Meaning of Atma Spurana And The Koshas
Let us understand the word Atma Spurana before entering into the program. Literally when translated, Atma Spurana means "Flowering of the Self". The word "Self" needs to be understood. In the Western dictionary, the word "self" is always understood as "ego" or "individual identity". But in the vedic tradition, "Self" is not considered as the individual identity. It is the eternally existing consciousness. Atma Spurana is the flowering of this consciousness.
What are koshas? Koshas literally means sheaths or coverings.
For example, we say biologically our physical body comprises of various systems like nervous system, circulatory system, muscul-skeletal system, respiratory system etc. This does not mean that there are so many separate systems each of which has its own body part. The same physical body has a number of organs, a group of which can be classified into performing a certain function. For example, the respiratory system has all the organs like the heart, lungs, throat etc which are involved with the functions of inhalation, exhalation and sending the oxygen to each and every part of the body and collecting the carbon dioxide from every cell of the body.
So also, we can classify our body-mind-spirit system in different ways. One such classification is the koshas. The annamaya kosha is related to the physical body which is the body we can see, touch and feel. The pranamaya kosha is related to the breath, which is directly and deeply related to our desires. The manomaya kosha is related to our mental thoughts. The vijnanamaya kosha is related to all our feelings and emotions. The anandamaya kosha is related to the bliss in us - our true nature. ```
We don"t need to work on the Self itself in order to make this flowering happen. We need to work on something which is between that us and that Self. Your body, your mind, your emotions, these few things which are between you and your Self is what we need to work on. These are called koshas; they are energy sheaths, in and around us. Only these koshas, which are five in number, need to flower, need to open, need to radiate, need to fall in tune. Understand: the ultimate Self does not need anything, only the instruments with which you experience the Self need to flower; they need to open up for you to experience the Self or Truth. All five layers need to be purified so that they constantly radiate enlightenment.
The Pancadasi says that the sheeths (Koshas) are like a cave in which Truth is hidden. It says, it is possible to know Brahman or Truth, which is hidden in this cave.
One more thing: in the NSP, we work on the samskaras or engraved memories that are printed on the koshas, on the layers. Now we are going to work on the koshas themselves*,* on the very canvas itself.
2.1 Meaning of Atman – Story from Mahabharata
See, in each one of you, there is something which gives you the confidence. Even though you die again and again, there is something that gives you a deep confidence that you will not die in the real sense. That is what the
Atman or the Self is. There is a beautiful story in the great Hindu epic Mahabharata. It is called Yakshaprashna:
There was a demigod named Yaksha who had a quiz program with Yudhishtira – one of the five Pandava Princes, known for treading the path of dharma, or righteousness.
The demigod was asking all his questions and one of the questions was, 'What is the most surprising thing on planet Earth?'
Yudhishtira says, 'Every moment, every day, we see so many people going to a mass abode – the abode of death. Even then, every soul, every person who lives here, thinks that he is not going to die! He thinks that he is going to be here forever; that only others are going to die. That is the most surprising thing on planet Earth!'
There is something which gives you the confidence; there is some energy that constantly gives you the idea that you are going to be here forever. That is what we call Atman! If we understand this truth and catch on to the energy, or Self, behind this thinking, we will celebrate death as a mere passage in the existence of the Self. Instead, if we understand this truth in the context of the physical body, we will end up believing that death can never take our body away from us, and we suffer when it actually happens.
2.2 The Goal of This Program – Making the Self Alive
Every one of you, every one of us, experiences the Self, but unfortunately, not all the time. Every one of us has got some experience or at least a vague idea about that Self. Without this hidden belief, there would be no logic for you to hold on to this body. You holding on to the body, is only a disguise of the truth that your Self is eternal. Holding on to this body is possible only because you have some idea, in some corner of your mind, that you won"t perish, that you won"t die. Consciously you think that it is your body that can"t perish, but the deep truth is that it is your Self.
Atma Spurana means flowering of the Self, that Self, that consciousness which is in you; making it alive; making this as a solid experience for you throughout your life. The goal, or the purpose of the whole program is making that Self alive, making that as a living experience, which will hold good for your entire life.
Making the Self alive was the very goal of the Master/disciple relationship in the Vedic tradition. And to achieve this, you should know the significance of these koshas. Then, you can achieve inner bliss in a much easier and quicker way. During the Vedic times, knowledge of these koshas was passed down from the Master to the disciple through learning of the Vedic scriptures such as the Upanishad. The Upanishad speaks extensively about these koshas. Knowledge about them was imparted in Vedic schools called G*urukul. In the olden days, the disciples went to Gurukuls* and learned about life engineering, that is, Spirituality. Once they undertook training in such profound truths, the rest of the academics became child"s play. The reason is, through Upanishadic training, the very learning stemmed from deep consciousness, not from mere intellect.
In Gurukuls, whatever be the area of learning for the child, the deep seeking in them for the ultimate truth was continuously nurtured. That was the thread in which everything else was strung. They were continuously prodded to inquire what man"s search in life was about. Every human being has this question and the answer for it, deeply embedded in him. It is the responsibility of the enlightened Masters to bring this out of them, and help them achieve fulfilment through it. It is only because this question is not brought out, that we really do not know what we are searching for. The aim of education in the Gurukuls was to bring out this question, and to identify the answer.
2.3 Meaning of Upanishad – 'Just Sitting'
This whole program is based on Taitreya Upanishad. The basic techniques, or the ideas which we are going to practice, are from Taitreya Upanishad. The word Upanishad is a very powerful word. The translation of that word is just … "sitting"… nothing else. Just sitting can do so much in you. Sitting in the presence of the Master, just sitting with the Master, can do so much in you. That is why the essence of all the Vedic scriptures is called Upanishad or "just sitting". It is the ultimate technique.
Sitting with the Master
When you sit with the Master, the Upanishad … the sitting … happens; some strange process starts happening in you, which can neither be called as a technique, nor as a no-technique. It is literally like cooking, or boiling! By tomorrow evening, you are expected to be completely boiled. In Sanskrit we have a word Siddha. Siddha has two meanings: 1.) enlightened 2.) cooked, boiled. So, by tomorrow evening you are expected to be completely boiled or cooked. It is just like adding something to you and taking something away from you, both simultaneously. Whatever can be taken away, will be taken away, and whatever needs to be added will be added. The Master"s presence is like the cooking fire. Just like how in cooking, you add some ingredients, remove some ingredients and in the presence of fire, when you do this, cooking happens, when you just sit in the presence of the Master, cooking happens. It is more of a process.
2.4 Beyond Techniques…Do not miss!
If you have done our first level programs like the Ananda Spurana Program (ASP), Life Bliss Program (LBP), or the Nithyananda Spurana Program (NSP), you would know that all these programs are technique based. Technique-based means you will be taught some technique in the camp which you can practice here, or you can go back home and practice it. How much effort you put in, that much you will grow. That much will become an experience. It happens.
There are next level programs like the Dhyana Spurana Program (DSP) or THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM. These are not technique-based. There won"t be any technique to do. Just understanding will be imparted there. The understanding itself will add so much to you. Just the simple, yet deep understanding is enough. It will change your ideas about yourself, the world and the cosmic energy, that is Jeeva, Ishwara and Jagat. If your ideas about these three change, you will be transformed. This is the second level.
2.5 The Alchemy
Now, this program is neither technique-based nor no-technique-based. Technique-based is when you will learn something to be done here and which you can go back home and practice. You will not receive anything like that now. You will not receive anything which you can practice at home.
No-technique-based is that which is based on just understanding, nothing else. You will not be doing anything. But now, it is not that you are going to keep quiet either. That is why I say that it is neither technique-based, nor no-technique-based. It is called a "process", or "alchemy". Alchemy is a process where a lower base metal is transformed to a higher metal by adding something to it and removing something from it.
There is a reason why I want to give this detailed introduction to you. The reason is, I don"t want any of you to miss the whole aim of this program. Please do not miss a single session. With technique based programs, if you miss one or two techniques, there"s no problem. You will have 80% of the result. With the no-technique based program, you don"t even need to come for the program, just the DVD is enough! Your physical presence is not needed. But now, not only your physical presence, my physical presence is also needed. Both of us need to sit with each other. That is why this Upanishad starts with a beautiful mantra. Let us enter into that mantra next.
For the next few days, please decide very clearly: you are going to be here for the whole program without missing a single session. People will come and ask, "Swamiji, I have to go and pick up my kids. Can I go and come back?" In Bharat we do the Atma Spurana program for four days. But you know that in this country that even if God comes, he has to come in the weekend! If he comes in the weekdays, you ask him for his email ID saying you will get back to him! So for at least this weekend, let us be here completely doing the Upanishad. Please do not miss even a single session. Just be with the entire flow.
2.6 Don't Judge, Just Relax
You can be relaxed; there is no need to be serious. Of course, if you are checking me out, then you will be serious, too serious, trying to constantly judge me and what I am doing. But I tell you: don"t bother too much, just relax. I am already judged by people around the world. If you are sitting here, waiting and judging, you are going to miss the whole thing. That is the problem. If you are judging, you will be wasting your time.
Judging is not wrong. The preliminary programs like LBP, NSP, Dhyana Spurana Program…all those programs I have created for the people who are first timers, who are judging. But this program, the Atma Spurana Program, I have designed more for the people who are really interested in diving deep. The other programs aim at breadth. This program aims at depth. So unfortunately, if you have not done any of the checking out programs, decide not to waste your time any further. If you have already checked out a bit, then you won"t have a problem. You will be completely ready to dive in. So now, don"t bother much about judging. Just dive deep into your being.