Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Story 20 - Chathushloki Bhagavatham - Verse 2
Srimad Bhagavatham - A Spiritual Insight - Story 20 - Chathushloki Bhagavatham - Verse 2
2nd sloka of Chathushloki Bhagavatham
Rithertham yat pratheeyeta na aprathiyeet cha aatmani
Tad vidhyaat atmano maayaam yathaabhaso yathaa thamah
That which is temporarily seen and then not seen in the Self – know that to be an illusion in the Self like reflection and darkness (which are temporary existences in the original object of reflection and light).
Explanation
Now the obvious question comes: I don’t feel myself as God as I don’t experience bliss and feel myself as limited.
This was the question which was raised in the last posting. This question is being answered here using the term Maya or illusion.
Why don’t we feel ourselves as God when our very nature is God and when everybody knows that God resides in the heart of everybody and everything that we see is God alone?
The reason for the same is mentioned by Lord as Maaya or illusion.
This Maya is also termed as Avidya or ignorance. When a person is ignorant of the rope due to dim light in the evening, he mistakes it for snake. This causes fear in the person. He then runs away from the snake (which is in reality rope only). This ignorance or avidya has two parts or steps which are termed as Aavarana or veiling power and vikshepa or projecting power.
Initially, the object of rope is veiled from the perceiver. This is veiling power of Avidya. Since the reality is now veiled, other things are projected on – in this case, the snake is projected on the rope. This is projecting power of Avidya.
One has to overcome these two powers to realize that the reality is not snake but the rope alone. The snake even when it is seen is seen in the substratum of rope alone. Similarly the illusory world and ignorance in the form that “I am not God” is seen in “I” or ME who am by nature God itself. This ignorance alone is the cause of bondage and sufferings in the world. Once the reality that “I am God” is veiled, then the other things like “I am the body, I am so-and-so” are all projected on the reality of “I”. Therefore, the reality is “I” alone. The seemingly appearing things like body etc. are only illusions in the reality of “I” or God.
Isn’t it pretty much obvious that all the duality that is perceived is perceived in the Lord without whom there is no world at all. This Lord mentioned is the Self or one’s own very nature. Without the Consciousness or Lord in the individual, there is no world or the objects. Thus, the objects and the world itself is only an illusion in the reality of Consciousness even as snake is only an illusion in the reality of rope.
It is due to this illusion that all sorrows and sufferings arise. The moment a person realizes that he is not the body and the mind, but the infinite Self or Lord of the nature of Consciousness, that very moment the illusions vanish and he rejoices in the eternal bliss inherent in the Self.
Lord Vishnu in this sloka states how and why the world is an illusion in the reality of Consciousness.
That which is seen and not seen in its substratum is an illusion in the substratum. The snake which is only an illusion in the rope is seen at the time of perception and vanishes once the reality is known. Therefore the snake is both seen (at the time of illusion) and not seen (when the reality is known). This is the very nature of all illusions. An illusion is that which seems to exist but doesn’t exist in reality. The world now seems to exist for the perceived but once a seeker enquires into the nature of the world & its reality, the world ceases to exist as such and only the Lord or Consciousness exists in the dual world as the world.
Another way to prove the illusory nature of the world.
The world is always changing and as we have already seen that it is from the Lord that the world comes. The world is changing whereas the Lord remains changeless at all points of time. The world also exists in the Lord who is changeless. This is possible only if the world is an illusion in the Lord. The changing world can never remain in the changeless substratum of Lord.
The changing variable can never exist and never does exist. Whatever exists at all times is a constant alone. The variable that we call “x” doesn’t exist at all but only constants of “2”,”3” etc. exist as the variable. This shows that the variable is only an illusion in the reality of constant.
Hence the changing world is only an illusion or dream in the ultimate reality of Lord. This is also known as everything is Lord alone. Whatever is present is the Lord alone – nothing exists apart from the Lord of the nature of Consciousness. If Lord ceases to exist, then the world itself ceases to exist.
If the world itself is only an illusion in the Lord, then does the individual Self who finds himself in bondage and different from the Lord have any existence at all? No, the individual Self is also an illusion in the ultimate reality of Lord. Hence, there is no individual Self at all but whatever exists is the Lord alone – the Lord, one without a second.
The seemingly individual Self is individual only due to ignorance of the ultimate reality of Lord. When the ultimate reality that everything is Lord is known, then is there any individual Self or individual beings? No, there isn’t. There remains one Lord alone, one without a second. This it the ultimate reality to be realized by overcoming the ignorance which seems to be veiling the Lord present in the heart of all beings.
Any example or logic is incomplete without examples. Hence, Srimad Bhagavatham here gives two examples of illusions to show that the world and individual Self is only an illusion in the ultimate reality of Lord. The two examples are reflection and darkness.
A person sees his face in a mirror – he sees the reflection of his face in the mirror. Does the reflection has any existence? No, it doesn’t have. It seems to exist only until the mirror exists. Also the reflection has no existence separate or distinct from the face. If the face is not there, then there is no reflection at all. Similarly, if the Lord doesn’t exist, then the individual Self as well as the world cease to exist. Even when the world seems to exist, it has only the reality of a reflection which is a mere illusion and not the reality. The reflection of the face is not real but the face alone is real. Similarly the world is only an illusion and Lord alone is the ultimate reality of the nature of Existence, Consciousness and Bliss absolute – the very nature of each one of us.
There is no object called darkness. Darkness is only absence of light. When there is no light, one experiences darkness. This darkness is nothing but absence of light. Similarly the world is only absence of the knowledge of the reality of the Lord. When the Lord is not known, this ignorance is the darkness which has no existence at all but seems to exist when the knowledge of the Lord is not there.
Ignorance here mentioned has its effects of sorrows and sufferings in the world. When the Lord is forgotten, then ignorance is present (absence of remembrance of the ultimate reality of Lord is ignorance which is mentioned by Lord Vishnu as darkness). This ignorance causes problems in life. These problems are not real as they also are only illusory creations since ignorance itself is only absence of knowledge of the reality and doesn’t have any reality at all.
Thus, we also get to know that remembrance of the Lord is the ultimate reality behind the illusory world like a reflection and darkness (reflection is an illusion in the original object and darkness is only absence of light which is again another illusion only).
Lord Vishnu thus in this sloka says that Avidya or ignorance of one’s own real nature of Lord is the cause of bondages and this ignorance along with its effects of world and individual Self are only illusions in the ultimate reality of Lord.
The above point seems to be a little bit contradictory and hence Brahma raises an objection to it: How can it be that the world is seen in the reality and still is not seen in the reality (meaning that the world that seems to exist is only an illusion – how can this happen as the world is seen and it always exist as one doesn’t experience the cessation of the world)? Are there any dristhaanthas or examples to prove the same? This question is being answered by Lord Vishnu in the next sloka (3rd sloka) of chatushloki Bhagavatham which we will see tomorrow.
It is interesting to analyze how Adi Sankaracharya defines illusion in the Bhagavad Gita commentary. This might be a little bit intellectual but still any person will be able to understand and once a seeker understands it, he will be able to appreciate it.
This is what Sankara says:
Jagath Mithyaa, Drishyatvaath, svapnavath
The world is an illusion as it is something perceived (SEEN) like the dream world.
A person perceives objects in the dream world. All the objects that are perceived there are illusions alone since they have beginning and an end (beginning when one starts perceiving them and end when the dreamer wakes up). Whatever is objectified in the world has a beginning when it is perceived and an end when the perception of the object ends. This is what we experience in waking state itself. The objects that are perceived seem to exist now, were not present yesterday (before their birth) and will die tomorrow. This means they are only illusions in the perceiver who is the substratum of the perception.
Thus, the waking world that is perceived is only an illusion in the ultimate reality of Lord or Brahman or Consciousness. When the world is known as an illusion, then the sorrows and sufferings arising out of the world also will be illusions and hence the seeker will not be affected by all these things. He will realize the ultimate reality that there is nothing here but Lord or Brahman alone – one without a second. Since there is only ONE here, therefore there is no sorrow or suffering which arises out of likes and dislikes. Therefore, the seeker rejoices in the eternal bliss inherent in the Self.
2nd sloka of Chathushloki Bhagavatham
Rithertham yat pratheeyeta na aprathiyeet cha aatmani
Tad vidhyaat atmano maayaam yathaabhaso yathaa thamah
That which is temporarily seen and then not seen in the Self – know that to be an illusion in the Self like reflection and darkness (which are temporary existences in the original object of reflection and light).
Explanation
Now the obvious question comes: I don’t feel myself as God as I don’t experience bliss and feel myself as limited.
This was the question which was raised in the last posting. This question is being answered here using the term Maya or illusion.
Why don’t we feel ourselves as God when our very nature is God and when everybody knows that God resides in the heart of everybody and everything that we see is God alone?
The reason for the same is mentioned by Lord as Maaya or illusion.
This Maya is also termed as Avidya or ignorance. When a person is ignorant of the rope due to dim light in the evening, he mistakes it for snake. This causes fear in the person. He then runs away from the snake (which is in reality rope only). This ignorance or avidya has two parts or steps which are termed as Aavarana or veiling power and vikshepa or projecting power.
Initially, the object of rope is veiled from the perceiver. This is veiling power of Avidya. Since the reality is now veiled, other things are projected on – in this case, the snake is projected on the rope. This is projecting power of Avidya.
One has to overcome these two powers to realize that the reality is not snake but the rope alone. The snake even when it is seen is seen in the substratum of rope alone. Similarly the illusory world and ignorance in the form that “I am not God” is seen in “I” or ME who am by nature God itself. This ignorance alone is the cause of bondage and sufferings in the world. Once the reality that “I am God” is veiled, then the other things like “I am the body, I am so-and-so” are all projected on the reality of “I”. Therefore, the reality is “I” alone. The seemingly appearing things like body etc. are only illusions in the reality of “I” or God.
Isn’t it pretty much obvious that all the duality that is perceived is perceived in the Lord without whom there is no world at all. This Lord mentioned is the Self or one’s own very nature. Without the Consciousness or Lord in the individual, there is no world or the objects. Thus, the objects and the world itself is only an illusion in the reality of Consciousness even as snake is only an illusion in the reality of rope.
It is due to this illusion that all sorrows and sufferings arise. The moment a person realizes that he is not the body and the mind, but the infinite Self or Lord of the nature of Consciousness, that very moment the illusions vanish and he rejoices in the eternal bliss inherent in the Self.
Lord Vishnu in this sloka states how and why the world is an illusion in the reality of Consciousness.
That which is seen and not seen in its substratum is an illusion in the substratum. The snake which is only an illusion in the rope is seen at the time of perception and vanishes once the reality is known. Therefore the snake is both seen (at the time of illusion) and not seen (when the reality is known). This is the very nature of all illusions. An illusion is that which seems to exist but doesn’t exist in reality. The world now seems to exist for the perceived but once a seeker enquires into the nature of the world & its reality, the world ceases to exist as such and only the Lord or Consciousness exists in the dual world as the world.
Another way to prove the illusory nature of the world.
The world is always changing and as we have already seen that it is from the Lord that the world comes. The world is changing whereas the Lord remains changeless at all points of time. The world also exists in the Lord who is changeless. This is possible only if the world is an illusion in the Lord. The changing world can never remain in the changeless substratum of Lord.
The changing variable can never exist and never does exist. Whatever exists at all times is a constant alone. The variable that we call “x” doesn’t exist at all but only constants of “2”,”3” etc. exist as the variable. This shows that the variable is only an illusion in the reality of constant.
Hence the changing world is only an illusion or dream in the ultimate reality of Lord. This is also known as everything is Lord alone. Whatever is present is the Lord alone – nothing exists apart from the Lord of the nature of Consciousness. If Lord ceases to exist, then the world itself ceases to exist.
If the world itself is only an illusion in the Lord, then does the individual Self who finds himself in bondage and different from the Lord have any existence at all? No, the individual Self is also an illusion in the ultimate reality of Lord. Hence, there is no individual Self at all but whatever exists is the Lord alone – the Lord, one without a second.
The seemingly individual Self is individual only due to ignorance of the ultimate reality of Lord. When the ultimate reality that everything is Lord is known, then is there any individual Self or individual beings? No, there isn’t. There remains one Lord alone, one without a second. This it the ultimate reality to be realized by overcoming the ignorance which seems to be veiling the Lord present in the heart of all beings.
Any example or logic is incomplete without examples. Hence, Srimad Bhagavatham here gives two examples of illusions to show that the world and individual Self is only an illusion in the ultimate reality of Lord. The two examples are reflection and darkness.
A person sees his face in a mirror – he sees the reflection of his face in the mirror. Does the reflection has any existence? No, it doesn’t have. It seems to exist only until the mirror exists. Also the reflection has no existence separate or distinct from the face. If the face is not there, then there is no reflection at all. Similarly, if the Lord doesn’t exist, then the individual Self as well as the world cease to exist. Even when the world seems to exist, it has only the reality of a reflection which is a mere illusion and not the reality. The reflection of the face is not real but the face alone is real. Similarly the world is only an illusion and Lord alone is the ultimate reality of the nature of Existence, Consciousness and Bliss absolute – the very nature of each one of us.
There is no object called darkness. Darkness is only absence of light. When there is no light, one experiences darkness. This darkness is nothing but absence of light. Similarly the world is only absence of the knowledge of the reality of the Lord. When the Lord is not known, this ignorance is the darkness which has no existence at all but seems to exist when the knowledge of the Lord is not there.
Ignorance here mentioned has its effects of sorrows and sufferings in the world. When the Lord is forgotten, then ignorance is present (absence of remembrance of the ultimate reality of Lord is ignorance which is mentioned by Lord Vishnu as darkness). This ignorance causes problems in life. These problems are not real as they also are only illusory creations since ignorance itself is only absence of knowledge of the reality and doesn’t have any reality at all.
Thus, we also get to know that remembrance of the Lord is the ultimate reality behind the illusory world like a reflection and darkness (reflection is an illusion in the original object and darkness is only absence of light which is again another illusion only).
Lord Vishnu thus in this sloka says that Avidya or ignorance of one’s own real nature of Lord is the cause of bondages and this ignorance along with its effects of world and individual Self are only illusions in the ultimate reality of Lord.
The above point seems to be a little bit contradictory and hence Brahma raises an objection to it: How can it be that the world is seen in the reality and still is not seen in the reality (meaning that the world that seems to exist is only an illusion – how can this happen as the world is seen and it always exist as one doesn’t experience the cessation of the world)? Are there any dristhaanthas or examples to prove the same? This question is being answered by Lord Vishnu in the next sloka (3rd sloka) of chatushloki Bhagavatham which we will see tomorrow.
It is interesting to analyze how Adi Sankaracharya defines illusion in the Bhagavad Gita commentary. This might be a little bit intellectual but still any person will be able to understand and once a seeker understands it, he will be able to appreciate it.
This is what Sankara says:
Jagath Mithyaa, Drishyatvaath, svapnavath
The world is an illusion as it is something perceived (SEEN) like the dream world.
A person perceives objects in the dream world. All the objects that are perceived there are illusions alone since they have beginning and an end (beginning when one starts perceiving them and end when the dreamer wakes up). Whatever is objectified in the world has a beginning when it is perceived and an end when the perception of the object ends. This is what we experience in waking state itself. The objects that are perceived seem to exist now, were not present yesterday (before their birth) and will die tomorrow. This means they are only illusions in the perceiver who is the substratum of the perception.
Thus, the waking world that is perceived is only an illusion in the ultimate reality of Lord or Brahman or Consciousness. When the world is known as an illusion, then the sorrows and sufferings arising out of the world also will be illusions and hence the seeker will not be affected by all these things. He will realize the ultimate reality that there is nothing here but Lord or Brahman alone – one without a second. Since there is only ONE here, therefore there is no sorrow or suffering which arises out of likes and dislikes. Therefore, the seeker rejoices in the eternal bliss inherent in the Self.
# posted by vedanta : 9:46 AM
