Sunday, December 3, 2017

Peaks of Vairagya, Bodha and Uparati

In verse 425 of Viveka Choodamani, Bhagwan Shankara touches upon the signs of attaining the peaks in Detachment (vairagya), Knowledge (bodha) and Withdrawl (uparati). These three characteristics are the pointers to a self-realized person. Sw. Chinmayananda explains these three definitions wonderfully as below

Vairagya (detachment) results from absence of desire and thereby the thoughtsin the bosom of a person. When materialistic sense objects no more attract a person and there are no more vasanas, vairagya finds its fulfillment. Annihilation of all Samskaras is the non-manifestation of all vasanas and sankalpas.

The culmination of bodha (knowledge) is the absence of ego. Knowledge leads to expansion of our mind to accommodate the universe as One and realization of Brahman as the one Unique Supreme Power (USP) which is the substratum of all in this cosmos. This helps in transcending the PFT (Perceiver, Feeler, Thinker) outlook and annihilation of the ego.

The renunciation of the PFT and resulting OET (Objects, Emotions, Thoughts) is uparati or complete withdrawl. When all agitations are quiet ended and there is no thought disturbance in the bosom, that is the state of uparati.

When the above three are attained, the person attains complete knowledge of infinite Bliss.

Hari Om.

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