Q&A on Akshara Brahma and Atma

Having quickly "recapped" the jnana and vijnana as disclosed by the Lord, Arjuna Asks:

अर्जुन उवाच

किं तद्ब्रह्म किमध्यात्मं किं कर्म पुरुषोत्तम।
अधिभूतं च किं प्रोक्तमधिदैवं किमुच्यते।।8.1।।

अधियज्ञः कथं कोऽत्र देहेऽस्मिन्मधुसूदन।
प्रयाणकाले च कथं ज्ञेयोऽसि नियतात्मभिः।।8.2।।

This is the biggest set of questions asked by Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita.

1. What is that Brahma?
2. What is about Atma?
3. What is karma (action)?

4. What about the elements talked about?
5. What is called as the daivam (LORD)?
6. What about the "yajna" (Who is) in this body?

7. How/in what manner the NIYATAATMA should know at the time of leaving the body?

AND LORD ANSWERS:

श्री भगवानुवाच

अक्षरं ब्रह्म परमं स्वभावोऽध्यात्ममुच्यते।
भूतभावोद्भवकरो विसर्गः कर्मसंज्ञितः।।8.3।।

अधिभूतं क्षरो भावः पुरुषश्चाधिदैवतम्।
अधियज्ञोऽहमेवात्र देहे देहभृतां वर।।8.4।।

अन्तकाले च मामेव स्मरन्मुक्त्वा कलेवरम्।
यः प्रयाति स मद्भावं याति नास्त्यत्र संशयः।।8.5।।

1. aksharam paramam BRAHMA.
2. swabhavah adhi atmam utchayate
3. bhuta,bhava,udbhava karah visargah karma sanjitaah

4. adhibhutam ksharah bhavah
5. purushah ca adhi daivatam
6. adhi yajnam AHAM eva atra dehe deha bhrutaam vara.

7. antakaale ca maam eva smaran muktvaa kalevaram
yah prayaati sah mad+bhavaam yaati naasti atra samshayah.

aksharam = na ksharati which does not perish; paramam = absolute is BRAHMA.
swa+bhava = the own true nature (of THAT BRAHMAN) is called adhyatma
bhuta = the beings (both moving and non-moving) bhava = the existence
udbhava = the bring forth; kara = action; visargha = the offering; karma-samjitaa = known (or remembered) as action.

khsara = the mutable bhava = the existence is adhibhutam
purusha = the one who pervade the bhutas is the adhi-daivatam (Controller or Hiranyagarbha)
adhiyajna AHAM eva atra .... = the sacrifice is I am (the Iswara) who is in the body.

At the time of leaving the body WHO leaves this body while thinking of ME he attains mat+bhavam (my existence) ME alone. There is no doubt.

Note 1: at the time of leaving the body, the connection between the Gross Body and Subtle Mind is snapped. Mind+Intellect+Ego becomes frightened and keeps running in all directions of the sphere (360 Degrees) When the thread that holds is snapped, it "falls" in the direction of when it was at the time of final snapping of the thread. It is a natural thing.

So, it is impossible to remember the LORD at the time of death all of a sudden. One should constantly practice remembering the lord always to make sure when the thread is snapped he falls in the right direction into the LORD.

Note 2: The words in samskrutam are important. It is just like the glossary of terms that were used by lord to explain the truth of higher realms and there are no equavalant words for BRAHMA, SWABHAVA, ATMA, PURUSHA, DAIVA, BHUTA, YAJNA, AKSHARA, KSHARA and AHAM.

Summary of past nine posts

In past posts thirty verses of seventh Adhyaya of Srimad Bhagavad Gita were explained to the best of my ability.

They are:
1. http://prasad-yoga.blogspot.com/2010/02/recieving-higher-knowledge.html
2. http://prasad-yoga.blogspot.com/2010/02/apara-para-prakruti-lower-and-higher.html
3. http://prasad-yoga.blogspot.com/2010/02/imminency-antaryamin-or-tanmatra-of.html
4. http://prasad-yoga.blogspot.com/2010/02/bhava-appearence-and-delusion.html
5. http://prasad-yoga.blogspot.com/2010/02/asuri-bhavam-problem-of-evil.html
6. http://prasad-yoga.blogspot.com/2010/03/arta-jignasu-arthardhi-jnani-doers-of.html
7. http://prasad-yoga.blogspot.com/2010/03/limited-intelligence-limited-results.html
8. http://prasad-yoga.blogspot.com/2010/03/transcendence-of-lord.html
9. http://prasad-yoga.blogspot.com/2010/03/dwandwa-moha-its-making-pravrutti-and.html

This is one of the most complete answer to most of the philosophical questions. Lord starts with his lower differentiated nature and higher nature that holds everything. He explains the "Universal" aspect of his higher nature in everything that appears due to specific arrangement of his lower nature. Most important concept of three bhavas satva, rajas & tamas are derived from this combination but he is not in them. The result of getting trapped in the bhavas and giving them equal "reality" causes the higher status for ignorance and those who take up this stand gets inflicted by evil. Lord gives a description of Nobel Souls and best among the noble ones. Lord gives an account of people with limited intellegence going to limited manifestations and attaining limited results. Lord declares his transcendence and his direct knowledge of everything beyond any differentiation of time. Finally lord declares that how beings get into this "sargam" and get out of it.

People who complete the full circle have the clear understanding of lord's indescribable higher nature of brahma, atma and karma as well as the lower nature of elements, their controllers and the sacrifice.

So, an individual is a mis-identified (ahamkaara) entity that arises out of specific arrangement of lower nature of lord.

Even though powered by the lord's higher undifferentiated nature, the attachment with ahamkaara keeps the individual mis-identification causing the ignorance.

This individual ahamkaara starts judging the rest of the manifestation as satva, rajas and tamas. This judgment causes experiences and impressions on the individual.

Depending on the importance given to this ignorance an individual can take up daemonic, mixed or noble forms and carryout actions. based on the actions, each individual reaps the fruit of those actions.

At the point when all the "sins" are washed away by doing righteous work, an individual surrenders himself back to the highest reality.

He receives the truth about the whole thing properly and goes back to the highest reality. Until that point of time the individual will keep going around in the 'sargam'

Lord is NEVER partial and beyond all the duality. Only due to individual's attachment to temporary things and actions thereof, they get the fruits ordained by the Lord.

Most importantly this KNOWLEDGE is equally available with every being. It was covered/stolen by the ignorance born out of attachment to finite manifestations. All the effort required in removing this "ignorance cover" only. No action can never produce any new Knowledge which was originally not there!

At this stage readers are requested to study these verses on their own in original samskrutam for internalizing the facts provided in them. One should meditate on the meaning of this chapter before progressing to the next one.

dwandwa moha - its making (pravrutti) and breaking (nivrutti)

"Duality based delusion" that brings beings into "bandha" which is called pravrutti maarga that is caused by iccha, dvesha duality and bundle of desires. Freedom from this duality leads to "moksha" that is called Nivrutti maarga.

Lord Declares:
इच्छाद्वेषसमुत्थेन द्वन्द्वमोहेन भारत।
सर्वभूतानि संमोहं सर्गे यान्ति परन्तप।।7.27।।

iccha, dvesha samuthena, dwandwa-mohena, bharata
sarva bhutaani sammoham sarge yaanti parantapa.

By what arises from likes and dislikes, by delusion of duality O Bharata, all the beings are DELUDED completely (yaanti sammoham) originate (sarge) O Parantapa!

This is the secret of BIRTH (sarga or visarga or taking up agency of doer-ship and enjoy-er-ship). This is also called pravrutti maarga or going forward from the original source.... This is typical path of a BHOGI....

Then we know the story of cycle of going around and around within the world of spatial and temporal limitation.

But,

येषां त्वन्तगतं पापं जनानां पुण्यकर्मणाम्।
ते द्वन्द्वमोहनिर्मुक्ता भजन्ते मां दृढव्रताः।।7.28।।

yesham, tu, antagatam, paapam, janaanaam, punya-karmanaam
te, dwandwa-moha-nirmuktaah, bhajante, maam, dhrudha-vrataaha.

Those people, whose sins have come to an end, and of vitreous in deeds
they, being freed from delusion of duality, with firm conviction start worshiping ME. (The supreme unlimited self who is beyond all duality)

Why do they do so?
(Now Lord is stating the Nivrutti maarga the path that takes one back to the supreme reality or the path of a "YOGI")

जरामरणमोक्षाय मामाश्रित्य यतन्ति ये।
ते ब्रह्म तद्विदुः कृत्स्नमध्यात्मं कर्म चाखिलम्।।7.29।।

jaraa, marana, mokshaaya, maam, asritya, yatanti, ye
te, brahma tat viduhu, krutsnam-adhyatmam, karma, ca, akhilam

Those who strive, by surrendering to me (the supreme lord) for liberation from old-age and death, they know:
a. that brahma (tat brahma) "BRAHMA" (no other word can be used for this in any language)
b. all about atma (krutsham-adhyatmam)
and
c. all about action (akhilam karma)

साधिभूताधिदैवं मां साधियज्ञं च ये विदुः।
प्रयाणकालेऽपि च मां ते विदुर्युक्तचेतसः।।7.30।।

sah-adhibhuta-adhidaivam maam sah-adhiyajnam ca ye viduhu
prayaana-kaale api ca maam te viduhu, yukta-chetasaa

They "who have ever controlled and balanced minds", know ME, as
a. the manifested material elements and b. the Controlling Energy (adhibhutam adhidaivam sah)
and also ME as
c. the "sacrifice" (sah adhiyajnam)
even at the time of leaving the body - "Death"


Key points:

1. Delusion based on duality (dwandwa-moha) causes the "sarga" origination of the being into limited world.

2. Only those whose "sins" are nullified by doing purification based on Karma Yoga and if needed Raja Yoga practices will cross over the duality and make the faith firm on the Supreme Lord.

3. Such a pure soul who strives for "moksha" will know two things:
a. "That" Brahma, All about ATMA (self) and All about ACTION (this is called DHARMA - what can be done and what cant be done) This triad is of ultimate reality that is immutable.
b. The material BHUTAS, The DEVAS and about SACRIFICE (these three aspects are related to "this" MANIFESTATION of the WORLD which is mutable and ever changing)

4. He not only knows the above things, but also internalize/realize this "TRUTH" FIRMLY such that it is not even lost at the time of leaving the body (DEATH?).

While the LORD is "just being", the deluded one will go on a full circle of making up the delusion and breaking it to come back to the source at its own free will!

Transcendence of LORD

Why the people with "limited intelligence" will go to Limited "forms" of GOD?

अव्यक्तं व्यक्तिमापन्नं मन्यन्ते मामबुध्दयः।
परं भावमजानन्तो ममाव्ययमनुत्तमम्।।7.24।।
The foolish people(abuddhayah) think that (manyante) avyaktam (the unmanifest) has become a vyaktim (the manifest). [They] do not know the higher nature (param bhavam) which is avyavam and anuttamam. (immutable and most excellent)

What is the reason for their ignorance?
नाहं प्रकाशः सर्वस्य योगमायासमावृतः।
मूढोऽयं नाभिजानाति लोको मामजमव्ययम्।।7.25।।
I am not visible to all as covered by the "yoga-maaya"
This deluded world does not know ME, unborn and immutable.

So, the "knowledge" of limited manifestation is always LIMITED.
Lord States:
वेदाहं समतीतानि वर्तमानानि चार्जुन।
भविष्याणि च भूतानि मां तु वेद न कश्चन।।7.26।।
I know the beings of past, present and future. But, No one knows ME.

Only the LORD "knows" everything as it happens, no limited manifestation will be able to know the LORD who is immutable and unlimited.

A scientist observing a "star" that is 290 million light years away can only say that star existed 290 million years back. He is not sure of the existence of that star as of today. If that star were to blast now, an "earthly" observer will come to know about it after 290 million years at the earliest. That is the limitation imposed on the "external" observation. So, all the "knowledge" that is gained by "external" senses is indirect knowledge subjected to the limitations of the object, observer and other illuminating factors.

WHERE AS

The Lord's knowledge is DIRECT and COMPLETE. He knows every small thought, word and action of all the beings (living and non-living) as they occur. His knowledge is not limited by the apparent division of time into past, present and future. Still he is not revealed by any thought, word or action.

That is his Transcendence. Avyaktam, avyavam and anuttamam!!

Limited Intelligence; Limited Results.

In the next four verses 7-20, 21, 22 and 23 Lord deals with the "Common Man" who is neither EVIL DOER nor a NOBLE SOUL.

EVIL DOER is the one whose knowledge is completely stolen by Ignorance.
NOBLE SOUL is the one whose knowledge is fully restored by surrender to Supreme Lord.

कामैस्तैस्तैर्हृतज्ञानाः प्रपद्यन्तेऽन्यदेवताः।
तं तं नियममास्थाय प्रकृत्या नियताः स्वया।।7.20।।

kamai, te, te, hruta-jnanah, prapadyante, anya-devataah
tam, tam, niyamam, asthyaaya, prakrutyam, niyataam, svayaa.

Those whose knowledge is stolen by desires, they take refuge in other devatas led by their own natures.

यो यो यां यां तनुं भक्तः श्रद्धयार्चितुमिच्छति।
तस्य तस्याचलां श्रद्धां तामेव विदधाम्यहम्।।7.21।।

yah, yah, yaam, yaam, tanum, bhaktah, sraddhyaa, architum, ichhati
tasya, tasya, achalaam, sraddham taameva, vidhadhaami, aham.

whatsoever form any devotee want to be devoted with faith, I give them that unfailing faith in that form.

स तया श्रद्धया युक्तस्तस्याराधनमीहते।
लभते च ततः कामान्मयैव विहितान् हि तान्।।7.22।।

sa, tayaa, sraddhayaa, yuktah, tasya, aradhanam, ihate
labhate, ca, tatah, kaamaan, maya, eva, vihitaan, hi taan.

With that sraddha (which is given by supreme lord) one engages in "aradhanam" worshiping of that form; he will get the desire fulfilled as ordained by me alone (the supreme lord).

अन्तवत्तु फलं तेषां तद्भवत्यल्पमेधसाम्।
देवान्देवयजो यान्ति मद्भक्ता यान्ति मामपि।।7.23।।

antavattu, phalam, teshaam, tad, bhavati, alpa-medhasaam
devan, deva-yajo, yaanti, madbhaktaa, yaani, maam, api.

Limited are those fulfillments; That for the men of small-intelligence
The worshipers of gods go to them. But, my worshipers reach me alone.

Key points:
1. As desires start stealing the original jnana (and viveka) one starts approaching the limited controllers of material powers. The controller of each energy is a GOD.

2. As long as such devotion to a limited energy source is based on FAITH such faith is strengthened by the LORD; For each individual goes as per his own rules based on his own nature.

3. With that strengthened FAITH, one devotedly puts in effort for achievement of his desire, the fulfillment if ordained by the supreme lord alone according to the sraddha and aradhana (work/effort).

4. MOST IMPORTANTLY, all such fulfillments are "temporary" (antavat - having an end). So, an ordinary BHOGI will continue to WORK, and GET the RESULT. The WORK is FINITE and the RESULT is FINITE. Those who are of little intellegence they keep going to the FINITE manifested "GODS" and keep getting the FINITE manifested RESULTS.

Arta, jignAsu, arthArdhI, jnAni - doers of GOOD actions

Having dealt with the "evil-doers", lord goes on to explain different categories of GOOD-DOERS

चतुर्विधा भजन्ते मां जनाः सुकृतिनोऽर्जुन।
आर्तो जिज्ञासुरर्थार्थी ज्ञानी च भरतर्षभ।।7.16।।

Arta: one who is suffering;
jignasu: one who is seeking liberation;
arthaardhi: one who is desirous of material progress;
jnani: the knower of truth;

these four types of people due to their "good actions" approach me.

तेषां ज्ञानी नित्ययुक्त कभक्तिर्विशिष्यते।
प्रियो हि ज्ञानिनोऽत्यर्थमहं स च मम प्रियः।।7.17।।

of these four, jnani (The Man of Knowledge) who is "nitya yukta" (constantly steadfast) is special because he adores me the most and so do I.

उदाराः सर्व एवैते ज्ञानी त्वात्मैव मे मतम्।
आस्थितः स हि युक्तात्मा मामेवानुत्तमां गतिम्।।7.18।।

All the four are NOBLE; but the "jnani atma eva me matam" - Jnani is verily my self. It is my opinion. Having established in "uttamam-gati" (excellent path) he is set to lead to ME alone (mam eva).

बहूनां जन्मनामन्ते ज्ञानवान्मां प्रपद्यते।
वासुदेवः सर्वमिति स महात्मा सुदुर्लभः।।7.19।।

After many births, having attained the "jnanam" (the jnavan); having realized "vasudeva sarvam iti" (all this verily is vasudeva) surrenders to me. It is indeed very rare to find such a great soul (mahatma).

vasudeva: vasati sarvasmin iti vasu; tasya devah "vasudeva"

one who lives in everything is vasu; the controller of such existence is vasudeva or the vital force that holds everything is "vasudeva"


Key points:
1. only by doing good actions (sukrutinah) or "prescribed duties" one can start the process of surrender.

2. The conditional surrender (to remove suffering, seeking knowledge, seeking material progress) is lower but not useless. It may gradually lead to higher surrender.

3. The unconditional surrender having realized the TRUTH as "vasudeva sarvam iti" is the highest knowledge of all.

4. The higher nature "jeeva bhutam" mentioned by the lord (in the earlier blog post) is itself the "vasudeva" quoted here. That which holds everything here is the vasudeva that exists in everything here as the central holding power. (as seen in the imminence of lord post)