Vivekachudamani-Post 79

This body, the seat of delusion, expressing in terms of'T and 'mine', is termed by reputed sages as the gross body. Sky, air, fire, water and earth are the subtle elements. (73)

In these  verses, Sankara describes the gross body. In biology, we frequently find that an organ is discussed by describing its anatomy by an explanation of its cross-sections. 

This method does not seem unfamiliar to our ancient tradition, since it is used quite freely and liberally even in the realm of philosophy, when a philosopher  explains such subtle things as the 'layers' of a human being. Sankara  too, makes free use of this technique of explaining through a cross- section examination. In verse 72 we have a beautiful description,  layer by layer, of a cross-section of the physical body. 

Let us examine the contents of the body by studying the  transverse section of, say, the upper arm. Therein, we shall find  at its centre, a pulpy white matter called the marrow (majja), bone  (asthi) and still external, a layer of fat (medah), enveloped by the flesh (pala). 

On the outer layers of the flesh are conspicuously the blood (rakta) vessels and all these are packed beautifully with two layers of skin of which the inner cream coloured tissue is called the dermis (carma) and the outer thicker layer which we see is called the epidermis (tvak). 

These seven items then form the bulk of the  body in a transverse section of any part of it. 

Light which is not seen anywhere, which is experienced upon the hand, because of the reflecting medium; because the hand reflects the light, there is a confusion that the light is located in the hand only; it has got the limitations. 

So the limitless light, is seemingly limited, because of the reflecting medium. Therefore, the reflected medium is the cause of confusion. What confusion? 

The seeming limitation; the imprisonment of the light; the seeming limitations of light is caused by the hand; hand does not do any job. Because the hand reflects the light; what mistake we commit? 

The light is only here; I do not see the light there; I see the light here; etc. Similarly, the all-pervading consciousness which expresses in the body is seemingly confined to the body because of what? The limitations of the body.

Instead of claiming that I am the all- pervading consciousness, now I claim I am an individual human being. And this is called the basic confusion because, once I claim individuality, then there afterwards all other attributes comes; 

We also say that I am so many years old, I am dark, lean, I am male, female etc. and then there afterwards further extension this is my father, my mother, all stories come; and therefore Sankara says moha aspadam; which is the root cause of all delusions. 

I question the very consciousness itself. What a tragedy has happened? Now I question the very consciousness itself. That question is raised because of the body only.

And how does it create delusion? aham mama iti prathitam; by making itself available for two types of notion; by making itself available for two types of notions; ahamkara  and mamakara. Ahamkara  means I-notion; mamakara is my-notion. 

The five great elements are described as first created in their  subtle form and then through a process of combinations among  themselves, they become the gross elements which we are able to perceive with our sense organs. The process by which the subtle elements become the perceivable gross element is described in the next verse. 

Love

Patanjali Yoga Sutra- 2-42

 Dear All,

A talk on yoga sutra. chapter 2-42 is shared below.

The Sutra  is :-

संतोषादनुत्तमसुखलाभः ॥ २.४२ ॥ saṃtoṣādanuttamasukhalābhaḥ || 2.42 || (From contentment unsurpassed happiness is gained.)

Please listen and contemplate

Love

Vivekachudamani Post 78

Composed of the seven ingredients - marrow, bones, fat, flesh, blood, dermis and epidermis - and consisting of the following parts - legs, thighs, chest, arms, back and the head . (72)

Here alone we can say Vivekachudamani  begins from this verse alone. All the previous slōkas are preparatory slōkas. What are the seven questions, do you remember?

ko nama bandhah kathamesa agataḥ katham pratisṭhasya katham vimokṣaḥ |

ko: 'savanatma paramah ka atma tayorvivekaḥ kathametaducyatam

These are the seven questions. Sankara does not answer them in the same order as the student asks.

He rearranges the order for our convenience and of the seven questions, the first question he takes up for answering is kaha anatma; what is anatma? What is matter? And he is going to present the anatma as sarira trayam; the three bodies; the physical body, the subtle body and the causal body.

Whether the physical body I am; whether the physical body also is matter ?, there alone confusion comes.

Similarly, what about mind? For many people, mind is conscious principle. That is why they say: Mind and Matter. They think that mind is something different from matter, mind is conscious entity, they think. Sankara  with the help of Upanishads  wants to shows that mind or Sukshma Sariram is also matter. And finally, karana Sariram, which is nothing but all of them in seed form before big bang. 

Before all of them appeared they must be in potential form; because matter can never be created or destroyed; therefore they must be in the subtle most form; that is called Karanam Sariram. 

These three Sariram  come under anatma. If all these three are called anatma or matter; what about atma? He wants to show that the Atma the conscious principle is distinct from all these.

Now what is the physical body? He says it is a bundle of various parts or various limbs; which is called in ayurveda  sastram; as datavaḥ; or datuḥ; so every ingredient of the body is called datuḥ; and all these ingredients put together is the sariram  

Now what is the division of our traditional śāstra? He says Majjaa asthi, medaha, phala, raktha, charma, tvak; seven dātuhs are there. And that is why in Nirvana shatakam, , He says,  na va sapta dātuḥ; na va pancha koshaḥ; na vaak paani padau, na cha upastha akasahu; 

In meditation he says; I am not these sapta dātus; I am not the epidermis, dermis; endodermis and not this hormone and all those things; they are all matter; I am the consciousness which enlivens all of them. There the word used is sapta dātuḥ; you will be wondering what are the sapta datuhu. 

For that you will get the answer in this sloka; 

majjaa; majja means marrow; bone marrow is called majja. 

asthi means bone; 

medhaha means fat; 

phalam means muscle or flesh; 

raktam you know raktam means blood; 

charma means outer skin; and 

Tvak is inner skin. 

So second type of division, which is a layman's division. What is that; pāda, ooru; vakṣa, bhuja, priṣṭa; mastakaiḥ; the external division, you can understand: pada means feet; uru means thigh; vakṣaḥ means chest; bhujam means the shoulders; prisṭam means back; mustakam means head. 

So anga means various limbs. So various limps consisting of leg, thighs, etc. and various ingredients consisting of bone marrow blood etc. this is a bundle of flesh, bundle of blood, bundle of bones; bundle of chemicals, is the physical body. 

The significance of ecplaining the gross body in such detail  is this: that the scriptures have defined consciousness as division less, which is the atma; whereas we are evidently experiencing the body as full of divisions. Therefore, indirectly Sanakra  is asking the question, how can the body full of divisions be the atma, which is free from all divisions? 

How can the decisioned-body; or the divided-body be the undivided- consciousness? This is indirect question which is kept in the mind. 

Love