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Announcement New Course Launch: Kena Upanishad (Shankara bhashya) Explore the course

Gunasekaran Kandasamy

Chinmaya International Foundation

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Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
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  • April 11, 2024 at 7:23 pm in reply to: Day 1 Reflection Question #624207
    Gunasekaran Kandasamy
    Participant

    Path to Self-realization:

    1. Tapas (body, speach and mind)
    2. Yajna – divinise thought, speach and action by seeing Lord in all
    3. Daana – helping all beings and environment The above will help purify mind (citta suddhi), focused and undistracted mind (citta ekaagradha)
    4. Vairagya – dispassion (contended as the whole rajya is in possession like king), wanting nothing
    5. Tyagaha – giving up all attachment and attention to worldly things in general (most important, dropping everything at mind level)

    April 11, 2024 at 7:23 pm in reply to: Reflection Questions Day 5 #624109
    Gunasekaran Kandasamy
    Participant
    Day 5 Reflection:

    1. How does the Self move and not move?
      ans:

      Mind moves it sees the illumining Self is present already in the new place so it assumes the self is moving faster than it and hence assumes the Self moves. From Self’s all-pervading nature there is no need for its movement and hence in that sense IT does not move.

    2. How is the Self both far and near?
      ans:

      Far because the ignorant is not able to realize it even after many jenmas with the thinking he is this body. For a jnani Self is himself and hence it is near.

    3. How is delusion and sorrow ended, as per the upaniṣad in verse 7?
      ans:

      With the knowledge that all beings and objects are him alone his delusion and sorry ended.

    April 11, 2024 at 7:23 pm in reply to: Reflection Questions Day 4 #624076
    Gunasekaran Kandasamy
    Participant
    1. Reflect the apparent contradictions made by the upaniṣad in verse 4? What are the reasons the upaniṣad presents these contradictions?

    a) Verse 4 says, anejata (not moving) and manaso javiiyaa (faster than mind as if moving). The contradiction is how an unmoving anything be faster than anything. Upanisads make us contemplate on these contradictions so that our mind gets purified so we can go beyond the upaadis and realize the Self, as given in Verse 1.

    2. How is the Self faster than the mind? Which components of the mind does the Self overtake?

    a) Mind is powered by the atma (chidabhasa – reflected consciousness) and if the mind can travel anywhere in no-time then the vastu that empowered it must be there already and hence it is faster. The speed of the thoughts in the mind is overtaken by the Self.

    3. Who is referred to as ‘Mātariśva’ in verse 4 and how? What is its function?

    a) Hiranyagarbha is referred as Maatarisva, as it is in all the places like wind. Its function is to empower all the indriyas to function through the deva as their presiding deity.

    April 11, 2024 at 7:23 pm in reply to: Reflection Questions Day 2 #624052
    Gunasekaran Kandasamy
    Participant
    1. Why should one have the notion of īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam and what is its result?Ans: To realize our true Self. Result is no ignorance and hence no more birth
    2. For whom does the upaniṣad prescribe duty to be performed and why?Ans: Prescribed for one who are in ignorance. It is prescribed because it will prepare man from to transcend from Pravrti marga to Nivriti marga
    3. How is kurvan eva (verse 2) indicating niṣkāma-karma?Ans: It indicates that the action is to be performed only for the purpose of doing action as an offering to the god and accepting whatever maybe the result. The emphasis is only on action with out any desire for specific result, hence it indicates niskaama-karma.

    April 11, 2024 at 7:23 pm in reply to: Reflection Questions Day 3 #624053
    Gunasekaran Kandasamy
    Participant
    1. How and why is karma-yoga the bridge between pravṛtti and nivṛtti-margas? Ans: How: Karma-yoga is doing action with Ishwara buddhi and accepting results with prasada buddhi. If we continue to perform the action with these bhava then it will pave way to nivrtti-marga from pravrtti marga. Why: It is the sadana that prepares one to elevate oneself to the next higher level
    2. What is meant by killing the Self and what is its result? And: If we miss the chance to evolve then it is killing the Self. The result is those will end up in Asuric loka. Why are asura-loka said to be in blinding darkness? Ans: Asura-loka has no opportunity to evolve

    April 11, 2024 at 7:23 pm in reply to: Reflection Questions Day 1 #624004
    Gunasekaran Kandasamy
    Participant

    The Mantras are to make us understand that through Karma we cannot know our Self. Hence they make us realize our true Self

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