ADVENTURES IN ADVAITA VEDANTA...

Adventures in Advaita Vedanta, the philosophy and science of spirit. We are one you and I; are you curious why?..


Listen and Apply

Hari OM
Application - that is what 'Workings-days' are about!
The text under study is BHAJA GOVINDAM, song of despair of time-wasting, by Sri Adi Shankaraachaarya.

Looking at the big questions was the focus of last week's verse. Now the emphasis is on the Unity - and a direct plea to the student.

Tviy miy caNyÇEkae iv:[u>
VywR< ku{yis mYysih:[u>,
_av smicÅa> svRÇ Tv<
vaÁDSyivra*id iv:[uTvm!.24.
Trayi mayi chaanyatraiko VishnuH
Vyartham kupyasi mayyasahishnuH,
Bhava samachittaH sarvatra tvam
Vangchasyachiraadyadi Vishnutvam ||24||
In you, in me, and in all other places too there is but one all-pervading Reality (Vishnu);
Being impatient, you are unnecessarily getting angry with me!
You must become equanimous of mind everywhere (at all times/circumstances)
If you wish soon to attain the status of Vishnu.

The teachers of this Truth, that All is One and One is All, never vary from it. Neither do they alter their approach of teaching; there are no shortcuts to Divine Living. Here we see that a student has become angry with the teacher for repeating yet again the same thing. Surely, any wisdom at all, tells us that the very best way to achieve anything is to try and try and try again. Continued, unstinting practice of the established routines and exercises is what yields results, regardless of the discipline we have undertaken; music, medicine, art, even cookery. There are rules as to what will give good results and - whilst there is room for individualism - attempting to get around those rules will mean poor results or weak foundations which will eventually collapse.

Do not be angry with the messenger, the bearer of the tidings! The method has been proven time and time again. As long as the student remains unRealised, then the teacher must necessarily repeat the lesson.

It takes as long as it takes.

A key component of making spiritual strides is provided in this shloka also; equanimity of mind. Practice restraint and allow nothing to bring imbalance to your state of being. In order to develop the mental equipoise, one must strive to filter away all the existing vaasanas. This is accomplished through dedicated action, devotion to the Lord, service of mankind, contemplation upon the Highest and constant study and reflection.

Yes one reads of those who claim to have flown to the top of the mountain by some magical mystical momentary method. Trust it not, for it is also very often monetary! Even if they themselves have achieved such a miracle, the likelihood of another achieving the same is so vastly inflated a statistic as to bring it into the realms of fiction.

The Truth of Self is no fiction, but it takes time to write the script for yourself; to inculcate what others have discovered and are offering through their teachings. If you apply it well and with due diligence, you cannot fail.