L-11 | Slokas 20-23 | Atmabodha | English | Svami Haribrahmendrananda Tirtha | Brahmavidya@ Himalaya
Channel: ADI SHANKARA BRAHMAVIDYA PEETH☆
Date: 2024-04-06

Adhyaasa and the Separation of Atma

This lecture explores the concept of adhyaasa (superimposition) in Vedantic philosophy, focusing on slokas 20-23. It explains how changes in body, mind, and ego are mistakenly attributed to Atma (Self) due to ignorance (aviveka).

Sloka 20 introduces Reflected Consciousness, where Atma's energy is experienced through bodily and mental functions. Sloka 21 and 22 uses the analogy of the mind as a limiting adjunct (upaadhi) for Atma, explaining how we perceive Atma through mental filters. The Suryaloka meditation is described as a technique to understand the all-pervading nature of consciousness. The lecture emphasizes the importance of discrimination (viveka) to separate the functions of body and mind from the pure, unchanging Atma.

Sloka 23 discusses how emotions and experiences occur in the intellect (buddhi) rather than in Atma. The example of deep sleep is used to illustrate how mental functions cease when the intellect is inactive, while Atma remains unchanged.

Throughout the lecture, various analogies like sunlight and moon's reflection are used to illustrate the relationship between Atma and mind. The overall message is to cultivate the ability to discriminate between the changing aspects of body, mind, and intellect, and the unchanging, pure Atma through meditation and contemplation.