Sloka 65 and 66

Hari OM

Thanks to AMMA for the comments and correction for the explanations in previous sloka. Let’s now move on to the next sloka which is:

SLOKA 65:
sarvagaM sachchidaatmaanaM GYaanachakshurniriikshate .
aGYaanachakshurneksheta bhaasvantaM bhaanumandhavat.h .. 65..

Pada artha:
Sarvagat: which is present everywhere
Sat cit atmaanam: Atman which is pure and consciousness
Jnana chakshuhu: eye of wisdom
Nireekshte: perceives
Ajnaana chakshuhu: one whose vision is obscured by ignorance
Na: not
Ikshayate: sees
Bhaasyantam: which is shining
Bhaanum: the Sun
Andhavat: like a blind man

Though Atman is Pure Consciousness and ever present everywhere, yet It is perceived by the eye-of-wisdom alone: but one whose vision is obscured by ignorance he does not see It; as the blind do not see the resplendent Sun.

In the previous few slokas we learnt about a realized one, here in this sloka, Acharya is explaining to us about an ignorant one also. The importance of spiritual disciplines is also highlighted by Acharya. The absolute pure consciousness though all pervading is not perceived by everyone. Only those who have developed the inner eye of the wisdom and who are discriminative enough to reject the illusory world from the real, who are pure and are cleansed by the knowledge alone can apprehend the reality. The ignorant ones who are deluded by the dualities of the world, and who cannot discriminate the reality from the unreal can never realize the bliss of Self. Lord explains the same in Gita 15th chapter as:

utkraamantaM sthitaM vaapi bhu~njaanaM vaa guNaanvitam.h .
vimuuDhaa naanupashyanti pashyanti JnYaanachakShushhaH .. 15\-10..

Him who departs, stays and enjoys, who is conjoined with gunas, the deluded perceive not; they see, who possess the eye of knowledge.

yatanto yoginashchainaM pashyantyaatmanyavasthitam.h .
yatanto.apyakR^itaatmaano nainaM pashyantyachetasaH .. 15\-11..

Those who strive, endued with Yoga, perceive Him dwelling in the self; though striving, those of unrefined self, devoid of wisdom, perceive Him not.

Acharya gives an example of a blind man for this. The Sun is ever shining in the day and is so bright that normal people cannot see it with naked eyes, still for a blind man; there is no light nor the sun. i.e. he does not perceive the glowing Sun due to his blindness.

It is the blindness of the person that makes the sun dark to him even though the sun shines ever bright and brilliant. Similarly, the real nature of the all pervading Atman is not perceived by those who are blinded by ignorance.
Lord Krishna in Gita explains this as:

naadatte kasyachitpaapaM na chaiva sukR^itaM vibhuH .
aGYaanenaavR^itaM GYaanaM tena muhyanti jantavaH .. 5\-15..
The Lord takes neither the evil nor even the good deed of any; wisdom is enveloped by un-wisdom; thereby mortals are deluded.

Acharya is here explaining that an ordinary mind turned outward in perception and feeling which is agitated by the thoughts of the sense objects of the world cannot apprehend the reality whereas one who is disciplined and discriminate apprehends the reality. Mundaka Upanishad explains this in 3.1.8 as:
na chakshushhaa gR^ihyate naapi vaachaa
naanyairdevaistapasaa karmaNa vaa
Jnyaanaprasaadena vishuddhasattva-statastu taM pashyate nishhkalaM
dhyaayamaanaH 8

It is not comprehended through the eye, nor through speech, nor through the other senses; nor is It attained through austerity or karma. Since one becomes purified in mind through the favorableness of the intellect, therefore can one see that indivisible Self through meditation.

Let us learn more in the next sloka.

SLOKA 66:
shravaNaadibhiruddiiptaGYaanaagniparitaapitaH .
jiivassarvamalaanmuktaH svarNavad.hdyotate svayam.h .. 66..

Pada artha:
Shravana aadibhihi: by hearing and so on
Udreepya: kindles
Jnaana agnihi paritaapitaha: heated in the fire of knowledge
Jeevaha: the Jiva (individuality)
Sarva malaat: from all impurities
Muktaha: freed
Sarvaan vat : like gold
Dhodhate: shines
Swayam: of itself

The ‘Jiva’ free from impurities, being heated in the fire of knowledge kindled by hearing and so on, shines of itself like gold.

In the previous slokas we learnt that Atman though ever present is perceived only by the eye of wisdom and not by the ignorant ones. In the next two slokas Acharya is explaining that such an ignorant one when purified by the fire of knowledge, the Atman shines by itself just like Gold.

In obtaining knowledge, Vedanta recommends three courses, first is shravanam or listening to the truth from the scriptures, then mananam or reasoning of the truth heard and finally nidhidyasana which is deep contemplation on what has been heard and reasoned out. Such a systematic learning and contemplation is necessary to clean one from the impurities of thoughts and only when ignorance is removed thus, does the Self reveal itself in all glory. Acharya here gives the example of gold to explain this. Gold is ever shinning and bright, still due to its association with impurities, it may look tarnished. When it is heated and purified in fire, all the impurities are removed and the gold shines by itself.

Similarly, is the Jiva is one who is egoistic and possesses the impurity of ignorance. When one gets rid of all limitations by knowledge the true nature of Self is shines forth immediately. Just like the gold that is impure when it comes up from the gold mines and when is heated acquires its real glory and beauty. Just as how the fire destroys the dirt mixed with gold and reveals the pure metal. The knowledge obtained by spiritual disciplines also destroys of the impurities of the 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