3+1 connection (part -9)

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SRIMATHE RAMANUJAYA NAMAHA.

 

Taiitriya Upanishad tells about the system of 3 + 1

The 3+1 are denoted by the term "vyAhruthi".

 

The 3 are Bhuh, Bhuvah and Svah

 

"Bhuh, Bhuvah, Suvah—these are, verily, the three utterances. Besides these

there is a fourth, called Mahwah"

 

This is again told in this way in Chandogya.

 

"Prajapati brooded on the worlds. From them, thus brooded upon, there was

revealed in his heart the threefold knowledge. He brooded on it and from it,

thus brooded upon, there issued forth these syllables: Bhuh, Bhuvah and

Svah."

 

These are the ones explained in the previous mail as physical, vital and

mental manifestations. (of fire, water and earth or food)

 

There is one more added to this, namely "Maha". This Maha is the Lord of the

3 into which the 3 merge..

 

>From Taittriya Upanishad,

 

 

(chapter 1) Bhuh, Bhuvah, Svah + Maha: (where Maha: is Brahman)

 

About the universe,

Bhuh > the earth

Bhvah> anthariksham

svah > swarga (heaven)

 

&

Maha: > the Sun. The Sun is the Lord.

 

About tattwas,

Bhuh > agni

Bhvah > vaayu

svah > Adhithya

 

&

Maha: > Chandra

 

About Knowledge

Bhuh > rik veda

Bhvah > sama veda

svah > yajur veda

 

&

Maha: > Brahman

 

About life force

Bhuh > prana

Bhvah > apana

svah > vyana

 

&

Maha: > annam

 

These 4 in groups of 3+1 are known as Vyahruthi which reveal where all

created worlds finally merge (at Maha: at each level). This merger is

described in subsequent verses as one (from Bhuh level onwards), merging

into the next level.

 

For man, the three are speech, mind and prana. They merge in the Individual

Soul.

 

That is, Speech + Mind + Prana > Individual soul.

 

The details of this have been given to us by Bhagavad Ramanuja in his Sri

Bhashyam to Brahma sutra verse 4- 2 onwards. (translation available on net)

 

That is, when a man lives he is endowed with these three.

 

When he dies, he does not go alone. He takes all these three.

 

>From Brahma sutras we understand that his faculty of speech (along

with faculties

of all the other sense organs merged into it) represents the Fire of the

three-some. At the time of death this goes to merge with the next level,

called Mind.

 

The mind representing the water or vital level of functioning ( as made out

in Upanishads quoted in the previous mail) merges with Prana, the subtlest

of all. This, in our terminology, is the mental level. ( please read the

Sribhashyam along with this to understand how this is justified. The verses

are 4-2 –3 & 4)

 

At the time of death, this Prana along with the other two merged into it,

joins or reaches its Lord, which is none other than the Jiva or the

individual soul. ( B.S. 4-2-4) (The pramana are found in Briadaranyaka and

Chandogya upanishads.)

 

The individual soul, depending on the status of its works (karma) may be

guided to Pithruyana or Devayana. Here again Brahma sutras give us a very

good insight into who reaches which place and what happens thereafter. But

for our discussion here, we will concentrate on issues around pithrus and

tapaNam.

 

What happens to the person just departed from the body.

 

The reply is that he is being held by Vayu.

(Brihadaranyaka) :- "Yajnavalkya said: "Vayu, O Gautama, is that Sutra. By

Vayu, as by a thread, O Gautama, are this world, the other world and all

beings held together. Therefore, O Gautama, they say of a person who dies

that his limbs have been loosened; for they are held together by Vayu as by

a thread." This is corroborated by what the sage Vyasa tells his son sage

Suka in MB ( shanti parvam). He says that there are 7 types of Vayu, 5 of

which vary from mild to wild and roam around the earth and the 6 th

and 7thare outside the earth. The

6th Vayu, 'Parivahan' has made the sun stay where it is and also has made

the moon stay in its present position. This Vayu is a very powerful one in

which Akash Ganga abides. The sun is in Pithru yana marga. Therefore this

Vayu is the conduit between the earth and pithru loka. The 7th Vayu,

"ParAvahan" is one that stretches till the end of Kalpa. All the 7 are the

sons of Aditi, as also others such as the Sun. Aditi denotes 'non-duality'

thereby indicating that all these have sprung at the beginning of creation

when variations sprang from non-dual one-ness. The departed soul held by the

Vayu (perhaps Parivahan) reaches pithru loka. The questions we get

here are, They

have left. What then is the connection to earth? They have departed, perhaps

might even be taking up rebirth soon, then why should one do tarpaNam ? Does

it reach them? Instead one can do some charity in their name. Also the

individual soul is untainted (Gita says this in many verses). In what way

this connection with relatives (son, in particular) continues after it has

left this plane? This wonderful body of knowledge which is nothing but the

science of Brahman and Its Creation has all answers. Its only that they are

encrypted and the keys to open them are in Upanishads. Lets us take up these

questions in the next mail. (To be continued) Regards,