JIVA, ISHWARA IKYA YOGA

WHAT IS JIVA ?
THE INDIVIDUAL SELF WHICH HAS IDENTIFIED
WITH BODY IS JIVA DUE TO MAYA & AVIDYA.

WHAT IS ISHWARA ?
BRAHMAN ASSOCIATED WITH MAYA IS ISHWARA.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 
JIVA  &  ISHWARA ?
IN ESSENTIAL NATURE, JIVA  IS SAME AS ISHWARA,
EXCEPT THAT JIVA IS UNDER THE CONTROL OF
MAYA WHILE ISHWARA CONTROLS MAYA. 

WHAT IS IKYA ?
WHEN TWO ENTITIES 'MERGE' OR IDENTIFY AFTER 
CLARITY AS 'ONE'.

Parameshwara teaching Shanmuga

Parameshwara told Shanmuka--

From the beginning an object created by thought, following the 

system from time immemorial, wondered whether it is

 'Chaithanya' (source of power by itself) is this Maya filled world.

When this is analysed by divine thinking what remains is 
'ATHMA'.Realisation of this Self is possible only by the blessing 
of a good Guru,otherwise it is impossible to achieve it.

There are Five Sheaths(Pancha Koshas) surrounding Athma.
They are --
1) Annamaya Kosha (Food Sheath)
2) Pranamaya Kosha (Air sheath)
3) Manomaya Kosha (Mind Sheath)
4) Vijnanamaya Kosha (Intellect Sheath)
5) Anandamaya Kosha (Bliss Sheath)

The above Pancha Koshas are not Brahman(Athma) as they 
are not existing all the time, Athma which is Brahman is only 
a witness to them.

Five elements, Five senses, Five pranas(air flow), Manas, 
Intellect(Buddi), Knowledge(Chitta), Ego(Ahankara) from these
tattvas(truths) created body is called 'Kshethra'(space with-in 
the boundary). Jiva occupying this kshethra is called 
'kshethrajna'(who knows kshethra)

In this world there are two 'Purushas'.(entities), one of them
called 'Kshara'(which has end) is all elements(sarva Bhutha)
Other called 'Akshara'(without end) who is known as 'kutastha'
For these two there is a witness called 'Paramathma'--
Supreme God.

Paroksha(not face to face) means through hearing, aparoksha
(face to face) one's own experience, avarana means over riding
Shastras, analysing only by argument & coming to the 
conclusion kutastha is not there, he is not seen. Vikshepa 
means knowing Gross Body & Subtle Body are imagination of 
mind, favoring actions & feeling unhappy.

From the very beginning there are two limitations(upadhis) 
vidya(knowledge) & avidya(ignorance). Athma due to limitation 
of vidya is called 'Ishwara', by limitation of avidya  he is called 
'Jiva'. Athma due to individual's wrong notion that he is the 
body, undergoes birth-death cycles & telling "My house,my 
wife, my children", he will experience childhood,adult & old age.
 He tells, body that produces dirty pee, poo etc.as himself."I 
am unhappy, I am  a sinner" telling so sorrowfully, "I have 
earned merit of good deeds" bloating himself, entrapped in 
worldly pleasures, he will dance like a ghost ! When fire comes 
in contact with iron how the reddish iron attracts other iron 
pieces, Jiva entrapped in body,under going repeated 
birth-death cycles, under taking selfish deeds, moves back &
 forth to Swarga,Naraka etc.

Shanmukha ! Jiva has been tied down & arrested by --
Special,Imortant (vishesha), Fear(bhaya), living habits(sheela), 
surrounded by(vrtha), tied down(rajja), thinking high of his 
cast(Kulabhimana), intense dislike(Jigupse), doubt(shanka)
called eight attractions / knots(asta pashas).

and also full of ego by --
Teen age(yauvana), education(vidya), body beauty(rupa),
cast(kula), money(dhana), following shstras(anustana), 
property(rajya), son(putra) called eight egos(asta mada)

sorrow generated by--
body(thanu), mind(mana), money(dhana), world(vishva), 
servant(sevaka), full of energy(ullhasa), property(rajya)
called seven sorrows(saptha vysanas). 

This way, thinking in various ways, Jiva has forgotten himself.
This Jiva by --
Avidyavarana(ignorance envelope) tells 'I am this body only'
Vikshepavarana(forgetting, projection envelope) has forgotten 
who he is(swarupa)
Kleshavarana(difficulty envelope) experiences sorrow.
Chinthvarana(worried thinking) gives rise to doubts.
Bhramavarana(dreamlike envelope) is filled with ego.
Vidyavarana(knowledge envelope) calls himself as Pandith
(who has knowledge) 
Madavarana(head weight envelope) enters into argument
without knowing.
Thus he is surrounded by seven envelops.

From Prithvi madonnathi(world high-ego) fills his stomach.
          Jala madonnathi(water high-ego) becomes family 
           bound(samsari)
          Agni madonnathi(fire high-ego) gets filled with lust
          Vayu madonnathi(air high-ego) moves about
           Akasha madonnathi(space high-ego) wishes free 
            food & lodging(chathra) 
           Ravi madonnathi(sun high-ego) gets angry.
           Chandra madonnathi(moon high-ego) gets doubt & 
           start worrying
           Athma madonnathi(soul high-ego) thinks with ego 
           nobody is greater than him.
This way from the above eight reasons Jiva suffers in the 
ocean of sorrow..

Forgetting himself who he is due to Avidya(ignorence)
I am the second thing, so thinking due to Asmitha(pride,
powerful,strong)
Due to unfulfilled desires generate Raga(desires)
Due to jealousy generates Dwesha(hatred)
Due to the above four gives rise to Abhinivesha(clinging to
life, earnest desire)
Due to the above five difficulties Jiva is always suffering  
as if boiling . 

My child ! how much I can describe the mahima(greatness)
of this ignorance(Avidya). Influenced by this Jiva is born in 
various wombs & suffers.All the above sorrows are not 
applicable to Athma. Even though  sun's reflection  in shaking 
water moves,real sun won't move, just like that Athma is 
there. When a pot breaks,how there is no destruction of sky,
same way Athma is not affected. 

Athma taking shelter in Sukshma Sharira & caught in net 
of past impressions(vasanas),being target of birth-death
cycles & called as Jiva, experiences dream like wheel of 
samsara(entangled in family) 

Ten indriyas(five karmendriyas & five jnanendriyas), five
pranas, manas,buddhi -- from these seventeen tattvas
(truths) Sukshma sharira(linga deha) is made up off.This is
palace for Jiva. Athma taking a liking for sukshma shrira
(Linga Deha) tied down by Maya under going difficulties
has forgotten who he is ! Just as smoke envelops fire, Athma
which has no characteristics (nirguna) is surrounded by 
Sukshma Sharira & got the name Jiva. Just like a king by 
wrong notion goes round begging, great Athma which has 
no beginning or end,joined Sukshma Sharira(Linga Deha) 
due to Maya & thinks he is with limited knowledge.Just as a 
good person getting spoiled by bad people's contact, Athma 
who rules eight entities(five elements,sun,moon & Athma) 
coming in contact with Sukshma Sharira, gets submerged in 
happiness & sorrow.
---                ---                 ---                   ---
Pure Athma which is not associated  with anything(nisanga) 
how it can have association with Sukshma Sharira ? 
When limiting adjunct Sukshma Sharira gets destroyed, Athma
which is pure & one shines. Due to ignorance Athma looked as 
if entrapped & having limited knowledge ! When ignorance 
gets destroyed Athma is Paramathma only & in Paramathma 
how it can have forgetfulness etc.? One Paramathma with 
knowledge & another Paramathma with ignorance, such 
differentiation should not be there. Athma is only One & exists 
everywhere. 

Karthikeya, so far I explained to you, how Athma 
due to limitation of ignorance is called as Jiva. Now I shall 
explain how Athma gets the name as 'ISHA', please listen with 
one pointed concentration.

Athma which is pure,with no beginning or end,due to limitation 
of Maya came to be known as 'ISHA'. Brahma,Vishnu,
Maheshwara etc. are parts of this 'ISHA'. Whole creation, all
the lokas are in his body & is called as 'VIRAT'. His self 
effulgence is witness for everything, with SAT-CHIT-ANANDA
characteristics, being king of knowledge, is famous by the
name 'SWARAT'. These Virat,Swarat forms are seen through 
Athma & also get merged in Athma only. Athma is the witness 
for knowledge & ignorance. By the limitation of Maya, from
Athma differentiation-less, Sathva,Rajas,Thamas founded
characteristics- creation,maintaining,destruction, responsible 
for which are Trinity(Brahma,Vishnu,Rudra), took birth. For 
Trinity-Virat,Swarat are guiding principal aspects.

From pure consciousness(Chitta) having limitation of 
knowledge, supernatural powers(siddhis) like Anima, strength
(bala), good qualities(sathva), knowledge(jnana),Upliftment of 
disciple(Shishyoddhara), annihilation of papis(dusta damana), 
meditation(thapa), etc,were born. From fire, just as  flame, 
smoke generates, from Athma- power of pure consciousness
(chit shakti), illusion(maya) were born. Power of pure 
consciousness(chit shakti) is part of Brahman, Maya is known 
as original knowledge. This Maya is of two types - knowledge
(Vidya), ignorance( Avidya),  Athma by limitation of Vidya is
called as ISHA & by limitation of Avidya is called as JIVA. Just
as one person is called with two names, Maya is called as 
Vidya, Avidya. Athma's power of consciousness(chit shakti)
gets reflected in these two & got the names JIVA, ISHA.

Athma's pure consciousness is ISHVARA, his form is VIRATA
his self effulgence is SWARATA, his lively energy forms are
TRINITY(THRIMURTHIS) & divine forms.There is no difference
between Athma & them. By the limitation of reason,from Vidya
- ISHA, by limtation of action from Avidya - Jiva is born  & both 
are bound by these limitations. If the limitations are eliminated, 
Athma becomes ONE whole without any divisions. Jiva is 
bound by iron chain, Ishwara is bound by golden chain,but by 
this both are unhappy only. Just as the space inside a golden 
vessel, mud vessel are in no way different from space element
Akasha, same way Jiva, Ishwara due to limitations(upadhis) 
look different, but in reality they are ONE Athma only. How the 
rain water coming from clouds is having one taste, but due to 
the quality of earth taste differs, same way One formless 
Athma due to reason of actions(karya karana)  are seen as 
Jiva & Ishwara.

Kumarane ! In the Veda Vakya ' TAT TWAM ASI ' tells the 
same thing. TAT means THAT, TWAM means THOU(YOU),
 ASI means 'ART' ie, THOU ART THAT. Word TWAM denots
JIVATHVA, word TAT denotes ISHATHVA, word ASI denotes
JIVA-ISHA Ikyathva(ONEness). Hence my SON ! contemplate 
on the above sentence from Veda(shruthi vakya) very well. 
You are pure one PARABRAHMAN(supreme GOD) only,
which you realise when knowledge dawns in you. Just as 
same person takes the role of brahmachari(childhood), 
grahasta(married life), vanaprasta(living in forest), 
yathi(sanyasa) in life, one Parabrahman due to differentiation 
are called as Jiva, Ishwara but in reality only ONE exists. 
Athma is pure without any defect like sky(akasha). How 
reflection of sun in pure water & dirty water has no influence 
on sun, same way knowledge or ignorance are not applicable 
to Athma. Reason being, you are without any blemish, pure, 
Existence-Consciousness-Bliss(Sachidananda), supreme 
God(Parabrahman) -- when Shiva told to Shanmukha, he 
enjoyed bliss & questioned Shiva as follows --

God of Gods ! by just telling 'I am Brahman', if I become 
Brahman, why I am not able to do creation ?, please explain
this to me. Shiva told as follows --
Kumara, Maya is of two types--Knowledge(Vidya) & Ignorance
(Avidya). Brahman by limitation of Knowledge(Vidya), is called
as Ishwara & by limitation of Ignorance(Avidya) got its name as
Jiva. In the world what we see, please remember that 
everything with name & form are ISHWARA only, Creation, 
Existence, Destruction of world is caused by  Ishwara, all living 
creatures are Ishwara only. My child ! you are neither Ishwara 
nor Jiva, you are pure Brahman ! Being so how can you have 
action of creation etc.(being actionless). Due to to your 
Divine Power(Thapas Shakthi) you are capable of creation. So 
think in mind without any doubt, you are pure 
SAT-CHIT-ANANDA, PARABRAHMAN !! 

Above JIVA-ISHWARA IKYA explained by me, understand it
well, by breaking the attachment to this Maya-World, lead your
life in Supreme Bliss.This should definitely, not to be told to 
those who think they are higher than their Guru, who do bad 
deeds, giving pain & suffering to others. 


    


  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  .

 

                                                          

   

ATHMA SAKSHATKARA -- SELF REALISATION

SOME YEARS BACK HUGGING SAINT OF KERALA,
MATHA AMUTHANANDAMAYI  VISITED BANGALORE,
I WENT TO MEET HER. THE QUEUE WAS SO LONG 
THAT I COULD MEET HER ONLY AT 1.30 AM & SEEING
THE REMAINING QUEUE IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN TILL 
DAWN TO MEET ALL THE PEOPLE !! THAT MEANS 
SHE DID NOT SLEEP WHOLE NIGHT TO MEET 
PEOPLE INDIVIDUALLY !!

AS SOON AS I CAME IN FRONT OF HER, THE TERM
'ATHMA SAKSHATKARA' CAME FROM MY MOUTH ,
SHE SHOOK HER HEAD IN A POSITIVE NOTE  &
ASKED ME TO SIT ON THE DIAS BEHIND HER !
THIS SHOWS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TERM
SPIRITUALLY.

IN REALITY, SAKSHATKARA OF ATHMA IS ALWAYS 
THERE, ONLY WE HAVE TO REMOVE THE HURDLES
IN BETWEEN LIKE, BODY CONSCIOUSNESS, 
RESTLESS MIND ie, ANTHAKARANA - MANAS, BUDDI,
CHITTA, AHANKARA. ONLY WHEN THE MIND 
BECOMES MINDLESS(AMANAS) OR MANO NASHA OR 
MIND MERGES WITH AHMA, WE CAN EXPERIENCE
ATHMA & REMAIN AS ATHMA !

RAMANA MAHARSHI ON ATHMA SAKSHATKARA 

ie, SELF REALISATION

Bhgvan, Arunachala Hill, Arunachaleshwara Temple Gopura

Question : What is the Self referred to in Atma samstham (fixing it in the Self)?

Ramana Maharshi : Do you not know your Self? You certainly exist. Or do you deny your existence? The question may arise “Who is this Self”, only if you do not exist, but you cannot ask anything unless you exist at the same time. Your question shows that you exist. Find out who you are. That is all.

Question : I have read many books. But my mind does not turn to the Self.

Ramana Maharshi : Because the Self is not in the books; but it is in you. Reading books makes one learned. That is its purpose and it is fulfilled.

Question : What is Atma sakshatkara (Self-Realisation)?

Ramana Maharshi : You are the Atma (Self) and that sakshat (here and now) also. Where is the place for kara (accomplishment) in it? This question shows that you think you are the non-Self. Or you think that there are two selves, the one to realise the other. It is absurd.

That you identify yourself with the gross body lies at the root of this question. Well, this question arises now. Did it arise in your sleep? Did you not exist then? Certainly you did exist in sleep. What is the difference between these two states that the question should arise now but not in sleep? Now you think that you are the body. You see things around you and you want to see the Self in a similar manner. Such is the force of habit.

The senses are mere instruments of perception. You are the seer. Remain as the seer only. What else is there to see? Such is the state in deep sleep. Therefore this question does not arise then. Atma sakshatkara (Self-Realisation) is thus only anatma nirasana (giving up the non-Self).


ATHMA SAKSHATKARA ie, SELF REALISATION

Mind & senses try their best to get you immersed in maya all 
the time, It is as difficult as making Ganga river to flow back to 
its source, to make the mind rest on Athma ! By repeatedly 
training the mind through OM-kara or Gayathri Mantra or Rama 
nama japa restless mind should be made to concentrate on 
Athma to achieve peace of mind,happiness,bliss in this life & 
also to avoid repeated birth-death cycle.

Shruthi says --
Athma va arae drstavya: shrothavyo manthavyo nididhyasithavya I 

Yajnavalkya tells to his wife Maitreyi that Athma only to be seen,
 heard , repeated in mind, concentrated on it. Take back the 
mind inside you to hridaya where Athma is seemingly located. 
Repeated effort, patience, determination, renunciation  and 
intense Bhakthi should take over you.

The Self is without thought,,make it impossible for the thought 
oriented mind to think at all,causing the mind to get settled on 
the Self.Let not the mind to think anything else. We have to 
meditate always on the Self which is beyond the reach of the 
mind and extolled as the Supreme Bliss !

We have been brought up from our childhood to pray GOD as 
if HE is outside us, as source of supreme power & he will 
grant whatever we pray for. This thought has to be wiped out 
& in its place 'I AM ATHMA ie, BRAHMAN', 'I AM SHIVA' has 
to be firmly established.

All places, all directions, all times are conducive  for the 
sadhana (practice) of yoga of Self.Differences of castes,
social status,gender cannot cause any difference in the 
progress, knowledge & experience of this yoga just as 
colour of milk is white, colour of cows many.

Now the question arises as to how ANTHAKARANA(Mind) 
is able to experience Self ?
Experiencing Self is definitely possible,as we have seen 
many saints talk about that experience & from their 
experience many others are getting guided towards this 
illumination.

Following sloka from karika of Sri Goudapadacharya
(Shankaracharya's guru's guru) says --

Athma sathyanubhodena na sangkalpayathae yada I

amanastham thada yathi grahyaa bhavae thadagraham II (3-32)

If one gets the knowledge that Soul is REAL(Sathya), mind will 
not give any sense of form, then mind becomes mindless
(AMANAS), because mind's sensing faculty & its result, both 
will vanish. There is no shape or form to sense when 
concentrating on Self, hence mind becomes incapable to grasp 
or stick to any form & becomes mindless. We can observe a 
similar situation during deep sleep also, when mind rests on 
Prana. Thus in mindless state every thing is  seen as Athma 
only & nothing else, which is called 'AMANASTVA'.Mind merges
in Athma, then the so called ATHMA SAKSHATHKARA takes 
place.

In the case of a Yogi who has accomplished KUNDALINI jagriti,
Samadhi State remaining as Athma is easy, as mindless state
is achieved instantly & repeatedly depending on his duration of 
meditation & frequency.

As mentioned earlier, Athma is always SAKSHATH(here & now)
'KARA'(accomplishment) is always there, hence irrelevant. As I
am only Athma & there is nothing in between blocking it, word 
SAKSHATHKARA gives wrong usage as 'I am experienced by 
myself !!'

Other forms of worship,bathing in holy waters, japa of name,
oblations to fire as sacrifice none of these are needed.Fruits of 
Dharma or adharma, water oblations to forefathers none of 
these are for him.

Highest level of purushartha(achievement in human birth) is 
the experience of Self please note.There is nothing else need 
be known or achieved other than this. The face of the person 
who has experienced Athma shines bright & remains peaceful. 
He is beyond Maya & not affected by it. Maya is the source of 
all action. No action need he perform,as he is action less & 
liberated. He has attained Awareness.

OM NAMO GURUDEVA