AkAsADhikaraNam-1-1-8 Suthra-23-AkAsasthallingAth-1-1-23 AkAsa is brahman because of its characterestic marks. So far in the chapter of sribhashya first pAdha it has been shown that Brahman is the source of all beings and their inner Self and of the nature of bliss and is different from the sentient and the insentient on the basis of sruthi texts that prove all this. Now in the last part of the first pAdha it is proved that wherever there is special mention about AkAsa and other entities with respect to creation or control of the world, the words denoting these entities mean only Brahman. The text of chandhogya says 'asya lokasya ka gathih ithi;AkAsa ithi hOvAcha, sarvANi ha vA imani bhoothAni AkAsadhyeva samuthpadhyanthE, AkAsam prathi astham yanthi, AkAsa Eva hi Ebhyo jyAyan Aksah parAyaNam, what is the origin of this world? Space, replied he, all these beings originate from AkAsa and merge back into it. AkAsa is greater than them and their rest.' There arises a doubt as to whether the word AkAsa refers to the space, which is one of the five elements or Brahman. The poorvapakshin argues that it means only AkAsa. The reasons given for this conclusion is that when the etymological meaning of a word is relevant that meaning alone should be taken and not figurative one. when it is explicitly stated that all this sprang from AkAsa there is no need to consider the implied meaning referring to Brahman. Even the text 'Atmanah Akasah sambhoothah, (Taitt.II-1) the space was created from the Self,' the word self is to be taken to mean the subtle state of AkAsa. Hence the origin of the world as made out in the chandogya passage starting from 'sadhEva soumya idhamagra Aseeth,' the word 'sath' refers only to AkAsa, similar to the word Self in Taittreya. This view is refuted by the suthra saying that the word AkAsa denotes not the element but only Brahman because of the characterstics of Brahman previously established are indicated in this text also, namely being the origin of all,being the greatest of all and into which all beings merge in the end. As the world consists of sentient beings as well, the insentient AkAsa cannot be the origin and resting place. Nor can an insentient entity can be cited as being the greatest which requires eminent qualities that apply to Brahman only. Moreover, says Ramanuja, the denotation of the word AkAsa needs to be ascertained by other valid means of proof, to mean the space and not Brahman. By the text 'sadheva soumya idhamagraAseeth Ekameva adhvitheeyam , clearly establish Brahman as the cause of the world. So the text, stating AkAsa to be the origin .being subsequent, must be construed to mean Brahman only. While other texts like 'thadhaikshatha bahusyAm prajAyEya' declare Brahman as possessing infallible will, omniscience etc. it is not right to rely on one particular text and interpret all these texts by the etymological meaning of the word Akasa. Therefore the word AkAsa in the passage quoted is Brahman only. To the argument that the word self can be used figuratively even to insentient things as in the expression 'mrdhAthmako ghatah, the clay is the self of the pot,' Ramanuja says that even though this is found to be the practice occasionally the word self is always used with respect to embodiment and hence the Self in the passage referred to, means only the Universal Self, Brahman. The word AkAsa when derived as AkAsayathi ithi AkAsah, make everything shine or AkAsathi, it shines, will mean Brahman only. Thus ends the AkAsaDHikaraNam. prAnaDhikaraNam-1-1-9 Suthra-24-atha Eva praNah-1-1-24 For the same reason the vital air is Brahman. The text in ChandhOgya which praises the prANa and being asked which is that deity it answers 'prANa ithi hOvAcha, sarvANi ha imAni bhoothAni prANmEva abhisamvisanthi, prANam abhyujjihathE,it is prANa into which all beings merge and from it they arise.' Here also, as in the case of AkAsa, Brahman only is denoted by the word vital breath. Even though all beings are dependent on the vital breath, this applies only to sentient beings and not insentient like stone or wood. Moreover all things arising and merging into Brahman has already been established.The derivation of the word as prAnayathi ithi prAnah, that which makes everything alive applies only to Brahman.Thus ends AkasADHikaraNam. JyothiraDhikaraNam-1-1-10 suthra-25-JYOTHISCHARAnaBHIDHaNaTH-1-1-25 The light is Brahman on account of the mention of pAdha,quarter. The chandhogya text 'aTHa yadhathah parOdhivO jyothih dheepyathE visvathah prshTEshu sarvathah prshTEshu anutthamEshu utthameEshu lokEshu, idham vA va yadhidham asmin anthah purushE jyothih,' describes the light that shines above in heaven,beyond all, higher than everything in the highest world, beyond which there is no other worlds, that is the same light which is within man.'(Chan.3-13-7) Here there is a doubt raised by some that whether the light mentioned in the passage refers to well known source of light like the Sun which could have been meant to be the cause of everything, that is Brahman or it refers to the highest person, omniscient, different from all beings sentient and insentient, the supreme cause , the Brahman of infallible will. The poorvapakshin comes out with the argument that it is the well known source of light such as the Sun because there is no indication in the passage that it is the supreme self as in those about AkAsa and prANa. Thiss suthra refutes the view of the opponent by saying it is Brahman only which is referred to as the light here because of the mention about charaNa, that is pAdha, feet or quarter. In a previous text it is said 'pAdhO asya sarvA bhoothAni thripAdhasyAmrtham dhivi, one quarter or padha of this consists of all beings and the other three quarters are in heaven and immortal.' So this shows that the reference is only to the highest being, that is, Brahman. The opponent has given another reason for his conclusion that the passage refers to the wellknown source of light by saying that there is a mention of identity between the light with that inside the intestines,'yadhidham asmin anthah purushE jyothi,' namely vaisvAnara. But Ramanuja refutes this saying 'koukshEyajyOthishaikyOpadhesaschaphalAya thadhAthmakathvAnusanDHAna viDHih,' the reference to the fire inside the intestines is to enjoin meditation on that as Brahman. The expression 'supreme light' is enough to indicate that it is Brahman only and there is no need for any special mention of the characterestics of Brahman separately. suthra-26-cchandhbhiDHAnAthnaithichEth na,thaTHAchEthoarpaNanigadhAth,thayA hidharsanam If it is said that the metre (gAyathri) is denoted and not Brahman, it is not so, because the meditation on Brahman is declared, as seen by the other texts. In the previous text it is mentioned that 'gayathri va idham sarvam, Gayathri is everything whatever exists in the universe,'and hence the metre Gayathri is referred to as Brahman, says the poorvapakshin, which is refuted by this suthra. Mere metre cannot be the cause of everything and what is meant here is the meditation on gayathri as Brahman. the Gayathri though has only three feet sometimes said to have four and hence it is similar to Brahman who is also described as having four pAdhAs as mentioned in the text 'pAdho asya sarvA bhoothAni thripAdhasyAmrtham dhivi.' suthra-27-bhoothADHipadhavyapadhEsA upapatthEsch Evam Because of the representation of beings as the feet. The text about Gaythri denote all beings, earth, body and heart as the four feet, 'saishA chathushpadha', of Gaythri, which can apply only to Brahman. suthra-28-upadhEsabhEdhAnnaithichEth,na, ubhayasmin api avirodhAth If it is said that the Brahman referred to in the passage about light is not that referred to here on account of difference in specification, it is not so because there is no contradiction. In passage about Gayathri heaven is said to be the abode of Brahman, 'thripAdhasyAmrtham dhivi' while in the passage on light it is said to shine above heaven.So it is different ,says the poorvapakshin but the suthra refutes this. There is no contradiction here and Ramanuja says that there is essential agreement between the two as in the statements 'the bird is perching on the top of the tree' ,and 'the bird is above the tree,'both of which means the same.'ubhayasmin api upadhesearTHa svabhAva aikyEnaprathyabhijnAyAh avirODHAth, yaTHA vrkshAgrE syEnah , vrkshAthparathah syEnah ithi.' Therefore, says Ramanuja, only the Supreme purusha is shining above the heavens as the most brilliant light 'ethAVan asya mahima,' this is the glory of Him, of whom all beings are one foot, that is, a quarter, and the three quarters are immortal in heaven. The words 'vEdhAham Etham purusham mahAntham Adhithya varnam thamsasthu pAre,' (svet.III-9) describe Him as the glorious Being of the colour of the Sun and who is beyond darkness. Hence Brahman alone is specified by the word light.Thus ends the jyothiraDHikaraNam. IndraprANADHkarNam-1-1-11 PrAnasthaTHA anugamAth-1-1-29 PrANa is Brahman because it is understood to be so. In Kousheethaki upanishad there is the text that describes the conversation between Indra and Prathardhana where the latter asks indra to grant him the boon which is most beneficial to man. Indra said 'prANOsmi prajnAthmA tham mAm Ayuh amrtham ithi upAsya, (koush. III-1-8) I am the prANa and the intelligent self, and you meditate on me as the life and as immortality'. Here the doubt arises as to whether it is the individual self or Brahman on which the upAsanA is intended. The argument that the individual self in the form of Indra is only the intention of the passage is forwarded on the basis that Indra is a well known purusha visEsha, special being, and since he was asked for a boon it might be him whom the upAsana was intended.Since what is most beneficial to mortals is the first cause as that alone can secure immortality, Indra must be denoted as the cause of the universe here and not Brahman. This view is refuted by the suthra saying that it is the Supreme self and not the individual self which is the purport of the passage because of the mention of the qualities that apply to Brahman only, such as bliss, immortality and free from old age .' sa Esha prANa Eva prajnAthmA Anandho ajaro amrthah,(Koush.III-1-9) this prAna alone is the intelligent self , bliss, free from old age and immortal. Suthra-30-na vasthurAthmOpadhesAth ithi cheth adhyAthma sambanDHa bhooma hyasmin. If it is said that it is not Brahman because of the intention of the speaker, it is not so as there is abundant reference to the Supreme self in the chapter. The argument that the speaker is Indra and it may be his intention that Prathardhana should meditate on him, which is supported by the fact that there is mention of Indra's killing of Thvashta in the passage, is refuted by this suthra. There are numerous references connected with the Supreme self. Ramanuja quotes the passage from the same upanishad 'thadhyaTHA raTHasya ArEshunemirarpithA Evam EvaithAbhoothamAthrAh prajnAmAthrasu arpithAh, prajnAmAthrAh prAnE arpithAh, sa Esha prAnEva prajnATHma Anandho ajaro amrthah.' (koush.3-8) The meaning of the passage is as follows: In a chariot the rim of the wheel is connected to the spokes, the spokes to the axle. similarly all non-sentient beings are connected to the sentient beings which are in turn connected to the prANa. The prANa is the prajna , blissful, non-aging and immortal. Being the abode of everything is the character of only the Supreme self. Besides Indra is denoted as prAna for the sake of meditation to attain the highest goal of man, namely moksha and this can only refer to the Supreme self. Moreover in the same passage is found the text 'Esha Eva sADHu karma kArayathi tham, yamEbhyO lOkEbhyah unnineeshathi, Esha EVa asADHU karma kArayathi thamyam aDHo nineeshathi.' He makes those, whom He wants to raise from these worlds, do good deeds and makes those, whom He wants to degrade from these worlds , do bad deeds.This action of prompting good and bad deeds is the dharma,attribute of Brahman only. So as indicated by 'Esha lokAdhipathih,esha sarvEsah' it is only Brahman who is referred to as Indra, that is prANa. suthra-31-sasthradhrshtyAthoopadhesah vamadevavath The instruction (of Indra to prathardhana) is possible through insight into scriptures like Vamadeva. What is meant here is that though Indra told Prathardhana to meditate on him what he could have meant is not the individual self as Indra but only the supreme self due to his insight into the scripture as sage VAmadeva has said "I was manu and the Sun." The scriptural texts such as 'anENa jivEna AthmanA anupravisya nAmarupE vyAkaravANi, I will enter in along with this self and make nama and form,' and others denoting Brahman to be the self of all are referred to here and through the knowledge of such texts indra might have meant only the Supreme self as himself and prANa. suthra-32-jivamukhya prANa lingAth na ithicheth na, upASathraividhyAthAsrithathvath iha thadyogAth If it be said (that Brahman is not meant) on account of characteristic marks of the individual soul and the chief vital air being mentioned; no, because of the threefoldness of meditation, which , found in other places, is appropriate here also. it is argued that the individual self only is meant in the passage mentioned because of the reference to killing of Thvashtra and ,the prAna being described as the conscious self etc. but it is refuted by this suthra. Brahman is denoted by these terms, namely, individual soul, prANa, and prajnA for the purpose of threefold meditation. 1. The texts sathyam jnAnam anatham brahma , Anandhambrahma denote the true nature of Brahman, ThathsrshtvA thdhEva anuprAvisath; thadhanupravisyasath cha thyath cha abhavath, after creating it(Brahman ) entered into that and became sath and thyath(asath). 2. Sath means the sentient souls which form the body of Brahman. 3.thyath denotes the insentient prakrthi which also constitute the body of Brahman. Hence all the words denoting beings like HiraNyagarbha or inanimate prakrthi have reference only to the Supreme self when they are described as having qualities of Brahman or they mean Brahman by coordination, sAmAnADHikaraNya. Thus ends indraprANaDHikaraNam. End of first pAdha of the first aDhyAya of sribhAshya. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Oppiliappan/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: Oppiliappan-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
Home Page
http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia |
oppiliappan-subscribe@yahoogroups.com To subscribe to the list |