[Advaita-l] Classes on Pachadashi and Astavakra Geeta

[kuntimaddi sadananda via Advaita-l]

PraNAms to all 

We have started Vedanta classes at the new center Chinmaya Somanth which was inaugurated in the second week of July by Swami Tejomayandaji.  At this new center, we have started two classes – Saturday 9:30 – 10:30  and 11:00 – 12:00 am, and Sundays from 6:30-8:00PM. 

The Saturday classes are on Panchadashi – Ch. 6. We had taken up to Ch. 5 before, and those talks are available along with the talks on other Vedantic texts on yu-tube under Acharya Sadaji.  

Panchadashi is divided into three broad sections – The first five chapters deal with Veveka and are called Viveka prakarana.  They mostly involve the sat aspect of Brahman. The next five chapters deal with consciousness or chit aspect and are called as deepa prakarana.  The last five chapters deal with ananda aspect and are called ananda prakaranas. The sixth and seventh chapters are the very big chapters each having more than 200 slokas in each.

The sixth chapter is named Chitradeepa prakarana, since Vidyaranya uses chitra paTa or canvas with paintings as an example to explain the creation. There are four stages for the canvas cloth before full pledged painting appears. The white cloth which is pure is called Dhouta paTa akin to pure consciousness before creation, with no distinctions of any kind. The cloth that is starched and thus stiffened, and framed for drawing is called GhaTTita paTaH. This is similar to the pure consciousness that is stiffened with maayaa that is ready for projection.  This is Brahman being identified as Iswara with maayaa, who is now ready to create. In the case of painting, first an outline is drawn.  At the stage of outline, the cloth is called lanchita paTaH. This is similar to the subtle entities forming with maayaa shakti with the support of Consciousness. The final stage of the drawing with humans and other living beings as well as inert entities such as hills and
 landscape, with appropriate colors, and with verities of dresses for humans is called ranjita paTaH. It is compared with the final creation of all beings expressed in grosser forms.  Thus in the case of painting, pure cloth forms adhaara or support for the whole creation. One who only looks at the painting superficially gets carried with the varies of vibrant colors on living beings takes them as real not knowing they are only superimposed colors on the pure cloth. Similarly the one who only looks at the whole creation and get carried away with the verities of divergent attributes of the beings and non-beings takes them as real without recognizing that they are just super impositions or adhyaasa on top of the pure consciousness which is adhaara or adhiShTaanam or support for the whole creation, which is really real (satyasya satyaH).  In the first 17 slokas, Vidhyaranya summaries the whole Vedanta using the example of chitra deepa. From sloka 18 on the
 chapter deals with the four aspects of chaitanya which uses the example of ghaTaaksasha, jalaakaasha, mahaakaasha and meghaakaasha to illustrate the micro and macro scale of creation. This is the famous example of Vidyaranya to illustrate the micro and macro aspects of creation. Correspondingly the consciousness appears as four, kuuTastha, jiiva, brahman and Iswara. The essence of the chapter is the analysis of tat tvam asi mahavaakya statement, where consciousness at the microlevel, kutashta, and consciousness at macro level, brahman are equated as one adhaara chaitanya, and the jiiva and Iswars chitanyas are dropped as abhaasa chaitanya. For more detailed analysis one can listen to the talks at live stream – The above aspects are presented in summary form at <http://livestre.am/4VhAF> -

The Sunday classes deal with Ashtavakra Geeta, intended for those who have sufficient background of Vedanta. Unlike in Bhagavat Geeta, the student here is Janaka maharaj who is evolved soul and the teacher is the sage Ashtravakra. As the story goes the Ashtravakra studied Vedanta from his grand father, Uddalaka of Chandogya Upanishad. Uddalaka was the teacher for his son Swetaketu in Sat vidya chapter. Since Janaka is evolved soul he goes straight to the fundamental question of how one can get liberated. In essence, he asks for knowledge that liberates one and how to abide in that knowledge by developing dispassion for other pursuits. Hence the teaching goes directly to address the question. We have completed few slokas of the first chapter and one can listen to them starting with <http://livestre.am/4VmBT> . The talks are webcasted at EST timings given above and also will be stored at the livestream location. Advaita Academy plans to convert them slowly
 into yu-tube format 

Hari Om!
Sadananda