[Advaita-l] Sivaanandalahari - 61

[Anbu sivam2]

Sivaanandalahari -61 (4)The various differences in the bhakthi was
highlighted by AachaaryaaL by his examples in this sloka. There are three
variations of bhakthi. They are (i) Anya Bhakthi, (ii) AnyOnya Bhakthi and
(iii) Ananya Bhakthi. The cases of (a) AngOla seeds that reach the tree and
(b) the needle that reaches the magnet are examples of Anya Bhakthi. The
cases of (a) pathivratha and bhartha and (b) the creeper and the tree are
examples of AnyOnya Bhakthi. The example of the rivers in general that
ultimately reach the ocean, are the examples of Ananya Bhakthi.

The greatest Bhaktha of the category of Anya Bhakthi is Hanumaan. By
becoming the most devout slave of Lord Rama Hanuman attained his Parama
Purushaartha. So the Lord blessed him with Chiranjeevithwam. This is
Dwaitham. It will be interesting to see how Bhagavan Ramana describes the
attitude of this ‘Anya Bhaktha’ and the best method of his worship. Bhagavan
says: ‘Easwaraarpitham nEcchyayaakritham chiththasodhakam mukthi saadhakam’.
Nishkaama karmyam is his attitude. In Dwaitham the body attains reality and
knowing that there are three bodies in each one, these three bodies they are
dedicated to the Lord with respective best worship they are capable of.
Bhagavaan says: ‘Kaayavaangmana: kaaryamuththamam poojanam jabas chinthanam
kramaath.’ With the gross body you do pooja to the Lord, with vaak the
subtle body you do japam and with the mind the causal body you meditate on
Him’.

BhEdha gnaanam hides the limitless Aanandha. All the joys that one
experiences with bhEdha gnaanam are fleeting. Because Maayai succeeds in
hiding the limitless Aanandha in bhEdha gnaanam, all praaNis experience only
dhukkam. And they crave for everlasting Aanandha. They recon that Aanandha
resides in ParamEswara and begin to attach themselves to Him. And they
confound themselves with the dwaithic philosophy that jeeva is real and
miserable and Easwara is real and Aanandhaswaroopi etc. Therefore they never
understand that in lakshyaartha jeeva is Brahmaanandham and this ignorance
about jeeva persists in them needlessly. Because of this they never
understand that the sukham derived from another even if it be Easwara is
anithyam.

The greatest Bhaktha of the category of AnyOnya Bhakthi is Prahlaadha. He
saw the Lord everywhere and in his own self. He was thus entitled to the
coveted ‘SaalOkya, Saaroopya, Saameepya, Saayujya’ padhavis. This is
Visishtaadvaitham. Bhagavan Ramana says: ‘BhEdhabhaavanaathsOhamithyasau
bhaavanaabhidhaa paavanee mathaa’. ‘I am Him (SOham)’ idea is better than
the dualistic idea of I am different from Him. Such people get the idea of
agency such as ‘I am an instrument in His hands’. This gives exceeding
courage and endurance as seen in Prahlaadha. Like dwaithis
Visishtaadhvaithees too believe that separate conciousness resides in jeeva
and Easwara. Therefore all that we have said about the dwaithins apply to
visishtaadhvaithins too.

The greatest Bhaktha of the category of Ananya Bhakthi is Kannappa
Naayanaar. He was the personification of non-difference with Parameswara. He
thus had Parama PrEma on Parameswara. He exemplified the Mahavaakya ‘Aham
Brahmaasmi’. This is Advaitham. Bhagavaan Ramana says:
‘Bhaavasoonyasatbhaavasusthithi: bhaavanaabhalaath bhakthiruththamaa.’
Poised in one’s own self, devoid of thoughts is the uththama bhakthi.

(continued in 61 (5) )