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JNANA SARA

The Essence of Self-Knowledge

“THE SANDEEPANY EXPERIENCE”

Reflections by

SWAMI GURUBHAKTANANDA

Sandeepany’s Vedanta Course

List of All the Course Texts in Chronological Sequence:

Text

No. TITLE OF TEXT

Text

No. TITLE OF TEXT

1 Sadhana Panchakam 24 Hanuman Chalisa

2 Tattwa Bodha 25 Vakya Vritti

3 Atma Bodha 26 Advaita Makaranda

4 Bhaja Govindam 27 Kaivalya Upanishad

5 Manisha Panchakam 28 Bhagavad Geeta (Discourse -- )

6 Forgive Me 29 Mundaka Upanishad

7 Upadesha Sara 30 Amritabindu Upanishad

8 Prashna Upanishad 31 Mukunda Mala (Bhakti Text)

9 Dhanyashtakam 32 Tapovan Shatkam

10 Bodha Sara 33 The Mahavakyas, Panchadasi 5

11 Viveka Choodamani 34 Aitareya Upanishad

12 Jnana Sara 35 Narada Bhakti Sutras

13 Drig-Drishya Viveka 36 Taittiriya Upanishad

14 “Tat Twam Asi” – Chand Up 6 37 Jivan Sutrani (Tips for Happy Living)

15 Dhyana Swaroopam 38 Kena Upanishad

16 “Bhoomaiva Sukham” Chand Up 7 39 Aparoksha Anubhuti (Meditation)

17 Manah Shodhanam 40 108 Names of Pujya Gurudev

18 “Nataka Deepa” – Panchadasi 10 41 Mandukya Upanishad

19 Isavasya Upanishad 42 Dakshinamurty Ashtakam

20 Katha Upanishad 43 Shad Darshanaah

21 “Sara Sangrah” – Yoga Vasishtha 44 Brahma Sootras

22 Vedanta Sara 45 Jivanmuktananda Lahari

23 Mahabharata + Geeta Dhyanam 46 Chinmaya Pledge

A NOTE ABOUT SANDEEPANY

Sandeepany Sadhanalaya is an institution run by the Chinmaya Mission in Powai, Mumbai, teaching a 2-year Vedanta Course. It has a very balanced daily programme of basic Samskrit, Vedic chanting, Vedanta study, Bhagavatam, Ramacharitmanas, Bhajans, meditation, sports and fitness exercises, team-building outings, games and drama, celebration of all Hindu festivals, weekly Gayatri Havan and Guru Paduka Pooja, and Karma Yoga activities.

This series is an effort to promote the learning of Vedanta; it does not replace Course, but hopes to inspire young people to spend two years of their life for an experience that is sure to make a far-reaching spiritual impact on their personal lives. Sandeepany is an all-round spiritual course that gives proper direction to the youth and to those approaching retirement. Hinduism is in dire need of a band of systematically trained teachers or Acharyas who can serve this Eternal Religion.

– The Editor, 9th July 2017, the Holy Guru Purnima Day

Om Namah Shivaaya!

¥ÉÉlÉxÉÉU

JNANA-SARA “The Essence of Self-Kanowledge”

Composed by

Sri Swami Tejomayanandaji

Reflections

by SWAMI GURUBHAKTANANDA on the 8 Lectures by Acharyaji, Sri Swami Advayanandaji

to the 15th Batch Vedanta Course at Sandeepany Sadhanalaya, Powai, Mumbai

March 8th – March 12th, 2012

Adi Shankaracharya Swami Sivananda Swami Tapovanji Swami Chinmayananda

SERVE LOVE GIVE PURIFY MEDITATE REALISE

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Copyright & Author’s Details Author: Swami Gurubhaktananda, ex Krishna Chaitanya, born Bipin R. Kapitan of Durban, South Africa.

Residence: Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India. Email: gurubhakta.dls@gmail.com © 2017 All Rights Reserved. Copyright held by Chinmaya International Foundation, Kerala. About This Edition: Web Edition: 9th July 2017, the Holy Guru Purnima Day Website: Chinmaya International Foundation: www.chinfo.org Series Title : The Sandeepany Experience Series Subject: Vedanta & supportive subsidiary texts. Declaration by the Author: The material in this series is under inspiration of the Sandeepany

Vedanta Course, but largely consists of the Author’s reflections on the Course. He is deeply indebted to the Chinmaya Mission for its excellent presentation of the Course by their renowned and dedicated Acharyas.

Personal Dedication 1. To my Parents, Smt Sharadaben & Sri Ratilalbhai Kapitan

who inspired me to study in life, to stick to the path of Dharma and pursue the highest ideals; and swamped me with their abundant Love;

2. To Pujya Sri Swami Vimalanandaji Maharaj the President of the Divine Life Society of Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India, who constantly encouraged and supported this effort;

3. To Pujya Sri Swami Tejomayanandaji (Guruji) for his boundless vision and inspiration to create a vibrant organisation;

4. To Sri Swami Advayanandaji and Sri Swami Sharadanandaji my Acharyaji and Upa-Acharyaji at Sandeepany, who imparted their bountiful knowledge and wisdom with rare selfless Divine Love, just as the Rishis of yore would wish to see them do.

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¥ÉÉlÉxÉÉU JNANA SARA

“The Essence of Self-Knowledge”

FOR SAMSKRIT TEXT WITH SANDHEES

Guide to Splitting Sandhees

Conventional Samskrit Format is used in the body of the book.

Split-Sandhee Samskrit Format is given at the end of the book, for the benefit of beginners. Word-combinations (Sandhees) are highlighted in bold underline (as shown in the table below) to help indicate the splitting of words. This is an original feature.

Purpose: To assist new students who are just finding their way in Samskrit to break up the words (Pada Chheda). It is not intended for those already proficient in Samskrit.

How it Works: 1. Enables normal chanting. The bold underlined letters are Sandhees, not words, and are needed only to join words for correct chanting.

2. Indicates splitting of words. To determine the words on either side of the Sandhee, the following table may be used. [The table has been applied in the transliteration within the body of the book, where individual words are used.]

Add to End

of Prior Word SANDHEE

Add to Front

of Posterior Word

A (a) -AÉ- (aa) A (a)

C (i) -D- (ee) C (i)

E (u) -F- (oo) E (u)

elongated vowel -"x- short vowel

short vowel -x"- elongated vowel

elongated vowel -"x" - elongated vowel

A (a) -L- (e) C (i)

A (a) -Lå- (ai) L (e)

A (a) -AÉå- (o) E (u)

A (a) -AÉæ- (au) Lå (ai)

AÈ (ah) -AÉå (o) unaffected

C (i) -rÉç (y) unaffected

E (u) -uÉç (v) unaffected

È (h) -xÉç, -Uç, -zÉç unaffected

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¥ÉÉlÉxÉÉU

JNANA SARA “The Essence of Self-Knowledge”

CONTENTS:

Introduction 2

Verse 1: An Auspicious Invocation 3

PART A: THE SPIRITUAL JOURNEY

Verse 2: i) “Baddha” – the Bound Stage 4

Verse 3: ii) “Mumukshu” – the Aspiring Stage 6

Verse 4: iii) “Sadhaka” – the Seeking Stage 7

Verse 5: iv) “Jignasu” – the Enquiring Stage 9

Verse 6: v) “Shishya” – the Disciple Stage 10

Verse 7: vi) “Guruh Uvaacha” – Listening to the Guru 11

Verse 8: vii) “Siddhah” – the Perfected Stage 12

PART B: AT THE DESTINATION

Verse 9: vii.a) “Para-Ananda” – the Supreme Bliss Stage 13

Verse 10: vii.b) “Tattva-Vetta” – the Perfect Dispassion Stage 14

Verse 11: vii.c) “Para-Brahman” – the Non-Dual Stage 15

Verse 12: vii.d) “Buddha” – the Enlightened Stage 16

PART C: THE DISCIPLE’S OBSERVATIONS

Verse 13: “Guru-Namaami” – Gratitude to One’s Guru 18

Verse 14: “Maha-Adbhutah” – What an Experience! 19

Verse 15: “Daasah” – Attitude of Servantship 20

Verse 16: “Prasad” – the Three Graces 21

Verse 17: “Dhanyah” – Blessed Beyond Measure 22

Verse 18: “Bhaktyaa” – Devotional Service Unto Death 23

Split-Sandhee Samskrit Verses (for Beginners) 25

Split-Sandhee English Transliteration 27

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INTRODUCTION

GURUJI HAD WRITTEN this text in the year 1992, a little before the Mahasamadhi of Pujya Gurudev, Swami Chinmayanandaji, in August 1993. It was written along the lines of Viveka Choodamani, following the same structural pattern, but very greatly condensed.

Guruji, Swami Tejomayanandaji, the Spiritual Head of Chinmaya Mission, had studied Dasbodha of Samarth Ramdas in his early life, and that book had a great influence on him, and it has certainly influenced him in writing this book.

Why did he write such a book? In his words, “It was Mananam or reflection for me.”

JNANA SARA means “the essence of Self-knowledge”. What is the knowledge that is contained in this book? It throws a little more light on Self-knowledge. When we say we see the world around us, what we mean is that the thought of the world appears at the surface of our mind. The entire world is seen in our mind. This is not to deny external existence but to reduce it to its essential relevance to us. It all boils down to how we deal with our mind.

Since we have reduced the world to a series of thoughts, the next step in the knowledge is to know the essence of thought. The essence of thought is Consciousness. Without Consciousness there can be no thought, just as without flour there can be no bread. And what is beyond Consciousness? Nothing – It is the indestructible, unchanging foundation of all existence, including thought.

Thus we come to understand Consciousness as the essence of Self-knowledge. Chaitanya (Consciousness) is the real essence of all knowledge. This is the view that is expounded in this text.

The Presentation in this Text:

A word has to be said on the presentation of the material herein. It is presented as a JOURNEY through experiences. Of course, it is not a geographical journey, but the latter can be considered as a symbol of the spiritual journey due to many similarities in them.

A gradual change in one’s conviction takes place during this inner journey. The vision of life undergoes a continuous metamorphosis as one’s spiritual maturity develops. As we proceed from verse to verse, we feel we are on a train passing from station to station.

Consider our own experience through life: As a child we had a concept of heaven befitting our age – it was a roomful of chocolates and ice-cream, then of video games and TV! As we grew out of this phase, we entered a heaven that is the home of damsels and fast cars. Moving on from that phase, heaven was seen as the perfect corporate business churning out huge profits.

At each of these stages we think we know it all – until we meet someone who knows a bit more. Then we realize we need to progress further. When we meet ‘Mahatmas’ in our profession, we learn more and more.

With this introduction we welcome you on board the ‘Jnana Sara Express’ on the journey to Self-realisation!

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JNANA SARA 18 Verses by Swami Tejomayananda

“Essence of Self-Knowledge”

INVOCATION

Verse 1: An Auspicious Invocation

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¥ÉÉlÉxÉÉUÇ mÉëuɤrÉÉÍqÉ , xuÉÉiqÉÌlɸæMüÍxÉ®rÉå ||1||

1 Aaraadhyam paramam raamam To the most adorable Sri Rama

2 natvaa bhaktyaa cha sadgurum; and to the noble Sadguru do I prostrate;

3 jnaanasaaram pravakshyaami as I begin to expound the “Jnaana Sara”,

4 svaatmanishthaa-eka-siddhaye. for the sole purpose of gaining Self abidance.

This is a Namaskara Roopa Mangalacharan, an invocation which is a prayer to the Lord and Guru to guide one in the accomplishment of the task ahead. Implicit in the invocation is a prayer to overcome any obstacles that come along the way.

1 When Sri Hanuman was crossing the ocean to go to Lanka, even high up in the sky obstacles suddenly started facing him. Demonesses would suddenly appear before him and try to stop him. By taking the Name of Sri Rama, Sri Hanuman tactfully overcame each obstacle and went on to succeed in his Lord’s mission.

Sri Rama is taken to mean the Highest spiritual authority, the source of all Power, the source of all Virtue, and the symbol for everything that we hold auspicious in life. The root of the word Rama is “Raam” which stands for joy and happiness.

2 The Guru stands as the link between Shiva and Jiva – i.e. between the Lord and the individual soul that is struggling to attain its supreme identity with the Lord. The Guru, poised between Shiva and Jiva, knows the greatness of Shiva and the weaknesses of Jiva. The true disciple is always humble before his Guru. Before one’s Guru one would prefer to remain silent, to listen more and talk less.

3-4 The composition is begun by first offering it to the Lord. It is being done only for the sake of increasing one’s abidance in the Lord, i.e. as a pure Sadhana. The author has no other motive behind it.

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PART A Verses 2-8

“The Spiritual JOURNEY”

WHEN WE ATTEMPT something – anything – obstacles tell us that “we have started the journey”. If we don’t move we will be safe from encountering any obstacles! Interestingly, the Urdu word khuda stands for God as well as “potholes”, which are

obstacles on our path. So when we say “God is everywhere,” it is literally like saying “There are obstacles everywhere.”

Devotion precludes all attempt to force people onto this journey. Acharyaji gave an example of mothers who would bring their children to meet Gurudev. On meeting they would force their children to prostrate to him. Gurudev would try to stop the forcing. The mothers always said, “He has to learn that it is a good practice.” Then Gurudev would tease them, “Is this the training ground for that? Did you not get opportunities earlier to do that?”

Verse 2: i) “Baddha” – the Bound Stage

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MüiÉ×ïiuÉpÉÉuÉ¶É iÉjÉæuÉ MüqÉïxÉÑ |

xÉirÉiuÉoÉÑήeÉïaÉiÉÏWû rÉxrÉ

xÉ LuÉ oÉ®È mÉÑÂwÉ¶É SÒÈZÉÏ ||2||

1 Deha-aatma-bhaavah vishayeshu raagah

Identification with his body; attachment to objects;

2 kartritva bhaavah cha tathaiva karmasu;

and the feeling of doership also in one’s actions;

3 satyatva buddhih jagati iha yasya

the notion of reality of this world – one who has these

4 sah eva BADDHAH purushah cha duhkhee.

he alone is bound, and such a man becomes unhappy.

The scriptures are our mirror to show us our weaknesses. We look into scriptures so that we can learn to study ourselves, not to analyse other people. The scriptures are there not for our information, but for our transformation!

If we therefore read this text as a scripture we should not be offended at any words that may reflect ourselves in a bad light. It is not because the mirror is faulty but because we have seen the truth about ourselves, a truth that may hurt. If that little hurt leads us to become aware of a greater purpose in life, it is not a hurt anymore but an awakening that could possibly bring an end to all sorrow in our life.

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We said in the Introduction that we are making a train journey, from station to station. There are 17 stations ahead of us. We begin at the Station No.1, named Baddha, which means ‘Bondage’ and represents our spiritual state of being ‘Bound’ in this world.

Four symptoms identify the Bound state of life:

i) Identification with this body.

1a All our human enterprises reflect our identity with our body. We just need to look at which businesses are the most flourishing ones and it will tell us how much people are spending just to meet a bodily ‘need’.

A regular worship of the body is going on night and day. Snaanam, Archanam, Vastram, Naivedyam – it is all there, directed towards the body. Yes, think of the time we spend facing a mirror – not just to adjust our bodies, but to adjust our image before society. Time occupied with concerns of the body dominate our life.

ii) Extreme attachment to sense objects.

1b Sense objects do not have any desire to be with us; they would love to be left alone if only we would allow them to! Our attachment to them makes us run after them.

The body is a multi-horsepower Engine that pulls 5 main coaches behind it. These are Avidya (ignorance), Asmita (‘I am’-ness), Raga (likes), Dwesha (dislikes), and Abhinivesha (fear of death). These five coaches loot away our peace of mind. Whichever coach we are sitting in, AC or plain Sleeper, they are all rolling on the wheels of sense objects.

The attachment comes because we find the joy of sense objects too irresistible to leave it unrepeated. An addiction is inevitable, unless help from higher places is sought.

The desire to possess accompanies Raga; the desire to un-possess is Dwesha. Avidya blinds us as to where we are going; Asmita thinks it owns the train; and Abhinivesha wants the train to keep moving endlessly – till it crashes into something.

iii) Sense of doership – “I am the Doer”.

2 We are prompted to act to fulfil our desires for objects. The desire to enjoy automatically carries behind it the desire to act. If we could act and remain unscathed, that would not be such a problem. But we identify ourselves with our action with the feeling that “I am the doer”. This plunges us into deep trouble as it strengthens the Ego-sense.

iv) Considering the World as real.

3 All the above three points are founded on our view of this world: We consider that the world is there for our pleasure. We have a utilitarian view of creation – that is, everything has been created just for us to enjoy! So we go headlong and ‘plunder’ Mother Earth to extract as much pleasure out of Her as possible. What would one call that?

This is a Vedic way of seeing the world. It promotes seeing the world as sacred, and intended to develop our vision of God, to see Him in all things. If we do not see this, the world is as good as ‘unreal’. It is our selfish view that is seen as unreal by the Vedas. But our ego is too big to accept the Vedic view, hence we find clever arguments against it.

4 Some of the arguments to explain our sorrows were given by Acharyaji:

i) Majority View: We take shelter in the ‘majority view’ among people, as though the Truth depended on a vote amongst men.

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ii) Age for Religion: We argue that there is an age for spiritual life, usually old age!

iii) Wealth: We argue that if we have more wealth we do not need religion to obtain it – as if the purpose of religion is to get more wealth! The rich use wealth as an argument to escape the normal disciplines of a life of dispassion and austerity.

iv) Scapegoat: We try to find a scapegoat for our sorrows, to act as cover for our ego, their real cause. For instance, people will quote Vastu Shastra to blame the position of a window or a door in their home, or planetary positions for all their woes!

In short, we manufacture reasons so that we can conveniently avoid having to look within for the real culprit of all sorrow. Only the brave few turn the searchlight on themselves, and they become ready to progress further, to move on to the next Station…

Verse 3: ii) “Mumukshu” – the Aspiring Stage

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qÉÑÌ£Çü ÌWû uÉÉgNûÉqrÉkÉÑlÉÉ qÉÑqÉѤÉÑÈ ||3||

1 Praaptaa mayaa loka- maanyaa prasiddhih

I have gained in this world prestige and fame;

2 bhogah api bhuktah cha dhanam tathaa hi;

all the pleasures, too, I have enjoyed; as also, indeed, all the wealth there is;

3 labdham sukham na iva mayaa kadaapi

Did I gain happiness? No, never has it come to me.

4 muktim hi vaanchhaami adhunaa MUMUKSHUH.

Having a yearning only for liberation, I have now become a Mumukshu.

1-2 Different ways are employed to get happiness from the world outside.

i) Prestige and Fame – Kirti, or Lokeshana:

ii) Sensual Pleasures – Kamini, or Putreshana:

iii) Wealth – Kanchana, or Vitteshana:

These are the well-known triple gates to spiritual downfall. All scriptures uniformly ask us to steer clear of these three means of seeking happiness. All are doomed by failure.

3 At last, the sincere seeker has no alternative but to seek a solution within himself. Having failed in his search for happiness outside, he realizes that the key to his happiness lies within him, not on any external factor. Having tried his utmost to find happiness through success in the world, and failing in the attempt, he is ripe to take up the search from the spiritual perspective.

This is a crucial point in the journey. Unless this change takes place, one remains at Station No 1, for ever, enjoying the passing show on the platform!

4 In such an individual is born the noble aspiration for a God-oriented life. He is now called a Mumukshu, one who is desirous to bring God into his life, and establish a

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relationship with Him. This is Station No 2. We have left the “Baddha” station. As we travel henceforth, the “I” gets lesser and lesser, until it completely gets dissolved into the Self.

Happiness is indeed like a butterfly; the more we run after it the more it runs away from us. When we settle peacefully within ourselves, it alights upon us and remains there.

A Life-Transforming “U-Turn”

A gradual but unmistakable transformation is seen to take place in his life. He begins to go to sources that inspire in him a new vision of life. This may be termed Satsang – seeking the company of those of noble values, the holy ones, the saints and sages. From them he gets the inspiration to overhaul his entire concept of life.

As he learns he begins to put the new principles into practice. Among the first things that he learns is to become a servant of the Lord, no longer a servant of his Ego. Where he once thought that he was the doer of all actions, he now clearly understands that a higher power, call it God, is seeing to every detail in this world. His life is placed ‘Under New Management’ – the management of God!

Having failed with “Dhana” (wealth) he nows engages in “Sadhana”, or spiritual practices aimed to align him to the laws of Nature or Dharma or divine life.

Verse 4: iii) “Sadhaka” – the Seeking Stage

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iÉålÉæuÉ rÉÑ£üÉå ÌuÉÌuÉkÉåwÉÑ MüqÉïxÉÑ |

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1 Eeshasya daasah aham iti prajaanan

“The servant of the Lord am I” – understanding thus;

2 tena eva yuktah vividheshu karmasu;

“By Him alone I am engaged in a variety of action.”

3 devasya kaavyam jagat etat aatatam

The poetry of the Lord is what I see spread before me – this world.

4 pashyan sadaa karma karoti SAADHAKAH.

Having this vision at all times, actions are performed by the Sadhaka.

From a Mumukshu he now has become a Sadhaka. This is Station No 3.

1 The person has turned over a new leaf. By attending Satsangs regularly, he begins to do service activities as the Lord’s servant. This is the practice of Karma Yoga.

2 A Sadhaka is one who is trying practically to live the spiritual life, to establish a relationship with God in his life. For the first time in his life, he learns to keep out the fellow that ran his life till that point, namely, his Ego. Just by stepping back and seeing Ego for what it is, he begins to see everything in a totally different light.

3 His world-view is transformed completely. From seeing it as a battlefield, he now sees it as “the poetry of the Lord”! What a transformation in attitude! God is now present everywhere, whereas previously the “I” was present everywhere.

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4 If only a glimpse of a higher Vision of Life has made such a change in him, what would a whole life dedicated to Him do?

The example of Sri Hanuman was given at this point. Hanuman’s life is described by a poet as an arrow shot by Sri Rama. An arrow has no choice as to where it goes. It only knows that it must carry out the order of the one who sent it. The destination is not his, it has been selected already by the archer who released it. This new vision enters the Sadhaka.

Story of a Pencil and a Saint

Acharyaji gave another example: There was a conversation between a pencil and a saint. The pencil complained of its helplessness in just lying in the pencil case doing nothing.

The saint said to it, “First thing is that you should place yourself at the service of a good writer who can do something useful with you. When you serve him, always remember that the most important part of you is within you. It is your black lead. See that you allow it to flow out through you.

“As you do your work, their may be mistakes made; he that is using you will make you go back to correct them, perhaps many times. Be patient in this work. Do not rebel against it.

“Sometimes the user in whose hands you are may want to sharpen you. When he finds you are getting blunt and not functioning as well as you should, he may cause you a bit of pain by sharpening you. Again, do not complain, for you do need to be really sharp.

“In this way you will become used by your master to produce something of great value, and your life as a pencil will be fulfilled!”

As such a pencil, the Sadhaka writes the new chapter of his life in poetry, not prose!

Conflict Versus Harmony

If we see the world as divine, it will lose its cutting edge to irritate us, and instead it will allow us to flow in harmony with it. Bhog-Buddhi (attitude of plundering the earth) will be transformed into Puja-Buddhi (the attitude of worshipping the earth).

This change of attitude has given birth in India to numerous Deities, representing all aspects of Nature. Indeed, it is a rich culture which sees its rivers and mountains as sacred. It creates from its very rocks divine idols worthy of worship, just to prove to us that however insignificant we may be, when we place ourselves in God’s Hands, He can transform us into beautiful lines in the divine Poem He composes.

In this way our Sadhaka learns not to fight the world any longer, but to worship and adore it as something Divine.

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Verse 5: iv) “Jignasu” – the Enquiring Stage

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1 Kah aham kutah aham kim idam cha vishwam

“Who am I? From where have I come? What is this universe?

2 kam poojayanti iha janaah cha devam;

Who is He who is being worshipped here by the people as a God? And

3 prayojanam kim mama jeevanasya

What is the purpose of my life?”

4 JIJNAASUH evam vichinoti nityam.

This is what the seeker of Knowledge constantly enquires.

After a protracted period of such an elevated life of service, our Sadhaka is ready to enter the next stage of his growth. As his mental equipment gets quietened and settles into a deep inner peace and tranquility, he spontaneously begins to seek answers for some searching question which never occurred to him before.

The Sadhaka in him makes way for the Jignasu in this new phase of growth. This is Station No 4.

The gross mind which was pressed down to earthly concerns at one time, and which rose to subtler planes to become the Mumukshu and the Sadhaka, now seems to take off and begins spontaneously to rise to higher regions!

Aim and Purpose in Life

1-4 Prayojan or direction in life is what the Jignasu is seeking to establish. The one that had no direction in life at all and simply wandered about as desires dictated, now feels the need to follow an AIM in life. These questions are the outpourings of one who is in search of a direction in life. The questions are designed to achieve that purpose.

The difference between travelling and wandering is brought out lucidly here. When we have a destination in mind, we are said to travel, even if it is just an inch of our way. When we are aimless, we are just wandering, going nowhere. It is wasted effort.

Where does the Jignasu get the necessary answers? Divine Grace draws him to the presence of a spiritual Master or Guru…

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Verse 6: v) “Shishya” – the Disciple Stage

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1 Tarkena na eshaa matih aapaneyaa

Not by logical reasoning is gained this Self-knowledge;

2 jnaatvaa shruteh gacchhati sadgurum yah;

To learn it from the scriptures one has to go to the Sadguru.

3 viveka vairaagya shamaadi yuktah

With discrimination and dispassion and the “Sixfold Virtues”, combined with

4 gurum hi seveta sah SHISHYA-varyah.

service done to the Guru – he alone becomes the best disciple.

This verse tells us what happens to the Jignasu who has awakened to spiritual life. He finds a spiritual Master and become his Shishya (disciple), which is Station No 5.

The Guru Alone Can Direct the Seeker

1 Tarkena: “by logical reasoning”. Perhaps the seeker has tried to grasp the essence of spirituality through his intellect, but failed in the attempt. This is when he decides to seek a spiritual guide qualified to take him forward. The Guru enters his life.

2 Jnaatvaa Shruteh: Under the Guru’s guidance, the disciple learns the underlying secrets contained in the scriptures. The study of the Upanishads and Geeta are enormously helpful to give the student an intellectual grasp of what is involved on the spiritual path. From the scriptures he has learnt the rightful as well as the wrongful use of the intellect.

However, it has a very important role to play in making us see the futility of worldly pleasures and can help a long way in giving us a firm grasp of the path to be trodden.

The intellect clears the clouds that are presently hiding the sunlight. They do not have the power to reveal the sun; the sun will do that by itself.

The more sinister use of logic is its perverse use to prove anything and everything according to the leanings of our desires. When used for such perverse purposes, it shows itself as a tool that can be misused. The tool is not at fault; the user is.

3 Viveka Vairagya: The seeker has also himself learnt of the need for some preparatory Sadhana from the scriptures. This shows his eagerness to tread the path in earnest, not just sit back and wait for the Guru to do everything.

What is mentioned here is equivalent to Sadhana Chatushtaya or the four-fold Sadhana to be developed in preparation for spiritual life proper. Cultivating these qualities makes one an Adhikari or a fit student to proceed further with the help from a Guru or Master who has himself realized the Self.

4 The best way to develop these basic qualities is to spend some time serving the Guru with devotion and humility. If this procedure is followed, the disciple shines as an outstanding spiritual aspirant.

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Verse 7: vi) “Guruh Uvaacha” – Listening to the Guru

´ÉÏ aÉÑÂÂuÉÉcÉ -

SØzrÉÇ rÉSåiÉŠ eÉQÇû ÌuÉMüÉËU

xÉuÉïÇ ½lÉÉiqÉæuÉ qÉ×wÉÉ ÌuÉlÉÉzÉÏ |

AÉiqÉÉ iÉÑ Sì¹æuÉ ÍcĘ́ÉxuÉpÉÉuÉÉå

lÉ SØzrÉiÉå lÉÉÌmÉ ÌlÉoÉkrÉiÉå uÉÉ ||7||

shree guruh uvaacha: The Guru said:

1 Drishyam yad etat cha jadam vikaari

Whatever is ‘Seen’ here is indeed inert and changing;

2 sarvam hi anaatmaa eva mrishaa vinaashee;

all this is the ‘Not-Self’ ever illusory and perishing.

3 aatmaa tu drishtaa eva chitti swabhaavah

The Self alone is the ‘Seer’ of the nature of Consciousness;

4 na drishyate na api nibadhyate vaa.

It is neither ‘Seen’, nor also is it bound.

This is an example of what the student is instructed by his Guru in the beginning of his spiritual journey. The Guru speaks to the disciple – ‘Guruh Uvaacha’, concisely covering all that the student needs to know. The Vedantic term for this is Sravana.

1-2 Leaving out all the side issues, the verse goes straight to the essential point about what is not the Self. Whatever is “seen” cannot be Self, because it means there is something other than it which is ‘seeing’ it – and we learn that there is nothing other than the Self.

If it is ‘seen’ then it also means that it is changing and inert, illusory and perishable. In this way the student is made aware of how to deal with the world.

3-4 The Self has to be the ultimate ‘Seer’, and something that cannot itself be seen. Because the Self is infinite, it cannot be bound by any limits.

The disciple is put through the rudimentary concepts which he needs to grasp well before he can understand the nature of the Self. The distinction between the seen (objects) and the seer (the subject) is very basic in Vedanta philosophy. The student is taught the details of how to discriminate between the two. “That which is seen” refers to all the objects of all the organs of knowledge, not just the eyes. All that falls into the realm of the not-Self.

The Self is thus clearly marked out or indicated in this negative way. In a positive way the Self is described as of the “nature of pure Consciousness”.

The word ‘inert’ used in Vedanta is a technical word meaning that which does not have the power to illuminate or to know. It is not, as we usually use the word, referring to something gross, dull or lazy. The power to know is strictly the preserve of the Self or Consciousness.

*****

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Verse 8: vii) “Siddhah” – the Perfected Stage

AÉiqÉÉ ÌWû ÌlÉirÉÉåÅÎZÉsÉsÉÉåMüxÉɤÉÏ

xÉ LuÉ eÉaÉiÉÈ mÉUqÉÉ´ÉrÉÉåÅÌmÉ |

LuÉÇ ÌuÉeÉÉlÉlÉç xÉSxÉ̲uÉåMüÐ

pÉuÉiÉÏWû ÍxÉ®È mÉUqÉÉjÉïSzÉÏï ||8||

1 Aatmaa hi nityah akhila-loka-saakshee

The Atman (Self) is Eternal, It is the witness of the whole world;

2 sah eva jagatah param aashrayah api;

of the world, It alone is also the supreme support.

3 evam vijaanan sad- asad vivekee

This understanding of the Real from the unreal comes to the discriminating.

4 bhavati iha SIDDHAH paramaartha darshee.

He becomes an accomplished one here, for he sees the Absolute Truth.

However interesting Sravana may be, i.e. listening to all this beautiful knowledge from the Guru, the disciple still has to personally reflect upon it. He has to digest the knowledge – this is called Manana. Thereafter, he meditates on these truths – this is called Nididhyasana. When all three steps are mastered, the disciple becomes a Siddhah, which is Station No 7. This is the end-point of the journey. (More explanations follow in Part B.)

1 By reflection on what the Guru has said, the answers to the disciples questions (see verse 5) begin coming in. This Pada answers the first question, “Who am I?” The true nature of the Self is discovered by the student.

Just as the term Atman is used for consciousness when speaking in terms of an individual, so the term Brahman is used for the supreme consciousness when referring to the whole world. The two are said to be essentially identical, for there can only be one Truth. When the Jiva gives up its Jiva-hood, then it is no different from Brahman Himself.

2 The question “How is the world supported?” is now answered.

3 The essential part of Manana is to learn to distinguish between the Self and the Not-Self, the Real and the unreal.

4 Darshee: Once this is mastered, with no doubts remaining, he “sees” the Absolute Truth and becomes a Siddha, i.e. a perfected or accomplished one.

The practical side involves deep reflection of this Truth. The student does Self-enquiry and steadies himself in the conviction that he is beyond the body. He does this to such an extent that soon he actually identifies totally with the Seer only and not the seen. The conviction gets so strong that even if the whole universe were to fold up and dissolve, the seeker would still feel that nothing of ‘ME’ is affected. What then to speak of ordinary ups and downs in life, joys and sorrows, likes and dislikes, etc.

*****

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PART B Verses 9-12

“At the DESTINATION”

WE ARE NOW AT the same station, the Destination of Perfection, Siddhah. For the next four verses we take a little tour of this destination, looking at it from different angles.

Each angle is given a different name. They are all different ways of looking at the same basic state of Self-realisation. We have named them Stations No 7a-d.

Verse 9: vii.a) “Para-Ananda” – the Supreme Bliss Stage

AWûqÉåuÉ iɨuÉÇ eÉaÉSÉ´ÉrÉÇ rÉSè-

ÍpɳÉÇ rÉiÉÈ xÉuÉïqÉÉpÉÉxÉqÉɧÉqÉç |

MÑüiÉÉå pÉrÉÇ qÉå mÉUqÉÉjÉï SÍzÉïlÉÉå

½WÇû mÉUÉlÉlSxuÉÃmÉ LuÉ ||9||

1 Aham eva tattwam jagad aashrayam yad

I alone am that Reality which is the substratum of the world;

2 bhinnam yatah sarvam aabhaasa maatram;

other than this (Reality), all is a mere appearance.

3 kutah bhayam me paramaartha darshinah

Where is fear for me who am the seer of Absolute Truth?

4 hi aham PARA-AANANDA swaroopa eva,

Indeed, I am Supreme Bliss – that alone is my nature.

When the seeker is stabilized in the Self, he is said to have come to the Nirvikalpa Samadhi stage, which is here called Para-Ananda, the stage of reaching Supreme Bliss. This is Station No 7a.

1-3 From this point onwards, the seeker’s ‘I’ refers not to his body or mind or individual limited self, but to the Atman or Pure Consciousness which he is now identified with. This is a huge shift, so much so that one’s entire vision of life explodes to include everything. The expansion of consciousness is of cosmic proportions. The ordinary human mind cannot conceive of such a state. Words also become an unstable medium to express this state.

Nevertheless three aspects of this experience are given here:

1 Aashrayam: “the Substratum”. The sage sees that he is the support of the world.

2 Aabhaasa: “a mere appearance”. What we see as the world, the sage sees as just an appearance having no reality. It is like cinema pictures on a white canvas. The pictures are only appearances with no substance.

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3 Bhayam: “fear”. Where is the state of fear? Fear is an important characteristic that differentiates the relative experience from the Absolute experience. The unknown Truth can only be explained in terms of our known experience. All we can say is that there is no fear in the state of knowing the Absolute Truth.

4 Para-Ananda: “Supreme Bliss”. The above three aspects would confirm that the sage has attained the state in which he experiences only Bliss, his own essential nature.

The Non-Dual state of experience is being described. This is the highest Vedantic realisation. There is no more any Duality. The individual being melts into the Supreme Being.

Verse 10: vii.b) “Tattva-Vetta” – the Perfect Dispassion Stage

qÉÔRûxiÉÑ UÉaÉÏ ÌuÉwÉrÉåwÉÑ ÌlÉirÉÇ

ÌuÉuÉåÌMülÉxiÉåwÉÑ ÌuÉUÉaÉ LuÉ |

AɶÉrÉïqÉåiÉiÉç ZÉsÉÑ iɨuÉuÉå¨ÉÉ

uÉæUÉarÉpÉÉuÉåÅmrÉkÉÑlÉÉ ÌuÉU£üÈ ||10||

1 Moodhah tu raagee vishayeshu nityam

Foolish indeed is the one attached always to the objects of the senses;

2 vivekinah teshu viraaga eva;

the discriminating one has dispassion towards them.

3 aashcharyam etat khalu TATTVA-VETTAA

However, what a wonder is he the knower of Truth,

4 vairaagya bhaave api adhunaa viraktah.

for even towards the thought of dispassion he has now developed dispassion!

From the point of view of the sage’s response to sensual pleasures, the sage becomes the very perfection of Vairagya or dispassion. This is the most significant aspect of a sage when compared to ordinary humans. The state is known as Tattva-Vettaa, and we may call it Station No 7b.

Three Levels of Dispassion:

1 Moodha: We have seen this word in the refrain of Bhaja Govindam. Vedantins seem to love this word, especially Shankaracharyaji. It denotes the person who is so deluded by all that stands for the not-Self, that he is completely attached to the sense world and cannot outgrow it. An above average level of delusion is referred to.

2 Viveki: This is the person who has realized the worthlessness of sensual experiences, and has raised his intellect to discriminate clearly on what is worthwhile and what is not. This has led him to become dispassionate towards the external world. He is the Sadhaka or seeker of liberation.

3 Tattva-Vetta: We have not come across this word before, but it stands for one who is the knower of the Truth. He is now a fully enlightened being, with a divine vision. He has the highest level of Vairagya.

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4 Here we are told of the highest level of dispassion one can reach, that of a Tattva-Vetta, the Super-Vairagi of all Vairagis. When dispassion is perfected, even the need for dispassion does not exist. The Tattva-Vetta has outgrown dispassion. When in his vision there is no ‘other’, of what is he to be dispassionate? Having gone beyond likes and dislikes, there is no craving in him, and so there is no need for a practice called dispassion!

This is such an elevated state that it is more clearly explained in the next verse.

Verse 11: vii.c) “Para-Brahman” – the Non-Dual Stage

²æiÉÇ rÉSÉ pÉåSpÉÉuÉxiÉSæuÉ

UÉaÉÉå ÌuÉUÉaÉxiÉjÉÉWÇû qÉqÉåÌiÉ |

sÉÏlÉÇ mÉUå oÉë¼ÍhÉ qÉÉlÉxÉÇ rÉSÉ

MüjÉÇ mÉëuÉ×Ì¨É¶É MüjÉÇ ÌlÉuÉ×̨ÉÈ ||11||

1 Dvaitam yadaa bheda bhaavah tadaa eva

When there is Duality, then only there is the sense of difference;

2 raagah viraagah tathaa aham mama iti;

(then only) there is likes and dislikes; (then only) there is “I and mine”.

3 leenam PARE BRAHMANI maanasam yadaa

Absorbed in the supreme Brahman – when thus the mind has become,

4 katham pravrittih cha katham nivrittih.

how can there be pursuit of actions, and how can there be withdrawal of the same?

This is another aspect of Truth. We call it Station No 7c, Para-Brahman, or the Non-Dual Reality. It elaborates on the supreme dispassion explained in the previous verse.

1 In Duality, differences must exist, by definition. This is why it is called Duality. The sense of difference is essentially that of “I” against “others”.

2 In such an atmosphere of difference, likes and dislikes are bound to exist. In addition to the attractiveness or repulsiveness of the objects, there are the thoughts of ‘I’ and ‘mine’ to contend with. They come into the equation in order to differentiate between “they” and “theirs”.

3 However, when all duality is erased and the non-dual Reality is established in the sage’s consciousness, there are no such differences. When one has dived deep into the ocean, the waves are not a disturbance to him any longer.

Acharyaji gave a practical example of such a situation. Just imagine you are on the top floor of a tall building, and there is a fire lower down, and the lift is not functioning. What do you do to get out of the trouble? Answer: Just stop imagining!

4 What occurs on the mental level does not affect the person who has transcended the mind. We have crossed over into another level of awareness, known as the Paramarthic Truth. We can no longer compare it to the previous level, which is the transactional level called Vyavaharic Truth. Hence the difficulty in using words to explain the difference. From the Absolute standpoint, there are no actions. So how can one pursue them or withdraw from them?

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Verse 12: vii.d) “Buddha” – the Enlightened Stage

MüÉrÉÉïMüÉrÉïpÉrÉÉlqÉÑ£üÉå sÉÉpÉÉsÉÉpÉåwÉÑ rÉÈ xÉqÉÈ |

eÉÏuɳÉæuÉ xÉ qÉÑ£üÉå uÉæ ÌlÉirÉoÉÑ®Éå lÉ xÉÇzÉrÉÈ ||12||

1 Kaarya-akaarya bhayaat muktah

Free from the fear of obligatory or prohibitory duties;

2 laabha-alaabheshu yah samah; and balanced in gain and in loss;

3 jeevan eva sah muktah vai he is, indeed, liberated even while living;

4 nitya BUDDHAH na samshayah. he is an enlightened one, of this there is no doubt.

Here we have the 4th aspect of realisation, the Buddhah, or “enlightened one”. It is Station No 7d. In this verse two new aspects of the Non-dual state are described – i) freedom from duties, and ii) equipoise and balance.

1 Kaarya-Akaarya: “Obligatory and prohibitory duties”. The point being emphasized here is that there is no longer any fear of these duties. This needs to be explained.

The Buddhah is “free from the fear of any actions”, be they obligatory or prohibitory. Ordinarily, there is fear if one does what is prohibited, and there is fear also if one does not do what is obligatory. These rules are based on right and wrong, the Laws of Dharma, which determine whether we incur demerit or merit through our actions. They apply to the relative plane of existence only.

Once a person, such as the ‘Buddhah’, goes beyond into the Absolute level, he transcends the rules of Dharma. It is said that such a sage who has become enlightened is free from all fear of actions. Whatever he does will naturally be in accordance with Dharma; he does not do them out of fear anymore.

He may still perform them in order to serve humanity, but they will no longer be accompanied by fear – the fear of public criticism, or the fear of doing them badly, etc.

2 Yah Samah: “He is balanced”. Acharyaji expanded on evenness of mind, saying that it has to be enjoyed at three levels: namely, Paristithi, Vastu and Vyakti, i.e. situations, objects, and people. He also added one more to the list of opposites: husband and wife!

Ordinarily, a person is swayed to the maximum degree by the pairs of opposites. Every pair of opposites brings either a gain or a loss of comfort and pleasure. It is almost as if he cannot help it; it is like sitting on a swing, he cannot but help swinging with it.

However, a sage living beyond this phenomenal plane of existence, manages very well to remain well-balanced and with equipoise in all conditions. What is it which renders the sage immune to swings of opposites, especially gain and loss?

The answer lies in true fearlessness, arising from enlightenment. This produces the stirling qualities of balance and equipoise. Usually, fear drives us to experience the opposites, and makes us unbalanced when they come.

[In this context, Acharyaji told us there is a healthy fear which helps us to avoid doing the wrong actions, and also enables us to handle the opposites. An insensitive person may appear to have no fear in society; he is indifferent to what others think or say of him. This is not fearlessness, but a kind of assertion of personality, a prop for the ego.]

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The spiritual aspirant uses all situations, good or bad, to remind him of God. He sees those who curse him or who hurt him, as blessings in disguise, and blesses them in return! He is not averse to sorrow. Those who do not have this raised vision, get flustered in the face of opposition. At times they may even lose faith and become angry with God.

3-4 The above six qualities (including the 4 from the previous verse), are certain indications that a person is in the state of Non-Duality, which is the same as God-realisation. Here such a person is called a Jivanmukta or a Buddha, an enlightened one.

The determining factor is that the sage has access to something deep within himself, a spiritual resource, by which he is able to transcend all worldly sorrows. His state is independent of how he engages himself in the world. It is from the spiritual level that he gets the balance and equipoise to handle all situations calmly.

*****

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PART C Verses 13-18

“The Disciple’s Observations”

UP TO NOW, IT was the Teacher who was taking us through the spiritual journey. From her to the end of the text (verses 13-18), we listen to what the disciple has to say after following the instructions of the Teacher. The disciple gives his side of the experience.

Verse 13: “Guru-Namaami” – Gratitude to One’s Guru

ÍzÉwrÉ EuÉÉcÉ -

rÉSåiÉSèeÉaÉSèSÒÈZÉÃmÉÇ mÉÑUÉxÉÏiÉç

iÉSåuÉÉkÉÑlÉÉlÉlSÃmÉÇ ÌWû pÉÉÌiÉ |

AzÉYrÉÇ qÉiÉÇ rÉiM×üiÉÇ rÉålÉ MüÉrÉïqÉç

aÉÑÂÇ iÉÇ mÉÑlÉuÉæï lÉqÉÉÍqÉ lÉqÉÉÍqÉ ||13||

Shishya uvaacha: The disciple said:

1 Yad etat jagat duhkha roopam puraa aseet

This world which sorrow- ridden once was,

2 tad eva adhunaa aananda roopam hi bhaati;

that very world now as pure Bliss in its essential nature it appears.

3 ashakyam matam yat kritam yena kaaryam

What was impossible for me, that task has been achieved by him

4 GURUM tam punah vai NAMAAMI, namaami.

who is the Guru – again and again I prostrate to him, I prostrate to him.

The disciple begins as a typical disciple of the Indian tradition would – with intense gratitude to his Guru for bringing him to this state, which appeared impossible when he started on the journey at Station No 1, in ‘Bondage’. The step is called ‘Guru-Namaami’.

What changed in him? Nothing outward really – just a major shift in attitude.

View of this World

1 In the stage of Bondage, the disciple had viewed the world as being full of sorrows and afflictions. This was from the standpoint of ignorance. As we saw at the very beginning, he was identified lock, stock and barrel with his body, and attached to sense objects to derive his happiness. He felt he was the doer of his actions in a world which appeared very real to him. This was his vision once upon a time.

2 The Teacher pulled him away from such a narrow, ignorant vision. His Drishti changed and that brought about a change in his Srishti (situation). The highest emphasis is

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placed on changing one’s attitude, one’s vision. That is crucial to one’s spiritual growth. This is also the central message of the Geeta.

That same world now, after undergoing the Sadhana of self-transformation, appears as Pure Bliss. What a change! It can hardly be believed. This is the disciple’s first response.

Acharyaji gave us a point to ponder when he said that after the 2 year Course, our real treasure to go back with would be a positive change in our attitude in life. Without that all the Vedanta would have been in vain. Those who have been serious and have allowed the Vedanta to sink deeply within them will have benefited from the Course.

Disciple’s Debt to the Guru

On achieving such a change for the better, he is filled with immeasurable gratitude towards his Guru who made it all possible by instilling in him belief in himself. He feels very grateful and wants to prostrate again and again to him. Such is his Guru-Bhakti!

Guruji makes a poignant remark in his commentary:

“Even when taught, many do not realize the Truth; then how difficult is it to realize the Truth when not taught!”

Verse 14: “Maha-Adbhutah” – What an Experience!

AWûÉå! xÉSåMüiuÉÌuÉsÉÉåMülÉålÉ

ÌuÉpÉåSpÉÉuÉxxÉMüsÉÉå ÌuÉlÉ¹È |

xuÉxqÉÉ³É mÉzrÉÉqrÉhÉÑqÉɧÉqÉlrÉSè-

qÉWûÉ°ÒiÉÈ ÌMü³ÉÑ xÉSÉiqÉpÉÉuÉÈ ||14||

1 Aho! sad ekatva vilokanena

O what a wonder! The oneness of Truth, by its vision

2 vibheda-bhaavah sakalah vinashtah

the notion of differences has entirely vanished!

3 swasmaat na pashyaami anumaatram anyad

I do not see anything (even a bit) as being different from me.

4 MAHA-ADBHUTAH kintu sad aatma bhaavah.

Isn’t it most wonderful – this vision of Truth?

This verse is reminiscent of the wondrous Cosmic Vision that Lord Krishna bestowed upon Arjuna in the Bhagavad Geeta. It is called ‘Maha-Adbhutah’, “the most awesome”.

1 Guruji describes the seeker’s exclamation of wonder when he has just arrived at the station of Buddhah. Like Arjuna, he is filled with breathless wonder as he tries to describe his wondrous state of seeing God in everything and in everyone.

2 Physically, the sage see the same world as others, but what he sees is not coloured by his mind, as the mind is absolutely pure. There is no discolouration of his experience. Thus he is able to behold God alone in everything due to his purity.

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3 As there is no individuality, we as students cannot imagine what it must like in the shoes of a saint. If nothing is different from me, everything is me!

4 Whilst the state of Buddhahood brings a sense of wonder, Acharyaji told us that when Guruji himself commented on this verse he added another type of wonder he felt: it was the wonder that people, even after going on listening and listening to Vedantic discourses, still do not understand anything – what a wonder that is! Guruji makes a wonderful comment: “Everything about the Truth is a wonder – the Truth itself, its speaker, listener, realisation and non-realisation.”

Verse 15: “Daasah” – Attitude of Servantship

AÉxÉÏimÉÑUÉ qÉå ÌlÉeÉMüiÉ×ïiÉÉqÉÌiÉÈ

mÉëÉmiÉÉ rÉrÉÉ qÉå ÍcÉUSÒÈZÉ xÉÇxÉ×ÌiÉÈ |

ÍzÉÍjÉsÉÏM×üiÉÉ xÉÉ M×üÌiÉrÉÉåaÉ ²ÉUÉ

oÉÉåkÉålÉ SÉxÉÉåÅWûÍqÉiÉϵÉUxrÉ ||15||

1 Aaseet puraa me nija- kartrutaa matih

Earlier there was in me a sense of doership;

2 praaptaa yayaa me chira- duhkha samsritih;

Due to that, I gained continuous sorrow;

3 shithilee-kritaa saa kriti-yoga dvaaraa

That sense was weakened by the practice of Karma Yoga;

4 bodhena DAASAH aham iti eeshwarasya

i.e. with the knowledge “I am the servant of the Lord my God.”

The disciple here pays a well-deserved tribute to the practice of Karma Yoga, which was his starting point on the spiritual journey. Karma Yoga, the Yoga of Action, is strongly recommended by teachers of the spiritual path to begin the long purification process needed to become eligible for further Sadhana such as meditation.

The heart of Karma Yoga is the feeling the devotee holds in his heart, “I am only a servant of the Lord, ‘Daasah’, an instrument in His hands. He is the Doer.”

Karma Yoga – Skill in Action

1 At the heart of his old state of ignorance, or the state of Bondage he started with, was the sense of doership, the conviction that “I am doing all these actions.” This is a huge impediment, as we unnecessarily take on the burden of the whole world upon us. This feeling arises purely from the Ego-sense, and feeds it sumptuously.

2 In retrospect he is quite convinced that ‘Doership’ was the cause of all his suffering for so long a time, running into countless births. It is a lesson for us to learn not to repeat that error, and to make it our foremost spiritual practice to overcome this attitude.

3 Through Karma Yoga, the practice of selfless action, practised with the feeling that we are only an instrument in the hands of God, this sense of doership gets weakened over a period of time. The ego, which thrives on praise at every turn for all that it does, is now

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‘starved’ when actions are done only to please God. The sense of doership at once starts breaking up.

4 The feeling of ‘servant-ship’ is diametrically opposite to that of ‘doership’. The more we bring the Lord into our lives, the lesser the play of the Ego. On this theory rests the whole citadel of Karma Yoga. It always works wonders for the beginner on the path.

Lord Krishna prescribed it for Arjuna time and again throughout the Geeta. Even though the Lord always tried to inspire Arjuna by taking him to lofty levels of thought, He always advocated Arjuna to start with Karma Yoga.

Verse 16: “Prasad” – the Three Graces

MüiÉÉï lÉ pÉÉå£üÉ lÉ MüxrÉÉÌmÉ SÉxÉÈ

½WÇû mÉUÉiqÉÉ iÉÑ xÉSæuÉ qÉÑ£üÈ |

¥ÉÉiÉÇ qÉrÉåSÇ ÌlÉeÉoÉÉåkÉSØwšÉ

aÉÑÂmÉëxÉÉSÉŠ ´ÉÑÌiÉmÉëqÉÉhÉÉiÉç ||16||

1 Kartaa na bhoktaa na kasya api daasah

I am neither the doer nor the enjoyer nor the servant of anyone;

2 hi aham para-aatmaa tu sadaa eva muktah;

Indeed, I am the Supreme Self that has always been free.

3 jnaatam mayaa idam nija-bodha drishtyaa

This has been known by me by my own understanding,

4 guru-PRASAADaat cha shruti pramaanaat.

by the grace of my Guru, and by the authority of the scriptures.

“Prasad” refers generally to what the Lord gives to the devotee. In this verse, the word is taken to mean Grace. There are three Graces that the disciple has been blessed with. They are:

i) The Grace of My Intellect: 3 The intellect that has been sharpened and purified is the fittest instrument to enquire into the Truth. This power of enquiry is a Grace of the intellect.

ii) The Grace of My Guru: 4a The Guru’s painstaking patience to nurture the disciple as a father nurtures his son is the Guru’s Grace.

iii) The Grace of Mother Sruti: 4b The accurate, precise and truthful statements of the scriptures which provide the disciple with clear direction as to how to proceed, is the Grace of the Sruti.

Who Am I?

1 By negative means, the disciple describes what he is NOT.

The body, mind and intellect are grouped under the term Upadhis. The Upadhis are a curtain that stands between us and the Supreme. ‘Doer’ refers to the body, which we use to

22

act; ‘enjoyer’ refers to the mind, which is where we feel the emotion of enjoyment or pleasure; and ‘servant-ship’ refers to the intellect which in ignorance is a servant of the senses, but which in enlightenment becomes a servant of the higher Self.

2 By positive means, the disciple asserts what he IS.

He is the Supreme Self, that is ever-free, ever un-bound.

The three Graces have successfully shifted his awareness from the Not-Self to the Self. That is the blessing they have bestowed upon the disciple. And he is mighty thankful.

Verse 17: “Dhanyah” – Blessed Beyond Measure

lÉ MüqÉï ÌMüÎgcÉiMüUhÉÏrÉqÉÎxiÉ

lÉ SØzrÉÇ qÉrÉÉ SzÉïlÉÏrÉÇ iÉjÉÉ ÌWû |

¥ÉårÉÇ mÉUÇ lÉÉÎxiÉ xÉSÉiqÉpÉÉuÉÉSè-

kÉlrÉÉåÅkÉÑlÉÉÅWÇû ÌlÉeÉsÉÉpÉiÉÑ¹È ||17||

1 Na karma kinchit karaneeyam asti

There are no more duties for me to perform;

2 na drishyam mayaa darshaneeyam tathaa hi;

By me there are no more sights to be seen also;

3 jneyam param na asti sad aatma bhaavaat

There is nothing greater to be known than the true Self;

4 DHANYAH adhunaa aham nija-laabha tushtah.

I am blessed now, content with gaining my own Self.

The disciple in this verse focuses his attention on how blessed he has been. Dhanyah is the term denoting “a blessed person”. This is the fifth comment presented by the disciple.

The State of Blessedness

This consists in three things:

1 Na Karma: “There is nothing more to be DONE.” When does one get freed from his duties? A student is freed from school when he successfully completes his final year in that school. If there is nothing more to learn at school we move on to a higher level of studies.

Similarly, when we have done our duties perfectly, we deserve our ‘promotion’ to move on to higher things. The sage is entitled to his freedom from action, having acquitted himself perfectly in it.

2 Na Drishyam: “There is nothing more to be SEEN.” The ‘Seen’ may be compared to sight-seeing by a tourist. No matter how much a tourist sees, it is never enough. When he visits A, someone will always ask, “But have you not seen B?” And when he goes to B, there will always be the C which he has left out. Thus sight-seeing is endless restlessness.

Similarly, the sage has no desire to go through these experiences endlessly. As he is totally identified with the ultimate “Seer”, he has no interest in being identified with the “Seen”. He has taken his consciousness beyond the “Seen”.

3 Na Jneyam: “There is nothing more to be KNOWN.” Even books have to be put away at some point in time, as there is no end to what can be known about this world. Once

23

one knows the Self, which is the essential core of everything in the world, then what else is there to be known?

4 This is the state of Blessedness reached by the disciple. He is ‘Dhanyah’ indeed – He is completely content being with his own Self, which is the whole universe!

Swami Chinmayananda, commenting on the contented state of the Jivanmukta, used to say, “If we cannot find joy in our own company, why inflict it onto others!”

Kabirdas, a great realized saint of 15th century, said that although he never touched a pen and ink in his life, yet when he was blessed with the divine vision his heart spontan-eously overflowed with the most beautiful poetry that we know today.

Verse 18: “Bhaktyaa” – Devotional Service Unto Death

MüÉrÉïÇ lÉ qÉå rɱÌmÉ ÌMüÎgcÉS§É

iÉjÉÉÌmÉ MüiÉÑïÇ mÉËUzÉåwÉqÉÎxiÉ |

rÉxrÉÉåmÉSåzÉålÉ cÉ sÉokÉÌuɱÈ

ÌlÉirÉÇ ÌWû pÉYirÉÉ aÉÑÂmÉÉSxÉåuÉÉ ||18||

1 Kaaryam na me yad- yapi kinchit atra

There is not any duty anymore here (in this world, for me);

2 tathaapi kartum pari shesham asti;

Even then, some task there still remains to be done.

3 yasya upadeshena cha labdha vidyah

And by whose teaching I have gained this Self-knowledge,

4 nityam hi BHAKTYAA guru-paada sevaa.

indeed, with devotion, for ever will I be at his service – at the feet of my Guru!

The concluding verse brings out the richness of the Guru-disciple tradition as conceived by the Vedic seers. It is truly sacred and time-honoured. Advaita is ultimately an attitude and nowhere is it more clearly seen in practice than in the relationship of love and reverence between the disciple and the Guru. This is stage of the Bhaktyaa.

Guru-Seva – the Most Prized Activity

1 In verse 12 we have already seen that the sage is beyond the rule of Dharma which prescribes certain duties as obligatory and other actions as prohibitory. This has been explained under that verse.

Here it is being said that for the sage there are no longer any duties. It does not mean that he just sits and does nothing. It means he does not have to act from a sense of obligation or prohibition any longer. He has transcended them. He has gone beyond the need to accrue merit or avoid demerit. Thus, we understand from this verse that the saint acts only for the sake of serving the world as prompted from within by divine Will.

2 However, although there are no duties as such, the disciple, who has now become the sage, ever feels that out of gratitude to his Master, he will serve him for the rest of his

24

life, not out of obligation but out of LOVE. The Self-realised disciple continues to serve the world as his Guru did – i.e. by training and helping other disciples to establish them on the spiritual path.

3 This line shows us how important it is in the Indian tradition to keep the Guru-disciple lineage continuing. The disciple benefited from the Guru. He in turn has to help future disciples by serving as a Guru to them.

He feels keenly the sufferings of others and tries to help them to be truly liberated from it. He does not become isolated from the world.

Vedanta does not make people other-worldly. Whilst they are in this world, they still put their socks over their feet and their cap on the head – not the other way round!

4 Finally, the statement is made that whatever a saint-disciple does in this world, is done purely in the spirit of service to his Master who raised him to that level. There is no egoistic sense of doership. It is all pure service only, and is dedicated at the feet of the beloved Guru as an offering of worship.

This raises the disciple to the status of a Bhaktyaah, one who is ever devoted to his Master.

CONCLUSION

At such a touching point which demonstrates the loftiness of the Indian spiritual tradition, ends this simple yet very profound text.

The text has taken us on a spiritual ‘train’ journey which took us from Bondage to Siddha-hood, through seven different stations including these two. Once we got to the station of perfection, we did some sight-seeing there and explored 4 aspects of this wondrous state of spiritual realisation.

Finally, the disciple whom we followed through his journey to perfection, gives us his own impression of the trip. He does this through the last six verses, wherein he highlights all the inspiring landmarks which he past along the route, notably, the gratitude he felt all along to his Guru, the wonder of the whole experience, the purification of Karma Yoga, the Grace he received, the blessings he obtained, and at last the devotional service to which he has given himself for the rest of his life.

Om Tat Sat!

*****

25

JNANA SARA “The Essence of Knowledge”

by Sri Swami Tejomayananda

Split-Sandhee Samskrit Format (to Assist Beginners in Identifying the Words)

¥ÉÉlÉxÉÉUÈ

A. THE SPIRITUAL JOURNEY

AÉUÉkrÉÇ mÉUqÉÇ UÉqÉÇ , lÉiuÉÉ pÉYirÉÉ cÉ xɪÒÂqÉç |

¥ÉÉlÉxÉÉUÇ mÉëuɤrÉÉÍqÉ , xuÉÉiqÉÌlɸè-Lå-Mü ÍxÉ®rÉå ||1||

SåWèû-AÉ"-iqÉ pÉÉuÉç-AÉå ÌuÉwÉrÉåwÉÑ UÉaÉÈ

MüiÉ×ïiuÉ pÉÉuÉ-zÉç cÉ iÉjÉç-Lå-uÉ MüqÉïxÉÑ |

xÉirÉiuÉ oÉÑή-Uç eÉaÉiÉç-D-Wû rÉxrÉ

xÉ LuÉ oÉ®È mÉÑÂwÉ-zÉç cÉ SÒÈZÉÏ ||2||

mÉëÉmiÉÉ qÉrÉÉ sÉÉåMüqÉÉlrÉÉ mÉëÍxÉήÈ

pÉÉåaÉç-AÉå ÅÌmÉ pÉÑ£ü-zÉç cÉ kÉlÉÇ iÉjÉÉ ÌWû |

sÉokÉÇ xÉÑZÉÇ lÉç-Lå-uÉ qÉrÉÉ MüSÉÌmÉ

qÉÑÌ£Çü ÌWû uÉÉgNûÉqÉç-rÉç AkÉÑlÉÉ qÉÑqÉѤÉÑÈ ||3||

DzÉxrÉ SÉxÉç-AÉå ÅWûqÉç CÌiÉ mÉëeÉÉlÉlÉç

iÉålÉç-Lå-uÉ rÉÑ£çü-AÉå ÌuÉÌuÉkÉåwÉÑ MüqÉïxÉÑ |

SåuÉxrÉ MüÉurÉÇ eÉaÉSè LiÉSè AÉiÉiÉqÉç

mÉzrÉlÉç xÉSÉ MüqÉï MüUÉåÌiÉ xÉÉkÉMüÈ ||4||

Mçü-AÉå ÅWÇû MÑüiÉç-AÉå ÅWÇû ÌMüqÉç CSÇ cÉ ÌuɵÉÇ

MÇü mÉÔeÉrÉliÉç-D-Wû eÉlÉÉ-zÉç cÉ SåuÉqÉç |

mÉërÉÉåeÉlÉÇ ÌMÇü qÉqÉ eÉÏuÉlÉxrÉ

ÎeÉ¥ÉÉxÉÑ-Uç LuÉÇ ÌuÉÍcÉlÉÉåÌiÉ ÌlÉirÉqÉç ||5||

iÉMåïühÉ lÉç-Lå-wÉÉ qÉÌiÉ-Uç AÉmÉlÉårÉÉ

¥ÉÉiuÉÉ ´ÉÑiÉå-Uç aÉcNûÌiÉ xɪÒÂÇ rÉÈ |

ÌuÉuÉåMü uÉæUÉarÉ zÉqÉÉÌS rÉÑ£çü-AÉå

aÉÑÂÇ ÌWû xÉåuÉåiÉ xÉ ÍzÉwrÉ-uÉrÉïÈ ||6||

´ÉÏ aÉÑÂ-Uç EuÉÉcÉ -

SØzrÉÇ rÉSè LiÉcÉç-cÉ eÉQÇû ÌuÉMüÉËU

xÉuÉïÇ Wèû-rÉç AlÉÉiqÉç-"Lå-uÉ qÉ×wÉÉ ÌuÉlÉÉzÉÏ |

26

AÉiqÉÉ iÉÑ Sعè-Lå-uÉ ÍcÉÌ¨É xuÉpÉÉuÉç-AÉå

lÉ SØzrÉiÉå lÉç-AÉ-ÌmÉ ÌlÉoÉkrÉiÉå uÉÉ ||7||

AÉiqÉÉ ÌWû ÌlÉirÉç-AÉå ÅÎZÉsÉ-sÉÉåMü-xÉɤÉÏ

xÉ LuÉ eÉaÉiÉÈ mÉUqÉç AÉ´ÉrÉç-AÉå ÅÌmÉ |

LuÉÇ ÌuÉeÉÉlÉlÉç xÉSè-AxÉSè ÌuÉuÉåMüÐ

pÉuÉiÉç-D-Wû ÍxÉ®È mÉUqÉÉjÉï SzÉÏï ||8||

B. AT THE DESTINATION

AWûqÉç LuÉ iɨuÉÇ eÉaÉSè AÉ´ÉrÉÇ rÉSè

ÍpɳÉÇ rÉiÉÈ xÉuÉïqÉç AÉpÉÉxÉ qÉɧÉqÉç |

MÑüiÉç-AÉå pÉrÉÇ qÉå mÉUqÉÉjÉï SÍzÉïlÉç-AÉå

Wèû-rÉç AWÇû mÉUç-AÉ"-lÉlS xuÉÃmÉ LuÉ ||9||

qÉÔRû-xÉç iÉÑ UÉaÉÏ ÌuÉwÉrÉåwÉÑ ÌlÉirÉÇ

ÌuÉuÉåÌMülÉ-xÉç iÉåwÉÑ ÌuÉUÉaÉ LuÉ |

AɶÉrÉïqÉç LiÉiÉç ZÉsÉÑ iɨuÉ uÉå¨ÉÉ

uÉæUÉarÉ pÉÉuÉç-L ÅmÉç-rÉç AkÉÑlÉÉ ÌuÉU£üÈ ||10||

²æiÉÇ rÉSÉ pÉåS pÉÉuÉ-xÉç iÉSè-"Lå-uÉ

UÉaÉç-AÉå ÌuÉUÉaÉ-xÉç iÉjÉç-"AÉ-WÇû qÉqÉç-L-ÌiÉ |

sÉÏlÉÇ mÉUå oÉë¼ÍhÉ qÉÉlÉxÉÇ rÉSÉ

MüjÉÇ mÉëuÉ×̨É-zÉç cÉ MüjÉÇ ÌlÉuÉ×̨ÉÈ ||11||

MüÉrÉïç-AÉ-MüÉrÉï pÉrÉÉlÉç qÉÑ£çü-AÉå , sÉÉpÉç-AÉ-sÉÉpÉåwÉÑ rÉÈ xÉqÉÈ |

eÉÏuÉlÉç lÉç-L-uÉ xÉ qÉÑ£çü-AÉå uÉæ ÌlÉirÉ oÉÑ®è-AÉå lÉ xÉÇzÉrÉÈ ||12||

C. THE DISCIPLE’S OBSERVATIONS

ÍzÉwrÉ EuÉÉcÉ -

rÉSè LiÉSè eÉaÉSè SÒÈZÉ ÃmÉÇ mÉÑUç-"AÉ"-xÉÏiÉç

iÉSè LuÉç-AÉ-kÉÑlÉçÅ-AÉ"-lÉlS ÃmÉÇ ÌWû pÉÉÌiÉ |

AzÉYrÉÇ qÉiÉÇ rÉiÉç M×üiÉÇ rÉålÉ MüÉrÉïqÉç

aÉÑÂÇ iÉÇ mÉÑlÉ-Uç uÉæ lÉqÉÉÍqÉ lÉqÉÉÍqÉ ||13||

AWûÉå! xÉSè LMüiuÉ ÌuÉsÉÉåMülÉålÉ

ÌuÉpÉåS-pÉÉuÉ-xÉç xÉMüsÉç-AÉå ÌuÉlÉ¹È |

xuÉxqÉÉlÉç-lÉ mÉzrÉÉqÉç-rÉç AhÉÑqÉɧÉqÉç AlrÉSè

qÉWèû-"AÉ-°ÒiÉÈ ÌMü³ÉÑ xÉSè AÉiqÉ pÉÉuÉÈ ||14||

AÉxÉÏiÉç mÉÑUÉ qÉå ÌlÉeÉMüiÉ×ïiÉÉ qÉÌiÉÈ

mÉëÉmiÉÉ rÉrÉÉ qÉå ÍcÉU SÒÈZÉ xÉÇxÉ×ÌiÉÈ |

ÍzÉÍjÉsÉÏ M×üiÉÉ xÉÉ M×üÌiÉ rÉÉåaÉ ²ÉUÉ

27

oÉÉåkÉålÉ SÉxÉç-AÉå ÅWûqÉç CiÉç-D"-µÉUxrÉ ||15||

MüiÉÉï lÉ pÉÉå£üÉ lÉ MüxrÉç-AÉ-ÌmÉ SÉxÉÈ

Wèû-rÉç AWÇû mÉUç-AÉ"-iqÉÉ iÉÑ xÉSè-Lå-uÉ qÉÑ£üÈ |

¥ÉÉiÉÇ qÉrÉç-L-SÇ ÌlÉeÉoÉÉåkÉ SØwšÉ

aÉÑÂ mÉëxÉÉSÉcÉç-cÉ ´ÉÑÌiÉ mÉëqÉÉhÉÉiÉç ||16||

lÉ MüqÉï ÌMüÎgcÉiÉç MüUhÉÏrÉqÉç AÎxiÉ

lÉ SØzrÉÇ qÉrÉÉ SzÉïlÉÏrÉÇ iÉjÉÉ ÌWû |

¥ÉårÉÇ mÉUÇ lÉç-AÉ-ÎxiÉ xÉSè AÉiqÉ pÉÉuÉÉSè

kÉlrÉç-AÉå ÅkÉÑlÉÉ ÅWÇû ÌlÉeÉsÉÉpÉ iÉÑ¹È ||17||

MüÉrÉïÇ lÉ qÉå rɱÌmÉ ÌMüÎgcÉSè A§É

iÉjÉç-"AÉ-ÌmÉ MüiÉÑïÇ mÉËUzÉåwÉqÉç AÎxiÉ |

rÉxrÉç-AÉå-mÉSåzÉålÉ cÉ sÉokÉ ÌuɱÈ

ÌlÉirÉÇ ÌWû pÉYirÉÉ aÉÑÂ mÉÉS xÉåuÉÉ ||18||

|| Á iÉiÉç xÉiÉç ||

*****

JNANA SARA “The Essence of Knowledge”

by Sri Swami Tejomayananda

Split-Sandhee English Transliterations

j²¡nas¡ra¦

A. THE SPIRITUAL JOURNEY

¡r¡dhya¯ parama¯ r¡ma¯ , natv¡ bhakty¡ ca sadgurum |

j²¡nas¡ra¯ pravak½y¡mi , sv¡tmani½¿h-ai-ka siddhay£ ||1||

d£h-¡"-tma bh¡v-µ vi½ay£½u r¡ga¦

kart»tva bh¡va-¾ ca tath-ai-va karmasu |

satyatva buddhi-r jagat-§-ha yasya

sa £va baddha¦ puru½a-¾ ca du¦kh§ ||2||

pr¡pt¡ may¡ lµkam¡ny¡ prasiddhi¦

bhµg-µ :'pi bhukta-¾ ca dhana¯ tath¡ hi |

28

labdha¯ sukha¯ n-ai-va may¡ kad¡pi

mukti¯ hi v¡²ch¡m-y adhun¡ mumuk½u¦ ||3||

§¾asya d¡s-µ :'ham iti praj¡nan

t£n-ai-va yukt-µ vividh£½u karmasu |

d£vasya k¡vya¯ jagad £tad ¡tatam

pa¾yan sad¡ karma karµti s¡dhaka¦ ||4||

k-µ :'ha¯ kut-µ :'ha¯ kim ida¯ ca vi¾va¯

ka¯ pÀjayant-§-ha jan¡-¾ ca d£vam |

prayµjana¯ ki¯ mama j§vanasya

jij²¡su-r £va¯ vicinµti nityam ||5||

tark£³a n-ai-½¡ mati-r ¡pan£y¡

j²¡tv¡ ¾rut£-r gacchati sadguru¯ ya¦ |

viv£ka vair¡gya ¾am¡di yukt-µ

guru¯ hi s£v£ta sa ¾i½ya-varya¦ ||6||

¾r§ guru-r uv¡ca -

d»¾ya¯ yad £tac-ca ja¢a¯ vik¡ri

sarva¯ h-y an¡tm-"ai-va m»½¡ vin¡¾§ |

¡tm¡ tu d»½¿-ai-va citti svabh¡v-µ

na d»¾yat£ n-¡-pi nibadhyat£ v¡ ||7||

¡tm¡ hi nity-µ :'khila-lµka-s¡k½§

sa £va jagata¦ param ¡¾ray-µ :'pi |

£va¯ vij¡nan sad-asad viv£k§

bhavat-§-ha siddha¦ param¡rtha dar¾§ ||8||

B. AT THE DESTINATION

aham £va tattva¯ jagad ¡¾raya¯ yad

bhinna¯ yata¦ sarvam ¡bh¡sa m¡tram |

kut-µ bhaya¯ m£ param¡rtha dar¾in-µ

h-y aha¯ par-¡"-nanda svarÀpa £va ||9||

mÀ¢ha-s tu r¡g§ vi½ay£½u nitya¯

viv£kina-s t£½u vir¡ga £va |

¡¾caryam £tat khalu tattva v£tt¡

vair¡gya bh¡v-£ :'p-y adhun¡ virakta¦ ||10||

dvaita¯ yad¡ bh£da bh¡va-s tad-"ai-va

r¡g-µ vir¡ga-s tath-"¡-ha¯ mam-£-ti |

l§na¯ par£ brahma³i m¡nasa¯ yad¡

katha¯ prav»tti-¾ ca katha¯ niv»tti¦ ||11||

29

k¡ry-¡-k¡rya bhay¡n mukt-µ , l¡bh-¡-l¡bh£½u ya¦ sama¦ |

j§van n-£-va sa mukt-µ vai nitya buddh-µ na sa¯¾aya¦ ||12||

C. THE DISCIPLE’S OBSERVATIONS

¾i½ya uv¡ca -

yad £tad jagad du¦kha rÀpa¯ pur-"¡"-s§t

tad £v-¡-dhun:'-¡"-nanda rÀpa¯ hi bh¡ti |

a¾akya¯ mata¯ yat k»ta¯ y£na k¡ryam

guru¯ ta¯ puna-r vai nam¡mi nam¡mi ||13||

ahµ! sad £katva vilµkan£na

vibh£da-bh¡va-s sakal-µ vina½¿a¦ |

svasm¡n-na pa¾y¡m-y a³um¡tram anyad

mah-"¡-dbhuta¦ kinnu sad ¡tma bh¡va¦ ||14||

¡s§t pur¡ m£ nijakart»t¡ mati¦

pr¡pt¡ yay¡ m£ cira du¦kha sa¯s»ti¦ |

¾ithil§ k»t¡ s¡ k»ti yµga dv¡r¡

bµdh£na d¡s-µ :'ham it-§"-¾varasya ||15||

kart¡ na bhµkt¡ na kasy-¡-pi d¡sa¦

h-y aha¯ par-¡"-tm¡ tu sad-£-va mukta¦ |

j²¡ta¯ may-£-da¯ nijabµdha d»½¿y¡

guru pras¡d¡c-ca ¾ruti pram¡³¡t ||16||

na karma ki²cit kara³§yam asti

na d»¾ya¯ may¡ dar¾an§ya¯ tath¡ hi |

j²£ya¯ para¯ n-¡-sti sad ¡tma bh¡v¡d

dhany-µ :'dhun¡ :'ha¯ nijal¡bha tu½¿a¦ ||17||

k¡rya¯ na m£ yadyapi ki²cid atra

tath-"¡-pi kartu¯ pari¾£½am asti |

yasy-µ-pad£¾£na ca labdha vidya¦

nitya¯ hi bhakty¡ guru p¡da s£v¡ ||18||

|| µ° tat sat ||

Om Tat Sat!

*****