ATMA BODHAM “KNOWLEDGE of the SELF” : 30 - Swami Sri Adi Sankaracharya.

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Thursday, January   12, 2021. 10 :13. AM.. 
ATMA BODHAM “KNOWLEDGE of the SELF”
(68 Slokam-s in  9 Chapters)
Chapter 6 - “The Birth of the EGO” - Sloka-s 25-37 (13 no.)
NEXT - C. “NETI – NETI” : THE DOCTRINE OF NEGATION (30-33)
Mantram - 30 : The Negation of All Conditionings

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Mantram : 30. The Negation of All Conditionings

"Nishidhya nikhila-upaadheen  “na iti, na iti” iti vaakyatah; 

 vidyaat aikyam mahaa  jeev-aatma param-aatmanoh."

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Translation :

Nishidhya nikhila-upaadheen By the process of negation of all conditionings

“na iti, na iti” iti vaakyatah; as per the scriptural statement “Not this, not this”,

vidyaat aikyam mahaa-vaakyaih know the oneness proclaimed by the Mahavakya:

jeev-aatma param-aatmanoh. “The individual soul is the Supreme Soul”.

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Discourse :

In this mantram the central objective of all our Sadhana is highlighted.

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“Neti-Neti” refers to the negation of all the Upadhis which keep us separated from our identity with our true Self. This negation process is a Sadhana of discrimination, done

within the intellect. By seeing the defects at each level of existence, the intellect rejects the ‘falseness’ level by level. This is done at two major levels, namely, the Pindanda and the Brahmanda – these are the individual level and the cosmic level, the microcosm and the macrocosm.

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The reason for their rejection is that they are seen to have falseness as their basis. For this reason this process is also referred to as de-falsification. The Upadhis are the three bodies at the individual level, and the three Prapanchas at the cosmic level. At every level, whatever we have been identified with is examined carefully and their connection with us is falsified. This is the essence of the “Neti-Neti” process.

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By this process, we clear the veils which hide the Self from our direct experience of It. Upon completing such a process of Sadhana, the Self stands before us fully revealed.

Ajnana Visishtha Chaitanyam :

This is the philosophical term given to the human predicament. It means “the Self is veiled by Ignorance”. Another term used is “Ajnana Upahita Chaitanyam” which means “the Self is conditioned by Ignorance.”

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The word Upahita is connected with Upadhi. Upadhi is that which conditions, whilst Upahita is that which is conditioned. By removing all that which conditions the Self and renders it as the conditioned self or Jiva, the latter is restored to its original pristine pure state. This is the realized state or the enlightened state.

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In the next three verses, this process is clarified for each stage of Sadhana – Sravana, Manana and Nididhyasana.

NEXT : Mantram - 31 : As Perishable as Bubbles

To be continued .....

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