Though it has been amply proved through logic that Atma is neither the doer (Karta) nor the instigator (Karayita), why is it that it does not culminate in experience? - this was the point of discussion in the previous lesson.

Bhavana Traya (Three perceptions) :

'I am the Paramatma' - this is the Truth. But, our experience is completely opposite. 'I am not Paramatma at all' is our present experience. Because this is exactly opposite to reality, it is called 'Vipareeta Bhavana' (Vipareeta = contrary).

Assume that when we are in the state of Vipareeta Bhavana, we come in contact with experienced elderly persons who say that it is a faulty perception. But our mind refuses to accept. We begin to argue. We begin to reason. Somewhere on the way, our argument begins to fail. Even then doubts continue to haunt us. "What is this! The experience - I am different, the external world is different and the Paramatma is different - is crystal-clear. Why are the elders negating this experience?" We tend to think within ourselves - "This is impossible". This state is called as 'Asambhavana' (impossible to comprehend).

Because our argument has failed, we try to investigate further by looking in to what the scriptures say, what do the Mahatmas (great men) say about this and what is the experience of those who have achieved progress in the spiritual field. We will soon realise that among the different places we search for the answer, the Vedas promise to be the best. But the paradox does not end here. Even in the Vedas, we find that in different contexts there is different and sometimes seemingly contradictory description of Atma Tattva. This leads to further confusion. Such a state is called 'Samshaya Bhavana' (Samshaya = doubt)

Because we are veiled by these three types of Bhavanas, (Samshaya Bhavana, Asambhavana and Vipareeta Bhavana), mere logic or preaching is not capable of producing experience in us.

Jnana (knowledge) is verily like fire. It can burn the piece of wood called Ajnana quite easily. With special technology, it is possible to so coat the piece of wood that it does not catch fire even when flame actually touches it. This is exactly how the three Bhavanas work. They insulate in such a way that even knowledge does not culminate in experience.

After birth, we acquire Vipareeta Bhavana, Asambhavana and Samshaya Bhavana in that order. To come out of their clutches, we must try to overcome from the opposite direction, just as one has to first overcome resistance at the city entrance, palace entrance and inner chamber entrance in order to kill a king. That is, we must first get rid of Samshaya Bhavana and then Asambhavana and finally, Vipareeta Bhavana.

Samshaya Bhavana :

What is the final dictum of the Vedas is the main question in Samshaya Bhavana. Here, the word Veda stands for those branches of knowledge which set out to explain the Atma Tattva. They are called as Upanishads. What is the purport (Taatparya) of the Upanishads? - is the question before us. Let us see.

Tatparya (Purport)

A close relative from a far off place visits us. He has brought toffees and ice cream for the ten year old boy. But the boy has just recovered from fever. The mother takes the boy to one side and tells him 'don't eat it; it is poison.'

Here, what is the meaning of the sentence 'it is poison'? Does not the mother know that the toffee is not a poison? Is she telling a lie? Why would she wrongly place blame on her close relative?

Thus, what the mother really intended to say when she said 'it is poison' was, eating the toffees and ice creams is not good (to the boy who is just recovering from illness) just as poison is not good for the body.

All that she said was 'it is poison'. Which among these three words is capable of implying what she meant to say? None. How can a sentence imply something which is not implied by the words of that sentence?

Can you say that the meaning flowed from the mother's heart although it was not there in the words of her sentence? One must be endowed with divine vision to find out if this meaning was in her heart.

No extraordinary vision is necessary for this. We come across such situations many times in our life. We are also able to immediately grasp the meaning of such sentences. What makes this possible?

Those who are engaged in particular conversation will be aware of the circumstance under which they are conversing. Depending on the situation and the nature of the person who is talking, we can easily understand the meaning.

The feeling or purport of the speaker is called as Tatparya.

Let us try to understand this with the help of an example. Your friend narrates his financial hardships. The theme of his narration is - "please lend me a thousand rupees". But during the course of his narration, he has never actually asked for a loan. If at all, there was only a faint and passing mention of it. At the end of his narration you will easily understand that the purpose of the narration is to ask for a loan. In other words, the Tatparya (purport) of his story is 'I want a loan'.

In the case of a simple sentence like 'it is poison', we could understand the purport with the help of the situation. In the case of a friend who is narrating his hardships, we can not understand only with the help of the situation. We need to consider many other aspects. If so much of thinking is required to analyse the purport of a small story (like that of the friend), imagine how difficult it is to understand different aspects explained in a great scripture. When we engage in discussion and analysis of different aspects mentioned in great scriptures, it is not easy to verify if we are proceeding in the right direction. Therefore, men of wisdom have devised six different tests to understand the purport of a scripture. Collectively, they are called as 'Shadvidha Linga'. Linga means sign or characteristic. The purport of a scripture should be understood with the help of six characters. The purport of the scripture itself is the intention of its author.

Shadvidha Linga

Upakramopasamhaaraa vabhyaasopoorvataa phalam
Arthavaadopapattee cha lingam taatparya nirnaye

1) Upakrama & Upasamhaara2) Abhyaasa 3)Apoorvataa, 4)Phala, 5) Arthavaada and, 6)Upapatti - these are the Shadvidha Lingas. In our day to day life, we will be unknowingly employing all these in our transactions. Those who do it knowingly will do their transactions in a better way. In fact, these six factors have been formulated by close observation of the transactions of knowledgeable persons and men of wisdom. Let us examine one by one.

(to be continued)