SELF REALIZATION
SELF- WITNESS TO ALL
The
Astavakra Gita systematically deals with the mystical experiences of an
individual in his flight towards transcendental peace and b.liss. The subtle
philosophical truths are expounded in the form of a lucid dialogue between the
Raja Rishi or King Seer Janaka as the disciple and Astavakra as the teacher.
The thoughts of this Gita are compatible with the “Dialoues of Pluto” and “The
Bhagavad Gita” as all of them truthfully record the universal insight and the
spiritual experiences which a seeker gathers during moments of intense
meditation.
Like
in the Holy Gita here too the teacher constantly directs the entire
delusion
(Maya) and no universe(Jagat).
There
is only one infinite consciousness – The Self.
According
to Astavakra there is only one goal to be aspired for and reached, and that is
self knowledge through direct mystical intuition- Vijnana.
According
to Astavakra the pure effulgent self is ever unattached and it is a peaceful
all knowing witness of all that is happening in all the creatures. It is the
one supreme and eternal God, the Brahman, the ultimate reality. This one
universal consciousness supreme which is the substratum for the changing world
of phenomena should be realized through the practice of meditation till we rise
above the misconception that we are the limited ego- the self reflected in our
thoughts.
In
the dim light of the dusk, the long post may look like a ghost. But this vision
of the ghost is a mistake of the seer and not of the post. Similarly due to the
deluded vision of a human being, a universe is visualized. But in reality there
is only one all pervading pure effulgent self. In other words the ignorance of
the self gives birth to the sense of duality just like the ignorance of the
post gives birth to the ghost. Ignorance is a combination of
non
apprehension of reality and misapprehension of the self. And knowledge is the
antidote for ignorance.
As
long as the individual recognizes this world of objects, emotions and thoughts
through is gross, subtle and causal body, he can not escape his sense of
limitations and his experience s of suffocating sorrows. Only when one
liberates himself from his identification with his body and his ego, will he
realize his infinite divine status.
Attachment springs forth
from ignorance and detachment springs forth from knowledge.
When
one aspires for liberation, he should reject all sense objects as poison and
seek forgiveness, straight forwardness, cheerfulness, kindness and truth as
nectar.
In
other words all matters that relax the mind should be cultivated and all that
agitate it should be avoided. We are surrounded by sense objects and we should
exercise our discretion to reject them. Besides this the mind should also be
guarded against its own innate and inherent sensuality by inculcating the
healthier values of life and by reeducating the wayward mind. These healthy
values are forgiveness, straight forwardness, cheerfulness, kindness and truth.
The
sense of angry revengefulness brings endless disturbances to the mind. Whereas
when we forgive those who have wronged us, we at once become happy and
peaceful.
Similarly crookedness in our relationship with
others brings un necessary tension but straightforwardness gives peace.
Kindheness
and cheerfulness bring poise and grandeur to the mind.
And
finally truthfulness or intellectual honest is a prerequisite for any form of
spiritualism.
Spiritual
development and higher meditation are possible only in an integrated inner
personality.
One
should realize that he or she is not the gross, subtle or causal body. He or
she is the embodiment of the pure consciousness which is actually a witness to
all these bodies made of ether, air, fire, water, earth, senses, mind,
intelligence and false ego. The subtle and causal bodies function through the
gross body that is made of the five gross elements. The residual vasanas in
each one of us swell up to express and exhaust themselves. A vasana sprouts
first as a desire disturbance in the intellect which in the mental zone
produces thought disturbances and they in turn precipitate at the body level as
the exhausting activities of the individual in the society. The gross and
subtle equipments of one’s existing vasanas are fabricated by the nature out of
these five great elements. Once the vasanas have been exhausted the gross and
subtle bodies do not have any function and the individualized ego sense awakes
itself to rediscover as the pur infinite consciousness the self.
To
complete the process of negation of our gross and subtle bodies, a positive
assertion of our spiritual nature is necessary. In order to liberate oneself
from the delusory sorrows of the body and of the mind one should learn to
experience the self within.
Just
like the sunlight illuminates the objects in a room, the consciousness within
us illuminates our experiences through our gross, subtle and causal bodies.
Similarly just as the sunlight does not get involved with what it illuminates,
the consciousness within us is unattached to all these experiences. This
relation less-relationship between the self and the bodies is emphasized to
help the student of self realization to meditate on his self. When through
meditation the student withdraws himself from these bodies, in the resulting
inward stillness all these vasanas get burnt up, uplifting the student into the
plain of the pure consciousness itself.
If
you detach yourself from the body and abide in consciousness you will at once
become happy, peaceful and free from bondage.
Meditation
is a method of withdrawing ourselves from our gross, subtle and causal bodies
and abide ourselves in consciousness.
Astavakra,
Sankaracharya and other like minded saints declare that the realization of the
self is possible even when a saint lives in his body and functions like any
other mortal. This is known as jeevan mukti.
According
to Yoga Vashishtha in case, renouncing all, without any vasanas, you can stay,
then right now you have attained liberation. Astavakra Gita lays the foundation
and indicates the path that expounds infinite oneness and the theory of non
creation of the universe.
If
we possess wealth it is okay, but if the wealth possesses us then it is wrong.
If
we enjoy good food it is okay but if the food starts enjoying us then nit is
wrong.
Similarly
if we control our body then it is okay but if the body begins to control us
then it is wrong.
One
does not belong to either any caste or creed or any station of life. In other
words he does not belong to any religion, community, caste, or country. Nor
does he belong to any of the ashramas viz. Bramhacharyam, grihastam, vaanaprastham
or sanyasam. We are all self which is not perceivable by the senses. Thus
unattached, formless and witness of all, one should be happy.
As
the illuminator, the pure consciousness is completely detached from the entire
world of objects. Self is formless and unconditioned by anything other than
itself.
All
that constitutes the enjoyable, the enjoyer and the enjoyment in the three
different states of consciousness are different from the witness of all these
stages.
Once
we realize this all our sorrows, tensions, and stresses vanish and we at once
become peaceful.
Thus
a growing sense of peace and happiness floods the bosom of the seeker who seeks
the inner sanctum sanctorum of the self.
Virtue
and vice, happiness and sorrow are all attributes of the mind. The self is
neither the doer nor the enjoyer. It is ever free. As long as the ego exists,
one identifies oneself as a doer or the enjoyer. These two assertions
collectively constitute the illusory sense of ego.
When
this ego functions through this world of objects it pursues virtues and
indulges in vices. Here it is the doer. Again the same ego gets tossed around
in its experiences of happiness and sorrow. In short the ego can not
escape the conflicts created by the pair
of objects.
It
is thus advised that the conflicts of good and bad, and the struggles between
pleasure and pain are all evaluations of the mind and therefore belong to the
mind alone and not to the self. Virtue and vice are again the evaluations of
the intellect. The self is the all pervading consciousness. As the pure self one is ever free from the
conflicts and confusions of one’s own ego. The doer and enjoyer status within
us gushes forth from our identification with our mind and intellect which
jointly feed our ego. When all its identifications with the mind and the
intellect have ended, the ego returns to its original position as the BLISSFUL SELF.
The
human being is a seer of all that happens around. It is indeed his bondage that
instead of identifying himself as the self, he sees himself as something
different.
The
consciousness in one is the light in which his organs, senses, mind and
intelligence function. These are the equipments through which the consciousness
perceives the world of objects and subjects, emotions and thoughts. In other
words the self is the sole seer that looks at the world through the live of an
individual. Thus as the sole seer it is ever free.
The
cause of all the problems for an individual is the fact that instead of
identifying himself or herself as the self, one identifies with the limited ego
which in turn is conditioned by the equipments of experiences.
Self
is the only subject, All other things belong to the world of objects. The world
of objects is illusory superimposed on the self which is the subject. The self
can see without eyes, hear without ears, and is devoid of all forms.
Self
is all knowing ever pure knowledge and there is none that knows the self.
It
is self destructive for any individual to glorify himself and his ego that he
is the doer of all activities. On the other hand when he develops a humility
that he is not the doer of the big things that he has done then this feeling
acts like a nectar in his life.
When
the ego begins to function the mind and the intelligence get polluted by the poison
of sensuality. This gives birth to the passionate urge to acquire, possess and
enjoy sense objects which ultimately results in spiritual annihilation.
One
should burn down the forest of ignorance and realize that he is pure
consciousness. This way one can discard all his grief and become happy. Just
like when a person goes deep into a forest he gets lost and becomes upset
similarly when one finds himself in the midst of the forest of ignorance he his
enveloped by all the negative vibes. These negative vibes are in the form of lust,
fear, anger, greed, illusion and false ego which make the entity more and more
spiritually weak.
When
the entity burns down this forest of ignorance with the fire of certitude, he
at once realizes his true identity as the self and all the sorrow is lifted
from his shoulders making him peaceful, blissful and happy.
The
knowledge gathered by our restless intellect is about the world of time and
space, cause and effect. In other words it is the word of duality. When through
Sadhana one develops an intellectual calmness and quietness, and then being
turned inward he enjoys the dynamic spiritual peace within himself.
It
is the clean and purified intellect that contemplates the self within and
ultimately realizes it.
The
knowledge about the world outside is gathered by our senses, mind and
intelligence only when the consciousness within us illuminates them. Therefore
consciousness is also equated with knowledge. This consciousness is sullied by
the objects of our experiences.
Consciousness
of objects devoid of all objects is called Pure knowledge.
On
transcending the mind and body equipment the seeker in meditation comes to
realize the pure consciousness. This in turn burns down the forest of ignorance
with the fire of certitude.
Joy
and grief, happiness and sorrow are all feelings that emanate from the mind.
When one transcends the mind, he also gets rid of these feelings. And the
seeker goes beyond grief.
He
who considers himself free becomes free and he who considers himself bound
becomes bound by maya. The proverb that what one thinks he becomes is quite
true in this world.
If
you assert yourself as weak, helpless, and a desperate creature of passions,
you will become that. On the other hand if you decide to take control of your
life, you will do so immediately.
If
you assert your own divine nature constantly and live without compromising your
divine status you will begin walking on the royal path of self enfoldment.
In
other words mind is the cause of bondage as well as liberation for any man.
What
ever comes to the mind, man expresses it.
This
is true in the spiritual world too. If we think that the rope is a snake, we
will not visualize the rope. Instead we will keep seeing the snake.
The
pure conscious self does not modify itself into the world of plurality. It is
the mind that visualizes the self as maya. From the delusion created vasanas
desires gurgle forth in us which are in turn expressed in our thoughts. And
these thoughts in the mind project the world of experiences. At the non
apprehension of the self the misapprehension of the world happens. And this
gives rise to all the sorrows and turmoil in our lives.
By
asserting our nature as the pure infinite consciousness we can come to this new
dimension of experience divine.
The
self is the witness, all pervading, perfect, non-dual, free, consciousness,
action less, unattached, desire less and quiet. Through delusion it seems to be
absorbed in the world.
In
other words the self is not a part of that which it illumines. Just like the
rope pervades the illusion of the snake, similarly the self pervades this
dualistic material world and universe.
The
self is complete. Nothing can be added to it and nothing can be reduced from it
just like nothing is added to the post when it is visualized as a ghost.
The
self is non dual and ever free.
As
consciousness it is complete in itself.
And
it is also action less though it is the substratum of all the material actions.
The
self is desire less and unattached just like the space which holds the universe
is unattached to the universe.
In
its supreme perfection the self has nothing ot desire except itself.
As
there are no desires hence there are no thought agitations and so the self is
ever quiet.
As
the perceiver feeler thinker entity the individualized ego gets entrapped in
the happenings of this dualistic material world.
And
driven by these desires the individualistic ego gets entrapped in the vicious
circle of births and deaths.
However
just like the rope does not become a snake, a post does not become a ghost, the
self does not become the individualized ego.
On
should give up all external and internal fluctuations, and the illusion that he
is the false ego, and meditate upon his “self” which is the immutable non dual
consciousness alone.
The
self is the spiritual centre within every one of us.
When
through consistent meditation on the self, the intelligence is totally soaked
up with this reality, the seeker should begin dwelling in the self alone.
The
self viewed as the substratum of the whole universe is called BRAHMAN and when
this is expressed trhough ones mind and intellect it becomes the JIVA or the
false ego.
Every
one of us is bound by the rope of body consciousness. This rope can be cut only
by the sword of the knowledge “ I am pure consciousness”.
As
a soul which has passed through trillions of births an deaths, we are so used
to identifying our self with our gross body that we find it difficult to imagine ourselves as the soul.
One
has to redeem himself or herself from one’s own delusion of body and mind. This
will help one in getting away from the illusory sorrows. Intuitive illumination
occurs the moment when ignorance is dispelled.
The
self is unattached, action less, untainted, and self effulgent. The bondage
arises when the ego takes to meditation to realize its true nature.
It
is the limited finite alone that can act. The self is infinite and it has
nothing to achieve by resorting to various types of material actions. A person
acts to fulfill his or her ambitions. But where every thing is within reach
there can be no ambition and hence no action is required to achieve it.
Similarly
the self effulgence of the soul is never dimmed as it is pure and totally
untainted.
The
self is ever free and does not need any form of meditation. It is the limited
ego that meditates to realize its true nature.
This
is just like a person tries to sleep when he is not asleep. The moment he falls
into a slumber, he does not need to try any more. Similarly as long as a person
is meditating he has not apprehended the state of consciousness. Only the
limited strives attain the unlimited. Its on the bonded who tries to achieve
liberation.
Samadhi
means awareness of the supreme consciousness as one’s own self.
We
pervade the universe we live in and it is in reality woven around us. We are
actually pure consciousness. We should not give way to petty mindedness.
Just
like the mud that is used to make a pot, pervades the entire pot similarly pure
consciousness from which the entire universe is projected, pervades the
universe itself.
Though
the universe is pervaded by the self the self is unattached to it. In the
consciousness the subject and the object form the warp and the woof of the
universe woven as a magnificent tapestry.
By
identifying with this universe of names and forms we give way to petty
mindedness. To live and feel like the limited ego is unbecoming to our divine
nature.
There
is nothing greater than our essential spiritual being.
We
are unconditioned, changeless, dense, with profound intelligence, serene and
unperturbed. Hence we should desire consciousness alone.
We
do not lack in any thing. As a contrast to the burning passions that constantly
agitate the egocentric life, the self in
its supreme perfection and peace is ever serene.
When
the intellect is devoid of all thought disturbances the self or pure
consciousness is experienced directly.
As
our desires, so are our thoughts. If we desire consciousness alone our thoughts
become pure, serene and untainted.
That
which has a form is false and that which has no form is changeless.
We
should have a clear idea of what we are seeking. The meditator in us should
realize that the ghost is unreal and the post is real. The waking is real and
the dream is unreal. In other words all that is experienced on the material
platform is unreal and the eternal truth alone is real.
Just
as the mirror exists inside and outside the image that it reflects, the supreme
self exists inside and outside this body.
Though
when one meditates, he does so by going within himself or herself, but when one
realizes one’s true identity he or she awakes to realize the boundless state of
the infinite self.
The
eternal self, infinite and unconditioned is ever present everywhere both within
and without.
The
very thought of inside and outside arises from the meditator’s body
consciousness.
When
the material body is not perceived the concept of inside and outside, are no
longer valid.
If
you look at an empty pot, you realize that there is space inside the pot as
well as outside the pot. But when the pot is broken the only thing that remains
is space.
Similarly
the seeke
r
as long as he is within his conditionings, meditates on his self as the pure
subject within himself, but once he realizes his true nature, he experiences
the all pervading infinite nature.
In
other words the individual, the universe and the creator are all different
manifestations of the same infinite consciousness.
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