MANASOLLASA - IV

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This sentence does not advocate contemplation as the attitude

of God in images. Upasana or contemplation is not the subject matter

of Chandogya Upanishad (6.8.7), wherein this sentence appears. The

word `Asi' does not permit of such an interpretation. Nor is the

sentence a flattering compliment as for instance in treating the

king's representative as if he is the king himself. That the sentence

is repeated nine times in the Upanishad, and has some discussions

also, does not lend itself to the above said possibility of being

mere flattering.

Thus, none of the above hold good with regard to the sentence

tat tvam asi. The issue can be finally clinched by declaring on the

strength of the Srutis that it is Ishwara who has entered the

creation and appears as the Jivatman. Hence the sentence teaches

identity by pushing aside the differences brought about by the

Upadhis (limiting adjuncts), which are not real.

Just like the awareness of heat in iron, wood etc., which

have been pervaded by fire, so also the awareness of the atman in the

conglomeration of body, senses, mind, intellect, vital airs and ego-

sense, due to the pervasion of the atman in them, is experienced by

the ignorant. If Brahman is the Self of all, how is it that It is not

experienced? Identification with the Upadhis is the reason.

The five aspects of human personality, which cover the glory

of the atman, like sheaths as it were, preventing its full

manifestation, are called Pancha Koshas. They are: Annamaya Kosha

(the sheath of the physical body), Pranamaya Kosha (the sheath of the

senses and the vital airs), Manomaya Kosha (the sheath of the mind),

Vijnanamaya Kosha (the sheath of intellect) and Anandamaya Kosha (the

sheath of bliss). For realizing oneself as the Atman, one has to

practice Pancha Kosha Viveka, discrimination that one is not any of

these five Koshas.

The Atman, having entered the Annamaya Kosha, which is the

physical body, appears variously as fat and lean, as a child, as

dark, or as associated with Varna and Ashrama. Then, having entered

the Pranamaya Kosha, the Atman feels: `I am living', `I am

hungry', `I am thirsty'. Having entered into the Manomaya Kosha, he

feels: `I am doubting', `I am definite' and so on. The Atman says in

the Vijnanamaya Kosha, thinking: `I know'. Having entered into the

Anandamaya Kosha, which is nothing but Ahamkara (the ego-sense), he

enjoys the results of merits and meditations practiced in the present

and previous lives, thinking, `I am happy'. Thus, the supreme Lord,

though omnipresent, being covered by the five sheaths, which are like

armors, appears to be limited.

Just as the sun enters into water and shines as many, so also

Ishwara enters the various bodies and appears as many. We shall now

see that being cause or effect is only an accidental characteristic

for the Jiva and the Brahman. It is not considered as real. In order

to point out the moon- say, on the first or second day after new

moon, when it is scarcely visible-one may guide our sight gradually

by pointing out a tree, and then its branch and then the moon seen in

the direction of that particular branch. Though the branch has

nothing to do with the moon, it serves the purpose of pointing to its

whereabouts. This is called Shaakhaachandranyaaya, the maxim of the

tree-branch and the moon. Such a devise, which helps to draw our

attention to the truth, is called Tatastha lakshana or accidental

characteristic. Here, the tree-branch is a Tatastha lakshana of the

moon. As opposed to this, there is the swaroopa lakshana, the natural

characteristic, like the brightness of the moon. We say that Ishwara

(tat) is the `cause' of the world. The Jiva (tvam) is the `effect'

since he resides in the body-mind complex, which is an effect of

creation. However these are not real and are only Tatastha Lakshanas.

The natural characteristic of the moon is said to be great

effulgence. Similarly, the natural characteristic of these two (Tat

and Tvam) is existence-consciousness-bliss or sat-chit-ananda. Gods,

animals and human beings do not have an existence separate from

light. Since Jiva is non-different from light, he is said to be the

universal Self. Thus, when the knowledge that the Self is of the form

of light or pure consciousness is well established, the Jiva will

attain the state of Kaivalya, from which there is no return. If one

is established – even by chance (say due to the extraordinary merit

of the previous lives, suddenly manifesting in this life) – in

universal Selfhood, then, being freed from all sins, he will be

venerated in the world of Shiva. That great one in whom the universal

Selfhood has become perfectly mature, he is verily the Supreme Lord,

capable of taking others beyond Samsara.

Some dualists raise this objection, ` Objects like pot,

cloth, and so on, exist by themselves and reveal themselves, not

because they are pervaded by Ishwara'. The objection is plain and

simple. We do not see Ishwara anywhere in these objects. Hence, let

us concede that they exist by themselves and reveal themselves to us

because they really exist. This objection can be answered as follows.

The cognition of an object which gives us an awareness not

only of it existence but also the details about it, producing the

knowledge such as, `I know this small red pot full of water', has

been analyzed by Vedanta and is described as follows: the Antahkarana

(internal organ or mind) is the subtlest Upadi nearest to Atman. The

consciousness of Atman is reflected most in it. The Antahkarana is

capable of flowing out through the senses like the eyes and

establishing contact with the objects outside, bringing back their

image. When this image which is also a reflection of the

consciousness in that object, becomes one with the reflection of the

Atman-consciousness in the Antahkarana, knowledge arises.

A powerful light kept in a pot full of many holes, comes out

through these holes and illumines the various objects upon which it

falls. Similarly, the consciousness of the Atman (which is the same

as Paramatman) comes out through the sense organs like the eyes and

produces the knowledge `I know this object'. If outside objects were

capable of independent existence and power of revelation, then all

people should be getting knowledge of all objects always! Then, sense

organs like eyes would have been superfluous. In other words, without

the `I –consciousness', the `this-consciousness' would have been

meaningless. Then, the world is as good as not existing. If we

consider the present time also, there is no independent reality for

objects, which did not exist before creation or will not exist after

destruction. Therefore, their existence or reality is established in

Ishwara, who is without `pastness' and `futureness'. If the

insentient objects of this world could reveal themselves without the

help of Ishwara, then all would have been revealed to all or nothing

at all would have been revealed. Thereafter, all people of the world

would have been similar, being either omniscient or ignorant! Again,

if the capacity for self-revelation were equal to both the sentient

beings and the insentient objects, then, the power to know and the

power to be known should both be equally existent in them. In that

case, there being nothing to regulate the functions of the senses,

taste and smell should be grasped by the eyes!

It is Ishwara who shines in the two reflections – Jnana

Shakti and Kriya Shakti – the two portions of the Antahkarana, which

are like the clean front part and the dirty hind part of a mirror.

Due to the excess of Satva Guna, the intellect (like a clean mirror)

is able to comprehend the reflections of objects, since it is

impelled by the power of the Atman reflected in it. Thus, we should

understand clearly that Jnana Shakti is nothing but the intellect

with the reflection of the Atman-consciousness in it. Though the

intellect is a product of all the three Gunas, the suppression of

rajas and Tamas by Satva is necessary for Jnana to rise. The Gita

says, `Knowledge arises by Satva, avarice by rajas, delusion and

heedlessness come into existence, as also ignorance, by Tamas – Gita

14.17'.

All the sense organs, by their connection with the

Antahkarana, are like the spokes fixed to the rim of a wheel. The

sense organs are able to grasp the sense-objects only because of the

Antahkarana behind them. The Nadis are woven into the Antahkarana

like the threads woven in fishing net. All the sense-organs proceed

towards their respective objects like sparks of fire, through these

nadis which have spread up to the sense-receptacles. A nadi is an

energy channel within the body that carries prana.

The middle part of the body, two angulas (finger widths)

above the anus and two angulas below the sex-organ, is called

Moolaadhaara. Resembling the vulva of a virgin, it is triangular in

shape with the apex down, wherein is established Parashakti, called

Kundalini. She is responsible for Prana (the vital air functioning in

five different ways), Agni (the heat in the abdomen, responsible for

digestion of food), bindu (unmanifested state of sound) and nada

(subtle sound). A nadi called Sushumna has one end of it situated at

the apex of Moolaadhaara, the other end reaching right up to the

Brahmarandhra. At the root, it resembles a half-cut bamboo and

comprises six supports. These six supports are variously described as

the six lotuses or the six Aadharas.

Two more nadis called the Ida and Pingala exist, which arise

from the two side corners of Moolaadhaara. Sushumna goes straight,

and intertwining it are Ida and Pingala. The three appear as a single

unit. These three are together called nadi Chakra. From this, various

other nadis proceed. Gaandhari and Hastijihvaa start from

Swadhishthana Chakra and end at the nose. But during Kundalini

Pranayama, when Ida and Pingala are filled with air, Gaandhari and

Hastijihvaa come into contact with the Nabhi Chakra and are raised

upto the eyes.

The region of the navel, resembling a hen's egg, is the

center place of nadi Chakra, from which more nadis have sprung. The

two nadis, Pusha and Alambusa spread up to the two ears. There is a

nadi called Shuklaa, which goes up to the middle of the eyebrows. The

named Saraswati, which ends in the tongue, propagates speech. The

Nadi Vishwodari digests four types of food. The four types of food

are: Bhojya (what does not need chewing, like pudding), Lehya (what

is to be licked only, like honey), Bhakshya (what is fit for chewing,

like hard sweetmeat) and cosya (what is to be sucked, like fruit

juices). Payasvini, situated in the throat, drinks water and causes

sneezing.

There are three nadis arsing out of the nadi Chakra that face

downwards. Of them, Raakaa squirts the semen; Siniivaali and Kuhoo

are responsible for excreting urine and faeces. The nadi called

Shankhini takes the essence of food that is eaten, to the cavity in

the head and accumulates nectar there. In total, there are hundred

and one nadis. Out of them, only the Sushumna goes to the

Brahmarandhra. The Vedanta teaches that by going up through it, one

should become liberated. According to the Upanishads, there are two

paths by which the soul of a dead person can depart: Dhoomaadimaarga

or the path of smoke which brings it back again to this world of

transmigration; Archiraadimaarga or the path of light leading to

Brahma Loka or Satyaloka from which there is no return. Sushumna,

connected to the Brahmarandhra, leads to the Archiraadimaarga. This

is clearly proved by the quotation from the Kathopanishad ^6.16): `

There are a hundred and one nadis of which one has proceeded towards

the crown of the head. By going up through it, one attains

immortality. The others spread out in other directions and they serve

the purpose of exit only, but bringing back the soul'.

When a person enjoys objects like sound etc., through sense-

organs like ear etc., which are impelled by the merits residing in

the intellect, then that state becomes the Jagrat or waking state. It

is the Buddhi (intellect), with the Atman-consciousness reflected in

it, that thinks it is the Kartaa or the doer. Hence, the results of

those actions, Punya and Paapa, reside in the Buddhi. The chief

characteristic of Jagrat or waking state is experiencing sense-

objects through sense-organs.

When the person – with these sense organs being withdrawn –

enjoys the objects created by the mind due to the impressions of the

waking state, then, that becomes the Swapna or dream state. The chief

characteristic of this state is that the enjoyment or experience of

sense-objects is purely internal. Mind itself creates those objects,

being impelled by the impressions left on it by the experiences of

the waking state. When even the mind is withdrawn, that state is said

to be SuShupti or deep-sleep state. In this state, there is no

experience based on sense-objects, either external or internal. All

that arises in the waking and dream states is unreal, and inert like

a blind person. And, it is Ishwara that shines in all beings in the

form of `I'.