Aparoksa Anubhuti [2]

Like an ornament made from gold is Gold, That which is born out of Brahman is Brahman (emphasis of Sloka 49)

Suvarnath jaya manasya suvarnathwam cha saswatham,
Brahmano jayamanasya brahmathwam cha thadha bhaveth. 51

Like gold is the permanent thing, in things made of gold,
Because all things were born out of Brahman,
Brahman is the nature of everything.

When you see God is different from you, you fear him similar to a Lion fearing its shadow in the well.

Swalpa mapyanthram kruthwa jeewathma paramathmano,
Ya santhishtathi moodathma bhayam thasya abhibashitham. 52

It is said in the Vedas that the ignorant soul,
Who finds even slight differences,
Between Jiwathma and Paramathma,
Lands in a sense of fear
Jiwathma - Individual soul Paramathma - Brahman

Yathra jnanth bhaveth dwaitham itharasthara pasyathi,
Athmathvena yada sarvam netharasthathra chanvapi. 53

Due to ignorance when duality appears,
One sees the another, but when,
Everything is realized as Brahman,
One does not see another except himself.

Yasmin sarvani bhoothani hyathmathvena vijanatha,
Na vai thasya bhaven moho na cha sokadwitheeyatha. 54

In that state of oneness, everything is identified,
As Brahman and when this is done,
There is no desire, no sorrow and no duality.

Ayamathma hi brahmaiya sarvathmakathaya sthitha,
Ithi nirdharitham srutya brahadaranya samsthaya. 55

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, which is a part of Vedas,
Declares that Brahman is the form of the Athma,
And it is indeed Athma itself.

When you are asleep, dreams are true and when you do not have enlightenment, the world appears to be true.

Anubhootho apyayam loko vyavahara kshomopi san,
Asadropo yadha swapna uthara kshana badhatha. 56

Though we seem to experience the world,
For all practical purposes of perception,
It is an illusion, like what we see in the dream,
Which becomes a lie as soon as we wake up.

Swapno jagarane aloka swapnepi jagaro na hi,
Dwayameva laye nasthi layopi hya ubhayorna cha. 57

The dream becomes unreal on wakening,
And wakening does not exist in a dream,
And both these states are absent in a deep sleep.

Thrayamvam bhaven mithya guna thraya vinirmitham,
Asya drushti gunatheetha nithyo hyeka schidathmaka. 58

These three states are due to the triad of Characters,
Which are Sathva, Rajas and Thamas,
But the witness behind them is beyond these three gunas,
It is eternal, is only one and is the consciousness.

Several examples are given to show that once we are spiritually awake, we do not see body as a separate entity.

Yadwan mrudhi ghata branthim sukthou va rajatha sthithim,
Thadwath brahmani jeewathwam veekshmano na pasyathi. 59

Like an intelligent one sees clay in a pot and sliver in the in a shell*,
When one realizes Brahman, he does not see a soul separately.
* Mother of pearl

Yadha mrudhi ghato nama kanake kundalibhidha,
Sukthou hi rajata kyathir jeeva sabdha sthadha pare. 60

Like one calls the clay as a pot,
The gold as the ear stud,
And the shell as silver,
We call the Brahman as the individual soul.

Yadyaiva vyomni neelathwam yadha neeram marusthale,
Purushathwam yadha sthanou, thdwad viswam chidathmani. 61

Like one sees blue colour in the sky,
Sees water in the distant mirage,
And sees in dark, a man in a pillar,
One imagines that he is seeing,
The unreal universe in the real Brahman.

Yadiva soonyai Vetalo, gandarwanam puram yadha,
Yadakaso dwichandrathwam, thdwath sathye jagath sthithi. 62

Like we see in an empty space, the so called Ghost,
Like we imagine a city of Gandharwas on the sky,
And like we imagine seeing two moons in the sky,
We seem to see the universe in the real Brahman.

Yadha Taranga kallolair jalameva sphurathyalam,
Pathra roopena thamram hi brahmandougai thadmatha. 63

Like the ripples and tides, that we see are only water,
And like the pitcher we see is really a piece of copper,
The universe that we see is really nothing but Brahman.

Ghatathmana yada prithwi, patathmana hi thanthawa,
Jagna namna chidabhathi jneyam thathad bhavatha. 64

Like we call a thing made of mud, as a pot,
And like we call a thing made of thread as a cloth,
If we see beyond these names that we attach,
We would really see only mud and the thread,
And similarly if we see beyond the name of universe,
We would really see as universe is really Brahman.

People do not really understand the meaning of the words they use.

Sarvopi vyavaharasthu brahmana kriyathe janai,
Ajnananna vijanathi mrudheva hi ghatadhikam. 65

In the normal practice people use word Brahman,
Without realizing what is the real meaning of the word,
Similar to the fact that they use a pot or a jar,
Without realizing that it is clay that they are using.

The cause effect relation ship between Brahman and the world.

Karya karanatha nithyamasthe ghata mrudhor yadha,
Thadaiva sruthi yukthabhayam prapancha brahmanoriha. 66

Like the, pot is the effect and the clay is the cause,
Is a perennial and ever lasting truth,
The Vedas say that Brahman is the cause,
And the universe that we see is the effect.

Grahyamane ghate yadwan mruthika abhathi vai bhalath,
Veekshamane prapanchepi brahmaivabhathi bhasuram. 67

Similar to earth coming to our mind,
When we think or see a pot,
The ever shining Brahman,
Should appear before us,
When we see the world.

The difference in view point of Ignorant and wise is brought out in the next 20 stanzas.

Sadaivathma vishuddhosthi hyashudho bhathi vai sada,
Yadaiva dwividha rajjur jnanino ajnanino anisam. 68

The Athma appears as pure to the wise,
And impure to those who are not,
Similar to the rope appearing,
In two different forms*,
To the wise and non wise.
*As rope or snake

Yadaiva mrunmaya kumbhathadwad deho abhi chinmaya,
Athma anathma vibhago ayam mudhaiva kriyathe budhai, 69

Like the Pot is all clay, the body is all consciousness,
The division of self and non self,
Is only created by the ignorant to no purpose.

Sarpathwena Yada Rajju rajathatwena sukthika,
Vinirnitha vimoodena dehatwena thadathmana. 70

Similar to the ignorant one,
Seeing a snake in the rope,
And silver in a shell,
The foolish one sees,
The Athma in the body.

Ghatathwena yadha pruthwi, patathwenaiva thanthawa,
Vinirnitha vimoodena dehatwena thadathmana. 71

Similar to the ignorant one,
Seeing a pot in clay,
And cloth in threads,
The foolish one sees,
The Athma in the body.

Kanakam kundalathwena tharangathwena vai jalam,
Vinirnitha vimoodena dehatwena thadathmana. 72

Similar to the ignorant one,
Seeing ear studs in gold,
And waves in water,
The foolish one sees,
The Athma in the body

Purushatwena vai sthanur jalathwena mareechika,
Vinirnitha vimoodena dehatwena thadathmana. 73

Similar to the ignorant one
Seeing a man in a tree,
And water in a mirage,
The foolish one sees,
The Athma in the body

Grahatwenaiva kashtani, gadgthwenaiva lohatha,
Vinirnitha vimoodena dehatwena thadathmana. 74

Similar to the ignorant one,
Seeing house in pieces of wood,
Seeing a sword in a piece of metal,
The foolish one sees,
The Athma in the body

Yadha vruksha vipryaso jalad bhavadhi kasyachith,
Thadvathmani dehathwam pasyathyajnanayogatha. 75

Due to sheer ignorance one sees,
The Athma as the body,
Similar to one seeing the reflection,
Of a tree in water and assuming it as the real tree.

Pothena gachatha pumsa sarva bhatheeva chanchalam,
Thadvathmani dehathwam pasyathyajnanayogatha. 76

Due to sheer ignorance one sees,
The Athma as the body,
Similar to one assuming everything,
On the shore as moving,
While he is traveling on a boat.

Peethathwam hi yadha shubre doshad bhavathi kasyachith,
Thadvathmani dehathwam pasyathyajnanayogatha. 77

Due to sheer ignorance one sees,
The Athma as the body,
Similar to white appearing as yellow,
To the one having an eye defect.*
* yellow jaundice.

Chakshubhyam brahma seelabhyam sarva bhathi bhramathmakam,
Thadvathmani dehathwam pasyathyajnanayogatha. 78

Due to sheer ignorance one sees,
The Athma as the body,
Similar to the one finding,
Everything as defective,
Due to the defect in his eye.

Aalatham bhramanenaiva varthulam bhathi sooryavath,
Thadvathmani dehathwam pasyathyajnanayogatha. 79

Due to sheer ignorance one sees,
The Athma as the body,
Similar to the one seeing,
A rotating fire brand and,
Assuming it as the Sun.

Mahathwe sarva vasthoonam anuthwam hyathi dhoorayath,
Thadvathmani dehathwam pasyathyajnanayogatha. 80

Due to sheer ignorance one sees,
The Athma as the body,
Similar to the one,
Seeing things from a very long distance,
And assuming that, they are small.

Sookshmathwe sarva bhavaanaam sthoolathwam chopanethratha,
Thadvathmani dehathwam pasyathyajnanayogatha. 81

Due to sheer ignorance one sees,
The Athma as the body,
Similar to the one,
Seeing things through magnifying glass,
And assuming that things are very big.

Kacha bhoomou jalathwam va jalabhoomou hi kachatha,
Thadvathmani dehathwam pasyathyajnanayogatha. 82

Due to sheer ignorance one sees,
The Athma as the body,
Similar to the one,
Assuming body of water as glass,
And glass as the body of water.

Yadwad agnou manithwam hi manou va vahnitha puman,
Thadvathmani dehathwam pasyathyajnanayogatha. 83

Due to sheer ignorance one sees,
The Athma as the body,
Similar to the one,
Assuming that a flame is a gem,
And a gem is a flame.

Abreshu sathsu dhavathsu somo dhavathi bhathi vai,
Thadvathmani dehathwam pasyathyajnanayogatha. 84

Due to sheer ignorance one sees,
The Athma as the body,
Similar to the one,
Assuming movement of the moon,
When really the clouds are that which are moving.

Yadaiva dig viparayaso mohad bhavadhi kasyachith,
Thadvathmani dehathwam pasyathyajnanayogatha. 85

Due to sheer ignorance one sees,
The Athma as the body,
Similar to the one,
Who looses his sense of direction,
Due to confusion in his mind.

Yada sasi jale bhathi chanchalathwena kasyachith,
Thadvathmani dehathwam pasyathyajnanayogatha. 86

Due to sheer ignorance one sees,
The Athma as the body,
Similar to the one,
Assuming the moon as unsteady,
Seeing its reflection in water.

Evam athmani na jnathe dehadhyaso hi jayathe,
Sa yevathma parijnath leeyathe cha parathmani. 87

Due to ignorance, athma has the delusion about the body,
But this vanishes once there is realization of the supreme Athma.

Sarvamathma thaya jnatham jagath sthavara jangamam,
Aabhavath sarva bhavanaam dehasya chathmatha kutha. 88

When one realizes that the movable, the immovable,
And the universe is all Athman and nothing else,
Everything except the Athman disappears from his thought,
And there is no room there to think that the body is Athman.

Fate is divided in to three parts Prarabdha (That which has to be undergone in this life), Sanchitha (That which comes from previous life) and Agami (a portion in this life which will be transferred to next life.)

Athmanam sathatham janan kalam na mahamathe,
Prarabhdham akhilam bunjaanodwegam karthumarhasi. 89

Oh greatly wise one, always try to understand the Athma,
While you are undergoing the results of Prarabdha*,
For it is not proper to feel distressed about it.
* Can be loosely translated as fate but
is really something we carry with us as
a result of our actions in various births.

Prarabdha is not carried from one birth to another, if Brahman is realized.

Uthpanne apyathma vignane prabhdham naiva munchadhi,
Ithi yath chruyathe sasthre than nirakriyathe adhunaa. 90

The theory that Prarabhdha does not vanish,
Even after the realization of the Athman,
Is being denied based on principles of sasthra.

Thathwa jnano udhayad oordhwa prarabdham na vidhyathe,
Dehadee nama sathyathwad yadha swapna prabodhatha. 91

With the realization of the Athman,
The thing called Prarabdha disappears,
Similar to things seen in a dream,
Disappearing as soon as one wakes up.

Karma janmanthara krutham prarabdham ithi keerthitham,
Thathu janmanthara bhavath pumso naivasthi karhichith. 92

The effect of action done in previous births,
Is being referred to as Prarabdha in this birth,
But for the realized one does not have any more births,
And so he cannot carry the effects with him any more.

Swapnadeho yadadhyastha asthadhywayam hi dehaka,
Adhyasthasya kutho janma janma bhave sthithi kutha. 93

Just as the body in the dream,
Is an imagination imposed up on us,
For the realized one, this body,
Is something which is imposed on him,
These beings so, how can Prarabdha,
Come along with birth,
When birth itself is being questioned.

Upadhanam is the causal fact and Brahman is Updhanam of this world. Ignorance prevents is from seeing this. Examples are given.

Upadhanam prapanchasya mruth bhandasya yeva kadhyathe,
Ajnanam chaiva vedanthai sthasmin nashte kwa viswatha. 94

The Vedanthas have told that,
Similar to clay being the cause of pot,
Ignorance is the cause of this world,
So if ignorance is really lost,
Where can be the world be?

Yadha rajjum parithyajya sarpa grunathi vai bhramath,
Thadwath sathyamavijnaya jagath pasyadhi moodathi. 95

Similar to the ignorant one,
Seeing snake instead of rope,
Due to utter confusion,
He only sees this world,
Without realizing the reality.

Rajju roope parignathe sarpa brhanthir na thishtathi,
Adhishtena thadha jnathe prapancha soonyatham gatha. 96

Once the real nature of rope is realized,
The snake will not be seen instead of it,
And similarly once the nature of Brahman,
Is known, this world cannot be seen.

The theory of fate (Prarabdha) is for the ignorant one.

Dehasyapi prapanchathwath prarabhdawa sthithi kutha,
Ajnani jana bodhartha prarabdham vakthi vai sthuthi. 97

The body being in this world,
Does not also exist and due to this,
Prarabdha also does not exist,
Though the Vedas speak of Prarabdha,
For the understanding of the ignorant.

The Mundaka Upanishad tells that:-

Ksheeyanthe thasya karmani thasmin drushte cha paravare,
Bahuthwam than nishedartha sruthya geetham cha yath sphutam. 98

All actions of man including Prarabdha,
Perishes when one is able to see,
Brahman which is in the higher and also lower*,
Thus tell the Vedas with clarity,
*Cause and effect

If fate does not get destroyed, ignorance gets never destroyed and spiritual realization never comes.

Uchyathe agnai balath chaithaththadaanatha thad vayagama,
Vedantha matha hanam cha yadho jnanam ithi sruthi. 99

If the ignorant adamantly refuse to know this,
Not only will they get involved in two absurdities*,
But also forsake the conclusions of Vedantha,
Which proceed from Veda, the true knowledge.
*negation of Brahman and its realization.

The fifteen steps of Yoga which are mentioned in the next slokas are same as the steps mentioned by Sage Patanjali in his Yogs Suthra. But they take an entirely different spiritual meaning. This yoga, following the new meaning, is termed as Raja Yoga and Pathanjali's steps lead to Hata Yoga.

Tri panchanga anyadho vakshye poorvokthasya hi labdhaye,
Thaischa sarve sada karya nidha dhyasana meva thu. 100