To have viśvarũpa darshanam, we require physical eye to see the universe as the body of the eye.  We are all gifted with physical eye.   But this is not enough, we also need the attitude by which we look upon the universe as the body of the Lord.  Lord is the material cause of the world, the Lord himself manifesting himself as the universe.  We should learn to train the mind to look upon the universe as the body of the Lord.  This attitude is the second factor required which we call as divya shakshu.  This is similar to the prasadham from a temple.  Ordinary food gets a special designation as prasadham.  This change is brought up by inner attitude, divya shakshu.  This divya shakshu was given to Arjuna by the Lord.  When this change takes place, Arjuna goes through several emotional transformations.  One of the transformation is acharyam or wonder in seeing totality.  This totality is available all the time. But because of mamakara and ahankara, we were not able to see the totality.  Arjuna expresses this wonderment from verses 15 to 22.  Arjuna sees the Lord as the ultimate support is something which supports everything but is not supported by anything; that is support less support; Changeless reality; One who maintains the harmony of the creation.  Wherever human beings enter, harmony is violated.  When the violation is unbearable, Bagawan takes an avatar and eliminates the violation.  This is similar to when something poisonous enters digestive system the expulsion comes, and these are in built remedy.  Similarly, whenever there is a toxin to the universe, Bhagavan comes as an avatar.

Verse 19

I see you as one who has no beginning, middle or end, who has limitless power, who has countless arms, whose eyes are the moon and the sun, whose mouth is the blazing fire, and who scorches this universe with Your radiance.

Do not imagine one Lord standing with countless hands, mouths, eyes etc., but see everyone’s hand, mouths, eyes etc. as the hands of the Lord.  For viśvarũpa, sun and moon are the eyes.  This indicates that viśvarũpa is the universe itself. 

In Tattva Bodha, we learnt that every sense organ has a presiding deity.  The presiding deity of eyes is Sun.  Agni or fire is the mouth of the Lord, because Agni is the presiding deity of mouth.  Also, mouth swallows everything, similarly Agni the fire principles every oblation offered during an oblation.  With its radiated heat, heat is scorching the earth, and this is experiencing viśvarũpa darshanam. 

Verse 20

The space between heaven and earth as well as all the quarters are indeed pervaded by You alone.  Having seen this wonderful and fierce form of Yours, all the three worlds are frightened, Oh great Lord!

The whole universe is the Lord’s body.  Earth is the feet of the lord, and the upper sky of the Lord.  All the stars are decorations for the Lord.   The whole universe is pervaded by the Lord, without a second.  Arjuna says he is able to appreciate the universe as the body of the Lord.  Lord as the creator and sustainer, we all enjoy and admire.  But the Lord as the destroyer is feared by most of us.  Arjuna says he enjoys and fears at the same time.

Verse 21

These hosts of gods are entering You indeed. Frightened, some of them pray with joined palms.  Having uttered the word “peace” groups of sages and siddhas praise You with complete hymns.

All the devas, appreciate the viśvarũpa and they approach the lord.  They understand that Bagawan’s destruction is dharmic destruction.  Others approach the lord with fear.  Religion is often practiced because of fear.  Fear is required to keep a person in dharmic path, until a person becomes discriminative, wise and mature.  The wise sages praise the lord with complete hymns.

Verse 22

Rudras, Adityas, vasus, sadhyas, visvadevas, two asvins, maruts, pitrs, groups of gandharvas, yaksas, asuras and siddhas are all looking at you with wonders.

This viśvarũpa darshana is available for all.  The people miss it because of ahankara and mamakara; it is my private projection that is preventing from getting the viśvarũpa darshanam.  Wherever mamakara and ahankara is subdued, the viśvarũpam is available.  Rudra, Aditya, vasus, maruts, aswin, sadhyas, all are apricating the viśvarũpa and are in wonderment like Arjuna.

For viśvarũpa darshanam in addition to regular eye, we need a special attitude which is born out of study of scriptures as well as a prepared mind.  Without the prepared mind, we can see viśva but it will not be seen as viśvarũpa Eeswara.  Knowledge, cognitive factors, and a pure mind all required for viśvarũpa darshanam.  Arjuna was missing this divya sakshu and Krishna granted this divya sakshu – prepared mind – for Arjuna to have the viśvarũpa darshanam.  Sanjaya gives the description of viśvarũpa darshanam. 

Verse 14

Then, Arjuna, who was wonderstruck and thrilled, saluted the Lord with his head and spoke with join palms.

Because of the change of perspective, Arjuna had an impact.  Arjuna was struck by this extraordinary change of perspective.  This change of perspective showed at the physical level also. 

Verse 15

Arjuna said – Oh Lord! In your body I see all the gods as well as hosts of various beings.  Lord Brahma who is seated on the lotus, all the sages, and the celestial serpents.

Arjuna goes through several emotional stages and the first stage was wonderment or acharyam; Arjuna sees the world as wonderful.  If you look at the totality of the cosmos, all the problems like terrorism, wars etc., will seem to be insignificant.  This Acharya bhava is described from verse 15 to 22.  His first response is wonderment.   He sees all 14 lokas.  A question may arise whether Arjuna saw other lokas.  But it is not important what lokas Arjuna saw, it is important how he saw:  he saw ordinary world as viśvarũpa darshanam, the manner of seeing is important and not what was seen.  This alone gives liberation. 

Verse 16

I see You everywhere with countless forms, with many arms, abdomens, mouths and eyes.  I see neither Your beginning nor the middle, nor the end, Oh Lord of the universe!  Oh Lord with universal form!

The idea is all the hand of all the people, all the mouths of all the people etc. are all viśvarũpa darshanam.  Lord has limitless form.  The definition of the word viśvarũpam is the one whose body is the world itself.

Verse 17

I see You as a mass of effulgence shining everywhere with crown, mace, and disc.  I see you all around, radiant like the blazing fire and sun, blinding and immeasurable.

This is continuation of Arjuna’s description of viśvarũpa darshanam.  In India, deities are installed in difficult to reach places like Himalayas, so we can appreciate viśvarũpa darshanam.

Verse 18

You are the supreme imperishable one to be known.  You are the ultimate support of this universe.  You are the eternal protector of eternal dharma.  I regard You as the eternal Purusha. Both nirguna and saguna eeswara are eternal, because the universe is anädi – no beginning and no ending.  Ultimate support is that which supports everything, but it is not supported by anything.  Even though Arjuna is seeing saguna brahman, he is describing nirguna brahman.

Lowkiga sakshu (presence of lord) and divya sakshu (prepared mind) are both needed for Eeswara darshanam. Divya sakshu is a refined mind and not a physical mind.  Eeswara darshanam is possible only when both lowkiga sakshu and divya sakshu are present.  Lord’s universal form is available for everyone, but not everyone gets the same impact of the Lord’s universal form.  This is because divya sakshu is not present in those people.  Divya sakshu is defined in many ways like without raga and dwesha, without mamakara.  Not only one can see all the lokas, one can also see anything one wants to see as everything rests in the Lord.

Verse 8

However, you cannot see me with this ordinary eye of yours.  I shall give you a divine eye.  See my divine power.

Here Krishna introduce the two types eyes required for Eeswara darshanam – physical eye and divya eye.  Some people interpret the thilakam as divya eye.  One of the significances of thilakam is the proper attitude that is required for a refined mind.  Lord Krishna blesses Arjuna with that divya shakchu.  Divinity is worshipped as one of the five elements in many temples; but eventually we should refine our mind to see everything as divinity. 

Verse 9

Sanjaya Said:  Having spoken thus, Krishna, the great of all powers, thereafter, revealed the divine form to Arjuna, Oh King!

Sanjaya calls Krishna as Hari to indicate Krishna is the divinity and not just a person.  Years of pañca mahā yagna required to refine the mind.  But Lord Krishna temporarily removed the impurities and refined the minds of Arjuna as well as those of Sanjaya.  Then Lord Krishna showed the viśva roopam, which is the greatest roopam because all other roopams are:

• Finite.
• Mutually exclusive – one displaces another.
• Subject to arrival and departure. 

All the training of vedic culture and Hinduism is to give the orientation that everything in universe as the Lord.  This is the reason we offer everything – including new cloths, ornaments etc. – to the Lord before wearing them. 

Verses 10 and 11

Krishna revealed the brilliant, limitless universal form with faces in all directions, with many mouths and eyes, with many wonderful sights, with many divine ornaments, wielding many weapons, wearing divine garlands and garments, anointed with divine perfumes and full of wonders.

We get Sanjaya’s viśva roopa darshanam which indicates he also gets divya eye.  Many eyes and many mouths indicate that Arjuna sees all the mouths and eyes as mouths and eyes of everyone.  There is no separation of individual from totality.  The attitude is more important than the action.    

When a weapon is with the Lord, it is not secular, and it is sacred.  All the weapons are secular because they are associated with the lord and Lord maintains order and harmony.

In these verses only adjectives are given, no nouns.  The noun is viswa roopam.  All these verses are adjectives to viśva roopam. 

There may be a confusion that there is no viśva roopam before and appeared for Arjuna.  That is not the case, the viśva roopam was always there, but Lord Krishna removed the impurities of mind for Arjuna and Sanjaya that enabled them to see the world as viśva roopam.  

The many dresses and garlands described in these verses indicate many garland and dresses worn by everyone as belonging to the Lord.

Verse 12

If the brilliance of a thousand suns were to rise up simultaneously in the sky, that will be comparable to the brilliance of that great Lord.

Lord’s brilliance is glaring, because I am not able to look at the sun, which is far away.  The brilliance of viśva roopam is imagined as thousands of suns rising in the sky simultaneously. 

Verse 13

There, in the body of the Lord of lords, Arjuna saw at that time, the entire universe with its manifold divisions placed together.

Sanjaya continues in this verse.  Arjuna saw everything in the infinite body of the Lord; everything in the universe is resting upon Lord.  If you have to see the real universal, Krishna’s body should not be the limited body, it should be the vast universe. 

Scriptures and puranas describe the vision of Eeswara darshanam as a thrilling and fulfilling experience.  Any experience involves two things.  One if the object of experience which should be available.  It is not enough that the object of experience is available, we require a subject of experience is also available.  Object of experience should be available, and we also require a subject of experience; an experiencer who is prepared to appreciate experience.  Generally, we focus of the object, but not on the preparedness of the experiencer.  Viswa roopa is nothing but the lord in the form of entire universe.  Viswa roopa darshanam is available for us, but if we do not get the thrill of the darshanam, it is because of the non-preparedness of our mind; that is purity of the mind.   Just like gold is available in the ornaments, viśva roopa darshanam is always available but what is not present is a prepared experiencer.  The prepared mind is called the third eye or divya shakshu.  Arjuna asks Krishna to grant him this divya shakshu. 

Verse 4

Oh Lord!  If You consider that it can be seen by me, then, You show me Your inexhaustible form, Oh Lord!

Purity of mind is a tedious time-consuming process which requires lot of karma yoga and upasana yoga and it is a slow gradual transformation.  Showing the viśva roopa darshanam is not required, but what is required is removing the impurities of mind.

Verse 5

The Lord said – Oh Arjuna! See My divine forms of various kinds, various colors and forms, in hundred and in thousands.

Even though purifying the mind is a slow and gradual process, Arjuna asks Krishna for a temporary purification of mind.  This is similar to someone getting the vision by some grace.  But the problem is it will only be temporary.  When it is artificial purification, the full impact is not gained.    It cannot be an experience that can be assimilated.  Because of Arjuna’s request, Krishna grants Arjuna temporary purification of mind so that Arjuna can see many varieties and colors of Lord’s form.  We should understand that it is not a particular form that appear, we should learn to see and appreciate various forms and colors as different forms of the Lord. 

Verse 6

Oh Arjuna! See adityas, vasus, rudras, asvins, and maruts.  See many wonders which are not seen before.

Verse 7

Oh Arjuna!  See here and now, in my body the entire universe with the movable and the immovable placed together and also anything else that you desire to see.

Krishna says see the eight vasus:  Eight natural principles:  Vayu, agni, water, earth, andhariksha, sun, moon, stars.  The 12 Aditya are the 12 months.  Ashwini kumara represents principles presiding over prana.  Martus represents different forms of Vayu.

All of them belong to viśva roopa.   We don’t generally notice any of these wonderful principles.  We must purify our mind by avoiding raga, dwesha and lōbha. When puranas describe Krishna as blue skinned, it represents the vastness of blue sky.  The whole universe is contained in Lords body. 

The word Yogaha at the end of every topic means a topic.  viśva roopa darshana means the vision of the Lord as viśva roopa, which is the name of the Lord.  Viśva roopam means the lord whose form is nothing but the very universe itself.  How can one have darshana of the lord in the form of the world itself?  Direct vision of the lord of Rama, Krishna etc., the scriptures prescribe tapas.  Tapas is nothing but concentration or meditation.  One has to learn the dhyana sloka, concentrate and visualize on that particular form and chant the mantras.  If a devotee follows this process, the devotee will give darshana in that particular form.  We have many puranic stories describing the devotees getting the darshana of the lord.

If you want to have the vision of the lord, as the world itself, then you have to invite the lord to come in the form of world.  Should we invite the lord in the form of the lord?  Even before our birth, the lord in the form of viśva roopa has already arrived.  What should I do to have the darshana of the lord in the form of the world?  Learn to see the world in the form of the lord.  Train the mind to look at the world as the manifestation of the lord.  Understand and assimilate the teaching that lord alone as the material principle of the world.  Everything appearing before me is a form of lord.  Clearly understand and assimilate this teaching.  Only then the perspective and vision will change.  This vision is divine vision or divya shakshu.   The world has a different feature that is divine – that is world is a manifestation of lord.  I need not invite the Lord; the Lord is available all the time as the world.

The first eight verses we get an introduction to this viswa roopa darshana.  It begins with Arjuna’s summarization of the first ten chapters. 

Verse 1

Arjuna said – This supreme secret teaching named adhyatmam has been imparted by You for blessing me.  This delusion of mine has gone by that.

In this verse, Arjuna summarizes the first six chapters.  The essence if jiva swaroopa varna.  The description of the essential nature of jiva, which is not physical body which is only temporary. Similarly, the mind is also a temporary instrument.  So, I am neither the body nor mind but consciousness.  The features of consciousness are:

• Consciousness is not a part, product, or property of an individual.
• Consciousness is an independent principle, pervading body and making it alive.
• Consciousness is not limited by boundaries of the body.
• Consciousness survives the fall of the body.
• Surviving consciousness is not accessible because there is no medium.

This consciousness is my nature.  Krishna describes this nature in chapters 2 to 5. 

Arjuna states that with the teaching his delusion is gone, and the doubts are cleared as he listened to the teachings of Gita.

Verse 2

Oh Krishna! Verily, the origin and dissolution of beings as well as (Your) inexhaustible glory were heard by me from You in detail.

From chapter 7, 9 and 10 Lord Krishna described Eeswara swaroopa, defining the Lord as jagat karanam or material cause.  That is the lord is the cause of shristi, sthithi and laya karanam of the beings, similar to ocean is the material cause for wave.  There are no waves separate from the ocean.  Wave is only another name for ocean.  Similarly, god alone exists in the form of world.

Verse 3

Oh Lord! It is just so as You describe yourself.  Oh Lord! I desire to see Your divine form.

In this verse, Arjuna adds Parameswara and Purushothama as the name of the Lord.  Purushothama means the supreme lord; In Chapter 15, Krishna will tell that philosophically Purushothama also means nirguna brahman.

Arjuna says he has no resistance in accepting the teaching.  Intellectually Arjuna is able to understand that the whole world is divine, and there should be no raga and dwesha.  But that is not the case.  We always have raga and dwesha against one thing or another.  Arjuna requests Krishna to teach how avoid raga and dwesha and see divine in everything.

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Having discussed sravanam and mananam part of Jñāna yoga, Sankarachariyar is discussing nidhithyasanam which is meant to convert the knowledge into emotional strength.  This is meant for Jñāna nishta.  Nidhithyasanam is of two types:

1. Withdrawing from all vyākara and dwelling up on vedic teaching.  This is sitting nidhithyasanam . 
2. Always being alert in my day-to-day transactions.  Being alert in my response to various situations, in the language I use in my transactions.  Making sure that all my transactions are in keeping with vedantic teaching and not contrary to vedantic teaching. This alert life itself is a nidhithyasanam and is as important as the sitting nidhithyasanam.  This is not confined to a particular time; it is through all my waking time. 

When a person takes to nidhithyasanam, Sankarachariyar wants that person to note certain points.  These are all values to be followed even before coming to Jñānam and values to be followed for gaining Jñānam.  First, I follow them for Jñāna and thereafter I follow them for nishta.

1. Never argue with anyone, especially wise people.  Because arguments can boost the ego.  Also, we lose the opportunity to learn from wise people.  Here we should make the distinction between vadhaha and samvadhaha (student clarifying doubts with a teacher).  How do we distinguish between the two?  There are many differences between vadha (arguing) and samvadha (questioning):
   1. When I argue with someone I look up on that person as equal or inferior to me.  Whereas in samvadha, I don’t look up on my teacher as superior to me, in knowledge, in maturity and in all aspect.  There is a basic difference in attitude.  This attitude is expressed by the very language and tone I use.
   1. Often when I enter into an argument, I have made a conclusion on the topic.  Through argument I want to either establish my conclusion or refute the other person’s conclusion.  Whereas in a student’s approach, the student has never made a conclusion.  His aim is not to establish his conclusion or refute teacher’s conclusion; he just wants to learn.  In one the mind is closed because the conclusion is already made, in the other the mind is open because conclusion is not made.
   1. In argument, I try to talk more and more, and I don’t allow the other person to talk at all.  Even if the other person talks, I don’t listen, and I interfere before he has concluded.  Whereas the student talks the minimum; he wants to put his idea to minimum and he wants the teacher to talk more and more; when the teacher talks, he listens attentively and does not interfere. 
   1. In argument, since I have not listened to the other person, I have nothing to reflect up on.  Whereas I am listening to the teacher, I work on what I listened. 
   1. There is a possibility that even after elaborate explaining, I am not convinced of teacher’s conclusion.  Politely I ask once more, and teacher explains once more and I am still not convinced.  I put off further questioning and think over the answers given.  After giving enough time, I can raise the question.  Whereas in argument, repeatedly arguing the same thing.

   1. After samvadha, there is no disturbance or bitterness in the mind, whereas after argument there is always bitterness and disturbance in the  mind. 

2. Be humble; amanithyam;  make sure you don’t become arrogant because of this knowledge.  Constantly remove the arrogance.

Verse 6

Food is required for all states.  Sankarachariyar discusses food for sanyasi, because grihastha gets food at home.  He discusses food as though it is a disease.   Hunger is also some kind of disease because you are not at ease:

1. For disease there is a remedy in the form of medicine; for hunger there is a remedy in the form of food. 
2. When you take medicine, the aim is only to cure the disease.  It is taken only when there is disease and only as much required to remove the disease.  In the same way, you must take food, only when there is hunger. 
3. Since I am taking the medicine only for the disease, I am not particular about the taste of the medicine.  Likewise, the likes and dislikes of food should not be important.

So, you should treat the disease of hunger regularly.  But you should not ask for delicious food, because it identifies with your tongue and results in you identifying with the sthūla śarīram.  Put up with the opposite experiences like heat and cold which are dependent up on desa, kala and prarabtha.  These are the instructions for eating tongue.  Now gives instructions for talking tongue:

1. Do not utter single word when it is not necessary to talk.  Every word is spoken only after a well processed, well thought out and well monitored.  All spiritual sadhanas begin with tongue – eating and talking tongue. 
2. Even if you want to say something, make sure the other person has respect for your words and whether he wants your advice.  Ensure that the other person values your advice.  Example:  Krishna advices Arjuna only after Arjuna requires it, Krishna starts Bhagwat Gita only in second chapter.
3. Don’t join any group and have only good word for everyone.  Everyone has good and bad parts, and I only talk about the good words for everyone, otherwise I observe silence.
4. Some people may be good to you and another set of people may be cruel to you.  But don’t develop raga because they are nice to and don’t develop dwesha because they are not nice to you.  Don’t let their behavior generate raga or dwesha.  Let their behavior be forgotten right then there.  If they ill treat you, forgive them and forget.  If they praise you, thank them, thank the lord and forget.

Verse 5

In previous verses Shankaracharya give supportive sadhanas for nidhithyasanam.  The primary sadhana is dwelling up on teaching.  If we follow these supportive sadhanas, mind will remain tranquil and ready for primary sadhana.  Sit in a quiet place, fix your mind up on the supreme Brahman.  See that Brahman none other than poorna atma, the primary illuminator. 

The aim of the seeker is to grab hold of viśva (attention is on the object I witness), then to chaidhasa (attention to witness of the subtle), then to Pragya (witness of casual universe) and finally to Thuriyum.  In Thuriyum I turn my attention to I the observer, who am continuously there.

In omkara, instead of viśva, chaidha and Pragya we are turning the attention to akara, ukara and makara.  Ultimately I turn my attention to the consciousness which is the witness of the silence.  From sound to silence to the witness of the silence.  Both sound and silence are object but the awareness is not the object, but it is the witness of the silence.  Sound is not in silence and the silence is not in sound, but the witness is in both.  Omkara vichara is from the sound to silence to the witness of the sound and silence.

In the eighth mantra onward the Upanishads equates each mathra to each padha.  The Upanishads prescribes a meditation to assimilate this equation.  The sound Akara is taken as symbol of of virad or viwsa roopa.  By practicing upasana, when we say the sound akara, the whole viśvarũpa should come into mind.

The idols are not piece of arts for us, but Vishnu or Shiva.  Similarly we should train our mind to sound a as viśva.  The two common features of the two are:

• Virat is the first gross creation; after Virat along all other devatas came.  In the alphabet akara is the first letter.
• The sound akara alone transforms into all other letters.  Akara is the transformative letter from all other letters are formed.  Similarly Virat is also all pervading.

The benefit of this upasana are:

1. Worldly benefit; or Attains kamas and pervades in terms of his possessions.  He expands in life also; in terms of children, grandchildren etc.
2. In life, he will become top most.
3. The spiritual benefit is his capacity to equate akara to viśva.  This very skill is a spiritual benefit.  When he practices vedantic meditation, as he chants omkara, his mind thinks Virat, to Hiranyagarbha and then to andaryamin then to chaithanya adhirshtanam.  Facility or skill in omkara dhyānam through which he can smoothly land in consciousness.

Mantra 10

Taisaja, whose filed is the dream state, is the second letter “u” due to the similarity of superiority and mindlessness. One who mediates thus extends the range of knowledge and becomes equal to all.  In his family there will be no one who is ignorant of Brahman.

The second pada chaidhasa or Hiranyagarbha representing the subtle universe.  This is equated to the second mathra ukara.  O is a mixture of akara and ukara based on the sandhi rule.  This ukara symbolizes the meditation on the second pada.  Common features of ukara and chidhasa:

The superiority:  Hiranyagarbha is superior to Visva.  Hiranyagarbha is superior because:

1. Subtle is always superior.
2. Gross is born out of subtle.  Sukshma is kāraņam (cause) and gross is kariyam (Effect).

Ukara sound is superior to the sound of Akara because ukara comes after akara.  Therefore akara resolves into ukara.  Ukara being the resolution ground, it is superior.  Therefore Hiranyagarbha and ukara are both superior.

Second common feature is that they both are intermediary status.  If you take viśva, chaidhasa and Pragya.  Chaidhsa is in the middle; ukara is the middle between akara and makara.  Train hour mind to see the whole subtle universe or the cosmic mind or cosmic knowledge.

The benefit of this upsana:

You can practice this as a sakama upasana, you will get the following two results:

1. Because the upasana is on total Jñāna sakthi, it is equal to Saraswathi upasana and the upasaka will become a great learner.  The extent of his knowledge will increase.
2. He will become a common man to everyone.  He will be accepted by all groups.  His knowledge will influence other members of his family also and they will become more learned person.

Mantra 11

Pragya, whose field is the sleep-state, is the third letter”m” due to the similarity of being a measure and being the ground of dissolution.  One who meditates thus knows the trth of all this and becomes the ground of dissolution.

The third mathra of omkara is makara and should be equated to Pragya otherwise called andharyami or Eeswara.  Pragya should be mediated up on makara.  The two common features:

1. Mithihi means a measuring vessel.  Pragya and makara are comparable to a measure. Measure (ulakku) disappears in a sack of grains and appears again later.  Pragya is also a measure.  When I go to sleep, the visible world of my knowledge, ignorance they all enter into me.  But they all appear again when I wake up.  This cycle happens every day.  Therefore Pragya is like a measure.  Similarly when you say makara also, we swallow all other sounds.  The speaker when he closes the mouth with the sound ma, all other sound dissolves, but they all come back when I speak again.  So the sound ma is also like a measure where all sounds disappear and appear.
2. Abithihi:  Means ground of dissolution or merger or disintegration.  This is the common feature between common feature between Pragya and makara.  Pragya stands for one who is in sleep state; one associated with kāraņa prabañca.  As Pragya I dissolve everything into me.  At samshti level, Eeswara dissolves everything into himself.   The sound makara is also the resolution of all other sounds.  When you shut your mouth, it becomes m.  That will be the last sound you will product, when you close the mouth.

Keeping these two common features, one should practice.

The one who practices this upasana he will get two fold benefits:

1. Because of measure upasana, he will be able to measure everything and everyone properly.
2. He becomes the ground of resolution; he becomes one with the Eeswara.

Shankaracharya discussing final stages of Jñāna yoga – sravanam, mananam, nidhithyasanam.  Sravanam is nothing but systematic analysis of upaniṣadic statement.  It is called vedanta vichara, vedanta mimamsa etc.  Through systematic analysis we discover consciousness is the essence of individuals, and existence is the essence of the world; consciousness and existence are one and the same.  This we call sat chit atma.  Consciousness called sat and existence is called chit.  This alone we call jivatma paramatma aikyam.  This is sravanam.

Mananam is logically refuting all other systems which are contrary to vedantic teaching.  Any knowledge involves two paths; one is seeing the rightness of the right path; second is seeing the wrongness of the wrong path.  It is not enough to see the right alone; we also need to see the wrongness of wrong idea; if we don’t, one day the wrong idea may appear right.  Knowledge is knowledge only when it can’t be shaken by anybody.  I should know truth as truth and non-truth as non-truth.  For opinions we can have variety, but for knowledge we can’t have variety.  Rope is rope and it is not a snake. 

Vedanta makes statement regarding three fundamental things:  Jiva, jagat and Eeswara.  First it says jiva is infinite and ananda swaroopam.  This we are not able to accept.  Then it makes the statement about the world that the world is unreal.  I am solidly facing the world all the time.  How can I dismiss this wonderful solid universe?  The third statement says that you are not different than the lord.  This I can’t accept at all.  When we are in such despair, other system will be easily acceptable.  Other systems say jivatma is different than paramatma.  Paramatma created the universe and jivatma.  All other systems are very appealing to intellect.  They all claim that they are rational systems based on logic and reasoning.  Advaidam is based on sruthi, the vedas and use tarka or logic as a subservient tool.  That is why we say shraddha in sruthi is important.  A rational person will not accept faith.  Their order is reason and scripture.  Our order is scripture and reason.  Mananam is where every other system is clearly negated. That can be done only with logic.  Acharyas of advaidam have logically pointed out the logical contradictions in other systems. 

Shankaracharya establishes that logic can’t be used in the discovery of reality because logic has inherent limitations.  Logic and modern science etc. are deficient in discovering reality.  Sruthi itself has said this limitation.  This logical repudiation of other systems and seeing innate deficiency of logic alone increase our faith in vedanta. 

If logic is deficient and can’t reveal the truth, does it mean logic should be totally given up?  Sankarachariyar says logic does not need to be given up totally but used as a tool to extract the meaning of sasthra.  Don’t use logic to invent a philosophy but use it to bring out the teaching of sasthra.  This is called sruthi madha tarkakas.  For all our questions and doubts, vedas does not give explicit answer.  But at the same time, answers are hidden in vedas.  We have to bring out the answer to remove my particular doubt.  The method used for this is logic.  Logic will be helpful in bringing out implicit answers.  Many systems were not there at Sankarachariyar time, so he did not repudiate those systems.  Later acharyas repudiate those systems based on vedas, using Shankaracharya’s method.   Answering all my doubts is mananam.  The benefit of mananam is conviction of vedanta.  I can say “Aham Brahma Asmi” without any doubt.  That is a knowledge with conviction. 

The final stage of sadhana is nidhithyasanam.  Nidhithyasanam is a process by which the knowledge has to be converted into emotional, mental and psychological strength.   Our original decease is ignorance, which is at the intellect, but the symptoms are expressed at mental level in the form of kama, raga, lōbha etc.  All the samsara is emotional but the root cause is at the intellect level.  The solution is at the intellectual level.  But it is not enough. I am convinced I am brahma asmi, but the symptoms of raga dwesha etc. must be totally rooted out. If not, the knowledge is as good as being ignorant.  A vedanta does not help me in gaining calm, compassionate, considerate, generous, charitable mind – for that vedanta is utterly useless.  This requires assimilation of the teaching.  The knowledge coming at the emotional level as emotional strength, duty and refinement.  This is called jivan mukthi.  Knowledge is at the intellectual level, but the benefit is at emotional level.  Assimilating vedanta requires effort and requires removing each weakness.  It is a lifelong painful long process.  It is a lifelong process of consciously addressing every emotional weakness.  The weakness is different for each person.  For one it may be a superiority complex and another it may be inferiority complex.  Each of them should be removed.  This is nidhithyasanam and it requires time and constant alertness to discover the weakness coming up.  For this introspect is required to gain auto suggestions when the weakness appear on day to day life.

We should look at what I am (Brahman) and what I am not (śarīra thrayâṃ).  I should be able to see my own body as one of the objects of the world.  We should have the same objective attitude towards our body as well as the bodies of the ones we love.  Then the knowledge will be steady and firm.  Cultivate I am brahman notion and negate I am body notion.  This is nidhithyasanam and it requires lifelong commitment. 

Sankarachariyar gives instructions on how to live.  These instructions assume a person is at the stage of sanyasi.  We will modify it to fit everyone:

1. Make sure you don’t become arrogant because of this knowledge.  Constantly remove the arrogance.  Always be humble.
2. Never argue with wise people.