Just as cloud formations, arising from the suns rays, obscure the sun and fill the sky, so the sense of self-identity, arising from ones true nature, obscures the existence of the true self and itself fills experience.

Moreover, Shankaracharya adds that

When he has lost sight of his true self, immaculate and resplendent, a man identifies himself with his body out of ignorance. Then the great so-called dispersive power of desire torments him with fetters derived from desire and hatred.

These quotes are from Shankaracharya’s famous Vivekachudamani, meaning “The Crest-Jewel of Discrimination.” The work is composed of 580 verses in Sanskrit and is structured as a dialogue in which a master tells his disciple about the nature of atman and how to realize the self.

So how does one go about achieving self-realization? Curious to see what Shankaracharya had to say on the subject, I found the following interesting passage (verses 10-13, Vivekachudamani):

Abandoning all actions and breaking free from the bonds of achievements, the wise and intelligent should apply themselves to self-knowledge. After giving up all karma for the purpose of removing the bonds of conditioned existence, those wise men with resolute minds should endeavor to gain a knowledge of their own atman.

Action is for the purification of the mind, not for the understanding of reality. The recognition of reality is through discrimination, and not by even tens of millions of actions. Actions are for the purification of the heart, not for the attainment of the real substance. The substance can be attained by right discrimination, but not by any amount of karma.

Proper analysis leads to the realisation of the reality of the rope, and this is the end of the pain of the fear of the great snake caused by delusion. A perception of the fact that the object seen is a rope will remove the fear and sorrow which result from the illusory idea that it is a serpent.

The realisation of the truth is seen to depend on meditation on statements about what is good, not on bathing or donations or by hundreds of yogic breathing exercises. The knowledge of an object is only gained by perception, by investigation, or by instruction, but not by bathing or giving of alms, or by a hundred retentions of the breath.

What Shankaracharya seems to be suggesting is that it is viveka, or the faculty of discrimination, which leads to the recognition of reality. In other words, introspection/investigation alone is responsible for attaining self-realization. In light of this observation, the above passage raises some interesting questions about the role of action and karma yoga in a person’s life. If neither action nor good deeds such as giving of alms can lead to self-realization, what is the role of karma yoga, which prescribes achieving unity and perfection through action?

My interpretation is that karma yoga is a stepping stone toward self-realization, though it alone cannot be an end in itself. Shankaracharya maintains that action is for the purification of the mind and heart. Thus, perhaps the role of action is to bring purification, and it is only with such purification that one can continue onwards on the path of self-realization by engaging in introspective inquiry.

What are your thoughts?

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The significance of Ekadashi has been described in scriptures such as the Srimad Bhagavatam (chapter 9), in which King Ambarisha, a devotee of Lord Vishnu, observes the Ekadashi vratas for a year and obtains His grace. There is also a passage in the Mahabharata, in which Bhima asks Sage Vyasa about the significance of Ekadashi fasting. Bhima desires to both eat and fast, so he asks Vyasa whether there is one Ekadashi which includes all the others. Vyasa replies that by observing the full fast on Nirjala Ekadashi, one can reap the benefits of all other Ekadashis.

But what are the true benefits of Ekadashi? Is it truly the physical discipline that the fast entails, or is there another component to it? To me, Ekadashi is much more than simply a fast; it is a means of undergoing discipline and concentrating one’s thoughts on devotion to the Lord. True, fasting does offer many physical benefits; it is a means of detoxification and providing rest to the digestive system. However, I personally feel that whatever benefit the Ekadashi fast offers is incomplete if one simply fasts without spiritual purpose, i.e. without remembering the Lord or engaging in spiritual activities such as meditation.

Swami Krishnananda explains the spiritual significance of Ekadashi:

Fast and meditation! What connection have they? There is really no intrinsic connection between fast and meditation, but there is some advantage in keeping the body light and the stomach free from excessive metabolic function. When the stomach is given the duty of digestion, doctors will tell you, the blood circulation is accelerated towards the digestive organs, on account of which blood circulation to the head gets decreased after food is taken and so you feel sleepy and the thinking faculty practically ceases to function.  Hence, there is no advantage in giving the physical system work on days you want to do Yogic practice.  Thus, Ekadasi has also a spiritual significance.

The energy of the whole system gets distributed equally if a particular limb is not given any inordinate work.  If any part is given heavy work, there is a dislocation of the working of the body. So, in fasting the energy is equally distributed as the digestive function is not there.  But, there should be no overdoing in fast.  Fast is supposed to cause buoyancy of feeling and not fatigue.   So people who are sick and cannot observe a total fast take milk and fruits, etc. People who are perfectly healthy and are confident, observe a complete fast. This helps in control of mind and will.

Apart from all these, there is a necessity to give the physiological system some rest once a while. It may be over-worked due to a little over-eating or indiscrimination in diet. These irregularities unconsciously done during the fourteen days get rectified in one day.  Thus the observance of Ekadasi has many advantages—physical, astral, spiritual—and because this day has connection with the relation of the mind with its abode together with the moon, you feel mysteriously helped in your meditation and contemplation,—mysteriously because you cannot know this consciously.  But you can feel this for yourself by observing it.

What are your thoughts on the benefits of Ekadashi or fasting in general?

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