Notes-med

Aug 27, 2025 (med-30)

- Jewellery shop

- Many ornaments- name, form, function change

- Variables in all ornaments. One non-changing factor- gold!

- We experience the ornaments along with the gold. 

- So too...with every experience we have. Is there a non-variable experience?

It is "existence of every thing and being". He is...you are...I am...grammatical difference in expression...but these expressions reveal the non-variable...I exist...you exist....past, present, future....I am, you were...etc. non variable...Non variable...is the cause of the variable....like gold for ornament...like sat is...for this world...."sadeva somya"....Everybody experiences brahman all the time!

Upanishad is asking us to register the "fact"...about an experience that I have all the time... During sleep, we go back to this brahman...."sadaa somya....tadaa sampanno bhavati...swam apeeto bhavati"....(Chh Up, 6.8) I "was asleep". No experience...but "I was" (sleeping). That "Was" means...we were merged in brahman...during deep sleep. This experience is brahman!..."yasyaiva sphuranam"....

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Aug 15, 2025 (med-29)

What is Nididhyaasanam? Not "no thought" in the mind. No new experience. Only recollection of the teaching during shravanam.

What is recollected? Brahma satyam...jagan mithya...jeevo brahmaiva...

Of these, we will postpone the last part to a later day when we bring in maha vakya meditation.

Here, we focus on brahma satyam...jagan mithya.

What is brahman? It is sat, it is chit. Here, we take only sat.

Sat is Existence...associated with every object that we experience. It is like space.

Space is one, sat is also one.

Space is seemingly divided into "potspace" etc. And so is Existence.

"Pure existence" is beyond transaction. Transaction means change.  "Knowing" means change, "doing" means change, "talking" means change. Hence, pure Existence is beyond any transaction and cannot be known, talked about directly etc....(but supports every transaction like knowing, doing etc.). Pure Existence cannot be experienced as an object...but in deep-sleep, pure-existence knowledge is available. That Existence is brahman. (Rahu grasta....(dakshinamurti stotram)

And in the world, whatever we experience is brahman + nama-rupa.

Drishyate shruyate yad yad...brahmanah anyan na tad bhavet. (atma bodha)

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 June 23, 2025 (med-21)

- In Vishnu Sahasranama, we have some names for vishvarupa ishvara.

- Vishvam (the first name)...the one who appears as this world

- Sarvah (the one who is everything)....(in sarva-sharva-shiva)

- Purnah (the one in whom...nothing is excluded)....(in purna-puurayita-punya)

- ananta (the one who is everywhere...so...no particular form is alone his)...(in ananto-hutabhuk...)

In vishvarupa, we have both pleasant and unpleasant....good and evil....what I like...and what I dislike. Powerful raga-dvesha makes us incapable of appreciating that these so called "negative" aspects are also ishvara.

A true vishvarupa bhakta accepts the so called negative aspects as also bhagavan.

We face choiceless situations in life. In every such situation, this vishvarupa bhakta says...I welcome my god...who alone has come as this situation. He does not resist. Now, he gets inner strength to deal with the situation. Thus, through this approach, raga-dvesha is taken care. He smiles...and he is ready to play the host to bhagavan...who comes as every experience in life...even the bitter ones. aagagatey swagatam kuryaat. 

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June 23, 2025 (med-22)

- Innate liking for happiness and means that bring happiness

- Innate dislike for sorrow and situations that bring sorrow.

- Raga-dvesha is instinctive....like this.

- Hence, we are anxious about the future...whether it will be in keeping with my raga-dvesha

- But a bhakta deals with the future differently

- For a ishta-devata bhakta, the future is a prasada from the Lord

- For the vishvarupa-bhakta, the future IS bhagavan

- Time is Bhagavan- the past was bhagavan, the future too....

- Kaalah kalayataam aham

- Hence, I welcome the future as bhagavan himself.

- I allow the future to happen...regardless of how it is.

- No resistance....It gives me the inner strength...

- I can now try and change what I can...and accept what I cannot

- This is titiksha....the ability to take care of the situation....however it is...

- Maatraa sparshaas tu kaunteya....

- Sukha-dukkhe samey krtva....

- I welcome the future with open arms....without evaluation...as my vishvarupa's manifestation

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Med 23 (July 8, 2025)

Raaga-> natural (indriyasyendriyas....vyavasthitau)....It has to be combated with bhakti.

raga->bhayam

to combat bhayam (especially about future)...

In eka-rupa ishvara: future is prasada from Lord

In vishvarupa ishvara: future is Lord himself.

I welcome the future...with courage.

yad-yad bhavyam bhavatu....

This is the upasana method of facing the future.

In Nididhyaasanam method, future is seen as mithya...and I am satyam. We will practice this later.

For now, I am a bhakta...

No fear, no anxiety, no tension....I am relaxed.

durjana...sajanno bhuyaat....

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Med-24 (July 16)

vishwam- I am experiencing God all the time...as the world. No other proof is required because as the world, God is all the time, evident. 

Initially- we focus on the changing form- variety, vastness and the pairs of opposites.

Both are equally sacred- they are complementary. Birth is sacred. Death is sacred. It is required. Pleasant experience is sacred. Unpleasant is equally sacred. Union is sacred. Separation is also sacred. (Remember this well. This is meant for me). This is vishvarupa dhyaanam. Everything changes....This is ishvara as "aparaa prakrti" and is maya-shakti.

But this universe is made up of names and forms. Maya is all this...names and forms. But it does not have stability....and hence...maya cannot give us...permanent peace, security, happiness. It should be used for spiritual sadhana (remember this).

Hence, turn to changeless part- paraa prakriti or brahman....

This is "sat"....existence...that is present all the time...but ignored! This is the absolute truth. Everything else is mithya...

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Med (July 23)

Nididhyaasana from this talk onwards...

Vedantic meditation:

brahma satyam, jagan mithya, aham brahmaiva....

vishvarupa...

changing and changeless part....

existent universe....

universe has "is-ness". 

child is, boy is, old person is....

existence....continues...in the ashes....

this existence is satyam.....this is brahman....

this is brahma satyam....

we experience always...and always ignore....

yasyaiva sphuranam.....as is-ness in everything

universe is a changing bunch of nama-rupa...

experienceable...changing rapidly...this is mithya part....

since it changes, it is challenging emotionally also....intellectually also challenging....

accept universe as changing flux...that is mysterious....then, it is entertaining!!! (this is the most important thing for me).

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July 29:

Assimilate "brahma satyam, jagan mithya, aham brahmaiva naaparah"

This is nididhyaasanam

Thoughts should be on the above 3 messages.

brahma satyam: visualize universe, It is vishvarupa ishvara- made up of changing + changeless. 

Changing part is apara prakrti. The changeless part is para prakrti- It is the Existence principle. Every experience of the universe is because of this existence. This is-ness undergoes no change. Ice is, water is. Vapor is. Na jaayate...na mryate is this "is-ness". This is brahman and the absolute reality. It is available all the time...but ignored by us...all the time. We ignore the screen in the movie. The world is the movie. We ignore existence. This is "sad brahma"....sad eva somya.....(Chh 6th chapter).

Existence is not a part-product-property of the universe....It is an independent principle that pervades the universe and makes the universe appear existent....like the sun makes the moon appear bright. Brahman makes the world appear existent. Existence is not limited by boundaries of world including time and space..."atyatishthad dashaangulam" (remember this point....how purusha sukta talks about it). No plurarity of "is-ness". This is paroksha gnyaanam.

Everything else...other than existence...may appear tangible....but solidity is an illusion...names and forms and function..."trayam vaa idam naama-rupa krya". It appears to exist....but not in reality.

Nididhyaasanam helps to sort out this mixture....not physically....but intellectually..."satyam brahma" and "mithyaa jagat".

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Notes-ug2

 Chp 24: June 22, 2025

v19-21 and v20-26

The Chapter 24 opens with a question by Uddhava that Gnana Yoga is very tough. This is similar to Geeta Chp 12- "klesho adhikarastesham". 

Krishna's response is that if gnana yoga is tough, you have to make it easy. You cannot skip gnana yoga because that is the only way to moksha. How to make it easy? That's where bhakti-yoga comes (comprising devotional exercises, karma-yoga and upaansana yoga).

Till verse-11, this preparation is mentioned. 

The teaching is summed up since this is the last chapter of the Uddhava Geeta.

v-19: This 2-fold teaching is most proper! (sanghreecheenah). Such a gnaani looks at everyone with atma bhava and this shows in his expressions through thought-word-deed.

v-20: Karma yoga. This is similar to "no abhikrama naashah" and swalpam api asya dharmasya...traayate...mahato bhayaat". Karma yoga is here called "maddharma". Such a person "anaashishah" reaches brahman (called nirgunatvaat here).

v-21: Even mundane actions (nirarthah) can be offered to bhagavan, but it has to be nishkama (nishphalaaya). This makes it Karma-Yoga. Even if you scream out of fear, "bhayaadeh", even that can be offered to bhagavan! A very strange example is mentioned here!

v-22: This wisdom (eshaa) (both nishkaama bhakti + advaita gnaana yoga) is sought after by the wisest of the wise...buddhimataam buddhi...manishaa cha maneeshinaam. We use the anrta world to reach the satyam! And go from mortality to immortality (mrtyur ma amrtam gamaya). Same idea.

v-23 This (above 2 fold teaching) is the teaching of the veda "brahma vaadasya sangraha". This is mentioned in brief "samasena" and in a detailed way "vyaasa vidhinaa). This teaching is so rare that even devas don't get it!

v-24. What is rare? Advaita gnaanam. It has been expounded with clarity "visphashtam" and logically "yuktimat". It has to be doubt-free. Hence, shravanam has to be followed by mananam and nididhyaasanam. Such a person becomes free "muchyeta".

v-25. He who holds this teaching in his mind "dhaarayet" and what kind of teaching..."sanaatanam" and "brahma-guhyam" (secret in the veda!)...he attains brahman...both here and now, and after death too..."brahma adhigachhati".

v-26. He who shares this entire teaching (supushkalam) i.e. both bhakti yoga + final gnana yoga, he is dearest to me! Exactly like Geeta chp 18.

v-27: He who does loud recitation (samadheeyeeta) (uchhaih paTanti) of this text...everyday...he is purified...and it is like doing deeparadhana to bhagavan using gnanam flame!

v-28: He who cannot teach...cannot recite...even if he hears this chanted by someone else (even if meaning is not known!)...and if he listens with shradhha and attention...he is also freed from bondage (paramparayaa).

v-29: Hey sakhey...O Uddhava....Did you understand brahman entirely (samyak avadhaaritam)....(as taught in chp 8 and chp 23...as the very atma)...did your moha (conflict) and sadness go away? Uddhava was sad...that Krishna was going away....and wanted to go with him. Krishna teaches him...and finally says...do this nididhyaasanam in badarikaashrama.

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v-39: Consequence of self knowledge. Litmus test is- 4 causes of samsara will go away. Dushta chatushtayam- ahankara, mamakara, raga, dvesha. These are the shackles of samsara- free from everyone. No sneha paasha. Love will not cause samsara. What is the difference between love and attachment? I only contribute what I can. Whatever happens to them and me...is bhagavan's will and I allow that. 

vrknah => that which can be cut down! Like a tree (vrksha). Not that easy. Maya is responsible for attachment. Maya needs this...so that the world continues! Srishti vivrddhaye...tvayaa prasaaritah...for the perpetuation of creation....Attachment is instinctive. But in my case, Uddhava says...I have handed over everyone to Bhagavan. Do what you can. I am not worried about them. It is tough...."maayayaa srishti vivrddhaye". He names his family- daashaarha, vrshni, andhaka. That sneha-paasha...vrknah! Only one way..one knife...."atma subodhah". Clear knowledge. I am not related to anyone. Atma is asangah. Hetinaa...asinaa. "asanga shastrena drDHena chhitvaa". Cut off sanga.

v-40: Uddhava wants a final blessing from Krishna. Hey...maha yogin. Te namah astu. Prapannam maam anushaadi...instruct me properly. My gnaana bhakti should continue. Tvat charanaabhoje...deep devotion...This is "rati" here. Anapaayini- a bhakti that never fades away....towards your feet. Gnani will continue to worship...before and after self knowledge- guru, shastram, ishvara.

aajeevitam trayam sevyam

vedantah guruh ishvarah

aadau gnaana-aaptaye

pashchaat krtaghnatva nivrttaye <- to remove ingratitude (to all 3)!

Maandukya kaarika- "namaskurmo yathaa balam".

What type of life should I lead...when you are gone to Vaikuntha? Krishna will now answer.

 

 

Notes-ug-1

Summary of Chp 21:

v-1-6: Do not rely on anatma for peace-security-happiness. Do not be with materialistic people who value artha-kaama above dharma-moksha.

v-7-24: Pururavas's story. This is the Aila Geeta portion. 

v-25-35: Importance of satsanga. Pururavas got it all in one life itself. Ishvara gives the guru. Guru gives the shastram. Shastram gives my real self back to me! Here, Krishna highlights the guru- satpurusha mahima. These shlokas are similar to BG-12. This is a very rare portion.

Essence is "satsanga mahima". 

Chapters 18-19-20-21: Different lessons to develop titiksha. Humiliation from people close-by. We get everything other than respect. How to deal with that? 

Chapter 18- manojaya: do not find fault with the world, may you increase your emotional immunity. This is Bhikshu Geeta. He revelled in the knowledge he had...regardless of all he faced.

Chapter 19- purusha-prakrti viveka- we learn to distance ourselves from both micro and macro anatma. Learn to develop saakshi bhava- gunaah guneshu vartante.

Chapter 20- guna-vrtti jayah- Change composition of 3 gunas in you- tamas->rajas->satva. Rajasic mind is a reacting mind. 10 items which will change the gunas- chp 8 (shloka 4). 

Chapter 22:

- Focuses on Ishvara aaraadhanam.

- This is part of karma-yoga.

- In karma-yoga, we have 5 maha-yagnas. In this, we have deva yagna.

- In deva yagna, we have ishvara aaraadhanam.

- There are 2 types:

(1) Veda based

(2) Agama based or taantrika based

There is vishesha aaradhanam- where we specifically spend time to worship the lord (using the above).

We also have saamaanya aaraadhanam- yad-yad karma karomi...tad-tad akhilam...shambho tava aaraadhanam. This is for all action. In this, firstly, we accept the result. Next, we can see what to do...as the next action. First...accept! Yat karoshi....

In this chapter, Krishna focuses on vishesha aaraadhanam on Lord Vishnu.

Kriyaa yoga = karma yoga...and that too, vishesha aaraadhanam.

why?

- Discipline! Tamo guna to raajasa guna

- Focus! Do not think of pancha anatma! Think of Ishvara- deho devaalayah proktah...

- Every kosha is disciplined. Pranayama => prana mayaa disciplined.

During puja, do not think of....family, sh office etc.

yasmaat- why....

yathaa- how...

v-2: So many rishis have talked about...why? all-round growth! (nishreyasam)

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Chp 21: End (Aug 17)

- Importance of satsanga. Verses where a "gnaani" is praised. Association with such a mahatma is the best!

Verses 26- 35

Very similar to the paraa-bhakta lakshanaani seen in BG-12. Most words for the gnaani, with whom you should have satsanga (in this chapter) are similar to BG-12. This association will weed out...the problems faced by Pururavas- either we will not succumb to such a situation, and even if we do, this association will bail us out! Hence, this association (satsanga) is most important! These mahatmas will bail you out.

Some examples are given:

1. Like the fire gives comfort from winter's cold, so too, association with these mahatmas, will give us similar comfort.

2. These mahatmas are like the "strong ship" that will take the person who is drowning in the samsara-ocean to the safe shore!

3. Like food is so crucial for us, so are these mahatmas for us! So too, like bhagavan is the sharanam for the distressed, so too are these mahatmas. Like dharma protects us after death to get sad-gati, so too...these mahatmas help us. 

4. Saints guide us...as though our eyes...like the sun. They are our true benfactors! Krishna says...they are Me!

Chapter ends with Pururavas mentioned again- 

Pururavas is called "vaitasena" in the last verse- veetasenasya's putrah.

He got over the obsession for Urvashi (mentally too!) and with that mind free from her...(nisprha and mukta sanga)....freely moved on this earth...(maheem etaam atma-raamah chachaara ha!). Notice...the words here....how he moves with absolute freedom. That sense of "abandon" is seen in Pururavas. In this life itself, he managed to gain the ultimate freedom, though he may have succumbed briefly. This should be well noted...It is possible....it is possible...it is possible. As it is said for Arjuna in Tamil..."urvashi shaapam um upakaarama irundhudhu (in Viraata desha)"...like that...Urvashi was a turning point in Pururavas's life too...and he managed to get moksha...here and now. Every saint has a past...and more importantly, every sinner has a future. This is the great learning from Pururavas's life! 

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Chp 20: Summary (July 21)

How to overcome hurt? Question at the end of 17th chapter

The answers are:

(1) Chp 18 method: Bhikshu Geeta: Manojaya method. In interaction, anatma and anatma interact and according to karma, I get sukha-dukha.

(2) Chp 19 method: Purusha-prakrti viveka method: I am the atma, and maintain asangatvam everywhere...using saakshi bhava

(3) Chp 20 method: Guna vrtti jayah: More satva guna, more titiksha

(4) Chp 21 method: Satsanga method.

Chp 20 summary is as follows:

1- 4: Guna expression in their unmixed form: asammishra

5-8: Guna expression in their mixed form: sannipaata

9-19: 

Guna linga

Guna parivartana

Guna parivartana phalam

Guna bandhakatvam

20- 29:

9 items and breaking them up into Satva, Rajas and Tamas

- avasthaa

- vaasah

- karma

- kartaa

- gnaanam

- sukham

- shraddhaa

- gati

-aahaara

30-36: Most important

Spiritual journey

Through bhakti- which is in the form of karma-yoga first, as upasana yoga next and finally as gnaana-yoga.

Tamas-> Rajas using karma yoga

Rajas -> satva using upasana yoga

Satva to gunaateeta -> using satvam and gnaanam. To know I am a mixture of atma and anatma. I am the atma and the anatma is incidental and mithya.

To overcome hurt: Be in satva guna and use gnaanam to know I have always been guna-teeta essentially.

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Chp 20 (v-19-23) (June 27, 2025)

v19: When satva increases, daivi sampat increases. Similar for Rajas and Tamas

v20: Each state is associated with a guna. Satva with jaagrat etc. Definition 1 of Turiyam here: It is atma. Hence, "trishu santatam"...present in all 3 states. (Definition-2 not given here for Turiyam. It means Nididhyasana time...which is called samadhi...where thoughts are centered on atma...initially deliberately...and finally...involuntarily...(samadhi). This is Turiya "avastha"). 

v21: Gati topic. Where each guna takes a person (agnani)...after death.

v22: Gati topic: Yaanti maameva nirgunaah means....gnani hands over his saguna (i.e. anatma) to vishvarupa ishvara (tan-man-dhan tera)...and claims himself as atma (nirguna). Hence, he is called nirgunaah here. Such a gnani reaches Me...Krishna says...now...and after death too...

v23: From now on 7 topics are chosen and satva-rajas-tamas is shown for each:

1. karma trayam

2. gnana trayam

3. vaasa trayam

4. kartaa trayam

5. shraddhaa trayam

6. aahaara trayam

7 sukha trayam

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Chp 20 (v12-v18) (June 22, 2025)

Why do we have this discussion on the 3 gunas? Because in Chp 17, Uddhava asked...how to increase titiksha. One of the answers is- A mind which is saatvik will have more titiksha. Hence, this discussion on "guna traya viveka".

In Bhgavad Geeta, Chp 14 had 5 topics: (1) Guna lakshanam (2) Guna lingam (3) Guna bandhaka prakaara (4) Guna phalam (5) Guna gati

Here, we have (1) Guna lingam (2) Guna parivartanam (3) Guna parivatana phalam.

Prakriti (i.e. maya) has 3 gunas. Hence, everything that is a product of prakrti- world/body/mind will be made of the same 3 gunas. Purusha or atma is nirguna. Everything else has the 3 gunas. But for a spiritual aspirant, his travel must be from tamas->rajas->satva->gunaateeta.

v12- Krishna says, He as atma has no guna. But the jeeva (mind) has the 3 gunas and such a mind that attached to the 3 gunas will be bound.

v13- Guna parivartanam- when satva overpowers other 2. Satva stands for brightness (knowledge) (bhaasvaram)....clarity (vishadam) and mangalam (shivam). If such a satva dominates other two, the person will be contented (sukhena yujyeta) and will get punya (through his satvik actions) and ultimately, such a satvik mind will get gnaanam.

v14- Guna parivartanam- when rajas overpowers. Again 3 definitions for rajas and how it leads to dukkham

v16- Guna parivartanam- when tamas overpowers. Again 3 definitions for tamas and consequent shoka-moha etc.

v16- Satva lingam once again. It leads to "mat padam" Krishna says

v17- Rajas lingam once again. 

v18- Tamas lingam once again.

====================

v31: Everything belongs to 3 gunas. 

v32: So long as we are attached to 3 gunas, we will have a problem. etaah (things and beings)...everything is within guna and karma. This is samsrtayah...this is the problem....it is samsara. If you are interested in moksha, you have to go beyond them...nirjitaah (conquered)..chittajaah..3 gunas in mind...as thoughts...

How to transcend the 3 gunas? Internally thru wisdom...thru bhakti yogena. What is bhakti yoga? In BG-12 (Karma yoga + upasana yoga + gnaana yoga)...from saguna to nirguna...i.e. to gunaateeta. Have to claim..I am not the body/mind...but chaitanya. After death also, such a bhakta will reach me..krishna says.

v33: Manushya loka is the best place for this. It will give both gnana (brahma satyam jagan mithyaa) and vignaana (jivo brahmaiva na paarah). Don't get attached to anyone. Surrender everyone to bhagavan...guna-sangam vinirdhuuya....seek Me (guna teeta paraa prakrti).... 

 v34: resort to saatvik...attachment is due to rajoguna..acquire dama (indriya jaya)...apramattah (never forget goal of life...alert!)...nissanga (this is the main thing!)...may you seek bhagavan (atma)...  

v35: Then, what will happen? Travel from tamas to rajas (through karma yoga)...from rajas to satva (through upasana yoga)...and thru gnaana become gunaateeta. I have saguna anatma and nirguna atma. Thru Nididhyaasanam, own up the nirguna atma as real me. Hence, satvam cha abhijayet...(without using any other guna!...thru satva, get that gnaanam)...mind should be 100%...saanta dhee...he becomes unaffected by the 3 gunas. Jivah jeevan vihaaya...(tyaktva jeeva bhaavan...not individual)....he merges in me (maam sampadyatey)

v36: Such a person is a jivan mukta. From him too, problems will continue. But sama-loshtaashma kaanchanah....mind goes through experiences...but I don't go through those experiences....everything is a vesham. He is freed from jeeva bhaava.. Aaashaya- mind...he says...i am sakshi of such a mind...not the mind. Mind is not me, mind is not mine, mind is not real. Claim brahma asmi....jeevo naaham...dont get stuck up in external world (baahya)...or internal mind (antara). Don't get obsessed with anatma. 

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Chp 21:

Quoted the following:

Sarve kshayaanta nichayaa....pataanta samutshrayaa....

samyoga viprayogaantaa.....maranam cha jeevitam

(note: Rama consoled Bharata when he met him in the forest after Dasharatha's death).

"In the end" is "anta" in the above...

samyoga ends in virprayoga......in separation.

This message...Pururavas forgot.

The story of Pururvas comes in Rig Veda itself.

Things to remember:

Swamiji quoted this also:

1. apichet suduraachaarah....saadhureva sah mantavyah (BG 9)

2. Kshipram bhavati.....(BG 9)

Story of Pururavas:

1. Gives a warning.

2. More importantly, even if I have fallen, there is redemption for me (above 2 quotes)

What is Aila Geeta?

This monologue portion by Pururavas is the Aila Geeta. It has 2 parts: 7-14 where he describes the problem. And 15-24 where he says...how he got out.

Actually, there was no problem in Urvashi...Pururavas says. She is like the rope. He superimposed the snake on her....and suffered. There is no problem in the creation...as harmless as a rope. The issue is with the mind, senses, intellect (BG 3). That leads to "shobhana adhyaasa".

How to come out?

(a) Bhagavan's help: Pururavas says so

(b) Continuous interaction with satsanga...people who are committed to dharma and moksha.

The beauty of this episode is that...Pururavas not only came out of this hole...he got moksha...in this life itself! So...it is very much possible! This was also conveyed by swamiji.

There are 10 factors (in UG 8 v4-5-6) that we need to be careful about and ensure that we follow "saatvika" part in all those 10 areas. One of those 10 is "people"...prajaa. That is the same as satsanga in this chapter.

Note: Those 10 factors are applicable for the previous chapter too (how to do guna parivartanam).

Those 10 factors are:

(1) aagama (what type of books I read)

(2) aapah (even water!)

(3) prajaa (what type of friends I have...for regular interaction)

(4) desha 

(5) kaala

(6) karma

(7) janma (parentage)

(8) dhyaanam (what is my mind most obsessed about)

(9) mantra (BG-17: what mantra and hence what deities we propitiate)

(10) samskaara: 

BTW, this whole chapter comes under that bigger umbrella...how to develop titiksha

chp 18: Manojaya...to convert mind to "my instrument" and not other way around

chp 19: purusha-prakriti method: Saakshi bhaava to develop space...

chp 20: guna vrtti jaya: make the mind more satvik. Then, more titiksha

chp 21: satsanga

Notes-bg

Aug 19, 2025:

Till v-12, karma yoga was talked about- same as saatvika sanyaasa. He renounces nishiddha karma and kaamya karma...and pursues yaagna-daana-tapas. 

Next, gnaana yoga:

v13-17: Enquiry into nature of jiva-jagat-ishvara. Self enquiry here. I am akarta...atma. I am abhokta. In agami- v17- no notion that I am a karta. Indriyaani indriyaarteshu....(no punya-papam). Gnaana yoga summary also completed.

v18: Krishna introduces 6 topics and classifies everything into saatvika-raajasa-taamasa. All activities are classified into 2 types: gnaana vyavahaara (gnaanendriya based) and karma vyavahaara (karmendriya based). Gnaana vyavahara is the basis for karma vyavahara. jaanaati-icchati-yatatey.

Both require 3 factors: 

knower, knowing instrument, known object 

karta, karanam, karma (object)  

We have iccha also...between the above two...but we are not considering that.

Krishna takes 3 factors out of the above 6- gnaanam, karma, karta. Each of these, will be divided into 3...based on gunas. Maya is the original cause...and maya has 3 gunas...and hence, everything will have 3 gunas. Guna-sankhyaaney- In Saankhya philosophy.....by Kapila. Vedanta is very open....it takes knowledge from everywhere! 

Saatvika gnaanam (v20): Eka atma gnaanam. Many bodies, many minds, but one consciousness. Ekam (one), avyayam (no change), avibhaktam (indivisible like space)...whoever has this knowledge...is saatvika gnaanam. Where is it? Sarva bhuteshu. Bodies are divided...but atma is not. This is liberating knowledge. 

Raajasa gnaanam (v21): In veda purva, aneka atma is talked about because eka-atma is very tough to understand. Eka atma cannot travel. In veda purva, travelling atma is talked about. What is the travelling atma? 5 components in an individual: 3 bodies + chidabhasa + chit. Of these, body and chit cannot travel. Hence, sukshma sharira + kaarana sharira + chidabhasa....travels. This is jivaatma in veda-purva. In vedanta, we talk about chit. That is non-travelling. This is like mula-murti and utsava murti. One stays as-is...and the other travels! Like God, jiva too...has 2 versions. Whoever...has knowledge of travelling jiva alone...is called raajsa gnaanam.

Aug 11, 2025

Bhaatta meemamsa refutation- "Knowing" brahman is useless. Action is required- we need either "haana" or "upaadaana" says the bhaatta meemaamsa person. But knowledge is useful....it displaces the jiva bhava through knowledge. Hence, brahman is the subject matter of vedanta.

Vrtti-kaara refutation- Hybrid person- He does not say brahma naasti like the previous person. This person accepts nirgunam brahman. He says "brahman knowledge cannot give moksha". It has to be followed by upasana. But upasana is maanasam karma. He says, do this upasana life-long. This will give punya and this punya will give liberation. Shankara has to refute this- He will emphasise that after knowledge nothing more is needed. Nature of knowledge is...I am already liberated. Hence, there is nothing "to do" after knowledge. This is called "dviteeya varnakam"...purvapaksha bhedaat. Knowledge of "yupa", "aahavaneeya" and "indra" is not of any use. You need to use it "in action". Here, meditate, meditate. Like this, you must do action...and hence, knowledge alone is useless. This is vrtti-kaara's viewpoint. Shabara swami (Jaimini's student...who has written bhashyam for jaimini sutras) has said this...some action is required..."Dos and Don'ts".

July 30, 2025

grhastha and unqualified- give more time for yagna-daana-tapas

grahastha and qualified - if staying in grahashashrama..maintain yagna etc. in skeletal form and devote time for shravana-manana.

grhastha and qualified- can take sanyasa and renounce all karma and devote time for shravana-manana.

yagna-daana-tapas is defined in chp 17...with satvik intent.

yagna- do puja for gnaana-vairagya.

yagna-dana etc. primary result. Material result is by-product....but that is not the focus.

"Phalani tyaktva" - giving up material phalam. Do everything for chitta-shuddhi.

Do not get attached to nitya-naimitikka also...because you need to find the time for shravana-manana. Hence, "sangam tyaktva". Do not be addicted to even dvaita-puja (Ma Up).

If I can understand aham brahmasmi....and if the teaching seems relevant...then it means...I am fit to continue shravana-manana.

Need binary format- to understand...there is only atma and anatma...and anatma cannot touch me!

if an unqualified person renounces....krishna says...it is tamasic or rajasic. (He does not talk about qualified). Delusion based renunciation is tamasic (underestimating value of religious life).

if an unqualified person renounces...but the reason is different-cannot get up early etc. (for religious life)...due to laziness and attachment to body...this becomes rajasik renunciation. This is message for Arjuna! 

Satvika....he is unqualified...but he follows the religious life style...it should be done mindset....does not look for material benefit...(he will get it...but that is not the focus)....without attachment to the duties also....he is a satvika sanyasi. Performer of karma is called sanyasi here. Why? He renounces kaamya-karma. Will not use prayer for non-spiritual purposes. He renounces nishiddha karma. He renounces material phalam also. Hence, satvika sanyasi. This is the same as karma-yogi. He is an an-adhikari. 

July 21, 2025

- Is there a difference between sanyasa and tyaga since both mean renunciation?

Krishna says:

1. Some people say- renunciation of action is sanyasa and renunciation of result is tyaga.

2. The first group has 2 different views- renounce All actions versus renounce partial action.

3. Krishna does not give a direct answer! He uses both words interchangeably, Shankara says. (a) Na karmana, na prajaya dhanena....tyagena ekena... (b) Vedanta vignyaana...sanyaasa yogaat (so used interchangeably)

4. Next, what action can be renounced? If an unqualified student, you cannot renounce yagna-daana-tapas. If the person is already qualified, he does not require any of this. He can directly do shravana-manana-nididhyaasana.

Krishna thinks about Arjuna as unqualified. Hence, he should do yagna-daana-tapas. Partial renunciation is correct for Arjuna!

But for Uddhava, he says...leave everything and go to Badrinath and do nididhyaasanam.

Krishna says...sanyasa or tyaga (both are same) is also of 3 types. 

Intro1: (v-5)

Should do yagna-daana-tapas. Because these 3 will purify your mind and will qualify you. Hence, paavanaani maneeshinaam. Hence, religious life and spiritual life are complementary. Both are needed.

Intro2: (v-6)

These 3 (y-d-t) should be done. What should be the attitude? Primary result and secondary result. Primary is sadhana-chatushtaya-sampatti. Secondary is material result (health etc.) Don't ask for anything else. Just...say..."parameshvara preetyartham". Hence, "sangam" tyaktvaa...and phalani cha. You will get "sadhana-chatushtaya-sampatti" in exponential form!

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July 16, 2025:

If a person does not know the scripture, but still does puja etc. with faith...how valid is it?

Krishna says....faith itself is divided into motive, mode, deity. Of these, the motive determines. If the motive is saatvik (i.e. nishkaama), the puja is saatvik...(regardless of conformance to rules of scripture (this point is implied))

After this, Krishna talks about aahaara, yagna, tapas, daanam.

Tapas- kaayikam, vaachikam, maanasam and motive based.

Remember: MOTIVE is the main thing...behind classification here- Satvik, Rajasik, Tamasik...

9 things are compulsory:

(1) 5 types of yagna (2) tapas (3 of them) (3) daanam

Shankara talks about om-tat-sat.

If there is deficiency in nishkaama...if one says om-tat-sat, it will make it! Na iha abhikrama naashah...

karmanaam saadgunya sampaadanam <- VERY IMPORTANT POINT related to om-tat-sat and ties up the question of Arjuna, with this answer!

78 verses in chp 18. Biggest chapter.

It is a consolidation.

Central teaching- aatma gnanam as the solution for samsara (ashochyaan)

moksha sanyaasa yoga- mokshaartham sanyaasa. How? sarva-dharmaan.... Renunciation of ahankara and self-ignorance and jiva-bhaava and kartrtvam (all are synonyms).

v1: difference between "sanyasa" and "tyaga"? They are gramatically synonyms.  Why did he ask? Arjuna feels..if there is a sanyasa definition...whereby, he can escape the war, he will!

 July 6, 2025

v 23-27: Significance of "om tat sat"

nirdesha - name. These are 3 names of ishvara

om- krishna does not define om and tat. avati...sarvaan..rakshati it. Ultimate protection from samsara itself.

tat- that! it means it is not nearby. indriya agocharam. "adhokshajah" Also, eko-naika- etc. tat (VS). Tanoti iti tat (Shankara says in VS)...the one who expands...(during creation time)

vihitaa- created. After uttering om-tat-sat...bhagavan created.

3 factors very important during creation time: veda-gives the method to escape from samsara, yagna- through which we can escape from samsara (yad-yad karma...), B-> important because they preserve the veda (and it is the route to moksha. ..mukham aaseet)

-----------------------

One of these 3 can be used- either om, tat, sat (or all of them)

24. vidhaanam- vedic instruction. b-vaadi: who follows veda way of life. They utter om in begin/middle/end.

25. tat- for spiritual seekers...moksha kaankshibhih....yagna-daana-tapas...all nishkaama...Just say..."gnaana vairagya siddhyartham". Even if there is deficiency, that also can be rectified.

26. some seekers utter "sat". saadgunya sampaadanam- bhagavan will convert deficiencies and give gnaana-vairaagya. 5 meanings of sat

(1) sat- Pure existence (sad bhaava). (sadeva somya...Chh Up)  (5 features of Existence) (sadbhaavey)

(2) one who leads a noble life- sat purushah (saadhu bhaavey)

(3) sat karma-1- that which benefits a lot of people (prashastey karmani)

1-2-3 in this verse

In next verse....

(4) san-nishthaa- steadfastness (to yagna-daana-tapas) (sthiti)

(5) like 3, but even ordinary karma...if dedicated to ishvara, it becomes sat-karma-2 (tad artheeyam)

v-28 asat- anything opposite to above. No shradhha => action becomes invalid. (in bhagavan, in scripture, in action)...it will be asat karma. Shraddhaa is very important! Comes back to shradhha...(beginning of chapter). Na iha...pretya...not here, not hereafter...Even if some lapses are there, chanting om-tat-sat is very important to make up for lapses!

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June 30, 2025:

Arjuna asked about shraddhaa. Krishna talks about 4 more topics because they are important. 

tametam vedAnuvachanena brAhmaNA vividiShanti, yajnena dAnena tapasA anAshakena’ <- Br Up.

- After karana drishtyaa tapas, now, guna based classification. This is essentially "motive based"

The following tapas should apply for each: saatvik shaariraka tapas, saatvik maanasa tapas etc.

- Satvik tapas: (1) Shraddhaa is the main thing that this tapas WILL spiritually contribute to me. (2) Second is...it should be yuktaihi- with a focused and integrated personality. 

- Raajasik tapas: (1) satkaara maana pujaartham (will be honored) (2) dambhena (publicity) 

- Taamasik tapas: (1) muuDHgraahena: false notion...not supported by scripture at all. All forms of cruel tapas (2) Tormenting the body (atma here is body or oneself) (3) With a motive to destroy someone else.

The following are for daanam:

- Saatvik daanam: Maha-Narayana Up- Daanam is praised. Taittiriya too: shraddhayaa deyam, ashraddhaya api deyam! hriyaa deyam, samvidaa deyam (as per need of recipient), bhiyaa deyam (must share!) Here, daatavyam (it is my duty to share money, time etc.), anupakaariney (no reciprocation expectation!), considering desha-kaala-paatra

- Raajasa daanam: Expectation based! prati-upakaaram, giving with heartburn! (pari-klishtam)

- Taamasa daanam: Opposite of Saatvik: adesha-akaala etc, asatkrtam, avagnaatam (dishonoring)

Finally topic:

How to ensure lapses in any of the above...any saadhana for that matter...is taken care? Use Om-tat-sat.

 

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June 21, 2025

- Charama shatkam

- Chp 13-14-15 focus on gnaana-yoga. Gnanam gives moksha.

- Chp 16-17 focus on preparation of the mind. That's because knowledge has to take place in the mind- "manasaa eva idam aaptavyam". 

- Chp 17:

At the end of Chp 16, Krishna said..."all actions have to be guided by shaastra". Tasmaat shaastram pramaanam tey...

Arjuna asked- what if a person has shraddhaa but does not follow the rules exactly because he has not studied the shastra. Krishna answered- it depends...because with shastram, the person will be guided by his own personality. And based on his personality, his shraddhaa will also be Satvik, Rajasic, Tamasic. Based on this, Krishna gave examples on the deity that is worshipped, the mode of worship etc.

After this, Krishna himself volunteers to talk about 4 more topics- Aahara, yagna, tapas and daanam. These are all required to prepare the mind (for gnaanam). That's the reason. In Aahata and yagna, Krishna divided based on guna.

But when it comes to tapas, he does 2 fold division- "Based on Karana" and "Based on Guna". 

We are now in this "karana drishtyaa tapas" portion. We looked at shaarirakam tapah- all kinds of ritualistic puja.

Now, we are in vaak-tapas.

Swadhaaya- Regular recitation (whether we know the meaning or not)

(1) satyam bruyaat...priyam bruyaat...na bruyaat satyam apriyam...priyan cha anrtan bruyaat....esha dharma sanaatanah (Manusmrti 4.138) Speak the truth..Speak what is plesant...if something is truthful, but unpleasant, don't speak. Speak what is both priyam and satyam.

(2) yogasya prathamam dvaaram- vaang nirodha (Vivekachudamani)

(3) vaak devi vadanaambuje vasatu mey trailokya maataa shubhaa

(4) lakshmih vasati jihvaagrey...jihvaagrey mitra-baandhavaahaa....jihvaagrey bandhanam praaptam...jihvaagrey maranam dhruvam !

Now, we come to  maanasam tapas

(1) Important because this will influence vaak (previous point) and action later. (tat vaachaa vadati....tat karmanaa karoti)

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Notes-ChB

Aug 22, 2025

Completion of 6.2 section:

- This section is present in brahma sutra in the eekshana adhikaranam. The point is this: Saankhya takes sat as pradhanam. If that is the case:

(1) With sat gnaanam, we cannot know everything...since for saankhya also, purusha is separate from pradhanam. Hence, sat cannot refer to pradhanam.

(2) Saankhya says...it is only "gauna moksha" here, known through "sat" i.e. pradhaana gnaanam. That also does not hold...because Upanishad ends with this...It talks about no "alternate moksha" apart from sat gnaanam.

(3) Saankhya then says....I do not believe in vedanta shastra completely. I go only by logic (tarka)! But then...if he does so...Veda loses its pramaanam status. And Saankhya happens to be a veda-believer!

For these reasons, sat has to refer to brahman...which is consciousness. Advaita is unique. It talks about consciousness as the "cause" for the entire universe...and yes, by cause, we mean "vivarta kaaranam"...a cause with no change in brahman...when it becomes this world! And yes, jivas are not created. A question may be raised...how is brahman then...the kaaranam. That's correct. Jivas are not created. They happen to be brahman essentially! 

6-3-1:

Till now, we have had sukshma bhutas created. The sthula bhutas are yet to be created. But here itself, the upanishad is talking about jiva creation. That's because the 14 lokas are there..."for the jivas". In Aitereya, we had 4 types of creatures. Here also, in 6-3-1, we have these jivas- but only 3- jaraayujam, andajam,udbhidjam. In pancha bhutas also, we had only 3 in Chandogya! It truncates everything. We need to add svedajam (moisture born).  (Sita is called ayonijaa....since she was found in the field...and not born...from the womb).

Shankara sees a problem. In the previous section, the word bhuta refers to "elements". But...we cannot have jaraayujam...from elements! In BG, bhuta means living-bodies. Here also, bhutas should be taken as bodies, not elements!

Tesham...those...esham...these...both are seen here. "These" cannot be used for the elements in the previous section...which were all sukshmam. Hence, these should refer to pratyaksha shariraani...since we have "esham"-  physical bodies. 

Why can we not take "gross elements" for bhuta...since these elements are visible? That's because...trvtkaranam has not happened. It is going to come in a future section.

One more argument- Before grossification, the next section is going to say...ishvara visualized...let me enter the 3 subtle elements and grossify them. It uses the word "devata" for the subtle-elements there. Devatas are paroksham...unseen. That being the case, "these" cannot be used for "subtle elements" here! For this reason too, "esham" cannot be subtle elements or gross elements. 

But the living beings are mentioned here...because the whole thing is for the jivas!

Aug 18, 2025

Saankhya's arguments here- He takes "sat" as pradhanam. Hence, the material cause of all this...is matter (pradhanam). 

Shankara says...Upanishad has promised moksha in Chp 6 end...if one knows "sat" as "brahman" which is the same as "atma". Hence, all of this has to be "consciousness" alone! Shankara brings the argument in the Chandoga...end of 6th chapter...where the truth of "aham brahmasmi" is shown to be like the "hot iron grasped by the prisoner who claims he is innocent!"

Saankhya now says...what if moksha is also "figurative" and hence sat is not consciousness...but matter only!  

Also, if we take "sat" as "pradhanam", eka vignaanena...sarva vignaanam bhavati....cannot hold! Because...even as per saankhya, purusha will not be known! 

For us, jagat is known because jagat is brahman's vivarta kaaryam. All jivas are brahman! Hence, this pratignya...that eka vignaanena...holds! 

One more thing about saankhya- there are many purushas (jiva). There is no ishvara in saankhya. Hence, knowing pradhanam....you cannot know many purushas! Hence, eka vignaanena...does not hold for saankhya.

July 23, 2025

parinama vaada...first

But brahman does not change...

Hence, rope-snake...we have to leave the clay, gold, iron examples...

vivarta vaada.

brahman assisted by mulaa avidya...seemingly transforms into world.

can give importance either to brahman or maya....to say...it transforms into world. (2 prakriyas)

BG- maya pradhana prakriya (like Sh Up)

In Tait Up- brahma pradhana prakriya.

In Ait Up, Shankara mentions both prakriyas.

Shankara says...I like brahma pradhana prakriya...(assisted by maya, brahman evolves into the world)

From maya, parinama....

clay example- maya pradhana (like saankhya)

rope-snake- vivarta

ekam eva - implies...world is mithya

vacharambhanam- implies world is mithya

Hence, we have advaitam all the time. No samadhi avastha is needed.

mantra 2 is over.

which is upadana kaaranam? brahman or maya?

Only brahman because it is chetana

Hence- brahma pradhana prakriya is better.

July 16, 2025

why srishti prakaranam?

- brahman as kaaranam...so that we can see brahman inherent in the world

- apavada is not total- only the changing part is removed. Sat and chit are retained.

Using the above, brahman can be revealed. That is the main thing.

Negate sanghaata vaada (bouddha (asat vaada)), negate aarambha vaada (nyaaya vaishesika), negate even parinaama vaada (saankhya), and reveal "vivarta vaada" eventually.

Arambha vaada of nyaaya vaisheshika: clay and pot are different things...kaaranam dravyam and kaarya dravyam. There is vastu bheda like cow and horse! Shankara says...in this cow and horse case, the thoughts are mutually exclusive. But when you talk about gold and ornament, in the product, the gold thought cannot be displaced. It is golden ring, golden chain etc. Hence, not the same as horse and cow example. 

Akasha is, vaayu is...etc. Akasha and vaayu may be displaceable...but "is" cannot be displaced. World is not a separate substance from brahman....it is brahman alone...experienced in the form/shape of the world. Earlier, only sat. Now, sat shaped "samsthanam" as the world. Hence, no new substance.

Purva pakshi...to get to vivarta vaada. Ok. parinama vaada is there. Only when there is "avayava" is there, we can get different shapes...like dough. But vedanta says, brahman is nir-avayam (Shvetashvatara). No kalaa. Nityah...amuurtah (Mu Up). That being the case, how can shape come (brahman shaped as world)? 

Answer: "Vivarta vaada" and "ajaati vaada". First, vivarta vaada. We understand world is mithya. And hence, as good as not there (vivarta vaada). Hence, "ajaati vaada".

For vivarta vaada, we use dream example and rajju-sarpa. No change! No parinama! Seeming transformation into jiva and jagat. Hence, wake-up is possible. World problems are mithya. World problems are as good as non existent.

July 8, 2025

- Bottom line is: world is "transformation" alone: Sat was there in a pure form. Sat is there as this world. Hence, it is "parinaaama vaada" alone (as accepted by saankhya and vedanta).

Before this, Sautraantika and Vaibhishika were refuted who said...."from asat", sat world came. These two schools stand along with nyaaya-vaisheshika who also believes...a "new world" has come (aarambha vaada).

In Yogachara, he does not accept an outside world at all, he says, it is all thoughts. And clay-thought is there, pot-thought is there. But no kaarana-kaarya sambandha. But Shankara says...it cannot be random, since....clay to pot is a general experience. Due to the consistency of clay to pot, there must be kaarana-kaarya even if you say...the world is our thoughts alone.

Next, purvapakshi says...ok...it is sat to sat. But why does upanishad say "sat was there". Does that mean...sat is not there now. Shankara answers, the point is not whether sat was there....etc. The "eva" shabda has to be noted. "Sat ALONE" was there- that's the intent of the upanishad in using "was". Hence, "sat was there without nama rupa". "Sat is now there as the world with naama-rupa".

Then, purva-pakshi says...ok...that means "naama rupa" was NOT there...and now it is there! Isn't it again some form of "asat to sat" ? Shankara says no....even in common parlance, we say "clay transformed into pot". There is no utpatti...only parinaama.

Note: we will refine parinaama later and say vivarta..."seeming transformation". That will come later.

Sanghaata vaada, Aarambha vaada.....(refuted)

Next, we agree with parinaama vaada (along with saankhya)

Next, we say "vivarta" and stand separate from saankhya too.

This is the journey!

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 June 20, 2025

Section-2

Creation is mithya. It will be ultimately negated. However, even in advaita, theories of origin of this creation is analysed. This part may come under "scholarship" and for an utter mumukshu, it is irrelevant. Still, creation theories are analyzed and refuted. 

The Upanishad itself talks about a purva-pakshi- how asat can never be the cause of this sat-universe. In that context, other systems are analysed. Now, the Soutraantika and Vaibhashika Buddhist systems are taken up. For them, the universe is existent (as opposed to maadhyamika/shunyavaada). 

Now, as per the Soutraantika/Vaibhaashika (i.e. Hinayana systems), "avayavi naashah" is the cause. The seed was there. It is destroyed to become the plant. Since destruction precedes the plant, they say, "from asat seed (destroyed), this sat plant came" Hence, creation is from "asat to sat". Shankara says....for you....there is no avayavi at all....apart from avayava. (Note, as per these 2 Budhistic systems, there is no "fresh avayavi" at all. Many avayavas join together...like fruits in a fruit-salad! There is no separate thing called fruit-salad! This is called "sanghaata vaada" or "samudaaya vaada"). Hence, you cannot say "avayavi naashah" since you do not accept an avayavi at all! (Note: Nyaaya vaishesika is very close to this...as per him...there is a new thing called avayavi...different from avayava assemblage).

Buddhist answers....we accept "temporary avayavi". Shankara asks...what is the status of this? He says..."non existent" (abhava). But then, as per him, world is bhaava. Again the same problem- from abhava, we cannot get bhava.

Also, logically....we do find the "effect" with the "ingredients of the cause" (plant is nothing but the seed's constituents). 

Now, he says..."it is not avayavi naasha"...it is "avayava naasha". But Shankara says....every avayava is an avayavi from finer perspective. That being the case, it will also follow the same case as before.

Now, he says..."paramaanu avayava being ultimate" is the "avayava" from which this universe came. That is fine...but since he says..."naashah"...that means...paramanu will be destroyed to get this universe. But as per him, the ultimate cause is eternal. 

Hence, from all this....."naasha cannot be the cause". Asat cannot be the cause for sat. That is the bottom line.

Ok...what about advaitin. What does he accept? In advaita...there is a "third category- sat-asat vilakshanam". That being the case, advaitin does not get into any tangle...since his creation is neither sat nor asat and falls in a different category altogether. This is vivarta vaada.

 

Notes-us

Aug 20, 2025

Chp 18: Tat tvam asi prakaranam

Prayer verse: Directed on chaitanya swarupa atma

Paramarthika satyam..both external world and internal world of thoughts...everything comes from atma. It is the kaaranam....the upadana kaaranam also....vrtti + chidabhasa. I offer namaskara

tasmai namah

dhih pratyaya atmaney (atma here = essence)

yena atmanaa udbhavanti vrttayah (from which swarupa gnaanam..vrtti gnaanam originates)

nitya avagataye (swarupa gnaanam)

verse-2: Guru namaskara

To the great guru namah- guro gariyase namah

To the one who preserves the treasure- raraksha vedartha nidhim vishaala dheeh

Who protects against all defective interpretations (including purva mimaamsa which says karma is the main message of the veda...as opposed to brahman being revealed in the veda).

vachosibhih- with words used like a sword (asi)!

Vajra upama - the sword is like this...with logical reasoning (yukti sambhrtaihi)

pramathya- destroying

100s of converse ideas....opposed to vedanta...araateen shruteh shatashah 

guro gariyase = anandagiri says vyasa...or gaudapada (guru's guru). Vyasa has analysed all different schools of thought.

guru < parama guru < parameshthi guru < paraapara guru

Govinda bhagavat paada -> Gaudapaada -> Shuka -> Vyasa

But Vyasa...can he be...yateendraaya? Hence, may be...Gaudapaada

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v-3: 

Most important sadhana is vedantic study...systematically. This is the primary sadhana. The others are supporting sadhanas- karma yoga, upasana, yagna, daana, tapas....all are meant to come to this study...effectively. This alone gives liberating knowledge. Knowledge helps to disown ignorance...to claim my brahman status. Hence, so many prakriyas...

Some claim...it is not enough....you have to "do something"...you need "experience"...etc. This is prasankhyaana vaada- Naishkarmya siddhi.....(v 9 here).

This verse is Shankara's view...it *will* give liberating knowledge. 

sad eva asmi....I am sat!

This brahman is nitya mukta...

1180 upanishads....why so many?...only to teach me!

Like the mother....shruti mother....

This is pratignya shloka. 

Aug 16, 2025

Summary: Winding down verses + summary: Uniqueness of brahman as a goal, uniqueness of this particular knowledge, uniqueness of this sadhana

Yes, with this chapter 15 comes to a close. We will not cover 16 and 17. Chp 18 will be next and the most important and biggest chapter of US. It is going to deal with tat tvam asi.

Here, we get the winding down verses of Chp 15.

v50: Sun example. In the sun, there is no day and night because light is its nature. Earth has borrowed light and hence, we have day and night. So too, anatma will be revealed and will not be revealed. But the atma is ever self evident and requires no process to reveal it, just like the sun.

v51: Remembering the Lalita Sahasranama verse: Heyopaadeya varjita. The self is like this: not an object to be gained or to be given up! Self is ever with us. Phala-shruti. He who understands brahman thus...as revealed in this chapter...has no rebirth (from anatma angle, that is...and from atma angle, anyway, there is no birth). How is it revealed in this chapter? By giving the methodology of...first scrape off jiva bhava...and after that, own up brahma bhaava.

v52: Gnanam is the only method to get moksha...(because the problem is one of ignorance). But gnanam is tough! Yes, then, make it easy! How? By following karma yoga and upasana yoga. In scripture, we find both examples: Very tough: kshurasya dhara....(K Up)Very easy: susukham kartum avyayam (BG-9). Hence, easy/tough depends on preparation.

v53: Quoting Mu Up on why this teaching on gnaanam is blessed by upanishad (Mu Up). Grathis- knots whereby, I bind myself to sthula shariram, su, kaarana shariram. 3 knots. Chidyante samshaya- no more doubt regaring jiva, jagat, ishvara, Kshiiyante karmani- all 3 karmas are taken care appropriately. We know this. (Note how 3, 3, 3 comes in this verse). Remember this famous verse well! All this is got through "drshte"- aparoksha gnaanam.

v54: Complete verse. First, give up aham and mama (pancha anatma that is). Own up brahma bhava (space like..ambaram). How? Using "sudrshta shastram"- shastram revealed with correct vision of one-ness and using logic too (anumaanam)...If you do all this, vimuchyate....nishchitah- through clear knowledge.

Summary:

Uniqueness of moksha: Cannot even be a real goal because it is ever with me...and hence, needs to be only claimed.

Uniqueness of knowledge: No new thing is known...No new experience too! I only disowned by brahman status earlier...and claim that now.

Uniqueness of sadhana: Here, we don't try to IMPROVE. We REPLACE- jiva bhava with brahma bhava!

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Aug 12, 2025

Only one point in these verses: It is the 3rd-capsule..."by My mere presence, I illumine the body-mind...and through that, the world" and claiming "I am the atma".

(1) In case of atma, no process of illumination is needed, because it is self-evident. 

(2) Why then do we need vedantic study? Chp 18, v-4. I have a super-imposed notion that has joined "I am". This is jiva bhava....apurnatva bhaava. This is anaadi. This adhyaaropa. This covers brahma bhava like snakeness covers ropeness. Removal of jiva bhava is the purpose. Hence, brahma bhava is emphasised in tat tvam asi. Jiva bhava is given off to anatma. New status of mine is claimed in tat tvam asi. Note this point well...on the purpose of all this study!

(3) Atma is not a gneyah. It is in fact...a revealer. Sun illumines planets. Is illuminator an action? No action. It is figurative. Sun is just present. Action belongs to the object that is revealed by the light. No action in the upahitam. Mind is changing illuminator. Hence, pramata. Atma is not like that. Hence, it is sakshi. Note this difference between "pramata" and "sakshi" well.

(4) The sun illumines the snake that comes out of the anthill...we feel as though sun has revealed the snake...through an action. But the sun has always done that. Shining to illumining change....no change in the sun. 3rd capsule- by my mere presence, I illumine the body-mind and through that, I reveal the world. Jyotishaam jyoti in BG. I am the ultimate illuminator. This is brahma bhava....atma as sakshi. Sun example in this verse.

(5) Fire "burns" the paper examples. Fire has always been burning. But we transfer the paper's status to fire and say fire burns. No action for fire. I become knower of mind...when mind comes up...after deep-sleep...like the snake that comes out! And now....mind becomes knower...and reveals the world. Hence, "knower" is figurative.

(6) Atma is a figurative "do-er" also! Note this well. BG relies on this to say I am NOT a do-er. Here, we have a magnet example. Iron filing...runs to magnet! Magnet does nothing. "Bhraamatah"..."ayaskaantah" is a magnet. Anatma now does various actions. Does atma "do" ? We say...brahman is creator. But then....maya is the one that evolves...in the presence of brahman. Na nirodhah...(Ma Up).

(7) Known and unknown...is only for the object. Not for the "always as-though status knower" for atma. Brahman is neither known nor unknown.Refers Kena Up. Only "claiming I am the atma" is the only "knowing" of the atma.

(8) That atma is bound...and atma is mukta...that is also a superimposition like knower, do-er..etc. Everything is superimpostion. I "thought" I am bound.

Chp 15: July 22, 2025

4 versions of atma: jiva rupa atma, jagat rupa atma, ishvara rupa atma.. and nirupaadhika atma

In the first 3, nama rupa is included.  It is sopaadhika atma where we have mithyaatva nischaya. 

The name upadhi means, its presence, will not affect!

Space example. Like Chp 13 of BG. Forgetfulness of this...is the only issue.

v33: With each upadhi, I become vishva, taijasa, praagnya. I drop the upadhi since it is incidental. drishtam hitvaa- jaagrat prapancha hitvaa...maya projection...mithyaatva nishchaya...smrti hitvaa...no wool gathering! sarva-graha = tamas (kaarana shariram hitva)...Negate that also.... Sun is dinakrt...darkness is shaarvaram...Like the sun, may you negate the darkness of vishva prapancha etc. There is ONE consciousness...jyotishaam jyotihi! That is the real me. Remember...all this is drama. The true nature is turiyam.

v34: what I experience...is differences...vishama....prapanchas are different (in every avastha)....thoughts in each avastha...are also many and varied. Rupa- jaagrat smrti- swapna, andhakaara- sushupti....pratyaya....thoughts in each. I am the atma...(i claim)...atma is "sama", "drashtaa" and in every body....I am everywhere... (We use this language only during nididhyaasanam...or during teaching. In vyavahaara, never use this language!)

v35: pratyaya in previous shloka....is explained here. world-based-thoughts.....vasana-based-thoughts....(cannot destroy vasana, only mithyatva nishchaya...even for gnani)...will-based-thoughts...(as in meditation, nididhyaasanam...mano buddhi...na aham)....atma-(is required for thoughts)...buddhi and mind...eye (all sense organs)...and vishaya....aaloka (light)....atma alone is satyam...all the others are mithya....This is how pratyaya is generated! We needn't feel bad. When I want....to do at will....is to have will-based-thoughts...and relegate vaasana based thoughts. That is enough. Tayor vasham na aagachhet.... vichitra (thoughts are varied)....all born of agnaana...created by maya...What we need is the atma-anatma viveka.

Chp 15: (July 7, 2025)

- Nididhyaasanam: jiva bhaava durbali karanam (dilution of jiva bhava)...if life is seen as a burden, that means, I am in jiva-bhaava and taking it too real. It should be seen as "kanchuka" - required for transaction. I am not vishva-taijasa-praagnya. I am chit...should be affirmed. All conditions of body-mind are illumined by Me....even avastha trayam....is illumined by Me...and not me.

avastha- ahankara. Don't say...I am sad, was sad, will be sad etc. I can never be sad. Sadness belongs to mind. I am atma. Mind may be sad...but I am not!

Subject-mind distance is not there...but we entertain the "thought" to separate. Mind is illumined. I illumine the mind. 

Through this, ahankara, mamakaara, raga-dvesha...can be reduced. Yad yad bhavyam bhavatu bhagavan.... I am ready to go through all downs in time. Mind becomes calmer. Aagamaapaayino....(cheerfully)...chintaa vilaapa rahitam...how ? by remembering my "higher nature". Let anything happen!

Will and prarabdha- both control the mind...and hence, mind will fluctuate. But I "see" the mind. Like the sun illumines the pot etc. 

v-27: How we come down to mind level during transaction (and suffer)...to ahankara...to individuality...(from saakshi). I perform activities- ahankara. I witness activities- saakshi bhaava.

Ch 15: v21-26 (June 26, 2025)

- The main topic here is avastha traya vichara

In v21: Life is compared to a yaga. Atma as heat/fire principle is everywhere. Mind is the fuel, where atma is manifest as chidabhasa (individual flame, atma fire alone is the flame in each person). The flame is fanned by avidya-kama-karma. The mind (along with CB) is the one that goes outside...via the sense organs and experiences the world.

v22: Vishwa verse: Atma along with jagrat mind is vishva (in micro and virat in macro). The tangible universe is the havis that enters the mind. In vishva, the right eye is the most predominant way...through which this world is experienced.

v23: How a jivan-mukta looks at this yaaga- He remembers the teaching (smaran) and ensures he does not project his raga-dvesha while experiencing the world (either prasada buddhi or mithyaatva buddhi). Hence, he does not get stuck.

v24: Swapna-avastha- Vasana based world. Who lights up the dream world? Atma lights up (through the dream-mind)! Swayam jyoti brahmanam (Br Up Yagnavalkya, Janaka samvaada)

v25: Sushupti avastha: No external world, no inner vasana world. Suspension of karma. Mind along with karana shariram (along with atma of course) is the pragnya. There is advaita anubhava in deep-sleep. Remember this point well. No individuality....no dvaita...in deep sleep. CB also is passive.

v36: Turiya. (Not turiya avastha because no anatma here). It illumines all states without doing any action...like the sun.

  

Chp 15: V 17- V 21 (June 19)

All Nididhyaasana shlokas

Based on Brhadaaranyaka's Swayam jyoti brahmanam

2 "knowers" model

(1) Mind is knower-1: The thoughts and sense organs are the instrument and it reveals the world. Note: Chidaabhaasa is also present in this process- firstly to make the mind alive and sentient as well as to travel in the "thought" through which the external world is revealed. Here, there is action (on the part of the mind)...to entertain the thought...and thus, the external world is revealed/known.

Note one aside point: Chidabhasa traveling along with the thought is called "phala vyaapti" technically. It makes any object "known". Thought travelling is "vrtti vyaapti" and because chidabhasa also travels in the thought, it is called "phala vyaapti".

(2) Atma is "knower-2": It is better to say "revealer" than "knower". Here, the atma reveals the mind and its thoughts also. No action involved on the part of atma. It lends chidaabhaasa to the mind (no action in lending this also, on the part of atma), and through that, mind is "known". In this model, atma is "knower". Consciousness is "sort of instrument", and mind is known. 

The above is known as "Mind triputi" and "Atma triputi" respectively (due to the division of knower-instrument-known in both above).

In Nididhyaasanam, I own up myself as (2) and not (1). 

In 17, I am Atma Triputi and not Mind-triputi. If atma were M-triputi, then, it would also be limited (alpam)

In 18, Shankara says, this is uktam (in B. Upanishad). And gives an "unlike example". I am Knower-2 (above) (nitya drashta)...unlike mind/sense-organs.

In 19, Do Nididhyaasanam by enquiring (using guru and shastram) as to who I am. I am not "collectively (sanghaatam)" or "severally (vyastam)" either the elements (in body/mind) or the sense-organs. This is is jeeva-bhaava durbali-karanam

In 20, neti-neti. I am not any of them....severally or together. I am Knower-2 (above) and not the mind/sense-organs (not knower-1).

In 21, an example is given. Atma is like the "heat principle" everywhere. Mind is the fuel (avidya, kaama, karma). Individual flame...where the mind is....gets lit up (because of atma everywhere and the fuel in the mind). This is the jiva (the lit-up flame)...but he should understand....that infact, he is not this little flame, but the heat-principle everywhere (because of which this little flame is also lit up)! This is "life as a yagna example".

 

Notes-ap

Aug 21, 2025:

Shvetaketu, you are not a maanava. You are not a human being. You are The Being!

Jiva bhava- not me, not mine, not satyam 

v-110: You are not even a student.

v-73-112: 40 shlokas for section 8! 

8 more sections for mananam. 

Section 9 - 114-117

Doubt 1: if the jiva merged in brahman during deep-sleep, why does he not know it?

No! Because in deep-sleep or samadhi, no triputi and hence, no knowledge.

Example for non-differentiated state in sushupti- honey example. No individuality in taste...in the honey-comb. In deep-sleep, pragnya....in which every knowledge is dormant...pragnyaana ghana... Because of this laya, the jiva does not remember.

Aug 17:

Coming to mahavakya portion after coming to sat as one's essential nature after analyzing the 4 topics. Each person's essential nature is "sat". So is the world's. That is brahman. It has 2 versions...of which the sat version is the adhishtanam of the gross version also. Hence, there is just one. That is in you also....Uddalaka tells Shvetaketu

Maranam is being discussed to prove that just like deep-sleep, the person briefly merges into his kaaranam which is brahman...that is called "sat" here. 

v104: During death, prana merges into tejasi. Here, it means "udaana praana". Everything merges into udaana during death. Tejas....hence, the warmth of life is seen. Tejas-chidabhasa-udaana-vayu...one package.

v105: Briefly, the person merges into ishvara (brahman) temporarily. This is the pramanam. 

v106: chhaaya- sushupti, deha= ashanaya and pipasa, indriya = maranam...essential entity is sat. Same with the universe (macro). That is also existence...sat. This is called "anima" in this verse. This is the only thing.

v107: 2 versions. Jagat is gross version of brahman. Jagat has existence...that is the subtle version of brahman (once nama rupa is removed). Subtle version is the truth of the gross version. 

109: Gross version...brought out by maya...that is mithya (kliptam). Neha naanasti kinchana (K Up). In Kai Up also..."na bhumi aapo"....

110: Existence is not negatable. It is not superimposed by maya. The is-ness...is the adhishthaanam. Hence, we are experiencing brahman all the time. Of these, shvetaketu...you also have 2 versions. Existence-consciousness....is your essential nature. That is the jagat kaaranam. You are NOT a maanava. 

Shvetaktu says..."once more"...till section 16.

Aug 12:

The 8th section is being discussed. 3 words are taken. Karya-kaarana sambandha is brought in.

And brahman as "sad vastu" is pointed out as the ultimate kaaranam. That means, what is there...is sad-vastu alone. At body level...and at world level....things and beings appear to be there, but in reality, it is all sad-vastu.

Later, we will point out that....that sad vastu is "aham"...(through maha vakya)...and hence, what is there...is "I" alone...and everything else...is a superimpostion upon that "I". Hence, brahma satyam...jagan mithya...etc.

Here, the 4 words are: swapiti, ashanaaya, pipaasa and maranam.

Pipaasa = udanyaa = udakam nayati. The digestive fire principle leads water in the form of blood, urine etc. Hence, what is there, is fire....not water (mithya)! And fire itself...is mithya...and brahman...sad-vastu...is the only reality. This has to be done...at both the individual and jagat level....bhautika->bhuta->sad-vastu.

 

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June 18, 2025

 Chh Up: Chp-1...sections 2-7: Srishti-prakaranam

Mind is predominantly prthvi, prana is water (mainly), speech is fire (predominantly)

Experiment with Shvetaketu

15 days- No food, only water.

He could not recall the veda at all

Hence- prithvi tatvam (food) is the essence of the mind.

Hence, mind is mithya, and satyam is earth (food).

Hence, use the mind, but do not give reality to mind.

Mind is not me, mind is not mine, mind is not real- these 3 messages.

Same with praana and speech. These 3 messages hold.

Everything must be seen like this....everything. For this nididhyaasanam is needed. The only way to chk if this is happening is reduction in ahankara, mamakaara, raga, dvesha.

71. No earth, only water. No water, only fire. No fire, only brahman!

72. 6 sections (2-7)- brahman satyam....jagan mithya. Hence, world is mithya, body is mithya, mind is also mithya. We experience matter, but matter has existence borrowed from consciousness. Hence, factually, there is only consciousness.

Till now, only paroksha gnaanam for Shvetaketu.

Now....he needs aparoksha gnaanam. Only this will give moksha. Triangular format can give only this. Knowing bhagavan as great, our sense of limitation, jeeva bhaava will NOT go.

HAFD- Helplessness, anger, frustration, depression. This will continue if we have ahankara-mamakara-raga-dvesha towards.....mind, body, family, possession, profession.

Hence, we have to go to aparoksha gnaanam. Tat....tvam asi....must be learnt. You have to come from dvaita bhakti. Sections 8-16....9 times....tat-tvam asi is repeated!

July 14:

4 words analysed:

- swapiti- swam apiti....resolves into our original nature

- ashanaaya

- pipaasa

- maranam

Bird- shakuni drshtaanta (tied to the mast)

Maya is the thread

Mast - atma

When the bird goes out...in jaagaranam and swapnam....comes back to atma (in deep sleep).

Mula-murti and utsava murti example.

July 23:

upadhi: red flower

upahitam: crystal

mind and atma-chaya = upadhi

atma = crystal

every complaint => transference has happened.

In sushupti- mind is resolved. samsara is dormant. Sushupti and moksha are similar. In moksha, samsara is made mithya.

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v85: section 8 summarized

br up: madhu brahmanam quoted (2.5.19 Br up) (rupam-rupam...)

sushupti, ashanaya-pipasa, maranam....used to reveal brahman.

Using chidabhasa, you can know chit. Using body (ashaya)...indriya (maranam)...through this, we can know brahman. 

K Up also says the same....fire takes the form of the wood....like that, chita takes the form of chidabhasa. 

v86: 

indrah = maya sahitam brahma

It became all of this....Tait Up....

Ishvara became body, Ishvara became chidabhasa....for what? He takes jiva form....so that he can relish mukti later (though it is all mithya)

v87: 

haraya= horses (sense organs)....jiva (brahman's avatara!)....sense organs to go to a guru...for atma gnanam....

Connects to section 8.

In sushupti....i should meditate that i am not pragnya, but atma.

july 30:

swapiti discussion is over. During deep-sleep and during maranam, we go back to brahman (temporarily).

Now, ashanaya, pipasa and maranam discussion.

Why has brahman taken avatara as jiva?

- To know ourselves as brahman! This comes in Br Up. This is the second reason apart from karma.

- Brahman as brahman cannot know itself.

v-88:

Now...ashanaayaa...

Body to annam to prthvi tatvam to jalam to agni to brahman....

Next pipaasaa...

Body to jalam directly...and from there....to agni...to brahman.

Using these 2 simple words....Upanishad reveals brahman! 

ashanaayaa (hunger) means "water" by "vastu vivekibhih"!

 asha- what has been eaten by us

naayaa- what has been carried by it...

ashitam nayati iti ashanaayaa.

So what? Body is nourished by food...carried by water. 

Body is kaaryam....food is kaaranam.

Kaarana kaaryam series is pointed out by this derivation!

Hence...this derivation is...extended...all the way to brahman!

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Aug 5, 2025:

Section 8:

ashitam nayati - it means water. 

Journey-> body->annam->water->tejah->brahman as existence (This is explicitly pointed by Vidyaranya).

shungam -> kaaryam...unique word used in Chh Up for kaaryam.

Kaaryam does not exist separate from kaaranam (remember the 3 examples).

body does not exist...annam alone exists....all the way to saying...only brahman exists!

Existence alone is muula kaarnam...and everything else...is naama-rupa (vaachaarambhanam...)

This is the main thing...in this exercise! You have to see everything as Existence...even as you see the body, water, fire etc.

There is logic (anumaanam) involved here. Vidyaranya says...it is important because this knowledge requires conviction (vishvaasah) and for that, we need logic. Hence, shruti, yukti and anubhava are all required....to finally claim...."this whole world is mithya...even as you see the world!" This is the aim. This is the bottom line....remember this well.

My real nature is seen in deep-sleep state....(swapiti)...no individuality. This is the reality...this is the existence...(as experienced in deep sleep state)....and this is the only satyam. Everything else is mithya.

Tat dhhasya vijagnyau...Shvetaketu got this clear knowledge..He got it after 9 times repetition.

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Notes-bs

BS-49 Aug 17, 2025

Main theme: Vrtti-kaara says- brahman knowledge should be followed by brahma upasanam. Advaitin will eventually say- No. For moksha, knowledge alone is enough.

Here, we are talking about vrtti-kaara purvapakshi. He says- Just knowing brahman is not enough. It has to be followed by "brahma upasanam". This "action" will give punya to get moksha. Just knowing brahman is not enough.

He says, even shabda pramanam is meaningful only if there are "verbs". Hence, everything is action-based!

Few points about vrtti-kaara. There are the following categories:

(1) Purva-mimaamsaka: Does not accept nirgunam brahman at all.

(2) Gnana-karma samuchhaya vaadi: Sanyasi cannot get moksha. You need to perform veda prescribed action till death and yes, you need brahma gnaanam also. Together, they will give moksha after death.

(3) Vrtti-kaara: Accepts nirgunam brahman. Also, accepts brahma gnaanam. But unlike the previous one, he wants only "brahma upasanam" to be done after brahma gnaanam. That punyam will give moksha. Hence, he is also saying "action is required, only he says, mental-action (upasana) is required.

(4) Vidyaranya in panchadashi chp 9: He also says "do brahma upasanam"- but the key difference is, we do that, not to gain moksha...but to remove "pratibandha"...and after removing the obstacle through upasana, we will gain moksha...through knowledge.

(5) Vishistaadvaitam: Does not accept nirgunam brahma. He says, "brahman upasanam gives moksha after death". But by brahman, he means Lord Vishnu- sagunam brahman only.

What does advaitin say?

- There is nirgunam brahma.

- Action (both veda prescribed action and upasanam) generates punya and helps us to come to knowledge (by giving guru and shastra opportunity and purified mind-set). Thereafter, gnaanaat eva kaivalyam. Hence, karma-upasana...is only to get sadhana-chatushtayam. Thereafter, we need ONLY knowledge because "brahman is an already accomplished fact" (siddham)...where a person gives up his jiva-status as "incidental" and owns up his brahman-status as the "real Me".

BS-45 July 23

Here, we have "bhaatta mimaamsa". (as opposed to praabhaakaara mimaamsa). Bhaatta mimaamsa- brahma naastika vaadi. 2 purvapakshis. 2 varnakams here also...for this 4th sutra. 

As per us...

tat- brahma tu- that alone (no karma)....samanvayaat (taatparya)

samanvayaa- going along...alignment....all vedanta are aligned...to reveal brahman alone as the central theme...(like election speech). This is the bottomline!

How do you know taatparyam is brahman? Because of 6 lingas-

Shankara says.....

1. Sad eva somya...(Chh Up) (Saama)

2. Atma va ekam eva agrey aaseet (Ai Up) (Rig)

3. .....Ayam atma brahma (Br Up) Brahman does not have a cause. World is not a real product. Not kaaranam....not kaaranam (Note..this comes in Br Up also....not Mandukya here!) (Yajur)

4. brahmaivedam amrtam purastaat....brahman alone is....anything else...is an experience (Mundaka) (Atharvana)

No karma in vedanta....

6 lingas from vedanta saara (chp 5): Chh Up (chp 6) (Ratna prabhaa talks about this)

- upakrama upasamhaara: sad eva somya + 6.16.3 aitad aatyam idam sarvam....starts and ends with brahman

- abhyaasa: repeated: maha vakyam is repeated 9 times (tat tvam asi)

- apuurvataa: something new. pramaana vaakyam (as opposed to anuvaadaka vaakyam) 6.13.2. Salt water example....shvetaketu...not seen! But salt is there! Brahman is the salt, world is the water!! 

- phalam: 6.14.2: Only prarabdha has to be exhausted....videha mukti phalam... 

- artha-vaada: glorification. eka vignaanena sarva vignaanam bhavati. Actual omniscience is not possible! One more example...brahman anupravesha....no question of brahman entering....because it is everywhere. Ninda artha-vaada: Mandukya...who ever sees plurality...mrtyo mrtyum...goes from death to death. Hence, only ONE brahman...which is abhaya kaaranam.

- upapatti- veda itself gives the logic. world does not exist separate from brahman....3 examples: gold, clay, iron....mrttika ityeva satyam.

Karma kaanda discussion for sutra 4

- Section where utility of "siddha bodhaka vaakyam" and "kaarya bodhaka vaakyam". Karma kaanda person (purva mimaansa) says, these vedanta statements are useless, unless you connect it to a "vidhi" (do something). These statements have to be used to glorify...before "doing some action". All this comes under "bhaatta mimaansa".

Vyasa gives the answer- "tat (brahman) tu (indeed..shastra yoni) samanvayaat". Indeed...unlike what you (above purvapakshi) say..."samanyavaat"...."shastra taatparyatvaat". Brahman is the central theme of the veda. Shastra reveals brahman only...and does not reveal any karma. This is the bottom line.

Sutra 4: tat tu samanvayaat

- purva-mimaamsaka: The entire veda should tell us to "do something" (vidhi-nishedha). Hence, "brahman" cannot be subject matter of veda. Only then...does it become a "pramaanam". It should have some "benefit".

Even if the veda mentions something descriptive (artha vaakyam), he says, it has to be connected to a "vidhi vaakyam"- so that you can "do some action". 

(Veda agni story- agni's tears became silver! Devas had to wrest valuables from agni after the war with asuras. The story is to finally convey- don't give silver. Again, "karma, action" is the main thing in veda)

Similarly- brahman dhyaanam should be the message of veda...he says.

atma description- to enthuse the jiva (he says)

brahman description- to praise the devatas (he says)

Hence, either way- it is to prompt you to "do action", that the veda talks about all this.

As per him, entire veda is "one shastram". We say "2 shastrams". 

In knowledge, I don't "get anything" (he says). 

Sutra 3: Shastrayonitvaat (June 24, 2025)

Varnakam-1

These are the 5 points for an adhikaranam.

1. Vishaya vakyam: asya mahato bhutasya nishvasitam

2. Samshaya: Can Bhagavan be author of veda if veda is nityam?

3. Purvapakshi: 

       Purva-meemamsa: Rig Veda says veda is nityam. How can Bhagavan be author?

       

4. Siddhanta: He does not create the veda. He manifests the veda in every cycle. Vedanta krt (BG-15)

                      Mahabharata Shanti Parva also says so.

5. Sangati: Related to omniscience of the Lord...which was indirectly inferred from previous sutra

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Varnakam-2

(1) Vishaya vaakyam: aupanishadam purusham prchhaami

(2) Samshaya: Why can we not have other pramanam for Brahman? e.g. Anumanam?

(3) Purvapakshi: Nyaya-Vaisheshika talks about anumanam (previous sutra)

                           Pramanam status will be lowered if Bhagavan doesn't need veda!

(4) Siddhanta: Veda has always been with bhagavan. Hence, its pramana status is not lowered

(5) Sangati: Satisfies the curiosity of previous sutra- How to get that Brahman

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Sutra-4: Tat tu samanvayaat

Purva Meemamsaka says Vedanta is useless. It has no "Action Item"! If it all...it has to be incorporated....it is inside a ritual. Else, it is like "uushara bhaaga" (like desert land!)

This has to be countered!

 

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Sutra 2: Finishing up (June 17, 2025)

yato va....Tatastha lakshanam for brahman

anaandaat eva imaani bhutaani- Swarupa lakshanam for brahman

Why does Brahman need Veda/shabda to reveal it...when it is self-evident (siddha vastu)?

(1) Because brahman has no attributes- ashabdam...aparsham...etc. Hence, no pratyaksha pramaanam. Hence, no other pramaanam also.

(2) Veda itself says...it is the only pramaanam for revealing brahman- "sarvam brahma aupanishadam"

Hence, whether it is sadhya vishaya (attaining heaven etc.) or even siddha vishaya (Brahman as self-evident atma)....in both cases, we need veda only. 

Omniscience of ishvara is indirectly revealed through sutra 2.

It is re-inforced with sutra-3 by pointing that ishvara is the cause of the veda too.

We need the world to exhaust our karma

We need veda to provide the teaching and release us from samsara. Veda is the "key"!

Sutra-3 can be interpreted in 2 ways. That's because the definition of a sutra allows for multiple ways of looking at it.

Shastrayonitvat is an example of vishvatomukham.

Is veda anaadi if ishvara is the kaaranam of veda? 

Answer is veda is anaadi...At the time of creation, Ishvara makes the unmanifest veda into manifestation.

6 vedangas - shiksha, kalpa, vyaakaranam, niruktam, chhandas, jyotisham

4 upaangas - puraanam, nyaya, meemaansa, dharma-shaastram.

4 upaveda - aayurveda, dhanurveda, gandharva veda, artha shaastram 

chaturdasha vidyaa sthaanaani !

What is the vishaya vaakyam for Sutra-3?

Br Up:

asya mahato bhutasya nishvasitam etad yad rig vedo etc.

Mahato bhuta - refers to Ishvara (sagunam brahma)

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Sutra 3: Shastra-yonitvaat (june 17)

2 meanings: 

(1) Ishvara is omniscient since He is the author of the vedas. From the sheer dimension of the veda, we infer the omniscience of Ishvara. (yoni here is kaaranam for veda). His effortlessness is pointed out through quotes like "yasya mahato bhutasya"....vedas are manifest as easily as his breath (for Ishvara, it is that easy)!

As an example of the exhaustiveness of vedas, we have a pointer to the veda-angaani- shiksha, kalpa, vyaakaranam etc. In particular, Shankara refers to Paanini...and says, that grammar is only one shastra and that itself is so vast and so grand! Then, we can imagine the magnitude of the vedas...themselves!

(2) Ishvara can be known only through the veda. Nyaya-Vaisheshika feels Ishvara can be "inferred", but the arguments are fallacious. Hence, Veda is the only way pramaanam to know brahman (as sagunam (ishvara) and as nirgunam). (yoni here is pramaanam)

Sutras with alternate meanings like the above are called "varnakam" by Padmapaada.