“Gurur Brahma Gurur Vishnu Gurur devo Maheswara Guru Saakshaal Para Brahma Thasmai Sree Gurave Nama”. It is divine that all the Vedas, Upanishds, Darshanas, Shasthras, Smrithis, Sruthis and finally Puranas all written by one and the same person from time to time known as Veda Vyasa. All are interpretations of Vedas and were made simplifier in course of time by the same person.

Man made works are the interpretation of God made laws. It becomes our duty to interpret from time to time and simplify the language with out disrupting its essence. Thanks to the efforts made by the great writers around the world. I have made my sincere efforts to interpret the most famous work of Guru ‘Athmopadesa – Sathakam” . this is intended for children and ordinary lay men in the society. The scientific aspects of this work is well written by Nataraja guru.  I write the social aspects of the work in this series.

As many as sixty poems were penned by Guru in which ‘Athmopadesa – Sathakam’ is the most famous and renowned work ever written in this country. It can be termed as practical Adwaitha. It contains one hundred instructions one must follow in day today life and his end will be blissful or Moksha.

Many interpretations have already come from different parts of the world and none is satisfactory as those are meant for scholars or sanyasis. Therefore a simple treatment on the subject as systematically developed by Guru in this most classic spiritual and scientific work is necessary. I am trying to give a simple version on Athmopadesa Sahakam that may cater the need of a common man and every one may know what Guru intends to teach us. Some verses are highly sophisticated as they encounter Quantum Physics Theory with mathematical prescription.

Guru knows scientific method or the real method of attaining Moksha is humanly impossible. Therefore He teaches us other alternative methods that we have to do. As a social being what we have to do to acclaim one’s soul is also instructed in other 2 ways in this great work. See Verse No 29.

No one can write about Guru in its entirety. But still I can hope we can convey something to the society in a simple way. Let us take a chance to introduce the sequence of verses 1 to 100 one by one. It is true that much ink has been spilt to explain the theories developed by this work. The writings now available in currency is not reachable to the common man. Although Guru lived for the upliftment of the weaker section, his writing are still not reachable to the least of the brothers. Quoting the words of Guru himself, his writings should aim the good of the poor. He always said ‘Eliyavarkku Enangum Vidham’ which means himself gives paramount consideration to his writings that may suit or cater the need of the least man in the society.

In fact Guru tried his level best to write this great work in a simple and lucid fashion, but the writers after him, came with several interpretations in which Sankrit and vedic literature were given thrust which Guru never intended. Why his writings are not made reachable or made useful to the society at large is my perplex concern and my suffocation as well.

To become a sanyasi or living as a sanyasi may be an easier task when compared to the life of an ordinary man who lives in the society in homily hood. It seems very difficult for us to move on as we face many hardships and troubles to make both ends meet. We also face many temptations and we can’t be without temptations. “Lead us not into temptations, but deliver us from evil” is the daily prayer of the followers of Jesus Christ as taught by Jesus himself. We often tremble down and confuse with our moral, religious and spiritual duties and obligations.

Although many incarnations have come unto the earth like Krishna to Vivekananda and taught us many things of salvation, nobody could penetrate the mind set of an ordinary man how to live and let live other fellow beings in the society as a rule of life.

This may be the major reason behind this great work Atmopadesa – Sathakam which contains100 instructions one might imbibe in his day today life and thereby attaining the Heaven or in the words of Guru, how one should bring to non- difference by a constant contemplation.

Guru gives us one hundred instructions and we must follow it with out any fail.  The concept of seeking a guru to get moksha is thrown to the street by Guru.  Therefore the world famous direct disciple of Guru, Sri. Nataraja Guru translated Atmopadesa – Sathakam as “ One Hundred Verses of Self Instructions “. There cannot be a much better translation other than Nataraja Guru, although it had been translated into many languages throughout the world.

Children can understand it as one hundred verses of self advice to one’s own heart or soul. That means you are praying to your inner sense as God and you are not duo, but one and the same entity with the God. You may pray Daivadasakam at least twice in a day as a duty in adoration and live accordingly. I can say, you will definitely merge into the world absolute or para brahma. Guru always say you are a bubble or a foam in the ocean and it comes up and merge in to the sea itself. This is a non ending process also. You can think you are a spark or your Atman is a spark and you may understand that your spark is sufficient to cause a wild fire and you are still in the whole fire and in other words you can make such a big fire, as both the spark and the fire is hardly be separable. That means you are in God and the God is within you. In other words You are all Gods in the human body.

You have to chant these verses as a holy scripture just like Gita, Qoran or Psalms in the Holy Bible. At the same time Atmopadesa – Sathakam is not highly etymological in its religious sense as Vedas which are quite alien to the common man like us. Therefore Atmopadesa – Sathakam is the one and only work in this world which teach us how to live in this world and let live other fellow beings without causing any harm to others. Moreover we are [man] is given much importance than God. Guru always finds God in every man and reminds us we are all emerge from one and the same mould.

Atmopadesa – Sathakam has got its own paramount objects and purposes with regard to our life in socio, religious and economic status and the link between man and God will never snap away till the end of the world. It also contains the cream of Vedas and Upanishads blended gently. Moreover, not alien from Charles Darwin and Karl Marx.

Guru may be the first ever to introduce and strengthen the theory of ‘Arivu’ [Wisdom ] as Brahma. It is not disputed that there are reference in Aeithareya Upanishad that ‘ Njaanam Brahma’ which means Knowledge is Brahma. It is the self realization and attainment of moksha as experienced by Guru by his own life that made Him to use this word ‘Arivu’ as many as 58 times in this great work alone.

Atmopadesa – Sathakam is a scientific text too. There must be four requirement to consider a work as scientific according to international standard. It is the concept of Indian philosophy also. The first one is there must be an Adhikaari.  Here we are the adhikari or the beneficiary. One who seeks and risen above the knowledge and desires to attain moksha is the adhikari, says Guru in Verse No 1. The second requirement is Vishaya or the Subject and in this work, the Vedantha is the subject. Third one is the Sambandha or relativity and here the seeker is related to moksha. The fourth one is the Prayojana or the result and here the result is moksha as explained in Verse No 100. All these four qualities are well narrated in the first Verse itself and this may be the decision of the great wisdom.

Ever after the Bhagavd Gita we do not know if there is such a work in this world as a scientific spiritual meant for common man to attain salvation as a birth right of every one, irrespective of his social status and position. Yes Atmopadesa – Sathakam is a scientific work indeed.

This great wisdom according to Guru is upsurging and brimful and beyond the bounds of the triple world. Here guru makes us to realize the power of wisdom within ourselves. Guru says that the entire universe is our counter part and every living or non living including heavenly bodies must come to you as they are your counterpart into inner sense or sama. Guru makes a declaration here and this declaration abandoned all kinds of traditional worship from time immemorial. All the other texts of Adaitha directly deals with man and God, but Guru gives thrust of this non duality between man and man. In short Athmopadesa – Sathakam is the theoretical Adwaitha.

Moksha or epiphany is not every ones cup of tea except those who have risen above the knowledge. In order to get it you must have ceaseless adoration.  Knowing or feeling that nothing in this universe is alien from you is Adwiatha, says Guru.

[The instructions in verses 1 to 100 will be followed one by one in coming episodes. ]
Cover page caption

Feeling that nothing in this universe is alien from you is Adwaitha: Guru

TOWARDS YOUR DUTY ABSOLUTE
By, Adv. Dr. Clarance Miranda

Phone: 93493 11550
Email: clarance.miranda@gmail.com