Recently i read a translation of the Dakshinamurti Stotram, an old
Sanskrit scripture on the topic of yoga. Dakshinamurti is an
aspect of Shiva who is the ultimate teacher, and is an appropriate
guru for those who lack a human Self-Realised guru. Dakshina means
south facing, but is also said to mean efficient, effective, and
ambi-dexterous. To face south is to face death and change, with
eyes wide open.
(TXT) Dakshinamurthy
An English translation is free to donload or view:
(DIR) Read Dakshinamurty Stotram online
Below are some excerpts that interested me.
p.99 Just as giving room is an (essential) act of akasa (space,
ether), which proves its existence, in the same way, being a doer,
knower, etc., are (the essential) acts that prove the existence of
the Atman.
Because the Atman is of the nature of truth, knowledge, and bliss,
therefore, even at the time of deep sleep it is recognized (through
the statement), 'I slept happily!'
p.105 The knowledge, "This is that," with regard to any object
perceived previously, and being perceived now, is said to be
pratyabhijna (or 'recognition'). ... The young one of an animal,
proceeds to drink the milk of its mother's breast by itself, becaus
of the remembrance of the experience of the previous lives. Because
it is not possible for a (new-born) baby to drink the milk of its
(mother's) breast without the remembrance (of a previous experience
therefore, it is concluded that the Atman is eternal even in
different bodies.
(This harmonizes well to another blog post i read about genetically
inherited instincts mapping to the Christian doctrine of original
sin. They qualify as conditioning that we were born with, and
sometimes we struggle against this conditioning when it it doesn't
serve us well.)
p.108 Memory arises from the basic material called samskara (inhere
tendency) which is rooted in the Atman and which springs up from th
base of the previous experience that has passed off.
(Interesting to equate memory with samskaras. This matches notions
that meditation accelerates the burning of samskaras, and the notio
that meditation erases memories.)
p.117 Repetition by word or by sense is not a blemish here. Greatne
of the topic is revealed by (such) repetition.
p.118 Isvara, by His [/Her] own will, sports in the form of the dei
and the meditator, teacher and disciple, master and the servant, an
so on.
p.119 Illusion means 'liable to be dispelled.' When perfect knowled
rises, even the teacher, the disciple, the teaching, etc., appear
like a dream.
Like the icon of a deity, a picture, or a reflected image, the
Vedanta (also) though itself unreal, teaches about a real object.
Maya is stated to be the name of that appearance which is
incomprehensible to logical thinking. Being seen, it is not unreal;
being sublated, it is not real either.
p.121 This amorous harlot (called) maya who appears when
discrimination disappears, verily deceives the jivatman by (her)
unreal dalliances.
(This reminds me of passages about Babylon in the Book of Revelatio
chapters 17 and 18. There seems to be some correlation between may
Babylon, materialism, and worldliness.)
p.122 Some do not wish to cut down its roots. In their case, how ca
the liberation of the mind come about?
All three states of the mind, viz., waking, dream, and deep sleep,
being the primary causes of the delusion of multiplicity, rotate li
a wheel.
The mind, by those (states) performs actions and again, by the very
same, is bound. The Supreme Person (i.e. the Atman)--like the sun--
only a witness of the mind.
Just as the sun is not bound by the actions of the living beings, s
also, the Atman, being the witness, is not bound by the actions of
the mind.
That the Atman performs actions, is bound or is liberated, is only
figurative conception, a mere fantasy.
Just as the sun appears to be covered by smoke, clouds, dust, and
fog, though it is untouched (by them), similarly the Atman also
(appears to be covered) by maya (though untouched by it).
Just as a child circling round (a pillar) in play, sees the world
also as circling round and the sky as consisting of a hundred moons
so also, the jiva being deluded by maya, due to the influence of pa
impressions sees this world as full of various forms and activities
Just as the sun, due to contact with water (i.e. being reflected in
water) appears to be many and shaking, so also, the Lord (i.e. the
Atman) due to the contact with the mind, appears to undergo
transmigration.
(One) who has emptied (one's) mind of all sense objects through the
practice of yoga, that person, retiring from the world, becomes a
jivanmukta immediately.
The Lord, out of maya, became two birds united (in friendship).
Enjoying the one maya, [the Lord] though One, became many as it wer
Thus (declares) the Veda.
(DIR) BenCollver - Phlog
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