Understanding Brahma swaroopam :

​

By one's own experience of sugar only, one can realise it's sweetness. We can't find the Length, breadth, depth, origin, originated time of a sea.

​

After touching water only, we can feel whether it is cold or warm. After seeing sea, each one's thinking will be different like Fishermen think catching fish, Researchers' thinking will be about under water plants and things, some will be interested in taking pearl. Some may get scared and even return.

​

Similarly Brahmaswaroopam and Brahma vicharam is like a sea. Each one's views and experiences about the sea will be different. Interested and dedicated persons only can find pearl (Brahma Ghyanam)

Our Manobhavam towards our relatives and how it reflects in our relationship with them and their manobhavam towards us and how it influences their relationship with us, our views about society and Government functions and how society values us .... like these .. our thoughts flow like waves .. Being in such samsaram with never ending waves of thoughts, taking break for realising Brahmam is not easy but not impossible.  

Asaadya sathaka swamin
asaadyam thava kim vadha ||
Sri Ramadootha krupa sindho
Math kaaryam sadhaya prabho ||

Let us pray Lord Hanuman to make it possible. 

​

Sanatana dharmam

​

Sanatana dharmam shows us six ways through Shan madham to attain moksham.

​

Advaitam, Dwaitam and Vishishtadvaitam are different margas (ways/routes) to attain moksham.

Sri Sankaracharya shows through Maneesha panchagam "which qualities make one person as Gnani". A Guru gives some new test to the best student in order to show case that student's talent to others. Like that, Sivaperuman performed one leelai to make Acharya tell Maneesha panchagam.

Ahankaram

While following Achara, anushtanam according to our varnasradharmam, sometimes we may not mingle with all, we may get a place near swami sannidhi in temple. Because of all these, if we have a little bit superiority feeling than others, that is ahankaram. 

We have to follow our achara, anushtanam, at the same time, we should not think of others as inferior to us since they are not doing anushtanams either according to their varnasrama dharmam or due to some other reason.

Whoever has come out of such ahankara manobhavam is a Gnani. During kaliyuga many such maha purushas are there. We have to identify them and try to get brahma gnanam from them. Even if we can't identify them, they will keep on try their best to bless all to get this gnanam.

Such gnanam is nothing but realization.  Our effort to attain such gnanam is called Brahma vicharam*.

We have to understand and realise the difficulties of workers involved in civic works. 

Types of Bedham (differences) :

Based on society status, skills and professions, people may find bedhams. 

Chandalan : a person who works in burial ground who lives near that land, who eats dogs. Such persons are considered as the lowest level persons during those days.

We should always look behind to see how comfortable we are and should thank God for giving us such a comfortable life. And we should always look above to see what we should further achieve. We have to make use of this opportunity to do Brahma vicharam to come out of the birth cycle. During this process of thinking high values, we should make sure to keep our mentality without vipareetha bedha budhi.

When Budha, Jaina religions were popular in a period, Adisankaracharya established Advantage sidhantam of Sanatana dharma.

​

When Acharya told chandalan to move away, Chandalan asked Acharya, "I'll take it if someone else says this. After establishing Advaita sidhantam of No bedham between atmas, how did you find bedham and asked me to go"

Then Acharya did namaskarams to him saying "whoever has this gnanam, understanding brahma swaroopam whether he is brahmin or chandalan should be a gnani" thereby telling qualities of gnani. 

Acharya tells in five slokam about "To what extent we can realise Brahmam through upanishad, Vedas through gnani".

(Dwijaha : brahmins - higher level people who maintains acharam - who take second birth during upanayanam.

Teeth : which takes two births)

Sanatana dharmam advises us to understand and live as per Sastram like follow Acharam, do anushtam, do only good, think only good for others, manasa, vacha, kaya (with thinking, speaking and doing) live always with paropakara chintana (for other's welfare), good conduct. Due to environment and samsara bandham, we are trying to follow these things as far as we can. 

​

​Satva .. Rajo .. Tamo Gunas

All of us have Satvika, Rajasa and Tamasa Gunas. Such gunas are in our thoughts, food, living place, life style, our thoughts in dreams, whatever things we see, hear. Depending on all these, proportions of each guna will vary. There are many choices/sections for even having temple darshan. In which environment, our children are growing also result in change of gunas.

​

Following Achara, anushtanams, ahara niyamam, doing our karmas as per sastram, satva gunam can be increased. But, we should not even have a thought with ahankaram that "we have more satva ginawa than others". We can understand Brahmam only when we can get rid of all types of ahankarams. We can only realise brahmam within us through our sincere efforts.

Identifying Ahankaram

​

There is no meter to find how much ahankaram one has. We only have to find out and realise on our own. We can easily realise ahankaram in others and say "How much ahankaram he/she has".  From this statement itself, we can easily find out that we are admitting that we are also having some ahankaram which is less than theirs (because of the comparison 'how much ahankaram'). There is no need to see how much ahankaram others have. This comparison only leads to Vipareetha bedha budhi. We only have try to find ahankaram in us and to find ways to get rid of it. 

​

We have to respect all whoever leads life in a dhaarmik way according to their religious principles. We should not think of anybody inferior to us by any means. Always we should keep it in mind that we are in no way supeior to anybody

Sanjita karma is our accumulated karma over many janmas. Prarabdha karma is a portion of sanjita karma, which has started giving results in this current janma. We dont know who we were in previous janma and who we are going to be in next janma (depending on the portion of sanjita karma we are going to experience in that janma).

By seeing severe sufferings of many people due to their prarabhda, we have to thank God for giving us a better life (comparing to others who have more sufferings) and make use of the opportunity of our current life to realise brahmam and come out of the birth cycle so that we need not suffer by taking another janma.

​

​

​

When Acharya was going in Kaasi kshetram (sacred kshetram known for granting Mukti), Siva Peruman (with Gowri devi) in chandalan form came on the way. Then Acharya said "Go...Go" to give way. 

Chandaalan asked Acharya two questions for Atma vicharam. From the questions, Acharya understood that Eeshwaran only came in Chandalan form and then Acharya did namaskaram to Him.

While using the amenities we should keep it in mind and communicate to all the following message.

​

Luxury is not a way of life. It is a convenience given to us as an opportunity to relish or enjoy. But that is not the only way.

​

Then only we can come out of Bedha budhi between people who can afford certain amenities and those who cannot for some reason. We have to learn this attitude of not differentiating people from small children. 

​

We should not go beyond Naan (Me) state (at least some possibilities are there to come out of this Manobhavam) and reach Naanthaan (Me only) state. Then, it will become very difficult to come out of it.

Gnyaani

​

Azhwars, Nayanmars, Utharana purushas, Mataathipathi of all Sanatana Dharma mutts are all Parama Parama Gnyaanis. During Kaliyuga, such Mahapurushas live among us only to bless us, to give hand to us to come out of this samsara sagaram and birth cycle. But their mind will always be around Bhagavad chintanam and Lokakshemam. Just because they mingle with us freely, we should not misunderstand that they are also like us and comment them.

​

By realising this, we have to keep listening to their upadesams .. try to understand what they want to convey .. try to implement them - if not at least .. feel the essence of it .. sharing such experience with like minded people .. then we will receive their blessings and then can understand the concept SARVAM BRAHMA MAYAM

​

Bedham means not adamancy. Bedham means different types. We should differentiate between good and bad things and stay away from bad. When we misunderstand different types in a wrong way, that is called Vipareedha bedha budhi which should be avoided. 

​

Let us worship our Guru Parampara. They will definitely take us to Paramapadham (Moksham)

​

The couple is in the disguise of a lowly placed and unkempt downtrodden family. This learned and holy man, though theoretically very well versed in the Atma Jnaana, not recognizing the true nature of the persons coming into him, uttered the words, you…. Go away, Go away, Go aloof - in some form of scorn and hatred. Then, Parama Siva in the chandaala roopam replied to the learned man as follows…

Sishyas used to ask guru some questions for clarification. This is called Gnanatatvam.

One upanishad itself is named after such question answers namely Prashnopanishad.

Questions by Shankaracharya's sishyas to Guru and Acharya's answers is called Prashnothara ratnamaalika. We have to wear this in our mind always. 

Like that, here Lord Eshwaran in chandalan form asked Acharya a question "After establishing Atma tatvam that Atma is different from body and all atmas are brahmaswarupam only, why are you asking me to move away seeing this chandala rupam?"

Chandala spoke as follows: Oh ! The perfect man of Self realization -  I wish to know, whom are you addressing to get away from your esteemed presence out of hatred ? Do you mean the physical body of us – it’s one and the same for all!! Or, perhaps, if you mean the internal cosmic energy within us, it’s all the more same in all! .....

Whoever (in whatever form he/she in this world) has Brahma gnanam that all atmas are brahma swarupam only, we should understand that person as a gnani and give respect to such persons.

Clay is a tatvam that won't change - pot is made of clay, hence its shape will change later and become clay again.

​

Gold is a tatvam that won't change - jewel is made of gold, hence its shape will change later and become gold again. 

​

Our shareeram (which is made up of pancha boothas) after life will also go to earth and our Atma takes the next life with another shareeram also from earth.

​

Water in all rivers is the same only.

Rain water is pure only. It's nature changes depending on the place where it falls. 

Tatvam won't change. Each one's grasping power and capacity only varies.

Absolute reality is what we are thinking about the supremacy of the supreme power is what we are going to understand by Acharya's upadesams.

Sastram, niyamam and anumanam are different. All are different ways to take our mind in a disciplined manner (for manopakkuvam). 

We have created a wrong impression in our mind that without following these anushtanams, others can't have brahma gnanam.

For example, sometimes we won't be able to see sun because of the clouds. We should not misunderstand that clouds covered the sun.

Clouds do not cover the sun ... clouds cover only our sight. But, we say 'clouds have covered the sun'.

Sun is bigger than cloud. Since cloud is nearer to our eyes, we aren't able to see the sun because clouds cover our sight.

Space is sarvavyapi. We can't increase/decrease space. We used to say there is space in pot but

Vaasana (impressions)

Even after keeping the flowers from our hand down ... taking sandal from our hand, that vaasana continues. Like that only, we have many vaasanas (impressions) carried over from previous janma and due to that we have many misconceptions. We have to come out of it. 

Clarification

Acharya told all to follow each one's varnasrama dharma for developing our vairagyam. Through Maneesha panchagam, He clarifies that we should not think that we are greater than others in any form.

Since we are fortunate enough (by taking birth in such a place) to know these things (like chanting slokas, doing puja, following Aachara anushtanams etc..), we are following it. But, we should not think of other people inferior to us at any case just because they are not aware of these things for some reason. 

In this current period, it may be difficult to follow some aachara anushtanams. Just because it is difficult to follow for some reason, sastram will never become false faith. We don't posses enough talent and patience to deal with the situations in the current environment. Hence, we are relaxing our aachara anushtanams sometimes.

We may not be able to attain gnanam even after following varnasrama dharmam because of ahankaram. Others may even attain that gnanam without ahankaram by God's grace. So, we can't judge a person by any means. We have to develop a mentality to see all atmas as same and the brahmaswarupam inside each atma.

We should pray for Lokakshemam like for rain but we should not have ahankaram that it rains because of our prayer.

We are ready to accept others when we are in need like in hospitals where we depend on doctors and helpers, in mountain rides where we depend on drivers. At that time, we don't feel any difference between them and us. When we are in a comfort zone, we may have a superiority feeling which should be avoided. 

When we see some mentally challenged people, we may pity them. But, actually, they are blessed in a way that they won't add papa karma in this life. Due to prarabdha karma only, some are getting such lives to get rid of papa. We have to get rid of our karma in some janma, in some way through some means. That realisation should be there.   

Krishna in Gita assures us that once we started doing some karma, gnana, bhakti yoga and couldn't complete it, He would make us have a birth in a pious family (so that we can continue our yogam from the stage where we left) and would make us reach Him soon.

Steps in vairagyam:

Vivegam (without krodham and dwesham)

Contentment without jealous.

Vairagyam means discipline (doing some satvishayam daily without fail like doing sandhyavandanam, following ahara niyamam, etc...). A higher level of vairagyam is gnanam.

We can't realise gnanam without bringing control of our senses. We can easily understand gnanam to some extent through various means but the realisation is not that easy. By practicing vairagyam only we can bring our senses under control. Then only, we can realise gnanam. If we live with such gnanam of "Sarvam brahma mayam" with Vivegam and Vairagyam, Bhagavan will bless us by giving us Moksham through some means.

Self Assesment

​

Krishna tells in Gita that "Only few people will show interest to know about Brahma gnanam. Very few among them will put an effort to acquire that knowledge. Very few among them only will continue their effort. Only one or two among them will finally realise that gnanam and reach Me". We are seeing the qualities of such a Gnani through Maneesha Panchagam shlokas.

​

We have to do Self Assesment in a periodical manner to see whether we are progressing in our yoga Margam. 

​

1) In what matters like Anushtanams, Ahara niyamam ... my vairagyam has improved

2) Am I able to control my anger than before?

3) Am I continuing my anushtanams which I started before?

(According to sastram, during travel also, we can tell Gayathri japam in mind during sandhyavandanam time)

4) Am I able to control my senses from talking/ seeing/ listening to Rajo matters.. from tasting foods which should be avoided for satva gunam

Bhagavan will be pleased even if we show some progress in these matters. He will just see whether we are putting some effort with interest. Then, He Himself will give hand to lift us in the yoga margam.

To achieve this, we have to spare some time daily to think about such matters when we are alone. Whenever we have free time, we have to make use of that time for Ekaantha chintana to have some progress.