82: Upadesha Sahasri (ch17 v41-44) One Thousand Teachings of Adi Shankara

Vedanta is not a subject matter, a spiritual doctrine, or a philosophy - it is a method of self-inquiry (atma-vichara) based on the wisdom (vidya) of the ancient rishis, as found in the Upanishads, a part of the sacred Vedic scriptures. This method can lead you to discover your true, divine nature (sat-chit-ananda atma) and gain moksha, freedom from suffering.

[rajalakshmiprasad]

Thankyou dear Swamiji ! You make me admire Grammar and Vedanta both. Pranams. ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[jasminka-kt]

Thank you Swamiji for a profound and enjoyable class. True gems! Blessings! 🙏❤

[Pallasathena-hvkp]

Pranam, Swami 🙏 Thanks for the lesson 👍

[koochithatha]

Salutations, Guruji! Thank you for the clarification on the progression from karma kanda to jnana kanda, I did not think about it from that subtle perspective. Very nice discussion. Thanks again. Om Shanti 🙏🏼

[venkataramamuthuswami]

To understand the "unchanging" atma vis a vis human and other beings influenced by the running Karma account, is to be able to admire and adore the "Lilas" of the eternal cosmic being, some of us call this substratum as Eswara. We stand in awe how these Rishis of the yore could delve into the cosmic age without any known modern day instruments. Human history and its evolutionary calendar must be redesigned as "before Upanishadic age and after."

[dayanidhi]

Thank you, at the start of the class, for explaining more about what you meant in the last class about how sakshi is only a provisional definition for atma and not a final or fundamental definition. I now get this. However, at 3:14, you say "Tell me then, in the absence of your mind, like in deep sleep, like in samadhi, is consciousness an observer, a witness? You're only a witness if there's something to be witnessed, in the absence of anything to be witnessed, you can't call consciousness a witness." OK, but if you can't call consciousness a witness in the deep sleep state, then why is the atma called 'avasthatrayasakshi' or the witness of the three states of experience? (obviously one of the three states of experience is deep sleep). In Vivekachudamani verse 125 for instance, the atma is referred to as being 'avasthatrayasakshi san', meaning 'being the witness of the three states', but here you're saying you can't call the consciousness the witness in the deep sleep state?