'Tvam' pada analysis – Part 1

Vakyavritti – 3

Verse 13

Roopa-aadi maanyatah pindastatho naathma ghataadivat I

Viyadaadi mahaabhoota vikaaratvaat cha kumbhavat II

The gross body is made of the great elements such as space etc.; has form, touch, etc, like the pot; and is subject to changes just as the pot is and hence it cannot be the Self.

Guru tries to point out to the student why gross body cannot be the Athma, the Self

1)    It has body or form like pot

2)    It is matter and hence inert by itself, as it is constituted of five elements which are by themselves matter and inert only

3)    Like the pot it is subject to changes   

For Athma has no physical form that can be objectified, is sentient and not subject to changes.

Verse 14

sishya uvacha:

Anaatmaa yadi pindah ayam ukta hetu balaan matah I

Kara amalakavat saakshaat athmaanam pratipaadaya II

The disciple asks: If the gross body is considered as “not-Self” on the strength of these arguments, then you please explain directly what the Self is, as clearly as a gooseberry fruit in my hand.

The disciple though convinced of the arguments negating the gross body as Athma wants to have a clear direct definition of Athma defining positively what it is so that he can not only learn more about the Self but also even experience its reality as clearly as a gooseberry fruit in his hand.  Maybe he is still thinking in terms of seeing the Self as he sees his body.

Verse 15

Guru uvacha:

Ghatadrishtaa ghataadbhinnah sarvathaa na ghatah yathaa I

Dehadrishtaa tathaa ‘deho naham’ ithi avadhaaraya.II

The guru answers:  Just as a seer of a pot is distinct from the pot in all respects, so also you know for certain that you who perceive the body are by no means one with it.

Guru in his answer introduces the disciple to drik-drisya-viveka, the discrimination between the 'seer' and ;seen', which helps one to differentiate between the 'seer' and 'seen'.  He continues with the example of pot and points out that as a seer of the pot, one is different from the pot and cannot claim oneness with the pot.  Here Self, being in the position of ‘seer’ in respect of the body which is ‘seen’ cannot claim oneness with the body.

Verse 16

Evam indriya-drik ‘na aham indriyaani,’ iti nishchinu I

Manobuddhistathaa prano ‘na aham’ iti avadhaaraya II

Thus you firmly know that you, the seer of senses are not the senses themselves and also know for certain that, “I am not the mind, intellect and the prana”.

Having used this logic - “The experienced object is different from, I, the experiencer”- for body, the sthula sareera, guru wants to extend it to the sukshma sareera as well i.e. senses, mind, intellect and prana.  One is aware of the working as well as non-working of one’s sense-organs, mind, intellect and prana, individually.  So guru asks the student to apply the logic of drik-drisya-viveka, to the sense-organs, mind, intellect and prana and know firmly for certain that he as Self, the drik, is not any of the drisyam; the sense-organs, mind, intellect or prana.

Verse 17

Sanghaatah api tathaa ‘na aham’ iti drishya vilakshanam

Drishtaaram anumaanena nipunam sampradhaaraya II

Similarly, (convince yourself that) “I am not the combination of these (discussed earlier)”.  Thus know well by inference that you are their ‘Seer’, and you are quite distinct from them the ‘Seen’.

Using drik-drisya-viveka in verse 15, guru has established that Tvam (Self) is not the gross body.  Again in verse 16, he has pointed out that the Self is not the sense-organs, mind, intellect or prana as well. Gross body constitutes the Sthula sareera.  Sense-organs, mind, intellect and prana together constitute the Sukshma sareera. So in this verse guru asks the student to infer that he is not only distinct from them individually but also collectively as a 'seer' and the group of the Sthula sareera and Sukshma sareera together as 'seen'. It is only deha abhimana that stands in the way of anumana and guru advises the student indirectly to shed the dehabhimana and prepare himself for the next step in the journey towards the knowledge of ‘Tvam’.  Viewing from the angle of kosas, we can say that the student’s search for the Self is taken from the outer, gross annamaya kosa, then past the three inner subtle kosas i.e, pranamaya, manomaya, and vijnanamaya so far. 

Verse 18

deheindriyaadayoh bhaavaa haanaadi vyaapritikshamaah I

yasya sannidhi-maatrena ‘soham’ iti avadhaaraya.II

Know yourself to be the one owing to whose presence alone inert entities like the body and senses are able to function by way of giving and taking.

Because of the invisible Athma the body is appearing sentient. By Its proximate presence itself Athma, the Self makes the insentient body become sentient. Not only the body but also the sense organs, mind and intellect which are also insentient, are turned sentient by the proximate presence of Athma.  As sentient organs they become capable of engaging in all transactions which are either giving or taking.  Guru instructs the student after this teaching “That Athma in whose presence body and various organs become sentient is your very Self.  You are that Satchidananda Athma.   Know that for certain, meditate on that to fix that in your mind and learn to claim that as You all the time”.

Verse 19

Anaapannarvikaarah sannayaskaantavad eva yah I

Buddhi-aadeen chaalayet pratyak ‘soham’ iti avadhaaraya II

That One changeless innermost Self that moves the intellect, etc, that are within,  like a magnet moving iron filings (in its presence), –  ‘I am That One’, thus you should firmly think.

The idea of previous sloka is illustrated with an example.  The idea conveyed in the previous verse was that body, mind, senses, intellect and prana are rendered sentient in the presence of Athma, that is Self.   This verse gives a more graphic picture of how this energizing actually takes place. Self is compared to a magnet and the body and all sense-organs are compared to small iron filings in Its close proximity.   The iron filings that do not possess magnetism of their own get magnetised by their mere proximity to the magnet.  In the same way the sentient Athma doing no action and by its mere presence only, makes the otherwise insentient body and other sense-organs behave with sentiency.  After giving the example Guru reminds the student ” Know this for certain and learn to claim at all times that You are that Satchidananda Athma”.

Verse 20

Ajadaa, aatma-vad,aabhaanti yat saannidhyaat, jadaa api I

Deha-indriya-manah-pranaah ‘soham’ iti avadhaaraya II

Though inert in themselves, the body, senses, mind and prana appear to be as conscious as the Self. This is only due to the proximate presence of That One (Satchidananda Athma) and ‘I am That One’, you should firmly think.

Almost the same idea given earlier is repeated here i.e. in the presence of the sentient, non-material Athma, the material, insentient body, sense-organs, mind and prana appear and act as though they are sentient by themselves.  When we are unaware of the Athma’s role in lending sentiency to body, senses, mind and prana for the performance of the activities, we think we are doing them ourselves and develop independent individuality called ego-sense. Guru again reiterates “You are that Satchidananda Athma.  Know that for certain at all times”.

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