Saddarsanam – 6

(Verses 26 to 30)

Verse 26

Deho na janati sato na janma deha-pramano'nya udeti madhye।
Ahankrti-granthi-vibandha-suksma -sarira-ceto-bhava-jiva-nama ॥

The body does not know. Truth (Existence), is not born.  Another of the size of body arises in the middle, which is named - ego, knot, bondage, subtle body, mind, the realm of becoming or jiva (the individual).

The body is inert, undergoes changes; birth,decay and death.  Athma is birthless and deathless.  The ego that has sentiency is not body.  It is not the Athma as well as it has birth and death.  However, though it is neither the body nor the Athma, it assumes the properties of both.  Like the body, it rises and subsides (or appears and disappears) and is limited by time and space; and like the real Self, it shines as ‘I’.  Since it has no independent existence it takes the support of both and assumes the size of the body and sentiency of Athma like the reflection of face in the mirror which is a false entity that has some features of both, the reflecting mirror and the original face.  The ego parades around in various names which are: 

1)    Ahamkara – (aham karoti iti) The notion of doership in every action is ego

2)    Granthi – knot, as it ties the inert body and sentient Athma together.

3)    Vibandha – bondage,  It binds one to the body and its limitations and to the objects of the world through its ‘myness’

4)    Sukshma sarira – subtle body,  It is not perceived by the senses like the gross body and it is perishable like the body.

5)    Cheta – mind.  It has the capacity to reflect Consciousness and know

6)    Bhava – realm of becoming.  Its existence depends on becoming something and so it prompts one to action always.

7)    Jiva – It always maintains its identity or individuality as ‘I’, enlivening the body and mind.

Verse 27

Rupodbhavo rupa-tati-pratistho rupasano dhuta-grhita-rupah।
Svayam virupah svavicara-kale dhavatyahankara-pisaca esah ॥

This ghost of the ego is born amidst forms; based on a group of forms, the eater of forms, who has given up and held forms, is by Itself formless and upon inquiry into itself, It runs away.

We had seen in the earlier verse that ego is not an independent entity but a concoction of some features of Athma and anathma.  Ego rises along with the attributes of anathma and the multitudes of attributes are the fields in which ego moves about.  It does not have its own features and is destroyed by enquiry.  Since it does not have a real existence but has only a ghostly existence Maharishi calls it a ghost as well in addition to the multitude of names he had listed in the previous verse.  The ego has borrowed from Athma “I am”, where ‘I’ stands for Consciousness and ‘am’ for Existence.  To these two features,  Sat, Chit aspect of Athma, is added the various attributes of anathma, like male, young, happy etc,  to form various ‘forms’.  So Maharishi states that that it is born amidst attributes and grows on attributes, as if feeding on attributes.  So long as no enquiry is made about its reality, it seems to exist and thrive.   But as soon as it is scrutinized to find out who it is, it will disappear, being found to be non-existent.

Verse 28

Bhave'hamah sarvam-idam vibhati laye'hamo naiva vibhati kincit।
Tasmad-aham-rupam-idam samastam tan-marganam sarva-jayaya margah ॥

In the being of the ego, all this shines.  On the dissolution of the ego nothing at all shines.  Therefore all this is the form of the ego. The search for that is the way for victory over all.

The world is experienced only with the existence of ego and seems to disappear when the ego disappears.  So the world is of the form of ego.  The body and the whole world of manifestation, consisting of so many dyads and triads, are nothing but an expansion of the ego, which is the embryo or seed-form of everything.  But ego is an illusory entity which borrows its existence from the pure Self.  Knowing the Self, the ego and its manifestations disappear.  The enquiry into the root of the ego will lead one to the pure Self, the abidance in which only ensures permanent victory over samsara.

Verse 29

Satya sthitir-naham-udeti yatra tac-codaya-sthana-gavesanena।
Vina na nasyed-yadi tanna nasyet svatmaikya-rupa kathamastu nistha ॥

The Real State is where “I” does not arise.  And that is not destroyed without the fervent search (inquiry) for the place of emergence.  If that is not destroyed how can there be abidance, of the nature of Oneness of the True (own) Self?

As long as ego exists it will prompt one to become something or other.   Wanting to become something is a sign of feeling unfulfilled.  Only when the ego is destroyed one can attain a state of fulfilment.  Athma ajjnanam is at the root of ego and only with Athma Jnanam the roots of ego can be permanently destroyed.  This egoless state of Athma Jnanam is of the nature of oneness with the Athma, which is a permanent state.  For in Athma Jnanam, the mithyatvam of ego is understood clearly.   This falsification of ego is destruction of ego.   Only in this state of egolessness, one can attain the state of abiding in one’s Athma.

Verse 30

Kupe yatha gadha-jale tathantah nimajjya buddhya sitaya nitantam।
Pranam ca vacam ca niyamya cinvan vinden-nijahankrti-mula-rupam ॥

Just as in a well of water into [which one] has dived deeply, just so, within one must dive (plunge) with intellect highly (extraordinarily) sharp, prana and speech to be controlled (lit., having controlled), inquiring (reflecting on);  one shall find the nature of the root of one’s own ego.

The self-shining jewel of the Self is lost in the deep waters of thoughts.  The individual who attempts to retrieve it must be well-qualified with a pure, subtle and single-pointed intellect, to enable him to dive deep within his personality.  The intellect must be rendered pure with the removal of all worldly desires through spiritual practices like japa etc,. and through selfless action.  Prana is to be disciplined through regular pranayama and control of the organ of speech to be achieved through vak-tapas as prescribed in Gita 17-15:

Anudvegakaram vaakyam satyam priyahitam cha yat;

Swaadhyaayaabhyasanam chaiva vaangmayam tapa uchyate.

Speech which causes no excitement and is truthful, pleasant and beneficial, the practice of the study of the Vedas, are called austerity of speech.

With such a mastery over organs, one engages oneself in Athma vichara with study of sastras under the guidance of a competent guru.  Through such enquiry into Self, one discovers the root of one’s ego, the Sathya adhishtanam, Athma.  This knowledge of Athma leads to the falsification of ego by revealing its mithyatvam.

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