Manah Sodhanam - Verse 2

After this serious rant on happiness, I have thought of some thing that I like to call as the "Happiness Litmus Test". It is actually pretty simple. According to all scriptures and great masters, the true state of bliss is not dependent on anything or anyone. This bliss comes from within and it is permanent. To identify the true bliss, just ask yourself this simple question when anything makes you happy -"Will the absence of this thing/ person/ scenario cause me grief?" If yes, then what you are experiencing is transient and impermanent. For example, the day of salary credit brings about a flash of joy and relief. But, the thought of not having that money brings great fear and anxiety. Similarly, your kids are a source of great joy. But the thought of anything untoward happening to them makes us sad and worried.

So all those things that we think brings us happiness do not really do so. They bring a brief spurt of joy and also, along with them, bring attachment, expectations, disappointments, worries and all other unwanted emotions. So the next time you jump with joy or down in the dumps, remember that this is transient. Just try and observe the emotions and thoughts that go through your mind. There is a bigger joy that we all have to seek. With this thought, let us move to verse 2.

JNANENA  TU  TADAJNANE  NASTE  BHATI  SVAYAM  HI  SA

SATYAMETAT  TATHAPIHA  KASTAMEKAM  CA  VARTATE

This line states the obvious. When ignorance is dispelled, the Paramatma reveals itself in us. Even though this is the fact, there are difficulties in grasping this.

What is this ignorance that we are talking about? What knowledge gives us freedom from this ignorance? How to obtain the knowledge of Self?

My Guru says that the ignorance that plague us is, identifying us with this body of ours, the emotions that runs through our mind, the likes and dislikes that we have -in short, thinking of ourselves as the "doer", instead of the "observer" that the Atman is. While we know "Theoretically" that all that we go through in this life is transient, it is next to impossible to apply it when we are busy just living our life. We laugh, cry, want, worry, love, hate and do a million other things and just get caught up in the process of living -day in and day out. While, at a quiet moment, we may sit and reflect that all these are transient and not the "truth", beyond a point, you just shrug it off and wonder what to eat for dinner. Right?

Then how do we actually dispel this ignorance? Ignorance is so much bliss. This ignorance of thinking that we are the "doer" is so much fun! Thinking about the self and over analyzing about it actually makes the brain hurt.

In Manah Sodhanam, Swami Tejomayananda quotes the great Adi Shankara. Adi Shankara, in his Vivekachudamani, says

"Even after knowing the Truth, there remains a powerful beginning less, deep impression that one is the doer and enjoyer, which is the cause of rebirth. By living in a subjective state of steady identification with the self, this deep impression has to be conscientiously removed. Annihilation of the impressions here and now, is called "liberation" by sages."

If the great Shankaracharya himself feels this way, then just imagine the kind of effort that we have to put in to not only dispel the ignorance, but also the deep seated impression of being the doer.

Note to self: I think it is about time I stop taking things personally. After all, I am just an observer.

I have to keep reminding myself to be objective -atleast during those times I feel sad, depressed, angry, worried, anxious etc. Hari Om!