Who am I?

 (Based on Taittriya Upanishad)

            The first anuvaka of Brahmandavalli of Taittriya Upanishad opens with a cryptic statement, “Brahmavid apnoti param (The knower of Brahman attains Supreme)”. Supreme here denotes Brahman as we can see from Mundaka Upanishad (3-2-8) where there is a similar statement which states, “Sa yo ha vai tat paramam Brahma veda, Brahmaiva bhavathi (Whoever knows the Supreme Brahman, becomes the very Brahman)”. This gives rise to the questions, “1) Who or what is Brahman and 2) where can one find Brahman”.  The answers to both these questions are given in the latter part of the Mantra. Let us first take the first question which is answered through quoting the Rig Mantra which states “Satyam, Jnanam, Anantam Brahma (Brahman is Satyam, Jnanam, Anantam)”.   The nature of Brahman is defined through these words Satyam, Jnanam and Anantam.  We shall see each of them separately taking first “Anantam”

            Anantam means the limitless one or infinite. The limitation can be in three ways; spatial, time-wise and object-wise. Spatial limitation means an object cannot be in two places at the same time i.e. presence in one place means absence from other place.  So free of spatial limitation means It is all-pervading, sarva vyapakam.  Time-wise limitation means one is confined to a time-frame. Swami Chinmayananda calls our life a dash from womb to tomb. Brahman is present at all times; past, present and future i.e. eternal. Object-wise limitation arises from the presence of another object. Brahman is free from this limitation means it is non-dual. So Anantam means eternal, all-pervading and non-dual.  Jnanam means knowledge. Knowledge is of two kinds. 1) conditioned knowledge which is knowledge of things conditioned by things known and 2) unconditioned knowledge which is absolute knowledge illuminating the objects of experience in the outer and inner worlds, namely, the Consciousness principle.  Brahman being infinite without limitations is this Pure Consciousness which is called Chit.  Satyam, generally meaning Truth, also means an existent object. The existent object has three components, nama, rupa and existence. Brahman being infinite, the finite nama, rupa is discarded and the pure Existence principle which is called ‘Sat’ alone is taken as the meaning of Satyam.  As Brahman is free from attributes, the definition is called ‘Svabhava  lakshanam’ and it is “Sat, Chit, Anantam” i.e. “eternal, non-dual, all-pervading Existence, Consciousness” which we shall refer hereafter as “limitless Existence, Consciousness”, capital letters indicating that they are Pure Existence and Pure Consciousness.

        Now we come to the second question, “Where can one find this Sat, Chit Anantam Brahman?”. The Upanishad gives the answer along with the benefits flowing from the knowledge of Brahman, following the definition of Brahman as, “yah veda nihitam guhaayaam parame vyoman I sah ashnute sarvaan kaamaan, saha brahmanaa vipashchiteti II (He who knows It as existing in the cave (of the heart) in the inner Akasa, realises all his desires along with the Omniscient Brahman”).  So it has to be known in the space of the heart and mind pervades this space. Brahman is to be realised as the Consciousness in one’s mind as one’s Real Self. This true Self of one is hidden by Maya, the first level of Brahman’s Upadhis. Maya with its veiling power, avarana sakthi, covers Brahman and through its projecting power, vikshepa sakthi, projects the upadhis of body-mind complex as one’s self.  When through the process of Jnana Yoga under the guidance of a competent Guru, one realises the identity of one’s True Self as Brahman, the limitless Existence, Consciousness, one feels one with the Mahavakhya “Aham Brahmasmi (I am Brahman)”.  Now he, after realization of his essential identity with Brahman, declares like Asvalayana rishi in Kaivalya Upanishad (Mantra19);

Mayyeva sakalam jatam, mayi sarvam pratishthitam I

Mayi sarvam layam yati, tad brahmadvayamasmyaham II 19 II

Everything is born in me alone; everything is based on me alone; everything resolves into me alone. I am that non-dual Brahman.

With this knowledge he feels totally fulfilled and as he is everything, which amounts to his having everything and no wants or desires for anything.  This feeling of total fulfillment as Brahman is stated in the end part of the Mantra as realising all his desires along with the Omniscient Brahman. 

(adapted from a talk of Swami Sarvapriyananda)

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Dakshinamurthy Sthothram – 2

(slokas 1 – 3)

Sloka 1

Visvam darpaṇa dṛsyamana nagari tulyaṃ nijantargatam
Pasyannatmani mayaya bahirivodbhutam yathanidraya |
Yassakshatkurute prabhodhasamaye svatmanamevadvayaṃ
Tasmai Sri gurumurtaye nama idam Sri Dakshinamurtaye || 1 ||

The universe is like the reflection of a city seen in a mirror, and it is located within oneself.  It is similar to his seeing the dream-world, which is within him, during the state of sleep.  Due to Maya the one real fact appears as many different truths and one realizes (this) when one wakes up (spiritually) and perceives the Reality that he is the one and only one soul (Athma) really. Salutation to Sri Dakshinamurthy, the greatest teacher (whose grace is responsible for getting this illumination)

Of the four lines in this verse the fourth line is a sthuthi of Lord Dakshinamurthy, who  is the greatest teacher being the embodiment of Brahma Vidya, offering salutations to Him,  In the first three lines Tvam padam of the Mahavakhya “Tat Tvam Asi”, representing Jivathma and the Jiva jagat sambanda are discussed through two examples.  The two examples are: 1) The reflected image of a city in a big mirror, 2) Experience of the dream-world. Let us take the first example.  Imagine a big mirror strategically kept focussed on a busy city street. When we analyse the reflection of the street in the mirror four points arise.

1)    The mirror is the adhishtanam for the image i.e the mirror and the street image have supporter – supported relationship, the mirror being supporter and street image, supported

2)    The mirror can exist without reflection; but reflection cannot exist without the mirror. So mirror is satyam; having independent existence, whereas reflection is mithya; having dependent existence.

3)    Whatever events happen in the reflected street, they will not affect the mirror. For example a fire in the reflected street will not burn the mirror.

4)    Irrespective of the number of images in the reflected street, the mirror is one only.  The reflected images cannot add to the count of the mirror and it is one and one only, non-dual.   

Here mirror stands for Athma and street for universe and we have from the example:

1)    Athma is the adhishtanam for the anathma, which includes the external universe and body and mind

2)    Athma is Sathyam while anathma is mithya

3)    Athma is asanghaha, unaffected by agitations in anathma

4)    Athma is one and non-dual, Advayam while anathma is multiple and manifold.

To drive home clearly the idea of Athma being adhishtanam for anathma, the second example of dream-world is given. The dream-world with all its players and events is supported by the sleeper as it arises from him during sleep and dissolves in the sleeper when he wakes up and so the sleeper is the adhishtanam for the dream-world.  The dream-world which has only dependant existence is mithya while the sleeper who has an independent existence is Satyam. The sleeper is asangha unaffected by the happenings in the dream.  Sleeper is one while dream can be manifold. Athma stands for the sleeper and the dream-world for anathma. During the sleep, the dream-world is real and external for the sleeper.  Same way for a person in ajjnana avidya nidra, the experiencing world appears Real, external, disturbing and manifold due to the play of Maya.  Only when he wakes to Athma Jnanam due to the teachings and blessings of Guru he realizes the truth about his Real Self, Athma. Lord Dakshinamurthy is the Guru of such gurus and so is the greatest teacher who due to his silent teaching dispels the doubts regarding Self of even profound Vedic scholars.

Sloka 2

Bijasyantati vankuro jagaditam prannarvikalpam punah
Mayakalpita desakalakalana vaichitryachitrikrtam |
Mayaviva vijrmbhayatyapi mahayogiva yah svechchaya
Tasmai Sri gurumurtaye nama idam Sri Dakshinamurtaye || 2 ||

He in whom this universe, prior to its projection was present like a tree in a seed (unmanifested), and by whose magic this was transformed(manifested) in various forms, by His own will similar to a great yogi's- to that Lord Dakshinamurti, who is the greatest teacher, I offer my profound salutations.

The fourth line in this verse is same as in the previous verse, a sthuthi of Lord Dakshinamurthy, offering salutations to Him.  The other three lines discuss the ‘Tat’ padam of Mahavakhya “Tat tvam AsI”, representing Paramatma or Brahman and Brahma Jagat sambanda using the example of seed and tree.  Sri Sankara talks of Brahman as the material cause of the universe when he describes Brahman as one in whom the universe prior to its projection was present as a tree in the seed. Sri Sankara describes Brahman as the intelligent cause when he states that universe was projected with Space and Time in varieties of forms due to the power of Maya of Brahman. So while Brahman the karanam is one and advayam and also Satyam, world the karyam is mithya and manifold.  Sri Sankara compares this act of projection of universe through the power of Maya by Brahman to that of magician who materialises many things through the play of magic and to that of Mahayogi who also materialises things through his Sankalpa.

Sloka 3

yasyaiva sphuranam sadatmakam asatkalparthakaṃ bhasate
sakshat tatvamasiti vedavachasa yo bodhayatyasritan |
yassakshatkaranad bhavenna puranavrttir bhavambhonidhau
Tasmai Sri gurumurtaye nama idam Sri Dakshinamurtaye || 3 ||

He, by whose light the (unreal) universe appears real, teaches the truth of Brahman to those who want to know the Athma through the vedic statement tattvamasi (thou art That) and He Who puts an end to the samsara cycle – to that Lord Dakshinamurti, who is the greatest teacher, I offer my profound salutations.

The fourth line in this verse also is the same as in the previous two verses, a sthuthi of Lord Dakshinamurthy, offering salutations to Him.  In the first three lines the ‘Asi’ padam of the Mahavakhyam “Tat Tvam Asi” which spells out the Jiva Brahma Ikyam is discussed. The world is experienced by us and it is experienced because it is existent.  Vednta says Pure Existence is an independent substance which pervades the world and makes the world existent. That Pure Existence is called Sat and Sat is an aspect of Paramathma and is itself called Paramathma, just as Chit, Pure Consciousness. Sri Sankara says in this verse that Brahman, the Paramathma, makes the projected world existent and throbbing with life through Sat and Chit, and an ignorant Jiva experiencing the existent world imagines it is Real while only Brahman is Real and the world is only apparently Real.  In the first two verses Sri Sankara has revealed separately that Jiva and Brahman are Real and Non dual and the world as mithya.  Now these two statements are reconciled by stating that Lord Dakshinamurthy as Brahma Vidya Guru teaches His disciples the Vedic truth of the identity of Jivathma and Paramathma through the teaching of Mahavakhya “tat tvam asi” (You are That), dispelling the doubt regarding the reality of the world.  When one understands and absorbs the truth of Mahavakhya, one becomes a Jeevanmuktha, a liberated person for the rest of one’s life i.e. until the exhaustion of the prarabhdha karma when one attains Videha Mukthi and sheds the body once for all. The one attaining Videha Mukthi frees oneself from the cycle of birth and death for ever. This Mahavakhya Lord Dakshinamurthy teaches in silence through Chinmudra as explained in the Dhyana sloka and to this Brahma Vidya guru salutations are offered.

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The nature of the world

Athma Bodha – 3

Verse 6

Samsarah Swapnatulyo hi Ragadweshadi Samkulah I

Swakaale Satyavatbhati Prabodhe sati Asadbhavet II

The world which is full of attachments, aversions, etc., is like a dream. It appears to be real, as long as one is ignorant but becomes unreal when one is awake (i.e., when true wisdom dawns).

Samsara means that which is ever changing and here it denotes the world of births and deaths in an endless cycle. The unreal nature of the world is brought out through a beautiful simile.  The world of objects existing in time and space is compared to a dream as viewed from the waking state.  A dreamer in dream does not know it is a dream and experiences the dream world in dream as he experiences the world in the waking stage. On waking up he realises the unreality of the dream and is not worried over dream disasters or elated over dream bonanzas. In the same way when one becomes established in the Jnanam he realises the unreality of the experienced world with its attachments and aversions, which arise out of raga, dwesha, the result of kama, krodha and other negative qualities of  loba, moha, madha and matsarya.  He learns that he was attributing reality to the world of pluralirty out of Atma ajjnanam and the experienced world is only an adhysa, a wrong projection of ignorant mind and only Brahman i.e, Athma is Real. When one wakes up, dream world disappears and in the same way when one wakes up to Athma Jnanam, the feeling of reality of the world of plurality disappears.

Verse 7

Taavat satyam Jagadbhati Suktikaa Rajatam Yatha I

Yavanna Jnayate Brahma Sarvadhistaanam-Advayam. II

The world appears to be Real (Satyam) so long as Brahman, the substratum, the basis of all this creation, is not realised. It is like the illusion of silver in the mother-of-pearl.

In this verse the mithyatvam of the world is further explained through another simile, namely the mother of pearl that shines like silver in the sunlight.  This shining mother of pearl is mistaken for silver and only close investigation reveals its real nature. Similarly all this world of plurality appears real until we know Brahman that is Sarvadhishtanam, the substratum of all, which alone is Real and one only without a second.  When we know Brahman through Athma Jnanam and realize our Real Self as Sathya Athma, then the  experienced world of plurality is revealed to us as only relatively real i.e. mithya and not absolutely Real and so it does not delude us any longer.

Verse 8

Upadane Akhilaadhare Jaganti Paramesware I

Sarga sthiti Layaanyanti Budbudaaneeva Vaarini II

Like bubbles in the water, the worlds rise, exist and dissolve in the Supreme Iswara, who is the material cause and the prop of everything.

Jaganthi means the worlds.  All the 14 worlds of the Universe have three qualities of Srishti, Sthithi and Layam.  These three actions take place in the substratum Brahman, here called Parameswara.  This phenomenon of arising, existing and dissolving is compared to the bubbles that rise in water, exist in water and collapse in water.  Just as bubbles in water are only water, rising in water, existing, even growing bigger, in water and bursting to merge back in water, the plurality that is seen as worlds is only a play of names and forms on the substratum that is Brahman.  Brahman as Iswara with His power of Maya manifest acts as the material and efficient cause of creation, Maya with its vikshepa sakthi projecting the Universe out of itself.  

Verse 9

Satchidaatmani Anusyoote Nitye-Vishnow Prakalpitaah I

Vyaktayo Vividhassarvaa Haatake Katakaadivat. II

All the manifested world of things and beings are projected by imagination upon the substratum which is the eternal all-pervading Vishnu, whose nature is Existence-Intelligence; just as the different ornaments are all made out of the same gold.

Here Vishnu stands for Supreme Brahman who is the substratum for the Universe.  As is said in the previous verse Brahman, with His power Maya manifest, is the material cause for the universe, like gold for the ornaments made of gold. The ornaments may vary like bracelets, chains, rings etc.  But they are all basically gold only with different names and forms..  Similarly the manifested world of things is basically Vishnu, the Supreme Brahman only with various forms and different names.  Just as a jeweler views all ornaments as manifestations of gold with different forms and names, an Athma Jnani looks upon everything in creation as Brahman only with different forms and names. 

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The path of no return and return

Gita essays 14

Lord Krishna assured Arjuna that a person who is sincerely committed to the constant practice of meditation of Lord, with single minded devotion, can reach Him easily.  Here we should remember that when Lord refers to Himself in first person singular using term ‘I” and “Me”, He is talking as Paramathma, Akshara Brahman.  He also explains to Arjuna why attaining The Lord is the most desirable goal for one. People of the world seeking permanent peace, security and happiness have either Paramathma or world, as their goal.  Those virtuous people who have Paramathma as their goal and meditate on Him sincerely with single-minded devotion praying for His Grace and Grace only, reach Him after death, totally freed from samsara and the cycle of birth and do not return to earthly existence at all.  They have attained Moksha, the ultimate goal.  On the other hand those seeking worldly goals, even if they go to heavenly lokas after death due to their punya, return to earth and the life of sorrow and samsara at the exhaustion of punya and continue to struggle.  This cycle of birth and death continues until they change their goal and seek Lord and Lord only in their earthly life and attain Him through meditation and single-minded devotion. This is true even of the virtuous people engaged in ritualistic worship and Sakama upasana as well, who go to any one of the higher lokas other than Brahma loka, after death, be it bhuvar loka, suvar loka, mahar loka, jana loka, tapo loka, or satya loka, declares Lord Krishna.  In these lokas they enjoy, no doubt, the joys and comforts of the higher lokas, free from the miseries of disease, death and old age, but it is only as long as their stock of punya allows them and get shunted back to earth to continue in the cycle of birth and death in struggle and samsara.  

Attaining Paramathma is obtaining the Ikya Jnanam through which one is unshakeably established in the firm knowledge of the identity of one’s Athma with Paramathma.  So only those who have got the Brahma Jnanam whether on earth or in the Brahma loka, are freed totally from the cycle of birth and death.  Only Paramathma who is eternal is not subject to time.  To drive home this point firmly Lord points out in verse 17 that even Brahmaji, as we shall refer to Lord Brahma to distinguish Him from Brahman, is subject to time.

 Those who know the day of Brahma, which is of a duration of one thousand chathur Yugas, and the night, which is also of one thousand chathur Yugas’ duration, they know day and night. (8-17)

One chathur yuga consists of four yugas. They are Krita yuga, Threta yuga, Dvapara yuga and Kali yuga. Together they run for 4,320,000 years.  Brahmaji’s  one full day consists of daytime of 1000 chathur yugas and night-time of 1000 chathur yugas, i.e. in total 2000 chathur yugas.  365 such days make Brahmaji’s one year. Brahmaji’s lifetime consists of one hundred such years.  So His life runs much much longer but still it is also limited.  When night falls for Brahmaji, all the lokas except Brahma loka dissolve into Maya, in what is called pralaya and manifest again when Brahmaji’s day starts which is called creation.  At the end of Brahma’s lifetime all the lokas including Brahma loka are dissolved into Maya and later spring back into manifestation as a new creation.  In the case of jivas this cycle of manifestation and unmanifestation goes on eternally until the jivas exhausting their karma totally through Athma Jnanam attain the Lord. So in verses 18 & 19 Lord Krishna states:

From the unmanifested all the manifested (worlds) emerge at the coming of the “day”; at the coming of the “night” they dissolve merging into that itself which is called the unmanifested. (8-18)

This same multitude of beings, born again and again, is dissolved, helplessly, O Arjuna, (into the unmanifested) at the coming of the "night", and comes forth at the coming of the "day"! (8-19)

Thus the worlds and beings go in a cyclic form of manifestation and unmanifestation.  When Brahmaji’s life time ends, all the worlds without exception i.e. including Brahma loka also dissolve and Akshara Brahman  is the only survivor at the end of Brahmaji’s life which is called Mahapralaya.  If we designate Maya as unmanifest then it is lower unmanifest and Paramathma, the Akshara Brahman who is beyond Maya is higher Unmanifest and the lower unmanifest  merges with the higher Unmanifest  at the time of Maha pralaya. That is why Lord Krishna states in the next verse:

But higher than this unmanifested, there exists another Unmanifested Eternal Being, who does not perish when all beings perish. (8-20)

Reaching This Unmanifested Eternal Being, who is also called Paramathma and Akshara Brahman, a Jiva is Liberated from the cycle of birth and death.  Jnani attains this Liberation as a videhamukthi involving no travel after death; nishkama upasaka travels to Brahma loka and attains Liberation there as krama mukthi and sakama upasaka and other karmis travel to other lokas only to return to earth and its pleasures, pains and sorrows.  The other lokas are the lokas between bhu loka and Brahma loka and all these intermediary lokas are referred by a general name swarga loka.  The path nishkama upasaka takes to Brahma loka after death is the path of no-return and is called Sukla ghathi and the path sakama upasaka and other virtuous people, including karmi, take to swarga loka after death is the path of return and is called Krishna gathi.  Sukla gathi, also called bright path by the Lord, the path of no return, is guided by five devathas.  They are agni devatha, jyothir devatha; ahar devatha (devata presiding over day time); sukḷa pakṣha devatha; uttarayaṇa devatha.  Krishna gathi, also called dark path by the Lord, the path of return, has four devathas as guides.  They are dhumaḥ devatha (devata presiding over smoke); ratri devatha (devata presiding over night time);  kṛiṣhṇa pakṣha devatha and dakṣhiṇayana devatha.  These two paths, the bright path and the dark path are also considered to be eternal.  As Lord Krishna concludes this topic, He glorifies Nishkama Saguna Brahma upasaka, calling him a Yogi.   He says Yogi knowing the limitations of various rituals, study of Vedas and charitable acts,  pursues steadfastly Nishkama Saguna Brahma upasana and attains Moksha, through krama mukthi and He also advises Arjuna to become a Yogi and attain the Supreme Lord.

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The nature of Brahman – Higher & Lower

Gita essays – 11

The eighteen chapters of Bhagavad Gita are divided into 3 sets of 6 Chapters each explaining the Truth of the Mahavakya – “Tat Twam Asi”  meaning `You Are That', You standing for Jiva and That for Brahman.  The first 6 Chapters of Gita explain the significance of the term `Twam' (You standing for Jiva). The next 6 Chapters from the 7th to 12th explain the term `Tat' (That standing for Brahman). The last 6 Chapters from 13<sup>th</sup> to 18<sup>th</sup> explain the meaning of the term `Asi' (Are standing for Ikyam).  This Division is made only to indicate the pattern of thought flow from one chapter to another in these six chapters.  According to Swami Paramarthananda Isvara svarupam, Isvara upasana, and Isvara kripa are the three topics highlighted in the six chapters starting from chapter 7.

In the last verse of chapter 6, Lord Krishna stated that that the yogi who devoutly worships Him with his mind fully focussed on Him is the best of yogis. In the first verse of the chapter 7 He follows this up by stating how He can be known in full without any doubt.  “Hear from me, Arjuna, how taking refuge in ME and practicing Yoga with a mind which is totally absorbed in ME, you will come to know ME completely and doubtlessly”.  We should remember here that Lord Krishna is not speaking these words as the son of Devaki and Vasudeva but as the cosmic Supreme, Brahman, who has taken the mortal body for the protection of the virtuous and destruction of the wicked and for the establishment of Dharma, as he had stated earlier (Ch.4 – 8).  What He means by complete knowledge He clarifies in the next verse (7-2)

ज्ञानं तेऽहं सविज्ञानमिदं वक्ष्याम्यशेषतः।(Jnaanam te’ham savijnaanam idam vakshyaamyasheshatah)
यज्ज्ञात्वा नेह भूयोऽन्यज्ज्ञातव्यमवशिष्यते।।(Yajjnaatwaa neha bhooyo’nyaj jnaatavyamavashishyate)

I shall completely impart to you this Jnanam along with Vijnanam gaining which knowledge nothing more remains to be known in this life.

The knowledge of Nirguna Brahman is called Vijnanam and the knowledge of Saguna Brahman only, is called here Jnanam.  Jnanam with Vijnanam makes knowledge of Brahman total and complete. Because Brahman is everything and everything is in Brahman, everything automatically becomes known when one gains total knowledge of Brahman.  If one wonders why so few only have the complete knowledge of Brahman, Lord explains that among the innumerable human beings, only a few develop a desire for Liberation and go for such a knowledge.  Even among the few who develop such desire, only a few have the access for the means of attaining the knowledge and strive for it.  Even among those who strive, only a fortunate few who have conquered their vasanas and strive with patience and perseverance succeed in acquiring the true and full knowledge of Brahman.  Hence people with correct and complete knowledge of Brahman are rare in the world.

After this brief introduction, Lord Krishna starts giving the knowledge of His nature as Brahman from verse 5.  Brahman is a mixture of two principles known as the higher principle, the Para prakr̥ithi; and the lower principle, the eight-fold Apara prakr̥ithi; and both of them are beginningless, eternal.  The five elements, earth, water, fire, air, and space in their subtler aspects and the mind, intellect, and ego in their samashti form make up the eight constituents of Apara prakrithi. This is called lower because it is changing, inert, finite and dependently existent.  The higher principle, Para prakrithi, is the Consciousness principle, the very life-factor in all beings, in Lord’s words.  This is called higher because it is changeless, sentient, infinite and independently existent

In short, Brahman has two aspects to His nature, changing matter principle and changeless Consciousness principle, Para prakrithi and Apara prakrithi.  It is the Para prakrithi expressing itself through the Apara prakrithi that causes the “Universe of happenings”, as Swami Chinmayananda puts it.  So Brahman, as a combination of two prakrithis is the srishti, sthithi, laya karanam of the universe. He is the material cause as well besides being the intelligent cause and as material cause He pervades the karyam, Universe. He explains quoting various instances to show that in fact there is no creation apart from Him and He alone is the very essence of everything.

He also declares that there is no one superior to Him and He is the “uncaused cause” of all and He holds together everything in creation as the unseen string holds together the seen pearls in a necklace.  The same idea is conveyed by Poet Subramania Bharathi in his song:

காக்கை சிறகினிலே நந்தலாலா!-நின்றன் (kakkai siraginile Nandalala-ninran)

கரிய நிறம் தோன்றுதையே, நந்தலாலா! (kariya niram Thonruthaiye, Nandalala)

In the wings of crow I see only your dark colour , Krishna!

All things (including the different states of mind under the influence of the three gunas, Satvam, Rajas and Tamas) are in The Lord but He is not in them just as all waves are in the ocean but the ocean is not in them.  As Sri Sankara observes it is the matter that depends upon the Consciousness Principle for its existence and the Consciousness principle is not in any way dependant on matter.  Brahman with the three gunas, Satvam, Rajas and Tamas, unmanifest, is called Nirguna Brahman and the other with the three gunas Satvam, Rajas and Tamas manifest is called Saguna Brahman. The three gunas together are known as Prakrithi or nature and also as Maya.  Everything in creation including Jiva, the individual, has all the three gunas but in varying proportions. Jiva under the deluding influence of Maya fails to recognize the higher nature (parā-prakṛti) of Brahman, which as Athma lends him life, making him sentient.  Lord Krishna also advises how to get over Maya’s illusion.

दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम माया दुरत्यया। (Daivee hyeshaa gunamayee mama maayaa duratyayaa)

मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायामेतां तरन्ति ते।।7.14।।(Maameva ye prapadyante maayaametaam taranti te)

This divine Maya of Mine which consists of the (three) gunas is difficult to cross over.  Only those who surrender to Me cross over this Maya.

Lord here refers to Maya as divine and mine because Maya is the power of the Lord through which the He makes the world manifest.  Sri Sankara calls Iswara a Mayavi, magician, in his Dakshinamurthy stotram(Sloka 2). If Iswara is magician, Maya is His magic. So one can get over its effects through His Grace only.  Therefore He says that only those devotees who surrender to Him in devotion will be able to get over its effects and recognise His higher nature. While He tells in this verse who can overcome the power of this magic and discover their innate Divinity, in the next verse He points out who cannot free themselves from its spell,.  “They do not devote themselves to Me – the evil-doers, the deluded, the lowest of men, deprived of their discrimination by Maya and following the way of the Asura or evil-doers.”   To escape the spell of Maya, one has to go beyond the three gunas, which are its constituents.  To go beyond the three gunas, one has to become first a Satva dominant person.  Unless one becomes ethical, Satva-predominant, one cannot become really spiritual. And one has to be really spiritual to convert oneself to be an instrument of Divine eventually and cross over Maya with His Grace. So if one is not a true devotee of the Lord, one cannot shake off the shackles of Maya.

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