MANAS

Vedas and Adi Sankara - Part 2 By Sri.Sri.Muralidhara Swamiji.




Radhe Krishna to All,

There is a surprising factor in this feeling that we are only the 'manas'.
We find blind men in this world. The blind man may not have physical vision but he sees everything with his 'manas'. He has 'manas'. Though we may close our eyes we do see some scene. Don’t we? How then do we see? Verily through the 'manas'!

At night we dream. We do not use our eyes then - we are sleeping. But, we see all (kinds of) scenes. We see all (kinds of) scenes in dream. These eyes are not functioning then. The reason for seeing scenes in dream is 'mano maya drishti' (mental vision). So, even if there are no eyes, he sees through mental vision ('mano maya kann' [mental eyes]). But, the Jnani has eyes and no 'manas'! Therefore, though he has eyes he does not see! In that 'mano maya sariira' (subtle body) he (man) thinks of leading a righteous life, “Oh! We should not act as per the ways of the 'manas'. We should lead this ‘manas’ in 'vaidiika dharma'”; he thinks of taking the 'manas' in the path of dharma,’ thinking so he leads a dharmic life.

The Vedas say that only such a one goes to 'swarga' (heaven). He enjoys the pleasures of 'swarga'. He uses 'manomaya sariira' for doing 'yaga', 'yajna'. Beyond this 'manas' is the 'buddhi' (intellect).

'Manas' imagines. There is something called 'buddhi'. What does this 'buddhi' do? It discriminates. The person analyses through this 'buddhi', ‘If there is some life after death I should prepare myself for it’ and does 'upasana' (worship) of some god. He does bhakti or upasana or japa. Where does such a one go? Through the strength of this 'upasana' he attains the world of that god. He does not go to 'swarga' (heaven), at the same time he does not go to 'pitru loka' nor does he return to the earth. Where does he go? There are innumerable 'lokas' including 'satya loka'. Depending on his 'tapo bala'/'upasana bala' he reaches one of these 'lokas'.

There is yet another state. One who destroys this mind and stands in his own 'swaroopa' (form); it is him that the Vedas say, 'Anando brahmeti vyajanat.' He is known as a 'Jivan Mukta' (Liberated while still living in this body). He pushes aside the 'upasakan' (the worshipper), the 'vastu' (thing) that is to be worshipped and the work of 'upasana'. All these are annihilated and since he is immersed in Brahma swaroopa within we call such a one as Jnani. He does not go to any 'loka' (world) nor does he come to any 'loka'. So is this state.

While speaking on the third kind of people (we find that) there are those who think, 'I am verily this manas' (mind) - 'I am not 'prana', I am not 'sariira' but I am this 'manas' (mind).' The Vedas speak of our karma one by one. Speaking on one’s 'mano bala' (mental strength) and 'tapo bala' (power of tapas [spiritual practice]), the Vedas say that one attains a 'loka' in accordance with the way of his sadhana. Thus speak the Vedas. It is Veda ‘prakriya’ (process prescribed by the Vedas). To attain any of these, viz. pitru loka, swarga or upasana loka or even Jivan Mukti state one needs a 'marga' (way). We cannot attain (any of these) without a 'marga'.

!!! Will Continue !!!

Regards

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
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