TEXT

00

TEXT

09

kÉlrÉɹMüqÉç

DHANYASHTAKAM

Who is Truly Blessed?

“THE SANDEEPANY EXPERIENCE”

Reflections by

SWAMI GURUBHAKTANANDA

Sandeepany’s Vedanta Course

List of All the Course Texts in Chronological Sequence:

Text

No. TITLE OF TEXT

Text

No. TITLE OF TEXT

1 Sadhana Panchakam 24 Hanuman Chalisa

2 Tattwa Bodha 25 Vakya Vritti

3 Atma Bodha 26 Advaita Makaranda

4 Bhaja Govindam 27 Kaivalya Upanishad

5 Manisha Panchakam 28 Bhagavad Geeta (Discourse -- )

6 Forgive Me 29 Mundaka Upanishad

7 Upadesha Sara 30 Amritabindu Upanishad

8 Prashna Upanishad 31 Mukunda Mala (Bhakti Text)

9 Dhanyashtakam 32 Tapovan Shatkam

10 Bodha Sara 33 The Mahavakyas, Panchadasi 5

11 Viveka Choodamani 34 Aitareya Upanishad

12 Jnana Sara 35 Narada Bhakti Sutras

13 Drig-Drishya Viveka 36 Taittiriya Upanishad

14 “Tat Twam Asi” – Chand Up 6 37 Jivan Sutrani (Tips for Happy Living)

15 Dhyana Swaroopam 38 Kena Upanishad

16 “Bhoomaiva Sukham” Chand Up 7 39 Aparoksha Anubhuti (Meditation)

17 Manah Shodhanam 40 108 Names of Pujya Gurudev

18 “Nataka Deepa” – Panchadasi 10 41 Mandukya Upanishad

19 Isavasya Upanishad 42 Dakshinamurty Ashtakam

20 Katha Upanishad 43 Shad Darshanaah

21 “Sara Sangrah” – Yoga Vasishtha 44 Brahma Sootras

22 Vedanta Sara 45 Jivanmuktananda Lahari

23 Mahabharata + Geeta Dhyanam 46 Chinmaya Pledge

A NOTE ABOUT SANDEEPANY

Sandeepany Sadhanalaya is an institution run by the Chinmaya Mission in Powai, Mumbai, teaching a 2-year Vedanta Course. It has a very balanced daily programme of basic Samskrit, Vedic chanting, Vedanta study, Bhagavatam, Ramacharitmanas, Bhajans, meditation, sports and fitness exercises, team-building outings, games and drama, celebration of all Hindu festivals, weekly Gayatri Havan and Guru Paduka Pooja, and Karma Yoga activities.

This series is an effort to promote the learning of Vedanta; it does not replace Course, but hopes to inspire young people to spend two years of their life for an experience that is sure to make a far-reaching spiritual impact on their personal lives. Sandeepany is an all-round spiritual course that gives proper direction to the youth and to those approaching retirement. Hinduism is in dire need of a band of systematically trained teachers or Acharyas who can serve this Eternal Religion.

– The Editor, 9th July 2017, Holy Gurpurnima Day

Om Namah Shivaaya!

kÉlrÉɹMüqÉç

DHANYASHTAKAM “Who is Truly Blessed?”

Composed by

Sri Adi Shankaracharyaji

Reflections

by Swami Gurubhaktananda on the 6 Lectures delivered by Swami Tejomayananda,

Guruji, during the 15th Batch Vedanta Course at Sandeepany Sadhanalaya, Powai, Mumbai

March 2nd – March 5th, 2012

Adi Shankaracharya Swami Sivananda Swami Tapovanji Swami Chinmayananda

SERVE LOVE GIVE PURIFY MEDITATE REALISE

Text

09

Copyright & Author’s Details Author: Swami Gurubhaktananda, ex Krishna Chaitanya, born Bipin R. Kapitan of Durban, South Africa.

Residence: Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India. Email: gurubhakta.dls@gmail.com © 2017 All Rights Reserved. Copyright held by Chinmaya International Foundation, Kerala. About This Edition: Web Edition: 9th July 2017, Holy Guru Purnima Day Website: Chinmaya International Foundation: www.chinfo.org Series Title : The Sandeepany Experience Series Subject: Vedanta & supportive subsidiary texts. Declaration by the Author: The material in this series is under inspiration of the Sandeepany

Vedanta Course, but largely consists of the Author’s reflections on the Course. He is deeply indebted to the Chinmaya Mission for its excellent presentation of the Course by their renowned and dedicated Acharyas.

Personal Dedication 1. To my Parents, Smt Sharadaben & Sri Ratilalbhai Kapitan

who inspired me to study in life, to stick to the path of Dharma and pursue the highest ideals; and swamped me with their abundant Love;

2. To Pujya Sri Swami Vimalanandaji Maharaj the President of the Divine Life Society of Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India, who constantly encouraged and supported this effort;

3. To Pujya Sri Swami Tejomayanandaji (Guruji) for his boundless vision and inspiration to create a vibrant organisation;

4. To Sri Swami Advayanandaji and Sri Swami Sharadanandaji my Acharyaji and Upa-Acharyaji at Sandeepany, who imparted their bountiful knowledge and wisdom with rare selfless Divine Love, just as the Rishis of yore would wish to see them do.

*****

kÉlrÉɹMüqÉç

DHANYASHTAKAM

“Who is Truly Blessed?”

FOR SAMSKRIT TEXT WITH SANDHEES

Guide to Splitting Sandhees

Conventional Samskrit Format is used in the body of the book.

Split-Sandhee Samskrit Format is given at the end of the book, for the benefit of beginners. Word-combinations (Sandhees) are highlighted in bold underline (as shown in the table below) to help indicate the splitting of words. This is an original feature.

Purpose: To assist new students who are just finding their way in Samskrit to break up the words (Pada Chheda). It is not intended for those already proficient in Samskrit.

How it Works: 1. Enables normal chanting. The bold underlined letters are Sandhees, not words, and are needed only to join words for correct chanting.

2. Indicates splitting of words. To determine the words on either side of the Sandhee, the following table may be used. [The table has been applied in the transliteration within the body of the book, where individual words are used.]

Add to End

of Prior Word SANDHEE

Add to Front

of Posterior Word

A (a) -AÉ- (aa) A (a)

C (i) -D- (ee) C (i)

E (u) -F- (oo) E (u)

elongated vowel -"x- short vowel

short vowel -x"- elongated vowel

elongated vowel -"x" - elongated vowel

A (a) -L- (e) C (i)

A (a) -Lå- (ai) L (e)

A (a) -AÉå- (o) E (u)

A (a) -AÉæ- (au) Lå (ai)

AÈ (ah) -AÉå (o) unaffected

C (i) -rÉç (y) unaffected

E (u) -uÉç (v) unaffected

È (h) -xÉç, -Uç, -zÉç unaffected

*****

1

Dhanyashtakam “Who is Truly Blessed?”

CONTENTS

Introduction 2

Verse 1: The Path to Blessedness 4

Verse 2: Basic Spiritual Sadhana 6

Verse 3: Practical Difficulties in Sadhana 9

Verse 4: The Science of Dedicated Actions 11

Verse 5: Simple Living, High Thinking 14

Verse 6: Meditation on Brahman 16

Verse 7: Bondage in the World 18

Verse 8: The Company of Realised Sages 20

Split-Sandhee Samskrit Format (for Beginners) 22

Split-Sandhee English Transliteration 23

*****

2

Dhanyashtakam “Who is Truly Blessed?”

INTRODUCTION

[Extracted from Pujya Guruji’s book, Dhanyashtakam, as well as from his talks to us the 15th Batch Sandeepany Course Students.]

GURUJI LECTURING at SIVANANDASHRAM, RISHIKESH, INDIA

Sadhana Week, September 1st- 8th, 2012.

THESE EIGHT VERSES are a composition by Sri Adi Shankaracharyaji, the pillar of

Vedanta who lived in the 8th century A.D. Dhan is wealth. Dhanya means the “blessed person” who possesses this wealth. Ashtakam means “a collection of eight verses”.

We have all types of wealth, of which there are three main categories:

i) Material Possessions: The ordinary concept of wealth is based on the joys of family life. Most people strive for this wealth. They aim to have a ‘happy home’ – wife, children, good job, a car, a nice home, spiced with some good holidays, and so on.

ii) Name & Fame: Some people desire great recognition – name and fame. Acquisitions are needed to climb up to these fulfillments. Social status and influence is a big

3

wealth they strive for. Position and power of authority are the nuts and bolts of such a desire.

iii) Spiritual Qualities: People who are spiritually inclined may feel blessed if they have the company of a noble person, the Satsang of a Sadhu Purusha, in whom they see the repository of virtues.

A few in every society are always there who desire to acquire spiritual treasures. The wealth of virtues, good character, simplicity, freedom from the impermanence offered by material pleasures, and a deep aspiration to have spiritual enlightenment – these are the wealth sought after. Such wealth requires the practice of austerity, dispassion and discrimination in order to gather them in full measure and fulfill oneself.

A better quality of life, rather than greater quantity in life, is more attractive to this last group. ‘Doing’ is replaced by ‘being’. Acquisition is replaced by renunciation. Indulgence is replaced by dispassion. Spiritual merit is the wealth that is sought after.

There is a ‘rat race’ in the restlessness of acquiring material wealth. The sad fact is that even if we win, we remain rats!

Guruji told us a tale of a rat that had great fear for a cat. It sought the blessing of a saint. The saint converted it into a cat. That fear then became replaced by the fear for dogs. It was converted to a dog, but the fear rose up for something else. Eventually it was converted to a ferocious lion, but fear was still there for the hunter. The moral of the tale is that no matter how much it changed externally, it still carried a rat’s heart within, and no outer change could remove that.

Spiritual life changes us within. And by doing so it changes our entire attitude towards life. Saints live a truly blessed life. Possessing very little of material wealth, they yet have the richness of contentment, the brightness of cheerfulness, the carefree dignity of divine realization.

And all this gathers around them because they have the courage to renounce the greatest pleasures offered to them by the world. Acquisition may bring the thrills, but renunciation alone brings PEACE, devotion, beauty of character and tenderness of heart.

Renunciation leads one to total fulfillment in life – it opens the door to the richest of all treasures – that of spiritual blessedness. Sri Shankaracharya develops this theme in this little book of 8 verses, the Dhanyashtakam.

*****

4

kÉlrÉɹMüqÉç

DHANYASHTAKAM

8 Verses

“THE BLESSED PERSON”

Verse 1: The Path to Blessedness

iÉe¥ÉÉlÉÇ mÉëzÉqÉMüUÇ rÉÌSÎlSìrÉÉhÉÉÇ iÉe¥ÉårÉÇ rÉSÒmÉÌlÉwÉixÉÑ ÌlÉͶÉiÉÉjÉïqÉç | iÉå kÉlrÉÉ pÉÑÌuÉ mÉUqÉÉjÉïÌlÉͶÉiÉåWûÉÈ zÉåwÉÉxiÉÑ pÉëqÉÌlÉsÉrÉå mÉËUpÉëqÉliÉÈ || 1||

1 Tat jnaanam prashama-karam yat indriyaanaam

Knowledge is that which quietens the senses.

2 tat jneyam yat upanishatsu nischitaartham;

That alone is worthy of knowing which is the ascertained theme of the Upanishads.

3 te dhanyaah bhuvi paramaartha nischitehaah

They alone are blessed persons who decisively strive to realize the supreme Truth.

4 sheshaah tu bhrama nilaye paribhramantah.

All others are simply wandering in a world that is engulfed by delusion.

In general, four main points are covered in each of these eight verses. Each Pada presents a certain characteristic by which a man of spiritual blessedness may be recognized. This first verse outlines the overall path to Blessedness, stating its essentials.

True Knowledge

1 Tat Jnaanam: “True Knowledge”. The book starts with a unique definition of knowledge: it is “that which quietens the senses.” Real knowledge will always lead to this in the opinion of Sri Shankaracharya. A quiet mind is the acid test of true knowledge.

Restlessness starts when we want something external as a source for our happiness. An external object forces us to spring into action to get it. This is the beginning of restlessness. Actions possess the tendency to slowly but steadily pull us away into further restlessness. There is an interesting anecdote about this:

A lady at the age of 60, was advised by her doctor to walk two miles a day. Now, at 90, the family does not know where she is! (To Guruji the interesting point about this story is: What kind of a son she must have had who did not find this out earlier!) That apart, it humorously shows us how actions can draw us away from our source.

Another similar tale is this one: A man went for a break to Delhi. There, someone convinced him that he should also visit Agra. At Agra, someone said he had come so far, why not also go to Jaipur. And then he was convinced to go to the Ganges. Eventually he forgot all about going back home. This is what our pursuit of worldly pleasures is like. There is no end, and it takes us deeper and deeper, into bondage without us being aware of it.

5

Our real home is the Self within. If we stray away from it, we will surely become restless. Only that which brings us back to our Self is true knowledge.

There is another nice story illustrating this: A man was fed up with his dog and so he left him and went away. Somehow the dog followed his scent unnoticed. The man, not having any fixed destination, wandered about and got lost. The dog soon tracked him down, to his surprise. He did not know where to go, so it was he that began following the dog, which led him back to his home!

This sweet little story is an allegory – the dog is our own Self which we try to escape from, but which follows us wherever we go and when we are lost it beckons us back home.

Standing By the Upanishads:

2 The asserted theme of all the Upanishads is “Tat Twam Asi”. To grasp this Truth is true knowledge. And that alone is worth knowing. All other knowledge will be about the “Not-Self”, and it will draw us out into our senses. Self-knowledge alone pulls our attention away from the senses.

It boils down to: What is it that we are seeking? If it is permanent happiness, it is in the Self. If it is the Truth, know that we are the Truth in essence. If it is Liberation, know that we are free already and are always so.

If we do not know our Self it will be the greatest tragedy. Guruji illustrated this by giving the example of how the airport security routinely asks every passenger his name and birth date while holding the person’s passport. This is to make sure that you are the owner indicated in that passport. Knowing our true Self is an even more important personal fact.

The scriptures are indicated as our sheet anchor in life. If we stick to their precepts, we will not go astray.

Truth-Centred Activities

3 A money-minded or pleasure centred person will always be motivated by personal profit or enjoyment in all that he does, even if it is some religious work. If he is called for a Satsang, he may first want to know if there is going to be a feast afterwards! Or he may be interested in any dignitaries present there.

By the same token, a sincere seeker always weighs all he does with the yardstick of spiritual progress he makes. He asks, “Will this activity purify me? Will it take me closer to my goal of God-realisation? He gears himself fully towards his goal without deviating.

Such a person’s activities are said to be Truth-centred, and are called Sadhana.

Pleasure-Centred Activities

4 Those who are not such a God-oriented path are simply wandering about here and there like lost sheep. They do not do anything for their own good, only for their pleasure. As already reflected in Pada 1, a person driven by pleasure-seeking becomes restless after sense objects. He is merely wandering about in a self-created world of delusion.

Guruji depicted the low state in his own imaginative way: The Tamas has gone so much into them that even if a fly sits on their nose, they will expect someone else to drive it away! The contrasting options open to man are presented in the very first verse. The path to spiritual blessedness is certainly something worth clinging on to.

6

Verse 2: Basic Spiritual Sadhana

AÉSÉæ ÌuÉÎeÉirÉ ÌuÉwÉrÉÉlqÉSqÉÉåWûUÉaÉ- ²åwÉÉÌSzɧÉÑaÉhÉqÉÉ™iÉrÉÉåaÉUÉerÉÉÈ | ¥ÉÉiuÉÉ qÉiÉÇ xÉqÉlÉÑpÉÔrÉmÉUÉiqÉÌuɱÉ- MüÉliÉÉxÉÑZÉÇ uÉlÉaÉ×Wåû ÌuÉcÉUÎliÉ kÉlrÉÉÈ || 2||

1 Aadau vijitya vishayaan mada moha raga

From the beginning, having subdued the sense objects; arrogance, delusion, likes

2 dvesha aadi shatruganam aahrita-yoga-raajyaah;

and dislikes, etc; and a host of other enemies; those who have thus gained the kingdom of Yoga;

3 jnaatvaa matam samanu-bhooya paraatma vidyaa

who, in order to realize the Truth, take great delight in studying spiritual knowledge

4 kaantaa-sukham vanagrihe vicharanti dhanyaah.

as a worldling would in his wife’s company; and who live in the seclusion of forests – they indeed are Blessed!

This verse focuses on some basic spiritual Sadhana to go up the spiritual ladder.

Subduing the Sense Objects

1 Vijiyta Vishayaan: In a worldly sense this phrase would mean “to become the master of”, or “the possessor or gainer of”. Here, in the context of spiritual seeking, it means the exact opposite – “to renounce sense objects”, to give them up. One who is a master of his mind can alone renounce sense objects.

This simple condition for blessedness contains within it the summary of this entire text. ‘Acquisition’ is the watch-word to the worldly man; in the same way, ‘Renunciation’ becomes the watch-word for the spiritual seeker.

To most people ‘conquering’ means acquiring. We go on acquiring things with the feeling that ‘we are now masters over them’. The need is short-lived; within a short while our garages start filling up with a hundred unwanted things. It proves that it was never a need, only a whim, an idle fancy.

Objects have a major hold over us. They have become our masters. Our absorption in them distracts us from our goal. Through objects comes the desire for comfort. There is a saying, “Comfort comes as a guest, then becomes our host, and stays on as our master.” We become dependent on things. What starts as an occasional luxury, soon becomes a necessity. If we do not get our daily quota of milk, we feel out of sorts, as if there is something missing in our lives.

We are enslaved by dependency. Renunciation liberates us from it.

To overcome this habit, the sages have built into our lives going on pilgrimages. It is supposed to be a period when, by leaving our comfortable homes, we go through a bit of austerity and live with the bare essentials. Pilgrimages are intended to be austere for this reason. But they have become ‘holidays’, when we pack two or three trunks of luggage, because we feel we just can’t do without these things! The whole purpose gets defeated.

7

To get away from this, we go to Ashrams, where we hope to find ourselves again. This is no doubt a good idea. However, modern Ashrams have also succumbed to luxury. Ashrams, too, have become casualties of the human weakness for luxury.

Overcoming the Host of Enemies

2 Blessedness is more than an outer giving up of objects. Renunciation certainly gets us started – it compels us to turn within and, when we do that, we find that inside us there is a forest of tendencies that needs to be cleared before we are ready to welcome Blessedness into our lives.

External conquests and victories have brought out a wide range of unwanted attitudes in us. Every conquest outside adds to our growing arrogance. Guruji described how a sports victory can intoxicate players, literally and figuratively. At the end of every victory a round of celebration with drinks has become very common. Politicians winning at the polls do the same. Businessmen succeeding in a venture also do the same. Victories not only swell the head, but also drown the bladder with intoxicants.

Every acquisition strengthens our likes; and every disappointment strengthens our dislikes. Now, when we have begun to consciously reduce the objects outside, we are faced with these unchecked monsters within. They need to be weeded out before Blessedness can flow freely into our lives.

Gaining the “Kingdom of Yoga”

2 Yoga Raajyaah: “The Kingdom of Yoga”. The words seem to have been very carefully chosen. In the context, it means that those who have renounced all worldly pleasures, gain a ‘Kingdom’, too – the kingdom of Yoga, in which they can rule their senses perfectly, and have perfect mastery over their mind. This is the Kingdom to which the spiritual aspirant is heir.

However, there is a subtle connotation in “Kingdom of Yoga” which hints at what is happening in spiritual centres today. The spiritual realm is also not spared from the tendency to follow the world. We have seen how they tend towards luxury in order to attract more people. It does not stop there. In many other ways, the world of Yoga, too, resembles a Kingdom!

The growth and expansion of an institution follows a pattern not dissimilar to that of of multinational Corporatism. Kingship makes one organization want to compete with others. Guruji’s words on this were very piercing, “Kings, Kings, Kings – there is nothing in it, only King-size trouble!”

The great call that Shankaracharyaji makes is that we simplify our lives. Blessedness comes only to the simple and the unpretentious, who are free from arrogance, including the arrogance of spirituality.

Study of Spiritual Literature

3 Having worked hard to free himself from the clutches of temptations, the aspirant fortifies himself by spending much of his time in studying spiritual texts. By doing so, he surrounds his mental environment with pure, uplifting thoughts. He maintains his thoughts at a high level, so that it does not get a chance to grovel in the filth that has been renounced.

8

As though teasing the householders who are so attached to each other, Sri Shankaracharya says that the renunciate also has his own ‘beloved wife’ – his books on spiritual knowledge!

Renouncing Hearth and Home

4 Then comes the call to ‘give up the home’ and take to a secluded lifestyle. This occupies a serious place in this text. It marks the transition from the householder’s stage to the Vanaprastha stage of life.

The spirit of it is to simplify our lives. Actually doing so is upheld as a great blessing in itself. If a seeker is serious and sincere enough, then for him to abandon the chains of family life, and take to the life of renunciation is considered to be a very heroic thing to do, and earns him great Blessedness.

Knowing that he was talking to a class of prospective renunciates, Guruji spoke of renunciation as a desirable virtue. He said we should not go on saying it is too difficult to renounce; then it will be difficult. The correct attitude should be, “O.K. we know it may be difficult, but that is precisely why I want to do it!” That is the heroic spirit which Guruji expects from students of Vedanta.

Guruji made a joke out of the usual stance people take towards their difficulties. One man went on complaining that he had a problem with rheumatism, diarrhoea, diabetes, coronary thrombosis, and so on. When he was asked what his problem was, he said, “Oh, I do not know how to spell them!”

To those who shy away from renunciation because they think it is difficult, Guruji pointed out that many other things in life are also difficult. It is difficult to live with a wife for a long period. It is difficult to raise children. It is difficult to start a business. But we do them all without complaining. Why do we complain only when it comes to renunciation?

Guruji gave this anecdote as an example of another way to look at one’s difficulties: One man said, “I read so much in the newspapers about the problems facing the world – the crime, the pollution, and so on.” His listener asked him plainly, “So, what have you done about it?” He quickly replied, “Well, to start with, I have given up reading the papers!”

*****

9

Verse 3: Practical Difficulties in Sadhana

irÉYiuÉÉ aÉ×Wåû UÌiÉqÉkÉÉåaÉÌiÉWåûiÉÑpÉÔiÉÉqÉç AÉiqÉåcNûrÉÉåmÉÌlÉwÉSjÉïUxÉÇ ÌmÉoÉliÉÈ | uÉÏiÉxmÉ×WûÉ ÌuÉwÉrÉpÉÉåaÉmÉSå ÌuÉU£üÉ kÉlrÉɶÉUÎliÉ ÌuÉeÉlÉåwÉÑ ÌuÉU£üxÉ…¡ûÉÈ || 3||

1 Tyaktvaa grihe ratim adhogati hetu-bhootaam

Having renounced the pleasures of the home, which is the cause of man’s downfall;

2 aatma-icchhayaa upanishad artha rasam pibantah;

with a desire to always drink the nectar of the Truth of the Upanishads;

3 veeta-sprihaah vishaya-bhoga-pade viraktaah

free from all longings towards the hosts of sense pleasures;

4 dhanyaah charanti vijaneshu virakta sangaah.

those who roam about in solitary places without attachment to company – they indeed are Blessed.

This time the focus is on the practical difficulties one may experience when implementing the steps so far suggested.

The Cause of Man’s Downfall

1 Much has been said in the first two verses about renouncing the pleasures of the home. Here the same thought is taken a step further. It is added here that being tied down and attached to the comforts of home are the main cause of man’s downfall. What is it that makes Sri Shankaracharyaji link these two?

The answer lies in understanding what is meant by “man’s downfall”. This is not only a spiritual downfall, but also a moral downfall. Comforts lead to one’s moral degradation also. When one is tempted by comforts, one is bound to start compromising on his moral values and standards. That is the great danger faced by the seeker of Truth.

Guruji warned that for a spiritual aspirant it is dangerous to take too much delight in reveling in the comforts of home. Ease and comfort are things that the spiritual person should not yield to, but steer well clear of. Laziness is intolerable on the spiritual path. Ease and comfort encourage laziness. Alertness and vigilance is the best antidote against slipping into an attitude of ease and comfort.

Working hard, doing untiring service, and living austerely are essential practices to stave off the tendency to relax into luxury. Young aspirants have to be particularly wary of this danger.

The ‘downfall’ mentioned most likely refers to downfall in the observance of Brahmacharya or celibacy. In this respect, Swami Sivananda used to warn his young disciples who were experiencing difficulties in controlling their sexual urge that ease and luxury were the number one enemies for one who wished to practise celibacy. Attraction to the opposite sex was very much linked to a life of ease and comfort.

The Nectar of the Upanishads

2 The longing to know more and more about spiritual life, to read the biographies of great spiritual Masters, and to study the scriptures intensely increases when one has made up his mind to give up ordinary pleasures. The two go hand in hand.

10

One’s study of the scriptures can bring great joy. The path to Self-discovery opens up. As long as we are changing at heart, we are on the positive side of this practice, i.e. it becomes a useful Sadhana. However, Guruji warned us that if we do not put what we read into practice, the same reading can have a negative effect on us. We can slowly slip into becoming armchair critics of the scriptures. That should never be allowed to happen.

Cravings for Sense Pleasures.

3 Remarks given in verse 1 and 2, as well as this verse earlier indicate adequately the importance of overcoming attachment to pleasure. It is the heart of the message of Dhanyashtakam, and should be given due consideration.

The purpose of repeating this instruction is to emphasise the point that “darkness and light” cannot co-exist. Material desires and spiritual yearning cannot co-exist.

Living in Solitude

4 One can take this literally or in spirit, depending on one’s capacity and life situation. Either way the requirement is to avoid the complexity one is prone to get caught up in by mixing with too many people.

The guideline is very clear to earnest seekers. The dangers of seeking security in relationships have been pointed out. Now it is up to the seeker to make a sincere decision as to how to meet this requirement according to his capacity.

Solitude may not mean literally going to the forests. It could mean going to an Ashram, living in a spiritual community so that at least there is some selectivity in the company one keeps. But it need not mean even that, as many cannot do so in today’s world. For most people, it may be possible only to arrange a room to live apart from the rest of the family so that spiritual pursuits can go on uninterrupted..

However, there is no mistaking the encouragement Shankaracharya is giving to those who are willing to go the whole way from the outset. That is certainly the ideal projected. We have to come to terms with the fact that all human company sooner or later has to end.

*****

11

Verse 4: The Science of Dedicated Actions

irÉYiuÉÉ qÉqÉÉWûÍqÉÌiÉ oÉlkÉMüUå mÉSå ²å qÉÉlÉÉuÉqÉÉlÉxÉSØzÉÉÈ xÉqÉSÍzÉïlÉ¶É | MüiÉÉïUqÉlrÉqÉuÉaÉqrÉ iÉSÌmÉïiÉÉÌlÉ MÑüuÉïÎliÉ MüqÉïmÉËUmÉÉMüTüsÉÉÌlÉ kÉlrÉÉÈ || 4||

1 Tyaktvaa “mama-aham” iti bandhakare pade dve

Renouncing these twin binding notions of “my” and “I”;

2 maana-avamaana sadrish-aah samadarshinah cha;

unaffected by honour and dishonour, and having developed equal vision;

3 kartaaram anyam avagamya tad arpitaani

understanding some “other” to be the Doer, and thus dedicating oneself to the Lord;

4 kurvanti karma paripaaka phalaani dhanyaah.

and performing all actions dedicating their fruits to Him – they indeed are Blessed!

This is the second of three verses which begin with the word “Tyaktwa” meaning “having renounced”. The theme of Dhanyashtakam is certainly renunciation, firstly the renunciation of sense pleasures, and now, the very root of that craving – the Ego Centre.

1 Making it easier for us to grasp the essence of renunciation, Guruji dealt with it in great detail. He said it was not possible to live without renunciation, that we are doing it all the time unconsciously.

The Ego-Centre – the Notions ‘I’ and ‘Mine’

We all renounce life as a foetus the moment we are born. As children we loved our teddy bears, but we renounce them naturally as we grow up. We do not insist on staying in the same standard at school; we renounce one grade in order to advance to the next. Renouncing one thing for another comes naturally and is the law of growth. If we hold on to a lower rung, we cannot reach a higher.

Attachment interferes with this law, making it difficult for us to renounce. We get attached to a ‘comfort zone’ and find it hard to give it up.

Strangely, the one who does renounce with ease does not feel that he is renouncing anything. It makes us think what actually holds us back from renouncing and going forward in our life. The sage here tells us what it is: the feeling of ‘I’-ness and ‘mine’-ness. Our sense of possessiveness is the subtle obstacle.

Story on Attachment: Guruji narrated his favourite story to us at this point, illustrating possessiveness:

A man was preparing for his wedding. He went to a friend to borrow his suit for the occasion. The friend agreed with no conditions.

On the wedding day the friend was in charge of ushering the guests. As he pointed out the groom he would say, “There he is, the man with the brown suit. That suit is mine.”

The bridegroom soon noticed why people were so interested in his coat. He told his friend there was no need to say that the coat was his. The friend agreed. He went on introducing the guests, saying, “There he is, the man with the brown suit. The suit is his.”

12

The groom was getting a bit irritated. He scolded his friend and told him not to say whose coat it is. The friend agreed again and now he would say, “There he is, the man with the brown suit. I don’t know whose coat it is.”

That was enough. The groom went up to his friend, gave him his coat and told him to get out of the place! Such is the power of possessiveness!

The Practical Purpose of Holding the “I”-Sense:

There is a science and a skill in knowing when to use the “I”-sense, and when to give it up. The sense of ‘I’-ness has its positive virtue. It is something given to us by nature for practical reasons to be able to get on with life without confusion. Without it, life could become very confusing.

Guruji gave the following example. A man had lost his son at a large gathering. An announcement was made that the father should come to fetch his son at the counter. The Vedantin in the father now reared its head up, at this most inappropriate moment, and he thought, “Vedanta says there is no ‘my’ son. I need not go to fetch him.” It is so easy to misquote a great truth.

For practical purposes we use ‘I’ and ‘mine’. Our seats on the airplane or the train are reserved for convenience – ours as well as the other passengers’. ‘My seat’ does not mean that the seat belongs to me and I may take it away with me after the flight!

The same should apply to our body. It is reserved for us for a certain period to use. After that we throw it away and are given another body in another life. If we understand that much we will not develop this ‘I’ sense in an egoistic or arrogant manner.

2 Equipoise indicates to what extent we have given up our ‘I’-sense. Not having equipoise is directly linked to how much ego-sense we possess.

Equipoise in Honour and Dishonour

A sales rep was treated badly by a client. He complained to his manager. The manager, being quite experienced as a salesman himself, said, “Don’t worry, chap, you will need to go through such things. He asked you to get out. Well, just feel that you were going to get out yourself anyway. You were not going to spend the whole day there. So he did not say anything wrong.” The salesman who was upset at the way he was treated retaliated with, “I have not come here to be insulted like this.” His boss replied, “Oh, so where do you usually go for that?”

There was a lady who complained that her boss was very rude but also very fair. Her husband said to her, “That’s strange. How is it possible that he can be both?” The wife replied, “Well, you see he is rude uniformly to everyone!”

The lesson from these anecdotes is that with a little change of attitude, it is possible to see things in a different light and not feel insulted at all. “Insults” are only interpreted as such by our ego. We should learn to see insults as a way of polishing our personality.

There was a great saint in India who wrote exceptional poetry. When a scholar who did not like his popularity got to hear of it, out of jealousy he took the poems and flung them into the river. The saint remained unperturbed. His attitude was that God wrote through him, and God then flung them into the river.

That brings us to the next point…

13

Doership of Actions.

3 To feel that “we” are acting is a fundamental error of the Ego. In reality, we are only the instruments through which a higher Power acts. If we can give up the sense of Doership, by feeling that the Lord acts through us, then the ego’s input is reduced, and our actions take on a purer colour. Giving up the sense of doership is the key factor in the science of action – Karma Yoga.

Dedicating the Fruit of Actions

4 Here we have the second great principle in the science of action – to surrender the fruits of our actions at the altar of God. The results can never be in our hands. They are determined by cosmic factors which take all aspects into account, even those unknown to us. For this reason, we are asked to accept whatever result comes as the Lord’s Prasad.

The above two points have been beautifully covered by Acharyaji in his treatment of the subject of Karma Yoga in Upadesh Sara (Text 7). They comprise the essence of Karma Yoga, the art of acting without being tainted by the actions.

*****

14

Verse 5: Simple Living, High Thinking

irÉYiuÉDwÉhÉɧÉrÉqÉuÉåͤÉiÉqÉÉå¤ÉqÉaÉÉï pÉæ¤ÉÉqÉ×iÉålÉ mÉËUMüÎsmÉiÉSåWûrÉɧÉÉÈ | erÉÉåÌiÉÈ mÉUÉimÉUiÉUÇ mÉUqÉÉiqÉxÉÇ¥ÉÇ kÉlrÉÉ Ì²eÉÉUWûÍxÉ ™±uÉsÉÉåMürÉÎliÉ || 5||

1 Tyaktvaa eshanaa trayam avekshita moksha maargaah

Giving up the three kinds of desire, and walking the path of liberation;

2 Bhaiksha amritena pari-kalpita deha yaatraah;

sustaining their bodies solely with the nectar of alms (food obtained by begging);

3 jyotih paraat parataram paramaatma sam-jnam

who dwell on the Light of Consciousness that is beyond the beyond, called the Supreme Self;

4 dhanyaah dvijaah rahasi hridi avalokayanti.

who are twice-born, live in solitude and meditate on their heart-centre – they indeed are Blessed!

The theme of renunciation continues as we come to the third verse that begins with the word ‘Tyaktvaa’, meaning “having renounced”.

The Three Obsessions

1 The path to Blessedness passes over three mountain ranges: they are the three kinds of desire. We have already come across these as Kamini, Kanchana and Kirti (lust for the opposite sex, greed for wealth, and desire for recognition).

Guruji called them by another set of names: Putreshna, Vitteshana and Lokeshana – “desire for progeny, desire for money, and desire for fame.”

In addition, Guruji had another set of three names which apply especially to organizations: Dehavasana, Shastravasana and Lokavasana – “desire for large number of followers, desire for knowledge for the sake of preaching it only and boasting how much is known, and attachment to the reputation of the organization.”

These three urges are expressions of the lower nature, and have to be renounced.

Living on Alms

2 In Vedic times the Brahmacharis or students used to go and live with the Guru in his homestead, called the Gurukula. They had to go out and get the Bhiksha (alms) for the whole household. There was great dignity in living in this manner and studying.

Samarth Ramdas was the well-known Guru of Shivaji of Maharashtra. The story is told of his experience one day in going for alms. He was young at the time. One lady who was cleaning the oil spilt on her kitchen floor, came out to answer the saint’s call for Bhiksha. She got angry that a young, strong person should ask for alms, so she flng the oil-cloth at him to chase him away. The cloth fell into his bowl and he accepted it as his Bhiksha without uttering a word.

At home he squeezed out the rag and used the oil to light the wick for the lamp on the shrine. To him there was no insult, it was God who gave him some oil for his worship. As he lit the lamp, the lady who had thrown the cloth at him began to feel that her mind was

15

getting pure. She realized what she had done was wrong. Such is the glory of giving Bhiksha to a Mahatma! It also shows the greatness of a pure soul – he cannot see evil in anyone.

Guruji himself has much experience in collecting Bhiksha for the Ashram. He told us that if a person giving Bhiksha still has the Abhiman or ego-sense that he is eating his own food (not the Lord’s Prasad) then unknowingly Sannyasins will not come to his home. They will not feel the joy of giving. The giver must feel that the food comes from God, and give up his ego completely. This is the greatness of the system of alms.

The time that the Sannyasin saves by getting Bhiksha instead of cooking it himself, should be utilized for study or meditation or teaching the path of Dharma to the community. This is the duty of one receiving alms. If he does not, then he incurs sin. Thus the system does not encourage laziness at all. It is full of dignity and mutual respect.

On the theme of Bhiksha, Guruji told us that when he was serving at Siddhabadi Ashram, he used to arrange a day unknown to the others when the food will be saltless. Such forms of austerity of the tongue help to maintain the right attitude towards food – to regard it as a medicine only.

Abiding Constantly in Consciousness

3 The Light of Consciousness is the Self within. The Sannyasin gives himself to the arduous practice of abiding in his Self. That is his Sadhana. What he earns in knowledge and wisdom benefits the entire community. It is a service for the progress of the whole community.

Paraat Parataram: “Beyond the beyond”. This is a way of describing the unconditioned Brahman, who is beyond the conditioned Ishwara, commonly known as God. The term for Brahman is usually the Supreme, or the Ultimate Reality.

The supreme Lord is described this way because He is beyond all the three bodies. Beyond the gross body is the subtle body; beyond the subtle is the causal; and beyond the causal is the supreme Paramatman. Here it is called Atma Jyoti, the Light of Consciousness.

Meditating on the Heart Centre

4 More about meditation on the Divine is given in the next verse. Here it is sufficient to note that the practice of serious meditation is an instruction which is combined with the pure and virtuous life of the “twice-born” (Dvija), as well as the simplicity of a life lived in solitude (Rahasi). All three together make the perfect combination for intense Sadhana.

Hridi: The heart centre can be taken to mean “the core of one’s being”, which stands for the spiritual essence of who we are. It is sometimes interpreted variously as being on the left side of the chest, sometimes the right side of the chest, sometimes as the Anahat Chakra at the centre of the spinal cord. These variations give rise to needless doubts, and hence it is better to stick to the earlier general definition.

*****

16

Verse 6: Meditation on Brahman

lÉÉxÉ³É xÉ³É xÉSxÉ³É qÉWûxɳÉcÉÉhÉÑ lÉ x§ÉÏ mÉÑqÉÉ³É cÉ lÉmÉÑÇxÉMüqÉåMüoÉÏeÉqÉç | rÉæoÉëï¼ iÉixÉqÉqÉÑmÉÉÍxÉiÉqÉåMüÍcɨÉæÈ kÉlrÉÉ ÌuÉUåeÉÑËU¨ÉUåpÉuÉmÉÉzÉoÉ®ÉÈ || 6||

1 Na asat na sat na sat-asat na mahat na cha anu

That which is neither unreal nor real, nor a combination of these two; neither big nor small;

2 Na stree pumaan na cha napumsakam eka beejam;

which is neither female nor male nor neutral, but is the one common seed of the Universe –

3 Yaih brahma tat sam-anupaasitam eka chitaih

such a Brahman is to be meditated upon by those who are with single-pointed mind;

4 Dhanyaah virejuh itare bhava-paasha badhaah.

they indeed are Blessed! They shine in glory; others are merely bound with the ropes of becoming.

Details are now given of what it means to “meditate on Brahman”:

Neither Unreal nor Real, Neither Big nor Small, Neither Female nor Male

1 Brahman is neither Sat, nor Asat, nor a mixture of these two. He is also beyond all distinctions. These are ways in which the Upanishad is guiding us to grasp the idea of Non-Duality of Brahman. He alone exists; there is no other to compare Him with.

Brahman is not a created Being in that sense. He is not separate from His creation. He is the common substratum of all creation. He is within every bit of His creation. This makes Him all-pervading, which implies He has no size.

2 Male and female are used to convey the mental concept we have that all objects in creation have a gender. Neutral refers to objects that are insentient, such as stones. The Upanishad is trying to convey the idea of Brahman being the One seed of the whole Universe. “Seed” is used here not in the sense that everything comes from Him, but in the sense that everything exists in Him.

Meditate With Single-pointed Mind on Brahman:

3 Brahman, as described in the above two points, is to be meditated upon. The meditation is to be done with single-pointed mind.

The single-pointed mind, also described as Chitta-Ekagrata, is the very heart of the practice of meditation. This type of mind is needed to erase the three types of distinctions referred to in the first two lines. These distinctions are mental concepts, and all such concepts are binding. A one-pointed, sharp, focused mind alone can free us from them.

When all the names and forms are dropped, what remains is the real ‘ME’, the Pure Consciousness.

An example Guruji gave was that of our own name. If someone calls our name, what comes to mind is our self only, not the dictionary meaning of our name. In the same way when we meditate on Brahman as free from the distinctions mentioned above, we go beyond the word meaning and to the actual idea of Brahman.

4 Virejuh: Brahman is beyond the mental realm. Those who succeed in going beyond the mind, are described as “shining in all glory”.

17

All Others are Bound

4 Itare: means “others”, i.e. excluding the successful meditators described above. In the case of all others, even if they take to very sophisticated professions, they will merely bring their bondage into those fields.

For example, a poet or philosopher who has not gone beyond the realm of ego will write only from his level about any subject. His work will reflect his own personality such as any violent propensities, perverse activities, fanatical leanings, and so on.

Guruji mentioned one such writer, writing on ‘Peace’, who wrote, “Those who are not fighting for peace should be killed!”

Overcoming Bondage

The theme of bondage is simply introduced here. It is taken do a deeper level in the next verse.

Bondage is described as a rope of “becoming”. Bondage always makes us want to become bigger than we are. We are never satisfied with what we are. In contrast, the pure Self is ever content and fulfilled.

Guruji said there are two ways to overcome this feeling: either become everything, or become nothing. If the ‘I’ is the Ego, then we should aim to become nothing. If the ‘I’ is Brahman, then we should aim to become everything.

A saint was approached by a worldly man who said, “Why don’t you do something?” The saint asked what he should do. The man suggested “Open a small fruit shop. Then you could expand and open a supermarket. Then expand and start an export business. Then expand and become a multi national business. Then you can buy a nice big house, and just relax for the rest of your life!”

The saint listened with attention and at the end said, “But I am doing that now itself! Why should I go through all that trouble?”

*****

18

Verse 7: Bondage in the World

A¥ÉÉlÉmɃ¡ûmÉËUqÉalÉqÉmÉåiÉxÉÉUÇ SÒÈZÉÉsÉrÉÇ qÉUhÉeÉlqÉeÉUÉuÉxÉ£üqÉç | xÉÇxÉÉUoÉlkÉlÉqÉÌlÉirÉqÉuÉå¤rÉ kÉlrÉÉ ¥ÉÉlÉÉÍxÉlÉÉ iÉSuÉzÉÏrÉï ÌuÉÌlɶÉrÉÎliÉ || 7||

1 Ajnaana pangka parimagnam apetasaaram

As sunk in the slushy mud of ignorance, with no real essence in it;

2 Duhkha aalayam marana-janma jaraa avasaktam;

as an abode of sorrow associated with death, birth and old age;

3 Samsaara bandhanam anityam avekshya dhanyaah

as a world of bondage that is ephemeral – closely noting this, they indeed are Blessed

4 Jnaana asinaa tat avasheerya vinishchayanti.

who, cutting all this asunder with the sword of knowledge, determine (the Reality behind them).

1 It is quite rightly said that a happy slave is the worst enemy of freedom. All freedom-fighters first make the population understand what slavery is. To accept slavery is self-destroying.

The words here paint a picture of a life dominated by ignorance. Once we are caught in the trap of ignorance there appears to be no escape. Life goes into utter ruin. If only we could see it – what agony must it be to someone like Shankaracharya!

Slushy Mud of Ignorance

Ajnaana Pangka: “the slushy mud of ignorance”; it would hard to find a better description of the situation. It is like saying “cesspools of delusion”. Worldly life is like entering quicksand – the more we try to wriggle out of it, the deeper we sink into it.

Guruji took up the theme by identifying with the pain felt by Sri Shankaracharya. Strange ideas are afloat when ignorance has its sway. Young people, with only marriage on their minds, feel that education will get them good girls. Some even feel that unless they go to school or university, how will they find their partner?

At the mental level, there is absolutely no idea of what is right and wrong, nor what is true happiness. Happy faces are plenty but they are only a show. Children go astray and when it is too late, the blame falls on the parents – “You did not warn me in time.”

It was heart-rending to follow Guruji’s analysis of the situation. “From childhood, the discipline is absent. A child used to break all his toys within hours. So the father bought him an unbreakable toy. With that the child broke everything else around him!

Without thinking people say that a child’s life is so nice (in comparison to theirs). Little do they know what the truth is. A child today is pressurized so much by its parents and others around it. If it does not speak it is dull; if it speaks it is too noisy! Many adults are always forcing their children to perform. They don’t allow their children to enjoy their childhood.

An Abode of Sorrow

2 Guruji quoted Swami Chidanandaji who spoke once of the helplessness of the situation. “What can we expect? From an Aushadalaya (pharmacy) we get medicine only.

19

From a Vastralaya (clothing store) we get clothes only. From a Duhkhalaya we can get sorrow only! This world is a Duhkhalaya.

In young age, a couple faces the usual scenario – incompatibility. There are the joys, no doubt, but it is as if it is only to get the stamina to go through more suffering.

To understand sorrow as sorrow is not the real difficulty. The big problem for a young couple is to understand that pleasure is really only 10% happiness mixed with 90% sorrow. What stares in the face as sorrow is mistaken to be pleasure because of a thin silver lining on it. Where is the chance of giving that up?

Then comes old age. Guruji gave a typical anecdote of the problem of senility. An old lady was driving, with a younger friend as her passenger. The friend suddenly became tense as the lady went through a red robot. Then a second red was jumped. When she jumped the third one also, the friend very nervously pointed it out to the lady. The lady, jolted back into the present, exclaimed, “What, am I driving?”

The Ephemeral World of Bondage

3 Ephemeral means “changing all the time”. The bondage lies in the fact that even though we know that everything in the world is changing, we still want it permanently to give us happiness always. We are expecting miracles to happen – it is simply not possible to get that in this world of change.

Indeed they are Blessed who can see the world for what it is, and cease their dependence on worldly objects for happiness. The wise ones observe life very closely and notice this easily. Then they take decisive action….

The Sword of Knowledge

4a Once a clear assessment is made of the true situation in the world, then the decisive thing to do is reach for the sword of Knowledge and cut oneself off from this tree.

All our bondage lies in wrong thinking. We have not analysed the world correctly. Unless we do so we will never understand that we are going in the wrong direction.

Only knowledge and clear thinking can make us understand the grim situation, and make us take a U-turn. Sometimes even all the study of Vedanta can go in vain if it is not accompanied by a clear analysis of the world.

However, when the Truth has been accepted, there is nothing that can stop the intensely yearning soul from drawing the sword on the world and cutting himself free of all the knots that tie him to it.

Going Beyond into Reality

4b Vinishchayanti: “Determining the true nature of Reality.” Blessed are those that take this step and succeed to go to the beyond. This is the single source of blessedness that this text holds aloft. And those who have outgrown their dependence on outer objects and have firm abidance in the Self are the truly blessed.

What is it that makes the life of a realized sage so attractive, so valued and so worthy of emulation? In the final verse, we take a closer look at their lives.

*****

20

Verse 8: The Company of Realised Sages

zÉÉliÉæUlÉlrÉqÉÌiÉÍpÉqÉïkÉÑUxuÉpÉÉuÉæÈ LMüiuÉÌlÉͶÉiÉqÉlÉÉåÍpÉUmÉåiÉqÉÉåWæûÈ | xÉÉMÇü uÉlÉåwÉÑ ÌuÉÎeÉiÉÉiqÉmÉSxuÉÂmÉÇ iɲxiÉÑ xÉqrÉaÉÌlÉzÉÇ ÌuÉqÉ×zÉÎliÉ kÉlrÉÉÈ || 8||

1 Shaantaih ananya-matibhih madhura swa-bhaavaih

With serene minds, with no thought of otherness in their minds; with a pleasant disposition;

2 Ekatva nishcita manobhih apeta-mohaih;

men who have ascertained the oneness of the Self in their minds; who are free from delusion;

3 Saakam vaneshu vijita aatma pada swa-roopam

Who live in forests, keeping the company of sages who have realized their true nature;

4 Tat vastu samyak anisham vimrishanti dhanyaah.

And who are always engaged in discussing with them That Reality – they indeed are Blessed!

What does an enlightened sage do? How does he pass his time? This last verse describes the beautiful life led by one who is one with the divine principle in himself. These are the qualities that make them worthy of veneration anywhere in the world.

The whole point in this verse, is not just about being selective in one’s company, but keeping one’s mind pitched at a high at all times, never allowing it to slip low into worldly channels, never stooping down to low gossip. The sage may talk of any subject, but it will be from an elevated standpoint, and so he will always be interesting to listen to.

The verse identifies the following 8 qualities by which a sage may be known:

1a Serenity of Mind: In all their contacts with people, they are uniformly serene and peaceful. Since all desires have vanished, there is no restlessness in them. Even when they are busily engaged in some activity, their minds are serene.

1b No Thought of ‘Otherness’: They do not see others as ‘others’ but as themselves.

1c Pleasant Disposition: Love is always accompanied by sweetness and pleasant-ness. Since their very nature is love, they emit a fragrance of sweetness towards all they come in contact with. It is a fragrance that the sage gives off to all who come to him. Whether he is alone or in company, his sweet nature is the same.

2a Oneness of the Self: When a king and a beggar go to sleep both are the same. Both enjoy the same state of bliss in deep sleep. They have realized that the Self is the same in all.

2b Free from Delusion: The delusion of thinking that one is a mere individual being with an ego-sense is not present. It has been replaced by the feeling that all beings are essentially one in spirit.

3a Living in Forests: This stands for simplicity of life and a contentment to be in natural surroundings.

3b Keeping the Company of Sages: “Birds of a feather flock together.” One who is striving for realisation reflects this universal truth in the company he seeks. He spends his time with others like him or better than him. There is nothing surprising about this. It is exactly what the worldly person also does – namely, mix with those of his type.

21

Sages who have realized all beings as their own Self need not pick and choose their company. They are able to mix with all types of people, seeing God in them all. They see all as manifestations of the Divine. In other words, they can mix with a king and a beggar with equal ease.

4 Engaged in Spiritual Discussions: The realized ones are truly blessed. Having renounced all possessions, they are able to relate at a deeper level with all people. There simplicity is contagious. Their dispassion makes them desirable to other seekers, who seek their company. Living only to uphold God in their lives, they are sought by others for their unbiased teaching and advice.

Guruji quoted a famous line from a Hindi poem: “When one learned person meets another, they discuss Knowledge. When one donkey meets another donkey, they can only exchange kicks!”

Such is the blessed life of a sage of God-realisation.

The earth is hallowed by their presence!

Om Tat Sat!

*****

22

DHANYASHTAKAM “The Blessed Person”

by Sri Adi Shankaracharya

Split-Sandhee Samskrit Format (to Assist Beginners in Identifying the Words)

kÉlrÉɹMüqÉç iÉeÉç-¥ÉÉlÉÇ mÉëzÉqÉ-MüUÇ rÉSè CÎlSìrÉÉhÉÉÇ

iÉeÉç-¥ÉårÉÇ rÉSè EmÉÌlÉwÉixÉÑ ÌlÉͶÉiÉÉjÉïqÉç |

iÉå kÉlrÉÉ pÉÑÌuÉ mÉUqÉÉjÉï ÌlÉͶÉiÉåWûÉÈ

zÉåwÉÉ-xÉç iÉÑ pÉëqÉ ÌlÉsÉrÉå mÉËUpÉëqÉliÉÈ ||1||

AÉSÉæ ÌuÉÎeÉirÉ ÌuÉwÉrÉÉlÉç qÉS qÉÉåWû UÉaÉ-

²åwÉç-AÉ-ÅÌS zɧÉÑaÉhÉqÉç AÉ™iÉ-rÉÉåaÉ-UÉerÉÉÈ |

¥ÉÉiuÉÉ qÉiÉÇ xÉqÉç-AlÉÑpÉÔrÉ mÉUÉiqÉ ÌuɱÉ

MüÉliÉÉ-xÉÑZÉÇ uÉlÉ-aÉ×Wåû ÌuÉcÉUÎliÉ kÉlrÉÉÈ ||2||

irÉYiuÉÉ aÉ×Wåû UÌiÉqÉç AkÉÉåaÉÌiÉ WåûiÉÑ-pÉÔiÉÉqÉç

AÉiqÉç-L-ccWûrÉç-AÉå-mÉÌlÉwÉSè AjÉï UxÉÇ ÌmÉoÉliÉÈ |

uÉÏiÉ-xmÉ×WûÉ ÌuÉwÉrÉ-pÉÉåaÉ-mÉSå ÌuÉU£üÉ

kÉlrÉÉ-zÉç cÉUÎliÉ ÌuÉeÉlÉåwÉÑ ÌuÉU£ü xÉ…¡ûÉÈ ||3||

irÉYiuÉÉ qÉqÉç-AÉ-WûqÉç CÌiÉ oÉlkÉMüUå mÉSå ²å

qÉÉlÉç-AÉ-uÉqÉÉlÉ xÉSØzÉÉÈ xÉqÉSÍzÉïlÉ-zÉç cÉ |

MüiÉÉïUqÉç AlrÉqÉç AuÉaÉqrÉ iÉSè AÌmÉïiÉÉÌlÉ

MÑüuÉïÎliÉ MüqÉï-mÉËUmÉÉMü TüsÉÉÌlÉ kÉlrÉÉÈ ||4||

irÉYiuÉçÅ-Lå-wÉhÉÉ §ÉrÉqÉç AuÉåͤÉiÉ qÉÉå¤É qÉÉaÉÉï

pÉæ¤Éç-AÉ-qÉ×iÉålÉ mÉËU-MüÎsmÉiÉ SåWû rÉɧÉÉÈ |

erÉÉåÌiÉÈ mÉUÉiÉç mÉUiÉUÇ mÉUqÉÉiqÉ xÉÇ¥ÉÇ

kÉlrÉÉ Ì²eÉÉ UWûÍxÉ ™Sè-rÉç AuÉsÉÉåMürÉÎliÉ ||5||

lÉç-AÉ-xÉlÉç-lÉ xÉlÉç-lÉ xÉSè-AxÉlÉç-lÉ qÉWûlÉç-lÉ cÉç-AÉ-hÉÑ

lÉ x§ÉÏ mÉÑqÉÉlÉç-lÉ cÉ lÉmÉÑÇxÉMüqÉç LMü-oÉÏeÉqÉç |

rÉæ-Uç oÉë¼ iÉiÉç xÉqÉç-AlÉÑmÉÉÍxÉiÉqÉç LMü-ÍcÉiÉæÈ

kÉlrÉÉ ÌuÉUåeÉÑ-Uç CiÉUå pÉuÉ-mÉÉzÉ oÉkÉÉÈ ||6||

A¥ÉÉlÉ mɃ¡û mÉËUqÉalÉqÉç AmÉåiÉxÉÉUÇ

SÒÈZÉç-AÉ-ÅsÉrÉÇ qÉUhÉ-eÉlqÉ-eÉUçÅ-AÉ-uÉxÉ£üqÉç |

xÉÇxÉÉU-oÉlkÉlÉqÉç AÌlÉirÉqÉç AuÉå¤rÉ kÉlrÉÉ

¥ÉÉlÉç-AÉ-ÍxÉlÉÉ iÉSè AuÉzÉÏrÉï ÌuÉÌlɶÉrÉÎliÉ ||7||

23

zÉÉliÉæ-Uç AlÉlrÉ qÉÌiÉÍpÉ-Uç qÉkÉÑU xuÉpÉÉuÉæÈ

LMüiuÉ ÌlÉͶÉiÉ qÉlÉÉåÍpÉ-Uç AmÉåiÉ qÉÉåWæûÈ |

xÉÉMÇü uÉlÉåwÉÑ ÌuÉÎeÉiÉç-AÉ-ÅiqÉ mÉS xuÉÃmÉÇ

iÉSè uÉxiÉÑ xÉqrÉaÉç AÌlÉzÉÇ ÌuÉqÉ×zÉÎliÉ kÉlrÉÉÈ ||8||

Om Tat Sat!

*****

DHANYASHTAKAM “The Blessed Person”

by Sri Adi Shankaracharya

Split-Sandhee English Transliterations

dhany¡½¿akam taj-j²¡na¯ pra¾ama-kara¯ yad indriy¡³¡¯

taj-j²£ya¯ yad upani½atsu ni¾cit¡rtham |

t£ dhany¡ bhuvi param¡rtha ni¾cit£h¡¦

¾£½¡-s tu bhrama nilay£ paribhramanta¦ ||1||

¡dau vijitya vi½ay¡n mada mµha r¡ga-

dv£½-¡-:'di ¾atruga³am ¡h»ta-yµga-r¡jy¡¦ |

j²¡tv¡ mata¯ sam-anubhÀya par¡tma vidy¡

k¡nt¡-sukha¯ vana-g»h£ vicaranti dhany¡¦ ||2||

tyaktv¡ g»h£ ratim adhµgati h£tu-bhÀt¡m

¡tm-£-cc:hay-µ-pani½ad artha rasa¯ pibanta¦ |

v§ta-sp»h¡ vi½aya-bhµga-pad£ virakt¡

dhany¡-¾ caranti vijan£½u virakta sa±g¡¦ ||3||

tyaktv¡ mam-¡-ham iti bandhakar£ pad£ dv£

m¡n-¡-vam¡na sad»¾¡¦ samadar¾ina-¾ ca |

kart¡ram anyam avagamya tad arpit¡ni

kurvanti karma-parip¡ka phal¡ni dhany¡¦ ||4||

24

tyaktv:'-ai-½a³¡ trayam av£k½ita mµk½a m¡rg¡

bhaik½-¡-m»t£na pari-kalpita d£ha y¡tr¡¦ |

jyµti¦ par¡t paratara¯ param¡tma sa¯j²a¯

dhany¡ dvij¡ rahasi h»d-y avalµkayanti ||5||

n-¡-san-na san-na sad-asan-na mahan-na c-¡-³u

na str§ pum¡n-na ca napu¯sakam £ka-b§jam |

yai-r brahma tat sam-anup¡sitam £ka-citai¦

dhany¡ vir£ju-r itar£ bhava-p¡¾a badh¡¦ ||6||

aj²¡na pa±ka parimagnam ap£tas¡ra¯

du¦kh-¡-:'laya¯ mara³a-janma-jar:'-¡-vasaktam |

sa¯s¡ra-bandhanam anityam av£k½ya dhany¡

j²¡n-¡-sin¡ tad ava¾§rya vini¾cayanti ||7||

¾¡ntai-ra ananya matibhi-ra madhura svabh¡vai¦

£katva ni¾cita manµbhi-ra ap£ta mµhai¦ |

s¡ka¯ van£½u vijit-¡-:'tma pada svarÀpa¯

tad vastu samyag ani¾a¯ vim»¾anti dhany¡¦ ||8||

Om Tat Sat!

*****