Ganesha as Doorkeeper

Photo by Vinay Khare

Ganesha became the Doorkeeper since birth. It is a well-known legend that Parvati has created her son, whom she wished to act as guardian at the door to her chambers. In thwarting his father's entrance therein, Ganesha initially became an obstruction to him, and acquired his remarkable head in this first battle. In my humble opinion, this magic incident has the deepest esoteric character. After that, Lord Ganesha continues to carry out the guardian functions. For example, He protects the Vishwanath temple and the entire Kashi region. 56 Vinayakas of Kashi are established in seven fold configuration in all eight directions of space (and this seven has eight constituents in each). His glory of protector and remover of obstacles continues today, and his images are commonly found at the entrance to homes. But his secrets do not open so simply. Sri Ganesha not only destroys stumbling-blocks, he also creates them and places them in the path of the seeker. Thus He is not only the Doorkeeper, but also the key which can open the door. He indicates the way but not easily and for he is as complicated and obfuscating. Ganapati's methods are never obvious.
Known association with Ganesha and muladhara chakra is attested to in the Ganesha’s Atharvashirsha 

Tvam muladhara sthitosi nityam

Lord Ganesha! You always dwell in muladhara chakra

  This chakra is the principle on which the manifestation or outward expansion of primordial Force rests. It lies at the bottom of the chakras, the place of elimination and the entrance to the Path upward. So, Ganesha performs this role as guardian here when he rules our material life, where our spiritual pilgrimage starts. Bridging heaven and earth in this way, Ganesha is the link between divine and worldly wisdom.
Seated at the gateway to liberation, he is invincible and relentless Doorkeeper showing the Path.

OM GANESHAYA NAMAHA

Sow Flowers

The Boat by Claude Monet

Sow flowers to make a garden bloom around you,
The thorns you sow will prick your own feet.

Arrows shot at others
Will return to hit you as they fall.

You yourself will come to teeter on the lip
Of a well dug to undermine another.

Though you look at others with contempt,
It's you whose body will be reduced to dust.

Humanity is all one body;
To torture another is simply to wound yourself.

When you don't look for faults in others,
They will conceal your weaknesses in return.

Make your path straight now, by the bright light of day;
For pitch darkness will come without warning.

Consider no wickedness insignificant, however slight;
For the little deeds of darkness soon pile up.

If another does you harm, return them good;
Or evil will devour you too.

The heart that is safe in the storm
Is the one which carries
Others' burdens
Like a
Boat.

---by Rahman Baba

Thankfulness for Food

Nicolaes Maes "Old Woman at Prayer", known as "Prayer without End"

 Food has always been recognized as the unmerited and sacred gift from God. Grace is the divine reality underlying all religion and faith. Thanks for God's bounty is our common human experience. Milk is the first gift of life for the just-born infant's in response to its sucking instinct and food need. Therefore, our expressing thankfulness that reaches immediately back to our first minutes of life, is something inherently cognate within us. In every culture there are sacred beliefs that require honoring the giver of life, God or the divine principle, through acknowledging the sacred gift of food. By admitting us to his table, God became bound to us in a unique relationship. And we experience the love and beauty of that.
From the Bible: "And thou shall eat and be satisfied, and bless the Lord your God'' (Deut. 8:10).
A verse from the Koran: "Eat of your Lord's provision, and give thanks to Him'' (34:15).
 Bismillah is never omitted before a Muslim meal, and after the meal: Alhamdulillah il-lathi at'amana wasaqana waja'alana Muslimeen  - is the equivalent of saying grace. The Prophet is clear on the motivation for saying grace:"If you are thankful, surely I will increase you'' (Koran 14:7).
Sufi meal Prayer of Inayat Khan:
O Thou, the Sustainer of our bodies, hearts, and souls,
Bless all that we thankfully receive.
Amen.
According to Vedic texts, one should offer all food as a sacrifice to God: "All that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me."( Bhagavad Gita, 9.27)
Hindu Prayer before partaking food :
Brahmaarpanam Brahma Havir
Brahmaagnau Brahmanaa Hutam
Brahmaiva Tena Gantavyam
Brahma Karma Samaadhinaha
The act of offering is Brahman. The offering itself is Brahman.The offering is done by Brahman in the sacred fire which is Brahman. He alone attains Brahman who, in all actions, is fully absorbed in Brahman. (BG, 4:24)
In the Hindu belief, food offered to God becomes prasad (sanctified or observed as holy), something to be eaten that was blessed by God.
Also, offering food is one of the oldest and most common rituals in Buddhism, Shinto, Taoism. Meals in Japan traditionally begin with the phrase itadakimasu (I humbly receive). Chinese Duo xie (多谢 - a thousand thanks) is the cultural evolution of worship chanted to the many food gods of Chinese antiquity.
The Jewish liturgy is full of the idea of divine grace interceding to aid humanity. Grace is Ahabah Rabbah and thanksgiving - Shemoneh Esreh.
In Christianity, the bread  in the Lord's Prayer "Give us today our daily bread", there was given a special meaning. Bread follows from and symbolizes the Kingdom of Lord.
Certainly, Grace before meals and Thanks to God after meals were not idle prayers. There is an direct connection between gratitude and sacrifice. "Food and the eater: that is the extent of the whole world". (Brhadaranyaka Upanishad, 1.4.6)
These prayers talk to us with the wisdom of the ages and teach us that we are all one family, all one mystical soul.

May you, your family, all the creatures of this beautiful world, may all beings everywhere may all be fed.

May we live in a way that makes us worthy to receive it.

May all be healed.

May all be loved.

Parvathi Vallabha Ashtakam

Prayer addressed to Shiva as the husband of Parvathi

Namo Bhootha Nadham Namo Deva Devam
Nama Kala Kalam Namo Divya Thaejam
Nama Kama Basmam Nama Santha Seelam
Bhaje Parvathi Vallabham Neela Kandam.
Salutations to Lord of all beings, Salutations to God of Gods,
Salutations to the death to god of death, salutations to the great light,
Salutations to He who he made Manmatha in to ashes,
Salutations to One who is calm by nature,
Salutations to the consort of Parvathi who has a blue neck.
Sada Theertha Sidham Sadha Bhaktha Paksham
Sada Shaiva Poojyam Sada Shura Basmam
Sada Dhyana Yuktham Sada Jnana Dalpam
Bhaje Parvathi Vallabham Neelakandam.
Always ready near sacred waters, always on the side of his devotees, always worshipped by Shaivaites, always wearing the holy ash, always in pose of meditation, always interested in wisdom,
Salutations to the consort of Parvathi who has a blue neck.
Smasanam Bhayanam Maha Sthaana Vasam
Sareeram Gajaa Naam Sada Charma Vaeshtam
Pisacham Nisesasam Pasoonaam Prathishtam
Bhaje Parvathi Vallabham Neelakandam.
He Who lives in the very fearful ground of cremation, He Who always covers himself with the hide of elephant, He Who is seen with beings equal to devils and ghosts,
Salutations to the consort of Parvathi Who has a blue neck.
Phani Naga Kande Bhujangah Danekam
Gale Run Damalam Maha Veera Sooram
Kadi Vyagra Sarmam. Chitha Basma Laepam
Bhaje Parvathi Vallabham Neelakandam.
He Who has tied a cobra in his neck is in company of many snakes, He wears a garland of skulls and he is a greatly valorous hero, He wears the skin of a dead tiger and applies ash of cremation on his body,
Salutations to the consort of Parvathi Who has a blue neck.
Siraad Shuddha Ganga Shivaa Vama Bhagam
Vyad Deerga Kesam Sadaa Maam Trinethram
Phanee Naga Karnaam Sada Bala Chandram
Bhaje Parvathi Vallabham Neelakandam.
He has pure Ganga on his head and Parvathi on his left side, He always has long uncut hair on his head and He has three eyes, He wears hooded snake on his ears and always keeps the young moon,
Salutations to the consort of Parvathi Who has a blue neck.
Kare Soola Dharam Maha Kashta Nasam
Suresam Varesam Mahesam Janesam
Thane Charu Eesam Dwajesam Gireesam
Bhaje Parvathi Vallabham Neelakandam.
He has trident in his hands, He destroys great troubles, He is the Lord of devas, Lord of blessings, greatest Lord and Lord of the people, the pretty one is Lord of our body, God with a flag and Lord of mountains,
Salutations the to consort of Parvathi Who has a blue neck.
Udhasam Sudhasam Su Kailasa Vasam
Dara Nirdhram Sasmsidhi Tham Hyathi Devam
Aja Hema Kalpa Dhruma Kalpa Sevyam
Bhaje Parvathi Vallabham Neelakandam.
Not very particular of his looks, having great servants, he lives on the great Kailasa, He helps the poor of this earth, He is the great God of who controls the past, He is served by the invincible golden wish giving tree and also by the eons,
Salutations to the consort of Parvathi who has a blue neck.
Mune Naam Varenyam Gunam Roopa Varnam
Dweeja Sampa Dastham Shivam Veda Sasthram
Aho Dheena Vathsam Krupalum Shivam
Bhaje Parvathi Vallabham Neelakandam.
He is sought after by great sages for character, looks as well as class, He leads the twice born properly, He is Shiva of the Vedas, He loves the oppressed and is store house of mercy and peace,
Salutations to the consort of Parvathi Who has a blue neck.
Sada Bhava Nadham Sada Sevya Manam
Sada Bhakthi Devam Sada Poojyamanam
Maya Theertha Vasam Sada Sevya Mekham
Bhaje Parvathi Vallabham Neelakandam.
He is always the Lord of birth and death, He is always being served by all, He is always Lord of all his devotees, He is a lord suitable to be worshipped, He lives near the sacred waters, and He is one served by other always,
Salutations to consort of Parvathi who has a blue neck.

OM NAMAH SHIVAYA

Daridraya Dahana Shiva Stotram

Prayer to Shiva to overcome poverty.

vishveshvaraaya narakaarNava taaraNaaya
kaNaamrutaaya shashishekhara dhaaraNaaya |
karpoora kaanti dhavalaaya jaTaadharaaya
daaridrya dukha dahanaaya namah shivaaya || 1||
I salute that Shiva, who burns the sorrow of poverty,
Who is the lord of the universe,
Who helps us to cross the sea of hell,
Who is pleasant to the ears,
Who wears the crescent as ornament,
Who is as white as the flame of camphor,
Who wears uncombed and uncut hair.
gauree priyaaya rajaneesha kalaa dharaaya
kaalaanta kaaya bhujagaadhipa kankaNaaya |
gangaa dharaaya gajaraaja vimardanaaya
daaridrya dukha dahanaaya namah shivaaya || 2||
I salute that Shiva who burns the sorrow of poverty,
Who is the darling of Goddess Parvathy,
Who wears the crescent of the lord of night,
Who was the death to the god of death,
Who wears the king of serpents as bangles,
Who carries the Ganga on his head,
And who killed the king of elephants.
bhakti priyaaya bhava roga bhayaapahaaya
ugraaya durga bhavasaagara taaraNaaya |
jyotirmayaaya guNanaama sunrutyakaaya
daaridrya dukha dahanaaya namah shivaaya || 3||
I salute that Shiva who burns the sorrow of poverty,
Who is loved by his devotees,
Who destroys fear of diseases in human life,
Who is fearsome,
Who makes us cross the difficult ocean of life,
Who is personification of light,
And who dances in his good names.
charma ambaraaya shava bhasma vilepanaaya
bhaalekshaNaaya maNi kunDala manDitaaya |
manjeera paada yugalaaya jaTaadharaaya
daaridrya dukha dahanaaya namah shivaaya || 4||
I salute that Shiva who burns the sorrow of poverty,
Who wears hide,
Who applies ash of burning corpses,
Who has an eye on his forehead,
Who wears ear studs of precious stones,
Who wears Jingling leg bangles on his legs,
And who wears uncombed and uncut hair.
panchaananaaya phaNiraaja vibhooshaNaaya
hemaanshukaaya bhuvanatraya manDitaaya |
aananda bhoomi varadaaya tamomayaaya
daaridrya dukha dahanaaya namah shivaaya || 5||
I salute that Shiva who burns the sorrow of poverty,
Who has five faces,
Who wears king of serpents as ornament,
Who wears cloth made of gold,
Who is the ornament for the three worlds,
Who is the giver of boons,
Who is the storehouse of happiness,
And who is personification of darkness.
bhaanu priyaaya bhava saagara taaraNaaya
kaalaantakaaya kamalaasana poojitaaya |
netra trayaaya shubha lakshaNa lakshitaaya
daaridrya dukha dahanaaya namah shivaaya || 6||
I salute that Shiva who burns the sorrow of poverty,
Who is dear to the Sun God,
Who helps us to cross the ocean of birth,
Who killed the god of death,
Who is worshipped by Lord Brahma,
And who aims at having all good signs.
raama priyaaya raghunaatha vara pradaaya
naaga priyaaya narakaarNava taaraNaaya |
puNyeshu puNya bharitaaya sura architaaya
daaridrya dukha dahanaaya namah shivaaya || 7||
I salute that Shiva who burns the sorrow of poverty,
Who is dear to Rama,
Who granted boons to Rama,
Who is partial to serpents,
Who destroys the Naraka,
Who is holiest among the holy,
And who is worshipped by Gods.
mukteshvaraaya phaladaaya gaNeshvaraaya
geeta priyaaya vrushabheshvara vaahanaaya |
maatanga charma vasanaaya maheshvaraaya
daaridrya dukha dahanaaya namah shivaaya || 8||
vasishThena krutam stotram sarvaroga nivaaraNam |
sarva sampatkaram sheeghram putra pautra aadi vardhanam |
trisandhyam yah paThennityam sa hi svargam avaapnuyaat || 9||
This prayer composed by sage Vasishta,
Is one which gives all types of wealth,
And whoever chants it at dawn, noon and dusk,
Would enjoy the pleasures of heaven.
iti shree vasishTha virachitam daaridrya dahana shivastotram sampoorNam ||

Translated by P. R. Ramachander

I entered into Unknowing

   Saint John of the Cross, detail of sculpture by Francisco Gijón

"Stanzas Concerning An Ecstasy Experienced In High Contemplation" by my loved Christian mystic St John of the Cross (1542 -1591)

I entered into unknowing, and there I remained unknowing
transcending all knowledge.

1. I entered into unknowing,
yet when I saw myself there,
without knowing where I was,
I understood great things;
I will not say what I felt
for I remained in unknowing
transcending all knowledge.

2. That perfect knowledge
was of peace and holiness
held at no remove
in profound solitude;
it was something so secret
that I was left stammering,
transcending all knowledge.

3. I was so ‘whelmed,
so absorbed and withdrawn,
that my senses were left
deprived of all their sensing,
and my spirit was given
an understanding while not understanding,
transcending all knowledge.

4. He who truly arrives there
cuts free from himself;
all that he knew before
now seems worthless,
and his knowledge so soars
that he is left in unknowing
transcending all knowledge.

5. The higher he ascends
the less he understands,
because the cloud is dark
which lit up the night;
whoever knows this
remains always in unknowing
transcending all knowledge.

6. This knowledge in unknowing
is so overwhelming
that wise men disputing
can never overthrow it,
for their knowledge does not reach
to the understanding of not
understanding,
transcending all knowledge.

7. And this supreme knowledge
is so exalted
that no power of man or learning
can grasp it;
he who masters himself

will, with knowledge in
unknowing,
always be transcending.

8. And if you should want to hear:
this highest knowledge lies
in the loftiest sense
of the essence of God;
this is a work of his mercy,
to leave one without
understanding,
transcending all knowledge.

Agastya's Shiva stotram

So simple, and may be therefore so grand prayer from Sage Agastya.

Adhya may saphalam janma cha sdhya may thwam paramthapa,
Adhya may saphalam jnanam Shambho thwath Pada adharath.
If my life is fruitful, it is due to you divine God, if my intelligence is fruitful, it is due to my depending on your feet.
Krutharthoham, krutharthoham, krutharthoham, Maheswara,
adhya they pada padmasya darsanath Bhakthavathsala
I am thankful to you, indebted to You, grateful to You, Oh great God, as this is due to seeing your lotus like feet, Oh God Who loves his devotees.
Shiva Shambhu, Shiva, Shiva, Shiva, Shambhu, Shiva, Shiva,
Ithi Vyaaharatho nithyam Dhinaanyaanthu yanthu may.
Oh Shiva, Shambhu, Shiva, Shiva, Shiva, Shambhu, Shiva, Shiva, like this if I spend my days, then they are indeed well spent.
Shiva Bhakthi, Shiva Bhakthi, Shiva Bhakthi bhave bhave,
Sadaa bhooyath, sadaa bhooyath, sadaa bhooyaath sunischala,
Devotion to Shiva, devotion to Shiva, devotion to Shiva at every moment, it always will happen, always will happen, always will happen without any doubt.
Vayam dhanyaa, vayam dhanyaa, vayam dhanyaa Jagat thraye,
Aadhi devo , mahadevo yadasmath kula deivatham.
I am blessed, I am blessed, I am blessed in all the three worlds, if the primeval God, the great God Shiva is the deity of my clan.
Hara Shambho Mahadeva, Viswesa amaro vathsala,
Shiva sankara sarvathman, Neela kanda Namosthuthe. 
Oh Hara, Oh Shambhu, Oh great God, Oh Lord of Universe, Oh God Who likes Devas, Oh Shiva, Oh Shankara, Oh souls of all, Oh blue necked One, I salute You.

OM NAMAH SHIVAYA

Through the Veils

Work by Ala Ebtekar

In Mishkât Al-Anwar ("The Niche for Lights") by Al-Ghazzali there is mention of Seventy Thousand Veils of Light and Darkness which together veil the pristine Godhead from the imperfect human soul.
"Allâh hath Seventy Thousand Veils of Light and Darkness: were He to withdraw their curtain, then would the splendours of His Aspect surely consume everyone who apprehended Him with his sight."
   Al-Ghazzali  uses a wonderful method of symbolism were these veils are applicable depending on five classes of Spirit, or the fivefold Niche, Glass, Lamp, Tree, and Oil . Here are short extracts from  "The Niche for Lights":

1. Consider the sensory spirit. Its lights, you observe, come through several apertures, the eyes, ears, nostrils, etc. Now the aptest symbol for this, in our world of experience, is the Niche for a lamp in a wall.

2. Take next the imaginative spirit.[...] The images supplied by the imagination hold together the knowledge supplied by the intellect. Now, in the world of everyday experience the sole object in which you will find these three peculiarities, in relation to physical lights, is Glass.[...] 

3. The intelligential spirit, which gives cognizance of the divine ideas. The point of the symbolism must be obvious to you. You know it already from our preceding explanation of the doctrine that the prophets are a "Light-giving lamp."

4. The ratiocinative spirit. Its peculiarity is to begin from one proposition, then to branch out into two, which two become four and so on, until by this process of logical division they become very numerous.[...]The symbol which our world yields for this is a Tree. And when further we consider that the fruit of the discursive reason is material for this multiplying, establishing, and fixing of all knowledge, it will naturally not be typified by trees like quince, apple, pomegranate, nor, in brief, by any other tree whatever, except the Olive. For the quintessence of the fruit of the olive is its oil, which is the material which feeds the lamps, and has this peculiarity, as against all other oils, that it increases radiance.[...]

5. The transcendental prophetic spirit, which is possessed by saints as well as prophets if it is absolutely luminous and clear. For the thought-spirit is divided into that which needs be instructed, advised, and supplied from without, if the acquisition of knowledge is to be continuous; while a portion of it is absolutely, clear, as though it were self-luminous, and had no external source of supply.

According to this esoteric symbolism, the soul, in its upward way, is stripped at every stage of ten thousand of these veils. But the veils may not fall away in the same manner for different souls, which are classed in terms of the darkness or the lightness of the veils that enclose them, thus suggesting both thickness and opacity as well as a necessary mode of understanding degrees of light. The veiled sun is light to the struggling soul but the unveiled sun remains in Absolute Darkness until the soul finally succeeds in piercing through the last veil of separative consciousness.

Adi Shankaracharya’s ATMA BODHA

"A Treatise on the knowledge of Atma"

by SRI ADI SANKARACHARYA

Atma Bodha (Knowledge of Self) is one of the works of Adi Sankaracharya. In this work he expounds with the help of analogies the nature of the consciousness (Self) and the means of self-realisation. Each shloka has one direct and inner meaning. (Translated by Swami Chinmayananda) 

Tapobhih Ksheenapaapaanaam
Santanaam Veetaraginaam
Mumukshoonaam Apekshyoyam
Atmabodho Vidheeyate

 1. I am composing the ATMA-BODHA, this treatise of the Knowledge of the Self, for those who have purified themselves by austerities and are peaceful in heart and calm, who are free from cravings and are desirous of liberation. 
2. Just as the fire is the direct cause for cooking, so without Knowledge no emancipation can be had. Compared with all other forms of discipline Knowledge of the Self is the one direct means for liberation.
3. Action cannot destroy ignorance, for it is not in conflict with or opposed to ignorance. Knowledge does verily destroy ignorance as light destroys deep darkness.
4. The Soul appears to be finite because of ignorance. When ignorance is destroyed the Self which does not admit of any multiplicity truly reveals itself by itself: like the Sun when the clouds pass away.
5. Constant practice of knowledge purifies the Self (‘Jivatman’), stained by ignorance and then disappears itself – as the powder of the ‘Kataka-nut’ settles down after it has cleansed the muddy water.
6. The world which is full of attachments, aversions, etc., is like a dream. It appears to be real, as long as it continues but appears to be unreal when one is awake (i.e., when true wisdom dawns).
7. The Jagat appears to be true (Satyam) so long as Brahman, the substratum, the basis of all this creation, is not realised. It is like the illusion of silver in the mother-of pearl.
8. Like bubbles in the water, the worlds rise, exist and dissolve in the Supreme Self, which is the material cause and the prop of everything.
9. All the manifested world of things and beings are projected by imagination upon the substratum which is the Eternal All-pervading Vishnu, whose nature is Existence-Intelligence; just as the different ornaments are all made out of the same gold.
10. The All-pervading Akasa appears to be diverse on account of its association with various conditionings (Upadhis) which are different from each other. Space becomes one on the destruction of these limiting adjuncts: So also the Omnipresent Truth appears to be diverse on account of Its association with the various Upadhis and becomes one on the destruction of these Upadhis.
11. Because of Its association with different conditionings (Upadhis) such ideas as caste, colour and position are super-imposed upon the Atman, as flavour, colour, etc., are super-imposed on water.
12. Determined for each individual by his own past actions and made up of the Five elements – that have gone through the process of “five-fold self-division and mutual combination” (Pancheekarana) – are born the gross-body, the medium through which pleasure and pain are experienced, the tent-of-experiences.
13. The five Pranas, the ten organs and the Manas and the Buddhi, formed from the rudimentary elements (Tanmatras) before their “five-fold division and mutual combination with one another” (Pancheekarana) and this is the subtle body, the instruments-of-experience (of the individual).
14. Avidya which is indescribable and beginningless is the Causal Body. Know for certain that the Atman is other than these three conditioning bodies (Upadhis).
15. In its identification with the five-sheaths the Immaculate Atman appears to have borrowed their qualities upon Itself; as in the case of a crystal which appears to gather unto itself colour of its vicinity (blue cloth, etc.,).
16. Through discriminative self-analysis and logical thinking one should separate the Pure self within from the sheaths as one separates the rice from the husk, bran, etc., that are covering it.
17. The Atman does not shine in everything although He is All-pervading. He is manifest only in the inner equipment, the intellect (Buddhi): just as the reflection in a clean mirror.
18. One should understand that the Atman is always like the King, distinct from the body, senses, mind and intellect, all of which constitute the matter (Prakriti); and is the witness of their functions.
19. The moon appears to be running when the clouds move in the sky. Likewise to the non-discriminating person the Atman appears to be active when It is observed through the functions of the sense-organs.
20. Depending upon the energy of vitality of Consciousness (Atma Chaitanya) the body, senses, mind and intellect engage themselves in their respective activities, just as men work depending upon the light of the Sun.
21. Fools, because they lack in their powers of discrimination superimpose on the Atman, the Absolute-Existence-Knowledge (Sat-Chit), all the varied functions of the body and the senses, just as they attribute blue colour and the like to the sky.
22. The tremblings that belong to the waters are attributed through ignorance to the reflected moon dancing on it: likewise agency of action, of enjoyment and of other limitations (which really belong to the mind) are delusively understood as the nature of the Self (Atman).
23. Attachment, desire, pleasure, pain, etc., are perceived to exist so long as Buddhi or mind functions. They are not perceived in deep sleep when the mind ceases to exist. Therefore they belong to the mind alone and not to the Atman.
24. Just as luminosity is the nature of the Sun, coolness of water and heat of fire, so too the nature of the Atman is Eternity, Purity, Reality, Consciousness and Bliss.
25. By the indiscriminate blending of the two – the Existence-Knowledge-aspect of the Self and the thought-wave of the intellect – there arises the notion of “I know”.
26. Atman never does anything and the intellect of its own accord has no capacity to experience ‘I know’. But the individuality in us delusorily thinks he is himself the seer and the knower.
27. Just as the person who regards a rope as a snake is overcome by fear, so also one considering oneself as the ego (Jiva) is overcome by fear. The ego-centric individuality in us regains fearlessness by realising that It is not a Jiva but is Itself the Supreme Soul.
28. Just as a lamp illumines a jar or a pot, so also the Atman illumines the mind and the sense organs, etc. These material-objects by themselves cannot illumine themselves because they are inert.
29. A lighted-lamp does not need another lamp to illumine its light. So too, Atman which is Knowledge itself needs no other knowledge to know it.
30. By a process of negation of the conditionings (Upadhis) through the help of the scriptural statement ‘It is not this, It is not this’, the oneness of the individual soul and the Supreme Soul, as indicated by the great Mahavakyas, has to be realised.
31. The body, etc., up to the “Causal Body” – Ignorance – which are objects perceived, are as perishable as bubbles. Realise through discrimination that I am the ‘Pure Brahman’ ever completely separate from all these.
32. I am other than the body and so I am free from changes such as birth, wrinkling, senility, death, etc. I have nothing to do with the sense objects such as sound and taste, for I am without the sense-organs.
33. I am other than the mind and hence, I am free from sorrow, attachment, malice and fear, for “HE is without breath and without mind, Pure, etc.”, is the Commandment of the great scripture, the Upanishads.
34. I am without attributes and actions; Eternal (Nitya) without any desire and thought (Nirvikalpa), without any dirt (Niranjana), without any change (Nirvikara), without form (Nirakara), ever-liberated (Nitya Mukta) ever-pure (Nirmala).
35. Like the space I fill all things within and without. Changeless and the same in all, at all times I am pure, unattached, stainless and motionless.
36. I am verily that Supreme Brahman alone which is Eternal, Pure and Free, One, indivisible and non-dual and of the nature of
Changeless-Knowledge-Infinite.
37. The impression “I am Brahman” thus created by constant practice destroys ignorance and the agitation caused by it, just as medicine or Rasayana destroys disease.
38. Sitting in a solitary place, freeing the mind from desires and controlling the senses, meditate with unswerving attention on the Atman which is One without-a-second.
39. The wise one should intelligently merge the entire world-of-objects in the Atman alone and constantly think of the Self ever as contaminated by anything as the sky.
40. He who has realised the Supreme, discards all his identification with the objects of names and forms. (Thereafter) he dwells as an embodiment of the Infinite Consciousness and Bliss. He becomes the Self.
41. There are no distinctions such as “Knower”, the “Knowledge” and the “Object of Knowledge” in the Supreme Self. On account of Its being of the nature of endless Bliss, It does not admit of such distinctions within Itself. It alone shines by Itself.
42. When this the lower and the higher aspects of the Self are well churned together, the fire of knowledge is born from it, which in its mighty conflagration shall burn down all the fuel of ignorance in us.
43. The Lord of the early dawn (Aruna) himself has already looted away the thick darkness, when soon the sun rises. The Divine Consciousness of the Self rises when the right knowledge has already killed the darkness in the bosom.
44. Atman is an ever-present Reality. Yet, because of ignorance it is not realised. On the destruction of ignorance Atman is realised. It is like the missing ornament of one’s neck.
45. Brahman appears to be a ‘Jiva’ because of ignorance, just as a post appears to be a ghost. The ego-centric-individuality is destroyed when the real nature of the ‘Jiva’ is realised as the Self.
46. The ignorance characterised by the notions ‘I’ and ‘Mine’ is destroyed by the knowledge produced by the realisation of the true nature of the Self, just as right information removes the wrong notion about the directions.
47. The Yogi of perfect realisation and enlightenment sees through his “eye of wisdom” (Gyana Chakshush) the entire universe in his own Self and regards everything else as his own Self and nothing else.
48. Nothing whatever exists other than the Atman: the tangible universe is verily Atman. As pots and jars are verily made of clay and cannot be said to be anything but clay, so too, to the enlightened soul and that is perceived is the Self.
49. A liberated one, endowed with Self-knowledge, gives up the traits of his previously explained equipments (Upadhis) and because of his nature of Sat-chit-ananda, he verily becomes Brahman like (the worm that grows to be) a wasp.
50. After crossing the ocean of delusion and killing the monsters of likes and dislikes, the Yogi who is united with peace dwells in the glory of his own realised Self – as an Atmaram.
51. The self-abiding Jivan Mukta, relinquishing all his attachments to the illusory external happiness and satisfied with the bliss derived from the Atman, shines inwardly like a lamp placed inside a jar.
52. Though he lives in the conditionings (Upadhis), he, the contemplative one, remains ever unconcerned with anything or he may move about like the wind, perfectly unattached.
53. On the destruction of the Upadhis, the contemplative one is totally absorbed in ‘Vishnu’, the All-pervading Spirit, like water into water, space into space and light into light.
54. Realise That to be Brahman, the attainment of which leaves nothing more to be attained, the blessedness of which leaves no other blessing to be desired and the knowledge of which leaves nothing more to be known.
55. Realise that to be Brahman which, when seen, leaves nothing more to be seen, which having become one is not born again in this world and which, when knowing leaves nothing else to be known.
56. Realise that to be Brahman which is Existence-Knowledge-Bliss-Absolute, which is Non-dual, Infinite, Eternal and One and which fills all the quarters – above and below and all that exists between.
57. Realise that to be Brahman which is Non-dual, Indivisible, One and Blissful and which is indicated in Vedanta as the Immutable Substratum, realised after the negation of all tangible objects.
58. Deities like Brahma and others taste only a particle, of the unlimited Bliss of Brahman and enjoy in proportion their share of that particle.
59. All objects are pervaded by Brahman. All actions are possible because of Brahman: therefore Brahman permeates everything as butter permeates milk.
60. Realise that to be Brahman which is neither subtle nor gross: neither short nor long: without birth or change: without form, qualities, colour and name.
61. That by the light of which the luminous, orbs like the Sun and the Moon are illuminated, but which is not illumined by their light, realise that to be Brahman.
62. Pervading the entire universe outwardly and inwardly the Supreme Brahman shines of Itself like the fire that permeates a red-hot iron-ball and glows by itself.
63. Brahman is other than this, the universe. There exists nothing that is not Brahman. If any object other than Brahman appears to exist, it is unreal like the mirage.
64. All that is perceived, or heard, is Brahman and nothing else. Attaining the knowledge of the Reality, one sees the Universe as the non-dual Brahman, Existence-Knowledge-Bliss-Absolute.
65. Though Atman is Pure Consciousness and ever present everywhere, yet It is perceived by the eye-of-wisdom alone: but one whose vision is obscured by ignorance he does not see It; as the blind do not see the resplendent Sun.
66. The ‘Jiva’ free from impurities, being heated in the fire of knowledge kindled by hearing and so on, shines of itself like gold.
67. The Atman, the Sun of Knowledge that rises in the sky of the heart, destroys the darkness of the ignorance, pervades and sustains all and shines and makes everything to shine.
68. He who renouncing all activities, who is free of all the limitations of time, space and direction, worships his own Atman which is present everywhere, which is the destroyer of heat and cold, which is Bliss-Eternal and stainless, becomes All-knowing and All-pervading and attains thereafter Immortality.
Thus concludes Atma-Bodha.

OM TAT SAT