Mahavakya analysis

Vakyavritti – 8

Verse 42 

‘Tat Tvam asi’ aadi vaakyam cha taadaatmya pratipaadane I

Lakshyau ‘Tat Tvam’ padaarthau dvaa upadaaya pravartete II

Mahavakyas  like ‘That Thou are’ thus establish the identity of what is meant by the two terms ‘Thou’ and ‘That’ by taking recourse to their implied meaning.

Sishya had asked four questions about Jiva, Brahman,  their identity and Mahavakya  ‘Tat Tvam asi’ in verse 7.   Guru having answered the questions on Jiva, Paramathma, and their identity, starts answering the question on Mahavakya from this verse, with a summary statement  on the interpretation of Mahavakyas that speak of Jiva Brahma Ikyam.  Mahavakyas are many and four main Mahavakyas are:

1)   Prajnanam Brahma – “Consciousness is Brahman” from Rig Veda (Aitareya Upanishad)

2)   Tat Tvam Asi – “Thou art That” from Sama Veda (Chandogya Upanishad)

3)   Aham Brahmasmi – “I am Brahman” from Yajur Veda (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad)

4)   Ayam Athma Brahma –“This Self is Brahman” from Atharva Veda (Mandukya Upanishad)

Besides these four, there are many others that speak of Jiva Brahma Ikyam.   In Mahavakhyas like ‘That Thou are” and ‘I am Brahman’ we should not blindly take the meaning of the word but choose the appropriate meaning according to the context.

First we apply the primary meaning of the words, vachyartha and if the sentence does not convey the meaning rightly then we take recourse to the secondary or implied meaning, lakshyartha, of the words.  We had seen earlier that identity between Jiva,Tvam and Brahman, Tat can be achieved  by taking the lakshyarthas of Tat and Tvam.  Guru tells sishya that a similar approach is to be adopted in interpreting the Mahavakyas as well.

Verse 43 

Guru uvacha

Hitvaa dvau sabalau vaachyau vaakyam vaakyaartha bodhane I

Yathaa pravartate asmaabhih tathaa vyaakhyaatam aadaraat II

Guru continues:  Discarding the two qualified literal meanings, the Mahavakya reveals the implied meaning.  What these meanings are has already been carefully explained.

Guru is taking up the sentence meaning, vakyartha starting with the direct or literal meaning of the sentence, Mahavakya.  The literal meaning of the sentence is arrived at by taking the literal meaning of the constituent words.  The literal meaning for Tvam is Jeevathma with three sareeras, saguna Jeevathma  and the literal meaning for Tat is Brahman with the three prapanchas. Saguna Brahman.  Saguna Brahman, as creator, has karana-karya relationship with Saguna Jeevathma and so cannot have tadathmyam with Saguna Jeevathma. So discarding the literal meaning of the two words, Tvam and Tat, one has to take up the implied meaning, lakshyartha, of these two words and arrive at their identity, as explained earlier.  Guru who had earlier explained about direct and implied meaning of words by themselves, now explains the dropping of direct meaning and adopting the implied meaning in the context of the sentence as a whole as well, to be thorough in his analysis. 

Verse 44

Aalambanatayaa bhaati yoh asmatpratyayashabdayoh I

Antahkarana sambhinna bodhah sah tvampadabhidhah. II

Verse 45

Mayopadhirjagatyonih sarvajnatvaadilakshanah I

Parokshyasabalah satyaadi aatmakah tatpadabhidhah II

The Consciousness which is expressing itself through the internal organ and which is the object of the idea and word ‘I’ is the direct meaning of the word ‘Thou’.  The qualified Being, the cause of the universe, described as Omniscient etc., mediately known, having the nature of Existence etc., and having Maya for Its upadhi is the direct meaning of ‘That’

These two verses repeat the vachyartha of ‘Tvam’ and ‘Tat’ in the context of arriving at the vakhyartha of Mahavakya ‘Tat Tvam asi’.  The primary meaning  of ‘Tvam’ is Jiva and is the Consciousness along with reflected Consciousness in anthakarana and the body-mind complex.  In view of this association all bodily limitations are also mistakenly considered as its limitations.  The primary meaning of ‘Tat’ is Iswara, i.e. Brahman with Maya who is both the efficient and material cause of the world.  Being the efficient cause of the world It has knowledge of everything in creation and so It is omniscient.  As material cause It is karanam for the  world which is the karyam.  As Brahman is formless and Maya also is without form, It cannot be known directly and has to be inferred indirectly.  Upanishads describe the nature of Brahman as ‘Existence, Consciousness, Bliss’. 

Verse 46

Pratyak parokshata ekasya sadviteeyatva poornataa I

Virudhyete yatastasmaallakshanaa sampravartate II

The qualities of being known directly and also indirectly; and of duality as well as Oneness are incompatible on the part of one and the same substance and so the implied meanings alone have to be selected

In this verse Guru points out that there cannot be identity between ‘Tvam’ and ‘Tat’ when we take the literal word meaning i,e, Jiva and Iswara with their upadhis, by pointing out the contradictions in their nature.   The contradictions pointed out are as follows.  Jiva can be known directly while Iswara can be known only indirectly. Jiva being connected with body-mind complex is many while Iswara is one only. We can list a few more as well like:  Iswara is infinite, while Jiva is finite;  Iswara is karanam, while Jiva is Karyam;  Iswara is all-knowing while Jiva has limited knowledge; and so on.  As identity cannot be established with these contradictions present we have to take recourse to the secondary meaning i.e. lakshyartha only.

Verse 47

Maanaantara virodhe tu mukhya-arthasya aparigrahe I

Mukhya-arthena avinaabhoote prateetih lakshanah uchyate II

As it conflicts with other evidences, the direct word meanings are not acceptable.  The sense that is consistent with other proofs, i.e. the implied meaning, has to be accepted.

When an inconsistency such as seen in the previous verse is encountered in establishing an identity, then the next step is to take recourse to the lakshyartha or secondary or implied meaning.  The secondary meaning should be connected to the primary meaning in one way or the other and related to primary meaning.  In the matter of using secondary meaning, there are three methods available under Lakshana Vriiti, the categories of analyzing a sentence using implied or secondary meaning.  The three methods are:

i) Jahal-Lakshana: “Total Rejection Method”. The entire direct word meaning is rejected and the secondary meaning connected to primary meaning is taken.

ii) Ajahal-Lakshana: “Total Acceptance Method”. The entire direct word meaning is accepted and, in addition, something more connected to the primary meaning is added to make it meaningful.

iii) Jahal-Ajahal-Lakshana: “Part-Rejection and Part-Acceptance Method”. This is also termed Bhaga Tyaga Lakshana (Partial Rejection) or simply Bhaga Lakshana where part of the primary meaning is kept and another part of the primary meaning is given up i.e. the contradictory part is rejected and the common part is retained. 

Verse 48

‘Tat Tvam asi’ aadivaakyeshu lakshanaa bhaaga lakshanaa I

So*yam ityadi vaakyasthapadayoriva, naaparaa. II

In the statement like ‘Thou art That’ etc, Bhaga Lakshana method has to be employed as in the sentence ‘He is this man’, etc.  No other method can be applied.

In the case of Mahavakya ‘Tat Tvam asi’, Bhaga lakshana method, where the contradictory part is rejected and the common part is retained to arrive at the meaning, is adopted to arrive at the secondary meaning of the sentence.   The contrary parts due to the upadhis of both Jiva and Ishwara are rejected and the common parts in both of them are retained, namely Consciousness giving the message that the Consciousness in Jiva and the Consciousness that is Brahman constitute one undivided whole like the space in the pot and space outside which is only the indivisible space.  The contrary parts that are rejected, the three bodies of Jiva and Maya of Brahman are only mithya.  This verse quotes an example to illustrate the use of this method which runs like this.  One person is introduced to an elderly person with words ‘This is that Devadutta’, Devadutta being a young man he had met in his native village twenty years back. That individual discards the contrary features of the young man and old man and retains only the common feature of name only as Devadutta, to recognize him. This is a practical example of the use of Bhaga lakshana method.

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

Tat, Tvam Tadathmyam

Vakyavritti – 7

Verse 37

‘Tat-Tvam’-padaarthau nirneetau vaakyaarthah chintyate adhuna I

Tadathmyam atra vaakyaarthah tayoreva padaarthayoh.II

The meaning of the words ‘That’ and ‘Thou’ have been ascertained.. The meaning of the sentence ‘Thou are That’ which establishes (indirectly) the identity of the above two words shall be discussed now.

Of the four questions asked by the disciple in verse 7 the guru has concluded answering the first two concerning padarthas with the previous verse.   From this verse guru is answering the third and fourth question concerning the identity of the two padas ‘Tat’ and ‘Tvam’ and the vakhyartha of Mahavakhya ‘Tat Tvam Asi’ through enquiry of Mahavakhya that declares their identity. First he made enquiry into Tvam pada, the vachyartha or primary or literal meaning of which is Jeevathma, Athma with the three sareeras, sthula, sukshma and karana sareeras and arrived at the lakshyartha or secondary or contextual meaning which is Athma alone, also called Sakshi and is of Satchidananda swarupa.  Then through enquiry into Tat pada whose vachyartha is Iswara, Saguna Brahman, he arrived at the lakshyartha as Brahman, Nirguna Brahman, which is of Sat, Chit, Aananda swarupa.  The identity of these two, Tat and Tvam, that have the same lakshyartha is taken up for discussion from this verse which is also an introductory verse for the discussion on vakhyartha of the Mahavakhya  ‘Tat Tvm asi’ ( That is you).

Verse 38

Samsargoh vaa vishishto vaa  vaakyaarthoh natra sammatah I

Akhandaikarasatvena vaakyaarthoh vidushaam matah II

It is not acceptable that the meaning of the sentence is arrived at through sequence of words or through expansion by qualifications.  An Infinite Being, consisting of bliss only is the true meaning (of the sentence) according to the wise.

The following two methods of getting the meaning of the sentence, vakhyartha, is eliminated as not giving the true meaning of the sentence. They are:

i) Samsarga: “sequence of words”. The Mahavakya does not indicate a meaning

obtained just by stringing words together with their literal meanings. Samsarga is the most ordinary form of sentence construction, e.g. “Rama went to forest with Sita”.  One simply accepts these words at face value, without the need to look deeper.

ii) Visishtah: “expansion by qualifications”. An example is “The lotus is blue”, where the lotus is having the qualification of blueness and not vice-versa.

We cannot use these two methods in arriving at the correct implied meaning of the Mahavakhya, “Tat Tvam asi” where everything points to the Brahman as the correct implied meaning to be taken for both words.  We had seen earlier the lakshyartha for both Tat and Tvam is the Satchidanandaswarupa Brahman, giving the meaning of sentence, without divisions and without attributes, to the spiritually qualified listener as “Aham Brahmasmi (I am Brahman)”.  This is the interpretation of the spiritually wise as well.

Verse 39

pratyak bodhoh yah aabhaati sah advayaananda lakshanah I

advayaananda roopahscha pratyak bodhahaikalakshanah II

The witness consciousness (“This”) that shines within is the Absolute Bliss (“That”) indicated outside.  Conversely, the Absolute Bliss in manifested form is the witness consciousness indicated within.

Kaivalya Upanishad states in verse 16 “tattvameva, tvameva tat (That is you only, You are that only)".  This verse illustrates that statement.   Pratyag-Bodha in the first line means the witness consciousness (Sakshi Chaitanyam) within each individual Jiva, namely “This”.  Advayananda in the same line is the universal Bliss Consciousness pervading the universe, namely “That”.  So the first line of this verse effectively tells us that the witness Consciousness or Sakshi Chaitanyam in Jiva is in fact the Absolute non-dual Brahman i.e., ‘This’ is ‘That’. The second line effectively tells it other way round i.e. vice-versa, namely ‘That’ is ‘This’ by saying that the universal Bliss Consciousness i.e. Brahman expresses Itself in Jiva as the indwelling Consciousness.  Through this interchangeability, TatTvam and TvamTat, total oneness i.e. tadathmyam is also established. 

Verse 40

Ittham anyonya tadathmya pratipattih yadaa bhavet I

Abrahmatvam ‘tvam’-arthasya vyaavarteta tadaiva hi II

Verse 41

‘Tat’-arthasya cha paarokshyam yadheva kim tatah Shrunu I

Poornaananda eka-roopena pratyak bodhoavatishthate II

As explained above, when the mutual identity between the two words is comprehended, then the misconception that the word ‘Thou’ means something other than Brahman and the meaning of the word ‘That’ is known indirectly shall come to an immediate end then and there. (Disciple) That being so, what next? (Guru) Listen: The all-pervading Bliss, without a second, is itself the witness consciousness, i.e. That is This!

On comprehension of the meaning of Mahavakya, the ego sense or the false identity dissolves or merges into the ‘One Blissful Eternal Brahman’.  For this dissolution to happen the bheda jnanam, the idea of ‘I am not Brahman’ should be destroyed. Bheda Jnanam is the knowledge that arises due to seeing distinction of Self from Brahman.  This bheda jnanam brings about all the sorrow and problems of samsara and the sense of alienation from one’s true Self which is Brahman.  With Realisation the distinction is destroyed and the Truth which is ‘I am Brahman’ becomes one’s second nature.  Disciple now has a problem.   This, the witness Consciousness can be grasped without difficulty as it connects us to the objects of the world as the illuminator of the objects of the world and of the thoughts in the mind.   But Brahman is objectless Consciousness, as It is without objects and the disciple feels the meaning cannot be grasped directly and it can be comprehended only after one absorbs doubt-free Ikya Jnanam.  Seeing this difficulty in the student, the teacher assures him that ‘That’ is ‘This’. One cannot have a direct experience of the Consciousness as identical to the inner witness unless one has purified oneself wholly and has the subtle intelligence to grasp the deeper meaning of Mahavakhya.   So for the student who wants the direct experience of the Consciousness guru gives the reassurance that ‘That is This’, meaning the direct experience of inner witness is claiming that Blissful Consciousness as his own Real Self.  It is an internal attitudinal transformation, a transformation that will happen automatically on absorption of the doubt-free knowledge of tadathmyam of ‘That’ and ‘This’.

------------------------- 

‘Tat’ pada analysis – Part 2

Vakyavritti – 6

Verse 34

Vijijnaasya-tayaa yat cha vedaanteshu mumukshubhih I

Samarthyate atiyatnena tad brahma iti avadhaaraya. II

Ascertain that to be Brahman which is the object of search on the part of the seekers of Liberation as is very carefully established in the Upanishads.

Guru here points out to the disciple that Upanishads are full of incidents where people seek Brahma Vidya, knowledge of Brahman from qualified acharyas to get liberated from the clutches of samsara and to get permanent peace, happiness and security.  One such incident comes in Tattriya Upanishad, Bhruguvalli, where at the start Bhrugu, son of Varuna, approached his father Varuna with a request to teach him about Brahman.  Varuna while starting the teaching tells Bhrugu to find out through contemplation ‘yato va imani bhutani jayante | yena jatani jivanti | yatprayantyabhisamvisanti | tadvijijnasasva | tadbrahmeti |(that from which all these beings take birth, that by which they live after being born, that towards which they move and into which they merge, you know that. That is Brahman).   With Brahma Vidya, the spiritual seeker comes to know about Its Sachidananda swarupa and Its identity with Athma which is also of Satchidananda swarupa.  When he gets established in Brahma Vidya, this knowledge becomes his second nature giving him total peace and security mentally.  Spiritual seekers may word the question differently as in Mundaka Upanishad where Saunaka, the spiritual seeker asks the Sage Angiras(1-1-3) ‘kasminnu bhagavo vijnate, sarvamidam vijnatam bhavati(What is that, O Bhagavan, by knowing which everything here (in the world) becomes known?)’  The implication of the question is by knowing which all this - the entire phenomena experienced through the mind and the senses - is really understood? And this points out to Brahman only, as we can see from the sage’s reply that runs through the rest of the Upanishad.

Verse 35 

Jeevaatmanaa pravesascha niyantritvam cha taan prati I

Srooyate yasya vedeshu tad brahmethi avadhaaraya II

Ascertain that to be Brahman which is heard of in the Vedas as having entered each creature as the Jiva and is known to be their controller

The creation topic (Srishti sruthi) in upanishads reveal that Brahman as creator is Satyam and world as creation being a product is only name and form.  It is jadam and insentient, being matter.  This creation topic is followed by topic of entry i.e. anupravesa sruthi.   As the inert world cannot have any interaction, Paramathma “enters” everybody as Jivathma.  It is entry without motion as Consciousness being all-pervading principle is present in every body-mind complex.  This availability of Consciousness within everybody is called pravesa or entry. This entry is without motion and it is just as space enclosed within every pot created.  Even as the pot is created the all-pervading space gets enclosed within every pot.  The enclosed Consciousness in the body is now renamed as Jivathma.  This also means Jivathma is none other than Paramathma.  For example in in Brahmandavalli of Taittreya Upanishad (2-6), it is stated “----He created all this, whatever that is here. Having created it, He entered into it.,-----( ------idam sarvamasrijata, yadidam kinca, tatsristva, tadevanupravisat, ----)”.    In Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (1-4-7) we have the anupravesa sruti wherein it is stated “sa esa lha pravistah anakhagrebhyah----- (This Self has entered into these bodies up to the very tips of the nails,---)”.    In Chandogya Upanishad (6-3-2) we have the statement “anena jeevena aathmana anupravisya--- (Let me now enter by means of this living Self---)”.   As regards the controller aspect, we learn from the Taittreya upanishad statement (2-8);” bhisasmadvatah pavate / bhisodeti suryah / bhisasmadagniscendrasca / mrtyurdhavati panchama iti (From fear of It the wind blows; from fear of It the sun rises; from fear of It Agni and Indra and Death, the fifth, run) that Paramathma is the ultimate Controller.  In Brihadaranyaka Upanishad also, Paramathma is described from 3-7-3 to 3-7-23 as inner Controller thus: “--- esa ta atmantaryamyamrtah (He is your Self, the Inner Controller, the Immortal.)”

Verse 36

Karmanaam phala daatritvam yasya eva srooyate srutau I

Jeevaanaam hetu kartritvam tad brahma iti avadhaaraya.II

Ascertain that as Brahman which is declared by the Upanishads as the giver of the fruits of actions (karma-phala-dhata) and as one causing individual jivas to do whatever they do.

Paramathma is the one who gives karmaphalam to every jiva according to the type of karma.  Lord Krisna says in Bhagavad Gita (7-21 & 22):

Yo yo yaam yaam tanum bhaktah shraddhayaarchitum icchati;

Tasya tasyaachalaam shraddhaam taameva vidadhaamyaham. (21).

Whatsoever form any devotee desires to worship with faith—that (same) faith of his I make firm and unflinching.

Sa tayaa shraddhayaa yuktastasyaaraadhanameehate;

Labhate cha tatah kaamaan mayaiva vihitaan hi taan. (22).

Endowed with that faith, he engages in the worship of that (form), and from it he obtains his desire, these being verily ordained by Me (alone).

So whatever Ishtadevata one may worship the ultimate giver of karmaphala is Iswara only.  Further for Jiva to perform karma, Iswara’s blessings is required as pointed out by Lord Krishna in Bhagavad Gita (18 – 14)

Adhishthaanam tathaa kartaa karanam cha prithagvidham;

Vividhaashcha prithakcheshtaa daivam chaivaatra panchamam. (14).

The body, the doer, the various senses, the different functions of various sorts, and the presiding Deity, also, the fifth

So Iswara is called in this verse as not only giver of karmaphala but also as one who makes Jiva do action.

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

‘Tat’ pada analysis – Part 1

Vakyavritti – 5

Verse 28

Guruh uvaacha:

‘Tvam’ artham evam nishchitya ‘Tat’artham chintayet punah I

Atad vyavritti-roopena sakshaat vidhi mukhena cha.II

Guru continues:  Having thus ascertained the meaning of ‘Thou’, one should reflect upon what is meant by ‘That’; by employing both the method of negation, and also the method of direct, positive assertion.

Of the four questions asked by the student, guru has completed answering in the previous verse the first question, ‘who is jiva?’ through the ‘Tvam’ pada vichara of the Mahavakhya “Tat Tvam asi”.  From this verse he starts giving the answer to the second question, ‘who is Paramathma? through ‘Tat’ pada vichara of the same Mahavakhya.  Vachyartha of Paramathma is Iswara, who is saguna Brahman and lakshyartha of Paramathma  is Nirguna Brahman, simply called as Brahman.  In the sastras Brahman is revealed directly and indirectly as well.  Direct revelation of Brahman is by defining Brahman through its nature, as Satyam, Jnanam, Anantham i.e pure Existence, pure Consciousness and infinity.  Indirect revelation is through negating everything other than Brahman to arrive at nothingness and then reasoning that the Consciousness which is aware of this nothingness is Brahman. This verse is the introduction to ‘Tat’ pada vichara.

Verse 29

Nirasta ashesha samsaara doshah asthoolaadi lakshana I

Adrishyatvaaadi gunakah paraakrita tamohmalah II

Which is free from all impurities of Samsara or worldliness; which is defined as ‘neither gross nor subtle’; which has qualities such as ‘imperceptibility’, etc; which is beyond the taint of action and darkness (that is Brahman).

Guru is starting the ‘Tat’ pada vichara  with Brahman through nishedamukha lakshyartha that is Nirguna Brahman in a negative form, by negating other things It is not.  For the description of Brahman scriptures are the pramanam and he draws here heavily from Upanishads.  In Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (3-8-8), Yajnavalkya describing Brahman says” "That, O Gargi, the knowers of Brahman call that Imperishable. It is neither gross nor subtle, neither short nor long, neither red nor moist; It is neither shadow nor darkness, neither air nor akasa; It is unattached; It is without taste or smell, without eyes or ears, without tongue or mind; It is non-effulgent, without vital breath or mouth, without measure and without exterior or interior. It does not eat anything, nor is It eaten by anyone”.  Mundaka Upanishad (1-1-6) describes “.(By the higher knowledge) the wise realize everywhere that which cannot be perceived and grasped, which is without source, features, eyes, and ears, which has neither hands nor feet, which is eternal, ------ “.   Bhagavad Gita (8-9) describes Brahman as”---- effulgent like the sun, and beyond darkness---“   Further the veiling power, avarana sakthi of Maya does not function in Brahman, only the projecting power, vikshepa sakthi is operational. So Brahman is free from the problem of samsara, here called samsara-dosha. 

Verse 30.

Nirasta atishaya aanandah prajnaana vigrahah I

Sattaa vilakshanah poornah paramatma iti geeyate.II

Paramathma is defined as, having no greater Bliss than Itself; the embodiment of Existence and Knowledge and having Existence for its specific definition

In this verse vidhimukha lakshyartha for ‘Tat’ pada is given.  For this definition as well, scriptures are our only source.  Taittriya Upanishad (2,1) explains Brahman as Existence, knowledge, Infinity.  Chandogya Upanishad (6-2-1) states that in the beginning only Existence (Sat) was there, one only without a second. Further Taittriya Upanishad (3-6-1) says “He (Bhrugu) realized that bliss was Brahman (anando brahmeti vyajanat)”.  And this bliss (aananda) is absolute and not subject to gradation or fluctuation. So Brahman, the ‘Tat’ pada lakshyartha being Sat swarupa, Chit swarupa and Aananda swarupa can be directly described as Satchidananda swarupa. 

Verse 31

Sarvajnatvam para eeshatvam tathaa sampoorna shaktitaa I

Vedaih samarthyate yasya tad brahma iti avadhaaraya.II

Ascertain that Brahman is the Being that has been expounded in the Vedas as all-knowing, as all-powerful and as the Supreme Overlord of all.  

From this verse vachyartha of Paramathma is described,  Vachyartha of Paramathma is Iswara, Brahman with Maya sakthi i.e. Saguna Brahman, referred to as Brahman in the verse. In this verse and following verses I will be referring to the Vachyartha of Paramathma as Iswara only to avoid confusion. In the case of Iswara also, scriptures only are the pramanam. Iswara  is all-knowing as revealed in Mundaka Upanishad (1-1-9), “For him who knows all and understands everything-------“.  He is all-powerful as seen in Swetasvatara Upanishad (6-8), “----The Vedas speak of His exalted power, which is innate and capable of producing diverse effects, and also of His omniscience and might”.   He is the supreme overlord of all as stated in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (3-8-9), “Verily, under the mighty rule of this Imperishable, O Gargi, the sun and moon are held in their respective positions. Under the mighty rule of this Imperishable, O Gargi, heaven and earth are held in their respective positions. Under the mighty rule of this Imperishable, O Gargi, moments, muhurtas (about forty-eight minutes), days and nights, fortnights, months, seasons and years are held in their respective positions.------“.   Iswara is here referred to as ‘Imperishable’.   As Iswara is Sarvajna, He is the efficient cause of the universe.

Verse 32

Yad jnaanaat sarva vijnaanam shrutishu pratipaaditam I

Mridaadi aneka drishtaantaih tad brahma iti avadhaaraya II

That by knowing which all else becomes known and which has been explained in the scriptures through numerous similes such as mud, etc., ascertain That as Brahman.

Iswara is described in this verse as the material cause of the universe. As a result Iswara becomes the cause, karanam and universe,the effect, karyam.  Since karyam is only karanam plus nama, rupa and nama and rupa are without substance, through knowledge of karanam, knowledge of all its kaaryams can be known. This is explained by sage Uddalka to his son, Swetaketu in Chandogya Upanishad (6.1.4-6) through several examples two of which are as below:

“"Just as, my dear, by one clod of clay all that is made of clay is known, the modification being only a name, arising from speech, while the truth is that all is clay;”

"Just as, my dear, by one nugget of gold all that is made of gold is known, the modification being only a name, arising from speech, while the truth is that all is gold;”

So The Guru tells the disciple to bear in mind firmly that lakshyartha of ‘Tat’ is that Iswara knowing whom everything else becomes known.

Verse 33

Yad anantyam pratijnaaya shrutih tat siddhaye jagau I

Tat kaaryatvam prapanchasya tad brahma iti avadhaaraya.II

Know for certain that whom Sruthi tries to prove as limitless by showing the universe as Its modification, is Iswara (the lakshyartha of ‘Tat’)

This verse is a continuation of the description of world as a karyam, karanam being Iswara.   We saw earlier while discussing verse 30 that Taittriya Upanishad (2,1) describes Brahman as Existence, knowledge, Infinity.  A question will arise as to how Iswara can be infinite when there is world to limit it.  In this verse Guru explains that world being karyam cannot limit the karanam, Iswara.  As between karanam and kaaryam, karanam only is Satyam and kaaryam is mithya.  As mithya world cannot limit the Satyam Iswara, Iswara is limitless, infinite.

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

‘Tvam’ pada analysis – Part 2

Vakyavritti – 4

Verse 21

Agamanme manoanyatra saampratam cha sthireekritam I

Evam yoh vetti dheevrittim ‘soham’ iti avadhaaraya. II

You should firmly think “I am That Athma that illuminates the modifications of mind like ‘My mind went elsewhere; however it has been brought to rest (attention) now.”

One is aware of the wanderings of the mind. One is aware of mind’s remoteness or distraction and the mind’s availability at any time. So if one is aware of the mind’s going and coming one must be different from the mind.  When one watches with alertness one discovers that the Self as Sakshi Chaitanyam illumines mind’s movements.  Guru is discussing the mind again as one is intimately connected to the mind and takes upon oneself the fluctuations in mind’s moods and says “I am happy”; “I am restless”; I am worried” etc, when it is really the mind that is happy, restless, worried etc.  So guru repeats the teaching again to impress the disciple that ‘Tvam’ stands for the Sachidananda Athma that is the Sakshi Chaitanyam only.

Verse 22

Svapna-jagarite suptim bhaava-abhaavau dhiyaam tathaa I

Yah vetti avikriyah saakshaat –‘soham’ iti avadhaaraya. II

You should firmly think “I am that Athma, the changeless illuminator of dream, waking and deep sleep states as well as the appearance and disappearance of the intellect’s functions”.

In the previous verse, it was explained that mind is an object of experience and one is aware of the mind’s travelling out and coming back etc. and so one is different from the mind,   Here the same idea is explained through another method,  We have got three states of experience, waking, dream and deep sleep state. In waking state mind is in the extroverted state experiencing the external world through the sense-organs; in dream state mind is in the introverted state experiencing vasana projected dream world; in deep sleep mind is in a passive state, resolved and in potential condition.  The witness of all the three states of experience and the presence and absence of thought in those states is the Sakshi Chaitanyam that is the Athma, which is oneself.  In the same way one is aware of the intellect’s functioning in the waking state and its non-functioning in the other two states.  “Sakshi Chaitanyam, the Athma, who by its mere presence illumines the three states of experience and the fluctuations of the intellect is You, the meaning of ‘Tvam’ pada”  guru tells the disciple.

Verse 23

Ghata avabhaasakoh deepoh ghataadanyao yathaa ishyate I

Dehaavabhaasakoh dehee tathaa ‘aham bodha vigrahah’ II

Just as a lamp that illumines a pot is known as different from the illumined pot so also, I,the self, an embodiment of Consciousness, being the illuminator of the body (am different from the body).

In this verse the idea that illuminator is different from the illumined object is repeated in respect of Self and body with the difference that in this verse Athma is described as embodiment Of Consciousness.  Consciousness spreads over the body intimately.  Therefore, one thinks body is a conscious entity.  This verse states that the body is not a conscious entity. Consciousness is like the light, body is like the object. One is the illuminator another is the illumined. They are not one and the same. So guru reminds the student “You, the embodiment of Consciousness is different from the body”.

Verse 24

Putra vitta-aadayoh bhaavaa yasya sheshatayaa priyaah I

Drishtaa sarvapriyatamah ‘soham’ iti avadhaaraya.II

Beings and things such as children and wealth are dear for the sake of That One who is the sole Seer and dearest of all –‘I am That One’, thus you should firmly think. 

Verse  25

Parapremaaspadatayaa  maa nabhuvamaham sadha I

Bhooyaasamiti yoh drishtaa ‘soham’ iti avadhaaraya. II

The dearest of all, for whom there is the anxiety, ‘May I never cease to be; may I always  be’, That supreme Seer –‘I am That One’, thus you should firmly think.

Athma that has been hitherto described as Chaitanya swarupam, is now described as Ananda swarupam in these two verses 24 and 25.  Love for ananda is universal and unconditional. Self-love is universal and unconditional.  Equating these two we arrive at the conclusion that ananda and Self are one and same i.e Athma, the self is Ananda swarupa.  Further love for others is conditional only, condition being that they make one happy.  In fact no one loves anyone for anyone’s sake.   As Brihadaranya Upanishad points out “athmanasthu kamaya sarvam priyam bhavathi”.  It is only for one’s own sake anything and everything else become lovable.  Even love for wife, children and wealth and other objects are conditional only.  As far as they are useful to one and connected to that one, they are loved.  Yajnavalkya in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad clearly says that love for others is conditional and only love for oneself is unconditional. “That Athma which is not only Chit swarupa but is also Ananda swarupa and that Athma is the real ‘I’”, guru instructs the disciple.

And this unconditional love for oneself is expressed in the form of a person’s desire to live on and on and on. Nobody wants to die because everything else that is dear to him, he can enjoy only if he is alive. Therefore, everybody wants to live eternally. Nobody wants mortality, everybody wants immortality.  If then one wonders why some people commit suicide it is because of self-hatread induced by debt, disease, dishonour etc.  If through some intervention, divine or human, if those conditions are removed one would no longer like to end his life.   Hatred for oneself is conditional. Love for oneself alone is unconditional.  “Athma, the supreme seer of body, mind, sense-organs, intellect and prana is also Ananda swarupa and that Athma is the Real ‘I’”, guru teaches the disciple.

Verse 26

Yah saakshi-lakshanah bodhah ‘tvam’-padaarthah sah uchyate I

Saakshi-tvam api boddha-tvam avikaaritayaa aatmanah.II

Consciousness, which is of the nature of Witness, is that which is meant by the word ‘Thou’.  Even the witnessing is only the illumining power without undergoing any change, on the part of the Self.

Guru who has all along been explaining ‘Tvam’ padam relating it to the student before him, now changes track by addressing directly in terms of ‘Thou’ in Mahavakhya “That Thou are”. He says that Tvam pada lakshyartha is Consciousness that is of the nature of Sakshi, which knows without undergoing any change. Mind by itself  cannot know because it is jadam. Pure Consciousness by itself cannot be a knower, as it will not directly be involved in knowing process. It is involved indirectly through its reflection in the mind which makes the mind sentient. So mind + reflected consciousness + Consciousness mixture is the knower.  Of these the mind and reflected consciousness are subject to changes and are dependant on Consciousness for knowing.  So Consciousness, Tvam pada lakshyartha is called Sakshi, the changeless knower, while mind is called pramatha. The illumining power is called knowing and like the sun Consciousness illumines without changing.

Verse 27

Deha-indriya-manah-praana- ahamkritibhyah vilakshanah I

Projjhitaa ashesha shad-bhaava vikaarah ‘tvam’-pada aabhidhah.II

From body, senses, mind, prana and from the ego sense – totally distinct; absolutely free from the six modifications (which body undergoes); This, the Self, is the indicative meaning of the term ‘Thou’.

We have seen in the earlier verses that Athma as the supreme seer is different from the body, prana, sense-organs and anthakarana that includes mind, intellect and ego.   Here it is restated as the Tvam pada lakshyartha.  It is further stated that it is free of all the six modifications that the body is subject to.   The six modifications are; birth, phenomenal existence, growth, change, decline and death.  So Athma the Tvam pada lakshyartha is unchanging, eternal and is of Satchidananda swarupa.

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