Fathoming the Subtle

 It is always difficult to understand the subtle. Atman is subtle. In Vivekachudamani, the guru negates the five koshas to arrive at the true self. Then the shishya fails to recognise the true self – the atma. The atma is the subtlest and cannot be objectified. Hence, though it is very proximate, the shishya fails to recognise it.

While I am sitting with my friend, a gentleman comes and asks him, “What do you do?”. My friend replies that he looks after a hundred elephants. Then the gentleman applauds his work and offers to help him. Then he turns to me and asks, “What do you do?”, expecting a similar reply. I study and teach Vedanta. I contemplate on Vedanta. I try explaining it to him. He does not recognise any worth of what I do. Because I do not take care of elephants!

One in thousands understands the significance of Vedanta. The atman is everywhere, yet visible to none. It does not have attributes – colour, taste and the like. Being infinite, it does not exclude anything. Our mind is used to understand things as objects standing apart. An object is recognised with the exclusion of the other objects. It is not possible with the all-pervasive, all-encompassing Brahman. The Brahman should be recognised in and through everything.

नेति नेति

 नेति नेति

 

नेति  नेतीति  वीप्सया प्रतिषेधार्हं सर्वं प्रतिषेधति श्रुतिः।

ननु किं प्रतिषेधार्हम् इति चेन्निखिलं दृश्यजातम् इति ब्रूमः। अज्ञैरात्मत्वेनाभिमन्यमानान्यपि देहादीनि

दृश्यान्येव सन्ति प्रतिषेधार्हाणि भवन्ति।

सेयं  श्रुतिः  निषेध्यं  दृश्यजातं निषिध्य प्रतिपेधानर्हे परमात्मनि पर्यवस्यति।

सकलप्रतिषेधस्यापि साक्षिभूतः सन्नयमात्मा प्रतिषेधं नार्हति।

प्रतिषिद्धे समस्ते दृश्यजाते त्वविद्या तत्कार्याणि च प्रतिषिद्धानि भवन्तीत्त्यात्मनः  संसारधर्माभावः सिध्यति।

तार्किककल्पितानामन्येषां पदार्थानामपि दृश्यत्वादेव प्रतिषेध्यकोटौ प्रवेशोपरिहार्य इत्यद्वैत एव

वेदन्तानां परमतात्पर्यमनेन वचसा निश्चितं भवति।

ननु निषेधवचसैवाद्वैतस्य सिद्धौ किं विधिमुखैः सत्यादिवाक्यैरिति चेत्?

नैवम्। निषेधवचसा जगतोभावः साक्षात् प्रतीयते। अनुभूयमानस्य जगतः शशविषाणवदत्यन्तासत्त्वावगमश्च नोपपद्यते। तस्मादनुभूयमानत्वे सत्यसत्त्वरुपं मिथ्यात्वं सर्वस्यापि जगतो नेति नेतीति वचसा बोद्ध्यते। निरधिष्ठानस्य कल्पनानुपपत्ते:, निस्साक्षिकस्य

निषेधस्याप्यनुपपत्तेः, जगन्निषेधावधिभूतं तदतिष्ठानं किञ्चिदर्थाज्ज्ञायते।

 तस्मान्नेतिनेतिवचसा जगतो मिथ्यात्वं मुखतो ज्ञाप्यते अर्थादेवाद्वितीयं ब्रह्म ग्राह्यते। यावद् अद्वितीयस्य  ब्रह्मण: सत्यत्वं लक्षणं

तेन जीवस्यैक्यं  मुखतो न प्रतिपाद्यते श्रुत्या, तावत्  प्रत्यगभिन्नस्य परमात्मन:   सत्त्वं स्वरुपं च सन्दिहानं प्रति श्रूतिः सत्यादिवाक्यैः

विधिमुखेन प्रत्यगभिन्नं चिद्रूपं ब्रह्म ग्राहयति।

तस्मान्न विधिप्रधानानां सत्यादिवाक्यानां नैरर्थक्यं  शङ्कनीयम्।

वेदान्तानां तात्पर्यम्

 

 वेदान्तानां तात्पर्यम्

 

वेदान्तानान्तात्पर्यङ्किमित्यत्रास्ति वैमत्यम्। निखिलानामपि तेषां कर्मपरत्वं कैश्चिद् भण्यते चेदपरैरुपास्तिपरता ।

 कैश्चिद् द्वैतपरत्वं चेद् विशिष्टाद्वैतपरत्वमन्यैः।आधुनिकाश्च केचित् सर्वेषामपि मतानां समवायमिच्छन्ति।

वेदान्ता न केवलमद्वैतपरा अपि तु द्वैतपरा विशिष्टाद्वैतपरा कर्मपरा उपास्तिपरा चेति ते निगदन्ति।

तत्राद्वैत एव वेदन्तानां तात्पर्यं नान्यत्रेति संप्रदायविदो निश्चिन्वन्ति।

वेदान्ते तावद् उपक्रमादिषड्लिङ्गान्यद्वैतपराण्येव लभ्यन्ते नान्यपराणि। अद्वैतावगमस्यैव मोक्षहेतुत्वान्न कर्मपरत्वं वोपास्तिपरत्वं वा तेषां निर्णेतुं शक्यते।

अपि च नेह नानास्ति किञ्चनेत्यादीनि भेदनिन्दावाक्यान्यपि वेदान्तेषु तत्र तत्र श्रूयन्ते येन वेदान्तस्य  द्वैतबोधकत्वाभावः सुनिश्वितो भवति।

    वेदान्तस्त्वाधुनिकैर्द्वैतादिसकलमतविधायक इति कल्प्यते।

 ते प्रष्टत्याः--

किमेकेनैव वाक्येनाद्वैतं तद्भिन्नान्यपि मतानि बोध्यन्त उत भिन्नैरेव वाक्यै:?

तत्राद्योनुपपन्नः। एकस्यैव प्रामाणिकस्य वाक्यस्य विरुद्धनानार्थबोधकत्वं न सम्भवति। तथा कल्प्यते चेत् वेदान्तानां प्रामाण्यभङ᳭ग एव स्यात्।

अपि च पारमार्थिकस्य वस्तुनोद्वैतत्वं  भेदवत्वं च न सम्भवति। युगपदेकस्य वस्तुनो  विरुद्धनानाधर्मवत्त्वकल्पनं न्यायविरुद्धम्।

तस्मादेकस्यैव महावाक्यस्य सर्वमतबोधकत्वं परिहृतम्।

तत्वमस्यादीनां महावाक्यानामेकत्रैव तात्पर्यं स्वीकार्यम्।

तदप्युपक्रमादिलिङ्गबलाद् अद्वैत एव।

यदि भिन्नैरेव वाक्यैर्भिन्नानि मतानि बोध्यन्त इति तैषामभिप्रायस्तर्हि त एवं प्रष्टव्याः -

किम् ज्ञेयपरैर्वाक्यैर्वोपास्तिपरैर्वाक्यैर्वाद्वैतभिन्नानि मतानि प्रतिपाद्यन्ते?  नाद्यः। ज्ञेयपराणां तत्त्वमस्मादिवाक्यानाम् अद्वैतमात्रपरत्वात् ।

 तत्प्रकरणपठितानां सृष्ट्यादिवाक्यानां न स्वार्थे तात्पर्यं किन्त्वद्वैतबोधन एवेति न तेषां द्वैतादिपरत्वम्। अन्येषामपि तयोरन्यः पिप्पलं स्वाद्वत्तीत्यादीनां वाक्यानामप्यविद्यादशायां सिद्धस्यैव द्वैतस्यानुवादकत्वम्, न  तु  द्वैतबोधकत्वम् । तेषाम् द्वैतबोधकत्वे प्रकरणविरोध: स्यात्।

उपास्तिपराण्यपि वाक्यानि लोकसिद्धं द्वैतम् अनूद्याविद्यावत उपास्तीर्विदधति। तेषां वाक्यानाम् उपास्तिविधान एव पर्यवसानान्न द्वैतस्य बोधकत्वम्।

 

ननु यथा निर्गुणस्य ब्रह्मणः पारमार्थिकत्वं निर्गुणवाक्यैरवधार्यते तथैव उपस्तिप्रकरणे श्रूयमणैः सगुणवाक्यैस्तस्यैव

सगुणत्वमपि कुतो नावधार्यत इति चेत् ? 

नैवम्। उपास्तिप्रकरणस्थैर्वाक्यैस्तद्गुणानां पारमार्थिकत्वं न विवक्ष्यते। तेषामुपास्तिविधिपरत्वाद् गुणानां पारमार्थिकत्वाभावेप्युपास्तेः सुसम्पादत्वात्। निर्गुणवाक्यानां तु ज्ञेयपरत्वाद् तदुपदिष्टस्यैव पारमार्थिकत्वमुररीकार्यम्।

किञ्च तदेव ब्रह्म त्वं विद्धि नेदं यदिदमुपासत इति श्रूतिरेव तस्य सगुणत्वं निराकरोति।

तस्मादुपास्तिपरैरपि वाक्येर्न वेदान्तानां द्वैतादिपरत्वम् सिध्यति।

ननु वेदन्तेषु उपास्तिपराणि ज्ञेयपराणि च वाक्यानि दृश्यन्त इति यथा अद्वैते तेषां तात्पर्यं तथैवोपास्तिविधानेपि किं नाङ्गीक्रियत इति चेत्?

नैवम्। उपास्तिविधीनां प्राधान्याभावात् ।

तमेव विदित्वा अतिमृत्युमेतीति ज्ञानादेव परमपुरुषार्थसिद्धेरुपास्तीनां प्राधान्यं नोपपद्यते।

तस्मान्निर्गुणप्रकरणापेक्षया सगुणप्रकरणानां गौणत्वं निश्चेयम्। ज्ञानयोग्यतासिद्ध्यर्थानि  ह्युपासनानि न तु साक्षन्मोक्षसाधनानि।

तस्माद् अज्ञानदशायां सिद्धं द्वैतम् अनूद्य निर्गुणेपि ब्रह्मणि गुणानारोप्योपास्तीर्विधत्ते श्रुतिः। उपासनया योग्यतामापन्नं प्रति निर्गुणमेवात्मतत्वम् अवबोधयति। तस्मादुपासने वा तद्विषये सगुणे ब्रह्मणि वा न वेदन्तानां पर्यवासानं किन्त्वद्वैत एव परमतात्पर्यवन्ति निखिलान्यपि वेदशिरोवचांसि।

Samskrtam - The Eternal Language

 सुष्ठु / सम्यक् कृतम् संस्कृतम्

It is properly and precisely formed - well refined.

It can be justified through following points:

1. Phonetic precision - every sound in the language is clearly understood with place of articulation, effort etc. Also the phonetic change - sandhi - is properly understood.

2. Words are derived from a set of roots and affixes. Sanskrit grammar understands the basic principle of derivation and usage of words. The whole universe is divided into action and 6 factors of action. Everything in the universe can be named in terms of a given set of actions and how it is related to a given action.

3. Since words are formed with the help of roots and affixes, one can form any number of new words following the rules of grammar. One can easily understand the meaning of a word by looking into the component roots and affixes. 

3. Principle behind formation of compounds is well understood. Using this, one can form new compounds and every compound can be precisely explained.

4. Sanskrit is a declentional language. The form of a word indicates the role of the word in a sentence. Therefore, a word conveys its meaning correctly irrespective of where it is positioned in a sentence. Change of syntax does not affect the meaning of the sentence. In other languages like English, the role of a word in a sentence is understood by its position in the sentence. Hence, syntax plays a major role in determining the meaning of the sentence. Hence, in English, grammar is primarily aimed at studying the syntax. In Sanskrit, Vyakarana is the study of words and their forms and not about syntax.

5. Since Sanskrit has a precise and systematic grammar, it has retained its original form through thousands of years. For one who has studied Paninian grammar, the sanskrit literature like Bhagavadgita and works of Shankaracharya do not sound ancient. He can easily relate to the language and connect to the great minds of the past. The English used a hundred years ago is now obsolete.

6. Unlike other languages, in Sanskrit we can form abstracts of every word. This speciality makes the language handy for philosophical discussion.

7. Sanskrit has an evolved system of metres and prosody, which makes it a favourite of literaries.

Purport of Vedanta

 

Purport of Vedanta

Jnana-kanda portion of the Vedas is called Vedanta. It consists of the Upanishads. It is a pramana – source of knowledge – as it reveals the absolute truth. Unlike the relative truth, one cannot arrive at the absolute reality through senses and reasoning. The words of Vedanta reveal the absolute reality.

The process of ascertaining the purport of Vedanta with the help of a competent Guru is called Sharavana. It is not easy to understand the true purport of Vedanta. An attempt to understand Vedanta on one’s own, without Guru's guidance, can lead to wrong conclusions. Hence, the role of a Guru is indispensable.

The Guru should be a sampradayavit. He should have proper understanding of the vision of the Vedanta text as per the tradition. Sampradaya is the way to clear understanding of the Vedanta texts and an effective communication of the same.

Nowadays, one might come across many popular interpretations of Vedanta. Most of them are not in keeping with the sampradaya. Some of them are ancient. Yet, they do not resonate with the true purport of the Upanishads. Some of the modern spiritual teachers call themselves Vedantis. They become popular spiritual teachers without any understanding of the sampradaya. Sri Shankaracharya warns a spiritual seeker against such spiritual teachers. असंप्रदायवित् सर्वशास्त्रविदपि मूर्खवदुपेक्षणीयः They may speak well and have a good following. Popularity is not a proof of authenticity.

The true purport of Vedanta is advaita. The absolute reality – Brahman – is free from all dualities. It is infinite – with no parts and limitations. Jiva – the individual – is not different from Brahman. Jagat - the universe is mithya – unreal. Hence, neither the jiva nor the jagat can be counted as a parallel reality against Brahman. Hence, Brahman, the absolute reality, is advaita - without a second.

On a close and honest analysis of the statements of Vedanta, one can find that advaita is the central and unambiguous message of Vedanta. Yet, unfortunately, many philosophers and scholars fail to understand the same. Let us discuss some of the misconceptions and understand their fallacies.

1.    Vedanta reveals Karma

According to Mimansa philosophers, Vedas reveal only karma – actions in the form of rituals etc. A Vedic statement is considered valid if it reveals an action or a component associated with action. Karmas are useful as they produce their results. A valid Vedic statement should serve some purpose to the mankind. If it does not serve any purpose, it cannot be considered valid. If a statement reveals a fact which is not useful in any action, it does not serve any purpose and hence it loses its validity. Vedanta is an integral portion of the Vedas. Hence, like karma-kanda, the statements of Vedanta should reveal Karma and its accessories. Though they do not reveal an independent action, they should reveal certain facts that are useful in action. Understanding of the absolute reality does not serve any purpose in karmas. Also, the Brahman is free from all Karmas. It is neither an action nor a result of action. Hence, Advanta cannot be the purport of Vedanta.

The contention of the Mimansa philosopher lacks the understanding that Moksha cannot be attained through Karma. Moksha – the ultimate goal of human life – is a result of jnana. The results of Karma are temporary. Hence, the statements of Vedanta are not redundant. They are the means for the knowledge of Brahman.

Also, jnana does not need the help of Karma to produce its result. Jnana is capable of dispelling the ignorance without the assistance of Karma. Hence, the statements of Vedanta cannot be subordinated to the karma-kanda portion of the Vedas.

Unlike Karma-kanda, Vedanta does not enjoin any action. In Vedanta, one cannot find vidhi (injuction) or nishedha (prohibition). Instead, they talk about Brahman - the reality. Also, the Upanishads are clear in stating that the knowledge of Brahman leads to moksha. Hence, Vedanta does not reveal Karma.

 

2.    Vedanta reveals Dvaita

Dvaita means duality. According to Dvaita phiolosophers, Brahman – the Lord - and jiva are different from each other and the jagat is real. A jiva can never become Brahman A jiva can worship Brahman and attain his proximity. Being close to the Lord is Moksha.

The fallacies of Dvaita can be very easily undersood as the Vedanta leaves no stone unturned in negating all dualities.

3.    Vedanta expounds Vishishtadvaita

According to Vishishtadvaita, jiva is a part of Brahman – the Lord. The Lord encompasses everything – world and Jiva. The world is real and so are our bodies and minds. A jiva can never be Brahman. Yet, he can be a closer and prominent part of Brahman through spiritual practices.

The contention of Vishishtadvaita seems correct at first glance. On a closer probe, one can find out that it is not the intended message of the Vedanta. Brahman is nishkala – free from parts and nitya – eternal. Hence it cannot have parts. The unequivocal emphasis on the oneness of jiva and Brahman rules out the amsha – amshi – bhava i.e., part-whole relation between jiva and brahman.

4.    Vedanta teaches Dvaita, Vishishtadvaita and Advaita

Some modern teachers try to reconcile all existing interpretations. According to them, Vedanta proclaims Dvaita, Vishishtadvaita and Advaita alike. A seeker is free to choose any of them as per his or her inclination. This interpretation seems very convincing as long as we do not analyse the Upanishads properly. On a close scrutiny of the Vedantic statements, we can understand the following:

a.    The central teaching of Vedanta is summed up in the Mahavakya. The Mahavakya equates jiva with Brahman. It is an equation. All other statements of the Upanishads are subservient to Mahavakya. Hence, they are in alignment with the message of Mahavakya.

b.   Vedanta, being a valid source of knowledge, cannot proclaim two messages that contradict each other. The absolute truth cannot be non-dual and dual at the same time.

c.    To determine the purport of a given passage of Vedanta, we take into account the indicatory signs like upakrama (introduction), upasamhara (conclusion at the end of the passage), abhyasa (repetition) etc. They are the tools to ascertain the purport of a given passage of the Vedas. All such indicatory signs are in favour of advaita.

d.   There are statements in Vedanta that negate all forms of duality like नेह नानास्ति किंचन, नेति नेति etc. If Vedanta intends to convey duality also, it could not have negated it.

e.    The world cannot be real and unreal at the same time. If it is satya, it canot be mithya.

f.     Jiva cannot be limited and limitless at the same time. The statments that negate the reality of the universe cannot be reconciled with reality of the universe. Hence the statements that seem to affirm the presence of the universe like creation etc. should not be understood as the conclusion of Vedanta. The purpose of discussing srshti (creation) is to establish non-duality. It is quite clear on analysing Chapter 6 of Chandogyopanishad.

g.    Some people think Advaita is a state. It is not true. It is the only reality that cannot be to a confined to a given state. All states belong to the domain of duality.

On account of the above and many more reasons, one cannot amalgamate various interpretations. An effort to reconcile two opposite view turns out to be futile. The earth cannot be flat and globe at the same time. Is it not ignorance to describe the earth as a flat surface floating on water?

 

Question: If Advaita is the only purport of Vedanta, why there are statemnets like द्वा सुपर्णा सयुजा सखाया? (There are two birds – refering to jivatma and paramatma – on the same tree, namely, the body.)

Answer: Such statements do not reveal duality. Such statements should be understood as अनुवाद – statement of something that is true from the ignorant seekers’ point of view. To convey the absolute truth, the shastra makes reference to the seeker’s point of view and eventually corrects the same. For example, an ignorant child perceives a rope as a snake and gets frightened. Then, a grown-up man, intending to clear the child’s delusion, might say, “This snake is just a rope.” The part of the statement ‘this snake’ is an अनुवाद. The speaker does not mean to convey the reality of the snake. He is just referring to the perception of the child with the objective of negating the same.

 

Question: Some Upanishads contain Upasanas. They are meditations of Brahman with qualitie, i.e., saguna-brahma. It is not possible without duality. Qualitie belong to the domain of duality. Also, meditator is different from the object of mediation. Hence, do not the sections of Vedanta dealing with Upansana convey Dvaita etc.?

Answer: Yes. There are such sections in the Upanishads. But they do not convey the absoluteness of Dvaita etc. Just like the Karmas enjoined in Karma-kanda secton, the Upasanas are meant for a seeker who is not ready to receive the knowledge of Advaita yet. Upasana serves as a means for being qualified for understanding the true nature of Paramatma. Such statements also operate with the principle of अनुवाद. They take recourse to the duality that is perceived by the seeker and prescribe certain spiritual discipline. On being ready, the seeker understands Advaita from the Mahavakyas and attans Moksha.

 

Question: You pin down Vedanta to Advaita alone and reject other contentions, including the all-encompassing view that reconciles all views. Is it not fanaticism? Does it not hurt others’ sentiments and cause disharmony?

Answer: 1+1 is always 2. It cannot be 3 pr 4 or 0. Is it fanaticism to say so? One cannot bring about social harmony by endorsing the incorrect. Being honest and open to the truth is the only way to harmony and peace in the world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Swarupanusandhanam

 स्वरूपानुसन्धानाष्टकम्

SVARUPANUSANDHANASHTAKAM.

 

तपोयज्ञदानादिभिः शुद्धबुद्धि

र्विरक्तो नृपादेः पदे तुच्छबुद्ध्या।

परित्यज्य सर्वं यदाप्नोति तत्त्वं 

परं ब्रह्म नित्यं तदेवाहमस्मि॥1॥

 

 

दयालुं गुरुं ब्रह्मनिष्ठं प्रशान्तं

समाराध्य भक्त्या विचार्य स्वरूपम्।

यदाप्नोति तत्त्वं निदिध्यास्य विद्वान् 

परं ब्रह्म नित्यं तदेवाहमस्मि॥2॥

 

 

यदानन्दरूपं प्रकाशस्वरूपं

निरस्तप्रपञ्चं परिच्छेदहीनम्।

अहं ब्रह्मवृत्येकगम्यं तुरीयं 

परं ब्रह्म नित्यं तदेवाहमस्मि॥3॥

 

 

यदज्ञानतो भाति विश्वं समस्तं

विनष्टं च सद्यो यदात्मप्रबोधे।

मनोवागतीतं विशुद्धं विमुक्तं

परं ब्रह्म नित्यं तदेवाहमस्मि॥4॥

 

 

निषेधे कृते नेति नेतीति वाक्यैः 

समाधिस्थितानां यदाभाति पूर्णम्।

अवस्थात्रयातीतमद्वैतमेकं 

परं ब्रह्म नित्यं तदेवाहमस्मि॥5॥

 

 

यदानन्दलेशैः समानन्दि विश्वं 

यदाभाति सत्त्वे तदाभाति सर्वम्।

यदालोचिते हेयमन्यत्समस्तं 

परं ब्रह्म नित्यं तदेवाहमस्मि॥6॥

 

अनन्तं विभुं सर्वयोनिं निरीहं

शिवं सङ्गहीनं यदोङ्कारगम्यम्।

निराकारमत्युज्ज्वलं मृत्युहीनं

परं ब्रह्म नित्यं तदेवाहमस्मि॥7॥

 

यदानन्दसिन्धौ निमग्नः पुमान् स्या-

दविद्याविलासः समस्तप्रपञ्चः।

तदा न स्फुरत्यद्भुतं यन्निमित्तं

परं ब्रह्म नित्यं तदेवाहमस्मि॥8॥

 

स्वरूपानुसंधानरूपां स्तुतिं यः 

पठेदादराद्भक्तिभावो मनुष्यः।

शृणोतीह वा नित्यमुद्युक्तचित्तो

भवेद्विष्णुरत्रैव वेदप्रमाणात्॥9॥

 

 

8 -3- 2021.

 

Talk on

SVARUPANUSANDHANAM

 

 

By Swami Shivprakashanandji

 

Today we are going to start a new text ‘Svarupanusandhanam’.

I have shared the text and I hope all have received it.

 

Today is the introduction.

It is a Prakarna Granth. The are three main texts of Vedanta-

 

Upanishads

Bhagwad Geeta

BrahmaSutras

 

These three are the sourcebooks of Vedanta. They are called Prasthantraya.

 In addition to these three, there are many texts written by various Acharyas like Shankracharya, Vidyaranya and Madhusudan Saraswati.

There have been many, countless. We don’t even know their names.

They all have contributed to Vedanta Literature.

We have many texts on the same subject matter and these texts are called

Prakarana Granthas.

There are hundreds of them. Some of them are very popular among Vedanta students like Vendantasara,  Panchadasi, Viveka Chudamani, Tattva Bodha and so on.

Then there are some  Prakarana Granthas that are not well known and one such text is Svarupanusandhanam.

Not well known, not very popular. A very rarely studied Prakarana Grantha.

 

What is a Prakarana Grantha?

We have a definition in the tradition.  śāstraikadeśa-sambandham śāstrakāryāntare sthitam | āhuḥ prakaraṇam ... paṭhati – {ātmānam ced iti}

 

The Prakarana Grantha deals with a part of the Shastras and in this context the Shastras are the Vedas.

 

The Vedas have two portions.

 

Karma Kanda and Jnana Kanda.

 

This Prakarana Granth deals with only one portion --- Vedanta and not with Veda Purva.

It deals with one portion, one component of the Shastra. One part of the entire teaching of the Shastra and it serves a purpose in addition to the purpose served by the original Shastras. This should be understood.

 

Let me give an example There is a house and in the house, there is a mother and there is a four-year-old kid.

The mother bought rice, vegetables etc from the market and she has kept it in the kitchen.

Then the mother says that now I have to go to the kitchen and start cooking. Then the four-year old will ask, “Why should you cook? There is rice and there are vegetables. Why should you cook?”

 

The mother says though we eat rice and vegetables we have to cook and make it soft and tasty so that it can be eaten. Cooking serves a different purpose. Cooking does not manufacture rice or vegetables.

Using the same rice and vegetables you make it eatable by the process of cooking.

In fact, a Prakrana Grantha is also like cooking! The knowledge is revealed in the sources --in the Upanishads and in the Bhagwad Geeta but the Prakarana Grantha makes it more palatable and easier to understand.

Presents it in a way that people can understand with greater ease.

That is the additional purpose served by the Prakrana Grantha. It is as though it presents the teachings of the original Shastra in a ‘thali’, on a ‘platter’!

 

These Prakarana Granthas vary in their presentation according to the taste of the students.

The mother has to cook. Likewise, the Acharyas have written the Prakrana Granthas to cater to various types of minds.

Some people can understand if it is presented in a particular way but some people may need more clarifications.

After cooking a mother knows that her five-year-old can eat without spoon-feeding but then the one-year-old  baby which needs spoon-feeding.

On the other hand there is a five-month-old who cannot be fed with a spoon and the food has to be in a liquid form and thus the food has to be ground in a paste.

 

Likewise, there are different levels of students with different abilities to understand. Various Prakarana Granthas cater to the various types of students.

So, they serve an additional purpose. Such texts are called Prakarana Granthas.

The Acharyas have written Prakrana Granthas to cater to various tastes and various minds.

 

 

Some Prakarna Granthas are very long like Viveka Chudamani and Panchadashi running into 500, 600 hundred and even 2000 shlokas whereas this Prakarana Grantha is very short. Only 8 verses.

That is why it is called Ashtakam. A group of 8 verses.

We have even smaller Prakrana Granthas. There is an Eka -Shloki

Prakrana Grantha and the teaching is condensed into one shloka. It is a very popular shloka among Vedanta students. A very beautiful verse.

In one shloka it is presented in a very beautiful way as a dialogue between Guru and Shishya.

Kim Jyothistava Bhaanumaanahani Me Ratrau Pradeepadikam
Shyaadevam, Ravideepadarshanavidhau Kim Jyothiraakhyahi me
Chakshuhtasya Nimeelanaadisamaye Kim Dheehrdheeyo Darshane
Kim Tatraahamatho Bhavaanparamakam Jyothihtadasmi Prabho

It is very interesting. Now I don’t want to deviate. There are some with three Shlokas.

There is one called Prataha Smaranam Shloka and the teaching is completed in three verses.

 

प्रातः स्मरामि हृदि संस्फुरदात्मतत्त्वं
सच्चित्सुखं परमहंसगतिं तुरीयम् ।
यत्स्वप्नजागरसुषुप्तिमवैति नित्यं
तद्ब्रह्म निष्कलमहं न च भूतसङ्घः ॥१॥

Prátah smarámi hrudi samsphuradátmatattvam
saccitsukham paramahamsagatim turèyam
yatsvapna jágarasussuptamavaiti nityam
tadbrahma niskalamaham na cha bhutasañgha.

 

Then there is Panchakam --a group of five Shlokas. There is a text called  Advaita Pancha Ratnam.

 

Then six shlokas-  NIrvaan Shatkam and then there  Ashtakam and there is Dashakam also  -ten shlokas. These are the shorter Prakrana Granthas.

So, this ‘Svarupanausandhanam’ is a short one, only eight shlokas and the teaching is condensed in 8 shlokas.

 

If you look into the text you will see 9 shlokas. The ninth one is not counted as it is the Phala Shruti / फल श्रुति

This is why it is called Ashtakam. The name of the text –Svarupanausandhanam is interesting.

 

What is Svarupa?  In Vedanta we repeatedly use the word Svarupa/स्वरुप.

 

Svarupa is one’s own true nature. The word Rupa also means colour/form. In this context Rupa means nature.

The Atma has two Rupas.

Sopadhika Rupa and Nirupadhika Rupa.

 

Upadhi—most of you know what Upadhi means.

Upadhi is an external factor that seems to limit the Atma and which seems to superimpose certain attributes on the Atma.

For example, there is a clear crystal. You keep a red hibiscus flower near the crystal then the hibiscus flower projects its red colour into the crystal. In fact, the hibiscus does not even touch the crystal and yet it projects it redness on the crystal.

 

'Upasmape stithava'

It stands near and it projects its attributes.

And because of the Upadhi ( the hibiscus flower)  the crystal appears as  a red crystal and you can even mistake it for a red stone—a pandmanarag shila –a Ruby! A red stone.

 

So now the redness of the crystal is Sopadhika Rupa. It is because of the Upadhi when we say red crystal we are identifying the redness of the crystal. The nature of the crystal with the Upadhi, with the conditioning caused by the Upadhi  of the hibiscus.

In Samskrit hibiscus is called Jabakusuma and when you remove this flower and happens? The crystal is again clear-It is Nir-Upadhi --without Updahi . The crystal is clear it is Shuddha Sphatika. It is the Nirupadhika Rupa of the crystal, without any Upadhi,  without any superimposition.

 

The clear crystal is Nirupadika Rupa and this is its own Svarupa and the Sopadhika Rupa is not it’s own. It is because of Upadhi.

 

The Nirupadhika Rupa is its own Intrinsic nature. The Nirupadhika Rupa is called Svarupa-- Own nature.‘Sva’ means own and ‘Rupa’ means nature. Therefore, Svarupa means the Nirupadhika Rupa.

We have to understand our Svarupa. We have to arrive at our Svarupa and as long as we don’t arrive at our Svarupa there will be problems of Samsara. Because of Ajnana and ignorance of our Svarupa our true nature, we identify with the Sopadhaika Rupa.

 

The body is an Updahi .

The mind is an Upadhi .

The senses are an Upadhi.

We identify with the Upadhis and the attributes of the Upadhis are superimposed on us.

Birth, death, height, weight, age, gender and so on.

All these are the attributes of the Upadhi and we identify with them and therefore when we say that I am a Man, I am a Woman, I am sixty years old we identify with the Sopadhika Rupa. We are not aware of our Svarupa. That is ignorance. Right from birth, it is so. As long as we are not aware of the Svarupa  and as long as there is ignorance of the Svarupa we shall be psychologically vulnerable. We are subject to sorrow and depression. Sense of loneliness and insecurity--all these problems.

There may be occasions when we don’t have problems because of our Punyas. As long as we have punya there will not be problems and that is why some people say I am happy and I don’t need Vedanta, but that does not mean that they are not vulnerable to problems. When Punya gets exhausted problems start coming.

 

Some relations will go away. There may be loss of wealth and there may be loss of health and loss of relations.

It can happen to anyone at any point of life and when it happens we become vulnerable to the psychological unpleasant emotions, sorrow and helplessness and so on. It is Samsara.

Psychological vulnerability is Samsara and this will continue as long as we have Svarupa Ajnana. Ignorance of our true nature!

 

Therefore, the solution to Samsara is Jnana. The knowledge of the Svarupa because Ajnana can be removed only with the help of Jnana and there is no other means to remove Ajnana. There is no other means to remove ignorance!

How to get Jnana? Any knowledge requires a proper means of knowledge. No knowledge is possible without a means of Knowledge.

 

If I have to know the colour of my cloth, I have only one  means of knowledge and they  are my eyes –my  Chakshu Indriyas.

I have to employ my ‘Chakshu Indriyas’. I cannot taste the colour, I   cannot smell.  I can only see. There is a particular and specific means.

In our tradition they have analysed how knowledge takes place. The means of knowledge is called—Pramana.

Our eyes are Pramana – they are the means of Knowledge.

 

We have 6 Pramanas in Vedas –

 

Pratyaksha- प्रत्यक्ष

Anumana- अनुमान

Upamana - उपमान

Arthapati -अर्थापत्ति

Anupalabdhi - अनुपलब्धि

Shabda - शब्द

 

These are the six Pramanas / प्रमाण

 

Pratyaksha is the means of direct perception. Eye senses--they are Pratyaksha.

 

With the help of our eyes, we can perceive the object directly.

Then there are things we cannot see with our senses. Anumana does not mean doubting.

It means –Inference.

For example, you see smoke on the mountain and with the help of smoke

you can infer the presence of fire.

Seeing the smoke, you can arrive at the conclusion that there is fire.

This an Anumana --an inference.

 

The third Pramana is Upamana -analogy. Knowledge of Similarity.

 

Sadrishya Jnana.

This is another means of Knowledge. Someone is going to the forest for the first time to see a particular animal and the animal is called ‘gavayaa’.

It is found in the forest. It is an animal that looks like a cow. It is also called Neelagaya in hindi ( an antelope) .

This person wants to go and see the Neelagaya and he does not know how to recognise as he has not seen it before. Then someone will tell him you will find an animal which is similar to cow but it is not a cow. Then you can identify it as a Gavayaa. Then he goes to the forest where he sees an animal like a cow and he arrives at a conclusion --that this is Neelagaya.

With the help of the ‘knowledge of similarity’ he arrived at a conclusion.

This is Upamana.

 

Then there is Arthapati.

Presumption -- Another way of using Logic. Let me give an example There is a person named Devadutta who is very fat. We know Devadutta, he does not eat during day time.

What can you conclude? He eats during the night otherwise it is not possible.

 

If Devadutta is fat and he does not eat during the day and then we can conclude that he eats at night. This, kind of knowledge is called Arthapatti. I don’t want to get into the technical details of it. I am just giving you a sample. There is a lot of technical details to it.

 

 

Anupalabdhi –Non- Availability This is the fifth one.

It is like the absence of evidence, is ‘evidence’ of absence!

 

It is very much used in Law. The lawyers know this very well. How can you prove that someone has not committed a crime?

If there is no evidence that means that he has not committed a crime.

Absence of evidence is absence of crime. It is Anupalabdhi If I don’t see anything that means it is absent.

How can I conclude that there is no elephant in a room? I don’t see an elephant and it is absence of evidence and because of that, I can conclude that there is no elephant. It needs some thinking and I am not getting into details. Even if you don’t understand it is ok.

 

The sixth Pramana is-

Shabda  Pramana– words.

Words are a means of Knowledge. It is very much used.

All verbal communication--- because words are a means of knowledge

How can you know? As long as I don’t say that you will not know.

When I say that I am hungry you can understand Swamiji is hungry! It is verbal --- Shabda Pramana.

Even history, India got freedom in 1947. How do you know?

Shabda Pramana and the Shabda is of two types –

Laukika Shabda and Vedic Shabda.

 

Laukika Shabda means what human beings speak. The words of human beings are called  Laukika Shabda. It is a Pramana sometimes it will not provide valid knowledge and sometimes it will not act as valid knowledge as long as the person is trustworthy. Sometimes it will not be a Pramana and sometimes it will not produce valid knowledge and sometimes it will not act as a means of valid knowledge, therefore, you cannot always trust the Laukika Shabda, especially the media nowadays. We cannot trust them as they have their own propaganda.

Then there is Vedic Pramana. The words of the Vedas are Pramana for many things. We cannot know them through any other Pramanas like  Pratyaksha, Anumana etc.

 

We have to rely on the words of the Vedas - the Vedic Shabda. It is true with respect to Punya and Paapa and  Swarga and other Lokas.

And it is very much true when it comes to Self - Knowledge.

The words of the Vedas are Pramana for Atma Jnana .

 

Which portion of the Vedas? In the first portion, Karma Kanda does not talk much of the Svarupa as it talks about Karma therefore it is not Pramana for Self-Knowledge. Then what is the Pramana? The final portion of the Vedas is called Ved-anta.

Vedanta is the Pramana for Atma Jnana and therefore to arrive at the Svarupa one has to take recourse to Vedanta Pramana.