vedarthasangraha of Ramanuja-5.The aim of vedantavakyas

[Guest guest]

5.Aim of the vedanta vakysas of the upanishads asyajeevaathmanoH-anaadhyavishyaasamchitha-puNyapaaparoopa-karmapravaahahethuka-brahmaadhi-sura-nara-thiryak-sThaavaraathmaka-chathurviDhadheha-praveSakrtha-thaththath-aathmaabhimaana-janitha-avarjaneeya-bhavabhayavidhvamsanaayadhehaathiriktha –aathmasvaroopa-thathsvabhaava-thadhantharyamibhoothaparamaathma svaroopa-thathsvabhaava-thadhupaasana-thathphalabhoothaaathmasvaroopaavirbhaava-poorvaka- anavaDhika-athiSaya-aanandhabrahmaanubhavajnaapanepravrttham hi vedhaanthavaakyajaatham. asya jeevaathmanoH- of the individual self anaadhi avidhyaa samchitha- who has collected through thebeginning-less ignorance puNyapaaparoopakarmapravaahahethuka- resulting in the flow of karmaof the nature of both puNya and papa, merit and sin brahmaadhi-sura-nara-thiryak-sThaavaraathmaka-chathurviDhadheha-praveSakrtha- which causes the entry into the bodies ofdeva, human, animal and plants thaththath-aathmaabhimaana-janitha avarjaneeya-bhavabhayavidhvamsanaaya–resulting in the attachment ofthat body inhabited at that time and creates the fear of the ills of samsara,which can be destroyed dhehaathiriktha –aathmasvaroopa-thathsvabhaava- only through theknowledge of the Self which is beyond the embodiment and its nature thadhantharyamibhootha paramaathma svaroopa-thathsvabhaava- Knowing about the Lord who is the inner self and His nature thadhupaasana-thathphalabhootha aathmasvaroopa aavirbhaava-poorvaka- realizingthe Self through the worship of Him which will result in the manifestation ofthe real self anavaDhika-athiSaya-aanandhabrahma anubhavajnaapane pravrttham hivedhaanthavaakyajaatham and the experience of infiniteand wonderful bliss of Brahman is the purport of the vedantavakyas. Ramanuja explains the purport of the Vedanta vakyassuch as tahthathvam asi etc. in this passage. As a result of beginning-less ignorance the individual soulaccumulates karma which gives rise to merit and demerit. According to thenature of karma the soul gets embodies in various bodies ranging from deva, thehighest order of beings who have dominance of punyakarma down to plant life,the lowest rung of evolution. The individual gets attached to the respectivebodies and undergoes the ills of samsara. This gives rise to fear from samsaraand the individual soul strives to get free of the cycle of birth and death. Forthis the knowledge of the real nature of the soul and that of the Supreme Self,Brahman, who is the inner self is to be understood by contemplating on and theworship of the Supreme self. Bythis the real Self manifests and theexperience of the infinite bliss of Brahman is experienced. . The Vedantavakyas denote only this by the mahavakyas such as thath thavam asi. The word upasana meanscontemplation and worship, including all forms of worship kaayikam, physical,like observing austerities and rituals, vaachika , like singing His praise,namasankeerthana and dhyana , the continous stream of thought directed on theLord like the dripping of oil, thailadhaaravath, which is maanasika. The karma consists of both punyaand papa. The ignorance avidhya is the cause of both. Even punya is to be gotrid of like papa as it also gives rise to further embodiment. By theidentification with the body, the attachment arises which induces further karma. Thus the fear of the illsof samsara, like old age, disease and death, is unavoidable, To be free from itthe contemplation etc. on the Supreme self is necessary. This leads to themanifestation of Brahman resuting in the experience of the infinite and wonderfulbliss of Brahman. This iks enjoined by the vedantic passages such as `thathavamasi.'