DETACHED ATTACHMENT

Jeeva, independent by itself , is under the delusion of getting attached to anthakaranam . Jeeva should be conscious of its source i.e., kudasthan and remain as a witness notwithstanding its giving life to anthakaranam. This stage of ‘witnessing’ is Arulbodham. Thus jeevabodham should be immersed in Arul bodham even while jeeva enlivens the anthakarana.

The analogy of a clay pot is brought in here. The pot need not be broken to realise the clay content. Even when the pot exists the reality can be grasped through ‘knowledge’. Again another analogy – sun appears rising and setting although really it is not so. Our knowledge of cosmology reveals it .Similar is the case of mirage and desert. Thus, we do not get affected by the appearance of the world as seen through anthakarana, once we come to know the reality of it. Through knowledge we could develop the detached attitude of a witness even when the attachment continues to remain – an attitude of detached attachment!!

Jeeva (Pasu) has to be released from anthakaranam (Pasam) and taken to kudasthan (Pathy), In the end all the three merges into one. In this process one gets the divine vision, experience sukha and finally attain sukhadeedha stage. The mahavakya ‘Tat-twam-asi represents the manifested Brahman, kudasthan and Absolute Brahman. It is anthakaranam (pasam) that binds the jeeva (pasu) and stands in the way of its knowing its source. Neither the field of karma (world) nor the enjoyment of it is an obstruction to gain knowledge of the Reality. Karma is however not a substitute for knowledge. However much we attempt to drain the mirage water, the mirage remains as such and only by gaining knowledge we come to know the illusory nature of mirage.

Ego, a constituent of anthakarana and sentient through jeeva , is not that easy to be outlived. At every stage of gaining knowledge also this ego would interfere. This ego is also to be outlived through knowledge to gain the Arul gnanam and Arul bodham. This Arul bodham i.e. witness stage is not the ultimate. The ultimate is Being i.e., from Doing to Witness and from Witness to Being.As one enters the Witness stage, the knowledge so far gained also has to be relegated to the background , and Arul gnanam would substitute it.

Development of Equanimity (sama bhava)is a step to enter from the Doing to the Witness stage.This Equanimity helps to destroy accumulation of vasanas. The vasanas are the total sum up of past lives with punya and papa karmas and the punya karma vasanas help one to cultive interest in gaining knowledge All karmas in the Doing stage are meant for purification of anthakarana preparing it to be receptive to tatwa gnana and Arul gnana. Both the karma and the tatva gnana would go to the background when Arul bodham (witnessing) dawns in the individual.

Jeeva has a roopam, swabhavam and swaroopam – i.e., appearance, nature and reality. The first one functions attaching itself to anthakarana; the second makes the ego sentient and the third is Absolute purity – a reflection of kudastha – atma chaitanya. The jeeva has to remind itself of its swaroopam.

Finally a good analogy to remember and remind ourselves of the Witness stage – A bell without a tongue; however much it is shaken cannot produce sound. Similarly the witness in Arul bodham although for all purpose appears to be existing as an individual, has no attachment of a ‘tongue’ to taste the world – a stage of Detached Attachment!!

To summarise, through tatwa gnanam one outlives jeeva bhavam and enters Arul bodham;In the Arul bodham stage (i.e.witness stage) one is bestowed with Arul gnana and thus he attains Mukthy. All expressions of a Muktha turns to be Iswara prasadam. Arul gnana has to come on its own accord - “Nayamatma pravachanena labhyo, na medhaya na bhahuna srudhena, yamevaisha vrinuthe thena labhyasthasyaisha atma vivrunuthe thanoo: swaam” (The Self cannot be gained by the Veda, nor by intellectual power, nor by much learning. He is to be gained only by the one whom he chooses. To such a one the Self reveals His own nature.”(Kadopanishad)