Knowing the self is not being the self: paroksh-gnanam

and aparoksh-anubhooti
Introduction
For a sadhaka on the path of advaita vedanta, achievement of the state brahman is the ultimate end.
But, this state has been described in every upanishad as undefinable that is, beyond the capacity of
all known forms of knowing. This is the cause of untold frustration for said sadhaka because while
there are indicators a plenty, the final state is unknown. To use a very feeble simile, it is like having all
the maps and guides to a location yet not knowing how one will know that one has reached the
location.

Yet, while the destination is unknown, the path is very clear. A sadhaka who has attained the four-fold
qualifications enumerated as sadhana chatushtaya, is to approach a guru who will instruct the
sadhaka in the knowledge of the indicators of the Brahman. This knowledge of the direct and indirect
indicators of Brahman is paroksh-gnanam or knowledge that exists outside of oneself as perceived by
the senses. The sadhaka is to then contemplate on the knowledge until the knowledge becomes
one's consciousness itself. This end, where knowledge is no longer in the realm of the intellect is
aparoksh-anubhooti or direct experience of the self within the self (Sw. Chinmayananda, 2015) to
translate literally or in popular parlance, self-realisation. Though 'experience' and 'realisation' also are
a misfit because there is no associated physical or mental activity. It is just the being of the self,
where the self is beyond cognition.

As a sadhaka walking this path, this comes as a great stumbling block to forward momentum; yet
needs to keep walking without knowing the destination. While accepting that as inescapable, one still
needs to make the concept of paroksh-gnanam and aparoksh-anubhooti slightly more practicable in
order to anchor myself on the path to the unknowable bliss. Hence, the goal of this paper is to bring
clarity to the term aparoksh-anubhooti and its distinction from paroksh-gnanam in practicably relatable
terms.

Clarifying aparoksh-anubhooti
The title of this section is itself a contradiction in terms for it is impossible to clarify that which cannot
be cognised. Aparoksh-anubhooti structurally opens up as a-para-aksha-anu-bhooti where ‘a-para-
aksha’ literally means ‘not-other('s)-eye’ meaning self and ‘anu-bhooti’ literally stands for ‘continual-
being’ meaning existing in a uninterrupted state of being (Sw. Chinmayananda, 2015). Putting them
together, aparoksh-anubhooti means continual abidance. Simple enough. One may say, one is
already that. No, because if one were to be asked what one is continually abiding in, all one has are
words that indicate a constant stream of temporary states in a variety of modes each bound within a
time, place and object, pertaining to this sensory perception that is the body and mind. Therefore, the
crux of that phrase in that which is unsaid that is continual abidance in - the state of the self which is
beyond the senses and cognition, also known as Brahmatvam or“Brahman-ness”.

It is precisely this temporality that Advaita Vedanta puts forward as the basis for the realness of
super-perception (here meaning only that which is beyond perception) and non-real-ness of the
perceived world. Consequently, by aparoksh-anubhooti being real or contrary to that which is
temporary, is state of unchanging reality unbounded by time, place or object and therefore beyond
cognition which in itself is temporary (mind being part of the destructible body complex).

Therein lies the rub to attaining this state, which lies through the state of paroksh-gnanam; a state of
cognition of the temporariness of all that is perceived. Enroute from paroksh-gnanam to aparoksh-
anubhooti, one is required to negate this temporally-deficient perception and replace it with
consciousness of what lies at the core of all that is perceived. This core or substratum of the non-real
perception are the principles of existence, which predicates consciousness and results in eternal
bliss. Continual being in this “principled” state is the best that aparoksh-anubhooti can be described in
words.
Perception being knowledge and consciousness being being. In essence, one is required to replace
cognition with embodiment by negating cognition altogether to emerge into a state of being a
principle. It is like saying one must know that “merely knowing the truth” is a non-real; one must “be
the truth” for it to be real. Being the truth is what all the sadhana is about despite having no cognition
of the “experience”of being the truth.

Explicating paroksh-gnanam
The significance of this notion lies in the fact that the only means to attaining aparoksh-anubhooti is
by way of knowledge - negating the awareness of my limitations and becoming aware of one’’s (as
opposed to “my”) limitlessness. My limitations are really the absence of knowledge of one’s
limitlessness or in other words, erroneous knowledge of oneself as an entity characterised by
limitations. And the means of removal of such erroneous knowledge is by displacing it with the correct
knowledge of one’s limitless self. Therefore, in terms of process, it is (a) reversal of extant aparoksh-
anubhooti into paroksh-gnanam (b) gaining certainty of the error of extant paroksh-gnanam of self and
thereby negating its very existence (c) gaining certainty of the truth of the paroksh-gnanam of one’s
limitlessness (d) attaining the state of aparokhanubhooti of newly-acquirement paroksh-gnanam.

Sounds simple, replace one type of information with another and chant it until it becomes
unforgettable like “twinkle twinkle little star”! If only! Complexity in this displacement of knowledge is
due to the differences in the modalities of the paroksh-gnanam and aparoksh-anubhooti.

This is best illustrated using the Upanishad’s favourite tool of the states of being, in this case – waking
and deep-sleep. paroksh-gnanam is akin to my knowledge that I am feeling sleepy. It is a thought, an
intellectual activity with clear definition and corresponding characteristics such as drowsiness,
lethargy and drooping eyelids. aparoksh-anubhooti, on the other hand, is like the state of deep sleep
where in there is consciousness (because, the next morning, one knows one slept well) but there was
no awareness of “I” during the course of deep-sleep, due to the absence of all sensory activity. This is
described in Aparokshanubhooti (57) by Adi Shankaracharya as

ससससससस ससससससsसससः सससससससsसस स सस ससससस स ससससससस ससस सससससस

सससsसस सससससससससस स सससस

The dream state is unreal in waking, and the waking state is absent in dream. And again these two
states of waking and dream are totally absent in deep sleep. This deep sleep state is not available
either in waking or dream state (Sw. Chinmayananda, 2013).

As illustrated by the above verse, one cannot attain the state of aparoksh-anubhooti without going
through the stage of paroksh-gnanam. Yet, on attaining aparoksh-anubhooti, as illustrated, there is
absence of the state of paroksh-gnanam or to state it better “parokshatvam” or “otherness”. Hence the
sadhaka may feel, over the course of immersive sadhana that one has reached a state of aparoksh-
anubhooti but then is immediately thrown over by the “knowledge” that one cannot “know” that one
has achieved aparoksh-anubhooti! As the teacher tells the student in Kenopanishad (2:3) –

सससससससस सससस ससस ससस सससस स ससस ससस ससससससससस सससससससस

ससससससससससससससससससस

It is known to him to whom it is unknown; he to whom it is known does not know it. It is unknown to
those who know and known to those who know not (Panoli, 1995).

Having said so, this line of thinking is a digression, worse an impudence, as Adi Shankaracharya
explains the conversation between Yagnyavalkya and Gargi, described in Brihadaranyaka (3:6:1)

ससससससससस ससससससस सससससससससससससससससससssससससससससससससस ससससससस

ससससस सससस (Gita Press, Pg. 738)

...overlooking the proper course laid down by the scripture for the inquiry...do not ask about it on the
basis of inference... (Panoli, V., 2008)
Therefore, without putting the cart ahead of the horse, it is crucial that the sadhaka stay on course in
meditating upon paroksh-gnanam upto the point that it percolates so deeply into the consciousness
that it is know longer “known” but “is” aparoksh-anubhooti, the self itself.

Preliminary differences between paroksh-gnanam and aparoksh-anubhooti

Though both as form of “knowing” and even occur sequentially; there are fundamental differences
between the nature and outcome of paroksh-gnanam and aparoksh-anubhooti. Prokshagnanam is in
the realm of cognition where as aparoksh-anubhooti lies beyond. The former is an outcome of
perception while the latter, of contemplation.

The nature of paroksh-gnanam is cognitive activity supported by physical actions. It is an artefact of

the intellect which is formed on the basis of a sense perception. Using the similarly esoteric notion of
love, it can be said that the enactment of love as ensuring the well-being of the beloved by emotional
and physical actions is paroksh-gnanam. For instance, gifting an object of the beloved’s desire and
assisting the beloved during illness are both “actions” driven by cognition and recognition of
knowledge of the beloved. Sri Shankaracharya describes it in his Vakyavritti (10) as the knowledge
and understanding of the words and sentences that create knowledge -

ससससससस ससससस सससस ससससससस ससस सससससससस ससससस सससससससससस सस

ससससससससससससससससस सससससस

You have said the truth when you complained that the knowledge and understanding of the meaning
of the words employed in a sentence, are indeed the cause of the full significance of the sentence.
There are no two opinions about it. (Sw. Chinmayananda, 2015)

Aparoksh-anubhooti, on the other hand, is consciousness but not as we “perceive” it. As the teacher
indicates in Kenopanishad (1:5) –

ससससससस स ससससस ससससससससससस सससस | सससस सससससस सससस सससससस... ||

The which one does not think with the mind, that by which, they say, the mind is though, know that
alone to be Brahman ... (Panoli, 1995)

One is aware of it but at a level that is beyond the cognitive. This is indicated by Adi Shankaracharya
through two shlokas in Aparoshanubhooti (87 & 96) (Sw. Chinmayananda, 2015)

...स ससससससस ससससससससस ससससस स ससससससससस ||सस||

...when the same self is known it wil dissolve in the supreme Self [Brahman]

...ससससससससस ससस सससससस सससससससस सससससससस ससससससस ||सस||

...when the substratum is known the world vanishes into nothingness

Continuing with the metaphor of love, aparokshanubhooti of love is when one subsumes the nature of
the beloved into the self, such that there is seamless consciousness of the beloved as much as of the
self. As described by Sage Narada in his bhakti sutra (20)

ससस ससससससस ससस सससससस ससस सससससससस ससस ससससससससस ससस सससस

Total dedication of all actions at the altar of the lord and excruciating pangs at all moments of
forgetfulness of the lord. (Sw. Chinmayananda, 2013)

In a wordly setting, this form of love as complete surrender of the self to truth of love can been in the
unconditional love of a parent; of any species, to the offspring. As history has shown, this is most
often true for the female parent than the male; which may lead to suppose that it perhaps has
something to do with the intrinsic connection born of being physically nested at one point in time. But
even mothers and children can, in certain circumstances, turn away from one another, rendering true
the words of Yagnavalkya to Maitreyi (Brahadaranyaka 2:4:5)
...स सस ससस ससससससस ससससस ससससस सससससस सससससससससससससस ससससस ससससस
सससससस सससस ससस

...It is not for the sake of all that all is dear, but for the sake of the self that all is dear (Panoli, V., 2008)

This is evident in one’s life too, for aren’t all activities undertaken in order to bring satisfaction to the
corresponding desire of the self? However, in the cognitive plane, the self is cognized as the ego and
the desires are material; albeit the satisfaction is emotional, it is still in the realm of cognition. The self
indicated in the verse above, though is super-cognitive. This is evidenced in the opening verse of
Advaita Makaranda (Lakskhmidhara Kavi; Swayamprakash Yati., (2))

ससससससस ससस सससस ससससससस स सससस ससससससस।

I am, ever effulgent, never unloved to myself.

The love that one feel for the self is beyond cognition because it lives on strong and shining through
all its defects, mistakes and trials. Even the anguish and anger that one may feel for oneself is but an
expression of its fundamental love for itself. However, the only difference to the notion of aparoksh-
anubhooti of as inated in the vedas is that in the case of experiential love, it is the perceived love of
the percieved self i.e. body, mind and ego that is subject to destruction by death; whereas the vedas
expound the self that is absolutely eternal.

Nonetheless, conceptually, the point remains the same, that the satisfaction of the self is the highest
satisfaction, in either realm. Thus, the notion of the Self and aparoksh-anubhooti of the Self being the
only true expression of aparoksh-anubhooti is supported, in both realms!

Therefore, fundamentally, paroksh-gnanam and aparoksh-anubhooti lie in two different realms, where
paroksh-gnanam sits in the realm of cognition which is negated as non-real; as such does not even
exist, where as aparoksh-anubhooti is situated in the realm of the absolute which is the only reality
and thus existence.

Similarly, in terms of outcome, the former leads to objective knowledge while the former is a
subjective realisation. Here objective knowledge implies difference and distance between knowledge
and knower like in the case of “i know my nature”, where I is the subject of the knowledge that is my
nature. To the contrary, aparoksh-anubhooti is subjective realisation there being no difference or
distance between knowledge and knower. To be more precise, there is no such duality in the case of
aparoksh-anubhooti because the knower becomes the knowledge and the knowledge is the knower
as defined in Kaivalyopanishad (18) in terms of general experiences:

सससससस ससससस ससससससससस सससससस सससससससस सससससससस स सससससस

सससससससस सससससस ससससससससससससस ससससससस सससससस

All that constitutes the enjoyable, enjoyer and enjoyment in the three realms – different from them all
am I, the witness, the ever-auspicious, pure Consciousness. (Sw. Chinmayananda, 2013)

Which was then extrapolated to the triad of knowledge by Sri Shankaracharya in Atmabodha (41):

सससससससससससससससससससस ससस ससससससस सससससससस सससससससससससससससससस

ससससससस ससससससस ससस सससससस

There are no distinctions such as “Knower”, the “Knowledge” and the “Object of Knowledge” in the
Supreme Self. On account of Its being of the nature of endless Bliss, It does not admit of such
distinctions within Itself. It alone shines by Itself. (Sw. Chinmayananda, 2013)

Hence, aparoksh-anubhooti is conceived to lie outside the realm of “knowing” altogether; it is the
realm in which the knowledge and knower have merged into knowingness, hence the term subjective
realisation. Here subjective indicates that the knowledge, which is the object, and object of knowledge
which is the subject have both evolved into a state known as realisation; that the subject is the object
and vice versa, eroding all distinction. Metaphorically, it is the same as me “knowing” that I am
human. This “knowledge” has moved beyond the limits of knowing into the region of being.
Thus, it can be said that paroksh-gnanam is the last point where escape velocity must be reached in
the contemplation of a sadhak, in order to enter into the stratosphere of non-duality that is aparoksh-
anubhooti. This level of understanding being entirely theoretical, is easy to comprehend. The
complexity arises beyond this point wherein begins the practice or the actual take-off, beyond which
lie confusion, obstacles and frustration in the ability to obtain results promised by theory.

From paroksh-gnanam to aparoksh-anubhooti

Yagnavalkya, it is detailed in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, instructs his wife – Maitreyi to seek
aparoksh-anubhooti using all senses, mind and intellect (2:4:5)

...ससससस सस ससस सससससससससस ससससससससस सससससससस ससससससससससससससस

सससससससस सससससस सस ससस ससससससस ससससससस ससससस ससससससससस ससस
ससससस सससससससससससस

The self, dear Maitreyi, is to be perceived, heard of, thought of and meditated on. When the self is
perceived, my dear, through hearing, thought and meditation, all this is known. (Panoli, V., 2008)

In his commentary to this mantra, Sri Shankaracharya defines the three methods of learning –
।।।।।।। (comprehending the contents of the upanishads as taught by a teacher), ।।।।।
(applying logic to the teaching to internalize the meaning) and ।।।।।।।।।।।। (contemplate the
internalized meaning to remove any doubts caused by habitual ways of thinking rather than gaps in
logic); emphasizing at the end of the sentence । ।।।।।। ।।।।। ।।।।।।। (not merely by
listening, that is by intellectually comprehending the words of the upanishads alone) (Pahali, V., 2008)

...ससससससससस ससससससससससससस ससससससस सससससससससससससससससससससस ससस

ससससससससससससससस सससससससस ससससससस ससस ससससस सससससस सससस
सससससससससससससससससससससससससससससससससससससस
ससससससससससससससससससससस ससस सससससससससससस सससससससससससससससस
सससससससस ससससससस ससससससससससससस (Gita Press, Pg. 549)

Using the analogy of a multilevel structure, paroksh-gnanam can be said to be the three levels from
the bottom with ground zero being ।।।।।।।, next level up is ।।।।। and the roof-top of this
building is ।।।।।।।।।।।।, also the highest level of paroksh-gnanam. On successful completion
of ।।।।।।।।।।।।, one is said to be in possession of undeniable, unforgettable and irrevocable
‘knowledge’ of all indicators of what Sri Shankaracharya refers to as absence of ।।।।।।।।।।।।
(Vakya Vritti, 40)

ससससस सससससससस ससससससससस ससससससससससस ससस सससससस सससससससससससस

ससससस ससससससस सससससससससस सससस सस सससससस

When [...] the mutual identity between the two words “that” and “thou” [in the sentence that thou art] is
comprehended, then the idea ‘I am not Brahman’ shall immediately end.

This statement - knowing one is not ‘not Brahman’, holds to the key to the super-cognitive reality that
is aparoksh-anubhooti. In the stage of ।।।।।।।।।।।।, one is taking the steps to no longer be
the non-Brahman version of oneself; on successful completion of which, one is said to have attained
the state of aparoksh-anubhooti.

This leads to the conclusion that paroksh-gnanam is more than mere knowing of the knowledge of the
indicators of ।।।।।।।।।।।; it is the simultaneous emergence of being of the nature of
।।।।।।।।।।। by embodying the characteristics indicative of ।।।।।।।।. ।।।।।।।। being
embodiment of the principles of conscious blissful existence, described for the specific purpose of
enabling sadhakas to attain the state of being that. This simultaneous emergence of embodiment of
the characteristics of ।।।।।।।। should not be confused with the practice of ।।।।।।।। and
।।।।।।। to attain ।।।।।।।।।।।. It being an outcome of actions entailed to submerge the
individual ego into the collective humanity. Contrary to ।।।।।।।।।।।, the simultaneous
emergence of the characteristics of ।।।।।।।। in the sadhaka is the outcome of intrinsic
acceptance of paroksh-gnanam of the non-duality of existence and non-realness of the perception on
the basis of examination of one’s experiences with perception . This process is described beautifully
in Mundakopanishad (1:2:12)

सससससससस सससससस सससससससससस ससससससससस

सससससससससससससससससससससससस सससससस

ससससससससससससससस स ससससससससससससससससस सससससससससस सससससससससस

ससससससससससससस सससससस

A brahmana (aspirant) who, after examining the worlds gained through karma, becomes
dispassionate because nothing because nothing gained by karma is eternal; should approach the
preceptor, well-versed in Vedas and established in Brahman, in order to obtain knowledge of the
eternal. (Sw. Chinmayananda, 2015; Panoli, V., 2008)

In the mantra following this, it is clarified that aspirant (also known as brahmana due to being a seeker
of Brahman) is already one who has his senses under the control of his intellect and is of a peaceful
temperament. These characteristics essential for the undistorted reception of knowledge are attained
through the practice of ।।।।। ।।। (wherein the senses are brought under the mastery of the
intellect) and ।।।। ।।। (wherein the ego is brought under the mastery of the intellect). This
process of the intellect gaining mastery over those components of the mind that are swayed by the
senses is described using a chariot metaphor in Katopanishad (1:3:3-9) .

।।।।।।।।।।।, on the other hand, is not the outcome of any practice; it is the embodiment of
internalized paroksh-gnanam. For instance, one of the characteristics of being a human is humane-
ess. That the qualities of empathy, compassion and love constitute humane-ness is paroksh-gnanam
and the embodiment of said qualities such that their expression is seamless in a situation that
demands it is being humane. Just as empathy, compassion and love cannot be embodied through
any practice except the knowledge of their existence; ।।।।।।।।।।। cannot be embodied by the
performance of any exercise except by that of the intellect enacting it in a demanding situation. The
point in time, when it is not a “situation” that calls these into action but the constant state of existence,
is aparoksh-anubhooti.

To sum, paroksh-gnanam is the means to the process of negation of a-Brahmatvam which results in
aparoksh-anubhooti, which is the moment of irrevocable acceptance one’s Brahmatvam.

Emergence of brahmatvam (by negation of a-brahmatvam) from paroksh-

gnanam
Easier said than done though is the internalization of knowledge of the indicators of Brahman
(।।।।।।।।।।।।) as it is said in every Upanishad that even the acquisition of mere knowledge of
Brahman through the indicators is an extremely subtle and difficult to comprehend even by the
sharpest intellect (Katopanishad 1:3:14)

ससससससससस सससससस ससससससस ससससससससससस स सससससससस सससस सससससस

सससससससस सससससस ससससससससससस सससससस सससससस

Arise, awake and learn by approaching the exalted ones, for that path is sharp as a razor’s edge,
impassionable and hard to go by, say the wise. (Panoli, V., 2006)

In order to understand the process by which this simultaneous emergence of brahmatvam from
paroksh-gnanam takes place, there is a pre-requisite of clear and complete comprehension of the
indicators of Brahman.