This Atmabodha is prescribed and applicable only for those whose sins have been

destroyed by austerities, who have a calm mind, who are devoid of attachment and who
desire liberation from the cycle of births and deaths.


Compared to other means, knowledge is the only direct means to liberation. Just like
food cannot be cooked without fire liberation cannot be attained without knowledge.

Karma (that which springs from ahamkara) does not remove ignorance as it is not
opposed to it. Knowledge removes ignorance as light dispels darkness.


The self appears conditioned because of ignorance. Once it is destroyed only the pure
Self shines by its own light just as the Sun is seen when the clouds disappear.


The self tainted by ignorance (of identifying oneself with the body-mind-intellect
apparatus) is rendered pure by knowledge arising out of constant practice of thinking I
am the pure Atman, not the senses, body, mind or intellect. After this, knowledge itself
subsides just as the cleaning-nut itself subsides after purifying the water into which it is
put.

-


This samsara full of likes and dislikes is just like a dream. During the dream it appears
real but on waking up one realizes that it was unreal.



The world appears real only so long as the non-dual Brahman, which is the substrate of
everything, is not known. The analogy given is of the shell which appears like silver.
Once it is realized that only the shell is there the illusion of silver disappears.



The worlds appear, subsist and dissolve into the material cause which is only the
Supreme Lord, the substrate of everything, just like the bubbles on the surface of water
which rise from water, subsist on the surface of the water and finally dissolve into water.


All this multiplicity of names and forms are projected in the eternal Vishnu ( the allpervading Brahman), the underlying existence-consciousness-self, like bangles and
other ornaments in gold. ( the different ornaments made of gold, having different names
and forms, are basically gold only. Similary everything is all-pervading Brahman)


Akasha (space) takes the form of any object enclosing it. Similarly the Lord, the
indwelling spirit in all beings, appears to be different because of the differences in the
bodies. When the names and forms are destroyed what remains is the only Reality.


Because of the differences in adjuncts, differences of caste, name and ashrama are
superimposed on the Atman just as qualities such as taste, colour etc, are
superimposed on water (because of its contact with other substances).


The body, born of quintuplicate gross elements and acquired as the fruit of past karmas,
is said to be the seat where pleasure and pain are experienced.

The subtle body consisting of the five vital airs ( prana, apana, vyana, udana and
samana), mind, intellect and the ten senses of perception and action, born of subtle
elements is the instrument for experiencing (pleasure and pain).


The beginningless and indefinable avidya is called the causal adjunct. The atma
should be understood as different from the the three adjuncts of the causal, the subtle
and the gross.


The self by its association with the five sheaths appears as if it takes on the form of the
sheath with which it is in contact just like pure white crystal takes the colours of blue
cloth etc with which it comes into contact.


The pure inner Self should be recognized as different from the five sheaths by means of
pounding with reason, just as rice is obtained by pounding paddy and removing the
husk and bran.


Though the Self is always everywhere it is not manifest everywhere. Just like a
reflection is obtained only on a polished clear surface, the self shines only in the
intellect.

The Atman should be comprehended as different from the body, sense organs, mind,
intellect and the prakriti but as witness to their modes just as the King (who is different
from his ministers etc but is a witness to their actions)


The ignorant think that the Self is engaged in action whereas only the sense organs are
engaged in actions. When the clouds are moving in the sky the moon also appears

moving though it is not so.

The body, the sense organs, the mind and the intellect act in their respective spheres
powered by the Consciousness which is
the self just as people go about their jobs in the light of the Sun.


Because of ignorance, the qualities and activities of the body and the senses are
superimposed on the existence-consciousness-self, just as blue colour etc are wrongly
attributed to the sky.


Just like the movement of water is superimposed on the reflection of the moon in the
water similarly, out of ignorance, the qualities and activities of the mind are also
superimposed on the self.


Attachment, desire, pleasure and pain operate only when the intellect is present. In
sleep when the intellect is not present attachment, desire etc are also not present. It
follows that these belong to the intellect and not to the self.


Just as light is the nature of the Sun, coolness the nature of water and heat the nature
of fire, the nature of atman is existence-consciousness-bliss, eternity and purity.


The existence-consciousness part of the Self and the modes of the intellect combine,
due to non-discrimination, giving rise to the cognition I know.


There is no modification of the self and the intellect (being inert) does not have

knowledge. The individual self is deluded into thinking that I am the doer and I am the
seer because of avidya or ignorance.

Just as mistaking a piece of rope for a snake creates fear, so also mistaking the atman
for Jiva creates fear. Knowing that I am not jiva, I am the paramatman one becomes
fearless.


The intellect etc. and the senses are illumined by the Atman only, just as a lamp
illumines the pot etc. But the Atman is not illumined by the intellect and the senses
which are inert


For knowledge of the self there is no need for another knowledge since the self itself is
of the nature of knowledge. A lamp does not need another lamp in order to illumine
itself.


Negating all adjuncts of the self by the Upanishadic statements of not this, not this,
one should realize the identity of the jivatma and the paramatma by meditating on the
mahavakyas of the Upanishads.

Body and other things perceived through the sense organs
are born out of avidya and are ephemeral like the bubbles
on water surface. As distinct from this, one should know that
I am the pure Brahman.


Since I am different from the body, I do not have birth, old age, decay, death etc. since I
do not have any senses I have nothing to do with the objects of the senses like sight,
sound, taste, smell, touch etc.


Since I do not have a mind I do not have sorrow, attachment, enmity, fear etc. Sruthi
says that It is without the vital air and without a mind and is pure.


I am attributeless, actionless, eternal, undetermined, unblemished, changeless,
formless, eternally free and pure.


Like space I pervade everything, inside and outside. I am unchanging, stable. I am
always the same in all, complete in myself, unattached, pure and unmoving.

I am the Srupreme Brahman eternal, pure, free, alone, undivided bliss, one without a
second, absolute-existence-consciousness and infinite.


Thus continuous practice and affirmation of the idea I am Brahman, will remove the
projections caused by Avidya just as medicines remove illness.


Seated in a solitary place, unattached and with the senses under control, one should
meditate on the infinite non-dual Self with one-pointed mind.


Dissolving all the perceived world in the Self by the intellect (mind), the wise should
always contemplate the Self as the pure ether(aakaasha, space) .


The realized soul mentally gives up attributes like form and colour and remains firmly
established in his real nature of plenary-consciousness-bliss


The distinction of knower, knowledge and object of knowledge does not exist in the self.
As it is of the nature of one consciousness-bliss, it shines by its own light.


Thus when continuous churning by meditation takes place in the arani of the Self, the
fire of knowledge that bursts out will destroy all the firewood of ignorance.


When the darkness of ignorance is dispelled by the knowledge of
Arunodaya the Self becomes manifest by itself like the Sun.


Though the Self is always attained, it seems to be unattained because of
Avidya(nescience). When Avidya is destroyed it appears as if the Self has been attained
like the ornament worn around the neck. ( the analogy is of a person wearing the
ornament who searches for it every where unaware that it is around his neck but finally
finds it around his own neck.)

The state of being individual self is caused in Brahman by delusion like the appearance
of the form of a man in a pillar. This delusion is removed when the essence of the
individual soul is perceived in Brahman.


The knowledge arising out of the experience of the nature of Truth demolishes the
ignorance of the form of I and Mine just like the confusion regarding directions is
demolished (when the sun rises dispelling darkness).


The Yogi who has true wisdom sees everything in himself. With the eyes of wisdom he
sees the one self in all.
.

The entire world is the Self (Atma). There is nothing other than the Atman. The man of
wisdom sees all as the Self just like pots and other earthenware are seen as clay only.

That is liberation while living wherein the wise one gives up the previous limiting
adjuncts and attains the nature of Existence-Consciousness etc like the worm becoming
the wasp.


Having crossed the ocean of delusion and having killed the demons of likes and
dislikes, the Yogi revels in the Self in perfect peace.


Abandoning the desire for the ephemeral external pleasures and content with the
supreme happiness of the Self, the Yogi ever shines within, like a lamp placed in a pot.


The sage who has silenced his speech and his mind (muni), though staying amidst
limiting adjuncts, is not tainted by them like
Ether(space). He lives like the ignorant though he knows all. He moves about like air
without being attached.


When the adjuncts are dissolved, the sage enters and merges with the undifferentiated
all-pervading reality, just like water becomes one with water, space becomes one with
space and light becomes one with light.



Gaining which nothing else is to be gained, experiencing the happiness of which no
other happiness matters and knowing which nothing else is to be known, know that to
be Brahman.



Having seen which nothing else is to be seen, becoming which there is nothing else to
become and knowing which there is nothing more to be known, know that to be
brahman.



That which pervades across, above and below, which is the non-dual existenceconsciousness-bliss, which is infinite and eternal, know that to be Brahman.



That which is indicated by the Upanishads in terms of not this, not this, which is
immutable and which is non-dual and of the nature of indivisible bliss, know that to be
Brahman.


Brahma and all the other celestials become relatively blissful depending on a particle of
bliss of that Brahman whose nature is indivisible and infinite Bliss


All objects are united with Brahman and empirical usage is pervaded by
consciousness. Thus the all-pervading Brahman is in all like butter (ghee) in milk.

Know that to be Brahman which is not subtle, not gross, not short, not long, unborn,
unchanging, without form, quality, caste or name.



That by whose light shine the Sun and other luminous bodies, which does not shine by
the light of those illuminated bodies, by which all this shine, know that to be Brahman.

Pervading inside and outside of everything and illuminating the entire universe,
Brahman shines like the fire by which a ball of iron has been made red-hot. [ Though
the ball of iron appears rad and hot, what is really bright and hot is the fire which imparts
its properties to the iron.]


Brahman is different from the world. There is nothing other than Brahman. If anything
other than Brahman is manifest it is only an illusion as the mirage in the desert.

Whatever is seen or heard cannot be other than Brahman. Through true knowledge it is
realised that Brahman is the non-dual existence-consciousness-bliss


He who has eyes of wisdom sees the self which is all-pervading and existenceconsciousness. He who has eyes of ignorance does not see just as the blind man does
not see the sun that is shining.

Heated in the fire of knowledge kindled by hearing etc. the individual soul becomes free
from all impurities and shines by itself like (molten) gold.


The self, the sun of knowledge, rises in the space of the heart
and dispels the darkness of ignorance. It pervades everything, it supports all, it shines
by itself and illumines everything.




He who, giving up all actions and discarding directions, place, time etc, takes to the
holy waters of his own Self which is all-pervading, which destroys cold etc, which is
eternal happiness and which is untainted becomes all-knowing, all-pervading and
immortal.