Sloka - 31 and 32
Hari OM,
Before moving to the next sloka, a correction in the previous sloka’s explanations.
As pointed in the comments, it was wrongly mentioned that there are no two ways of realizing Self. There can be two ways of defining the nature of Self but no two ways of realizing Self. It is but knowledge alone that leads to realization through the positive method and also through the negative method. We can refer to the 28th sloka from Vakya vritti for this.
tvamarthamevaM nishchitya tadarthaM chintayetpunaH .
atadvyaavR^ittiruupeNa saakShaadvidhimukhena cha..
“When the meaning of the word “Thou” is thus ascertained one should think over what is meant by the word “That” by negating what is other than Brahman and also according to the direct positive method.”
Thus the meaning or the nature of the Brahman has to be known by negating all that other than Self and also by the positive method only.
Pardon for the confusion and misinterpretations of this sloka.
SLOKA 31:
avidyakaM shariiraadi dR^ishyaM bud.hbudavatksharam.h .
etadvilakshaNaM vidyaadahaM brahmeti nirmalam.h .. 31..
Pada artha:
Avidhyakam: upto the causal body
Shareeraadi: body etc.
Drushyam: perceived objects
Budhbuda vat: as bubbles
Ksharam: perishable
Etad vilakshanam: separate from all these
Vidhyaat: realize
Aham: I
Brahma :Brahman
Iti : thus
Nirmalam: pure
The body, etc., up to the “Causal Body” – Ignorance – which are objects perceived, are as perishable as bubbles. Realise through discrimination that I am the ‘Pure Brahman’ ever completely separate from all these.
In the last verse, Acharya explained that the nature of Self is to be realized by negating all the illusory adjuncts that seem to limit Self, in this sloka, Acharya is explaining the nature of all the adjuncts as illusory and momentary like those of a bubbles and that one should discriminate the Self as completely different from them.
The causal body, subtle body and the physical body or the gross body are objects of experience. i.e. they can be experienced and are momentary only. The gross body is subject to experiences such as “I am feeling cold”, “I am hungry” etc. and is not present in the dream and deep sleep state. Hence it is impermanent alone. The subtle body which is experienced through thoughts such as hatred, liking, etc. is also absent in the deep sleep state and present only in waking and dream state and hence is also impermanent. The causal body which is but ignorance is also impermanent and illusory. Similarly, all the objects of the world are which are perceived only momentarily are different from the Self. Hence, these are but objects of experience; while the witness to all these experiences, which can never be the experienced object, is the Self which is always seperate and eternal.
Acharya is explaining the nature of all the objects including the subtle and the gross bodies as that of the bubbles. Like the bubbles that are momentary and burst on slightest touch, the objects of the world are impermanent and are will perish and hence are always distinct from the Self which is eternal. And through discrimination of the eternal Self from the illusory objects of the world one should realize the nature of Self as completely different as that of the objects which is but Existence-Consciousness and bliss.
In the next sloka, Acharya is explaining the nature of Self as that distinct from all the sense organs and ever free from all impurities and modifications.
SLOKA 32:
dehaanyatvaanna me janmajaraakaashyalayaadayaH .
shabdaadivishhayaiH saN^go nirindriyatayaa na cha .. 32..
Pada artha:
Deha anyatvaat: because of Its being other than the body
Na: not
Me: for me
Janma: birth
Jaraa: wrinkling
Krushya: senility
Layaadayaha: death etc.
Shabdha aadi vishayaihi: with sense objects such as sound etc.
Sanghaha: association
Nirindriyataa: because it is without sense organs
Na: not
Cha: and
I am other than the body and so I am free from changes such as birth, wrinkling, senility, death, etc. I have nothing to do with the sense objects such as sound and taste, for I am without the sense-organs.
Acharya is this sloka is again ascertaining the taintless nature of Self. Acharya here is repeating that the true ‘I’ which is but existence bliss alone can never be subject to any modifications as it is eternal and without any limitations. Only those with limitations are subject to changes.
Changes which are inherent of matter can never be present for the eternal Self. All objects in the world as we learnt in the previous sloka are temporary and are prone to changes. These changes are called as Shadroomi. They are janma-birth, astitva-existence, vriddhi-growth, parinaama-change, apakshaya-disease and Naasha-death. It is well known that anything that is born has to undergo all these changes and will eventually perish. Thus the world and all its objects including the gross, subtle and causal bodies have to be known as temporary and illusory only. As Lord Krishna says in Gita, the Self is beyond birth and death and all such changes are only to the body. The Self thus is always distinct from the body and is never affected by any changes.
Acharya here is also mentioning that I can never be attached to any senses and objects as I am without any sense organs. Sense organs which are also creation of the mind are falsely superimposed on the Self and the Self which is but consciousness due to which the sense organs seems to work can never be affected by the objects perceived.
As the Upanishad statement “Sakshi cheta kevalo nirgunasha” says, the witness of all these changes and experiences which is I, is thus always untainted and without any qualities and free from the characteristics of mind..
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
Before moving to the next sloka, a correction in the previous sloka’s explanations.
As pointed in the comments, it was wrongly mentioned that there are no two ways of realizing Self. There can be two ways of defining the nature of Self but no two ways of realizing Self. It is but knowledge alone that leads to realization through the positive method and also through the negative method. We can refer to the 28th sloka from Vakya vritti for this.
tvamarthamevaM nishchitya tadarthaM chintayetpunaH .
atadvyaavR^ittiruupeNa saakShaadvidhimukhena cha..
“When the meaning of the word “Thou” is thus ascertained one should think over what is meant by the word “That” by negating what is other than Brahman and also according to the direct positive method.”
Thus the meaning or the nature of the Brahman has to be known by negating all that other than Self and also by the positive method only.
Pardon for the confusion and misinterpretations of this sloka.
SLOKA 31:
avidyakaM shariiraadi dR^ishyaM bud.hbudavatksharam.h .
etadvilakshaNaM vidyaadahaM brahmeti nirmalam.h .. 31..
Pada artha:
Avidhyakam: upto the causal body
Shareeraadi: body etc.
Drushyam: perceived objects
Budhbuda vat: as bubbles
Ksharam: perishable
Etad vilakshanam: separate from all these
Vidhyaat: realize
Aham: I
Brahma :Brahman
Iti : thus
Nirmalam: pure
The body, etc., up to the “Causal Body” – Ignorance – which are objects perceived, are as perishable as bubbles. Realise through discrimination that I am the ‘Pure Brahman’ ever completely separate from all these.
In the last verse, Acharya explained that the nature of Self is to be realized by negating all the illusory adjuncts that seem to limit Self, in this sloka, Acharya is explaining the nature of all the adjuncts as illusory and momentary like those of a bubbles and that one should discriminate the Self as completely different from them.
The causal body, subtle body and the physical body or the gross body are objects of experience. i.e. they can be experienced and are momentary only. The gross body is subject to experiences such as “I am feeling cold”, “I am hungry” etc. and is not present in the dream and deep sleep state. Hence it is impermanent alone. The subtle body which is experienced through thoughts such as hatred, liking, etc. is also absent in the deep sleep state and present only in waking and dream state and hence is also impermanent. The causal body which is but ignorance is also impermanent and illusory. Similarly, all the objects of the world are which are perceived only momentarily are different from the Self. Hence, these are but objects of experience; while the witness to all these experiences, which can never be the experienced object, is the Self which is always seperate and eternal.
Acharya is explaining the nature of all the objects including the subtle and the gross bodies as that of the bubbles. Like the bubbles that are momentary and burst on slightest touch, the objects of the world are impermanent and are will perish and hence are always distinct from the Self which is eternal. And through discrimination of the eternal Self from the illusory objects of the world one should realize the nature of Self as completely different as that of the objects which is but Existence-Consciousness and bliss.
In the next sloka, Acharya is explaining the nature of Self as that distinct from all the sense organs and ever free from all impurities and modifications.
SLOKA 32:
dehaanyatvaanna me janmajaraakaashyalayaadayaH .
shabdaadivishhayaiH saN^go nirindriyatayaa na cha .. 32..
Pada artha:
Deha anyatvaat: because of Its being other than the body
Na: not
Me: for me
Janma: birth
Jaraa: wrinkling
Krushya: senility
Layaadayaha: death etc.
Shabdha aadi vishayaihi: with sense objects such as sound etc.
Sanghaha: association
Nirindriyataa: because it is without sense organs
Na: not
Cha: and
I am other than the body and so I am free from changes such as birth, wrinkling, senility, death, etc. I have nothing to do with the sense objects such as sound and taste, for I am without the sense-organs.
Acharya is this sloka is again ascertaining the taintless nature of Self. Acharya here is repeating that the true ‘I’ which is but existence bliss alone can never be subject to any modifications as it is eternal and without any limitations. Only those with limitations are subject to changes.
Changes which are inherent of matter can never be present for the eternal Self. All objects in the world as we learnt in the previous sloka are temporary and are prone to changes. These changes are called as Shadroomi. They are janma-birth, astitva-existence, vriddhi-growth, parinaama-change, apakshaya-disease and Naasha-death. It is well known that anything that is born has to undergo all these changes and will eventually perish. Thus the world and all its objects including the gross, subtle and causal bodies have to be known as temporary and illusory only. As Lord Krishna says in Gita, the Self is beyond birth and death and all such changes are only to the body. The Self thus is always distinct from the body and is never affected by any changes.
Acharya here is also mentioning that I can never be attached to any senses and objects as I am without any sense organs. Sense organs which are also creation of the mind are falsely superimposed on the Self and the Self which is but consciousness due to which the sense organs seems to work can never be affected by the objects perceived.
As the Upanishad statement “Sakshi cheta kevalo nirgunasha” says, the witness of all these changes and experiences which is I, is thus always untainted and without any qualities and free from the characteristics of mind..
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
posted by vedanta | 9:47 AM
1 Comments:
HARI AUM
Prostrations to all.
One thing that requires attention while dealing with vedantic subjects is sruthi, smrithi and sutra quotations. We have to concentrate more on the same as Vedanta bases itself on the prasthaana trayaas which are the Upanishads, Gita and Brahma Sutra. Thus any statement we make should be supported in the prasthaana trayaas -- else it is not valid and is a statement out of our own limited mind.
It is true that most of us haven't got introduced to the prasthaana trayas but there is always a time to start. There are many translations of the prasthaana trayas easily available in most of the places -- we also have translations available on the net. Thus we should spend atleast some time for the same daily. Path of realization is not that we just need to spend a few hours in a day or week for the same -- it needs dedicated time and attention from the seeker as it is about something beyond words and mind. Let us all start on the same starting from today - daily reading at least one or two slokas from Gita or Sruthi and by-hearting the same with meaning/import.
Whenever we quote sruthi vakyas, we have to make sure that the quotation are proper and valid one for the particular case. Else we will end up with just one quotation that "Sarvam brahmamayam jagat" for all arguments.
Few questions inline.
Hence, these are but objects of experience; while the witness to all these experiences, which can never be the experienced object, is the Self which is always seperate and eternal.
No argument has been given to show that the causal body is impermanent and illusory ---- just a statement has been made without any logic or sruthi quotations.
More than the logic that gross objects are not there in dream and deep sleep, it is their "changing nature" which causes them to be impermanent and therefore illusory. Moreover this is clearly mentioned by the Lord in the 5.22 thus:
Ye hi samsparsajaa bogaah dukhayonaya eva the
Adhyanthavantha kaunteya na teshu ramathe budah
Those pleasures which are achieved by sense organs interacting with objects is the seed of sorrow -- because those have a beginning and an end -- thus the wise never take resort to them.
Acharya is explaining the nature of all the objects including the subtle and the gross bodies as that of the bubbles. Like the bubbles that are momentary and burst on slightest touch, the objects of the world are impermanent and are will perish and hence are always distinct from the Self which is eternal. And through discrimination of the eternal Self from the illusory objects of the world one should realize the nature of Self as completely different as that of the objects which is but Existence-Consciousness and bliss.
Bubbles are meant to show temporary and momentary nature. It doesn't imply anything that they "burst on slightest touch" -- this is a wrong statement not really required in this case. Bubbles need not be touched to burst but they burst by themselves - they are there this moment & vanish the next. Thus is mentioned their momentary nature or illusory nature.
As the Upanishad statement “Sakshi cheta kevalo nirgunasha” says, the witness of all these changes and experiences which is I, is thus always untainted and without any qualities and free from the characteristics of mind..
Here SAKSHI doesn't mean "witness of all these changes and experiences" alone but witness to anything and everything -- any experience is witnessed by the Self.
Why is the Self SAKSHI?
Because it is CHETA or Consciousness -- Consciousness is the light of all lights - it is the light that makes other things existent. Self is Witness because it is of the nature of Consciousness. Since Self is Consciousness and witness, it cannot interact with anything because in such a case, we will have to assume another witness and so on. Thus since Consciousness is hte witness, it has to be absolute as cannot have any relation with anything. thus it is KEVALA. Since it is KEVALA, it has to be nirguna because it cannot have any relation with any gunas or qualities as such.
Prostrations to all.
HARI AUM
Thanks
Hariram
Let a moment not pass by without remembering God
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