Pranam to Parampoojya Parameshwar Sadguru Swami Anilji Maharaj
Atmadhnyan Shighra Sadhana… 14
(English Translation of the series in Hindi by Brahmatmaikdhnyani Sant Swami Anilji Maharaj)
“Atmanastukamay Sarvam Priyam bhavati”
For the delight of our own Atma only all are beloved or lovable.
While defining Immortality
Maharshi Yadhnyavalkya had told his beloved wife in the first place this Principle that dearest thing to human being is his own Atma. Atma is the extreme happiness. Human being unconsciously loves own Atma only. His behavior becomes emotional due to his ignorance. In all his worldly actions the feeling of Somebody loves me or I love somebody, exists all the time. People from So many religious groups, religions (western) etc to the bollywood broadcast, “Love” to easily, effortlessly attract the society fulfilling their motive of successful business.
We do not get to know that this instinct of love is basically introvert, and not the extrovert. That is why human looks for the object of love in visual world. This subject can be anything that provides inner satisfaction.
In fact the nucleus of our happiness is our Atma, not any living being or non living thing nor any God from above. However the human organs have been made to be extrovert, so he can sense anything externally and not internally.
In Deepavali festival there is lot of significance of the worship of the Lord Yama. With salutations to Lord Yama, we take a look at what teachings He has given to Nachiketa.
(Kathopnishad – second chapter – prathamavalli )
पराञ्चिखानि व्यतृणत्स्वयम्भूस्तस्मापराङ्गपश्यति नान्तरात्मन।
कश्चिद्धीरः प्रत्यगात्मानमैक्षदावृत्तचक्षुरमृतत्वमिच्छन्।
Paranychkhani vyatrunnatsvayambhoostasmaparangapashyati nantaratman ।
Kashchidhdhirah pratyagatmanmeikhdavrutta
Chakshurmrutatvamichchhan Chakshurmrutatvamichchhan ।।
The One Himself (Parmatma) has diminished the power of human senses by making them extrovert. Through them ego based conscience (jeev, human being) senses outer world, unable to to sense inner being. Whoever desirous of immortality, has controlled the extrovert nature of the senses, such a courageous (Dhnyani) person only can sense the self, Atma.
We all know this story. Musk is in the bellybutton of the deer (musk deer). Musk scent is enticing and quite strong so spreads around every where. Musk deer also senses this scent and he gets so much fascinated that he keeps on searching where from this enticing scent is emanating.
In search of the scent musk deer runs in the jungle from one end to the other looking throughly everywhere like mad. In the end musk deer gets old and dies without knowing throughout it’s life that the scent was emanating from himself.
Man is also like this. As his senses are extrovert, He is not able to understand that his happiness, joy is his own Atma, nothing else. In search of happiness man goes from pillar to the post and lives life through hardship.
Searching happiness outwardly in persons or things, in money, in wife, in children, in wealth, in honor, in power etc. he becomes old and leaves the life. Throughout the life he does not become completely happy, whether he is a billionaire or has hundreds of wives! In fact Man himself is delightful, full of love.
Achrya bhashya :
“तस्मादात्माप्रीतिसाधन तवाद्गौणी अन्यत्र प्रीतिः आत्मन्येव मुख्या”
Tasnadarmapritisadhan tavadgouni anyatra preetihi atmanyev mukhya
So, Oh Maitrei! Atma is the only one to be loved, any where else any kind of love has to be considered as secondary. In Atma alone the main love exists.
Let us proceed further.
Sage Yadhnyavalkya gives further advice to Maitrei
“आत्मा वा अरे द्रष्टव्य: श्रोतव्यो मन्तव्यो निदिध्यासितव्यो मैत्रैय्यात्मनो वा अरे दर्शनेन श्रवणेन मत्या विज्ञानेदं सर्वं विदितम् ।।”
“Atma va are drashtavyah shrotavyo mantavyo nididhyasitavyo Maitraiyyatmano va are darshanen shravanen matya vidhnyanedan sarvam viditam ।।”
“That is why Oh Maitrei (in this human life Atma alone is deserving to be understood) Atma alone deserves to be seen, listened, thought, and meditated up on. With the sight, listening, meditation and science of this Atma, one gets the knowledge of the whole universe, meaning seeker (Sadhak) becomes omniscient.”
Is there anything called Atma? If that exists, where it is, what it is? Who made Atma? What are the properties and how it is recognized? What is the relationship of Atma with God and how are we connected? Wherever Atma is mentioned, like these so many questions arise in the minds of the people all over the world.
Ignorance related to Atma seen everywhere in the world. Muslim religion says Knowledge of Atma is only with God. In Christian religion there is confusion with regard to Atma. Now a days they have included some of the things of Hindus related to Atma in their religion.
Let us first look at the misconceptions relating to Atma in the next Chapter.