Tat tvam asi?

[Shrinivas Gadkari]

On Mon, 11 Feb 2002 20:01:26 -0500, Ravisankar Mayavaram
<miinalochanii at YAHOO.COM> wrote:
>- let me explain. When you say "I am not my body". It seems so trivial and
>easy to understand. But it is not. If one truly understands that he is not
>a body. Then he will live according to the dharma as dictated by shaastra-s
>and not loaf around doing jobs or study whatever pleases him, and pleasures
>his body. Bodily comfort and convenience would not matter - one would get
>up at 4:00am and do nitya karma-s.  One will not crave for life or for
>death. Understanding should be reflected in action. There cannot be a gap
>between them.
>

Namaste Shri Ravisankar,

The above statement can be quite misleading. Let me explain as
I understand it. Sadhana can be split into 3 stages:

1. Preliminary Sadhana: Here the goal of sadhana is to develop
interest in the person about spirituality in general. Here one
is guided by faith in scriptures. This sadhana culminates in an
intense desire for Self realization.

2. Sadhana to realize Self: Here the goal of the person is to
know the Self. Nothing else appeals as much as the obtaining
a realization of the Self. This sadhana culminates in Self realization.

3. Post realization Sadhana: Somehow this sadhana seems to get
very little attention. This is the stage when a person has to
integrate the atma jnana with all other aspects of life. This is
an eternal sadhana and there is no limit to it. The ultimate limit
for this sadhana is the state of Ishvara. However the state Ishvara
being an asymptotic state, there is really no end to this sadhana

Now coming to your remark. What you say may have its place in
Sadhana stages 1 and 2, but not in stage 3.

This what my present understanding is. I realize that there will
be people who strongly disagree with this view, esp. stage 3.

Best regards
Shrinivas Gadkari