Beautiful verses on the confluence of Alakananda and Bhagirathi at Devaprayag By Acharya @iksusara

Beautiful verses on the confluence of Alakananda and Bhagirathi at Devaprayag By Acharya @iksusara

Sanskrit on twitter - Part 9: Sanskrit Idioms

Learn Sanskrit idioms shared by Suhas and Shanti

What happens when a Jnani ब्रह्मनिष्ठ Drops His Body

ॐ श्री गुरुभ्यो नमः

Swami Dayananda Saraswati, attained Maha Samadhi on 23.9.15 . This led me to think about what the Shruti says about Videha Mukti. Below are some verses from the Mundaka Upanishad which clearly tell us about what happens when a ब्रह्मनिष्ठ​  drops His body.

The Shruti says that such a jnani has understood clearly that He ever was, is and will be free. He is Brahman. He is firmly established in this knowledge and description of such a jnani can be found in several places in the Gita, notably the स्थितप्र​ज्ञ portion in the second chapter. In essence, He is no more an individual, but now exists as the Total, the Lord itself. 

सम्प्राप्यैनमृषयो ज्ञानतृप्ताः

कृतात्मानो वीतरागाः प्रशान्ताः

ते सर्वगं सर्वतः प्राप्य धीरा

युक्तात्मानः सर्वमेवाविशन्ति ॥ 3.2.5

Having attained (known) this Brahman, the sages are satisfied with knowledge. Having transformed themselves ( from jivatma to 'I am Brahman'), they are free from attachment and totally tranquil.

Having totally attained the all pervading Brahman (चैतन्यम्), they become everything. That is, He is no more enclosed consciousness, but all-pervading चैतन्यम्

वेदान्तविज्ञानसुनिश्चितार्थाः

संन्यासयोगाद् यतयः शुद्धसत्त्वाः ।

ते ब्रह्मलोकेषु परान्तकाले

परामृताः परिमुच्यन्ति सर्वे ॥ 3.2.6

Through renunciation, the pure-minded sannyasis have clearly ascertained Brahman, which is the object of Vedantic knowledge. Having become one with the Infinite Brahman (while living), they resolve completely into Brahman at the time of death. (Note, their 'death' is called 'parantakaala')

गताः कलाः पञ्चदश प्रतिष्ठा

देवाश्च सर्वे प्रतिदेवतासु ।

कर्माणि विज्ञानमयश्च आत्मा

परेऽव्यये सर्वे एकीभवन्ति ॥ 3.2.7

Their fifteen parts go back to their sources. (That is the physical body merges back into the Anatma material universe, the subtle body too merges back into the subtle elements). The divine powers – i.e. the Devata  Amshas blessing the sense organs go back to their presiding deities. ( Each sense organ has a presiding deity blessing it) . The ego and its karmas all resolve into the supreme imperishable Brahman. (There is no enclosed consciousness. He is now the Total consciousness. The next mantra gives an example to explain)

यथा नद्यः स्यन्दमानाः समुद्रेऽ

स्तं गच्छन्ति नामरूपे विहाय ।

तथा विद्वान् नामरूपाद्विमुक्तः

परात्परं पुरुषमुपैति दिव्यम् ॥ 3.2.8

Just as rivers flowing down resolve into the ocean, giving up name and form, in the same way, the Wise is freed from name and form and ‘attains’ the effulgent Brahman which is beyond Maya.

A collection of wonderful shlokas from Hitopadesa from @AshayNaik1

Sanskrit Appreciation Hour 13.9.15. The concept of शाब्दबोधः in the Shastras by Acharya @iksusara

The concept of शाब्दबोधः in the Shastras by Acharya @iksusara Understanding (born out) of a Sentence

कृष्णाष्टकम् by Acharya @iksusara

ॐ श्री गुरुभ्यो नमः

On Janamashtami, Acharya Ramanuja Devanathan composes कृष्णाष्टकम्

Select verses from the Bhagavad Gita in which Lord Krishna tells us about His nature

  

On this occasion of Janamashtami, am sharing some shlokas from the Bhagavad Gita, in which Lord Krishna speaks about Himself, in the first person singular. These are not all the verses in which He says "I", but a few verses that teach us about His Nature, both Absolute Nature and His Nature as the Creator and Avatara. These also include some verses teaching us right action and bhakti.

I am not giving the English translation, but the shloka reference number is given.

In Chapter 4 Lord Krishna shows us how this teaching originated and  talks about Himself as Ishwara, the Adi Guru and speaks about the Avatara principle in the most quoted shlokas of the Gita.

इमं विवस्वते योगं प्रोक्तवानहमव्ययम् ।

विवस्वान्मनवे प्राह मनुरिक्ष्वाकवेऽब्रवीत् ॥ 4.1

यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत ।

अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदात्मानं सृजाम्यहम् ॥ 4.7

परित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम् ।

धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय सम्भवामि युगे युगे ॥ 4.8

In this verse of Chapter 5, Krishna tells us who He is

भोक्तारं यज्ञतपसां सर्वलोकमहेश्वरम् l

सुहृदं सर्वभूतानां ज्ञात्वा मां शान्तिमृच्छति ॥ 5.29

In the very important Chapter 7, Lord Krishna describes His Nature - telling us Who He Is - only a few important shlokas are enumerated. The whole Chapter is a description of the Lord as जगत्कारणम्

भूमिरापोऽनलो वायुः खं मनो बुद्धिरेव च ।

अहङ्कार इतीयं मे भिन्ना प्रकृतिरष्टधा ॥ 7.4

अपरेयमितस्त्वन्यां प्रकृतिं विद्धि मे पराम् ।

जीवभूतां महाबाहो ययेदं धार्यते जगत् ॥ 7.5

एतद्योनीनि भूतानि सर्वाणीत्युपधारय ।

 अहं कृत्स्नस्य जगतः प्रभवः प्रलयस्तथा ॥ 7.6

For the first time He uses the term 'Maya" and speaks about Bhakti towards Him as a means to Moksha

दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम माया दुरत्यया ।

मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायामेतां तरन्ति ते ॥ 7.14

In this most profound Chapter 9, in almost all verses, Lord speaks about His nature. Am reproducing only some very very important verses, teaching us the nature of Ishwara and of the different orders of Reality.

मया ततमिदं सर्वं जगदव्यक्तमूर्तिना ।

मत्स्थानि सर्वभूतानि न चाहं तेष्ववस्थितः ॥ 9.4

 न च मत्स्थानि भूतानि पश्य मे योगमैश्वरम् ।

 भूतभृन्न च भूतस्थो ममात्मा भूतभावनः ॥ 9.5

सर्वभूतानि कौन्तेय प्रकृतिं यान्ति मामिकाम् ।

 कल्पक्षये पुनस्तानि कल्पादौ विसृजाम्यहम् ॥ 9.7

I am the goal, I am the way

मन्मना भव मद्भक्तो मद्याजी मां नमस्कुरु ।

 मामेवैष्यसि युक्त्वैवमात्मानं मत्परायणः ॥ 9.34

Verses in Chapter 10 and 11, all describe Lord's glory and one should read the entire Chapters in which Krishna talks of the various visible glories in the Universe through whcih He can be recognised and worshipped and gives Arjuna Vishwaroopa darshanam, telling Arjuna, that He has manifested as the entire Creation. Wherever we look, we see Krishna only

My favourite verses of these two chapters:

I am the very Self in you and in all beings -अहमात्मा

अहमात्मा गुडाकेश सर्वभूताशयस्थितः ।

अहमादिश्च मध्यं च भूतानामन्त एव च ॥ 10.10

We all should know this aspect of the Lord also

कालोऽस्मि लोकक्षयकृत्प्रवृद्धो लोकान्समाहर्तुमिह प्रवृत्तः ।

ऋतेऽपि त्वां न भविष्यन्ति सर्वे येऽवस्थिताः प्रत्यनीकेषु योधाः ॥ 11.32

How do we attain Him

मत्कर्मकृन्मत्परमो मद्भक्तः सङ्गवर्जितः ।

निर्वैरः सर्वभूतेषु यः स मामेति पाण्डव ॥ 11.55

The below is the Mahavakya shloka of Chapter 13 and Shankaracharya writes a huge commentary on this

क्षेत्रज्ञं चापि मां विद्धि सर्वक्षेत्रेषु भारत ।

क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञयोर्ज्ञानं यत्तज्ज्ञानं मतं मम ॥ 13.3

Significant verses from Purushottama Yoga - Chapter 15

ममैवांशो जीवलोके जीवभूतः सनातनः ।

मनःषष्ठानीन्द्रियाणि प्रकृतिस्थानि कर्षति ॥ 15.7

अहं वैश्वानरो भूत्वा प्राणिनां देहमाश्रितः ।

प्राणापानसमायुक्तः पचाम्यन्नं चतुर्विधम् ॥ 15.14

Why am I known as Purushottama

यस्मात्क्षरमतीतोऽहमक्षरादपि चोत्तमः ।

अतोऽस्मि लोके वेदे च प्रथितः पुरुषोत्तमः 15.18

Summary of Karma Yoga and Jnana Yoga in these 2 verses of Chapter 18

मन्मना भव मद्भक्तो मद्याजी मां नमस्कुरु ।

मामेवैष्यसि सत्यं ते प्रतिजाने प्रियोऽसि मे ॥ 18.65

 सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज ।

अहं त्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुचः ॥ 18.66

Lord Krishna, giving the essence of Karma Yoga in this verse – a favourite of mine and I keep it for the end.

मयि सर्वाणि कर्माणि संन्यस्याध्यात्मचेतसा ।

निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा युध्यस्व विगतज्वरः ॥ 3.30

Sanskrit on Twitter - Part 8. Wonderful verses composed by twitterati

Twitterati chat in Sanskrit and compose some truly wonderful verses. A few which appeared on my time line are gathered here. This is Part Eight of this series

Enjoy...

The five capsules of Vedanta

ॐ श्री गुरुभ्यो नमः

Swami Paramarthananda of Chennai, really simplifies the most abstract Vedantic concepts for students. He has summarized the Teaching in five capsules. Am reproducing these capsules in my words. These may be connected to any text while one is studying and just like vitamin capsules, these are to be 'taken' daily. Each word of these capsules is important and to be reflected upon.

1. I am of the nature of eternal and all-pervading consciousness

I am not the body-mind-intellect complex and Vedanta texts use various methods to make us arrive at our real nature - eternal and all pervading consciousness, which is not a part, product or property of the body.

2. I am the only source of permanent  peace, security and happiness

The scriptures repeatedly show us the limitations of relationships, objects, wealth. Understand that anything impermanent can never be a source of security and peace. If any object seemingly gives us happiness, know that to be your own आत्मानन्द​: reflected in a relatively quiet mind.  The scriptures  first inform the beginner, that security and peace can only come from Nitya Ishwara and take us from world-dependence to God-dependence and to God as The Goal to be sought. Then the scriptures take the more mature seeker to the Truth and say -  what you seek is YOU. तत्त्वमसि

3. By my mere presence, I give life to the material body and through the material body I experience the material universe

4. I am not affected by anything that takes place in the material world and in the material body

Understand one fact असङ्गोऽहम् . Several shlokas in the Gita teach this. A typical example

सर्वेन्द्रियगुणाभासं सर्वेन्द्रियविवर्जितम् ।

असक्तं सर्वभृच्चैव निर्गुणं गुणभोक्तृ च ॥

 As one studies the Upanishads, one gets clarity that the world is mere name and form - नामरूप​ deriving its अस्तित्वम् only from Brahman i.e. from ME.  It has no "substantiality" of its own. How can a non-substantial, मिथ्या नामरूप world ever touch me?

5. By forgetting my nature, I convert life into a struggle. Remembering my real nature, my life becomes a blessing, verily a sport. 

दुर्लभं त्रयमेवैतत् दैवानुग्रहहेतुकम् ।

मनुष्यत्वं मुमुक्षुत्वं महापुरुषसंश्रयः ॥

These three are hard to come and come only with God's grace - human birth, desire for liberation, company of the learned and noble. Having got all three, waste not this life!

ॐ तत् सत्