Ignorant people identify themselves with the body, mind, Prana and
the senses on account of nescience or Avidya. They mistake these false
perishable limiting adjuncts or vehicles for the pure immortal Atman and
so they are caught in the round of births and deaths. But some wise
people abandon this false identification, separate themselves from these
limiting adjuncts through enquiry, discrimination, Anvayavyatireka
Yukti and practice of 'Neti-Neti' doctrine (I am not this body, I am not
this Prana, I am not this mind, I am not the senses), identify
themselves with the all-pervading, immortal, pure Brahman, obtain
knowledge of Brahman and attain immortality.
One
becomes immortal by renouncing all desires. In this world man always
talks of 'my son', 'my wife', 'my house', etc. The wise abandon all such
worldly talks and worldly desires and attain immortality by meditation
on Brahman who is the ear of the ear, the mind of the mind, etc. The
Sruti says, Not by works, not by offspring, not by wealth, but by
renunciation alone is immortality attained. When all desires are
abandoned here they attain the Brahman. Having turned his senses inward
for desire of immorality, the wise man attains Brahman.
Just
as water in a cup borrows it heat from sun or fire, so also the mind,
Prana and senses borrow their light and power from Atman. Atman is the
source for all these organs. The ear hears through the light of the
Atman, the tongue speaks through the power of Atman, the mind thinks
through the intelligence of Atman and Prana performs its function
through the power of Atman only. Mind and these organs are inert and
non-intelligent. They appear to be intelligent thought the light and
power of the Atman. Brahman or the Atman gives to the ear the power of
hearing, the mind the power of thinking, the tongue the power of
speaking, the eye the power of seeing and the power of life to the
Prana. It is therefore said that it is the ear of the ear, the mind of
the mind, etc.
- Swami Sivananda