Poojya Sri Anubhavananda Saraswati

POK Vivekachooddamani Talk 6 18th October, 2020

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J65R-W-FORQ

Summary of Talk 6 by Swami Anubhavanandaji.

Compilation - Dr. Hegde, Mr. Ullas, Smt Padma Baliga & Smt. Jyothirmayi Kartik

Sloka 39

ब्रह्मानन्दरसानुभूतिकलितैः पूर्तैः सुशीतैर्युतैः युष्मद्वाक्कलशोज्झितैः श्रुतिसुखैर्वाक्यामृतैः सेचय । संतप्तं भवतापदावदहनज्वालाभिरेनं प्रभो धन्यास्ते भवदीक्षणक्षणगतेः पात्रीकृताः स्वीकृताः ॥ ३९ ॥

brahmānandarasānubhūtikalitaiḥ pūrtaiḥ suśītairyutaiḥ yuṣmadvākkalaśojjhitaiḥ śrutisukhairvākyāmṛtaiḥ secaya | saṃtaptaṃ bhavatāpadāvadahanajvālābhirenaṃ prabho dhanyāste bhavadīkṣaṇakṣaṇagateḥ pātrīkṛtāḥ svīkṛtāḥ || 39 ||

O Lord, thy nectarine speech, sweetened by the elixir like Bliss of Brahman, pure, cooling, issuing in streams from thy lips as from a water-vessel, and pleasing to the ear do thou shower upon me who am tormented by worldly afflictions as by the flames of a forest fire. Blessed are those who have received even a passing glance from thy eyes, accepting them under thy protection.

· I am tormented and miserable in this relative world. Blessed are they to whomever you are available and who are available for your grace

Sloka 40

कथं तरेयं भवसिन्धुमेतं का वा गतिर्मे कतमोऽस्त्युपायः । जाने न किञ्ज्चित्कृपयाव मां प्रभो संसारदुःखक्षतिमातनुष्व ॥ ४0 ॥

kathaṃ tareyaṃ bhavasindhumetaṃ kā vā gatirme katamo'styupāyaḥ | jāne na kiñjcitkṛpayāva māṃ prabho saṃsāraduḥkhakṣatimātanuṣva || 40 ||

How to cross this ocean of worldly existence? What is to be my ultimate destination? Which of the many means should I adopt? I know nothing of these. O Lord! Save me and describe in all details how to end the misery of this earthly existence

· Student surrenders to the guru.: How can I cross this ocean of relative world? What is the destination of my life which will give me fulfilment? What is the sadhana? I don’t know what it all even means. How can I get rid of these perpetual miseries of this world?

· I am aware of the objective approach. What is spiritual life? Does it I have to obtain something?

· How can the miseries of this relative life be resolved?

· Unless we are aware that we are in relativity, we cannot get out of it.

Sloka 41

तथा वदन्तं शरणागतं स्वं संसारदावानलतापतप्तम् । निरीक्ष्य कारुण्यरसार्द्रदृष्ट्या दद्यादभीतिं सहसा महात्मा ॥ ४१ ॥

tathā vadantaṃ śaraṇāgataṃ svaṃ saṃsāradāvānalatāpataptam | nirīkṣya kāruṇyarasārdradṛṣṭyā dadyādabhītiṃ sahasā mahātmā || 41 ||

As he speaks, afflicted by and seeking protection from the blaze of the fire of samsara*—the noble Teacher looks at him in all pity and kindness and spontaneously bestows upon him protection from fear.

· Guru should look compassionately and sincerely and boost the student’s confidence. Remove fear from his mind

· Comfort him that there is a guaranteed way to transcend this world. divse the student not to worry

Sloka 42

विद्वान् स तस्मा उपसत्तिमीयुषे मुमुक्षवे साधु यथोक्तकारिणे । प्रशान्तचित्ताय शमान्विताय तत्त्वोपदेशं कृपयैव कुर्यात् ॥ ४२ ॥

vidvān sa tasmā upasattimīyuṣe mumukṣave sādhu yathoktakāriṇe | praśāntacittāya śamānvitāya tattvopadeśaṃ kṛpayaiva kuryāt || 42 ||

To him, who, thirsting for liberation, has sought the protection of the Teacher, and who abides by scriptural injunctions, who has a calm mind and a serene heart , the Master should give out the knowledge of the Truth with utmost kindness.

· The teacher should recognize the student as a true seeker and guide him.

· With Shraddha we accept, with complete devotion and then practice it in life by complete awareness throughout the day.

· This highest knowledge will end the misery once and for all, there is no going back.

· Experience everything but remain untouched.

· Suffering is due to Ignorance: Body, possessions and relations are the ropes tying us.

· Jiva Bhava (concept to alleviate body identification) is another kind of rope.

· Effects of ignorance - unreal is taken as real.

Sloka 43

मा भैष्ट विद्वंस्तव नास्त्यपायः संसारसिन्धोस्तरणेऽस्त्युपायः । येनैव याता यतयोऽस्य पारं तमेव मार्गं तव निर्दिशामि ॥ ४३ ॥

mā bhaiṣṭa vidvaṃstava nāstyapāyaḥ saṃsārasindhostaraṇe'styupāyaḥ | yenaiva yātā yatayo'sya pāraṃ tameva mārgaṃ tava nirdiśāmi || 43 ||

Fear not, O learned one! There is no danger for you. There is a way to cross over this ocean of relative existence. I shall instruct you in the very path by which the ancient Seers have reached the Beyond.

· The guru advises the student saying you have come to the right place and there is a way to transcend this ocean as taught by Seers who have experienced this.

Sloka 44

अस्त्युपायो महान् कश्चित्संसारभयनाशनः । तेन तीर्त्वा भवाम्भोधिं परमानन्दमाप्स्यसि ॥ ४४ ॥

astyupāyo mahān kaścitsaṃsārabhayanāśanaḥ | tena tīrtvā bhavāmbhodhiṃ paramānandamāpsyasi || 44 ||

There is a supreme means by which you can put an end to the fear of relative existence; by that you will cross the sea of samsara and attain the Bliss Supreme.

· True Mahatmas are not associated with varnas and ashrams. They are concerned only with the Absolute Truth

· I wake up as I sleep - mother or wife etc. So, let us sleep with the bhavana that I am pure chaitanya dropping all upadhis including body and jiva identification.

· Swamiji gives an example of a few bottles with liquids of different colours. When they break different colour liquids come out but from an empty bottle when it breaks there is no change as space in it is part of the total space in fact the bottle is in space. The colour liquids represent all our roles. So leave all roles or do not be too identified by it.

· Objectless experience like a mirror - not accepting, retaining or rejecting or remembering anything but reflecting everything.

· Know that it is how things already are. They need not be shown. One does not ‘become’

· The Truth cannot be revealed. (It must be discovered)

Sloka 45

वेदान्तार्थविचारेण जायते ज्ञानमुत्तमम् । तेनात्यन्तिकसंसारदुःखनाशो भवत्यनु ॥ ४५ ॥

vedāntārthavicāreṇa jāyate jñānamuttamam | tenātyantikasaṃsāraduḥkhanāśo bhavatyanu || 45 ||

The highest knowledge arises from an inquiry into the meaning of the Vedanta. By this knowledge, immediately a total annihilation of all sorrows of birth and death takes place.

· Vedantha vignana sunichtithartha – Mahatmas are very clear about the highest knowledge and Vedanta authenticates or validates this for them

· There are 3 types of knowledges –

o Adibhautika – associated with the material world – upa jnanam – the Brahmana bhaaga of the Vedanta – rituals, ways of doing things, Karmakanda is done to propitiate the deity within us but we take the body and the external world to be real

o Upasana – To propitiate the Gods invoked to fulfil the desires of the relative world

o Jnanam uttamam – Tatvam Asi – Ultimate knowledge that teaches you that you are the Truth. Continuously contemplate. Practice is needed 24/7

Sloka 46

श्रद्धाभक्तिध्यानयोगाम्मुमुक्षोः मुक्तेर्हेतून्वक्ति साक्षाच्छ्रुतेर्गीः । यो वा एतेष्वेव तिष्ठत्यमुष्य मोक्षोऽविद्याकल्पिताद्देहबन्धात् ॥ ४६ ॥

śraddhābhaktidhyānayogāmmumukṣoḥ mukterhetūnvakti sākṣācchrutergīḥ | yo vā eteṣveva tiṣṭhatyamuṣya mokṣo'vidyākalpitāddehabandhāt || 46 ||

Faith, devotion and the practice of meditation---these are declared in the scriptures as the chief factors that help a seeker to attain liberation. Whoever pursues these is liberated from the bondage* of the body mysteriously forged by spiritual ignorance.

· The teacher tells the students the qualifications required - Shraddha, Bhakti, Dhyana (giving complete attention on the Lord or the Absolute Truth) yoga, mumukshutvam

Sloka 47

अज्ञानयोगात्परमात्मनस्तव ह्यनात्मबन्धस्तत एव संसृतिः । तयोर्विवेकोदितबोधवन्हिः अज्ञानकार्यं प्रदहेत्समूलम् ॥ ४७ ॥

ajñānayogātparamātmanastava hyanātmabandhastata eva saṃsṛtiḥ | tayorvivekoditabodhavanhiḥ ajñānakāryaṃ pradahetsamūlam || 47 ||

You are indeed the supreme Self but due to your association with ignorance you find yourself under the bondage of the not-self, which is the sole cause of the cycle of births and deaths. All the effects of ignorance, root and branch, are burnt down by the fire of knowledge, which arises from discrimination between these two—the Self and the not-Self.

· Due to your ignorance you do not understand the highest knowledge

· Ajnanayoga – Feeling we are limited

· Association with the perceived reality and ignorant of the highest Truth

· Know that you are beyond the worldly things

· We find completeness with the possession of things. This is the limitation.

· Do upasana but without kama.

· You don’t need to give up anything since you don’t have anything

· Know that the effects of ignorance can be burnt down by discrimination of Atma and Anatma

Vivekachoodamani - Word meanings of verses covered on 15th October, 2020 by Sri Anubhavanandaji

With grateful thanks to Swami Gurubhaktanandaji and Swami Advayanandaji.