A Question on a verse from Mundakopanishad

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Hello,

 

This is a question from Harikumar L (harikumarl) who is no longer

d to the list. I am forwarding it on his behalf.

 

Thanks,

Harini

>From HariKumar:-

 

Sri Sita Ramachandra Parabrahmane namah.

 

My humble namaskarams to all the bhagavathas of the forum. I got a doubt

when I was reading the Mundakopanishad translated and commented by Dr.

N.S.Anantha Rangachar. I'm giving the mantrA and its translation below.

 

Gathah

kalAh panchadasaprathishta devasca

Sarve

pratidevatAsu karmAni vijnAnamayasca

Atma

pare avyayae eki bhavanti.(3.2.7)

"The fifteen constituents merge in their own respective sources. The

indriyas become one with the respective deities presiding over them. The

karmas and the jIvAtman qualified by consciousness, all become unified

in that Supreme immutable Atman."

 

This verse is taken by the advaitins to convey the identity of jIvAtman

with ParamAtman. THe term 'eki bhavanti' as per them conveys identity.

But this argument is untenable because the mantrA states that karma and

the jIvAtman becomes one with the Supreme. As per advaita, karma does

not become identical with Brahman. So what does the term 'eki bhavanti'

signify?

 

This term ‘eki bhavanti’ is used in the Subala Upanishad while

explaining the universal dissolution.

 

Prthivyapsu pralIyate

Apastejasi lIyante tejo vayau liyate

 

…………………………………………………………..

bhUtadir mahati lIyate

mahAn avyakte lIyate. Avyaktam

akshare lIyate aksharam

tamasi lIyate tamah pare deve eki bhavati

 

During universal devastation, earth merges into water, water merges into

fire, fire merges into air, air merges into ether(sky) etc. then tamas

becomes one with the Supreme Divinity.

Here every entity is said to undergo layA(merge) in its antecedent

entity, starting from prithvi upto tamas. But tamas is said to “become

one with” (eki bhavanti) Brahman and there it is not said to be laya.

When earth completely leaves its form and becomes water, then it is

laya. In this state, the element earth no more exists as an individual

element. Similarly when water completely gives up its form and becomes

fire, then it is layA. After this layA, the element water no more exists

individually. This laya goes on for each entity upto tamas. But tamas is

not said to undergo laya but it is said to “become one with” (eki

bhavanti) Brahman. This means that it enters the transcendental body of

the Lord and remains in a very subtle state in him. Because of this, it

is indistinguishable from him, but it is not totally dissolved in him.

 

In this context, the term 'eki bhavati' is meant to be 'becoming

indistinguishable' from Brahman. Cane the same meaning be taken to

understand the above mantrA from Mundakopanishad? i.e. the jIvAtman

becomes indistinguishable from Brahman by attaining the same status as

him, but not identical with him.If we take so, then the following

difficulty arises:What happens to karma which is mentioned in the

mantrA?.Does it also become indistiguishable from Brahman?

 

 

I humbly request you to enlighten me by giving the explanation of this

mantrA.

 

With namaskArams,

L.Harikumar

 

 

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