Atmatirtham। Sopanam 11 (Eng) | Life & Teachings of Sri Sankaracharya

Ajouté : 2026-05-30

[00:00:17]So fun and loving.

[00:00:36]Meeting Govinda Bhagavatpada.

[00:00:39]As Shankara walked on inquiring the whereabouts of Govinda Bhagavatpada.

[00:00:44]The Sadhus of Omkareshwara praised the glory of the Brahmanistha in superlative terms.

[00:00:52]Reminiscent of the Upanishadic mantra which says, "People view the Brahmagnani with wonder."

[00:00:59]They showed Shankara his cave in the middle of a hill in a village near Omkareshwara.

[00:01:06]The vast interior of the cave carved out of a rock was spacious like a royal court or a mansion. The entry to the cave was at the northeast and it was well-lit and ventilated.

[00:01:20]It housed a smaller cave within which Govinda Bhagavatpada spent most of his time in the bliss of self-experience.

[00:01:31]Here and there Sannyasis were found engaged in Sadhana and Shastra Vichara.

[00:01:38]Shankara felt the peace of Brahma Nirvana filling the entire area.

[00:01:44]A Brahmavit is not simply a knower of Brahman but Brahman itself.

[00:01:51]Silence, tranquility, austerity, renunciation, and truth like fragrance from a flower filled the place where that Jivanmukta lived.

[00:02:05]Shankara entered the cave and sought permission to meet the sage.

[00:02:10]With great affection, the sannyasis led him to the presence of the guru.

[00:02:15]There, he saw the divine form of the old sage sitting absolutely still with eyelids open and unfaltering.

[00:02:26]The vision of the sage was effortless stillness indicating steady abiding in the self.

[00:02:34]He appeared as the embodiment of the Upanishadic description A yogi is one whose vision is effortlessly steady.

[00:02:48]See how the Upanishad portrays such a yogi.

[00:03:00]The sages always behold the radiant abode of Vishnu in their heart.

[00:03:07]Outwardly, their eyes have awakened look as if gazing into empty space.

[00:03:14]Approaching the great master, Shankara also stood still in awe beholding the beatific form of the best among the knowers of Brahman.

[00:03:25]No one uttered a word.

[00:03:28]A profound silence filled the place.

[00:03:32]It was as if an imperceptible mystical cloud of compassion was torrentially raining the nectar of profound peace.

[00:03:43]That silence was far more eloquent than words.

[00:03:48]In that serene presence, everyone experienced the power of silence communicating the ineffable.

[00:04:01]Glorified by all the Upanishads.

[00:04:05]In the glory of that presence, Chitvilasa, the sport of divine awareness, was awakened in Shankara's heart.

[00:04:16]The aperture in the heart popped open.

[00:04:20]The mind withdrew itself into the primal womb, the source.

[00:04:25]There, it lit its own funeral pyre.

[00:04:29]And the I blazed forth as pure awareness.

[00:04:34]Shivam.

[00:04:35]The ultimate sacred right where the practitioner the practice and the utensils are all burnt took place within the heart.

[00:04:53]Gently shines forth the flame I am.

[00:05:02]The light shines forth, Brahman I am.

[00:05:09]I alone am.

[00:05:11]Brahman alone am I.

[00:05:18]I am. Brahman alone am I.

[00:05:26]I am that I am.

[00:05:29]I offer myself in the fire of awareness.

[00:05:47]>> [singing] >> Offered to Brahman, the offering is Brahman, the fire is Brahman, the offerer is Brahman, and the result merges in Brahman.

[00:06:07]When action is performed in the state of self-abidance, the only experience was I or the Aham shown forth as auspicious godliness, Shivam, and the heart remained like the pure cloudless sky.

[00:06:29]Chidakasha, the infinitude of existence was uncovered.

[00:06:34]The I recognized itself by its very knowingness as Sat Chit Ananda.

[00:06:41]Existence, awareness, and peace remained as the very nature of the I.

[00:06:47]There was no mind involved in the unveiling of the sacred.

[00:06:52]Awareness stood self-effulgent, devoid of body, mind, and individuality.

[00:06:59]That which remains without a second, knowing itself even in deep sleep, the Sushupta Bodha shown forth while wide awake.

[00:07:12]It was neither the state of wakefulness nor the state of sleep, as knowledge and the self were identical like fire and light.

[00:07:29]Apprehending the world is waking state, which is known as Anyatha Grahanam.

[00:07:35]Non-apprehension is sleep and is known as Agrahanam.

[00:07:40]Grahanam is day and an grahanam is night.

[00:07:44]The chit, that is awareness, shown in full effulgence, uncorrupted by apprehension and non-apprehension.

[00:07:54]The body, which is made of the five elements, exists in the waking state, but not in dream.

[00:08:02]The mind exists in dream, but not in deep sleep.

[00:08:07]However, a substratum is present, which remains unchanging in all these three states.

[00:08:15]The very nature of that substratum is self-effulgence.

[00:08:21]Knowing it by itself, the I am.

[00:08:24]That is characterized by knowledge, absence of ignorance, absence of adjuncts, absence of blemishes such as disease, birth, and death, and absence of cause and effect.

[00:08:38]Bliss, peace, and the absolute timeless absence of misery constitute the nature of the self.

[00:08:47]Absolute contentment and spiritual fulfillment are experienced only when consciousness reveals itself within the heart cave, or when the ever-shining consciousness is recognized as I am that.

[00:09:04]This recognition is termed as pratyabhijna.

[00:09:08]For the knower of truth, all mother, father, God, yagna, veda, and tirtha are the self.

[00:09:19]In him, existence is the truth, compassion is the mother, discipline is the father, omniscient is God, denunciation is yagna, intelligence is the veda, and the place he lives in is tirth.

[00:09:40]Doctrines such as Sankhya, Shaiva, Pancharatra, Jaina, or Karma Marga of the Mimamsakas do not reveal as clearly as Vedanta does the nature of this Kutastha Chaitanya, pure awareness.

[00:09:59]Yes, Sakshat Aparokshat Brahma.

[00:10:04]Who can ever deny the pure palpable experience, Vishishtanubhuti, of one's own existence as the I?

[00:10:13]Yet, dualists ignore this truth like those who do not perceive the necklace they are themselves wearing.

[00:10:22]This truth is neither within nor without.

[00:10:28]What is inside or outside for the immediate experience of I?

[00:10:32]There is no time and space in Aham.

[00:10:36]Nava Kevalatvam, Nacha Kevalatvam, Katham Sarva Vedanta Siddham Bravimi.

[00:10:45]It cannot even be qualified as one or many.

[00:10:49]How can that which the Upanishads declare be ever expressed in words?

[00:10:56]Just as a genius who imbibes the bhavas and mudras from a proficient dancer out of instinctive talent, even without being trained, Shankara's mind grasped and held the profound state of chit in the presence of the great master and Anan wore the form of Chin Mudra in the heart.

[00:11:19]Though the self, Dakshinamurti, is formless, he appears with the Chin Mudra indicating the emerging glow of consciousness or Aham, and this is revealed to those who constantly meditate on him.

[00:11:36]This subtle principle was later revealed by Acharya Shankara in Dakshinamurti Stotra thus.

[00:11:53]The path of this purana spanda marga is itself pratyabhijna darshana. The instantaneous recognition of the self.

[00:12:04]Such an experience is made possible for a disciple by the power of consciousness that prevails in the presence of the sadguru.

[00:12:13]When a qualified disciple approaches a sage who is in sahaja state, the inscrutable power of the self that flows from the heart of the sage makes a powerful impact at the core of the disciples heart.

[00:12:28]Instantaneously destroying the hrudaya granthi, knot of ignorance.

[00:12:35]This power is known as kripa, grace.

[00:12:39]As is stated in the Upanishad, tasyaisha atma vivrunute tanum svam.

[00:12:47]The self removes the veil and reveals itself to whomever it chooses.

[00:12:52]Shruti states, sakrud vibhato hyevaisa brahmalokaha.

[00:13:00]The effulgence of brahmaloka, once revealed, is never again covered by darkness.

[00:13:07]Thus, in the presence of the guru, leaving the assumed association with the body, Shankara realized his self and identified with the eye current, which shone forth as a divisionless being.

[00:13:21]This gliding into the beyond occurred at the very moment this wonderful pair, the Guru and Shishya met.

[00:13:29]The unknowable became known in the presence of the great knower.

[00:13:34]Without the help or knowledge of any intermediary.

[00:13:38]After a while, the deep eyes of the sage gently flickered.

[00:13:43]Govinda Bhagavatpada slowly turned towards the boy and looked at him.

[00:13:49]Shankara worshipped the great master with this beautiful shloka.

[00:14:06]In this first meeting, neither the Guru nor the Shishya spoke a word.

[00:14:11]Later, they talked to each other informally and arrangements were made for Shankara's stay.

[00:14:19]The next day, on the banks of the Narmada, the Guru initiated the Brahmachari into Sannyasa in the traditional manner and blessed him.

[00:14:29]He was given the name Shankara Bhagavatpada.

[00:14:32]Subsequently, Shankara Bhagavatpada composed 10 shlokas revealing the great wealth of experience that he had received in the presence of the Guru.

[00:14:44]This is the first Vedantic composition of Acharya Bhagavatpada known as Nirvana Dashaka or Dashashloki.

[00:14:55]Dashashloki Nirvana Dashaka Navarna Navarna No may No more No way No sun No day No way No way No more No way No way No way No way day was just No chance no chance from the show no chance So we can pass the show The day was just the show No chance no chance no chance no chance No chance no chance no chance no chance I can pass the show no chance The day was just the show no chance I can pass the show no chance I can pass the show I can pass the show no chance The day was just the show no chance I can pass the I can pass the show no chance No chance I can pass the The compassionate master He saw the effulgent being His eyes were like green emerald The inner vision was vast, deep, and was like the ocean.

[00:19:16]Around him was a halo of pure white luster.

[00:19:21]His very presence was so soothing and comely.

[00:19:26]His face was calm, majestic, and emitted cool rays of peace like the silvery full moon.

[00:19:36]He sat there radiating peace, bathed in a mist of golden effulgence, emitting scintillating sparks of spiritual fire.

[00:19:47]Austerity prevailed around him, not as an imposed discipline, but as an invigorating tonic of deep silence, watchfulness, and love.

[00:20:03]The great teacher, who was none other than God who walked the earth, he was not a person. He was the teaching.

[00:20:15]An awakening was he, awakening to our own majesty, awakening to the Godhead.

[00:20:24]An awakening which is only a rediscovery of the primordial teaching in one's own deep awareness.

[00:20:33]This vision of the great master filled the heart with gratefulness.

[00:20:40]Tears rolled on and on, expressing the inner fulfillment.

[00:20:46]What else can be offered to the omnipotent being who was solidified nectarean ocean of compassion?

[00:20:55]Thus ends the 11th Sopanam.

[00:21:34]>> Hey.