Dr.Commander Selvam Siddhar
Maya is a mysterious indescribable power of the Lord which hides
the real and manifests itself as the unreal: Maya is not real, because it
vanishes when you attain knowledge of the Eternal. It is not unreal also,
because it exists till knowledge dawns in you. The superimposition of the world
on Brahman is due to Avidya or ignorance. To Sankara, the individual soul
is only relatively real. Its individuality lasts only so long as it is subject
to unreal limiting conditions due to Avidya. The Jiva identifies itself with
the body, mind and the senses, when it is deluded by Avidya or ignorance. It
thinks, it acts and enjoys, on account of Avidya. In reality it is not
different from Brahman or the Absolute. The Upanishads declare emphatically: “Tat
Tvam ASI—That Thou Art.” Just as the bubble becomes one with the ocean when it
bursts, just as the pot-ether becomes one with the universal ether when the pot
is broken, so also the Jiva or the empirical self becomes one with Brahman when
it gets knowledge of Brahman. When knowledge dawns in it through annihilation
of Avidya, it is freed from its individuality and finitude and realizes its
essential Sachidanand nature. It merges itself in the ocean of bliss. The river
of life joins the ocean of existence. This is the Truth.
The release from Samsara means, according to Sankara, the absolute merging of
the individual soul in Brahman due to dismissal of the erroneous notion that
the soul is distinct from Brahman. According to Sankara, Karma and Bhakti are
means to Jnana (wisdom) which is Moksha.
To Sankara the world is only relatively real . He advocated , the theory of
appearance or superimposition. Just as snake is superimposed on the rope in
twilight, this world and body are superimposed on Brahman or the Supreme Self.
If you get knowledge of the rope, the illusion of snake in the rope will
vanish. Even so, if you get knowledge of Brahman or the Imperishable, the
illusion of body and world will disappear. In Vivarta-Vada, the cause produces
the effect without undergoing any change in itself. Snake is only an appearance
on the rope. The rope has not transformed itself into a snake, like milk into
curd. Brahman is immutable and eternal. Therefore, it cannot change itself into
the world. Brahman becomes the cause of the world through Maya, which is its
inscrutable mysterious power or Sakti.
When you come to know that it is only a rope, your fear disappears. You do not
run away from it. Even so, when you realize the eternal immutable Brahman, you
are not affected by the phenomena or the names and forms of this world. When
Avidya or the veil of ignorance is destroyed through knowledge of the Eternal,
when Mithya Jnana or false knowledge is removed by real knowledge of the
Imperishable or the living Reality, you shine in your true, pristine, divine splendor
and glory. I wish to quote some more from another great saint Sri Ramana
Maharishi. He has also written a lot about spirituality. To Have a spiritual
life we should raise some questions to oureself. By getting the proper answer,
we will have the best guidance to lead a highly spiritual life. He has given
the questions and answers , that one should ask himself. Then only one can
ahave the self realization and by ralizing one, will lead the life in the path of
spirituality. He has given them as the basic instructions to lead a spiritual
life.
1. What are the marks of a real teacher (Sad guru)?
Steady abidance in the Self, looking at all with an equal eye, unshakeable
courage at all times, in all places and circumstances, etc.
2. What are the marks of an earnest disciple (sadsisya)?
An intense longing for the removal of sorrow and attainment of joy and an
intense aversion for all kinds of mundane pleasure and to lead a highly
spiritual life.
3. What are the characteristics of instruction (upadesa)?
The word 'upadesa' means: 'near the place or seat' (upa - near, desa - place or
seat). The Guru who is the embodiment of that which is indicated by the terms
sat, chit, and ananda (existence, consciousness and bliss), prevents the
disciple who, on account of his acceptance of the forms of the objects of the
senses, has swerved from his true state and is consequently distressed and
buffeted by joys and sorrows, from continuing so and establishes him in his own
real nature without differentiation.
Upadesa also means showing a distant object quite near. It is brought home to
the disciple that the Brahman which he believes to be distant and different
from him is near and not different from himself.
4. If it be true that the Guru is one's own Self (atman), what is the
principle underlying the doctrine which says that, however learned a disciple
may be or whatever occult powers he may possess, he cannot attain
self-realization (atma-siddhi) without the grace of the Guru?
Although in absolute truth the state of the Guru is that of oneself it is very
hard for the Self which has become the individual soul (jiva) through ignorance
to realize its true state or nature without the grace of the Guru.
All mental concepts are controlled by the mere presence of the real Guru. If he
were to say to one who arrogantly claims that he has seen the further shore of
the ocean of learning or one who claims arrogantly that he can perform deeds
which are well-nigh impossible, "Yes, you learnt all that is to be learnt,
but have you learnt (to know) yourself? And you who are capable of performing
deeds which are almost impossible, have you seen yourself?", they will bow
their heads (in shame) and remain silent. Thus it is evident that only by the
grace of the Guru and by no other accomplishment is it possible to know
oneself.
5. What are the marks of the Guru's grace?
It is beyond words or thoughts.
6. If that is so, how is it that it is said that the disciple realizes his
true state by the Guru's grace?
It is like the elephant which wakes up on seeing a lion in its dream. Even as
the elephant wakes up at the mere sight of the lion, so too is it certain that
the disciple wakes up from the sleep of ignorance into the wakefulness of true
knowledge through the Guru's benevolent look of grace.
7. What is the significance of the saying that the nature of the real Guru
is that of the Supreme Lord?
In the case of the individual soul which desires to attain the state of true
knowledge or the state of Godhood (super human power) and with that object
always practices devotion, when the individual's devotion has reached a mature
stage, the Lord who is the witness of that individual soul and identical with
it, comes forth in human form with the help of sat-chit-ananda, His three
natural features, and form and name which he also graciously assumes, and in
the guise of blessing the disciple, absorbs him in Himself. According to this
doctrine the Guru can truly be called the Lord.
8. What is the end of the path of knowledge (jnana) or Vedanta?
It is to know the truth that the 'I' is not different from the Lord (supre
human Power, and to be free from the feeling of being the doer (kartrtva,
ahamkara).
9. How can it be said that the end of both these paths is the same?
Whatever the means, the destruction of the sense 'I' and 'mine' is the goal,
and as these are interdependent, the destruction of either of them causes the
destruction of the other; therefore in order to achieve that state of Silence
which is beyond thought and word, either the path of knowledge which removes
the sense of 'I' or the path of devotion which removes the sense of 'mine',
will suffice. So there is no doubt that the end of the paths of devotion and
knowledge is one and the same.
NOTE: So long as the 'I' exists it is necessary to accept the Lord also. If any
one wishes to regain easily the supreme state of identity (sayujya) now lost to
him, it is only proper that he should accept this conclusion.
10. What is the mark of the ego?
The individual soul of the form of 'I' is the ego The Self which is of the
nature of intelligence (chit) has no sense of 'I'. Nor does the insentient body
possess a sense of 'I'. The mysterious appearance of a delusive ego between the
intelligent and the insentient, being the root cause of all these troubles,
upon its destruction by whatever means, which which really exists will be seen
as it is. This is called Liberation (moksha).
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