vedasArashivastava - 6,7

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na bhUmirna chApo na vahnirna vAyur-

na chAkAshamAste na tandrA na nidrA |

na grIShmo na shItaM na desho na veSho

na yasyAsti mUrtistrimUrtiM tamIDe || 6 ||

 

He (Shiva) is not earth, not water, not fire, not

air, not space, not lethargy, not sleep, not

heat, not cold; He is not in any place and is

without any dress or form. I praise that Shiva

with three forms (as brahmA the creator, as ViShNu the

maintainer, and as Rudra the destroyer).

 

This verse brings out the meaning of the upaniShad teaching

"neti neti", and again shows that upAsana (worship) is only

relevant for the saguNa Brahman. The nirguNa brahman cannot

be an object of worship as the saguNa Brahman can be.

 

The "neti neti" expression that describes the "satyasya satyaM",

ie. Brahman which the Truth of truth, in the bR^ihadAraNyaka

upaniShad has been well explained by Shankara in his commentary

on the same (2.3.6).

 

A question is raised:

 

nanu kathaM "neti neti" iti shabdAbhyAM satyasya satyaM

nirdidixitamiti|

 

How can one wish to describe the Truth of truth through

the two words, "neti neti"?

 

sarvopAdhivisheShApohena - By denying all qualifiers arising from

upAdhi's, ie. limiting factors,

 

yasminna kashchidvisheSho .asti nAma vA rUpaM vA karma vA bhedo vA

jAtirvA guNo vA|

 

(The words "neti neti") indicate something that has no characteristic

such as name, form, action, differentiation, class, or qualities.

 

...

adhyAropitanAmarUpakarmadvAreNa brahma nirdishyate "viGYAnamAnandaM

brahma", "viGYAnaghana eva brahmAtmA " ityevamAdishabdaiH

 

Brahman is described by superimposed name, form, and action, as

"Consciousness-Bliss is Brahman", "Full of consciousness only",

"Brahman", "Atman", etc.

 

yadA punaH svarUpameva nirdidixitaM bhavati nirasta-sarvopAdhi-

visheShaM tadA na shakyate kenachidapi prakAreNa nirdeShTum.h |

 

However, when one wishes to describe the essence of Brahman, devoid

of all distinguishing features arising from limiting factors, then

it is not possible to describe It (Brahman) with any qualifier.

 

tadA ayamevAbhyupAyo yaduta prAptanirdeshapratiShedhadvAreNa

"neti neti" iti nirdeshaH |

 

Then, the only solution is to describe it as "neti neti" (not this,

not this), denying all other descriptions that have been arrived at.

 

yadA punaH svarUpameva nirdidixitaM bhavati nirasta-sarvopAdhi-

visheShaM tadA na shakyate kenachidapi prakAreNa nirdeShTum.h |

 

However, when one wishes to describe the essence of Brahman, devoid

of all distinguishing features arising from limiting factors, then

it is not possible to describe It (Brahman) with any qualifier.

 

tadA ayamevAbhyupAyo yaduta prAptanirdeshapratiShedhadvAreNa

"neti neti" iti nirdeshaH |

 

Then, the only solution is to describe it as "neti neti" (not this,

not this), denying all other descriptions that have been arrived at.

 

 

ajaM shAshvataM kAraNaM kAraNAnAM

shivaM kevalaM bhAsakaM bhAsakAnAm.h |

turIyaM tamaHpAramAdyantahInaM

prapadye paraM pAvanaM dvaitahInam.h || 7 ||

 

I resort to Shiva who is unborn, eternal, the cause of all

causes (the primordial cause), auspicious, the One

(without a second), the luminary of the luminaries,

the fourth state (beyond waking, dream, and sleep states),

beyond ignorance, without a beginning or end, supremely pure,

and without any duality.

 

Anand