Pranam to Parampoojya Parameshwar Sadguru Swami Anilji Maharaj
Atmadhnyan Shighra Sadhana… 30
(English Translation of the series in Hindi by Brahmatmaikdhnyani Sant Swami Anilji Maharaj)
How Atma chintan (deep thinking on Atma) is done? What is Shravan, Manan and Nididhyasan?
We studied these questions related to Atma chintan, Shravan, Manan and Nididhyasan yesterday. However in the beginning when we listen to Guru and read in Vedant Shastra that this world, nature is false, non existent; all this is Atma only, I am Atma etc, then at first, because of the contamination due to the false knowledge of so many births together, our intellect, does not accept and understand the truth quickly. It takes time.
That is why compassionate Vedant Shastra have taught us This Knowledge; through Anvaya – Vyatirek methodology to enable us to understand the subtle Atmatatva secretly present in an individual and group. The earthen pot is made of clay, but clay is not the pot, this Principle we discussed earlier. Today we will discuss a very simple process for Manan and Nididhyasan. This method of Upanishads is used everywhere in Vedant Shastra and Gita. This method is known as exception or adhyarope (falsehood Knowledge).
Adhyarope means the Knowledge of falsehood. It can also be called as misunderstanding or illusion; which is possessed by all the beings right from birth. The understanding of its falsehood is attained through Vedvakya, or words from Guru that is known as apavad (exception). This is a favourite and accepted method of all the Dhnyani Gurus to make their disciples understand Brahma. With a deep thinking this is easier to understand.
In Vedantsar (gist of Vedant) there is a definition and examples of Adhyarope
“Asarpabhootayam rajou sarparopvat vastuni avastut: arop: – adhyarope।।
32।।
Explanation : The rope which at any time was not snake, is not and can not become snake has been accused of being snake, similarly The Brahma (Atma) also is accused of being world or having multiplicity which is adhyarope (falsehood). This is known as adhyas also.
Bhagawan Acharya addressed Brahma as, “Vastu” because this is Real, Truth. Adyasit or adhyaropit (whose accusation is implanted (on Brahma)) world, nature is called “avastu”, because that is false.
The rope – snake illustration has been discussed so much in Hindu, Boudhh, Jain, and the Shastras of all the sects and scholars that no other illustrations would have been discussed to this extent. General question is that why snake is seen in place of the rope?
We will not undertake the full discussion here, because we do not wish to address the various opinions. However we will take a look at the reason for such accusation through the definition given by Acharya.
Bhagwan Shankaracharya says while defining adhyas in Brahmasutra
“smrutiroop: paratra purvadrushtabhas : (preface Braham sutra)
Illusion through memory of a thing seen earlier somewhere is adhyas.
The meaning is that in place of Brahma, sat vastu, we see, world asat avastu, reason being the memory of so many earlier births.
In that twilight, when someone shows with a torch light, that it is not snake but a piece of rope, that very moment snake disappears and we start seeing rope. Similarly in ignorant state, when Sadguru bestows the knowledge of Brahma then world does not remain, in its place we see Brahma.
Maharaj what is the meaning of world doesn’t remain? World is not seen in the sleep. When we beget knowledge then whether we sleep?
In the dream we do not see this world, but some new world gets created. After attaining knowledge do we see a new thing in place of this world?
Then would it happen that as after getting the knowledge of rope, snake disappears like that in wake up state nothing of the world is seen like a blind person?
No no! Nothing like that! The rubber snake in the children toys can not frighten us, same way when a considered determined decision that this world and nature is only an illusion then no tension can disturb us and nothing can frighten. We understand that birth and death are also imaginary. Then there is no fear of death. We continue to do the activities in the world as before but without attachment and we are liberetated from the cycle of birth and death and become Dhnyani (Knower). We get to know Parmatma and we get his help at every moment even in worldly affairs, like Arjun got help from Lord Shrikrishna.
Liberated Dhnyani completes his life span in a very satisfying manner and in the end attains Emancipation getting merged with Parmatma.
Undertaking Nididhyasan with the process of Adhyarope and apavad, sense of gratitude dawns within us with the realization of homogeneous Parbrahma, Parmatma, present invisibly in our body and this world.
In next Adhyay we will study Atmaswaroop (self realization) beyond five covers of human body by Nididhyasan through the process of Adhyarope – Apvad.