Continuing on verse 5, we will delve on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th line today
(Taking to be Reality)
their body or even Prana, or senses,
or even the ever-changing intellect, or even a void, consider such ideas to be
effeminate, childish, blind or idiotic, uttering “Thus I am” in ignorant innocence,
Deluded as they are, they vigorously stick to their words, then follows the play of the power of Maya, which gives rise to terrible misconceptions.
He who removes these delusions at their root, to that “Remover of Delusion”, the Revered Form of Guru, do I offer my salutation, He is the Revered Form of Sri Dakshinamurti).
This has become a controversial verse due
to the inclusion of Stree “woman”
among the other terms used.
The Rishis of the Vedic period did not have narrow ideas regarding gender. In any case, this text is concerned only with intellectual qualities, and the word means effeminate qualities which could exist even in man. That is clearly intended.
i) Stree: “woman” or “effeminate qualities”. Being too emotional, attached or highly strung or having strong likes and dislikes are considered unsuitable for knowledge of Self.
ii) Baala: “child”. This really means one who is intellectually not developed fully. It indicates immaturity, living in one’s own world, playfulness, childishness. In the scriptures, ignorant people are often called ‘Baala’. Again, there is no insult to children intended here.
iii) Andha: “blind”. This does not mean being literally blind, but refers to one who does not adopt the right means or Pramana to obtain knowledge. Those who look for God outside when He is inside are adopting the wrong means. They may not be physically blind, but they are intellectually blind.
iv) Jada: “inert”. It refers to an inert, dull intellect. It is of no use in understanding the subtleties of a subject like Vedanta. A blunt knife can never cut anything.
Bhraantaa Bhrisham: These are persons being clouded firmly with gross delusion. They can never get to the truth of things with such poorly equipped intellects.
Mahaa VyaaMoha: This is an unusual word describing the degree of delusion.
‘Moha’ is the basic word meaning delusion. All mental diseases are born of Moha. Everyone is deluded in some way or other.
When ‘Aa’ prefix is added to Moha, ‘AaMoha’ makes the delusion related more to one’s life. From the general state, we are going to a more specific state. It indicates the contagion of delusion has crept into our very life.
Then a further prefix ‘Vi’ is added, and we get ‘VyaaMoha’. This is even more deep and intense. The delusion is now not just in ordinary superficial matters of life, but the very principles of life are subject to delusion.
Our concept of right and wrong, our standards of morality, are confused. There is no discrimination in adopting values in life. We cannot decide properly which path to follow. There is no anchorage in life and our boat is rudderless. These are fundamental delusions we are speaking of.
Finally, the adjective ‘Maha’ is added to all this, which takes it to another level altogether. Now, not only this single life is affected, but life after life is lived in a deluded state. There is something very fundamentally wrong in our makeup that is dragged through every life.
This is the most intense form of delusion a person can ever suffer from. It is the delusion that engulfs us endlessly birth after birth. The very root of life is infected! That is the acute state which is being treated here.
This Tamasic intellect has grown like weeds in our mind and formed a thick veil over our intellect. The intellect no longer has the sharpness and purity to understand its original nature.
Ignorance – the only evil
Why Sankara is using so many adjectives for ignorance? Why is he describing ignorance as something so horrible? The reason, ignorance is so horrible.
Why are there so many wars? Why would one
person kill another?
Why there are so many dirty politics at
work?
Why there are indifferences in
community?
Why there are strained relationships
within families?
Look at the social problems in the world – not just today but throughout the history. Problems of discrimination, problems like unfairness built into the society, caste distinction, terrorism – the sole cause for all these problems is nothing but IGNORANCE.
One of the most profound but incredibly under-appreciated aspects of the Hindu Vedic tradition is the understanding of evil as one’s own ignorance.
Many theologies consider evil as external power or other people. From Vedantic perspective of ancient rishis, there is no evil person. Every person is innately divine. However, divine people seem to be capable of doing horrible action because of ignorance.
At individual level all the human suffering is due to ignorance, but a different kind of ignorance. This personal ignorance is the failure to recognize your own divinity.
It is when we realize that we are entrapped by this delusion, that the Guru comes into our lives and rescues us from going even deeper into the mud of delusion.
This is the rescue operation referred to in this line. How grateful should we be to the Guru who comes into our life to perform this massive ‘clean-up’ operation.
Salutations to the Guru in the context of this verse as the “Remover of Delusion”, known as Sri Dakshinamurti.
