Summary:
Atma Bodha, Verse 38: The verse outlines the method of nididhyasana (Vedantic contemplation), beginning with proper preparation: sitting in a quiet place (vivikta deśe), with controlled senses (vijitendriyaḥ) and mind free from attachments (virāgaḥ). The process starts with alternative nostril breathing or japa to calm the mind, followed by systematic contemplation on the Self as limitless (anantam) and non-dual (ekam). During practice, one examines the five koshas through neti–neti, connects with definitions of Self, and uses silence as a pointer to Awareness. This contemplation helps integrate and actualize the knowledge through profound insights.
Atma Bodha, Verse 39: The verse presents two approaches to contemplation: either bringing the mind back to Ishvara–Atma–Jagat when it wanders, or allowing thoughts while recognizing they're name-form superimposed on Self (like clouds in sky). Both approaches have risks – becoming unrelatable or subtly reidentifying with individual “me.” The solution is maintaining the attitude “I am in process of clarity” while understanding that consciousness remains unchanged regardless of thoughts. All perceived objects (dṛśyam) resolve in the Self, like space (ākāśavat) remaining free despite containing everything.
Verse 38: Contemplate on the limitless self
विविक्त देशे आसीनः विरागः विजितेन्द्रियः ।
भावयेत् एकम् आत्मानम् तम् अनन्तम् अनन्यधीः ॥
vivikta deśe āsīnaḥ virāgaḥ vijitendriyaḥ |
bhāvayet ekam ātmānam tam anantam ananya-dhīḥ ||
Sitting in a quiet place, freeing the mind from attachment, mastering the senses, one should meditate [contemplate] upon the self without a second, that limitless being, without thinking about anything else.
Verse outlines process of closed/open eyes contemplation.
Purpose of Contemplation:
Helps integrate and actualize the knowledge. Some of your most profound and most touching insights may come during contemplation.
EG: One time an innocent statement spontaneously arose in me during meditation, “Everything is in Me. I am the only thing that is here. Everything else is incidental”. It profoundly influenced me.
Vedantic Contemplation (Nididhyasana) Method:
Step 1: Establish a calm mind (Vijitendriyaḥ: controlling the senses + Virāga: free from desires)
Alternative Nostril Breathing: For the time being, likes/dislikes, bitterness are not occupying your mind. Fastest way to calm down an agitated mind entertaining likes/dislikes and stories of the day is via alternative nostril breathing for just 5 minutes.
Japa: Repeat a mantra for about 3 minutes likes “om tat sat”. Point of japa is to calm the mind, help it focus.
Self-affirmation: Remind yourself, “Each time my mind wavers, it will be my cue to gently bring it back to object of contemplation”.
Step 2: Bring the object of contemplation to mind
Start by doing a mental scan via neti neti of 5 koshas. EG: “The annamaya kosha can’t be me because…”, etc. Think about reasons why for each kosha.
Think about definitions of Self and attempt to connect to each. EG: Self is without a second (ekam), all-pervasive (Anantam), unmoving. (Refer to Verse 35 for more terms)
Mind wavering? If mind wavers, focus on the silence being the substratum of thoughts and absence-of-thoughts. Even though silence is another object, it resembles Awareness.
NEXT VERSE: What else to do during nididhyasana?
Verse 39: Resolve the world in the self
आत्मनि एव अखिलम् दृश्यम् प्रविलाप्य धिया सुधीः ।
भावयेत् एकम् आत्मानम् निर्मल आकाशवत् सदा ॥
ātmani eva akhilam dṛśyam pravilāpya dhiyā sudhīḥ |
bhāvayet ekam ātmānam nirmala ākāśavat sadā ||
May the wise one with understanding contemplate upon himself as one, resolving the entire world of perception in one’s own self, like space which is free from everything, always.
Two ways to contemplate:
Bring mind back:
When mind goes offtrack, you can think about: Ishvara, Atma, Jagat, relationship between Atma & Jagat.
Risk: Risk is to fall in trap of thinking “World thoughts, and small-talk takes me away from reality”. You become unrelatable.
Let mind go anywhere:
Let my mind go anywhere, wherever it goes, can it go outside Ishvara? No. Understand world and thoughts, are name-form superimposed on Self, like clouds on sky. No thought displaces You (the conscious being).
Risk: Subtle reidentification with individual “me”. IE: “I can do/say anything”. Correction: Remind yourself “Consciousness has nothing to lose nor gain”.
Story showing man's mind always on Ishvara no matter where it goes: Wise person’s feet were facing deity in temple. Priest said “Don’t show feet towards deity”. He responded, “Move my feet where Ishvara is not”. He said it because it’s true for him. Until knowledge is complete like it is for this wise man, no need to waste time saying, “I am Brahman”. Because you already know that intellectually. Rather say “I am in process of clarity”, then get on with the prakriyas.
Fruit of Actualized Self-Knowledge: Verse 40-45
(Jñāna-phalam)
Verse 40: Abide as limitless consciousness
रूप वर्ण आदिकम् सर्वम् विहाय परमार्थवित् ।
परिपूर्ण चित् आनन्द स्वरूपेण अवतिष्ठते ॥
rūpa varṇa ādikam sarvam vihāya paramārthavit |
paripūrṇa cit ānanda svarūpeṇa avatiṣṭhate ||
All form, colour etc, are given up by one who knows the absolute reality. As the whole, limiltless consciousness, he abides as its own nature.
Intro:
Following verses talks about person who successfully used Pramana (listening, removing doubt and contemplation). What is the outcome?…
Verse says:
“Such person has given up by world/body”
Phrase “given up” needs to be understood properly…
Superficial idea of Vedanta goes like this: “I need to give up my body/mind, and see Awareness as something away from it”.
Correction to this superficiality is…
Understanding Relationship between Body-Mind & Awareness:
Relationship between body-mind and Awareness is satya-mithya.
Body: Awareness pervades entire body, while free from being a body. No distance.
Mind: Every thought is pervaded by Awareness, while Awareness is free from every thought.
Maintain a Healthy Body-Mind:
There’s never a time when body-mind is an obstacle because it’s needed to figure out the reality.
With healthy body-mind, one listens to shastra, and mind creates a corresponding vrtti. Through the vrtti you understand exactly what shastra is saying, without adding/subtracting own notions.
Final understanding leading to Moksha:
Eventually knower comes to see it’s status is also mithya, and it’s true nature is Awareness.
Knower knows it’s true nature as Awareness.
Whereas any other knowledge retains the knower. Whenever something else is known, the knower remains intact. But knower is a limited entity.
So knower/ego disappears means it’s understood as mithya. Atma is a much bigger then the knower.
Moksha is when the knower knows it’s mithya and it’s truth is satyam.
NEXT VERSE: Idea of knower being mithya is reinforced…
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Recorded 14 Jan, 2025