VIVEKA-CHUDAMANI

By: Shankaracharya
Commentary: Swami Ranganathananda
Edited: Swami Shuddhidananda
Summary: Satyendra Nath Dwivedi

Part 4

THE TRUE NATURE OF THE SELF

“That by which everything is perceived, but which itself is not perceived; know
thou that Atman – the Knower – through the sharpest intellect.”

Self is the Knower. It is never the known. The Self, which is the Subject, knows
the objects. The Self is never an object. Only through the Self do we see this
entire universe of our experience. The Self is the experiencer, and being so, it
can never become the experienced. An object has no experience. The subject
alone has experiences.

‘Buddhi’ becomes subtle when it becomes pure, when it is not controlled by the
energy of the sensory system. When the sensory energy dominates the buddhi, it
remains impure. Pure buddhi is rare, but can be cultivated by effort and
discipline.
“That which clearly manifests itself in the states of wakefulness, dream, and
profound sleep; which is inwardly perceived in the mind in various forms as an
unbroken series of egoistic impressions; which witnesses the egoism, the
buddhi, etc., which are of diverse forms and modifications; and which makes
itself felt as the Existence-Knowledge-Bliss Absolute; know thou this Atman, thy
own Self, within the Heart.”

“The realization of one’s identity with Brahman is the cause of liberation from the
bonds of ‘samsara’, by means of which the wise man attains Brahman, the One
without a second, the Bliss Absolute.”

“Brahman is Existence, Knowledge, Infinity, Pure, Supreme, Self-existent,

Eternal and Indivisible Bliss, not different from the individual Soul, and devoid of
interior or exterior. It is (ever) Triumphant.”

“All this universe, which through ignorance appears as of diverse forms, is

nothing but Brahman, which is absolutely free from all the limitations of human
thought.”

“This universe is verily Brahman – such is the august pronouncement of the

Atharva Veda. Therefore this universe is nothing but Brahman, for that which is
superimposed (on something) has no separate existence from its substratum.”

The brief and pithy utterance, “This universe

is verily Brahman” comes from the Mundaka Upanishad, which belongs to the
Atharva Veda. The names and forms are just superimpositions on the substratum
and they do not exist apart from the substratum. Brahman, our Self, is the
substratum of the superimposed universe. There is no universe apart from
Brahman. The universe is verily Brahman. There is nothing but Brahman, and
that is our Self. This is the conclusion of the Vedas.

We often take the symbol without reaching at the symbolized. That is how we
miss the truth, Brahman. We have to reach the symbolized through the symbol,
reach Brahman through the universe, which is just a name superimposed on the
Brahman. Brahman, our Self, alone is the reality. Names and forms are mere
superimpositions.

“Sages realize the Supreme Truth, Brahman, in which there is no differentiation

of knower, knowledge, and known, which is infinite, transcendent, and the
Essence of Knowledge Absolute.”

“Which can be neither thrown away nor taken up, which is beyond the reach of
mind and speech, immeasurable, without beginning and end, the whole, one’s
very Self, and of surpassing glory.”

Brahman is non-dual. The diversity we perceive is only a superimposition on

Brahman. When we de-superimpose, Brahman is realized as it is, as our Self.
This is the one central theme in all the Upanishads.

The Vedas are nothing but the firsthand experiences of the sages. And among
the sages, there is no conflict about the Supreme experience of Brahman,
whereas knowledge coming out of mere human reason is seen to be
contradictory, with no fixity of form. The Vedas deal with that Supreme
experience and knowledge, which is beyond contradiction and is well
established. Hence, without the help of the Vedas, mere human reason is
incapable to realize Brahman. Therefore, it is reasoning based on the Vedas that
takes us to the supreme experience of Brahman.

“Eliminating the not-Self, in the light of such passages as ‘It is not gross’ etc.
(one realizes the Atman), which is self-established, unattached like the sky, and
beyond the range of thought. Therefore dismiss this mere phantom of a body,
which thou perceivest and hast accepted as thy own self. By means of the
purified understanding that ‘Thou art Brahman’, realize thy own Self, the
Knowledge Absolute.”

“All modifications of clay, such as the jar, which are always accepted by the mind
as real, are (in reality) nothing but clay. Similarly, this entire universe which is
produced from the real Brahman, is Brahman itself and nothing but That.
Because there is nothing else whatever but Brahman, and that is the only self-
existent Reality, our very Self, therefore art thou that serene, pure, Supreme
Brahman, the One without a second.”

The greatest teaching we can impart to a child is ”Thou art

That”. Let the little child be informed about its true dimension. Let the sleeping
lion of Brahman awaken in it. Then we shall see it growing from strength to
strength. All weakness and helplessness will go. There is an infinite energy
pulsing in all of us. Vedanta repeatedly reminds us ‘Thou art That’, ‘Thou art
That’. What an inspiring message is this for the whole of mankind!

Gaudapada, in his ‘Mandukya Karika’, says: “When the ‘Jiva’ wakes up from its
sleep of ages induced by ‘Maya’, it then realizes itself to be the unborn,
dreamless, non-dual Reality”.

Vedic religion never stresses belief. Belief is secondary. The emphasis is always
on our effort to experience the Truth.

“That which is beyond caste and creed, family and lineage; devoid of name and
form, merit and demerit; transcending space, time, and sense-objects – that
Brahman art thou, meditate on this in thy mind.”

The teacher tells the student: “you are that Brahman; meditate on this in thy mind
and realize the truth for yourself.” Meditation is the wonderful technique of
penetrating into the depths of our being. It is only in the depths of meditation that
one realizes Brahman.
“That Supreme Brahman which is beyond the range of all speech, but accessible
to the eye of pure illumination; which is pure, the Embodiment of Knowledge, the
beginning-less entity – that Brahman art thou, meditate on this in thy mind.”

“That which is free from birth, growth, transformation, decay, disease and death;
which is indestructible; which is the cause of the projection, maintenance and
dissolution of the universe – that Brahman art thou, meditate on this in thy mind.”

The ‘Taittiriya Upanishad’ gives the most scientific definition of Brahman [3.1.1]:

“That from which all these entities and beings are born; That in which, being born
they live; That unto which, in the end, they enter; know That; That is Brahman.”

“That which, though One only, is the cause of many; which refutes all other
causes, but is itself without cause; distinct from Maya and its effect, the universe;
and independent – that Brahman art thou, meditate on this in thy mind.”

“That which is free from duality; which is infinite and indestructible; distinct from
universe and Maya, Supreme, Eternal; which is undying Bliss; taintless – that
Brahman art thou, meditate on this in thy mind.”
“That beyond which there is nothing; which shines even above Maya, which
again is superior to its effect, the universe; the inmost Self of all, free from
differentiation; the Real Self, the Existence-Knowledge-Bliss Absolute; infinite
and immutable – that Brahman art thou, meditate this in thy mind.”

“Thou art That” is the supreme message of Vedanta to all

humanity. It is the truth that can be realized by each one of us. We have not to
beg or borrow this realization from anybody, because it is our true nature. We
have to only be aware of it. We are not this truncated entity with a body and
mind. We are the infinite One.

This is the only emphasis in Vedanta and also the only meaning of religion.
Religion is not a set of code of conduct. It is Self-realization. This truth must
slowly dawn on all of us. Then ethics, morality, love and a civilized life based on
dedicated service and sacrifice will flow spontaneously. When we attain to such a
growth, there would be no need for a code of conduct. We shall then be self-
ruled and self-disciplined. Our every action then would be for the good of others.
We shall then develop ‘Sarvatmabhava’, the awareness that “I am the Self of all.”
By such a spiritual development we break down the barriers that separate us
from one another.

“Becoming thyself the self-effulgent Brahman, the substratum of all phenomena

– as that Reality, give up both the macrocosm and the microcosm – like the filthy
receptacles.”

“Freed from the clutches of egoism, as the moon from those of Rahu, man
attains to his real nature, and becomes pure, infinite, ever-blissful and self-
luminous.”

“Therefore destroying this egoism, the enemy – which appears like a thorn
sticking in the throat of a man taking his meal – with the great sword of
realization, enjoy directly and freely the bliss of thy own empire, the majesty of
the Atman.”

“Through the increase of the desires selfish work increases, and when there is
an increase of selfish work, there is an increase of desire also; and man’s
transmigration is never at end.”

“With the cessation of selfish action the brooding on the sense-objects is

stopped, which is followed by the destruction of desires. The destruction of
desires is liberation, and this is considered to be liberation-in-life.”

A man of Self-realization has no desires. He is free.

“One should never be careless in one’s steadfastness to Brahman. Bhagavan

Sanatkumara, who is Brahma’s son, has called inadvertence to be death itself.”

When we are careless, we loose our freedom. This is seen as much in the socio-
political life of a nation as in the spiritual life of an individual. When a country is
not alert, its people complacent and busy in mutual fights, someone invades and
takes away her political freedom. History is full of such incidents where
inadvertence has made nations pay in terms of their precious freedom. When we
are not alert, we slip into slavery again and again. So be alert! This is the
wonderful exhortation coming from this verse. By constantly keeping the mind on
Brahman, by worshipping and meditating, be alert and awake. This is the way to
safeguard our freedom.

“If the mind ever so slightly strays from the ideal and becomes outgoing, then it
goes down and down, just as a play-ball inadvertently dropped on the staircase
bounces down from one step to another.”

The falling mind keeps gathering momentum until it comes down crashing to a
very low level of human life. This is the moral fall of man. It begins with our
carelessness. Mind first becomes a little wavery. This is the beginning of its fall.
Initially we don’t even realize that it is falling. Only after sometime do we come to
know about its downward movement. But by that time it gains considerable
acceleration and it becomes too late to save the situation. We finally end up on a
very crude level of life.

Often we see in society well-to-do learned men and women committing grave
crimes and performing wicked deeds. Such behavior does not befit them at all.
There is a beautiful verse in ‘Devi Mahatmyam’ [1.55]:

“The Divine Mother manifesting as ‘Mahamaya’, the great delusion functioning in

this world of manifestation, drags away even the minds of wise men towards
delusive life.”

‘Mahamaya’ deludes even a man of knowledge. Even such a man is dragged

away from the right path when his mind becomes the playground of ‘Avidya
Maya’. Maya is powerful. When it pulls down, it is ‘Avidya Maya’, the binding
Maya. It makes us wicked and evil. When it lifts us up, it is ‘Vidya Maya’, the
releasing Maya. It then awakens in us moral awareness and spiritual strength. So
we have to make our heart the playground of ‘Vidya Maya’. The choice is ours,
and so is the responsibility.

We have to make the minds of our children and young-ones a playground of

‘Vidya Maya’. Then great things can come in life. The finest character products
and its expression in the form of universal love, compassion, service and
sacrifice come from this energy of ‘Vidya Maya’.

The very attempt to fight the downward pulling forces makes for heroism. That is
the spirit Vedanta imparts to all its students. It is the attitude of a lion, a fearless
attitude and the determination to face the worst without being perturbed. Let us
stop bleating like a sheep. That’s not our true nature. We are lions, eternal and
immortal.

But to attain this state we have to be alert. Let us not be too sure about
ourselves. Let us be careful. Our mind plays various deceptive tricks on us. Only
because we have some spiritual knowledge, let us not think that we can do
whatever we like. A single wrong step and we shall land up in a moral fall. So let
us be alert, lest we lose our freedom.

As nature has provided us with a focus of freedom, we become morally liable and
censurable. That focus of freedom makes for our moral and spiritual sense. As
human beings we are expected to live and conduct our lives on that plane. In
fact, that is what makes us human beings. Else we are the same as animals.
With that modicum of freedom we can choose to be above determinate nature.
Our will is free to that extent. Accordingly, we can be moral or immoral.
When we commit a mistake, let us first accept it and take the responsibility on
ourselves. Then let us strive not to repeat it. That is how we exercise our
freedom.

“Every sinner has a future, as every saint has a past.”

- Dr. S. Radhakrishnan

“The Supreme Self is ever of the nature of eternal, indivisible knowledge, one
without a second, the witness of the ‘buddhi’ and the rest, distinct from the gross
and the subtle, the implied meaning of the term and idea ‘I’, the embodiment of
inward, eternal bliss.”

“When the mind thus purified by constant practice, is merged in Brahman, the
‘Samadhi’ passes on from ‘savikalpa’ to ‘nirvikalpa’ stage, and leads directly to
the realization of the bliss of Brahman, the One without a second.

“Reflection should be considered a hundred times superior to hearing, and

meditation a hundred times superior even to reflection, but the ‘nirvikalpa
Samadhi’ is infinite in its results.”

“The first steps to yoga are control of speech, non-receiving of gifts, entertaining
of no expectations, freedom from activity, and always living in a retired place.”

When we talk too much, the mind gets disturbed, concentration suffers, and
cheapness comes to our thinking. By talking less we grow deeper.
Yoga means training the mind, and first doorway to it is control of speech. Let us
speak only when there is something worthwhile to speak, else let us remain
silent.
Today India has to labour hard for the development of virtues mentioned in this
verse, especially the virtue of silence. That will transform the nation. Then the
creative psychic energy available for the good of the nation will be tremendous.

Shankaracharya was a great heroic teacher, a mastermind – absolutely

fearless and full of compassion. In his wonderful writings we can sense his
tremendous fearlessness, strength, and compassion. He strode the length
and breadth of India like a lion, bringing light, peace, fearlessness, and
strength to all.

India always lived on the strength of the spirit and not of the sword. And
Vivekananda said that India would again be raised not by the power of the sword
but by the power of the spirit, the power of love. That will happen only when we
develop the strength of our body, mind and character. Such a development alone
will mark the beginning of a new heroic age for India.

[To be Continued]

Summary: Satyendra Nath Dwivedi