Remind the Mind to be Mindful of Misapprehension

By H H Maa Purnananda

“Shattrau Mittrey Puttrey Bandhau Ma Kuru Yatnam Vigrahsandhau; Sarvasminnapi Pashyaatmaanam Sarvattrotsrij Bhedaagnyaanam.” – (Bhaj Govindam - 25)

“Non-apprehension of the Reality leads to misapprehension.” Often one comes across the said statement in Vedant. It is difficult for a new initiate to comprehend the deep import of this declaration of the Guru-s. Man is so involved in worldly activities that he forgets that he needs to evolve! The impact of his own misapprehensions keep him caged into his delusive comprehension about the very purpose of human life.

Caution! Our Guru cautions us about this inherent problem and holds our hand to pull us out of this dark well of ignorance dug by ourselves due to non-apprehension of the Reality. The world appears to be so real to us. We hear it with our own ears, see it with our own eyes, we touch it with our own skin, taste it with our own tongue and smell it with our own nose. And then, the Guru tells us that it is not real! How do I reject my own experiences of the sort! How do I give up my feelings towards my own dear ones! If not of the world, what am I supposed to think about? So most of us outright reject the idea given by the great Rishi-s of yore and hence do not want to study Their Sacred Works such as The Upanishad-s, Sreemad Bhagawad Geeta, Prakaran Granth-s and so on; the list is very long!

How would I practice or even follow my own religion, leave aside Spirituality, without understanding the fundamentals of my chosen religion or of a school of philosophy from the several established by the respective traditions of Guru-s? Should I remind the mind to be mindful of misapprehension, or, should I blindly follow a Guru whose teachings and preaching appear to be easy to me? What a dilemma!

We all are supposed to be well qualified, well placed in the society and surely not amongst those who are people of have-nots! Nor even are we (hopefully) believers in violence, cheating, fraud and so on! The question to be asked to oneself then is, why don’t I remind the mind to be mindful of misapprehension? Why am I not interested to know about my own religion and philosophy and why don’t I try to practice my religion more sincerely? Why do I run after the easier and why do I run away from the discipline of my own religion? Why have I become so indisciplined? Why don’t I get motivated by that which is Shreyas (beneficial) for me and my family and why do I get carried away by Preyas (of my liking)?

If these questions come up in my mind, then I shall surely start looking for satisfactory answers! Some such fortunate men of perseverance found their Guru and made the best of their life under the shelter and guidance of their Guru. The unswerving faith in the Guru, the steady will to shed the unreal while seeking the Reality, and, unabated effort to understand and practice the religious and spiritual doctrines advised by the Guru; all of these put together, in due course would pull such a dedicated practitioner out of the dark well of utter ignorance.

Remind the mind to be mindful of misapprehension. A proper study of Adi Shankaracharya’s expositions and further explanations and commentaries upon His works as well as on other sacred Scriptures, expounded by our beloved Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda, is essential for those who aspire to evolve and eliminate the self-imposed ignorance! For example, Gurudev’s commentary on verse 25 from Adi Shankaracharya’s Bhaj Govindam (also known as Moha Mudgar, Dwaadash Manjrika Stotram and Charpat Panjrika Stotram) given herewith in the beginning, says – “Strive not, waste not your energy to fight against or to make friends with your enemy, friend, son or relative. Seeking the Self everywhere, lift the sense-of-difference or plurality, born out of ‘ignorance’.”

So, on the auspicious occasion of Sree Adi Shankaracharya’s Jayanti and Gurudev’s Jayanti, this year falling on the 6th and 7th May respectively, worship Their Holy-feet and seek Their blessings to remind the mind to be mindful of misapprehension, to study Their Sacred works sincerely and practice well through the worldly activities for not to get blindly involved, vehemently attached and ruthlessly indulgent into my own misapprehension.