Philosophy of Ramanuja made easy

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Chapter2-section4- Brahman as Seshin

 

Seshin is the one who is the owner and the sesha is the owned. As the inner self of all, the whole universe of sentient and in sentient beings is controlled by Him and supported by Him in the same way as a king controls and supports his kingdom and his subjects. Only difference is that all beings are inseparable from Him as they form His body. Similar to the relationship between the soul and the body of an individual, the former controlling and supporting the latter which exists for its use and enjoyment, the relationship between the individual self and the Lord is one of sesha and seshi.

 

The sesha – seshi sambandha is one of absolute dependence on the Lord and that of service to the Lord. This relationship arises from the fact that the whole universe forms a part of the Supreme Reality, that too an infinitesimal part as declared in the Gita `vishtabhyAham idham krtsnam ekAmSena sThitho jagat,' encompassing this entire world the Lord stands with the whole universe forming but a infinitesimal part of Him. The same idea is expressed the Purushasuktha it is sadi `pAdho asya visvA bhoothAni thripAdhasyAmrthamdhivi.'

 

The question that arises in the mind is that whether the absolute dependence rules out the free will and freedom of action on the part of the individual soul. If so there will be no choice between good and evil and hence the karma of the individual will not adhere to him as he will be an automaton with no ill of his own. Thus the whole scripture giving injunctions and prohibitions will be meaningless.

 

This view advance dby the opponent is set aside by Ramanuja in his sreebhashya while explaining the meaning of the suthra `parAth thu thathSrutheh.'(SB.II -3-40) and the next Suthra-41-krthapray atnApEkshasthu vihithaprathishiddh a avaiyarTHyAdhibhyah (SB.2-3-41 ) which means `Since the effort is taken by the individual soul the injunctions and prohibitions are relevant. `

 

To the objection that if the soul is not independent the injunctions and prohibitions will have no value it is replied in this suthra that the effort is taken only by the individual self but it cannot act without the sanction of the supreme self, who is the anumantha, one who gives permission to act. If the soul does good karma the Lord bestows His grace and if indulges in evil deeds He gives punishment.

 

If the Lord Himself makes one to do good and bad deeds , it goes contrary to the independent effort of the individual self. Ramanuja replies that this does not apply to all beings but only means that when one chooses to proceed along the path approved by the Lord, He helps the soul to rise further and when one pursues the path that leads away from the Lord, He makes the soul descend further so that the propensity for evil will be exhausted. In the Gita the Lord says

 

'thEshAm sathatha yukthAnAm bajathAm preethipoorvakam dhadhAmi buddhiyOgam tham yEna mAmupayAnthi thE.'(BG.10.10)

 

It means that the Lord gives the wisdom to those who worship Him with love so that they can attain Him. And He hurls those who are evil, He says, into demonical wombs in perpetual transmigration.