Aparokshanubhuthi – 3

Athma anathma Jnanam

Verse 22

Athmanastatprakasatvaṃ yatpadarthavabhasanam I

Nagnyadidiptivaddiptirbhavatyandhyaṃ yato nisi II

The luminosity of Athma consists in the manifestation of all objects.  Its luminosity is not like that of fire or any such thing for (in spite of the presence of such lights) darkness prevails at night (at some place or other).

Athma was called illuminator in verse 20.  It is explained in this verse.  Anything in whose presence things are known can be called light.  Consciousness alone is the ultimate-principle in whose presence only everything is known and functions. Thus we find the Consciousness is the ultimate light.  It is intrinsically luminous, svayam prakasa, and unlike other lights it reveals darkness without driving it away.  It is in and through the light of Athma that is present in everybody as Consciousness, one comprehends light and darkness and other things.

Verse 23

Deho'hamityayaṃ mudho dhrtva tisthatyaho janah I

Mamayamityapi jnatva ghatadrasteva sarvada II

Alas! A person ignorantly rests contented with the idea that he is the body while knowing it as something belonging to him like the pot he sees (and knows as not him)

Verse 24

Brahmaivahaṃ samah santah sacchidanandalaksanah I

Naham dehohyasadrupo jnanamityuchyate budhaih II

I am verily Brahman, being equanimous, quiescent and by nature absolute Existence, Knowledge and Bliss.  I am not the body which is non-existence itself.  This is called Jnanam by the wise.

Verse 25

Nirvikaro nirakaro niravadyo'hamavyayaḥ I

Naham dehohyasadrupo jnanamityuchyate budhaih II

I am without any change, without any form, free from all blemish and decay.  I am not the body which is non-existence itself.  This is called Jnanam by the wise.

,Verse 26

Niramayo nirabhaso nirvikalpo'hamatatah I

Naham dehohyasadrupo jnanamityuchyate budhaih II

I am not subject to any disease, I am beyond all comprehension, free from division and all-pervading.  I am not the body which is non-existence itself.  This is called Jnanam by the wise.

Verse 27

Nirguno niṣkriyo nityo nityamukto'hamachyutah I

Naham dehohyasadrupo jnanamityuchyate budhaih II

I am without any attribute or activity, I am eternal, ever liberated and imperishable.  I am not the body which is non-existence itself.  This is called Jnanam by the wise.

Verse 28

Nirmalo nischalo'nantah suddho'hamajaro'maraḥ I

Naham dehohyasadrupo jnanamityuchyate budhaih II

I am free from all impurity, I am immovable, unlimited, holy, undecaying and immortal.  I am not the body which is non-existence itself.  This is called Jnanam by the wise.

In the above six verses Athma anathma jnanam is given with body as anathma. Verse 23 serves as an introductory verse where it is pointed out that the body is different from Athma, the Self, as body is also experienced by one like a pot.   But in ignorance fools consider the body as Self while treating the pot rightly as not-Self.  In the next five verses we have the description of Self as Athma as the first line and a same second line in all the five verses that makes the assertion that “I am not the mithya body” and a declaration that wise call this assertion the true knowledge.  Here the body stands for sareera triam, gross, subtle and causal.  These five verses are also Nitidyasanam verses where first line is a conscious assertion of one’s higher Self, Athma and the second line conscious negation of one’s lower Self, sareera triam.  In these verses the higher self is represented by ‘I’ and lower Self, the body. For the Athma Dhyanam to work, anathma nishedanam is done as well in all these verses.  For emphasis and concentration some of the ideas can be seen repeated also.

Verse 24 states that ‘I’, the Self or Athma is Brahman only and my nature is Existence, Knowledge and Bliss.  Being all-pervading ‘I’ am everywhere, accepting everything calmly with equanimity. Verse 25 states that ‘I’ am, nirvikara, free from the sixfold- modification which is the characteristic of the body; formless; free from all doshas and decay.  Just as formless space does not have growth and decay, the formless Consciousness also is free from all the doshas and does not decay.  ‘I’ don’t have the three forms of suffering i.e. from the body, environs and God.  Verse 26 says that Self as Athma is free from diseases though the body may be suffering diseases to exhaust Prarabdha karma. Self as Athma is always the subject Consciousness that cannot be objectified i.e. it cannot be illumined by the intellect. It is all-pervading and free from any alteration as well.  Verse 27 points out that Self as Athma, is free from attributes being Nirguna and free from all activities, gross or subtle, being all-pervading. It is eternal, ever-free from limitations and imperishable.  Verse 28 describes Self as Athma is free from the gross, subtle, karana impurities that affect the sthula, sukshma, karana sareeras.  It is free from space-wise, tme-wise limitations as time and space are located in Consciousness only.  No papa, punya attaches to It and It is immortal and undecaying.

Verse 29

Svadehe sobhanam santam Purushakhyam cha sammatam I

Kiṃ murkha sunyamatmanam dehatitaṃ karosi bhoh II

O you ignorant one! Why do you assert the blissful, ever-existent Athma, which resides in your own body and is (evidently) different from it, which is known as Purusha and is established (by the Sruti as identical with Brahman) to be absolutely non-existent?

Verse 30

Svatmanaṃ srnu murkha tvaṃ srutya yuktya cha Purusham I

Dehatitam sadakaraṃ sudurdarsam bhavadrsaih II

O you ignorant one! Try to know with the help of Sruti and reasoning and your own Self, Purusha, which is different from the body and is the very form of existence and (which is) very difficult for persons like you to realize.

The above two verses come as an interlude in the description of Athma as addressed to the student who is not convinced that his real Self is not body but Athma.  Here Athma is called Purusha, purely on the etymology of the word: puri vasati iti Purusha i.e. that which indwells (obtains) in the body.  In verse 29 it is pointed out that Purusha is a fact of everybody’s experience as it lends sentiency to the body which is material and insentient by itself. Purusha’s identity with Brahman is established by Sruthi. So Its existence cannot be doubted as Sunya. This advice is followed up in verse 30, where it is pointed out that it is difficult to understand if one does not have Sraddha in Sruthi which makes them overlook the vital differences which exist between body and Purusha and blindly assert their identity with the body. So this person is advised to do the Sravanam with Sraddha and try to understand Purusha, with the help of Sruthi, as his True Self.  From the next verse discussion on Athma, i.e. Purusha, continues which we shall see in the next blog.  

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