'Atma Vidya Vilasam' by Sri 'Sadasiva Brahmendra' - I salute Sri Dakshinamoorthy, who sits under a banyan tree with 'chinmudra' sign, denoting the union of jiva and Brahman, teaching 'Brahma-Jnana' through Infinite Silence! He dispels the ignorance of the seekers and reveals Brahman, in his own form.

'Atma Vidya Vilasam', is a brief composition of 43 slokas by Sri Sadasiva Brahmendra. Sri Sadasiva Brahmendra,is a Brahma Jnani, who was walking on the fields and towns,without any dress. He was a Digambara. This book of 43 slokas is about the state of a Self Realized person.He has also written another composition with the same title Atma Vidya Vilasam.This book is about the 43 verse composition.

Introduction:-

Atman is the subtlest thing in the universe, for the seekers during their seeking stage.The Vedas describe That like this: The cow has tail, with tuft of hair on it.Pluck one hair from the tuft. Make hundred parts of it. Take that one hundredth part of the hair and make one thousand parts. Take one thousandth part of it and make again one thousand parts. That one ultimate part is the Atman!This imagery is to drive home the subtlety of Atman, during stage of meditation, looking for a Form for Atman.

Atman is all pervading, Pure Consciousness and Infinite Bliss. It is cognized only through techniques of negation, as Not this,Not this. Atman is Ananda Swarupa.

Verse 1:- I salute Sri Dakshinamoorthy, who sits under a banyan tree and with a 'chinmudra' sign, denoting the union of jiva and Brahman, and teaches the Brahma-Jnana through Infinite Silence! He dispels the ignorance of the seekers and reveals Brahman, in his own form.

Verse 2:-I meditate in my mind Sadguru Sivendra, who annihilates the illusion brought about by the Buddhist cults, by his Advaita 'tejas' (light). He is the boat to cross the ocean of samsara, (wordly life), with all its miseries.

Verse 3:- I salute Sivendra Guru, who possesses the same name of Sadasiva. It is through his tremendous power and message flowing from his lips, I understood my identity with the all-pervading Brahman. With that Brahman within me , I am having infinite peace,which has not been brought by reading various scriptures.

Verse 4:- The Brahman is the causeless cause. For the purpose of creation, the Maya, which is the indivisible part of Brahman, breathed and then came the five elements of space, air, water, fire, and earth, like a potter brings about pots through his wheel.

Verse 4:- The Atman, which is ever effulgent, with no one except himself, has no form. He is without sound and voice. He is untouched, (asparsa, as Gaudapada said).

He is without tendencies, vasanas. He is ancient but ever young and he is immortal. He cannot be visualized through your eyes, for he is experiential. He has no movement. He is neither provable or disprovable. He is the Present, the Past and the Future. For the seekers, to cognize, he is said to be within one's Heart cave. For the advanced souls, he is in the Space. He is also said to be in all the worlds of the universe.

Verse 5:- Atman is encompassed by the illusion, Maya, even though he is unrelated to anything. He is bound by ignorance,even though he is all Knowledge. Only through his mercy and grace, one can perceive him. Brahman lies like a dagger in the sheath. Unless you investigate this sheath, that is maya and ignorance, you can never merge with him. People calling him with various names, have not understood him! He is like a seed, underneath the earth. Earth has no knowledge of it. Unless you water the earth, that is with your humble investigation, the seed does not sprout.

Verse 6:-The Jiva is masked by illusion that is Maya. Bound by Maya's spell, he is waking, dreaming, sleeping, suffers from poverty, amasses wealth and suffers the horrors of wealth. He takes rebirth and once again suffers. All false perceptions appear when he recognizes that this bondage is of his own making.The awakening does not come about by reading scriptures but only by initiation given to the disciple by the learned and realized Guru.

Verse 7:-The Jeeva, by virtue of the great benevolence bestowed on him by his guru, the preceptor, and by his singular attention, achieves intellectual excellence, and become great. With that excellence, he sheds his illusion, of body consciousness. By practice, he distinguishes his real identity and its relationship with his body.He becomes the Sat-Chit-Ananda.He is free from sorrows and momentary happiness. His mind is ever balanced, tranquil and suddha, pure.He becomes ever cheerful. He becomes the Peace.

Verse 8:-When the grace of guru descends on the disciple, that Jeeva ever immerses in the ocean of bliss.When his mind is annihilated, the universe also is annihilated for him.Having got rid of the blindness of illusion, he is able to 'see' and he become 'the seer'. Such awakened person becomes a Brhama-Jnani.

Verse 9:-Due to the intensity of the preceptor's benevolence, and in his flow of grace, one will get tranquility and perfect peace and enjoys immense bliss. All the troubles have vanished in this world for him.Atman means Hrudayam., hrud + ayam, so Atman resides in his Heart, whether he is in waking, dreaming or sleeping state.

Verse 10:-The great among the ascetics, with his guru's grace, like the cosmic sun, looks at the entire universe, as the very image of Brahman, and conducts his usual worldly duties, engrossed in Samadhi.

verse 11:- All the five elements are said to have originated one from another, but one is not above the other in their cause. Only the power of Brahman has created all these. They are also not different from Brahman because Brahman and his power are one and the same. Contemplating at all times, in his way, the yogi enjoys incessant nirvikalpa samadhi. It is from the desire of Brahman, that all these creations have originated.But again his desires are not different from him.

Verse 12:-The whole universe appears like a dream. Whatever be its composition, nothing stands in the realization of the Self. He, (the Jnani) moves about freely in all his acts, with this understanding undeterred.He has no fixed dislikes and likes and he harbors no ambitions. He never considers any other Jiva, as his enemy. He is above pride and pleasure, and he never enjoys any fleeting joys.He is unconcerned amidst wealth and comforts. He lives as renouncer amidst all material enjoyments and acquisitions.He develops no feelings amidst all difficulties and adversities. He is ever peaceful in the midst of foes. Even in insults, he is unaffected, and he has only forgiveness, even for those who have insulted him.

Verse 13:- This illusion followed by the consequences of grief or pleasure has nothing to do with a Jnani and they are totally absent in him. After Realization the Jnani is internally happy and enjoys the bliss both within and outside. He conceives no unhappy state and he exerts no revengeful action on anyone.

Verse 14:- The sage behaves like an innocent child unaffected by egoism and the belief of individual self. Whether honored or insulted, rebuked, angered, he sees no distinction.Having immersed in the divine nectar of 'niratisayanada', he is totally unconcerned about any matter. Due to vasanas, the actions may come about for a while.But he transcends them.

Verse 15:-The sage abandons all duties.Even begging alms in the midst of people, he averts. He moves about in deserted places, taking only food that is made available to him.All thoughts have disappeared, since he has annihilated the mind. If anyone disturbs him, he leaves that place. Even the whole earth looks like an open yard of his own house and the ocean looks like a rivulet.

Verse 16:-Having tasted the eternal bliss, he will not move from his place, for anything else.Without mind, thought, intellect and ego, he becomes an introvert and prefers to be silent always.

Verse 16:-You are asking how to cross the ocean of samsara.What is there to do, excepting de-contaminating the Self, from the body, senses, breath and mind? totally negating mundane objects and pleasures. He may even abandon his daily duties. He remains a Witness or Spectator or Sakshi for happenings around him.

Verse 18:- Since the entire universe is an illusion for him,the Jivan Mukta, keeps his cool and will not be wondered even if the sun becomes cool, the moon becomes hot and the water emits fire! Like a sperm and an ovum, before oraganogenesis, he has no worry and anxiety, ever free from fear and sorrow.

Verse 19:-The JIvan Mukta is ever without ego, but even devas,the celestial beings will worship for his power will shake the entire universe. In that blissful state all the periods of past, present and future merge in him.

Verse 20:-Enjoying at all times absolute peace; he is Swaya-jnana - ananda- roopa. He will not take any pride in his actions, even if the insentient objects like ornaments and the lamps, take pride in their actions!

Verse 21:-Further, the Jnani, in his Brahmic state engrosses in Self-Bliss, and stays indefinitely in one place in meditation freely, enjoys at sometimes, singing and dancing amusingly.

Verse 22:- The Brahma Jnani who has acquired the Brahman,in a thoughtless state, continues to remain without thoughts. He is liberated with Brahma Jnana and this Jnana is described as different from dhyana and vignana. Since he has annihilated the mind, he stands only as a Spectator, a Witness, a Sakshi, for all things happening around him.

Verse 23:-Some great people even from the very beginning of their practice, try to tame the mind.They make a lot of introspection.The mind is like a restless deer, wandering here and there in the jungle. He makes every effort to tame that mind, with his mind! But only who has tamed the mind with the mind can become a Brhama Jnani.

Verse 23:-The Self does not rise like the sun, nor does it set.It does not decrease, nor decrease, nor decay.It is the ever present Witness, which can be experienced if you remove the superimposition.

Verse 24:- The mind has to be controlled and it is like a wild tiger which has to be killed only by the arrow of knowledge.When one purifies the mind with his sinless actions and penance and by eliminating the self aggrandizement and egoism through self knowledge, he merges with Atman. The mind can be annihilated only by pure self knowledge. He must be devoid of fear, since Abhaya or fearlessness is only Brahman. He will move anywhere in the universe, without any variation and differentiation without fear, in a thoughtless state.

Verse 25:-The Jnani by spreading his rays of wisdom and by his intellect, catches the imagination of the righteous people and awakens them. He is blooming without impurities, without the consciousness of day and night. His very Presence and his movements among the pious is bringing enlightenment to those people, who come and see him, from far and near.
 Part 2 - Sri Sadasiva Brahmendra's 'Atma Vidya Vilasam'

Verse 26:-Advaita Siddhi means living in natural state, 'Sahaja Samadhi' and achieving liberation from that moment of naturalness He performs all actions in the state of 'Kaivalya', without differing from that exalted state, staying in ever lasting bliss.He dispels the ignorance like the raising full moon and he is worshiped even by angels of the heaven.

Verse 27:- By his Presence and touch, he will spread his influence and grants benevolence to the people.He by Self-Bliss makes them feel inner harmony and removes all their ills since he is a Brahma Jnani.

Verse 28 :-When mind is engrossed in any particular issue, the mind gets immense pleasure or pain. Even in pleasures from the articles, there is ananda, bliss, but it is short lived.But a Jnani's Presence is like a Sourabha, (celestrial fragrance) and spreads that fragrance in all his surroundings.He is moving in the celestial garden of Atman and hence he is ever fragrant.

Verse 29:- Fear alone generates in one when he feels that there is some one other than himself.But Self-Knowledge is a real vijnana, state, where there is no one other than himself.Hence Self-Knowledge is like a majestic garden, in which all the peacocks stroll without fear.The Jnani is thus fearless and in his Presence no one else can also have fear.He is like a blue throated Siva, in whose Presence, the blue peacocks stroll.

Verse 30:-The Jnani, deserting the mistaken water (in a mirage) in the sunny sands, enjoys no delusion. That Jnani drinks the real water of divine nectar, which is bliss of Brahman.

Verse 31:-The Jnani in the beautiful garden of Advaita sings to his heart content, very pleasantly.He is like a cuckoo,enjoying the tender leaves of Vedanta.

Verse 32:-The Jnani has nothing to do with the sins and righteous acts.He is like a lion with knowledge and the ignorant elephants have been driven away to the wide forests, by his mere Presence.He is alone in the forest of 'Brahma-ananda', enjoying the everlasting bliss.

Verse 32:-Let Maya, which is like a cloud, shower rains called the world.What is the profit for me?What is the loss for me?I am ever happy in the self-effulgent swarupa, the Brahman.

Verse 33:-When gold is absent, there are no gold Ornaments.When the earth is absent, there are no pots and jars. When there is no ocean, there are no waves and foams.So also,in Brahma Jnani, there are not expressive objects outside.The Jnani is alike a fattened elephant, deserted by all the other animals in the jungle and moves about freely and climbs the mountains at his will.

Verse 34:-In Yoga, one is asked to concentrate on the tip of one's nose, to arrest thoughts.They are asked to show 'mudras' - hand posture, to the divine will.They are further asked to perform 'namaskaras' - prostrations, to show reverence to gods.The Jnani with his silence, as yoga, mudra and namaskara,stay at the river bund, immersing in meditation and enjoys Samadhi.

Verse 35:-The attachment to the worldly objects is called 'raga'.Non attachment is 'viragya'.In a Jnani, his renunciation is raga and abandonment is viragya.He has no body consciousness,not clad at all or clad in minimal clothes, will not speak to anyone anything, fully devoid of thoughts and feelings, will not do any duties excepting the minimal duties.He takes any food that is available to him, moves about freely and sleeps under a tree.

Verse 36:-Keeping the mind internally absorbed in Brahman,he remains in Peace of Jnana.He has got unbruised feeling towards friends and foes, and there is no harm to him, even if he lives in deserted houses or wanders on the river banks abetting long stretches of sand dunes or jungles.

Verse 37:-The Jnani enjoys lying on the soft bed of soil and enjoying the cool breeze as if fanned, ever in a peaceful state,radiating like a full bloom moon.He is Siva, the Purusha and the Siddha.

Verse 38:-The person who has realized the Truth, always enjoys Sat-Chit-Ananda.The Jnani who has realized that only truthful thought is Brahman, can go to any world, lokas,as he pleases.He is the King of the saint, even though he sleeps on rocky structure and gets sound sleep.He is ever surrounded by cool breeze and river waters.

Verse 39:-The Jnani transcends five sheaths, as the gross is removed from the earth to show the inner plate.He ever stays in Brahman, even while food falls on his hand unasked.He wanders in the streets of the town, as a dead log.

Verse 40:-The Jnani looks at this entire universe, as a mistaken snake (for a rope) and immerses himself with the rest as Brahman,ever without doubt or fear.He is ever in the Oneness of the Almighty, and will not stretch his hands for begging food and eats what comes to him, unmindful of when and how and from whom it comes.

Verse 41:-The Jnani is always in the 'Turiya' state and is an Yogaroodha, one who excels in yoga. Brahma Jnani ever lives in the state of Brahman, and so he does not have to remember Brahman every time.

Verse 42:-The Jnani completely deserts all scriptural injunctions,like one would desert a boat after crossing the river. He has to desert all sastras, rules of conduct, because nothing is required after Brahma Jnana.He is like a lamp, steadily burning in a breeze less atmosphere.

Final Part - Sri Sadasiva Brahmendra's Atma Vidya Vilasam

Verse 43:-The Jnani who has achieved the siddhi (the state) gets the Aparoksha Jnana, direct knowledge of Brahman within.He will rest in Brahama pada, bereft of birth and death, and looks at the universe as a terrifying one.He behaves like a lunatic smearing mud on his body and roams about in the forests all alone.He is said to be in 'Unmani' state, the state in which he has found the ruby in his Heart, wherefrom nectar is flowing.He always lives in that state, even if he moves about with people of the world.

Verse 44:- The self realized Jnani is a yoga siddha, that is,he will not perceive anything with his eyes or ears and speaks hardly any word and he is ever in Brahman and there are no rituals for him.He stands unaffected like a rock in a storm.

Verse 45:-The Jnani is devoid of any caste, or clan and has no possessions, distinction or difference .He is a Brahma Vetta and there is no difference between Brahman and Brahma Vetta.He treats everyone like, even if they are learned priests, common peasant, a cow or an elephant or a lowly dog.He is from the unknown source to which he has returned. He is devoid of time and space.He is a kala-teeta, one who has transcended the three times (past, present and future) and the space.

Verse 46:- The Jnani, wears Akasa, the Space, as his clothes,he spreads the earth as his bed, keeps his hands as pillows,embraces the damsel of saintlyhood and enjoys the divine sleep of bliss happily with complete ecstacy.

Verse 47:- Vasanas, or latent tendencies of the previous birth will haunt a normal person in the current birth. The Jnani has no such 'samskara' - 'must happenings in the present birth'.He enjoys with his Pure Intellect, as a damsel, in the palatial mansion of divine bliss.He is in Brahman, like the ghee in the butter, all pervading but without known by others.

Verse 48:- The Jnani cherishes with broadway of the renunciation by lighting thousand lamps with his self effulgence.Climbs the upstairs called the Reality and enjoys the ecstasy of Liberation,the damsel in the Brahmic state.

Verse 49:-The Jnani devoid of pleasures, appetite, concern for his body remains completely satisfied with illumination.He is Sahaja Sthiti, immense Ananda, the Bliss, without any bondage.He is Brahma Ananda at all times.

Verse 50:-The Brahma Jnani, with his discretion either rejects or receives anything without intention.As in unaffected by good or bad that comes in its way, he never hates them.Whatever that has not come to him, he has no regret either.

Verse 51:-The Jnani in all matters behaves with balance.He will not think of the past or will he think of the forthcoming in future.Even the present objects, he will not see with any special intention.He is unconcerned with past, present and future.Come what may, he looks at it with equanimity.

Verse 52:-The Jnani copntrolling all his senses and completely giving up all material wants, and realizing that the all pervading Brahman is himself, lives in perfect satisfaction and moves about in this world.He enjoys Bhumanda, that is all pervasiveness of Brahman and enjoys eternal bliss.

Verse 53:-The Jnani will not give up what has been obtained him either good or bad.He has no hatred and endearment.He is the Witness, in spite of his body, touching, smelling, tasting,eating, hearing, walking, sleeping, dreaming, respiring, talking,excreting , handling, eyelids batting and closing and all acts done by the organs.He is totally unconcerned and just enjoys actions as a Non Entity.

Verse 54:-That which cannot be seen or described in words,that Supreme State and Bliss and most effulgent on that Ancient,that Brahman is endeared to a Jnani, all the time.Having got rid of the bondage, he wanders happily and freely.

Verse 55:-The realized Jnani, becomes a torch bearer to the society. He engrosses in Brahman and his mind will become one with Atman, and enjoys the universe, without desires,ambitions and without work.He radiates brilliantly all the time.

Verse 56:-The Jnani by virtue of the excellent benevolence of his own preceptor, possessing firm knowledge of Oneness,totally annihilates all duality.He deserts the body all the time,and rules the earth with his radiance.He is in the form of Brahman, the Brahma Swaroopa.

Verse 57:-The person who knows Brahman becomes Brahman,the only Real and all the world is unreal.The Jiva is also Brahman and is nondual.

Verse 58:-As long as the Jnani possesses his body, he lives to experience of past 'vasanas' and when they are experienced and annihilated, he will be detached from the bondage of mortal body, and becomes the Immortal Bliss, Brahman, without sadecha and videcha, that is good and bad 'vasanas'.

Verse 59:-There is no other object other than Brahman.He is Supreme Bliss.He is incomparable, imperishable, second to none, Ananda.Thus Truth is Knowledge, Bliss and Existence.The pot is occupied by space and space is occupied in the pot,and when the pot is broken, the space inside the pot and outside the pot, becomes One.Thus the whole universe, regardless of objects, is pervded with Consciousness.

Verse 60:-Brahman is most subtle.The 'I' is nothing but the perceiver, Brahman.He pervades in all objects, including trees.All experiences, shapes or colours, ignorance or knowledge,desire or hatred, anger or pleasure, all is Brahman.He is the same, in creation, sustenance or dissolution.

Verse 61:-The ever lasting Bliss, which has no birth, death,near and far, pervading all places, most fertile, the means to cross the ocean of life, is Oneness, the Supreme, fearless and devoid of all gunas.This is the Truth, Reality and Brahman,the one without a second.

Verse 62:-Here, Sadasiva Brahmendra, has stated in sixtytwo slokas, by the grace of his guru, the essence of Vedanta.

Verse 63:- Who ever recites this Atma Vidya Vilasam and contemplates the purport, will merge with Brahama Jnana.He will attain and become Perfection and Liberation.

Verse 64:-This book of Atma Vidya Vilasam is written by Sri Sadasiva Brahmendra, addressing Brahman, who is none else his guru, Parama Sivendra, Siva.