Emerging out of Ignorance

(Athma Bodha 9)

In these verses one can note a gradual shift in the standpoint from the body level to the Absolute level.

Verse 39

Atmanyeva Akhilam Drusyam Pravilaapya Dhiyaa Sudheeh I

Bhavayet Ekam Aatmaanam Nirmala Akaasavat Sadaa. II

The wise one should intelligently merge the entire world-of- objects in the Athma alone and constantly think of that Athma (Self) ever as stainless as the sky

What is described in this verse can be stated as “dissolving the world with one’s intellect.”  The world is viewed as a thought, projection within the mind and not as an external object.  Just as the dream-world has gone back and merged into the very mind that dreamt the dream, so too the world of perceptions ends in the internal experience of the Athma, the illuminator of all finite experiences.  All the finite experiences, good, bad and indifferent, do not affect the Athma, and Athma remains as pure as ever like the sky which is not contaminated by the clouds moving across it and remains ever pure.  Here the intelligence needed is the power of discrimination. Merging the visible world with Athma is by visualizing the Athma in everything perceived in the external world.

Verse 40

Roopa Varnaadikam Sarvam Vihaaya Paramaarthavit I

Paripoorna Chidananda Svaroopena Avatishtate. II

He, who has realised the Supreme, discards all his identifications with the objects of names and forms and dwells as the embodiment of the Infinite Consciousness and Bliss.

When one wakes up from the dream state, the dream world is totally destroyed to be replaced by the waking world, which is one of names and forms experienced by various senses.  In a similar way the manifested universe, the world of names and forms, which is described here as as the field of five senses is mentally destroyed for the one who has attained the state of Self-Realisation.  For him the world of names and forms has merged into the substratum, the Self and the knower of the Self as Brahman has transformed himself mentally, an embodiment of the Infinite Consciousness and Bliss, the Brahman.  Just as the dream has ended for the dreamer on waking up, so too all the perceptions of the world recognised by the waker as limited ego end when the Supreme state of Pure Consciousness is realised.

Verse 41

Jnaatru Jnaana Jneya Bhedah Pare na Atmani Vidyate I

Chidananda Eka Roopatwaat Deepyate Swayameva hi. II

Distinctions such as “Knower”, the “Knowledge” and the “Object of knowledge” do not exist in the Supreme Self. Since its nature is homogenous Consciousness and Bliss, It verily shines by Itself.

Being Non-dual, Homogeneous and Eternal, the Self cannot suffer in Itself any distinction such as the subject or the object.  Without the three fundamental factors: the subject, the object and the necessary relationship between the two called experiencing, no experience is possible in our present condition of body-intellect existence.  For the intellect is capable of perceiving only objects other than itself, and so all our knowledge is constituted by the knowledge of “things-other-than -ourselves”.   So the question arises as to how to know the Self, which is the subject and which cannot be objectified.   Here we should bear in mind no instrument of knowledge is needed to know the Self, as It is Knowledge itself and is Self-revealing like the sun which is self-illumining and shines by itself whether there is an object or not.  When the cloud of ignorance covering our understanding of the Self is dispelled through Guru Upadesa of the Scriptural knowledge, learnt through sravanam, consolidated through manam and assimilated through nitidyasanam, Athma is directly experienced as Consciousness and Bliss.  

Verse 42

Evam Aatma Aranau Dhyaana Mathane Satatam Krute I

Uditaava Gatir Jvaalaa Sarva Ajnaana Indhanam Dahet. II

When in the Arani of Self, constant churning is done in the form of meditation, fire of Knowledge is born and it completely burns up all the fuel of ignorance (in us).

Here the example of Arani Mathanam, which figures in Kaivalya Upanishad is quoted to illustrate the process of assimilation and internalization of the knowledge of Jiva Brahma Ikyam.  In the olden days for the purpose of rituals, fire was produced by churning of arani wood.  A lower arani with a scoop would be there. And an upper arani which fits into that will also be there. By churning the upper arani in the scoop of the lower arani fire was produced. Lower arani here is the anthakaranam and the upper arani is to be understood as the Mahavakhya, Aham Brahmasmi ( I am the supreme Self) and churning is the constant practice of nitidyasana, i.e. meditating on the Mahavakhyam alone, until the fire of knowledge is generated and burns down the ignorance, when the knowledge stands firmly internalized.  The same idea appears in Kaivalya Upanishad (Mantra 11) wherein it is stated “ --- by the steady, repeated practice of churning the knowledge in the mind, the wise man burns up all the cords of bondage.”

Verse 43

Arune neva Bodhena Poorva Santamase Hrute I

Tata Aavirbhavet Aatmaa Swayameva Amsumaaniva. II

As the sun appears on the destruction of darkness by dawn ( Aruna) the Divine Consciousness of the Self rises (by Itself) when the right knowledge destroys the ignorance in the bosom.

When the sun rises, the sky lightens up slowly with sky taking a reddish glow first. This is the period of dawn, heralding sunrise. Sun rises after this on its own accord, needing nothing else to illumine it. This is compared to rise of Athma jnana by itself when the darkness of ajnana is dispelled.  As Swami Chinmayananda states “When the egocentric existence in us, that obstructs the vision of the Self, is falsified by constant and diligent meditation (Nitidyasanam), the vision of the true Self arises in all its glory”.  As Athma is swayam prakasa rupaha, Athma jnanam need not illumine the intellect after dispelling the cloud of Athma ajjnanam enveloping the intellect.  As sadhana removes the darkness of ignorance, illumination of the Self happens by itself automatically.

Verse 44

Atmaatu Satatam Praapto Api Apraptavat Avidyayaa I

Tannase Praaptavat Bhaati Swa Kanthaabharanam Yatthaa II

Athma is an ever-present Reality. Yet, because of ignorance it is not realised. On the destruction of ignorance, Athma is realised. It is like the case of ‘missing’ ornament on one’s neck.

Athma is an ever present reality (Sat). This Athma is in all the states of experiences and in all beings and at all times. In fact we live because of Its illumination, but we are blind to that Divine Light and do not realize it due to ignorance, ajnanam.  On attaining Athma Jnanam one is only rediscovering the Athma, his true Self, which was all the time present in him.  This is only praptasya prapti, getting to know what you already have and not getting something new.  Sri Sankara explains this with an apt simile. A woman due to forgetfulness does not remember she is wearing the diamond necklace and searches for the necklace everywhere else other than her neck and not finding, laments its loss. When someone points out to her it is only on the neck and she feels it, then she feels happy as if she had got a new necklace.  She has thus been grieving over a thing which was not really lost and now rejoicing over the thing not really gained.  So constant and sincere sadhana has only helped us to rediscover our true Self and that is an affirmation and not an acquisition.

Verse 45

Sthaanau Purushavat Bhraantyaa Krutaa Brahmani Jeevataa I

Jeevasya Taathvike Roope Tasmin Drushte Nivartate. II

Brahman appears to be a ‘‘Jiva' because of ignorance, just as a post appears to be a ghost. This Jivahood (ego-centric-individuality) is destroyed when the real nature of the 'Jiva' is realized.

In delusion a post is imagined to be a ghost. The misapprehension of post as ghost has risen due to the non-apprehension of the post, in the first instance. Similarly on the Brahman, which is the Supreme Self and the Substratum for all, our ignorance projects our ego-centric existence, and its world of diversity. When we understand the one Truth, Brahman, behind all this multiple existence, it is like seeing the post behind the ghost.  The delusion is destroyed and the imagined Jivatvam of individual gets replaced by the

Brahmatvam of Self.  When the cause, the misconception ends, the effect, the ghost, also dissolves. When the ego-sense has ended, all that are its by-products like bondage, fear, sorrow etc., are also removed, and one feels free and fearless filled with peace and bliss.  The ‘egocentric individuality’ sees the world only as a ghost; the enlightened sage alone sees it for what it is as a post, and loses all fear or anxiety over it.

Verse 46

Tathva Swaroopa Anubhavaa Utpannam Jnaanam Anjasaa I

Aham Mameti cha Ajnaanam Baadhate Digbhramadivat. II

The ignorance characterised by the notions ‘I’ and ‘Mine’ is destroyed by the knowledge produced by the realisation of the true nature of the Self, just as right information (gained in sunlight) removes the mistake regarding the directions.

Brahma Jnanam, that is Athma jnanam, destroys Brahma ajjnanam which is Athma ajnanam.  Athma ajnanam alone is the karanam for samsara and this also gets destroyed.  Sri Sankara uses here the words ahamkara and mamakara for samsara, and cites the example of a traveler in a new place who is lost in the darkness of night.   When the sun rises, the traveler identifies east and through that recognition he identifies other directions as well and goes in the right direction.   His knowledge of east has destroyed the ignorance of other directions as well.  The example shows that by the destruction of one error, other incidental errors also get destroyed. The individual getting lost in the dense darkness of Avidya or ignorance, loses his true identity as Brahman and gets knocked about in life and suffers sorrow and hardships in repeated births.  When in one birth he does scriptural studies and spiritual practices with shradda under Guru’s guidance, he gets established in the spiritual path and attains Athma Jnanam that removes Athma ajnanam and as a by-product ahamkara and mamakara are removed and he is also freed from the cycle of births and deaths. 

---------------------