Different states of a jIvAtma

[Guest guest]

Dear BhakthAs :

 

It is my pleasure to provide the free flowing transalations

of the Srimad-Bhaagavatham passage below as requested by

Sri Anand in the second portion of this rather long

posting . When one gets into Upanishads , the descriptions

get longer .There are so many layers of meaning and

Upanishad BHAshyakArAs enjoy the intellectual challenges

implicit in such efforts .MandhUkya KaarikA of Sri Goudha-

PaadhA is a classic case in point .

 

Sri Mani Varadarajan's reference to the complimentary

links between JyOthir BrahmaNA of BrihadaaraNyaka Upanishad

and MandUkya Upanishad is a very important one indeed .

 

SanyAsa Upanishads focus quite a bit on the TurIyA state

and the yogic way of dhyAnam and the four different states.

 

Although Upanishads are great , I seem to enjoy most

the ArchAvathArams of the Lord as celebrated by

the AzhwArs . The reason for this anubhavam will become clear

as the different passages of Upanishads relating to the four

states are referred to and discussed .

 

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A sample quotatation from one of the five Bindhu Upanishads

( Amrutha Bindhu Upanishad ) refers to the four states:

 

yEka yevAthmA manthavyO jaagrath svapna sushipthishu

sthaana thraya vyathIthasya punar jnama na vidhyathE (11)

 

Translation : Verily , the Athman (the self-luminous

witness of Buddhi )should be known as the same in its states of

wakefulness (Jagrath , when the impressions of the objective

world are directly received by the senses ) , dreaming

(SvapnA , When the objects are perceived on the sub-conscious plane),

and dreamless sleep (Sushupthi, when there is complete

cessation of differentiation in impressions and

knowledge , and what remains is consciousness alone ).

For the Yogi , who has transcended ( attained the TurIyA state)

the three states , there is no more rebirth ( Moksham ) .

 

Another minor Upanishad nmaed SarvOpanishad also asks

the same questions about the four states and defines TurIyA

as the supremely desirable state.BrahmOpanishad has a good

definition of the third state ( Sushupthi ).It has a wonderful

passage ,where one has to go behind the obvious meanings

of the naamams such as Brhma , VishNu and RudhrA :

 

athAsya Purushasya chathvAri SthAnAni--tathra chathushpAdham

Brahma VibhAthi. JAAGARITHAM SVAPNAM SUSHUPTHAM THUREEYAMITHI.

 

JaagarithE BrahmA , svapnE VishNu:

Sushupthou Rudhra: ThurIyam Paramaaksharam --

 

Meaning : "Now this PurushA has four seats , the navel,

the heart , the throat and the head . In these shine

forth the Brahman with four aspects : the state of

wakefulness , dream , dreamless sleep and the fourth,

the transcendental state.

 

In the wakeful state , He is BrahmA, in the dreaming

state , He is VishNu, in the dramless sleep state , He is

RudhrA and in the fourth ( ThurIyA ) state , He is

the Supreme , indestructible , Akshara BRahman " ,

(Sriman NaarAyaNA) .He is the Sun , Agni and is

the transcendent Brahman shines within all these .All is

warped and woofed in Him .

 

 

Sri Anand"s reference to Srimadh Bhaagavatha slOkams

*****************************************************

 

Here , we descend from the lofty heights of Upanishadic

planes and descend to Bhakthi yOgam and the anubhavam

of an UpAsakA .

> Upabrahmanas like Ahirbudhnya Samhita (51st

> adhyAyam) and SrImad BhAgavatham (12.11.21-23) elaborates on

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

> the fact that the words visva-taijasa-prAj~nya- turIya refers to

> SrIman nArAyaNA alias Parabrahman in various forms. Someone

^^^^^^^^

> can kindly post the relevant translations from the SrImad BhAgavatham.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

Chapter 12.11.21-23:

 

Oh Sage !VaasudEvA , SankarshaNA , PradhyumnA and

AniruddhA are four visible embodiments of the Supreme Lord

( Sriman NaarAyaNA ) and are recommended for proper

worship separately . The all -powerful Lord (Sriman NaarAyaNA)

should also be meditated upon in any one of these four forms ,

namely , the VaisvAnarA , TaijasA , PraJ~nA and ThuriyA by means

of the different senses and their objects , as well as by

means of the desires or through the power of knowledge.

 

Incarnating Himself in these four forms , the Supreme Lord

(Sriman NaarAyaNA ) is visulaized and experienced with several

principal and subordinate limbs , as well as with various

weapons and ornaments . When He assumes those four forms with

the appropriate weapons , limbs and bhUshaNams , He deserves

our special worship .

 

V.Sadagopan

[Guest guest]

SrI:

SrI SrInivAsa parabrahmaNE nama:

AzhvAr tiruvaDigaLE SaraNam; emberumAnAr tiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

dEsikan tiruvaDigaLE SaraNam; Sri Andavan tiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

 

Respected Bagavatas,

My Namaskarams to all.

Namo Narayanaya.

 

I am delighted to see so many wonderful explanations pouring from Sri Anand,

Sri Mani and Sri Sadagopan. I never expected that it will be such a deep

subject matter. My firend also felt realy happy to get such explanations.

Eagerly waiting to read the reaming posts on this topic.

 

Adiyen

Narasimha dasan

 

 

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