DharmavyAdha - (7)

[Guest guest]

To the Moderators, Advaitin Group,

This is the last part of the series on the teachings of DharmavyAdha.

I thank the moderators, sri Sadananda ji, in particular, for creating this

opportunity to present these teachings to this list. I have thoroughly

enjoyed preparing this material, though it has been challenging to translate

to English. I had read MahAbhArata about

15 years ago, when I probably did not have as much appreciation for the

philosophy as now. This work has motivated me to revisit at least the

adhyAtma-vidya sections of MahAbhArata. Once again, Thanks and Regards, K.

Ramakrishna.

 

In this part, the vyAdha addresses the adhyAtma vidya at the micro- level,

synthesizing the mind, body physiology, prAna (vital air currents in the

body,human psychology and the prior life samskAra (GuNa). He describes the

mechanics of self realization in the context of the above.

 

 

Description of GuNas

 

" sattvasya rajasaschaiva tamasascha yathAtatam guNamstatvEna mE brUhi

yathAvadiha pricchathah " - Oh! great man, please now tell me about the

three guNas - Sattva, Rajas and Tamas; the vyAdha continues.

 

" mOhAtmakam tamah tEshAm raja EshAm pravartakam prakAsha bahula-ttvAccha

sattvam jyAya iha uchyatE " - of the three guNas, Tamas is of the nature of

delusion ( mOha). Rajas will engage a person in activities associated with

mOha or delusion. Sattva is of the nature of shining and divine and is

therefore of a higher caliber.

 

" avidyA bahulO mUDah svapnashIlO vichEtanah durhrishIka tamO-dhvastah sa

krOdhah tAmasO alasah " - A person, under the influence of ignorance (mAya),

always sluggish or lethargic, unable to use discrimination; He does not have

his sense organs in his control and engages in prohibited (nishEda)

activities, lazy, always angry and ill thinking is a person of tamas or tamO

guNa.

 

" pravritta vAkyO mantrIcha yO narAgryO anasUyakah vidhitsamAnO viprarshE

stabdhO mAnI sa rAjasah " - A person in conversation with anyone he meets,

always planning his activities, desirous of surpassing others; He is

trustworthy (not jealous), achieving the planned activities however

difficult, does not want to loose to any one and always priding himself, is

a man of Rajas or rajO guNa.

 

" prakAsha bahulO dhIro nirvidhihtsO-anasUyakah akrOdhanO narO dhIman

AnandA-ntaschaiva sa sAtvikah " - A wise man, strong with control of his

mind, is not driven to actions  prompted by the sense objects; He is

trustworthy (not jealous ), will not get angry, uses his intellect

(discrimination), forgiving and who has his sense organs under his control

is a man of sattva or sAtvika.

 

" sAtvika-stvatha sambuddhO lOka-vrittEna klishyatE yadA buddhyati

bOddhavyam lOka-vrittam jugupsatE " - A man of sattva does not enjoy the

transactional activities of the world (lOka vritti); He recognizes that

these activities are in the realm of sense organs and withdraws from them.

 

" vairAgyasya cha rUpam tu pUrvam Eva pravartatE mriduh bhavati ahankArah

prasIdaty-Arjavam cha yat " - He is detached or dispassionate about the

transactions of the world (which are generally of great interest to a man of

Rajas); He gradually cultivates the ability to bear the dualities of honor

and disgrace. He is a man of simple living and thinking.

 

" taTo asya sarva-dvandvAni prashAmyanti parasparam na cha saya samshayO

nAma kvacht bhavati kaschana " - He does not develop suspicion  about

anything or anyone. He will have conquered the effects of duality -

heat/cold, happiness/sorrow, honor and disgrace, etc.

 

" shUdra-yOnou hi jAtasya sadguNA-nupatishTatah vaishyatvam labhatE Brahman

kshatriyatvam tathaiva cha ArjavE vartamAnasya brAhmaNyam abhijAyatE " - A

person born as a ShUdra, though may be of tAmasic nature, by practicing

divine activities, may be born as a kshatriya or Brahmin.

 

The vyAdha, saying thus, tells the brahmin, what else would you like to

know?

 

Description of Vital air(s) and Nature of Atman

 

The Brahmin asks; Oh! Great man, please tell me how the the jIva becomes

attached to the body supported by the heat (fire-agni) in it? How the heat

supports the body consisting of the seven ingredients (dhAtu) of the body-

skin, blood, flesh, fat, bone, bone marrow and nerves? How the vital air of

prANa  sustains the body flowing in the blood vessels? the vyAdha replies;

 

" mUrdhAn-mAshritO vahnih sharIram paripAlayan prANO mUrdhani cha agnou cha

vartamAnO vichEshTatE " - The heat (agni) resident in the sahasrAra (head)

protects the body. The prANa (one of the vital airs - there are five vital

airs; prANa, apAna, vyAna, udAna, and samAna) resident both in the sahasrAra

and fire operates through them in sustaining the body.

 

" bhUtam bhavyam bhavishyam cha sarvam prANE pratishTitam shrEshTam tadEva

bhUtAnAm brahma-yOnim upAsmahE " - So the past, present and future are

contained in the prANa. the prANa is the most important for all beings.  We

meditate on this prANa, for which brahma is the source.

 

"sa jantUh sarva-bhUtAtmA purushah sa sanAtanah mahAn buddih ahankArO

bhUtAnAm vishayascha sah " - The jIva encompassing these agni and prANa is

the Atman in all beings. It is also the Parabrahma. This Brahman appears as

the intellect, ego, the sense objects like sound, touch etc.

 

" Evam tvih sa sarvatra prANEna paripAlyatE prishRa-tastu samAnEna svAm svAm

gatim upAshritah " " basti-mUlam gudam chaiva pAvakam samupAshritah vahan

mUtram purIsham vApi apAnah parivartatE " - So all the organs of the body

are sustained by prANA. The prANa is situated in the area of the heart

supporting breathing. The pRANa as it operates the functions of excretion is

called apAna, which is located in the aenus. The prANa operating the

digestive system is called samAna and is located in the naval area.

 

" prayatnE karmaNi bale sa Eshu trishu vartatE udAnam iti tam prAhuh

adhyAtma vidushO janAh " - This vital air (prANa), when engaged in volition

, action and result, the vEdAntins call it udAna ( what is to be understood

here is that the uDana , pervading from the forehead to the feet, is the

conveyor of beings into next lif- higher life gor good karma and lower life

for negative karma).

 

" sandhou sandhou sam-nivishTah sarvEsvapi tatha anilah sharIrEshu

manushyANAm vyAna iti upadishyatE " - This vital air (prANa),when spread in

to every conrner of human body, it is called vyAna.

 

" dhAtusvagistu vitatah sat u vAyu samIritah rasAn dhA-tUmscha dOshAmscha

vartayan paridhAvati " " prANAnam sam-nipAtastu sam-nipAtah prajAyatE UshmA

cha agnih iti jnyEyO yO annam pachati DehinAm " - The fire in the intestine,

pervading in to the skin and other dhAtus, carried by the vital airs of

prANA apAna etc., will cause to influence  food digestion , other dhAtus and

deficiency (sickness) in the body. The mixing of  the prANA and other vital

airs creates heat in the intestine. That heat is the VaishvAnara agni

(fire). This fire digests the food consumed by the jIvas.

 

" samAna udAnayOh madhyE prANa apAnou samAhitou samarthitah tat adishTAnam

samyak pachati pAvakah " - In the maintenance of the body, prANa and apAna

will engage with samAna and udAna. There also, as the prANa, apAna and

samAna mix in the naval area, will result in the creation of the heat. This

heat will nurture the body.

 

" asyApi pAyuparyantah tathA syadguda -sanjyitah srOtAmsi tasmAt jAyantE

sarva prANEshu dEhinAm " - This fire as it reaches upto the aenus, will

become apAna. The apAna agni is the cause of flow of the five vital airs or

in blood vessels(nAdi).

 

"  agni vEga vahah prANO guda ante pratihanyatE sa Urdhvam Agamya punah

samut kshipati pAvakam " - As they move up in the blood vessels, they are

converted into prANa etc. The prANA carrying the force of the agni collides

in the entrance of the aenus, gathers momentum and moves up and throws up

the fire (this is how the agni is maintained in the body).

 

" pakvAshaya-stvadhO nAbhyAm Urdhvam AmAshayah sthitah nAbhi-madyE

sharIrasya prANAh sarvE pratishTitah " - The digested food is below the

navel area; the undigested food (AmAshaya) is above the navel area. Alla

prANAs converge/diverge in the naval area.

 

" pravrittA hridayAt sarvE tirya-gUrdhvam adhah tathA vahanti anna

rasAnnADyO dasha-prANA chOditAh " - The blood vessels traverse up and down

across from the heart, influenced by the ten vital airs ( in addition to the

five described above -prANa, apAna, vyAna, udAna and samAna, five sub-vitals

- nAga, kUrma, krikara, dEvadatta and dhannajaya - function in the body)

facilitate movement of food in the body.

 

" yOginAm Esha mArgastu yEna gacchanti tatparam jitaklamAh samA dhIrA

mUrdhany-AtmAna-mAdadhuh Evam sarvEshu vitatou prANA-pAnou hi dEhishu " -

This path, from the head to the pAyu(aenus), is the path to realize Brahman

for yOgis. Having overcome pain, equalizing the prANa vAyus and overcoming

the three guNas, the yOgis stay in the sahasrAra in the head. Thus the prANa

and apAna vAyus pervade in all beings.

 

" EkAdasha vikArAtmA kalA-sambhAra-sambhritah mUrtimantam hi tam viddhi

nityam yOga-jitAtmakam " -  The jIva acquires a body associated with eleven

vikArAs(variations) like prANa, indriyas etc. consisting of sixteen (16)

attributes-kala ( The sixteen attributes are  prANa, shraddha, space, air

(vAyu), fire, water, earth, sense organs, mind, food, semen, tapas, mantra,

karma, lOka, name). This body is a combination of sthUla (gross) and

sUkshma(subtle) bodies. The Atman acquires a form like described above. The

Atman will be experienced by the power of yOga.

 

" tasmin yah samsthitO hi agnih nityam sthAlyAmivAhitah AtmAnam tam vijAnIhi

ntyam yOga-jitAtmakam " - Just as a fire kept in a pot glows, a fire called

jIva is glowing in the midst of a body composed of these 16 attributes. This

jIva, to be to be experienced thru yOga, know that to be the Atman.

 

" dEvO yah samstithah tasmin binduriva puskharE kshEtrajnyam tam vijAnIhi

nityam yOga-jitAtmakam " -  Winning over the intellect by the discipline of

yOga, just as a drop of water on the lotus leaf, the jIvAtma who is the

khsEtrajnya (knower of the field), and Real (nitya), remains among these

sixteen attributes and unaffected by them. Know him to be the kshEtyrajnya

who has realized Brahman by Yoga.

 

" jIvAtmakAni jAnIhi rajah satvam tamas tathA jIvam Atma guNam viddhi tatha

AtmAnam parAkritam " - He is the Atman in the midst of satva, rajas and

tamas. Know that this jIva is of the guNa of paramAtma, of the highest

nature.

 

" achEtanam jIvaguNam vadanti

sa chEshTatE chEshTayatE cha sarvam

tatah param kshEtravidO vadanti

prAkalpayadyO bhuvanAni sapta " - The insentient body is the environment for

enjoyment (field of action) for the jIva.It is the Atman (jIvAtman) that

engages in and motivator of karma. The learned say that Parabrahma is of

higher nature.

 

" Evam sarvEshu bhUtEshu bhUtAtmaA samprakAshatE drishyatE tvagryayA buddhyA

sUkshmAyA jnyAna-vEdibhih " - The Atman thus glows as Atman in all beings.

The jnyAni realizes Him through the higher and subtle intellect.

 

" Chittasya hi prasAdEna hanti karma shubha-ashubham prasannAtmA-tmani

sthitvA sukhamAnantyam ashnutE " - The jnyAni casts off puNya (good deeds)

and pApa (negative deeds) through the serenity of mind. He enjoys endeless

bliss in the presence of pleasing mind ( austerity of mind - gIta 17-16).

 

" lakshaNam tu prasAdasya yathA triptah sukham svapEt nivAtE vA yathA dIpO

dIpyEt-kushala dIpatah " - The serenity of mind is comparable to that of a

well fed  contented man enjoying a sound sleep or a wick lamp burning

steadily in the absence of any air currents.

 

" pUrva rAtrE pare chaiva yunjnyAnah satatam manah laghvAhArO vishuddhAtmA

pashyan AtmAnam Atmani " "pradIptE-nEva dIpEna manO-dIpEna pashyati

drishTvAtmAnam nirAtmAnam sa tadA vipram uchyatE "- He engages his mind in

focusing on ParamAtman day and night, takes light food and through a

purified mind (vishuddhAtma), sees the Atman in him; By the light of the

mind, he witnesses the Atman in the heart chamber. When he witnesses the

nirguNa Atman, he becomes liberated from samsAra.

 

" sarvO-pAyaistu lObhasya krOdhasya cha vinigrahah Etat pavitram lOKAnAm

tapO vai sankramO matah " - One must use all tactics to be free from Greed

and anger. Such austerity will help man to cross the ocean of samsAra (

trividham narakasyEdam dvAram nAshanam Atmanah; kAmaah, kRodhah tathA lObhou

tasmAt Etat trayam tyajEt - The door to hell is of three types-desire, anger

and greed; therefore one should abandon these three evils: gIta 16-21)

 

" nityam krOdhAt tapO rakshEt dharmam rakshEt cha matsarAt vidyAm

mAnApa-mAnAbhyAm AtmAnam tu pramAdatah "- The austerity must be protected

from anger; the dharma must be protected from jealousy; the knowledge must

be protected from the duality of honor and disgrace (ie. a man of knowledge

must not yield to the dualities of honor and grace); 

 

" anrishamsyam parO dharmah kshamA cha paramam balam AtmajnyAnam param

jnyAnam satyam cha paramam vritam " " satyasya vachanam shrEyah satyam

jnyAnam hitam bhavEt yad-bhUtahitam atyantam tadvai satyam param matam " -

Compassion (non-violence) is a very high dharma. Forgiveness is a very

powerful. Self knowledge is the highest knowledge and being truthful is the

highest ritual. Speaking the truth is propitious. Knowledge that is satya is

pleasing; The highest truth is that which is pleasing to beings.

 

" yasya sarvE samArambhA nirAshIh bandhanA sadA tyAgE yasya hutam sarvam sa

tyAgI sa cha buddhimAn " - One who abandons desires in all activities and he

who sacrifices all karma in the fire of fruits(of action) abandonment, is a

tyAgi.

He is a wise person.

 

" yatO na guruh apyEnam shrAvayEt upapAdayEt tam vidyAt brahmaNO yOgam

viyOgam yOga-sanjnyitam " - Even the guru cannot describe the nature of

parabrahma as is. It can only be described by similies. One has to

understand and experience the Brahman, who relieves one from the cycle of

samsAra.

 

" na himsyAt sarva bhUtAni maitrAyaNa-gatascharEt nEdam jIvitam AsAdya

vairam kurvIta kEnachit " - No animal should be tormented. Friendship be

cultivated with all people. Undertaking such a living, one should not harbor

enimity with any one.

 

" Akinchanyam susantOShO nirAshitvam-achApalam EtadEva param jnyAnam sadAtma

jnyAnam-uttamam " - Renouncing ownership in wealth (Akinchana), highest

happiness, desirelessness and non-anxious are highest levels of knowledge (

the signs of a jnyAni).

 

" parigraham parityajya bhavEt buddhyA yatavritah ashOkam sthAnam Ashritya

nischalam prEtya cha iha cha " - Repudiating all acceptances, one must

observe prescribed rituals. One must seek a firm and sorrow-free living in

this world and after death.

 

" tapO nityEna dAntEna muninA samyatAtmanA ajitam jEtukAmEna bhAvyam

sangEshu asangina " - The mind be always focused on austerities (tapas).

Controlling the mind and sense organs, he must observe silence. Desirous of

achieving, what generally people consider unachievable, he should be

detached in the midst of people and sense objects.

 

guNA-guNam anAsangam Eka kAryam anantaram Etat brAhmaNa tE vrittam

AhurEkapadam sukham " - This is the behavior of a person focused on Brahman.

It is beyond guNas; always engaged in the discipline of realization of

Brahman; Such a discipline is considered blissful.

 

" parityajato yO dukham sukham cha api ubhayam narah brahma-prApnOti sO

atyantam asangEna cha gacchati " - One who abandons pain and pleasure, he

remains detached and will reach the realm of para-brahman. Oh! Brahmin I

have answered all your questions. Is there anything else you want to know.

 

The brAhmin Kaushika was very pleased with the vyAdha ; He asked to meet the

parents of vyAdha.

DharmavyAdha takes Kaushika to his parents and introduces him to them.

DharmavyAdha says that his most cherished duty is the service of his parents

in oldage. He serves them as living God. He is a butcher by profession,

because of his past karma- though he was a Brahmin in the past life, he had

friendship with the price and learnt archery, once accidentally killed a

sage by an arrow; this karma landed him in this life as a vyAdha (butcher).

Kaushika thanked DharmavyAdha for educating him on the knowledge of Brahman;

offered his salutations and returns to his place.

[Guest guest]

advaitin, "Krishnamurthy Ramakrishna"

<puttakrishna> wrote:

>

> To the Moderators, Advaitin Group,

> This is the last part of the series on the teachings of

DharmavyAdha.

> I thank the moderators, sri Sadananda ji, in particular, for

creating this

> opportunity to present these teachings to this list. I have

thoroughly

> enjoyed preparing this material, though it has been challenging to

translate

> to English. I had read MahAbhArata about

> 15 years ago, when I probably did not have as much appreciation for

the

> philosophy as now. This work has motivated me to revisit at least

the

> adhyAtma-vidya sections of MahAbhArata. Once again, Thanks and

Regards, K.

> Ramakrishna.

>

> Namaste Sri Ramakrishna ji,

This is to thank you for the excellent presentation of the teachings

of Dharmavyadha.  The comments appended by you were also very

appropriate and helpful in appreciating the contents of the main

teaching.  Thank you for devoting your time and other resources to

make this possible; your effort has reached a very large audience.

 

My request, although not needed to be articulated, to the List

Moderators: The entire series (of the seven parts), if made available

in the Files section of the List Resources, would be of great value

for future reference. 

 

Pranams,

subbu