[Advaita-l] JnAnI is sarva-bhUtAtma-bhUtAtmA

[V Subrahmanian]

On Tue, Oct 15, 2024 at 8:51 PM Raghav Kumar Dwivedula via Advaita-l <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

> Namaste Subbu ji
> In discussions on whether "a jnAnI experiences jagat", this verse you
> quoted is noteworthy.
>
> *सर्वभूतात्मभूतस्य* समैकार्थं प्रपश्यतः ।
>
> देवा अपि मार्गे मुह्यन्त्यपदस्य पदैषिणः ।
>
> शकुनीनामिवाकाशे गतिर्नैवोपलभ्यते’ इत्यादिस्मरणात् ॥
>
> "As it is not possible to sketch the flight of birds in the sky, so even
> the gods get puzzled in trying to trace the course of *one who has become
> identified with the Self of all beings,* who is a source of bliss to all,
> and who has no goal to reach" (Mbh. Sa. 239. 23-24).
> And as you said , it is quoted twice by bhAShyakAra (attesting to his
> giving it importance).
>
> I am repeating the bhAShya reference that you wrote since it's not there in
> advaita-L
>
> "The expression *the Self of the selves of all beings is the translation
> for the word in the verse: *सर्वभूतात्मभूतात्मा. Shankara's commentary for
> that word is: *सर्वभूतात्मभूतात्मा* सर्वेषां ब्रह्मादीनां स्तम्बपर्यन्तानां
> भूतानाम् आत्मभूतः आत्मा प्रत्यक्चेतनो यस्य सः सर्वभूतात्मभूतात्मा
> सम्यग्दर्शीत्यर्थः |
>
> Translation:  sarva-bhutatma-bhutatma, the Self of the selves of all beings
> - one whose Self (atma), the inmost consciousness, has become the selves
> (atma) of all beings (sarva-bhuta) beginning from Brahma to a clump of
> grass-, i.e., fully illumined."
>
> This, we see that for a person within the realm of avidyA , to try to form
> a logical concept or imagination to pin down, "how exactly a jnAnI who has
> sarvAtmatvaM manages to interact with others" will only yield
> unsatisfactory answers. The Mahabharata verse says even the Devas are
> puzzled by it.
>

Very true.

Shankara has said that 'Who indeed can contradict the Jnani's direct
experience of his Brahman nature and at the same time enlivening the
body?'  I mentioned this to say that such a Jnani does interact with
others.

regards
subbu

>
>
> Om
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