Atmānanda- Laharī

Introduction to Taittriya is profound  Sankara spends time in this background  Spiritual dependency can be an obstacle Removal of obstacle makes one responsible  Things can be defined in two-fold That's what our teacher unfolds One by indicating the function Another by explaining its nature Creator of the Universe is tatastha  Sat Chit Ananta explains the svarupa Brahman here is explained as Ananta Ananta is limitlessly big Ananda    When student is ready  Knowledge takes place steady The first Valli makes one ready By listing rules of Dharma  Mantras are told to speak the truth Mantras are told to adopt Dharma Dog is groomed in obedience school Ancestors paid forward in a scroll Every desire finds its solution Jiva survives despite pollution The knower of Brahman gains the ultimate  The ready candidate drops the penultimate Obstacles can be threefold  Shanti Mantras are threefold  Repetition is for a reason Rendition is done in all...

   Chapter 2 Sloka 17  अविनाशि तु तद्विद्धि येन सर्वमिदं ततम् । विनाशमव्ययस्यास्य न कश्चित्कर्तुमर्हति॥२ . १७॥ Vastu means the true thing- Satyā  Avastu means no thing -Mityā  Not knowing this will give some sorrow (Samsāra) Please know this to free from sorrow That thing by which all is known That thing by which all is pervaded That thing is nothing but you  That thing cannot be destroyed The choice-less choice is You The rich and famous  is You That gets many hits in google is You That by which everything moves is You Is pot inside a space? Is space inside a pot? This sounds like a Zen Koen That puts you in a meditating zone   There are no parts for Ātma Self-destruction is not possible   There are no attributes for Ātma Removal of attributes are not possible  Ātma is Brahman Nothing can take it away  That is the takeaway, with that  Śankara takes us to next Sloka  Swamini Svatmavidyananda Class 3/9/22

1. Prenatal Phase  Life begins in the embryonic stage Includes congenital defects in cage Difficulty in birth is many fold Complications are many to unfold Oh Siva!  Oh, the auspicious Lord of lords! My omissions and commissions be forgiven by you 2. Fetal phase Swimming in one's own excreta Bondage begins with the placenta Karma is the reason to trace back  Which determines what one lack Oh Siva!  Oh, the auspicious Lord of lords! My omissions and commissions be forgiven by you 3.Infancy   Addicted to the breast milk I cried all day with colic  I could not move around freely Fear and insecurity grew easily Oh Siva!  Oh, the auspicious Lord of lords! My omissions and commissions be forgiven by you 4. Childhood  I had no say over my limbs Was always dependent on things Primary care givers were scary Created emotions that made weary Oh Siva!  Oh, the auspicious Lord of lords! My omissions and commiss...

Obstacles for the journey are mainly three fold  Arise from within the individual hold ( Adhyatmika) Arise from others surrounding oneself ( Ādhibhautika) Arise from the natural forces off the shelf  (Ādhidaivika) Śanti Mantra is the beginning of the Upanishad To ward off any aśanti that can be shred The source of aśanti is warded off with a prayer The teachings always begin with a prayer Sahana vavatu from Krishna Yajur Veda brings Brilliance together between teacher and student Poornamadah from Sukla Yajur Veda  Explains the completeness of the whole Vāṅ me manasi from Rig Veda  Prays to use mind and speech properly Āpyāyantu mamāṅgāni from Sama Veda Prays not to deny Brahman ever  Bhadraṃ karṇebhiḥ from Atarva veda  Prays to the many many manifestations  Whatever I hear, may it be auspicious Whatever I see, may it be auspicious May I overcome my subjectivity May I see things with objectivity May I overcome my likes and dislikes May I see Iśvara ever...

 The sorrow go round of samsarā stake  Keeps Jivā in the cycle of give and take  Lack of discrimination between real and fake  Makes the projections bake the cake  Freedom from wants emerges as a small thought But soon is overpowered by numerous other thoughts 'Likes' manifest as passions and ambitions 'Dislikes' expresses as aversions and frustrations Validation for this is provided in family festivals Appreciation is rendered in potluck gatherings Flash flood of samsarā sinks the Jivā down Cry for help emerges in desperation A paper boat of 'good karma' is not enough It can sink Jivā with weak strings of fear Lotus leaf is the age old nonstick pan Floats in samsarā flood like a Zen A strong desire to be free is needed  That desire can propel the journey  It burns like a coal fire in the head And the ignorance has to be shred  The U turn happens towards self knowledge The samsarā ocean suddenly dries up It is no longer an ocean but just a notion ...

Rivers  flow like knowledge  Rivers flow towards the source  Rivers turn back when obstructed That place is a place of pilgrimage Aging is not a problem 'I am aging' is the problem  Ending is not a problem 'I am ending' is the problem Becoming is the problem Superimposition is the problem Ātmā is superimposed on anātmā Anātmā is superimposed on ātmā Blanket of ignorance provides false security Blanket of dependency creates the saṃsāra Time is an artifact that unfolds before 'I' Space is an event that unfolds before 'I' The concept of nine to five routine The concept of Monday to Friday machine Rules that were created by industrialization  Destroyed the freedom of the entire nation  The sakṣi that wakes you up before the alarm rings The sakṣi that is aware of the space of things  That is the true nature of 'I' Everything else is superimposed on 'I' Self criticism is unique to humans  Self judgment is also unique to humans 'I am bound...

 A drizzle of rain falls in the shaven head   The debris of raga and dveṣa are completely shred   The mantrā soap cleans the antahkaraṇa   And makes it is ready to receive the jñāna   Self evident 'I' reveals everything   It is same in the beggar and King   Body and senses are only skin deep   We perish in the whirlwind's sweep   A wanting sense of 'forever' is projected   This then leads to feel connected   A kitten rolls in the woolen ball   Gets entangled in the saṃsāra mesh   I am the subject who illuminate   The world as object which dominate   I know what I know  I know that I don't know  Walk to the Brahman who is the reality   Remove the ajñāna which is nirmālya  Go around yourself for self perambulation  That will give the true meaning of the equation  Swamini Svatmavidyananda Mundakopaniṣad class- ...