Practical Advaita

[atanu]

Namaste: Fair enough. To tell the truth, it has been a long time since I studied Advaita. I remember discarding it for not being practical enough at that time and then leaning much more to being a bhaktar rather than a scholar. These are examples of questions I found it couldn't answer, if my memory serves me right.

So I just got angry at a loved one. How can I calm down for now, and then make adjustments so that there isn't a repeat of the performance?

Sometimes I just get too attached to work, or to the activity I am into, whether it be coaching volleyball, or driving a long distance. This intensity makes me forget about God and the purpose for my existence on the planet. What steps can I take to help me remember in a more regular way that I am a soul in evolution?

My physical body is in pain from overwork. When its in pain, it distracts from my meditations. All I can feel is my sore knee. I even have difficulty regulating my breath. What should I do?

Someone at work laughed at my new shirt. Although I like it, I reacted to this person's ridicule. I know intellectually, its just another person's different idea of good style, but I want to know how not to react to such petty criticisms.

My wife wants to spend money I don't feel we have on something I feel we don't need. I want to avoid an argument, yet don't want to just give in. What do I do?

You see, Atanu, I didn't find answers in the scriptural study of Advaita. And yet the simple knowledge intellectually that there is a bigger picture, a larger reality. Well, that's reassuring in times of discomfort, I suppose.

Aum Namasivaya

Namaste EM,

You do speak wisdom. The mind's way is common to all. I will repeat a verse from another post:

Gita
There is no knowledge of the Self to the unsteady, and to the unsteady no meditation is possible; and to the un-meditative there can be no peace; and to the man who has no peace, how can there be happiness?
-------------------------
Does this answer your question? The Self is that biggest thing that you mentioned. Even an inkling of it gives patience and tranquility -- and that is Practical Advaita.

Regards

Om

[atanu]

There are views that advaita was a discovery of Shankara and was non-existent before, implying that it has no root in Vedas/Vedanta.

Satapatha Brahmana speaks of two valid ways as below:


Sataptha Brahmana

11.2.6.13. As to this they ask, 'Who is the better one, the self-offerer, or the god-offerer?' Let him say, 'The self-offerer;' for a self-offerer, doubtless, is he who knows, 'This my (new) body is formed by that (body of Yagña, the sacrifice), this my (new) body is procured 1 thereby.' And even as a snake frees itself from its skin, so does he free himself from his mortal body, from sin; and made up of the Rik, the Yagus, the Sâman, and of offerings, does he pass on to the heavenly world.

11:2:6:14. And a god-offerer, doubtless, is he who knows, 'I am now offering sacrifice to the gods, I am serving the gods,'--such a one is like an inferior who brings tribute to his superior, or like a man of the people who brings tribute to the king: verily, he does not win such a place (in heaven) as the other.
-------------------------------------------------------

A God offerer says "I will do this and I will do that".

A Self offerer has, with knowledge, handed over the self to the Self. All acts are of Self's powers only. Actually, the self offerer has not done it. The Self chooses. Also, it is unknown and indeterminate as to how Self appoints the self in time, as an individual self or as the no-entity. It does not matter, since the self is offered. It was never there. Also,the self offerer never becomes Ishwara or anything. That great Lord is anadi mat -- without beginning.

Om Namah Shivaya

[atanu]

Some say that God is absolutely transcendental. His presence in Universe is also transcendental (whatever that means). Some others say the Universe is Narayana, God, Shiva. Every bit is Shiva. These fight each other. Shankaracharya opined that the difference between above two positions was avidya-superposition.The adherants of first two classes together now sloganeer 'Down with Shankaracharya'. Who knows the inscrutable ways?

Om Namah Shivaya

[saidevo]

Advaita in Practice
from the book Sri Gurukripa VilAsam, published by Sringeri ShAradA PItham

Practical tips for a sAdhakA seeking advaita jnAna by Sri AbhinavavidyAtIrtha MahaSwamigaL, 35th pontiff of the DhakshiNAmnaya Shringeri ShArada PItham, from his guru Sri Chandrasekhara Bharathi MahaswamigaL's upadesha to him:

When in Shringeri Nrusimha vanam (forests), I used to go to Sri ShAradAmbAL temple and stay there for a while. Once after I came back, my GurunAthar asked me, "You have come crossing the river. What thoughts arose in your mind?"

"What thoughts!", I wondered and said, "Things were many that I saw".

"What was new among them?"

"Nothing. I just looked at whatever was seen by the eyes."

"Must one should look at whatever comes under the sight of eyes?"

"If the eyes were close so as not to see things, walking wouldn't be possible!"

"You should see them; but also remain without seeing them."

"How would that be possible?"

To that he said, "आत्मांबोधेस् तरङ्गोऽस्ंयहं इति गमने--AtmAMbodhes tara~ggo&sMyahaM iti gamane--(while walking one should think 'I am a wave in the ocean of AtmA')--and this is how one should remain.

When we stand up from the earlier seated posture and start walking, there should be no thought such as 'I am going somewhere walking'. A big wave has risen in the ocean of AtmA; and that wave is progressing forward; there is no difference whatsoever between the wave and the ocean. So one should think that one is a wave in the ocean of AtmA--'I am a wave in the ocean of bliss'."

I was surprised by his advice. He continued: "Always--even when one is conversing with another--should one reiterate this thought in mind."

What thought should one have while sitting? He said:

"... भावयन् आसनस्त्तः
संविद्सूत्रानुविद्धो महिरणिमिति वाऽस्मि

"... bhAvayan AsanastaH
saMvidsUtrAnuviddho mahiraNimiti vA&smi

"(when sitting, one should think, 'I am a bead strung in the thread of chaitanyam--intelligence, spirit')

"'A bead is strung in the thread of jnAnam (knowledge); that bead can't be removed, and the thread, made of chaitanyam, can't be snapped either; I am that bead.'--one's thoughts should function in this way.

"... इन्द्रियार्थप्प्रतीतौ
दृष्टोऽसंयात्मावलोकातिति

"... indriyArthappratItau
dRuShTo&saMyAtmAvalokAtiti

"Whenever a thing is seen, then the attention should not be in looking at that thing. 'AhA, chaitanyam by its own nature is objectless--without any relation to manifest things; but now it appears to be associated with things; and this increases the pUrNatvam (completeness) of the AtmA. If we receive a blow, the feel of our body is accentuated. In the same way, when things are seen, the specific presence of AtmA is known. Even ordinarily we have the feel of our body, but when we receive a blow, this feeling increases. Similarly, although chaitanyam is always present, the specific darshan of AtmA is had when things are seen and perceived.'

"When one is lying down, one should think:

"शयनविधौ मग्न आनदसिन्धौ

"shayanavidhau magna Anadasindhau

"That is, one should think 'now I am immersed in the sea of bliss'. Such thoughts should be continually be practised in mind, which would be very good. Anyone can test the difference between ordinarily lying down and getting into sleep and lying down voluntarily removeing thoughts and then get immersed in sleep. While lying down, one should invite the feeling of a blissful state and should prolong it until sleep takes over. The experience of bliss obtained by practising this way to get into sleep would be clearly seen in a few days.

"अन्तर्निष्टो मुमुक्षुः स खलु तनुबृताम् यो नयत्येवमायुः ॥

"antarniShTo mumukShuH sa khalu tanubRutAm yo nayatyevamAyuH ||

"One who conducts one's life in this way, one becomes among people a mumukShu, one who is desirous of mokSha, with a mind directed inwards.

"Therefore, while walking or sitting or lying down, we should lead only such a life. This is the advice that my GurunAthar gave me."

Note: The shlokas taught here are from Adi Sankara's Shatasloki. The full shloka is:

आत्मांबोधेस् तरङ्गोऽस्ंयहं इति गमने भावयन् आसनस्तः ।
संविद्सूत्रानुविद्धो महिरणिमिति वाऽस्मि इन्द्रियार्थप्प्रतीतौ ।
दृष्टोऽसंयात्मावलोकातिति शयनविधौ मग्न आनदसिन्धौ ।
अन्तर्निष्टो मुमुक्षुः स खलु तनुबृताम् यो नयत्येवमायुः ॥

AtmAMbodhes tara~ggo&sMyahaM iti gamane bhAvayan AsanastaH |
saMvidsUtrAnuviddho mahiraNimiti vA&smi indriyArthappratItau |
dRuShTo&saMyAtmAvalokAtiti shayanavidhau magna Anadasindhau |
antarniShTo mumukShuH sa khalu tanubRutAm yo nayatyevamAyuH ||

[atanu]

Advaita in Practice
from the book Sri Gurukripa VilAsam, published by Sringeri ShAradA PItham

Practical tips for a sAdhakA seeking advaita jnAna by Sri AbhinavavidyAtIrtha MahaSwamigaL, 35th pontiff of the DhakshiNAmnaya Shringeri ShArada PItham, from his guru Sri Chandrasekhara Bharathi MahaswamigaL's upadesha to him:

When in Shringeri Nrusimha vanam (forests), I used to go to Sri ShAradAmbAL temple and stay there for a while. Once after I came back, my GurunAthar asked me, "You have come crossing the river. What thoughts arose in your mind?"

"What thoughts!", I wondered and said, "Things were many that I saw".

"What was new among them?"

"Nothing. I just looked at whatever was seen by the eyes."

"Must one should look at whatever comes under the sight of eyes?"

"If the eyes were close so as not to see things, walking wouldn't be possible!"

"You should see them; but also remain without seeing them."

"How would that be possible?"

To that he said, "आत्मांबोधेस् तरङ्गोऽस्ंयहं इति गमने--AtmAMbodhes tara~ggo&sMyahaM iti gamane--(while walking one should think 'I am a wave in the ocean of AtmA')--and this is how one should remain.

When we stand up from the earlier seated posture and start walking, there should be no thought such as 'I am going somewhere walking'. A big wave has risen in the ocean of AtmA; and that wave is progressing forward; there is no difference whatsoever between the wave and the ocean. So one should think that one is a wave in the ocean of AtmA--'I am a wave in the ocean of bliss'."

I was surprised by his advice. He continued: "Always--even when one is conversing with another--should one reiterate this thought in mind."

What thought should one have while sitting? He said:

"... भावयन् आसनस्त्तः
संविद्सूत्रानुविद्धो महिरणिमिति वाऽस्मि

"... bhAvayan AsanastaH
saMvidsUtrAnuviddho mahiraNimiti vA&smi

"(when sitting, one should think, 'I am a bead strung in the thread of chaitanyam--intelligence, spirit')

"'A bead is strung in the thread of jnAnam (knowledge); that bead can't be removed, and the thread, made of chaitanyam, can't be snapped either; I am that bead.'--one's thoughts should function in this way.

"... इन्द्रियार्थप्प्रतीतौ
दृष्टोऽसंयात्मावलोकातिति

"... indriyArthappratItau
dRuShTo&saMyAtmAvalokAtiti

"Whenever a thing is seen, then the attention should not be in looking at that thing. 'AhA, chaitanyam by its own nature is objectless--without any relation to manifest things; but now it appears to be associated with things; and this increases the pUrNatvam (completeness) of the AtmA. If we receive a blow, the feel of our body is accentuated. In the same way, when things are seen, the specific presence of AtmA is known. Even ordinarily we have the feel of our body, but when we receive a blow, this feeling increases. Similarly, although chaitanyam is always present, the specific darshan of AtmA is had when things are seen and perceived.'

"When one is lying down, one should think:

"शयनविधौ मग्न आनदसिन्धौ

"shayanavidhau magna Anadasindhau

"That is, one should think 'now I am immersed in the sea of bliss'. Such thoughts should be continually be practised in mind, which would be very good. Anyone can test the difference between ordinarily lying down and getting into sleep and lying down voluntarily removeing thoughts and then get immersed in sleep. While lying down, one should invite the feeling of a blissful state and should prolong it until sleep takes over. The experience of bliss obtained by practising this way to get into sleep would be clearly seen in a few days.

"अन्तर्निष्टो मुमुक्षुः स खलु तनुबृताम् यो नयत्येवमायुः ॥

"antarniShTo mumukShuH sa khalu tanubRutAm yo nayatyevamAyuH ||

"One who conducts one's life in this way, one becomes among people a mumukShu, one who is desirous of mokSha, with a mind directed inwards.

"Therefore, while walking or sitting or lying down, we should lead only such a life. This is the advice that my GurunAthar gave me."

Note: The shlokas taught here are from Adi Sankara's Shatasloki. The full shloka is:

आत्मांबोधेस् तरङ्गोऽस्ंयहं इति गमने भावयन् आसनस्तः ।
संविद्सूत्रानुविद्धो महिरणिमिति वाऽस्मि इन्द्रियार्थप्प्रतीतौ ।
दृष्टोऽसंयात्मावलोकातिति शयनविधौ मग्न आनदसिन्धौ ।
अन्तर्निष्टो मुमुक्षुः स खलु तनुबृताम् यो नयत्येवमायुः ॥

AtmAMbodhes tara~ggo&sMyahaM iti gamane bhAvayan AsanastaH |
saMvidsUtrAnuviddho mahiraNimiti vA&smi indriyArthappratItau |
dRuShTo&saMyAtmAvalokAtiti shayanavidhau magna Anadasindhau |
antarniShTo mumukShuH sa khalu tanubRutAm yo nayatyevamAyuH ||

Namaste saidevo ji,

The above is the first practical post in the thread.


Vasista muni to Rama:

Steady in the state of fullness which shines when all desires are given up and peaceful in the state of freedom in life, act playfully in the world, O Rhagava!

Inwardly free from all desires, dispassionate and detached, but outwardly active in all directions, act playfully in the world, O Raghava!

Free from egoism, with mind detached as in sleep, pure like the sky, ever untainted, act playfully in the world, O Raghava!

Conducting yourself nobly with kindly tenderness, outwardly conforming to conventions but inwardly renouncing all, act playfully in the world, O Raghava!

Quite unattached at heart but for all appearance acting as with attachment, inwardly cool but outwardly full of fervor, act play- fully in the world, O Raghava!

Om Namah Shivaya

[Nondogmatic Nondualist]

Namaste: Fair enough. To tell the truth, it has been a long time since I studied Advaita. I remember discarding it for not being practical enough at that time and then leaning much more to being a bhaktar rather than a scholar. These are examples of questions I found it couldn't answer, if my memory serves me right.

So I just got angry at a loved one. How can I calm down for now, and then make adjustments so that there isn't a repeat of the performance?

Sometimes I just get too attached to work, or to the activity I am into, whether it be coaching volleyball, or driving a long distance. This intensity makes me forget about God and the purpose for my existence on the planet. What steps can I take to help me remember in a more regular way that I am a soul in evolution?

My physical body is in pain from overwork. When its in pain, it distracts from my meditations. All I can feel is my sore knee. I even have difficulty regulating my breath. What should I do?

Someone at work laughed at my new shirt. Although I like it, I reacted to this person's ridicule. I know intellectually, its just another person's different idea of good style, but I want to know how not to react to such petty criticisms.

My wife wants to spend money I don't feel we have on something I feel we don't need. I want to avoid an argument, yet don't want to just give in. What do I do?

You see, Atanu, I didn't find answers in the scriptural study of Advaita. And yet the simple knowledge intellectually that there is a bigger picture, a larger reality. Well, that's reassuring in times of discomfort, I suppose.

Aum Namasivaya

I would say that Advaita is extremely practical, perhaps the most practical of philosophies (though to call it a mere philosophy is not quite correct). Advaita points out to us who we really are (Tat tvam asi), which is the foundation for everything one does. When we identify out of ignorance (avidya) with the mind, the body and the ego, that affects everything we do in this life. If you want to lead a better life, then change the foundation from which you lead it; find out who it is that is living this life, and who indeed is life itself.

It has often been said that the truth of who one is cannot be adequately articulated in words. Words are only pointers (the finger pointing at the moon), and they are not the thing they describe. This is one reason why many spiritual teachers do not speak about what enlightenment or self-realization is; they speak about what it is not (the via negativa). By seeing the false, one comes closer to seeing the true. One good rule is that anything that appears in your consciousness (anything you can perceive) is not you because there must be something perceiving it; therefore, you are not the body, the mind or the external world. What is it that is aware of all these things, and that in fact is awareness itself?

As to your practical concerns, remember that one cannot truly understand Advaita with the mind; the mind is incapable of perceiving the Self (Atman). Therefore, one must not believe what the mind says about who one really is. Your mind tells you repeatedly that you are this small, divided self in a hostile world; as long as you believe it, you will suffer. When you observe the falsehoods of the mind, they fall away; that is the nature of illusion, that it loses its power when one sees it for what it is. Therefore, one should practice presence and learn to observe the movement of the mind for what it is; recognition of one's true identity will cause all mental anguish to become irrelevant. When you know who you really are, all action will arise spontaneously from the Source and there will be no question as to how to respond to practical situations in life.

I would recommend that, in addition to traditional Advaita texts, you try reading the works of modern Advaita teachers like Ramana Maharshi, H.W.L. Poonja (Papaji), Nisargadatta Maharaj and J. Krishnamurti. They do an excellent job of making Advaita practical and relevant to our lives. I can also recommend the Western teachers Eckhart Tolle, Gangaji and Adyashanti; they put things very clearly, and their teachings are entirely consistent with Advaita. It is also possible to buy audio recordings of J. Krishnamurti in CD form or to download them online; indeed, at amazon.com there are four Krishnamurti talks that only cost 99 cents each (and they last for over one hour each). Also, try searching for these teachers on Google Video and YouTube; there are many videos that are completely free to watch, and some on Google Video can be downloaded to one's computer and/or put on an iPod.

[atanu]

Practicality is a relative perception for different people. For a hungry man on the road, nothing is more practical than a meal. For music lover me, nothing satisfies except Bose Music System, though friends term this madness as stupendously impractical.

For a true advaitin, the ultimate practicality is to abide as Self.

Om Namah Shivaya

[Eastern Mind]

I would say that Advaita is extremely practical, perhaps the most practical of philosophies (though to call it a mere philosophy is not quite correct). Advaita points out to us who we really are (Tat tvam asi), which is the foundation for everything one does. When we identify out of ignorance (avidya) with the mind, the body and the ego, that affects everything we do in this life. If you want to lead a better life, then change the foundation from which you lead it; find out who it is that is living this life, and who indeed is life itself.

It has often been said that the truth of who one is cannot be adequately articulated in words. Words are only pointers (the finger pointing at the moon), and they are not the thing they describe. This is one reason why many spiritual teachers do not speak about what enlightenment or self-realization is; they speak about what it is not (the via negativa). By seeing the false, one comes closer to seeing the true. One good rule is that anything that appears in your consciousness (anything you can perceive) is not you because there must be something perceiving it; therefore, you are not the body, the mind or the external world. What is it that is aware of all these things, and that in fact is awareness itself?

As to your practical concerns, remember that one cannot truly understand Advaita with the mind; the mind is incapable of perceiving the Self (Atman). Therefore, one must not believe what the mind says about who one really is. Your mind tells you repeatedly that you are this small, divided self in a hostile world; as long as you believe it, you will suffer. When you observe the falsehoods of the mind, they fall away; that is the nature of illusion, that it loses its power when one sees it for what it is. Therefore, one should practice presence and learn to observe the movement of the mind for what it is; recognition of one's true identity will cause all mental anguish to become irrelevant. When you know who you really are, all action will arise spontaneously from the Source and there will be no question as to how to respond to practical situations in life.

I would recommend that, in addition to traditional Advaita texts, you try reading the works of modern Advaita teachers like Ramana Maharshi, H.W.L. Poonja (Papaji), Nisargadatta Maharaj and J. Krishnamurti. They do an excellent job of making Advaita practical and relevant to our lives. I can also recommend the Western teachers Eckhart Tolle, Gangaji and Adyashanti; they put things very clearly, and their teachings are entirely consistent with Advaita. It is also possible to buy audio recordings of J. Krishnamurti in CD form or to download them online; indeed, at amazon.com there are four Krishnamurti talks that only cost 99 cents each (and they last for over one hour each). Also, try searching for these teachers on Google Video and YouTube; there are many videos that are completely free to watch, and some on Google Video can be downloaded to one's computer and/or put on an iPod.

Thanks but no thanks. Thanks for taking the time to make suggestions. But as my post indicated, the questions refer to a distant past. I was merely giving examples of questions I once had, to show how I once discarded Advaita, or rather put it to the side. Now I have practical answers, mostly from my Guru. I practise monistic Saiva Siddhantha philosophically, which indeed is extremely close to Advaita, from my understanding. But then I'm not much of a scholar. I got the basics, now try to practice by action, trying to follow The Yamas, and Nyamas to my ability.

I also don't believe in reading many works by many authors. (Actually reading much at all) It may be all the same stuff said in different ways, but yet there are subtle differences. I think it would be like saying you have more than one Guru. Do you take a math class simultaneously from 3 different professors? I think not.

The other aspect is level of the individual soul's attainment. I didn't find that Advaita addressed that much. (But like I said, I'm not a scholar. Lets take charity, as an example. A millionaire might find giving up a dollar a huge step, whilst a beggar might easily pass on a few rupees to the next chap in line. That is because each is in a different stage of evolution.

Aum Namasivaya

[atanu]

Upadesa Saram "Teaching Essence" By Ramana

In the vast ocean of cause and effect, actions happen and impermanent results follow. If one takes them as ‘my’ actions the idea of having a free will gets stronger. This sense of personal doership gives rise to a feeling of guilt or pride and effectively blocks the spiritual understanding that everything happens according to the will of God.

When there is total acceptance that all actions happen purely by the will of God, and if the fruits and the consequences are accepted as His grace, the mind gets purified and attains freedom from expectations.

Accepting and understanding that God has created the world for His sport and God is playing the lila through billions of body-mind organisms, is better than chanting the sacred names of the Lord, which in turn is superior to worshipping the image of the Lord with body, mind and speech.

When there is an understanding that God himself has become the manifestation; when, by His grace, one feels His presence in the phenomenal existence one obtains the blessings of worshipping the Lord of eight-fold forms without neglecting one's responsibilities.

Understanding that nothing happens according to ‘my’ will and merely witnessing the billions of body-mind organisms act under God's will is excellent. It is superior to singing the glories of the Lord or reciting His sacred names.

When there is an understanding that God's will prevails all the time and witnessing happens without any ‘one’ to witness, it is like the stream of ghee (clarified butter) or the flow of a river. This is true meditation. It is much better than meditating with an assumption that one has free will.

The nondualistic approach of understanding that ‘I AM’ is God is far more purifying and superior than the dualistic approach of assuming the difference between God and the ‘me’ and struggling to be one with Him.

By the grace of God or the Master when one is firmly established in the ‘I AM,’ devoid of the thinking mind, with an impersonal knowing that there is no ‘me’ to get involved, that is Supreme Devotion.

The dissolving of the thinking mind in the Heart, purely by the grace of God or the Master, is true devotion, Yoga and understanding.
Through the act of regulating breath the mind is subdued, just as a bird is restrained when caught in a net. This helps in checking the involvement of the thinking mind at that moment.

Thought and breath have their origin in Consciousness.

When the mind is absorbed, in work or otherwise, and the thinking mind is not active it may be said that the mind is in control temporarily, only to become active again. When, through the deep understanding that "God is the doer and no ‘one’ has any control over thoughts and actions" the thinking mind is totally annihilated, then it can be said that the thinking mind in that body-mind organism is dead and only the working mind remains.

The thinking mind can be temporarily suspended through the control of breath. It can be annihilated only when there is total understanding that God's will prevails all the time and the different forms are only puppets having no free will of their own. With this understanding three beautiful things happen: there is no ‘one’ to feel guilty or proud, to get frustrated or to have a sense of enmity. Life becomes simple.

The Sage, whose thinking mind has been destroyed by the total acceptance of the fact that nothing happens unless it is the will of God, and Who rests in the ‘I AM’ does all the actions with the knowledge that Consciousness alone functions through the billions of body-mind organisms.

When the enquiry, "What is the thinking mind?" occurs, the thinking mind understands intuitively that it has no free will and stops thinking itself to be the doer and gives way to the feeling of ‘I AM.’ This is the Direct path.

In the ordinary man when a thought occurs the ego takes delivery of it as ‘my thought’ and gets involved. The thinking mind is nothing but the ego identifying with a thought and getting involved. In the enlightened Sage, when a thought arises, witnessing happens and involvement with the thought does not take place.
　
When one enquires, "Where has the ‘me’ come from?" it will vanish into Consciousness revealing the truth that the ‘me’ has really come from Totality as part of the Divine Hypnosis. Consciousness has created the ego and Consciousness will annihilate the ego by initiating the process of Self-enquiry.

When we accept that God's will prevails all the time and not the individual will, the ‘me’ as the doer gets smaller and smaller till it gets completely merged in Consciousness.

When the sense of personal doership disappears with the total acceptance that "All there is, is Consciousness," the thinking mind ceases to exist during the waking hours as in deep sleep. What remains is the light of pure Consciousness, the indestructible ‘I AM.’

Om Namah Shivaya

[atanu]

Om

Today morning, I took out a few cubes of ice from the fridge and kept them on kitchen slab. Nearby some water was boiling.

I saw the ice cubes squirming in heat and telling the boiling water "What cruel thing you are, never steady and so hot. Bubbling with pride. Look at us we are so cool and steady. You are going to kill us. You are cruel". And the ice cubes died by melting and while dying they cursed the boiling water "You will have the same fate and you will die the same way".

And the samsara goes on.

Om Namah Shivaya

I was stepping up on staircase, when I saw the top stair look down upon the lower stairs with disdain and say "I am the highest". The lowest stair retorted "You all exist supported by me. If I remove myself, you all will crumble. I sustain you all." Then the concrete said "You fools, you all are me only."

Svet. Up,

6.7 tamiishvaraaNaaM paramaM maheshvara.n
ta.n devataanaaM parama.n cha daivatam.h .
patiM patiinaaM paramaM parastaad.h\-
vidaama devaM bhuvaneshamiiDyam.h .. 7..


The upanishad vouchsafes that everyone will know patiM patiinaaM paramaM parastaad, The Lord of all Lords, the Supreme beyond the Supremest. That is the guarantee of Advaita.

Om Namah Shivaya