[Advaita-l] Kanchi Mahaswamigal's Discourses on Advaita Saadhanaa - (KDAS-76)

[V. Krishnamurthy]

Namaste.

For a Table of Contents of these Discourses, see
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/advaitin/message/27766
For the previous post, see
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/advaitin/message/33540

SECTION 62: SHRAVANA, MANANA, NIDHIDHYASANA - CHARACTERISTICS
Tamil Original: http://www.kamakoti.org/tamil/dk6-135.htm

The mental analysis of the upadesha by rolling it over in the mind
repeatedly is what is called mananaM. Thereafter, without scope or
necessity  for any more enquiry, analysis, research or debate in the
mind,  follows NidhidhyAsana, which is the one-pointed identification in
that Atma-tattva, about which there is now perfect clarity, and the mind
is without any vibration.

The Acharya has graced us with an expository work (*prakaraNa-grantha*)
called "AtmA-anAAtma-vivekam" in prose in the form of questions and
answers. What is shravaNa, what is manana, what is nidhidhyAsana, -- all
these are defined there in a very crisp fashion. Usually there are six
components of proof by which a matter is established as a conclusion.
That the advaita truth is what the Vedas declare will be explained by
the Guru through the medium of all these six components of proof. To
listen to and receive it is shravaNaM. Having learnt about the non-dual
entity one analyses and pursues the reasoning in his mind in accordance
with the Veda-ShAstras; this is mananaM. Mark it; I said 'in accordance
with the Veda-shAstras'. This is important. The logic that you follow
has to be in accordance with the Veda-shAstras.  Your mental make-up has
already been tuned properly by the sAdhanA-set-of-four, particularly the
component of shraddhA therein.  One does the mental analysis of the
Guru's upadesha without being drawn astray by the narrow intellect,
wrongly called rational  mind.  The Acharya has warned us against this
in his sopAna-pancakaM: *dustarkAt suviramyatAM
shruti-matas-tarko'nusandhIyatAM* -- meaning,  Discard distorted logic;
adopt the logic consistent with the purpose of the Vedas.  Such an
analysis is mananaM.  Having confirmed it by the intellect, now you have
to experience it. So without being distracted by any other thought, the
mind (cittaM) should now flow like flood in the one direction (of the
Atman). That is 'nidhidhyAsanaM' - that is how he defines it in
AtmAnAtma-vivekaM. 

In between I told you about the six components of proof. What are those
six? The subject of a book can be known from the beginning and end of
it. This is called 'upakrama-upasamhAraM'. This is the first of the six.
The second one is repetition. If a book declares the same thing
repeatedly, it is clear that it is the subject of the book. This is
called 'abhyAsaM'. The third is 'apUrvaM'; if an idea is presented in a
most unusual way,  that is the subject.  The fourth is the process,
called 'phalaM' of telling something and immediately  listing the
positive effects of it one by one. The fifth is the method of praising
something  sky-high; this kind of praise is called *artha-vAdaM*. And
the last, namely the sixth, is 'upapatti'  which brings out the reason,
the concordance and logic and establishes that such and such is the
subject.
 
SECTION 63: PENULTIMATE STAGE TO SIDDHI
Tamil Original: http://www.kamakoti.org/tamil/dk6-136.htm

Several ideas about the Atman will get clarified during the mananaM, and
that itself will lead to the nidhidhyAsana of meditation on that One
Atman alone.

When the manana-nidhidhyAsana are deep, many things will occur -- may
occur -- known only to the Ishvara and that Jiva who is the sAdhaka.
Some things may occur which are not comprehensible even by the Jiva.
Here he should not falter just because they are incomprehensible; it is
for this that the Acharya had already instilled into him enough of
shraddhA and bhakti! So without getting confused about the fact that
nothing is being comprehended, he will go on in the straight path that
the Guru has shown him.  Ishvara also will do things that wring out any
residual karma or vAsanA in order to take him on to his final
destination.  Only when such VasanAs and karma get destroyed, that
process itself will set up the chain of further wringing out in the
heart-nADis - this is called "nAdi mathanaM" - which makes the merging
of the antaHkaraNaM in the heart. 

I wonder whether it is right for me to say these things to you. Because
the sAdhaka's only thought should be Brahma-anubhavaM
("Brahman-experience"); so when I say 'nADi', 'heart', 'mathanaM' etc.
he might get distracted from his one-pointedness by unnecessary
observations about 'wringing of the nADis', 'merging in the heart' etc.
Actually these things take place involuntarily. So there is no need to
know about them.  By being distracted by the beauties of the garden
outside one may finally fail to enter the house! 

Further Ishvara may not be doing everything the same way to every one.
He might have several ways of handling. The old (karma) balance might be
different from person to person and  Ishvara's manner of settling them
also will differ accordingly. Also He has his own style of several
leelAs of pleasing Himself! Once He takes the sAdhaka to his
destination, there will not be any scope for His leela, so he might be
doing something new for every one! Maybe some of them might not have any
such 'wringing' or 'mathanaM' at all! Why, even it may be that for some
there may not be any necessity to make the mind one-pointed at the
Atma-sthana in the heart, and one might be able to think of the Atman as
transcendent and all-pervading and be able to concentrate on it. 

It is in view of all this that the Acharya simply says "Carry on your
nidhidhyAsana deeper and deeper and keep going"  and then just mentions
the Brahman-Realisation as the destination and winds up there.

SECTION 64: MANANA THAT TRANSCENDS  INTELLECT; 
NIDIDHYAASANA THAT TRANSCENDS MENTAL FEELING



(To be Continued)
PraNAms to all students of advaita.
PraNAms to the Maha-Swamigal.
profvk