Athma, the Real Self

(Athma Bodha 7)

Verse 28

Atma Avabhasayatyeko Buddhyadeen Indriyaanyapi I

Deepo Ghataadi vat Swaatmaa Jadai Stair Na Avabhasyate. II

The Athma illumines the mind, and the sense organs, etc. just as a lamp illumines a jar or a pot.  These material- objects by themselves cannot illumine themselves because they are inert.

The street lamp is a silent, unperturbed witness of all that happens under its light.  Whether it is a marriage procession or a funeral march, a murder or an accident the light sheds its glow on all those equally, unmoved, without any feeling either of joy or sorrow, shock or sympathy. In the same way, the Self in us is the one illuminating factor, Athma that illumines the mind and sense organs and the good and the bad in us as well at all times.  Here in the verse the simile of material objects like pot and jar is given.  They are inert and cannot illumine themselves, only they get illumined when the light shines upon them.

Verse 29

Swabodhe Naanya Bodhecchaa Bodha Rupataya Atmanah I

Na Deepasya Anya Deepecchaa Yadhaa Swatma Prakaasane. II

A lighted-lamp does not need another lamp to illumine its light.  So too, Athma which is Knowledge (Chit swarupa) itself needs no other knowledge (instrument of Consciousness) to know it

Athma which is Sat, Chit swarupa is knowledge itself and does not require other knowledge to know it, just as a lighted lamp does not need another lamp to illumine its light.  Light is necessary to see the furniture in the dark room of a house, but to see the very light which illumines the furniture we do not require another light.  Athma being self-effulgent is itself the illuminating one. So nothing else is needed to illuminate It.  We do not call for the aid of another light to see the very sun that illumines all the objects in the world, because the sun itself is illumination complete.  When Athma ajjnanam is removed through Athma jnanam, then Athma automatically shines forth in the intellect. Athma is the conscious principle behind the knowledge of everything else and behind every ‘I’ is the self-evident consciousness principle illuminating all else.  So to understand and experience the Self, the illuminating light in everyone’s experiences, no other “light” is necessary as the Self alone lights up the knowledge of the entire creation , known and unknown. 

Verse 30

Nishidhya Nikhilopaadheen Neti Neteeti Vakyatah I

Vidyadaikyam Mahaavaakyaih Jeevatma Paramaatmanoh.II

By negating all upadhis through the help of the scriptural statement ‘it is not this, It is not this’, the oneness of the individual soul (Jivathma) and the Supreme Soul (Paramathma) as indicated by the great Mahavakyas, has to be realised.

The oneness of the individual Self (Jivatma) with the Supreme Being (Paramatma) as indicated by the Mahavakhyas, the Vedic aphorisms declaring this unity, is to be realised by a process of negation of the upadhis that is through a process of de-falsification known as “Neti, Neti” ( "It is not this", "It is not this").   This negation process is a sadhana of discrimination, done within the intellect. By seeing the falseness at each level of existence, the intellect rejects the upadhis level by level.  This is done at the level of microcosm, individual level, and of macrocosm, the cosmic level.   At the individual level, the upadhis falsified are the three bodies; gross, subtle and causal bodies.  At the cosmic level the upadhis falsified are the three corresponding prapanchas, This falsification process leaves behind the pure consciousness as Jivathma at individual level and pure consciousness as Paramathma at cosmic level and they are equated being the same.  The four major Mahavakhyas and the logical analysis of one of the Mahavakhyas, “Tat Tvam asi (You are that)” is discussed in detail in my blog no. 43, “Mahavakhya”, in Sampage.  Thiis process is clarified in the next verse.

Verse 31

Aavidyakam Sareeraadi Drusyam Budbudavat Ksharam I

Etat Vilakshanam Vidyaat Aham Brahmeti Niramalam II

The body, etc., created by Avidya, which are perceived objects, are perishable like bubbles. Realise through discrimination that I am the ‘Pure Brahman' ever completely separate from all these.

This step may be compared with Sravanam, as it presents the whole problem. This verse identifies that which is to be falsified is the gross body, subtle body and the causal body.  Their existence is compared to the existence of bubbles, time-bound and space-bound. They cannot be the Athma which is eternal and all-pervading. Further the Self, that is Athma, identifying with the gross-body in the waking state is called the waker, who experiences the waking state.  The same Self in the dream state identifies Itself with the subtle body and is called the dreamer, who experiences the dream.  The Self, who was called waker and the dreamer, when It withdraws Itself to identify with the causal body it is called sleeper who enjoys the total negation of the various experiences enjoyed or suffered during the waking and the dream states.  If the Self, in its identifications with the gross, the subtle and the causal bodies, becomes the waker, the dreamer and the deep-sleeper, the Self in Itself must be something other than the manifestations in these three states. Through intellectual discrimination we must realize that Self, the eternal Athma, is other than the perishable matter envelopments, the three bodies.  Earlier, in verse 8, the same simile was used to describe the macro-cosmic creation of all the worlds.  Now it is being applied to the microcosmic existence of the human body, which is just as fleeting as the mighty worlds out there.

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