[Advaita-l] Swarupa Ashtakam - 4

[S Jayanarayanan]

(Continued from previous post)
 
 
Verse 3
यदानन्दरूपं प्रकाशस्वरूपं निरस्तप्रपञ्चं परिच्छेदहीनम् ।
अहंब्रह्मवृत्त्यैकगम्यं तुरीयं परं ब्रह्म नित्यं तदेवाहमस्मि ॥
 
That which is of the nature of eternal bliss, is the consciousness principle, free from the second thing called world (since the world is not independent
from Brahman), which is the Fourth and can be known only in one way, that is by claim and not by experience, I am that supreme eternal Brahman.
 
Beginning with the third verse, the first three lines of every verse in Swaroopashtakam talk about the nature of Brahman as given in the Upanishads.
And the fourth line claims that such a Brahman happens to be Me.
 
Let us delve deeper into this to understand the nature of Brahman and the meaning of the verses.
 
As a Vedanta student would do in the Shravanam phase, there are two approaches to study the nature of Brahman. They are –
1.    Tatastha Lakshanam (from a worldly standpoint)
2.    Swaroopa Lakshanam (from a Brahman standpoint)
 
Per #1, Brahman is seen as that because of which the universe originates, exists and dissolves. Per #2, Brahman is the nature of happiness. Therefore,
Brahman is Karanam (#1) and Brahmanis Anandam (#2)
 
Tatastha Lakshanam
 
>From this one can draw corollaries
(1)   If Brahman is the Karanam, Jagat (world) is the Karyam (product) very much like clay & pot, gold & jewelry, metal & weapons etc. Out of one lump of gold,
many ornaments can be produced. In other words, Karanam is Ekam but Karyam is Anekam
(2)   Karyam do not have their own substantiality or weight. E.g. 20 grams weight of a bangle is simply that of the gold. ‘Bangle’ here is merely a word given
to the particular circular shape the gold is in for transactional purposes and has no weight of its own. Therefore Karyam is always non substantial or
weightless (Asara) Thus Karanam is Sara, Karyam is Asara
(3)   Gold exists before creation of ornaments, and continues to do so after their creation and destruction as well. On the other hand, ornaments have a
finite shelf life. So, one can say that Karanam is Nityam, Karyam is Anityam
(4)   An ornament (read Karyam) cannot exist if the raw material (gold) is withdrawn from it. So its existence is dependent entirely on gold. But gold or Karanam
on the other hand is intrinsic, indigenous and independent. Thus we can say that Karanam is Satyam while Karyam isAsatyam
 
Chandokya Upanishad summarizes this as –
Eka, Sara, Nitya, Satyam Karanam
Aneka, Asara, Anitya, Asatya Karyam
 
This is beautifully illustrated with the example of moonlight. Moonlight is nothing but brightness borrowed from the sun, though in general, light on the moon
is mistaken as light of the moon. Similarly, one should realize that universe is only a Karyam owing its existence to Brahman. Brahman is the only Karanam of
everything around us.
 
Swaroopa Lakshanam
 
If all that we are aware of is Asara, Anitya, Asatya Karyam, how can we depend on such a transient and unstable source for happiness? Wisdom is relying only on
Brahman as a permanent source of Ananda or bliss.
 
If Brahman is the Karanam – the essence of everything in the Universe, and can be found everywhere, then Brahman can be found in me also. How to do this search
for Brahman?
 
We have learnt that Brahman is Nityam and Nirvikaram (changeless) Therefore it is wise to first ask – is there anything in me that is permanent and non-changing?
Is it the body, the senses, the mind, the intellect? No – all of these are susceptible to changes and are temporary. Then what is permanent? If everything is changing,
and everything is negated, then what remains? Blankness! To witness and experience this and declare the same, we need an experiencing entity – that consciousness
principle is “I”, the Atma. Therefore I, the Sakshi chaitanyam, am Ekam, Saram, Nityam, Satyam and Ananda Swaroopam.
 
Listening to and understanding these concepts is Shravanam and Mananam respectively. Dwelling upon these ideas, we should meditate every day – this is Nidhidhyasanam.
Therefore, we should weaken our Jeevabhava and strengthen our Brahmanubhava by meditating upon these thoughts and reminding ourselves of our Divine nature.
 
 
(To be Continued)