Class Notes by Bhargavi

When asked by Bhagavan Rama, Hanuman ji very eloquently responds that from body perspective, He is Lord’s servant; from ego perspective, He is part of the Lord and from Atma perspective, He is Lord Himself. In this one verse, we see a full spectrum of Vedanta. Servant (Dvaita), a part (Visishta advaita) and Himself (Advaita). Our course is training for us to live advaita inside and dvaita outside. This is the only way to live! What a way to celebrate Hanuman Jayanti!

Recap:

Verses 1–19: Acharya Shankara has been guiding us intellectually.

Verses 20–22: Drig Drishya Viveka sara (essence). Acharya Shankara is encouraging us to not only know the knowledge intellectually but also feel it in our hearts (controlled environment) and our hands (uncontrolled environment).

Verses 23–26: Verse 23 is as if a table of contents on how to contemplate in our hearts. Verse 24 urges us to contemplate in our heart, that which is seen and in verse 25 we are asked to contemplate on that which is heard. In verse 26, we are told that as a result, contemplation will become effortless.

Verse 27: Shift from heart to head (controlled to uncontrolled environment). We can visualize this by imagining that we have to take our teachings with us back home after having mastered it in the ashram. When knowledge backs our eyes, it is called vision. We have to consciously change what we see (not context based), for example, know that the dish in front of me is earth; earth is the creator; creator is consciousness and I am consciousness. If we engage in this exercise, the verses will no longer stay intellectual. We have to make the knowledge real, when we forget the knowledge, it is because we don’t love the knowledge.

Verse 28: Acharya Shankara now shifts his attention to the uncontrolled environment (seen to heard). We should be contemplating on the word “Akhanda”(without break). Acharya Shankara wants us to contemplate on that which is deeper than names and forms. Names and forms divide us but that which is unbroken is more than a name and a form. We have to therefore contemplate on oneness (Satta/existence). Our sense of reality is unbroken and never changed. All that changes is what is on top of the reality, the context. Acharya Shankara is calling this “Vastu”. This reality is “eka” (unchanging) and on top of that which is “Khanda”(names and forms). Our sense of reality is never broken, yet every other part of lives has been broken. For example, in a movie, the screen never changes but images keep changing/broken. In Swami Vidyaranya’s analogy, the lamp that was kept in the front of the screen was Akhanda (always lit) even as performers kept changing. The lamp in this example is the Awareness. This is reality, all else is relative. We should have a relative relationship with all that is relative.

Lakshana means Dharma (nature). Bhagavan Krishna advises Prince Arjuna to ignore all of relative Dharma (being a Pandava, soldier, etc) and by doing so, he will tune into Sanatana Dharma (infinite nature). Ignore the finite, and tune into Infinite! The finite depends on the Infinite. These verses are describing no one but us! Knowing this will make us fearless! We will not be able to rest until we feel our Ananda. Contemplation on that which is heard should be done without interruptions or distractions. Dhyana is equivalent to development. We become what we contemplate on. Our lifestyle needs to commitment oriented. The focus of our lives from 0–23 is what we focus on learning commitment and for those above 23 final commitment will come when our purpose is joy, therefore all other commitments will be broken.

This is described by Acharya Shankara as Samadhi or second contemplation (Madhyama), first ones being on that which is seen and that which is heard. In Raasaleela, rishi Vyasa describes that with every Gopi there is Bhagavan Krishna. This is Bhakti oriented interpretation. The interpretation from Jnana/Dhyana is a Gopi is a symbol of Vritti (thought) and Bhagavan is a symbol of Chit (Awareness), the message here is that with every thought, shining on it is Awareness. Ignore the thought and focus on the awareness. Also in Raasaleela, there is a description of Bhagavan Krishna in between two Gopis. This symbolizes that between thoughts, there is silence. We have to contemplate on and become that silence. This is called Ajapa Japa.