by Shri Lakshminarayan Aithal
यल्लब्ध्वा पुमान् सिद्धो भवत्यमृतो भवति तृप्तो भवति ।। 4 ।।
4.If the
Soul obtains this (Devotion), he becomes Perfect,
Immortal and Satisfied.
MEANING
OF यत्
14. In Sanskrit,
though the भक्ति word is
in feminine gender,
why यत् the word
of neuter gender
is used here ?
Answer to this
question is as
follows : In order to
emphasize the Immortal
Form of Devotion
यत् (which)
is narrated in
the previous aphorism,
use (fruit) to the
one who obtains
this deathless Devotion
of the Form
of Supreme Love – is
clearly mentioned here.
Though this fruit
is pointed out
by the अतः word of
the first aphorism,
the compiler (सूत्रकार)
has the intention
of unfolding features
of that fruit (फलम्). Those who
contemplate this scripture
also obtain such
fruits; by knowing
this, the readers
should develop interest
in this work;
this is the
intention of the
compiler.
MEANING OF
लब्ध्वा
15.A doubt may
arise here : The Devotion
is of the
Form of the Supreme Love
and it is
the Real Form
of the Self
itself. The Self need not be
obtained. Then, is
it right to
employ the word लब्ध्वा (if obtained
) ?
Relief : It is
true that the
Devotion is of
the Form of
the Self itself.
Still, we have
mentioned in (2) that in
the state of
conduct, egoism covers
this Form rather
as living being
in the petty
form of ‘ I ‘ is
seen by them. Thus,
they delude that
this form of
illusion itself is
their real one;
hence, these living
beings suffer in the worldly
life. Therefore, though
the Devotion is
already with them,
it seems as
if it is
not obtained. In the
view of ignorant
people who imagine
that they are
of the form
of body, etc. they
have to obtain newly
their real immortal
Form. The condition
of the form
of love is
also not natural
for all in
their conduct; feelings
like love and
hatred have become
obstacles to have
it; by the
means like contemplation
of God, etc. This obstacle
should be eradicated;
and the condition
of Love should
be obtained. Thus,
by these two views, too,
devotion should be
obtained with full
of efforts; therefore,
the employment of
the word लब्ध्वा by the compiler is
suitable.
MEANING
OF पुमान्
16. There is
a possibility of
having another doubt : The
word पुमान् (man) is
used in the
aphorism. By seeing
this, does it
imply that ladies
don’t have right
in the field
of devotion ?
Relief to
this doubt is this
: Even women have the right to
have devotion; this
is clarified in
the 21st aphorism
by giving the
illustration of maids
of बृन्दावन. It
is cleared further that
there is no
rule that only
certain people have
authority to exercise
devotion. Everyone can
follow his own
suitable manner of
devotion to attain
fulfillment. Now, the पुमान् word has the
meaning ‘human’. स्युः पुमांसः पञ्चजनाः पुरुषाः पूरूषा नरः (अमर. मनुष्यवर्ग. 1). According to
this vocabulary (निघण्टु) though पुमान् and पुरुष words speak
only about gents
among human beings;
these words can
also be used
to tell a
common individual being.
According to the
view of the scripture, the
Self is neither
a man nor
a woman.
पुमान् स्त्री
गौरजा वाजी कुञ्जरो विहगस्तरुः । देहेषु लोकसंज्ञेयं विज्ञेया कर्महेतुषु ।।
पुमान् न देवो
न नरो न पशुर्न च पादपः । शरीराकृतिभेदास्तु भूपैते कर्मयोनयः ।।
वि. पु.
2-13-17, 18.
Man, woman,
bullock, goat, horse,
elephant, bird, tree – all
these are given
names to the
bodies that are
formed due to कर्म. A living being (जीव) is neither
a deity, nor a man, nor
an animal, and
nor a tree. These
special forms of bodies are caused by कर्म. Therefore,
the compiler has
no object that
the पुमान् word
should be used
as a man.
Its main preaching
is this : Only human
beings have a
special authority to
exercise the expedients
mentioned in the
scripture.
Then, this पुमान् word
should be omitted,
isn’t it ? Why
only मनुष्य
(mankind), the famous
word is not
used ? What is
the purpose of
employing only this
word here ?
Now, the
compiler has an
intention : The पुमान् word
tells about ‘man’
as well as
‘mankind’ also; by
using that particular
word much about
men should be
told – is indicated here. What is that? In the world, men than women – have more
facilities. Therefore, a
man engages his
mind in reading,
writing, arithmetic, material
science, etc. to
acquire more knowledge;
then, he may
obtain honor and
prizes by exhibiting
his knowledge in
front of assemblies
or that of the
government; he
may be proud
that by earning
money, he protects
his family; he
may feel his
greatness by claiming
the special right
of studying the
Vedas and the
Science of Reality (वेदान्त); he
may behave arrogantly
by showing his
superiority through his
poetic style, etc.;
and
feeling that
everything has come
under his subjection,
he may desire
to display his
power of exercising
योग
and acquiring eight
accomplishments (अष्टसिद्धयः); or
he may obtain
some petty accomplishments by
worshipping different deities.
Only a man
has much opportunity
to acquire such
useless achievements; it
is quite essential
to warn him
that these fortunes
are not permanent
to anyone, and
that if he
obtains the eternal
achievement of neither becoming more
arrogant nor growing
elated, then, he
makes his human
birth fruitful. In order to remind this पुमान् word is
employed here.
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