( A ) Sri Shuka Maharshi A lofty king among mountains called Himalaya stretching from East to West adorns our land of glory in the North like a yardstick meant to measure it. At the foot of the mountain lies a place of divinity called Badarikashram. Once it was at this place that Veda Vyasa... Continue Reading →
Upanishad of a Jeevanmukta
Shukarahasyopanishad Prajnaanaadimahaavaakya-rahasyadikalevaram, Vikalevarakaivalyam tripaadraamamaham bhaje. “Shukarahasyopanishad is verily the crown of all Upanishads” - Shiva “The Upanishads”, said Sri Sadashiva, “is to the Vedas what the head is to the body, but Shukarahasyopanishad is verily the crown of all Upanishads. Whoever meditates on the Brahman conceived by this secret Upanishad develops detachment,” as a prelude... Continue Reading →
Brahma & Dattathreya on Jeevanmukti
The simplest way to liberation! Narada Maharshi was once very much worried about the shape of things to come in Kali Yuga. He went to Satya loka and asked the Creator of the universe, Brahma, “My Lord! As soon as we reach the darker side of Kali Yuga, men tend to give up righteous ways... Continue Reading →
A Jeevanmukta par excellence!
Sage Pareekshit, the recipient of Shuka Brahma’s grace in full measure and author of the unique Shuka Gayathri mantra described the son of Vyasa, the repository of Vedic knowledge and the patriarch of Puranas, as a Jeevanmukta par excellence and a personification of peace. “Jeevanmuktam sadaa shantam” Shuka, according to Pareekshit, was not only an... Continue Reading →
The secret doctrine
Adi Shankara lays down the basic postulate that a person who has understood the secret doctrine of Brahman - Brahma-tattva – will no longer have the kind of family attachment he had before. Conversely, a person who continues to have such attachment (and lives like most others) will not have assimilated the Brahme-tattva. (Sloka 441)... Continue Reading →
Sole Doer – Chapter – 26
Guru says, "Child, the real meaning of Swayambhu Linga is the transcendental journey and experience of the infinite, indivisible, unmanifest of the unmanifest and unknown of unknown known as the Supreme Self. This is beyond words and beyond description. To say it is space or void or to say it is wondrous or incomprehensible or to... Continue Reading →
Swayambhu Linga – Chapter- 25
Shishya bows down and asks, "O Great Guru! The astonishing feat of transcending the dense and subtle layers and planes of creation and creation differentials by You rendered all the Rishis and all of creation speechless. I beseech You to guide me further on this." Guru says, "Son, as I have said earlier all... Continue Reading →
Subtler than the subtle – 24
Guru says, "Child, as I have said earlier that all of creation lies within the dynamic and complex structure of an atom, it is therefore necessary to perceive its interwoven complex structure, formation and composition to understand how to experience it and transcend it. As I have said earlier, creation is expansive and universe... Continue Reading →
Trying to understand the entire gamut of creation – Chapter – 23
Guru says, "Child, it is necessary to understand the interwoven structure of the atom as it contains the entire gamut of creation and creation differentials. What is important to know is that every atom in a created being will be in the shape and form of the self-luminous akshara that it has taken up. ... Continue Reading →
Atom – Chapter – 22
Guru says, "Child, the complex gamut of creation and creation differentials of nature in this ever-changing and expanding universe is difficult and almost impossible for a created being to comprehend on his own. The reason is that there are innumerable parameters, permutations and combinations in the structure and composition of the atom of creation. ... Continue Reading →
Transcendence – Chapter – 21
Guru says, "Child, when the very purpose of one's existence is to know, realize, perceive, understand and experience the Supreme Self and to become immersed and absorbed into the Supreme Self, the most appropriate and best method is to abide by the guidance and instructions of the Self or the self-luminous akshara. The purpose of... Continue Reading →
Apramāda – Chapter – 20
Guru says, "Child, Brahmopadesham is the Supreme Knowledge that each and every created being will be taught by the self-luminous akshara that is the Self. Brahmopadesham is the knowledge, understanding, perception, realization and experience of the self-luminous akshara in entirety. That is the doctrine or upadesh of the Supreme Self. When is Brahmopadesham bestowed on a created being?... Continue Reading →
Brahmopadesham – Chapter – 19
Guru continues saying, "Son, it should be known that a created being is in dhyāna always. Since, the origin of all creation is Aksharam, every created being and all differentials of creation and even the myriad forms of the Supreme Self, mantras, Vedas, Vakhyas, rituals, practices, sadhanas, anuṣṭhānas, homas, yagnas, yāgas, dāna, dharma, jnāna, yoga, dhyāna, actions... Continue Reading →
What is dhyāna? – Chapter – 18
Guru says, "Child, is dhyāna only about sitting in the manner and position as prescribed in the scriptures or is there something more about dhyāna to be known? Introspection and contemplation about one's own creation and the form and shape of the self-luminous akshara in whose form he has been created in and the self-luminous... Continue Reading →
Dhyāna – Chapter – 17
Guru says, "Child, for a created being to even begin to show gratitude and practise acceptance for Self-Surrender, first he must contemplate and introspect on the Supreme Self. For a created being to know, realize, understand, perceive and experience the Supreme Self, the "body" or the manifest state of the self-luminous akshara is his greatest friend. ... Continue Reading →
Absorption in the Self – Chapter – 14
Shishya asks, "O Perfect Being! I surrender myself at Your Golden Lotus Feet and beg You to help me. Please tell me how am I to offer thanks to the Supreme Self." Guru replies, "Dear child, as Aksharam is the seed for the self-luminous akshara, and the self-luminous akshara is the seed for all creation... Continue Reading →
Self-Surrender – Chapter – 13
Guru says, "Son, the self-luminous akshara whose inherent nature is Aksharam is one's Guru, one's teacher or acharya, one's best friend or hiteshi, one's companion or sakha, one's Father, one's Mother, one's sibling and one's child. Supreme Self is one but forms are myriad. Why is being grateful and offering thanks imperative for one to become immersed and... Continue Reading →
Gratitude (Kr̥tajñatā) – Chapter – 12
Guru continues saying, "Child, any path or sadhana or anuṣṭhāna undertaken has to be done with devotion and faith - bhakti and shraddha as this will lead the created being to become grateful and thankful to the Supreme Self. The impulse or feeling to be grateful and thankful every second should be spontaneous and natural emanating from within... Continue Reading →
Who am I? – Chapter – 11
Shishya offers salutations to Guru, "O All-knowing One! I am speechless. I am in a state of joy just from hearing your words. It is indeed the greatest privilege to hear the innermost secrets of the Supreme Self from You. I am eternally grateful and thankful to You. I beseech You to guide me to... Continue Reading →
Four types of Mukti – Chapter – 10
Guru says, "Child, the composition and structure of this self-luminous akshara will dictate the created being's perception of the Supreme Self and this will then dictate the path the created being will follow to realize the Supreme Self. The premise for any path is immersion and absorption into the Supreme Self. The knowledge, realization,... Continue Reading →
Satchitananda – Chapter – 9
Guru asks, "Child, as I said now, the beejam (seed) of a created being is the self-luminous akshara and the beejam of that self-luminous akshara is Aksharam, then what is this self-luminous akshara? I have said that it has manifested from Aksharam. I have also said that this self-luminous akshara possesses inherent light, sound and matter.... Continue Reading →
Akshara Vijnana – Chapter – 8
Guru asks, "Child, why is the knowledge of akshara necessary? Why is it known as Akshara Vijnāna? What is the science of an akshara? As I said earlier, every created being is in the form or shape of the self-luminous akshara. The vast and expansive creation with the ever-changing differentials of nature is within... Continue Reading →
Self-luminous akshara – Chapter – 7
Guru continues to say, "Child, it is imperative to understand the complexity and structure and dynamics of the self-luminous aksharas that is this created universe. Each and every created being is a self-luminous akshara. He projects the composition, structure and differentials of nature (light, sound, matter, time, space, movement, ego, mind, intellect, five-fold attributes,... Continue Reading →
Goal of Action and Inaction – Chapter – 6
Shishya humbly asks, "O Great Guru of the Rishis! You are the all-knowing One. I beg you to enlighten me further about the various ways to understand and realize the anuṣṭhāna and sadhana to seek the Supreme Self that is inherent in each and every created being.” Guru says, "Child, there are innumerable mantras,... Continue Reading →
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