dhaharADHikaraNam-1-3-5 suhthra-13 dhahara uttharEbhyah-1-3-5 The small AkAsa is Brahman because of the subsequent texts. In Chandhogya the following passage refers to the space inside the heart, 'aTHa yadhidham asmin brahmapurE dhaharam pundarikam vEsma, dhaharO asminnanthara AkAsah thasmin yadhanthah, thadhanvEshtavyam; thadhvAvavijinjnAsithavyam,'(chan.8-1-1) The meaning is, in this city of Brahman there is a mansion in the form of lotus and within that is the small AkAsa ; what is within that small AkAsa is to be sought after and to be understood. Now the doubt is whether the small AkAsa within the lotus of the heart is the element Akasa or the individual self or Brahman. It is claimed to be the element AkAsa because of the well known implication of the word to it only. This view is refuted by the suthra because of what is denoted by a subsequent passage 'Esha AtmA apahatha pApma vijarO vimrthyur vishOkO vijiGhathso apipAsah sathyakamah sathya sankalpah ' (Chan.8-7-1), the self which is free from evil,old age,death.sorrow,hunger and thirst whose desire is of truth and whose resolve is of truth,' is mentioned as that to be sought and known. These attributes, which are also found in the dhaharAkAsa, (Chan.8-1-5) prove that it is Brahman. Moreover the comparison 'yAvan vA ayam AkAsah thAvAn EshO antharhrdhaya AkAsah,' this AkAsa within the heart is as large as the other AkAsa ,meaning the bhoothAkasa, does not make sense if the dharAkasa is the same as bhoothAkAsa.But an objection is raised that the supreme self is described as 'jyAyAn prthivya jyAyan anthrikshAth, (Chan.3-14-3) as being larger that the earth and sky and hence it could not be compared to the AkAsa in size. Ramanuja answers as follows: The comparison to akAsa is given in order to dismiss the idea of smallness on account of the dhaharAkAsa being situated inside the heart, as in the expression 'ishuvath gacchathi savithA,' the sun moves like an arrow, to indicate the fastness of movement, though in fact the sun moves faster. Another argument forwarded to show that the dhaharAkasa is not Brahman. It is not dhaharAkAsa which is intended to be sought and understood but only what is inside it.So dhaharAkaSA is distinguished from that inside it. This objection is ruled out for the following reason. The sarira of the meditator is indicated as the city in which Brahman dwells and the dhaharAKASa denotes the omniscient, omnipotent Lord, who comes to dwell in it out of love for the devout upAsaka, with all hIs auspicious attributes, which is the object of meditation. That is, the Brahman who is the dhaharAkAsa is to be meditated and understood along with his attributes. But the opponent questions the interpretation that, the dharAkASa is Brahman and 'thath' in 'thasmin yadhantha' indicates the attributes of Brahman,and both being the object of meditation is indicated by 'thadhanvEshtavyam', to which Ramanuja replies thus: The dharAkAsa is said to be as large as the bhoothAkAsa and then the earth,sky,sun,moon and the stars etc are said to be in it. Then it is said that all desires realised and not realised are there in it to be enjoyed and the dhaharAkAsa, though being inside the heart and thus inside the body, is not affected by old age etc. The text further denotes that the dhaharAkAsa is Brahman by the sentence 'Ethath sathyambrahma param,' meaning , this city is the reality which is the cause of all, and the qualities of Brahman have been attrbuted to it by 'Esha AthmA apahatha pApmA, the self free from evil,' confirming that it is Brahman by 'sathyakAmah sathya sankalpah, of true wish and infallible will, and the declaration that those who do not know these qualities of Brahman enumerated in the passage attain perishable results while those who know realise their goal and have their wishes fulfilled. Therefore the dharakasa is Brahman while and the qualities abiding inside are both to be meditted and known. suthra-14-gathisabdhAbhyAm;thaTHAhi dhrshtam;lingam cha-1-3-14 DhaharAkAsa is Brahman on account of the mention of 'going into Brahman' and the word brahmalOka. This is also seen from the other texts and there is an indicatory sign. The Chandhogya passage 'thadhyaTHA hiraNyaniDHim nihitham akshEthrajnA uparyupari sancharanthah na vindhEyuh, EvamEva imAh prajAh ahrahargacchanthyah Etham brahmalOkam na vindhanthi; anrthEna hi prathyooDAh,'(Chan.8-3-2) which means, as the people who do not know the field,(akshEtrajnA) walk over and over and do not know the gold treasure buried underneath, so do all the beings go tio brahmaloka everyday but do not know it because they are covered with untruth. Here the word Etham denotes dhaharAkAsa and all beings are said to enter into it everyday in sleep but do not know it as such. So by the gathi, going and sabda ,the word brahmalOka, the dhaharAkAsa is understood as Brahman.This is sustantiated by other texts also. In chandhogya 'EVAMeva khalu somya imAh sarvAh prajAh sathi sampadhya na vidhuh,sathi sampatsyAmahe ithi' (Chan.VI-9-2)and 'satha Agaccha na vidhuh satha acchAmaha ithi' (Chan.VI-10-2)The two texts mean, all this beings having gone to braHmaloka ( in their sleep) do not know it and having returned from it do not know that also.Similarly the word brahmaloka is used in the sense of the abode of Brahman in the texts like 'Esha brahma lokah samrAt ithi ho vacha,' (Brhd.IV 3-32) this is the world of Brahman. The mention of all beings getting merged in Brahman in the state of deep sleep as in pralaya, is the sufficient inferential sign of the dhaharAkasa being Brahman and so is the word brahmalOka denoting that of Brahman. Even if the other texts do not mention it, the moving about of all beings to the world of Brahman everyday and not knowing it, is itself the sign of dhaharAkASa being Brahman only. suthra-15-DHrthEscha mahimnah asya asmin upalabDHEh-1-3-15 because of the mention supporting the world by dhaharAkAsa, the glory which is of Brrahman only. 'sa sEthuhrviDhoothirEsham lOkAnAm asambhedhAya'(Chan.8-4-1) This is a bridge, limiting the worlds so that they do not mingle with each other. This quality of being a support to the worlds denote that the dhaharAkAsa is Brahman. In BrhadAraNyaka also we find the passage, 'Esha sarvEsvarah Esha bhoothADhipathih Esha bhoothapAlah Esha sEthuh viDHaraNa EshAm lOkAnAm asamBhEdhAya,' He is the LOrd of all, master of all beings and ruler of all,and He is the bridge and limit so that these worlds do not get mixed up.(Brhd.4-4-22) and 'Ethasya vA aksharasya prasAsanE gArgi suryAchandramasou viDhrthou thishTathah,'(Brhd.3-8-9) by the rule of this imperishable one, Gargi, the sun and the moon are held in their position.Since this power of Brahman is also seen in dhaharAkAsa it is Brahman only. suthra-16-prasiddhEscha-1-3-16 Also because of the wellknown meaning . 'kO vA hyEVAnyAth, kah prANyAth, yadhEsha AkAsahAnandhO na syAth,who could breath in and who will breath out if this bliss is not the AkASa.' (Taitt.II-7) and sarvANi ha imAni bhoothAni AkAsAdhEva samuthpadhyanthe.(Chan.1-9-1) all these beings come from AkASa only.' >From this it is clear that the term AkAsa is used to denote Brahman. the qualities like free from evil etc. emphasise this meaning of AkAsa excluding any reference to the bhoothAkasa. suthra-17-itharaparAmarsAth sa ithi cheth, na, asambhavath-1-3-17 If itis said to be the individual self due to the mention of it susequently, it is not, because of the impossibility of such assumption. The opponent quoting the passage aTHa sa Esha samprasAdhah asmAth sarirAth samutthAya param jyothirupa sampadhya svena rupeNa abhinishpadhyathe,Esha Athma, ithi hOvAcha Ethath amrtham abhayam Ethahth brahma,(Chan.8-3-4) This individual self having risen from the body attains the supreme light and its true self.This self is immortal, fearless and this is Brahman.' So the dhaharAkAsa may refer to the individual self. This view is refuted on the grounds that the qualitiies like apahatha pApmathva, being free from evil do not apply to the individual self. suthra-18-uttharAth chEth Avirbhoothasvarupasthu- 1-3-18 If it is said that the later passage ascribed to prajApathi speaks of individual soul only, it is only with reference to the real state of the soul 'Esha AtmA apahatha pApma vijarO vimrthyurvishOkO vijiGhathso apipAsah sathyakamah sathya sankalpah ' (Chan.8-7-1), the self which is free from evil,old age,death.sorrow,hunger and thirst whose desire is of truth and resolve is of truth,' is mentioned as that to be sought and known. in the passage where PrajApathi gives instruction to Indra, who approached PrajApathi with the intention of knowing the true nature of the self that is to be enquired into.After describing the embodied soul in waking, dream and deep sleep states Prajapathi says 'na ha vai sasirirasya priyApriyayoh apahathirasthi asariram vA va santham na priyApriyE sprsathah,(Chan.8-12-1) there is no freedom from joy and sorrow till one is in embodiment and once the soul rises above and frees himself from the body, joy and sorrow touch him not. And further states that the soul rising above attains the light and and its own nature. aTHa sa Esha samprasAdhah asmAth sarirAth samutthAya param jyothirupa sampadhya svena rupeNa abhinishpadhyathe. (Chan.8-12-3) Here the light is denoted as the Supreme being and attaining which the jiva is said to enjoy freedom in Brahmaloka while in the stage of samsara the jiva is like a horse tied to the yoke.So the entire chapter has been devoted to the explanation of the true nature of the individual self.Therefore the qualities like apahatha pApma etc may well denote the self and since the same qualities are shown in the text about dhaharAkAsa it may as well be the individual self. This is refuted by the words 'Avirbhootha svarupasthu' in the suthra which Ramanuja explains thus: 'Poorvam anrtha thirOhitha apahatha PapmathvAdhi guNakasvasvarupah paschAth vimuktha karma bandDHah sarirAth samutTHithah paramjyothirupasampannah Avirbhoothasvarupah san apahathapApamathvAdhi gunavisishtah thathra prajApathi vAkye abhiDheeyathe, dhaharavAkyE thu athirOhitha svabhAva apahatha pApmathvAdhivisishta Eva dhaharAkasah pratheeyathE.' That is, the qualities like freedom from evil etc. is attributed to the soul in the state of release, when its svarupa is no longer concealed by avidhya-karma, according to the passage referring to PrajApathi while the same qualities are mentioned with respect to dhaharAkAsa which is not under avidhya. So it mens only Brahman. Moreover the description of dhaharAkAsa as the sEthu,bridge that supports the worlds and as sathya will not be appropriate in the case of individual jiva even in the state of release. This fact is proved later in the suthra 'jagathvyApAravarjam'(BS.4-4-17) suthra19-anyArTHascha parAmarsah-1-3-19 The reference to the individual is for different reason. The passage,'aTHa sa Esha samprasAdhah asmAth sarirAth samutthAya param jyothirupa sampadhya svena rupeNa abhinishpadhyathe,' in Chandhogya chapter8,section3, with respect to dhaharAkAsa is identical to the one in chapter 8,section 12 that deals with the instruction of prajapathi. Both describe the soul rising and attaining the light and its true nature.But the latter is for the sake of meditation on the dhaharAkAsa and not to show that the individual soul is dhaharAkaAsa, suktha20-alpasruthErithi chEth- thadhukatham- 1-3-20 If it is argued that the dharAkAsa is the bhoothAkAsa because of the smallness mentioned, the reply to this has already been given in suthra1-2-7 as 'nichAyyathvAth' that is, brahman is denoted as small for the sake of meditation.Therefore, says Ramanuja, what the dhaharAkAsa refers to is only 'anAghrAtha avidyA dhoshaganDHah svAbhAvika nirathisayajnAnbalaaisvaryaviryashakthi thEjafprabhrthi aparimitha udhAraguNasAgarah purushOtthama Eva.' the supreme purusha, who is untouched by defects of avidhya and who is the ocean of unlimited great qualities like knowlege, strength, sovereignity, prowess, power and radiance etc.The self denoted by the passage in section on Prajapathi is only the individual self. suthra-21-anukrthEsthasya cha-1-3-21 Due to the mention of attaining the lieknessof that. AS the individual self is id to attain the supreme light by meditating on the dharAkasa it should be different.This is supported by the passage in Mundakopanishad 'yadhA pasyah pasyathErukmavarnam karthAram isam purusham brahma yonim; ThadhA vidhvAn puNyapApam viDHooya niranjanah paramam samyam upaithi, when the seer sees the radiant being, who is the creator, the Lord and Supreme purusha,he sheds all his merit and demerit and becomes like the pure Supreme self.(Mund.3-1-3) suthra-22-api smaryathE-1-3-22 The smrthi also states this. In the gita the Lord says 'idham jnAnam upAsrithya mama sAdharmyam AgathAh, those who acquire this knowledge become like Me.'(BG.14-2) Thus ends the dhaharADhikaraNam. PramithADHikaraNam-1-3-6 suthra-23-sabdhAdhEva pramithah-1-3-23 >From the word (Lord) mentioned in the text, measured ('by the size of the thumb.') In the KatOpanishad there is this text, 'angushTa mAthrah purushah maDHya Athmani thishTathi, eesAno bhoothabavyasya,na thathO vijigupsathE,' This being of thumbsize stands in the middle of the self as the Lord of past and future and therefore there is no fear.' (KaTa.II-4) And 'angushTa mAthrah purushah jyOthiriva adhoomakah eesAnO bhoothabavyasya,(KaTa.I-13) this thumbsized being is like light without smoke and the Lord of past and future.' The same purusha is spoken as 'angushtamAthrah purushO antharAthmasadhA janAnAm hrdhaye sannivishtah'(KaTa.2-6-17)the innerself situated in th heart of all people. This person of the size of a thumb is the individual self ,says the poorvapakshin. The reason given for this is that there is mention about the jiva as being of the size of a thumb in the scriptural texts..In svetasvatara upanishad the individual self is referred as such.'prANADHipah sancharathi svakarmabhih; angushTa maAthrah ravithulyarupah sankalpa ahamkAra samanvitho yah,'(Svet.5-7,8) The lord of prANa,of the size of a thumb, brilliant as the sun, moves with his actions,and is endowed with will and ego.Further nowhere is any mention of Brahman as angushTamAthra, thumbsized. This argument is refuted because there is the word in the passage quoted ,namely, eesAnO bhoothabhavasya, Lord of past and future which applies only to Brahman, and not to jiva who is under the control of his karma. SUTHRA-24-HRDHYAPeKSHAYaTHU MANUSHYadhIKaRATHVaTH-1-3-24 With reference to the heart( for upAsana for which) human beings alone are qualified (and not other creatures.) Brahman is meditated as being in the heart, which is of the size of thumb, and therefore brahman is said to be angushTamAthRA which is not inappropriate.Man alone is capable of meditation and hence Brahman being described as angushTamAthra means that he is seen in the heart as such. Other creatures like horse , snake etc. though also have heart of thumbsize are excluded for this reason.The status of Brahman being angushTamathra ia discussed in a later suthra. [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/
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