Atma Bodha - Post 72

Verse 62

स्वयमन्तर्बहिर्व्याप्य भासयन्नखिलं जगत् ।

ब्रह्म प्रकाशते वह्निप्रतप्तायसपिण्डवत् ॥ ६२॥

SVAYAM ANTARBAHIRVYAAPYA

BHAASAYANN AKHILAM JAGATH

BRAHMA PRAKAASHATE VANHI

PRA TAPTAA YASA PINDAVAT

[Pervading the entire universe outwardly and inwardly the Supreme Brahman shines of Itself like the fire that permeates a red-hot iron-ball and glows by itself.]

In the previous sloka, Acharya explained Brahman as devoid of all qualities, such nirvishesha Brahman is described here as Self illumining. It is that because of which even the sun and moon are illumined. That is to be known as Brahman.

Brahman is Consciousness absolute, and it is only because of

this Consciousness that all objects of the world are known. All the creations including the celestial bodies are illumined only because of the consciousness. Thus even the Sun and moon that illumine the different worlds would not exist apart and independent of this all pervading consciousness.

Hence Acharya is here explaining that everything derives their power from Brahman while Brahman is independent of everything and needs no external illumination.

That which illumines all others cannot be illuminated by anything other than itself. Brahman is ever the illuminator and illumines itself. As we learnt from the examples in previous slokas, unattached and unaffected like the street lamp, Brahman is the light of all lights and the illuminator of all illuminations.

The famous sloka of Mundaka Upanishad 2.2.10 proclaims this as:

NA TATRA SUURYO BHAATI NA CHANDRATAARAKAM

NEMAA VIDYUTO BHAANTI KUTO.AYAMAGNIH

TAMEVA BHAANTAMANUBHAATI SARVAM

TASYA BHAASAA SARVAMIDAM VIBHAATI

There the sun does not shine, nor the moon or the stars; nor do these flashes of lightning shine there. How can this fire do so? Everything shines according as He does so; by His light all this shines diversely.

The same is also explained by Lord in many places in Gita such as in 15.6:

NA TADBHAASAYATE SUURYO NA SHASHAAN^KO NA PAAVAKAH .

YADGATVAA NA NIVARTANTE TADDHAAMA PARAMAM MAMA ..

That the sun illumines not, nor the moon, nor fire; That is My Supreme Abode, to which having gone none return.

Thus Brahman is that truth which shines of itself and penetrates the entire world of creation. It is not something other than the world of creation, for it exists in and through all as the Consciousness. Acharya gives the example of a fire ball to state this.

Brahman is infinite, all pervading and self illumining while the objects of the world are insentient, dependent and illusory, thus opposite in nature.

Gita says the same in 15.12 as:

YADAADITYAGATAM TEJO JAGADBHAASAYATE.AKHILAM.H .

YACHCHANDRAMASI YACHCHAAGNAU TATTEJO VIDDHI MAAMAKAM.H

That light which residing in the sun illumines the whole world, that which is in the moon and in the fire, that light do thou know to be Mine.

How then can one perceive existence - consciousness which is verily Brahman in these?

Answer is given with the simile - “Vanhi Prataptayah Pindavat”, The Red-hot Iron Ball.

A cold iron ball is a dull, unattractive object. However, in the presence of great heat, it cannot help but glow. We cannot see heat but we see its effect on a ball of iron.

An iron ball when in contact with fire for a long time comes to glow as fire itself, similarly, even though the insentient objects seem to exist only due to Brahman.

Iron though black in color and cold to touch, acquire the redness and heat due to fire. So too the inert and insentient matter like the sun and moon also acquire their illuminating power only due to Brahman.

The iron ball represents creation, and the heat represents the Self. It is the Self that imparts vibrancy and a glow in all creation.

Love.