(Athma
Bodha 4)
Verse 10
Yathakaso Hrushikeso Nanopadhi gatho Vibhuh I
Tadbhedat Bhinnavat Bhati Tannase Kevalo
Bhavet.
II
The All-pervading Akasa appears to be
diverse on account of its association with various conditionings (Upadhis)
which are different from each other. Space becomes one on the destruction of
these limiting adjuncts. So also the Omnipresent Lord appears to be diverse on
account of Its association with the various Upadhis and becomes one on
the destruction of these Upadhis.
Upadhi
means a limiting condition. Akasa
i.e. space is one and undivided, but with fences and walls it appears to be
divided into house space, hall space etc. Similarly the Omnipresent Lord, Brahman,
appears to be divided on account of its association with various upadhis due
to adhyasa. One also considers
individuals as separate having separate Athmas due to avarana sakthi,
the veiling power of Maya that covers the adhyasa and creates the
division and diversity through the upadhis. Under the influence of Athma ajjnanam one imagines a world of
plurality with differences and diversity.
Though we are differentiating space by walls as hall space, kitchen space
etc., they all can be seen as only one undivided space when the walls are
destroyed. In the same way oneness of
all can be seen with the destruction of upadhis. But upadhis need not be destroyed
physically to discover the oneness. Athma
Jnanam which cannot destroy the adyasa, can destroy the avarana
sakthi and reveal to one that the same Paramathma is in every
being as Jivathma and reveal the oneness of all in creation which is mithya
and an effect of adyasa. This intellectual understanding arising out
of Athma Jnanam is referred to as destruction of Upadhis. With the destruction of Upadhis, the
undivided oneness of Brahman is also self-evident to Athma Jnani.
Verse 11
Naanopaadhi Vasaadeva Jaati Varnaasra
maadayah I
Atmanya aropitah thoye Rasa Varnadi Bhedavat II
Because of Its association with different
conditionings (upadhis) such ideas as caste, colour, and position are
superimposed upon the Ahtma, as flavour, colour, etc., are superimposed
on water.
Water is intrinsically
pure and in that pure state it is same everywhere without colour taste and
smell. But it takes on the colour and flavour of things added to it. In the
same way with our distorted vision due to Athma ajjnanam, differences
such as caste, creed and colour are imposed upon the Athma on account of
its association with different upadhis like body and mind. Differences
in the upadhis combined with our distorted vision splits humanity into
different groups each claiming to have a unique characteristic like caste,
colour and race, to mention a few. With Maya’s
avarana sakthi active, anathma overshadows the Athma
leading to splintering of humanity into several groups with clashes among them
leading to even war at times. If one can
look beyond this faulty reasoning by seeing through the upadhis one can
realise the oneness of humanity as manifestation of one undivided Brahman.
Verse 12
Pancheekruta Mahaabhoota Sambhavam Karma
Sanchitam I
Sareeram Sukha-Dukhanaam Bhogaayatanam
Uchyate.
II
The gross body, the medium through which
pleasure and pain are experienced (by the individual), is determined by past
actions and formed out of the five great subtle elements, that have gone
through the process of Panchikarana
(five-fold self-division and mutual combination).
This verse describes one of the upadhis, the
gross body i.e. Sthula sareera. Through this medium one experiences
pleasure and pain and so the gross body is called as Bhogayathanam,
“counter” of experience. Gross body is tangible and is the counter of
experiences at which transactions of actions take place daily, senses bringing
in information from the outer world, and also taking out responses to the external
world. The nature of the gross body is determined by
one’s prarabhdha karma and the gross body is made up of gross elements
and is formed through the process of Panchikarana which Sri Sankara describes in detail in Tattva Bodha. In short, Panchikarana is the
process where the five tanmatras, subtle elements of Pancha Bhuthas, namely
Earth, Fire, Sky, Water and Air, are
grossified by uniting one half portion of one subtle element with one eighth of
each of the other four (refer blog no.83 – Panchikarana, Process of
creation (Tattva Bodha 6)).
Verse 13
Panchapraana Mano Buddhi Dasendriya
Samanvitam I
Apancheekruta Bhootottham Sookshmaangam
Bhogasaadhanam II
The subtle body, the instrument of experience
(of the individual), consists of five pranas, the ten organs, the manas and the
buddhi - all formed from the rudimentary elements (Tanmatras) without undergoing Panchikarana.
This verse explains the second upadhi, the subtle
body i.e. sukshma sareera. The five pranas - Prana, Apana, Vyana, Udana and Samana;
the five organs of perception - Eyes, Ears, Tongue, Nose and Skin; five organs
of activity - Speech (Mouth), Hands, Legs and organs of reproduction and
excretion; Mind and Intellect, in all seventeen
together constitute the subtle body. These constituents are formed out of the
subtle elements only. Subtle body is not tangible and is only inferred. Subtle body is called Bhoga Sadhanam,
instrument of experience; Jnanendriyas through receiving, Karmendriyas though
reacting, Mind through processing, Intellect through deciding, Pranas through
maintenance. Whereas gross body lasts
one birth only, subtle body that leaves the gross body at the time of death to
continue in a new gross body depending on the karmas, lasts till end of Srishti
or earlier Videha Mukthi.
Verse 14
Anaadyavidya Anirvaachyaa Kaaranopaadhi
ruchyate I
Upaadhi Tritayaadanyam Atmaanam Avadhaarayet II
Avidya which is indescribable and
beginningless is called the causal body. Know for certain that the Athma
is other than these three conditioning bodies. (upadhis).
This
verse describes the third upadhi, causal body i.e. Karana Sareera. This causal body is mula avidhya,
otherwise called Maya which is beginning less and indescribable. This avidhya
has got both Vikshepa sakthi, power of projection, and Avarana sakthi,
power of veiling. This avidhya has projected the gross body and subtle
body and hence is the material cause for those two bodies. So it is called the causal body. Karmas remain in suspended state in the
causal body and even during pralaya it continues in seed or unmanifest
condition. It dies only at the time of Videha mukthi. Athma is none of the three upadhis. Athma is the self-shining Chaitanyam
that illumines the acitivites of the gross and subtle bodies and is a witness
of the activities of the three bodies. In the deep state, only the causal body
is awake. While the three bodies that give the attributes, are called upadhis,
the Real Self, Athma, that receives the attributes is called Upahitam
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