PGS : Atma Bodha - Verse 05

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|Hari AUM|

 

Atma Bodha Verse 05 :

ajnAnakalusham jIvam jnAnAbhyAsAdvi nirmalam |

krtvA jnAnam svayam naSyet jalam katakareNuvat ||

 

Translation :

Stained by ignorance(ajnAna), the jIva should purify itself

by the constant pursuit of jnAna.

Once jnAna is attained, the jIva self-destructs, just as

the kataka nut dissolves after cleansing turpid water.

 

Explanation :

This verse picks up from the previous verse on the

theme of avidya and the jIva. So far, we have seen how

jnAna

destroys avidya and how that this "destruction" cannot be

brought about by any external agent. But, the removal of

avidya has to be brought about by someone/something. Here,

bhagavatpAda states that it is the jIva that should do

this.

 

First of all, what is the jIva? The jIva cannot be an

external entity to the Atman because ShrI Shankara has

clearly stated already that no external agent can bring

about the destruction of avidya. Here, ShrI Shankara

defines

the jIva as nothing but the Atman "contaminated" by ajnAna

( ignorance or avidya ). Hence, the jIva must attempt to

remove this contamination by the constant pursuit of jnAna.

 

OK, fine. The jIva pursues jnAna and eventually attains

it. Then what? Then, the jIva ( along with avidya ) is

destroyed. What this means is that the jIva loses its

ignorance and realizes its true Self(Atman). So, what is

destroyed here is jIva-ness, which is the

ignorance(avidya).

This process is similar to the process of cleaning turpid

water in India. The powder of the kataka nut is mixed with

the turpid water. This powder aggregates the impurities

which sink to the bottom due to their weight, leaving clean

water on top. Having accomplished its task, the powder also

disappears( dissolves and binds with the impurities ).

Hence, the jIva brings about its own destruction only to

reveal its true Self(atman) to Itself!

 

NOTES on themes

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

We have seen a persistent theme in the verses discussed

so far. After touching upon the qualifications and utility,

ShrI Shankara dwelled upon avidya, its definition,

its removal, the method of its removal and the agent of its

removal. From the next verse onwards, we shall see other

topics addressed. In the end, there will be a summary and

a terse re-statement of the concepts presented so far.

 

The method employed adheres to the three fold subject

matter of advaita. Namely,

1. Brahman alone is Real

2. The world is un-Real

3. The true Self(atman) of the jIva is nothing but Brahman.

 

ShrI bhagavatpAda has started with 3) first. Because,

this

is the most immediate knowledge, knowledge of one's Self.

This is akin to the "bottoms-up" approach. This can also

be likened to the "inside-out" approach. After teaching

us about our true Self, he would now address the nature of

the world and finally conclude with the nature of Brahman

(Ultimate Reality). In the end, he would summarize all

three

views to state the advaitic concept, The Ultimate Reality

is noting but our True Self.

 

 

 

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