[Advaita-l] Karma yoga: the kinder, softer preparation for self-inquiry and surrender

[Ven Balakrishnan]

As an aside, note the remarkable and beautiful expression of ideas between Ramana and Brhad Upanishad

Ramana, GVK1141a: In the same way that a leaf plate is thrown away after eating food , the jnani who has know his Self will discard his body.

Brhad Up 4.4.7: Regarding this there is this verse: ‘When all the desires that dwell in his heart (mind) are gone, then he, having been mortal, becomes immortal, and attains Brahman in this very body.’ Just as the lifeless slough of a snake is cast off and lies in the ant-hill, so does this body lie. Then the self becomes disembodied and immortal, (becomes) the Prajna (Supreme Self), Brahman, the Light.


> On 20 Mar 2021, at 19:18, Ven Balakrishnan via Advaita-l <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
> 
> Akilesh
> 
> You wrote:
> "If we say the world appearance continues, then the burnt rope is precisely the thought of me or mine. That thought would be the ego and its remaining vasanas. For there is no such thing as vasana-free observation of differences in the world"
> 
> OK, and I guess that is why logic would push one to 5a.  However do note the following from Bhagavan:
> 
> 
> Ulladu Narpadu:
> 
> 31: When It surges forth and appears for him (the jnani) who enjoys the bliss of Self, which has risen by destroying the individual self (the ego), what single thing exists to do? He does not know anything other than Self; how to conceive what His state is?
> 
> Lakshmana Sarma who received personal verse by verse instruction on UN, and whose notes were checked by Bhagavan wrote of this:
> 
> “A jivanmukta is a native of the ego-less state and therefore mind-free. His mind has been dissolved in the Self and has become one with Brahman . . . In his perception which is one of sole and solid awareness, there are no objects worthy of being desired . . . The difference between the states of a jnani and an ajnani is due to the presence or absence of the ego-sense . .  For a jnani who is egoless differences never manifest themselves . . . The state a jivanmukta abides in ever and anon is egoless and without a mind. How can one with mind conceive or comprehend that state?”
> 
> 
> Guru Vachaka Kovai:
> 
> 1131: Since agitation [or confusion] will never rise without the feeling ‘I am the body’ [ the ego] in the heart, one whose vasanas - the ego or mind - are dead will not be mentally agitated even in dream
> 
> Muruganar’s comment: "the implication is that the life of mauna in which the mind is dead is alone truly living as a human being."	
> 
> Bhagavan himself wrote a verse in this section of GVK:
> 
> 1141a: In the same way that a leaf plate is thrown away after eating food , the jnani who has know his Self will discard his body.
> 
> 
> Nan Yar
> 
> 10: Even though visaya-vasanas [inclination to experience things other than one-self], which come from time immemorial rise as thoughts in countless numbers like ocean waves, they will all be destroyed when self-attentiveness increases.
> 
> 20: If oneself [ego or mind] rises, everything rises; if oneself subsides everything subsides.  To whatever extent being subsided [or humble] we behave, to that extent there is goodness. If we are restraining mind, wherever we may be, we can be.
> 
> 
> 
> Best wishes,
> venkat
> 
> 
>> On 20 Mar 2021, at 14:53, Akilesh Ayyar via Advaita-l <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
>> 
>> For there is no such thing as
>> vasana-free observation of differences in the world.
> 
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