Class Notes by Sharmila

In Ramayana, one of the greatest seekers is Sri Bharata. He lived in the minimum so as to be able to see and experience the maximum, that is Bhagavan Rama. He survived only to be with his brother. In Srimad Bhagavatam, the Gopis are called by Bhagavan Krishna to come under the Govardhana Parvata, and they readily go there. ‘Go’ means senses and ‘Vardhana’ means to lift up. They lifted all of their senses by immersing them in Bhagavan Krishna. A practical sign of Tamas is — ‘to postpone’, ‘being tardy’ and ‘not punctual’. A practical sign of Sattva is to be prompt, punctual and diligent. Our course is to encourage in us not to postpone independent joy but to be prompt with independent joy like Sri Bharata (to live in the minimum) and like the Gopis (to use our senses for the divine).

Recap of Verse 22: Acharya Shankara teaches us to ignore the ‘seen’ — because this is a catalyst to immersing ourselves in the ‘seer’. When we shut down the ‘seen’, we will still want to do something and know something, and this will be directed to the ‘seer’. So, practically we must ignore our thoughts — because whatever we ‘know’ cannot be me and whatever is mine cannot be me. We should ignore forms — everything around us is just a form of the earth. The ‘seen’ is measurable , the ‘seer’ is immeasurable. The implication of this is — whatever is measurable we can compare, and we cannot compare whatever is immeasurable. So to ignore the ‘seen’, we should stop comparing! Then we will have a more disciplined relationship with social media, entertainment, food and relatives. The Viveka between Drg and Drshya cannot be only in a controlled environment, we have to live in a purposeful, perpetual and personal way towards the ‘seen’ and towards the ‘seer’, like Sri Bharata and the Gopis, because they were Jnanis and knew what was real and unreal.

Verse 23: In the first quarter, Acharya Shankara is distinguishing ‘Savikalpa’ and ‘Nirvikalpa’. ‘Sa’ means ‘with’ and ‘Nir’ (Nis) means ‘without’. ‘Kalpa’ means change. Savikalpa is with change, with separation, with effort and Nirvikalpa is without change, without separation, without effort. Savikalpa is with distraction and Nirvikalpa is with focus. When Rishi Patanjali taught the Ashtanga Yoga (8 facets of Yoga), the facets 6 and 7 are Dharana and Dhyana — where Dharana is with a lot of effort and Dhyana is with little effort (more natural). Savikalpa and Nirvikalpa is the same classification as well — Dharana and Dhayana are for the intellect while Savikalpa and Nirvikalpa are for the ego. We should keep going with our Sadhana and contemplation until we cannot go farther, then we know we are at the ends.

Swami Tejomayananda had shared that we tend to verbalize what we are experiencing — and this verbalization stops us from going forward. So we should not verbalize with our thoughts, because that is all the ‘seen’.

Savikalpa and Nirvikalpa are known as Samadhi or contemplation , classified here as ‘with change’ and ‘without change’. Samadhi is the silencing of the ego. This is only possible when the quiet mind combines with the still intellect to become this amazing equipment which Swami Chinmayananda describes as ‘intuition’. This synergy allows the ego to be held and placed in the spirit. If there is any sense of Ayukta or disintegration , the ego is a more powerful equipment. In Srimad Bhagavad Gita, Bhagavan Krishna shares — ‘Ayuktasya kutaH sukham’ — for a person who has disintegration in them , where is happiness?!

The quiet mind is described as ‘AntaHkarana Shuddhi’ , the still intellect is described as ‘Jnana Pramana’. All of this has to come together for one to be able to contemplate.

In the third quarter, Acharya Shankara is only focusing on Savikalpa — the Savikalpa contemplation can be on the Drshya (seen) and/or Shabda (heard). The Shabda referred to here is our Shastra/Shruthi (that which inspires us). When we practice contemplation in the morning we must read a Upanishad mantra or a shloka from the Bhagavad Gita or a verse from Drg Drshya Viveka and contemplate on that — and let that message become real and personal.

Then we go to Drshya (that which we see) — whatever we see, we will still have with us the shloka or mantra we invested in, in the morning.

Vyashti Samadhi leads to Samashti Samadhi. Vyashti means specific, in a controlled environment where we are directing everything that we experience. If we do this well, we will carry that same Bhava in everything that we do. For example, when we practice japa in the morning, there is a good chance that it is still in our mind later.

We need this course, because this encourages our determination and inspiration. In Bhagavad Gita, in chapter 6 , after Bhagavan Krishna has taught prince Arjuna about Dhyana — prince Arjuna shares that it is too difficult. So Bhagavan Krishna shares the two qualities/virtues that we need — which are ‘Nishchaya’ (determination) and ‘Anirvinnachetasa’ (inspiration).

‘Shraaddha’ means ‘Shraddhaya Krtam’ — whatever we do with faith. If we are engaged in this course with faith, then the commentary and verses will become real and personal for us. Many of the verses are repetitive in theme, but with faith, the verses that are repetitive are not repetitive but reminders!