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Vishnu Sahasranama Verse 2 to 4

Buddhi gets the expression of consciousness in whichever object it assumes. It encounters the five types of sensory perceptions e.g. sabdah, Sparsa, rupa, rasa and gandah etc. Whenever the mind meets an object of knowledge it assumes the form of the object. We call this as Vritti. E.g. Water does not have a shape of its own, but if you pour the water in a pot, the water assumes the form of the vessel. Same as Vayu, fire etc. 1. Chaitanya Prati Bhimbena – also referred as Cidabasa or chit Chaya. So, when the buddhi or ahamkara here assumes the form of mind, it appears that mind is the atma. Because of this false perception, he karta becomes the doer and enjoys doership. 2. Vyapto Bodho Hi Jayate – Pervaded by the reflection of consciousness this knowledge is perceived in the mind. 3. Buddhe sabdadi bhasa- In the same way, sound is taken as an example which is only a reflection of this consciousness in the mind. But this sound is taken to be the satyam and is enjoyed as the ultimate happiness. (Chaitanasya atmanah shabdhabihi aakarena bhasaha bhavati). That Chaitanya or atma as though takes the form of that visaya. E.g. Pot, Chaitanya appears as the pot, but this pot is Idam, so the knowledge is in the form of ‘I know this pot’. If there is no object, then what kind of aakara will buddhi will take? If there is no Idam Vritti, what Vritti should remain? (aham Vritti should remain). Therefore, this idea of aham being limited continues. Therefore, the visaya becomes pancha kosa. In panchakosa wherever there is maximum abhimana, that will prevail most and will be my idea. E.g. in waking state deha abhimana is there, but in dream state, this abhimana is substituted with another aham Vritti. In deep sleep state, there is no aham Vritti, as the mind along with the dasha indriyani gets resolved. So, there is no aham or idam Vritti. e.g. if I am watching television, then the act of seeing gets prominent and the ‘I’ gets associated with that. At that time, Shabdha is not manifested as the act of seeing is more prominent than speaking. One may see and sing or talk, but the act of seeing is more prominent. Likewise, when you are chanting, the Shabdha is more prominent and hearing is less. So, like this the caitanya or consciousness takes the form of visaya through the buddhi and is involved and is wrongly perceived as the absolute ‘I’. (dhyati iva – I am knower should be replaced as aham brahma – I am that knowledge). Janami it is the error should be replaced by Aham Jnanam 4. tena Momhuyate jagat – In this way, this entire jagat (people in the world) falsely perceive this atma as the doer. Mo-Muhyati- superlative degree of moha or extreme delusion.

Kena Upanishad Shankara Bhashyam- Mantra 3.1

Bhaja govindam is one of the prakarana Grantham and contains 31 shlokas written by Adi Sankara. In this treatise we start the study by repeating Bhaja govindam 3 times and in the last verse he concludes how we can see govinda as our own self and not as another rupam. Activities keep us busy and seldom spend time to understand the very existence of us in this universe. This is because we are so much attached to material aspects (artha), , karma (desires) and dharma (the rituals, austerity, charity etc.).But we do not pursue Moksha as the ultimate choice. In this we also see the importance of yoga, satsangam, gita study, Vishnu sahasranama, Krishna Archanam and the importance of all these. Lastly he concludes by saying that Moksha is available only to the spiritually enlightened person and one who has unflinching belief in the guru. The word Guru also means Gu-ru where GU means remove and Ru-means the darkness. The person who removes the darkness or ignorance is called Guru. ` Bhaja govindam is not a stotram but is a teaching that will convert a non-religious person into a religious, convert a religious person into a spiritual person and will convert a non-ethical person into an ethical person. In the Bhaja govindam, the word Bhaja govindam is repeated many times as repetition is always for emphasis. To stress Bhaja govindam 3 times is for emphasis it means how important it is and is stressed. Govindam means Go-vindaha. The word ‘Go’ indicates knowledge and ‘Bhaja’ is a verb .May you pray to govinda. May you attain govinda, sing in praise of govinda, may you know govinda is the meaning of Bhaja Govindam. The lord or Bhagavan is jagat and the whole Ishwara and has Ananthanama. Ananthanama is the person with innumerable countless names, because the whole jagat is Ishwara. So any one object is lord. Any language is a constitution of sounds. Vowels and consonants only doesn’t matter whichever language it is. One of the name of the lord is Vishwam. That which is constituted by countless, words, objects is called Vishwam. Nathan is the ruler of Vishwam. Why Govinda? Everybody will say the person who protects the cows, Go – means cow and also means knowledge. Go also means jiva. Go means knowledge and vindaha means the one to be attained. The one who has to be attained through knowledge is govinda. Knowing the lord is attaining the lord. Arival adiayapada vendiyavan is govindan. This is a fact as you cannot attain the lord because you are non-separate from the lord. Can a wave be separate from the water? Anything that is away from you can be attained? Govindam Bhaja keep remembering the lord and pray and don’t waste your time in not knowing this. Human life is precious, the life we are living is precious and we don’t know how long we will live. Let this life be lived by having the proper disposition of the lord. So Bhaja govindam means may you know the lord. He keeps repeating this to make emphasis. Nahi nahi rakshati (repeated twice) means that no protection is possible until you know the truth.

If Sruti says I am Brahma and I should use only knowledge to comprehend, and if it is so simple, why everyone does not claim this truth? There is a story called Aakhyayika. There is a story of a sage called Udanka Rishi. This rishi did lot of tapas. As a result of this tapas, Vishnu appeared. Vishnu asked what boon he wants. In the deva loka every evening the devatas drink soma juice for continuing to being immortal. I also want this amritam which the devas have every day. Vishnu said ‘OK’. He told Indra to provide this amritam to this rishi. But this Indra was very insecure. If you give something which you have and, in that process, the other person becomes equal to you, it is a problem for someone, especially in Karma. E.g. a person might not teach everything and might hold back something so that his importance is known. But in Brahma Vidya, this is not there. In all Karma Phalas this insecurity is there. This knowledge cannot be stolen nor will make another person more secure than what he already is. But Indra cannot ‘No’ to Vishnu. So, he did a trick. He did not go as Indra but went as Chandala (an ugly person or an outcast person). There was a pot which had amritam which he tied around his waist with a string in such a way that the pot was hanging near his thighs. Then he asked the rishi, you want Amritam, here it is. Udanka rishi saw that someone is offering Amritam to me who does not look like Indra. He looks a different person and what he is giving is like Urine. (Mootra Ashanka). Even though it was amritam, the viparita bhavana was strong. So, he defied the Amritam. This way people deny aham brahma asmi. Because of this viparita bhavana. Amritam is given, but people will not take it. 1. Mootra Ashanka – due to the doubt created in the mind that the amritam can be urine 2. Yatha uddankaha – Just like the rishi Udanka 3. Amritam na agrahit – the rishi did not take or consume the amritam as he thought that if he consumes this urine, he will also become a chandala or would inherit the qualities. This is due to the defect in the intellect or wrong thinking despite doing all karmas, tapas etc. So, this viparita bhavana prevented the Rishi from consuming the amritam despite his tapas, karma phalam etc. This rishi also had a mind block that if this person who is a chandala cannot be offering me Amritam. So, we mistake sometimes the appearance of the body or the person and conclude that the person cannot give certain things. 4. Tatha – In the same way 5. Bhaya Janthu – all jivas are afraid (of karma phala nasah) 6. Karma phala nasah –Karma phala nasah bhayat, future karmas I will lose interest which is taken as negative. E.g. if I study brahma gyanam, people may say that why you are not attending my parties. But you will say I am not interested. In another Upanishad, the acharya says, people are weird. That which gives you fearlessness in that they see fear. Abhaya bhaya darshanam. 7. Atma gyana agrahit – In the same way, the people are afraid of pursuing this atma gyanam as the fear of losing punyam due to karma, tapas will be no longer available. We are not worried if our papams are not destroyed. But I do not want to let go of my Punyam which I have accumulated for going to deva loka or brahma loka should be wasted. Also, the fear of losing something which is treasured is also there. Verse 2 What is the Karanam for my mistake or bramaha? The fact that I am not owning up Brahma. The mistake committed is just like 1. Naugatasya yatha vrkshaya – Nauka means boat and the boat is moving, the boat moves in one direction and the trees also seem to be moving. Likewise, the samsara is in buddhi, but I think samsara is in Atma. Just as movement of boat is superimposed on trees which are not moving, likewise movement of intellect is superimposed on the Atma. 2. Buddhis Taha – Atma which is expressing in intellect, but untouched by intellect. 3. Chalati iva, dhyayati iva ca drysyate-The movement of the intellect in the mind is understood as the movement of the Atma. Chalati means movement (Karmendriya and Prana) , Dhyati iva – as though Atma is thinking (Gnana Indriya and antha karana). Because of error in perception, both these Chalati and dhyayati is superimposed on the atma. Chalati Iva – doership, Dhyati iva – knowership. Knowledge is taking place only in intellect and not in Atma. Is atma meditating or mind? But we say that “I am meditating or meditator’ also an error. Upanishad says even if I know Brahman it’ also an error, as Brahman cannot be known as an object of knowledge. 4. Samsara vibhramah – Delusion about being a samsari. I have a lot of things to do, busy, cannot achieve this etc are wrong notions. Ahamkara thrives on and looking for its own existence internally. Ahamkara says ‘don’t touch me’ but you can do whatever you want (study, make notes, etc). Ahamkara – Iam this person notion must be uprooted so that Ahamkara does not thrive.

Lineage of Gurus Like any other institution Guru-Sishya parampara is also said to have come from the eternal. Every Guru-Sishya tradition claims its origin in the eternal. In every tradition the lineage of teachers is given a salutation. "sadasiva samarambham vyasa sankara madhyamam asmad acarya paryantam vande guru paramparam" Meaning: salutation to the lineage starting with lord Sadasiva, then Vyasa and Adi Sankara in the middle and continuing up to my immediate teacher. शुक्लाम्बरधरं विष्णुं शशिवर्णं चतुर्भुजम् । प्रसन्नवदनं ध्यायेत् सर्वविघ्नोपशान्तये ll ShuklaAmbara Dharam Vishnum Shashi Varnam Chatur Bhujam Prasanna Vadanam Dhyaayet Sarva Vighnopashaantaye (Vighna Upashaantaye) शुक्ल white; अम्बरं dress; धरं adorning; विष्णुं all pervasive; शशि name of the moon; वर्णं colour; चतुर्भुजम् 4 hands representing 4 anga vedas; 4 directions; 4 seasons; 4 states indicating the avastha traya and the Turiya state where one becomes aware of all the 3 states that one underwent. It is consciousness and not a state by itself. Bhagwan is endowed with 4 vedas – chaturvedi. The foremost Lord is Dakshinamurthy. From Vishnu/shiva vyasa came next in the line of teaching and shankara in the middle. After that many Acharyas came. So homage is paid to the tradition of teachers. प्रसन्न वदनं pleasant face symbolizing happiness always; ध्यायेत् let us meditate;सर्व all विघ्न obstacles उप शान्तये cessation of obstacles – make it happen Vishnu Sahasranamam is a Saguna Brahman Upasana and therefore Vishnu is seen outside of you and praise is to that outside Lord. After sometime Bhakti will become One with you and Bhakti will become Nirguna. During the day due to sunlight moon is not seen. Sun is the only light and no other light. Even the stars are visible because of sunlight.

etAvAnasya mahimA | ato jyAyAgumSca pUrushaH | pAdo'sya viSvA bhUtAni | tripAdasyAmrtam divi || 3 || etAvAn ‐ whatever is seen here and referred in previous 2 verses asya mahimA ‐ all these are the glories or vibhuti of this Purusha ataH purushaSca jyAyAn ‐ Beyond all that is seen, the Purusha is much more. viSvA bhUtAni asya pAdaH ‐This Universe is created with 1/4 of this Manifestation. The other 3/4 are yet to be manifest and are beyond this manifested Prapancha. This Nama rupa prapancha represents the feet of the lord. asya tripAd amrtam divi ‐ The three fourth of this Purusha is immortal and changeless and is also can be interpreted as (Sat/Chit/Ananda)