Sloka 27 and 28

SLOKA 27:

dehendriyamanaHpraaNaahaN^kR^itibhyo vilakShaNaH projjhitaasheshaShaDbhaavavikaarastvaMpadaabhidhaH .. 27..

Pada artha:

Tvam-pada-abhidaha: what is meant by the word ‘thou’
Vilakshanaha: is quite distinct
Deha-indriya-manaha-pranaha-ahumkrutibyaha: from the body, the senses, the mind, the vital force and the ego,
Projita-ashesha-vikaraha: and is absolutely free from all the six changes to which all the non conscious things are subject.

What is meant by the word ‘Thou’ is quite distinct from the body, the senses, the mind, the vital force and the ego, and is absolutely free from the six changes to which all the non conscious things are subject

By this sloka, the teacher completes explaining the discrimination of the Self from the subtle body. The Guru is here again explains the nature of the Self as distinct from the subtle bodies and also from all the objects in the world as it is free from all modifications.

The guru here is explaining that the Self does not undergo the six changes that all the insentient objects undergo. All objects of the world that are temporary and prone to change will undergo these six changes. These are called as Shadroomi. They are janma-birth, astitva-existence, vriddhi-growth, parinaama-change, apakshaya-disease and Naasha-death. It is very well known from our experience also that anything that is born has to perish. This is applicable to all the objects and the world itself, since these are ever changing, they will be prone to all these changes and hence will eventually perish also. Thus the world and all its objects including the gross, subtle and causal bodies have to be known as temporary and illusory only.

But Atman is verily existence-consciousness-bliss and hence which is ever existing and thus beyond the birth and death. The Self has to be known as that which is beyond time and all modifications. Only that which is unchanging and ever present can be real. Only that which is ever present is conscious of its existence, any object that is prone to these changes has to be insentient and unreal only and also all insentient objects are prone to these six changes. Thus it has to be known that the only reality is the Atman.
We can take the gross body for example, one may say “I was born in this day”… “I was grown up here” etc. etc.. if we analyze, there is a I present in each of these and it is ever present. Even to say that birth, growth or death has taken place there has to be a ever present witness distinct from it. Hence as we have learnt in previous slokas also, the sentiment Self has to be known as free from all the changes that the insentient objects are prone to.

The Guru hence repeats this here again in this sloka as this discrimination must be made very clear before one tries to understand the sentence “Thou art that”

SLOKA 28:

tvamarthamevaM nishchitya tadarthaM chintayetpunaH
atadvyaavR^ittiruupeNa saakShaadvidhimukhena cha .. 28..

Pada artha:

Evam: thus
Nishitya: ascertaining
Tvam-artham: what is denoted by the word “thou”
Chinteyet punaha: one should think over again
Tat artham: what is meant by the word “That”
Atat-vyavritti-roopena: by way of negating what is other than “that” (Brahman)
Cha: and also
Sakshaat vidhi mukhena: directly in the positive method

When the meaning of the word “Thou” is thus ascertained one should think over what is meant by the word “That” by negating what is other than Brahman and also according to the direct positive method.
In the previous slokas, we learnt the real meaning of ‘Tvam’ or ‘Thou’. After knowing the real Thou and ascertaining the nature of Self, the Guru is next instructing the disciple to know the meaning of ‘That’ which is the Brahman through the positive and negation methods.

Brahman is not something that can be described in mere few words not can it be pointed out only as this or that. The Upanishads describe Brahman as that which gives power of speaking and not just that which is worshipped as ‘THIS’ i.e. as any name or form of God. We can never define Brahman by describing the qualities which are again obtained by various objects of the world. To explain this, lets take example of a flower.. How to describe a flower? That it is red in color, it smells nice etc. but these qualities of red color, sweet smell etc. are those known only by other objects of the world and through senses only. Hence to explain Brahman which is the substratum of this illusory world and all the senses itself, would not be possible. Thus we cannot describe or give proof to the existence of Brahman, it is that from which everything else has come. Hence it is impossible completely define what it is by mere words or proofs.

To know that ultimate reality, the Upanishads have used two ways to ascertain the nature of Brahman. This is what is mentioned by the guru here. One is the positive method and other, the negative method. The positive method is directly pointing out to the very nature as SAT-CHIT-ANANDA i.e. existence-Consciousness-Bliss. These would invariably also lead to the conclusion that Brahman is one with out the second. We also have to remember that these are not the characteristics of Brahman but verily Brahman. And neither can Brahman be described as only existence or only consciousness or just bliss. One would be definitely lead to the other two also. Hence Brahman is described by the positive method as Satchitanandam.

Since Brahman cannot be defined as ‘This’ or ‘that’ nor pointed out as it is the proof of all proofs, we can only infer as THAT because of which everything else is by negating everything else.. This method of negation is called the negation method or Neti Neti (not this, not this) method. Brahman can only be inferred by negation as not this not this or not that or nothing that is sensed or nothing that is grasped, or nothing that is expressed by words. Thus by eliminating all the objects that can be sensed, expressed or all those that are impermanent are negated and known only as superimpositions on the Self. Only the negator remains which is known as the Atman, who is ever existence, sentient and ever blissful and verily Brahman.

The Guru hence in this sloka is instructing the disciple to first ascertain the nature of Self or Self indicated by ‘TVAM’ and then by these methods, ascertain the nature of Brahman indicated by ‘TAT’ in the Mahavakyas and thereby ascertain their identity. Let us learn these two methods in detail in next slokas.

Hari OM

With regards,
Mallika R
What you have is God's gift to you and what you do with what you have is your gift to God

Sloka 25 and 26

SLOKA 25:

parapremaspadatayaa maa na bhuvamahaM sadaa .
bhuuyaasamiti yo draShTaa so.ahamityavadhaaraya .. 25..

padartha:

Saha drushta: the seer
Paraprema aasmpadatayaa: the object of supreme love,
Yaha aham maa na abhyuvam : regarding whom there is the earnest desire ‘may I never cease to exist’
Sadaa bhooyaasam iti: may I always be
Avadharaya iti: ascertain this.

Do ascertain the fact that you are one with the seer, the dearest of all for whose sake persons and things such as children and wealth are dear and with regard to which there is the earnest desire may I the object of supreme love, always be and never cease to exist.

In the previous slokas we learnt that the Atman is the sole illuminator and witness and hence distinct from all the objects perceived, The Guru is here explaining to the student that it is only the Atman that is dear to everyone. It is the Self for whose sake, money, children, spouse and all the objects become dear.

If we analyze the desires of the mind carefully we can see the truth in this statement. The goal of anyone would be to happy, we desire for something only because it brings happiness. No one would ask for anything that brings sadness., hence all the gold, money etc, are sought out only for this happiness, if we say that "I work for others, I want this for my parents etc." then too we can observe that there is ‘our’ happiness in that also, when the people we want are happy we become happy due to the associations with them. Hence ultimately everything is the world is done for one’s happiness only. The only true love thus is the love towards Self, the dearest of all.
The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad deals in detail regarding this and says that "The husband is loved not for the sake of husband but for the sake of Self.. It is only for the desire of the infinite, which is the Self that everything appears to be desirable." Thus all objects in the world are loved only for the sake of Self, which is the verily bliss and hence the source of all happiness. The guru is hence saying here that the Self is that for which everything becomes dear.
It is only for the Self that the wealth and other objects are dear, Its only when the illusory ego associates these objects to the Atman that objects become dear. As Swami Vidyaranya says beautifully in Panchadasi 7th chapter, A seeker must hence not attach oneself too much to objects, as the main point behind all such attachment is not the love of the objects but the Self which is verily happiness. Swami Vidyaranya hence points out that for a seeker, the affection for this supreme happiness must be as firm as the affection that ignorant ones have towards sense objects.

Hence the guru is here asking the student to know the dearest of all, the Atman by removing the wrong notion of attachment to all objects and thus renounce the desires which lead to all the miseries.

SLOKA 26:

yaH saakShilakShaNo bodhastvaMpadaarthaH sa uchyate .
saakShitvamapi bodhdR^itvamavikaaritayaatmanaH .. 26..

Pada artha:

Bodhaha: consciousness
Yaha saakshi lakshanaha: which is of the nature of witness
Saha uchyate : is
Tvam pada arthaha: what is meant by the word thou
Saakshitvam: the witnessing power
Api: is again
Vodhrutvam: knowingness
Aatmanaha: on the part of the Self
Avikaaritayaa: as one free from all changes

Consciousness which is of the nature of a witness is what is meant by the word ‘thou’. Witnessing again is nothing but knowingness on the part of the Self as one devoid of all changes.

In the previous slokas we learnt that the self is the witness and illuminator. In the next two slokas, the guru explains the meaning of ‘Thou’ in the Mahavakyas. Here the guru is explaining that the real nature of Thou, or Self which was proved as the ever present witness and illuminator of everything is but the consciousness. Hence the Tvam or Thou in the Mahavakyas refer to that ever present consciousness which is the witness to everything.

It was explained that the Self is but a witness to everything and to ascertain the real nature of Self. Here in this sloka, the teacher is also explaining the nature of witness hood. By saying that the Self is a witness, it means that the consciousness which is verily Self is devoid of all changes. As we have leant that the witness can be only that which is unaffected by all the changes and is ever present as a unchanging reality, by the witnessing nature, it only means that the Self is ever present and is devoid of any changes. All changes are superimposed on the witness, which is action less. Like the sun that illumines everything but is still unaffected by the changes, the Self illumines all the modifications of the mind, intellect and the body and yet is only a witness to them. This illumination is what is called as knowing here. Hence by the word witness, it only implies that the atman is devoid of all changes yet is the substratum of all the changes. Self is that though illuminator of all the changes is ever present as only a unchanging witness.

Hari OM

With regards,
Mallika R
What you have is God's gift to you and what you do with what you have is your gift to God

Sloka 23 and 24

SLOKA 23:

ghaTaavabhaasako diipo ghaTaadanyo yatheShyate .
dehaavabhaasako dehii tathaahaM bodhavigrahaH .. 23..

Pada artha:

Yatha: just as
Deepaha: a lamp
Ghata avabhaasakaha: that illumines a jar
Ishyate: is accepted
Ghatat anyaha: as different from it
Tatha: so
Aham: I
Bodha vigraha: consciousness itself
Dehi: the Self
Deha avabhaasakaha: the illuminator of the body (am different from the body)

You should know that you, the Self as embodiment of the consciousness are the illuminator of the body and there fore quite distinct from it, just like a lamp illumining a jar, which is known to be different from it,

The Self as we have learnt is different from the previous slokas is different from the gross, subtle and the causal bodies. In the previous slokas, the guru explains to the student nature of atman as the witness and hence to ascertain that the Self is not the doer of all the actions. In this sloka, we learn nature of the Self as the all-illuminator. Just as the lamp that illuminates is different from the jar illumined, the illuminator and the illumined must of necessity be different from each other. Hence the Self which is verily consciousness due to which all the objects are perceived must be different from all the objects.

As we have also learnt in the Laghu vakya vritti Sloka 8, the consciousness which is self luminous though being the illuminator of all the objects (and their qualities) through the medium of adjuncts, like the intellect etc. can never be a subject of all modifications. Hence the teacher here is asking us to ascertain that "You are distinct from all the objects perceived as you are that sole illuminator".

Even the gross body, the mind, intellect and their modifications are illumined by the supreme consciousness only. The Upanishads proclaim Self as that which illumines the sun and the fire also, everything are illumined only by this and everything exists only due to the consciousness. The teacher is thus showing to the student that the Self which is the witness and illuminator of everything can never be the gross objects.

SLOKA 24:

putravittaadayo bhaavaa yasya sheShatayaa priyaaH .
draShTaa sarvapriyatamaH so.ahamityavadhaaraya .. 24..

Pada artha:
Aham: I am
Saha drushta: one with the seer
Sarva priyat6amaha: the dearest to all
Yasya sheshataya: for whose sake
Bhavaha: persons and things
Putra-viithi-adaya: such ass children wealth etc.
Priyaha: are dear

Do ascertain the fact that you are one with the seer, the dearest of all for whose sake persons and things such as children and wealth are dear

...Explanations with Sloka 25...please refer next post

Hari OM

With regards,
Mallika R
What you have is God's gift to you and what you do with what you have is your gift to God

Sloka 21 and 22

Hari OM to all,

Firstly thanks to Lord for all the doubts and answers about the existence of the mind. And also pardon for the long break in learning the slokas. I pray to Lord to give us strength to overcome all obstacles and to aid us dissolve all the confusions. Let the mind always be fixed on the thought of reality alone.

To recap, in the last slokas, we were learning from the guru, the only way to overcome all the sorrows of the world is by knowing the reality, by knowing the true Self. The guru is explaining the import of Mahavakyas to the student by instructing the student to know the Self as that which is beyond the senses, mind, body and intellect. The teacher is asking the student here to ascertain the true nature of Self as that which is the illuminator of everything, which is only a witness to all the actions. Let us now move on to the next slokas.

SLOKA 21:

agamanme mano.anyatra saamprataM cha sthiriikR^itam.h .
evaM yo vetti dhiivR^ittiM so.ahamityavadhaaraya .. 21..

Pada artha:
Aham: I am
Saha: he
Yaha: who
Vethi: knows
Dhee-vrittim: the functions of the intellect
Evam: such as
Me: my
Manaha: mind
Agamat: went
Anyatra: elsewhere
Cha: and
Sthirikrutam: it is brought to rest
Saampratam: now
Avadharaya iti: ascertain that
Have no doubt about the fact that you are not other than the consciousness which is the Self illumining the modifications of the mind such as ‘my mind went elsewhere but it is now brought to rest’,

In this sloka, the guru is explaining the nature of Self as the light illumining all objects. It is only because of the consciousness that the intellect can function. It is only because of this consciousness that we can witness the changes in the mind and the intellect. Experience and logic says that there should be something constant, unchanging and ever present witness to acknowledge the changes. Hence to say that “I had this thought or I was thinking that etc.” the ‘I’ has to be constant, immutable and should be a witness. And that which witnesses all the changes of the mind and hence the entire world is the Atman. The nature of this ‘I’ has to be known as only a witness. Hence the Guru is here telling the student to be sure of the nature of Self as only the witness and illuminator. It is the consciousness due to which the insentient intellect also appears to be conscious.

Here we can recall the 6th sloka of Laghu vakya vritti. Just as the water heated by the fire gets the heat to scald a body, similarly, the intellect illumines the objects only due to the consciousness that illumines it. Hence, One has to know Self as neither the body, nor the mind, nor the senses, nor the vital airs nor the combination of these, but as that which illumines all these and that due to which all these appear to be conscious.

In the next sloka, the guru explains Self as that which is beyond the three states of waking, dream and sleep which we shall learn on next.

After explaining the Self as that which is distinct from the three illusory bodies, i.e the gross, subtle and the causal bodies, the guru here is explaining to the student that the Self as related to the three states.

SLOKA 22:

svapnajaagarite suptiM bhaavaabhaavau dhiyaaM tathaa .
yo vettyavikriyaH saakShaatso.ahamityavadhaaraya .. 22..

Pada artha:
Aham: I am
saha: he
yaha: who
avikriya: changeless by nature
saakshaat: and directly cognized
vethi: knows
swapna jagarite: dream, waking
suptim: and deep sleep
tatha: and also
bhava abhavav: the appearance and disappearance
dheeya: of the intellect
avadharaya iti: ascertain this.

Make sure that you are the changeless Self immediately cognized that illumines the three states of waking, dream and deep sleep as well as the appearance and disappearance of the intellect and its modifications.

The Self is discriminated here from the states of waking, dream and deep sleep, and also from the intellect and thus it is shown to be distinct from all of them. Atman is that which exists beyond the three states. Let us first know what these three states are. The waking state or the Jagratha avastha is that when all the senses are active and aware of the external world. Dream state or Swapna Avastha is that when the experiences of the waking state as impressions on the mind take form of the objects and the observer also. The Deep sleep state or the Shushpta avastha is when the gross and subtle bodies are absorbed in their source, i.e. the causal body. At this state, there are no senses, no mind nor the thoughts. The Self is a witness only to the ignorance at this deep sleep state. Atman who is always distinct from the three bodies remains always as a witness to the various activities in the three states.

One may say that "I dreamt this", "I had a good sleep", "I see this" etc. This is possible only of there is a witness distinct from the doer at all the three states. The Self is hence described here as the illuminator of all the three states.

It is only the jeeva which goes through all these states. As we have learnt in the technical definitions of Mahavakyas, it is only the jeeva that assumes the three bodies and becomes the Visva, Taijasa and Prajna, but the Brahman which is the substratum of this jeeva remains unchanging. The Guru here is explaining to the student to ascertain that Self is the Brahman which is unaffected by all the three states and is here asking the student to know for sure the Atman as the witness to the three states.

The Atman is also described as that which is the witness to the activities of the intellect. In the deep sleep state, there are no thoughts nor the intellect. The intellect along with the anthah karanas are absorbed into the causal body. Hence the Guru here says, You are that witness to this appearance and disappearance of the intellect and hence neither the intellect but nor the experiencer of the three states but the all illuming Atman distinct from them.

Hari OM

With regards,
Mallika R
What you have is God's gift to you and what you do with what you have is your gift to God

Sloka 19 and 20

SLOKA 19:

anaapannavikaaraH sannayaskaantavadeva yaH .
budhdyaadiiMshchaalayetpratyak.h so.ahamityavadhaaraya .. 19..

Pada artha:
Aham: I am
Saha: He
Yaha: who
Anapannavikaaraha san: changeless by nature
Pratyak: the Inner most Self,
Chaamayet: puts into motion
Budhhi aadin: the intellect etc.
Ayaskaantavat eva:as the loadstone (does iron)
Avadharaya iti: ascertain this

Have the firm conviction that you are the changeless Innermost Self that moves the intellect etc. like the lodestone moving the iron.

The Guru in this sloka explains to the student to know the Self as the changeless substratum. It is that due to which all the senses and the intellect can function. Like a lodestone that can move heavy iron, the Self is that which illumines everything and is substratum of the entire world. The heavy iron which may be hard to be moved in any way can be easily moved by a magnet or a lodestone that itself is stagnant. Similarly, the Self though changeless, is that in which this world takes birth, flourishes and dies.

Self is here proclaimed as unmoving and changeless, Atman is nirvakara i.e. with out changes. Only that which takes birth and dies undergoes changes, but the Self which is ever present and eternal and is verily existence cannot be prone to changes. It is also all pervading and one and only. Hence the guru here says that the Atman is changeless and is ever present as a substratum to the changing intellect. Just as a lodestone that is capable of moving iron though unmoving and without undergoing any changes itself, the Self though changeless is substratum of all the changes of the world.

SLOKA 20:

ajaDaatmavadaabhaanti yatsaannidhyaajjaDaa api .
dehendriyamanaHpraaNaaH so.ahamityavadhaaraya .. 20..

Pada artha:
Aham: I am
Saha: He
Yat-sannidhyat: by whose proximity
Deha-indriya-mana-pranaha: the body, senses, the mind and the vital force
Jadhaha: though non conscious
Abhaanti: appear
Ajada-aatmavat: to be conscious like the Self
Avadharaya iti: ascertain this

Come to the conclusion that you are identical with the entity owning to whose proximate existence the body, the senses, the mind and the vital force, though non-conscious, appear to possess consciousness like that of the Self.

It is really the consciousness of the Self that makes the body, the mind etc. appear to be conscious, like the fire making a read hot piece of iron look like fire.

In this sloka, the guru is gain explaining the nature of the Self as the illuminator of all the inner organs and the body. As we have leant in the 18th sloka, the Self is that owing to whose proximity, even the non conscious entities such as the mind, vital forces etc seem to function and possess consciousness.

Let us recall from the first sloka of Mahavakya viveka of Panchadashi, that the Self is that by which the eyes see, ears hear, tongue speaks, That is the consciousness. The body and senses are thus able to function only because of this consciousness. It is only when they become associated to the consciousness through the inner organs that they function. The senses and the inner organs can function only when there is some one conscious about them, only when there is consciousness that the body is present. This can be demonstrated very well by the anvaya vyatireka yukti. When there is consciousness and the inner organs are active, then there are all physical and emotional feelings, but when there is no consciousness, the body is equivalent to a log. It becomes but another senseless object once there is no consciousness, like in death.

The Upanishads also proclaim the Self as that by which gives word the power of speaking.. Thus Atman is the illuminator, because of which all everything exists. It is this consciousness only because of which all the insentient objects also seem to function.

Hari OM

With regards,
Mallika R
What you have is God's gift to you and what you do with what you have is your gift to God

Sloka 17 and 18

SLOKA 17:

saMghaato.api tathaa naahamiti dR^ishyavilakShaNam.h .
draShTaaramanumaanena nipuNaM sampradhaaraya .. 17..

Pada artha:

Tatha: similarly (ascertain)
Aham: I am
Na: not
Sanghataha api iti: also the combination (of the subtle and the gross bodies).
Sampradharaya: be sure
Nipunaam: intelligently,
Anumaanenda: by inference,
Drushtaaram: of the Self, the seer,
Drushya vilakshanam: who is quite different in nature from the seen, the objects.

Convince yourself that you are also not the combination of the gross and the subtle bodies, and ascertain accurately, by means of inference, that you, the seer, are quite distinct from the seen.

In the last two slokas, we learnt from the guru explaining to the student about the Atman as different from the body and also the illusory nature of the senses. After explaining the impermanent nature of the body and then the insentient nature of the senses and the intellect, the guru here further tells that the Self is also not the combination of the gross and the subtle bodies. The body, which is made up of the five elements is insentient. Still we get the ego of the body and feel pleasure and pain due to the presence of the subtle body which consists of the mind, intellect and ego. It is these that create illusory bonding and attach the body to the Atman, and a person is deluded and believes the body to be Self. The senses and the inner organs combined create an illusion of embodiment to the body. This can be very well proved by our experience in the dream and waking state, even though the subtle body is active, one cannot feel the gross body, it is only when both are active in the waking state that the delusion of embodiment occurs. Hence after explaining the nature of the gross and the subtle body the teacher is asking the student to ascertain that the Self is also neither the combination of the gross and the subtle bodies.

By inference, logic and experience, one has to know the true nature of Atman as distinct from the objects and these bodies. The witness hood of the Self has to be understood here clearly. The guru is hence explaining to the student to know for sure and remove all doubts about the Self, just as the objects are different from the seer, the senses are different from the perceiver, the witness is different from the objects witnessed, the Self is different from the gross and subtle bodies.

For any process or action to take place, there has to be a non changing witness, action being done, the instruments with which the action is perceived and the objects undergoing changes/doing the action, i.e. those participating in the action. Objects are seen and perceived only because of the mind, intellect and the senses. It is these that create the illusory world and its happenings. Atman or Self is always present only as a witness as it never undergoes any changes and nor can be perceived by the senses. Upanishads explain this clearly as " You cannot see the seer of seeing. You cannot hear the hearer of hearing. You cannot think the Thinker of thinking. You cannot understand the Understander of understanding. That is the Atman."
Thus the Self is only is the witness, is only the seer, neither the seen nor the instruments of seeing nor the act of seeing itself. By saying that the seer is quite different from the seen, the Guru is thus explaining that the body and the intellect which undergo changes are not the Self, neither is the subtle body which perceives these actions and is subject to change itself; but you are that which is the substratum of all these and that which is ever present just as a witness. You are THAT Atman.

SLOKA 18:

dehendriyaadayo bhaavaa haanaadivyaapR^itikShamaaH .
yasya sannidhimaatreNa so.ahamityavadhaaraya .. 18..

Pada artha:

Aham: I am
Saha: he
Yasya sannidhi maatrena: by whose proximity only
Bhaavaha: non conscious entities
Deha indriya adhyaha: like the body, senses etc.
Haana aadi vyapruthi kshamaha: are able to function by the way of rejection (or acceptance)
Avadhaaraya: ascertain
Iti: this

Know yourself to be the one owing to whose proximity alone non conscious entities like the body and the senses are able to function by the way of acceptance and rejection.

In the last few slokas we learnt that the body and the senses are not the self by example of the jar and the seer, in the same way, it was also inferred that the combination of both the body and the senses are also not the seer, just as the witness or the seer will always be different from the seen, the Self is always only a witness to all the modifications of the body and the mind. Here in this sloka, the guru is telling the student the same by pointing out to the illuminating nature of the Self. While the witness hood of the Self was explained in the previous sloka, here we learn the nature of the Self as the all present illuminator i.e. the consciousness.

The guru is asking the student to know that it is only because of the Atman that even insentient objects such as the body and the senses seem to gain consciousness and function by the way of acceptance and rejection. The body as well as the inner organs are insentient and cannot function by themselves. This is very well proved by the fact that only when there is consciousness that we can feel the pain, pleasure etc. and if there is no consciousness then there is no feelings nor any senses. Hence, there is something which is beyond all these senses which gives the insentient senses and the body this consciousness. And this the Guru says is the Atman. Hence a seeker has to know that Self is that due to whose proximity alone, all the insentient objects are able to function well.

Here one may get the doubt, if the mind and the body are insentient, and the Atman is beyond all these, then how can one say that the Self can be known through mind, reasoning etc? And why is it that some say, the purpose of the human life (taken as the human body and the mind) is only to realize the reality?? The answer would be very simple if we clearly understand the nature of Self as verily consciousness.

It is that which illumines the mind and the intellect. These are like the mirrors that reflect this illumination and in turn illuminate the body and other objects of the world. It is because of these inner organs that we say, this is my hand, this is my money etc.. Here, the real ‘I’ is but the Self and that which is pointing out and creating this illusion of owner hood is the mind. Hence the ever existent Atman cannot be sensed nor understood by the senses and the mind which are them selves illusory.

Now the question comes, then how can the mind be used to know the Self? It is also true that we are studying the scriptures and understanding them only due to these inner organs. Then how can the Self be known by them when the scriptures say " You cannot see the seer of seeing. You cannot hear the hearer of hearing. You cannot think the Thinker of thinking. You cannot understand the Understander of understanding. That is the Atman." ?

We have to always remember that the Atman is ever present. We do not need another person to point out our existence nor do we need to read any scriptures to know I exist. Atman or Self is verily existence, consciousness and bliss. It is only when this true nature is forgotten that duality is perceived and the subtle and the gross bodies seem to exist. All the logic, understandings, by hearting of slokas and debates and even meditation etc.. are ONLY to remove this illusory ignorance, all these activities of the mind are only to remove the modifications of the mind and intellect so that the real nature of the Self shines forth completely. All this illusory knowledge got by these senses is only to remove the illusory ignorance. When this knowledge negates the ignorance, then the real nature of Self is revealed, like the Sun shining in clear sky without the clouds of ignorance.

This is what is called as realization by those still in the realm of ignorance. It is not anything new to be achieved that the illusory inner organs can’t procure it. It is ever existent and these inner organs only aid in negating themselves. Like a thorn used to remove another thorn, the mind is used to negate its own thoughts. These are just instruments. Once the goal is achieved, there is no need of the instrument nor the removed, like the thorn that removed and the thorn that was removed are both thrown away, the mind and the world are realized just as illusions and become so worthless. The mind and intellect reason, evaluate and argue only to pacify them selves. Thus the mind becomes a instrument, in negating itself. Once the reality is known, there are no instruments, nothing to be removed, but one and only subject, the Atman remains.
Let us learn more about the illusory nature of the senses in the next few slokas.

Hari OM
With regards,
Mallika R
What you have is God's gift to you and what you do with what you have is your gift to God