SRI GURUBHYO NAMAH SRI PARAMA GURUBHYO NAMAH
SRI PARAMESHTHI GURUBHYO NAMAH

विश्वं दर्पणदृश्यमाननगरीतुल्यं निजान्तर्गतं
पश्यन्नात्मनि मायया बहिरिवोद्भूतं यथा निद्रया ।
यः साक्षात्कुरुते प्रबोधसमये स्वात्मानमेवाद्वयं
तस्मै श्रीगुरुमूर्तये नम इदं श्रीदक्षिणामूर्तये ॥ १॥

The universe is the reflection of a mirror. The Truth is the supreme Brahman, the only ONE without the second. The mind, senses and intellect are all able to only discern the reflection of the Atman. Once the Self is illuminated, the identity of the brahman and the Atman is apparent. I offer my profound salutations to the auspicious Guru, the embodiment of DakShinamurti, with whose Grace one can experience self-illumination.

As mentioned in part 1 in this series, Sri Sureshwaracharya the disciple of Sri Shankara Bhagavatpada wrote Bhashya to Sri Dakshinamurthi Stotra, titled “MANASOLLASA’

After offering salutations to Vinayaka, Sarasvati, Maheswara and sadasiva, Sri Sri Sureshwaracharya tells that the sages surrounding Sri Dakshinamurthi hold that there is no greater gain than the gain of Atman, the SELF. The first Verse of Sri Dakshinamurti Stotra adored the PARAMESWARA himself, having entered into the Universe created by his own will, manifests himself in the mind of everyone.

Because of good karmas of many past births and after a cursory study of scriptures and of human experience, one becomes the disciple of a GURU and asks him the following fundamental questions.

Let us now go through these questions: –

We speak of things as existing and appearing. Wherein does this existence abide, as also the light by which the appear?
Is it in the things themselves severally, or in Ishwara, the very SELF of all?
What is Ishvara?
What is JIva?
What is meant by ‘the self of all”?
How has JIva to understand it?
What is the means to that Knowledge?
What good accrues to him from the Knowledge?
How can Jiva and Iswara be one?
How can Atman, the Self, be the All-knower and All doer?

Before proceeding to answer these questions, the questions are to be understood first.
Let us do it in the next article/ next video.