The various meanings of the term ‘vij~nAnam’

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The various meanings of the term 'vij~nAnam'

 

Namaste.

 

The term 'vij~nAnam' is used in several different senses in the gItA, the upanishads and the bhAshya.

1.In gItA, 9.1, the terms j~nAnam and vij~nAnam appear. Here the term 'j~nAnam' means 'the mediate knowledge (paroksha j~nAnam) attained from the scriptures and the guru. The term 'vij~nAnam' means the direct or immediate experience of the knowledge, or realization (aparoksha anubhUti).

 

2. In gItA 18.42 the term 'vij~nAnam' means the same as in gItA, 9.1.

 

3. in br.. up. 3.9.28-7-- vij~nAnam Anandam brahma-- vij~nAnam means 'consciousness', the very nature of brahman.

 

4.In br. up.2.1.17 there appears the expression "prANAnAm vij~nAnam vij~nAnena AdAya".

Here prANa means 'all the organs'. The word prANa is used in the sense of organs (indriyas) in the upanishads in several places.

'prANAnAm' means 'of the organs' and 'vij~nAnam' here means 'the capacities of the organs in their respective fields', according to Sri Sankara.

The word vij~nAnena means 'through vijnanam'- here the word 'vij~nAnam' has been interpreted by Sri Sankara as meaning the particular manifestation of consciousness in the inner organ. (antaHkaraNam).

AdAya means 'withdrawing'.

The meaning of this sentence is "Withdrawing the functions of the organs with the consciousness that is reflected in the mind". This refers to the deep sleep state.

Thus, in this one sentence the word ''vij~nAnam' has been used twice, in two different, unusual senses.

 

5. In the bhAshya on brahma sUtra. 2.3.30, the term vij~nAnamaya occurring in br. up. 4.3.7 is interpreted as 'buddhimaya'. This means 'the AtmA identified with the intellect'.

 

6. In the bhAshya on brahma sUtra 2.3.36, the word 'vij~nAnam' appearing in taitt. up. 2.5.1, "vij~nAnam yajnam tanute" is interpreted as meaning 'jIva'.

 

7. In the bhAshya on brahma sUtra 2.3.40, the word vij~nAnam is interpreted as 'buddhi' or intellect.

 

8. In the bhAshyas on brahma sutra 3.3.1 and 3.3.5, the word vij~nAnam has been given the unusual sense of 'meditation'.

 

Best wishes,

S.N.Sastri--

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advaitin , " S.N. Sastri " <sn.sastri wrote:

> 1.In gItA, 9.1, the terms j~nAnam and vij~nAnam appear. Here the term

> 'j~nAnam' means 'the mediate knowledge (paroksha j~nAnam) attained from the

> scriptures and the guru. The term 'vij~nAnam' means the direct or immediate

> experience of the knowledge, or realization (aparoksha anubhUti).

 

praNAms Shri Sastriji and Advaitins,

 

I have a feeling that in the context of the Gita, the words

vetti and viddhi also have similar meanings of paroksha and

aparoksha jnanam respectively.

 

A very notable example is when the Lord uses vetti in 13.2

 

idaM shariiraM kaunteya kshetramityabhidhiiyate .

etadyo vetti taM praahuH kshetraGYa iti tadvidaH .. 13\.2..

 

On the other hand, the word used in 13.3 (the mahavakya of Gita)

is viddhi:

 

kshetraj~na.n chaapi maa.n viddhi sarvakshetreshhu bhaarata .

kshetrakshetrayorj~naana.n yattajj~naanaM mataM mama .. 13\.3..

 

I would like to know if this reasoning is right, and if vetti

has to do with j~nAnam and viddhi with vij~nAnam.

 

praNAms to all Advaitins,

Ramakrishna

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advaitin , " Ramakrishna Upadrasta "

<uramakrishna wrote:

 

> I have a feeling that in the context of the Gita, the words

> vetti and viddhi also have similar meanings of paroksha and

> aparoksha jnanam respectively.

>

> A very notable example is when the Lord uses vetti in 13.2

>

> idaM shariiraM kaunteya kshetramityabhidhiiyate .

> etadyo vetti taM praahuH kshetraGYa iti tadvidaH .. 13\.2..

>

> On the other hand, the word used in 13.3 (the mahavakya of Gita)

> is viddhi:

>

> kshetraj~na.n chaapi maa.n viddhi sarvakshetreshhu bhaarata .

> kshetrakshetrayorj~naana.n yattajj~naanaM mataM mama .. 13\.3..

>

> I would like to know if this reasoning is right, and if vetti

> has to do with j~nAnam and viddhi with vij~nAnam.

>

> praNAms to all Advaitins,

> Ramakrishna

 

Dear Shri Ramakrishna,

The words vetti and viddhi are two forms of the verb vid, to know.

vetti is the third person singular in the present tense. viddhi is

the second person singular in the Imperative mood. These do not by

themselves have the sense of paroksha or aparoksha knowledge. This

has to be determined by considering the meaning of each of the

sentences. The shloka which you have quoted as 13.2 (it is 13.1 in

some versions) says that the kshetrajna is the witness in each body;

that is, he is the AtmA or indwelling self. This knowledge is only

paroksha.

In the next shloka the Lord says that he is the kshetrajna or

indwelling self in all bodies. This conveys the identity of AtmA and

brahman. It can therefore be equated with the mahAvAkya of the

mANDUkya upanishad, ayam AtmA brahma. This conveys direct or

aparoksha knowledge.

However, as I had pointed out in an earlier post, there is

difference of opinion between VivaraNa and bhAmati on the question

whether even a mahAvAkya, which is only a sentence like any other

sentence, can by itself bring about aparoksha knowledge. But this is

a different subject.

Regards,

S.N.Sastri