Atmabodham

ATMA BODHAM : 14 - (68 verses, 9 Chapters) - “KNOWLEDGE of the SELF” 18/04/2019 Chapter-4. Verses 10-14  ( 4.nos ) : VERSE 14: The Causal Body "Anaadi avidya anirvaachyaa  kaarana upaadhih uchyate; upaadhi-tritayaat anyam - aatmaanam avadhaarayet." 1 Anaadi avidya anirvaachyaa - Ignorance is beginningless and inexplicable; 2 kaarana upaadhih uchyate; - it is said to form the Causal Body. 3 upaadhi-tritayaat anyam - Other than these three conditioning bodies, 4 aatmaanam avadhaarayet. - we should understand the Self to be. The reference is to verse 6.5 of Tattva Bodha, which defines the Causal Body. This is one of the few verses without a simile. The “Desire-Lineage”: Here, the new point brought out is on the subject of “The Consequences of Desire”. 1 Ignorance is said to be the form of the causal body. The causal body is just pure Ignorance. We do not know the cause of Ignorance. Logically there can be no cause for it. It is said to Causeless. Ach...

ATMA BODHAM : 13 - (68 verses, 9 Chapters) - “KNOWLEDGE of the SELF” 18/04/2019 Chapter-4. Verses 10-14  ( 4.nos ) : VERSE 13: The Subtle Body "Pancha praana manah buddhih dasha indriyah saman-vitam; apanchi-krita bhootah uttham sookshma-angam bhoga saadhanam." 1 Pancha praana manah buddhih           = The five Pranas, the mind and intellect, 2 dasha indriyah saman-vitam;               = together with the ten senses combined; 3 apanchi-krita bhootah uttham             =   formed from the subtle elements, forms the 4 sookshma-angam bhoga saadhanam  = subtle body, the instrument of experience. This verse is a more compact version of 6.2 of Tattva Bodha, on the Subtle Body. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bhoga Sadhanam: “Instrument” of Experience : --------...

ATMA BODHAM : 12 - (68 verses, 9 Chapters) - “KNOWLEDGE of the SELF” 27/03/2019 Chapter-4. Verses 10-14  ( 4.nos ) : VERSE 12: The Gross Body "Panchi-krita mahaa-bhoota sambhavam karma sanchitam; shareeram sukha-duhkhaanaam bhog-aayatanam uchyate." 1 Panchi-krita mahaa-bhoota = From the five elements made after Panchi-Karana; 2 sambhavam karma sanchitam; = determined by one’s own past actions; 3 shareeram sukha-duhkhaanaam = is born this body. Experiencing pleasure and pain 4 bhog-aayatanam uchyate. = through this medium, is said to be its purpose. Discussion : - This verse expresses in one concise couplet what was explained at length in verse 6.1 of Tattva Bodha where the Gross Body was defined, under the chapter heading ‘The Three Bodies’. The content is identical and need not be explained here. Bhoga Aayatanam: – “Tenement” of Experience : - The example here is that of a business premises where, at the counter, various transactions take p...

25/02/2019 Chapter 4 : Verses 10-14 (4 no.) : “The UPADHIS or Conditioners” VERSE 11: As Flavours Superimposed in Water 1 Naanaa upaadhi-vashaat eva   = Because of its association with different Upadhis, 2 jaati-naam-aashram-aadayah; = the idea of caste, colour, position, etc, 3 aatmani aaropitaah toye          = are superimposed upon the Atman; as in water 4 rasa-varna-aadi bheda-vat.      = are (superimposed) differences like flavour, colour, etc. This verse continues the theme begun in the last verse, expanding on the effect of the different conditionings or Upadhis in appearing to split Reality into pieces. In the last verse the focus was on finding a solution for the removal of the differences raised by the Upadhis. In this verse we are not looking the solution, but we examine the consequences of the appearance of innumerable differences in day-to-day life resulting from these Upadhis. The Birth of Distinctions in Hum...

07/02/2019 Chapter 4 : Verses 10-14 (4 no.) : “The UPADHIS or Conditioners” Verse -10. As Space – One Appears as Many "Yathaa aakaashah hrisheekeshah  naanaa upaadhi-gatah vibhuh; tat bhedaat bhinna-vat bhaati tat naashe kevalah bhavet." 1 Yathaa aakaashah hrisheekeshah = As with Space, so with the omnipresent Lord: 2 naanaa upaadhi-gatah vibhuh;    = The All-pervading, associated with various Upadhis, 3 tat bhedaat bhinna-vat bhaati     = due to their distinctness, It appears to be diverse, 4 tat naashe kevalah bhavet.         = but separated from them, It becomes One. The simile is given at the outset, “Just as space”. Let us first look at the real situation and then come back to consider the simile. *The Deeper Meaning Behind “Hrsheekesha” 1 This is derived from two words: Hrisheeka + Isha. Hrisheeka means “the senses” (Indriyas); Isha means the “controller”, governor, one who sustains or gives life. The co...

04/01/2019 Chapter 3 : Verses 6-9 (4 no.) : “The Nature of the WORLD” : Verse -6. As a Dream Only! "Samsaarah svapna-tulyah hi raga-dvesha-aadi sankulah;  swakaale satya-vat bhaati prabodhe sati asat bhavet." 1 Samsaarah svapna-tulyah hi  = The world is truly like a dream only: 2 raga-dvesha-aadi sankulah;   = full of its attachment and aversions, and so on. 3 swakaale satya-vat bhaati      = While the dream continues, it appears to be real; 4 prabodhe sati asat bhavet.    = when we awaken, its unreality is seen. From verse 6 – 9, we shift our attention from the Self and Self-knowledge to the world of appearance of names and forms. 1 Samsara here means the world of transmigration, the world of births and deaths in an endless cycle, which can only be escaped through knowledge of the Self. The characteristic feature of this Samsara is that “it is the realm where one thought is not like the next thought, and thoughts change s...

8. Chapter 2 Verses 2-5 (4 no.) “Self-Knowledge” VERSE 5: As Coagulent – Settles After Cleaning Water "Ajnaana kalusham jeevam jnaana-abhyaasaat vi-nir-malam; kritvaa jnaanam swayam nashyet jalam kataka-renu-vat." 1. Ajnaana kalusham jeevam = Defiled by ignorance, the egocentric self 2.  jnaana-abhyaasaat vi-nir-malam; =  is purified by constant practice of knowledge. 3. kritvaa jnaanam swayam nashyet = Upon the dawn of knowledge, it itself is destroyed 4. jalam kataka-renu-vat. = as the soapnut powder settles with the dirt in water. The process mentioned at the close of the discussion of the previous verse, namely, the deep meditation and enquiry into the nature of the Self, is the focus in this verse. When this process is taken to its limit, all limitations are transcended. At that point ignorance ends and the means by which it ends – the Brahmakara Vritti – is also discarded.  Total purity from all defilements is attained, followed by the daw...