Re:bhagavad-gItA: 9-4 and 9-5

[Guest guest]

Hari Om Prof. VK:

 

Namaskarams,

 

Your explanation is quite simple, precise and clear. I have requested

Sadanandaji to give his comments on these verses. While browsing through

the Internet, I saw the enclosed explanation by Subba Row at the Web Site:

http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/gita-sr/nbg-4.htm

 

This is his explanation to 9.4, 9.5 and 9.6

 

Ram Chandran

 

========================================================

Turn now to chapter ix, verses 4, 5 and 6:

 

"The whole of this Universe is pervaded by me in my Unmanifested form

(Avyaktamoorti). I am thus the support of all the manifested existences, but

I am not supported by them.

 

"Look at my condition when manifested as Eswara (Logos): these phenomenal

manifestations are not within me. My Atma (however) is the foundation and

the origin of manifested beings, though it does not exist in combination

with them."

 

"Conceive that all the manifested beings are within me, just as the

atmosphere spreading everywhere is always in space."

 

The mysterious connection between Parabrahmam and Mulaprakriti. Parabrahmam

is never differentiated. What is differentiated is Mulaprakriti, which is

sometimes called Avyaktam, and in other places Kutastham, which means simply

the undifferentiated Element. Nevertheless Parabrahmam seems to be the one

foundation for all physical phenomena, or for all phenomena that are

generally referred to Mulaprakriti. After all, any material object is

nothing more than a bundle of attributes to us. Either on account of an

innate propensity within us or as a matter of inference, we always suppose

that there is a non-ego, which has this bundle of attributes superimposed

upon it, and which is the basis of all these attributes. Were it not for

this essence, there could be no physical body. But these attributes do not

spring from Parabrahmam itself, but from Mulaprakriti, which is its veil.

Mulaprakriti is the veil of Parabrahmam. It is not Parabrahmam itself, but

merely its appearance. It is purely phenomenal. It is no doubt far more

persistent than any other kind of objective existence. Being the first mode

or manifestation of the only absolute and unconditioned reality, it seems to

be the basis of all subsequent manifestations. Speaking of this aspect of

Parabrahmam, Krishna says that the whole cosmos is pervaded by it, which is

his Avyakta form.

 

 

Thus he speaks of Parabrahmam as his Avyaktamoorti, because Parabrahmam is

unknowable, and only becomes knowable when manifesting itself as the Logos

or Eswara. Here he is trying to indicate that Parabrahmam is the

Avyaktamoorti of the Logos, as it is the Atma of the Logos, which is

everywhere present, since it is the Atma of the universe, and which appears

differentiated, -- when manifested in the shape of the various Logoi working

in the cosmos, though in itself it is undifferentiated, -- and which, though

the basis of all phenomenal manifestations, does not partake of the vikarams

of those phenomenal manifestations.

===============================================

>"V. Krishnamurthy" <profvk

 

>...... Let us go to the standard analogy of the advaita school.

>-- the rope appearing as a snake in the absence of proper lighting and

>turning out to be the rope when properly lighted. Now follow the

>conversation below between the guru and the disciple:

>Guru: Where was the (appearance of the) snake?

>Disciple: In the rope.

>Guru: Was the snake in the rope?

>Disciple: Never. There was only the rope.

>

>This is exactly what is being said by the Lord.

>To the inquisitive question: The universe and all the Beings in it, where

>are they located?, the Lord answers:

>They are all (appearing) in Me.

>To the question: Are they really in You, Oh Lord?, He answers:

>Never. I am the only Reality all the time.

>

>praNAms to all advaitins.

>Regards. profvk

[Guest guest]

There has been a reference to Bhagavad-Gita 9-4 and 9-5 where the Lord

seems to be contradicting Himself in two successive verses. Gummuluru

Murthy is coming up with a posting on this and I am looking forward to

reading it. In the meantime I would like to share my thoughts on the same.

 

In Gita 9-4 2nd line the Lord says

mat-sthAni sarva-bhUtAni na cAhaM tesh-vavasthitaH // meaning,

Every being is located in Me but I am not located in them.

In Gita 9-5 1st line, that is, almost in the same breath, He says:

Na ca mat-sthAni bhUtAni paSya me yogam-aiSvaraM // meaning,

Also, the beings are not located in Me; see my divine magical feat.

 

These contradictory wordings, one following the other, has puzzled almost

every reader. In Vidyaranya's panca-daSI this point is discussed and

clarified. Let us go to the standard analogy of the advaita school.

-- the rope appearing as a snake in the absence of proper lighting and

turning out to be the rope when properly lighted. Now follow the

conversation below between the guru and the disciple:

Guru: Where was the (appearance of the) snake?

Disciple: In the rope.

Guru: Was the snake in the rope?

Disciple: Never. There was only the rope.

 

This is exactly what is being said by the Lord.

To the inquisitive question: The universe and all the Beings in it, where

are they located?, the Lord answers:

They are all (appearing) in Me.

To the question: Are they really in You, Oh Lord?, He answers:

Never. I am the only Reality all the time.

 

praNAms to all advaitins.

Regards. profvk

 

 

 

=====

Prof. V. Krishnamurthy

The URL of my website has been simplified as

http://www.geocities.com/profvk/

You can access both my books from there.

[Guest guest]

namaste profvk,

 

Thanks for the excellent post on BG9.4 and 9.5. After seeing

your post, I realized there is really nothing I can add to it.

You have made it extremely clear and that too in the most

concise fashion. Thanks for that very clear exposition.

 

Regards

Gummuluru Murthy

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