Q&A

Sri Sadgurubhyoh Namah

Dear Guruji,

Below are the answers to the questions you asked,

1) What is Advaita ?

Advaita means 'No Two'. It doesnt mean one. No different entities like God, World, Jiva. Shankara says 'Brahma satyam, Jagan Mithya, Jivo brahmaiva na aparaha' meaning consciousness is truth (unchanging entity) and world is the transient, illusory, changing entity. Individual self is the same as Brahman / Truth. The advaita teaching is encapsulated in Upanishad vakya 'Tat Tvam Asi' (that thou art). You are that. Jiva is deluded with body consciousness, and thinks that body is real and world is real. As a result, Jiva suffers. When Guru points out the true nature of the Jiva as Atma / Brahman, then Jiva recognises its true self and becomes free. Jiva is deluded because of ignorance (avidya). Thinking that I am limited, I am body, I am mind, I am intellect is the ignorance. Because of Gurus grace in the form of teaching that I am not the body, I am not the mind, I am not the intellect, I am pure consciousness, I am Shiva leads to freedom and liberation.

 

2) What is Maya ?

Something which is not real appears as real. This is Maya. The world is continuously changing, but it appears as unchanging and same and constant. The world appears as solid, whereas in reality it is a wave of energy. Due to the limitation of the indriyas, we see world consisting of various objects. Jiva has the desire to possess the objects which are like mirage in the desert. Maya is also the power of Ishwara, the lord of universe, who uses this power to create the world. Individual Jiva has avidya and Ishwara has Maya. The creation of Ishwara is because of maya and it is perfect. The creation of jiva is out of avidya and it is imperfect.

3) What is Jiva ?

Jiva is Brahman (consciousness) at the paramarthik level. Jiva is the body, mind, intellect at vyavaharik level. Consciousness identifying with a body is Jiva. The I-am-body thought is Jiva. Jiva is a discontinuous entity, even though it appears as continuous. Depending on the interaction, a role is assumed. Consciousness if it is aware that it is playing a role, stays as consciousness. If consciousness forgets that it is playing a role and identifies with the role, then Jiva bhava emerges. repeated identification with a role creates vasanas and samskaras and then the identification becomes reality over a period of time and consciousness forgets that it is consciousness and will be switching identities from one role to another role thus strengthening the ego. The real substratum i.e consciousness is forgotten and it vascillates between identities. This continuous switching of roles/identities creates an illusion of a solid being called Jiva. When mind is silenced, the thoughts related to identities is also gone and only the substratum reality remains. Hence we need to meditate to quieten the mind to experience the reality i.e consciousness. 

4) What is Ishwara ?

Ishwara is the lord of the universe. It is a wave in Parabrahma, All jivas are different waves in the ocean called Parabrahma. Ishwara is a special wave with omniscience, omnipotence and all omni qualities. The world runs according to the laws created by Ishwara, namely the law of Karma. The essential inner nature of Ishwara is consciousness and it is same as the essential inner nature of all beings. 

 

5) How do you get advaita realization ?

By Sravana, Manana, Nidhidhyasa. Sravana is listening to vedantic truths like 'tat tvam asi' from Guru, Manana is remembering, meditating and contemplating on those truths. Once the truth becomes ones very own nature, guarding the truth every moment is Nidhidhyasa. 

6) What are 3 important characteristics of stithaprajna ?

Bhagavadgita chapter-2 shloka-56 mentions the qualities of sthithaprajna,

"Duhkheshu anudvigna manah, sukheshu vigata spruha,

Veetaraaga bhaya krodha sthitha dhirmuniruchyate"

Meaning :

One who is not depressed in sorrow, one who is not jumping in joy (equanimous in joy and sorrow), One who is without attachment to likes and dislikes, one who transcends fear and anger is established in Stitha prajna (balanced mind).

7) Explain what is deep sleep. Why it is important for self realization ?

​Mind has three states. Waking, Dreaming, Deep sleep. 

Waking state : I am there, world is there, outside of me. I cognise objects separate from me.

Dreaming : ​Aware of objects, but sense of I is weakend, though still there. I cognise objects inside my mind.

Deep sleep : Mind is dormant. Neither I am aware of objects, nor world nor sense of myself. It is a state of absence. 

Understanding of the states of consciousness is very important for self realization. The three states of consciousness is taken as an example to explain the truth in Mandukya upanishad. The three states of consciousness is known as Avastha traya in sanskrit. By carefully observing the three states that mind undergoes, we will understands that there is a sakshi that is observing these states of mind. That means the continuous entity is the sakshi, and not the waking consciousness alone. The Witness is common to all states. This is turiya sthithi.

Can't contain water after dam is broken

Sri Sadgurubhyoh Namah

Mahabharata Vanaparva Arjunabhigamana parva Section XX - XXII

Krishna returns from Rajasuya yaga performed by Yudishtira and finds city of Dwaraka shorn of its splendour after the attack of Salwa. There were no sounds of vedic recitation, gardens were destroyed, people were looking gloomy. Krishna asks son of Hridika what has happened, and he explains that Salwa has attacked Dwaraka. Krishna decides to slay Salwa and sets forth with an army towards the direction of Matrikavarta, the country of Salwa, and reaches it after crossing many mountains, rivers, and lands. Krishna finally finds Salwa in his car of precious metals. Salwa, on seeing Krishna, challenges him and shoots many arrows at him. There ensues a huge battle between the two of them and the two armies. The sky is filled with thousands of arrows, shafts and javellins, dust, fire, light and thunder. Many danavas and yadavas are killed in that battle. Then, Salwa creates an illusion. A person approaches Krishna and tells him that King of Dwaraka, Vasudeva was killed by Salwa. Krishna sees the body of Vasudeva thrown from the car of Salwa. This creates a confusion in the mind of Krishna. He thinks that while Balarama, Pradyumna are alive nobody could have touched Vasudeva. If Vasudeva is killed, then certainly Balarama, and Pradyumna might have been killed and all Yadava clan and Dwaraka city might have been destroyed. Disheartened thus, Krishna lays down Sarangya , his mighty bow and sits by the side of the car. Regaining senses and on not finding the body of Vasudeva nor the messenger, he understands that this is an illusion and confusion created by Salwa, and with renewed vigor, he attacks Salwa. The arrows shot by Salwa pierces the body of the charioteer and horses of Krishna. The charioteer says to Krishna to kill the enemy without delay as he is losing capacity to drive and horses also getting tired and exhausted. Krishna throws his mightiest weapon, the Sudarshana chakra at the enemy's car and it blazes forth and cuts the car into two pieces and comes back to him. Again Krishna throws the Sudarshana chakra at the enemy Salwa and it cuts him into two pieces. The danava army runs helter skelter in fright at the fall of Salwa. Krishna returns victoriously to Dwaraka. 

Krishna narrates this victorious battle to Yudishtir and tells him that because of this engagement, he was not able to come to Yudhistir's rescue at the game of dice. Krishna says 'What can I do now, we cannot contain water after the dam is broken'. 

Krishna takes leave of Yudhistir and pandavas and returns to Dwaraka.

Awareness is Self

Sri Sadgurubhyoh Namah

Ego is memory based. Awareness of past and awareness of future is Ego. Awareness of present is Self. 

Crystal

Sri Sadgurubhyoh Namah

Dear Guruji,

I am consciousness, pure crystal. 

Crystal, when kept near an impression/thought/vasana appears to take that color. If I constantly think about Guru, nobler higher ideal, then crystal will be full of nobler thoughts. Crystal was, is and always will be pure. Pls validate my understanding.

Hari Om,

Guruji : Correct

Dhyana Aug-27-2106

Sri Sadgurubhyoh Namah

Dhyana class on Aug-27-2016 is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7L4O1CZXMkg

Future dropped

Sri Sadgurubhyoh Namah

Dear Guruji,

Thought of the day. I have read or listened about 'being in the present moment' or 'mindfulness' etc. Even though I understood them at intellectual level, my mind was never in present moment completely. There were many thoughts related to future in my mind. Past never bothered me. Whenever I am idle, my mind is used to think about future, to do good things etc. Now, even that is gone. I am more aware of my mind and able to stay in present moment. I am able to clearly distinguish what is day-dream. I am free of past and future. I am indebted to you.

Hari Om

Yoga July-1-2016

Sri Sadgurubhyoh Namah

Yoga asana class on July-1-2016 is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9riPPUm1Ew