Advaita Bodha Deepika [Lamp Of Non-Dual Knowledge]

Foreword

Originally Sri Shankaracharya and other great Sages had written several works like the commentary on the Vedanta Sutras and thus furnished the methods for those engaged in Self enquiry to accomplish their purpose.

From those, Sri Karapatra Swami later condensed the salient points into Sanskrit verse in a work of twelve chapters, called Sri Advaita Bodha Deepika.

Still later, some great man seems to have translated this into Tamil prose. For some unknown reasons only some eight chapters of the same are found published. They are:

1. Adhyaropa = Super imposition.
2. Apavada = Its removal.
3. Sadhana = The means o accomplishment.
4. Sravana = Hearing, reading, talking about God.
5. Manana = Reflecting on sravana.
6. Vasanakshaya = Annihilation of latencies.
7. Sakshatkara = Direct Realisation.
8. Manonasa = Extinction of the mind.

In this work the author has explained how Ignorance obscures the true nature of the Self which is non-dual only; how by its veiling aspects it covers It (the Self) with two effects - 'that It does not exist' and 'that It does not shine forth', how by its other aspect, in the shape of the mind, projecting individuals, Iswara and the world and presenting them s real, thus giving rise to illusion; how one fully qualified is alone fit to obtain this knowledge; how a bare scholar of the shastras cannot be fir; how enquiry is the chief means for knowledge; how this enquiry consists in hearing of, reflecting upon and contemplation of TRUTH, and Samadhi; how the indirect knowledge gained by hearing puts an end to the idea that 'It does not exist' and the direct knowledge gained by reflection, which means enquiry 'WHO I AM' and seeking within, destroys the wrong notion that 'It does not shine forth'; how the knowledge of THOU in THAT THOU ART is identical with the knowledge of THAT; how by meditation the different latencies perishing which were the obstacles on the way and the mind which is the limiting adjunct (upadhi) of the individual perishes too and by the eventual unobstructed realisation of BRAHMAN (God) the Seeker becomes free from the bondage of the three kinds of Karma which form the cycle of births and deaths; how in truth there is neither bondage nor release for the SELF and in what way to extinguish the mind.

Thinking tha this will be helpful to Seekers of Liberation Sri Ramanananda Saraswathi (formerly Munagala Venkataramiah) a devotee of Bhagavan ahs by the grace of Sri Ramana rendered into English the eight chapters of the work now available. the last four chapters, Savikalpa Samadhi, Nirvikalpa Samadhi, Jivan Mukti, and Videha Mukti nor being found in Tamil, Telugu or Sanskrit Manuscripts could not be translated into English. Information on the missing chapters is earnestly sought and will b e gratefully acknowledged by the publisher.

Our grateful thanks are due to H. H. Smt. Shanta Devi Maharani of Baroda and H. H. the Maharaja of Travancore for sending us the original Sanskrit Manuscripts of this work from the State Libraries for Maharshi's consultation and return.

This book is one of the few esteemed by Sri Maharshi and this translation was thoroughly revised in His Presence. So we are encouraged to present this small volume to the public with full confidence that the reader will benefit by it.

Back of the Book

Adi Sankara and other great Sages wrote several works like the commentary on the Vedanta Sutras and thus furnished the methods for those engaged in Self-enquiry to accomplish their purpose.

From these, Sri Karapatra Swami later condensed the salient points into Sanskrit verse in a work of twelve chapters, called Sri Advaita Bodha Deepika.

In this work the author has explained how Ignorance obscures the true nature of the Self which is non-dual only; how by its veiling aspect it covers It (the Self) with two effects - 'that It does not exist' and 'that It does not shine forth', how by its other aspect, in the shape of the mind, it projects individuals, Iswara and the work, presenting them as real; thus giving rise to illusion. How one fully qualified is alone fit to obtain this knowledge; how a bare scholar of the sastras cannot be fit; how enquiry is the chief means for knowledge; and how by the eventual unobstructed realisation of BRAHMAN (God), the Seeker becomes free from the bondage of the three kinds of Karma which form the cycle of births and deaths; how in truth there is neither bondage nor release for the SELF and in what way to extinguish the mind.