Verse
43
अरुणेनेव बोधेन पूर्वं सन्तमसे हृते ।
तत
आविर्भवेदात्मा स्वयमेवांशुमानिव ॥ ४३॥
ARUNENA EVA BODHENA
POORVA-SAN-TAMASE HRITE
TAT AAVIR-BHAVET AATMAA
SWAYAM EVA AMSHUMAAN IVA
[As by the Lord of early
dawn, so too, it is by knowledge, the former dispels the darkness existing
before dawn. So too, (ignorance is dispelled) when the Self rises of its
own accord, just like the sun.]
“Aruna-Amshuman” Simile:
The
Dawn & Rising Sun In this exquisite simile of sunrise, we
In
the minutes before sunrise, the dense darkness of the sky lightens up slowly
until the sky has a reddish glow to it. This period, called dawn or ‘aruna’,
symbolizes the period of intense meditation when the darkness of ignorance is
being gradually removed.
As
the process advances and the skies turn red and then orange, the sun rises of
its own accord, as it were, bringing on the bright day. Nothing needs to be
done to the sun to reveal it. The darkness had to be removed by Sadhana to
usher in the state of illumination of the Self.
“When
the egocentric existence in us, that obstructs the vision of the Self, is
falsified by constant and diligent meditation, the vision of the true Self
arises in all its glory”
(Swami
Chinmayananda.)
The
removal of the darkness of the sky is itself due to the approaching presence of
the sun. There is nothing that is being done to brighten the sky. True, we have
compared that to meditation, but meditation is a state of ‘being’,
not of ‘doing’.
As
Sadhana progresses and the dirt clears away, the mental ‘sky’ becomes brighter
and brighter. The revelation of the Self is inevitable. It comes of its own
accord. In this way, Sri Sankara, a great lover of nature with a keen
observation, conveys to us another great Truth to inspire us into the practice
of deep meditation, when only Awareness alone clears away the dross and leads
naturally to Self-illumination.
Dear
All,
In
this verse, Sankara beautifully equates the sadhana process with the
rising of sun, wherein, like the sun slowly rises, dispelling the darkness, in
spiritual sadhana, one shines slowly, with rigorous sadhana and meditation and
in that shine (of one’s SELF), the darkness of ignorance is dispelled.
The
beauty of vedantha is much more than this.
In
the path of wisdom, the acharya, having accepted the disciple in His fold, in
His ashram, gives series of discourses on Upanishads, drives in the essence of
Upanishads through a maha vakya, “Tat Twam Asi”. “That Thou Art”.
When
the Acharya takes the disciple through this mahavakya, the teacher shows the disciple
the glimpse of his state once all darkness of ignorance in him would get
dispelled, i.e., the sun shine in his sadhana, even if it is going to take
years to achieve that, is already shown to the disciple through Acharya’s
compassionate teachings!!!
Love.
