20. Eternal flame of self knowledge

20. Adhyātma jñāna nityatvam

There is a beautiful castle

with a self lit candle

Jiva, jagat, Isvara,

three doors of triangle

Sravana, Manana, Nididhyasana

three steps of the castle

Scriptures called Upaniṣads

have cryptic codes and phrases

'Ṣad' implies three meanings

To disintegrate, to destroy and to reach

'upa' means nearest of the near

'ni' means well ascertained dear

Cook time for rice may be calculated

Time to understand self, cannot be estimated

Cryptic mahāvākya has to be inquired

It is not just a mystical statement

It has to be unfolded word by word

Teacher has two qualifications

Learned & knows methodology to teach

Steady in the vision of the truth

Listening to the teachings is ṣravana

Reflecting to clarify doubts is manana

Abiding to remove habitual erros is nididhyasana

Means of knowledge are five

But self is unavailable to them

Vedanta is a means by itself

Sraddha is necessary key to open

It is not a matter of blind belief

It is suspension of judgement

pending discovery

It is like wearing readers at fifty

Guru who is srotria / brahmanistha

guides through the steps of the castle,

the hiker reaches the summit

destroying the darkness of ignorance.

Self is seen now and here

Beauty is enjoyed by all and dear

Inspiration - The Value of Values book- Swami Dayananda Saraswati

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