YogAmRRitaM by R. Visvanatha Sastri - 10

[Guest guest]

advaitin, "V. Krishnamurthy" <profvk> wrote:

> Namaste

>

> vyomAtItamidaM sarvaM mano vai gaganAkRRiti .

> j~nAnaM yathAkAsha-kalpaM tathA brahmAdi devatAH .. 111 ..

>

> Space pervades everything. Mind is like space. All

> knowledge is an effect on this mind-space – even Gods like

> BrahmA. ( Can some one suggest a better translation

> than this? – V.K.)

>

 

Pranams,

 

The 'bhAvArtha' I would like to extract may not equal the

correct translation this verse merits.

 

All This (gross manifestation)is within space; the mind's space

encompasses even this; even more subtle and pervasive is knowledge

(buddhi), and so are all the Deities (brahmA governs buddhi; others,

the mind-moon, chitta-vAsudeva, ahaMkAra-rudra, others yet the organs

of sense and of action, as given in Tattva-Bodha). [The Supreme Spirit

includes and transcends even these]. The reference would be to Gita

3:42-43 -

 

indriyaaNi paraaNyaahurindriyebhyaH paraM manaH .

manasastu paraa buddhiryo buddheH paratastu saH .. 3\-42..

evaM buddheH paraM buddhvaa sa.nstabhyaatmaanamaatmanaa .

jahi shatruM mahaabaaho kaamaruupaM duraasadam.h .. 3\-43..

 

 

Regards,

 

Sunder

[Guest guest]

advaitin, "V. Krishnamurthy" <profvk>

wrote:

> Namaste

>

> vyomAtItamidaM sarvaM mano vai gaganAkRRiti .

> j~nAnaM yathAkAsha-kalpaM tathA brahmAdi devatAH .. 111 ..

>

> Space pervades everything. Mind is like space. All

> knowledge is an effect on this mind-space – even Gods like

> BrahmA. ( Can some one suggest a better translation

> than this? – V.K.)

>

____________________

 

Namaste.

 

Here is my understanding placed on the Lotus Feet of Mother VAg

Devata:

 

vyomAtItamidaM sarvam: Literally translated this means: All this

(this universe) transcends the skies. We say "sky is the limit" to

express something limitless. In such an expression, linguistically

at least, the sky becomes a limiting factor. By the expression that

the universe goes beyond the skies, the infiniteness of the universe

is implied. All this (idam sarvam), therefore, transcends the factor

that seems to limit or contain it, i.e. the sky, or in other words,

the things perceived as limited by space are not limited at all in

reality.

 

Mano vai gaganakRRiti: Yet, inadvertently, we project attributes on

the unending skies. Coleridge sang "Beautiful is the *dark blue*

sky, *vaulted* over the dark blue sea". Lo, we always seem to

impose shape and other attributes on the limitless! Thus, the shape

of the sky – gaganAkRRiti – is a mental construct. (Please note that,

in the very next verse, the author is talking about transcending this

very mind that `constructs' (atmaikya-jnAna yOga)!).

 

jnAnaM yathAkAsha-kalpaM: The jnAnam here seems to be objective

knowledge. When the mind has done the trick (like imposing

attributes on the limitless), then there is a universe limited by the

skies populated by an infinite multiplicity of things separated by

space each different from the others. That universe is an object of

knowledge. Thus, jnAnaM is `knowing' – objective knowledge -

demanded by the separation of perceiver from the perceived.

 

I have two thoughts about kalpaM. Kalpam with AkAsha can mean "in a

manner similar to AkAsha". That appears to be the correct meaning

here. The word adds stress to yathA (in the same way as). The second

option is to consider kalpaM as a derivate of kalpa – a long period

of time. In that case, AkAsha-kalpaM could be indicative of space-

time continuum. I don't know if grammarians will accept this. Well,

even if the first meaning is accepted, still AkAsha is suggestive of

time as the former cannot exist without the latter.

 

thathA brahmAdi devataH: With jnAnaM – knowing - creation has

already taken place. Well then, we have to assign accountabilities.

Brahma (the creator) comes in here followed by the next two (Vishnu

and Maheshwara). Creator, sustainer and destroyer are now in full

control. Things take birth, are sustained and then perish. That is

AdhyArOpa. Transcending the mind through atmaikya-jnAna yOga

sublates the ArOpa resulting in Self-Knowledge when one realizes non-

creation. That is the indivisibility of `idam sarvam' which we

refuse to accept due to our mental constructs.

 

To summarise: This universe is infinite transcending the sky that

seems to limit it. It is a mental construct that makes the sky

(space) appear limited – as having shape and other attributes. In the

same manner as attributes are imposed on the sky causing knowing

(creation), birth, existence and death are also imposed.

 

PraNAms to Her and all.

 

Madathil Nair