Kaarana shareeram kim?
Anirvaachya, Anaadi, Avidya roopam;
shareera dvayasya kaarana maatram;
Sat-swaroopa ajnaanam;
nirvikalpaka roopam
yad asti tat kaarana shareeram.
What is the Causal Body?
That which is
inexplicable, beginning less, and in the form of ignorance;
the sole cause of the
two bodies (Subtle and Gross);
ignorant of one’s own
true nature;
having a form that is
free from all thoughts
such is that Causal
Body.
Kaarana Shareeram –
Causal Body
Kaarana Shareeram is also
called the causal body.
Material
The material out of
which this is made is called causal matter. The subtlest form of matter. Technically
it is called Avidya. Normally Avidya means ignorance, but in this context it is
different.
Components
The components of Kaarana
Shareeram are nothing but Sthoola Shareeram and Sookshma Shareeram when they
are in subtle or potential form before they were created.
Hence Kaarana Shareeram
consists of Sthoola Shareeram and Sookshma Shareeram in seed form before they
were created hence before the origination of the world and before the
origination of creation or Pralaya Kala.
This is like, a tree a
few years ago was not available in this form. Twenty years ago this tree was
there but in potential form or unmanifest form. This is because tree cannot
come without a seed.
That being so, before
the creation also, Sthoola Shareeram and Sookshma Shareeram must have existed
in potential form. That potential form of the two bodies is called Kaarana
Shareeram.
And Kaarana Shareeram
evolves into Sthoola Shareeram and Sookshma Shareeram, just as a seed evolves
into tree.
Functions
It serves as the
receptacle or ground or source from which these two bodies arise.
From causal matter,
subtle and gross matter arise. From subtle and gross matter, again causal
matter conversion takes place. Hence the function is that the causal matter or
Kaarana Shareeram serves as the store house for receiving the two Shareeram and
again in the next Srishti (next birth of a human being) throwing the two Shareerams.
From the definition in
the above verse come three important facts about this ignorance:
i) Anirvaachya: This
is saying that the Causal Body (or Ignorance) is inexplicable. The very
definition of this body is indefinable!
It is neither Sat, nor
Asat (neither Truth nor untruth). It has a conditional existence. It does exist
– Vedanta accepts that – but the condition is “only while ignorance is there”.
As soon as ignorance is removed by knowledge, the causal body vanishes.
ii) Anaadi: This
tells us that the Causal Body is beginning less, it has no cause. Therefore it
has not evolved out of anything. Logic tells us that if something has no cause,
it has to be “beginning less”.
iii) Avidya: Its
form is nothing but deep ignorance. The Causal Body is a mass of homogenous ignorance,
having no “parts”. We cannot remove our basic ignorance part by part; it has to
be rooted out in one piece.
From these three
considerations, we can see that here we are dealing with something very major
in the creation of this universe and in particular the human being.
The physical body is
inert. It has a beginning and an end. It is full of impurities. It is
perishable. It is a product of five elements. It is full of parts. It can be
seen by the naked eye. It is finite. It is changing. So, it cannot be
self-existent, self-luminous, and Satchidananda.
The subtle body is also
inert. It has a beginning and an end. It is a product of five Tanmatras or
subtle elements. It is changing. It is perishable. It is also finite. This cannot
be the ever pure, intelligent Atman.
The causal body is
nothing but Ajnaana or primitive ignorance. It is also inert. Man says: I am a
person of Ajnaana. Though it is beginning less, it has an end. It is death for
the causal body when one gets Knowledge of the Self. This cannot be the
eternal, pure, indivisible, infinite Atman.
The Atman is entirely
distinct from the three bodies. He who has realised his Atman and who knows
that he is entirely distinct from the three bodies is an emancipated person. He
has crossed this ocean of Samsara. He is Brahman Himself. He is adored in the
three worlds. His glory is indescribable.
Love.
