Three Ways of Definition by Swami Sivananda A thing can be defined in three ways: By distinguishing it from others (Vyavartaka Lakshana); By pointing out its apparent attributes (Tatastha Lakshana); and By describing its essential nature (Svrupa Lakshana). For example a particular house may be defined: It is to the north of another house. That is the house wherein the crow is just perching on. That is the house which has four storeys. Similarly the Self or Brahman or Atman may be described as: The Atman is distinct from Anatman (not-self) (Vyavartaka Lakshana). The Atman is the seeming substratum of the phenomenal universe (Tatastha Lakshana). Atman is essentially Satchidananda (Svarupa Lakshana). Atman can again be described in another manner: (a) Atman is distinct from the three bodies (gross, subtle and causal).(b) Atman is distinct from the Pancha Koshas or five sheaths, viz., Annamaya, Pranamaya, Manomaya, Vijnanamaya and Anandamaya (Vyavartaka Lakshana). Atman is the seeming witness of the three states, viz,, waking state, dreaming state and deep sleep state. Atman is essentially Satchidananda.

Atman, Anvaya and Vyatireka by Swami Sivananda Atman Sankara’s individual soul is Brahman in so far as it is limited by the unreal Upadhis due to Maya. The individual soul of Ramanuja, on the other hand, is really individual; it has indeed sprung from Brahman and is never outside Brahman, but nevertheless it enjoys a separate personal existence and will remain a personality for ever. Anvaya and Vyatireka Anvaya means the presence of one thing along with the particular another, and Vyatireka means its absence when that other is absent. It is synthesis and analysis (positive and negative method). The names and forms are different and illusory, but the one, underlying essence of Atman is the same in all forms. It is the only reality. Negate the forms and grasp the essence by meditation on Atman. Separate the Atman from the five Kosas (sheaths) just as you draw the pith from the Munja grass or a reed. Just as you take out the small diamond that is mixed with different kinds of pulses and cereals by separating it from them, so also take out this Atman by separating it from the five sheaths (physical, vital, mental, intellectual and blissful entities of man). Where the five sheaths exist, there the Atman also exists. Where the five sheaths do not exist, even there the Atman exists. Therefore, the Atman is independent of the five sheaths. During the state of dreaming there is no consci ousness of the existence of the material body, but the presence of the spirit is experienced, as without the spirit it is not possible to have the consciousness of what occurs in a dream. It thus follows that in the state of dreaming there is the presence of the Spirit and the absence of the material body. This coexistence of the Spirit in all conditions is called Anvaya and the non-coexistence of the material or the physical and the other sheaths with the Spirit in certain circumstances is called Vyatireka. Similarly, in the state of sound sleep one is not conscious of the existence of the subtle body (Linga Sarira), but the presence of the Spirit is proved by the fact that after waking, everyone has the consciousness that during the state of sound sleep he was perfectly ignorant of everything, and this conscious ness is the result of previous experience and in that state there is no one else than the Spirit to receive that experience. This coexistence of the Spirit with the Karana Sarira is called Anvaya, and the non-coexistence of the Linga Sarira with the Spirit in the state of sound sleep is called Vyatireka. It is thus clear that the Spirit is present in all conditions while the material and subtle bodies are not present in certain state. It thus follows that while the Spirit is eternal, these two bodies are not so. The Annamaya Kosa is the material body and it has been shown that the Spirit exists without the material body in certain conditions. It follows, there fore, that this Annamaya Kosa is not the Spirit. It has also been shown above that the Spirit exists without the subtle body in certain conditions. The three sheaths Pranamaya Kosa, Manomaya Kosa and Vijnanamaya Kosa are connected with the Linga Sarira, and receive their different names on account of the difference in the quality and condition of their constituents, all of which together go to form the Linga Sarira. It, therefore, follows that these three sheaths also are not the Spirit. The first four sheaths having been differentiated from the Spirit, it now remains to differentiate the Anandamaya Kosa. This sheath is connected with the Karana Sarira. In the state of Samadhi, i.e., perfect absorption of thought into the one object of meditation, viz., the Supreme Spirit, there is absence of Karana Sarira, which is the same thing as perfect ignorance, but the presence of the Spirit is experi enced in that state. This coexistence of the Spirit with the state of Samadhi is called Anvaya, and the non-coexistence of the Karana Sarira with the Spirit is called Vyatireka. It thus follows that in certain conditions the Spirit does not coexist with the Kara na Sarira, and as the Anandamaya Kosa is connected with the Karana Sarira, it must be said that in those conditions the Spirit does not coexist with the Anandamaya Kosa. The conclusion, therefore, is that this sheath also is not the Spirit. It has thus been shown that the Spirit exists in dependently of the several sheaths under certain con ditions. It is an axiom that whatever exists apart from certain other things is different from those things. It, therefore, follows that the Spirit is diffe rent from the five sheaths. In the syllogistic argument ‘where there is pit cher, there is clay’, the negative proposition would be ‘where there is no clay, there is no pitcher’. This is the common illustration of the Anvaya-Vyatireka method in logic. Applying this process to the three states and the Atman, we see from experience that ‘when waking exists, Atman exists’ (Anvaya). But the Vyatireka method cannot be put as ‘when Atman does not exist, waking does not exist’, because, in the method of Anvaya-Vyatireka which is applied in the Vedanta philosophy to prove the difference of the Atman from the three states of consciousness, we cannot, in the beginning itself, take for granted that the Atman is consciousness, because the very purpose of the method is to show that the Atman is independent consciousness. Therefore, in order to avoid the fallacy of petitio principii and also to avoid the conception of the nonexistence of the Atman which is involved in the argument, we have to put the statement thus: ‘When waking exists, Atman exists’ (Anvaya). ‘When waking does not exist, Atman exists’ (Vyati reka). But we should not say as a Vyatireka ‘when Atman does not exist, waking does not exist’, be cause, here, we already assume that the conscious ness

Atma-Svarajya by Swami Sivananda The Infinite is Bliss. The infinite is Brahman or Atman or the Supreme Self. The Infinite is the Absolute. The Infinite is Bhuma or the unconditioned that is beyond time, space and causation. The Infinite is Immortality. Where one sees nothing else, hears nothing else, understands nothing else, there is Infinity. The Infinite abides in its own greatness. The Infinite is Supreme Peace. The Infinite is fearlessness. The Infinite is Existence Absolute, Knowledge Absolute and Bliss Absolute. The Infinite is all-full and indivisible. The Infinite is self-existent, self-contained and self-luminous. The Infinite alone is real. The Infinite alone exists in the three periods of time. You must search, understand and realise the Infinite. The ‘oversoul’ of the Western philosophers is the Brahman of the Upanishads or Atman of the Vedantins. The Supreme Soul or Paramatma which is the support for the individual is the ‘Oversoul’. The ‘oversoul’ is the ‘Substance’ of Spinoza or the ‘Thing-in-Itself’ of Kant. The essence of Vedanta has slowly infiltrated into the minds of Western philosophers and they have accepted now the existence of one eternal principle or the immortal soul which is distinct from the body and mind. Brahman is the Soul or Atman of man. He is the Soul of the Universe. Brahman alone is Infinite. There cannot be two infinities. If there are two infinities. These will be fighting among the infinities themselves. One infinite will be creating something, another infinite will be destroying it. There can be only one infinite. This Atman is the one Infinite Brahman. Everything else is its manifestation or expression. Vedanta holds the first place amongst all systems of philosophies. It is a system of philosophy in which human speculation has reached its very pinnacle or acme. It is indeed a unique system of thought, which demands a subtle, sharp intellect to grasp its fundamental principles. It is unique in the boldness of its conclusions. It is absolutely free from all shades of dogmatism or pet doctrines. Vedanta is very practical. It does not preach an impossible ideal. Vamadeva, Jada Bharata, Sankara and many others realised the Truth of Vedanta. You can also realise it if you will. What is wanted is regular and constant practice. You must have perfect faith in the utterance of the Srutis and in the words of the Guru. You must have perfect faith in yourself first. Vedanta wants you to give up Moha for the physical body, wife, children and property. Vedanta wants you to abandon all worldly desires, cravings and longings. Vedanta wants you to eradicate the desire for power, name and fame. Vedanta wants you to break all ties and connections with the world mentally. Vedanta wants you to cut off ruthlessly all worldly attachments by the sword of discrimination. Some ignorant people say that Vedanta preaches immortality, hatred and pessimism. This is a very sad mistake. Vedanta does not preach either immortality or even indifference to morality. The realisation of Brahman is not possible for the immoral. An aspirant who has ethical perfection and who is endowed with the four means can become a student of Vedanta. How can you expect an aspirant who possesses discrimination, dispassion, serenity, self-restraint, forbearance, endurance, faith, one-pointed mind and a burning desire for liberation to lead an immoral life? It is a quite absurd. Vedanta wants you to destroy Moha or selfish love and passion for the body and to develop pure, disinterested, cosmic love or the magnanimous divine Prem. It never preaches pessimism but it preaches the pinnacle of optimism. It preaches: Give up this little illusory pleasure. You will get eternal and infinite bliss. Kill this little ‘I’. You will become one with the Infinite. You will become immortal. Give up this illusory world. You will get the vast domain of Supreme Peace or Kingdom of God. Is this pessimism? Certainly not. It is wonderful optimism. In the whirlpool of fleeting sensual pleasures you have forgotten the purpose of life and its goal. You live more for the body than for the soul. In your pursuit after the phantom shows of worldly vanities you have annihilated the spiritual instincts and longings of the soul. What a sad state! Mysterious is Maya! Mysterious is Moha! Open your eyes now. Wake up from the long slumber of ignorance. Realise that ultimate Reality and enjoy Eternal Bliss. You cannot die, because you were never born. You are immortal Atman. Birth and death are two false scenes in the unreal drama of Maya. They concern the physical sheath only, a false product formed by the combination of five elements. The ideas of birth and death are mere superstition. You admire the sun, the moon and the stars, the snowy peaks of the Himalayas, the jessamine, the rose, the Niagara falls and the vast ocean. You admire the air-ship, the steamer, the railway, the telegraph and the wireless. But the mind that has its seat in the brain is still more wonderful. In the twinkling of an eye it moves from Colombo to London, from Himalayas to Alps. The greatest wonder is the Immortal Brahman or Atman that pervades the whole universe, that illumine the sun, the moon, the stars and the mind. You see your dear brother Banerjee in front of you. What is it that you call and recognise as Banerjee? Certainly Banerjee is not his hands, feet, head, chest or belly. Even if his hands and legs are amputated, even if he gets leucoderma or while skin, even if his eye-balls are removed, you have the same love for him. You will call him by the name ‘Banerjee’. This proves that ‘Banerjee’ is not the physical body. Physical body is composed of five elements only. It has a beginning and an end. You may now say that ‘Banerjee’ consists of thoughts, ideas, emotions, feelings and sentiments and that the mind is ‘Banerjee’. The thoughts change. Mind changes. Mind is made up of subtle matter. The non-quintuplicated Sattvic portion

Garland of Vedanta by Swami Sivananda A VEDANTIN says, ‘Nothing is mine and everything is mine’. As the world is a mere appearance he is quite right in saying, ‘nothing is mine’. As he has realised the Self, as the world has no independent existence apart from Brahman or the Self, he says, ‘everything is mine.’ He has controlled the organ of smell and Prithivi Tattva and so all objects of smell and sense belong to him. He has controlled the palate or tongue and the Apas Tattva and so all objects of taste, fruits and other dainties belong to him. He has controlled the organ of sight or eye and Agni-Tattva and so all objects of sight and beauties and gardens belong to him. He has controlled the organ of touch and Vayu Tattva and so all objects of touch belong to him. He has controlled the organ of hearting and the Akasa Tattva and so all the sounds and music belong to him. Identification with the body (Deha Adhyasa) brings pain. When one attains knowledge of the Self, he will experience no pain although there is some disease in the body. He is above body consciousness. A highly developed Hatha Yogi only, who has control over the atoms and Kaya Siddhi, can keep his body without ailment. Rise above body and always identify yourself with the painless, diseaseless Atman. You will be free from pain. When you are in deep sleep there is no pain even if you are suffering from any disease. When you are under chloroform there is no pain even if the leg is amputated. It is the linking of the mind with the body that causes pain. If the mind is taken away from the body consciously and fixed on all-blissful Self through constant mediation, you will have no pain even if the body is subject to any kind of ailments. This is Jnana Yoga Sadhana. Prarabdha has to be worked out. Therefore the body will be subject to diseases. The Jivanmukta will not experience any pain. The on-lookers may wrongly imagine that the sage is also suffering. It is a serious mistake. Ramakrishna Paramahamsa had cancer in the throat. Buddha had chronic dysentery. Sankara had piles. But they experienced no pain. When doctors asked Ramakrishna Paramahamsa: Why do you suffer like this? Can you not undergo the operation? He replied, I have given my mind to Mother Kali. How can I think of my body? How can I bring my mind back to the cage of flesh? I am always in bliss. If you are deluded by a mirage for some time, you will not be affected by it again when you come to know that it is a mirage only but not water. Even so the world will appear for a Jivanmukta but he knows that it is unreal. He will not be attracted a bit by the objects. It is no more the world of sorrow for him. He knows fully well that it is mere appearance owing to the play of Maya. The will of a Jivanmukta becomes one with the cosmic will. He experiences the bliss of cosmic consciousness. He feels that all ears are his ears, all eyes are his eyes, all mouths are his mouths, all tongues are his tongues, all hands are his hands, all legs are his legs, all minds are his minds. This will be a magnanimous experience indeed. Words will fail to describe adequately the grandeur of this experience. Realise this experience and be free. O man! In essence thou art the blessed divinity. Thou art the immoral blissful Self. Why are you attracted towards the physical beauty, the beauty of landscapes and flowers when you are yourself the Beauty of beauties, the fountain-source of all beauties? Why do you admire the sun, moon, stars and lightning, when you are yourself the Sun of suns, the Light of lights? Why do you say ‘I am 40 years of age’, ‘I am at death’s door’, ‘Time has passed away’, when you are yourself the Eternity? Why do you say ‘I am fat’, ‘I am 5 feet and 6 inches’, when you are the Infinite? Why do you say ‘I have no money’, ‘I am very poor’, ‘I am penniless’, when you are the Emperor of the three worlds, the source of all wealth? Why do you say ‘I am helpless’, I am your most obedient servant’, when you are the Director and Governor of the whole world? Why do you say ‘I am miserably’, ‘I am restless’, when you are the embodiment of Bliss and peace? Why are you afraid of death or Lord Yama, when you are Existence Absolute? Why do you say ‘I am unwell’, ‘I am suffering from a chronic disease’, when you are all-health? Why do you say ‘I am ignorant’, ‘I know nothing’, when you are Knowledge Absolute? Realise the mysterious Sat-Chit-Ananda Atman through purification, concentration, meditation and identification. Rejoice in this wonderful Self and be free. Tat Tvam Asi, Thou art That, O dear Satyakama bold.

‘I’ is The Soul and not The Body by Swami Sivananda A sense is not soul, because you can apprehend an object through any other sense, e.g., Previously I saw a tree and now I touch it; such an expression will be meaningless if ‘I’ is not different from the eye which cannot touch, and from the skin which cannot see. The ‘I’ or the Soul is distinct from the senses. There is a fixed relation between the senses and their objects, e.g., between the eye and colour, the ear and sound, and so on. It is the eye and not the ear that can apprehend colour, and it is the ear and not the eye that can apprehend sound. If a sense were the Soul, it (the Soul) could apprehend only one object, but the ‘I’ can apprehend many objects; the ‘I’ can see colour, hear sound, and so on. Therefore, the ‘I’ or the Soul which confers unity on the various kinds of apprehension is different from the senses, each of which can apprehend only one object. If we do not admit a permanent Soul beyond our frail body, we shall be confronted with many absur dities such as loss of merited action (Kritahani) and gain of unmerited action (Akritabhyagama). A man who has committed a certain sin may not suffer its results in this life, and unless there is a Soul conti nuing in the next life, he will not suffer them at all. This is loss of merited action. Again, we often find a man suffering the results of actions which he never did in this life. This would be a gain of unmerited action, unless we believe that his Soul did exist pre vious to this life and that he did the action in his previous life. A thing seen previously by the left eye is re cognised now by the right eye. This would have been impossible if the Soul were identical with the left eye alone or the right eye alone, on the principle that the seat of recognition must be the same as the seat of perception. Hence we must admit that there is a Soul which is distinct from the left and right eyes and which is the common seat of perception and recognition. The Soul is distinct from the senses, because there is an excitement of one sense through the opera tion of another sense. When you see a mango fruit or lime pickle, there is salivation in our mouth. The sense of taste is excited. There is an excitement of the sense of taste on account of the operation of the sense of sight. This would be impossible unless there is a Soul distinct from the senses and uniting the senses. The Soul sees the fruit or the pickle and remembers its properties. The remembrance of the properties of the object excites the sense of taste. You can remember only that object which you have seen. You remember the smell of an object by seeing its colour. This would be impossible if re membrance is a quality of a sense, e.g., the eye, which has never smelt the object. Therefore, remembrance must be admitted to be a quality of a distinct entity called the Soul which is the common seat of percep tion of colour and smell. The Soul is the absolute Seer and is Consciousness in nature, whereas all other things, objects, body, senses, Pranas, mind, intellect, etc., are the seen and are inert in nature. The Soul is the Imperishable Reality, while everything else is perishable and false.

Vedantic Culture by Swami Sivananda THE Being who is described in the Upanishads is Brahman or Atman or the Self or Absolute. He is the fountain-head of all scriptural knowledge. He is the source or womb for everything. He is existence absolute, knowledge absolute and bliss absolute. He is indivisible, all-pervading, self-contained, eternal and immortal. He is beyond time, space and causation. He is beginningless and endless. He is the indweller in all beings. He is the witness of the activities of all minds. The Atman or the Self is all-pervading. He is beyond birth and death. He is undecaying, self-luminous, eternal, pure and self-existent. He is all-full, imperishable and infinite. He is the silent witness of the three states, viz., waking, dreaming and deep sleep. He is beyond caste, creed or colour. Sin cannot touch Him because He is ever pure. Pain, sorrow and delusion cannot affect Him, because He is all-joy. Hunger, worries and tribulations cannot torment Him, because He is all-bliss. Lust cannot reach Him, because He is sexless. Wrath cannot approach Him, because He is mindless. Restlessness cannot agitate Him, because He is all-peace. Time cannot devour Him, because He is eternity. What on earth can cause fear in you when you have realised your identity with such an Atman? What on earth can generate hatred, delusion, difference and sorrow in you when you behold the one in all and all in one? What on earth can cause agitation in you when you have transcended the mind and when you rest peacefully in your own Sat-Chit-Ananda Svarupa, that magnanimous ocean of bliss and stupendous silence? The question: Who am I? What is this Samsara? Whence have I come? Whither will I go? What is the goal of life? What is Brahman or Atman? What is the relation between the individual soul and the supreme soul? How to attain the goal? Can I become immortal? Can I enjoy eternal bliss? Will surely arise in the mind of every human being at one stage of his life or another. He who seriously thinks over these questions and attempts in right earnest to reach the goal in a wise man but he who does not care to ponder over these vital questions, who leads a sensual life and who does not endeavour to attain the final beatitude of life, is a fool or a thoughtless person. He lives in vain. He is a burden on this earth. He is a slayer of his own Self. His life is indeed very pitiable. He alone who is devoted to his parents, who has a calm mind, who has controlled all his senses, who has a one-pointed mind, who is equipped with four means, who is endowed with Sattvic qualities, who has purified his mind by constant selfless service, who has removed the tossing of the mind by Upasana or worship, Japa and Kirtan and, last but not least, who sits at the feet of a preceptor, who is enlightened and well-versed in scriptural knowledge, is able to grasp the Truth or the one Eternal Principle. Worldly enjoyments are fleeting like the flashes of lightning. Human life is ephemeral like the bubble. The vigour of youth is short-lived. All these are illusory in this world. All worldly things are generative of pain only. There is not even an iota of bliss in this world. The wealth which you covet is only ephemeral. The longing for wife and wealth does but enchain you. One thing which is sweet and pleasant to you at one moment produces the very reverse of that sensation in another moment. Who has not experienced this in this world? Hence it behoves a wise man to concentrate his mind on the Atman or the Self and attain the supreme seat of Eternal Bliss and Supreme Quiescence. Do not be afraid of difficulties and failures in the spiritual path. Failures are stepping stones to success. Difficulties will make you stronger and powerful. Difficulties will develop your will-power. Overcome the difficulties one by one. Use your intelligence, sagacity, discrimination and common-sense. Be bold. Stand adamant. Be cheerful. Dismiss fear and anxiety. March boldly in the spiritual path. Do not look backwards. Draw courage, strength and power from within. Tap the source. Go direct. Refresh yourself. Renovate yourself. Then march cautiously. Thou art invincible. Nothing is the three worlds can hurt you. Rest assured. Remain serene always. Smile and rejoice in the Atman. Do not confine yourself to names and forms. Rise above them and realise the Truth. Just as bubbles, foam and waves come from the ocean, exist in the ocean and dissolve in the ocean itself eventually so also these illusory names and forms have come out of Brahman or the Absolute or the Ocean of Bliss and Knowledge, exist in Brahman and ultimately dissolve in Brahman. This world is nothing but Brahman. Behold the one Self in all forms. See the One in all and all in one. You can dispel pain, sorrow, ignorance, fear, worry and anxiety only when you realise Brahman or the Self. This is the emphatic declaration of Vedanta. There is no other way to attain complete freedom from ignorance, fear, sorrow and pain. Verily it is true indeed! For how can you be subject to fear when you have realised the Self, when you have come to know that you are in essence identical with the non-dual Brahman and that there is no other seer but you, no other hearer but you, no other knower but you, no other thinker but you? Who is to be afraid of whom, when one feels oneness everywhere? Who is to hurt whom, when all dualities have totally vanished? The music of the soul is within you. The kingdom of God is within you. The domain of peace is within you. The Light of lights is within you. Knowledge is within you. The three worlds are within you. The source of power, joy, bliss and life is