ShrIrAma instructs tArA -1

[Anand Hudli]

 After rAma killed the lord of tArA, the vAnara chief vAlI, she
 was overcome by sorrow and begged rAma to end her life too as He
 did vAlI's. But rAma consoled her with words filled with wisdom and
 compassion. Thereafter, tArA, desirous of knowing more about jiiva
 and Atman (the Self), questioned rAma as follows:

 deho .achitkAShThavadrAma jIvo nityashchidAtmakaH |
 sukhaduHkhAdisaMbandhaH kasya syAdrAma me vada    ||

 O rAma! The body is without consciousness (insentient) just like a
 piece of wood. But the jIva (individual soul) is eternal and of the
 nature of Consciousness. Whose is this relation to happiness and
 sorrow? Please tell me, O rAma!

 shrIrAma uvAcha :

 shrIrAma said:

 ahaMkArAdisaMbandho yAvaddehendriyaiH saha |
 saMsArastAvadeva syAdAtmanastvavivekinaH  ||

 As long as there is the relation of "I and mine" with the body and
 senses, there will exist saMsAra (phenomenal existence) for the
 person who lacks viveka (discrimination between eternal and non-
 eternal things).

 mithyAropitasaMsAro na svayaM vinivartate |
 viShayA dhyAyamAnasya svapne mithyAgamo yathA ||

 This saMsAra is falsely superimposed (on the Self) and does not
 go away on its own for a person who broods over the objects of the
 senses.  This samsAra is just like a dream which too does not
 end on its own (but ends when one wakes up.)

 anAdyavidyAsaMbandhAttatkAryAhaMkR^itestathA |
 saMsAro .apArthako .api syAdrAgadveShAdisaN^kulaH ||

 By the relation (association)  with beginningless avidyA (ajnAna,
 ignorance) and with the effect of avidyA - ahaMkAra (ego), the
 saMsAra, characterized by attractions and aversions, exists even
 though it is meaningless.

 mana eva hi saMsAro bandhashchaiva manaH shubhe |
 AtmA manaH samAnatvametya tadgatabandhabhAk.h   ||

 The mind (manas) alone is (subject to) saMsAra and bondage, O
 Auspicious One! The Atman gets identified with the mind
 and shares the bonds affecting the mind.

 yadA vishuddhaH sphaTiko .alaktAdisamIpagaH |
 tattadvarNayugAbhAti vastuto nAsti raJNjanaM ||

 Just as a clear crystal placed near red dye, etc., appears
 to be tainted with color, but in reality there is no stain
 (in the crystal),

 buddhIndriyaadisAmIpyAdAtmanaH saMsR^itirbalAt.h |
 AtmA svaliN^gaM tu manaH parigR^ihya tadudbhavAn ||

 kAmAn.h juShan.h guNairbaddhaH saMsAre vartate .avashaH |
 Adau manoguNAn.h sR^iShTvA tataH karmANyanekadhA  ||

 shuklalohitakR^iShNAni gatayastatsamAnataH |
 evaM karmavashaajjIvo bhramatyAbhUtasaMplavaM ||

 Due to the proximity of the Atman with the intellect (buddhi),
 senses, etc., It (Atman) is forced into saMsAra. The Atman identifies
 Itself with its own reflection (in ) the Manas, and enjoys the
 desires arising from that (ie. the mind). It (the Atman) thus
 becomes bound by the guNas (qualities) and remains helpless in
 saMsAra. First the mind creates the guNas white (Sattva),
 red (rajas), and black (tamas), and then creates the works and
 their results according to those guNas. Thus, under the control of
 karma, the Jiiva revolves (in the cycle of transmigration, ie.
 repeated births and deaths), from the beginning of creation to the
 end of the cosmic cycle (pralaya).

 sarvopasaMhR^itau jIvo vAsanAbhiH svakarmabhiH |
 anAdyavidyAvashagastiShThatyabhiniveShataH     ||

 When the whole cosmic cycle winds up, the jIva along with its latent
 tendencies (vAsanAs) and karmas (which are yet to fructify) remains
 submerged in the beginningless avidyA (ignorance) and under its
 control.

 sR^iShTikAle punaH pUrvavAsanAmAnasaiH saha |
 jAyate punarapyeyaM ghaTIyantramivAvashaH    ||

 At the time of the cosmic creation, this Jiiva, once again, is
 born along with its prior vAsanAs and the mind. The Jiiva thus
 keeps revolving in saMsAra helplessly like the bucket that is
 used to draw water from a well.

 The simile here is explained as follows. In India, where there is
 only well water available, but no electricity, water is lifted out
 of the well by means of a bucket attached to a rope. Just as the
 bucket is repeatedly immersed in water and then pulled out to draw
 water, the Jiiva too revolves in the universe alternating between
 being submerged in avidyA with its latent vAsanAs and karmas, and
 being thrust into the transmigratory process again at the time of
 cosmic creation.

 (To be continued)

 Anand













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