Vakyapadiya 1.4,5,8

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In stanza 1.4, the Vakyapadiya continues to describe shabda-tattva

(the essence of speech) objectively, as the one common principle from

which all appearances arise in the entire universe. It is a single

and unchanging source of universal potency, from which arise all

differing objects and all changing happenings that appear through our

perceiving and thinking and feeling personalities.

 

 

1.4

---

 

ekasya sarva-bIjasya yasya ce 'yam anekadhA .

 

ekasya(of the one) sarva(everything)-bIjasya(of the seed)

yasya(of that) ca(also) iyam(this [world]) anekadhA(multiplicity) .

 

It's that which is just one, the seed

of everything. To it, this

multiplicity of world belongs.

 

bhoktR-bhoktavya-rUpeNa bhoga-rUpeNa ca sthitiH ..

 

bhoktR(enjoyer)-bhoktavya(enjoyed)-rUpeNa(through form)

bhoga(enjoyment)-rUpeNa(through form) ca(also)

sthitiH(what stays, remains) ..

 

It is what stays, remaining present

through all forms of life's enjoyment --

through all difference of enjoyers

and what's sought to be enjoyed.

 

 

1.4 vritti

----------

 

All that exists is one alone.

 

By pairing truth with otherness

and that which is with what is not,

an energy that's undefined

and unopposed is taken on,

thus differentiating forth

into unreal, seeming forms.

 

These are not truly outside things,

but only forms of knowledge dreamt

within each personality.

 

Appearing mutually distinct,

they manifest as tied-up knots

produced by the enjoyer, the

enjoyed and the enjoyment -- each

of which shows only that one single

thing to which all things belong.

 

By going inwards, quite beyond

all tied-up knots of seeming form,

that one reality is found.

 

It's that which is seen limited

in manifesting knots of form.

To it belongs this multiplicity

of difference and transaction

in the manifested world.

 

For original Sanskrit and translation method see:

http://www.advaitin.net/Ananda/VakyapadiyaExcerpts.pdf

 

 

Here, we are told that shabda-tattva -- as the single common

principle of the entire universe -- is to be found by " going inwards,

quite beyond all tied-up knots of seeming form " . But then, how in

particular can any individual go inwards, so as to find that common

principle of all reality?

 

The problem with any such common principle is that it is general and

thus abstract in the extreme. How then can anyone find it in

particular? In what direction may any person look for it, so as to

find exactly what it is?

 

In stanzas 1.5 and 1.8, we are told that the vedic texts are

particular means of looking for that common principle; but they

approach it in many ways that must somehow attain to the complete

reality of brahman, through a transcendence of partial ego.

 

 

1.5

---

 

prApty-upAyo 'nukArash ca

tasya vedo

 

prApti(attainment)-upAyaH(means) anukAraH(reflecting) ca(and)

tasya(of it, to it belong) vedaH(the vedic texts)

 

Reflecting it, the vedic texts

are means by which it may be found.

 

maharShibhiH . eko 'py

aneka-vartme 'va samAmnAtaH pRthak pRthak ..

 

maharShibhiH(by great seers) .

ekaH(one) api(though) aneka(many)-vartmaH(paths)

iva(seemingly, as though) samAmnAtaH(handed down by recitation)

pRthak pRthak(each separately) ..

 

Though it is one, it is approached

in many ways -- by those great seers

from whom traditions are passed down,

each one of them in its own way.

 

 

From 1.5 vritti (first sentence)

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

 

mamA 'ham ity aha~NkAra-granthi-

samatikrama-mAtraM brahmaNaH prApti . ...

 

mama(mine) aham(I) iti(thus saying)

aha~NkAra(ego)-granthi(knot)-

samatikrama(transcending utterly)-mAtraM(only)

brahmaNaH(of true reality) prApti(attainment) . ...

 

False ego is a tangled knot

tied up in claims of 'I' and 'mine'.

It's only where this knot of ego

is transcended utterly

that true reality is found....

 

 

1.8

---

 

tasyA 'rtha-vAda-rUpANi nishritAH sva-vikalpa-jAH .

 

tasya(of it) artha(aim, goal)-vAda(argument)-rUpANi(forms)

nishritAH(depending) sva(each its own)-vikalpa(conceiving)-jAH(born

forth) .

 

But that same truth has many forms

of argument that lead to it,

each argument depending on

the way in which it is conceived.

 

ekatvinAM dvaitinAM ca pravAdA bahudhA matAH ..

 

ekatvinAM(monists) dvaitinAM(dualists) ca(also)

pravAdAH(expositions) bahudhA(in many ways) matAH(thoughts,

opinions) ..

 

Thus, there are differing ideas --

of monists and of dualists,

each putting their opinions forth.

 

 

Ananda