Mananam

Questions: Why and how Atma comes into the vicious circle of birth and death? If you say it is due to karma , how this  Aatma afflicted by karmic bondage from the very beginning. How karma originated and attached to Aatma to take a birth? What is the cause for such bondage to soul? How and why the soul entangled into the grip of Maya? --------- The analogy of a dream is the simplest way to think about this. When I'm in a dream and take the "dream-life experience" to be real, its almost impossible to enquire into when "dream life experience started" or "Why it started?" Any amount of questioning will not provide answer, so long as I'm convinced that the "dream-life experience" is real. However when I'm beginnning to get glimpse of the notion that the "this is all a dream" (while still dreaming) one of two things happen either Case (a) - I wake up immediately to dissolve the dream or Case (b) - We wake up a lit...

INTRODUCTION In Sankara Bhasyam towards end of the Bhasyam of verse 2.10 (prior to 2.11) QUOTE "The Lord (also) speaks to the same effect in the passage, " Yogins perform action for the  purification of the self (heart)" BG 5.11 Having also stated, "Worshipping Him with his own duly, a man attains perfection" (BG 18-46), He again prescribes for such 'perfected' man the path of Knowledge in the words " How he who has reached such perfection attains to Brahman" BG 18.50. UNQUOTE Here the basic import is that by Karma Yoga our minds get purified and thus we become eligible as it where for the discipline of knowledge Or Jnana Nista. Earlier Bhagavathpaada has categorically stated that by TatvaJnanam alone Moksha Praapti is possible. With this background let's dwell upon Swami's commentary in BG 18.50. -------------------- Aphoristic Summary of Bhagavathpaada's commentary on BG 18.50 1. There is no need for a Pra...

Occasion: Sankara Jayanthi - April 20 th /21 st 2018.  Introduction:  Sri Swami Sankara has granted us the unified vision of life which grants us peace and contentment if we are ready to accept it. If on the other hand we dont want peace and contentment as the One and Only goal of life, He still guides us via Upasana and Karma Yoga Maarga - by virtue of his adherent advocacy of the Vaidika way of life (Pravriti Margam & Nivriti Margam). Thus Swami established the glory of Vaidika Dharmam which aims at both - Nishreyasam (Moksham) and Abhyudhayam (Dharma, Artha, Kama). His relevance is the same as the relevance of Vaidika Dharmam - which offers multiple paths, several intermediary means and One Final Destination. Personally Swami's commentary on Advaita-Brahma Vidya Upadesam of Sruti - makes it clear that the peace and contentment which we seek is the very nature of Brahman. This Brahman is non-different than the pure awareness which we experience ...

222 --- Aum Namo Vakratundaya ------------------------ Sri Sankara Bhasyam prior to the verse 11 dwells upon the fundamentals of Vedanta. So this Q/A below hopes to contemplate on the fundamentals prior to proceeding with Sri Sankara Bhasyam from Chapter 2, post verse 10. ----------- INTRODUCTION Q: Why is there suffering in life? Ajnanam or Avidya or Ignorance Q: Ignorance of what? Clear understanding of what Atman is and is not. Q: What is Atman? Our very Self Q: How does Vedanta indicate Atman or Our Selfhood? - We can recognize our Self in following aspects (1) "I exist"; --> Satyam (2) "I'm aware of my Self";  --> Jnanam (3) "The awareness is not dependent upon external conditions or objects" --> Anantam Our existence is undeniable - self-evident. Sa Bhasyam BG.2.16 "That Alone is Real (Satyam) who cognition is not mutable" - In other words Satyam means Real - which is eternal and changele...