KRITHIGA KRISHNASAMY

Path of Self Realisation as enumerated in the 1st verse of Svarupa anusandhanam?

1. The mind has become pure by the practices such as austerity in the body, mind and intellect levels (tapah), performance of every work dedicating to the Lord (yajna bhava), offering to the needy and at the right time (dana), and so on…
2. Then the purity of mind manifests as objectivity in the thinking (viveka).
3. Then by attaining the total detachment from the worldly lower things (because there ego was the cause which indeed was leading to likes & dislikes), and attaching to the higher God (vairagya).
4. Then renouncing from everything around the world, the unwanted desires and unwanted accomplishments through understanding their nature and by understanding that they are ephemeral and perishable. (example -even like giving up the status of the king). This does not mean leave your duties and job but leave your holding behind it like Janaka Maharaja (tyaga).
5. Then finally the path to the higher is taken as the goal as the person has attained chittha shuddhi and chittha ekagrata considerably.

• The dream world appears as the dreamer’s ignorance about his reality to be a waker.
• Similarly the ignorance of our true identity (yadajnanto), the entire world appears(vishvam bhati).
• Just as the dream world disappears when the dreamer finds his true nature to be a waker, the same way the waking world disappears as soon as the waker finds his true nature to be Sat-Chit-ananda svarupa (yat atma prabodhe sadyo samstam vishvam vinashtam).
• The nature of the the Reality is beyond the speech/words, mind (mano vak atitam)
• Self is also immaculate/pure (vishuddham).
• Sun never sees darkness, similarly the Self never sees the ignorance or any of the bondages (vimuktam).

1. What does the upaniṣad refer to as vidyā and avidyā in verses 9 to 11?

ANSWER:Vidya referes to upasana and avidya refers to karma.

2. Why does the upaniṣad ask the practitioner to combine vidyā and avidyā?

ANSWER:The karma and upasana has to be combined together to get the maximum results. If a person (a sakami purusha), does only karma then it will yield a separate result, whereas a person does only upasana, then he gets a different result. In order to get a better higher result, both karma and upasana are prescribed to be done together.

Also only when karma and upasana are done together, chittha shuddhi and chittha ekagrata are obtained which is a seed for Brahma vidya.

3. What is the maximum result gained by combination of vidyā and avidyā?

ANSWER:The maximum result that is obtained from karma and upasana together is

• the death of the svabhavika karma (which means the animalistic instinctive response to the situation to a disciplined life) while living and
• getting the other siddhis like anima,mahima, lafhima, garima, prapti, prakamyam and vashitvam.
• After the death reaching the Hiranyagarbha, by the Devata jnana, Devatabhava (union with the Sutratma) is obtained, which is relatively immortal.

How does it compare to the result of īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam enumerated in verse 1?
ANSWER:
The result of the first verse is permanent, total purnatvam/ knowledge, attained which there is no more samsara or the effects of the samsara.
Whereas in these 3 shlokas 9, 10, 11, we understand that the mukthi is as well not a permanent one, whereas it is only a relative mukti.

1. Reflect the fruit of the Knowledge of īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam as per verses 6 and 7

ANSWER:

Verse 6:

In the first one and half lines of the shloka 6, the atma jnana is explained and the last half in the second line explains about the fruit of the atma vidya, which is tatah na vijugupsate. The literal meaning would be that hate can never raise in that heart, where Brahma satyam Jagan mithya Jivo Brahmaiva naparah has been experienced.

vijugupsate means dvesha. Because the realised jnani is in and through everything and everyone around, there is no dvesha possible. Here no dvesha also mean no raga too. In other words, one has gone beyond the samsara dharma, who see all objects and beings in one self and seeing that he sees all the objects and beings in the Lord. Because seeing them in the Self is seeing them in the Lord.

Verse 7:

When all the beings have become self and self alone. Meaning when the sarvatma bhava is completely established, then for that wise person, there is neither delusion nor sorrow. Because ‘ekatvam anupashyatah’, meaning jnani sees one alone. Both wave and the ocean are same in reality which is water alone. So seeing water alone in both wave and ocean.

2. Reflect which terms in verse 8 negate the Self being free of the gross, subtle and causal bodies.

• The Self being free of the gross body is understood from the following 2 terms…

• अव्रणम्, without any hurt as hurt is for the physical body and

• अस्नाविरम्, without the physical nadis in the body.

• The Self being free of the subtle body is understood from the term

• अकायम्, linga sharira, which means pranamaya, manomaya and vijananmaya kosha. It includes the five organs of senses, the organs of action, the five vital breaths, as well as manas (chittha also) and bhuddhi (ahankara also).

• The Self being free of the causal body is understood from the term

• शुद्धम्, which means free from the dirt of ignorance.

• Here अपापविद्धिम्, which means free of both papa and punya, and papa and punya are usually kept in the subtle body. But sometimes can refer to be in causal too.

3. Why does the upaniṣad begin the discussion of karma and upāsanā? What does the upaniṣad want to show by this discussion?

ANSWER:
The upanishad begin the discussion of karma and upasana as if they are done together will bring chitta shuddhi and chitta ekagrata respectively. Apart from that they are in the discussion for a bigger result if done together and is discouraged of being done separately.

Upanishad wants to show by this discussion that even by doing karma and upasana together and get higher punya and reach different lokas then too it is not higher than the Self realisation. In order to bring the point ‘anya ninda anya stutaye‘, so that the attention goes the goal, which is atma vidya.

Reflect the apparent contradictions made by the upaniṣad in verse 4?

ANSWER:

• The apparent contradiction in verse 4 is that anejat, meaning motionless whereas manaso javiyo, meaning faster than the mind, and also nainad deva apnuvan purvamarshat, meaning the senses could not overtake it as it reached before the senses could.
• Another seeming contradiction is taddhāvatah anyānatyeti tiṣṭhat, meaning standing/staying in a place, it goes faster than those who run after it.
• This is only an apparent contradiction and not real, because there are 2 drishti which has to be considered. They are immanent and transcendental Reality.

Sopadika drishti

• Immanent
• manaso javiyah, nainad deva apnuvan purvamarshad, tad dhavatah anyan atyeti
• With Upadis
• As a presence Self guides the mind and senses
• Enables the functionality of the senses and the mind

Nirupadika drishti

• Transcendental
• Anejat, evam, tishtat
• Beyond the upadis
• Self is one and there is nothing other than that
• Enabling motion Self remains motionless

What are the reasons the upaniṣad presents these contradictions?

The upanishad present the above apparent contradiction so that the mind does not come to one conclusion or idea instead to make the mind subtle to understand the pointers of the Self in depth. If an idea is derived out of the upanishadic mantra, then it will remain as an idea in the intellect and the subtlety cannot be reflected.

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

ANSWER:
Self is faster than the mind because Self is the enlivening or enlightening principle to the mind. So, the Reflected Consciousness/Chidabasa because of which the mind functions.
If the Reflected Consciousness is there before the mind then of course the True Sat Chit Ananda principle, Real Conciousness, will be there before the mind. Meaning, Self is the actual substratum (adishtana) and sarva vyapaka.

Both the mind principle (thinking mind, antar indriya) and the Indriyas which functions through the mind (bahyendriya) are the components which the Self overtake.

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

ANSWER:
Mātariśva refers to that which moves in interspace, Hiranyagarbha or sutratma or Vayu.
The whole subtle world is referred here, meaning the Jnana shakti and the kriya shakti are referred here.

Function ###
In Self’s presence, the dieties are enabled to perform their duties.

Why should one have the notion of īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam and what is its result?

Answer:The notion of īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam is needed as it denotes the Mahavakhya. It is the entirety of the shastra. The Self pervades the whole Nama-rupa prapancha. Here Iśa means that which governs, propels or enables Karya-Karana sanghāta (body-antar and bahir indriya) and that is propelled by antaryāmi (meaning, seated within us and propels everything), inner propeller. And vas means to pervade or cover. That pratyagātma is to envelope the whole world or cosmos.

So, do not limit yourself to the body or till the body, see outside the body and see that also is pervaded by the Self. So, this brings the notion “aham eva idam sarvam”, meaning I am the adishtānam in my true nature.

The result is that the individuality drops, then that Reality is one and it’s counter part totality is also dropped by going to the inner core. By dropping the individuality, protect yourself from the anxieties rooted from ignorance and its effects (kamadi shat ripu). So, one becomes free of any wishes and wants as there is absence of individuality. I am this body notion is dropped.

For whom does the upaniṣad prescribe duty to be performed and why?

Answer:The upanishad is prescribing duty to be performed to those who are neither inclined in the direction of the vairgya, shama, dama, etc… nor has the abidance of this knowledge of the Self. Meaning if the person is not keen on the atma vidya, then pravritti marga is given to them. Because they have the deha abhimanam strongly and look for doing sakama karma. They desire to live in this world for a long period of time engaged firmly in action or devoted to action. They don’t want to give up this desire for action. So pravritti marga is the best suited or advised for them.

How is kurvan eva (verse 2) indicating niṣkāma-karma?

Answer:kurvan eva is indicating niṣkāma-karma because

• eva denotes without any carelessness and being alert and engaged in action and

• being dedicated to do his duties or actions as he is firmly identified with his upadi, he performs dedicated action to grow.

  In this manner, he being

• taken up his duty.
• Focussing on that duty
• Dedicated to that duty

He gets hanker to hold on and not taken away by kama adhi, and is able to focus, he gets the ability to free himself as this itself keeps the raga (attachment) and devsha (aversion) at bay.

• It keeps the person disciplined.
• It removes pratyavaya dosha and slowly nobility is awakened and changes start to happen and he moves from sakama to nishkama and then to Iśavasya idam sarvam.

1. Why should the mantras of Īśāvāsya-upaniṣad not be considered as part of karma?

Answer:The Upanishad cannot be considered as a part of karma because it shows the real nature of the Self, which is not the nature of the karma. The nature of atma or Self is shuddha, untouched by sin, ektvam, nityatvam and without any body limitation, it is all pervading, which will be explained further in this upanishad. This is opposition to karma. Therefore these mantras in the Īśāvāsya-upaniṣad cannot be considered as a part of karma. Also for this self you need not do any karma like yaga, as Self being utterly distinct from any fact of this kind.

2. Reflect how īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam is to be done.

Answer:īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam is to be done as do not take yourself to be this limited individual, but see yourself as totality, bring the sarvatma bhava. In other words, take off your limitation as I am kartha, I am boktha, and then the Self alone is found. So, scrub off the adhyasa (the limited superimposition) and allow the Self to be in it’s actual nature, which is all-pervasive. Do not limit it with upadis.

3. Why is īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam not a mental upāsanā?

Answer: īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam is not a mental upasana, as it will bring a strain and it will remain as only an imagination. When initiated through the mind it is an effort and so it becomes an upasana. So, it is not the doing of expansion but un-doing of the limitation. Take off the tadatmya.