brahma Asmi vrtti jnanam?
Both vrttis take place in antahkaranam. The locus of both of them is antahkaranam.
What is the difference between the above two vrttis jnanam?
In case of ghataadi anatma jnanam, there is vrtti vyapti, removal of ignorance and phala vyapti,
illumination of ghata.
In the case of Brahma jnanam, there is only vrtti vyapti, removal of ignorance but no phala vyapti
because Brahman is Self Effulgent.
Therefore during bandha avastha, Saksi entertains aviveka vrtti through adhyastha ahankara
dvaara.
After studying vedanta, I say I am mutah which is also another vrtti entertained by Saksi through
adhyastha ahankara.
So, aviveki pratyaya can only be negated by viveki pratyaya.
31
There is no Turiya avastha.
(I cannot stand as Turiyam different from three sarirams)
Turiyam is everywhere and it cannot be separated from the body.
Even if I seperate it from buddhi, Caitanyam can never be a knower.
Atma is called Turiyah. Turiya is not the name of another state. The biggest misconception we
think is jagrat avastha, svapna avastha, susupti avastha and wrongly say turiya avastha also.
Turiya is the name of Atma and is called by the name of visva, taijasa and prajna due to falsely
superimposed status.
I am Turiyam in all avasthas. So, Upanisads repeatedly say Turiyam is my real nature. I am visva
is a notion, I am taijasa is a notion, I am prajna is a notion just like how crystal is red in the
presence of red flower but inspite of red flower presence, the crystal is always colorless.
Turiya does not have prarabdha. I am sanchita agami prarabhdha rahitah.
Should I do dhyanam or not?
When you say I want to do dhyanam to whom you refer?.
If you refer to ahamkara, then ahamkara needs sravanam, mananam, Nididhyasanam and is able
to invoke and own up with Higher self.
Because of ignorance of the Original I, in that place due to adhyasa an Erroneous I is generated
and that error itself is called Ahankara.
So, there is no scope for confusion at all if the meaning of I is clear.
As long as the I is ahamkara, it has to go through all these stages of sravana etc..
But I the Atma doesn't require any decipline because it is Nirvikara.
Once you identify with Atma, there is no need of anything and you are free.
Svapnasmriti Prakaranam

32
Atma - Ahamkara viveka

(Discrimination between Atma and Ahankara)
A compilation based on
33
What is Vedanta?
Changing the focus from karya-drsti to karana-drsti and de-focus from the world.
Like in a camera. Sometimes when you go to tourist places, your family members are standing in
front and you have got a camera. Behind there is beautiful mountain ranges. Now you want to
capture both, your dear family members and also background mountains.
What is the problem?
If you focus on the close family members, the mountain gets de-focussed.
And if you focus on mountain range, family members get de-focused.
So, what is Vedanta?
Change the focus. Let the focus be on Iswara and let the world be there.
We are not eliminating the world but de-focusing from that.
The more focus on every person, every object, ahamkara comes, mamakara comes, raga-dvesa
comes, samsara comes very much.
Therefore "Isavasyam idam sarvam". Defocus the world or from it by focusing on Iswara, the
karana.
May you replace the vision of the world by the vision of God. Isvara is not a seperate entity
different from the world. What we call world is non other than Isvara only.
So, prapanca drsti is dvaita drsti, causes bhayam, worry, samsara..
Isvara drsti is advaita drsti, observer is Isvara, observed is Isvara and observing instrument is
Isvara.
When dvaita drsti is replaced by advaita drsti, bhayam is replaced by abhayam. This abhayam is
moksa.
Isavasya Upanisad talks

34
"I am not I", what does it mean?
(Aham Na Aham Kadachana..)
First I means, the real I, the Cit the OC.
Second I means the fake I, the cidabhasa, RC.
I, the Saksi I am not ahamkara.
What is the reason?
The reason is I, the OC am all pervading and ananda swarupah whereas ahankara the RC I is
localized and is full of problems.
Therefore I am not ahankara.
So, I am not I, the popular I but that I when popular I is absent.
From when onwards I am not ahankara?
We will think after moksa. The author says, don't say like that, kadaachana. Even when I mistake
myself to be RC, even at that time of mistake also, I am free from problems.
It is like saying I am suffering in dream. Not that I become free from dream sufferings after waking
but even during the dream, I am free from dream's suffering because they are all mithya.
I associate myself with the medium through which I transact. So, nothing wrong in having the
medium, but I associate and include all the properties and limitations of the medium with myself
which is called adhyasa.
Once I connect the properties and limitations, then I have become a localized individual.
Therfore kadaachana is very important. At all time, when mistaking myself also, I am the problem
free Saksi. I am not the chidabasa, full of problems. They don't belong to I, the Cit.
Advaita Makaranda talks

35
Entire creation consists of a complimentary pair of mind and world.
Gaudapada arrives at this very profound conclusion.
Both mind and world are mutually dependent on each other.
Both do not have existence of their own.
Mind validates the world, the world validates the mind.
By associating with the mind, first I lend existence to the mind. Thus mind gets empowered
because of ME.
The moment mind becomes alive, I come to the waking state and I become a Viswa and identify
with the mind. The mind gives reality to the world by validating it.
Once the world is validated by the mind, the world starts harrasing the mind. The world borrows
power from the mind and harass the mind.
Thus they both mutually attack each other.
But, I should not reject the mind and the world because as long as I am alive, I have to be in waking
state.
The mind and the world must be allowed to interact but constantly I should remember that I am
not the mind nor the world.
On one side there is the mind and on other side the world. I accommodate both, bless them,
enliven them. Let them hang around Me but let not overwhelm me.
This is well understood only when I understand that the creation is a complimentary pair of mind
and the world only.
The mind and the world are evident only because of each other.
Mandukya Karika talks

36
In Vedanta, the word negation always means 'mithyatva nischayah'.
It is very important to note that negation does not mean we push everything. We can't push
anything physically. The whole process is internal and in the form of wisdom.
Negation of desk means, understanding that there is no desk other than wood.
Desk has no substantial existence, no weight. The weight belongs to wood.
After this understanding we will continue to use the desk but with the knowledge that the desk
nasti.
So, negation of a false thing is done only through a pramanam.
Unreal mirage water is negated only by seeing the sand through cakshu pramana
Unreal silver is negated only by seeing the shell through chaksu pramana.
In the same way, world negation means world will continue, I will perceive the world but I will
have a new vision and I don't give reality to the world.
Visva is associated with gross universe, taijasa is associated with subtle universe and prajna is
associated with karana universe. Each one is associated with a corresponding cidabhasa. And all
these pairs are all Unreal, Inferior vyavaharika only.
And through vedanta, one has to learn to dissociate from visva, taijasa and prajna rupaka
ahamkara and claim what is left behind and that is I am the Saksi.
Jagat mithya nisheda can take place only by vedanta pramanam. Therefore the visva, taijsa and
prajna nisheda should primarily take place in sravanam, through consistent and systematic Study
under the guidance of a competent Acharya.
Negation can never happen in meditation because in meditation we are not operating any
instrument of knowledge, no pramana is employed.
Therefore, first nisheda should take place in sravanam and thereafter the reinforcement can be
practiced in mediation which is called nididhyasanam in Vedanta.
Samyanmati Prakaranam
Upadesa sahasri talks

37
Underneath the snake, there is a rope.
Is this statement correct?
There is no question of a rope underneath the snake. What you see as 'snake', is in reality 'rope'.
Swami Dayanandaji sounds a warning in this regard. He says, that the word substratum can
sometimes create a confusion.
The student may wrongly understand that, there is the world above and there is Consciousness
below supporting the world.
But with this understanding he will end up in dvaitam.
So, it is like saying, underneath the snake there is the rope.
By right cognition, the imagined snake is displaced by the real rope. We don't retain snake and
introduce a rope underneath. We displace snake by the rope.
Similarly, Brahma jnanam should displace the world by the knowledge of Brahman.
Quite often there is a complaint from students, : I have understood mahavakyam, I have acquired
knowledge of Brahman but my worldly problems persists. This complaint is a result of wrong
understanding.
Student wants to get Brahma Jnanam and use it for fighting worldly problems. Unfortunately he
will never win a fight with the world.
The jnani should understand that there is no world to fight at all. Would anyone take pains to
tackle situations in a dream after waking up, fully knowing that dream is only one's own thoughts
projected as dream?
There is no dissolution, no creation, none bound, none strives for liberation, none liberated... this
is the absolute truth - Mandukya chapter 2, verse 32.
Stop the fight. You have won.
The conviction should be either there is no world at all or the perceived world has only a dream
status.

38
Spiritual life means non-mechanical life.
Dayananda swamiji uses the word, mechanical life is a threat to vedantic progress.
Shankara talks about carelessness or negligence of a sadhaka as a serious obstacle. Either it is
because of lack of value for advice or because of over confidence. If a person is negligent with
regard to nididhyasanam it can bring him back to Original samsara level.
So, let no vedantin be complacent or negligent. One should lead an alert and careful life.
Alert living means every response to my situation which could be either physical or verbal or
even mental response, I should be monitoring and the responses must be such that it does not
nourish ahamkara-mamakara vasana.
Dayananda swamiji defines nididhyasanam itself as alert living. It is not a 15 min closing the eye
job, which anybody can do and repeat nirvana shatakam .. but a constant alert living, monitoring
every response of the mind especially when situations are going haywire.
This is called kuru avadhanam, Mahad avadhanam.
Alert living after vedantic learning is like a rope walking as one has to handle the strong
ahamkara-mamakara.
Shankara points out how a nididhyasaka should carefully lead his life. It is not enough he studies
the scriptures very well, it is not enough he spends time in sitting meditation but more than these
two, he should give extreme care to his very way of life itself.
But transactions require aham-mama however I should be able to make aham-mama so
insignificant that they have only sufficient strength for transactions.
By alert living, I try to reduce the gap the sthita pragna lakshana and my day to day behavior,
which requires lot of introspection, lot of auto suggestion, constant monitoring of every behavior
of mine is required. This is the important form of nididhyasanam which is compulsory.
39
What is the aim of Vedantic meditation? (Nididhyasanam)
Nididhyasanam is a discipline prescribed only for those who have gone through sravanam and
mananam i.e. consistent and systematic study of Scriptures for a length of time under guidance of
a competent Acharya, until there is intellectual conviction.
The three aspects of Nididhyasanam are:
1. Alert life, monitoring our day to day behavior so that we make our behavior closer to the
behavior of a sthitha prajnah. I must try to match my behavior with a jivan muktah behavior.
2. Regular dwelling upon the sastrik teaching which is already received through sravanam and
mananam. This dwelling can be in the form of reading, writing, hearing, discussing with equals,
teaching those who have not learnt, writing summary or notes of vedanta sastra.
3. Samadhi abhyasah which is focused recollection in a specially designed atmosphere aiming at
effortless absorption.
By focused attention means, I choose a particular portion of vedantic teaching and dwelling upon
it. This is recolleting the teaching.
Sravanam is collection of sastra and nidhidyasanam is recollection.
Designed atmosphere means, a secluded place, a proper seat, proper posture etc.
And the aim of this atmosphere is to create an impact out of the vedantic statement heard during
the class or sravanam.
If a student has acquired samadhi satka sampatti, vedanta sravanam is enough but if a person has
not acquired this qualification then sravanam is not enough.
Therefore after sravanam he has to do samadhi abhyasa. This will ensure that the teaching we
have heard before will become more and more powerful.
40
Vedanta is NOT meant for

Lip service
Verbal jugglery
Show off
Getting job in philosophy department
For producing books after books
But, Vedanta is meant for making our heart not requiring any of the above things.
If a person has disease and doctor advised crocin will remove temperature, the word alone will
not release the temperature.
Crocin padam will not remove but the tablet alone releases you from fever.
Similarly, when I say Aham Brahma Asmi it should be a fact for me, words alone does not release
you. It should be a meaningful statement comming from my inner heart. Hence, once in a while it
is better to do introspection.
Shankara says, you might have studied all the upanisads, Brahma sutra with commentaries, you
may be able to give eloquent discourses and you also might be a great scholor, all this may not be
of any use if this knowledge is not a fact for you.
A scholarship is called paroksa jnanam and Shankaracharya says even paroksa jnanam is of no
use unless the knowledge is converted into aparoksa jnanam.
What is aparoksa jnanam?
All descriptions in the upanisads are talking about me, I need to remind constantly or else I will
think the upanisads are talking about some Brahman.
So,
First stage is constantly remind myself that every description is about me and not some truth
which is elsewhere,
Second stage is to own up this fact by providing answers to all those obstacles that come from the
Intellect. It means there should be no doubt about this fact in my mind,
Final stage is Internalization i.e. to remove the gap between my knowledge and my day to day
behavior.
41
Who is intelligent person? One who make use of the pole, reaches the height and thereafter drops
it.
Karma is the pole and we have to follow the three ashrams, brahmacharya, grahasta and
vanaprasta and they are meant for using the pole. For all these three, there are karmas to be
performed.
So, karma is required to an extent and then to be dropped. It is like the pole used by a pole vaulter.
He uses the pole, runs very carefully and with its help reaches the height and thereafter drops the
pole.
He is a foolish person who thinks that, after all the pole has helped me so much because of which
I could reach this height, and therefore it will be ingratitude on my part to give up pole so I will
hold on to it.
There is another foolish person who says, after all if I have to give up the pole after reaching the
height, why at all I take the pole. This is another type of foolishness.
So, one person takes the pole and refuses to renounce it when he reaches the height, another
person does not take the pole at all. Both are equally foolish.
Karmas have to be renounced only after the person becomes sadhana chatustaya sampanna
adhikari. If he renounces karma before attaining the adhikaritvam, he will not be able to get the
benefit of jnanam also. He will lose both karma benefit and Jnanam will also not come.
Only viveki sadhana chatustaya sampatti adhikari is called Vidvan. He renounces karma and gets
jnanam after becoming sadhana sampanna adhikari.
So, karma is needed upto an extent like a pole used by a pole vaulter, to reach a height and drop
the pole to reach the other side.
Karma can be renounced only for one purpose and that is vedanta sravana, manana and
nididhyasanam. For that purpose alone karma can be renounced.
Naanyadanyat Prakaranam

42
------------ Sastra vicara is Atma vicara------------
There is no Self-Enquiry w/o Scriptural Enquiry
I am indebted to God becz, he sent me a Guru,
I am indebted to Guru becz, he gave me the sastra mirror,
I am indebted to Sastra mirror becz, it put me back into my own lap.
Entire spiritual sadhana is very interesting to know. I start with my prayer to God, and God leads
me to the Guru, and Guru hands over the Sastra to me. He hands over the sastra which is otherwise
called the mirror, sastra darpana.
The mirror takes me to whom? When I am looking into the mirror, I am looking at myself.
How can the pursuit of an external Sastra lead to the knowledge of internal Self?
Sastra leads to Self-Knowledge becz Sastra is outside and Self is inside.
When you are looking into a mirror, your vision is turned extrovert, your eyes are looking outside
but you are not seeing an object but seeing you the Seer- I alone.
A mirror is a unique external instrument which provides the knowledge of the seer.
So, Sastram mirror gives me the knowledge of the inner self.
Guru holds the Sastra mirror and our eyes are nothing but our intellect/mind.
To see our physical body we use our eyes, but when teaching is of our own swarupam, we require
intellect/mind/prajnah/discriminative power.
And, study of Sastra should not be taken as academic pursuit but as the pursuit of the Self.
Thus Sastra vicara is Atma vicara.
Sastra vicara is the only means of Self- knowledge.
43
What is Realization?
Cid eva vidya / Consciousness is knowledge.
Thoughtlessness i.e absence of thoughts is not Vidya/knowledge (nidra na vidya)
Thought of an object is also not Vidya/knowledge (grahanam na vidya)
But, when the Right knowledge takes place, I am not going to grasp anything. (Kinchit na
grahnaati)
Then, what is that knowledge?
Ramana Maharshi says, Consciousness is Vidya (Cid eva vidya)
If Consciousness is Vidya, then everyone is realized because everyone has Consciousness. Is this
right?
Consciousness is available to all, but all are not realized. How should I understand this statement?
Consciousness when associated with Brahmaakara vrtti - Aham Brahma Asmi thought, that is
Knowledge/ Vidya.
Because once that knowledge takes place (krtva jnanam svayam nashyet), the thought itself will
also go.
What will remain is the Consciousness.
So, only in that intellect where this knowledge has taken place, for that person, Cid eva vidya.
Saddarsanam talks
Sloka 14
44
Do not mix the orders of reality.
Advaita is enjoyable only if we don't mix up the degree of reality.
Brahman has two amsas, one is cetana amsa and other is acetana amsa or Maya.
When u look from vyavaharika dristi, Brahman is Iswara with Maya, with Maya creates the world.
When we say world is born out of Brahman, it must be understood as with Maya Sakthi the world
is created.
The original Brahman continues to be in tact and when we talk of Brahma jnanam we talk of
nirvikara amsa rupa, the caitanya rupa or the changeless Brahman.
So, Brahman is niravayavam from Paramarthika dristi and from whose standpoint, Maya part of
Brahman is not there. So, if there is no Maya there is no modification, no creation, there is no
liberation.
Paramarthika dristya there is no Maya, no sadhana and no sristi and Brahman is also not karanam
of any creation.
All the creation are from vyavaharika point of view only.
So, there is no contradiction in accepting Brahman as both savayavatvam and niravayavatvam,
one from vyavaharika angle and other from Paramarthika angle.
Paramarthika dristya Advaitam and vyavaharika dristya vishistadvaitam or dvaitam is there.
Shankara says, there is only one method in which you can accept both savayavam and
niravayavam which is, treating them as lower and higher orders of reality.
For advaitin vyavaharika and Paramarthika bheda becomes extremely important. In avidya
avastha, karya-karana bheda, sadhaka-sadhya bheda etc is there, but once u gain knowledge all
the bhedas disappear and niravayavatvam is clear to the jnani in vidya avastha.
Let Paramarthika be in your mind and keeping it at the back of mind you transact from
vyavaharika dristi.
So, as you go on doing transactions let at the back, you be fixed on Aham Brahma Asmi.
Brahma sutra talks Sutra 26-29, Chap 2, Pada 1

45
All mahavakyas are samanadhikarana vakyams. They reveal ananyatvam or non-seperateness of

the world from Brahman.
When more than one word is used in the same case, to reveal one object, the relationship among
these words is called samanadhikarnyam.
Satyam Jnanam Anantam Brahman is samanadhikarnyam.
Shankaracharya mentions Four types of samanadhikarnyam.
Adhyasa samanadhikarnyam - Here two words are used even though they are different.
This is snake. Here, This refers to the object in front which is a rope and snake refers to another
object which is not there.
Apavada samanadhikarnyam - Here reference is made to erroneous object wrongly seen as a
snake, the rope. You correct the mistake that the snake that you see is indeed the rope.
The snake is rope.
In this corrective samanadhikarnyam, the first one is replaced by the second one. I displace snake
and replace it with rope.
What sastra mentions Brahmarpanam, etc. It means, what you see as world is mistaken vision
and there is no world at all but Brahman.
Apavada samanadhikarnyam is used for education or teaching purpose.
Aikya Samanadhikarnyam - This is the most common. When two things which are superficially
different are revealed as One, it is aikya samanadhikarnyam.
All ashtotra and sahasranamam are aikya samanadhikarnyam with many words but revealing one
deity.
Tat Tvam Asi is aikya samanadhikarnyam.
Aikya samanadhikarnyam is used for teaching.
Vishesha - Visheshya samanadhikarnyam - Here one is adjective and another is noun. When I say
mango tree, tree refers to general group of trees and mango refers to the specific tree. Both
specific and general are shown here.
Meditate on Udgita Omkara means, to specify musical omkara occurring in Sama veda. This is
shown here by adding the word udgitam. So, omkara is general and udgita omkara is specific.
Brahma sutra talks
46
Vedanta is not for image building, but negation of superimposed image.
All the time, I want to improve my status. Even karma khanda promote this, assuming the Inferior
status as a fact by recommending methods to gain Indra status.
Vedanta alone questions whether there is a need to improve the status.
Is it a fact that I have a low status image? Upanisads says you need not work for improving the
status. It says, you be as you are. There is no competitor for you because you are Ekah.
What we require is Self correction, which involves knowing Brahman status and displacing the
jivatma status. Therefore Brahma sutra starts with 'athato Brahma jijnasa' means, now therefore
the desire to know the Brahman.
Self error is because of not total ignorance of Self nor because of total knowledge of Self. But it is
because of partial ignorance.
I know aham asmi, Cid part and Sat part is known but I don't know Aham Brahma Asmì I.e.
Brahmanhood of mind is not known, Brahman status is not known.
Ignorance is with regard to Self, so adhyasa is centered on I and Self error is born out of Self
ignorance.
Samsara is due to this basic error alone. All karmas are based on error. Due to this error we enter
into various activities like I am karta, bhokta.. Samsara can be removed only by Atma jnanam.
Adhyasa bhashyam talks

47
What is vedanta asking me to do?
Should I hate the body or should I get attached?
Answer : Neither.
Vedanta is not confusing nor contradicting. It talks to the person according to his state of mind.
Suppose a person gradually gets attached to the body, all the time standing in front of mirror
watching wrinkles, etc he gets over attached to the body.
Vedanta says, do you want to be proud of this body and claim this as a great asset of yours? Then
I will say, this body is to be looked down upon because it is putrifying matter, decaying matter,
never get too much attached to the body.
Suppose a person develops dvesa or hatred towards the body, then Vedanta gives a different
description of the body.
Then, Sastra says, body is a temple, annamaya kosa is external prakara, pranamaya is internal
prakara, hridyam is garbha grham, Atma caitanyam is installed in the physical body. Therefore
never hate the body, never neglect the body, take care of the body. Body is a temple. "Atma tvam
girija matih sahachara prana sariram grham..."
Use the body as a means to discover Brahman and then drop your attachment to that. Nothing
should be hated in life nor get attached.
This is the essence of sastra, nothing is raga-worthy and nothing is dvesa-worthy.
Look upon this world as it is, use it as long as it is available and when it goes away, then don't get
worried because what has come will have to go.
48
Oh Lord, if you want to give me I-notion,
then give me a different I-notion.
If I should have I-notion let there be, but
that I should extend to the whole of creation.
I must be equally interested in the happiness of the whole world just as I am interested in
happiness for myself.
If I have I-notion in all bodies, I am Iswara
If I don't have I-notion anywhere including my body, I am Brahman.
When do we have problem?
When we have partial dehabhimana.
Total dehabhimana, then u have Iswaratvam.
No dehabhimana, then u have Brahmatvam.
Partial dehabhimana, then u have Jivatvam.
Jivatvam alone gives samsara.
Jnani knows only two stages,
Either he is Brahman when he is sitting alone Or he is Iswara when he transacting with the world.
Since he is never a jiva, he is called mahatma, Sarva dehabhimana. And for such Mahatma,
compassion is natural.
Compassion is feeling the pain of others, making mind sensitive enough to feel the pain of others.
We should be able to stand in their position.
Mahatma means, the one whose I expands to all the bodies.
One who has got Sarva Atma bhava.
So, my I should extend beyond my panca kosa to all other bodies.
A Jnani's selfishness is welcome because his self extends to the whole creation. If he is going to
work for himself, that himself includes the whole creation.
49
Forgetfulness of vedantic teaching happens because of :
1. Nidraya - In sleep, every knowledge is forgotten including Brahman knowledge. In sleep
nobody will say Aham Brahma Asmi. Therefore don't allow too much sleep.
2. Loka Vaarthaaya - Worldly talk, worldly gossips, juicy gossip, talking about neighbours, etc..
Stop worldly talk to that extent that is necessary. Therefore vaak tapas becomes necessary.
3. Sabdadhih - Contact with sense objects, means worldly transactions. This should be confined
to necessary things. Choiceless transactions need not be stopped. We need to manage in such a
way that we keep it to the optimum level.
So, nidra, lokavaarthaa, sabdhadhih , if you reduce them you get quality time.
And what should I do in that quality time?
May you dwell upon the Atma, Invoke your Higher -I, the Real-I, the Imperishable-I, the Ananadh
-I in the mind.
Sureshwaracharya says, Higher-I and lower-I are like two pillars. I am in the middle ( I means in
terms of my thinking). By going towards one, automatically I am going away from the other. Closer
to ahamkara I am, naturally farther from Atma I am.
So, if ahamkara is predominantly occupying your mind, then vedanta is nicely kept in the
notebooks and cassettes.
If vedantic teaching predominantly occupies your mind, then ahamkara and its problems will be
overshadowed.
Therefore distance yourself from ahamkara to own up Atma, svadhyasa apanayam kuru.
50
Entire life experience is a T.V. show.

Some of them are live and some are replay.
Shankara says we all experience thought universe only.
In the waking state, the thoughts are externally generated.
In dream state, the thoughts are internally triggered.
In dream, dream universe is the object and same mind canvass is the object of consciousness.
Therefore, mental canvass is my object of experience and the dream world painted in the
mind is also an object of experience.
Sankara says really speaking in waking state also you are not experiencing the external world.
In waking state also, you experience your mind alone. And the external world is thought
world only.
So, what is difference between waking state and dream state?
In waking state, you experience the thought world only but the thoughts are generated by
perception from external world.
In dream state also, you experience the thought world only but the thoughts are generated
from memory.
So, I experience only my mind, in both waking and dream states.
All experiences are like watching cricket match. You can watch two types of cricket in your
TV. One is live TV and then you can watch replay on the same screen.
Both are watched on the same screen, and what is difference?
First time when you watch, it is externally triggered as the event is happening outside. And
when the event is not happening outside, it is recorded replay.
Live show is called waking state,
Replay show is called dream state.
In susupti avasta you watch blank screen.
And we have got one screen, the mind.
Sankara finally concludes that mind is a canvas or screen and it can never become an
observer.
Sankara says, I the consciousness principle am the observer of the mind.
How can I be the mind?
Upadesa sahasri talks
51
Water can't run away from the wave.

Water & wave are not two seperate things, for one to run away from each other.
A rabbit closing its eyes to dismiss the world or an ostrich burying its head in the sand to escape
from the enemy, are some examples of running away from the world or enemy.
Acharya talks here of ardha-vedantin, who has acquired atma-anatma viveka but does not
proceed further to maha-vakya vicara to gain atma advitiya viveka.
What is duality?
There is atma different from anatma and there is anatma different from atma. This duality is of
non-factual nature.
According to vedanta, duality is non-factual. The perception of dvaitam is erroneous knowledge.
So, an aspirant who has stopped with Atma-Anantma viveka and does not progress to Maha vakya
vicara is mortally afraid of this world and wants to get away from this world of sheer fear. The
running away fear will not work in solving samsara.
Such an aspirant wants freedom from anatma. But "I" can never be free from anatma because it
is "I" who is in the form of anatma with nama-rupa. So, where is question of running away from
it.
A tailor uses two instruments, scissors and sewing machine. Scissors are meant for cutting the
fabric, but tailor's job will be complete when cutting process is followed by the stiching process.
In vedantic study, anvaya-vyatireka is cutting process and maha-vakya vicara is sewing process.
Through anvaya vyatireka, aspirant first separates the world and then through mahavakya vicara
he brings back the world and accepts it with all its limitation.
He should decide to remain in the world because, as Brahman he cannot be away from the world
and world cannot be away from him.
Let us as Vedantins accept this world.
What is the message?
Do not try to push the world away or try to run away from the world. Stay where you are and may
you derive the strength to confront the world from sheer knowledge that :
1) I am of Higher order of reality
2) World is of Lower order reality
3) World cannot affect Me
4) But, Higher and Lower order can't be seperated also
5) And, Lower order has to rest on the Higher order, Me.
A child always seeks mother's lap. How can the mother push away the child?
How can I, the Brahman push away my child, the world?
Therefore do not run away, do not push away, but embrace the world. Naishkarmya siddhi talks
52
Undivided Attention is Undivided Consciousness

During susupthi, the Pure Existence is covered by Maya and hence one is not able to understand
that Pure Existence.
Then, can one recognize the Pure Existence during Jagrat avastha?
Yes, The Pure Existence is available as Awaring Consciousness in jagrat avastha.
This Consciousness is experienced in two fold form in jagrat avastha.
One is "divided Consciousness" and other is rarely experienced form of "undivided
Consciousness".
Divided Consciousness is quite well known and familiar. It is experienced when ever there is a
triputi operation, culminating in the specific knowledge or experience.
Ex- Pot knowledge means, Consciousness associated with pot.
In fact, "divided Consciousness" alone is named as knowledge or experience.
When does one experience "undivided Consciousness "?
Sureshwaracharya says, "undivided Consciousness " is experienced when one is about to operate
the Pramatha.
When Pramatha is desirous of knowing something and has opened up the pramanam, at that time,
there is Consciousness, but it has not crystallized into a particular knowledge or experience.
So, the Caitanyam that is recognized at the moment of eagerness or anxiety to know, is undivided
Consciousness.
Acharya says, that short moment, when one wants to known something/that moment, when one
as Pramatha with his pramaana fully alive and active, waiting for prameyam to arrive is Pramithsa
avastha.
Example- A participant in a running race, extremely alert, waits anxiously for the signal of whistle
to be blown, and that awareness of such anxious participant is therefore fully active before
hearing the whistle, is "undivided attention/Consciousness.
Therefore, samanya Caitanyam can be experienced by everyone by paying attention, before
knowing anything.
Undivided Attention is Undivided Consciousness.
This is experienced when ever one is paying undivided Attention.
(Chapter III, Verse 8 & 9)
53
The movie screen is there during interval & during the movie projection also.
In a thoughtful mind also consciousness is there & in a thoughtless mind also consciousness is
there.
But, the problem is, in a thoughtful mind, consciousness is not easily recognized because the
thoughts distract our attention. Whereas in a thoughtless mind, distractions are not there.
The screen is there during movie projection & during interval also.
During interval, the screen is never missed but during movie projection, though screen alone I am
seeing all the time, I am so much absorbed in the plot and character, I fail to recognize the screen.
Therefore, for a beginner, screen seems to be more evident without movie. And once a seeker has
done screen sravanam, screen mananam and screen nidhidyasanam and gets screen nista,
thereafter he will not forget the screen even when the movie is there or not there.
Similarly, Consciousness is evident in thoughtful mind as well as in thoughtless mind, but in the
beginning upanisads teach us to have tranquil mind to recognize the atma and thereafter once
nista comes, let him do anything, he does not lose sight of the substratum.
Verse 132
54
One should never work for atma anubhava.

In worldly transactions, knowledge comes first and experience comes later.
You learn about Badarinath and you say I have knowledge but I have no experience.
So, with regard to anatma, the sequence is, knowledge first and experience later.
Unfortunately we extend that to Brahman also.
We think we have studied scriptures & Atma knowledge has come but anubhava is not there.
Shankaracharya says never say that.
Atma anubhava is common to all.
Atma is never an object of knowledge or an object of experience because it is evident in and
through all experiences. Exactly like light is evident in which ever object I am observing.
So, to see light which object I should see? What ever object I am seeing, I am simultaneously
experiencing light.
Thus in ghata jnanam, I am experiencing consciousness,
In phata jnanam, consciousness is there,
In English knowledge, consciousness is there, In man knowledge, consciousness is there.
It is never an object of cognition.
If Atma is all the time experienced, I need not work for Atma anubhava, then what is the purpose
of vedanta study?
Ans - The purpose of vedanta study is,that
the ever experienced-I does not have any limitation. The limitation that I assume for myself is an
intellectual confusion which I have to intellectually remove through intellectual exercise of sastra
vicara. What is required is dropping the notion regarding ever experienced atma.
Atma is experienced by all the people, both in its limited form as well as in its limitless form. The
limited form of Atma is called pramata and the Limitless form of Atma is called Sakshi.
So, pramata is also experienced by all,
Saksi is also experienced by all.
Therefore, one should never work for atma anubhava.
So, what we lack is not anubhava but we lack the knowledge part.
Vivekachudamani talks Verse 535
55
Bhakti is karma + upasana + jnanam.

This series of sadhana (spiritual disciplines) put together is the means to moksa.
To remove hunger, it involves buying material for preparing food stuff, it also involves
cooking and finally eating.
Now, among the above three, which one is indispensable?
Eating alone removes hunger, so I don't want to buy materials and cook, what will you have,
only vessels.
But if you say, I will buy and cook but not eat, then also hunger don't go.
All these three are equally important because one does not exist without the other two.
Importance is there for all the three.
But of the three, eating is proximate which removes hunger, it is the final step in culmination
of our pursuit.
Similarly, karma, upasana and jnanam are the three sadhana and moksa is the sadhya, the
end.
Karma and moksa has got only parampara sambandha as karma does not produce
instantaneous moksa, just as buying vegetables will not instantaneously remove hunger.
Similarly, upasana and moksa also don't have direct connection.
Only Jnana and moksa has got instantaneous relationship like eating and removal of hunger.
Therefore Shankaracharya says ,
Bhakti in the form of Jnana Yoga is very important sadhana
Bhakti in the form of karma yoga is also important
Bhakti in the form of upasana is also important.
All the above three are indispensable, there is no question of choice, because each one has
got its own contribution.
The highest level of Bhakti is in the form of Jnana Yoga which means, study of scriptures
consisting of sravanam, mananam and nididhyasanam.
Vivekachudamani Talks
Verse 31
56
I'm the source of joy, no fear of losing anything in the creation.

Atma alone is the source of sukham.
If the world is not a source of joy, how come I find happiness from several things in the world?
Ans- When I see ananda in any object, ananda does not belong to the object but its my ananda
reflected in the object.
When I look at the mirror, I experience frame of the mirror, glass and also a beautiful face. The
frame belongs to the mirror, glass belongs to the mirror but face does not belong to the mirror, it
belongs to Original face which I do not see.
People, dances, music belong to the world, none of these pleasures really belong to the world, but
they belong to Me, because it is myself, you don't see it but reflection exactly like reflected face.
I don't have to run after Ananda as the Original is Myself.
Entire world gaplessely (everywhere) I pervade.
With this understanding, I say two belongs to mirror, one belongs to me.
So, whenever I experience joy, at the time of enjoyment, you remind yourself that, objects belong
to the world but enjoyment belongs to me.
Moment you remember that, you are not concerned about losing the object, joy will not go,
security will not go, because:
I'm the source of joy and hence there is no fear of losing anything in the creation.
You won't be attached to the mirror, no object I depend upon.
This freedom from the fear of loss is moksa, this is called Jnana.
Practice this in your day to day life...
Ashtavakra Gita Talks
(Yadi deham prutak krtya chiti vishramya tishtati
Adhunaiva sukhi shanto bandhamukto bhavishyasi) - verse 1.4
57
Never experienced Ever exists
Ever experienced Never exists
Who can swallow this vedanta?
Jnana Yoga is the most complex topic, challenging our intellect at every level.
Brahma Satyam, is very difficult to understand becz I am doubtful of the very existence of
Brahman. I don't see it, hear it, smell it, taste it nor touch it. Upanisad says you can't experience
Brahman. So, there are philosophers who challenge the existence of nirguna Brahman.
Jagan mithya, is even more challenging topic. Vedanta says, the world which I am experiencing all
the time doesn't exist.
World is ever experienced but never exists. Brahman is never experienced but that alone exist.
The culmination, final topic and toughest one is, "I am that Brahman ".
Looking at me, if I claim I am Brahman, the Jagat karanam, the all pervading, etc, people will only
smile at me and give me first prize for imagination.
So, in vedanta every topic is challenging.
Karma yoga requires less discussion, upasana yoga requires even lesser discussion but vedanta
requires the maximum discussion.
Therefore all prakarana Granthas : supplementary texts, complimentary texts, supportive texts,
all discuss more of Jnana Yoga.
The maximum discussion and the most important yoga is Jnana Yoga.
Everyone who practices karma yoga and upasana yoga will finally have to come to Jnana Yoga, as
this is the only gate to attain jnanam and moksa.
Rama Gita Talks
Verse 1 & 2
58
Count your ONE blessing.
Vedanta says, despite having worst prarabdha all human beings have one blessing that is
countable :
Pratah smarami hrudi samspurat atma tattvam..
Through the study of vedanta, I must understand that I am a mixture of two components. Atma
alone is Permanent component and I should claim Atma as the Real I and not the temporary
component, the body mind complex. Body was not there in previous birth, will not be there in the
next birth, like dress which cannot claim as ourselves.
In and through all the cyclones, tsunamis, problems, thank God that I am the eye of cyclone.
In the center there is no disturbance.
So, invoke the Central Self even amidst all problems.
A jnani also faces choiceless situations wrt anatma. His emotional pain is lesser due to his non-
resistance and acceptance.
This is only possible because of claiming the beautiful component, the Atma.
Vedanta says, doing transactions is not a problem. Our problem is we have not sorted out this
mixture of atma-anatma.
The sorting out cannot be done physically because physical separation is not possible, only
intellectual understanding.
So when I say "I am", I am taking myself as one single unit even though it is single unit consisting
of two components which I am not aware and I commit a mistake.
Instead of taking the consciousness component, I mix up both atma and anatma and refer as " I
am " due to Ignorance.
So develop appropriate attitude by remembering our Higher nature, Beautiful component, Atma.
Rama Gita Talks
Verse 41
59
A short comparison
.... (based on Ashtavakra Gita talks)

60
A brief compilation attempt

(.. based on various talks)
61
We all already have Atma, but we don't have Atma bodhah.
All of us have Atma, Svarupa jnanam but inspite of Svarupa jnanam, we all suffer from the
ignorance of Self.
So, just Svarupa jnanam cannot give liberation to people & merely having Svarupa jnanam is not
enough.
What we require is not Svarupa jnanam alone but the vrtti jnanam about Atma.
We need a knowledge for which the object is subject itself, I.e. knowledge about Self.
Shankaracharya calls it as Atma bodah, where the word Atma refers to Svarupa jnanam and
bodhah refers to Vrtti jnanam about the Atma, just like ghata bodhah, Pata bodhah.
"Atma bodhah - Atma visayaka janya jnanam or Svarupa visayaka vrtti jnanam".
We all already have Atma, but we don't have Atma bodhah.
Atma bodhah being a janya jnanam, it has to be produced by an effort.
Ghata jnanam or Ghatakara caitanyam is born only when ghata vrtti is born. We therefore call this
knowledge as vrtti jnanam. This objective knowledge is called janya (born) jnanam which is
always a born knowledge. It is not eternal knowledge.
When it comes to Atma jnanam, here also we require a vrttih known as Aham Brahma Asmi vrtti.
So, Self knowledge also requires vrtti jnanam, which is called Atma bodhah.
Therefore, we should have knowledge about our Svarupam to generate vrtti, like
Aham Svarupa caitanyam asmi
Aham Atma asmi
Aham Sarvavyapi asmi
Aham sarvada asmi …..
This knowledge is without any object, it is objectless knowledge and called Svarupa jnanam or
Ajanya jnanam (unborn).
So, Atma bodhah means Atma visayaka janya jnanam.
Atma bodha talks.

62
Why we feel Vedanta does not work?

Shankara says,
It is not that knowledge is not there after sravanam, conviction is also there.
You dont lack Brahman experience, you don't lack conviction nor the knowledge.
The only thing is, the knowledge is hostage of trivida vasanas. Just like how a powerful person's
hands and legs are tied, trivida vasanas have tied the jnanam from doing its job.
The three powerful vasanas are,
Loka vasana : obsessed with worldly affairs and environment.
Deha vasanas: obsessed with the body, catering to its needs all the time
Sastra vasana : identification with buddhi and scholarship with greed.
Whoever is free from the powerful influence of these vasanas, that person enjoys jivan mukti. The
mind fully enjoys the glory of knowledge because there are no obstacles.
Atmaneva atmana tustah.
Remember, vasana kshayah does not produce knowledge because sravanam alone can produce
knowledge.
So, then what is role of vasana kshaya?
Ans- Shankaracharya gives an example of sandal wood having a coating of fungus, because of its
long contact with water.
And this foul smelling fungus overpowers the fragrance of the sandal wood. So, if we want to get
its fragrance, then we need not generate fragrance but we need to only remove the obstructing
fungus.
Therefore you need to handle the vasana.
Vedanta is already put in your mind through Gita sravanam, Upanisad sravanam..
The fragrance of jivan mukti is there in ME only, I have got the knowledge and foul smell is also
comming from Me only.
Fragrance is natural, foul smell is incidental.
So be free from powerful influence of trivida vasana through Vasana kshaya which is the solution.
Paramatma vasana becomes stronger, vasana trayam becomes weaker.
Therfore, jivan mukti is not a sudden event, but a gradual transformation.
Vivekachudamani talks verse 273
63
Travel from Ajnani status to Jnani status
to No status.
First I start as I am Ajnani. To negate the Ajnani status, I become Jnani.
So, I negate Ajnani-samsari status and own up Jnani status.
Then I disown my Jnani status also, because that also belongs to the Pramata only.
If anyway ultimately Jnani status has to be disowned, why work for Jnani status?
When you take bath you apply soap and later you will rinse soap, right ? Why apply soap?
You are to apply soap to remove the dirt and thereafter remove the soap also.
If one person says, I don't apply soap at all,
and another person says, the soap is very important so I will keep the applied soap eternally, both
are fools.
The one who refuses to apply soap is a fool and the one who refuses to rinse the soap, is also a
fool.
Apply, rinse, therein lies the wisdom.
Similarly, Jnani status is the soap to remove Ajnani status which is the cause of samsara. Therefore
remove the Ajnani status by gaining Jnani status and afterwards negate the Jnani status, means
transcending both Jnanam and Ajnanam.
Transcending Jnanam means, the Intellect will continue to have jnanam but at the same time,
Jnani will not identify with that intellect.
It is because when I disown Intellect, I disown my jnanam also.
The state of a Jnani is that his Intellect will be wise and he is able to teach also, but will not claim
the wise Intellect as "himself".
A Jnani will say :
My intellect is wise but I am not wise Intellect.
Therefore, I am beyond both Jnanam and Ajnanam.
Upadesa Sahasri talks Verse 17.066

64
Entire Universe is inert alone.
But one part has chidabasa and
other part doesn't have chidabasa
Matter with chidabasa is called sentient, jiva.
Matter without chidabasa is called inert, object
Both are superimposed on Me, Atma.
I am neither the Matter nor the chidabasa.
I am chit, the adhistanam in whom the entire world with and without chidabasa is projected.
This chetana-achetana vibhaga is projected in me for the purpose of enjoying the drama.
This drama happens in ajnanam or maha nidra alone like how entire dream is possible because
of nidra alone.
As long as we understand the drama as drama, there is no problem.
Only when drama becomes serious and actors forget that they are only playing a role, then it
becomes a problem.
Therefore we can allow this swapna to continue. We need not complain. Let prarabdha be there.
What Vedanta says is, understand dream as dream.
In the motionless Atma, I, both the moving and non-moving are superimposed.
Like, how on the screen, we project both moving and non-moving objects.
Like how on a canvas, painting of both the sentient and insentient beings is done.
Likewise, upon the Chetana Brahma, both Chetana and Achetana prapanca is projected.
Advaita Makaranda talks
(Jada ajada vibhagoyan ajade mayi kalpitaha
bhitti bhage samechitre chara achara vibhagavat)

65
A spiritual seeker is one, who keeps Moksa, Atma & Para vidya as strongest desire in life.
His own desire determines the condition of a jiva after death.
In case of a Jnani, no worldly desires are there, so no punar janma.
Some intelligent people born in vedic cuture, are exposed to moksa as purusartha and they
dedicate their entire life for pursuit of moksa.
Moksa is possible only if there is commitment and sincerity with prioritization of moksa as the
goal.
We have to be alert and choose wisely. Intensly desiring moksa as top priority is called Atma
varanam. If the intensity is lacking, it will affect the quality of other sadhanas also like sravanam
etc.
Does seeker choose liberation or Bhagavan choose seekers for liberation? Who makes the choice?
In advaita,
We always emphasize our effort,
We emphasize Freewill,
We emphasize taking responsibility for our moksa,
We are one who has to choose moksa,
We are one who have to work for moksa.
So, Emphasis is on Our Freewill, Our Efforts, Our Responsibility.
In other group, they emphasize Bhagavan alone desides everything, you can't do anything,
nothing is in your hand, you have to surrender to God. Once you surrender, God will choose and
give liberation. This is saranagati philosophy.
Vedanta does not approve that, Shankara does not approve that.
Bhagavan does not select people of his choice to give liberation. He only gives phalam according
to efforts of a person. He is karma phala daata.
Iswara anugraha is also not chosen by Iswara. It is something we again earn through our efforts.
In karma yoga, through all panca maha yagnas I have to earn Iswara anugraha.
Ultimately, we are responsible for our moksa.
Mundaka upanisad talks
Verse 3.2.
66
"Moon light is nothing but borrowed Sun light"

Just as a tape recorder requires head cleaning through a solution,
Similarly, Vedanta solution is for regular cleaning of our head which is full of delusion, caused by
ignorance.
Question is, what is the delusion?
Shankara says, Intellect is inert in nature, made of panca bhutas.This Intellect is illumined by
Atma,Saksi, by forming a reflection of Atma which is called as chidabasa.
Therefore we have Original Consciousness and Reflected Consciousness.
Reflected consciousness is located in mind just as Sun light is located in moon.
This Reflected consciousness is located in mind all the time as long as mind is there.
There is no time when mind alone is there w/o chidabasa. Both mind and chidabasa are
inseparable.
Because of their inseparable nature, we commit a huge blunder.That blunder is:
1. Because mind has got consciousness, we mistake that the mind has got its own natural
consciousness.
2. We conclude consciousness is intrinsic nature of mind just like heat is intrinsic nature of fire.
3. Since mind is finite, we take the consciousness as nature of mind and conclude consciousness
also is finite.
Then you fall into samsara with firm notion of "I am finite" in nature, because mind is within the
body frame. So, I am a confirmed samsari.
Shankara says, mind is illumined by the light of Atma. But the mind thinks wrongly that
consciousness is located in mind, therfore is finite in nature.
This mistaken or confused Mind also does not accept an original consciousness which is Atma.
Only when you know the mind has borrowed consciousness then only question will come who is
the lender of consciousness.
Suppose, Moon has got its own natural light, then no one will talk of sun light which is lent to
moon.
The consciousness lender is saksi caitanyam, Atma is the lender, which gives consciousness. This
Atma is other than mind.
Vedanta says, I am an individual with finite body, finite mind but corrects us that the
consciousness is not finite but infinite.
The delusion can be cleared in buddhi alone with this knowledge. So, solution to the problem also
lies in the intellect alone.
The inert buddhi with borrowed consciousness alone says I. But this buddhi should know that I
have got only borrowed consciousness and there is original consciousness which is different from
buddhi, this fact buddhi does not know.
This confusion is called Atma - Anatma avivekah.
Lack of knowledge is at intellectual level, so remedy has to be at the intellect level alone.
Mundaka upanisad says, Spiritual education is the only remedy for delusion elimination.
Verse 16.060
67
Pot can't obstruct the clay, as there is no pot other than clay.
Furniture can't obstruct wood, as there is no furniture other than wood.
Cloth can't obstruct thread, as there is no cloth other than thread.
"There is no second thing to obstruct Atma"
People have fallen in love with samsara and they see sastram as an obstacle for their relationship
and therefore they are not ready to take to Atma vicara and attain jananam & moksa.
Sankara advises those who argue that they have various obstacles to be freed from ahamkara like
attachments, family relationships, doing karma as per ashrama they belong to etc..
Sankara says, you do not have duty of removing the obstacles to gain moksa.
You are the Atma, as Atma you cannot have any obstruction as there is no second thing at all.
You can't say, anatma obstructs Atma as there is no anatma separate from Atma.
As long as you enjoy duties, go ahead but all the time remember there is no end to duties.
Waiting to end duties is like waiting for waves to subside to take a dip in the ocean.
So, go on doing your duties, but never expect duties will come to an end.
Only thing you can do is, when u r tired of working, come to green room and think as to why not
you take to spiritual path and gain jnanam to gain moksa.
We have three channels,
1. Dream ahankara channel
2. Waker ahankara channel
3. Atma channel
The ignorant choose the first two, suffer samsara problems while the wise choose the third, take
to spiritual studies, do sravanam, mananam and nididhyasanam to gain Atma jnanam for
liberation.
Atma can never be obstructed by anatma or by Atma.
Obstructer and obstructed can never be one and the same.
It means you have no obstruction.
There is no obstacle for you to gain moksa by taking to spiritual path.
(Samsara is seen as buddhi aparadha.
If mistake is done by buddhi correction is also done by the buddhi. Vedanta jnanam needs buddhi
alone to understand the vedantic teachings.)
Versev14.032, (05.001)
68
"Sastra is necessary to know that sastra is not necessary"
Sastra is necessary to remove the notion that "I have bondage".
Bondage notion is called brantih or delusion.
I have a delusion that I am bound because of ignorance, by removing the delusion we remove the
notion that I am a samsari.
A person had a small chain in his neck. It is thin and made of gold. He went to friend's house and
showed it to him. He came back home but the chain which was in front had gone to his back. He
looked in his neck to find no chain and ran back to his friend to find the chain. His friend laughed
and said, the chain is already on his neck which was at the back.
Now, the crucial question is, was running necessary to get chain or not?
If u say, running was not necessary he would have searched everywhere for the chain.
If u say, running was necessary, by running to his friend's house he didn't get his chain, but it was
already there in his neck.
Running was necessary to know running was not necessary.
Sastra is not redundant becz sastra is necessary to remove the notion that I have bondage.
Jnanam effort is to know that no effort is required to attain liberation.
Jnanam effort does not produce moksa but jnanam effort enlightens you that no effort is required
to gain moksa.
There is no bondage in Atma, but there is a sense of bondage in the mind.
So, what is liberation?
It is the removal of the bondage, you can't say.
Liberation is the removal of the sense of bondage. Bandah is only a delusion and not real. Hence,
sense of bondage removal alone is moksa.
Once I come to know that I am not bound at all, after that I know even sastra is not required to
give me liberation becz I am never bound.
Upadesa Sahasri Talks Verse 16.058/59

69
Knowledge of Turiyam can help me only under one condition which is :
"That Turiyam I am".
This knowledge alone can give me relief.
Knowing is paroksa jnanam, and will not give any benefit.
That Turiyam I am, is Aparoksha jnanam, and alone will give maximum benefit.
A poor man who has no money for next meal, reads a magazine which gives a list of rich people
in the world.
What benefit will he gain? He will become more miserable on reading this.
I am small is the problem and this problem can go only when I know I am big.
My smallness will never go by knowing somebody else as big. In what way will it benefit my
smallness.
Without any gap between me and Turiyam, I must claim Turiyam as myself.
In pratyaksa jnanam, there is a gap between observer and observed.
In paroksa jnanam, the above distance is even more.
In Aparoksha Jnanam alone, there is no distance at all.
Turiyam is neither away nor close to me. Turiyam is me.
You cannot say,
I am away from Turiyam
Or I am close to Turiyam
or I am in the process of becoming Turiyam.
Many people consider Turiyam as the end product of a process of becoming and they do all
sadhanas to become Turiyam one day.
Gaudapada says, You are Turiyam right now.
Finite by a process can never become infinite.
Therefore, Turiyam I claim as my Self.
Upadesa Sahasri Talks Verse 17.033

70
"It is possible to know Turiyam"

Mind manifests consciousness & consciousness illumines the mind.
When the mind experiences, there are two things, just like how you experience both illumined
hand and the manifested light.
Illumined hand is also experienced and manifested light also is experienced in the same locus.
So, manifested consciousness seems to have a location but the location actually belongs to the
manifesting medium, the mind.
Whether the mind is there or not, I am available either in avyakta rupam or vyakta rupam and
this I is Turiyam. Don't include the mind in you.
Remember, I am the Svayam Prakasa Caitanyam who manifests through the mind, who remains
unmanifest without the mind. This fact you have to understand with the help of mind.
Sastram is not there to reveal the consciousness becz revelation is already done by the mind
which manifests consciousness.
What is the role of sastram then?
Sastra only removes the limitation of the revealed consciousness by telling that, my dear, the
limitation belongs to the manifesting medium and limitation doesn't belong to the manifested
caitanyam.
So, with the help of the manifesting medium of the mind and with the help of the sastra which
negates the limitation, we learn that consciousness that I experience all the time is all pervading.
We always experience two things simultaneously, they are, the illumined mind and the
manifested consciousness. Both we experience together. We commit a mistake that
consciousness is only the property of mind, and it is localized in the body.
But, once we understand that the consciousness is independent entity, not an intrinsic property
of mind, and it is all pervading but only difference is, where ever the mind is, it is vyakta caitanyam
& when mind is not there it is is avyakta caitanyam, & caitanyam is ever unlocalised, this
knowledge gives you liberation.
Verse 17.034
71
Moksa is an educational program.
Sankara says, our essential nature is freedom/purnatvam.
All sadhanas are not to remove bondage but to remove the sense or notion of bondage.
Bondage is a notion. The delusion is the problem at intellectual level. Therefore we need an
intellectual process of education. We have to remove the notion intellectually.
All the other sadhanas like bhakti, japa, etc are supportive sadhanas for the educational process.
They cannot replace the educational project.
Sankara says, Intellect is illumined by the Saksi caitanyam, the OC. The buddhi at the same time
borrows the reflected consciousness and gets illumined. The moment Saksi illumines buddhi,
buddhi becomes live and sentient.
Now, buddhi is capable of saying " I " because of the anugraha of the Saksi.
But, buddhi should know that I have got only borrowed consciousness and there is Original
consciousness which is different from mind. This fact buddhi does not know.
Therefore buddhi commits a mistake which is at the intellectual level. Hence the remedy has to
be at the intellect level alone.
When I use the word "I", in this "I" itself, there is simultaneous experience of the illuminator
consciousness and the illumined mind.
There is no physical distance between Atma and mind. The mixture cannot be physically
seperated because two are interwined so close that seperation is in death only.
I have to say I and own up consciousness part and not the mind part. But to say that I require
mind.
To be consciousness, I don't require mind but to say or own up the consciousness, I need a mind.
Hence, Self knowledge takes place only in jagrat avastha and not in susupti or svapna avastha.
So, Right knowledge if u want, you have to educate your intellect by taking to spiritual path and
gain jnanam without which ignorance cannot be annihilated.
Upadesa Sahasri Talks Verse 15.037

72
Bhagavan has given us the experience of two types of aham :

1. Ahamkara pradhana aham
2. Sakshi pradhana aham
I have to differentiate what is Cit and what is cidabhasa.
Always we are a mixture of Cit and cidabhasa only. We can get pure Cit intellectually separating
the Cit from cidabhasa.
Thus seperation is only in terms of understanding.
How to separate Cit and cidabhasa in terms of understanding?
Bhagavan has given us nearest possibility to experience.
In jagrat and svapna avasta, cidabhasa plays a prominent role, Cit is subdued.
Where ever I feel localized, that limitation is the attribute of cidabhasa.
Jagrat/ Svapna aham anubhava is cidabhasa pradhana aham.
When I go to sleep, reflecting medium is resolved, cidabhasa is resolved, I am there as Cit.
When I remove finitude, the awareness is Cit the pure consciousness.
Susupti avasta is Saksi pradhana aham or Cit pradhana aham.
After having discriminated these two, I should claim which one as aham?
I should claim the Sakshi as aham. For claiming this, I should be in which avasta? You cannot say
I am Sakshi in sleep.
You may be Sakshi pradhana in susupti but to gain the knowledge that aham Sakshi, you have to
come to jagrat avasta.
Therefore, to be Sakshi pradhana you got to be in susupti.
But, to know Sakshi aham, you should be in jagrat avasta.
This is how Aham Brahma Asmi knowledge takes place.
I say Aham Brahma Asmi in jagrat avasta. At the time of saying this, you must have both Cit and
cidabhasa. But, by bhaga tyaga lakshana I should refer to Cit part and say aham Cit rupah asmi.
Verse 17.040
73
How can we directly experience the Saksi ?

How can we come face to face with Saksi?
Sankara says, how do you determine whether an object is directly or indirectly experienced?
How can u technically define paroksa and aparoksa jnanam? Thereafter we can talk for Atma also.
He says, when cidabhasa is not able to reach an object directly w/o contacting the object but still
cidabhasa gets the knowledge, it is paroksa jnanam.
Example - Badarinath is paroksa jnanam becz my mind through the thoughts can't reach
Badarinath unless I go there.
When the object through the sense organs falls into my mind, falls within the cidabhasa, it is
aparoksa jnanam or direct knowledge.
So, Cidabhasa vyaptih is aparoksa jnanam
Abd, Cidabhasa avyaptih is paroksa jnanam.
Question is, if u want to get knowledge of Brahman, will it be direct or indirect?
For that, you have to ask whether Brahman/Saksi is outside the range of cidabhasa or within the
range of cidabhasa.
Sankara asks, what is the distance between cit and cidabhasa?
He says, cidabhasa and Anatma world can have distance. Hence u will have paroksa and aparoksa
jnanam both.
But in case of Brahman, Brahman is always aparoksa. The very experience of cidabhasa is the
experience of caitanyam only. Because cit alone is manifesting as cidabhasa in the mind.
Therefore, nobody lacks the experience of cit.
Cit alone is experienced all the time by me. Therefore Brahman is always aparoksam, ever
experienced. "Pratibidha viditam matam ".
Sankara says, Atma need not be brought within the range of cidabhasa becz the very adhistanam
of cidabhasa is Atma, the cit. Therefore the original consciousness is never away from reflected
consciousness.
Both are mixed together, of this mixture, cidabhasa part is ahamkara, the Pramata and the cit part
is the Saksi the Atma.
So, original consciousness knowledge can never be indirect any time. It is always directly
experienced. Atma is never outside the range of cidabhasa.
Verse 17.040
74
Can mother & child be inimical at any time ?

Ajnanam creates apurnatvam
Apurnatvam creates kamah
Kamah creates karma
So, Karma's father is kamah ; Kama's father is apurnatvam ; Apurnatvam's mother is Avidya.
Hence, can mother & child be inimical at anytime ?
Both will reinforce each other. They will never negate each other.
Karma therefore reinforces kama, kama reinforces ajnanam.
Every action we do is only reinforcing ignorance.
Therefore they say,
"Karma bandhaya bhavati, Vidya moksaya bhavati".
So, karma cannot remove ignorance, because karma is not opposed to ignorance. Only enemies
will cancel each other, negate each other. But friends will reinforce each other.
Analysis:
Karma is born out of ignorance indirectly. According to vedanta, because of ignorance we don't
know that I am paripurna aham". So, I become "parichinna aham", a limited I.
So, when I don't know my real nature, the purnah aham is mistaken as apurnah aham.
Once I become apurna aham, I end up in desires, as an incomplete I, I want to complete myself
either by pravrtti or nivrtti.
Therefore, Ajnanam creates apurnatvam - sense of finitude. Apurnatvam creates kamah - desire.
And kamah creates karma - action.
So, karma's father is kamah, Kama's father is apurnatvam and apurnatvam's mother is Avidya.
Both mother and child will reinforce each other.
Knowledge alone can remove ignorance, all karmas cannot give moksa becz karma is not opposed
to ignorance.
Atma bodha talks
Avirodhitayakarma
Na vidyam vinivartayet
Vidyamvidyam nihantyeva
Tejastimirasanghavat
75
Jnanam is thankful to prarabdha.
Shankara explains why Jnanam spares viksepa sakti and prarabdha.
He says, prarabdha and viksepa sakti together has given birth to human sariram.
Human sariram is very conducive to gain Atma jnanam.
This manushya sariram is given by prarabdha and viksepa sakti of avidhya.
It has also provided ideal environment to gain Jnanam and moksa.
Therefore, the two cooperate for the man to gain Atma Jnanam.
Between Jnanam and prarabdha there is no virodha.
Between Jnanam and viksepa of avidya there is no contradiction.
The two alone works hand in hand to enable the seeker in gaining Jnanam.
One must have proper body, appropriate environment and family which inculcate sastra.
He must be born in a place where Guru is available.
So, these two cooperate well for production of Jnanam.
Jnanam wants to express gratitude to viksepa sakti and prarabdha as these two have worked hand
in hand for creation of this body, this parentage etc.
Prarabdha gives manushya janma, Guru, environment etc to gain Jnanam.
Therefore, prarabdha indirectly contributes the jivas for generating Jnanam in them.
Therefore, Jnanam does not destroy prarabdha as prarabhda having contributed indirectly to
Jnanam,
Jnanam is thankful to prarabdha by spaaring it from destruction.
Tatva Jnana Svabhava Prakaranam

76
In 'Tat Tvam Asi', two of three words don't create any problem, only 'Tvam' pada is the
problematic word.
The meaning of 'Tat' pada and 'Asi' pada are also known only through Guru and Sastra.
Since Brahman alone has entered the I-Atma, it starts with 'Tat' pada.
Sankara says, 'Tat' padartha jnanam can be gained easily with intellectual sharpness and it does
not require mental purification or samsakaras. Asrama and Varna dharma are not needed.
You may also understand 'Asi' pada.
But in mahavakya, the pivotal or determining factor is 'Tvam' pada artha. You have to come to
lakshyartha of 'Tvam' through bhaga tyaga lakshana.
If 'Tvam' arthah is spontaneous, dehabhimana will be totally absent.
More attention must be given to 'Tvam' padarthah. With 'Tat' padarthah we don't have any
preconceived notions.
First knowledge of Brahman is satyam, we will not question the statement. The problem is when
it is said that Brahman you are.
Here we have viparita bhavana that puts various obstacles preventing the seeker to identify with
his real svarupam of Sat Cit Ananda.
Therefore, 'Tvam' asi part is not heard. It goes back to the teacher, hence he continues with the
idea of experiencing Brahman which is contrary to vedanta teaching.
Therefore moksa gets permanently postponed. Postponement of moksa is caused by not realizing
the 'Tvam' artha properly.
When 'Tvam' padarthah is unknown, mahavakyam becomes helpless. It cannot do the job of
taking the seeker to liberation.
The problem of viparita bhavana that I cannot be purnah will continue.
If Tvam is received properly, then it will become aparoksam. Unfortunately most students work
to make the knowledge paroksam.
It is like a tug of war; teacher wants to make it aparoksam but students want to make paroksam.
77
Shankara says, nothing is needed for Jnanam other than sravanam.
Mananam and nididhyasanam are not for gaining knowledge. They don't produce knowledge, cannot
improve knowledge, cannot give new experience.
Shankara says, nobody can say vakyam does not produce knowledge.
If some one says, I am unable to gain knowledge of Brahman, such an argument is untenable for 'Brahman
is ever evident '.
You cannot say vakyam also does not give knowledge because nobody need to gain knowledge of Brahman
for 'Brahman is all the time evident'.
Nobody can say I have not gained Brahma jnanam, for it is only because of one's own self ignorance that
one is not aware of it, due to avarana sakti of avidya.
I know Brahman is a mere information while
I am Brahman is assimilation of knowledge.
As even ignorance goes like sun rays falling on darkness vanishes, so also on the onset of jnanam, ignorance
goes and one is free of samsara problems.
It is so, because Brahman is Aham, which is nitya, suddha,mukta caitanyam asti.
Vedanta's job is not to produce a new knowledge of Brahman as Brahman is not newly known, Brahman
being ever evident as Aham, as Saksi caitanyam and also because which alone I say I don't know.
The job of mahavakya Tat Tvam Asi is only meant to remove wrong notion about ourself.
When I say I am, it is Brahma jnanam.
After I am, you add Mr., Mrs, Doctor, Engineer.. and all kinds of adjectives and adverbs.
The dropping of all these adjectives and qualifications to Aham alone is the sign of Brahma jnanam.
Brahman is known to everyone, everyone is self evident Brahman. Whoever says, I am, he is referring to
Brahman alone.
So, Tat Tvam Asi does not reveal Brahman, but negates Abrahman.
Sloka 18.004, Tat Tvam Asi Prakaranam.

78
Worshipped Iswara ;
Meditated Iswara ;
Claimed Iswara
In Karma Kanda, Veda introduces Iswara with name and form, function etc.
It talks of varieties of puja, rituals to be done to that Iswara.
Thus, Iswara is worshipped as an object.
In Upasana Kanda, Iswara is meditated again with different names & forms, as an object.
What Veda expects us to do is, Iswara must be used for puja and meditation. Don't make too much
Enquiry into that Iswara. Use Iswara for worship, for upasana. Use puranuc stories for developing
or understanding virtues.
Take the stories as they are, enhance 'Daivi sampath' and reduce 'Asuri sampath'.
Karma Kanda and Upasana Kanda are not meant for probing into Iswara, but for developing
ourselves. They are used for developing 'sadhana chatustaya sampatti'.
And when you really want to know 'Is there God?, what is his nature? Etc.. Then come to
prasthanatrayam, 'athato Brahma jignasa', where there is enough scope for intellectual analysis.
Once you come to Jnana kanda, Veda says, 'Until now I presented a worshippable Iswara, as an
object for you.
I presented a meditatable Iswara also only for the sake of worship.
But really speaking, the real Iswara is neither worshippable nor meditatable.
Then what is real Iswara? It is 'claimed Iswara'.
So, Worshipped Iswara, Meditated Iswara and Claimed Iswara.
Worshipped Iswara & Meditated Iswara are adhyaropa, Nama-rupa.
Claimed Iswara is I, the Consciousness, Saksi caitanyam, Cidananda rupah sivah aham.
Kena Upanisad talks
Class 7, Chapter 1, Mantra 1 - 5

79
Glorification of Student - Sishya mahima
Lord Krishna divides students into two categories
1. Qualified and Serious student
Study by such student is called Adhyaayanam
2. Unprepared, Casual approach student
Study of such student is called Sravanam
Adhyaayanam means serious systematic Study
Sravanam means casual hearing with an intention that some noble thoughts come to me.
Krishna says, both types of students are great, will get great results.
Higher students would get moksa itself.
Casual students will get Svarga or higher lokas.
Thus every serious student is a muktha purusah.
Those students who don't have mumuksutvam and has casual approach, but has sraddha, they
may not be interested in moksa but has reverence to Gita and the Lord, such a student will be
freed from papas.
Such a student will not come under Jnana Yoga but will come under karma yoga or punya karma
and he gets rid of his papam. He will get a better loka, punya lokas.
Therefore Svarga is the phalam for casual sravanam.
Bhagavad Gita Talks
Chapter 18, Verses 70 & 71

80
Sankara asks, who does not experience Atma.
'Sakalanubhutih, Atma is ever experienced'.
How do you prove Atma is experienced all the time?
When ever we use the word I, it refers to the Self evident Atma.
Therefore the meaning of I is nothing but ever evident Atma.
Atma is ever experienced by all the people both in its limited form as well as its limitless form.
The limited form of Atma is called Jiva/Pramata.
The Limitless form of Atma is called Saksi.
The limited form of Atma is experienced in jagrat & svapna.
The Limitless form of Atma is experienced in susupti.
Therefore, never work for Atma anubhava or Brahma anubhava. It is already there. What we lack
is the knowledge part or jnanam.
Shankara says, Brahma anubhava is common to all, 'sakalanubhutih'.
Atma is never an object of knowledge or experience because it is evident in and through all the
experiences.
Like light is evident while experiencing any object, I experience two things simultaneously, the
object along with the pervading light.
So, to see light which object should I see? Whatever object I see, I simultaneously experience light.
Similarly, in pot knowledge, I experience consciousness, in cloth knowledge I experience
consciousness.
If Atma is ever experienced and evident, what is the purpose of vedanta study?
The purpose of vedanta study is, that the ever experienced-I, does not have any limitation. The
limitation that I assume is my intellectual confusion which I need to remove through intellectual
exercise backed by sastra, vicara, sravanam..
What is required is to drop the wrong notion regarding the ever experienced Atma.
Vivekachudamani talks Verse 535

81
"Adhyatma samskarasya nasah nasti"

Spiritual knowledge put in our mind can never be destroyed.
Spiritual knowledge can be attained clearly only in two lokas.
They are Manushya loka and Brahma loka.
Getting into Brahma loka is very difficult.
But having already attained manushya janma, we get ideal conditions for continuation of our
spiritual journey.
And how can we get continuation?
Continuation requires two conditions, ;
1 - There should be scope for spiritual study. So, a condusive environment for spiritual study.
2 - Spiritual inclination must be there, 'buddjisamyogam'.
So, this person who is a yoga bhrasta (spiritual faliure), gets the spiritual inclination in the very
early life in the next birth & such yoga bhrasta will be spiritual genius also.
When the jiva travels, it not only takes all its karmas, not only all upasanas, but the jiva carries all
vasanas including adhyatma vasana.
Therefore, once you have put spiritual vasanas, they can never be destroyed but there could be a
temporary stagnation. However, again the spiritual student picks up the thread from the next
janma & he will easily attain moksa in future births.
Vedanta sravanam has got two fold benefits:
1 - Mukhya phalam or primary benefit which is Jnanam in the present birth, if the student has got
all the qualifications.
2 - Avantara phalam or secondary benefit which is going to higher lokas. And since his primary
desire was moksa, Bhagavan gives him appropriate conditions to continue spiritual sadhana in
the future births.
Therefore, there is no spiritual fall for a
Jnana- marga person or a person who has come to sastra sravanam either in this janma or in
future births.
Bhagavad Gita Talks
Chapter Sixth, Verse 40 - 45
82
Religion gives purity, Philosophy gives knowledge
Veda purva gives purity, Veda anta gives knowledge
Purva mimamsa gives purity, Uttara mimamsa gives knowledge
So, whole Veda is important
Religious life will make the person purer, humble, will make the ego thinner. But it will not give
Self knowledge.
If you use religious life to cut the powerful ego, instead of cutting the ego, the blade will break.
Therefore religious life thins the ego and makes it a small thread, which will be easily broken by
Self Knowledge.
All the bhajans, prayers, yagnas may be done and it will not go waste. Lord will make you fit for
Enquiry, make you love for Enquiry.
Earlier you may not had love for Enquiry, but such a bhakti will change the attitude who begin to
like the Enquiry.
So, Sankara talks of the relative roles of karma and vicara. He says both are unique and each has
a unique role to play and one cannot substitute the other.
Therefore, 'Karmana siddhih, Vicarena jnana'.
Cittasya suddhaye karma na tu vastupalabdhaye
Vastusiddhivicarena na
kincitkarmakotibih
83
A train climbs a mountain with two engines.
One engine in the front to pull,
Another engine behind to push.
It is an uphill task.
Similarly, Spiritual growth is an uphill task.
We also require two engines.
One engine is Purusa Prayatna in the front,
Another engine is Iswara Anugraha behind.
Both should be required to help us in reaching our destination.
Krishna says, 'Yogam yunjam' means put forth sincere efforts.
At the same time, 'Madashrayah', means take the grace of Lord also.
Do not be arrogant
Do not be over confident
While individual effort has a very important role, equally important is the role of Iswara anugraha.
So, Freewill and Grace both are important.
If you discard Freewill, you are a fatalistic person.
If you discard Iswara anugraha, you are arrogant person.
So, we should not be fatalistic nor arrogant but a balanced approach.
Every step forward in Spiritual journey, is because of the push of Iswara anugraha and the pull of
Free will. Both should go hand- in- hand.
Therefore, if my efforts are not there, even God cannot help me.
Bhagavad Gita Talks
Chapter 7
84
No distance between me and Lord.

The seeming distance between me and Lord is caused by ignorance or delusion.
The delusion is removed only by knowledge.
By knowledge I come to know :
God is not away from me,
God is close to me,
God is not close but closer,
God is not closer but closest,
Infact, Aham Brahma asmi.
Tat Tvam Eva Tvam Eva Tat.
This seeming distance is a notional distance born out of ignorance which goes away by
knowledge.
Like a child sleeping on the lap of the mother, getting a dream in which it misses the mother, and
child cries thinking that it has lost its mother.
When it wakes up, the child discovers that it never lost its mother.
In fact, the child gets to know that,
"I have been dreaming on the lap of mother".
Since God is all pervading, there is no distance between me and God.
I feel the distance which is notional only due to delusion caused by ignorance.
"Maamupaisyaisi", he merges into ME.
He becomes one with ME.
So, what is meant by merger?
Merger is Dropping the misconception that Lord is away from Me.
Dropping of wrong notion is aikyam with Lord.
The moment I get knowledge, the wrong thought that God is away from me goes away.
"Wave need not travel to reach ocean"
So, there is no question of travel, the idea of travel & distance is born out of ignorance.
Hence it is purely ignorance-wise-distance.
Bhagavad Gita Talks
Verse 9.28
Subhashubhaphalairevam moksyase karmabandhanaihi
Sannyasayogayuktama vimukto Maamupaisyaisi
85
Vedanta doesn't remove mortality of the body.

Vedanta removes the idea that I-am-mortal.
Vedanta doesn't give security.
Vedanta removes the sense of insecurity.
Vedanta does abhibhava of ego's problems. They become insignificant in front of purnatvam that
I have discovered.
Vedanta doesn't criticize planning.
Vedanta only criticises worrying.
Vedanta doesn't attempt to change the world.
Vedanta doesn't attempt to change the people.
Vedanta only attempts to change :
the way I look at the world,
the way I look at people.
the way I respond to the situations.
Vedanta doesn't say to meekly surrender to unfavorable situations.
Vedanta only says, for any situation, there are three types of responses:
1. Impulsive reaction, w/o thinking,
w/o discrimination of situation
2. Meek surrender to situation or unintelligent action
3. Intelligent action with sufficient thinking, by giving sufficient time for action.
Vedanta says, to take to Intelligent Actions and avoid impulsive and unintelligent actions.
Vedanta does not want you to be a rock.
It does not want to abolish emotions.
Vedanta only says that, emotions should not cloud your discriminative power. Discrimination is
our real wealth.
Vedanta sravanam doesn't refer to actual language or study of original scriptures alone.
Vedanta refers to the content - teaching.
It refers to essence of all scriptures in any vernacular language.
Even in folk songs there is vedanta.
What liberates is not the vedas,
but the content - teaching in the vedah.
Bhagavad Gita Talks
86
Fundamentals of Vedanta Darsanam
1. Moksa is the highest Purushartha or goal of human being.

2. Moksa is eka-sadhana-sadhyam, attainable only through one method, i.e., through Advaita
Jnanam.
3. Advaita Jnanam does not happen automatically. It is attained only through vedanta-
sravana-manana-nididhyasanam, well supported by Guru upadesa.
4. Vedanta-sravana-manana-nididhyasana is possible only when the student has a refined
mind, a prepared mind, a fit mind, a qualified mind. Such a mind is attained only through
karma-yoga and upasana-yoga. Both karma yoga and upasana yoga requires Iswara
bhakti. Karma yoga involves dedication of actions to the Lord and Upasana yoga involves
constant dwelling upon Lord.
Thus karma yoga and upasana yoga both requiring bhakti, hence bhakti is very much part of
Vedanta darsanam.
So, Dvaita bhakti in the form of karma yoga and upasana yoga is incorporated into Vedanta
darsanam. Vedanta is never against bhakti.
Thus the route map to moksa given by Vedanta darsanam is :
Karma yoga & Upasana yoga ---> Vedanta Vicara (Sravana, Manana, Nididhyasana) ---> Advaita
bhakti (Jnanam) ---> Moksa
Vedanta vicara alone converts dvaita bhakti into advaita bhakti.
Narada bhakti sutra talks

87
Divine love = Self love = Universal love

(Divine = Self = Universal)
Is not Self love selfish love ?
According to sastra,
Self love contaminated by ignorance is selfish love, so it is not Divine love.
When same Self love is decontaminated or purified of its contamination of ignorance, then the
Self love is not selfish love, it is Universal love.
So, Divine love = Uncontaminated Self love
When Self love is contaminated with ignorance, I have a misconception of myself.
I take myself to be ahankara, body-mind complex.
Contaminated self love is a love directed towards mistaken 'self', the Body-mind complex or
ahamkara.
Ahamkara love is selfish love, not a Universal love.
When ignorance is removed, Self is no longer to be taken as ahankara, the Self is rightly
understood to be Atma, Sat Cit Ananda svarupa, kshetragnah, Pure consciousness.
So, Self love becomes love for real Self or Atma love and this Atma love become Universal love.
When ignorance goes, I recognize that the Atma in this body-mind complex is the Atma
everywhere even in mosquito.
So, Self love becomes 'Love for All', as Atma in everyone is Me.
'S' in Self love is to be capitalized.
's' in selfish love is small.
This small 's' love is dangerous.
In a wise person's Self love, Self is with Big 'S'.
He experiences his own Self in all beings and all beings in the Self.
This love is called Advaita bhakti because God, Atma and every being are known to be One
Bhagavan. Advaita bhakti alone is the real bhakti and may you discover that.
One Bhagavan = Atma = All beings.
All three merge together into One.
Narada bhakti sutra talks.
88
Humiliation is humbling experience !!!

Scriptures say, the first value to develop is Amanitvam or Humility or Vinayah.
Every conceited person is humiliated at one time or the other.
Humiliation is a lesson for Humility creation.
All our Acharyas were all embodiments of Humility.
And, if I have to find out whether I have Self conceit or not, it is very easy. I should ask a question,
can I comfortably admire the glory of other people.
The more conceited I am, the more difficult it is to admire or glorify other person especially in my
own field.
I should never claim myself to be the greatest one. However great I am, I live in a world where
there are people who will be greater than me.
It is a world of sadisayatvam, means anything can be bettered. Anything can be improved.
I should remember there are people who are either as great as me or even much greater than me.
Shankara's first prayer in shatpadi stotram is :
"Oh my lord Vishnu, please remove my pride,
Make my entire mind filled with peace,
Put an end to attraction towards animal desires,
Expand my mind with mercy to all beings,
And help me cross, this ocean of daily life"
Humility is required in all fields and particularly required for vedantic seeker.
Humility leads to Bhakti which leads to Jnanam.
Hence, always ask, Oh Lord, give me Amanitvam, Humility .
Bhagavad Gita Talks
Thirteenth chapter
89
Trespassers will be prosecuted. Bhagavan has put up a sign !!

Whoever has ahankara and mamakara is a trespasser.
And God's punishment is imprisonment in samsara.
Everything existed before we were born as individuals. So when people claim what is not
legitimately theirs, it is tantamount to stealing or trespassing on Bhagavan's property.
Everything belongs to Viswaroopa Iswara and nobody has a legitimate claim on anything.
So long as we have ahamkara and mamakara, we are trespassers and we will be imprisoned in
samsara.
The imprisonment is experienced in the form of insecurity, anxiety, stress,... all are Bhagavan's
punishment.
Every anxiety we suffer is Bhagavan's punishment for ahamkara and mamakara. All worry is
connected to ahamkara and mamakara.
When I am not owner of anything, I am only a caretaker. Caretaker only has to take care, it is
owner's job to worry.
Therefore, I become a Caretaker and let Bhagavan be the owner.
Bhagavan will handle the worry and I will be free of it.
Everytime worry affects me, it means I have forgotten my Caretaker status and I am claiming
ownership.
Ownership is taxing because it will be taxed.
90
In vedanta, meditation is never accepted as a source of knowledge !!!
According to Advaita Vedanta Shastra, there are only 6 sources of knowledge:
1. Pratyaksha pramanam
2. Anumana pramanam
3. Upamana pramanam
4. Artha patti pramanam
5. Anupalabdhi pramanam
6. Sabda pramanam
Dhyanam is not at all considered a pramanam/source of knowledge.
Sureshwaracharya says, aparoksa jnanam is only through sabda pramanam.
Therefore, if a student complains, 'I have listened, but I do not have aparoksa jnanam', the Acharya
would advise, "Listen Again".
Sravanam and repeated sravanam will make it clear to a seeker, that 'aham Brahma asmi' is a fact,
so that seeker can successfully follow 'binary format'.
The thesis of Naishkarmya Siddhi is:
Mahavakyam can give aparoksa jnanam at the time of listening.
Mahavakyam alone can give aparoksa jnanam.
If Mahavakyam does not give aparoksa jnanam at the time of sravanam, do repeated sravanam.
Let sravanam become nididhyasanam for you.

91
One can love & be responsible w/o worrying !!
'Performance of duty' is not Abhimaana;
Worry alone is Abhimaana
Performance of duty is 'role playing' , i.e. playing one's mandatory role in the society.
Role playing by itself will not cause samsara.
Abhimaana and worry alone cause samsara.
Role playing is samanya abhyasa,
Worry is vishesha adhyasa.
A diligent seeker should give up this vishesha adhyasa of worry and abhimaana.
But, many people think that worry is an indication of care and love.
They wrongly assume that anxiety about children indicates 'their love for their children' and
conversely, absence of anxiety indicates 'lack of love & responsibility'.
People want to worry, thinking 'worrying' is thier responsibility.
Sureshwaracharya says, "Give up that wrong thing"
Vedanta points out, that, one can love and be responsible without worries or getting anxious.
Sureshwaracharya says, 'abhimaana tyaga is a silent inner phenomenon, which has to develop
gradually'.
Anytime anxiety raises, the student should remember the above exhortation of Acharya and
remind himself/herself that abhimaana is indicating its presence through the anxiety.
He should refuse to worry and thus get over abhimaana, continue to do his/her duty.

92
'I am free' and 'I have problems'...

The student says there is contradiction.
Sureshwaracharya says, in mundane life, you say 'I have problems ' but remember, that is gounee
vrtthi. 'I am free' is mukhyavrtthi.
In what form does one feel contradiction?
Sastra pramanam says, 'I am free of problems' Pratyaksa anubhava says, 'I am full of problems '.
This is the contradiction I am experiencing and maintaining the thought that 'I am Full of
problems ' right from birth.
The intellect registers this contradiction and suspicion arises.
The Acharya simply says,
Pratyaksa anubhava that I have problems cannot have primary validity with respect to anatma.
Any Pratyaksa anubhava cannot deal with the real I, the Atma. Kenopanisad says, 'natatra
chakshur gajjati, na vaak, na manah'...The eyes don't objectify that Brahman, organ of speech and
mind also.
It can only deal with anatma including the mind body-mind and the world.
Therefore if Pratyaksa anubhava cannot deal with 'Me' ,how can it make a conclusion of my
status?
Pratyaksa anubhava is dealing only with anatma and comment on anatma is wrongly attributed
to 'Me'.
Pratyaksa anubhava statement like, I have problems, are required for vyavahara purpose. But,
whenever such statements are made, care must be taken to remember that it is Gounee vrtthi or
secondary or figurative only, done by ahankara.
Mukhyavrtthi will always be there as, 'I am free of problems '.
Emotions are all only gounee vrtthi, the Mukhyavrtthi is, 'I am free of emotions'.
Contradictions does not exist at all.
You are committing the mistake of mixing up the Real I and false I. This is because false I and Real
I are simultaneously experienced when the word I is used.
False I is Pratyaksa anubhava Vishaya and the Real I is Sakshi itself which is apratyaksam (not
available for objectification)
93
"Jnanam is opposed to Bhakti" is a very big misconception.
Lord Krishna says, 'the Jnani is the greatest bhatka', 'Jnani is dearest to Me'.
The claim 'aham brahma asmi' does not harm the devotion of the aspirant. Infact, by clearly
gaining knowledge, the aspirant devotion will only increase multi-fold.
He will only appreciate Iswara both in His Para prakrti and Apara prakrti forms, Para prakrti the
higher nature and Apara prakrti is the drusya prapanca.
Lord's higher nature, Para prakrti is available in the form of "I", the observer, the Self.
Lord's lower Nature, Apara prakrti is available in the form of 'Drusya prapanca '.
The display of dolls during Navaratri celebrations is a very significant practice. Every doll is a
figure of a human, an animal, a fruit, a vegetable, etc reveals only Vibhuthi of Bhagavan.
Therefore, I enjoy Bhagavan all the time, in the form of observer I, and also in the form of observed
universe.
It is continuous reverential admiration.
Hence, a Jnani's life is a moment to moment reverential admiration of Bhagavan, in the form of 'I'
the observer and the 'World' the observed.
One is Para prakrti and other is Apara prakrti.
One is Paramartikam and other Vyavaharikam.
This is called 'binary format'.
So, in binary format, the bhakti or devotion is never lost but it multiplies many-fold.
Jnani never feels dilution of bhakti, Jnanam results only in concentration of bhakti.
Class 201, Chapter iii, Verse 100

94
Advaita bhakti makes Dvaita bhakti tastier.

Dvaita bhakti backed by Advaita jnanam is highly enjoyable.
So, enjoy nama-sankirtanam, enjoy dvaita pooja, enjoy pilgrimage, but enjoy it with the awareness
as :
"dvaitam mohaaya bodhaat praak,
praapte bodhe maniishaya
pujartham kalpitam dvaitam
advaitaadapi sundaram"
Dvaita deludes one before enlightenment. Upon enlightenment, however, the kalpita dvaitam
(imaginary duality) intentionally created for the purpose of indulging in puja is even more joyful
than advaitam.
Before Advaita jnanam, all types of dvaitam are cause of delusion and samsara.
Upon realizing Advaita Brahma, one intentionally creates dvaitam for indulging in puja, etc, but
with the knowledge that dvaita is vyavaharika satyam and Advaita is Paramartikam satyam, that
dvaitam is vesham and advaitam is the Vest, the real.
The resultant experience is that this kalpita dvaitam is even more joyful than advaitam.
That is why all our Acharyas enjoyed writing stotrams after writing vedanta granthams.
Therfore when ever I invoke dvaita bhakti, it is an opportunity to celebrate, enjoy and mutually
admire bhakta and Bhagavan.
It is like successfull doubles team in tennis. After winning the cup, they don't seperate, instead
whenever they meet it is an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate their successful
partnership.
Similarly, whenever Advaita bhakta and Bhagavan meet, they celebrate their successful
relationship and mutual contribution. Each gives credit to other.
The purpose of dvaita bhakti is not to remain permanently in dvaitam but rather to progress to
Advaita jnanam and moksa.
Dvaita bhakti fructifies only when Advaita bhakti is attained.
Sutra 15
"Tallaksanaani vaacyante naanaamatabhedaat"
95
"Every Saint has a past, Every Sinner has a future"
A guilt free mind is required, which is called Confidence
Krishna says we require 4 kripas:
Atma Kripa - Confidence / Grace of oneself
Iswara Kripa - Grace of Lord
Guru Kripa - Guru's blessings
Sastra Kripa - Grace of scriptures
Even if I have done mistakes, I can correct and grow spiritually.
Dayananda swamiji says, nobody can change another person. But if you have decided to change
yourself, you are as good as a Saint.
Krishna says, even though he has only decided ,the very decision is a turning point in life.
So, what is Atma Kripa? It is a guilt free mind.
Guilt is one of most powerful obstacles because, it leads to diffidence.
Even if I am diffident and others are confident, no use for me.
But if I am confident and even if others are diffident, I will work.
Therefore spiritual sadhana requires Self confidence.
So, with the spiritual sadhana, Guru can encourage, Sastra can encourage, Bhagavan can
encourage.
Biggest obstacle to confidence is guilt.
Therefore, Krishna says, Never have guilt.
Once you have understood that your life style has been unhealthy, decide to change.
Once you have turned a new leaf and decided to change, the very decision makes you a Saint
Bhagavad Gita Talks
Chapter 9.30
96
Without 'Bhakti', Jnanam cannot come
Without 'humility', Bhakti cannot come
Spiritual knowledge is not possible without devotion to the Lord
Only in the atmosphere of Bhakti, Jnana Yoga is possible
Vedantic student should be a devotee.
Vedanta teacher should be a religious person.
Hence in all our scriptures, philosophy and religion are mixed together.
The discussion and teachings may be of pure formless Truth, but still we keep the photo of the
Lord and start with the prayer Sahanabhavatu..
There is no secular vedanta.
Even if knowledge takes place for a non-devotee, it remains an academic knowledge.
This is called arm-chair philosophy.
He will be an expert in Upanisads but there will be no transformation in his personality.
Therefore Krishna insists that, you should be necessarily a devotee.
A dharmic way of life is very much important.
Bhagavad Gita Talks
Chapter 13.19
97
A treasure requires 3 actions for owing up.

Aptoktim, Khananam & Siladyutkarsanam.
1. Aptoktim - First, someone has to tell me that there is a treasure underneath. This information
is given by a trustworthy person.
2. Khananam - Second, don't go on listening alone but start the digging process to remove the
earth material.
3. Uparisila utkarsanam - Last, solid rocks are to be removed underneath.
By extending this to vedantic teaching,
Treasure here is, Brahman which is the source of Anandah. Brahman is the source of peace and
security. It is within you similar to how the treasure is in your land.
Three stages are required to own up 'Moksa Samrajyam' :
1. Sravanam - First stage is receiving the teaching from the teacher.
2. Mananam - Second stage is, the process of independent reflection, getting clues from the
teacher, finding out answers for my questions. I must convinced that I am free here and now.
3. Dhyanam - Final, Nididhyasanam is absorption of the teaching, removal of habitual notions that
I am a samsari.
So, these three are the sadhanas and the goal is 'svikrtim' means owing up.
By mere verbalization, these treasures will never come out. So, we require all three actions.
So, in the case of moksa treasure, the three layers are:
Ajnana (loose earth)
Samsaya (clay below loose soil)
Viparyaya (rock)
Thus, Shankaracharya says, you have to remove all the three obstacles to enjoy moksa.
Verse 65
98
'Aham Brahma Asmi' verbal statement is not enough.

A king had lost his kingdom to enemies. The kingdom legitimately belongs to the king only &
therefore he can legitimately claim 'Aham Raja Asmi'.
Even though it is a fact, that the kingdom belongs to the king, until he is able to take back the
kingdom and drive away the enemies, mere statement that 'Aham Raja Asmi' will be of no use.
So, king has to fight every enemy and send them out and take back the kingdom. Then alone,
'Aham Raja Asmi' will be a meaningful statement.
Similarly, 'Aham Brahma Asmi' is a fact and we can legitimately claim this fact.
Brahman means the king of the whole creation.
I am the one who am sustaining the whole creation.
I am the one which is the teaching of the upanisads.
But, even though a legitimate fact, unless I claim that kingdom by destroying the enemies, I am
not going to get any benefit.
The king should stop verbalizing, and should start acting. He has to say Aham Raja Asmi and also
enjoy the glory of royalty.
In the same way, the Upanisad declares Aham Brahma Asmi, the kingdom of moksa is within you,
You are the king of moksa samrajyam.
Sankara says, stop verbalizing and start acting.
Therfore, we have to destroy the enemies which is Ajnana satruh. To destroy Ajnana satruh, I
have to gather enough forces viz. Viveka, Vairagya, Sama,Dama,Uparama, Titiksa,
Sraddha,Samadhanam, Mumuksutvam, Sastram,Guru, Sravanam, Mananam, Nididhyasanam...
All these commanders are required and keeping all these you attack the Ajnanam.
Without these commanders, mere Aham Brahma Asmi recitation will not lead anything.
Therefore, enough of talking, start acting.
अकृत्वा शत्रुसंहारमगत्वाखिलभूश्रियम् ।
राजाहश्रमश्रि शब्दान्नो राजा भश्रििुमहह श्रि ॥ ६४ ॥
99
For Vedantic Students, New Orientation is required.
What is Orientation?
We classify all objects into two categories.
- One is, Unknown objects, which we have never seen it or read about it or heard about it. Such
objects come under Unknown category.
- Second is, Known category. All cognitive pursuits are Known category.
So, we keep shifting the objects from Unknown category to Known category.
Thus we keep shifting from one category to another. Thus is our Orientation.
Having this Orientation, we come to vedanta. And vedanta introduces two words, Brahman and
Atman.
Soon we hear about Brahman, we take Brahman also as one of objects in the world. Initially we
try to categories it under Unknown category.
This is the Orientation with which we come to sravanam, mananam and nididhyasanam.
While going through vedanta sadhana, what is our Orientation? The Unknown Brahman one day
will become Known Brahman. This is the Orientation. We want to transfer the Unknown Brahman
into Known Brahman.
But teacher says,
Brahman is that which does not come under Unknown category nor Known category.
Brahman is not an object of knowledge.
Brahman exists only in the form of one category, which is other than Known or Unknown.
"anyad eva tad viditād atho aviditād adhi,
iti suśruma pūrveṣām ye nas tad vyācacakṣire"
Brahman belongs to third category.
The third category other than Known and Unknown is called, Knower category.
Knower alone is the subject which is other than Unknown object or Known object.
This is the New Orientation required, that is,
"A new category exists, Knower Category ".
That means,
Brahman exists only in the form of Knower.
Brahman is not extra ordinary entity.
Brahman is not a new entity.
Brahman is the status of myself, available as the meaning of the word 'I'.
Therefore, I must understand that,
I am Brahman, the knower.
I claim Brahman as myself.
While claiming, the meaning of the word 'I' must be carefully understood in the right sense that
"I am the Caitanyam which pervades and enlivens the body".
Kenopanisad talks
यश्रि मन्यसे सुिेिेश्रि िहरमेिाश्रि नूनम् त्वं िेत्थ ब्रह्मणो रूिम् यिस्य त्वं यिस्य िे िेष्वथ नु मीमां स्येमेि िे मन्ये श्रिश्रििम्
१
100
Mumuksutvam is the most important qualification, Sankara says.

Among the four qualifications, viveka, vairagya, samadi satka sampatti, Mumuksutvam, it is the
intense desire for liberation that is most important.
Desire for moksa will make you a spiritual seeker.
If that is not there, then also you can study vedanta, but you will not be a spiritual seeker but an
academic scholor.
Therefore, whether the study should become an academic pursuit or a spiritual pursuit, the
difference is in the motive.
That difference is mumuksutvam.
Sankara also says, when a person has intense mumuksutvam, even if other qualifications are
lesser,
but because of intense desire, even if he lacks viveka, he will fill up,
if vairagyam is lacking he will fill up,
If samadi satka sampatti is lacking he will fill up.
All other qualifications will be filled up if mumuksutvam is there.
Mumuksutvam is directly proportional to vairagyam.
Even in case of feeble or mediocre desire for liberation, even such mumuksutvam will gradually
become more and more when vairagyam becomes more and more.
Above all, Guroh prasadena, because of the grace of the teacher also, mumuksutvam will increase.
Hence, this desire for moksa will increase and when it becomes tivrah mumuksutvam then such
tivrah mumuksutvam will produce the result for vedantic study.
And the result of vedantic study is, Moksa.
मन्दमध्यमरूिाश्रि िैराग्येण शमाश्रिना ।
प्रसािे न गुरोोः सेयं प्रिृद्धा सूयिे फलम् ॥ 28 ॥
101
A qualified mind illumines Brahman (figuratively) by removing the ignorance through 'Aham
Brahma Asmi ' vrutti.
Imagine a dark room, you are throwing light with a torch on various objects. There is a candle in
the dark room which is covered by a pot. So, you don't see the candle light.
Remove the pot, and you don't need torch light to see the candle light.
Hence, the torch light is needed for discovering but not for illumining.
'Discovery without involving the process of illumination'.
Similarly, in 'Aham Brahma Asmi ' process of discovering through vrutti vyapti is required but
not phala vyapti.
It illumines Brahman not by throwing light on Brahman but by removing the ignorance with
respect to Brahmatvam status.
The Brahmakara vrutti is not capable of illumining Brahman just as how a candle light is self
effulgent, shines by itself.
My Brahmatvam status was veiled by ignorance. When ignorance goes, I am able to claim
Brahmatvam status.
Vicara sagara talks
Topic - Jivabrahmaikyarupamangalam
Class - 4

Swamiji Talks 2

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Swamiji Talks 2

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101 Snippets from Swamiji Talks

Future requires Hardwork

Our Future is the resultant of Fate and Freewill

Fate has got 3 grades depending upon the intensity of karma :

of Fate and Freewill (physics language).

Therrefore, Present requires Acceptance,

Future requires Hard work.

Bhagavad Gita talks

Gita Talks - By Swamiji

Krishna answers in 13th verse of 7th Chapter

prakrti, the Higher Nature.

Constant Flux so no permanent security also.

river, we need a non-flowing chain to hold on.

but hold on to Para prakrti for security.

cannot threaten you.

Bhagavad Gita Talks

Why some people feel Vedanta does not work ?

hostage of trivida vasanas.

What are the three vasanas?

Loka vasana - obsessed with worldly pursuits

Deha vasana - obsessed with body all the time

because I have clear knowledge, in fact I can teach others too.

and deha vasanas.

mukti, glory of knowledge.

Atman Eva Atmana Tustah....

I am relaxed inspite of problems in life.

How do I work for Brahma Jnana Phala anubhava?

Contentment, Fearless, freedom from likes-dislikes, kama-krodha,lobha-moha etc..

The obstacles are two :

1- At Intellectual level : I am not convinced of Vedantic teaching itself, consisting of three

2- At Emotional level : I am convinced of Vedantic teaching, but I am miserable in life.

through Manana, Intellectual obstacle has to be removed.

which gives Santih, Trptih, Purnatah, Abhayam.. these benefits.

Why dream is very important in Vedantic study? Shankara explains.

dream is nothing but my mind.

During waking, mind is an instrument and world is the object.

Therefore, Waking is mind-instrument state ; Dream state is mind-object state.

When I am not wearing the spectacles, I am handling it as an object.

take it as subject in me.

Whether the spectacle serves as an object when I am cleaning it or as an instrument when I am

reading the book, I am not the spectacle.

instrument, I am Atma illumining the mind.

Aham Brahm Asmi verbal statement is not enough.

Mere verbal statement of Aham Brahmasmi will not lead to liberation.

It should become my own conviction, should become sthira prajnah

enemies, mere starement of Aham King Asmi will not be of use.

titiksa, sraddha, samadhanam, mumuksutvam, sastra,Guru.

Sampatti, Mumuksutva, Guru, Sastra.

Therefore better start acting.

Ask What do I require? More Sravanam,

So, do not simply verbalize, Start acting. Shankara says

What is difference between 'Descending and Falling' ?

Descending is a deliberate process with control

Falling is a happening in which I have no control

Aham Brahma Asmi.

In the Vedantic classes, the idea conveyed is,

Therefore there is a constant contradiction.

In the class I am Saksi caitanyam outside I am ahamkarah.

ahankara level, how do I know ?

krodah will not torment me..

down you have fallen down to ahamkara.

When Bhagavan comes down it is Avataara.

When Jiva comes down it is Pathanam.

Self Knowledge is required for Self Mastery &