MOkshasaadhanam (Means of Liberation) – 5

Krishna Sastri

After pointing out to the Source or the seed as Brahman the Guru proceeded to instruct the sishya on the origin of the ‘body’.

NAAMAROOPAM

The Guru said:

“Naaraayana ParOvyakthaath. Andam avyaktha sambavam.” Nayana is beyond the unmanifest. From the unmanifest came the universe.

“Thasmaadhvaa Ethasmaadhaathmana aakaasa: sambhootha: |
aakaasaath vaayu: | vaayOragni: | agnEraapa: | adhbhya: prthivi |
prithivyaa Oshadhaya: | OshadheebyOnnam | annaath purusha: ||
(ThaithriyOpanishad – Aanandhavalli 1.3)

From the unmanifested, name and form first took the form of ‘akasa’ or space. From the space came the air (vaayu) , from air came fire (agni), from fire came water (aapa), from water came the earth (prithivi), from the earth came vegetation (Oshadhya: ), from vegetation came food (annam) and from food came man.

These series of manifestatons were caused by the following:

a) Ignorance (avidya)
b) Lust (kaama) rooted in ignorance and
c) By the sankalpa of mantrasamskritham of Easwara that caused the depositing of the seed of man into a woman.

“It is born”, or is possessed of a name and form by the samskaara of ‘jaathakaranam’ and ‘naamakaranam’. By the ‘upanayana samskaaram’ the brahmachaari is initiated; by the ‘pathiyOga samskaaram’ he is launched into grihasthaasrama; by ‘vanastha samskaaram’ he becomes a retiree and by the ‘kriyaavinivruththi nimiththa samskaaram’ he becomes a wandering recluse or sanyaasi.

Thus the body has name and form and purificatory ceremonies but you are different from it.

The Guru continued:

Let me now explain to you as to how you are devoid of birth, lineage and sanctifying ceremonies. The same One who is the cause of this unfoldment, whose nature is different from that of the name and form, and who is devoid of connections with sanctifying ceremonies created this body and entered into it (thathsrushtaa thadhEvaanupraavisann). Entering into them He rules all creatures (antha: pravishta: saasthaa janaanaam). This is your aathmaa (Esha sa aathmaa).

Thus quoting the Veda, the Guru said to the sishya: “You are devoid the birth lineage and sanctifying ceremonies.”

The sishya said: “Bhagavan! I am a sukhi and dhukki; I am a samsaari; I am in bondage and and I am liable to transmigration. But He the Brahman is the shining one and is of dissimilar nature to me and is beyond transmigration. I do unto Him pooja and namaskaram and other worships according to my varna dharmam. I am eager to cross the ocean of samsaara this way. So how can you say that I am He himself?

The Guru said: Such a doctrine of difference (between you and Him) is forbidden for the Veda says: “He who knows that Brahman is one and he is another does not know (Brahman) – “anyOsaavanyOhamasmeethi na sa vEdha” (Brihadhaaranyaka Upanishad).

And the Sruthi says that because of this perception of difference that one keeps transmigrating.

(contd.)