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Chapter 13, Verses 17 to 20,Mandukya Upanishad, Class 51

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Chapter 13, Verses 17 to 20,Mandukya Upanishad, Class 51 Mandukya Upanishad, Class 52 In the first verse of this chapter, Gowdapadhachariyar is performing namaskara to Lord Narayana. Lord has all forms of knowledge. Lord also has jivatma paramatma aikya gyanam, which alone is the subject matter of vedantaand that gyanam alone he gives to his students. When we say jivatma paramatma aikyam, Jivatma is the subject, paramatma is the object and the knowledge is aikyam. But for the lord all the three are same. This knowledge is a unique knowledge different from all other forms of knowledge. In all the other forms of knowledge (para vidya), there are three factors, subject, object and instrument. In this para vidya, the subject, object and the instrument are one and the same. Paramtma the subject of the knowledge, jivatma the object of the knowledge and the instrument of knowledge are all one and the same. Jivatma, paramatma and instrument are chaithanyam, the nature of conscience. Lord has such a unique aikya knowledge. This chaithanyam is like all pervading space. Space like consciousness knows space like consciousness through space like consciousness. Verse 2 In the second verse, Gowdapadha offers namaskara to this gyanam. He talks about the glory of self knowledge. First glory is asparsa yogaha because one gains knowlege of thiriya atma, which is asparsaga. It is timeless, space less infinite nondual realty. Asparsagaha means relationless. The infinite atma does not have a second thing. It can’t have relationship with the world and its people because from Thuiryum standpoint, they lower order of realty. Just like waker can’t have a relationship with a dream individual. I am the relation less thuriyum is this knowledge. Second glory is sarva sattva sukaha; for every human being this atma gives ananda. Everything in the world gives ananda, but it also gives dhukkam. Example: Rama is the source of Ananda for Kowsalya, but Rama was also source of dhukkam when he has to go to forest. If an object gives ananda now, it will give sorrow when it goes away. If an object gives sorrow now, it will give ananda when it leaves. Glory of atma is it gives ananda only. Third glory hithaha; it is also good for us; it contributes to our well being. There are many worldly things that gives pleasure for us, but they are not good for us; e.g. liquor, sweets etc. Fourth glory is avivadhaha; beyond all arguments. This will be explained later. It is beyond arguments because it is beyond logic. Fifth glory is aviruddhaha; it does not contradict any philosophy. Every system of philosophy has a particular theory of creation. Every theory criticize another theory. Vedanta doesn’t contradict other theories of creation because vedanta doesn’t have any theory of creation. Because vedanta doesn’t believe in creation. Brahman is ultimate reality, where there is no creation; no cause, no result and no time. It is timeless realty. Vedanta accepts any theory of creation only temporarily; Every other theory is talk about vyavakarika sathyam; Vedanta is talking about paramarthika sathyam. Sixth glory is desitaha: that this teaching can only be gained from a guru. It can’t be independently gathered by self or independent study or meditation. Gowdapadha talks about advaidam all the time, but here he is offering namaskara; who is doing namaskara to whom? How is that possible? He is talking from vyavakarika dhrishti where there is only dwaidam; Verse 3 In vereses 3 and 4, Gowdapadhachariyar explains the word avivadhaha. Why do we say vedanta is beyond argument? I need not argue with any other philosopher because they all quarrel among themselves and mutually cancel each other; I, standing as a witness prevail. When all the theories of creation are cancelled then what is left is no theory or vedanta. The two theories of creation discussed later are: 1. Sath kariya vadhaha: This is sankya philosophy founded by Kapila Muni. 2. Asath kariya vadhaha: Founded by gnyaya philosopher or vaisheshka philosopher. Example: Creation of a pot out of clay: out of clay the creator creates pot. Fundamental question is, now the pot is created, before the creation of the pot, did the pot exist in the clay or not. Pot is the product or kariayam; clay is the karanam; Before the creation of kariyam, did the kariyam already exist in the karanam or not. Does an existent pot originate or does a non existent pot originate? Sankya philosophers say only an existent pot originate; this is sath kariya vadhaha. Gnyaya philosophers say, non existent pot originate. This is asath kairya vadhi. In realty, there is no creation; the word creation confuses everyone. According science matter can not be created or destroyed; consciousness can’t be created or destroyed. Then where is the question of creation. Baghawad Gita, Class 174: Chapter 13, Verses 17 to 20 Note: In this chapter the numbering of shlokas can be different depending upon Gita book you are reading. I am using Swamiji’s numbering. Shloka # 17: And the Knowable, though undivided, appears to be existing as divided in all beings, and It is the sustainer of all beings as also the devourer and originator. In this 13th chapter, from shloka No.13 onwards, Sri Krishna has come to the topic of Gneyam, which is the fourth topic of the six topics that Arjuna wanted to know and Sri Krishna made it clear that this word Gneyam is nothing but Param Brahma of the Upanishad. He then started description of the Param Brahma as given in the Upanishads and as I said, this is the subtlest topic of the Upanishads, and the subtlest topic of the Bhagavat Gita as well. In fact, this is the main topic and the description of one who is inconceivable is: Param Brahma is nirgunam, it is free from all attributes and therefore available for any kind of sensory perception and while it is Nirgunam, it is all pervading; it exists everywhere; in fact, in the form of the very existence itself. Nirgunam Brahma is the very existence principle, which is everywhere, and not only that, it is only one; it is not plural; the objects in the creation are many; but the all-pervading, attribute-less existence is Ekam. Even though this Existence seems like it is divided, it is really not so. As I gave the example, the light pervading the hall or pervading the fingers, cannot be divided; it is all over; but you see the light only on the fingers; in between the fingers, you do not see the light and therefore it creates a misconception that one light is on this finger, second light is on this finger, the third is on this; thus there are five fingers and it appears, as though there are five lights; and in between it appears as though there is no light. But the fact is that it is only a seemingly divided light, reality is that the light is continuously there, even in between the fingers. In a similar manner, existence is seemingly divided but it is really one indivisible Brahma. Thus Nirgunam, Sarvagatham, Ekam, Akhandam, Sadrupam, all these descriptions Sri Krishna gives. It is almost impossible to conceive of such an Existence, which is why later Sri Krishna will point out that you have to train your mind to understand Brahman and one of the training suggested in the Shastra’s is meditating upon space. Here you are trying to understand or conceive the akasha tatvam. We use the word akasha loosely. When I say aksasha here, it is something I do not see, I do not touch, I do not smell, I do not taste, and even though it is not a perceptible yet I am able to talk about akasha. When I use the word empty space; what does it mean? We probably have never thought of the meaning of the word space. And if you think of space, you will know, it is something, which is not perceptible or tangible and which is all pervading, which is only one: How many spaces are there? There is only one indivisible space and it looks as though space means emptiness. But remember, science has proved space is not emptiness or void, but it is a positive substance. So by meditating upon akasha, as described in Taittiriya Upanishad, one sees Brahman. This meditation is known as akasha dhyanam. Akasha dhyanam is prescribed to make the intellect extremely subtle to understand Brahman, which is subtler than even akasha. Similarly, the Brahman description creates an impression, that it is a void or nothing. Sri Krishna says it is a positive entity. (Can you see; No. Can you hear; No. Can you touch; No. Can you taste; No. Where is it? It is everywhere). So, then it appears that it is void. It is positive bhava padarthaha and therefore we have to make the mind subtler and subtler; ultimately grasping this is our aim. Let it take months, let it take years; let is take janmas; ultimately, knowing this Brahman, Gneyam or unconceivable Brahman is our ultimate goal. And, therefore, Sri Krishna struggles to describe and you should also struggle to understand. I will also struggle to explain. Shloka # 13.18: That is the Light even of the lights; It is spoken of as beyond darkness. It is Knowledge, the Knowable, and the Known. It exists specially [A variant reading is dhisthitam.-Tr.] in the hearts of all. So here Sri Krishna says that Satrupam Brahma; that Brahman which is in the form of pure Existence; formless Existence; is the same as the Atma, which is the formless Consciousness principle.
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