As you all know gurupurnima is a very auspicious
day especially for all the spiritual seekers. Because it is a day on which all
the spiritual seekers worship the entire Acharya Parampara including their own
guru. And in our tradition, in the lineage of spiritual teachers, the first
guru is Bhagawan himself as declared as Adiguru with an unbroken tradition or
lineage which has come up to my own guru.
Whatever spiritual knowledge is gained is coming from this parampara. Therefore,
I take the opportunity to worship the entire parampara beginning from the Lord
to my own guru.
Even though we worship the entire Acharya
parampare, the prIde of place is given to Vyasa. He is considered as an
incarnation of Lord Vishnu himself. And his contribution to Hinduism in general
and the Hindu spiritual teaching in particular are matchless. He is the author
of Brahma Sutra through which he comprehensively extracted the spiritual
teachings contained in the Veda and Vedanta. And through Bhagavad Gita, he made
it available for the entire humanity. And therefore we honour him today as
gurupurnima day or Vyasapurnima also.
On this day the orthodox sanyasis
start the chatur masya. For two months they camp in a particular place. In this
period they worship the Acharyas and conduct regular satsangs where people in
the vicinity gather. These are occasions for them to talk of ultimate spiritual
goal of moksha to the lay people who are lost in, the worldly life. Getting
educated, married, career, raising children is not the be-all or end-all of
life. Many of us are lost in the worldly pursuit. Therefore, they must be
shaken a little bit. Moksha as a concept is introduced as to inspire them to
come to spirituality.
In
keeping with that tradition I would also like to share some spiritual thoughts
with you. And today my topic is jivan mukti as discussed by Vidyaranya in his
work “Jivan Mukti Vivekah”.
Vedanta is the final part of Veda
that deal with spiritual teaching where the concept of Moksha as the final
spiritual goal is introduced. We can translate moksha as liberation. And
according to Vedanta, moksha can be achieved by a person, here and now in this
life. It is not something that comes after our death. The question will come,
liberation from what? From samsara which is human bondage and shackles. Samsara is the repeated cycle of births and
deaths. Dropping one body and again taking another body and again dropping that
body; moksha is freedom from this cycle.
The sastras say that this cycle is based on our own karmas – good and
bad actions that result in punya and papam. This punya-papam gets partially
exhausted in the current janma itself. But not totally. Which means at the time
of death, we will always have residual karma.
And
in every janma, we accumulate the residual karma, and at any time, we have got
a huge accumulated punya-papa karma. And
this is called Sanchita karma; a portion of which is responsible for the
current birth. And the fructifying bunch is called Prarabdha Karma. And while
exhausting prarabdha, we add fresh karma which is called Agami karma. At the
time of death, we exhaust our prarabdha karma. And the residual agami will join
the sanchita. From the sanchita the next bunch gets ready to become prarabdha,
life, death where the residual Agami becomes Sanchita again – hence we are all
caught in an endless repetitive cycle of births and deaths.
And it is this inexhaustible cycle of repeated
births and deaths, the Sastra says that only method of destroying karma is
through moksha, a spiritual wisdom from Vedanta. It is this spiritual education
that destroys all the karmas. But the scriptures add a footnote – Jnanam
destroys sanchita karma, it avoids agami but it cannot destroy prarabdha karma.
That bunch of punya-papa karma that has started fructifying for a definition of
prarabdha karma. That prarabdham which has given this body. It is praradbha karma
that keeps this body going which jnanam cannot destroy.
Now
is this a good news or bad news? On
enquiry you will find, it is bittersweet. Why is it good news? Because, suppose
if jnanm destroys even prarabdha karma then when a person gets enlightened,
death will be instantaneous. The date and time of enlightenment will be the
date and time of my death. Enlightenment and death will become synonymous. And
if it becomes synonymous how many students will come to a guru?? Guru will no
longer be a savior but a killer!!!
Generally, some students come to Vedanta
classes. Most of them feel they won’t get enlightenment. But even those few
students will consider it a risk to come to the guru because by chance
enlightenment comes, I will not be able to go back home. So the good news is
jnanam doesn’t destroy prarabdha karma, so the students will continue to live. Then what is the bad news? Since prarabdha
karma is not destroyed, both prarabdha punya and papam will continue to do its
function. So even for a jnani, punya will give pleasant experience, pappam bad
experiences. Prarabdha will continue to give problems even after I become a
jnani.
If he is a grihasta, family
problems can come due to prarabdha karma, health problems can come, death can
come, financial problems can come. All problems which a lay an ignorant person
will also afflict an enlightened person and just as severe. That is the
negative side. Of course we will be happy if jnanam selectively destroys, like
targeted radiation to destroy some harmful cells. Suppose knowledge selectively
destroys prarabdha karma, it will destroy all the pappam karma so that a person
does not go through misery; but continue to enjoy pleasant experiences for
punya karma.
Unfortunately, jnanam doesn’t do that
selective destruction. It leaves both prarabdha punya and prarabdha pappam.
Which means Vedanta and Knowledge (Jnanam) does not handle the prarabdha
problem. That is the bottom line. It may
save me from taking next birth (freedom from repeated births and deaths). But
in the current life, knowledge is not of much use. This will be our doubt.
But does Vedanta and Jnanam do to
sufferings of prarabdha karma? These
suffering could be intense. Every jiva has to go through the sufferings of
one’s past punyam and pappam. But it does help in handling this sorrow in an
indirect manner. Knowledge helps reduce
the impact of prarabdha karma to such an extent that the misery gets diluted,
mitigated, and made tolerably manageable.
And
how does it do that? This is the classical answer given by Vedanta. If a person has gained jnanam very well by
going through “Shravanam” properly, “Manam” thoroughly and also internalised
the teaching through “Nidhi Dyasanam”; this knowledge will give him a different
perspective. He understands that the entire creation is nothing but one reality
called Brahman, appearing with different names and forms. Therefore, the world
of variety is nothing but “namam” and “rupam”. And the world doesn’t have, its
own existence, its own reality. It only appears, supported by the truth called
Brahman. The assimilation of this fact is called Mithyam Darshanam.
For a “Jnani” or “Jnana Nishta” or
“Sthithaprajna”, Mithya Darshanam is very strong. The wise understand that the world is just
“mithya” and the sorrow is only temporary. It will also pass away. This
awareness becomes natural. And when he
sees the entire world as “mithya”, it will naturally include the small area
called ahamkara (I notion) and mamakara (mine notion). Body, mind, family,
property, wife, children that I claim as “I” and “Mine” is now seen as Mithya.
For a jnani, the the entire world is appreciated as Mithya.
What
about Prarabdha? It is also the minutest part of this Mithya universe. And this
mithya darshanam makes the whole world insignificant. And prarabdham gets far,
far diluted. Like you are look at the trees from an aircraft. When you look
from there, even huge trees are like plants. Even huge lake seems like puddles
of water. Thus for a jnani, wisdom dilutes the impact of Prarabdham Karma to
such an extent, it is so insignificant. Not worth talking about even if the
whole world considers it a huge tragedy.
It is like wearing dark glasses when you are walking out in summer.
Because of the dark glasses, cooling glasses, even though it is hot outside you
don’t feel it. Because the jnanam goggle and mithya darshanam, prarabdha is as good
as destroyed. This is the indirect method of handling prarabdha caused suffering.
This is a classical answer given.
And there is a second answer
also. Which is given by some of the
Acharyas. Especially those Acharyas who came after Sankaracharya. This second
method of handling sorrow inflicted by Parabdha karma is crystallised in the
famous work called “jivan mukti vivekah” by Vidyaranya. It is this second
method I want to share on this auspicious gurupurnima day. Up to this you
already might be remembering. Sankaracharya says in Atmaboda which says:
Whatever I see, hear, smell is nothing but Brahman. If there is anything other
than brahman, it is nothing but mithya nama-rupa darshanam. Using this idea, we
can make use of “Nidhi Dyasanam” as a source of happiness. Nidhidyasanam is
Vedic meditation which is meant for neutralizing our habitual notions that I am
the body, mind, etc. That habitual notion called “Viparitha bhavana”. To remove viparitha bhavana, nidhidyasanam is prescribed.
Here these Acharyas say: Nidhidaysanam is used for “viparitha bhavana nrivitti”
where it is used as a source of happiness.
What
is Vedic meditation or Nidhidyasanam? It is the meditations on the mahavakya of
Vedanta. It talks about Atma which is about me only. It removes my ignorance about me and my
misconceptions about myself. And it reveals that I am not a miserable jiva. But
I am the most wonderful brahman. This is so graphically presented in Kaivalya
Upannishad.
A knower of Brahman regards that good and
bad are but different manifestations of the same Atman. Virtue and vice do not
afflict him. They cannot generate subsequent births. He realises that he is
non-doer and non-enjoyer. He knows that the Atman is actionless, and that the
mind alone is the doer of all actions. He has neither wants, nor egoism, nor
desires
(Jiva
understands I am not the body or the sense organs – I am not the three bodies nor
the three states of experience. I am Chaitanya tatvam that illumines the three
states, this chaitanyam is the essence, the adhara. It’s very nature is Ananda
and if a student goes through sravanam and mananam, this is a live fact). .
Because through sravanam, mananam,
and nidhidyasanam, he has internalized that I am Sachithananda rupam. It is a
greater fact, than I am the physical body human being. I am a human being is a
lower fact. As somebody said, I am not a human being seeking spiritual experience.
I am a spiritual being temporarily having a human experience. If this has been
internalized, how will such a jnani look at himself whenever he is alone? When Ajnani
is alone, he will worry and wallow in misery. But the wise soaked in knowledge will
relish and savor.
How he relishes and savor is given in Kaivalya
Upanishad:
The text, in verses 18 to 24 describes the state
of liberated renouncer. The Upanishad states he is blissful, content in all
three states of consciousness, feels everything was born in him and abides in
him and dissolves in him, that he is Brahman that is in everyone, he is sadashiva,
ancient, diverse, spiritual, with the gift to know eternity.
The liberated renouncer, feels he is the knower,
the perceiver, the one to learn the Vedas, the one to perfect the Vedas. He
feels his essence is beyond good and bad, beyond body and mind, beyond merit
and demerits, beyond what perishes, asserts the text. The liberated man, states
the Upanishad, has found the highest Atman in his heart.
These
are not simple words and closed and forgotten or to be stored in CDs. But for a
Janani these are live words talking about his own glory. The more he looks at
the meaning of these verse, more he appreciates his own glory. I am so
wonderful. I am so fantastic. In fact, entire world enjoys existence because on
my existence. With nama-rupa I alone appear as the whole world. Appreciating
his own glory in the form of glorious universe.
Therefore, for a jnani, nidhidyasanam
can become a source of experiencing Ananda. This nidhidyasanam Ananda is an experiential
pleasure. Because, during nidhidyasama my mind is Satvic. My mind is
entertaining jnana vruti. Not only I am Bhimba Ananda, my mind experiences
Prati Bhimba Ananda - Experiential joy. He jumps with joy. It is an unique Ananda
different, for it doesn’t come from Anatma. And it is qualitatively superior
because it is born out the finest Jnanam regarding the finest reality. And it
is quantitatively also superior. Because it is Brahman reflected in the mind as
I dwell upon my own glory,
Whenever opportunity comes I soak the
mind in the nidhydyasanam Ananda. And when I look at prarabdha with this Ananda,
I will never curse my destiny. In fact, I am grateful to it. It is because of
prarabdha, I am born a human being. Because of prarabdha, I got Sastram and a
guru. Because of prarabdha, I have got this knowledge. Because of this prarabdha,
I have got the greatest fulfilment. All this because destiny gave me
opportunity and it is prarabdha that is keeping me alive. Otherwise I will not
be here to enjoy. Therefore, I have got a rare opportunity to enjoy nidhidyasanam
Ananda, And when a jnani practices this meditation, all the problems inflicted
by parabdha will appear as insignificant.
Krishna gives the same method in
the six chapter of the Gita in verses 20, 21 and 22.
His mind is so happy because of this knowledge
that the worst crisis will become
insignificant. Knowledge dilutes prarabdha based
problems.
As
a conclusion, mithya darshanam is the first method. The second is soak the mind
with happiness with nidhidyasanam. For the second method, we require time and
inclination. When you have bitten some chilli,
just as you put sugar in your mouth, when prarabdha problems bite, jivan mukti
sugar, you put in mouth. That is what is said by
Lord Krishna also. prajahāti yadā kāmān sarvān pārtha mano-gatān
ātmany-evātmanā
tuṣhṭaḥ sthita-prajñas tadochyate. With this I conclude my
gurupurnima talk. May we have the grace of the guru for tackling prarabdha karma
either through mithya darshanam or nidhidyasanam or both.
No comments:
Post a Comment