by Shri Lakshminarayan Aithal
MEANING OFव्याख्यास्यामः वि(very clearly), आ(by all manners)and ख्यास्यामः(we ana-lyse) – are three parts in the word व्याख्यास्यामः .There is a danger of misunderstanding devotion that it is similar to ordinary worldly love if that word is not clearly defined. We discuss the following questions : What is devotion ? What is its characteristic feature ? What are its appearing different forms ? What are its means that cause its appearance ? How does its fruit touch the mind ? What are the qualities of devotees ? The meaning of all answers are included in the आpart of the word.
In this manner, in this aphorism of solemn declaration – the devotion which is the subject matter of the scripture and its use are clearly indicated .
CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF DEVOTION.
Already it is told that ‘we are going to explain devotion’, isn’t it ? Now, the character of devotion is narrated : सात्वस्मिन्परमप्रेमरूपा।।2।। But, that is of the Supreme Form of Love in Him.
सा(that) means devotion.A pronoun considers the present object. In the aphorism of solemn declaration, it is declared to explain devotion; therefore, it itself is the present object. Hence, the devotion itself is the meaning of the pronoun सा(that).
But, अस्मिन् (in Him) pronoun is not like सा; for, ‘He’ doesn’t refer to any present person here. It is natural that ‘this’ refers to the nearby object and ‘that’ refers to the distant one.
Here, a distant object is not referred; अयम् (He) refers to a nearby person; therefore, it should be considered that this pronoun is used to refer to a famous meaningful nearby one. It is famous in the Vedas and the Traditional Laws (श्रुतिस्मृत्योः) that the Supreme Self is the Inner-most Self of all and He is the all-pervading perceptible (अपरोक्ष) and the superlative Principle (निरतिशयतत्त्व). It is famous among the experienced devotees also. [Some of the texts read कस्मैinstead of अस्मिन्; but, former अस्मिन्itself is the famous reading; and it is known from the further explanation that the latter word has naturally a good meaning.]
यत्साक्षादपरोक्षाद्ब्रह्मयआत्मासर्वान्तरः (बृ. 3-4-1)
This sentence of the Upanishad tells : The Principle is directly the main meaning of the word ‘Brahman’; It does never have any veiling either of space or of time; therefore, the Perceptible Principle is God; and not only that the very same God is the Self of all. The Self is an object which is one’s Own Form. Fully ignorant strongly identify themselves in their respective wife, children, house, etc. Not only common people, even the prudent have ‘I-feeling’ in body, organs, vital air, mind, intellect and ego. ‘I have come’, ‘I am seeing’, ‘It seems so’, ‘This itself is my decision’ – in these feelings ‘I-notion’ and the word ‘I’ are employed. According to the view of scriptures, God is beyond these feelings; He exists in the individual souls who are ‘doers’ (कर्तृ) and ‘enjoyers’ (भोक्तृ); He is all pervading and the Real Self of all imagined selves; and, therefore, He is called the Supreme Self (परमात्मा). Therefore, this Upanishad calls that He is the Inner-most Self (सर्वान्तरः).
Similarly, Law–Books like the आपस्तम्बसूत्र, etc. tell that God, Himself, is the real Self of us all. There is one example:पूःप्राणिनःसर्वएवगुहाशयस्य (आ. ध. 1-5-22-4).All animals are castles (पुर) of God who lives in caves. आत्मलाभान्नपरंविद्यते (आ. ध. 1-8-22-2). There is no greater profit than obtaining the Self. In these two sentences, the Supreme Being (God) is called as the Self. Similarly- आत्माक्षेत्रज्ञइत्युक्तःसंयुक्तःप्राकृतैर्गुणैः।तैरेवतुविनिर्मुक्तःपरमात्मेतिउदाहृतः।।
क्षेत्रज्ञis the self who is endowed with the qualities of the nature (प्रकृति); but, God is freed from such qualities; ममान्तरात्मातवचयेचान्येदेहसंस्थिताः (मो. ध. 251-4) really the Inner-most Self, himself, of mine, yours and indwellers of bodies – is God. Thus, it is told in the भारत. Similarly, in the विष्णुपुराण:- विस्तारःसर्वभूतस्यविष्णोःसर्वमिदंजगत्।द्रष्टव्यमात्मवत्तस्मादभेदेनविचक्षणैः।।(वि. पु. 1-17-54). This whole world is the glory of विष्णुwho is in the form of all living beings.Therefore, prudent having absence of difference should see Him as their Self – thus speaks प्रह्लाद. एकःसमस्तंयदिहास्तिकिञ्चित्तदच्युतोनास्तिपरंततोsन्यत्।
सोsहंसचत्वंसचसर्वमेत-दात्मस्वरूपंत्यजभेदमोहम्।।वि. पु. 2-16-23।।
Whatever is seen here, that everything is One God, Himself; that itself is this अच्युत; nothing exists other than Himself. He Himself is I am; He Himself is I; He himself is you and He Himself is all these; give up the affection of difference (भेदमोह) –thus निधाघhas told.
In this manner, it is famous in श्रुति, स्मृतिand पुराण that everywhere One God Himself is the Self of everything; therefore, it should be understood that here, the sage नारद, keeping his celebrity of scriptures (शास्त्रप्रसिद्धि) in his mind has used the pronoun अस्मिन्.
(Lakshminarayan Aithal has served for over 3 decades in Swami’s institution and is the former Principal of the Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva Institutions at Muddenahalli. Inspired by Swami’s direct message to study the Upanishads, he first learnt Sanskrit and then studied the direct works of Adi Shankaracharya and Swami. Sincere perseverance led him to the reality of Aham Brahmasmi and He realized and experienced Swami’s words: “I am God and so are you”. He shares the import of the Upanishadic teachings with us in this series of articles)
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