THE SELF, UNTAINTED BY IGNORANCE IS THE LIGHT OF AWARWNESS
(TAMASAH PARAM- ARKA- VARNAM)
37.Q: Nothing exists apart from the Self, it is taken to be granted that the ignorance born non-self appears in the Self alone. Then, does the Self have ignorance?
A: Yes. Before deliberation the ignorance is found in the Self, himself; and the world too, appears in the Self. But, really speaking, neither ignorance exists in the Self, nor the world appears in Him. As the Self knows the rest of the non-self; similarly, He objectifies the ignorance. Therefore, it is proved that not an iota of the seen ignorance exists in the Self who is the Seer. That is why the Shruti tells: Aaditya-varnam Tamasah parastaat , the Self is in the hue of the sun and He is far away from ignorance ( Sve.3.8 )
Q: Sir, have you not told that the Self doesn’t have any colour in Him? Now, you tell that this Self has the colour of the sun. How do these sentences tally with each other?
A: The purport of the Shruti is this: As there is no possibility of darkness tainting the Sun, so, there is no possibility of ignorance tainting the Self. The ignorance has other names: Tamas ( darkness ), Avidyaa ( nescience ), Moha ( ignorance ), Bhramaa ( illusion ), etc. This Self, the Sun who has self-illumination, doesn’t have an iota of relation of the darkness of ignorance. This is the purport that the Self is in the hue of the Sun.
Q: Then, there is no chance to the world to appear !
A: With reference to the Self there is no world at all.
Q: Many Self-knowers are existing. They conduct worldly activities as we do. If they don’t see the world, how do they conduct the mundane activities?
A: We have already explained this in the first verse. According to that the answer is as follows: Those who the pure vision of the Self that is beyond the three states, they don’t see the following two aspects anywhere: ( I ) many wise and ignorant conduct the worldly activities; and ( II ) body, organs of sense, mind and objects apart from the Self. Those who have blindness due to cataract of ignorance, only see the above two aspects. Hence, there is no contradiction.
THE SELF IS THE WHOLE, THE ETERNAL THE SUPREME PURUSHA
(POORNAM SANAATANA-PADAM PURUSHOTTAMA-AAKHYAM)
38. Q: When, where, and how does this Principle of the Self exists?
A: This principle of the Self exists everywhere in the same Form. This Principle is called the Supreme Purusha.
Q: Will you please explain this again, in detail?
A: This is Sanaatana, the eternal one ; this Principle exists for ever. This is because, this Self does never have binding of the time. All that are created are bound to the time. But the Self is not a created one ; and the time also does never exist apart from the Self. Therefore, the Self is not time-bound, He is the Eternal One. The Principle of the Self is Poorna, the Whole One. This is because, the Principle of the Self is not limited by any place. A place can be located here or there in the space. But, the Self is the Whole One, who is not limited from places. This Principle is the Supreme Being, because, nothing exists apart from the Self to limit Him
Q: If He doesn’t have any limitation from any object, why should he have the name Purushottama, the Supreme Being?
A: Please, listen to me. Whatever thing that is seen in the wakeful or in the dream states is called Kshara, the perishable; this is because, it has to be destroyed. But whichever object is destroyed; its seed remains to continue. People believe that seed exists even in the deep-sleep ( Sushupti ) and in the dissolution ( Pralayla ), really speaking, as we have shown earlier, it is reasonable to say that no non-self-object exists in the deep-sleep. Still, the people imagine that this world should be in the seed-form in the deep-sleep and in the dissolution; otherwise, there is no reason that this world appears in the wakeful state and in the period of its existence. This imagined seed of transmigratory-life will not be destroyed till the right Knowledge of the Self is dawned. This is because, falsely imagined imagination of an object will be lost only after the right knowledge of the object is had. Thus the imagined-indestructible seed of the transmigratory-life is called Akshara , the imperishable one. But the Form of the Self is neither perishable nor imperishable; hence, the Shrutis and Smritis call the Self as Purushottama, the Supreme Being . ( Cha. 12.3, Bhag. 15-8 )
Q: Sir, you have told that the Self doesn’t have any limitation from place, time and objects. But the rest of the objects seem to be bound by these three concepts. Each object remains up to either to a place, or time, or another object. While, in the midst of all such objects, how does the Self alone have no bindings?
A: Place, time and objects belong to the domain of the non-self. And, we have shown that the non-self is mere appearance like the appearance of an imagined snake on the rope ( Q.31). As the imagined snake doesn’t harm the rope; similarly, place, time and objects appear due to ignorance do not harm the Self.
THE SELF ALONE SHOULD BE SALUTED.
(PRAATAR-BHAJAAMI)
39.Q: Therefore what do you want to instruct them who have acquired the knowledge of the Self?
A: What does the knower of the Self do? If people obtain their desired object, they spend their time in the love of that object. Similarly, the knower of the Self, as soon as he gets up in the morning, he remembers and worship that Self alone and he immerses himself in the Self; and spends his time blissfully. None can instruct him either to perform certain activities, or to avoid some other actions. This is because, he has already reached the goal of his life after performing all his duties ( Krita-kritya ). That is why the Shruti tells: Sa Vaa Esha Evam Pashyan….Sa Swaraad Bhavati , He seeing thus, deliberating thus, knowing thus, he attaches to the Self, plays with the Self, enjoys with the Self; and he experiences the Self blissfully and he experiences the kingdom of the Self. Etad-bhuddhwaa , The knower of this Self becomes wise and the performer of all his duties. Thus the Bhagavad-Gitaa speaks.
THE FRUIT TO THOSE WHO CHANT THESE VERSES
Shloka-trayam-idam Punyam Loka-traya vibhushanam I
Praatah-kaale Patted-yastu Sa Gacchet Paramam Padam II
Meaning: Loka-traya-vibhushanam- an ornament for the three worlds, punyam-auspicious, idam-this, shloka-trayam-three verses, yastu-whoever, praatah-kaale-in the morning, pattet- (he ) chants, sah-he, paramam-supreme, padam-the Abode, gacchet- ( he ) obtains.
4. This auspicious group of three verses is an ornament for the three worlds. Those who chant this in the morning will attain the Supreme Abode alone.
40.Q: Those who are not eligible to know this deliberation, what should they do?
A: They also have a path towards divinity. They should everyday chant these verses in the morning. These verses contain great auspicious deliberations of the Brahman. Therefore, the chanters of these verses will obtain excess of virtues. Not only that, the deliberation of these verses is an ornament to the three worlds: heaven, world and hell. Or, Loka- means an experience. Therefore, loka-traya- means three verses reveal the Principle of the Self and that should be known through the deliberation of the three states; and these three verses have become ornaments of the states.
Hence, if these verses are chanted in the morning it causes virtue and thereby, the mind is purified. Such mind becomes capable to grasp above spiritual matters. Then, through the direct means like Shravana ( listening ), Manana ( deliberation ) and Nidi-dhyaasana- ( concentration ) the Principle of the Self can be fully experienced. Shravana- means understanding to experience this spiritual subject through listening from the elders; Manana-means again and again logically deliberating on the listened meaning of the spiritual texts; and Nidi-dhyaasana- means concentration on this spiritual matter applying it with one’s experience. The application of such listening, deliberation and concentration – itself is the great auspicious practice for the seekers.
