ಆತ್ಮ ಮತ್ತು ಪರಮಾತ್ಮ ಒಂದೆಯೇ?

Ramanujacharya: The souls are different from, but not independent of, God. They are said to be one only in the sense that they all belong to the same class.

http://www.uramamurthy.com/u_intro1.html#TERM: The Vedas were composed by the seers when they were in a state of inspiration. He who inspires them is God. [With reference to the prophets, Athenagoras says: 'While entranced and deprived of their natural powers of reason by the influence of the Divine Spirit, they uttered that which was wrought in them, the spirit using them as its instrument as a flute-player might blow a flute.' Apol. IX.
Cp. 'Howbeit, when he the spirit of truth is come he shall guide you unto all the truth; for he shall not speak for himself, but whatsoever things he shall hear, these shall he speak.' John XVI. 13. ]

The principal upaniShads are said to be ten. shankara commented on eleven, Isa, kena, kaTha, prasna, muNDaka, mANDUkya, taittirIya, aitareya, chAndogya, bRhad-AraNyaka and svetAsvatara.

He also refers to the kauShItakI, jAbAla, mahAnArAyaNa and paingala upaniShads in his commentary on the brahma sUtra. These together with the maitrAyaNIya or maitrI upaniShad constitute the principal upaniShads. rAmAnuja uses all these upaniShads as also the subAla and the cUlika. He mentions also the garbha, the jAbAla and the mahA upaniShads. vidyAraNya includes nrsimhottara-tApanI upaniShad among the twelve he explained in his sarvopaniShad-arthAnubhUti-prakAsa. The other upaniShads which have come down are more religious than philosophical. They belong more to the purANa and the tantra than to the veda. They glorify vedAnta or yoga or sanyAsa or extol the worship of siva, sakti or viShNu.

1) Isa
2) kena
3) kaTha
4) prasna
5) muNDaka
6) mANDUkya
7) taittirIya
8) aitareya,
9) chAndogya,
10) bRhad-AraNyaka
11) svetAsvatara
12) kauShItakI
13) jAbAla
14) mahAnArAyaNa
15) paingala
16) maitrAyaNIya
17) subAla
18) cUlika
19) garbha
20) maHa
21) nrsimhottara-tApanI

The inspired sages proclaim that the knowledge they communicate is not what they discover for themselves. It is revealed to them without their effort. [ puruSha-prayatnam vinA prakaTIbhUta. shankara. ]

Svaha

Taken from (http://www.uramamurthy.com/u_intro3.html)

In every homa the expression svAha is used which implies the renunciation of the ego, svatva-hanana. [ yAska explains it thus: su AhA iti vA, svA vAg Aheti vA, svam prAheti vA, svAhutaM havir juhoti iti vA. Nirukta VIII. 21.]

State and Status

Swami Nityananda in a lecture says: One should try to achieve the State and Not the Status. Achieve the state of the master and not the status of the master.

Treasure Hunt and Sunny Days

This was said to Nagesha for his comment on the hoplesness of hope.

My friend thinks he is hopeful, but not sure why he is subjected to what he is subjected to. If we had an answer for that, life would have been boring :) Life is exciting because of its mystifying nature :) The "treasure hunt" in ON my friend, do not stop, collect more clues, we are close to it. Sunny days are not far hehe :)

Gloomy Days

Quote 1: "Agreed, these are gloomy days. But, keep the windows open, sunny days are not far away!"

Most of us have heard that we need to open windows. We can open our windows but how can we clear the clouds? If the reason for gloominess is not us but the cloud above us then what can we do about it? We have several choices: move to a place (or a state of mind) where the clouds are clear, or wait for the clouds to clear (but keep the windows open), or temporarily use a light from within the house. As the Lord says in the Bhagawad Gita:
matra-sparsas tu kaunteya
sitosna-sukha-duhkha-dah
agamapayino 'nityas
tams titiksasva bharata

That these sensory perceptions are a) temporary and b) come in cycles, do not be disturbed, learn to tolerate them.

My Quote 1

This is not to boast my personal ability to come up with quotes, but this is only an acknowledgement of what one's mind is capable of producing. I am also not expecting to come up with quotes but if something striking comes up to this wonderful mind (not that of mine but the wonder called mind itself) then I think it is worth noting.

To myself:
I attempt not to produce something, let the one that produces everything take its own course. Just be a scriber, a subscriber, a listener, a witness. Let not pride overcome you, because I am incapable of anything. I produce nothing, I am just a via media. I do nothing significant. May the one within, the cause of all causes, lead me and direct me. If anything is achieved then it is all because of That only. If there are any shortcomings then they belong to my unqualified ego. May the Sweet one produce all sweetness through me and everyone.

Madhuradhipather akhilam madhuram.

Hare Krishna.
Girish