= Spirituality

The original article is in Tamil by Guruji.

This article in English is adapted from the

original article found in Poornalayam.org.

Translation from Tamil to English:

Veeraswamy Krishnaraj, M.D

Swamiji Guruparananda.
http://www.poornalayam.org/home/about_swamiji

ஆன்஫ீ கம்.Spirituality. It is not removing

yourself from worldly life. It is living a life
in fullness. It entails a zest for knowledge.
The ones in the spiritual path say, "I am in
pursuit." pursuit means looking for
something you do not have or want to have.
The Sutra Vakyas: The Aphorisms
1) As long as one blames others or
circumstances for one's misery, one's
spiritual practice has not begun.
2) When you begin to blame yourself for
your misery, Spiritual practice has just
begun.
3) When you experience misery and do not
blame neither others, nor the circumstances nor yourself, your spiritual practice has come to a
complete fruition.

Sutra ( = सूत्र) is pithy and short expression. Vrtti ( = वत्ृ ति) is a brief
explanation of Sutra. VyAkhyAnam ( = ) is expansive treatment of
Sutra.

There are three stages in the spiritual development of man.

Vrtti, a brief explanation of the Aphorisms

1) Man in the first stage blames others and external circumstances beyond his control for his
miseries. Assigning blame is an attempt to change others or the circumstances. It is identification
of the cause of the misery. The victim tries in vain to change the external factors that caused his
misery. There is no change or progress in the horizon. ஆன்஫ீ கம் (AnmIkam = Spirituality) is to
shape a change in oneself and not on the external factors. Changing external factors is the
common stratagem for most people.

2) The second stage of Spiritual development. Man assigns the blame for all his miseries to
himself (his mind). He is of the belief that the mind leads him to the state that generates misery.
When a person in the first stage of development is subjected to slander, the words of slander
cause misery in his mind. The man in this second stage assigns his misery to his mind as the
cause. The cause has an effect on him. He matures as he experiences such impacts. He is
undergoing a change in his mind.
AnmIkam has taught him that an immature mind is the cause of misery and that the external
agents are not the proximate cause.

3) The man in the third stage of development. He realizes that the misery affects only his body
and mind. He inculcates in himself the attitude of a witness to these miseries: a healthy
dissociation. With these in the background, he attains corporeal liberation (Jivan Mukti =
liberation while alive).

Vyakyanam: Expansive treatment of Aphorisms.

1) As long as one blames others or circumstances for one's misery, one's spirit has not awakened.
This stage of stagnation is common among people. They blame others for their ills. They do not
recognize ignorance and mental weakness as the cause for their miseries, and lack the maturity in
outlook. They point to others as the cause of misery and happiness. For them, happiness is
acquiring external objects and favorable circumstances.
Niyati ( ) is determination and direction we take. The person in the first stage has
determined that happiness and misery come from outside. They tend to change the external
factors rather than effect a change in themselves. These souls, engaged in rites, rituals, prayers,
Yagas and Vedanta enquiry, do not qualify as the spiritual aspirants.
Their practice are twofold: KAmya Karmam (காம்஬ கர்஫ம்) and PrAyacchita Karmam
(பி஭ா஬ச்சித்த கர்஫ம்).

1A. Kamya Karmam (காம்஬ கர்஫ம்) Desire-induced ritual acts. Vedas recommend many rites
and rituals for the fulfillment of desires. The desired objects may be rain, progeny, success in
business, war, wealth.... This is trading with god: I give You this and You give me that.

1B. Prayacchita Karma. This is practiced for removal of cause of unhappiness, purported to
originate from external sources. For every cause, there is a Pariharam (பரிகா஭ம் = cure or
removal technique). The practitioners engage in removing external causes without changing their
internal milieu. They are prone to acquire the desired objects, retaining desire, anger, jealousy,
and delusion in their minds. These people are known as Samsari, Vishayi, Karmi.... They see
defects outside, while their defects go unnoticed. What is there to nudge them upwards to the
next stage? Mother Goddess, the deified form of compassion shows the path of Dharma. These
people in time gain the knowledge to ascend to the second stage. Thus, Vedas make allowance
for Bhoga (enjoyment) with conditions. Dharma is that condition, which takes man to the next
stage.
2. Second Stage: When you begin to blame yourself for your misery, Spiritual practice has just
begun. When man is subject to external causes, he assigns the agony to his mind. He realizes that
reactive anger, desire, jealousy...coming from inside himself are the proximate cause of his
misery. To him, the world does not have the power to inflict pain on him. It is his mind, he
realizes, that gives meaning and substance to his feeling. It is due to ignorance, want of mental
strength, desire.... He feels this way. As others have the capacity to slander me, I have the right
not to give credence to it. Because of lack of maturity, I attribute my unhappiness to the words
of hurt as the cause. Many and varied situations beyond my control impact on my mind. Others
can think high or low of me; that is their prerogative. Likewise, it is my inalienable right to look
at myself in a different light.

All experiences, purported to cause happiness or unhappiness, have different impact on

individuals. What is happiness to one may be unhappiness to another. This is easy to observe in
sports events. Unhappiness does not proceed from the external world, which is merely an
appearance. In reality, mind is the causal agent for unhappiness.
The great men say that mind is the cause for bondage and release. Bhagavad Gita states, "You
are your friend; you are your enemy." Man in the second stage of development has discovered
who the enemy is. Half the battle is to know where the enemy is; that by and in itself is partial
victory. When the enemy (the mind) becomes a friend, there is victory in its fullness.
Apprehension of the cause of unhappiness is a major premise. Once you know it, the effort
becomes part of the progress made in spiritual path.
The aspirants engage in rituals and rites such as prayer, chanting, vratas (religious observances),
and Tapas (austerity). One should realize these external observances do not contribute to the
progressive maturing of the spirit. These rituals should not be Kamya Karma meaning exchange
of rituals for gifts from God. The Kamya Karma performed by man in the second stage of
development contributes to spiritual advance. In this case, the Kamya Karma becomes Nishkama
Karma-- actions free from desires.
Bhagavadgita 7:27. Desire and hate arise from the dual nature of delusion, O Bharata. All living
beings surge forth into delusion, O Parantapa.
Desire, hate, jealousy, greed... are like the corrosive verdigris. These qualities corrode the mind.
These corrosive elements must go and the mind should change. Once the change abides in the
mind, auspicious qualities like tranquility and love grow and become the norm of the mind.
Then, mind becomes the friend.

People in the second stage of development perform their duties in the spirit of mental purity;
their actions become Karma Yogam (கர்஫ய஬ாகம்). Purity of mind is the antidote for
unhappiness (of mind). They perform contemplation and attain tranquillity, peace, realization of
Truth, and a sense of fulfillment.

They attain Ātma Jñānam (Self Knowledge) or Brahma Jñānam (Realized Knowledge). Atma
Jñānam is knowing oneself; Brahma Jñānam is knowing Brahman. Between the two, the latter is
superior. They realize the impermanence of the world and want to attain the Eternal Truth by
knowledge.
Beginning with Karma Yogam, the aspirant engages in Dhyanam, VisAram, Mananam,
NitityAsanam (தி஬ானம், விசா஭ம், ஫னனம், நிதித்஬ாஸனம்) and such; this is progress in
AnmIkam or spirituality.

The Third State. When you experience misery and do not blame neither others, nor the
circumstances nor yourself, your spiritual practice has attained fruition. The attainers of the third
stage are not aspirants (சாதகர்) but Siddhas (சித்தர் = the perfected ones). Their minds do not
blame neither themselves, nor others nor the world; they have attained fulfillment. They are
even-minded and not subject to heat, cold, fame, infamy, honor, and dishonor.
The Siddhas do not wilt thinking they did not do good deeds and they committed sins. They do
not engage in censure of others or self-censure. Bhagavan Krishna calls them कृिकृिय ्‌
(Krtakrtya) meaning, "the ones who did what need to be done."--BG 15.20.
They have found fulfillment in themselves. They are neither an affliction nor a cause of an
affliction to the world. They are the true Bhaktas (devotees) of Bhagavan. The ones who have
not attained Self Realization have a mind weighing heavily on them and thus are incapable of
tranquility, peace, patience.... The Siddha (the perfected one) has a mind like the mirror, which
reflects his Bliss Form (ஆனந்த ஸ்வரூபம்). He is the Jivan Mukta (ஜீவன்முக்தர்), meaning
he attained liberation while still alive on earth.
The Siddha found fulfillment where fulfillment was not possible and changed the enemy in the
mind to a friend. Let us find what his wisdom is.
The perfected one sees all beings in him and himself in all beings. Tat Tvam Asi = That You are.
Aham Brahma Asmi = I am Brahman. This is Advaitam, nondualism. This is man going from
matter to spirit: transforming oneself from imperfection to perfection.