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Thursday, June 22, 2006

Sloka - 3 and 4

Hari OM ,

SLOKA 3:

avirodhitayaa karma naavidyaaM vinivartayet.h .
vidyaavidyaaM nihantyeva tejastimirasaN^ghavat.h .. 3..

Pada artha:
Avirodhitayaa: for, not being opposed (to ignorance)
Karma: action
Na : not Vinivartayet: destroys
avidyaam: ignorance
Vidyaa: knowledge
Nihanti: destroys
eva: verliy Teja : light
Timira sambhandavat: as deep darkness

Action cannot destroy ignorance, for it is not in conflict with or opposed to ignorance. Knowledge does verily destroy ignorance as light destroys deep darkness.

In the previous sloka, we learnt that like the fire that can only cook food, the knowledge only can lead to liberation. In this sloka Acharya is answering another doubt that may arise for a seeker as to why is it not possible for austerities and discipline to liberate one and why is it that only knowledge can lead to realization? The knowledge that is here being discussed of is not something that can be gained new, but it is verily inherent in us. It is one’s own nature and hence this knowledge of Self which is ever present can never be got as a result of any action. Hence no divine actions in the sense of direct cause and effect can lead to knowledge of the self.
Supposing that there is darkness in a room, then no amount of sweeping or cleaning or any such actions will remove the darkness but it can only be done by light. However thick the darkness is, it disappears in an instant by light. Similarly, it is only the knowledge that can negate the illusory ignorance. Also actions are but a result of ignorance, that which is a result can never remove its cause. Action is done only when one perceives duality as there is always a distinction of doer, instrument and the result in any actions. And this duality is perceived only due to ignorance. Hence actions can never liberate one from ignorance, but it is only knowledge that can remove all miseries.
Just as light is opposed to darkness, knowledge opposed to ignorance can only negate it. This darkness doesn’t disappear anywhere nor goes anywhere but is only negated by the light. Similarly, the illusory ignorance is negated by the light of the Self knowledge.

Thus all the actions can only prepare a seeker for the revelation of this ever present knowledge but can never by themselves remove the ignorance.

SLOKA 4:

parichhanna ivaaGYaanaattannaashe sati kevalaH .
svayaM prakaashate hyaatmaa meghaapaaye.n.ashumaaniva .. 4..

Pada artha:

Parichinna:Finite
Iva: as if
Ajnaanat: because of ignorance
Tat: that
Naasho sati: when destroyed
Kevala: alone
Swayam: by itself
Prakashate: reveals
Hi: verily
Aatma: the self
Megha: cloud
apaaye: when pass away
Anshumaan: the sun
Iva: like

The Soul appears to be finite because of ignorance. When ignorance is destroyed the Self which does not admit of any multiplicity truly reveals itself by itself: like the Sun when the clouds pass away.

In the previous sloka, we learnt that the ever present Atman cannot be known through actions but by knowledge alone. In sloka, Acharya is again explaining the eternal nature of Atman. Acharya here gives the example of the sun to explain the nature of Atman.

Just as the ever present sun seems to be veiled by passing clouds; the Atman seems to be veiled by the ignorance. When clouds cover the sun, it may seem as though the sun itself is not there or that the sun has lost the power of giving light!! But in reality, the sun is ever present, luminous and shines forth always, only that the clouds have to be removed. It was never affected by the passing clouds nor is its the luminosity lost.

Similarly, the Atman which is but verily consciousness can never be subject to ignorance nor can be affected by the plurality of the world. It is that which is the substratum of all objects and stands alone as a witness to all actions. Due to ignorance about the Self, the Self, is perceived by the mind as finite, non eternal etc. It is only because of the ignorance that all the illusory attributes are superimposed on Atman. When this ignorance is removed by the knowledge then all that ever remains is the non dual Atman alone. Just as the sun that shines forth when the clouds are removed, the infinite Self which is the only reality reveals by itself. Like the sun distinct from the clouds, the atman untainted by all the illusory multiplicity of the world shines off once the ignorance is removed.

Atman is but existence, consciousness and bliss. It is only because of the ignorance that one forgets one’s own nature of existence-bliss and suffers with all the miseries of the world. Just as the clouds, this ignorance has to be removed and the only way as we have learnt in the previous slokas, is by knowledge.

Thus the acharya here explains that it is only because of ignorance that Self appears to be finite. When ignorance is destroyed, the Self reveals itself like the sun when clouds are removed.

Since Acharya explains us about the ever present non dual Self and how knowledge alone can remove the ignorance, a seeker may get doubt that there may be no escape from duality as knowledge would remain as a modification of mind even after destruction of ignorance and thus the non dual Self can never be revealed by mere destruction of ignorance. Let us learn Acharya’s answer to this doubt through the next verse.

Hari OM.

With regards,
Mallika R
What you have is God's gift to you and what you do with what you have is your gift to God

1 Comments:

Blogger vedanta said...

HARI AUM

Prostrations to all.

The most important concept to be remembered in the below sloka is the usage of "iva"-kaara which means "as if"..... So Sankara here says "paricchanna iva" -- "seems as if limited". The Self seems to be limited by ignorance but is never limited at all even as Sun is never veiled by clouds by only seems to be veiled.

Advaita Makaranda says thus
"Na prakaashe aham ithyukthir yat prakaashaika bandhanaa
Svaprakaasham tam aatmaanam aprakaashah katham sprisheth"

If you say that "I dont know the Self", this "I dont know" itself is being illumined by the self-luminous Self. So how can "darkness" or "non-luminosity" touch the self-luminous Self????

Whatever Sankara says below is explained in a very similar way in Hastamalakeeya thus:
"ghanacchanna dristhir ghanachhanam arkam
Yathaa nishprabham manyathe chaathimoodah
Tathaa baddhavat bhaathi yo mooda dristeh
Sa nitya upalabdhi svaroopoham aatma"

For a person whose eyesight is not clear, the sun is not seen as clear -- and therefore Sun is considered as not luminous by that foolish person -- similarly I am that ever-present Self who is considered as "bonded" (meaning in ignorance) by foolish and ignorant person.

Prostrations to all.

HARI AUM

Thanks
Hariram
Let a moment not pass by without remembering God

8:02 PM  

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