Tattvabodha

Tattvabodha - Knowledge (bodha) of tattva - the Truth or Reality. Knowledge is cognition or understanding or a perception of a fact. It is not imagination, idea, or vague thinking, but a crystal clear understanding of a fact. The fact could be of any importance or value. Here the knowledge is on tattva - reality. Knowledge of reality means the greatest fact. This is the ultimate truth because there is no truth whose value is greater than this. All other truths are relative and true only in certain states. What is true in a dream is not true in a waking state. Is there a truth that is true in all states? Also the kerchief exists now, but it does not exist later. So is there a truth that does ever exist? All the relative truths do not stand the test of time and space. These are subject to change. Is there a truth that is everlasting and universal? Is it independent of everything else? That truth, which is absolute, is tattva.  Etymologically,तत्त्व = तत् + त्व. The state of being that, the Reality - “that-ness”. It is the state which makes an entity what it is and without that state the entity does not even exist. 

Vedanta is a science of universal reality. You cannot have multiple realities - as they will negate each other by time/space/causation. So reality needs to be one and it is transcending time/space/causation. It is not simply transcending as one may think there is something in which reality is not valid. This reality is also immanent as it is valid in every cognition, etc. That is tattva.

A truth may exist, but how am I connected to it? Through knowledge. Tattvabodha contextualizes reality for me. Tattvabodha is the name and subject of the text. What is the purpose of this text? Bhajagovindam focuses on pratipaksha (on the other side) bhavana (appreciation) - to see the true facets of objects that we are enamored with (impermanence, limited happiness, sorrow, endowed with difficulties). Sadhana Panchakam/Upadesha Pancharatnam - it gives the steps to reach Reality. Tattva Bodha - focuses on terms and terminologies. Focuses on पारिभाषिक शब्द (terms that are used in this field of knowledge). It is needed to avoid misunderstanding of the field if the terms used in that field are misunderstood. The overall purpose is to give the knowledge of reality. All texts have the overall purpose of giving the knowledge of reality while they may have a particular focus. In Vedanta, texts that cover all the aspects are shastras. A text in general is a grantha, and therefore, a shastra text is called shastra-grantha. अशेषार्थ (complete all aspects) प्रतिपादिकम् (expounds). Bhajagovindam, Sadhana Panchakam and Tattva Bodha are not called shastra-grantha. They have the same overall purpose, but focus is different. Three texts come under shastra-grantha:

• Upanishads - prime source of Vedanta (shruti - not written by anyone, अपौरुषेय)

• Bhagavad Gita - teaching of Sri Krishna which captures the essence of Vedanta - it is written, not a shruti, it is a shastra as it covers all aspects of Vedanta in detail, it is therefore, smrti which means remembered & reflection of shruti etc. 

• Brahma Sutras - Veda Vysasa authored this as a logical text. Primacy of logic is seen here. Whatever the doubts and questions one may have on Upanishads, are dispelled here. This is nyaya-based (reasoning logic).

All these three deal with the subject of brahma-vidya and cover the entire aspect of it. So they are called Prasthana traya - foundational three. Upanishads are श्रुति प्रस्थान, भगवद् गीता is स्मृति प्रस्थान, brahma sutras is न्याय प्रस्थान. 

प्रस्थीयथे (one journeys) अनेन (by which) इति प्रस्थानम्

That by which one journeys to complete comprehension is प्रस्थानम्.

Topical texts that deal with certain topics or facets of the overall shastras are called प्रकरण ग्रन्थ. 

पौन पुण्येन श्रवणं कुर्यात् Pauna punyena shravanam kuryaat

प्रकरण ग्रन्थ is sufficient to reach the goal. But we read various प्रकरण ग्रन्थ only because we need to listen to messages again and again. In tradition, no more shastra-grantha can be added. A shastra-grantha should be foundational in nature.

Shastra-grantha definition:
एकप्रयोजन उपनिबद्धं अशेषार्थ प्रतिपादिकम्

Eka prayojana upanibaddham asheshaartha pratipaadikam

One purpose, associated, expounds all topics.

That which is foundational (प्रस्थान) and exhaustive. Foundational or source of knowledge is assumed. Prastheeyate anena - by which one travels.

शास्त्रैकादेश सम्बद्धं शास्त्रकार्यान्तरे स्थितम् आहुः प्रकरणम् नाम ग्रन्थभेद विपश्चिताः

Covers one/few aspects associated with the shastra (brahmavidya) and serves the purpose of the shastra (अन्तरे (within), कार्य (result), स्थितम् (subsumed)) as told by those who know the differences in granthas..

These are derivative in nature from the foundational ones. Their purpose is also the same as shastra - moksha.

What topics make the exhaustive exposition in shastra?

Topics can be classified as:

• अधिकारी निर्णय - qualified aspirant/student

• गुरु लक्षण - nature of Guru & गुरूपसदन - approach of the student to Guru

• महावाक्य विचार - Analysis of महावाक्य

तत् पद, त्वम् पद, ऐक्य पद विचार

• All topics of Brahman, Jiva and Identity (Aikya) are covered in this (“Tat tvam asi”)

• ऐक्य विरोध परिहार - Resolution of objections with respect to the identity. This happens in manana

• साधना - practices such as: shravana, manana, nididhyasana, samadhi

• फल - the result (jivanmukti, videhamukti, kramamukti).

Even though तत्त्वबोध is a book that deals with definitions, the author makes it comprehensive to reach the goal of spirituality.

मङ्गलाचरण (invocation) - मङ्गल - auspiciousness, आचरण - performance following tradition.

Usually this is remembrance of the Lord or Guru - there is nothing more auspicious than that. Anything that removes the sin is auspicious. Sins here imply obstacles and difficulties. Remembering the Lord is prayaschita. The author invokes the Lord so that no obstacles arise. The work he has undertaken comes to fruition and completes. Text is not complete when only the author finishes the knowledge intended to present. The completion is said to be done only when the student is also able to comprehend the message. That’s why the student also needs to chant the invocation everytime when the text is studied.

वासुदेवेन्द्रयोगीन्द्रं नत्वा ज्ञानप्रदं गुरुम् ।

मुमुक्षूणां हितार्थाय तत्त्वबोधोऽभिधीयते ।।

वासुदेवेन्द्रयोगीन्द्रं = Vasudevendra, the king of yogis, नत्वा = having saluted, ज्ञानप्रदं = bestower of knowledge, गुरुम् = teacher, मुमुक्षूणां = the seekers of liberation, हितार्थाय = for the benefit of, तत्त्वबोधः = knowledge of Reality, अभिधीयते = expounded.

Having saluted Vasudevendra, the king of yogis, the Guru who is the bestower of knowledge, Tattvabodha is expounded for the benefit of the seekers of liberation.

वसति इति वसु - one who dwells. वसु - that which exists (sat). The root of देव is दिव् - to shine (effulgent/luminous) it represents the chit aspect (consciousness). इन्द्र - Lord. That very Brahman as Lord (capacity or responsibility of the whole universe as creator-sustainer-destroyer as Ishvara). With respect to the student, this ishvara appears as guru who bestows knowledge (ज्ञानप्रदम्) due to his possessing the knowledge and abidance in it. Yogi - who is established in Brahman. Indra - the best of, Tattvabodha abhidhiyate - undertaking the exposition of tattva bodha. मुमुक्षूणां हितार्थाय - in order to benefit mumukshu. mumukshu are those who seek liberation - end to samsara. मोक्तुं इच्छुः - mumukshu.

In the beginning of the text either at mangalacharana or immediately following, anubandha (association) chatushtaya (four-fold) is presented. The four-fold aspects that are associated with the text are presented:

• अधिकारी - who is qualified for the text study

• विषय - subject matter

• प्रयोजन - what will you get after this text

• सम्बन्ध -  the connection between the text and its प्रयोजन (vishaya)

मुमुक्षूणाम is the अधिकारी - those who are seeking the higher goal of mumukshutvam.

मुमुक्षूणाम हितार्थाय - for the benefit of the mumukshu is प्रयोजन (the goal of मुमुक्षु, i.e. मोक्ष liberation)

तत्त्वबोध is विषय - subject of the text (as also its name)

The subject matter becomes the means to achieve the goal.

Sambandha - The text becomes the revealer or expounder and the vishaya becomes the revealed or expounded. By pursuing this text, one gets the comprehension of the vishaya. Sambandha says that the tattva bodha knowledge will be revealed through this text of tattva bodha that the mumukshu wants. He or she need not go anywhere else.

Sambandha is bodhya-bodhaka bhaava - bodhya is vishaya, bodhaka is text/grantha There are other kinds of sambandha:

• Pratibhataka-Pratibandhya Bhava Sambandha, Janak-janniya Bhava Sambandha, Kartru-kartavya Bhava Sambandha and Prabhaga-prapya Bhava Sambandha. The relation between the work and the subject is Pratibhataka-pratibhadhya Bhava Sambandha. The narration is Pratibhatakam. That which is told is Pratibhadhyam. The Grantha is Prati-bhatakam. The subject that is treated is Pratibhadhyam.

• The relation between the Grantha and Jnana is Janaka-jaaniya Bhava Sambandha. That which generates is jaaniyam; the Grantha is Janakam as it generates Jnana through Vichara (enquiry); Jnana is Jaaniyam, as it generated through Vichara.

• The relation between the Adhikari or qualified person and the subject is Kartru-kartavya Bhava Sambandha. He who does an act is the Kartru (actor). That which is done is Kartavya. That Adhikari who does Vichara is Karta. Vicharais Kartavya.

• The relation between the Adhikari and the fruit is Prabhoktr-praapya Bhava Sambandha. He who obtains the fruit is Prabhoktr. That which is obtained is Praapyam.

तत्त्वबोध अभिधीयते - why is it being expounded? The knowledge of तत्त्वबोध is being expounded as it deals with the vishaya.

Guru is Vasudevendra-yogindram. Lord is the king of yogis and also sought after by yogis.

Some consider Tattvabodha as not the work of Sankaracharya because salutations are given to Vasudevendra-yogindram.

Lord appeared as Guru to satisfy my jignyasa. Guru, Parents - offer unconditional love. In tradition, they are worshiped as God as He is expressed through them. The whole world is an expression of God, but in them the expressions of God are very helpful for our growth.

Worshiping the Lord as guru and guru as the Lord, for the benefit of mumukshu, I am expounding tattva bodha.

Mumukshu is indicative of the rest (upalakshana, whenever it is hinted is called upalakshna) - the other 3 of the sadhana chatushtayam are implied.

In order to get liberation, tattva bodha text is being expounded. The text tattva bodha is bodhaka, tattva bodha is bodhya. Sambandha - is to study the text. The purpose of sambandha is to make me understand tattva bodha. 

अधिकारी - qualified (deserved) aspirant (desirous). Need to be both. 

How is he qualified? Endowed with sadhana-chatushtaya, the four fold means.

For those who are qualified, that which is means for moksha - the tattva viveka (discernment/discrimination/analysis) prakaaram (methodology), we are going to explain.

viveka is bodha - comprehension through discernment. The methodology as expounded in Upanishads (traditional). Plural of “we” because the author is representing the tradition and fulfilling its purpose.

The student knows a bit of Vedanta as this statement has terminologies and the student should be able to appreciate it but ask further questions for clarifications. The student is expected to ask questions thereby being interactive. आकाङ्क्षा प्रक्रिया, as the format is in Q&A it is also प्रश्नोत्त्तरी प्रक्रिया.

Murdhakara jnani …?

Sadhanachatushtaya with adhikari, tattva-viveka, moksha - 3 facets in this statement govern this relationship:

Individual/adhikari - प्रमाता

Knowledge - प्रमा

प्रमाण (means) and प्रमेय (goal)

Liberation - फल

Pramātā, by using Pramāṇa (Śruti & Vicāra), gains Pramā (knowledge) of Prameya (Brahman), and thereby attains Phala (Mokṣa).

साधनचतुष्टयसंपन्नाधिकारिणां मोक्षसाधनभूतं तत्त्वविवेकप्रकारं वक्ष्यामः ।

साधनचतुष्टय-संपन्न-अधिकारिणां = for those qualified ones who are endowed with sadhana chatushtaya, मोक्षसाधनभूतं = the means of liberation, तत्त्वविवेकप्रकारं = the method of tattva-viveka (inquiry into the nature of reality), वक्ष्यामः = we shall expound

We shall expound the method of inquiry into Reality as a means to attain liberation for those qualified ones who are endowed with sadhana-chatushtaya (four-fold means).

This one line covers the entire text in a summary. Therefore, this line is called वस्तु (all topics) सङ्ग्रह (collects/holds) वाक्य.

The author is making a promise (प्रतिज्ञा or declaration) in this line by saying “we shall expound'' (वक्ष्यामः) and so it is वस्तुसङ्ग्रह वाक्य.

Having established that the seekers of liberation are the ones this book caters to, the author says that he is prescribing a four-fold means to be perfected first so that a proper inquiry can be made into the nature of Reality. In any field, if one has to think, there needs to be some prerequisites. For example, in chemistry, one must have some understanding of terminology and processes before one can take a deep inquiry in that subject. So also, in this spiritual realm, the inquiry into the nature of Reality demands some prerequisites to be perfected so that the person can be successful in completing the inquiry process. These prerequisites are given as four-fold means that need to be perfected which will prepare the mind to dive deep into the inquiry of Reality.

The method prescribed here for liberation is inquiry - viveka. The root of viveka is ‘vic’ - i.e. to separate. Humans have the subtle power of making a choice between two or more things. Unlike animals which make such a choice based on their likes and dislikes, humans can make the choice based on what is beneficial and make a choice even going against their own likes. To make such a choice, a proper analysis of the options must precede which will also be covered in great details here.

साधनचतुष्टयं किम्? नित्यानित्यवस्तुविवेकः ।

इहामुत्रार्थफलभोगविरागः । शमादिषट्कसंपत्तिः ।

मुमुक्षुत्वं चेति ।

साधनचतुष्टयं = sadhana chatushtaya, किम् = what? नित्यानित्यवस्तुविवेकः = the discrimination between permanent and impermanent, इहामुत्रार्थफलभोगविरागः =  no craving for pleasures here and hereafter, शमादिषट्कसंपत्तिः  = the six treasures of shama, etc., मुमुक्षुत्वं = the desire for liberation, च = and, इति = thus

What is the four-fold means? Discrimination between the permanent and impermanent. No craving for pleasures of here and hereafter, the treasure of control of mind, etc., and the desire for liberation, thus.

An introduction of the prerequisite four-fold means perfecting which an inquiry into the nature of Reality can be made is being given here. First is using the faculty of discrimination to differentiate between permanent and impermanent entities - the choice is obvious that one must opt for the permanent over the impermanent. The next one is to not crave for pleasures for here and hereafter - this needs a bit of analysis which will be provided later. The six treasures of control of mind, etc. The treasures of the world help a person to live a physically comfortable life. These six inner treasures help a person to live mentally comfortable life and more importantly help to achieve the goal of liberation. The last qualification that one needs to have for making a proper inquiry into the nature of Truth is desire to be free. This desire can become strong only when one feels the bondages that one is already in. These bondages are not even felt by a person living an ordinary life - a person who has matured in viveka and vairagya along with the six internal treasures will strongly feel the bondages of craving for subject-object experience as a source of happiness and want to be free from it.

The methods to cultivate these four-fold means will be described next.

नित्यानित्यवस्तुविवेकः कः? नित्यवस्त्वेकं ब्रह्म तद्वयतिरिक्तं सर्वमनित्यम् ।

अयमेव नित्यानित्यवस्तुविवेकः ।

नित्यानित्यवस्तुविवेकः =  discrimination between permanent and impermanent, कः = what, नित्यवस्त्वेकं = the permanent object is alone, ब्रह्म = Reality, तद्वयतिरिक्तं = anything different from it, सर्वमनित्यम् = all is impermanent, अयमेव = this alone,  नित्यानित्यवस्तुविवेकः = discrimination between the permanent and impermanent

What is the discrimination between permanent and impermanent? The permanent is Brahman and everything different from that is impermanent. This is discrimination between permanent and impermanent.

We are endowed with the power of differentiation in the intellect faculty called viveka which we use in our daily transactions. For spirituality, the specific discernment between nitya and anitya object is required. It is sometimes simply called विवेक.

The student knows and experiences that everything is impermanent. Every object has its birth, growth/existence and then death/destruction. Some may last very long such as mountains, nevertheless they also have their expiry date. So also heavenly objects like our own earth, the sun and other stars. At the same time, the student has no knowledge of Brahman or permanence at this point. Therefore, a combination of personal knowledge and faith is being proposed here. Prior exposure to Vedanta (shastras) must be there, and this must have given the student an inkling to something permanent called Brahman to make the discrimination faculty differentiate between permanent and impermanent. Having a logical personal knowledge of the unreality of this world, the student will have to repose some faith in Brahman being real based on shastras. So this faith is not blind:

• It is backed by those who have experienced it in the past as given in shastras. 

• By analysis using logical understanding. Every change needs a changeless substratum. Even to cognize a change, the perceiver needs to be changeless. So, the logical feasibility of Brahman is at least understood.

Finally, one realizes that this unchanging substratum and unchanging perceiver are the same. Thus the methodology based on logic + faith is laid out which makes the student pursue further in this path.

It is often found that one may apply viveka intellectually, but the way one conducts oneself in life and outlook towards the world is all based on considering the finite objects and people around including one’s own body and mind as permanent. Therefore, one needs to put effort to transform one’s life based on what one has arrived at through viveka. Viveka in Vedanta specifically comes through धर्म निष्ठा. The discipline of viveka leads to nobility/evolution to get purity of mind, purity of mind gives clarity of mind. My wishes, thoughts and wants should be aligned with my goal. A seeker should possess this discrimination such that the heart aligned with head. The means and goal are aligned. The wishes and wants are aligned with judgment. For that to happen, the first faculty to use is विवेक. That's why विवेक is the foundation of sadhana. 

The tremendous love for God also gives this viveka as one loses attachment to all finite objects and people and is fully devoted to God alone - so love for God actually gives the result of analysis of viveka and application of vairagya together.

Why does one need to use this discrimination reasoning between permanent and impermanent? To generate dispassion towards the impermanent as described in the next verse.

Three broad categories in this text:

Adhikari? Possesses the sadhana chatuSTaya

Methodology of attaining tattva bodha? Tattva viveka prakaara

Results of attaining this knowledge? Moksha

Aakanksha method is employed in this text. It means: The Grantha is structured such that words, sentences, and arguments are interlinked by mutual expectancy. The narration (Pratibhatakam) and the subject-matter (Pratibandhyam) are tied through ākāṅkṣā, ensuring that the reader’s inquiry flows meaningfully from one idea to the next. So, Ākāṅkṣā method = the logical, linguistic expectancy between words/sentences that generates coherent meaning.

Student has requisite cultural or traditional background that Brahman exists. Logically the aspirant can come to the conclusion that every changing object needs an unchanging substratum. Impermanence implies not just destruction, but also change is meant by it. Destruction is just one of the changes. All stages in between leading to it are also manifestations of impermanence. infancy->youth->adult->death. Impermanence appreciation is not just at death but every moment of this transition. That's why it is said to be “sarvam anityam”. 

There are many ways to differentiate, but only the imperm-perm diff is being mentioned here. Intellect works only through analysis with differentiation. Viveka is a discernment that arises from the differentiation of intellect that creates clarity.

विरागः कः? इहस्वर्गभोगेषु इच्छाराहित्यम् ।

विरागः = dispassion, कः - what, इहस्वर्गभोगेषु  = in the pleasures here and hereafter, इच्छाराहित्यम्  = lack of desire

What is viraga? The lack of craving for pleasures here and hereafter.

Viraga means dispassion. What kind of virag is being mentioned here? From the vastu-sangraha-vaakya, इहामुत्रार्थफलभोगविरागः - the giving up of craving for results of our past actions in terms of enjoyment and pleasures in this world and hereafter. विरागः - विगतः रागः - ‘वि' is विगतः (absence) not विशेषेण. राग means attachment. विरागः is a detachment. राग comes from रञ्ज् (to color). Mind becomes colored with desires. विरागः means mind needs to be discolored. विरागस्य भावः = वैराग्यम्

The giving up of craving for what has been determined as impermanent through viveka is required and it is called vairagya (dispassion). Why do we need this dispassion? The craving for objects, people and situations bind us in our ignorance of realizing the Self. The intellectual understanding of what is permanent can only be actualized as experience if one gets out of the meshes of finitude one strongly gets attached to. Attach heart to this intellect, then one will be successful and become a साधक. Without clarity generated through viveka, having only a feeling of dispassion is not helpful as this dispassion will be misguided. Clarity must be strong and a feeling of dispassion must also be attached to it which propels one to live up to the clarity of thought that was arrived at, - only then you become a very sincere seeker. Even exercising this vairagya a little, one can experience immense joy much superior in quality and intensity than any sense pleasure can give. 

Mind and senses are inherently made to perceive and experience external objects. If this world offers some pleasures, then there is the possibility of other worlds offering the same too. The action we do creates results - which we experience here and hereafter. Enjoyment of these here and there led to the current embodiment and more in the future (फलभोग). It is simply the principle of karma - that every action done with a sense of “I am the doer” will give a result that needs to be experienced (enjoyment/sorrow) and that leads one to take a body in various forms, shapes and sizes here and hereafter.

Shastras describe such other worlds. Some we know (worlds and hence pleasure) through experience (अपरोक्ष), and some we hear (परोक्ष) - in all these experiences, have इच्छाराहित्यम् - why? Because through viveka we have arrived at the conclusion that these are impermanent and hence lead to sorrow. They bring a seeker away from the goal.

Dispassion should also not be seen as something negative, difficult to attain or too morbid. It initially needs a bit of effort because although what has been seen as impermanent still has a hold on our mind due to our attachment to it. But using this dispassion often, it soon becomes natural and effortless eventually to apply in every situation and towards every object/person. It is a sense of disinterest or indifference towards objects/people/situations. But this indifference or disinterest does not mean you will not do your duties well or you will not have loving care for another person. SRK used to say, be like a nanny who takes care of children as though they are hers but she knows full well that they don’t belong to her. In the same way, dispassion can be generated by thinking of everything belonging to as God’s or not mine - whatever temperament suits one.

We do apply disassion in various issues - a student applies it for exams to give up playing which he or she likes to do, a parent does for his/her child and family, etc.  We use dispassion because we know the higher goal to achieve later is better than the current fleeting pleasure and therefore it is worth sacrificing this fleeting pleasure. In some cases, such as not being particular about an airplane seat, what hotel room we stay in, what kind of food we get for a meal when we travel, etc. we are not bothered much because we know that we are only using these temporarily for a few minutes or days. The same should hold in our life too: give up fleeting pleasures for the higher goal or disregard everything as temporary and move on - this temperament will make our life joyful and also helps us to reach our goal faster.

Also, through viveka, we come to a conclusion that these sense pleasures at the end only give us tiredness, loss of energy, and feeling of unfulfillment (sorrow).

शमादिसाधनसंपत्तिः का? शमो दम उपरतिस्तितिक्षा श्रद्धा समाधानं च इति ।

What is that wealth of sadhana beginning with शम? Shama, dama, uparati, titiksha, shraddha, and samadhana.

The six behavioral changes that are required in a seeker are listed here. These are called inner treasures. The treasures that we use in the world are to increase our physical comfort. In the same way, the six attitudes that are listed here are for not just mental comfort, but also to make us reach the goal.

शमादिषट्कसंपत्तिः - is the vastu sangrah vakya. The अकांक्षा method rouses a question and hence Q&A format.

Source of these six qualities is Brhadaranyaka Upanishad:

कान्व शाखा begins as शमादि ….

माध्यन्तिक शाखा begins as श्रद्धादि …..

शमः कः? मनोनिग्रहः ।

What is shama? It is control of mind.

The mind is a bundle of thoughts, emotions, along with vacillations in making decisions. A mind that is calm and quiet is perfect for contemplation - the focus of such a mind can be on any object or concept and all the knowledge about it gets revealed. A mind that is cluttered can hardly have any clarity and peace making it unfit for reaching the higher goal.

So the mind needs to be controlled - and how? Don’t pay attention or indulge in any thoughts or emotions that weaken/bind us and take us away from the goal. This cannot be done easily or in one go - it has to be done vigilantly for a long time to cultivate it as a habit. One must keep observing the mind as a witness and only then one can take the steps to control it. If one is consumed by the thought/emotion that one is identified with, at that moment no control is possible. The control must happen before the thought becomes yourself. So when it is in nascent stages, one must not use any will power to indulge in it. Giving it a willpower is like energizing it further and making it more difficult to control later. Not giving any willpower or attention to it makes such a thought or emotion weak by itself.  

SRK used to say an uncontrolled mind is like a drunk mad monkey stung by a scorpion and possessed by a ghost. No peace, clarity or to engage in any efforts or thoughts towards a higher goal is possible in such a state.

All thoughts of regrets or brooding over the past, anxieties about the future which no way help the person need to be shunned. Emotions such as overjoyed or depression over external objects/situations/people also need to be avoided. One may think that such a life is lifeless and joyless. On the contrary, this life is full of joy and living to the fullest extent besides passing the same to others around you.

दमः कः? चक्षुरादि बाह्येन्द्रियनिग्रहः ।

What is dama? It is control of external sense organs like eyes, etc.

One may control the mind well, but what about the actions that one does thoughtlessly or the influences of external people/objects/situations on the mind? One needs to control one’s actions and sense indulgences - this is dama. This control applies to both jnanendriyas (organs of perception) and karmendriyas (organs of action).

Usually, when the mind is under control, the organs of action will be automatically in control. But there are some movements like fidgety fingers, shaking of legs while seated, these need to be controlled too so that they are under the guidance of the mind. Even if the mind is not under control, such as when consumed by anger, then control on organs of action should still be done - not using harsh words or using physical force through hands or legs. So when the mind is out of control, by applying control of sense organs, the mind is slowly calmed down and brought under control. Many times we indulge in rash actions only to regret later about our conduct. So that's why the two lines of defense: shama at the thought level and dama at the action level must be strictly followed.

What about the influences coming in from the sense perceptions? There is beautiful scenery or music or tasty food, and perhaps we don’t want to indulge in them for some reason, then one must be able to shut off these perceptions by controlling the sense organs not to indulge in their respective objects.

Svarga - suvar loka

Bhuh - this world

Bhuvah - pitra loka

Those whose mind are not taken by pleasure and see its limitations here and hereafter as they are impermanent leading to sorrow, seek liberation from all worlds (viveka leads to virag). It means they know there is pleasure in objects, but they don’t crave for it.

Virag leads to shamadistakasampatti. There is a causal relationship.

उपरमः कः? स्वधर्मानुष्ठानमेव ।

What is uparama? Following one’s dharma.

Doing one's duties dispassionately as enjoined in shastras is uparama. The duties are enjoined based on age, position in life, etc.  A student’s dharma is studies and he/she must let go of everything else however pleasurable they may be. The responsibility of a parent is to take care of the child and he/she must forgo everything else to perform that task at that moment. This makes the control of mind and sense organs easier as the duty keeps them under check in not  based on our likes and dislikes. In the context of साधना, duty implies performing साधना well: sravana, manana, nididhyasana. Anything that assists these such as puja, japa, dhyana, etc should also be done well.

रम comes from रम् to enjoy, to be involved. Prefix, उप changes the meaning to not to engage, i.e., to disengage. Natural withdrawal of the mind and the organs of action and knowledge. It refers to the effortlessness of the state. In शम and दम, you have effort, using will power. In uparama, the will (धृति) is not required. Uparama is the fructification or fulfilment of शम and दम done perfectly.

Alternatively, दम can be seen as a withdrawal from activities that are not suitable for one’s spiritual goal. Actions at the level of body and mind need to be withdrawn. These could be required before, but not now as the goal has changed. साधना पञ्चकम्: दृढतरं कर्माशु संत्यज्यताम्

Vihitianaam (ordained) karmana (actions) vidhina (enjoined by shastra) parityagah (giving up).

This should be done only when one has matured and is ready for it. Viveka, vairagya are strong.

Sankara describes it in what one should be engaged in. One should be established in one’s one own dharma. Dedicated performance (अनुष्ठाणम्) of one’s own dharma (duty). Duty varies with stages of life and goals.

एव implies that finally it boils down to this - sadhana.

1. Effortless withdrawal.

2. Renunciation: Giving up activities that are not conducive.

Doing activities dedicatedly that will help spiritual sadhana.

तितिक्षा का? शीतोष्णसुखदुःखादिसहिष्णुत्वम् ।

What is titksha? To bear heat and cold, joy and sorrow, etc.

Titiksha is forbearance to accept situations around us. Bearing extremes of temperature, hunger-thirst at the level of body, joy-sorrow at the level of mind and respect-disrespect at the level of individuality must be cultivated. More often we try to change the situation outside to make ourselves comfortable rather than just learning to get along with it. Weather patterns are not under our control, so it is futile and a waste of energy to be really bothered by it. Just take whatever steps one needs to mitigate and be done with it. So also about food and water - if a situation demands that one has to forego them, barring any serious health issues, one needs to take it up cheerfully. The joy and sorrow from situations or possessions are bound to come continuously in life and our mind should not be totally consumed by overjoy or sorrow. The higher purpose of our life must be kept in the forefront then all these trifles can easily be crossed. The forbearance must be taken up individually by oneself and not be applied as a yardstick to judge others.

Forbearance increases our will power which can be channeled to achieve the higher goal. Also it removes distractions from mind to be focused on achieving the higher goal.

It is willful acceptance and then it becomes so natural that it will be part of your nature to not even see inconveniences that you were seeing earlier.

Verse in Vivekachudamani on titksha (sarvam …)

श्रद्धा कीदृशी? गुरुवेदान्तवाक्यादिषु विश्वासः श्रद्धा ।

What is shraddha? To have faith in statements of Guru and Vedanta is shraddha.

Shraddha is loosely translated as faith. It is a bit incomplete if faith is treated simply as trust in something. What is called as shraddha is more than a faith. This shraddha is a dynamic force that propels the individual to conduct one’s life based on teaching in which he or she reposes faith in. It is also not a blind faith that one accepts with no logical analysis. The conviction in the words of Guru and scriptures has been generated after a sound analysis of their efficacy. The seeker understands that there is no joy from the things or persons of this world and therefore, the need to realize the Self as prescribed in the shastras. Now having exhausted the available options for getting that permanent bliss in worldly entities, the seeker approaches the shastras with reverence, attentiveness and positive faith to follow what is taught there as these scriptures are the testimonials of the past sages who have undergone the same journey thereby giving conviction that this seeker can also achieve his or her cherished goal. The seeker is also convinced intellectually of the feasibility of Self-realization leading to liberation or freedom from bondage - so it is not blind faith. Shraddha is therefore seen as arising from intellectual faculty rather than an emotional one. In Taittiriya U, it is said that shraddha belongs to vijnanamaya kosha.

Guru is the one who interprets the scriptures in the line of the teachings he received from his teacher and also his own experience. Like in any field, a teacher is very valuable to learn the nuances, pitfalls in understanding and practicing, etc. - so also it is in spirituality. Surrendering to a teacher also reduces the ego of the seeker which is the main obstacle in realizing the Self.

As a devotee, shraddha in bhagavan who has assisted me so far, will definitely help me later. Gita says: श्रद्धावान् लभते ज्ञानम्.

समाधानं किम् ? चित्तैकाग्रता ।

What is samadhana? It is the focus of the mind.

Acquisition of any knowledge requires the mind to be focussed. The same holds in spirituality too. A distracted mind fails to achieve anything substantial in the world. Bhagavad Gita says that a mind hops from one thought to another branching out into various directions of an irresolute mind.

Sometimes we get swayed by looking at what others do and prescribe - we then abandon our own practices to take up something else. This way we never dive deep into anything particular path to get its benefit. It is said “Enemy of good is another good" - because we get distracted from our path. Gita again says follow one’s own dharma and following something else is fraught with great danger. There are others who urge people practicing sadhana to do actions that will make a tangible difference in this world by doing some social work. The best social work one can do is to sadhana to reduce one less selfish person in this world.

Agra means point. Ekagrata - means focus on one point

मुमुक्षत्वं किम्? मोक्षो मे भूय़ात् इति इच्छा ।

What is mumukshutva? The desire “Let me be liberated”.

It is usually thought that spirituality implies no desire. But spirituality means having only one desire as the goal: let me be free. Living with body consciousness is not felt as bondage unless one actually feels so. It is not commonly felt by many people. Some people may feel disgust with life and want to be free from it when they get shocked in life: passing away of a dear one, big financial trouble or personal injury, etc. But usually such feelings are fleeting and soon they get consumed by the busy endeavors of life. This yearning for liberation comes only when viveka and vairagya along with the six treasures have matured. It needs proper analysis and training to cultivate this desire for liberation. A person may be well off in society with all material comforts and good family and friends. But a sense of incompleteness, unfulfillment, discontent remains which can never be filled with any amount of material or social happiness. Only a mumukshu can understand another mumukshu’s internal strife. All this feeling of incompleteness is due to mistaken identification with the finitude of body and mind. The ignorance of our true infinite nature is what creates this discontent. द्वितीयाद्वै भयं भवति - from the sense of being a second, fear arises (बृहदारण्यकोपनिषत्).

In fact everyone has this discontent or unfulfillment, but many try to quench it by indulging in sensory pleasures, material comforts, family or social engagements. Only a few through introspection, or having come across a great teacher who opens their eyes, begin to strive by looking inward and follow the disciplines of spiritual sadhana.

Inner capacity that needs to be cultivated. Viveka->vairagya->shamadi->mumukshutva. There is a causal movement. Within shamadi there is no linear causal connection, but there is a mutual connection between each of the shat-sampatti. The order is made based on Upanishad citation.

Shanto danto ….atmanyeva atmanam pashyati - Br Upanishad.

Ati manda

Manda

Teevra

What you seek, the cosmos supplies. But you must want with heart and soul. This will come - that is the law.

Not wanting to be an individual can come at any age - in mother’s womb to old age. When this inner calling awakens, then they become adhikari. 

एतत् साधनचतुष्टयम् । ततस्त्तत्त्वविवेकस्याधिकारिणो भवन्ति ।।

After gaining sadhana-chatushtaya (tatah, thereafter), bhavanti - becomes, adhikari - qualified aspirant, tattva-viveka - knowledge of the discernment of reality. 

This is sadhana-chatushtaya (four fold path). After this (perfection), they will become qualified for tattva-viveka.

This is the four-fold sadhana for achieving  tattva bodha that will give liberation.

Sadhana chatushtaya is a four-fold means to make one capable of understanding tattva-viveka which will give tattva bodha. For tattva bodha, the prakriya (methodology) is tattva-viveka. Why is intelligence alone not enough to get this? The inquiry will bestow with realization if these prerequisites of sadhana chatushtaya are met. The inquiry can be done without Sadhana chatushtaya, but promised results will not be acquired. The difference between a mahatma and a scholar who are experts in tattva-viveka is sadhana-chatushtaya.

Clarity of mind to apply viveka comes through the purity of life which comes through living a noble life, so living a noble life is important. Studying also helps to get this purity. Entire sadhana can be put into two prerequisites: Purity and clarity

Then all of us become adhikari, i.e., deserving and desirous for spirituality.

After साधनचतुष्टय, one becomes अधिकारी for तत्त्व-विवेक. Perfect means are karma yoga and upasana - even study of Vedanta gives चित्तैकाग्रता and चित्तशुद्धिः. It will have the effect of विवेक and वैराग्य followed by शमादि and मुमुक्षुत्व.

Karma yoga and upasana (bhagavad bhakti) need to be maintained because साधनचतुष्टय is not attained. After that, only sravana-manana-nididhyasana is enough. But as we are not ready yet, we need to maintain karma yoga and upasana. Love and compassion, care and forgiveness must never be given up. One should walk as a good human being which is the foundation of spirituality.

तत्त्वविवेक कः? आत्मा सत्यं तदन्यत् सर्वं मिथ्येति ।।

What is tattva-viveka? Atma is the Truth and all else is mithya (unreal).

What is the nature of knowledge of reality? The Self is satya (real), other than the Self, all else (that is experienced) is mithya (unreal). This is vastu-sangrah vakya for tattva-viveka bodha.. tattva-viveka prakara (prakriya, methodology, discrimination) will lead to tattva-viveka bodha (discernment/knowledge). 

What is this tattva-viveka bodha? Atma (you) is the truth. Other than the Self, everything else is mithya (unreal).

सत्यं ज्ञानं अनन्तं ब्रह्म (तैत्तिरीय उपनिषत्)

Satyam jnanam anantam brahma (Tait U).

Satyam is also sat. Opposite of satyam is asatyam. sat/satyam needs to be understood first to understand mithya. Satyam is an unconditioned fact - that cannot change due to time, space and causation. It is changeless and cannot be negated. They say you are a fact. Its nature is अबाधित - not negated. 

असत्यम् is never there. Can it be experienced or cognized? असत् = horns of the hare, शशविषाण; आकाशपुष्प, etc. असत् is that which has no प्रतीति (manifested, experienced). 

The middle category, that which can be experienced, but not true, in other words that has प्रतीति and बाध is called mithyaa.

सत् चेत् न बाधयेत् - If it is true, it cannot be negated.

असत् चेत् न प्रतीयेत् - If it is false, it can never be experienced.

Mithya is that which is experienced, but can be negated. Dream is a mithya. Because it can be negated, it is not sat. Because it is experienced, it is not asat. For something to be called mithya, it has to be experienced at some time and negatable.

Ontological status of “this” is sat or asat or mithya? It is mithya as ”this” is an object that can be perceived and so different from perceiver.

Mithya has to satisfy two conditions: (i) it is experienced (ii) it is sublatable (negatable, falsified). That which has prateeti and baadha is mithya. Asat is not mithya because it is not prateeti and Sat is not mithya because it has no baadha.

Self is not mithya, because it cannot be negated - it is always present. You may not experience the Self now, but you cannot negate it. Because of the sunlight, you see the cloud cover that covers the sun. You can logically deduce its existence. Due to the consciousness (Self) alone, you are able to say you cannot experience the Self. So you can never negate it. The very fact that “I” exists, is the proof of the existence of Self. In other words, professing ignorance of Self, is the proof of existence of Self. And take the shastras, which is direct experience of sages, as authority until it becomes your own direct experience (अपरोक्ष ज्ञान).

Sat asat bhinnam - 

Tattva-viveka prakaara (methodology of the discernment of the Self) is being mentioned here. Tattva viveka bodha (Clarity/knowledge) will come to us at the end of the text. This statement is vastu-sangraha vaakya.

आत्मा कः? स्थूलसूक्ष्मकारणशरीराद्-व्यतिरिक्तः पञ्चकोशातीतः सन् अवस्थात्रय-साक्षी सच्चिदानन्द-स्वरूपः सन् यस्तिष्ठति स आत्मा ।

It is different from the three bodies.

Transcends the 5 sheaths.

Illuminator of three states.

Cit - consciousness

Anandah - bliss

Svarupah - nature

San - present participle, being (being of the nature of Satchidananda)

That which remains, is that Self.

What is Atma? Different from gross, subtle and causal bodies, beyond the five sheaths, witness to the three states and the nature of existence-consciousness-bliss - the one who is these, that is Atma.

This is vastu-sangrah-vakya for Atma. Atma is first being defined in terms of what it is not based on the experiences one has and then its true nature is mentioned.

Tattva bodha is the comprehension of Atma as satyam. Other than atman (you) is mithya. Everything from karana shariria, vasanas, mind, etc. is mithya. Now we think of ourselves as an experiencer, but this experiencer (ego) is experienced. Jnataa, kartaa, bhogtaa constitute the experience of individuality. Individuality is also experienced. So you cannot claim to be an individual. That which illuminates all that is experienced is Atman.

ब्रह्म सत्यं जगन्मिथ्या जीवो ब्रह्म नापरः Brahma satyam jagan mithya jivo brahma naparah. You are seeking the Truth, Brahman is truth, Atma is brahman.

Meditate on Atma satyam.

To describe Atman, what it is not, is being expressed. Not the three bodies, transcending the five sheaths, witness/illuminator of three states, nature of existence-consciousness-bliss. These are definitions, each one is an independent one by itself. What is a definition? That which points out something by excluding what it is not. व्यावर्तक लक्षणम् (definition) - that which differentiates it from what it is not. तद् भिन्नत्वे सति तत् व्यावर्तक (being different from it, defines it). There are 3 possible ways:

1. Showing something as not this, not this. All that is negatable is negated and one is left with what it is. Deep sleep contains the seeds of mind and intellect - it is not nothing. That is karana sharira which is subtler than the mind. The same individual life can be divided into 5 sheaths (instead of 3 bodies). Transcending or being different from these is the same. These are अतद् (not that) व्यावृत्ति लक्षणम्.

2. Defining it with respect to something that it is closely associated with. This is तटस्थ लक्षणम् - which means something on the bank. So you refer to something that is very close, but different from it, अवस्थात्रय साक्षी is this category. Atman is the witness of these three states.

Example: crow sitting on a building that you are interested in. Crow is different from the building to identify it.

In you, whatever is illuminating the waking state, that is the real you. When the false “you” approaches this illuminator “you”, then the waking state is not there just like a crow may not be there when you approach the building. Self is Turiya. Witness is something that is: Knowing but aware,  …. perceiving but unaffected. Definition as per accidens. 

3. So far we have referred to it through negation. Sugar is not salt, not baking soda etc. Sugar is that which you put in tea and sugar is sweet. That which is ever - Sat. Chit is pure consciousness (not inert), Ananda is in which there is no trace of joy or sorrow - fullness per se. This is the nature of Atman. स्वरूप लक्षण. In which there are no ups and downs that constitute samsara. 

Atad vyaavrtti to tatastha to svarupa is a smooth transition.

A detailed description of all these entities will be given next. Purpose to understanding these details is to get rid of them as you are not that. आध्यारोप अपवाद - detailing (adhyaropa) negation (apavada). So many things like man-woman, age, religion, region, etc are dropped. The detailing is done for the purpose of negation.

Vedanta is not changing your body or your mind, it changes the perception of yourself. What is expected to change? Your perception of yourself changes, then your perception of the world and others will change. That's why it is called आध्यात्म विद्या - knowledge of yourself.

It is not for changing your mind or discipling it, it is simply for realizing your true nature. It does not mean an ill-disciplined mind will have any benefit of Vedanta, More subtle knowledge, more subtle becomes अधिकारित्वम्. 

स्थूलशरीरं किम्? पञ्चीकृतपञ्चमहाभूतैः कृतं सत्कर्मजन्यं

सुखदुःखादिभोगायतनं शरीरम्

अस्ति जायते वर्धते विपरिणमते अपक्षीयते विनश्यतीति

षड्विकारवदेतत् स्थूलशरीरम् ।

आयतनम् - residence, abode, hutment, षड्विकारवत् - possessing these 6 modifications.

What is a gross body? The one with five elements having undergone modifications, borne out of Prarabdha, is a residence for experiencing the joy-sorrow and other pairs of opposites, the one that undergoes six modifications of birth, existence, growth, modifications, decay and death - that one is called gross body.

This statement here deals with the following aspects: what it is composed of, how it is created, what is the cause for its creation, what its function is, and what changes it undergoes.

Gross or physical body is that which is experienced by the mind through the senses. It is a product of sensory perception. Indriyah sthulashariiram???? Upalabdhi. If it is a physical body, it is made of physical (gross) elements. The method with which these gross elements are made from subtle great elements is called panchikarana. The sukshma (sensorily unperceived) five great elements become sthula (gross, perceived by senses) - this method is panchikarana. पञ्चीकृत - gross is made of five pancha mahabhutas after having gone through panchikarana. The material cause is called उपादान कारण and for gross body it is पञ्चीकृतपञ्चमहाभूताः - the physical gross elements obtained from subtle great elements after having undergone pancikarana.

So many bodies are there in this world: animal, plant, human, devata, child, male, female - all these are made from the same pancha maha bhutas. What causes the difference? Karmajanyam - fashioned by karma (or born out of). Karma can mean actions or fruits of actions. Here it means fruits of actions. Sancit karma is the collection of fruits of past actions in the form of punya and paapa. Part of it is manifested/fructified/expressed in this life and that is prarabdha. So here the word karma refers to prarabdha-karma. The next birth is another prarabdha karma culled from sancit karma. So this prarabdha karma is the efficient cause (that which effects), it is a functional cause - निमित्त कारण (occasional or instrumental). Not material cause like seen earlier. A human birth happens only due to having punya in adequacy, so after having obtained one and not striving for liberation is a waste of life as it only through human borth can one aspire for liberation not through animals, plants, stones, devas, and other higher worlds.

Sat is not good here, it is participle (being).

Gross body is our residential address. Staying in this residence, we have an experience of joy and sorrow. The body through its gross parts has sensors and actuators that pass the info from the world to antahkarana and perform actions based on the instructions from mind on the objects in this world. So it is said to be a city of nine gates - the nine orifices through material/information pass in and out of the body.  

A shariira by definition means the one that undergoes modifications. ShiryamaaNatva iti shariiraH - शरीर (शृ is root for sharira) - that which undergoes modifications and decay. What are those modifications? They are 6:

1. जायते, born

2. अस्ति - it exists/stays

3. वर्धते - it grows/matures

4. विपरिणमते - it stays but with some changes

5. अपक्षीयते - decays

6. विनश्यति - perishes

This quotation is from यास्काचार्य in निरुक्त (etymology of words). He describes the 6 modifications of any object made of 5 elements. Sometimes अस्ति is given as fetal existence - then it can be used first. But यास्काचार्य uses it differently where it appears second in the list given above.

In gross body, the general parts are same for all, so that's why a detailed description is not given here. One can describe it as having seven ingredients: majja, asthi, meda (fat), phala (flesh), rakta (blood), charma (epidermis), tvak (skin) - सप्तधातु. In Tait U a detailed description is given for gross body, but it is not necessary.

Gross body is essential for our journey towards our goal - so one must take good care of it, but one must be attached to it or identify oneself with it.

क्षणिक - momentary (body is not that)

सूक्ष्मशरीरं किम्? अपञ्चीकृतपञ्चमहाभूतैः कृतं सत्कर्मजन्यं सुखदुःखादिभोगसाधनं पञ्चज्ञानेद्रियाणि पञ्चकर्मेन्द्रियाणि पञ्चप्राणादयः मनश्चैकं-बुद्धिश्चैका एवं सप्तदशकलाभिः सह यत्तिष्ठति तत्सूक्ष्मशरीरम् ।।

What is a subtle body? That which is composed of five elements with no modifications, born out of actions of the past (prarabdha karma), act as an instrument for experiencing joy-sorrow and other pairs of opposites, has 17 facets of 5 organs of perception, 5 organs of action, mind and intellect - that is the subtle body.

This is called subtle because it is not perceived by the senses. These are made of subtle elements that did not undergo the process of panchikarana. Before they were available for sensory perception, the state they were in. Mind, the thoughts, etc are made of matter too. The subtle matter is called apanchikrtapanchamahaabhuuta. This is also called tanmatra or sukshmabhuuta and it is the upadana karana for sukshma sharira.

Prarabdha karma causes the difference in minds too just as in gross bodies. Creativity, logical, emotional, sattvic, rajasic, tamasic, etc. are differences seen from person to person due to prarabdha karma. Prarabdha karma becomes the निमित्त कारण for सूक्ष्म शरीर.

It is an instrument through which joy-sorrow and other pairs of opposites are experienced. The body is inert as such - it only takes the sensations from itself to the mind. It is the mind that processes these inputs from the body and gives us a feeling of sorrow or joy. Also the same is experienced in thoughts too. Therefore, in deep sleep, where the mind is absent, one does not get to experience the joy and sorrow through these pairs of opposites.

The subtle body is now described with 17 parts:

• Five organs of perception

• Five organs of action

• Five physiological activities

• Mana (neuter)

• Buddhi (feminine)

Kalaa = facets/aspects

That which exists with these 17 facets/aspects, that is sukshma sharira.

Eyes, nose, mouth, are not the five jnanendriyas (organs of perception). Legs, hands, etc are not the five karmendriyas (organs of action). These are all gross parts as they are perceived by sense-organs. 

The subtle body with its sense organs, pranas, mind and intellect is the driver that operates the gross body.

श्रोत्रं त्वक् चक्षुः रसना घ्राणं इति पञ्चज्ञानेनद्रियाणि । श्रोत्रस्य दिग्देवता । त्वचो वायुः । चक्षुषः सूर्यः । रसनाया वरुणः । घ्राणस्य अश्विनौ । इति ज्ञानेन्द्रियदेवताः। श्रोत्रस्य विषयः शब्दग्रहणम् । त्वचो विषयः स्पर्शग्रहणम् । चक्षुषो विषयः रूपग्रहणम् । रसनाया विषयः रसग्रहणम् । घ्राणस्य विषयः गन्धग्रहणम् । 

Ear, skin, eye, tongue, nose are the five sense organs. Of the ear, the space. Of the skin, the air. Of the eye, the sun. of the tongue, the Water. Of the nose, the two Asvini kumaras. These are the deities for organs of perception. The field of perception of the ear is sound, of skin is touch, of eyes is form, of tongue is taste, of the nose is smell.

Faculty of hearing, touching, sight, tasting etc. are the five jnanendriyas. These are subtle faculties that belong to sukshma sharira. The gross apparatus used by them in the physical body is called golaka. Chakshu-indriya (subtle) is different from chaksu-golaka (gross). Same holds for karmendriyaani. Vak - faculty of speech (indriya) requires external apparatus mouth-tongue (golaka). Apparatus can have the problem which may be rectified. But the faculties/indriyas have no problems. Nobody is deaf or blind due to lack of faculty - the issue is only with the apparatus. 

उपादान कारण - 

स्थूलशरीर - पञ्चीकृत महाभूतैः

सूक्ष्मशरीर - अपञ्चीकृत महाभूतैः

निमित्तकारण 

स्थूलशरीर - प्रारब्धकर्म

सूक्ष्मशरीर - अनादि-अविद्या (māyā) + सञ्चितकर्म.

Functional: 

स्थूल: residence for joy and sorrow (भोगायतनम्).

सूक्ष्म: instrument for joy and sorrow (भोगसाधनम्) - connection between the individual and object.

Parts:

Sthula: has parts, but not described. (Tati U has head, trunk etc… idam uchcham pratishta, etc.) majja, asthi, medha (fat), phala, rakta (blood), charma (epidermis), tvak (skin) - सप्तधातु.

Sukshma: 17 parts  - 5 organs of perception, 5 organs of action, five life forces, mind and intellect.

Jnanendriyas refer to faculties but not the apparatus used by faculties. Each of these faculties are governed by devata (deity). A deity is a conscious factor that has a cosmic function. Function of a deity is to be aware of what is happening, to govern, to empower, to pack and unpack (when the individual needs to vacate the present embodiment and take up another). We cannot perceive the faculties, and therefore the deities too. That's why we take shastras as pramana for this.

Shrotra - digdevata - deity of space. No logic or substantiation is possible. Just as we accept the faculty of hearing that makes one hear, we accept that the deity exists due to the faculty of hearing.

Tvak - Vayu is a conscious activity that governs the air for which air is an external aspect. The deity itself is subtle. Just as for us, the body is aayatanam (abode) so also for Vayu the air is aayatnaam. Vayu is subtler than air.

Chakshu - suryah. Sun is just an aayatanam for deity surya. Surya cannot be perceived - just as I cannot see you (subtle body) even though I see your gross body.

Can I then kill a person since we are not gross body? No, it causes pain and it is a residence for the person. So also, don’t pollute air, earth, etc. as it pains the deity.

Taste - varuna with the corresponding gross part waters.

Olfactory - Two Ashwini kumars (physicians of heavenly abode).

These presiding/governing deities of jnanendriyas know everything about how we are using our organs (paapa-punya account). The deities empower, know, govern/facilitate through pack-unpack during transmigration. These deities are not responsible for what you do. Their presence is there to provide the power to jnanendriyas to be used by the individual. They preside and enable, but are not responsible for actions. For a vehicle, petrol/diesel is required to drive, but those are not responsible for how the vehicle is used. The individual is the one who is responsible for how the indriyas are used and gets paapa-punya.

Some logic is given the connection between space-sound, touch-air, light-sun, waters-taste, not for nose. There are places we can put logic, and places we cannot - this we need to know logically. The sense organ and sense object connection cannot be proven or disproven, take the shastra as pramana for this.

Functions are given now:

Ruupa - form + color. Function of the faculty of the eye is to cognize the ruupa of objects.

Thus jnanendriyas become the sadhana for knowing the objects. 

वाक्पाणिपादपायूपस्थानीति पञ्चकर्मेन्द्रियाणि

वाचो देवता वह्निः । हस्तयोरिन्द्रः । पादयोर्विष्णुः ।

पायोर्मृत्युः। उपस्थस्य प्रजापतिः । इति कर्मेन्द्रियदेवताः।

वाचो विषयः भाषणम्.। पाण्योर्विषयः वस्तुग्रहणम् ।

पादयोर्विषयः गमनम् । पायोर्विषयः मलत्यागः।

उपस्थस्य विषयः आनन्द इति ।। 

The five organs of action are speech, hands, legs, anus and the genitals. Of speech, the fire. The presiding deities are: of hands, Indra; of legs, Vishnu; of anus, death; of the genital, Prajapati. The fields of action are: speak for speech; of hands, to grasp; of legs, locomotion; of anus, excretion of waste; of genital, happiness (procreation).

The organs of actions (karmendriyas) perform with instructions from mind after gaining knowledge from jnanendriyas. Again as jnanendriyas these are subtle, not the gross hands, legs, etc, seen on the gross body. Those are the external instruments used by these karmendriyas. The karmendriyas also have their functions and deities that preside over them.

Deity fire

Mrtyu - yama

Vishaya - field of action/function

Mala - impurity/waste

Ananda - procreation leading to bliss (child) and also the act itself.

Author has left the prana and other topics for later to maintain continuity in thought.

Presiding deity is called अधिष्ठान देवता. They empower and facilitate. करणम is असाधाराणम् कारणम् (unique means).

कारणशरीरम् किम्? अनिर्वाच्यानाद्यविद्यारूपं शरीरद्वयस्य कारणमात्रं सत्स्वरूपाज्ञानम् । निर्विकल्पकरूपं यदस्ति तद्कारणशरीरम् ।।

What is a causal body? That which is inexplicable, beginningless, form of ignorance, the sole cause of two bodies, ignorance of one’s own true nature, free from duality, that is the causal body.

The causal body is the subtlest of all three and pervades the other two. It is called causal by being the nature of ignorance. How long has it been existing? It is beginningless. A thing that has a beginning has a cause to be created. This casual body has no beginning implies it is uncreated. अनादि also means it has been there always (forever). How long have you been ignorant? Any ignorance will continue its existence unless and until it is given a jolt by us.

अनिर्वाच्य - inexplicable. You need to be thankful for ignorance to be this. You cannot explain it in categories of sat and asat. अविद्या has always been there, but it cannot be said it will be there forever in future. German language - ignorance? Can be gone if we learn it. It cannot be said as “I” experience all the sthula and sukshma sharira, but not the reality. I have experience of ignorance. So ignorance is not explicable as sat and asat. Ignorance is mithya. Because it is mithya it can come to an end.

In deep sleep, we experience kAraNa sharira per se. In waking state, kAraNa + sthula + sukshma sharIRa. Because there are distractions of objects in the other two states, we lose focus on kaarana shariira. Ignorance is not gone just because we know something else. 

Pratiti (experience) of the superimposed (अध्यस्त) will have a cessation (बाध) when we know the अधिष्ठान (substratum). Ignorance of rope came because of seeing snake in the place of rope. When the knowledge of rope comes, this ignorance is gone. Karana shariira comes because of ignorance of one’s own reality (satsvarupaajnAnam). Here sat also implies chit and ananda as described in Atma definition verse. 

When we are ignorant of our nature, we identify with our bodies. That's why limitations of these bodies come upon us forgetting the infinite nature of satchitananda. So we then try to pursue fleeting things to get happiness. Then I enter punya-papa leading to further embodiments. I will be associated with subtle and gross bodies. 

Nirvikapaka.. The experience of karana sharira in deep sleep is homogeneous whole with no differentiation. Vikalpa means differentiation. In deep sleep, all thoughts, memories, knowledge, everything is subsumed in it. Karana sharira is subtler than sukshma sharira.

In deep sleep, there is no nothing, it is not अभाव rupa, it is not असत्, यदस्ति - that which exists. Whenever you hear अनिर्वाच्य, it should be मिथ्या - it has experience but will suffer sublation/negation when you have knowledge of substratum.

It causes two bodies, then samsara, individuality - wrong notion of the self to be sthula, sukshma sharira. 

We are moving to avastha traya to maintain continuity of the subject. In the vastu-sangrah-vakya the order is different as it was arranged there based on lakshana.

Shariiram - that which ends/changes/perishes - shiryamaanatva shariiram

Gross body perishes with death. Expression of the subtle body changes based on the embodiment which depends on prarabdha karma. Karana shariira also continues - it is basically ajnana. When ajnana comes to an end, karana sharira comes to an end then sukshma sharira also comes to an end (videha mukti). After samadhi, the subtle body continues but with a changed expression (jivanmukta) until prarabdha continues. Sanchita karma ends before prarabdha karma ends.

A person shoots an arrow and is killed (Sancit) by another person (Samadhi), but the shot arrow continues (prarabdha). Jnani body and mind continues after samadhi, until prarabdha ends. They change moment to moment, but major change happens as final destruction after prarabdha ends. Karana shariira ends after realization.

Ajnanam is jnana virodhi. Ajnana here is not just absence of knowledge as is commonly understood. It is anirvachya - cannot be explained. In nyaya philosophy, ajnana is abhava rupa - it is simply absence of knowledge as is generally understood. Ignorance of Turkish language is absence of knowledge - so it is abhava (logical). Whereas in Vedanta - it is the meaning of the word ajnana is technical. When we talk of ajnana/karana sharira in Vedanta, yadasti, it is not just like the absence of knowledge of language, or any info, it is something more. It just not a veil, but it has a positive presence like a cloud. So ignorance here is not simply absence as in language/info, it has a capability of positive impact. Ajnana here in Vedanta, not only veils, but also projects. It is bhava rupa (presence), not abhava (absence). Vedanta thus distinguishes itself from Nyaya shastra that considers ajnana to be absence. Even though we say ajnana in Vedanta, we are referring to that entity which actually causes ajnana. You can call it karana sharira to be clear or anirvachiya - it is inexplicable. We call it ajnana in Vedanta because it comes to an end through knowledge. Just to indicate its antagonist, we use the term ajnana otherwise it is not the same ajnana as used in Nyaya or commonly understood by the word ignorance. Also we call it so because it causes ajnana .

It merely is the cause without any expression as effects. Nirvikalpam - it has no modifications.

Everyone’s thoughts are dissolved in their respective karana sharira - this dissolved thought is vasana. Even though karana shariira looks the same (or rather experience as deep sleep is same for all), they are different because the vasanas are different. Vasati iti vasana (that which resides). Vaasayati iti vasana (that which creates smell) - meaning the fragrance of your life depends on the vaasana. Even though vasanas exist in karana sharira, the experience is of no difference.

Ignorance can be destroyed by knowledge and hence karana sharira is not eternal.

अवस्था त्रयं किम्? जाग्रत्स्वप्नसुषुत्यवस्थाः ।।

What are the three states? Waking, dream, deep sleep states.

The classification earlier given in terms of three bodies or five koshas was based on functional aspects of an individual. But from another standpoint based on experience, the states of consciousness can be divided into three. These three states of human experience are now used to define what is not Atman. The same three bodies described earlier seen from an individual experience viewpoint will be seen as three states. The presentation scheme is the same here: Akanksha method and the motivation is also the same as in the gross body presentation: adhyaaropa apavaada (detailed presentation of the subject that needs to be negated). From the vastu-sangrah-vakya, Atma, the Truth, is witness to these three states and hence different from it.

जाग्रदवस्था का?

श्रोत्रादिज्ञानेद्रियैः शब्दादिविषयैश्च

ज्ञायते इति या सा जाग्रदवस्था ।

स्थूलशरीराभिमानी आत्मा विश्व इत्युच्यते ।।

What is the waking state? The state in which sense objects like sound are perceived through sense organs like ears, that is the waking state. The Self identified with the gross body is then called Visva.

In any definition, one needs to define the unique aspect of the object of definition so that it can be differentiated (व्यावर्तक लक्षणम्). The waking state in which the gross body is active and engaged. The jnanendriyas using their golaka (gross body parts) cognize their respective objects of the gross world. Only the ear of the five jnanendriyas is mentioned as an example, but all are implied (upalakshana, saying a few, but implying all). The karmendriyas using their respective body parts perform actions in the gross world in the waking state. The jiva with the waking state experiences identifies with all three bodies and hence is called vishva - that is complete identification as all three bodies are engaged. However, the gross body experience predominates in this state. Vishva - comes from root विश् - means to end up. pravishTatvaat vishvah. Without giving up the identification of the two other bodies, it identifies with the gross body.

We spend a great amount of our time in this state and almost all our thoughts, emotions, etc. get directed due to the experiences we have in this state. Our state of mind being in sorrow or joy also comes from this state. The objects and people in this state seem to be very real having an independent reality including one’s own gross body. The classifications of gender, age, beauty, etc are felt in this state. The events that happen in this state have a profound effect on us. This state seems to have some continuity whenever we arrive at it from sleep and also the laws that govern it seem to be consistent throughout the multiple waking states we go through interspersed by dream/deep sleep states. Therefore, we giving more importance to this state, and we are dismissive of dream state where the experiences there are seen as our own imagination.

Differentiating factor of waking state is perception of external objects. 

स्वप्नावस्था केति चेत् । जाग्रदवस्थायां यद् दृष्टं यत् श्रुतं तज्जनितवासनया निद्रासमये यः प्रपञ्चः प्रतीयते सा स्वप्नवस्था। सूक्ष्मशरीराभिमानी आत्मा तैजस इत्युच्यते।।

In case what is the dream state (is asked). The world that is projected in sleep from the experiences of what is heard and seen in the waking state is a dream state. The Self identified with the subtle body is Taijasa.

The dream state is experienced to be as real as the waking state during its own experience. Here only seen and heard are mentioned as they take primary position in our cognition because they make a bigger impact on us. But just a the upalakshana in waking state where only the ear was mentioned, all jnanendriyas are implied here. (Bhadram karnebhih ...Oh Lord may we see and hear auspicious things).

The dream world in dream is considered from the impressions that one has gathered in waking state. Tatjanitavaasanayaa - born from what we have seen and heard, तत् refers to experience. वासन (संस्कार, a synonym, both are same) means impressions. They don’t have any connotations of negative or good. You need to use: Shubhavasana/ashubhavasana; shuddha/ashuddha samskara. Samskara can also mean a purification process (shoDasha samskara). Every action/thought creates an impression, but here only strong impressions are implied - that which can create the dream world. A strong samskara is one that leaves a memory. So whatever one has one taken to the heart, is being implied here. Whatever is experienced in the waking state with greed, anger, fear, lust, etc, leaves a lasting memory as their vasanas are strong.

Nidrasamaye - when you are sleeping, when your control over your mind is not there, i.e., when your intellect to discriminate and the will to govern and control that keeps censoring inwardly are both gone to rest, and sense organs also are asleep, that world (prapancha) is an eruption of all impressions you have gained. In the waking state, the will directed by intellect governs the thoughts and actions. In the absence of these governing factors, an apparent world (prateeyate) is projected (not created by Ishvara). It is a jumbling of all that is experienced in the waking state - a mix of elephant and mouse can be seen in dream. The whole world in dream is an experience of the eruption of the samskaras.

Waking state experiences create a mental world in sleep. Prateeti is only a projection - so prateeyate here. This is called a dream state.

Your intellect, will and self-effort has ceased, so you are not held responsible for actions/words/thoughts for the dream state - no punya and paapa. It is a pressure valve that releases. 

दृढभावना (strong emotional connection) त्यक्त-पूर्व-अपर- (without thinking of before and after effects), यद् आदानं पदार्थस्य (when you hold on to that object) - this is वासन. This is the unexpected desire that comes in as a strong current. Definition from Yoga Vashishta. Dream is a projection of mind due to expression of the vasanas gained from the experience of waking state. Cause of the dream is vasanas. We gained these vasanas in the waking experiences from various lifetimes - they will be expressed sometime.

Sukshmashaririabhimani ...it is not buddhi or  …the individual self identified with this sukshma (along with karana sharira) becomes a dreamer called taijasa. Your mind is set on fire so to speak. When vasanas are there, which are inert by themselves, are illuminated by our consciousness, then the whole world is perceived. You can take this as a kaleidoscope where the pieces of arrangement are seen only when light is projected. Perceiver, perceived and the perception are all in the mind here - all of these get energized by the Self. The consciousness that is our nature falls on those vasnas which has got that life to sprout. Not all vasanas will sprout. The strength of the experiences will give the strength to vasana.

Daydreaming is also the same - it is in a waking state. You cannot say you are not responsible for this. So papa and punya apply here.

Taijasa means lit up.

अथ सुषुप्त्यवस्था का? अहं किमपि न जानामि सुखेन मया निद्राऽनुभूयत इति सुषुप्त्यवस्था। कारणशरीराभिमानी आत्मा प्राज्ञ इत्युचते।

Then what is the deep sleep state? The state in which one has “I did not know anything, a happy sleep was experienced by me.” is a deep sleep state. The Self identified with the causal body is prajna.

What is sushupti? It is that state which has “I do not know anything” (no perception of physical world or the mental world). You see, hear nothing, no emotions or thoughts either. You are ignorant. You are sleeping with utter happiness - this is deep sleep. This state has no sorrow - so you may call it happiness. So deep sleep has 3 features:

1. Ignorance

2. Happiness

3. Experience of sleep

supti - means sleep. sushupti - means deep sleep. (su+supti). This state may not occur only at night.

When we see a cow: we see a big, fat, black cow - all these different experiences become a compound experience.  In the same way, all the experiences of ignorance, happiness and sleep are experienced in deep sleep. It is just that you don’t have the mind and indriyas to express at that moment. You can remember or recall that you had deep sleep - so that implies it was experienced. Anubhava leads to a samskara that leads to a smrti. You cannot have a memory without anubhava. Remembrance is in the waking state, anubhava is in deep sleep. Anubhava of waking state is expressed as a dream in a dream state. The one who experienced the deep sleep will have the memory. Deep sleeper of the deep sleep is called prajna. Prakarshena (supremely) ajnaH (ignorant) iti - prAjanah. Also called Praayena (mostly) ajnah (ignorant). He is mostly ignorant because he has knowledge of ignorance, happiness and deep sleep - this has become one compound experience. The word he and she is not applicable. It is confined only to the two other states. 

Identifying with each sharira, experiences each state.

Asaadharanam - although identification with three sharira are in waking state, it is still called identification with gross body as it is unique here. This individual is vishva who identifies with it. Vishva means complete, so implies complete identification.

Dream state - identification with a subtle body. Although karana sharira is also identified with. But the subtle body is a unique identification here (asadharanam) so that's why it is used for the definition. Taijasa is the experiencer. It is called so, because it is associated with a mind that is energized. The energy is supplied by consciousness. It is always falling on it, but it is experienced due to vasanas. These vasanas are created by experience from the waking state. A projected mental world is experienced in a dream state.

Deep sleep state - identification with karana sharira. You have a compound knowledge of three cognitions: ignorance (of Self, gross and subtle worlds), happiness, sleep. Deep sleep is complete ignorance. In the other two states, you are aware of waking and dream worlds. There is bliss of ignorance. Happiness comes when the mind becomes quiet and it comes from our true nature. In deep sleep, we are almost touching our true nature. The last facet is utter cessation of mind, senses and body. Remembering them implies it is proof of experience and we experience all the three facets together (complex cognition). It is not cognition thru agency of mind and thought. How is this memory facilitated? Karana sharira is the agency through which this presentation of cognition happens. This karana sharira is ignorance. In both other states, the mind is the agency to cognize.

Antahkarana parinamo vrtti... - vrtti: Mind modified to present knowledge. ghaTakara vrrrti - mind taken the form of a pot, paTaakara vrtti - mind taken the form of a cloth. It is not bahishkarana. Vrtti is modification of mental stuff. In deep sleep, since the mind is not there, it is karana sharira. It is avidya/ajnana - vrtti is of ajnana/avidya/karana sharira. Commonly this is called ajnana/avidya vrtti. This karana sharira takes this knowledge through this vrtti - the knowledge that “I did not know anything. I enjoyed a good sleep”.

In vedanta the purpose is always to understand the Self. All this description about sharira, avastha, etc. is only for negation - adhyaropa apavaada. As much as is required to progress, so much you need to put attention on these aspects. Vedanta presents as many details as you seek/need to convince your intellect, not more. The more elaborate the text, the more unnecessary discussion as it is not directly dealing with Self. More detailed is for manda adhikari, medium for madhyama adhikari and direct is uttama adhikari. Analysis is deep but keep the purpose in mind (Self-realization).

In each state, the respective bodies are experiences - but you are the witness of all these states. In a deep sleep state, you may appear to be prajna, but you are the witness to this. Same for the other two states. Principle of consciousness is you are. Every statement ..sthula-sukshma ...is pointed finger. So also avastha-traya sakshi ...it means the three states and the experiencer you are not, you are witness to these. 

Vedantic methodology describes in great detail but also mentions that it is not the end of it as the purpose of gaining higher is also kept in focus always. So it gives you knowledge, but also shows limitations of it. Understand and go beyond.

पञ्चकोशाः के?

अन्नमयः प्राणमयः मनोमयः विज्ञानमय: आनदमयश्चेति।।

What are the five sheaths? The five sheaths are: food, vital airs, mental, intellectual and bliss.

The bodies are from one standpoint (from bhuta) of classification based on functions and here it is another standpoint for the same classification based on functions.

What is kosha? A kosha is a sheath/covering. koshavat …

In sheath, when something is hidden, it is unseen. Kosha is a veil, it covers and we cannot see the Self. The sheath covers it because it took my attention away from the Self. The attention is gone because we got identified with it. That's why the koshas are said to be hiding the Self. and they are named as such. 

The word “maya” means modifications or one can say endowed with. मय means विकार.

अन्नमयः कः?

अन्नरसेनैव भूत्वा अन्नरसेनैव वृद्धिं प्राप्य अन्नरूपपृथिव्यां यद्वलीयते तदन्नमयः कोशः स्थूलशरीरम् ।।

What is food sheath? That which is born from the essence of the food, grows by the essence of the food, and merges into earth which is the nature of food, is called the food sheath or gross body.

The sheath denotes the gross body which is simply a modification of food - it comes from its rasa (essence). Whatever is eaten has become this body after being processed by it. It is in fact created by food as the genetic material that parents contribute towards its creation is from food. And finally when the body dies, it becomes a part of earth as food for various organisms including humans who eat plants (or animals that eat these plants) that get nourished by the nutrients from this body.

प्राणमयः कः?

प्राणाद्याः पञ्चवायवः वागादीन्द्रियपञ्चकं प्राणमयः कोशः ।।

What is the vital air sheath? It is the five functions of prana and organs of action such as speech etc.

This sheath is subtler and more pervasive than the annamaya sheath. It is a conglomeration of action oriented facets of ours. It is endowed with Kriyashakti the power to perform actions. The five pranas and the five karmendriyas from vak, etc. make it as pranamaya kosha. What is a prana? The vital modifications of air (not the gross one) that perform physiological function in our body are called pranas. 

आन is common for all the five names - अन् means to breathe or move, representing the action aspect. Prefix, प्र gets added to make it प्राण.

These five govern the physiological processes of the body.

• Prana: breathing - inhalation and exhalation

• Apana: excretion process not just from anus, but also every cell in the body.

• Vyana: circulation of blood, lymph, etc, to every cell in the body - so basically it is food intake of the cells.

• Udana: reverse functions or processes like vomiting, burping, tears, sneezing, etc. that help the body to keep itself clean and protected. Also the emergence of continuous thoughts in the mind is due to this prana. This prana also provides energy for transmigration to the subtle body.

• SamAna: The prana controls the digestion and assimilation of food (samiikaraNa).

These pranas are known to affect the state of mind and hence the control of these called pranayama is emphasized in Yoga shastras. As they are modifications of the air we take in, they are called panchavayu. All these five are Brahman itself.

This kosha also includes the five karmendriyas - the organs of action.

So pranamaya kosha deals with the action aspect of the body and is endowed with kriya shakti - the power to perform actions both the internal physiological actions and the urge to do actions by the organs of action that direct the outer gross body from within.

मनोमयः कः?

मनश्च ज्ञानेन्द्रियपञ्चकं मिलित्वा यो भवति सः मनोमयः कोशः।।

What is the mental sheath? The mind and the five organs of perception together is the mental sheath.

This sheath is more subtle than the previous two sheaths and it is more pervasive than them. This sheath denotes the mind that is the seat of emotions like anger, jealousy, love, compassion, etc. It is in a state of volition always (the will to do actions). The mind perceives the objects of the world through the organs of perception. And this perception is recognized by the intellect that belongs to the next sheath. The mind also directs the organs of action belonging to the earlier sheath based on the instructions it receives from the intellect of the next sheath.

Since the desires arise in mind through vasanas that belong to anandamaya sheath, this sheath is endowed with इच्छा शक्ति - the power to desire and will.

This sheath also includes chitta - one of the four aspects of antahkarana that stores memory. The intellect uses this for recognition and also the chitta gets updates with the new info brought in by organs of perception followed by the intellectual analysis so that it can use it for the future.

विज्ञानमयः कः?

बुद्धिर्ज्ञानेन्द्रियपञ्चकं मिलित्वा यो भवति सः विज्ञानमयः कोशः।।

What is intellectual sheath? The intellect and the five organs of perception together is the intellectual sheath.

This sheath is more subtle and more pervasive than the previous three sheaths. It is endowed with Jnana shakti - the power that can bring knowledge. The intellect along with organs of perception constitute this sheath. The determining faculty of intellect does the functioning of recognition, understanding and decision of what to do based on the signals received from the organs of perception. It then drives the mind of the earlier kosha which in turn drives the organs of action of the earlier kosha to act accordingly.

This sheath also includes another aspect of antahkarana - the ahamkara, the sense of individuality as a separate entity. The identification of oneself with another entity like body or mind happens in this sheath due to ignorance of our true nature (that belongs to the next sheath).

Buddhi+jnanendriyas

Ashanaya vipaashe - hunger and thirst - pranamaya identification

The middle three koshas are sukshma shariira.

आनन्दमयः कः?

एवमेव कारणशरीरभूताविद्यास्थमलिनसत्त्वं प्रियादिवृत्तिसहितं सत् आनन्दमयः कोशः। एतत् कोशपञ्चकम् ।।

What is anandamaya? In this manner, established in ignorance in the form of the causal body of impure nature united with moods of priya, etc. is the bliss sheath. These are the five sheaths.

Evameva - In this manner 

The subtlest and the most pervasive sheath is the bliss sheath. Being ignorant of the world of objects and also ignorant of the true nature of Self, it is bliss. It is the causal body that gives rise to the other bodies. While identification with the causal body alone has become avidya, it is sullied/defiled knowledge. Sullied because it is overpowered by the bliss of ignorance due to tamas. That experience of ignorance we have due to identification with karana sharira giving rise to the bliss of deep sleep along with the happiness in waking state in experiencing the desired objects is called anandamaya kosha.

The bliss comes from the Self and the karana sharira being the closest to Self devoid of any distractions that are seen in other koshas, has the experience of the most bliss. This bliss is experienced in deep sleep. There is a degree of this bliss of the Self felt in other koshas also. A mind calm and pure also reflects the bliss of this Self more than when it is agitated or dull. This bliss can be felt in dreams also. In waking state also with all other koshas active, one experiences this bliss in the form of priya, moda and pramoda when in contact with desirable objects.

1. Ishta-vastu darshana (or sravana) janyam (born from that) sukham priyah. The happiness that arises from perceiving the object that I like.

2. Ishta-vastu praaptijanyam (born from that) sukham modah. The happiness that arises from possessing the object that I like.

3. Ishta-vastu anubhavajanyam (born from that) sukham pramodah. The happiness that arises from experiencing the object that I like.

The object has no intrinsic happiness in it, neither the thought of getting it, or having it, or enjoying it. If the object had intrinsic happiness, then more of the object must give greater happiness which is not the case as we see that having a lot more cake does not give a lore more happiness. This bliss from objects is felt as a vRtti - a state of modification of mind (parinaama of antahkarana), different from the one experienced in deep sleep that is beyond vRtti. Nevertheless the source of the bliss is the same for both, the Self.

Since your true nature of happiness is being veiled by this anadamaya - it is called kosha.

The five koshas are as follows:

• Annamaya - Physical

• Pranamaya - Physiological + action

• Manomaya - Emotional+faculties for which knowledge is required

• Vijnanamaya - Knowledge+faculties associated with it

• Anandamaya - Happiness aspect due to deep sleep, dreams and waking state.

All these are five sheaths that veil our true nature.

First prana is called mukhya prana as it is essential.

True bliss comes from the Self while the vrtti is from Anandamaya kosha. Tamasa preponderance bliss (malina sattvam). Ananda AkAra vrtti - modification of karana sharira. IT is avidya vRtti. Anandamaya vRttis from waking/dream states appears as priya vRtti (followed by moda and pramoda vRttis). These are very subtle vRttis.

मदीयं शरीरं मदीयाः प्राणाः मदीयं मनश्च मदीया बुद्धिर्मदीयं अज्ञानमिति स्वेनैव ज्ञायते । तद्यथा मदीयत्वेन ज्ञातं कटककुण्डल-गृहादिकं स्वस्माद्भिन्नं तथा पञ्चकोशादिकं स्वस्माद्भिन्नं। मदीयत्वेन ज्ञातमात्मा न भवति।।

My body, my life, my mind, my intellect, my ignorance are known by oneself. Just as one knows the ear-rings, bangles, house, etc. to be ‘mine’ and different from oneself so also one knows the five sheaths etc. to be mine and different form one self. That which is known as mine cannot be the Self.

What is experienced as an object, cannot be the subject. Since we experience the kohsas as mine, how can we be that? Since we experience them as mine, we own them. How can the owner and the owned be one? However these objects may add to our importance, self-image, etc., they are different.

Tests for something not to be a subject:

What I perceive, what I take as mine, what I can be without - is all not me.

Panchakoshadi implies pancha kosha, traya sharira and traya avastha. I am not vishva, taijasa and prajna also along with the three avasthas because these are also experienced. You can recall waker-hood, dreamer-hood and the state of deep sleep and since you can recall them, you have experienced them, and so you are not in those three states.

Madiyatvena jnatam atma na bhavati - is the central message.

आत्मा तर्हि कः? सच्चिदानन्दस्वरूपः। 

What is Atma then? It is of nature Existence-Consciousness-Bliss.

Difference between guna and svarupa. Guna or dharma is a property that needs a substratum to exist. For example, a fragrant flower, the fragrance is in the flower. Guna needs to have a gunin (substratum). Dharma needs to have a dharmin. Property is extraneous to the substance. They are different from each other although property resides in the substance. The guna or property is therefore subject to change. 

Sat-chit-ananda are not properties/gunas, they are the substance itself. Existence is not in Atman, existence is the Atman. Consciousness is the Self, Ananda is the Self. We are calling these as svarupa, but not svaguna/svadharma. Sat is the same Chit seen in a different way, and so also Ananda. They are not separate three, they are not three in one, neither combination of these three. Sat itself is Chit, Chit itself is Ananda, Ananda itself is Sat. One cannot be different from another. Sachhidananda is our core and true nature.

Madiyatvena ….- two things. It is known and cannot be me. What is mine cannot be me. dvibaddham, subaddham - twice said to make it stronger.

As a waker i am aware of the waking world

Dream of the dream world

And deep sleep, aware of the deep sleep.

Ego + external objects - both are known. I not only know you, but also the individual knowing you. Vishva + co-relate to the waking world, Taijasa+ correlated to the dream world, Deep sleep+ cognisance of ignorance - all these are cognized and so are not the Self. They are also seen as mine - so they are not the Self.

Not only the object is denied, the knower is also denied. It looks like we are not everything.

सत् किम्? कालत्रयेऽपि तिष्ठति सत्।। 

What is Existence? That which remains unchanged in all the three periods of time.

It exists in the past, present and future. Exists without changes (six modifications).

kAlatraye nirvikArayaa tiShThati - Time has no impact on this.

Is there a possibility? Mirage has no effect on desert sand, snake on the rope, water of ocean due to waves - substratum is not affected by what is seen as superimpositon on it. Self is the substratum for time. it remains untouched by vagaries of time. So it is eternal nitya - it implies it is not just the same in past, present and future, but it is beyond time.

You were the same in the morning, evening and night. Same childhood, adult and old age - The “I am” in me is always the same always, what we put on “I am” changes. Holds for past and future lives also. There is no difference between two entities in their true nature. Advaita - non-dual. This is the greatest knowledge. It is great because it is true, not just because it unifies. 

You cannot be cut, you cannot be wet ...etc from Gita. What you put on yourself can be cut, but not you.

चित् किम्? ज्ञानस्वरूपः।। 

What is Consciousness? It is of the nature of knowledge (self-awareness)

This “I am” is self-aware (thoughtless, actionless, etc,). This self-awareness of “amness” is its nature. This “I am” did you assert using any other means like light or eye, etc.? No. This “I am” has inherent knowledge of itself. Therefore it is jnanasvaruupaH. Its nature is self-effulgent.

Knowledge of the pot requires: existence of the pot, exercise of the mind, the individual to be available to connect the mind with the pot - jnaata must connect with jneya through the instrument of the mind to have the knowledge of pot. This mind is powered by the Self itself and hence the Self is the illuminator of all. Cat comes in place of it. Then knowledge of cat comes. So jnana keeps changing - the jnaata may also change (thinker, hearer, taster, etc.) - but the awareness of knowing does not change with individual or object. Changeless principle of awareness is amness which is Chit.

आनन्दः कः? सुखस्वरूपः ।।

What is Bliss? It is of the nature of absolute happiness.

Here the bliss is talked about the one with no conditioning - it is pure bliss that has no other source and it is our true nature itself. The joy one gets from sense objects is also from this very nature of ours  - there is no source of joy outside. How is this pure joy our true nature?

We love whatever gives us joy. Of all, what do we love most? We love ourselves the most - in other words, our true nature. Brhadaranyaka Upanishad says, “All are loved for one’s own sake”. I love my family, my job, my country, everything else, because they are “mine” - so the most important and common connection with them is “I”. Therefore, we love ourselves the most and only because its true nature is bliss.

There is always sorrow in finitude. Any finite object that invokes joy in us cannot give everlasting happiness. So by its very nature of finitude, it inflicts sorrow:

1. When the object itself is lost due to its destruction or unavailability.

2. The person’s liking for it gets reduced but the habit of enjoying it is not.

3. The object itself can give only limited happiness - more of the experience of the object in fact turns painful.

The pure bliss of our true nature is because it is pure consciousness, fullness itself with no finitude in it. Hence this bliss is also immeasurable - in the shrutis this bliss is compared with sense object experience to be shown it is incomparable. Because the quality and the process of this joy is different from what is obtained from experience with the sense objects.

एवं सच्चिदानन्दस्वरूपं स्वात्मानं विजानीयात् ।।

Thus one should know oneself to be of the nature of Existence-Consciousness-Bliss.

Vastu sangrah is complete by having elaborated upon (sthula, kosha, sakshi, svarupa). 

Vijaaniyaat - visheshena jaaniyaat (ought to know) so it should be taken as knowing yourself.

As long as Vedanta is seen as philosophy it is not correct. See it as a means of knowledge. We need to reflect on this so that it becomes our direct experience. Jnana - intellectual, vijnana - direct experience.

Tadanyat - all that has been denied is being looked into - how did they come back?

Vedanta has fulfilled the statement by now. But we need more clarity. And more clarity needs more purity - sadhanachatushtayam.

Recognize yourself to be this Self and not anything else because whatever is recognized as mine cannot be the Self.

Body or waker is an experience - so it is not the Self/experiencer/knower/illuminator/witness/subject.

Everything can be negated by this simple understanding. What cannot be negated is “amness” which is satchitanananda.

This amness is core to you and is not known to you as an object. It is the same in waker, dreamer, deep-sleep state. That amness is inherently is self-aware, it is chit svarupa (Consciousness). There is fullness, non-dependency, perfection, utter ease, and so it is sukha swaroopa.

This experience cannot be denied, but it cannot be described either by words or thoughts. You cannot objectify it. aheyam (cannot be held) anupaadi (cannot be thrown away) Sankara uses in commentary often.

The false entities that are associated with oneself/jiva - three sharira has been denied. But the world remains and so is the creator/ishvara. World needs to be analyzed. This individual and his/her world is microcosm (pindanda). Individual true nature is Self - sachcidananda. PinDaanDa has three sharira. Topics remaining:

Origination and creation of Elements that create the subtle and gross body

Macrocosm (BrahmaanDa/world) needs to be discovered and analyzed.

Unknown entity God

अथ चतुर्विंशतितत्त्वोत्पत्तिप्रकारं वक्ष्यामः।।

अथ = now, चतुर्विंशति = twenty-four, तत्त्वोत्पत्तिप्रकारं = the method of creation of principles, वक्ष्यामः = we shall expound

Now we shall explain the method of creation of 24 principles.

Atha denotes the conclusion of a substantial topic preceding it. 

Mana includes chitta, buddhi includes ahamkara.

Chitta is like memory, fluid like, so it is mind

Buddhi is firm, so is ahamkara (doership/enjoyership).

Sankhya school refers to anything other than Self as 24. Self is called Purusha. These 24 are called Prakriti. From Prakriti comes ahamkara and then other principles.

It is an idiomatic expression in philosophy to refer to everything other than the Self. Vedanta accepts the srshti prakriya of the Sankhya school. They accept the methods of reasoning of nyaya school. Accept the methods of mind mastery and analysis of mind of yoga school. Nyaya and Vaiseshika are combined later just as Sankhya and Yoga. This way Vedanta appreciates other schools terminologies and methods too.

Chaturvis..upatti is srshti (Creation). Prakaara - method. Remember all this is adhyaaropa (deliberate detailed presentation) for apavaada (negation). In order apavaada to be done smoothly, adhyaropa is done. It gives us all the tools and methods so that we can comfortably negate it. Speed of apavaada depends on the clarity of adhyaropa. Apavaada gives you the final knowledge of aham brahmasmi. The students have to get comfort first in adhyaropa prakriya to do apavaada well.

Even though we have denied the bodies, we still hold them as true. We need to show them as mithya (vastu sangrah vakya: atma satyam ..mithya). This theory of creation in Vedanta adhyaropa gives the justification to show that this is mithya. So the entire theory of creation in Vedanta is presented to understand that creation is mithya.

Srshti of everything that is not the Self - they are 24.

ब्रह्माश्र्या सत्वरजस्तमोगुणात्मिका माया अस्ति ।।

ब्रह्माश्र्या = depending on Brahman, सत्वरजस्तमोगुणात्मिका माया अस्ति ।।

Maya is of the nature of sattva, rajas and tamas depending on Brahman.

Maya is anirvachaniiya, it is not sat/asat. Maya has a sense of magic like a mayavi. Magic is something surprising, mind boggling, enthralling, but we know it is an appearance. Maya is beyond our comprehension, but it is an appearance.

या मा सा माया - that which is not there, that is माया.

Maya asti - in a certain manner, it exists. It has a relative existence. It is an apparent existence with no independent existence. 

ब्रह्माश्रया - its existence is dependent on Brahman. In Vedanta, anything true should have an independent existence. The truthness of it is being denied by saying it has no independent existence. That which has independent existence is sat. That which has no independent existence, but exists - its existence is questionable, it is apparent. These are mithya - experienced but have no independent existence. Maya has Brahman as substratum. 

Like a snake seen on the rope as substratum. Atman is referred to as the truth of the microcosm/individual. सच्चिदानन्द ब्रह्म is referred to as the truth of macrocosm/world is referred to as Brahman. When we refer to the water of the wave, we call it Atman, but when we refer to the water of the ocean, we call that same water as Brahman. Both are water after all. Wave is also falsified, ocean is also falsified, water is the only truth. Microcosm is also सच्चिदानन्द and macrocosm is also सच्चिदानन्द  - therefore सच्चिदानन्द  alone exists. सच्चिदानन्द as substratum of  microcosm is the substratum of macrocosm.

Brhadvaat brhaman (it is big, it is the substratum of the whole large world). It is unlimited by time, space and causation. Equivalence:

Atman - karana sharira (Avidya/ajnana), Brahman - maya (Avidya/ajnana).

vyaShTi - microcosm, pindanda - realm of the individual.

samaShTi - macrocosm, brahmanda - realm of the universe

These subtle elements cannot be explained at the microcosm level and so the creation process of macrocosm is explained. 24 principles/evolutes from Sankhya that Vedanta accepts. 

Sankhya:

Prakriti->Mahat->Ahamkara with 3 facets of Sattva,rajas,tamas>5 jnanendriyas from sattva, 5 karmendriyas from rajas-> manas, 5 subtle elements from tamas->5 gross elements.

We shall now explain the creation of the totality - it is of 24 principles/evolutes. Inert cannot function themselves and it needs support of a sentient factor. Sentient factor with respect to microcosm is called Atman while with macrocosm is Brahman.

Water is real, the ocean and waves are apparent. From the standpoint of water, the ocean and waves do not exist. Ocean and wave complement each other, but their existence is dependent on water that has independent existence.

In order to explain creation which is inert, the sentient factor is being mentioned. Brhatvaad brahma. Unlimited (aparichinna) by time (nitya), space (sarvavayapi) and causation. Sarvagata - present in every object. To differentiate from Atman - you will say Brahman is sarvavayapi, sarvagat, nitya. Once we realize Atman is the same as Brahman, then you can say the same about it too. Brahman is सच्चिदानन्द. It cannot be said to be active or inactive. We need an intermediate enabler to have creation. When we talk of creation, we need Brahman with a capacity for creation. The same person when put on the attire of an officer is called with a new name but with a specific functional role.

This Brahman is called ishvara - ishana (to govern/ordain) sheelatvaat (ability). The power is to create, sustain and destroy is Ishvara. Brahman is pure सच्चिदानन्द, but we need to talk about it with respect to the world with a functionality to create, sustain and destroy. That is called Ishvara - it is shakti, so Brahman+Shakti = Ishvara.

World has 3 facets - inertness, activeness, knowledge (see/understand, etc.) - happiness also is in this. Power of the Brahman has inherent capacity to produce these three facets. So by understanding the world, we are able to have a certain comprehension of the power of Brahman associated with creation. Facet of Shakti associated with inertness is Tamas, with dynamism is rajas, with knowledge is sattva.

Brahman+Shakti=Ishvara. Shakti=Sattva+Rajas+Tamas.

Your understanding of creation posits these three aspects of shakti. 

We understood its composition. What is its ontological status? Ontology is a term used to describe the reality status of the entity. Let us look at Shakti from three standpoints:

• Brahman standpoint: It does not exist.

• Its own standpoint - jnanis have seen that maya ends when realization happens. They declare that at knowledge, Brahman alone is, so shakti also ceases. It is available for transactional purposes - so it is experienced, but can end - mithya. Anirvacaniya - it is not sat or asat. Because it is mithya, in the final analysis from the ultimate standpoint (paaramaarthika) it is not true. It therefore appears to be there.

• World standpoint - creator, power to create, shakti is the cause for create/sustain/destroy.

Something that is ultimately not there, but appears to be there, and creates this world (like magic), so shakti is called technically mayashakti, in short maya. Karana sharira is called avidya/ajnana technically because that's what we experience there. 

Maya is an appearance, then what is its substratum. What is the substratum for Shakti? It is Brahman alone. That's why we say Brahmashraya. Shakti self-hood is composed of 3 facets: Sattva, Rajas, Tamas - aatmika (composed of). 

Etymologically (ya ma) and usage wise - maya is appropriate. Advaitins are called Mayavadins derogatorily, but they call themselves brahmavadins. We stand for Brahman, the independent existence, not maya.

Ajnana has karana sharira at the microcosm, but is not at the macrocosm (Ishvara). The samashti of ajnana is called Shakti with power to create/sustain/dissolve. This power of shakti:

veils the individual (avarana) and projects the world (vikshepa).

Creation now begins.

तत आकाशः संभूतः। आकाशाद् वायुः । वायोस्तेजः । तेजसः आपः । अद्भ्यः पृथिवी ।।

तत = from that, आकाशः = space, संभूतः= was born, आकाशाद् = from space, वायुः = air, वायोः = from air, तेजः = fire, तेजसः = from fire, आपः = water, अद्भ्यः = from water, पृथिवी = earth

From Maya, space was formed. From space, air. From air, fire. From fire, water. From water, earth.

Subtle to gross.

Maya has sattva/rajas/tamas - so all the five elements have these aspects as all arise from it. 

The plus is for conceptualization. Brahman+Maya = Ishvara

Ishvara has the potency to manifest and create, has maya aspect and sentient (chetana/Brahman) aspect. The Maya aspect becomes the upadana karana. In the context of creation, say a pot, clay is the upadana karana, the potter is an efficient cause (nimitta karana). The efficient cause needs to be a sentient one - the planning aspect or the thinking aspect, the one that makes it possible, which cogently enables the creation. Maya cannot do anything by itself, it is predominantly the material cause. The Chaitanya aspect is the predominantly nimitta karana.

In the creation of the pot, clay-potter are two separate entities that act as causes. Pot is not the potter also. However, in the creation of this world, both the causes come together. Ishvara fashions himself to create the world. Where is Ishvara? Everywhere. So in creation, you not only see the creative power, you also see the creator Himself.

The subtle elements of creation are described here. First manifestation of ishvara is akasha (space). Avakasha daatru aakaasha - that which gives an opportunity for space. Before akaasha, there was no space - that means no objects. The creation of aakasha gives scope for creation. The property of aakasha is sound. The medium can be anything, but the potency to hold the medium is in space. Since akash has come from Maya, it will have the three gunas. Akasha has substratum as Brahman (Existence).

From akasha, vayu evolves. The property of vayu is sparsha. Since vayu came from akasha, it will also have the property of sound in addition to touch along with the three gunas.

From vayu, teja evolves whose property is ruupa (shape+color). Its property includes: sparsha, shabda. And so on.

Every element has its own property and the ones preceding it. sattva rajas tamas are common gunas for all (svakaaranaguna). For fire, example:

svavisheshaguna - rupa

svakaaraNaguna - sparsha, shabda

From fire, water evolves from which earth evolves.

Thus the five elements evolve - these are called tanmatras (“that alone”) or sukshmabhuta. In tanmatras, these elements are uncombined. In akasha, it is akasha alone. Panchikarana, which mixes them, has not happened at this stage. These subtle elements cannot be perceived by gross organs - so they are not the usual water, earth, etc. that we perceive.

These elements are at the brahmanDa level - the jnanendriya creation here is not of one specific individual. It is of all beings all over the universe including Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, devatas, humans, animals, etc. It is of samashTi. 

एतेषां पञ्चतत्त्वानां मध्ये आकाशस्य सात्विकांशात् श्रोत्रेन्द्रियं सम्भूतम् । वायोः सात्विकांशात् त्वगिन्द्रियं सम्भूतम् । अग्नेः  सात्विकांशात् चक्षुरिन्द्रियं सम्भूतम्म् । जलस्य सात्विकांशात्  रसनेन्द्रियं सम्भूतम् । पृथिव्या सात्विकांशात् घ्राणेन्द्रियं सम्भूतम् ।।

एतेषां = of these, पञ्चतत्त्वानां = the 5 great elements, मध्ये आकाशस्य = of space, सात्विकांशात् = the sattva aspect, श्रोत्रेन्द्रियं = the sense organ of hearing, सम्भूतम् = was formed, वायोः = of air, त्वगिन्द्रियं = the sense organ of touch, अग्नेः = of fire, चक्षुरिन्द्रियं = the sense organ of sight, जलस्य = of water, रसनेन्द्रियं = the sense organ of taste, पृथिव्या = of the earth, घ्राणेन्द्रियं = the sense organ of smell.

Of these five great elements, from the sattvika-aspect of space, the hearing sense organ was formed. From the sattvika-aspect of air, the touching sense organ was formed. From the sattvika-aspect of fire, the organ of sight was formed. From the sattvika-aspect of water, the organ of taste was formed and from the sattvika-aspect of earth the organ of smell was formed. 

Evolution of cosmic jnanendriyas (ब्रह्माण्ड) from subtle elements. Each element will have the three gunas. Jnana is associated with sattva (jnanendriyas), karma with rajas (karmendriya) and जड with tamas (inert world).

Among the five elements, from the akasha’s saatvika aspect, the faculty of listening has evolved and so on.

The mapping from the property of the subtle element’s sattvika and the corresponding individual’s jnanendriya that it cognates is done. We not only appropriate these jnanendriyas but also claim it to be myself - very foolishly.

एतेषां पञ्चतत्त्वानां समष्टिसात्त्विकांशात् मनोबुद्ध्यहंकारचित्तान्तःकरणानि संभूतानि । संकल्पविकल्पात्मकं मनः। निश्चयात्मिका बुद्धिः। अहंकर्ता अहंकारः । चिन्तनकर्तृ चित्तम् । मनसो देवता चन्द्रमाः । बुद्धेः ब्रह्मा । अहंकारस्य रुद्रः। चित्तस्य वासुदेवः ।।

एतेषां = of these, पञ्चतत्त्वानां = of the five great elements, समष्टिसात्त्विकांशात् = the collective sattva, मनोबुद्ध्यहंकारचित्तान्तःकरणानि = the inner instruments of manas, buddhi, chitta and ahankaara, संभूतानि = were formed, संकल्पविकल्पात्मकं = nature of vacillation and resolution, मनः= manas, निश्चयात्मिका = nature of decisiveness, बुद्धिः= intellect, अहंकर्ता = I am the doer, अहंकारः = ahankara, चिन्तनकर्तृ = thoughts, चित्तम् = chitta, मनसो = of manas, देवता = presiding deity, चन्द्रमाः = moon, बुद्धेः = of buddhi, ब्रह्मा = Brahma, अहंकारस्य = of ahankara, रुद्रः = Rudra, चित्तस्य = of chitta, वासुदेवः = Vasudeva

From the sattvika-aspect of all great elements, the manas, buddhi, chitta and ahamkara as the inner instrument formed. Manas is the nature of vacillation and resolution. Buddhi is the thought that determines. Ahamkara is the notion that I am the doer. Chitta is the nature of recollection. The deity for manas is the moon. For buddhi, Brahma. For ahamkara, Rudra. For chitta, Vasudeva. 

Put all the satvika aspects of all great elements together, the inner faculty of antahkarana  - mana, buddhi, chitta, ahamkaara - comes that deals with the indriyas. The 10 organs of perception and action are called bahirkarana as they deal with objects of the world. The word bahih implies the objects being outside the gross body although the indriya itself belongs to the subtle body. The antah-karana is the inner instrument that deals with objects internally as thoughts, emotions, etc. It receives information from organs of perception, processes it and then passes commands to organs of action to respond accordingly. It is the seat of knowledge and hence it is made of the sattvika aspect of the great elements.

Antahkarana - - the inner faculty of knowledge from samashti - with the predominant fire aspect (to be explained later).

Mind: Thoughts (vrtti) of indecisiveness and firm resolution constitute manas. It also constitutes emotions too. The mind receives the information from organs of perception and generates thoughts about them. The intellect will need to guide the mind to arrive at a decision by guiding these thoughts in a proper direction. Without the intellect, the mind is always in a state of indecisiveness with thoughts vacillating always. That's why intellect plays a very important role in quieting the mind by making a quick decision. Once the decision is made, the mind then directs the organs of action to act accordingly. The feeling component of a personality is also the mind and it plays a very important role in conducting oneself in life besides being a vehicle for devotion to channel it towards God. 

Intellect: The thoughts (vrtti) that drive one to firm decisions through analysis is the nature of buddhi. The intellect cognizes the information given by the mind and recognizes based on the stored information/memory from chitta. It analyzes all the information from the mind and chitta to arrive at a decision and guide the mind to act accordingly. The intellect needs to be sharp to differentiate between real and unreal useful in sadhana to free oneself from the cravings for unreal objects. The intellect can be sharp only if the intensity of attachments to the objects and things of the world is less.

Ahamkara: This is the faculty that inculcates a sense of individuality of “I as a doer” and “I as the experiencer” which is a false notion and makes one behave accordingly by forgetting one’s true nature. The karana sharira which is the seat of ignorance veils our true nature and the projective power of this ignorance is felt as this world of plurality through this faculty. All sadhana is simply to remove the false notion of individuality, but this faculty derives its strength from the ignorance that is rooted in karana sharira.

Chitta: The chitta is a vritti that stores all the past memories that manifest from impressions stored in the karana sharira. It plays an important role in recognition of the entities, in creating desires in the mind by feeding on the experiences from the past, etc.

The deity for manas is moon (that's why it has moods like the stages of moon), for buddhi it is Brahma (creativity proceeds from intellect), ahamkara has Rudra and chitta being of sattvic nature has Vasudeva.

Atmika - nature.

Ishvara becomes the nimitta and upadana karana for the universe: abhinnanimittopad Anakaaranam. The two causes are not different.

Whatever the properties of these subtle elements, the substance is sattva-rajas-tamas. So we can create evolutions from these gunas. From each sattvika aspect of these elements, come the jnanendriyas. 

Mind is antahkarana (inner instrument, controller) and senses are bahishkarana (outer instrument, controlled). Both belong to a subtle body. It is the mind that uses the senses to gain knowledge and so it is the controller.

Antahkarana are all thoughts but functionally can be classified into four. The thoughts that are:

• Indecisive, vacillating - manas

• Decisive, determining - buddhi

• Reflecting, remembrance - chitta

• The notion of I - ahamkara. Ahmakara expresses itself as kartA and bhoktA. 

vyashTi (individual tanmatra) - jnanendriyas

Samashti (all tanmatra) - antahkarana.

Tejomaya antahkarana vrtti rupatvaat - the thoughts of antahkarana are effulgent not just because of the presence of consciousness, but inherently it has evolved from the sattvic aspect of fire element predominantly. Tejas is the one who is a dreamer.

Energize and empower, watch over and note, pack and unpack - adhisthana devata.

एतेषां पञ्चतत्त्वानां मध्ये आकाशस्य राजसांशात् वागिन्द्रियं सम्भूतम् । वायोः राजसांशात् पाणीन्द्रियं सम्भूतम् । वह्नेः राजसांशात् पादेन्द्रियं सम्भूतम् । जलस्य राजसांशात् उपस्थेन्द्रियं सम्भूतम् । पृथिव्या राजसांशात् गुदेन्द्रियं सम्भूतम् । एतेषां समष्टिराजसांशात् पञ्चप्राणाः सम्भूताः ।।

एतेषां = these, पञ्चतत्त्वानां = 5 tattvas, मध्ये = among, आकाशस्य = of space, राजसांशात् = from rajas aspect, वागिन्द्रियं = speech sense organ, सम्भूतम् = formed, वायोः = of sir, पाणीन्द्रियं = grasping sense organ, वह्नेः = of fire, पादेन्द्रियं = organ of locomotion, जलस्य = of water, उपस्थेन्द्रियं = genital organs, पृथिव्या = of earth, गुदेन्द्रियं = anus, समष्टिराजसांशात् = from the rajas of all, पञ्चप्राणाः = 5 pranas

Of these five great elements, from the rajasa-aspect of space, the speech sense organ was formed. From the rajasa-aspect of air, the grasping sense organ was formed. From the rajasa-aspect of fire, the organ of locomotion was formed. From the rajasa-aspect of water, the genital organ was formed and from the rajasa-aspect of earth the organ of excretion was formed. From the rajasa-aspect of all great elements, the five pranas formed.

Prana has a predominantly vayu aspect. vayu-name/?

Jala -> some texts have paayu (Vedanta Sara). Tatvabodha has jala->upastha.

एतेषां पञ्चतत्त्वानां मध्ये तामसांशात् पञ्चीकृतपञ्चतत्त्वानि भवन्ति । पञ्चीकरणं कथं इति चेत्। एतेषां पञ्चमहाभूतानां तामसांशस्वरूपम् एकमेकंभूतं द्विधा विभज्य एकमेकमर्धं पृथक् तूष्णीं व्यवस्थाप्य अपरमपरमर्धं चतुर्धा विभज्य स्वार्धमन्येषु अर्धेषु स्वभागचतुष्टयसंयोजनम् कार्यम् । तदा पंचीकरणं भवति।। एतेभ्यः पञ्चिकृतपञ्चमहाभूतेभ्यः स्थूलशरीरं भवति।। 

एतेषां = of these, पञ्चतत्त्वानां मध्ये = among the 5 great elements, तामसांशात् = from the aspect of tamas, पञ्चीकृतपञ्चतत्त्वानि = grossified five elements, भवन्ति = are formed, पञ्चीकरणं = pancikarana, कथं = how, इति चेत् = if asked, एतेषां = of these, पञ्चमहाभूतानां = of the five elements, तामसांशस्वरूपम् = from the tamasa aspect, एकमेकंभूतं = each element, द्विधा = two, विभज्य = having divided, एकमेकमर्धं = half of each, पृथक् = separate, तूष्णीं व्यवस्थाप्य = remaining intact, अपरमपरमर्धं = other half of each, चतुर्धा विभज्य = divided into four equal parts, स्वार्धम = to the intact half of its own, अन्येषु अर्धेषु स्वभागचतुष्टय = one fourth portion half of others, संयोजनम् कार्यम् = gets joined, तदा = then, पंचीकरणं = pancikaranam, भवति = happens, एतेभ्यः = from these, पञ्चिकृतपञ्चमहाभूतेभ्यः = the grossfied five elements, स्थूलशरीरं = the gross body, भवति = is formed.

From the tamasa aspect of these 5 great elements, gross five elements are born. How is pancikarana done if asked. The tamasa aspect of each of the five elements divides into two equal parts. One half of each remains intact. The other half is divided into four equal parts. To the intact half of each one element, one-eighth portion from each of the other elements gets joined. Pancikarana is complete. From these five gross elements, the gross body is formed.

Instead of individual element contribution, a process of panchikarana happens. How each element combines with aspects of other elements together what we perceive as gross elements. Panchikarana is the process where the subtle elements become perceivable or gross or physical. 

Each gross one has got 5 subtle together (panchikrta). The gross elements are not tanmatras, they are panchikrta. Panchikrtapanchatattva can be simply called sthulabhuta. Panchikarana can be called the grossification process. Only tamasic aspects of subtle elements undergo panchikarna.

Vaisheshyaat tu tatvaadah (Brahma sutras).

Speciality of space in space (predominance) that's why they are called so in gross state even though they have other elements in minor portions.The pancikrta bhutas are now used to create the world. The tamas is inert - so that's why it is used as a material cause. Stulashariram at the individual level, but brahmanda (cosmos, gross world) at the macrocosm level. So also food and water. All 14 worlds (caturdashabhuvana) of brahmanda are also created. There are anantakoTi brahamanDa.

Panchikarana - each tamasic aspect of the subtle element becomes five fold. The subtle become gross in this process.

All the gross are existing in panchamahbhuta tamas which exist in maya tamas which exist in Brahman. Same for rajas and sattva. This is called apavaada - their independent existence is apparent. 

Whatever you perceive you should always start seeing the substratum or Brahman. This is ज्ञानचक्षु. The purpose of explaining creation is to bring to your understanding that sarvam khalu idam brahma. Ultimately creation theory is adhyaropa apavaada. The apparent existence of the world is mithya. Brahma alone is satya. Brahma stayam jagat mithya - this conclusion can be arrived at only after this creation process has been explained and then negated with that clear understanding.

Qualitative training process for this negation is being given before the conclusion.

एवं पिण्डब्रह्माण्डयोरैक्यं संभूतम् ।।

एवं = Thus, पिण्डब्रह्माण्डयोरैक्यं = identity between microcosm and macrocosm, संभूतम् = established.

In this way, the identity between microcosm and macrocosm is established.

Thus, the entire creation process will help one comprehend the qualitative identity between microcosm (pindanda) and macrocosm (brahmanda). One cannot make a distinction between I as a gross body and the world outside, as all are made of the same panchamahabhuta (sthula). There is only a vast expanse of panchamahabhuta and the distinction of gross body as individuality is untenable. In manisha panchakam, “How can you differentiate one body from another body?” Chandala asks Sankara. This sense of individuality different from totality is fictitious. There is only a notion that I am this body and I am different from the world. So qualitative identity is being given in this verse.

Brahmanda by usage implies the gross aspect of macrocosm (even though it is samashti). The same holds for pindanada - it refers to the gross aspect of microcosm (although it is vyashti). But this qualitative identity goes deeper than just the gross aspect. This holds for gross, subtle and causal also. The qualitative identity holds at all levels.

Wave claiming its independent identity, is not it arbitrary? Also the individual claiming that certain part is me and certain part as world, is not it arbitrary? Everything is an expanse of sattva-rajas-tamas.

This is the greatest contribution of this nation: Advaita. The oneness “Vasudhaiva kutumbam” is a matter of truth - not a mere statement. Just as a lump is taken from clay to make certain parts, we have taken a small part of brahmanda and claim it to be I. This we have been doing every moment and every life. We are “thieves”.

Sense of I with respect to microcosm (gross+subtle+causal) is Vishva, similarly for macrocosm it is Virat.

The identity with karana+Sukshma of microcosm (vyashti sukshma) is Taijasa. For macrocosm it is Hiranyagarbha (samashti sukshma) The effulgence of light is always associated with knowledge. Hiranyagarbha is womb of knowledge - the entire repository of knowledge and intelligence.

The individual identified with only karana sharira is prajna. Ishvara is the identification of maya with karana sharira of macrocosm. When we say Ishvara, it is actually Ishvara + Hiranyagarbha + Virat (just as praana refers to all 5 prana).

Pinda is only a part of the total and hence there is a qualitative identity. The part is only arbitrary division therefore the total alone is the truth.

Now the full identity between self and reality is being established.

स्थूलशरीराभिमानि जीवनामकं ब्रह्मप्रतिबिम्बं भवति ।

स एव जीवः प्रकृत्या स्वस्मात् ईश्वरं भिन्नत्वेन जानाति । 

अविद्योपाधिः सन् आत्मा जीव इत्युच्यते।

मायोपाधिः सन् ईश्वर इत्युच्यते ।

एवम् उपाधिभेदात् जीवेश्वरभेददृष्टिः यावत् पर्यन्तं तिष्ठति तावत् पर्यन्तं जन्ममरणादिरूपसंसारो न निवर्तते। तस्मात्कारणात् न जीवेशवरयोर्भेदबुद्धिः स्वीकार्या ।।

स्थूलशरीराभिमानि = Associated with gross body, जीवनामकं = called jiva, ब्रह्मप्रतिबिम्बं = reflection of Brahman, भवति = is, स = he, एव =alone, जीवः = jiva, प्रकृत्या = by nature, स्वस्मात् = from himself, ईश्वरं = ishvara, भिन्नत्वेन = the difference, जानाति = knows, अविद्योपाधिः = upadhi of avidya, सन् = being, आत्मा = Atma, जीव = jiva, इत्युच्यते = is thus said, मायोपाधिः = upadhi of Maya, सन् = being, इत्युच्यते = is said, एवम् उपाधिभेदात् = by the difference of upadhis, जीवेश्वरभेददृष्टिः = the vision of difference between jiva and ishvara, यावत् पर्यन्तं= as long as, तिष्ठति = exists, तावत् पर्यन्तं = so long, जन्ममरणादिरूपसंसारो = samsara which is the nature of birth and death and so on, न निवर्तते = is not removed,  तस्मात्कारणात् = due to that reason, न = not, जीवेशवरयोर्भेदबुद्धिः = the view of jiva and ishvara being different, स्वीकार्या = is not acceptable.

The reflection of Brahman who is identified with the gross body (and other bodies creating individuality) is called jiva. By nature, this jiva knows the Lord to be different. With ignorance as limitation, Atma is called jiva. With Maya as a limitation, it is called Ishvara. Due to these differences in upadhis, as long as the difference in jiva and Ishvara exists, so long the samsara with its repeated births and deaths and other modifications remains. That's why this difference between jiva and ishvara is not acceptable.

Jiva is the one who is identified with the three bodies and thinks himself/herself to be of limited knowledge, power and scope. This identification with the three bodies is primarily due to ignorance of one’s true nature called avidya. This ignorance of true nature makes jiva to misidentify oneself with the three bodies. That's why this ignorance is called upadhi - a limiting adjunct. This jiva is the reflection of Brahman, the all pervading spirit. Why is it called a reflection? The jiva appears conscious just like Brahman is even though this consciousness is actually that of Brahman. However, the jiva has no independent existence and it is borrowed from that of Brahman. It is similar to an image in the mirror that appears to be a conscious entity which is again borrowed from the reflected object, but its existence is entirely dependent on the reflected object.

The Lord (Ishvara) with the limiting adjunct of Maya is the all-knowing, all-powerful, all-pervading, etc. He is the creator, sustainer and destroyer. How do the Lord (Ishvara) and jiva share the identity?

The one identified with the gross body (includes other 2 also) called jiva is the reflection of Brahman. He also is 

The one who is called jiva who has the notion of identification with all 3 bodies. sthula sharira abhimani - (includes sukshma and karana). Jiva is conscious, the bodies are inert. A sentient entity is identified with inert. What is this sentient entity that is getting identified with these inert? It is a reflection of Brahman, so it is apparent just as the image of yourself in a mirror. So in other words, the Paramatma/consciousness/brahman appearing/reflecting at the level of the mind (mirror), this reflected consciousness gets an apparent presence at the level of the mind is jiva

It is jiva that is ignorant - the apparent consciousness present at the level of mind. Prakrtya- naturally/automatically (somehow) due to ignorance, svasmat … it considers itself different from totality. As visva it differentiates itself from virat and so on. There is only one (at all 3 levels of gross, subtle, causal), even then it differentiates itself from totality.

This sense of individuality has to be broken.

The seeming individuality is the greatest trick of mind. If you consider the gross world it is just a part of a vast expanse made of five elements. Except in my imagination, where is my individuality? If a leg of a table thinks it is separate from the table, will it be sensible? Each individual thinks the rest of the world is the world - so the world is not the same for all.

Subtle transcends the physical and pervades it. Subtle world is also the same everywhere and so the idea of my mind is imaginary. Causal also has no individuality either. But at least we experience it to be so, so it is not difficult to logically accept it.

The purpose of Vedanta is to remove the sense of individuality. Vyashti and samashti - they refer to the triad of 3 bodies. Pindanda & brahamanda refers to gross, but can be extended to all three sharira. They are qualitatively the same at all 3 bodies. Still a deeper identity is there - that is the identity of Self with Brahman - jiva brahma aikya.

Individual is sthulashariirabhimaani and then myness of other things. Abhimaan is identification. Other two sharira are also implied in this individuality as it is identified at all levels. What is that which identifies? That “self” is brahma-pratibimbam bhavati. Reflection is like the original, but not the original. Image can move only if you move. So it is apparent. That's why figuratively we call this individuality as reflection. Mirror is like the mind - everything cannot reflect, a surface that has transparency and effulgence can reflect. Mind has that property. Tejomayaantahkarani (earlier text)..Mind which captures sentience of consciousness, we call it an individuality. The individuality in reality is Supreme Brahman. When we say “I” - there is one fact and one falsehood. That's why it is difficult to separate as they are mixed well. The truth in individuality is Brahman, but then identification with BMI is the falsehood. We have to help the individual that it is not the body, but it is Brahman. The individual who is confused is adhikari. The individual who is liberated is jnani. Who is waking this individual? Guru or shastra may appear to be doing. But it is one’s own intellect doing it. Your own intellect has to become Guru and shastras. They are walking sticks which you can use to walk. The intellect is helping the individual to recognize its true nature. When the mind gives up its identification with 3B then it understands it is Brahman that is called realization. Is there an individual then? No. It exists only if identified with upadhis. The knowledge of a jnani is that I am not an individual, but I am the Self.

Prakrtya - by nature. Svasmat … it differentiates itself from totality (somehow).

When the Self has avidya (individuality) as upadhi we call it jiva, when Self has maya (????) as upadhi it is Isvara. 

Book of all definitions and terms.

Upadhi - upa (near, sameepa) + aa + dha (to place or put) like in samadhi

उपसमीपे स्थित्वा स्वीयान् गुणान् अन्यत्र आदधाति

Upa sameepe sthtiva (placed near) sveeyaan gunaan (its nature) anyatra (elsewhere) aadadhaati (places). 

Red cloth near the crystal. Crystal is transparent, red cloth transfers (not actual) redness to the crystal to make it appear as red.

Japaakusuma (hibiscus) placed near the crystal is also the same.

For the crystal the hibiscus flower is upaadhi.

Sat (sthulasharirram, neuter), san (masculine).

When upadhi is placed near aTma, then it is called jiva. When consciousness, you have an apparent experience of being a child, a person, a noble person or sadhaka, or vedantin, these are upadhis that make you an individual. 

When the consciousness with the upadhi of samashti 3B is called ishvara.

Ishvara iis sarvavyapi, sarvajna, sarvashakti while the individual is alpajna, alpavyapi, alpashakti - these are appearing in consciousness due to upaadhi. 

The Self has two aspects.

Perceivable - Gross, Subte & Karana bodies (experienceable/cognized)

Unperceivable - Consciousness

It is unperceivable through senses and mind but ever present. There is no requirement for it to be perceived because all the while you are That. No need to perceive it as you are not other than That. How do you experience it? You are already experiencing it - the “amness” in you. 

In the same way we have these two aspects for the Lord. These two definitions are provided as one is extraneous and the other is truth. Upadhi is avichchedaka-stays out of reality and identifies with it and gives a seemingly property to it which is apparent.

Example: usually we use a pot-space example for upadhi. Space limited by the pot is pot-space. Pot is not inherent to space. When we say pot-space, it is the space limited by pot-space. Space can never be broken is known through knowledge as it is all pervading - pervading in and through the pot also. Transactional experience is not proof of reality. Upadhi is also called conditioning, delimiters, etc. When the sharirias act as upadhi, a certain nature appears in Self, called jiva. The fact is Sacchidananada. The same Sacchidananada with maya as upadhi, a different property appears, all pervasive, all knowledge, all power, this is the transactional self and it appears as Ishvara, but the fact is still the same Sacchidananada. So the same Sacchidananada with different upadhis appears as Ishvara and Jiva. 

Jiva seems to be alpashakti, alpajnana, alpavyaapi, kartrutva, bhoktrutva, Maayaadhina (controlled by maya), but the reality is Sacchidananada. Even though we appear to be this, in truth we are not. Apparent “you” is jiva, but the real “you” is Sacchidananada. That same Sacchidananada, with different upadhis (maya) is Ishvara. The difference is only at the level of transactional, but not in reality. Bhagavan’s core and my core are the same.

Vyavaavaharika (transactional) drishti - jiva

Paramaarthika (absolute) drishti - Sacchidananada.

You just have to shift your understanding and you can be Self from jiva - a simple change in standpoints. Any moment this can happen. When the understanding of yourself is changed, the understanding of others also will change.

There is no holier than thou. If you are holy, then the world is holy.

If you had understood the two statements then great possibilities open for you.

Circle with a point - draw a smaller circle it is jiva and bigger circle is ishvara.

Perception of difference between jiva and IShvara exists due to upadhis and as long as it exists, so long birth-death exists.

You are infinite in nature - not only you are seen better, but you become better as you grow in your identification process. family->community->country->world…

The problem is we don’t know how to break these associations with appearances given by updahis.

Tasmat - therefore, try to find the identity of your real nature. Realize that the difference is only in upadhis, but not in reality. Can you gain the comprehension that there is no difference between Ishvara and Jiva? Shift the focus from upadhis to the Truth.

ननु साहंकारस्य किंचिज्ज्ञस्य जीवस्य निरहंकारस्य सर्वज्ञस्य

ईश्वरस्य तत्त्वमसीति महावाक्यात् कथमभेदबुद्धिः स्यादुभयोः विरुद्धधर्माक्रान्तत्वात् ।।

ननु = but, साहंकारस्य  = of one with a sense of individuality, किंचिज्ज्ञस्य = of one with limited knowledge, जीवस्य = of jiva, निरहंकारस्य = of one with no sense of individuality (no kartrutva, bhoktrutva), सर्वज्ञस्य = of one who is all knowing, ईश्वरस्य = of ishvara, तत्त्वमसीति  = “You are That” thus, महावाक्यात् = the great statement of Truth, कथम् =  how, अभेदबुद्धिः = vision of being indifferent, स्यात् = is, उभयोः = of the two, विरुद्धधर्माक्रान्तत्वात् = being of opposite natures

But the individual (jiva) is endowed with ego and limited knowledge whereas Ishvara is without ego and omniscient. How can there be an identity as stated in the mahavakya, “You are that” when they both (jiva and Ishvara) are contradictory in their nature.

A jiva is of limited knowledge, power, scope whereas Isvara is all powerful, pervasive and knowing. How can such disparate entities share the identity ascertained by the mahavakya of “You are That” where you is jiva and That is Ishvara? 

Any mahavakya summarizes upanishad teaching. These are identity statements that attempt to break our individuality and lead us to the truth. Tat tvam asi - Tat is Existence (Sacchidananada) created the entire world (CU). There, Tat refers to Sat. Tvam refers to the student (Uddaalaka father-teacher advising Shvetaketu, son-student). You are the supreme Reality, you are the creator. 

Akraanta = invaded (by contradictory properties). 

Nanu indicates questions posed from reflection either by student (clarity) or objector (who seeks to dismantle the thought, pUrvapakShin). The answer is given by siddhantin, so the thought is given in detail. When you identify with the author you may miss important points. So the author assumes an opponent's role and frames a question to shake up the reader. You can be an analytical student and appreciate the opponent's question. Manana is as important as sravana.

How is it possible that you and God are the same? Jiva is limited whereas Ishvara is not.

When a statement is from a trustworthy source, you don’t dismiss it if it sounds incredulous. You then dig deeper and look for an intended meaning. When the statement of tatvamasi is stated 9 times in upanishad and also similar mahavakyas in upanishads, you cannot just dismiss them. So we need to move from vacchyartha to lakshyartha. This whole process is mahavakya vichaara (from sthulashariraabhimani …).

Properties may be different, but they are not necessarily different. Example: Friend pointing to a person and saying “he is a jackal”. Does not mean that the person is exactly a jackal, but he has a jackal-like cunning character. So the intended meaning is taken rather than the literal one. And why do we take it seriously? Because it is said by a source whom we trust. In the same way, when upanishads say apparently contradictory or incredulous statements we need to pay more attention and clarify our understanding if it is unclear.

इति चेन्न। स्थूलसूक्ष्मशरीराभिमानी त्वंपदवाच्यार्थः। 

उपाधिविनर्मुक्तं समाधिदशा-संपन्न शुद्धं चैतन्यं त्वंपद-लक्ष्यार्थः। 

एवं सर्वज्ञत्वादि-विशिष्ट ईश्वरः तत्पद-वाच्यार्थः। 

उपाधिशून्यं शुद्धचैतन्यं तत्पद-लक्ष्यार्थः। 

एवं च जीवेश्वरयोः चैतन्यरूपेणाभेदे बाधकाभावः ।।

इति चेन्न=if asked thus, स्थूलसूक्ष्मशरीराभिमानी = identified with gross and subtle bodies, त्वंपदवाच्यार्थः = the literal meaning of “you”, उपाधिविनर्मुक्तं = freed from upadhis, समाधिदशा-संपन्न = in the state of samadhi, शुद्धं = pure, चैतन्यं = conscious, त्वंपद-लक्ष्यार्थः = the intended meaning of you, एवं सर्वज्ञत्वादि-विशिष्ट = endowed with qualities like all-knowing etc., ईश्वरः = Ishvara, तत्पद-वाच्यार्थः = literal meaning of that, उपाधिशून्यं = without upadhis, शुद्धचैतन्यं = pure and conscious, तत्पद-लक्ष्यार्थः = the intended meaning of that, एवं च = and, जीवेश्वरयोः = the jiva and Ishvara, चैतन्यरूपेण = from the standpoint of awareness, अभेदे बाधकाभावः = no contradiction in oneness.

If asked thus, the one identified with gross and subtle bodies is the literal meaning of “you”. Without the upadhis, in the state of samadhi, the pure consciousness is the intended meaning of “you”. In the same way, the literal meaning of Ishvara is all knowing etc. Without upadhis, the intended meaning is the pure consciousness. Therefore, there is no contradiction in oneness between jiva and Ishvara - both being of the nature of consciousness.

In the mahavakya “tat tvam asi”, if tat is ishvara, tvam is jiva, taken literally, then there is a problem as how two disparate things such as jiva and ishvara are the same? Jiva in identification with subtle and gross bodies (and other upadhis) is limited in knowledge, power, and scope - all these appear in Sacchindananda tattva. They are not true or intrinsic to the pure consciousness. When you say individual, are you the body? Body is not an intrinsic experience to your Self - it is felt as mine (madiyah sharira). I was not born this way when the “I” was the same and unchanging. So somehow we are superimposing the unchanging “I” on this changing body. The notion of me being this jiva is only superficial, but not the real me.

So in the mahavakya, the superficial meaning of “I” should be ignored and the actual “I” needs to be used, i.e. move away from the literal meaning to the intended meaning. What is this intended meaning? Freed from all the delimiters (upadhis), this jiva is Sacchidananda - the pure consciousness that is experienced in samadhi. This is the intended meaning of “you” in the mahavakya.

In the same way, the literal meaning of Ishvara is all knowing, etc. But without the upadhi of maya, Ishvara is simply Brahman, the pure consciousness. This is the intended meaning for the word “that” in the mahavakya. So the identity between jiva and ishvara is established not by the literal meanings but by taking into consideration their true nature with no limiting adjuncts (upadhis). The smallest wave and ocean have the same identity as pure water although they differ vastly.

A person who realizes this identity between jiva and Ishvara is jivatma.

Sadhana Chatushtaya and tattva-viveka prakara has been covered till now. A person going through the tattva-viveka prakara after having attained sadhana chatushtaya becomes liberated. 

Upadhis have no sense of reality because it emanates from maya that is dependent on pure consciousness (brahmashraya). Maya has no independent existence -  it is neither sat nor asat, but it is mithya. So everything that comes from maya is also mithya, including the upadhis we attach to.

Superficial jiva and true jiva difference is falsehood because upadhis are mithya. The standpoint of awareness is the true one. It is undeniable. This is tattva-bodha - knowledge of truth. 

Identity is a contradiction at the level of upadhis whereas at the level of reality it is true.

Wave and ocean are not identical at the level of function, properties, but are the same at the level of their nature. Similarly I and God are the same from our true nature, not at functional level or with properties.

Many texts have very detailed analysis on this. Vedanta Sara, Naishkarmya siddhi by sureshvaracharya, vakya vrtti has a bit more, laghu vakya vrtti has aham brahmasmi.

Tattva-viveka prakara is completed.

Text arrangement:

First tvam was taken, essential nature of jiva, atma kah, then jivabhava coming due to identification with various upadhis, the upadhis cannot be the Self was presented, the essential nature of atman, sachchiidanana.

Tvam pada vachyartha was analyzed and then lakshyaartha was arrived at as sachidananda, The process of adhyaropa was presented so that you can comprehend mahavakya. 

Text went to tat pada - presented ishvara. Brahaman with maya is ishvara. How creation came about was given, maya karana with 3 gunas. From each guna the entire creation was spoken of. This entire totality is ishvara. 

Even at the surface level, identity was established qualitatively (pinda=brahma). In the vast expanse, the jiva created individuality for oneself. The sense of individuality is weakened here. 

Overview was given - jiva as reflection of Brahman and ishvara. At the consciousness level, the identity was established. Mahavakaya does this.

How can the jiva and ishvara be the same? They are not exactly the same literally, but the true nature of them is the same. Even though we say two standpoints at upadhi level they are different and at consciousness level they are the same. They are not equally valid. Only consciousness's stand point is correct. The upadhis are false, so their standpoint is also false. The vyavaharika standpoint is apparent. Sopadhika dRShTi (upadhi standpoint) however true from vyavaharika standpoint (level of sense and mind) is mithya - experienced but ends with knowledge.

Nirupaadhika dRSTi (beyond upadhis) is a fact and reality. It is paramarthika standpoint and jiva and ishvara are identical. You will see the difference, but you will experience the oneness. Knowledge is not going to change what your body and mind does. It does not change the transactional behavior. Your sense of finitudeness ends. Individuality perishes. Kartrva and bhoktrtva ends. Tossed by maaya ends. Fanciful thoughts end. Duraatma becomes mahatma.

Moksha sadhana of tatva-viveka is over.

Now moksha is talked about.

एवं च वेदान्तवाक्यैः सद्गुरुपदेशेन च सर्वेष्वपि भूतेषु येषां ब्रह्मबुद्धिरुत्पन्ना ते जीवन्मुक्ताः इत्यर्थः ।।

एवं = thus, च = and, वेदान्तवाक्यैः = by the statements of Vedanta, सद्गुरुपदेशेन = by teacher’s advice,  च = and, सर्वेष्वपि = also in all, भूतेषु = beings, येषां = whose, ब्रह्मबुद्धिः = vision of Truth, उत्पन्ना = is born, ते = they, जीवन्मुक्ताः = jivanmukta, इत्यर्थः= is meant

And thus, by the teachings of Guru and statements of scriptures, those in whom the vision of Brahman is born in all beings, that person is a jivanmukta.

When the identity is comprehended they become jivanmuktas. How do they comprehend?

Through Vedanta vakyas - avaantara function at the level of adhyaaropa and mahavakyas provide apavaada. Can one study it oneself? No. Only by the teachings of a Sadguru. Students may get confused as that which is inexplicable is being explained in words. All statements are pointers, they do not make the meaning obvious. Finger pointing to the object. Sadguru is shrotriya and brahma nishtha. He is the surgeon and the statements are the instruments. Surgery is performed on the cancer of ignorance of students. In all beings, the perception of Brahman has come about. The entire creation is Brahman - it is the perception of Brahman along with all the objects and persons. It is natural. They are jivanmukta - liberated when in body.

A little more description of jivanmukta will be presented. 

Realization of mahavakyas is a direct means for moksha. 

Shrotavyo mantavyo nididhyasana - are the triple means to realize, and deal directly with mahavakya. When we speak of sakshaat sadhana (direct means) it is mahavakya realization using the three means given above. The supremacy of mahavakya in delivering realization is established.

1. Get the central message - sravana - remove abhavana

2. Understand it well - viruddha-dharma-krAntatvaat (Tattvabodha) - manana/vicara. There is no logical intenability with respect to central message - remove asambhavana

3. Put an end to contradictory notions to the knowledge gained (intellectually). The habitual tendencies need to be put that are contradictory to this truth - nididhyasana

Mahavakya is the central message of Vedanta. Certain texts may have no mention of moksha or sadhana, but mahavakya message will always be.

With Guru’s teachings based on Vedanta statements, brahmabuddhi descends (aham brahmasmi) and the experience is every object and person you see, you see yourself there. All limitations to Self are broken, breaking these limitations is brahma-buddhi. Bhuteshu - those that have got bhavana dharma - those that have properties of 6 modifications (jayate, asti, viparinite ..). Ityartha - final conclusion/import.

ननु जीवन्मुक्तः कः?

यथा देहोऽहं पुरुषोऽहं ब्राह्मणोऽहं शूद्रोऽहमस्मीति

दृढनिश्चयस्तथा नाहं ब्राह्मणः न शूद्रः न पुरुषः किन्तु असङ्गः

सच्चिदनन्दस्वरूपः प्रकाशरूपः सर्वान्तर्यामी चिदाकाशरूपोऽस्मीति दृढनिश्चयरूपोऽपरोक्षज्ञानवान् जीवन्मुक्तः ।।

ननु = then, जीवन्मुक्तः = Jivanmukta,  कः = is who?, यथा = just as, देहोऽहं = I am the body, पुरुषोऽहं  = I am a man, ब्राह्मणोऽहं  = I am Brahmin, शूद्रोऽहमस्मीति = I am Shudra, दृढनिश्चयः = firm minded, तथा = so also, नाहं = I am not, ब्राह्मणः = Brahmin, न = not, शूद्रः = Shudra, न पुरुषः = not a man, किन्तु = but, असङ्गः = detached, सच्चिदनन्दस्वरूपः = nature of Existence-Consciousness-Bliss, प्रकाशरूपः = effulgent, सर्वान्तर्यामी  = indweller of all, चिदाकाशरूपः = the formless awareness, अस्मीति = I am this, अपरोक्षज्ञानवान् = with immediate knowledge, जीवन्मुक्तः = jivanmukta

Then who is jivanmukta? Just as (ignorant person) has firm awareness of “I am a body”, “I am a man”, “I am a Brahmin”, “I am a Shudra”, so also a jivanmukta has firm awareness of “I am not a Brahmin”, “I am not a Shudra”, “I am not a person”, and with a direct experience of “I am detached Existence-Consciousness-Bliss, self-effulgent, indweller in all, in the space of self-awareness”.

The student is asking for more clarity here about who a jivanmukta is. To explain this, Sankaracharya brings up the contrast of awareness of an ignorant person and a jnani. An ignorant person has this firm awareness of “I am this body” and from this further extended identifications such as “I am a man” and then further identifications such as “I am a Brahmin”, “I am father” etc. will arise. There is no end to these identifications as long as the primary ignorance of our true nature exists. As mentioned earlier, this ignorance has another aspect to it that it projects what it is not. Due to non-apprehension of the Self, we misapprehend it by identifying with the body or mind and deal with this world of plurality. This superimposition of something by something else, that which it is not, is called adhyaasa.

Here dharma-dharmii adhyaasa is happening. Dharmii is the entity that is being superimposed and dharma is the properties of that entity. Dharmii adhyasa is the superimposition of an object on something else and dharma adhyasa is superimposition of properties of the superimposed on that upon which superimpositon happens. For example, take a crystal that is colorless and transparent. Now bring a red hibiscus flower close to it. The crystal begins to take the redness of the hibiscus and appear red itself - this is the dharma adhyasa. So much so that one may even take the crystal to be the hibiscus itself - this is dharmi adhyasa. 

In the case of Self/non-Self superimpositon, first the dharmii adhyasa happens - that is identification with the body. The superimposition of one;s identity on the body is so natural and ingrained that it is not easily comprehensible even when presented logically in the beginning (the unchanging “I” within is superimposed on the changing body). Once this basic dharmii adhyasa happens, then dharma adhyasa follows naturally. So the eternal nature of Self is superimposed on the body and the body is taken to be eternal while the blissful nature of Self is superimposed by the joy and sorrow that comes from the body and we think we are miserable, etc. This dharmii-dharma adhyasa happens with both body and mind and in all three states. It is so deep rooted in our subconscious level that we are not even aware that it exists. 

In contrast to this, a jivanmukta has no such adhyaasa as the awareness of Self is firm. He/She is detached from objects and people as he/she doesn’t see them to be real. Having identified with Self, he/she becomes that and realizes one’s true nature of Sacchidananda. This Self that illuminates all, in other words, they derive their existence and conscious property from this Self is seen to be one’s true nature by jivanmukta. The immanence of Self as pervading all beings and objects as their antaryami is also seen by the jivanmukta. The jivanmukta has this transcendental awareness: as chit I am immanent, just as space is untouched by anything within it because it transcends objects, in me the consciousness, all beings exists, in my presence all function, I am yet untouched, so I am called chidakasha. This awareness is ingrained. There is no need to put an effort - it is their nature. This knowledge is not remembered. It is aparoksha jnana. Currently what we have is paroksha jnana - knowledge of shastras/others. Para - other, aksha - eye, it is not my experience. Non-experience of truth but with knowledge of it is paroksha jnana.

Drdhanishchaya comes three ways:

• Tattva-jnana - clarity of knowledge comes.

• Vaasanaakshaya- viparita bhava ends what was ingrained. Extrovertedness is removed. Shatripuh ends. This comes only through purity. Clarity is not sufficient.

• Manonaasha - cessation of the mind, not deep sleep, practicing of samadhi. Nididhyasana becomes effortless and the thought that one started with in nididhyasana becomes nature - samadhi.

We strengthen the feeling of “I am body” from birth - we need to do something similar to come out of this conditioning. These notions of “I am this body” have transactional value. Vedanta is not putting an end to it. They should be given the right place. 

All the while we experience Self but no one told us this is the Self. When paroksha is said there is no notion of space or time. It just means you have not appreciated it even though you experienced it all the while. Suppose a Maala is on my neck but I think that I don’t have it and keep searching for it, so someone points out that it is there on the neck, this knowledge given is paroksha jnana and it is gained/accepted based on trust. But only when I feel it on the neck, then it becomes aparoksha jnana. So aparoksha jnana (direct experience) came only through paroksha jnana (faith). It is a quantum shift.

This mahatma with aparoksha jnana is jivanmuktah - when the body, mind is alive, this Self is experienced. Jivanmuktah - Jivaneva muktah. Jnani will have troubles of body and mind (tiredness etc.) but even in these tribulations, jnani is blissful as identification with Self is there.

maniShA - firm conviction comes because of aparokSha jnana. Problem is with the intellect and the one who holds the intellect, ie, the individual. Clarity of knowledge is lacking. When the knowledge is paroksha it weakens the intellect, and aparoksha jnana destroys this. Deep personal conviction is experience - all obstacles have been removed (viparita bhavana came to end). The viparita bhavana comes to an end through nididhyasana and samadhi. Samadhi is the ending to viparita bhavana. If you did not gain knowledge in sravana, how can you put an end to the later process? Knowledge is gained in sravana, but it is perfected in later stages. Since the ending of viparita bhavana is in nididhyasana and samadhi, it is said knowledge gained in samadhi destroys ignorance. What it means is the knowledge gained in sravana, it is perfected in samadhi that leads to destruction. A jivanmukta is sthitaprajna.

ब्रह्मैवाहमस्मीत्यपरोक्षज्ञानेन निखिलकर्मबन्धविनिर्मुक्तः स्यात् ।।

ब्रह्म = Brahman, एव = alone, अहम् = I, अस्मि = am, इति = thus, अपरोक्षज्ञानेन = by direct knowledge,  निखिलकर्मबन्धविनिर्मुक्तः = free from bondages of all karmaphala, स्यात् = is

By the direct knowledge of “I am Brahman alone” thus one becomes free from the bondage of all karmaphala.

By this aparoksha jnana, I am Brahman alone, iti, aparoksha jnanena.

In samadhi, thoughts cease. It is different from other stages. For emphasis and to show distinction, samadhi is also mentioned even though perfection of all stages is samadhi. 

Nirmukta: certainly libertated. Vinirmuktah: visheshena, making it additionally strong, perfectly completely liberated. Bandha - from bondage. 

Karma = action or fruits of action 

• Action: kriyate iti karma, that which changes; 

• Fruits of action: kaarayati iti karma, that which effects - punya-paapa and future embodiments, present body - joy and sorrow.

Punya-paapa becomes qualified for kaarayati iti karma - it causes joy-sorrow and future embodiments.

Becomes free bondage of karma and karma-phala. Freedom from bondages of all possibilities and types of action and results from them.

कर्माणि कतिविधानि सन्तीति चेत् आगामिसञ्चितप्रारब्धभेदेन त्रिविधानि सन्ति ।।

कर्माणि = actions, कतिविधानि = how many types, सन्ति = are, इति = thus, चेत् = if asked, आगामिसञ्चितप्रारब्धभेदेन = agami, sancita and prarabdha divisions, त्रिविधानि = three kinds, सन्ति = are

How many types of karma are there if asked. There are three kinds of divisions: agami, sancita and prarabdha.

Suppose you have the question of what are the varieties of karma? Karma is of three types - AgAmi (yet to come), sanchita (Samyak chita, well collected), praarabdha (prakarShena Arabadham, in progress).

The karmas span the three kaalas of past, present and future. Also karma here implies karmaphala (the results of karma), but since they can produce an action of future births, they are also called karma.

ज्ञानोत्पत्त्यनन्तरम् ज्ञानिदेहकृतं पुण्यपापरूपं कर्म यदस्ति तदागामीत्यभिधीयते ।।

ज्ञानोत्पत्त्यनन्तरम् = after the dawn of knowledge, ज्ञानिदेहकृतं = the actions done by jnani’s body,  पुण्यपापरूपं = in the form of punya and papa, कर्म = actions, यदस्ति = which are, तत् =  आगामी = agami, इति = thus, अभिधीयते = known

After the dawn of knowledge, the actions done by jnana’s body as punya and papa are called agami.

Agami literally means future. So here the word agami means agami karma.

When one says future, the reference is usually the present moment. For a jnani, the reference is a bit different - it is the moment one has knowledge. Jnana utpatti anantaram - after having gained the knowledge (aparoksha). Therefore, the future here is with respect to the moment when this knowledge dawns. The upadhis of the body perform the action as jnani’s identification with Brahman is established. The upadhis are the 3 bodies. Jnani can be a king, teacher, and continue to do the same as it was done before. When upadhis function and action is performed, these actions can be punya and paapa and their respective results of action are also punya and paapa. This is aagaami karma. 

Paapa need not be conscious actions. Having a body itself leads to unconscious papa actions such as killing of germs while talking or in the body, etc.

Jivo jivasya jivanam - one life lives on another life.

Giving pain and suffering is papa. Consciously doing action that creates suffering is verily papa, but unconscious actions that cause pain also counts as papa.

सञ्चितं कर्म किम्?

अनन्तकोटिजन्मनां बीजभूतं सत् यत्कर्मजातं पूर्वाजितं तिष्ठति तत् सञ्चितं ज्ञेयम् ।।

सञ्चितं कर्म = sancita karma, किम् = what, अनन्तकोटिजन्मनां = infinite births, बीजभूतं = in the seed form, सत् = being, यत्कर्मजातं = born of karma, पूर्वाजितं = gained from the past, तिष्ठति = remains, तत् = that, सञ्चितं = sancit, ज्ञेयम् = should be known

What is sancita karma? Know that the results of actions performed in past births, giving rise to the infinite births, are called sancita karma.

Sancita comes from the word “ci” which means collect, so sancita means that which is well collected. What does it collect? The results of all actions done are collected together to be called sancita karma. It is the seed for the future infinite births. Ajnana is anaadi - so from beginningless time we have been collecting karma phala and they form the seed for infinite births for the future. Purva is the reference of time, for an ajnani it is the present moment while for a jnani it is up to the time of knowledge. So for an ajnani, sancita karma is all karma done till now while for jnani it is the karma done till the point of realization.

प्रारब्धं कर्म किमिति चेत् । 

इदं शरीरमुत्पाद्य इह लोके एव सुखदुःखादिप्रदं यत्कर्म तत्प्रारब्धम् ।

भोगेन नष्टं भवति । प्रारब्धकर्माणां भोगादेव क्षय इति ।।

प्रारब्धं = prarabdha, कर्म = karma, किमिति चेत् = if asked, इदं = this, शरीरमुत्पाद्य = having created this body, इह = here, लोके = in this world, एव = alone, सुखदुःखादिप्रदं = present happiness and sorrow, यत्कर्म = those actions, तत्प्रारब्धम् = prarabdha, भोगेन = by experiencing, नष्टं = destroyed, भवति = becomes, प्रारब्धकर्माणां = prarabdha karma, भोगादेव = by experiencing alone, क्षय = exhaust, इति= thus.

What is prarabdha karma if asked thus. That karma having produced the body here, gives joy-sorrow etc,  in this world is prarabdha. It is destroyed by experience alone. 

At the time of death of this body, a part of sancita becomes prarabdha and this is used as cash to purchase the next conditions of birth that are determined by the active desires at the time of death. That's why if someone dies with sattvic thoughts in mind and the person has done enough punya, then the next birth will be such that these sattvic tendencies will have conditions to thrive. If a person has desires to enjoy a lot and has done enough punya, then higher worlds open up for this person for the next birth. And if the person has done a lot of papa and even though the desires may be of enjoyment, the person will have to be born as an animal or some other lower species where intellect is absent or life-forces are less active. Both in the higher worlds where the jiva enjoys and in the lower worlds where the jiva has to experience joy-sorrow, no new karma is created, but only the prarabdha is exhausted. To become free from this cycle of birth-death, the jiva has to be born in human world where the intellect and free will has some play to do actions as karma yoga and keep oneself free from not creating more agami karma or just gain more papa-punya by doing desire-oriented actions.

The principle is that prarabdha karma is lost only through experience - this is from shastra.

karma phala also has action - brings joy and sorrow. That's why karmaphala is called karma as it has action oriented delivery of joy and sorrow through embodiments. 

When he is free from karma implies, it is karmaphala.

Sancit karma implies karmaphala - an account of punya paapa.

सञ्चितं कर्म ब्रह्मैवहमिति निश्चयात्मकज्ञानेन नश्यति।। 

सञ्चितं कर्म = Sancit karma, ब्रह्मैवहमिति  = I am Brahman, निश्चयात्मकज्ञानेन  = by the firm knowledge, नश्यति = ends.

By the direct knowledge of “I am Brahman'' alone sancit karma ends.

However infinite that punya-paapa of sancit karma may be, but at the very moment of aparoksha jnana (the doubtless direct knowledge) of “I am Brahman '' they will all be gone. An ajnani due to sancit karma becoming prarabdha collects sukshma and karana sharira to be born again. But, when individuality ends, there is no scope for it. A jnani has no individuality so to whom does this new sancit apply?  Therefore, a jnani has no future embodiments as soon as the realization of Self happens. The notion of aham jivoasmi has ended so there is no scope for birth as jivahood ended. 

आगामि कर्म अपि ज्ञानेन नश्यति किञ्च आगामिकर्मणां नलिनीदलगतजलवत् ज्ञानिनां सम्बन्धो नास्ति ।।

आगामि कर्म = Agami karma, अपि = also, ज्ञानेन = by knowledge, नश्यति = is destroyed, किञ्च आगामिकर्मणां = of Agami karma, नलिनीदलगतजलवत् = like the water on the lotus leaf, ज्ञानिनां = the wise people, सम्बन्धो = relation, नास्ति = is not there

The agami karma is also destroyed by knowledge and the wise man is not affected by it just as the lotus leaf is not affected by water on it.

A person with knowledge has sancita karma destroyed while the prarabdha will not affect the person as he/she is not identified with the body and mind. But what about the results of the actions (papa and punya) done after the realization of the Self, i.e .agami karma? In the regular course, all these go into sancita. Since there is no sense of individuality, the notion of I am the doer (kartrtva) is also absent in jnani. So there is no one for the results of the actions to affect as far as the jnani is concerned, i.e., no sense of enjoyer either (bhoktrtva). The jnani is like a lotus leaf with water on it that remains unaffected by water - so also jnani remains unaffected by all the actions that happened through his/her body and mind (upadhis). Jnani does not think i am a punyaatma or paapaatma. Upadhis have done the work, punya-papa will be created, a jnani will remain untouched by them, so they get destroyed for jnani, but the created punya-papa should affect someone. Whom do they affect?

किञ्च ये ज्ञानिनं स्तुवन्ति भजन्ति अर्चयन्ति तान्प्रति ज्ञानिकृतं आगामिपुण्यं गच्छति । ये ज्ञानिनं निन्दन्ति द्विषन्ति दुःखप्रदानं कुर्वन्ति तान्प्रति ज्ञानिकृतं सर्वमागामि क्रियमाणं यदवाच्यं कर्म पापात्मकं तद् गच्छति। सुहृदः पुण्यकृत्यं दुहृदः पापकृत्यं गृह्णन्ति इति ।।

किञ्चा = further, ये = those, ज्ञानिनं = the wise person, स्तुवन्ति = praise, भजन्ति = serve, अर्चयन्ति = worship, तान्प्रति = to them, ज्ञानिकृतं = done by wise person,आगामिपुण्यं = the results of good actions, गच्छति = goes, निन्दन्ति = criticise, द्विषन्ति = hate, दुःखप्रदानं = give sorrow, कुर्वन्ति = do, तान्प्रति = to them, सर्वमागामि क्रियमाणं = all agami karma done from the time of realization, यदवाच्यं = which is not worthy to speak of, कर्म = actions, पापात्मकं =sinful, तद् गच्छति = goes, सुहृदः = the ones with good heart, पुण्यकृत्यं = meritorious actions,दुहृदः = the evil hearted ones, पापकृत्यं = the unmeritorious actions, गृह्णन्ति = goes, इति = thus

Further, those who extol, serve, worship jnani for them the punya that jnani creates, goes to them. Those who criticize, hate and cause sorrow to jnanis, to them jnani’s all sinful agami actions that are not worthy to speak of go. The meritorious actions (agami) go to the good hearted ones and the unmeritorious actions (agami) go to the evil-hearted.

A jnani with knowledge of Brahman is Brahman as mentioned in Mundaka Upanishad (ब्रह्मवेद ब्रह्म भवति). So the agami karma of the jnani belongs to Brahman alone and those who have reverence towards the jnani are purified and attract the punya agami karma of jnani’s actions while those with irreverence towards the jnani attract the paapa agami karma of jnani’s actions. 

It is from shruti.

So the warning is that never criticise or hate or create sorrow to a jnani and since it is difficult to know who a jnani is and who is not - the best practice is to follow this practice towards everyone. This way we are assured of good results and in general peace of mind within ourselves as finding faults in others needs our mind also to go that level about which we are criticizing.

तथा चात्मवित्संसारं तीर्त्वा ब्रह्मानन्दिमहैव प्राप्नोति । 

तरति शोकमात्मवित् इति श्रुतेः । 

तनुं त्यजतु वा काश्यां श्वपचस्य गृहेऽथवा ।

ज्ञानसंप्राप्तिसमये मुक्तोऽसौ विगताशयः । इति स्मृतेश्च ।

तथा = thus, च = and, आत्मवित् = the knower of Self, संसारं = samsara, तीर्त्वा = having crossed, ब्रह्मानन्दम् = bliss of Brahman,  इह = here, एव = only, प्राप्नोति = obtains, तरति शोकम् = crosses sorrow, इति श्रुतेः = thus the Shruti says, तनुं = body, त्यजतु = gives up, वा =or, काश्यां = in Kashi, श्वपचस्य = of dog eater, गृहे = in house, अथवा = or, ज्ञानसंप्राप्तिसमये = at the time of realization, मुक्तः = liberated, असौ = he विगताशयः = free from the results of actions, इति स्मृतेश्च = thus the Smriti says

Thus the knower of Self having crossed the (ocean of) samsara attains the bliss of Brahman here itself. The knower of Atman swims over the sorrow, so the Shruti says - Chandogya Upanishad 7.1.3 (Narada says to Sanaktkumara). Let the wise person cast off the body in Kashi or in a dog-eater’s home, he being liberated from the results of all actions. So the smrti says.

A person with aparoksha jnana, having crossed the ocean of samsara, with the power of knowledge, gains brahmananda (infinite bliss) when alive here while upadhis are still active. The person is no longer identified with any of the upadhis and is therefore free from all bondages and results of all actions (Ashaya). The shruti, Chandogya Upanihad says that the knower of Brahman crosses over the sorrow because the world of duality ends for this person who remains blissful in the knowledge of Brahman.

For an ajnani, the place of death matters as the thoughts that at the time of death determines the next birth. If one thinks of God at that critical moment, one becomes free. It is said that when one dies in Kashi, Lord Shiva himself chants the Taraka mantra in the ear to liberate the person. That’s why people used to travel to Kashi in old times to die there. For a jnani who is already free, it matters not where he or she casts off the body as place and time have no bearing on his or her knowledge of Brahman. His or Her body may experience the incurable diseases before casting the body away, for the world outside it may look as though they are suffering, but they are in the bliss of Brahman regardless of the state of the body and mind they have. What to say about death? Even if they die in a place very inappropriate where there are no norms or moral values, it is fine. Their bodies merge with their respective elements and the pot-space merges with space.

इति तत्त्वबोधप्रकरणं समाप्तम् ।।

Thus tattva-bodha-prakaranam is complete.

Overall Summary

• Shastra (all aspects of Vedanta, prasthana-traya: shrutis, bhagavad gita (smrti) and brahma sutras (nyaya)) and prakarana granthas - particular topic that contain the message of shastras within.

• Shastras: adhikari, guru-lakshana & guru-upasadana, mahavakyas, aikya-viruddha-parihara (resolutions of contrary opinions), sadhana (practices), phala (result).

• Tattvabodha is paaribhashika shabda text (terminologies). Employs Akaanksha method and prasnottara format.

• Mangalacharan - salutations to Guru and anubandha chatushtayam. To remove obstacles and make the text complete which happens only when the student comprehends the message.

• Anubandha chatushtayam - adhikari (qualified student), vishaya (subject), prayojana (purpose), sambandha (bodhya-bodhaka-sambandha, vishaya-grantha connection).

• Vastu-sangrah-vakyam for the entire text with sadhana chatushtaya as pre-requisites for tattva-viveka prakaara.

• Sadhana-chatushtaya vastu-sangrah-vakyam

• Viveka = Brahman alone is eternal all else is temporary (anityam)

• Vairagya = no desire for enjoyments here and hereafter

• Shamaadisadhanasampatti vastu sangrah vakyam

  • Shama - control of mind (manonigraha)

  • Dama - control of organs (chakshuradi baahyendriyanigrah)

  • Uparati - following one’s dharma (svadharmaanuShThana)

  • TitikShaa - forbearance

  • Shraddha = faith in Guru’s and vedanta statements

  • Mumukshutva = desire for liberation

• Tattva viveka prakara = inquiry into nature of reality, vastu sangrah vakyam = atma satyam, all else is unreal

• Satyam = that which cannot be negated (na baadhyate), asatyam = that which cannot be experienced (na prateeyate), mithya is that which is prateeyate and baadhyate.

• Atma vastu sangrah vakyam = different from sthuula, suukshma, kaarana sharira, beyond 5 koshas, witness to 3 states, nature of sacchidananda

• vyaavartaka lakshanam - differentiate from what is not. Atad vyaavrtti (focus on what it is not), tatastha (describe in terms of something it is closely associated with), svarupa (its very nature) lakshanas. Sharira and koshas are atad vyaavrtti, sakshi for 3 states is tatastha, and sacchidananda is svarupa.

• Sthulashariram - made from pancikarana of 5 great elements, born out of prarabdha karma, receptacle of experiences of pairs of opposites, undergoes six modifications (foetus, born, grows, matures, de=ays, dies).

• Sukshmashariiram - not made from pancikarana of 5 great elements, born out of prarabdha, instrument for experiences of pairs of opposites, has 17 facets - 5 jnanendriyas, 5 karmendriyas, 5 pranas, manas and buddhi

• Five janendriyas - list given in the table above

• Five karmendriays - list given in the table above

• Skips the others for now

• Karana shariram - inexplicable (mithya), beginningless, ignorance, causes the two bodies, nature of ignorance of true nature, has no modifications (no duality or homogeneous).

• Three states - vastu sangrah vakya

• Jagradavastha - state in which the sense organs perceive the gross objects. Atma identified with a waking state is called Vishva (complete) as identification is with all three bodies.

• Svapanaavastha - state in which a dream world is created from the vasanas formed by the waking state experiences. The experiencer is called taijasa.

• Sushupti-avastha - state of blissful deep sleep where there is no sense of not knowing anything. The atma identified with this state is called prajna. 3 features: ignorance, happiness and experience of sleep.

• Five sheaths vastu sangrah vakya

• Annamaya - that which is born out of food, sustains by food and goes into the earth in the form of food. It is the gross body.

• Pranamaya - the five pranas and 5 karmendriyas. Prana - breathing in, Apana - excretion, vyana - blood circulation and nourishment of cells, udana - reverse motion of food, continuous emergence of thoughts, supplies power to the subtle body to transmigrate, samana - digestion of food.

• Manomaya - manas and 5 jnanedriyas together

• Vijnanamaya - buddhi and 5 jnanendriyas together

• Anandamaya - established in ignorance which is of the form of a causal body of impure nature, united with thoughts of priya (joy in anticipation), moda (joy in possession) and pramoda (joy while enjoying). 

• Atma is not the five sheaths - because they are felt as mine. What is not Atma:

  • whatever is perceived as an object

  • Whatever you feel as mine

  • Whatever you can live without

  • Whatever can be negated

  • Whatever has dependent existence

• Atma’s svarupa lakshana

• Existence = Beyond the three times

• Consciousness = Knowledge

• Bliss = Happiness

• One should know oneself to be Saccidananda.

• Explain the evolution of 24 factors

• Maya is the nature of sattva, rajas, tamas and depends on Brahman. Avarana and Vikshepa

• From it, akashah->vayuh->tejah->aapah->pRthuvI. Svavishesha (specific property of itself) and svakaaraNa gunas (property of bhutas preceding it).

• The Sattvika aspect of each mahabhuta gives out jnanendriya - the table given above. These are at samashti level. 

• The samashti of sattvika aspect of all bhutas gives antahkarana: manas, buddhi, ahamkara, chitta - table given above. Predominantly fire aspect.

• The rajasa aspect of each bhuta gives karmendriya - look at the table above. They are also at the samashti level.

• Samashti rajasa aspect of all bhutas gives rise to pranas. Predominantly vayu aspect.

• Pancikarana happens for tamasa aspect of mahabhutas giving rise to the gross world.

• This way the identity between microcosm and macrocosm is established. 

• Identified with 3 bodies, reflection of Brahman, is called jiva. By nature he thinks he is different from Ishvara. With upadhi of avidya, atma appears as jiva. With upadhi of maya, the same atma appears as Isvara. Due to the difference in upadhis, one who sees the difference between jiva and ishvara, will have samsara in the form of birth-death. That's why the jiva-ishvara difference is not accepted. Vyavaavaharika (transactional) or sopadhika drishti - jiva, Paaramaarthika (absolute) or niruupadhika drishti - Sacchidananada.

• How a jiva with ahamkara, limited knowledge be same as all knowing no individuality ishvara? how can there be oneness as stated in Tat tvam asi mahavakya between the two of such contradictory natures? 

• The literal meaning of you is the one identified with three bodies. But without upadhis, in the state of deep meditation you are the pure consciousness which is its intended meaning. Ishvara is endowed with all-knowing etc, and it is the literal meaning of that. Without upadhi of maya, that is also pure consciousness. Thus there is no contradiction in oneness between jiva and ishvara from the standpoint of consciousness.

• Thus by statements of Vedanta and teachings of Guru one who sees Brahman in all beings is said to be jivanmukta. Avantara provides adhyaropa and mahavakya provides apavada.

• Jiva has firm conviction of I am body, man, brahmin, shudra, so also jivanmukti has firm conviction of being detached, nature of sacchidananda, effulgence, spread in all beings, of the nature of chidakasha. Dharmi adhyasa (superimposition of object) first and then dharma adhyasa (superimposition of properties). Firm conviction comes from: tattva jnana (clarity), vasanakshaya (purity), manonashana (samadhi).

• By knowledge of I am Brahman one becomes free of all karmas (karmaphala).

• If asked how many kinds of karma are there: Agami, prarabdha and sancita.

• After realization, the results of all actions done by jnani’s body (& mind), the actions of nature punya-papa, those are agami.

• The results of all actions done before realization that are seeds for infinite births of future is called sancita karma

• The results of those actions after having created this body in this world cause joy and sorrow are called prarabdha. This can be destroyed only by experiencing. 

• The firm knowledge of I am Brahman destroys sancita

• Agami karma also gets destroyed with knowledge of Self and jnani remains untouched by it just as a lotus leaf by water.

• Those who praise, serve, worship, get the results of punya of jnani. Those who criticize, hate and give sorrow to jnanis get his/her papa.

• Thus the knower of Self having crossed the samsara attains the bliss of Brahman here and is freed from sorrow as given by shruti. It does not matter whether the person dies in Kashi or dog-eater’s house. Having attained knowledge, jnani freed from the results of all actions gets mukti. As given by smrti.