Though other articles such as rice, vegetables, water and pots are necessary, to cook a meal, it is fire that actually cooks the meal. As fire is thus the direct cause of cooking, Knowledge of the Atma and not any other form of discipline i.e., practice of austerities and rituals, is the sole direct means to attain moksha or liberation.
The purpose of austerities is purification of heart and creation of a mental condition to aid one’s spiritual growth and render it fit for pursuing the path of knowledge (jnana marga).
Karma or Action cannot destroy ignorance as it is not opposed to it. Knowledge or Jnana alone destroys ignorance as dense darkness is destroyed by light. By means of action one fulfills one’s desires. Therefore action is in harmony with ignorance and cannot therefore directly destroy it.
Here ignorance does not mean illiteracy or absence of book knowledge. According to Vedanta the knowledge of the nonduality of Brahma and Atma is the only true knowledge; all else is ignorance (Ajnana or Avidya). Such jnana alone removes the ignorance as dense darkness is destroyed by light.
Due to Ajnana or ignorance, one imposes limits to Atma. When this Ajnana is destroyed, Atma can be visualized just as sun appears emerging when dark clouds are dispersed.
As the true nature of sun is hidden by a cloud, so the true nature of the eternal and self-luminous Atma is hidden by ignorance.
On account of this ignorance the all pervading Atma seems to be a physical, a finite being. Such ignorance is destroyed by means of contemplation and realization of the truth contained in the Vedic mahavakyas like Aham Brahmasmi ( I am Brahma) and Prajnanam Brahma (Brahma is pure consciousness).
The embodied soul, Jivatma, rendered dirty by ignorance is purified by knowledge through long and uninterrupted meditation on
Brahma, and then itself disappears as the powder of Kataka nut (cleaning nut) precipitates itself after precipitating impurities suspended in muddy water.
The jivatma is rendered dirty by illusory ideas of birth and death, happiness and unhappiness which are superimposed upon the self due to ignorance. Long and uninterrupted meditation on Brahma firmly stamps a man’s consciousness with the knowledge of his true divine nature and such self knowledge makes a man realize that he is not the doer or an experiencer but the all pervading Brahma, Existence, Knowledge and Bliss Absolute (Satchit Anand).
The world, which is filled with attachments, or aversions, love or hate pain or pleasure and other dual experiences, is like a dream. It appears to be really happening as long as the dream continues, but appears unreal, when one is awake. Similarly one’s dual experiments in this world appear illusory when one attains self-knowledge.
Actually every thing we see, hear and feel is creation of Brahma. Whereas Brahma is indivisible, unique and permanent, his creation appears to be different beings which is nothing but illusion. Because of the effect of this Maya or ignorance, this world reflects itself as different beings and things. Once we know Brahma the ignorance is dispelled. The world that appeared to be real ceases to delude us.
As bubbles are developed in water, the whole world is created, developed and destroyed by the Brahma and exists because of the very Brahma. The interesting thing is that Brahma is in the form of Pure Satchidananda and is like pure water. The bubble is this world which appears to have emanated from Brahma. But it has limited time of existence. As water bubble blows off to become absorbed in water, this world which is very very temporary remains for some time and is destroyed and absorbed in Brahma only.
Excerpted from Atma Bodha as translated with commentary byA.S.Deekshitulu & Ch. Sundara Ramiah, available on http://www.geetadeeksha.com. The 1226th birth anniversary of Adi Shankaracharya was observed on May 4.
Adi Shankaracharya
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