[Advaita-l] Fwd: An awesome expression of the realization of SarvAtmabhAva (Universal Selfhood) in the Bh.Gita

[V Subrahmanian]

Pl. read the full post here:
https://groups.google.com/g/advaitin/c/GxH4geeuysY


In the Bh.Gita 5.7 we have this verse:

योगयुक्तो विशुद्धात्मा विजितात्मा जितेन्द्रियः ।
सर्वभूतात्मभूतात्मा कुर्वन्नपि न लिप्यते ॥ ७ ॥

English Translation By Swami Gambirananda

5.7 Endowed with yoga, [i.e. devoted to the performance of the nitya and
naimittika duties.] pure in mind, controlled in body, a conqueror of the
organs, *the Self of the selves of all beings *- he does not become tainted
even while performing actions. [The construction of the sentence is this:
When this person resorts to nitya and naimittika rites and duties as a
means to the achievement of full Illumination, and thus becomes fully
enlightened, then, even when he acts through the apparent functions of the
mind, organs, etc., he does not become afflected.]

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.

Shankara has cited twice a verse from the Mahabharata 12.239.23 having this
expression:

This is cited in the Bhashya for the Gaudapada karika 4.95:

‘*सर्वभूतात्मभूतस्य* समैकार्थं प्रपश्यतः ।

देवा अपि मार्गे मुह्यन्त्यपदस्य पदैषिणः ।

शकुनीनामिवाकाशे गतिर्नैवोपलभ्यते’ इत्यादिस्मरणात् ॥

The other citation is in the Brahma sutra bhashya 4.2.14:

"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).