'Atmabodha'

 'Atmabodha' is Sri Shankaracharya's most beautiful work on "Self-Knowledge' This work is available in the Advaita Ashrama Publications of Sri Ramakrishna Matha. Sri Nikhilananda and Sri Vimuktananada have given beautiful commentaries on this original work. Ultimately, what is it we want? There are many a questions that bother a person who seeks redemption from this sensuous objective worldly existence. It is the insatiable nature of our wants, unending desires that are the seeds of rebirth, and the vasanas, taunting memories and the cravings that are the causes of the misery of man. Once a person realizes the futility of all this existence craving for the sensuous life, the jiva takes recourse to liberation. This liberation or mukti is of two kinds. The one one instantaneously stops craving is liberated. This is sadyomukti. The other one is a gradual one that comes with the death of the person. This is 'krama mukti' when the jiva leaves its carnal body whether its desires are fulfilled or not. 

 Now, the craving for liberation, mukti, will not come easily for all. Either a tormented jiva that finds life impossible  or a jive that finds it futile to seek any happiness in this death-knell, mrutyu loka only will seek mukti. However, he is jnyani, muni, saintly person who stops craving for worldly accomplishments, attainments, and sits quiet in meditation on 'brahmn', He is a person established in his/her Self. This is Atmabodha. He has realized his Self, the nature of his Atman that is already fully accomplished and happy and desires nothing!. The nature of such a realized soul, sthita prajnya, is beautifully explained in the Gita. A realized person will be one of equanimity, who does not dwell in dualities. He has attained oneness, samatvam, 'Oneness is almost sayujya with 'brahmn'! Lack of dualities is the real attainment. There exists no alternate, no question of 'the other', no need for attainment when there is only one, and no other. This is the ultimate truth.

  Now, Atmabodha explains how to attain to the ultimate oneness. It also explains the qualities of a realized person. There is a step-by -step rise in this effort, sadhana ,  The first requirement is the search for a Guru, an attained soul. Second step is an unswerving devotion (shraddha) and service (seva) of a guru. This service will erase the ego aspect of the mumukshu.  But, the fickle mind and the perverted intelligence still  play havoc with the jiva. Only Self-knowledge ('Atmabodha'), a journey towards the soul, the inward journey toward the Atman can solve this problem. But the problem here again is how to withdraw from the tentacles, the vasanas, past memories and the unending desires of the sense organs! Thus, the jiva gets into a whirlpool and get stuck. 

  The solution for all the ailments of the jiva is contemplation on 'brahmn', What is 'brahmn'? The state of 'turiya' may be called a transcendental meditative state where the jiva crosses the three normal states of jagrata (Awake), svapna (dream), and sushupti (deep sleep). Normally we go round and in these three states and never realize the need for the other higher states. One can reach the transcendental meditative state easily following Maharshi Mahesh Yogi's TM- a technique of yoga. Many a times we do exit for short period of time in this state of askance, otherworldly, or state of unawareness. But to be consciously unaware, or desist conscious awareness of worldly existence, is difficult. Normally people desirous of  staying in a transcendental meditative state go to forests or hills. Renunciation, vairagya, is a must for spiritual progress. However, the term 'Renunciation', vairagya, has many shades of meaning and connotations.  Generally speaking, renunciates live isolated, secluded, alone in forests and caves in hills. But, it is not necessary to leave family, society, or the home and retire to forests and hills. However difficult it might be, one can find some space and time for remaining quiet, silent, alone even amidst the family and social life. A deluded person always thinks that he/she is in bondage. But one must realize that there is Only 'ONE' and 'NO OTHER' in this Universe! The Universe is  One. Its peripheral outer circumference or its Centre, the focus is always One only. So also I AM only one and there is none beside Me! I alone exists  all the time. That is why everybody says I, I, I all the time. The words you, she it, they are all there only if I opens its eye or fixes its eye, or it focuses its attention on the other. Let's realize I, me, mine, my family, friends, or my social and governmental organizations are all there only if I think of them! If my attention is on my self, my body, my surroundings these come into my perception, attention; otherwise they just do not exist! Where are my family members, my house, bank balance or pass/cheques book and money when I am in deep sleep? Nothing exists when my body is at rest and Soul, Atman, rests in the company of its Lord, Paramatman. There is always time very early in the morning, or late in the evening, when one can sit alone and contemplate. Moreover, one can easily dwell into one's Self, 'atmabodha', contemplation on the Self, when all are asleep at night and you alone keep awake! Use whatever opportunity you get anytime to sit alone and contemplate on the Absolute Silence, mahattanta shanta.  This is the only Reality. If one can attain to it, the job is done. It is not that difficult since that is our natral satae. All else is a disturbance!