Class
49

Beginning from the 40th to 47th
verse Gowdapadha is dealing with the topic of nidhithyasanam a discipline to be
practiced after sravanam and manam. This is meant for assimilation of the
vedantic teaching.  Nidhidhyasanam, is
vedantic mediation of Patanjalai.  Lord
Krishna dealt with this extensively in Chapter 6 of Baghawad Gita.

Samadhi abyasa meditation presented
in 6th chapter of Baghawad Geeta.  Gowdapadha does not give the details
but gives four-fold obstacles.  In 43rd verse remedy for the obstacle of viskheba
is provided in this verse; remedy for disturbances from external world.

1. Vyragyam method:  See the attachment to the world
   as a cause for pain.  Dhosha dharsanam.  Repeatedly remind
   yourself what the attachment will do.  Whenever an external object tempts
   you, remember that attachment to any external object is the cause for
   sorrow.  Entire anatma prabanja is a source of sorrow, if you get
   attached to it.  It by itself does not cause sorrow.
2. Brahma abysa or gyana abysa method:  Brahman is
   alone is the cause and everything else is effect nothing but nama roopa
   super imposed on the cause.  With the help of sasthra remember that
   there is no anatma at all without the help of atma.  Totally reject
   the anatma there is no anamtma prabanja different from atma.  Just like
   there is no dream world separate from the dreamer.  The mediator does
   not see the universe at all by claiming everything is atma; everything is
   Brahman.  By repeatedly reminding yourself this, you negate anatma
   and remove the wandering mind.

Verse 44

When you withdraw the mind, it goes out
again due to vikshebam, then you withdraw again.  The tendency for the
mind is to go to the other extreme.  From Rajasic guna when it goes to the
other extreme of tamasic guna (sleep) wake up the mind.

Sometimes withdraws from external
world, does not get the ability to grasp vedanta and this is kashaya avastha;
this happens because the mind is forcefully quieted without removing the cause
for restlessness or vigshebagha.  The cause is raga dwesha; If the
vigshebaha has to be completely removed you should remove raga dwesha.  If
you do not remove raga dwesha but forcefully withdrawing the mind, but that is
a shallow condition not ready for vedanta.  For vedanta not only the mind
must be withdrawn, but the cause, raga dwesha should be removed.  In
Baghawad Gita Krishna calls the suppressed mind as rasam; here it is called
kashayam.

The remedy is to remain quiet and
when the ragha surfaces practice abyasa and vyragyam.

Verse 45

Fourth obstacle is rasaswadhaha:  Rasaha means anandaha; if a person is successful in relaxing the mind, the mind enjoys certain happiness.  This is not atmananda, but ānandamaya kosa or reflected ananda.  This is available at the time of relaxation which is temporary; because it is dependent on the mental state of withdrawn and relaxed.   This is comparable to sense pleasure because both are temporary.  This becomes an addiction and dependence.  therefore, enjoying this temporary pleasure is an obstacle to assimilation of Vedantic teaching.  This is not atma ananda itself, but it is a reflected ananda in quite mind.  This belongs to ananda maya kosa.  If you get addicted to ananda, then it will be like any sensory addiction.  Similar to addiction to anything nice like food, drinks etc.  This addiction is also samsara because you can’t do any worldly vivakara as he wants to sit in samadhi all the time.  Understand that this temporary pleasure is a reflection of myself the original ananda which is there all the time whether I am doing vivihara or not.  I am the source of this original ananda which is available all the time.  Whenever you have a tendency to taste the limited ananda, get detached from that ananda.  Samadhi sukam will come and go and I should not get addicted; this is discrimination that any experiential pleasure is not atmananda but pradhi pimba ananda.  Let the prathi bimba come and go, but I am not bothered by it.

When all the four obstacles are
moved, mind is undisturbed.  Undisturbed
mind is not thoughtless mind but it undisturbed Vedantic thought.  Develop
an auto suggestion, reminding that the mind is distracted is needed when the
mind wanders.

Verse 46

This struggle or tug of war between my effort and four obstacles is an exercise for dharana and dhyanam.  In this verse Gowdabadha talks about the successful culmination of this exercise which is samadhi.  At the time of samadhi the mediators mind has become Brahman.  This is figurative expression nothing needs to become Brahman because everything was Brahman, is Brahman and will be Brahman.  That includes mind.

Rope snake which he was seeing until
now became rope.  This does not mean snake became rope (there was never a
snake); just a shift in the vision what I saw as snake now I see as a
rope.  The change is not in the object but in my perception. 
Similarly, the mind, which was seen as an object, now seen as Brahman.

When the mind is free from all the four
obstacles, it is free from anatma vrtihi, fluctuations, the thought of anatma,
when the thoughts are not there, the objects are not also there for me. 
Neither the thoughts disturb him nor the objects disturb him; the thoughts
refer to anatma vrithi.  We are negating anatma thoughts and atma thoughts
continue; mind is flowing in the direction atma vrithi and at the time of
samadhi the mediator’s mind Mine is a temporary which is nama roopa

Verse 47

Mind has become brahman:  At
the time of Brahman, the mind is no different than birth-less Brahman, which
abides in its own nature and requires no support.  Moksha is its very
nature and is not a goal to be achieved; which is indescribable.  All
experiential ananda are subject to gradation; the non-experiential ananda is
myself.  This is declared by all acharyas. 
The benefit of nidhidhtyasanam is that I own up the fact that I was
Brahman, I am Brahaman and I will remain Brahman.  The substance is one
Brahman and the nama roopas are many.  Just like all ornaments are nothing
but one gold.  This is called Brahma Nishta and in the second chapter it
is called Brahmis sthiti.

Verse 48

No jiva is born; no jagat is born;

1. Yuktyya jiva shrity nishedhaga:  Logical negation of jiva shristy (Verses 3 to 9)
2. Yukthya jagat shristy nisedhagaha:  Logical negation of jagat shrisy (Verse 10)
3. Shruthya jiva shristy nishedhaha:  Scriptural negation of jiva shristy (Verses 11 to 14)
4. Shruthya jagat shrisy nishedhaha:  Scriptural negation of jagat shristy. (Verses 15 to 30)

There is no kariyam because there is no karanam.  There is only one
absolute reality – paramarthika sathyam greater than pradhibadhika sathyam
(swapna prabanja), vyavakarika sathyam (jagradh prabanjam).  In this
paramarthika sathyam; this is thuriyum and in this thuryium there is no kariyam
at all; there is no padha thryaam.  You are that thuriyum.

Nidhithyasanam is not relevant for
manda and uthama adhikari.  It is meant
for madhyama adhikari.  Nidhithyasanam is
dwelling on the teaching received by sravanam and mananm.  Dwelling is
only mental process and the physical posture is not relevant.  For upasana
physical posture is important, but it is not important for nidhithyasanam. 
In formal nidhidhyasanam one can give importance to physical posture like asana
etc.  This is called Samadhi abyasaha or vedantic meditation; Vedantic
meditation in which yogic stages of meditation are employed.  Yoga sasthra
of Patanjalai has prescribed in many stages (yama and niyama are the first
two):

1. Asana: sit in proper posture
2. Pranamaya: breath properly to quieten the mind
3. Pratyahara: control sensory inputs
4. Dharana: withdraw into one’s own self
5. Dhyana: meditate
6. Samadhi

This vedantic meditation is not compulsory,
but one can chose to do this if one finds it useful.

Number 5 dhyana can be:

1. Paramatma Dyanam:  You can meditate up on Brahman as sathyam; this is existence meditation
2. Jivatma Dhyanam:  Meditate up on all pervading existence present in this body mind complex also, available as sat as well chith the consciousness also.  This is consciousness meditation.
3. Anatma mithyatha dhyanam:  Meditate up on any object on the creation.  When anatma is mediate up on see it as mithya nama roopa
   1. Atma sathyaha
   2. Atma nithyaha
   3. Atma niviharah
   4. Atma sudhaha
   5. Atma asangaha

This is called dharana or samadhi
abyasa.  The purpose of this samadhi abyasa is

1. Samadhi abyasa is not meant for moksha; moksha is not the result of mediation; moksha is already your swaroopam. Nidhidhyasanam is not for moksha
2. Samadhi abyasa is not meant for gyanam.  Knowledge can be gained only through one of pramanam;  Source of knowledge guru sasthra upadesa sravanam.
3. Samadhi abyasa is not meant to give any extra ordinary experience to confirm vedantic teaching

Patanjali who prescribed this yoga
sastra for nirvikalapa samadhi, said dwaidam is reality.  Nirvikalpa
samadhi will not prove advaidam or moksha.  Advida gyanam gained only through
vedanta sravanam gets assimilated when you keep in mind without any
distraction.

When a person practices this
vedantic meditation, this meditator will face certain obstacles called dhyana
pradhibandha.  Gowdabahda does not discuss the stages of meditation; these
are discussed in Chapter 6 of Baghawad Gita; however, Gowdabadha discusses the
four obstacles to Nidhithyasanam:

1. Layaha:  Sleep, dullness of mind, tamasic condition;
2. Vikshebaha:  Restlessness or wandering mind; rajasic condition;
3. Kashayaha:  Stagnation of the mind; mind is neither sleeping or wandering; not available for meditation.  This happens when there are deep internal disturbances.
4. Rasaswadhaha:  Rasaha means anandaha; if a person is successful in relaxing the mind, the mind enjoys certain happiness.  This is available at the time of relaxation which is temporary; because it is dependent on the mental state of withdrawn and relaxed.   This is comparable to sense pleasure because both are temporary.  Since it is temporary, it is also samsaram.  This becomes an addiction and dependence.  therefore, enjoying this temporary pleasure is also an obstacle to assimilation of vedantic teaching.

Gowdabadha and other commentators
have prescribed remedies for these obstacles in verses 42 to 45

1. Gowdabadha does not give remedy for layaha; one of the commentators has suggested to remove the cause for sleep; Causes for sleep
   1. Nidhra sesha:  If you don’t give enough time for sleep; Don’t have sleep back log
   2. Ajeernam; dullness of stomach; dysfunction of body;
   3. Baghu asanam; overeating.
   4. Samah:  Extra physical activities;
2. One of the main causes for restlessness is attachment.  Raga towards the external world; remedy:
   1. Develop vyragyam; by repeatedly reminding that raga and attachment is the cause of sorrow. Raga will lead to soha
   2. Abyasaha:  By dwelling up on the teaching learn that there is no world at all other than atma.  See the world either as nonexistent or see it as a source of sorrow;
3. There is no solution for kashayaha; remain in sakshi bava; remind that mind is a source of disturbance.
4. Remove rasawadhaha telling your intellect that any temporary pleasure is samsara and not atma swaroopam, because it is available only during meditation.

Verse 43

Remedy for viskheba is provided in
this verse; remedy for disturbances from external world.

1. Vyragyam method:  See the attachment to the world as a cause for pain.  This is called dhosha dharsanam.  Repeatedly remind yourself what the attachment will do; turn your mind away from sense objects.
2. Brahma abysa method:  Brahman is alone is the cause and everything else is effect; effect is nothing but nama roopa super imposed on the cause.

The verses 40 to 47 discuss the
final topic of advaita prakaranam, nidhithyasaam.  In the first two verses,
we get the introduction to nidhithyasanam. 
The primary benefit of self-knowledge is discovering that I am thuriyum;  I the Sathya thuriya chaithanyam is never
affected by the three maya sareeram. 
Moksha is not an event, but it is the very nature of I the thuriyum.

The secondary benefit, this
knowledge, which takes place in intellect, it gives certain emotional benefit.  It gives a mind which is no more an emotional
burden.  This emotional transformation is
the second benefit of self-knowledge and is called jivan mukthi.

Even though the sasthra talks about
this emotional benefit, all vedantic students do not derive this emotional
benefit uniformly.  The difference is
because of the different level of preparation by the student and this preparation
is indicated by sadhana sadhushta saṃpatti. 
Since sadhana sadhusta saṃpatti is graded among students, the emotional
benefit or jivan mukthi is also graded.

Based on the degree of sadhana
sadhushta saṃpatti, we broadly categorize students into three groups:

1. Mandha adhikari:  When SCS is low.  The problem is vedantic teaching is not received properly.  They feel vedanta is irrelevant teaching for our day to day life.  Vedanta appears mostly impractical.  These people should acquire SCS by karma yoga and upasana.  For these people vedanta sravanam will also be a karma yoga.  For a mandha adhikari, there is no gyanam or gyana palam (jivan mukthi) through vedanta.
2. Madhyama adhikari when SCS is reasonable.  Vedanta appeals to him; knowledge also comes to him but he doesn’t get the gyana palam.  Jivan mukthi is not there.  Gowdapadha deals with this madyama adhikar.  Gyanam but no gyana palam.  Gyanam and samsara co-exist.  There is a block in converting gyanam into benefit because there is a block.  What is removing the block which is insufficient SCS.
3. Uthama Adhidkari. when SCS is high.  He gets gyanam and gyana palam from vedantic study.  He gets intellectual knowledge and emotional transformation.  These people do not require any other sadhana.  Gyanam is gyana palam.

What should the three adhikaris do:

• Uthama does not need do anything additional.  We need not discuss him as he has high SCS and sravanam will give gyanam, gyana nishta, gyana palam and jivan mukthi.  Sravanam itself is an end itself.
• In the case of mandha adhikari, SCS is very low, he has to concentrate more on karma yoga and upasana.  This will fill his mind with SCS.  Vedantic study can’t be pre dominant focus, but focus must be on karma and upasana,
• In the case of madhyama adhikari who is able to receive the knowledge but does not get the benefit.  He need not go back to karma and upasana;  He can keep practicing them, but need not practice additional karma yoga and upasana.  What he requires is nidhithyasanam.  This will convert him from madhya adhikari to uthama adhikari and block will be removed and the gyanam will convert to gyana palam or jivan mukthi.

Mano nigraha is mental discipline or samaha  from the fourfold qualification or sadhana sadhusta saṃpatti from tatva bodha.  Gyanam and gyana palam depends on the level of Sadhana Sadhusta Sampatti.

Jivan mukthi or gyana palam or
benefits of knowledge are:

1. Abayam:  Free from fear and insecurity
2. Dhukha shayaha:  Freedom from sorrow
3. Shanthihi akshya:  Lasting peace of mind;
   Permanent peace

All three benefits are dependent on level
of SCS.  There is no concession on SCS.

Verse 41

Mind functions in the form of
thoughts and therefore the quality of mind is determined by the quality of
thoughts.  Mind is like a building which is made up of bricks called
thoughts.  Start monitoring the quality of thoughts; monitor thought
pattern; be aware of mental biography.  Hypocrisy is possible at the
thought level.  I only know what I am.  First is to be true to
yourself.  Don’t be a hypocrite. Quality of thoughts can be known directly
(through words coming out of mouth) and indirectly (action at physical
level).  Actions are crystallized version of thoughts.  So, thoughts
must be refined as described in asuri sampath and daivi sampath; (16th Chapter
of Baghawat Geeta).  Let asuri sampth arise, but don’t encourage that
thought pattern.  Weed out unhealthy thought patterns.  This process
is mano nigraha.  This is a difficult and
time taking process, because we have allowed our mind to wander for many years.

Example given:  Suppose there
is a huge reservoir of water, lake or ocean;  There are infinite drops of
water in the reservoir; a bird wants to empty the reservoir by using the tip of
a grass – drop by drop.  It will take much perseverance, patience and the
blessing of lord.  It will take a long time, so start now. 

This example is comparable to this puranic story:  Eggs of a bird got submerged under ocean; because of the attachment, the bird wanted to remove the water by dipping the tip of the grass.  Seeing the perseverance of the bird, Garuda baghawan came to the rescue of the bird by flapping the wing; because of that the ocean dried freeing the eggs.

Verse 42

Gowdapadha advises that we give
maximum effort to SCS

Nidhidhyasana sadhana is meant for the
madhyama adhikari.  Nidhishdyasanam is defined as dwelling up on the
teaching.  As often as possible, as intensely as possible and as long as
possible; studying any text book dealing with jivatma paramatma aikyam. 
Dwelling is only mental process and the physical posture is not relevant. 
This dwelling up on the teaching can be done several ways and anyone can be
chosen:

1. Repeated listening
2. Repeated reading or reading your own notes
3. Repeated writing
4. Discussion or exchange of ideas of the teaching
5. Teaching
6. Samadhi abyasaha; Vedantic meditation in which yogic stages of meditation are employed.  Ashtanga yoga stages are employed.  Asana, pranamya, prathyakara, dharana, dhyānam and samadhi.

Handling the mind is called amani bavaha
or mano nasaha; atma gyanam helps in two ways:

1. The mind does not see duality as sathyam and it sees it
   as mithya.  Then the mind does not create any problem.  Ignorant
   and problematic mind is dissolved by atma gyanam
2. When the whole duality is seen as mithya, it includes
   the mind also.  The mind also falls within dwaida prabanja; therefore,
   gyanam helps see the very mind as mithya; seeing mind as mithya is as good
   as destroying mind.

Atma gyanam viswa, taijasa, pragya
and thuriya atma; Thuriya atma gyanam alone will solve problem.  This is
discussed in verses 36, 37 and 38.  Giving and taking represents all
transactions or vyavahara; Thuiryum is defined in seventh mantra as avyakaragam. 
There are not even thoughts in thuriyum.  Thoughts are possible only in
sukshama sareeram; Thuriyum is beyond sareeram.  This is the atma a wise
man recognizes.  Knowledge abides in thuriya atma and it does not
objectify anything.  Abiding in atma means thought is centered on
Thuriyum.  Aham Thuriyum asmi.  At the time of gyanam, look up on
everything as Brahman with different nama roopa; nama roopa may be many and
varied but the substance is only one thuriyum brahman.  At the time of
knowledge I look up on the whole word as thuriyum; I look up the body, mind and
knowledge (aham brahma asmi)  as thuriyum brahman.  Every knowledge
takes place in the mind in the form of a thought.  World, body, mind,
thought, knowledge are all Brahman plus nama roopa.  All of this is caused
by mithya nama roopa.

Verse 39

Gowdapadha gives a new title for
atma gyanam asparsha yogaha:  Thuriya atma is asparshaha; or asnagaha or
relation-less.  Thuiryua atma is relations-less.  All the
realtionships are possible only in duality.  Viswa, the waker is in
duality and therefore the waker relates to the body and with the body he
relates to few people; Taijasa is also in duality, but he develops relationship
with swapana objects and people; in Pragya manifest relationships are in
potential form.  In Thuriyum all relationships are falsified.  One
who claims as thiriya atma never claims any relationship.  Gyani never claims I am father, husband,
etc.  This discovery of relation-less I the thuriyum is called asparsha
yogaha.  Thuiryum is extremely subtle and very difficult to comprehend and
it not available for all the seekers.  Many of the seekers are afraid of
this knowledge.  This is because every human being thinks that I am insecure
by myself and to find security I should have people around me.  For this I
should strike a relationship.  If I have many relatives around, then I
will be secure.  When I say atma gyanam takes you away from all
relationships, people are afraid of losing relationships and be without
security.  Advantage of dwaidam is I can have all relationship. 
Common man thinks that relationship is security and freedom from relationship
is insecurity.  That is why advaidam and sanyasa frightens people because
there is no relationship.  Vedanta says relationship is insecurity and
samsara; that is why vedanta calls every relation as bandhu.  Previously
you are worried about your own security; after striking relationship, you are
worried about others security.  That is why majority of people are afraid
of advaidam and advaida moksha does not appeal to everyone.  People afraid
of advaidam can remain in dwaidam as long as they want and go through all the
experiences.

Verse 40

From 40th to 47th verse, Gowdapadha
discusses nidhithyasanam.  Normally, if a
sincere seeker listens to vedanta properly, the teaching is capable of
producing gyanam.  If atma gyanam, arises in the mind, the gyanam will
produce the palam also.  The benefit of this gyanam is twofold:

1. Primary benefit is the knowledge that I am asanga
   thuriyum, the reality which is ever free from bondage or samsara. 
   Sthula sareeream, sukshuma sareeram and the karana sareeram and their
   problems are mithya.  These can never touch me, just like the dream
   fire can’t burn the sleeper’s body.  Mithya can’t affect
   sathyam.  I am mithya vidhehaha.  Dheha thrya rahitha; This is vidheha
   mukthi; Even though a gyani gets vidheha mukthi after death, but a wiseman
   knows that he is ever free from dheha all the time; this atma gyana palam
   is instantaneous.  Moksha is not an event, but it is the very nature
   of thuriyum.
2. Secondary benefit is when the atma gyanam takes place
   in the mind, this knowledge can bring about transformation in the mind, in
   the form of shanthi – peace of mind.  Freedom from fear; ever feeling
   secure or samthvam:  poise of mind is another benefit; there are many
   emotional benefits which take place at the level of mind.  This
   emotional refinement is a benefit of this gyanam.  But this is secondary because improving
   the mind is not the primary aim of vedanta.  Primary aim of vedanta
   is telling you that you are not the mind; therefore, this is only
   incidental benefit that makes the mind stronger and this is called jivan
   mukthi.  Majority of the people are interested in this secondary
   benefit alone, In Baghawad Gita, Krishna talks about this jivan mukthi
   many times.  Even though many students study vedanta, all the
   students do not get the same degree of jivan mukthi; some will get a high
   degree of emotional benefit; some will get lower emotional benefit; there
   is a gradation in getting the mental transformation.

A student ignores sadhana
chadhustaya sambathi (SCS), fourfold qualifications of the student, is
extremely important and that alone determines the degree of jivan mukthi
palam.  Even though there is no gradation is gyanam, in gyana palam or
emotional transformation is heavily dependent on sahdahna chadhustha
sambathi.  Students are classified as

1. Mandha adhikari:  When SCS is low.  The
   problem is vedantic teaching is not received properly.  They feel
   vedanta is irrelevant teaching for our day to day life.  Vedanta
   appears mostly impractical.  These people should acquire SCS by karma
   yoga and upasana.  For these people vedanta sravanam will also be a
   karma yoga.  For a mandha adhikari, there is no gyanam or gyana palam
   (jivan mukthi) through vedanta.
2. Madhyama adhikari when SCS is reasonable.  Vedanta
   appeals to him; knowledge also comes to him but he doesn’t get the gyana
   palam.  Jivan mukthi is not there.  Gowdapadha deals with this
   madyama adhikar.  Gyanam but no gyana palam.  Gyanam and samsara
   co-exist.  There is a block in converting gyanam into benefit because
   there is a block.  What is removing the block which is insufficient
   SCS.
3. Uthama Adhidkari. when SCS is high.  He gets
   gyanam and gyana palam from vedantic study.  He gets intellectual
   knowledge and emotional transformation.  These people do not require
   any other sadhana.  Gyanam is gyana palam.

Atma Gyanam is the solution to the
problem of samsara caused by mind.  Gowdapadha has pointed out since the
ignorant mind is the cause of problem, by interpreting the world improperly,
the solution is to tackle the mind by atma gyanam.  Atma Gyanam solves two
problem.

1. It converts ignorant mind in to wise mind which does not create any problem because it does not see duality.  It doesn’t see duality as reality.  It perceives duality but it knows that perceived reality is mithya and sathyam is non duality.  This mind does not create any problem.
2. Atma gyanam not only makes the world mithya, it converts mind into mithya.  Falsification of mind is as good as destroying mind.

Making the mind mithya does not
create any problem; the second approach is figuratively destroying or mano nasa
of mind.  Thereafter the wise person looks at everything, including mind,
as Brahman plus nama roopa.  Just like the frightening snake is converted
into rope plus name and form, the frightening mind is converted to Brahman plus
nama and roopa.

Verse 36

The wise person looks at the whole
world as thuriyum and that thuriyum alone appears as viswa and virad (pradhama
padha), with shukshama nama roopa appear taijasa and  hinranya garbha
(dwidya padha) and with karana nama roppa appears as pragya and eeswara
(thriyatha padhaha).  From its own stand point it is only thuriyum. 
Thuriyum is viswa vilakshanam; thuriuum is taijasa vilakshnam; nidhra
vilakshanam; pragya vilakshanam.  It is vilakshanam for avastha, sareeram
and pada thraya vilakshanm.  All of them are mithya nama roopa and I am the
athishtanam.  All three bodies are aroopam. 
Aroopam means absolutely free from all attributes.  Thuriyum is the nature
of consciousness which is ever evident in all three avastha.  It is ever
evident because it is the nature of chaithanyam.  Not only it is in the
form of chaithanyam it is also in the form of entire universe.  According
to Vedanta matter is nothing but consciousness with name and form. 
Vedanta doesn’t accept matter.  Vedanta says solid matter is nothing but
intangible consciousness with name and form.  How can intangible
consciousness appear as tangible matter?  How do the scientist say
intangible energy appear as matter?  If intangible energy can appear as
matter, intangible consciousness can appear as energy as well as matter. 
In that thuriyum, no transactions are possible.  Transactions require
duality, thuriyum being non dual, transactions are not possible.  In
jagradha avastha and swapna avastha transactions are possible.  In sushukthi
transactions are in potential form.  In thuriyum transactions are not
possible.  Neither worldly transactions nor religious transactions. 
Religious transactions are two types:

1. Karma viakara:  sodasha upacharas; they are in mithya or dwaidam; in thuiryum there is neither devotee nor deity.
2. Upasana vivakara; here there is duality of mediatator and  meditated.  In thruiyum there is no question of mediator and meditated duality.

Verse 37

All transactions are absent in thuriuum because thuriyum is free from all the transacting instruments – Pancha indryani, Pancha karmendhriyani and pancha gyanandhriyani.  They will be experiences but they are as good as not there.  They are mithya similar to a movie screen free from character when you are watching a movie.  Freedom means it is mithya not physically away.  Thuriyum is free from internal organs also.  The word chintha stands for the thought process or the instrument, the organs manaha, budhi, chitham and ahamkara.  Thuriyum is free from internal and external organs.  Worship, meditation of thuriyum is not possible because they need an instrument.  Because there are no organs, there are no transactions.  Thuriyum is absolutely tranquil, free from all noises, all thoughts, all movements eternally evident in the form of consciousness because of which alone everything else is evident.  It is the only source of security in which you are free from all form of insecurity.

Samdhihi has two meaning:

1. Adhishtanam for everything.  Thuiryum is samadhi because all are based on thuriyum only.  Everything else is mithya; Thuriyum alone is sathya and that alone can be samadhi for everything.
2. A mind which has full focus.  Because Thuriyum is knowable through a mind which has absorption or concentration.  This is samadhanam.  Thuriyum is knowable through a concentrated mind; concentrated in vedanta.

Verse 38

Atma gyanam means thuriyum
gyanam.  35th verse second line through 1st verse of 38 are all description
of thuriyum.

Since there are not internal or external
transactions, in Thuriyum there are no thoughts.  In 37th verse, the word
chintha is instrument of thought and in this verse it means the thought
process.  In the thuriuum there are no thoughts and no transactions. 
All transactions are divided into receiving and giving.  In Thuriyum there
is no give or take.

Up to 30th verse, Gowdabadha established
thuriyum is kariya karana vilakshanam and hence it is advaidam.  Whoever
misses the truth of advaidam and has the false version of dwaidam, that person
will have samsara.  Adaidam is a fact; dwaidam is not a fact and is a
myth.

From 31to to 39th verse, this dwaida
dharishanam is because of mind alone and therefore to tackle the dwaida
dharishanam you have to tackle the mind by mano nasaha which is explained in
two different ways:

1. In the 31^st verse, Gowdapadha says that the destruction of mind should be understood as the destruction of the problematic mind, not the real mind, which is required to enjoy poornatvam, moksha etc.  A mind which sees dwaidam as sathyam will create problem. As long as mind sees duality as reality that mind will create problem.  You must change the vision of the mind; let the continue to exist and see the duality, but let it understand that the perceived duality is mithya.  It is like continuing to see the dream with the knowledge that it is a dream.  When the mind sees no more dwaida dharshanam, you have destroyed problematic mind.   This is mano nasaha.
2. In the 33rd Verse, Gowdapadha talked about uniqueness of advaida atma gyanam.  It is a unique knowledge where the subject, object and the instrument of knowledge is all atma.  Atma knows itself by itself.  By this it appears as though it is an event that happens in time.  Atma does not require some instrument to know itself, it only means atma is ever evident for everyone because it is consciousness principle, and everyone knows that I am a conscious being.  If atma is self-evident, why are we studying the scriptures.  Atma gyanam means removing the misconception regarding the ever evident atma, the I.  Misconceptions are that I am the localized individual associated with this body, this mind.  Self-knowledge is nothing but removing the misconception regarding the ever-evident I.  This misconception removal is an event.  For this event to take place, guru is required.  Guru and sasthram remove the misconception regarding me.  This misconception removal is called atma gyanam.  Sthula, shuksma and karana sareeram have nothing to do with me.  I am a conscious being not connected to any sareeram. This sareera sambandha misconception is removed.  The walker hood misconception, the sleeper hood and dreamer hood misconceptions are removed.  For that you require sasthra and guru.

Verse 34

This gyani and gyani mind does not have dwaida
dharshanam.  A person who sleeps is also free from dwaida dharshanam. 
What is the difference between the two?  Both are in advaidam.  
A yogi in samadhi is also sleeper.  A person who is in sleep does not
perceive duality, but the duality is only temporarily dissolved.  In fact,
duality continues in sleep in potential form.  Temporary advaidam is not
real advidam, it is potential dwaidam.  When the sleeper wakes up this
potential dwaidam comes back with the family etc. coming back.  Therefore,
a sleeper or meditator in samadhi is not in real advaidam.  But a gyani is
one who has understood that dwaidam is mithya even when he perceives
dwaidam.   It is a cognitive and intellectual process by using budhi,
sasthram and guru.  He knows mithya dwaidam is as good as nonexistent
because it can’t be counted on.  Gyani’s advaidam is not the end of
dwaidam experience.  He knows there is always advaidam whether there is
dwaidam experience or not.  Gyanis’s advaidam is in spite of the advaidam experiences.  Gyani’s advaidam is not disturbed dwaida
experiences.  Therefore, gyani is free
from dwaidam all the time.  The state of wisdom is different from the
state of sleep.  Gyani and the sushukthi.    The condition
of mind in sushukthi is different than the knowing mind of a gyani; a sleeper’s
mind can’t be equated to a gyani’s mind.  Sleeper’s mind is potential
dwaidam.

Verse 35

In deep sleep state the mind has
gone to only potential condition and therefore dwaidam is also dormant, and not
negated for good.  It is only escapism from the problem of samsara and not
solution for the problem.  Whereas the mind which is disciplined though
wisdom does not go to potential dwaidam and it is not temporarily resolved. 
For a gyani mind has become brahman.  Gyani understands that mind is nothing
but brahman plus nama roopa.  It is like for a wise person pot has
become clay, now he has understood that there is no such thing called pot; what
he called pot now he understands it is clay with a name.  There is no
substance called pot and there is no weight for the pot; weight of the pot is
weight of clay.  There is no change in mind, but there is change in my
understanding.  There is no change in pot, there is change in my understanding. 
This change is called conversion of mind into Brahman.  The advantage to
this conversion is similar to seeing rope as rope and rope as snake.  I don’t
runaway from a rope but when I see rope as snake, there is fear.  When you
see mind as mind, there is samsara, when you see mind as Brahman there is no
samsara.  When you see dwaidam as dwaidam, there is fear; but when you see
it advaidam, there is no fear. Amani bava is learning to see mind as
Brahman is the destruction of mind.  This is nothing but light of
consciousness.  That consciousness is all pervading.  In Gyani’s
vision, mind, body and the world are all Brahman, and no one can harm
anyone.  A wise mind is permanently free from problem; a sleeping mind is
temporarily free from problem.

Gowdapadha has established that nondual
Brahman alone is there, and this Brahman was non dual, is non dual and it will
ever be non-dual.  If there is any duality, it is mithya.  From 31st
verse onwards Gowdapatha wants to talk about samsara and its remedy. 
Cause of samsara is missing advaidam which is sathyam and taking mithya dwaidam
as sathyam.

• Not having advaida dharshanam and remaining only in
  dvaida dharshanam is the cause of samsara.
• Running after is pravirthi and running away is nivirthi
  and this is one root of samsara.
• As long as I see duality, there is limitation by desa
  and kala; As long as there is time and space limitation there will be
  mortality and there will be insecurity and samsara; raga dwesha is
  samsara.  Punarabi jananm and puranabi maranam is samsara.

Whatever is the cause of samsara the
root cause is lack of advaida dharshanam.  In sushukthi there is no
duality and there is no samsara.  From this conclude that wherever there
is duality there is samsara.  This dwaida dharshanam happens when only
when the mind is active.  In Jagradha avastha and Swapna avastha there is
dwaida dharshanam.  The dwaida dharshanam happens only in mind and mind is
the cause of samsara.  If you tackle the mind, samsara is tackled. 
This entire dualistic world charam (moving, living) and acharam (stationary and
not living) is presented by the mind.  Mind alone imports dwaida prabanja
for me.  By introducing dwaida prabanja, mind is introducing
samsara.  So, if you want to tackle samsara, tackle mind.  When the
mind is resolved, (mano nasaha) or negated or eliminated one will not have
duality.  This is proved by our sleep state.  The goal should be mano
nasaha or elimination of mind.  How do you bring this about?

Verse 32

Mano nasaha is a confusing word if
it is taken literally.  Mano nasaha is not physical destruction of mind,
but it has philosophical meaning. Understanding mind as mithya is mano nasaha. 
Manomaya is anatma and mithya and does not have reality of its own. 
Falsification of the mind is mano nasaha; there is no substance called mind
separate from atma.  This is figuratively called destruction of
mind.  Similar to vedantic destruction of pot.  You can destroy the
pot by knowledge by understanding there is no substance called pot. 
Reducing pot into non substantial nama roopa is called destruction of
pot.  After this, you only say clay was, clay is, and clay will be the
pot.

By knowing there is no substance
called universe, but only one substance called atma.  Universe is non substantial
nama roopa.  This understanding of universe as non-substantial nama roopa
is called destruction of the world.  Within the world, there is mind
also.  When you reduce world to non-substantial nama roopa, mind is also
included.  Mind is also a non-substantial nama roopa.  This
understanding mano nasaha.

When you “destroy” the
pot, you continue to handle pot.  Similarly, a gyani continues to negate
the world, but there is no cessation of perception of knowledge of world. 
Gyani will continue to use the mind, body, world and he will say there is no
such called mind, body and world but only one substance called atma.  This
must be very clearly understood.  Many people think that a gyani has
physically destroyed mind.

• Mind should not be destroyed; If liberation is
  destruction of mind, all liberated people will be without mind; then there
  will be no difference between a liberated person and a rock. Then you
  can’t talk about virtue of love, compassion.  If gyani’s mind is
  destroyed, all people with mind will be agyani that will include gurus.
• The mind can’t be destroyed; Mind can’t be destroyed
  because mind has there since creation; and death does not destroy
  mind.  Mind can’t be physically destroyed.
• Mind need not be destroyed.  Vedanta repeatedly
  declares, everything other than atma is mithya.  A mithya vasthu does
  not really exist.  Why should I try to destroy an unreal mind? 
  Rope snake need not be destroyed.  You don’t need to anything other
  than understand it is unreal, no other effort is needed to destroy the
  rope snake.

Just understand mind is mithya and
this understanding is figuratively called mano nasaha.  You don’t attack
the dream world; you just wake up to waker nature; the dream world
automatically collapses.  Don’t struggle to destroy the mind; just know
the sathya atma which is the content of mithya mind.  Just like sathya
clay is the content of mithya pot.

Knowledge does not take place
automatically.  If you remove the thought, previously you are thoughtfully
ignorant, and now you are thoughtlessly ignorant.  Guru sathraa upadesham
is required.  When this takes place, the ignorant mind is converted to a
wise mind; an enlightened mind through knowledge.  A wise mind perceives
dwaidam but knows it is mithya; just like sun rise and sun set are mithya, but
we still keep calling it sun rise and sun set.  A wise mind that does not
see duality is as good as no mind, because it can’t cause samsara.  At the
time of wisdom, the mind becomes non mind.  Since perceived duality is
negated, the mind is a non-perceiver mind.  It is a perceiver at the same
time it not a perceiver because it does not see any duality as real.

Verse 33

In this verse, Godwapadha discusses
uniqueness of atma gyanam; this is different from any other worldly
gyanam.  In other knowledge subject, object and instrument distinction;
prmadha (subject) premayam (object) and the knowing instrument (pramanam)
thrupudi is there.  In atma gyanam, the subject and object both happens to
be thuriyum, me, I am the knower and I am the known.  What is the
instrument of knowledge; the atma itself is the instrument of knowledge. 
We don’t require any other external pramanam because everything else is illluminated
by atma.  Atma knows itself by itself; I know myself by myself.  I am
the subject; I am the object and I am the instrument.  There is no
thirupudi.  I am self-evident.

If atma reveals by itself, then what
is the role of guru and sasthra?  Guru and sathra are not required to
reveal atma.  Atma is ever experienced and evident; it is the nature of
consciousness.

Class
42

The Upanishad describes features of
Brahman, we come across a logical problem that two features of Brahman
contradict each other.  One feature is nirvikaram, not subject to modification,
beyond time and space, eternal and all pervading; free from all modiifcation
caused by time.  The same upanishad describe Brahman as jagat karanam –
nimitha karanam or upadhana karanam – word karanam implies subject to
modification. In one place it is nirvikaram and another place it says it is
savikaram.   The only way to reoncile is one is sathyam and another is
mithya.  Opposite words can co-exist only in different planes.  Which
one is mithya savikaram or nivikaram?  Savikaram – the karanam status
-alone should be taken as mithya.  Once karanam status is taken as mithya
and the world created by the karanam status is also mithya.  Mithya
karanam can only create mithya kariyam.  Gowdapadha gave spiritual
quotation to support this conclusion in verses 24 to 26.  Gowdapadha gives
logical support for the logical conclusion in verses 27 to 30.

The origination of world out of
Brahman is possible only in one way – through Maya – apparently or seemingly or
unreal.  Real creation is not at all possible out of Brahman.  If you
assume a creation originates out of Brahman, if the world is a kariyam and then
Brahman will become Karanam.  If Brahman is a real cause of the universe
then Brahman is subject to modification, becoming savikaram.  If Brahman
has modification, then you should accept the six fold modification. One of the
modification is jenma, that is subject to birth.  That means Brahman will
become kariyam, then it will require its karanam.  You will never be able
to arrive at logical conclusion at all.  Brahman will become subject to
birth and death and will become a samsari.

Verse 28.

From a sat vasthu ( Brahman)
produces a world, it can only be only a mithya or unreal world.

From an asat vashtu (nonexistent
cause) neither a real nor unreal creation can exist.  Sunya vadha
philosophers say Brahman did not produce world, but it came from sunyam. 
Son of a woman who is vandhya – incapable of giving birth (a baron woman), can
never be born either really or apparently.  Real creation is not possible
from sat or asat.

Verse 29

The world we see can only be
mithya.  How can I accept this solid world as unreal?  This world
appears to be very real.  The world is clearly visible, tangible, useful,
gives me sugam and dhukkam and all of these are very real.  Just because
the world is visible, tangible, useful, gives you problem you can’t conclude it
is real because an unreal world can also be visible, tangible, useful and give
your problem.  Tangibility does not prove reality.  Experience does
not prove reality.  Utility does not prove reality.  The unreal dream
world is also tangible when you are in dream.  Unreal dream world appear
real in dream state and unreal waking world appear real in waking state. 
So Jagrath prabanja and swapna prabanja are unreal.  Both are unreal when
the state is reshuffled.  When you go to sushukthi both are unreal.

Let us assume another state of
experience (other than swapna and waking) where you get another body, space,
time etc. in that state also mind perceives dwaida basham or dwaida
experience;  All dwaida experiences are mithya.  Vaikunda , kailasa,
Brahma loga are all dwaida and mithya.  Advaidam alone sathyam.  If
we go to nirvakalpaka samathi would advaidam Brahman stand in front of
you?  No because it is also dvaidam.  Advaidam is not a matter or objectification
of experience.  Don’t look into going to another state of experience to
see Brahman.  If you do, there will be an experiencer and experience with
duality.  All dwaidam is mithya.

Verse 30

The non-dual mind alone appears as
duality in dream.  In dream, there is only one object – mind.  Mind appears as dream objects; mind seemingly
convert itself into dream objects and create the seeming duality.  Mind itself makes a seeming division. 
Because when you wake up, you can shake off the entire dream world. 
Similarly, the non-dual Brahman alone seemingly appears as duality in waking
state.  That Brahman I am.  I alone appear as the world.  Just
as the waker boldly say I am the tiger, mountain etc. in dream, a gyani can say
I alone appear as the world.

The four topics discussed by
Gowdapatha: 

1. Yuktyya jiva shrity nishedhaga:  Logical negation
   of jiva shristy (Vereses 3 to 9)
2. Yukthya jagat shristy nisedhagaha:  Logical
   negation of jagat shrisy (Verse 10)
3. Shruthya jiva shristy nishedhaha:  Scriptural
   negation of jiva shristy (Verses 11 to 14)
4. Shruthya jagat shrisy nishedhaha:  Scriptural
   negation of jagat shristy. (Verses 15 to 30)

With this these four topics are
completed.  Taken together this means there is never jiva shrishti nor
jagat shrishti; there is no shrishti; there is no kariyam.  Therefore,
Brahman is not a karanam.  He is kariya karana Brahma vilakshyanam or
advaidam thiriyum.  The significance of the word advaidam is kariya karana
vilakshanam

Verse 31

All samsara problem is caused by
duality.  The dream perception of duality causes problem because it makes
me forget the advaidam, the mind;  dwaida
dharshanam is the cause of samsara.  Advaida dharshanam is the solution for samsra.

In jagradha avastha, you have dwaida
avastha, you have kama, krodha, moha, laya etc.  In sushukthi there is no
dwaidam and we experience moksha temporarily.  When dwaida dharshanam
there is problem  Dwaida dharshanam is very much there when the mind is
active.  In jagradh and swapna mind is active; in sushukthi mind is
resolved, there is neither dwaidam or samsara.  In jagradh and swapnma the
mind is active and there is samsara problem.  When the mind is active,
there is problem and when the mind is not there, there is no problem.  The
mind is the culprit.  In deep sleep there is world, but it does not cause
samsara.  Therefore for moksha, you have to tackle your own mind. 
Tackling the mind, conquering the mind (amani bava) are dealt with in verses 31
to 39.

While studying the nature of Brahman, we face a peculiar problem and that problem is some of the features of Brahman are contradictory to one another.  Main contradiction is in the description of Brahman as nirvikaram and jagat karanam.  The word nirivkaram means not subject to change; The same Upanishad also calls Brahman as upadhana karanam or material cause.  Any material cause produces an effect only by undergoing modification.  Examples:  Seed to tree, milk to curt, gold to chain.  If Brahman is nirvikaram he can’t be Jagat Karanam.  As both attributes are given by the same Veda and we can’t ignore this contradiction.  We have to accept and assimilate the contradiction.  If two opposite attributes remain in one and the same substance, then one must be real attribute and the other unreal; one is higher order and the other is lower order.  In dream we travel in train, while laying still in bed.  This is possible because travel belong pradhibasika sathyam and motionless belong to vyavakarika sathyam.  Nirvikaram is paramarthika sathyam and savikaram is vyavakarika sathyam.  Once you know that savikaram is mithya, then karanam status is mithya or Brahman is not real cause of the universe.  If the Brahman is unreal cause, the universe born out of unreal Brahman, then the universe is unreal. 

 This conclusion is supported by Upanishad by
many sruthi vakyam:

1. Na eha Nana:  It occrs in 2.1.11 Katha Upanishad. 
   “Neha nanasthi kinchana” is the full statement meaning there is
   no plurality at all; there is no subject/object/instrument
   plurality.  The Upanishad is making the statement in present tense,
   indicating there is no plurality even now when you are able to see
   plurality.  The perceived plurality is not absolute reality. 
   Just like dream perceived plurality is not reality.  Solidified ignorance
   is matter.  From the body stand point, this world is real but
   thuriyum standpoint this world is mithya.
2. Indhro Mayabihi:  Occurs in Brahadharanya
   Upanishad 2.5.19; Here the word Indra stands for Brahman.  The non-dual
   Brahman assumes the pluralistic for of the universe through Maya (only
   apparently).
3. Ajaya Manaha Bahudha:  From Purusha Suktham 21st
   Mantra.  Brahman becomes pluralist world without
   producing.   Brahman creating plurality without creating
   plurality; it is as though produced but really not produced. 
   Conclusion:  The universe is seeming production there is no real
   universe.  We produce dream object with nidhra sakthi which includes
   avaruna sakthi (veiling power) and vikshebak sakthi (projecting power). 
   Avaruna sakthi which covers the fact that you are lying down on the bed;
   this is the avaruna sakthi of nidhra.  The viksheba sakthi (projecting
   power) activates all vasanas in your mind and apparent world is
   projected.  If we can do this, Brahman can create the universe. 
   In the case of Brahmna only viksheba sakthi alone functions.

Verse 25

4.  In the mantra 2 of Eesawasya
Upanishad, the teacher criticizes and negates hiranya karbha upasana. 
This is the criticism of Hiranya Karbha itself.  By criticizing and negating
hiranya garbha is negation of the whole creation.  Hiranya Karbha is first
born or first kariyam, if that is criticized, then it is as good as criticizing
the whole universe.  It is criticized because it is not sathyam it is
mithya and the Upanishad says don’t go after hiranya garbha the mithya vasthu,
but go after the Sathyam brahman.  The first born hiranya garba is criticized,
by that way the whole world is criticized.  The very fact the Upanishad
negates the world, it is mithya.

5.  Brahadharanay Upanishad
3.9.27.7:  Jadhanayeva jayathe….:  Jivatma is never born, even
though we all have the misconception.  If jivatma is to be born, who can
create the jivatma?  There is no creator of jivatma and therefore there is
no jivatma creation; the creation we see is misconception or a second layer of
dream.

Verse 26

Brahadharanya 3rd chapter 9 th
section 26th mantra:  Here the Upanishad introduces the whole world as
moortha (tangible) amortha (non-tangible like energy, mind, thought, emotion
etc.) universe.  Sthula sarerream is moortha prabanja; sukshma sareeram
amoortha prabanaja; The Upanishad says the entire moortha and amoortha prabanja
is not the truth.  First nethi is negate moortha prabanja and second nethi
is to negate amoortha prabanja.  Whatever you objectify is not atma;
whatever you experience is not atma.  If not all this is not atma tell me
how to experience atma?  Atma is not a thing to experience.  It is
nothing but I, the experiencer, the consciousness which is experienced by me
all the time.  Since it is not an object of experience, the Upanishad
negates every object of experience.  When you negate all objects, what
remains is consciousness principle which illumines the nothingness.  The
witness of the blankness, the nothingness is the I the unobjectifiable
consciousness.  Consciousness is not something you can look and
contact.  It is ever evident similar to how a teacher knows a student is
in the class the for the entire class.

Verse 27

From verse 24 to 26 Gowdapadha
established that the world is unreal by scriptural analysis in six mantras (3
mantras in verse 24; 2 mantras in verse 25; one mantra in verse 26)  and proved
that world is mithya.  From verse 27 to 30, Gowdapadha says even the
logical analysis will lead to same conclusion.  You can never logically
prove a creation; if you say there is a creation born, then you will have to
say what is the cause.  You can’t talk about an effect without cause.