SOME THOUGHTS ON ATMA----120

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Loving Sai Rams,

The Atma in us is obscured by our impurities which are our vasanas ie., the ignorance(Avidya) of the Self. When the ignorance is removed, the Pure Self shines forth. The process of removing ignorance and gaining knowledge of the Self is by hearing etc. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad spells out these steps as below:-

1.Sravana. Listening to the spiritual Truth

2. Manana. Reflecting upon its significance and

3.Nidhidhyasana. Contemplating and meditating upon it.

The ignorance of mankind operates in three distinct ways. We first express our ignorance of the Self as, " I do not know " This phase of ignorance is removed by listening either directly to Spiritual Masters or indirectly through scriptural books. The second phase of ignorance is our ability to comprehend what we hear. We may say, " I can not understand " . Intellectual analysis and reflection

(manana) helps us to overcome this phase of ignorance. Having intellectually understood what we have heard we still feel an incompleteness in our knowledge of Truth. Meditation (Nidhidhyasana) is the means of removing this last phase of ignorance and realising the pure Self within.

 

 

There is this particular Mantra appearing both in Kathopanishad and in Mundakopanishad. It says, " This Atma can not be attained by study of the scriptures nor by sharp intellect nor by much hearing. It is attained by him whom It choses to reveal Itself. It is our True form " .( Nayamatma pravachanena Labhyo na medhaya na bahuna srutena. Yamevaisha vrunute tena labhyah tasyaisha Atma vrunute.)

The Sruit holds that Atma can not attained by the study of the sacred books, nor by intelligence (Medhas), nor by much hearing(Bahuna Srutena). Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa says, " Sacred books do not contain God, but only information on God. The

Vedas themselves speak of further steps besides study and hearing. These are Reflection (Mamana) and Contemplation or meditation (Nidhidhyasana). Says the Kathopanishad, " The Atma can never be reached by speech nor by eyes nor even by mind. How can then it be realized otherwise than from those who say that it exists " ? (Naiva vacha na manasa praptum sakyo na chakshusha. Astiti bruvatonyatram katham tat upalabhyate).

The Sruti asserts that since Atma is beyond all senses and mind which are only instruments of knowledge, It can be comprehended only through the instructions of a man of Realization. One has to put faith in the words of the

Guru that there is such a thing as Atma and then follow his instructions. Hence the very first step to Self-Realization is faith in the words of the Spiritual Master (Guru) who has actually realized Atma and also faith in the existence of Atma as indicated by scriptures.

 

(to be continued)

G.Balasubramanian