Janaka and Jnana (long)

[Giri]

On Tue, 29 Apr 1997, VP Nandakumar wrote:

> OK, if one's a jnani, totally detatched, can the person really do justice to
 his
> household or kingdom? A true father has to have affection for his children and
> family, else cause unhappiness in the family. Likewise the king for his
> subjects. OK, one can be detatched in both states. In that case, probably one
> will be a true jnani, but can one be a true father or king too?

Before I answer these questions, let me make a few points. This is going
to be a long e-mail.

First, most of us in the world are NOT fit for jnana-marga and the path
of self-enquiry (imho). Chitta-suddhi is essential for that path. How
does one cultivate chitta-suddhi ? By Karma yoga. By performing actions
as a dedication to God without the expectation of fruits of action. See
Bhagavad Gita 2.47. But, is it easy ? No. From a young age, we have been
accustomed to pleasures through senses, and the sense of doership. We
have been constantly told to assert our ego and derive happiness through
the sense pleasures. As Gummuluru-ji pointed out, by the time, the jeeva
realizes that happiness is something other than pleasure through senses,
it is too late and the body drops. But some of us have realized it before
the body dies (otherwise why would we study vedanta even in a small way).

        So, one has to do the action very well, but be indifferent to the
fruits of the action. One should not be attached to inaction (Bhagavad
Gita 2.47) and neither should be one be indifferent to action itself.
Action should be done with great zeal. As my friend egodust put it once to
me, 'Do everything as everything matters, but BE as if nothing matters,"
or words to that effect. Your contention that one can not be a good worker
and karma yogi is rejected. Look what Krishna says to Arjuna.  He asks
Arjuna to be detached to the fruits of the action and yet act and fight.
One can not say that Arjuna was not detached, in which case he was
violating Krishna's instructions, nor can you say that Arjuna did not
fight with zeal.

        Similarly, do your duty as a wife/husband/father and mother but
realize that you are never the doer and do everything as a dedication to
God.  Just don't say that you are not the doer to slack off, or to perform
adharma. Perform dharma to the best of your ability without any thought of
the fruits thereof. I am, of course, not perfect in doing the above, but I
try.

        Having said that, Karma yoga is an aid to purification of the
mind. One may reach a stage in life when one feels there is no point in
action. Such a person can take sanyas or not. In fact, as Ramana Maharshi
says, whteher one takes sanyas or not is decided by prarabdha karma. But
it is not an important issue. He emphasises detachment, devotion at any
and all stages of life.

        Let us take sanyas. Ok, I can put on an ochre robe. What happens ?
Do I stop working ? No, because I have to eat, drink and perform other
bodily functions. Has my mind changed in any manner ? Will not my mind
with me everywhere I go. Sitting in Rishikesh is not going change anything
suddenly.  I may be even required to do small chores, interact with
people after taking sanyas. Nothing with regard to my internal six
enemies have changed. Have my thoughts stopped ? Have I dropped the
deha-atma buddhi with the donning of the orange robes ? If I had dropped
the deha-atmabuddhi, what is the need to take sanyas anyway ?

        Let us look at the sayings of Ramana Maharshi in 'Talks with RM'
(page 58)

D : How does a grihasta (householder) fare in the scheme of moksha
(liberation) ?

M : Why do you think you are a grihasta ? If you go out as a sanyas, a
similar thought that you are a sanyasi will haunt you. Whether you
continue in the household, or renounce it and go to the forest, your mind
haunts you. The ego is the source of [these] thoughts. It creates the
body and makes you think you are a grihasta. If you renounce the world it
will only substitute the thought sanyasi for grihasta and the
environments of the forest for those with the household. But the mental
obstacles are always there. They even increase in new surrounding. There
is no help on change of environment. The obstacle is the mind. It must be
got over whether at home or in the forest. If you can do it in the
forest, why not in the home ? Therefore why change the environment ? Your
efforts can be made even now - whatever environment you may be [in].

--

In a shorter version, just ask yourself whether the struggle is inside
your mind or outside it ? Neeta-ji (or Gummuluru-ji) made a similar
statement. They put it even succintly. One has to think, if I sit at home
all day, am I established in nirvikalpa samadhi ? What makes one think
that taking sanyas will confer liberation when the dirt in the mind has
not been cleared ?

In your previous mail, it was written by you there is no point in just
quoting Shankara but provide reasoning etc.. If Shankara is not capable of
reason, no one is. His reasoning is perfect. A knower of Brahman becomes
Brahman. How can Brahman work ? Only His body/mind works. See how
well Shankara reasons in the bhagavad gita bhashya.

Shankara says, 'In truth, he works not at all. All his works have been
burnt in the fire of knowledge and so his work has become non-work.' And
Shankara further continues, 'He does NOTHING who gives up conceit in all
works and attachment to their fruits.....Work done by the knower is, in
reality, non-work; for he has already achieved the realization of the Self
that acts not. What ought to follow is that such a sage, having no private
ends to serve, should give up all work and their auxiliaries. BUT due to
the desire to promote world's welfare, he finds no way out of activity.
Or, may be, he wants to avoid the censure of righteous folk. So he MAY, as
was his wont before Self-realization, CONTINUE to WORK. Still, he works
not; for he knows his identity with the work-free Self.'

        Now, I will come to your question, how can one be an Atman and a
king. Are you anything other than Atman NOW ? Just because you think you
have a body/mind/doership etc., does not make you NOT an Atman. You are
Atman, always will be, irrespective of whether you associate with the
unreal or not. Now, you are Atman and thinking you are the doer with a
body and mind. After realization, you will realize that you have always
been Atman and that you are neither the doer, body or mind. Action just
goes on in either case. Jnana is not attained, and only avidya is lost.

When Shuka (Vyasa's son) is asked to marry, he is shocked since his only
goal in life is to realize the Brahman. Vyasa points out that being a
householder and being a jnani are NOT mutually exclusive. Shuka says that
is impossible and is asked to go and meet Janaka, who is a jnani and a
king. Shuka wonders how a king who has to meet out justice, kill people to
defend the kingdom etc be a jnani. In fact, when he meets Janaka, he makes
fun of him saying 'Calling you a jnani is like saying my mother is
barren.' Janaka, then, slowly but clearly explains how a householder can
be jnani and a jnani can remain a householder (or a king, in his case). He
also explains what duties a householder should do and in what attitude he
should do it. Instead of me posting those details or interpreting and
translating it, I will just note that the complete incident can be found
in the devi-bhagavatam and that what Janaka says is not widely different
from what Ramana Maharshi says though it is much longer.

        I am not saying a householder life is more conducive to jnana. No
way. I am just saying it is possible and there are many examples who live
to the present day. If you see bhagavad gita, when Krishna is asked what
the characteristic of a jnani are, Krishna does not say the jnani should
be a sanyas physically, instead he should be a sanyas mentally. See BG
2.54-2.72. He who is everywhere unattached, not pleased at receiving good,
nor vexed at bad, his wisdom is fixed. He is a jnani. Detachment is a
state of mind, and not of the body. Lack of an opportunity to take sanyas
should not be used an excuse not to practice karma yoga, bhakti yoga etc.
Let all attempts be made to clear the mind of thoughts now itself.

        After writing such a long e-mail, I have to make a final
*irrelevant* point. I have posted the next-to-last paragraph just three
weeks back (Apr 11), and I notice now people saying that householder and
sanyas are mutually exclusive. The same goes for my posts on the journey
of the subtle body. No, I don't expect everyone to read my posts, maybe
because it is confusing, but as one list member told me in a recent
e-mail, many members seem to have already made up their mind on these
issues.  And I, therefore, think it is better for me to refrain from
posting on this list, and just be quiet and learn from others.

        In any case, all answers only operate and perpetuate more
thoughts. Instead, it is better to go within and ask 'To whom these
thoughts arise. ?' As Ramana Maharshi puts it, there is no end to doubts
and satisfying them; instead, put an end to the doubter !

AUM shaantiH