Mahabharata Series From Gross to Subtle: Sharira to Paramatma Compiled by: G H Visweswara PREFACE I have extracted these contents from my other comprehensive & unique work on Mahabharata called Mahabharata-Spectroscope. (See http://www.ghvisweswara.com/mahabharata-2/mahabharata-spectroscope-a-unique- resource/). Whereas the material in that was included in the order in which it appears in the original epic, in this compilation I have grouped them by meaningful Topics & Sub- topics thus making it much more useful to the student/scholar of this subject. This is a brief compilation of the contents appearing in the great epic Mahabharata on the topics of Sharira, Indriyas, Pancha-bhutas, Manas, Ahankara, Buddhi, Atma and Paramatma. The compilation is not exhaustive in the sense that every para appearing in the great epic is not included here for the sake of limiting the size of this document. But still many or most of the key or representative passages have been compiled here. The contents may repeat in different forms across passages. Still they are included because some may bring more clarity than others and add to the emphasis. I hope the readers will find the document of some use in their study on these topics. Please see http://www.ghvisweswara.com/mahabharata-2 for my other topic based compilations based on Mahabharata. G H Visweswara [email protected] www.ghvisweswara.com March 2017 From Gross to Subtle in Mahabharata: G H Visweswara Page 1 Table of Contents From Gross to Subtle in Mahabharata .................................................................................................... 4 Sharira (Body) ..................................................................................................................................... 4 Indriyas (Senses) ................................................................................................................................. 5 What are they? How are they formed? ............................................................................................ 5 Functioning of indriyas ..................................................................................................................... 7 Three States (Waking, sleep, deep sleep) & indriyas .................................................................. 8 Manas vs indriyas (Mind Vs Senses) ............................................................................................... 9 Attraction/Attachment to objects of indriyas................................................................................... 10 Indriya nigraha/samyama (Control/Restraint of senses) ............................................................... 12 Why practice it? .......................................................................................................................... 12 How to do it? .............................................................................................................................. 14 Gains of indriya nigraha ............................................................................................................. 17 Dama & Qualities of a daanta .................................................................................................... 19 Pancha-bhutas .................................................................................................................................. 21 Properties/Qualities ........................................................................................................................ 21 Functions/Constituents .................................................................................................................. 24 Origin, Transformation, Dissolution ............................................................................................... 26 Manas (Mind) ..................................................................................................................................... 28 Origin of manas .............................................................................................................................. 28 Qualities/Characteristics of manas ................................................................................................ 28 Vikaras/distortions of mind ............................................................................................................. 29 Karmas & manas ........................................................................................................................... 29 Ahankar ............................................................................................................................................. 29 Birth of ahankar and its role in creation ......................................................................................... 29 Types of ahankar ........................................................................................................................... 30 Ahankar as Ego/I & Mine ............................................................................................................... 30 Giving up I & mine .......................................................................................................................... 31 Buddhi................................................................................................................................................ 31 Qualities/Characteristics of Buddhi ................................................................................................ 31 Nature/Role/Function/Power of Buddhi ......................................................................................... 32 Buddhi & attaining Brahma-bhava ................................................................................................. 33 Trigunas & Buddhi ......................................................................................................................... 34 Atma & Buddhi ............................................................................................................................... 34 Indriyas & Buddhi ........................................................................................................................... 35 Atma/Chetana .................................................................................................................................... 36 About Atma .................................................................................................................................... 36 Existence & eternality of atma ....................................................................................................... 39 Atma & Prana ................................................................................................................................. 40 Atma & indriyas .............................................................................................................................. 40 From Gross to Subtle in Mahabharata: G H Visweswara Page 2 Atma’s ajnana/blemish ................................................................................................................... 41 Atma jnana/Atma jnani ................................................................................................................... 41 Sadhana & Atma-sakshatkara ....................................................................................................... 44 Chatur-hotr yajna ........................................................................................................................ 47 Parabrahma/Paramatma ................................................................................................................... 48 About Paramatma .......................................................................................................................... 48 Creation/Dissolution & Paramatma ................................................................................................ 52 Atma & Paramatma ........................................................................................................................ 53 Attaining Paramatma ..................................................................................................................... 54 Paramatma & nature of karma ....................................................................................................... 57 About many of the above/Sankhya shaastra..................................................................................... 57 24 tattvas ....................................................................................................................................... 58 Definition & description of kshara & akshara ................................................................................. 58 25th tattva: Mahavishnu .................................................................................................................. 58 Sulabha’s discourse on adhyatma ................................................................................................. 59 Yajnavalkya’s Description of dissolution ........................................................................................ 61 Some examples of tapas/attaining Paramatma................................................................................. 62 From Gross to Subtle in Mahabharata: G H Visweswara Page 3 From Gross to Subtle in Mahabharata Sharira (Body) Bhishma: (Shl 12) Physical body consists of the five gross bhutas, ten indriyas, and manas. Because it provides shelter