Roll No. 20905S1 - ANIL KUMAR NAIR

i. Define the terms

1. Sthula

STHULA SARIRA: Annamayakosha (Gross Body) for the Dense Physical Plane. The terms ‘sthula – sarira’ means ‘gross body’. ‘Sthula’ meaning ‘gross’ is that which is perceivable by the senses. This gross body is perceived by our senses as well as by that of others, and hence is called sthula.

2. Sarira

Sarira is that which disintegrates. At the time of death, the body disintegrates into five elements - spice, air, water and earth – from which it has created. Since this gross body can be perceived by the senses [sthula] and because it finally disintegrates [sarira], it is called ‘sthula – sarira’.

3. Vishva. Totality, whole creation; also a name of the individual soul in the waking state.

Explain the terms

1. Nava – dvara – pura

The account of the City of Nine Gates is specifically identified as allegorical in BHAGAVATA PURANA itself. It was spoken by the sage Narada Muni, who was questioned by King Prachinabarhishat about the nature of the self, and Narada Muni himself explains all the elements of the allegory in the original text.

The City of Nine Gates represents the male human body, with its nine openings? two eyes, two nostrils, two ears, the mouth, the anus, and the genital opening. The individual jiva resides herein and enjoys or suffers the experiences gained through the nine gates. It is through these that each one of us experiences joys and sorrows and transacts with the world outside.

According to the philosophy of the Bhagavata Purana, intelligence is a subtle material energy with discriminatory capabilities like those manifested by artificial intelligence machines. The five knowledge-acquiring senses are the senses of sight, smell, taste, hearing, and touch. The five working senses are those of walking, grasping, speaking, reproduction, and evacuation. All ten senses are grouped around the mind and are considered servants of the mind. Each of these servants has hundreds of wives. The wives represent desires for material experience, and the senses act under their pressure.

2. Jagrad – avastha

Jagrad-avastha - the waking stateSvapna-avastha - the dreaming stateSushupthi avastha - the sleeping state

Jagrad-avastha:This is the state in which we function through the physical body and the sense organs and contact the external world. In this state, we experience the external world. This is Anubhava. While contacting the external world, the mind records and stores all the experiences in the form of impressions called Vasanas. (We will learn more about it in a separate post) Our mind retains them also. So in the jagrad avastha, Anubhavas are recorded and stored as Vasanas. In Sastra , Jagrad avastha is described as “ indriya janya jnana avastha. The state of experience where the knowledge taking place is born of sense organs. When the experience is of the external world through the sense organs then that state of experience is called jagrat avastha. The Jagat avastha got 3 factors, pramata, pramana and prameya

I] Pramata – I, the knowerIi] Pramanam – The means of knowledge like sense organs, etc and Iii] Prameya – The objects of the external world

3. Annamaya – kosa

Anna means food. All of the physical aspects of life come and go, and are consumed by another aspect of external reality. Thus, the outermost of the koshas is called the sheath of food, or Annamaya kosha.

In Vedanta practice, we train this aspect of ourselves, take care of it, nurture it, so that we can both enjoy our external lives and go inward without it being an obstacle during meditation time. In meditation, we become aware of Annamaya kosha, explore it, and then go inward, to and through the other koshas.

Anandamaya kosha is the most interior of the koshas, the first of the koshas surrounding the Atman, the eternal center of consciousness. Ananda means bliss. However, it is not bliss as a mere emotion experienced at the level of the sheath of mind. Ananda is a whole different order of reality from that of the mind. It is peace, joy, and love that is underneath, beyond the mind, independent of any reason or stimulus to cause a happy mental reaction. It is simply being, resting in bliss called ananda.

Yet, even this bliss, however wonderful it is, is still a covering, a sheath, a lampshade covering the pure light of consciousness. It is the subtle most of the five koshas. In the silence of deep meditation, this too is let go of, so as to experience the center.

III. Answer in detail

1. Explain the process of pancikarana

'Panchikaranam' in Sanskrit means the process of Compounding or Grossification.

Sthula Sarira (Gross Body)

That which is made up of the 5 great elements that have undergone the process of "Panchikaranam"; born as a result of the good actions of the past; the counter of experiences like joy, sorrow etc.; and subject to the 6 modifications- namely, to potentially exist, to be born, to grow, to mature, to decay and to die- is the Gross Body. The body can be perceived by the 5 senses, by

one's own self and by others, both inside and outside and is therefore called 'Gross'.

The 5 Great Elements are- Space, Air, Fire, Water and Earth. When they undergo the process of Panchikarana, they form the 5 Gross Elements. A permutation and combination of these gross elements constitute the entire Gross World that we perceive. Our body too is part of this world and hence made up of the 5 gross elements. At death, the body disintegrates back to the 5 elements from which it is formed. Actually, the body, being part of the 5 elements, is never separate from them.

Satkarmajanyam (Born of the result of good actions of the past)

The human birth is the result of the good actions of the past. With the prominence of merits, we gain a heavenly body; with demerits. an animal's or even lower body; and with the balance of both, we gain a human body. In both the higher and the lower bodies, our merits or demerits are exhausted with no new ones being formed. The human birth is the finest in the creation. In this birth, we have the choice to evolve or devolve. We are endowed with a subtle intellect that can discriminate between right and wrong, real and unreal, good and bad etc. and attain the supreme Truth. The Evolution of the Tamasic Aspect.

From the 'Tamas' aspect of the 5 great elements, the grossified 5 elements are born. This process of Panchikarana is as follows:

1. The tamas aspect of each of the 5 elements divides into two equal parts.2. One half of each remains intact.3. The other half of each gets divided into 4 equal parts.4. Then to the intact half of one element, 1/8th portion from each of the other 4 elements gets joined.5. Then Panchikarana is complete.6. From these 5 grossified elements, the gross body is formed.

2. What are the sis modifications of the Sthula – sarira?

The six modifications or Shad – Bhava – Vikaras of body are : Asti [Existence] , Jayate [Birth], Vardhate [Growth], Viparinamate [Change], Apaksheeyate [Decay], Vinashyate [Death], are the six modifications or change of the body. This comprise of potential existence, borth, growth, transformation, decay and destruction or death. Anything in the world and the world itself is subject to these transformations and therefore does not come under the category of nitya [nitiya is that which does not undergo the six fold transformations] and therefore is anitya.

Anything which has parts is subject to change, the shad vikaras ,birth and death and hence is temporary, whereas brahman is indivisible, it has no parts.Its expalined as "ekam eva adviteeyam "-- meaning it alone exists and is not divisible. Hence it stands for eternality.

3. How does Sankaracharya dissuade the seeker from a life of mindless sensory pursuit?

The first systematic exponent of the Advaita is Sankaracaraya, it was Sankara who brought forth the final beautiful form of Advaita philosophy, and gave perfection and finishing touch to it. Carefully go through Sri Sankara’s commentaries on the principal Upanishads, the Brahma Sutras and the Bhagavad-Gita. You will clearly understand his Advaita philosophy. The commentary on the Vedanta Sutras by Sankara is known as Sariraka Bhashya.

The teachings of Sankara can be summed up in half a verse: “Brahma Satyam Jagan Mithya Jivo Brahmaiva Na Aparah—Brahman (the Absolute) is alone real; this world is unreal; and the Jiva or the individual soul is non-different from Brahman.” This is the quintessence of his philosophy.

The Advaita taught by Sri Sankara is a rigorous, absolute one. According to Sri Sankara, whatever is, is Brahman. Brahman Itself is absolutely homogeneous. All difference and plurality are illusory.

Brahman—The One Without A Second

The Atman is self-evident (Svatah-siddha). It is not established by extraneous proofs. It is not possible to deny the Atman, because It is the very essence of the one who denies It. The Atman is the basis of all kinds of knowledge, presuppositions and proofs. Self is within, Self is without; Self is before, Self is behind; Self is on the right, Self is on the left; Self is above and Self is below.

Brahman is not an object, as It is Adrisya, beyond the reach of the eyes. Hence the Upanishads declare: “Neti Neti—not this, not this....” This does not mean that Brahman is a negative concept, or a metaphysical abstraction, or a nonentity, or a void. It is not another. It is all-full, infinite, changeless, self-existent, self-delight, self-knowledge and self-bliss. It is Svarupa, essence. It is the essence of the knower. It is the Seer (Drashta), Transcendent (Turiya) and Silent Witness (Sakshi).

Sankara’s Supreme Brahman is impersonal, Nirguna (without Gunas or attributes), Nirakara (formless), Nirvisesha (without special characteristics), immutable, eternal and Akarta (non-agent). It is above all needs and desires. It is always the Witnessing Subject. It can never become an object as It is beyond the reach of the senses. Brahman is non-dual, one without a second. It has no other beside It. It is destitute of difference, either external or internal. Brahman cannot be described, because description implies distinction. Brahman cannot be distinguished from any other than It. In Brahman, there is not the distinction of substance and attribute. Sat-Chit-Ananda constitute the very essence or Svarupa of Brahman, and not just Its attributes.

The Nirguna Brahman of Sankara is impersonal. It becomes a personal God or Saguna Brahman only through Its association with Maya.

Saguna Brahman and Nirguna Brahman are not two different Brahmans. Nirguna Brahman is not the contrast, antithesis or opposite of Saguna Brahman. The same Nirguna Brahman appears as Saguna Brahman for the pious worship of devotees. It is the same Truth from two different points of view. Nirguna Brahman is the higher Brahman, the Brahman from the transcendental viewpoint (Paramarthika); Saguna Brahman is the lower Brahman, the Brahman from the relative viewpoint (Vyavaharika).

The World—A Relative Reality

The world is not an illusion according to Sankara. The world is relatively real (Vyavaharika Satta),

while Brahman is absolutely real (Paramarthika Satta). The world is the product of Maya or Avidya. The unchanging Brahman appears as the changing world through Maya. Maya is a mysterious indescribable power of the Lord which hides the real and manifests itself as the unreal: Maya is not real, because it vanishes when you attain knowledge of the Eternal. It is not unreal also, because it exists till knowledge dawns in you. The superimposition of the world on Brahman is due to Avidya or ignorance.

Nature Of The Jiva And The Means To Moksha

To Sankara, the Jiva or the individual soul is only relatively real. Its individuality lasts only so long as it is subject to unreal Upadhis or limiting conditions due to Avidya. The Jiva identifies itself with the body, mind and the senses, when it is deluded by Avidya or ignorance. It thinks, it acts and enjoys, on account of Avidya. In reality it is not different from Brahman or the Absolute. The Upanishads declare emphatically: “Tat Tvam Asi—That Thou Art.” Just as the bubble becomes one with the ocean when it bursts, just as the pot-ether becomes one with the universal ether when the pot is broken, so also the Jiva or the empirical self becomes one with Brahman when it gets knowledge of Brahman. When knowledge dawns in it through annihilation of Avidya, it is freed from its individuality and finitude and realises its essential Satchidananda nature. It merges itself in the ocean of bliss. The river of life joins the ocean of existence. This is the Truth.

The release from Samsara means, according to Sankara, the absolute merging of the individual soul in Brahman due to dismissal of the erroneous notion that the soul is distinct from Brahman. According to Sankara, Karma and Bhakti are means to Jnana which is Moksha.

Vivarta Vada Or The Theory Of Superimposition

To Sankara the world is only relatively real (Vyavaharika Satta). He advocated Vivarta-Vada or the theory of appearance or superimposition (Adhyasa). Just as snake is superimposed on the rope in twilight, this world and body are superimposed on Brahman or the Supreme Self. If you get knowledge of the rope, the illusion of snake in the rope will vanish. Even so, if you get knowledge of Brahman or the Imperishable, the illusion of body and world will disappear. In Vivarta-Vada, the cause produces the effect without undergoing any change in itself. Snake is only an appearance on the rope. The rope has not transformed itself into a snake, like milk into curd. Brahman is immutable and eternal. Therefore, It cannot change Itself into the world. Brahman becomes the cause of the world through Maya, which is Its inscrutable mysterious power or Sakti.

When you come to know that it is only a rope, your fear disappears. You do not run away from it. Even so, when you realise the eternal immutable Brahman, you are not affected by the phenomena or the names and forms of this world. When Avidya or the veil of ignorance is destroyed through knowledge of the Eternal, when Mithya Jnana or false knowledge is removed by real knowledge of the Imperishable or the living Reality, you shine in your true, pristine, divine splendour and glory.

The Advaita—A Philosophy Without A Parallel

The Advaita philosophy of Sri Sankaracharya is lofty, sublime and unique. It is a system of bold philosophy and logical subtlety. It is highly interesting, inspiring and elevating. No other philosophy can stand before it in boldness, depth and subtle thinking. Sankara’s philosophy is complete and perfect.

Sri Sankara was a mighty, marvellous genius. He was a master of logic. He was a profound thinker

of the first rank. He was a sage of the highest realisation. He was an Avatara of Lord Siva. His philosophy has brought solace, peace and illumination to countless persons in the East and the West. The Western thinkers bow their heads at the lotus-feet of Sri Sankara. His philosophy has soothed the sorrows and afflictions of the most forlorn persons, and brought hope, joy, wisdom, perfection, freedom and calmness to many. His system of philosophy commands the admiration of the whole world.