JIvAtma SAkshAtkAram as a pre-requisite to ParamAtma SAkshAtkAram
From the Bhakti List Archives
• April 5, 2002
SrI: SrImatE rAmAnujAya namaH SrImatE nigamAnta mahAdESikAya namaH namO nArAyaNa! Dear bhaktas, Some months back, Sri Krishna Kalale posed this question reg JIvAtma SAkshAtkAram being a pre-requisite to ParamAtma sAkshAtkAram. The following was my response to him. More can be added ....But, due to lack of time, I am simply reproducing the earlier posting. I hope that this will reduce the workload of others who try to explain this issue in the light of Bhagavad GItA. As mentioned earlier by SrI Krishna Kalale (Kashyap), Sri UtthamUr Swami's tippaNi on this issue is very important. It can understood quite well, with the comprehension of the following. Also, the case of upAsana (bhakti-yoga) with change in meditational focus unto jIvAtma as SarIra of ParamAtma is not considered by me - The answer to it also will be on similar lines. ---------------- > I need an answer to the following question. > > As per upanisads can it be established unmistakably, that > atmasakshatkaram is absolutely needed for bhakti yoga? If so > provide detailed quotes and these quotes should be unmistakable > and generally agreeable to wider audience, (in the sense strongly > provable.) In SrImad RTS, SwAmi DESikan in the 9th Ch on different upAyas (upAya-vibhAga adhikAra), crisply highlights the important characteristics of Karma, Jn~Ana and Bhakti Yogas. In the concluding part of swAmi's note on Jn~Ana yoga, it is stated that jIvAtma-darSana is essential for starting bhakti yoga, with the analogy of a RatNa inside a cloth. In essence, the siddhAnta implied is that during the bhakti-yoga (UpAsana), the ParamAtma has to be meditated upon as one's (jIvAtma's) aatma ie.SarIri. <> Three things are to be noted : JIvAtma-the upAsaka,ParamAtma-the object of upAsana and the SarIra-SarIri bhAva- the binding relationship between them. If the jIvAtma (upAsaka) needs to meditate upon the ParamAtma as its SarIri, it presupposes that the upAsaka needs to have full-realization of what he is actually. In the upAsana "ParamAtma, MY SarIri", the "MY" component is there. This upAsana is incomplete, without the full knowledge of "I" - ie.jIvAtma sAkshAtkAram (*). Hence, JIvAtma-SAkshAtkAram is absolutely necessary for starting bhakti-yoga. (*) : During jIvAtma-sAkshAtkAram, jIvAtma as being essentially jn~Ana which is aNu,blemishless, bliss etc is fully realized. JIvAtma being a sEsha {Or SarIra} is not meditated upon in the dhyAna yoga for attaing jIvAtma-sAkshAtkAram. That characteristic is added during upAsana. Please refer to the archives on a posting on Karma,Jn~Ana and Bhakti Yogas for further information. SrI UtthamUr SwAmi, in his commentary to SrImad RTS cites one text as being in KaThavalli : "adhyAtma-yoga-adhigamEna dEvam matva...". It can be easily spotted in KaThopanishad - Second VallI of the first adhyAya - which includes the qualifications for the seeker of moksha. The above cited text is in the mantra (1.2.12), which is the pointed answer in a nut-shell by Yama to Nachiketas's third query. Next mantra is also a part of that answer. tam durdarSam gUDam anupravishTam guhAhitam gahvarEshTham purANam | adhyAtma-yoga-adhigamanEna dEvam matvA dhIr(aH)O harshasOkou jahAti|| SrI Ra~ngarAmAnuja Muni explains that adhyAtma-yoga refers to realization/knowledge of the jIvAtma. The first line is filled with adjectives of the ParamAtma - dEva. In essence, this mantra states that, the wise man (jIvAtma) discards both pleasure and sorrow {of material world} after knowing the Supreme-Self - which is difficult to be perceived, un-revealing due to avidya in the form of karma/action, entered all beings, dwelling in the cave of heart, indwelling and beginingless. This state is obtained "Through the Realization attained by the meditation upon oneself ie.jIvAtma" - Meaning of "adhyAtma-yoga-adhigamEna". In the commentary to the next mantra, Upanishad BhAshyakAra elaborates on the justification of the meaning ascribed to adhyAtma-yoga in mantra 12 - Quite lengthy for this article if needs to be fully explained. Please go through both the pUrvapaksham and siddhAntam here ; Refer the corresponding adhikaraNa in SrI-BhAshya for additional info. More info can be had from the commentary to subsequent mantras also : Please go through them as well, since the discussion on mantra 12 still carries on. Bramha SUtras on this issue : In the first pAda of Fourth adhyAya, the nature of upAsana is stated atfirst. The first two sUtras are on the repetitive nature (aavruti) of the upAsana. The third sUtra, which is the only sUtra of "aatmatvOpAsana-adhikaraNam" is : aatmA-iti tu-upagacchanti grAhyanti cha | aatma-iti tu : << UpAsana upon ParamAtma has to be>> Only asSelf (aatma). "tu" is for affirmation/ certainity. upagacchanti : The upAsakas of the past have done it that way. grAhyanti cha : As understood from Upanishads. SrI-BhAshyam and its commentaries are quite elaborate and are flooded with many pramANas and explanations. In essence, the upAsana has to be in the form of "aham bramhAsmi" etc. Many such sAmAnAdhikaraNya Sruti texts are being cited to this effect {ie. "aham" etc refers to ParamAtma-the SarIri of the jIvAtma}. As stated earlier, meditating ParamAtma as being one's aatma presuposses the upAsaka be fully realized of oneself {JIvAtma SAkshAtkAram}. The corresponding AdhikaraNa-SArAvali verses for this single SUtra are from 444 to 448 (Totally Five). Lots of info are available in its commentaries as well. --------------------------------- > As per gita, > > Is atmasakshataram absolutely necessary for one to start bhakti > yoga? PramANas for JIvAtma-SAkshAtkAram to be essential for bhakti-yoga : In the last adhyAya (18th), Lord KrishNa wonderfully sums up the essence of his teachings through the verses 51-56. They are regarding the paths of karma,jn~Ana and bhakti yoga, and their inter-relationships in attaining Him. Through the verses 51 to 53, BhagavAn describes various characteristics of a person, endowed with which and by performing aatma-anubhavam (SAntaH), he becomes eligible to attain the "Bramha-bhAva" : ".......SAntaH bramhabhUyAya kalpatE" (18.53). Here, "Bramha-BhAva" is not one's attainment of being Bramhan, as advaitins might think, since in the very next verse, further attainment of Para-Bhakti towards BhagavAn is stated. bramhabhUtaH prasannAtmA na Sochati na kA~nshati | samaH sarvEshu bhUtEshu madbhaktim labhatE parAm || (18.54) In essence (from BhAshyam and SrI UtthamUr SwAmi's brief Tamil Commentary}, it states : bramha-bhUtaH : As one experiensing oneself (jIvAtma-sAkshAtkAram), also with the nature of being a SEsha to Me, prasanna-AtmA : one with blemishless svarUpa having controlled various vAsanAs (previous imprints/instincts), na SOchati : neither grieves for the loss of other things except Myself, na kA~nshati : nor craves for any other object except Myself. sarvEshu Regarding all beings alike - that all these are not bhUtEshu : his object of attainment, including the self samaH {jIvAtma}, labhatE : one attains parAm bhakti : para-bhakti unto Me - the BhagavAn. Also, in the 12th adhyAya, which is "Steps for Bhakti-Yoga" as pointed out by SrI UtthamUr SwAmi in his Sanskrit TippaNi, we have pramANa to this effect. Lord KrishNa basically gives the reverse order of spiritual path - explaining bhakti yoga at first and then prescribes its previous stage of spiritual sAdhana for those who can't perform bhakti yoga of that order, again its previous stage of sAdhana for those who are not capable of it and so on. One of the main issues in starting the bhakti-yoga is the "love" factor. Even during his days of karma-yoga, the yogi loved PerumAL and proceeded to the stage of jIvAtma sAkshAtkAram also. But, the excessive amount of love with which bhakti-yoga needs to be performed might make the yogi spend some more time in various bhagavad anubhavams and kai~nkaryams before proceeding further to bhakti-yoga or upAsana proper. In the verse 12.9, "abhyAsa yoga" is prescribed for such yogis who haven't yet developed that excessive love for PerumAL to start bhakti yoga. "abhyAsa yoga" is the repetitive rememberance of various kalyANa guNas of PerumAL, with *immense love*. If this stage is not attained by the yogi, he is prescribed (in 12.10) to perform various kai~nkaryams. BhAshyakArar lists various self-less kai~nkaryams like construction of temples, laying out temple gardens, lighting up lamps in temples, sweeping/washing the floor of temples, gathering flowers for PerumAL, performance of pUja, performing nAma sa~nkeertanam, glorifying various deeds and kalyANa guNas of PerumAL etc - But to be performed with *great affection*. These same activities can very easily be performed by even the likes of aDiyEn - Its not as difficult as jn~Ana yoga. But, the catch is the "love factor". All these types of kai~nkaryams are to be performed with great affection - Thats the source of difficulty. If the yogi has not reached that stage, Lord KrishNa advises him to resort to aatma yoga ie.jIvAtma sAkshAtkAram. atha-etat-api-aSaktaH-asi kartum mad-yogam-aaSritaH | sarva-karma-phala-tyAgam tataH kuru yat-aatmavAn || (12.11) ie. If you -who has the objective to perform Bhakti-Yoga (mad-Yoga), are unable to perform those as said in 12.10, then perform nishkAma-karma anushTAna (sarva-karma phala tyAgam) with controlled mind (aatmavAn) - to attain the jIvAtma sAkshAtkAram ie.resort to akshara yoga with its pre-requisite of performing nishkAma karma. Infact, BhAshyakAra cites the verses 18.53-54 {explained above} to make us understand the connecting link - 12th ch being in the reverse order of ladder steps from bhakti yoga to downwards and 18th chapter verses in the forward order of salient ladder steps to bhakti yoga. The implication of akshara-yoga {for jIvAtma sAkshAtkaram} in the above verse is easily understood from the next verse (12.12), which is important to our question in hand : SrEyO hi jn~Anam-abhyAsAt jn~AnAt dhyAnam viSishyatE | dhyAnAt karma-phala-tyAgaH tyAgAt-SAntiH-anantaram || (12.12) abhyAsAt jn~Anam SrEyaH : For one incapable of performing the abhyAsa yoga, which demands immense love towards BhagavAn, jIvAtma-sAkshAtkAram (Or realization/knowledge of jIvAtma) is better. jn~AnAt dhyAnam viSishyatE : Better than the imperfect realization or knowledge of the self, is the meditation on the self. dhyAnAt karma-phala-tyAgaH : Better than the imperfect meditation of the self, is the performance of nishkAma karma- anushTAna. tyAgAt anantaram SAntiH : By the performance of nishkAma karma- anushTAna, mental purification or mental-peace is attained. Hence, the ladder of sAdhana is extremly clear that jIvAtma sAkshAtkAram is essential for one to proceed towards bhakti yoga. Proceeding to bhakti yoga with imperfect knowledge ie.realization of the self is strictly prohibited by Lord KrishNa. The subsequent verses (12.13-19) describes the characteristics to be imbibed by the devotee who is at the bottom-most stage in performing only the nishkAma karma (has started to perform karma yoga). By the way, please go through these verses witout fail. PerumAL says that He loves the karma yogi with such characteristics - No idea as to whether aDiyEn can obtain such great guNas in this birth! Well, PerumAL cool-ly says that this is the bottom-most step of the spiritual ladder for the bhakti yoga !! Also, in the avatArika (prelude ?) to the 3rd adhyAya on Karma Yoga, BhAshyakAra explains with pramANas from Upanishads that jIvAtma sAkshAtkAram is an a~nga (accessory) for bhakti yoga. For instance, from the teaching of PrajApati in ChAndOgya Up, starting from the text "ya aatmA-apahatapApmA .."(8.7.1), it is evident that jIvAtma-sAkshAtkAram is required for practising bhakti yoga. SrI UtthamUr SwAmi mentioned this as "PrajApati's vAkyas" in the SrImad RTS commentary in support of this doctrine. ---------------------------- Please refer the GIta-bhAshyam and tAt-parya-Chandrika for more details apart from the Upanishad BhAshyam with SrI UtthamUr SwAmi's parishKAra for appropriate texts involved. aDiyEn rAmAnuja dAsan, anantapadmanAbhan alias Anand. kRushNArpaNam -------------------------------------------------------------- - SrImate rAmAnujAya namaH - To Post a message, send it to: bhakti-list@yahoogroups.com Group Home: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bhakti-list Archives: http://ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/archives/ Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
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