ATMA BODHA
by
SRI ADI SANKARACHARYA
TEXT & COMMENTARY
(PART - 15 – VERSES 34,35,36)
INTRODUCTION
From V.31 to 41 teach us the Nidhidhyasanam process. After Sravanam and Mananam, the Nidhidhyasanam process ensures our total identification with our real Self, the Atma (or, the Brahman) and its innate, intrinsic Nature. This process is done not as some one who is trying to look at Atma and its nature as an outsider, but as one who is himself the Atma (or, Brahma). From V.31, we are using the term “I”, “Aham” or “Asmi” for referring to our Self ( or Atma/Brahman) and to inculcate total identification in us with our self.
It is the deepest contemplation or meditation on the SELF. This Meditation is, on the Meditator himself, as Swami Dayanada Saraswathi says.
We therefore started saying, I, the Atma, or, I the Brahman and then recounting Atma’s intrinsic nature as My own.
V.31 said that the Sareera thrayam is like bubbles which arise in water, grow, die down and merge back with water. I am not that Sareera thrayam but I am the ever Pure Brahman.
V.32 said that - I am not the Gross Body, which is very temporary and subject to birth, growth, decay and death. I am not the 5 Sense organs or the 5 organs of action, which are attached to the principles of sound, sight, smell, touch and taste and action based on them. I am not what these Indriyaas (Organs) do, enjoy and suffer from. I have nothing to do with these organs (Indriyaas) or their actions.
V.33 said that - I am not the Mind (manas). I do not suffer sorrow, hatred, attachments, fear and other dualities of the mind. I am not the Pancha Pranas of the prana maya kosa. I am none of the parts of Sareera thrayam. I am the ever pure, ever clean Atma, which is my real self. The Vedas (Sruthis) have always confirmed this.
We now proceed from V.34 to see MY NATURE as the ever pure Atma.
34 Nirguno Nishkriyo Nityo
Nirvikalpo Niranjanah
Nirvikaaro Niraakaaraha
Nitya Muktosmi Nirmalah.
I need to understand and see my Glory in all its completeness now.
When identification is with Sareera thrayam, I do not immediately realize it but get into the unending pool of Samsaara. In Samsaara, I am never free. I am always tossed in the dualities of life.
But, when identification has to be with the real ‘I’, the Atma, I will look at my real Nature as Atma. In Nidhidhyasanam, it is once again emphasized that for complete identification with the real ‘I’, I must use the crucial words – I, me, mine in place of Atma, Brahma, Achyutha, Eswara and so on.
I am Nirgunaha. I am free from all the limiting attributes like Sathva, Rajas and Thamas, or their multifarious combinations, whether good or Bad.
I am Nishkriyaha. I am action-less. All actions pertain to Sareera thrayam. I have no need for any actions or transactions.
I am Nithyaha. I am eternal. I am beyond time limitations. I am beginning-less and end-less.
I am Nirvikalpaha. I have no parts or divisions. All parts of Sareera thrayam and Chidhabhasa are Savikalpa, or having parts which also are subject to change continuously.
I am Niranjanaha. I am not avidya, ajnana and have no Negativities in me.
I am Nirvikaraha. I do not undergo any changes. I am free from the modifications of the Sareera thrayam like, Asthi, Jayathe, Vardhathe, viparinamathe, vipaksheeyathe and …
I am Niraakaraha. I am not bound by names and forms, which are limited by time and space. I am not limited by time and space. I am the formless, shapeless, faceless consciousness.
I am Nithya Mukthaha. I am always liberated. I am never tied by any bondages. I need not wait for a future event like death to attain liberation or Mukthi. I am always the liberated one. Samsaara or Avidya does not bind me.
I am Nirmalaha : I am free of all impurities, caused by Avidhya.
Asmi : Who is the one described here? It is I – asmi. I am these. This is the crux of this Meditation effort. I meditate on these as My own self. I must spend as much time as necessary so that my nature sinks into me fully, totally and absolutely, as described in the verse. This is another extraordinary session of Nidhidhyasanam I need to achieve total self knowledge as total identification with the self.
35 Aham Aakaasavath Sarvam
Bahir Antargato Achyutah
Sadaa Sarva Samassiddho
Nissango Nirmalo Achalah
V.35 is one more beautiful, effective Nidhidhyasanam verse.
Aham, that is, I, am all pervading, internally and externally, in every thing, much like the all pervading space (Akasa) that I see.
In the external world of Sareera thrayam (the 3 bodies) and Bahya Prapancha (external world) – I am the existence principle, the principle of Sath.
In the internal world of thoughts and emotions in the Manas (or Mind) – and all its associate parts like Ahamkara, chittha and Buddhi, I am the consciousness principle or the principle of Chith.
I am Achyuthaha. I never ever fall to the dualities of Samsaara and I am always my own protector and savior. I have no arrival or departure. I have no such limitations.
I am Sadaa Sarva Samaha . I am the same to every one. I exist everywhere and equally in all (Sarva), all the time (Sadaa). I have no differences based on any mundane distinctions – like caste, religion, sex, status and so on. All Naama roopas ( Names and Forms) which differentiate all beings and objects have no relevance for me.
I am Siddhaha : It can mean either a Self evident person or a liberated person. I do not need any proof for my self. I am the proof of every thing else, as the one consciousness principle enlightening all others. I am also the ever liberated one.
I am Nissangaha. I am not related to, not connected to and not attached to any one or any thing in the creation. For worldly matters (vyavahaara), I may be a father, son, wife and so on. But, I have no attachments to these names and forms, which come at some point of time and space and go at some other point of time and space. They are ephemeral and transitory. In meditation, I negate all these relationships as binding forms and look upon my self as ever free.
I am Nirmalaha. There are no disturbances and no impurity in me – from any worldly relationships and attachments. Even good remembrances come after us and disturb us. Good or bad, I am free of all past, present and future relationships and occurrences. I am free of anxieties, sorrows and all effects of Samsaara.
It is not that worldly relationships do not exist for me in a worldly sense for transaction purposes. But, these will not bind me and create disturbances and impurities in me. These will remain at the level of Sareera thrayam and Chidhabhasa and I remain free of their bondages.
I am Achalaha. When no relationship and occurrences bind me, none of them can shake me. People around me are born and they also die. They undergo the travails of Samsaara. Even this body( for referral purpose, I may say, my Sareera thrayam) is undergoing all changes like old age, diseases and so on. But, I remain unshaken and unmoved. I, as consciousness, is knowledge my self and even the most difficult situations cannot shake me. As Atma Jnani, I do not get hurt by others, nor do I hurt others.
36 Nitya Suddha Vimuktaikam
Akhanda Anandam Advayam
Satyam Jnanam Anantam
Yatparam Brahma Aham eva tat
“AHAM” is again the key word in this verse.
NITHYA SUDDHAM : I am ever pure. I am not affected by the impurities of the dualities like sukha, duhkha at any time.
VIKUKTHAHA : I am always liberated and free - in the past, the present or the future.
EKAM : I am the one and the only one without a second.
AKHANDAM : I have no parts or divisions and I cannot be divided into any such individual parts. The Anaatma has several parts. Sareeram has many parts. Mind has many parts. But, I, the Atma, am division-less.
AANANDAM : I am the eternal Bliss. I have no inadequacies. I do not miss any thing. I do not have any regrets. When any thing comes into my life or goes out of my life, it creates no ripples in me. I am the aanandam, the eternal bliss
ADVAYAM : I am one without a second. I am all pervading, including the Sareera thrayam and the world. I am the cause of every thing. Everything is merely my reflection and is Mithya. I am therefore the only one without a second.
SATHYAM, JNANAM, ANATHAM BRAHMA : This is again the definition of Brahma. Sathyam means Pure existence. Death, Pralayam etc does not affect my existence – but only of the Sareera thrayam and the external world. JNANAM means - I am pure consciousness. ANATHAM means - I am beginning-less and end-less but is infinite in time and space.
YATH PARAM BRAHMA : The one with these characteristics, is the PARAM BRAHMA (Supreme Brahma).
AHAM YEVA THATH : I am that Param Brahma. I AM THE ABSOLUTE, INFINITE BRAHMAN.
To sum up the 3 verses – I am the Brahman with the characteristics mentioned. I am the only one without a second. Each of these verses must be deeply meditated upon to imbibe the absolute reality of the self within me.
But, how do we do this Nidhidhyasanam effectively? And, what happens in Nidhidhyasanam? Adi Sankara explains further…
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