GitAmRtamahodadhiH : by R

GitAmRtamahodadhiH : by R. Visvanatha Sastri

Ch.5: YogAmRtaM

With Comments in English by V . Krishnamurthy

yogAtmikA tu yA vidyA shAstrato dhii prachodanaM .

kRRiShNa-yogeshvareNoktaM yogashAstramitiiritaM .. 1..

apratyaxe shrutaM sAxAt sa~njayena mahAtmanA .

pratyakparacito-raikyayoga eva vivaxitaH .. 2..

shraddhA bhaktii tanmanastvaM shreShTa-yogasya laxaNaM .

shraddhA-bhakti-dhyAna-yogAt iti shrutyanuvAditaH .. 3 ..

sAdhana-trayarUpeNa upeyaM sAdhya-muchyate .

upAyopeya-bhUtAtma niShTAdvaya-miheritaH .. 4 ..

tatropeyaM sA~Nkhyamiti upAyo yoga iShyate .

samyak khyAtaM yatra tattvaM tat sA~NkhyaM iti gamyate .. 5 ..

buddhiyogo rAjayogaH dhiireNaiveSha sAdhyate .

yogaM vinA cha yat karma nikRRiShTatama-muchyate .. 6 ..

yogaM sA~NkhyaM chaikamiti brahmAtmaikatva-darshanaM .

shrutyA virudhyamAnaM yat na grAhyamiti tad-vidaH .. 7 ..

nirguNaH puruShaH pUrNaH sA~Nkhyairabhyupagamyate .

pravrajyAdupadeshena yogabhAgo.api saMmataH .. 8 ..

Atmaikya-j~nAna-pratipAdaka-taittiriiya-samhitA-chaturtha-kANDArambhe samAdhi-prArthanAyAM vareNya-sarvAtma-jyotiShyeva yunjAnaH prathamaM tattvAya ityArabhyate . j~nAnAgni-kANDa-mevaitat . agniriti abhito gamyamAnaM vastu ekaM j~nAnAkhyaM . tadeva tattvaM . tatpada-tvaM-padayo-raikya-meva buddhau samyag-AdhIyate iti samAdhi-ruchyate . agna AyAhi vItaye RRita.N satyaM . bRRihaspate savitur-bodhayainaM . kasmai devAya iti aShTau mantrAH . viShNoH kramosi . apAM tve manthAdayAmi . rashmirasi xayAya . namaste rudra . ashmannUrjaM . agnA viShNU . chaturtha-pa~nchamakANDayoreva prashna-saptaka iti taddhetuH vichAraNIyaH . puruSha-vaibhavaM vishva-rUpatayAvasthAnamiti rahasyaM ..

The YogAtmikA Learning that arises from the scriptures and prompts our intellects and that was taught by the great yogeshvara Lord Krishna is known as the yogashAstra (of the Gita). It was heard indirectly by no less a person than the great Sanjaya. It is known as the yoga of identity between the Immanent Absolute and the spark of consciousness inside. Shraddha (Faith), Devotion-cum dedication (Bhakti) and Oneness in mind with the Absolute constitute the definition of the highest Yoga. The scriptures testify “...By means of the yoga of shraddhA, bhakti and dhyAna”. By means of the three kinds (shraddhA, bhakti and dhyAna) of SadhanAs, the goal is said to be reachable. The interlocking of the goal and the means has been declared to be constituted of two processes. The goal is called “sAnkhyaM” and the means is called “yogaM”. That theory which is expounded to perfection is known as “sAnkhyaM”. Only the brave ones achieve ‘buddhiyoga’ and ‘rajayoga’. Action done without yoga is at the bottom of the scale. The vision of identity of brahman and Atman is to see yogaM and sAnkhyaM as one. Those who know recommend the rejection of what is contrary to scriptures. The Fullness that is the Absolute Attributeless is obtained by sAnkhyaM . And it is equally in the reach of yoga by the teaching of renunciation.

Synopsis: The knowledge of Oneness with the Atman is taught everywhere in the shruti. Several quotes justify this._Right in the beginning of the fourth Kanda of Taittiriya Samhita (of the Yajur Veda) the Veda text begins with the words *yunjAnaH prathamaM tatvAya*. The purpose is to offer a prayer in praise of samAdhi (samAdhi-prArthanA). SamAdhi itself is nothing but the perfect fixation of the intellect in the oneness of the word ‘tat’ ( ‘That’) and the word ‘tvaM’ (‘You’) . SamAdhi comes from ‘samyak AdhIyate’ (perfectly fixes). The fourth kANDa of Yajur veda has seven chapters. The respective beginnings of the chapters are: *yunjAnaH prathamAM tatvAya* : First uniting the mind with the tatva that is the absolute Effulgence. *viShNoH kramo’si* : You are the step of Vishnu.

*apAM tv emaM sAdhayAmi* : I place thee in the waters

*rashmirasi kShayAya* : Thou art the ray, for kShaya (=?)

*namaste rudra* : Prostrations to Rudra

*ashmannUrjaM * : The strength resting on the stone

*agnA viShNU* : Oh Agni and Vishnu

It is significant that both the fourth and fifth Kandas are the only ones wihich have seven chapters. The reason for this should be researched. The glory of the Person within is the establishment in the Infinite – that is the secret.

Note by VK: Thus goes the paragraph. Except for the definition of the word samAdhi, all other things mentioned above are perplexing. My father used to go through the Vedas repeatedly. In his lectures he used to quote from the Vedas and bring out their advaitic meaning. The book that he used is still with me. It is full of marginal notes by him. All in Sanskrit language in the grantha script. At the beginning of the fourth kAnDa (which has been referred to above) the margin has the words *samAdhi prArthanA* written by him. This shows his mind has been working along these lines long before he wrote this mss. Why he has quoted the beginnings of the seven chapters of the fourth KANDa , beats me. And the reference to the number seven of the total number of chapters in the 4^th and 5^th kANDa, and the claim for its great significance is also more perplexing. I am glad I was able to connect these seven quotations with the beginnings of the seven chapters. But the other quotations perhaps come from Rig Veda. I am only guessing.

Text of YogAmRtam in Devanagari. Onward to Next Page

Notation for Transliteration of Sanskrit words in the Comments

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