Class Notes by Bhargavi

When we live in two realities, we struggle and suffer. We should then close our eyes and deny the lesser reality. The vision of our course is to shift our focus from the relative to the absolute. As long as we are looking at the relative reality, we will struggle and suffer.

Drig Drishya Viveka flows through five waves:

Wave 1, Verses 1–5: Focus on Truth/Atma. Practice: By living carefully. When we don’t live carefully, we mix the seen and the seer. If we live carefully, we can discriminate between mine and me, known and I.

Wave 2, Verses 6–12: Focus on Lie/Aham. Practice: Be Grateful. Ego makes us take for granted. Ego brings with it, arrogance, conceit, doership, deservership. If we live gratefully, we will always know that we are no. 2 and Bhagavan is no. 1.

Wave 3, Verses 13–19: Focus on the Why (am I experiencing the lie and not the truth)/Avidya. Practice: Live meaningfully. Ignorance always relates to another entity; it cannot exist of itself. When we ignore the truth, we live the lie. In order to “cure” this, we should live meaningfully. Every action/word/thought should be of substance/Sattvic. If we can prove Maya, that would make it real. But if it is illogical, then it is not real.

Wave 4, Verses 20–29 : Focus on practice/Anudhyana. Practice: Be worshipful. Dhyana in an uncontrolled environment in a constant manner. When you worship something, you have singular focus on it. When we worship an icon/ideal with a consistent, focused manner, we become that ideal.

These first 29 verses are like and remind us of the original Bhagavatam, chatushloki (Bhagavatam summarized in four verses) Bhagavatam. This is taught by Bhagavan Narayana to Bhagavan Brahma. The essence of the four verses:

1. Infinity is real (Focus on Truth)

2. Illusion is unreal (Focus on Lie)

3. Creation is relative (Focus on the relativity of creation)

4. Extraction is release (Focus on Anvaya Vyatireka, practice of extracting the changing from the unchanging and remember the absolute)

Our shastras are amazingly consistent in their messages. The above similarity between Drig Drishya Viveka and Bhagavatam is a beautiful example of the one message conveyed in all our scriptures.

Verse 30: This verse and the next one are the phala shruti, the result of imbibing the first 29 verses. This is the most famous verse of Drig Drishya Viveka. When we engage in focused practice of the previously mentioned verses, the identification with the body is dissolved. Deha here refers to that which burns/changes and represents body, mind, intellect, ego, breath, articles/beings/circumstances (six sheaths). Any entity we are attached to is a sheath. Bhagavan Krishna says in the Gita, that everything we do should be oriented towards Sattva. We must question our identifications and what is important to us. This is Viveka (prioritize between Sat and Asat).

Jnana makes us quieter and Vignana (Vishesha Jnana or distinct quietude) makes us silent where there is no more doubting (no more becoming) because we come to feel that our Atma is para or absolute. There is no more individuality, we should not be afraid of letting go of our individuality. We should no longer an individual, it is divinity. Our Acharyas are there because of our needs, not of their own volition. They have no individuality. We must rise above our minds, when we are no longer affected by the thoughts. We should document this state when our thoughts don’t affect us. For somebody who has fulfilled Drig Drishya Viveka, wherever their mind goes, there is the experience of Samadhi/Independent joy. In the language of Bhagavatam, gopis ask Bhagavan Krishna why he doesn’t reciprocate their love. In response, Bhagavan Krishna describes many personalities, three of which are Atma Rama: they love the Self and they don’t feel there is anyone else so no one else to love; Apta Kama: one who loves the self and they don’t have any more wants. They don’t have to love back; Akritagnya: one who is ungrateful. They love the Self and they don’t have any needs and so don’t have to give love. They are independent. Putting in effort is Dhyana or Savikalpa Samadhi, effortless is Nirvikalpa Samadhi. Effortlessness is being shown in this verse, we must put in effort first and then let go, let Nirvikalpa Samadhi happen. This is the renunciation inside, letting go of becoming happiness and Be happiness. Effortless is natural because this is your nature. This verse is who you are!