antaryAmitva, svarUpa-vyApti & SarIrAtma-bhAva

[Guest guest]

asmad sarva-gurubhyo-nama:

SrImate rAmAnujAya nama:

SrImate bhagavate lakshmI-haya-vadana-para-brahmaNe nama:

 

Dear Members:

 

I poorly understand brahman's vyApti (metaphysical pervasiveness),

and antaryAmitva (especially in acit-tattva, ie

the insentient matter) in relation to SarIrAtma-bhAva

(ie the metaphysical inseparable body-soul relationship between

the Universe and the brahman).

 

I seek your input for a better understanding.

 

Please examine following verses in SrImad bhavagavad-gItA:

 

.. mayA tatam-idam sarvam jagat-avyakta-mUrtina |

mat-sthAni sarva-bhUtAni na ca-aham teshu avasthita: || 9.4

 

"This entire universe is pervaded by Me in an unmanifest form.

All beings abide in Me, but I do not abide in them."

 

 

.. na ca mat-shtAni bhUtAni paSya me yogam-aiSvaram |

bhUta-bhRnna ca bhUtastho mama-AtmA bhUta-bhAvana: || 9.5

 

"And yet beings do not abide in Me. Behold My Divine Yoga.

I am the upholder of all beings and yet I am not in them.

My Will alone causes existence."

 

 

When commenting on 9.4 SrI rAmAnuja says,

 

.. "...jagata: dhAraNArtham niyamanArtham ca Seshitvena vyApyam..."

ie brahman pervades the universe for the purpose of

supporting, 'controlling' and accepting service

from the universe.

 

.. "...cetana-acetana-vastu-jAtai: adRshTena antaryAmiNA

tatra tatra vyApti: .."

ie but this pervasiveness of brahman is invisible to the universe.

 

.. "... aham tu na tad-Ayatta-sthiti:

mat-sthitau tai: na kaScit upakAra:"

The brahman supports Universe's existence but not vice versa.

The brahman, for Its existence, derives no help from the Universe.

 

 

When commenting on 9.5 SrI rAmAnuja says,

 

.. "... mama AtmA eva bhUta-bhAvana:

mama mano-maya: sankalpa *eva*

bhUtAnAm bhAvayitA dhArayitA niyantA ca.."

 

It seems like the brahman, merely through Its Will alone,

supports & controls the Universe without having to

meta-physically pervade the Universe.

 

SrI rAmAnuja describes this relation between the brahman & the

Universe as "acintya-mahimA" ie inconceivable Glory of the brahman.

 

Questions:

 

a) If the brahman does everything merely through Its Will (sankalpa)

what is then the purpose of the brahman's pervasiveness

mentioned in 9.4 ?

[One could quickly posit that the brahman, through Its Will,

becomes antaryAmin and through that antaryAmitva,

It then supports, controls and receives service. ]

 

b) What does "bhUta-bhAvana:" mean?

What does "mama AtmA eva bhUta-bhAvana:" above mean?

 

c) What does "antaryAmin" mean ?

Does this word split like "anta: + yAmi" (ie Inner Controller?)

 

d) How does "antaryAmitva" relate to "vyApti" (pervasiveness) ?

 

 

Looking forward to enlightening responses.

 

aDiyEn rAmAnuja-dAsan

//Ramkumar

 

 

PS:- Thanks to SrI Adi-devananda's excellent English transaltion of

SrI rAmAnujAcArya's bhagavad-gItA-bhAshya.

 

 

 

---------------

Join Excite! - http://www.excite.com

The most personalized portal on the Web!