ShrIrAma instructs tArA -2 (conclusion)

[Anand Hudli]

In the first part that was posted, ShrIrAma explained, like a true
Guru would, the process of superimposition, known as adhyAropa or
adhyAsa, of the non-Self consisting of the body, sense, etc. on the
Atman (Self), caused by avidyA or ajnAna. AchArya Shankara deals with
and explains this adhyAsa right in his introduction  to the
commentary on the Brahma suutras.

Next, ShrIrAma proceeds to explain and remove by His grace, this
avidyA that is afflicting tArA. Such removal of avidyA is called
apavAda. This adhyAropa-apavAda technique is adopted by a Guru or
by the Shruti with the aim of removal of the veil of ajnAna. There
is no other purpose of such instructions. Surely, all instructions,
be they from a Guru or God or shruti, cannot give us the Self; the
Self is something that we always have. Nobody can give It to us as
a gift or boon. But somehow we are unable to ascertain or realize the
Self fully, due to avidyA or ignorance. So it must necessarily be the
case that all instructions serve the purpose of only removing this
ignorance. The Self then reveals Itself and shines in all Its glory,
just as the Sun shines brilliantly when all clouds that were
obscuring it have disappeared.

More specifically, rAma next explains how the jiiva caught up in
saMsAra gets liberated by first becoming pure in mind by bhakti,
and then getting the intuitive understanding of the Self.

 (shrIrAma said:)

 yadA puNyavisheSheNa labhate saN^gatiM satAM |
 madbhaktAnAM sushAntAnAM tadA madviShayA matiH ||

 As a result of merit (puNya), when (the jiiva) earns the company of
 My pious and peaceful devotees, then he/she turns the mind towards
 Me.

 matkathAshravaNe shraddhA durlabhA jAyate tataH |
 tataH svarUpaviGYAnamanAyAsena jAyate          ||

 Afterward, he/she gains faith in listening to My glories, which
 faith is hard to obtain. Then the true knowledge of his/her real
 nature dawns without any effort.

 tadAchAryaprasAdena vAkyArthaGYAnataH xaNAt.h |
 dehendriyamanaH prANAhaN^kR^itibhyaH pR^ithaksthitaM ||

 svAtmAnubhavataH satyamAnandAtmAnamadvyaM  |
 GYAtvA sadyo bhavenmuktaH satyameva mayoditaM ||

 Afterwards, by the grace of the Guru, he realizes the true import
 of the (Vedic) sentences (such as "tattvamasi") instantly.
 Experiencing firsthand the Nondual Atman that is the Truth and
 Bliss, different from the body, sense, mind, prANa (vital airs),
 and the ego, he is liberated immediately (sadyomuktiH). What I
 have told you is the truth.

 evaM mayoditaM samyagAlochayati yo.anishaM |
 tasya saMsAraduHkhAni na spR^ishanti kadAchana ||

 Anyone who incessantly contemplates on these sayings of Mine
 correctly, will never be affected by the sorrows of saMsAra.

 tvmapyetanmayA proktamAlochaya vishuddhadhIH |
 na spR^ishyase duHkhajAlaiH karmabandhAdvimoxyase ||

 (O tArA!) You too contemplate on these teachings of Mine with a
  pure mind. You will not be affected by the snare of sorrows and
 you will be liberated from the bonds of karma.

 pUrvajanmani te subhrU kR^itA madbhaktiruttamA |
 atastava vimoxAya rUpaM me darshitaM shubhe ||

 O Beautiful Lady! In your previous birth you had practised staunch
 devotion to Me. (Pleased with) that I have shown you My form so that
 you may be liberated, O Auspicious Lady!

 dhyAtvA madrUpamanishamAlochaya mayoditaM |
 pravAhapatitaM kAryaM kurvantyapi na lipyate ||

 Meditate on My form always, thinking about what I have said. Even
 if you are engaged in activities that you may do due to the force
 of saMsAra, you will not be bound by them and you will not be
 affected.

 rAmeNoditaM sarvaM shrutvA tArAtivismitA |
 dehAbhimAnajaM shokaM tyaktvA natvA raghUttamaM ||

 AtmAnubhavasaMtuShTA jIvanmuktA babhUva ha |
 xaNasaN^gamAtreNa rAmeNa paramAtmanA      ||

 anAdibandhaM nirdhUya muktA sApi vikalmaShA ||

 After listening to everything that ShrIrAma said with great
 amazement, tArA gave up the sorrow that had arisen due to her
 identification with the body. She prostated herself before
 rAma, the best of Raghu's clan. Being filled with the Bliss of
 Self-realization, she indeed became a jIvanmuktA, liberated then
 and there while still alive. She became liberated from the bonds of
 the beginningless avidyA and from all impurity. She could become
 liberated thus because she had the association of ShrIrAma, the
 Supreme Self, for just a few moments!

 sugrIvo .api tat.h shrutvA rAmavaktrAtsamIritaM |
 juhAvaGYAnamakhilaM svasthachitto .abhavattadA ||

 SugrIva too who heard what ShrIrAma said, gave up all his
 ignorance and his mind became calm.

 ShrIrAma says that by learning the true import of the Vedic
 sentences through a Guru, one becomes a jIvanmukta. But, as may
 be noted, tArA did not have to actually learn the import of such
 Vedic sayings. Yet she became a jIvanmuktA by means of her devotion
 to rAma, that she had shown not so much in her present birth but
 in her previous burth.

Anand

















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