Atma Bodha - Post 71

Verse 61

यद्भासा भास्यतेऽर्कादि भास्यैर्यत्तु न भास्यते ।

येन सर्वमिदं भाति तद्ब्रह्मेत्यवधारयेत् ॥ ६१॥

YAD BHAASAA BHAASYATE ARKAADI

BHAASYAIH YAH TU NA BHAASYATE

YENA SARVAM IDAM BHAATI

TAT BRAHMA ITI AVA-DHAARAYET

[That by the light of which, the luminous orbs like the sun and the moon are illumined, but that which is not illumined by their light - realize that to be Brahman.]

We are now entering the concluding phase of the text. The nature of the Self is so completely different from anything that we experience in this physical world, that we can hardly reach it through words. Yet that is what we are attempting through various analogies and similes.

Sankara leaves us with a few final glittering similes with which he attempts to express the inexpressible. These analogies, taken from our experience of the world, take us pretty close to the Truth.

1) We know the sun as the source of all illumination in this world. The moon reflects the light of the sun at night, and so also becomes one of the sources of illumination. Their luminosity, however, is only at the physical level.

2) The second Pada switches over to the philosophical meaning of the word ‘Luminous’ or ‘Illuminate’, where it means “being aware” or “to know”, and we use the capital letter to differentiate it from its ordinary use.

These two great external sources of light are of no help in Illuminating the Self. In fact, they can be known to us only by the Light of the Self.

“BY WHICH ALL THIS SHINES”

3(i) As Knowers through Consciousness: Not only the sun and the moon but all other things, even abstract things, are available to us only because of Consciousness. Awareness or the conscious-principle in us enables us to know.

  

3(ii) As vehicles of Consciousness: We contribute to the existence of all things known to us. Were it not for our Consciousness, we would not even know of their existence. An object becomes known only if I shed my light of consciousness on it, through my mind.

The mind serves only as a ‘conduit’ for my consciousness to flow to the object and bring it to my awareness. Viewed this way, what is the sun? It is a modification of the mind. The mind appears and sets in consciousness. It is ‘Me’ the Self that gives existence to my mind, and thus to the sun. In this sense, it is ‘Me’ that makes my whole world alive.

3(iii) As Mirrors of Consciousness:. When we use a mirror to reflect the sunlight to some other place nearby, the sun does not shine there directly, but through the mirror it reached there.

So also, in the realm of Consciousness, we are the mirrors that are reflecting Consciousness to the sun and the moon (or any other object for that matter), and by doing so we become aware of their existence and their nature. Thus, all things become known to us because of Consciousness.  

3(iv) As Flow of Consciousness: The eye sees the sun, but the sun does not know it. The mind sees through the eye, but the eye does not know it. Consciousness flows through the mind, but the ignorant mind does not know it. Consciousness illumines the intellect, intellect illumines  the mind,  mind illumines the eye, which then illumines the sun. In short, this is the sequence of the flow of Consciousness:

CONSCIOUSNESS>>INTELLECT>>MIND>>SENSES (EYE)>>OBJECT

Consciousness Must be All-Pervading: The verse “Na Tatra Sooryo Bhaati Na Chandra Taarakam” means exactly the same as this verse. If any part of the above chain in the flow of consciousness is removed, we will not see the sun. The message is Consciousness is Brahman; It is all-pervading.

That which illumines all others, which cannot be illumined by anything other than itself, is ever the Self Luminuous consciousness.

In the above flow of CONSCIOUSNESS>>INTELLECT>>MIND>>SENSES (EYE)>>OBJECT, even  prior to human species emerging on this earth, even before intellect ever came into existence at cosmic level  or at individual level, that which eternally existed is the SELF LUMINOUS CONSCIOUSNESS!!.

The essence of this verse is dealt in the first verse of Drik Drsya Viveka .

1	Roopam drishyam lochanam drik,	Form is the seen, the eye is the seer;
2	tat drishyam drik tu maanasam;	that eye is the seen, and mind is its seer;
3	Drishyaa dhee-vrittayah saakshee	of the thoughts in the mind, the Inner Witness
4	drik eva na tu drishyate.	alone is the Seer, and is never the seen.

This verse is taken up by the author in detail in spiritual sessions. It is said that one who has absorbed this one verse and takes up this one verse for meditation, can realize Brahman through intense contemplation on this single verse in Vedanta.

To conclude, the Seer, which illumines the intellect, and intellect illumines mind, mind illumines senses and senses experience the objects, (that seer) eternally exists as SEER, THE WITNESS CONSCIOUSNESS BECAUSE THERE IS NO SEER EXISTING PRIOR TO IT WHICH CAN SEE THIS WITNESS CONSCIOUSNESS.

Exactly the same essence is given by Sankara in the above verse-"That which illumines all other things but which has nothing else to illumine it - realize THAT as Brahman".

Love.

Atma Bodha - Post 70

Verse 60

अनण्वस्थूलमह्रस्वमदीर्घमजमव्ययम् ।

अरूपगुणवर्णाख्यं तद्ब्रह्मेत्यवधारयेत् ॥ ६०॥

ANANVASTHUULAM ARHASVAM

ADIIRGHAM AJAMAVYAYAM.

ARUPA GUNA VARNAAKHYAM

TAD BRAHMAITI AVADHAARAYET

[Realize that to be Brahman which is neither subtle nor gross: neither short nor long: without birth or change: without form, qualities, color and name.]

In the last sloka we learnt that Brahman is the substratum of all objects and pervades everywhere, here in this sloka, Acharya is explaining further that the all pervading Brahman is neither gross nor subtle and cannot possess any qualities.

Brahman can never be an object of any actions as it is verily the subject. Hence there can be neither birth nor any of the six changes. There can also be no name that can be given to that which permeates everything. Such limitless Brahman which is devoid of any qualities is described here.

Gross, subtle, shapes, sizes, names and all such qualities can exist only for an object which is limited, i.e. we can point out as ‘this’ or ‘that’ to only that which is boundaries and is limited by space and time. But Brahman, as we have learnt is that which is the substratum of everything i.e. everything is in Brahman, and everything is permeated by Brahman, it hence can never be classified as gross or subtle or by any name. It is never the object of perception of any feelings or thoughts but verily the perceiver. It is THAT which exists and hence all that exits.

Hence the limitless Brahman is indescribable to any limited intellect. Acharya is describing this infinity to us by negation method. These terms are not the description of Brahman but only indicate to the Brahman.

The same explanation can also be found in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 3.8.8 as: 

ETAD VAI TAD AKARAM, G.RGI, BRHMA  ABHIVADANTI, ASTHLAM, ANAU,

AHRASVAM, ADIRGHAM, ALOHITAM, ASNEHAM, ACCHYAM, ATAMA., AVYVANKŚAM,

ASAGAM, ARASAM, AGANDHAM, ACAK.U.KAM, AŚROTRAM, AVK, AMANA., ATEJASKAM,

APR.AM, AMUKHAM, AMTRAM, ANANTARAM, ABHYAM; NA TAD AŚNTI KI. CANA,

NA TAD AŚNTI KAŚCANA.

(O Gargi, the knowers of Brahman say, this Immutable (Brahman) is that. It is neither gross nor minute, neither short nor long, neither red colour nor oiliness, neither shadow nor darkness, neither air nor ether, unattached, neither savor nor odor, without eyes or ears, without the vocal organ or mind, non-luminous, without the vital force or mouth, not a measure, and without interior or exterior. It does not eat anything, nor is It eaten by anybody.)

Acharya here is explaining that such a Brahman devoid of qualities is to be realized as Self.

As the Katha Upanishad 1.3.15 also proclaims:

ANAADYANANTAM MAHATAH PARAM DHRUVAM

NICHAAYYA TANMRITYUMUKHAAT PRAMUCHYATE

(By knowing that which is soundless, touchless, formless, undecaying, so also tasteless, eternal, odourless, beginningless, endless, subtler than Mahat and constant, man is liberated from the jaws of death.)

Sage Vidyaranya said, “Entering into great Upadhis, super-subtle bodies, such as the Deities, He becomes the Worshipful. And entering into lower bodies such as the human being, He becomes the worshipper. So the worshipped and the worshipper is actually one only. It is the one Self entering everywhere. We give a form to God because we have a form. But that Lord is actually in our own heart. That is why when we do Pooja, we bring the offerings to our heart and then offer it into the fire.

Advaita is not against worship as people usually think. It is actually the culmination of all worship, the fulfillment of worship. The worship which started with action, finds its ultimate expression in Advaita, when the devotee becomes one with God. God in the form of the devotee is worshipping God, the Formless Absolute!

We are so used to doing things to get something that Advaita may even appear as being impractical to some people. Here it may be said that the opposite of doing is not ‘undoing’, but ‘being’. It is very hard to just BE.

There is a well-planned methodology in Vedanta (or Advaita). It starts by stating the facts. Then it uses logic to prove those facts. Then it helps us to start experiencing them. And finally it takes us by the hand to revel in that experience.

Love.

Atma Bodha - Post 69

Verse 59

तद्युक्तमखिलं वस्तु व्यवहारस्तदन्वितः ।

तस्मात्सर्वगतं ब्रह्म क्षीरे सर्पिरिवाखिले ॥ ५९॥

TADYUKTAMAKHILAM VASTU

VYAVAHAARASTADANVITAH

TASMAATSARVAGATAM BRAHMA

KSHIIRE SARPIRIVAAKHILE

[All objects are pervaded by Brahman. All actions are possible because of Brahman: therefore Brahman permeates everything as butter permeates milk.]

Acharya is here pointing to the all pervading Brahman by giving the example of the butter in the milk. Brahman is but consciousness and everything that exists is but consciousness.

Hence all the objects, world that is perceived exist only because of consciousness and in the consciousness. Hence it is Brahman i.e. consciousness alone that exists and pervades all the illusory objects of the world. All the actions are hence possible only because of this consciousness.

“Ksheere Sarpirivakhile”: Like Butter in Milk

The simile for ‘seeing’ God in all is ‘seeing’ butter in every drop of the milk. We know that butter pervades the milk, because we see the butter after churning the milk.

Butter, from which ghee is made, may be said to be the best part of the milk. It is certainly where all the energy comes from. Without the butter, what is left is not milk but only water.

The simile thus points out two things:

(i)  God is there in every part of this creation in the same subtle way as butter is in every drop of the milk. We have to look beyond the physical and consider the essence of things to be able to see God.

(ii)  The underlying presence of God is the only real part of creation. The physical manifestation, arising from Maya, is illusory like Maya. As butter is the essence of milk, so also God is the essence of creation. Non-dualists would say, “God alone is”!

There was a king who wanted to have proof of the existence of God. So he offered a big prize to the wise man who could explain this to him. A young man came forward and said he would explain.

He asked the king to get some milk. Then he asked him if there was butter in it. Then he asked if he could see the butter. In this way he was able to explain to the king that it was only by the churning of Sadhana that one could get purer and be able to see the “butter of God” in all things.

Upanishads proclaim that just as how milk pervading butter is extracted by churning, so also the Atman has to be separated from the world of names and forms by intense meditation and Self knowledge.

Amrita Bindu Upanishad gives this same example in sloka 20 as:

DHRITAMIVA PAYASI NIGUUDHAM BHUUTE BHUUTE CHA VASATI VIGYAANAM

SATATAM MANASI MANTHAYITAVYAM MANU MANTHAANABHUUTENA

(Like the butter hidden in milk, the Pure Consciousness resides in every being. That ought to be constantly churned out by the churning rod of the mind)

Shvetaashvatara Upanishad also explains the same in 1.15 as:

TILESHHU TAILA.N DADHINIIVA SARPI

RAAPAH SROTAHSVARANIISHHU CHAAGNIH

EVAMAATMAA.ATMANI GRIHYATE.ASAU

SATYENAINA.N TAPASAAYO.ANUPASHYATI

(As oil in sesame seeds, as butter in curds, as water in underground springs, as fire in wood, even so this Self is perceived in the self. He who, by means of truthfulness, self-control and concentration, looks again and again for this Self, which is all-pervading like butter contained in milk, and which is rooted in self-knowledge and meditation – he becomes that Supreme Brahman, the destroyer of ignorance.)

Dear All,

The above verses along with the butter and milk simile can be contemplated in 2 ways.

At Macrocosm Level - At creation level, in this apparent creation (like milk), Brahman exists inseparable from the creation (like butter)

At Microcosm Level - as Jiva, as Sadhaka

Extending the example of king, it is only by the churning of Sadhana that one could get purer and be able to experience the “butter of God”, within himself, the milk of his existence.

Butter cannot be seen at surface level in milk. But in essence, butter is contained in every bit of milk.

Atman, the SELF, cannot be experienced by a sadhaka till the time he has churned himself inside out, in the fire of his sadhana and is able to experience the essence of Butter (SELF) in his entire existence so much so that he no more exists a jiva with Body, Mind, Intellect and Vasanas in essence, though he appears to the outside world as a normal human being, doing things the normal beings do, walking, eating, dressing, talking like a normal human being walks / eats / dresses and talks!!!

World sees him as milk (physical existence), He exists eternally as butter (Atman / Self / Pure Consciousness).

Love.