Characteristics Traits of a
knower of Brahman
The knowledge of Brahman enables one to view everything and
everybody in equal light, be it a learned Brahmin (priest/scholar) endowed with humility or a cow
or an elephant, a dog or an outcaste.
A knower of the Self sees the Self in all beings. To him
there is no difference in status and caste, between animals and humans, between
lower and higher forms of animals. He sees the Lord who pervades everything and
everybody and therefore treats every being equally, without any
prejudice.
A person whose mind is tranquil and who is established
firmly in Brahman, has already
conquered all creation while living in this world. He is as blameless as the Brahman Himself and therefore, verily,
he is Brahman. He is not enthused by
getting what is pleasant, nor is he disturbed by getting something unpleasant.
Being of steady intellect and not deluded (by Maya), the knower of Brahman is established in Brahman.
The jivanmukta person is free from all worldly
fetters and therefore is indifferent to worldly desires and gains, pleasures and
pains and work only for the benefit of all beings out of compassion.
Such a person is also indifferent to external world of senses and
sense objects like touch and feel, sensual pleasures and pains. He rejoices by
living inward, immersed in Self and drawing great joy out of the knowledge of
Self. This person is thus in constant communion with God or Brahman, and he enjoys the eternal bliss
derived from the mighty fountain of knowledge of Brahman. The enjoyment arising out of
sensory pleasures is in effect cause of miseries and pain because these are
fleeting, transient, non permanent. Once the pleasure ends it torments with the
memories or it often comes with painful consequences. Therefore wise never
derives happiness out of sense pleasures.
Watch an enjoyable movie or sports, visit a scenic spot,
tour another country or enjoy the company of friends – all these are sense
pleasures. They are enjoyable while they last. After the enjoyment is over only
imprints and memories are left which cause miseries. Sorrows often accompany
joy. So no enjoyment of senses is lasting. Therefore taking recourse to sense
enjoyment is fool’s errand.
The Lord further said, “Oh Arjuna, forbearance is a great capacity.
One who is able to bear the onslaughts of desire and passion before he (the soul
or Atman) is liberated from the body,
is happy. He is in constant bliss, in a yoga state.”
One who endures pains associated with desires, anger and
other passions, without capitulating to the vagaries of mind and senses, who is
able to exercise wonderful self control, is truly liberated (from slaveries of
passion). Such a person is in bliss forever because worldly sorrows and
tribulations do not affect him. Such a person rejoices from within, derives
pleasure from an infinite source (the Self) within and is illuminated from
within. He thereby receives the grace of Brahman and is liberated even while
being on this world (jivanmukti).
The sages, thus being the recipient of the infinite source of
bliss, the Brahman, have their sins destroyed, are free from dualities
or pairs or opposites like pleasure and pain, birth and death, good and evil
etc, are perfectly self controlled, and are only engaged in the welfare of all
living beings. They are free of all desires and hence they are true Sannyasis.
Such persons are devoid of desires and anger, established in Self
and have all their passions and senses under control. They are constantly near
the ocean of bliss called Brahman
after realizing that verily they are Brahman themselves. Realizing the Self
is also realizing Brahman or the
Supreme Being. For the realized soul the world is Maya or non reality and therefore he
cannot allow his senses to run amok amongst the worldly pleasures.
He is thus indifferent to the external world. He sits
in a yogic posture with extreme inward concentration letting the external world
vanish, controlling the breath using Pranayama.
With all his senses, mind and intellect, the sage is intent upon
liberation or moksha. Devoid of
desire, fear or anger and other passions, the person is ever blissful.
Lord Krishna concluded his discourse on renunciation saying that,
“by knowing Me, the Supreme Being as the master of all worlds, as the enjoyer of
all oblations and austerities (sacrifices), as the friend and lover of all
beings, these great yogis or sages attain everlasting peace.”
By renouncing desire and fruits of actions, by controlling
passions and by remaining detached from worldly objects one is able to realize
Self and thereby attain supreme knowledge. This knowledge or realization is
equivalent to realizing God as Self or Supreme Being is God. Therefore such a
person is entitled to an eternal spring of joy and bliss which is never derived
from material and worldly sense pleasures which are fleeting in nature. Thus
liberated the person beholds every object and being in this world as
manifestation of Brahman and derives bliss from an inexhaustible source
from within.
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