vedartha sangraha of Ramanuja- 17. Sadhvidhya

[Guest guest]

18. sadhvidhya

 

athra `idham' ithi jagath nirdhishtam; agra ithi

srshteH poorvakaalaH.thasmin kale jagathaH sadhaathmakathaam `sadheva' ithi

prathipaadhya, thath srshtikaale api aviSishtam ithi krthvaa `ekameva' ithi,

sadhapannasya jagathaH thadhaaneem avibhaktha naamaroopathaam prathipaadhya,

thath prathipaadhanena eva sathaH jagadhupaadhaanathvam prathipaadhitham ithi

svavyathiriktha nimitthakaaraNam `adhvitheeya'

padhena prathishidDham ithi

 

Ramanuja explains the passage in Chandhogya

Upanishad (6.2.1) known as sadhvidhya.

 

The sentence sadheva soumya idham agra aaseeth ekameva

adhvitheeyam, "sath alone , my dear existed in the beginning, one only

without a second," is explained first.

 

athra `idham' ithi jagath nirdhishtam

 

idham,

this, in the sentence, means the world, jagath.

 

agra ithi srshteH poorvakaalaH.

 

The word `agra,'

in the beginning, means the time before creation.

 

 

thasmin kale jagathaH sadhaathmakathaam `sadheva'

ithi prathipaadhya

 

At that time, `sadheva, sath only' denotes

that at the time before creation the world of sentient and insentient beings

are one with sath, Brahman.

 

thath srshtikaale api aviSishtam ithi krthvaa

 

Even at the time of creation the world is one with

Brahman.

 

`ekameva' ithi, sadhapannasya jagathaH thadhaaneem

avibhaktha naamaroopathaam prathipaadhya

 

The word ekameva means, the world existed in

Brahman before creation without name and form.

 

thath prathipaadhanena eva sathaH

jagadhupaadhaanathvam prathipaadhitham ithi

 

Hence, by this it follows that Brahman is the material

cause of the world.

 

That is, just as the pots and pans exist in the mud

before their creation without name and form the world of sentient and

insentient beings exist in Brahman without being distinguished by name and

form.

 

 

svavyathirikthanimitthakaaraNam `adhvitheeya' padhena prathishidDham ithi

 

The word `adhvitheeyam, without a second,'

denotes that there could be no efficient cause other than Brahman.

 

`Without a

second' means that there is none else

except Brahman before creation. Hence an

efficient cause such as the potter or

the potter's wheel in the case of creation of a pot is negated. Therefore

Brahman is shown as both material and efficient cause.

 

 

"tham aadheSam apraakshyo yena aSrutham Srutham

bhavathi" ithi aadhou eva prasaasitha eva jagath upaadhaanam ithi hrdhi

vihitham idhaaneem abhivyaktham.

 

What has been in the mind of the father in asking

the question, "have you learnt that knowledge by which the unheard of becomes

heard" etc. is made explicit now.

 

ethath eva upapaadhayathi-svayam eva

jagadhupaadhaanam jagannimittham cha

The Brahman who is the material and efficient cause

of the world thought,

 

Then how the creation came about? This is shown

through the subsequent passage

 

thadhaikshatha bahu syaam prajaayeya ithi (chan.6.2.3)

 

It willed to become many.

 

thath ethath sath sabdhavaachyam param brahma

sarvajnam sarvasakthi sathya sankalpam avaapthasamasthakaamam api leelaarTham

vichithra chidhachithmiSrajagathroopeNa aham eva bahusyaam thadharTham

prajaayeya ithi svayam eva sankalpya svaamSaika dheSaadheva viyadhaadhi bhoothaani srshtvaa punarapi

sacchabdha abhihithaa paraadhevathaa eevam aikshatha, "hantha aham imaaH

thisraH dhevathaaH anena jeevena aathmanaa anupraviSya naamaroope

vyaakaravaaNi" ithi. anena jeevena aathmanaa ithi jeevasya brahmaathmakathvam

prathipaadhya, brahmaathmaka jeeva anupraveSadh eva krthsnasya achith vasthunaH

padhaarThathvam, evam eva achith vasthunaH naamaroopa bhaavathvam ithi cha

dharSayathi

 

The creation is further exaplained thus:

 

thath ethath sath sabdhavaachyam param brahma

 

That Brahman referred to as sath,

 

sarvajnam

sarvasakthi sathya sankalpam avaapthasamashakaamam api

 

in spite of being omniscient, omnipotent and of

true resolve and eternally realized desires,(that is, nothing need be achieved

by Brahman by any action),

 

leelaarTham

vichithra chidhachith miSra jagath roopeNa

 

assuming the form of the world of sentient and

insentient beings by sheer sport,

 

aham eva bahusyaam thadharTham prajaayeya ithi

svayam eva sankalpya

 

"I will myself become many for that purpose ,"

willing thus,

 

 

svaamSaika

dheSaadheva viyadhaadhibhoothaani

srshtvaa

 

creating the elements, space etc., by a part of

Him,

 

punarapi sacchabdhaabhihithaa paraadhevathaa eevam

aikshatha,

 

again the Supreme deity, Brahman, referred to as

sath willed thus:

 

"hantha aham imaaH thisraH dhevathaaH anena jeevena

aathmanaa anupraviSya naamaroope vyaakaravaaNi" ithi.(Chand.6.3.2_

 

"I will

enter into these three deities as their Self and give them name and form."

 

anena jeevena aathmanaa ithi jeevasya

brahmaathmakathvam prathipaadhya,

 

The words " the Self of these" clearly denotes that

Brahman is the innersSlef of all.

 

brahmaathmaka jeevaanupraveSaadheva krthsnasya

achith vasthunaH padhaarThathvam,

 

the insentient attain their status of being an entity

due to the entry of Brahman into them.

 

evam eva achith vasthunaH naamaroopa bhaavathvam

ithi cha dharSayathi

 

Thus only the insentient get their name and form

..This is made explicit by the passage quoted.