Part Two.
Written by and © Udayabhanu Panickar
In this fourth mantRam,
Gurudevan is comparing two sets of quadruples of phenomenon; one set of
materialistic and the other a set of Spiritual. They are; Azi, (Ocean), thira (Wave), kAttu (Wind) and; Azam (Depth) on one side and njangaL, (We), mAya (Un-eternal), nin mahima,
(Your Glory) and nee (You).
Let us examine these eight phenomenons
Gurudevan referring to here. First two each from both the groups; ‘Ocean’ &
‘We’ and ‘Wave’ & ‘mAya’; let us look at the relation between the
four. Here, this ‘We’ is not just the people; but includes everything in the
universe.
“Ocean” is vast, it is
unpredictable; good, bad, evil, it is all in the “Ocean”. “We” are also the same way; vast,
unpredictable, good, bad, evil; ‘we’ can see all of it in “We” also. The ‘we’ the jeevAthman, are always connected to the Universe, and
thus to all the things in the whole universe. Thus, ‘we’ the jeevAthman, and
the “We” which includes everything; live, and lifeless; all are part of ‘mAya’, the “Un-eternal”, as everything derives from IT. In fact “We” are all ‘mAya’.
Now let us take all the eight into consideration. Just as
“We” are all connected to ‘mAya’, we are also connected to “Your Glory”
and “You” just as the ‘Ocean’ is connected to the “Wave”, “Wind” and the
“Depth”. ‘We’ the jeevAthman is also enveloped by the ‘mAya’ as
the “Ocean” are enveloped by the shore. The shore is a part of ocean, as
without shore there cannot be any “Ocean”. The shore, which supports the ocean water, and gives it
the shape, is also vast and endless. It is the base of the ocean.
Very often in braHMavidya,
the “Ocean” is compared to the Absolute, the parabrHMam. Just like
“Ocean”, parabrHMam is also vast and endless.
The “Ocean” becomes the “Wave” and the “Depth”
and all its contents. In the same fashion, the ‘mAya’ becomes what we
see in the universe. (When ‘we’ say “see”, it is ‘everything’ we percept with
all our senses, not just with the eyes.) For the formation of the universe and
all its contents, the ‘parabrHMam’ itself becomes the ‘mAya’.
This ‘mAya’ formation of ‘shapes & names’, hides the Real. So do, the “Waves”, in the “Ocean” surface.
They keep rest of it outside of our senses.
Now when ‘we’ think further
on this, ‘we’ can see that, just as the ocean is containing the “Wave”, the
“Wind” and the “Depth”; the “You”, that is the parabrHMam consists of or
contains everything in this universe, in which “We “are also included.
Just as how the “Wind” and water forms the
“Waves” and that envelops the “Depth” and keeps it separated (invisible) from
us; the mAya, which is also known as “moola pRakRithi”, a
transformation of braHMan, which may here be referred to as “Purusha”
creates all ‘shapes & names’ and keeps the “We” away from the “You” and
“Your Glory”. As the “moola pRakRithi” and the “Purusha” are the
cause of all and that is why Geetha states: “with hands and feet everywhere,
with eyes, heads and mouths everywhere, HE (IT) exists in the world, enveloping
all.” “Shining by the functions of all the senses, yet without the senses;
unattached, yet supporting all; devoid of qualities, yet their experience (The
one who experiences); without and within (all) beings, the ‘unmoving’ and also
the ‘moving’; because of its subtlety unknowable; and near and far away – is
‘THAT’ (braHMan). And undivided, yet HE (IT) exists as if divided in
(all) beings;’ THAT’ (braHMan) is to be known as the Supporter of
Beings; HE (IT) devours and HE (IT) generates. ‘THAT’ (braHMan), ‘the
light of all’; is said to be beyond darkness; (IT is) knowledge, the ‘Object of
Knowledge’, seated in the hearts of all, to be reached by Knowledge.
It is very difficult and
almost impossible for a regular person to see and understand the contents of
the “Ocean”, other than the “Wave” and the “Wind”. Everything beyond that is
unknown or incomprehensible for us, the common people. It is the same as
regarding the parabrHMam also. What we see is only an outward view; it
is not the original but a version of ‘shapes & names’ formed of IT and by
IT, disguised by the “Un-eternal” (mAya).
To understand the “Ocean” we
need to have to go down and see what is there; we need special capabilities and
special tools to see and understand the vast “Ocean”. Same way we need special
knowledge to see and understand and comprehend the vastness, of the unending
glory of that parabrHMam. ‘We’ must dive into that “Ocean”, which looks
uncertain and dangerous on the surface, and has unknown “Depths”. But in
actuality the underside of it is very quiet and cam if we can really ‘go in’
there and ‘feel and understand’ it. The paramAtHMan is also the same
way. Once we can see and understand, then, “We” shall be in that eternity of
bliss’ in entirety. The vast, unending, glorifying parabrHMam is very
cam blissfully enjoyable.
The “We” are the seekers who
are here to learn and understand the truth and thus ‘we’ must embark in to the
depths of that ocean of knowledge of the Ultimate. That can remove the ‘mAya’,
which is the cause of the ego, (here again as we have no equivalent to our ‘ahamkAram’
in English, we may use the term ‘negative ego’ or the ‘I feeling’). The name,
the fame, the shape, is the cause of that all we see starting from the subtle
of the subtlest to the giant of the gigantic. This all will fall in place as we
progress with the knowledge.
Even though the word പോലെ “pole”, means ‘like’; here we should take it to mean
not just ‘like’; but as the “Ocean” itself. “We” are in that “Ocean” ‘as that “Ocean”
itself’, ‘going through all that is there’, the “Wave”, the “Wind’, the animals
and plants of the “Ocean” just like we face every day difficulties of our life.
This continues for several times until “We” are to the level of that merger.
It is not just the human
have this cycle of operation. Everything in the universe has to go through this
process of “punarathi jananam, punarathi maraNam”. This cycle affects
everyone and everything including the sun, the moon, the gods, the goddesses,
the birds, the animals, the fish, the plants and the planets and so on, except
the parabrHMam. That is why it is said in Geetha; “Now behold, O
Gudaksha, in this ‘(Cosmic) Body’, that the whole universe centers in One - including,
the moving and the unmoving – and whatever else you desire to see. But you are
not able to behold ME (The ‘Cosmic Body’), with your own eyes; I give you the
divine-eye.
The
eye mentioned here, is not the physical eye alone but all the senses but the
“Knowledge” of the braHMan, the Ultimate. ‘We’ are unable to see IT with our naked eyes as “It is neither gross nor subtle; either short nor long; not glowing
(like fire) nor moist (like water); neither reflection nor darkness; neither
air nor space. It is unattached. It is without taste or odor, without eyes, without ears, without
tongue, without mind. It is non-effulgent,
without vital breath, without mouth. ‘IT’
the braHMan is
Imperishable (akshara). (BRrihadAraNyaka
UpaniShad)
(Part one of mantRam five will follow)
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The above are my partial thoughts and interpretations during my
study of daivadeShakam using the following reference. Interpretation of
literary works of Gurudevan and Chattampi SwAmikal by one or more
of the following, NaTarAja Guru, Guru Nitya Chaithanya Yeti, Professor
G. Balakrishnan Nair, and Mr M. Damodaran; translations and Interpretation of Vedah,
Bhagavat Geetha and upaniShad by Adi
ShankarAchAryar, Madhusoodhana Sarswathi, MRDhAnanda SwAmikal, NaTarAja Guru,
Swami NikhilAnanda, Swami NjnAna Sarswathi, Guru Nitya Chaithanya Yeti and ChinmayAanada
SwAmikal, professor G. Balakrishnan Nair and Professor Devi Chand. I have
also used information gained from independent works of Adi ShankarAchAryar,
Vivekananda SwAmikal, NaTarAja Guru, Guru Nityachaitanya Yati, Professor
K.M. Sanu, Professor Thuravoor Viswambharan; TirumantiRam, ThirukkuRaL: and speeches and discourses by some of the above, along with the
words of wisdom and information I received from my own Guru. Whatever is
written here is all borrowed from the above masters. I just put them together
during my learning process.
(This translation and interpretation is only for the
discussion through and within this group where it is posted. Please do not
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Written by and © Udayabhanu Panickar, If anyone needs
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For more information contact the author at udayabhanupanickar@yahoo.com
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