DOCSLIB.ORG

The Upanishads for Awakening

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Upanishads for Awakening The Upanishads for Awakening The Upanishads for Awakening A Practical Commentary on India’s Classical Scriptures Abbot George Burke (Swami Nirmalananda Giri) Published by Light of the Spirit Press lightofthespiritpress.com Light of the Spirit Monastery P. O. Box 1370 Cedar Crest, New Mexico 87008 www.ocoy.org Copyright © 2019 Light of the Spirit Monastery. All rights reserved. ISBN-13: 978-1-7325266-9-3 ISBN-10: 1-7325266-9-9 Library of Congress Control Number: 2019943353 Light of the Spirit Press, Cedar Crest, New Mexico Translation of the Bhagavad Gita used in this book is from The Bhagavad Gita: The Song of God by Abbot George Burke. Copyright © 2018 Light of the Spirit Monastery. 1. SEL032000 SELF-HELP / Spiritual 2. REL032030 RELIGION / Hinduism / Sacred Writings First edition, (July 2019) 05122020 Contents Preface ........................................................................................... vii Brihadaranyaka Upanishad .............................................................. 1 Chandogya Upanishad .................................................................. 20 The Aitareya Upanishad ................................................................ 64 The Taittiriya Upanishad ............................................................... 76 The Isha Upanishad ....................................................................... 87 Kena Upanishad .......................................................................... 132 Katha Upanishad ......................................................................... 144 The Prashna Upanishad ............................................................... 246 The Mundaka Upanishad ............................................................ 268 Swetashwatara Upanishad ............................................................ 302 Did you enjoy reading this book? ................................................ 325 Get your FREE Meditation Guide .............................................. 326 Glossary ...................................................................................... 327 About the Author ........................................................................ 344 Light of the Spirit Monastery ...................................................... 345 Reading for Awakening ............................................................... 346 “Let those truths which are in the Upanishads live in me dedicated to the Self.” (Invocation at the beginning of the Kena Upanishad) Preface he sacred scriptures of India are vast. Yet they are only different ways Tof seeing the same thing, the One Thing which makes them both valid and ultimately harmonious. That unifying subject is Brahman: God the Absolute, beyond and besides whom there is no “other” whatsoever. The eleven major Upanishads are the fountainhead of all expositions of Brahman. The word “upanishad” itself comes from the root word upas- ana, which means to draw or sit near, and is usually considered to mean that which was heard when the student sat near the teacher to learn the eternal truths. We do not know who wrote the Upanishads. This has a distinct advantage in that the image of a historical, finite personality does not intervene to obscure the revelation handed on to spiritual aspirants.The authority of the Upanishads rests not upon those who wrote them, but upon the demonstrable truths they express. They are as self-sufficient and self-evident as the multiplication tables or the Table of Elements. They are simply the complete and unobscured truth. And realization of that Truth alone matters. The teachings of the Upanishads are the supreme expressions of the eternal wisdom, the eternal vision of the ancient rishis (sages) of India. Consequently, though simple in their mode of expression, they can be extremely difficult to grasp. There are many things in this world that we need not know, but the truths embodied in the Upanishads and their inspired digest-summary, the Bhagavad Gita, are invaluable for all who would ascend to higher consciousness. vii The Upanishads for Awakening The Upanishads have long interested students of philosophy in the West. The English philosopher David Hume translated some of them into English in the eighteenth century. Later he travelled to America where he taught Sanskrit to Thomas Jefferson and together they studied the Upanishads in their original form. In this commentary I am using the translation of Sarvepalli Rad- hakrishnan, one of India’s most distinguished scholars in religion and philosophy. He was also the first Vice President of India (1952–1962) and the second President of India from 1962 to 1967. His works, which included English translations of the Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita and the Dhammapada, are of continuing value both intellectually and spiritually. Here I am giving only his translation of the upanishadic texts, but his translation, The Principal Upanishads, contains the original Sanskrit text in transliteration and a great deal of notes to clarify the text. So I recommend you obtain this most valuable book as a major element in your spiritual library. The Upanishads: Breath of the Eternal by Swami Prabhavananda is a beautiful interpretive translation like his marvelous translation: Bhagavad Gita: The Song of God. I recommend that you obtain them both. I have only commented on passages that seemed to need it. But I have included all the passages that convey eternal truths and need no comment. I have omitted passages that do not deal directly with reali- zation of the Self or those which are so obscure (especially in symbolism as well as the ancient form of Sanskrit) it is anyone’s guess as to what they really mean. viii Brihadaranyaka Upanishad In the beginning this (world) was only the Self [Atman], in the shape of a person. Looking around he saw nothing else than the Self. He first said, I am Soham [I am That]. (1.4.1) oham is the “first speaking” of the Absolute Itself: the expression of the Sknowledge and knowing of the Self. Soham is the Name (Embodiment) of the Primeval Being, the Self of the Universe and the Self of our Selfs. Soham is the Consciousness of Brahman and of the Self of each one of us. We, too, are Soham. In the section of the Yoga Sutras (1:27) dealing with Ishwara, the Supreme Lord, also known as Viraj, Patanjali makes this statement: Tasya vachakah pranavah–“His vachaka is the Pranava.” “Vachaka” means speech or speaking. “Pranava” means Life, Life-Giver and Breath Princi- ple: the Breath Word. It is commonly thought of as Om, but integrating this with the verse we have been considering, we see that the Breath Word is Soham. For “he first said: ‘Soham.’” Patanjali continues regard- ing the Pranava: “Its constant repetition and meditation [is the way]. From it [result] the disappearance of obstacles [to enlightenment] and turning inward of consciousness” (1:28-29). Soham is the Breath and Life Word. Ishwara “speaks” Soham as the foundation of the universe, as the evolutionary life force within the cosmos and every individual being. This is a key verse in the Upanishads, as it relates to both the phi- losophy of our true nature and the interior yogic process by which we realize it. We invoke our lower self when we say “I,” but in meditation we 1 The Upanishads for Awakening invoke our higher, divine Self when we mentally intone Soham in time with the breath: So when we inhale, and ham when we exhale. (See Soham Yoga regarding this as the means to Self-realization.) In the sixteenth verse of the Isha Upanishad it says: “I am that Purusha: I am Soham.” At that time this [universe] was undifferentiated. It became differentiated by name and form. He [the Self] entered in here, as a razor is [hidden] in the razor-case, or as fire in the fire- source. The Self is to be meditated upon, for in it all these become one. (1.4.7) At that time this [universe] was undifferentiated. It became differentiated by name and form. At first only undifferentiated Unity existed, but inherent in It was all relative existence. Consequently it expanded into the cosmos–causal, astral, and physical–which is nothing but endless variations of name (nama) and form (rupa). This could only be true because the universe is funda- mentally ideational (conceptual) in nature, and only an idea or dream in the consciousness of God and all sentient beings. Everything we see or experience is a thought in the minds of God and ourselves. That is why liberation can only be a matter of awakening, of the transformation of consciousness. Even good deeds are really just good thoughts. Thought and act are the same thing, however differently they may seem to us who are asleep in the dream. Enlightenment is living awake in the dream. (See the recording of Paramhansa Yogananda, Awake in the Cosmic Dream.) This is why all true yoga takes place solely in the mind, even if we experience physical phenomena during its practice. And the results we are after are purely psychological. This is a major fact for yogis to know. The only way we can manage in the world of duality is to acknowl- edge and deal with name and form as realities, which they are, but only temporary ones. It is when we think they are all there is to life, here or hereafter, that we get into delusion and the misery of samsara begins and lasts long, through creation cycles. To awaken from the dream and be free is an option open only to the yogi who knows, “I am Soham.” 2 Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Meditation on that which is not the Self is pointless. Leaving name and form behind we must begin with
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Self Awakening
    Self Awakening May 1, 2019 Maha Yoga – Effortless, joyful and no-cost path to Self-Realization Volume 11, Issue 4 EEditor’s note Dear Readers: The purpose of this quarterly newsletter, Self Awakening, is to inform Sadhaks (seekers of self-realization) and other readers about Maha Yoga, an effortless, joyful and no cost path to Self- Realization. P. P. Shri Narayan Kaka Maharaj of Nashik, India was a leading teacher and exponent of Maha Yoga, a centuries old tradition, Contents whereby a realized Guru (Siddha Guru) awakens the Universal Life Energy (Kundalini) within the Sadhak, eventually leading Editor’s note 1 him/her to self-realization. This ancient tradition (Parampara) Churning of the Heart 2 continues under the leadership of several Siddha Gurus, including the fourteen designated by P. P. Kaka Maharaj as Bringing Maha Yoga to the World 7 Deekshadhikaris (those authorized to initiate Sadhaks into Maha Shankaracharya discourse 10 Yoga). Additional details about Maha Yoga are available at Answers to questions 14 www.mahayoga.org. Book announcement 19 To the thousands of Sadhaks in the Maha Yoga tradition all over Upcoming events 20 the world and other interested readers, this e-newsletter is intended to provide virtual Satsang. It is intended to encourage Website updates 21 Sadhaks to remain engaged in Maha Yoga, be informed about How to contribute content 22 Maha Yoga-related events around the world, and to provide a forum for getting guidance about Maha Yoga from leaders from P. P. Shri Kaka Maharaj’s lineage. Readers are urged to contribute questions, thoughtful articles, interesting life experiences related to Maha Yoga and news about Maha Yoga-related events to this e-newsletter.
    [Show full text]
  • Prashna Upanishad
    PRASHNA UPANISHAD Translated and interpreted by V.D.N.Rao, former General Manager, India Trade Promotion Organisation, Ministry of Commerce, Govt. of India, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi now at Chennai 1 Other scripts by the same Author Essence of Puranas: Maha Bhagavata, Vishnu, Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Vamana, Narada, Padma, Shiva, Linga, Skanda, Markandeya, Devi Bhagavata, Brahma, Brahma Vaivarta, Brahmanda, Agni, Bhavishya, Nilamata, Shri Kamakshi Vilasa Dwadasha Divya Sahasranaama: a) Devi Chaturdha Sahasra naama: Lakshmi, Lalitha, Saraswati, Gayatri b) Chaturvidha Shiva Sahasra naama: Linga-Shiva-Brahma Puranas and Maha Bharata c) Trividha Vishnu and Yugala Radha Krishna Sahasra Naama from Padma-Skanda-Narada Puranas and Maha Bharata Stotra Kavacha-A Shield of Prayers Purana Saraamsha Select Stories from Puranas Essence Dharma Sindhu Essence of Shiva Sahasra Lingarchana Essence of Amarnath Yatra Essence of Paraashara Smriti Essence of Pradhana Tirthas Essence Brahma Sutras Essence of Dharma Bindu Essence of Upanishads: Aitareya, Brihadaaranyaka, Chhandogya, Katha, Isha,Taittiriya, Mundaka and Prashna [Note: All the above works released by kamakoti.org/news] 2 ESSENCE OF PRASHNA UPANISHAD Contents Page Preface 4 Sukesha, Bharadwaja, Satyakaama, Kaushalya, approach Pippalaada about Brahman 4 The First question: Creation of Universe and the sustaning power of Existence 5 Surya Deva as the bestower of Praana and Life 5 Two courses destined for Beings after death-the Southern and Northern paths 5 The Second Question: Prime supports of Life
    [Show full text]
  • Interpreting the UPANISHADS
    Interpreting the UPANISHADS ANANDA WOOD Modified version 2003 Copyright 1996 by Ananda Wood Published by: Ananda Wood 1A Ashoka 3 Naylor Road Pune 411 001 India Phone (020) 612 0737 Email [email protected] Contents Preface . v ‘This’ and ‘that’ . 1 Consciousness . 6 Consciousness and perception . 11 Creation Underlying reality . 21 Cosmology and experience . 23 Creation from self . 26 The seed of creation . 27 Light from the seed . 29 The basis of experience . 30 Creation through personality . 35 Waking from deep sleep . 48 The creation of appearances . 51 Change and continuity Movement . 59 The continuing background . 60 Objective and subjective . 67 Unchanging self . 68 Continuity . 75 Life Energy . 81 Expression . 82 Learning . 84 The living principle . 89 The impersonal basis of personality ‘Human-ness’ . 93 Universal and individual . 96 Inner light . 103 Underlying consciousness . 104 The unborn source . 108 The unmoved mover . 112 One’s own self . 116 The ‘I’-principle . 117 iv Contents Self Turning back in . 119 Unbodied light . 120 The self in everyone . 135 The rider in a chariot . 138 The enjoyer and the witness . 141 Cleansing the ego . 144 Detachment and non-duality . 146 Happiness Value . 152 Outward desire . 153 Kinds of happiness . 154 One common goal . 158 Love . 160 Desire’s end . 162 Freedom . 163 The ground of all reality . 166 Non-duality . 167 The three states . 169 The divine presence God and self . 176 The rule of light . 181 Teacher and disciple Seeking truth . 195 Not found by speech . 196 Learning from a teacher . 197 Coming home . 198 Scheme of transliteration . 201 List of translated passages .
    [Show full text]
  • Why I Became a Hindu
    Why I became a Hindu Parama Karuna Devi published by Jagannatha Vallabha Vedic Research Center Copyright © 2018 Parama Karuna Devi All rights reserved Title ID: 8916295 ISBN-13: 978-1724611147 ISBN-10: 1724611143 published by: Jagannatha Vallabha Vedic Research Center Website: www.jagannathavallabha.com Anyone wishing to submit questions, observations, objections or further information, useful in improving the contents of this book, is welcome to contact the author: E-mail: [email protected] phone: +91 (India) 94373 00906 Please note: direct contact data such as email and phone numbers may change due to events of force majeure, so please keep an eye on the updated information on the website. Table of contents Preface 7 My work 9 My experience 12 Why Hinduism is better 18 Fundamental teachings of Hinduism 21 A definition of Hinduism 29 The problem of castes 31 The importance of Bhakti 34 The need for a Guru 39 Can someone become a Hindu? 43 Historical examples 45 Hinduism in the world 52 Conversions in modern times 56 Individuals who embraced Hindu beliefs 61 Hindu revival 68 Dayananda Saraswati and Arya Samaj 73 Shraddhananda Swami 75 Sarla Bedi 75 Pandurang Shastri Athavale 75 Chattampi Swamikal 76 Narayana Guru 77 Navajyothi Sree Karunakara Guru 78 Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha 79 Ramakrishna Paramahamsa 79 Sarada Devi 80 Golap Ma 81 Rama Tirtha Swami 81 Niranjanananda Swami 81 Vireshwarananda Swami 82 Rudrananda Swami 82 Swahananda Swami 82 Narayanananda Swami 83 Vivekananda Swami and Ramakrishna Math 83 Sister Nivedita
    [Show full text]
  • Chandogya Upanishad 1.2.1: Once Upon a Time the Gods and the Demons, Both Descendants of Prajapati, Were Engaged in a Fight
    A Preview “… Dr. Prasad’s collections of the two largest and most difficult to understand Upanishads make an in-road and gives access to the magnificent conclusions left by the ancient sages of India. This book gives us a view of the information which was divulged by those teachers. It is easy to read and understand and will encourage you to delve deeper into the subject matter.” CONTENTS 1. Chāndogya Upanishad……..…….…. 3 1. The big famine…………………………….…..... 6 2. The cart-man…………………………….………13 3 Satyakama Jabala and Sevā………………… 14 4. Fire teaches Upakosala…………….………… 15 Chāndogya 5. Svetaketu: five questions……………………. 18 and 6. Svetaketu: nature of sleep…………………... 22 7. That thou art, O Svetaketu………………….…23 Brihadāranyaka 8. Indra and virochana……………………….….. 29 Commentary…………………………...……..... 31 Upanishads End of Commenrary……………………....….. 55 Two large and difficult Upanishads are presented 2. Brihadāranyaka Upanishad …….…56 (without original Sanskrit verses) in simple modern English for those advanced students who have 9. Dialogue: Ajtsatru-Gargya……………...…. 61 read Bhagavad-Gita and other 9 Principal 10. Yajnavalkya and maitreyi ……………....…..63 Upanishads. Simpler important verses are 11. Meditation taught through horse’s head.. 65 12. Yajnavalkya: The best Vedic Scholar…… 66 printed in underlined-bold; comm- 13. Three ‘Da’ …………………………….…….…78 entaries from translators, references&Glossary. Commentary…………………………….……... 84 14. Each soul is dear to the other………...……90 By 15. The Wisdom of the Wise (Yagnavalkya)… 91 16. Gargi and the Imperishable ……………..…94 Swami Swahananda 17. Janaka and Yajnavalkya 1 ……………..…..95 and 18. Janaka and Yajnavalkya 2 …………..……..97 Swami Madhavananda et al. 19. The Process of Reincarnation…… …..… 100 Editor: Ramananda Prasad End of Commenrary …………….…..……….105 A Brief Sanskrit Glossary On page 844 of 908 of the pdf: www.gita-society.com/108Upanishads.pdf INTERNATIONAL GITA ***** Editor’s note: Most of the materials in this book are SOCIETY taken from the above webpage which does not have a Copyright mark.
    [Show full text]
  • The Bhagavad Gita, Or Song of the Blessed One
    THE BHAGAVAD GITA, OR SONG OF THE BLESSED ONE BY FRANKLIN EDGERTON CHAPTER III The Upanishads, and the Fundamental Doctrines of Later Hindu Thought THE Upanishads are the earliest Hindu treatises, other than sin- gle hymns or brief passages, which deal with philosophic sub- jects. They are formally parts of the Veda.®—the last offshoots of Vedic literature. The dry bones of the Vedic ritual cult rattle about in them in quite a noisy fashion at times, and seriously strain our patience and our charity. But they also contain the apotheosis, the New Testament, of Vedic philosophy. In them the struggling specu- lations which we have briefly sketched in the last chapter reach their highest development. They do not, be it noted, receive any final, systematic codification. That came much later. They are still ten- tative, fluid, and, one may fairly say, unstable ; they are frequently inconsistent with each other and with themselves. They contain no system, but starts toward various different systems. Later Hindu thought utilized these starts and developed them into the various systematic philosophies of later times—Sankhya, Vedanta, and the rest. In fact, there are few important ideas of later Hindu philo- sophical or religious thought which are not at least foreshadowed in the LTpanishads. They are the connecting link between the Veda and later Hinduism ; the last word of the one, the prime source of the other. In this chapter, I wish to deal with the Upanishads mostly from the latter point of view : to show how they reveal the early stages of the fundamental postulates of later Hindu thought.
    [Show full text]
  • TAITTIREEYA UPANISHAD – 3 Bhrigu Valli
    || iÉæ̨ÉUÏrÉÉåmÉÌlÉwÉiÉç || ̧ÉiÉÏrÉÉ pÉ×aÉÑuÉssÉÏ TAITTIREEYA UPANISHAD – 3 Bhrigu Valli The Enlightenment of Sage Bhrigu “THE SANDEEPANY EXPERIENCE” Reflections by TEXT SWAMI GURUBHAKTANANDA 36.03 Sandeepany’s Vedanta Course List of All the Course Texts in Chronological Sequence: Text 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 36.03 Taittireeya Upanishad – Chap 3 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 Mandukya Upanishad 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.
    [Show full text]
  • Dakshinamoorthy Stotram
    DAKSHINAMOORTHY STOTRAM By Swami Paramarthananda Transcribed by P.S. Ramachandran NOTE: Swami Paramarthananda has not verified the transcription of talks. The transcriptions have been done with Swamiji’s blessings by his disciples. Published by : Arsha Avinash Foundation 104 Third Street, Tatabad, Coimbatore 641012 Phone: 9487373635 E mail: [email protected] www.arshaavinash.in 1 Download from www.arshaavinash.in DAKSHINAMOORTHY STHOTHRAM Commentary Swami Paramarthananda Of Chennai Transcription of his lectures – In Unicode With Sanskrit Slokas 2 Download from www.arshaavinash.in Dakshinamoorthy sthothram – Commentary by Swami Paramarthananda - Transcription ॐ सदाशिव समार륍भाम ् िन्कराचार्यमद्यमाम ् अस्म饍 आचर्य पर्यन्ताम ् वन्दे गु셁 पर륍पराम ् sadāśiva samārambhām śankarācāryamadyamām asmad ācarya paryantām vande guru paramparām Om From today, we will be taking up a text called दक्षिणामुशतयस्तोत्रं dakṣiṇāmurtistotraṃ, which is composed by Adi Shankaracharya. dakṣiṇāmurti is an aspect of Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva as Brahma vidya guru is called dakṣiṇāmurti, and in वैष्णव स륍रदार्ः vaiṣṇava sampradāyaḥ, there is a deity हर्ग्रीवः hayagrīvaḥ and this hayagrīvaḥ also is looked upon as brahma vidya guru, as an aspect of Lord Vishnu. Thus dakṣiṇāmurti as an aspect of Lord Shiva and Hayagrīvaḥ as an aspect of ववष्णुः viṣṇuḥ; both are Brahma vidya gurus. And there is another name for Lord dakṣiṇāmurti as Brahma vidya guru, and that name is sadāśiva. And that is why we have these two popular verses, sadāśiva samārambhām śankarācāryamadyamām asmad ācarya paryantām vande guru paramparām. sadāśiva samārambhām means the dakṣiṇāmurti samarambha. dakṣiṇāmurti, which originated as the adi guru, and a parampara in which Lord Adi Sankaracharya has a very important role, śankarācāryamadyamām.
    [Show full text]
  • Vedanta: the Way of Wisdom
    Hinduism Vedanta: The Way of Wisdom Vedanta: The Way of Wisdom Summary: Historically, Vedanta refers to the Upanishads or wisdom “at the end of the Veda.” Vedanta is also a philosophical teaching that requires a transfer of revolutionary knowledge (jnana) through the guidance of a teacher (guru). The term Vedanta refers, first, to the Upanishads, those teachings that stand at the “end of the Veda.” But these teachings also stand at the beginning of India’s traditions of philosophical reflection. There are several systems of philosophy, called darshanas or “viewpoints.” One of them, perhaps the most influential, is known specifically as Vedanta. Among its most famous advocates is the philosopher Shankara (c. 8th century CE). The Upanishads ask, “What is the foundation of all that is?” “What is the nature of the soul?” “What is the relation of this soul to that foundation?” Shankara asserts the identity, or at least “non-duality” of Brahman, the foundational reality, and Atman, the soul. The phenomenal universe, he says, is related to the oneness of this Reality as waves are manifest in the sea. According to Vedanta, however, the real “answers” to these kinds of questions require not simply book- learning, but deep insight. This insight is called jnana. It is revolutionary wisdom, turning one’s consciousness toward Brahman. It is enlightening, transforming wisdom. This alone, they say, is the gateway to the spiritual freedom that is called moksha, liberation. Wisdom is difficult to acquire on one’s own. It is the teacher, the guru, who guides one along the spiritual path. The teachings of the Upanishads were never intended to be published for anyone to buy.
    [Show full text]
  • BRAHMA VIDYA (The Rishi Technique of Meditation) Dedicated to the Followers of the Rishi Culture
    DR.RUPNATHJI( DR.RUPAK NATH ) BRAHMA VIDYA (The Rishi Technique of Meditation) Dedicated to the followers of the Rishi Culture Swami Poornananda Tirtha Talk given at Bangalore Contents Introduction 6 Concentration 6 Dhyana or Meditation 7 The shorter the mantra, the better it is ............ 8 Two methods of mantra–japa ................. 8 ‘AUM’—A symbol of Brahman ................ 8 Mistaking the symbol as Brahman .............. 9 What does ‘AUM’ mean? Contemplation 9 The meaning and purpose of ‘AUM’ ............ 10 Tracing the ego ........................ 12 ‘I’ and the mind ........................ 12 The deluding expression of the ego ............. 13 The subtle buddhi can find it ................. 13 Vrittijnana is essential for contemplation .......... 13 Probing or tracing out the root of the ‘I’ .......... 14 Locating Atman—It is realized only by the mind merg- ing in it. Its existence is grasped by the subtle buddhi 14 Withdrawal to the inner chambers of consciousness is the method ........................ 15 The delicate process of comprehension ........... 15 Functions of the mana and the buddhi ............ 16 Function of the chittha—The next subtle aspect of our Antahkarana ....................... 17 DR.RUPNATHJI( DR.RUPAK NATH ) Contemplation by chittha ................... 17 Remember the Sakshi by the chittha ............. 18 The process of remembering the Sakshi ........... 18 Discovering the self or the Sakshi .............. 19 Prati–prasava, involution, self–withdrawal ......... 19 Nature of the chittha ...................... 20 The technique of remembering and forgetting ....... 20 Self–inquiry—Remembering Atman ............. 21 4 Final words 22 Do not relax your effort .................... 22 Nididhyasana is subtle, not difficult ............. 23 The lower practices will give only impermanent results . 23 Vasana kshaya necessary for Atma jnana ........... 24 Dharma, Prem and Tyaga ..................
    [Show full text]
  • Remembering Sri Sarada Devi's Disciple
    HISTORICAL OVERVIEW Gopal Stavig is the Vedanta Historian at the Vedanta Society of Southern California. Written submission. 1 Excerpts from Ramakrishna Vedanta in Southern California: 1899-2009 Swami Aseshananda (1899-1996) tells us: I was attracted to Vedanta when I first met Swami Turiyananda, a disciple of Sri Ramakrishna in Banaras…. His words gave me courage. His personality gave me assurance. My hesitant steps became steady. I made up my mind not to falter. That day I made the final decision to renounce, and embrace 2 the monastic order of Sri Ramakrishna. Aseshananda became a direct disciple of Holy Mother, receiving initiation in 1917 at the Udbodhan before he became a monastic. He later had the unique distinction of being her last known living disciple. About Holy Mother he often said: I bow down in reverence to Holy Mother because what she has done for me, I cannot express.... She has become the source of strength, the source of knowledge, and the source of my infinite realization. Through her grace I have seen Her face, I have touched her feet. I long for release so that I can realize the highest truth in this very life. A DVD titled “Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi” is sold by the Vedanta Catalog in Hollywood, California, where he tells us about his personal experiences with Holy 3 Mother and some of the other direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna that he met. Aseshananda then served as the personal secretary and attendant (he said “bodyguard”) 1921-27 for Swami Saradananda (1865-1927), a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna and the General Secretary of the Ramakrishna Order, and in 1923 received sannyas from the Swami.
    [Show full text]
  • Om: One God Universal a Garland of Holy Offerings * * * * * * * * Viveka Leads to Ānanda
    Om: One God Universal A Garland of Holy Offerings * * * * * * * * Viveka Leads To Ānanda VIVEKNANDA KENDRA PATRIKĀ Vol. 22 No. 2: AUGUST 1993 Represented By Murari and Sarla Nagar Truth is One God is Truth . God is One Om Shanti Mandiram Columbia MO 2001 The treasure was lost. We have regained it. This publication is not fully satisfactory. There is a tremendous scope for its improvement. Then why to publish it? The alternative was to let it get recycled. There is a popular saying in American academic circles: Publish or Perish. The only justification we have is to preserve the valuable contents for posterity. Yet it is one hundred times better than its original. We have devoted a great deal of our time, money, and energy to improve it. The entire work was recomposed on computer. Figures [pictures] were scanned and inserted. Diacritical marks were provided as far as possible. References to citations were given in certain cases. But when a vessel is already too dirty it is very difficult to clean it even in a dozen attempts. The original was an assemblage of scattered articles written by specialists in their own field. Some were extracted from publications already published. It was issued as a special number of a journal. It needed a competent editor. Even that too was not adequate unless the editor possessed sufficient knowledge of and full competence in all the subject areas covered. One way to make it correct and complete was to prepare a kind of draft and circulate it among all the writers, or among those who could critically examine a particular paper in their respective field.
    [Show full text]