Class Notes by Bhargavi

The difference between idolizing (Upāsana) and truth (Sattā) is that in Upasana, the potency of the seeker manifests the blessings or power. If the person idolizing is weak, the blessings will be weak too. In truth, potency lies with the truth, therefore the blessings and the power will be absolute. For example, in a block of wood, heat is dormant and unmanifest. In fire, on the other hand, heat is not dormant and is manifest. In both cases, there is a potential for heat. The implication of this is that Upasana is not enough. Idolizing is good means and not the ends. We have to rediscover the absolute potency of Sattā. All this assumes that we know the ends, if not we will never aspire and reach the ends. In Drig Drishya Viveka, insights to reach the ends are shared.

Recap of verse 23: Acharya Shankara taught us about two types of contemplation. One is Shabda (sound or words) and Drishya (seen or experiences). Shabda or reading of words (texts) is like a prompt when we are contemplating but unable to do so. Drishya will become a habit if we are prompted to contemplate. Everytime we across the words Brahman or infinity, happiness, those words are prompts to contemplate. The more we do this, more we will do it. Shabda should evolve to become a habit which is Drishya. Swami Tejomayananda sharing for this verse was that we should contemplate in Advaita (Shabda) and live in Dvaita (Drishya). If we do this, we will be like the wind. In Atma Bodha verse 52, there is a description of on who is in tune with Advaita and is able to keep that within dvaita. Such a person is described as “Asattā Vāyu vat charet” (Independent like the wind they move; the wind moves among many but is not affected by the many).

Verse 24: In this verse, Acharya Shankara is magnifying Drishya Dhyana (contemplation on the seen). It is shared that the seen is the thoughts that are going in the mind. The texture of these thoughts is of desire, decision, doubt, etc. The way to practice this is to notice in our friends what their thoughts are doing to them (selfless, desirous, etc). More deeply, we should see this in our family members as well. By noticing and seeing thus in others externally, we will develop the subtlety of tuning into our own thoughts. This noticing and seeing should be done by the Sakshi (Consciousness). Here we start to analyze our own thoughts. Here Acharya Shankara is bringing us back to verse 4. In verse 4, we had magnified the. thoughts (Kama, Sankalpa and Sandeha, Shraddha and Ashraddhā, Driti and itare, Hrihi and Dhihi and Bhihi, etc).We should now analyze what the thoughts are doing to us and do a cost-benefit analysis of what these thoughts are doing to us. Acharya Shankara is speaking to an awesome student and we all have the potential to live up to that but there is a process: Notice, see and analyze our own thoughts. We have to make our thoughts pure and productive before we can start observing them. It is harder to observe a wild mind.

This is contemplation associated with the seen. When we relax the body and enjoy breathing, we have reduced the quantity of the gross thoughts. When we chant with the mind and enquire with the intellect, we have raised the quality of the thoughts. Only then we will observe the ego, this is the causal thoughts. We therefore need to transition from gross to causal thoughts. Therefore, every time we practice contemplation, we should relax, enjoy, chant, enquire and observe. This is to be practiced serially and not simultaneously.

This contemplation is with duality. The implication is that we should engage in contemplation in a controlled environment (quietude of our home), and carry that over to an environment where there is more dvaita (work, school). This should be done perpetually.

To summarize,

First line of the verse: Notice your friends, see your family, analyze yourself. That will help you to observe

Second line: As you relax, enjoy, chant and enquire, you will let go of gross and subtle thoughts and you will observe your causal thoughts. Do this in a controlled environment and if this becomes a habit, it will stay with you into an uncontrolled environment. You will then be happy and independent of everything. The seer is not the seen!