GEMS FROM THE
Beach 2: First steps in the Ascent to the Divine
Wave 6: An Overnight Capsule of Dharma ( Part V)
[Note: Please recall my style of
writing Sanskrit verses: If Sanskrit is unfamiliar to you, read only the English text in the
order in which it is presented; it will make sense].
Let us now
continue with Sanatsujata’s delineation of the Vedas as that which indicates
Brahman as the supreme knowledge to seek, though just the knowledge of the
Vedas is not direct
knowledge of Brahman. And he who
understands this as such is the *brAhmaNa*.
He becomes the knower of Brahman. This ‘brAhmaNa-hood’ is the result of standing
firm to the Truth and does not occur if one is swayed by senses and
sense-objects.
In writing
his commentary at this point, Shankara quotes a verse:
vishhayAsh-cendriyANy-eva
deho’hamkAra eva ca /
bAhyA
AbhyantarA ghorAH shatravo yoginaH smRtAH //
which means: The sense-objects, the senses, the body
as well as the ego are all dreadful enemies, external and internal, of a yogi.
Therefore,
nAsya paryeshhaNaM
gacchet pratyarthishhu kadAcana /
avicinvan-nimaM vede
tataH pashyati taM prabhuM // II –
46.
na gacchet kadAcana : Do not
go, ever
paryeshhaNaM (= paritaH eshhaNaM) : searching all around
pratyarthishhu : after the obstacles (i.e.,
after the body, the senses and sense-objects).
asya : to this Atman.
avicinvan : Not going after (this object-searching)
tataH : thereafter
pashyati : one sees
tam prabhuM : that Supreme Lord
vede : in the (MahAvAkyas of the) Vedas
imaM : (as) this Inner Self
Shankara,
in his commentary, not only gives the above meaning to this verse from the text,
but gives an alternate meaning also:
na gacchet kadAcana : Do not
go, ever
paryeshhaNaM (= paritaH eshhaNaM) : searching all around
asya : for
this Atman
pratyarthishhu : in the obstacles (i.e., in
the body, the senses and sense-objects).
(That is,
do not take the dharmas of the BMI as
belonging to the Self).
avicinvan : Not taking
the dharmas of the BMI as those of the Self
tataH :thereafter
taM prabhuM : (
looking) for the very Witness of all of
them, namely, the Supreme Lord
pashyati : one sees
vede : through the (MahAvAkyas of the) Vedas
imaM : this Inner Self ( itself as that Supreme).
tUshhNIM bhUta
upAsIta na cecchen manasA api /
abhyAvarteta brahma
asmai bahv-anantaram-ApnuyAt // (II –
47)
tUshhNIM bhUtaH : (Having renounced all sensory attractions and
actions – in other words, having renounced all that is non-Self) remaining by oneself,
upAsIta : propitiate
(the world of Self alone) ;
na ca icchet : let
there be no desire (for the sense-objects)
manasA api : even by the mind.
Asmai : To such a
person
Brahma : the
Unknown
abhyAvarteta : comes back, presents itself
anantaram : after
which
bahu : the Infinite that is beyond Ignorance; in other words, the brahman
itself
ApnuyAt : is
realised
In this
connection, Shankara quotes the Upanishadic statement: (Katha U.I-ii-23 2nd
part)
Yamevaishha vRNute tena labhyaH tasyaishha AtmA vivRNute tanUM
svAM
Meaning: It
is to be attained only by the one this one chooses.
To such a one the soul reveals its own self.
The relevant full quote from Katha Upanishad translates as follows: (translation by
Sanderson Beck)
http://www.san.beck.org/Upan2-Katha.html
"This soul cannot be
attained by instruction
nor by intellectual ability nor by much learning.
It is to be attained only by the one this one chooses.
To such a one the soul reveals its own self.
Not those who have not ceased from bad conduct,
not those who are not tranquil,
not those who are not composed,
not those who are not of a peaceful mind,
can attain this by intelligence.
The one for whom the priesthood and the nobility are as food,
and death is as a sauce, who knows where this one is?”
Such a person
is the ‘Muni’, is the ‘vyAkaraNi’ (meaning the Source of everything) and is the
‘all-knower’ – says Sanatkumara at the end of the 2nd chapter of his teaching to
Dhritarashtra.
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Mar.28, 2007 Copyright Ó V. Krishnamurthy