The glory of Brahman
2nd Mantra gives a direct definition of Brahman as intelligent cause for the universe. As it is a direct definition, it is called the Swarupa Lakshanam, as in Mantra 1-1-6 of this Upanishad.
Divyah hi amoortah purushah sa-baahya abhyantarah hi ajah I
Apranah hi amanah shubhrah hi aksharat
paratah parah II
He is the self-luminous and formless Purusha,
uncreated and existing both within and without. He is devoid of prana, devoid
of mind, pure, and higher than the supreme Imperishable. (2-1-2)
The second Mantra reveals that Brahman as
pure existence is beyond all the three states of existence, gross, subtle and
causal. It is the ‘amness’ of ‘I am’ and
‘isness’ of ‘it is’. It is a self
shining principle, in that it needs no other source of light to reveal itself
anytime anywhere. In a room which is
pitch dark, you need a torch or a source of light to know whether an object is
there but what source of light you need to know that you are there? No source
of light is needed as your ‘amness’ is self evident to you at all times, in all
circumstances. So it is called swayamprakasa. Brahman as cause, pervades
every object of the universe. It is in
and out of everything in the Universe, just like water is in and out of the
waves of the ocean. So instead of
perceiving that Brahman is in everything in the universe, it is to be
perceived that everything in the universe is in Brahman. Brahman is called here ‘Purusha’,
the all pervading infinite being. As all
pervading and infinite, it is beyond space and so cannot be located
anywhere. As our mind cannot conceive
of anything without location, we for our convenience of worshipping give
location as Vaikunta, Kailasa etc. for Ishwara, the Saguna
Brahman. It is ‘amoorta’ and so it has no sthula sareera, gross body. It is ‘apranah’ and ‘amanah’ and so it has no sukshma sareera, subtle body, as
well. It is free of karana sareera, the
causal body, as well as it is ‘aksharat paratah’, beyond the unmanifested causal state. As
it has no sareeras, it is free of
all impurities and so is pure.
As origin of everything else including time and space, it itself has no
origin. The sum total of all these is
the direct definition of Brahman, an attempt to describe in words, what
is beyond the scope of description.
From Mantras 3 to 9, we get the process of creation, in
which the statement, everything is born out of Brahman, is elaborated by
pointing out that mountains, rivers, all forms of food, living beings besides
heaven, devas and the Vedas, have all come out of Brahman. Of these Mantra 4 merits special attention
especially in the context of Modern Science.
We have in this Mantra description of whole Universe as a person,
Virat Purusha, which reveals the interconnectedness of everything in the
Universe, like the different organs of the human body that are interrelated to
each other. This view of
interconnectedness is shared by Modern scientists. American Nobel Physicist John Wheeler speaks
of entire material Universe as a quantum foam in which every particle is linked
to every other particle in quantum interconnectedness.
Some of the unique concepts of Advaita Vedanta,
can be derived from the Mantra 10.
Purusha evedam vishvam karma
tapo
brahma para amritam I
Etad yo veda nihitam guhaayaam
sah
avidyaa granthim vikirati iha somya II
The Purusha alone is this entire Universe, which consists
of the sacrificial works and austerities. He who knows this highest and
immortal Brahman as seated in the cavity of the heart, cuts asunder even here
the knot of ignorance, O my good friend.
(2-1-10)
The Mantra 10 states that this universe of names,
forms, emotions and experiences, that all things, subtle and gross, that go to
make this universe, are only the manifestation of the infinite Being, Purusha. He is the Supreme Brahman and one who
knows Him as manifested in the cave of one’s heart cuts asunder the knots of
ignorance that bind him to samsara, meaning he is liberated or gains Jivan
Mukthi. The Universe is constantly
changing, but Brahman is changeless.
He undergoes no change or modification, while being the material and
intelligent cause of this changing Universe.
This is possible because Brahman and Universe are of the order of
two different types of realities. As per Advaita Vedanta there are three types
of realities.
1. Prathibhasika
Satyam - reflective reality - it
is real only to the person who is experiencing it, at the time of the experience
only, like a dream.
2. Vyavaharika
Satyam - transactional reality - It
is available for all experiences, but when you analyze it, it is not at all
there as it appears to be like the sky, horizon, moonlight etc. This satyam is also called mithya. Further the mitya objects keep on
changing all the time. They are also not available for experience all the
time. Though we know it as not real, we
will still talk and act as if it is real, for transactional convenience.
3. Paramarthika
Satyam - Absolute reality - Same
and unchanging at all times. Only Brahman
is Paramarthika Satyam
The Universe comes under Vyavaharika Satyam, Mithya
only. Mithya is also
known by another name, Maya. Maya
means it is not what it appears to be, like sun-rise and sun-set.
Dream is real, during the dream time to the dreamer. But when dreamer wakes up, to him as the
waker the dream time incidents, good or bad, has no impact except as a laughing
matter when recalled. Same way for the
realized person, the experiences of the life, are treated as a lila as he
has woken up to the higher reality of the Paramarthika Satyam. So experiences of everyday life do not either
excite him or hurt him and he participates in life experiences as a spectator.
His attitude is of one watching a TV replay of the game that is already over
and of which he knows the result. Prathibhasika
Satyam is real, Satyam, Vyavaharika Satyam is greater
reality, Satyasya Satyam and Paramarthika Satyam is the greatest
reality, Satyasya Satyasya Satyam, if we can use that word. What happens in a lesser reality cannot
affect the one in higher reality. So Brahman
though pervading the Universe as Karanam, is not affected by the Karyam,
the Universe. Realization of this Brahman,
as one’s athma, the consciousness, is
called Jiva Brahma Ikyam,
the oneness of Jiva and Brahman. Here lakshyartham
for Jiva is taken, which is Athma, the consciousness in
individual. This realization is termed Athma Jnanam or Brahma
Jnanam. Since this realization lifts
your vision to the highest reality, universe and its experiences, even though
you participate in it, do not affect you in any way. This state of realized person is called Jivan
Mukthi. The concepts of three
realities, mithya and Jivan Mukthi are unique to Advaita
Vedanta. From this follows the main
message of Advaita Vedanta. Brahma
Satyam, Jagat Mithya, Jivo Brahmaiva na para (Brahman alone is real,
this world is unreal; the Jiva is identical with Brahman)
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