|| AmÉUÉå¤ÉÉlÉÑpÉÔÌiÉÈ || APAROKSHA ANUBHUTI Techniques for Direct Intuitional Experience “THE SANDEEPANY EXPERIENCE” Reflections by TEXT SWAMI GURUBHAKTANANDA 39 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 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 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. 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, 8th October, 2019, the Sacred Vijaya Dasami Day Om Namah Shivaaya! Text 39 || AmÉUÉå¤ÉÉlÉÑpÉÔÌiÉÈ || APAROKSHA ANUBHUTI “Techniques for Direct Intuitional Experience” Composed by Sri Adi Shankaracharyaji Reflections by Swami Gurubhaktananda on the Series of 10 Lectures by Swamini Vimalanandaji Director of Chinmaya Gardens, Coimbatore, at Chinmaya Tapovan Kuti, Ujjaili, Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand from April 8th – April 13th, 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] © 2019 All Rights Reserved. Copyright held by Swami Gurubhaktananda. About This Edition: Web Edition: 8th October, 2019, Vijaya Dasami 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. ***** APAROKSHA ANUBHUTI “Direct Intuitional Experience” || AmÉUÉå¤ÉÉlÉÑpÉÔÌiÉÈ || ´ÉÏ AÉÌS zÉXç¢üÉcÉÉrÉï APAROKSHA ANUBHUTI Verses 100-128, & 143-144 Direct Intuitional Experience by Sri Adi Shankaracharyaji A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK THIS IS A Prakarana Grantha, i.e. a text which covers certain topics only, not all the six topics of Vedanta. It follows the same style as texts such as Tattwa Bodha. The text is composed by Sri Adi Shankaracharya. It contains 144 verses in all, but we are studying only a small extract from it. It is the portion which deals with Meditation, and covers verses 100-128 of Aparoksha Anubhuti. It contains 15 meditational techniques. Sri Shankaracharyaji includes all eight of Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga within these 15 techniques. However, each one of these is given a Vedantic meaning, which differs from the standard meaning given to it by Patanjali Maharshi. What is the difference in these two meanings? Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras sees the Yoga system as 8 steps, each one leading up to the next. They are distinct steps of a process leading up to Samadhi. The Vedantic Meaning is that all these steps are seen as different ways of looking at the same Reality, Brahman. The fact that they are all seen on equal terms is a major change in the Vedantic perspective. The feeling that “All is Brahman” is dominant in the Vedantic interpretation of all the 15 techniques. All of them, if pursued to perfection with the feeling that one is Brahman, will lead one to the Vedantic goal of Self-realization. This is the difference between Ashatanga Yoga and Vedanta as described by Sri Shankaracharyaji. At the level of meditation also there is a difference. In Ashtanga Yoga, meditation is considered to be the control of thought modifications and is termed Dhyana. Vedantic contemplation, which is termed Nididhyasana, is a process of Self-enquiry wherein the student aims to establish his abidance in the Self by negating all that is the not-Self. It has to be said that the Samadhi of Patanjali Yoga coincides with the Savikalpa Samadhi of Vedanta. Thereafter, both systems proceed together to Nirvikalpa Samadhi, the state of perfect abidance in the Self, or God-realisation. ***** 1 APAROKSHA ANUBHUTI “Direct Intuitional Experience” CONTENTS Introduction to Aparoksha Anubhuti 1 Verse 1: Invocatory Prayers 3 CHAPTER 1: PRELIMINARIES TO THE TEXT 5 Verse 100: Profound Meditation 5 Verse 101: Abhyasa – Constant Practice 6 Verse 102-103: Fifteen Portals to the Supreme 7 CHAPTER 2: FIFTEEN “PORTALS” TO REALISATION 9 Verse 104: No. 1: Yamah – Control of the Senses 9 Verse 105: No. 2: Niyamah – Control of the Mind 10 Verse 106: No. 3: Tyaga – Renunciation 11 Verse 107-109: No. 4: Maunam – Silence 12 Verse 110: No. 5: Deshah – Personal Space or Solitude 14 Verse 111: No. 6: Kaalah – Time 16 Verse 112-113: No. 7: Aasanam – Steady Posture 17 Verse 114: No. 8: Moola Bandhah – Being Rooted 18 Verse 115: No. 9: Samanatvam – Steadiness of the Body 19 Verse 116-117: No. 10: Drishtih – Steadiness of the Vision 20 Verse 118-120: No. 11: Pranayama – Control of the Life Forces 21 Verse 121: No. 12: Pratyahara – Withdrawal of the Mind 23 Verse 122: No. 13: Dhaarana – Concentration 24 Verse 123: No. 14: Dhyana – Contemplation on the Self 26 Verse 124: No. 15: Samadhi – Complete Absorption 27 CHAPTER 3: THE FINAL LAP OF THE JOURNEY 29 Verse 125-126: From Savikalpa to Nirvikalpa Samadhi 29 Verse 127-128: Obstacles on the Final Lap 30 Verse 143-144: The Conclusion 32 ***** 2 Verse 1 of Aparoksha Anubhuti INVOCATORY PRAYERS Verse 1: The Invocation ´ÉÏWûËUÇ mÉUqÉÉlÉlSqÉÑmÉSå¹ÉUqÉϵÉUqÉç | urÉÉmÉMÇü xÉuÉïsÉÉåMüÉlÉÉÇ MüÉUhÉÇ iÉÇ lÉqÉÉqrÉWûqÉç || 1 || ¾r§hari¯ param¡nandamupad£½¿¡ram§¾varam | vy¡paka¯ sarvalµk¡n¡¯ k¡ra³a¯ ta¯ nam¡myaham || 1 || 1 shree harim paramaanandam, To Shree Hari, who is the Supreme Bliss, 2 upadeshtaaram, eeshwaram; The Teacher, the Supreme Lord, 3 vyaapakam, sarva-lokaanaam The All-pervading Reality, and of the whole world 4 kaaranam tam namaami aham. The Cause – to Him do I bow down! The Anubandha Chatushtaya i) Adhikari: Namaami – “I bow down”; humility is the qualification on this path. ii) Vishaya: Vyaapakam – “All-pervading Reality”; the subject is the Reality. iii) Prayojan: Paramaanandam – “Supreme Bliss”; the purpose is to attain Bliss. iv) Sambandha: Upadeshtaaram – “the Teacher”; the book teaches about Reality. ***** 3 LORD SHIVA The Supreme Deity from Vedic Times ***** 4 PRELIMINARIES TO THE TEXT Chapter 1: Verses 100-103 Verse 100: Profound Meditation ̧ÉmÉgcÉÉ…¡ûÉlrÉiÉÉå uɤrÉå mÉÔuÉÉåï£üxrÉæuÉ ÍxÉ®rÉå | iÉæ¶É xÉuÉæïÈ xÉSÉ MüÉrÉïÇ ÌlÉÌSkrÉÉxÉlÉqÉåuÉ iÉÑ || 100 || tripa²c¡±g¡nyatµ vak½y£ pÀrvµktasyaiva siddhay£ | tai¾ca sarvai¦ sad¡ k¡rya¯ nididhy¡sanam£va tu || 100 || 1 tripanchaangaani athah vakshye, Now, I shall expound the three x five (15) steps 2 poorva uktasya hi labdhaye; for attainment of the aforesaid Knowledge; 3 taih cha sarvaih sadaa kaaryam and using them, at all times, one should practice 4 nididhyaasanam eva tu. Profound Meditation upon the Self alone. What is Aparoksha Anubhuti? Anubhuti has two parts: Anu the Upasarga or prefix means “continuous or after”; and the root Bhu means “being or becoming”. Anubhuti is “continuously being”. The realization of the Self is described as requiring constant practice over a long period of time, as it has to be made continuous and unbroken. That is the goal. A picture is static; Life is a moving, dynamic picture, changing daily. New strokes are added to it that affect the character of the whole picture. Against a white background, is drawn in the foreground a picture with a variety of colours. Being preoccupied with the foreground, we are neglectful of the background, which is the foundation of the picture called Life.