GAUDAPADA's KARIKA on MANDUKYA UPANISHAD
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|| aÉÉæQûmÉÉSÏrÉMüÉËUMüÉ || AsÉÉiÉ-zÉÉlirÉÉZrÉÇ cÉiÉÑjrÉïÇ mÉëMüUhÉqÉç GAUDAPADA’S KARIKA on MANDUKYA UPANISHAD PART 4/4: Alaata-Shanti Prakarana “Quenching the Firebrand” “THE SANDEEPANY EXPERIENCE” Reflections by TEXT SWAMI GURUBHAKTANANDA 41.04 s Sandeepany’s Vedanta Course List of All the Course Texts in Chronological Sequence: ext TITLE OF TEXT Text TITLE OF TEXT No. No. 1 Sadhana Panchakam 24 Hanuman Chalisa 2 Tattwa Bodha 25 Vakya Vritti 3 Atma Bodha 26 Advaita Makaranda 4 Bhaja Govindam 27 Kaivalya Upanishad 5 Manisha Panchakam 28 Bhagavad Geeta (Discourse -- ) 6 Forgive Me 29 Mundaka Upanishad 7 Upadesha Sara 30 Amritabindu Upanishad 8 Prashna Upanishad 31 Mukunda Mala (Bhakti Text) 9 Dhanyashtakam 32 Tapovan Shatkam 10 Bodha Sara 33 The Mahavakyas, Panchadasi 5 11 Viveka Choodamani 34 Aitareya Upanishad 12 Jnana Sara 35 Narada Bhakti Sutras 13 Drig-Drishya Viveka 36 Taittiriya Upanishad 14 “Tat Twam Asi” – Chand Up 6 37 Jivan Sutrani (Tips for Happy Living) 15 Dhyana Swaroopam 38 Kena Upanishad 16 “Bhoomaiva Sukham” Chand Up 7 39 Aparoksha Anubhuti (Meditation) 17 Manah Shodhanam 40 108 Names of Pujya Gurudev 18 “Nataka Deepa” – Panchadasi 10 41.4 Mandukya Upanishad – 4/4 19 Isavasya Upanishad 42 Dakshinamurty Ashtakam 20 Katha Upanishad 43 Shad Darshanaah 21 “Sara Sangrah” – Yoga Vasishtha 44 Brahma Sootras 22 Vedanta Sara 45 Jivanmuktananda Lahari 23 Mahabharata + Geeta Dhyanam 46 Chinmaya Pledge A NOTE ABOUT SANDEEPANY Sandeepany Sadhanalaya is an institution run by the Chinmaya Mission in Powai, Mumbai, teaching a 2-year Vedanta Course. It has a very balanced daily programme of basic Samskrit, Vedic chanting, Vedanta study, Bhagavatam, Ramacharitmanas, Bhajans, meditation, sports and fitness exercises, team-building outings, games and drama, celebration of all Hindu festivals, weekly Gayatri Havan and Guru Paduka Pooja, and Karma Yoga activities. This series is an effort to promote the learning of Vedanta; it does not replace the Course, but hopes to inspire young people to spend two years of their life for an experience that is sure to make a far-reaching spiritual impact on their personal lives. Sandeepany is an all-round spiritual course that gives proper direction to the youth and to those approaching retirement. Hinduism is in dire need of a band of systematically trained teachers or Acharyas who can serve this Eternal Religion. – The Author, 21st February 2020, the Sacred Maha Shivaratri Day Om Namah Shivaaya! Text 41.04 || aÉÉæQûmÉÉSÏrÉMüÉËUMüÉ || AsÉÉiÉ-zÉÉlirÉÉZrÉÇ cÉiÉÑjrÉïÇ mÉëMüUhÉqÉç GAUDAPADA’S KARIKA on MANDUKYA UPANISHAD PART 4/4: Alaata-Shanti Prakarana – “Quenching the Firebrand” Reflections by Swami Gurubhaktananda on the Series of 25 Lectures by Swami Advayanandaji Acharyaji of the 15th Batch Vedanta Course, at the Sandeepany Sadhanalaya, Powai, Mumbai. July 29th – August 24th, 2013 Adi Shankaracharya Swami Sivananda Swami Tapovanji Swami Chinmayananda SERVE LOVE GIVE PURIFY MEDITATE REALISE Copyright & Author’s Details Author: Swami Gurubhaktananda (ex Krishna Chaitanya, born Bipin R. Kapitan in Durban, South Africa) Email: [email protected] © 2020 All Rights Reserved. Copyright held by Swami Gurubhaktananda. About This Edition: Web Edition: 21st February 2020, the Sacred Maha Shivaratri Day Website: Chinmaya International Foundation: www.chinfo.org Series Title : The Sandeepany Experience Series Subject: Vedanta & Supportive Subsidiary Texts Declaration by the Author: The material in this series is under inspiration of the Sandeepany Vedanta Course, but largely consists of the Author’s reflections on the Course. He is deeply indebted to the Chinmaya Mission for its excellent presentation of the Course by their renowned and dedicated Acharyas. Personal Dedication 1. To my Late Parents, Smt Sharadaben & Sri Ratilalbhai Kapitan who inspired me to study in life, to stick to the path of Dharma and pursue the highest ideals; and swamped me with their abundant Love; 2. To Pujya Sri Swami Vimalanandaji Maharaj (1932-2019) the Late President of the Divine Life Society of Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India, who constantly encouraged and supported this effort; 3. To Pujya Sri Swami Tejomayanandaji (Guruji) for his boundless vision and inspiration to create a vibrant organisation; 4. To Sri Swami Advayanandaji and Sri Swami Sharadanandaji my Acharyaji and Upa-Acharyaji at Sandeepany, who imparted their bountiful knowledge and wisdom with rare selfless Divine Love, just as the Rishis of yore would wish to see them do. ***** GAUDAPADA’S KARIKA PART 4/4: Alaata-Shanti Prakarana – “Quenching the Firebrand” || aÉÉæQûmÉÉSÏrÉMüÉËUMüÉ || AsÉÉiÉ-zÉÉlirÉÉZrÉÇ cÉiÉÑjrÉïÇ mÉëMüUhÉqÉç GAUDAPADA’S KARIKA PART 4/4: ALAATA-SHANTI PRAKARANA (100 verses) Quenching the Firebrand INTRODUCTION TO ALAATA-SHANTI PRAKARANA THE PLAN OF THE four parts of the Karika may be reviewed at this point in order to highlight the purpose of this final part in the light of the preceding three. Part 1 was a direct commentary on the 12 verses of the Mandukya Upanishad. This was followed in Part 2 by razing to the ground the old, redundant structure of Dualism, so that the new structure of “Non-dual Reality” could be built in its place in Part 3. Now, in Part 4, the important task taken up is to provide an intellectual buttress to protect the new structure. Alaata-Shanti Prakarana undertakes the vital role of Defence that would ensure that the structure of Non-duality, so arduously built up, will resist any effort to undermine it. Philosophical undermining is a threat that all valuable systems of thought are bound to face. The most solid way of protecting the treasure-house of Non-duality is through the pure, subtle minds of sages and saints. However, some intellectual measures are also needed to ward off the irrational attacks which challenge the very foundations of the philosophy. The metaphor of Alaata-Shanti is introduced in the very centre of this Part, like the special decorative arrangement that is threaded in the middle of a flower-garland. The metaphor is no doubt an excellent aid in explaining the illusoriness of Duality. But, in a figurative sense, it serves the key purpose of this Part: The firebrand signifies a defence weapon being wielded in the face of all opposition to the Non-dual Truth. The waving of the firebrand symbollically represents the brandishing of a sword against all attacking forces that attempt to pull down the new structure just built. Sri Gaudapadaji’s work, when seen in this light, can be appreciated as a solid effort to ward off the attacks being faced by Vedanta during his period from certain quarters of the Buddhist camp. Great courage was needed by Sri Gaudapadaji to accomplish this huge task. At the risk of being labelled a “Buddhist in the guise of Vedanta”, Sri Gaudapadaji has patiently used terms familiar in Buddhist writings in order to make his point clear. The Alaata-Shanti metaphor itself has its roots in Buddhistic literature prevailing at the time. These matters are taken up in detail with compelling authority and skill by none other than Sri Swami Chinmayananda, who has himself stood up as a tower of support of the philosophy of Vedanta in modern times. ***** 1 GAUDAPADA’S KARIKA – PART 4/4 Alaata-Shanti Prakarana – “Quenching the Firebrand” CONTENTS: Introduction to Alaata-Shanti Prakarana 1 Invocatory Prayer of Upanishad 5 Kar. Section 4.1: PRELIMINARIES (Verses 1-8) 06 Verse 4.0: The Guru-Parampara (Lineage or Hierarchy) 6 Verse 4.1: The Purpose of this Chapter 7 Verse 4.2: Salutation to the “Asparsha Yoga” 8 Verse 4.3: Positing of Cause for Creation 9 Verse 4.4: Vedantic Arguments Used 9 Verse 4.5: The Vedantic Approach 10 Verse 4.6: “The Immortal is Birthless” 11 Verse 4.7: “Immortality is Its Essential Nature” 11 Verse 4.8: “The Immortal is Immutable” 11 Kar. Section 4.2: THE SANKHYANS REFUTED (Verses 9-13) 13 Verse 4.9: Inherent Nature of a Thing 13 Verse 4.10: Inherent Nature of Spirit 14 Verse 4.11: Logic Violation 1: Cause Becomes Effect 15 Verse 4.12: Logic Violation 2: Effect Becomes Cause 15 Verse 4.13: Effect Born from the Unborn or Born? 16 Kar. Section 4.3: THE MEEMAMSAKAS REFUTED (Verses 14-23) 18 Verse 4.14: The Meemamsakas’ Assertions 18 Verse 4.15: The Vedantin’s Reply to the Meemamsakas 19 Verse 4.16: Cause & Effect – Sequential or Simultaneous 20 Verse 4.17: The Chain of Illogic 21 Verse 4.18: Cause & Effect – Which Comes First? 21 Verse 4.19: The Logical Conclusions Presented 22 Verse 4.20: The ‘Unproved’ Used as Proof! 23 Verse 4.21: A Pointer to “Birthlessness” 23 Verse 4.22: The Summary Statement 24 Verse 4.23: Cause & Effect are Birthless 25 Kar. Section 4.4: REALISTS vs. IDEALISTS (Verses 24-29) 27 Verse 4.24: The View of the Realists 27 Verse 4.25: The Idealists – i) Subjective Knowledge 28 Verse 4.26: The Idealists – ii) World is Not There 29 Verse 4.27: The Idealists – iii) Experiences 30 Verse 4.28: Vedanta’s Response – “Nothing is Born” 30 2 Verse 4.29: Birthlessness – Essential Nature of Reality 32 Kar. Section 4.5: BONDAGE vs. LIBERATION (Verses 30-32) 33 Verse 4.30: Samsara & Liberation are Initial Concepts 33 Verse 4.31: The Unreal Never Exists 34 Verse 4.32: Utility is no Test for Reality 35 Kar. Section 4.6: THE ILLUSION OF CAUSALITY (Verses 33-41) 36 4.33-36: The Falsity of Dream – 4 Reasons 36 Verse 4.37: Common View: Waking Causes Dream 38 Verse 4.38: Why Creation is Declared Unreal 39 Verse 4.39 The Evidence of Emotional Reaction 40 Verse 4.40: Causality Just Not Possible 41 Verse 4.41: Fanciful Whims in Waking State 42 Kar. Section 4.7: THE SAGE’S COMPROMISE (Verses 42-46) 43 Verse 4.42: The Sage’s Compassionate Compromise 43 Verse 4.43: Dilution of the Truth is Negligible 44 Verse 4.44: Perception & Behaviour do not Prove Existence 45 Verse 4.45: The Status of Brahman 46 Verse 4.46: The Status of the Jeeva 46 Kar.