Class Notes by Sharmila
Last week we saw how to systematically approach the Upanishad. The first is to do with Sishya Lakshanas or qualities of a disciple. A disciple is one who is open and ready to learn. So they deserve a Satguru , a guide whose only purpose is ‘Sat’ (Existence/Truth/Nobility). There are many characteristics of a Satguru. One of them is ‘Akaama HataH’ – meaning one who has no desires, and their only desire is ‘Sat’. A Satguru has a causal desire, and that is for more disciples. There is a difference between a desire for more disciples and a desire for more followers. A follower is someone who is suffering but has normalized that suffering. A disciple also suffers, but wants to transcend that suffering. So a Satguru is one who desires to alleviate more suffering in the world. The less one suffers, the more one is able to bless. If we can grow out of escaping from pain and grow into embracing peace, then everywhere we go we will radiate the same. The characteristic of a Satguru is one who wants to bless the world. If this is the characteristic of one’s guide, then this also becomes a practice and a path for us who are seekers or disciples.
Recap: Lesson 17 ended with ‘Karma and death only relate to that which is not the Atma’. The word Atma means center or locus. Karma and death are only references and don’t affect the locus. Karma and death are only the periphery and does not apply to the center. The focus of Lesson 17 is Prayojana (purpose), and the purpose of the student studying the subject is so that they grow beyond karma and death. Lesson 18 also focuses on Prayojana but it is more towards what one is going to experience. We tend to exaggerate the utility of worldliness and deflate the utility of self-development. The one who is self reflective will correctly assign utility to worldliness (like IQ) and self-development (like SQ) and invest accordingly.
We studied Mantra 7 from Ishavasya Upanishad last week.
“Yasmin sarvani bhutani AtmaivabhudvijanataH
tatra ko mohaH kaH shokaH ekatvamanupashyataH”
The one who experiences oneness no longer has moha (stress), so no bhaya (anxiety), and so no shoka (dejection). When one who is a seeker immerses themselves in the Upanishad, they feel lighter.
This class: Lesson 18 (Continued) – Bhagavad Gita chapter 10 teaches unity in diversity. Bhagavad Gita chapter 11 teaches diversity in unity. Chapter 11 is a more accurate teaching because it is not about seeing oneself in all, but seeing all in oneself. Chpter 12 of Bhagavad Gita focuses on Bhakti Yoga , and one of the shloka shares ‘Lokaat na udvijate’. Udvijate means annoyed. A bhakta is one who is not annoyed by the world, because they know the whole world is in Bhagavan Krishna.
Mantra 6 of Ishavasya Upanishad:
“Yastu sarvani bhutani atmanyevanupashyati
Sarvabhuteshu chaatmaanam tato na vijugupsate”
One who sees all beings in oneself, and the one who sees the self in all beings, then they don’t feel ‘vijugupsate’ meaning disgust. This course is very much about manana. Every being who is not enlightened has three fundamental fears – death, uknown and sorrow. We fear that which is different, but we don’t fear ourselves. So if we fear death, uknown and sorrow, then it means we are different from death, unknown and sorrow! We are ‘Sat chit ananda’ , which we don’t fear, and this is what is natural. ‘Advaita Abhaya’ – in oneness there is fearlessness. Where there is dvaita or sense of separation, there is the ‘other’ and what comes with this is ‘othering’. This is an expression of vices. If we do not reflect on differences, then we allow it to devolve into feeling distant. Then these distances turn into dislike. If this is not curtailed, it turns into disgust.
An atheist will always follows the pattern of differences, distances, dislike and disgust. But a theist (one who believes in awareness) , ideally utmost will fall to diferences but at best will feel that awarenss with all. They will be more caring and loving. When it comes to the sense of separation (differences, distance, dislike, disgust) we don’t do it as much when it comes to articles and circumstances. But with beings, we feel that separation more. The negativity is more on the surface level (names, forms, qualities). More universal than the names, forms and qualities is the dhama (Atma or locus). Hence there is a need to reflect, otherwise we will stay at the nama level. If we reflect we will come to the dhama level.
In Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhagavan Krishna shares with Rishi Uddhava ‘you should live your life to please me’. The only purpose should be Bhagavan Krishna (awareness). If we live like this, then eventually we will depend on Bhagavan Krishna and the finality of this is we will be Bhagavan Krishna. We should start with focusing on Bhagavan’s nama, then Bhagavan’s form and then His qualities. One will then evolve to dhama (awareness). When one comes out of ‘vijugupsate’, one experiences ‘Atma Kreeda’ and ‘Atma ratiH’.
Kreeda means an experience that is facilitated with another entity. Kreeda is to play , Atma Kreeda is where one experiences joy with another entity. Atma ratiH is where one experiences joy without another entity ! For the one who sees all beings in themselves, when they interact with people who have different names, forms and qualitites, they still feel joy – because that person is a reflection of them!