[Advaita-l] How can prANa be Brahman?

[H S Chandramouli]

Sri Ravi Kiran Ji and Sri Venkatraghavan Ji,



Reg  << would be interested to hear if one, after having attained ekatva
jnAna from
Sruti shravanAdi sAdhana and later took recourse to Yogic samAdhi practices
(why?) >>,  by Sri Ravi Kiran Ji



and  << Yes. Knowledge that I am Brahman is enough, no separate experience
is
needed.>> by Sri Venkatraghavan Ji,



I wanted to clarify on this earlier also, but somehow didn’t. As I had
mentioned earlier, there can be  more  than one objective for a sAdhaka.
One is “liberation from embodiment”. This is ensured by attaining
ekatvajnAna. Second is “freedom from bondage”. This mainly concerns, in
addition to the above, absolute eradication of sorrow and begetting
happiness. No doubt these also ensue on attainment of jnana, but according
to the text Jivanmuktiviveka by Swami Vidyaranya, in the case of sAdhakas
who have not fully cultivated वासनाक्षय (vAsanAkShaya) and मनोनाश
(manonAsha), due to absence of rigorous practice and being influenced from
time to time by fructifying prArabdhakarma that leads to enjoyment,
eradication of sorrow and begetting of  happiness is not consistent and
stable. Depending upon the intensity of prior practice of वासनाक्षय
(vAsanAkShaya) and मनोनाश (manonAsha), they frequently lapse into the
normal mode of vyavaharika experience.Thus they partially lose the benefit
of jnana attained by them. This showsup in various activities undertaken by
them subsequent to jnana. For such sAdhakAs who do not like to forego this
possible benefit, vidvat sanyasa is prescribed  which leads on fruition to
jivanmukti, “freedom from bondage”. That is why, even Yagnavalkya though
being a jnani desires to take to sanyAsa. A jivanmukta is practically all
the time enjoying the “bliss of Brahman”. What normal people experience
during sushupti (but cannot be enjoyed by them at that time due to being
enveloped by avidya) is experienced by the jivanmukta in the waking state
itself (as he is enveloped by Brahman) being constantly engrossed on
Brahman. This is what is meant by “experiencing Brahman”. Jnanis have been
classified into four categories ब्रह्मवित्  ब्रह्मवरः  ब्रह्मवरीयान्
ब्रह्मविद्वरिष्ठः (brahmavit  brahmavaraH  brahmavarIyAn brahmavidvariShThaH
) depending upon the level of वासनाक्षय (vAsanAkShaya) and मनोनाश
(manonAsha) achieved by them. ब्रह्मविद्वरिष्ठः (brahmavidvariShThaH ) is
another name for jivanmukta. The level of “absolute eradication of sorrow
and begetting happiness” increases as the sAdhaka moves from the earlier to
the later stage. Even Yagnavalkya is termed a brahmavit only at the time of
debating in Janakasabha. This in brief is what is meant by “experiencing”
Brahman while in this body itself. Jivanmukta is practically Brahman even
while in this body.



The above is as per the text Jivanmuktiviveka by Swami Vidyaranya.



Pranams and Regards