26. evamityAgamAbodhyA

[Ravi Mayavaram]

26. evamityAgamabodhyA

The vedas do not say that SHE is such and such.


 In the previous name (25. ekAnandachidAkR^itiH), it could be argued
that the word "Ananda" can be interpreted in the following manner:
"Ananda" means that which is filled with Ananda, in other words
"Ananda maya". "ya eko jAlavAn Ishata IshAnibhiH"
[shvetAshvatAropaniShad] which means 'He who is one, who rules with
his powers with the help of mAyA'. In this shruti, the word 'one' can
also apply to jIva. Hence the last name can mean "ekAnanda" of jIva
and chidAkR^itiH as a form of luminous consciousness based on jIva. In
the shruti "brahma puchchham pratiShTha"  [taittirIyopaniShad], the
illuminating awareness is called "puchchha"  with reference to the
"Ananda maya kosha" of jIva. Here the eternal nature of the
illuminating Awareness is compared with the eternal nature of
illuminated jIva, and hence it can not be absolute. In the shruti,
"satyam jnAnam anantam" words defining brahman are descriptive of His
qualities, by a process of negation.  Hence, this would imply that the
shruti sentences "tattvamasi" are only assertive in the meaning of
brahman.

To rebut the above argument, this name (26th nAmam) is introduced.
"eva mityAgamA bodhyA". This means that 'vedas do not state that SHE
has perceptible qualities". The word "Ananda" means absolute bliss
only.  If it were to be interpreted as mere manifestation of "Ananda"
intermixed with grief as in the case of jIva, then SHE will have the
three defects: birth, change and death pertaining to the three guNas.
Hence, brahman is "Ananda" only and not "Anandamaya". Otherwise, as
there is no Ultimate reality other than brahman, the two pronouns in
"tattvam" will be conflicting like light and darkness. Hence, they
must be interpreted as one only, according to "atonyAdartam" (ataH
anyaH ayadartam) which means every thing other than brahman is false.
Every qualifying sentence purporting positively to describe HER will
only falsify HER. Hence, SHE can only defined by negation, 'not this',
'not this'.

AUM evamityAgamabodhyAyai namaH