Aparokshanubhuti

Final session on Aparokshanubhuti. Discussion with Venkat on Anubhuti and Anubhava is done.

Verse No 140 Objection: “Let it be that through direct knowledge born of inquiry a sage becomes Brahman — but how can one possessing only indirectknowledge do so?” Reply: Even a knower with only indirect knowledge attains Brahmanhoodthrough intense contemplation, as indicated by the term“intensely meditated upon”. Though indirect knowledge removes the ignorance on the side of the knower, it does n...

Verse No 135 Thus, having taught the fifteenfold Rājayoga, the author now concludes the Vedāntic inquiry, which was earlier introduced as the counterpart toSāṅkhya, by means of five verses beginning with “kārya.” The effect, such as pot or cloth, is but a modification whose reality is nothing but the substratum, clay. The effect is dependent upon the cause, but the ause does not inherently contain...

Verse 135 Thus, having taught the fifteenfold Rājayoga, the author now concludes the Vedāntic inquiry, which was earlier introduced as the counterpart toSāṅkhya, by means of five verses beginning with “kārya.” The effect, such as pot or cloth, is but a modification whose reality is nothing but the substratum, clay. The effect is dependent upon the cause, but the cause does not inherently contain t...

Verse No 127 & 128 This yoga, culminating in samādhi ,yields liberation, which is marked by abidance in the undivided, homogeneous essence of Brahman ( akhaṇḍa-eka-rasa-brahma-svarūpa ). For one endowed with the Guru’s grace, this path is indeed easy. Yet,precisely because it may appear “easy,” one should not become negligent, for numerous obstacles may arise. Thus, the teaching regarding samā...

Verse 125 Thus, the purpose of prescribing nididhyāsana with all its auxiliary disciplines is explained: It is for the manifestation of the innate, uncontrived bliss ( akṛtrima-ānanda ), which is none other than the very essence of the Self. Nididhyāsana does not produce bliss, but reveals the bliss that is already one’s own true nature. Moreover, by the particle ca (“and”), the text indicates tha...

Verse 123 Samādhi, the fifteenth auxiliary (aṅga), is here defined. It is the state of changelessness ( nirvikāratā ), wherein the mind, freed from involvement with objects, immediately takes on the form of Brahman ( brahmākāratā ). In this state, there are no lingering impressions of the phenomenal world, and no distinctions of meditator ( dhyātṛ ), object of meditation ( dhyeya ), or mental modi...

Verse No 122 “ Dhāraṇā is now described: Wherever the mind may go, into whichever object, there itself — by seeing and contemplating it as nothing but Brahman, as pure Existence (and the like), while disregarding its name, form, and transience — the fixing of the mind in Brahman alone is called dhāraṇā. An objection may be raised: ‘But ordinarily dhāraṇā is defined as holding the mind on one point...

Verse No 121 “Now, pratyāhāra (withdrawal) is indicated as follows: In relation to objects — whether external things like pots, or sensory qualities like sound and the rest — by applying the method of agreement and difference ( anvaya-vyatireka ), one discerns that their true nature is nothing but Existence, Consciousness, and Bliss (sattā–sphurattā–priyatā). Contemplating thus, the mind (antahkar...

Verse No 107 Mauna as Brahman True mauna is not muteness but abiding in Brahman, which transcends speech and thought. Mounam hi brahma-lakṣaṇam — silence is the very nature of Brahman. Beyond linguistic categories Words operate by universals ( jāti ), qualities, or actions. Brahman is beyond all such grounds; hence unspeakable ( avācya ). Knowable through identity Though inexpressible, Brahman is...

Verse 107 Vartikam Now silence ( mauna ) is defined: because the grounds for verbal designation such as categorization and action are absent, true silence is that which is beyond the relam of both mind and speech. This is none other than Brahman, which cannot be spoken of. Yet it is knowable to yogins, attainable by knowledge-yogins through realization of its identity with the inner Self. Therefor...

Verses 104 to 106 of Vidhyaranya's Commentary Verse 104 Now, the teacher explains each of these auxiliaries in sequence, describing their nature in 21 verses. First, he defines yama. The verse begins with “ sarvam ,” teaching that the whole world, from space down to the body, is nothing but Brahman. This is understood through the method of bādha-sāmānādhikaraṇya (co-reference under sublation),...

Verses 100 to 110 The Fifteen steps for Nidhidhyasana as per the Vedantic tradition contrary to the Yoga system is being explained.

Verse No 98 “An objection may be raised: ‘Does the scripture speak of karma for the sake of instructing the jñānī?’ The reply: No. The śruti itself declares — ‘When Brahman, the higher and the lower, is realized, then the knots of the heart are cut, all doubts are destroyed, and all karmas are destroyed’ (Muṇḍaka Up. 2.2.8). The plural word ‘karmāṇi’ (karmas) here is deliberate. It is used not mer...

Verse No 95 “The status of being the cause of the world belongs solely to the conjunction of Brahman and ajñāna (mithunībhāva) . This is explained with the example of the rope (appearing as a snake under ignorance).” Verse No 96 “Now, as was said: when that (ignorance) is destroyed, where could the world-appearance remain? Explaining this, he concludes the previously established non-existence of p...

Verse 94 Objection: The scriptures (e.g. “From which all beings are born…”) declare that the world, including body and objects, is truly born of Brahman. If so, how can it be said to be mere appearance ( prātibhāsika )? Answer: The notion of causality must be understood carefully. There are two kinds of cause: Nimitta (efficient cause): only the cause of origination. Upādāna (material cause): the...

Verses No 91 to 93 Ignorance is the root of prārabdha Prārabdha (the supposed karma that has “already begun” and sustains the body of the jīvanmukta) is only valid under avidyā. Once knowledge dawns, avidyā (and with it, its products) are nullified. Vyavahāra depends on avidyā All worldly dealings (eating, speaking, even the notion “I am embodied”) rely on ignorance. With knowledge, these lose the...

Verses 89 and 90

Verse no 87 to 89

Verse no.87

Verses 75 to 86

Verses No 69 to 74

Verse No 68 An objection is raised: “If Brahman shines (self-luminous), then how can the phenomenal world also appear?” The reply: By difference of standpoint (state of knowledge vs ignorance), both (Brahman and the world) may appear. For the knower , the Self always shines as pure, free from the impurity of ignorance and its effect, the projection of the phenomenal world — hence it is non-dual a...

Verse No 66 Here, the reason (hetu) , along with a supporting example, is given under the heading “kārya” (effect). The Śruti says: “Dear one, by knowing a lump of clay, all that is made of clay becomes known” (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 6.1.4). The reasoning is as follows: If the effect (pot, jar, etc.) were truly different from the cause (clay), then knowledge of the cause would not yield knowledge of a...

Verse No.65 Śaṅkara establishes the non-duality of Brahman and the illusoriness of the world using Upaniṣadic evidence, analogies , and reasoning . 1. Bhēdadṛṣṭi Doṣa (The Fault in Seeing Duality) 🔸 Sanskrit: “किंच भेददृष्टेर्दोषश्रवणादपि कारणादभिन्नमेव कार्यमित्याह दोष इति।” Segmented : किं च — moreover भेद - दृष्टेः दोष - श्रवणात् अपि — from the hearing of the fault in the view of difference का...