Tatva Bodh of Adi Shankaracharya

Lectures by Swami Nikhilanandaji,
Tatva Bodh was written by Adi Shankaracharya. Shankaracharyaji salutes his guru Shri Krishna before he starts the text. This is important because before we undertake any study of the scriptures, we have to surrender our ego and identify with the Supreme Reality.

Tatva Bodh is not a text for those who are curious or for those who want worldly knowledge. It is not merely a book of theories to be read. It is meant for people who desire Moksha. We all have desires that we try to fulfill in our past time because we think we get happiness when they are fulfilled. The degree of happiness is proportionate to the intensity of the desire. But there are always more unfulfilled desires than fulfilled desires. These desires always give rise to restlessness. Where there is restlessness, there is no peace. Example: “I want water. I am thirsty.” Once this desire has entered your mind, you can not sit peacefully. You go to where this water and drink it or if there is none, you think about where to go and get some.

It is natural that we have desires and they propel us. It is even written in the scriptures. (Kaama cheshta – everything is propelled by desire) The rishis analyzed these desires and wondered if one can fulfill all his desires, will he be happy. They classified the desires into four types.

1. Desire to be secure (Survival instinct):

This is the first and foremost desire among all living beings. We want to survive. This desire arises from deep within us. Eons ago, the caveman lived in caves and killed animals to survive. Today, we desire to own a house, car, and credit cards to feel secure. (Arthapurushaartha – desire for security)

We think money will provide security and so we desire to earn more, own a house with security alarms and smoke detectors. Or we may be physically, socially and financially secure but we feel psychological insecurities. “Why won’t he smile at me? Why doesn’t she like me? Let me make cookies for her.” We may also feel intellectual insecurities. We then use philosophy to feel more secure. “I am an Advaiti. I am a Hindu. I am a Muslim.” We may join a movement or a mission to feel intellectually secure. We must take care to not just calm our insecurities but try to learn and move towards the goal.

We also feel secure doing what a lot of people do. We feel more secure with a crowd. We do not want to be alone. Even if God is there and everyone is going towards Him, we prefer to go with everyone rather than go alone to God.

These insecurities will remain with us until we have “atma gnana”. Therefore, in Bhagavad Gita, Bhagwan says “Have faith in me. I will make you secure. I will take care of all your needs.” “Yogakshemaam vahaamyaham” – whatever needs to be protected, I shall protect.” Till we understand the greatness of God and till we understand that the greatest security is God within us, we will be insecure and desire for security.

2. Desire to gain pleasure:

This is a very strong desire. Almost everything is propelled by these two desires – security and pleasure. We are propelled by fear or pleasure and so many religions use this – “Do this and go to heaven. Don’t do this, you will go to hell.” They create fear or give pleasure to make people do things. There are pleasures at all levels: physically, senses etc. The drawback is pleasure is always followed by pain. There is insecurity in the pleasure - “Will we feel it tomorrow?” Also, a person who always seeks pleasure becomes dull. His thinking capacity is diminished because he becomes totally focussed on acquiring pleasures. It is said in the scriptures: If you want to gain knowledge, forget about pleasure. If you want to gain pleasure, forget about knowledge.

Even after trying to gain security and pleasure, we are not happy. So, we desire to gain a superior type of security and happiness – that which is more lasting. This is the third ty pe of desire.

3. Desire to be good:

This is the desire to become a better and more righteous person. There is pleasure in eating but there is more pleasure in feeding others. There is pleasure in being protected but there is greater pleasure in protecting others. This indicates rise of Dharma and goodness and giving up of selfishness. We should try to gain security without making the other person insecure. We should try to be happy without making others miserable.

Dharma says – “Live and let live.” If you want to gain something, do so by adhering to certain rules (“niyams”) so that you do not harm others. Even the worst person has this desire to be good in him. He has the potential that is deep within him and that is inborn in him to be a saint. The Gita says the moment an evil person desires to be good, he becomes a saadhu. (Example: Valmiki)

When a person follows Dharma, he feels more secure and happier in this world. This seems very strange but is true. A dharmic person feels very secure (Example: Sitaji, Ramji). An adharmic person feels very insecure. (Raavan, despite all his strength and wealth he felt insecure all the time.)

Dharmorakshathi rakshathaha One, who follows Dharma, is protected by Dharma. He feels God, Goodness, Righteousness is on his side and so he gains unshakeable strength. Nothing can affect him. Mahatma Gandhi was small, frail, without money, without even the full complement of garment to cover his body, not owning even as much earth as might be held on the point of a needle, yet he was so much stronger than the mightiest of empires. The British feared him.

One who follows truth: His words gain power, even the Gods must obey him. Example: Anasuya. When someone approached her for help, her husband was cursed to die at sunrise the next day, Anasuya had the power to stop the Sun from rising because she followed dharma.

When a person follows dharma, he feels more secure and happier, he feels joy in just being and existing (Example: Mahatmas). They work not because of sense of duty and not because of aspiration but because of inspiration.

But a Dharmic person still feels a sense of bondage, a sense of limitation by rules. He will have to be born in this body, eat, sleep and drink with this body. Living in this world becomes bondage. Mumukshatwam (desire to be free from bondage) arises in him.

4. Desire to gain Moksha:

This is the desire to free from bondage of desires, body etc. It is subtlest of all desires. Example: No matter how much pleasure we gain from being awake, we do not want to turn away from sleep. We always want rest and sleep. A mumukshu is one who has intense desire for freedom, liberation and Moksha. The Tatva Bodh is written for such a mumukshu. This liberation that he seeks can be gained from knowing the Self. There is no need to go elsewhere or outwards. The liberation lies within. Knowing the true self is freedom.
Transcribed by Neena Venugopalan

Explanation Of God By A Child

THIS IS FABULOUS!!!

It was written by an 8-year-old named Danny Dutton, who lives in Chula Vista , CA . He wrote it for his third grade homework assignment, to 'explain God.' I wonder if any of us could have done as well?
(and he had such an assignment, in California , and someone published it, I guess miracles do happen!)
EXPLANATION OF GOD:
'One of God's main jobs is making people. He makes them to replace the ones that die, so there will be enough people to take care of things on earth. He doesn't make grownups, just babies. I think because they are smaller and easier to make. That way he doesn't have to take up his valuable time teaching them to talk and walk. He can just leave that to mothers and fathers.'

'God's second most important job is listening to prayers. An awful lot of this goes on, since some people, like preachers and things, pray at times beside bedtime. God doesn't have time to listen to the radio or TV because of this. Because he hears everything, there must be a terrible lot of noise in his ears, unless he has thought of a way to turn it off.'

'God sees everything and hears everything and is everywhere which keeps Him pretty busy. So you shouldn't go wasting his time by going over your mom and dad's head asking for something they said you couldn't have.'

'Atheists are people who don't believe in God. I don't think there are any in Chula Vista . At least there aren't any who come to our church.'

'Jesus is God's Son. He used to do all the hard work, like walking on water and performing miracles and trying to teach the people who didn't want to learn about God. They finally got tired of him preaching to them and they crucified him. But he was good and kind, like his father, and he told his father that they didn't know what they were doing and to forgive them and God said O.K.'

'His dad (God) appreciated everything that he had done and all his hard work on earth so he told him he didn't have to go out on the road anymore. He could stay in heaven. So he did. And now he helps his dad out by listening to prayers and seeing things which are important for God to take care of and which ones he can take care of himself without having to bother God. Like a secretary, only more important.'

'You can pray anytime you want and they are sure to help you because they got it worked out so one of them is on duty all the time.'

'You should always go to church on Sunday because it makes God happy, and if there's anybody you want to make happy, it's God!

Don't skip church to do something you think will be more fun like going to the beach. This is wrong. And besides the sun doesn't come out at the beach until noon anyway.'

'If you don't believe in God, besides being an atheist, you will be very lonely, because your parents can't go everywhere with you, like to camp, but God can. It is good to know He's around you when you're scared, in the dark or when you can't swim and you get thrown into real deep water by big kids.'

'But...you shouldn't just always think of what God can do for you. I figure God put me here and he can take me back anytime he pleases.


And...that's why I believe in God.'

THE SAGE OF KANCHI [1894-1994]

THE SAGE OF KANCHI [1894-1994]
--Was there anything which he did not know?
By B.N.Murthy
Among the path- finders to the Eternal, Acharya Shankara stands pre-eminent. He spent his entire life, short though it was, in urging his fellowmen to turn from the ephemeral to the abiding, from the fleeting phenomena of the temporal world to the spiritual felicity of the Eternal life. He taught the path to the Eternal not merely by precept but also by his own shining example. Cast in the image of Shankara, the Sage of Kanchi, also popular as the Paramacharya, followed in the footsteps of Shankara and carried forward the message of Shankara and consolidated Advaita in the 20th century at a time when materialism was gaining the upper hand in society. A well known Professor of Religion and Philosophy from the University of Chicago, after having met the Paramacharya, observed “Before I went to India, I had heard and read much about the great sages and saints of India and I had assumed that it was something belonging to the ancient past. And it was not till I had met the Sage of Kanchi in 1955 that I realized that it was still a part of the living force of Hinduism even today”

The Sage of Kanchi always reminded anyone who met him for the first time about our ancient Rishis of the past. The simplicity of his living was proverbial. His simplicity, amenability and humility belied the fact that he was a store- house of all knowledge, both spiritual as well as secular. The versatility of his knowledge even in such secular subjects like Music, Dance, Drama, English Literature, Foreign Language, Sculpture and Architecture was something amazing, as the following incidents testify. The Paramacharya’s formal education ended when he was 13 years of age when he took up Sanyasa.

Shelly, The English Poet: Years ago when the Sage was camping in the Mylapore Sanskrit College, Madras, a discussion was going on between a retired Professor of English, fairly advanced in age, and the Sage on the subject “Traces of Advaita in English Literature” The Professor referred to some lines in Shakespeare’s drama “As you Like It” and some lines from Wordswoth’s poem “Tintern Abbey”. The Sage asked the Professor if there was any clearer reference in Shelly’s works. The Professor could not recollect immediately. The Achrya quipped “Have you not heard Shelly’s “Adonais?”. The Professor said “Yes”. The Acharya then observed “Perhaps you have forgotten the line “The One remains, the many change and pass”. The Professor submitted that due to his advanced age, his memory had failed him.

Shakespeare: Sometime in 1988 some devotees, including a few foreigners went to Kanchi to have the darshan of the Paramacharya. A little girl about 3 years old, daughter of one of the devotees, was playing merrily, often putting her hand in the interspace between the railings. A sudden gush of wind caused the screen besides the railing to flutter. The child screamed. The father rushed towards the child to console.
The Acharya, who was watching the child all along, asked the father if he had read Shakespeare’s drama ‘Tempest’. When he said no, the Acharya asked one of the attendants to enquire the small group of foreigners sitting close by and find out if they have read. Two said they had read. The Acharya then explained that the child, while playing, got frightened because of the strong wind, even as Miranda, the little daughter of Prospero, had been portrayed by Shakespeare as having been terrified when the vessel in which they were sailing got tossed by the gale, in his drama ‘Tempest’.

Russian Language: An oriental scholar by name Prof. Ribakov from Moscow, accompanied by the famous dancer Dr. Padma Subramanian, once went to have the darshan of the Paramachrya at Kanchi.. The Professor had brought a questionnaire with him for which he wanted the Sage’s clarifications. After a brief introduction, His Holiness asked the Professor “Does not the northernmost part of Russia use a dialect which has a large content of Sanskrit?” As it was so, the Professor was stunned at the Paramacharya’s close acquaintance with the Russian language and its dialects..

Music: Many decades back, when the Paramacharya was camping in Madras, he visited the house of Madurai Mani Iyer, a doyen of Carnatic music, early in the morning without notice. Mani Iyer was doing his Sadhana practicing Sangitha, deeply immersed in it. When some one announced that the Paramacharya was entering his house, Mani Iyer was stunned and it took sometime for him to react. When Iyer came and met the Sage, the Sage asked him to sing a song. Iyer replied hesitatingly that he had not even had his bath. The Sage replied “You always swim in the Sangitha Sagaram [Ocean of music]. You do not have to have a bath to sing before me!” Moved to tears, Madurai Mani fell at his feet, crying “Parmeshwara!” “Now, start” said the Acharya. “You saw the mridangam man leave just now. How do I sing?” pleaded Madurai Mani. “Don’t worry. I will keep the talam for you!” Paramacharya began keeping the beats with his hands and Mani Iyer sang.

Sculpture : When a memorial was conceived in memory of Swami Vivekananda to be put up in Kanyakumari in 1962 [ A year ahead of his birth centenary], a group of Swamiji’s disciples were having the idea of putting up a statue on the rock, now popular as the Vivekananda Rock, which is about 500 meters away from the coast. This is the rock sitting on which Swamiji meditated for three days from on 26th December 1882 before he left for Chicago in 1893. The local Christians opposed the idea as they wanted a memorial in the same place for St.Xavier. When the proposal became controversial with communal overtones, a patriot and dynamic social worker by name Ekanath Ranade entered the scene. He got in touch with almost all the top national leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, Rajaji, Babu Rajendra Prasad, Dr.S.Radhakrishnan etc and convinced them about the propriety of putting up Swamiji’s statue. When all agreed, Ranade went to the Paramacharya with a well known Sthapathi [Sculptor] and got complete guidance from the Paramacharya and got the blueprint prepared. Finally, he called on the then Chief Minister Sri. M. Bhaktavatsalam and requested the CM to give his approval in consultation with the Government Architect. The Chief Minister simply remarked “When the Paramacharya has himself approved the design, there is no need to consult anyone else”.

Even though the Sage of Kanchi appeared immersed in mundane affairs, all along he was deeply immersed in the Eternal Bliss of Self-Realization. It would be easy to visualize such a noble soul, if only we study Oliver Goldsmith’s famous poem ‘The Deserted Village” wherein the poet refers to the Village Preacher in these memorable lines:

“As some tall cliff that lifts its awful form,
Swells from the vale, and midway leaves the storm,
Though round the breast the rolling clouds are spread,
Eternal sunshine settles on its head”.

Removing the poison

By Adur Asuri Madhavachari
God thinks of the welfare of all. So everyone can worship Him, and crave salvation. There is no distinction of caste or creed or gender when it comes to seeking the Lord's protection. When the Lord states His willingness to liberate us and further demonstrates it by liberating even a venomous snake like Kalinga that wrought havoc among the people, surely there is no reason to doubt His words.

And yet, we never tire of asking questions and doubting the Lord. So it was with the disciples of the Vaishnavite Acharya Vedanta Desika. They first asked their preceptor how the Lord could let off Kalinga. When the Acharya answered citing further examples of the Lord's benevolence, they had a further query. Why did the Lord have to make the snake spit out the poison? The Lord danced on each hood and made the snake spew out all its poison through each of its mouths, until it no longer had any poison. Why did He do this, the disciples wondered. The Lord is the remover of all manner of poison. So what is there to be surprised at His removal of the snake's poison? Is there a bigger poison than samsara? Does the Lord not rid us of this poison, if we request Him to? So getting rid of Kalinga's poison was but a minor matter for the Lord.

The list of people saved by the Lord is big. Kshatrabandhu, a robber, Kakasura, who hurt Sita, Guha, Sugriva, Vibhsihana are some of the many liberated by Him. And it can be seen that this is just a sample of a heterogeneous set of those liberated by the Lord. He blesses sinners too, if they place their faith in Him.

Few of us can see the Lord in everything. Lord Krishna Himself points to this. Attachment to the Lord does not come easily. We may have to take several births before we realise that we need Him to grant us moksha. But moksha is our birthright, and we must seek what is rightfully ours. But every right carries with it responsibilities and duties. Our duty is to surrender to Him unconditionally, and then moksha automatically follows. The Lord shall not waver in His promise to liberate us, if we surrender to Him.

Spirituality Made Him Indian

He has authored several books which are well known internationally. His book, ‘A Concise Dictionary of Indian Philosophy,' initially published by the New York State University Press, is already into its third edition.

Jhon Grimes Family
‘Ganapati' (on Lord Ganesha) was his first book and so far he has released a dozen titles, the latest being ‘Ramana Maharishi - The Crown Jewel Of Advaita.' The author is an American, who knew India only on the world map in school. John Grimes, today, is a recognised authority on Advaita Vedanta.

It is during an interview at his sprawling apartment in Poonamalli High Road that details of his spiritual pursuit come to light. “I say I have the samskaras ( latent Impressions) to do all this,” begins Grimes. “I was a pucca American up to the point of my graduation from the University of Washington, U.S., where I learnt western philosophy. One day I was overwhelmed by a desire to go to India to learn philosophy,” he continues.

“It was in the 1970s, when people from the West set foot in India in the course of their spiritual quest. I wanted to learn about Indian sages, who were embodiment of Indian philosophy. The day I left for India, my father Johnson Alan Grimes, who was a city attorney in Beverley Hills, got initiated into the order of Swami Paramahamsa Yogananada. My sister was already a devotee of an Indian saint.”

And how was he received here? “ I met several sages wandering around India and they had one word to sum up my inclination - ‘samskara. Some even felt it was the continuance of an old relationship when they saw me. My thirst to learn Indian mythology grew.” Today John Grimes calls himself an Indian when it comes to Indian spirituality.

What was the search for and where did it end? “In the course of my search for a Guru, a Russian Yoga Instructor showed me the life-size portrait of a person in her studio that moved me. It was Sathya Sai Baba of Puttaparthi, of whom I had never heard of till then. I wanted to meet him and I set off for Puttaparthi.

“I met him and on his advice went to Varanasi to study Sanskrit. I was asked to leave the country during Emergency in 1975. Returning to Baba's Bangalore ashram, I was asked to attend his summer courses. Nine months later, he instructed me to go to Madras and do my masters in Philosophy at the University of Madras. My life changed course from that of a sadhak to a student of philosophy and I went on to earn a Ph.D at the Radhakrishnan Institute of Advanced Study in Philosophy, University of Madras.”

It was during his student days in the mid 1970s that John met the child prodigy Bala Meera (Hari Katha exponent), whom he married later. The couple have a son named Isa, who is a Management scholar living in the U.S.

On Sai Baba
On Baba as his Guru. “The moment I saw his portrait, my desire was fulfilled. There wasn't any direct learning. Many of my spiritual experiences happened outside the boundary of Puttaparthi.” How did he dare to do a treatise on Adi Sankara's ‘Viveka Choodamani.' “I had learnt Sanskrit by then and was fascinated by Adi Sankara's Advaita Philosophy. It took almost 10 years for me to complete the book which I wrote in an inclusive style. I have also written a book on Sureshwara's Naikarma Siddhi.”

It was Professor R. Balasubramanian, Director, Radhakrishnan Institute of Advanced Philopshy, who inspired him to write a book on Ramana.

“I would not have embarked upon this without someone prompting me. I have read about Ramana and studied his teachings for the past three years. Earlier, I was looking at it from a sadhak's view point but now it has changed to an intellectual and analytical perspective. Arunachala the mountain, stole my heart.”

Grimes describes the experience. “My sister, a staunch Visishtadvaitin, and I travelled to Tiruvannamalai. During the trip, we argued about the philosophies we learnt. As the silhouette of Arunachala began to emerge, we felt overpowered by a strong force. We became silent. We went to Skandasram and the Virupakshi cave, yet the impact never left us. We could feel the sakti. Arunuchala is a symbol of Brahman and in spite of being an Advaitik, I feel both Ramana and Arunachala are synonymous.”

Close to the heart
Which of his works are close to his heart? “‘Ganapati.' I have read it several times. Many people around the world use it as a reference. In New York when I was teaching Advaita at the University, I was given a grant to do research on Ganesa. It is more of a devotional offering than a book for academicians and students of philosophy. Ganesa is not just an elephant headed deity. He is the beginning of all good things and is present everywhere including the Mooladhara Chakra,” John asserts.

On future plans: “I want to write a book on all the sages and saints of India whom I have met during my spiritual quest and also a book on the gurukula system.

John turns nostalgic when he says he misses the fun he had at Bangalore and Puttaparthi as a budding sadhak with young Baba.

Keywords: John Grimes, Advaita