Summarized by: Sridhar.V
The class started off with our Omkar routine followed by Pranayama and prayers.
We did a recap from our last class 11.21.2021 where in verses 15,16,17 and 18 were discussed.
We also watched a video of Gurudev where he in discussed using various examples, the meaning of “ATMAN” and in particular the one where in he describes that based on the equipments the expressions of the same source varies but in reality all are one and the same.
Excerpts of verses 19,20,21 and 22:
Translation of verses 19 & 20 :
In me alone; everything is born,in me alone does everything exist and in me alone gets everything disolvd. I am that non dual Brahman.
I am smaller than the smallest and also am I the most vast. I am the manifold universe- amazing; I am the ancient one,the Purusha,the supreme ruler am I,the effulgent one by nature ever auspicious.
Commentary/Meaning :
The effects can never remain away from their cause;they are all born from their cause,they exist in the cause and even if the manifested effects were to end their particular expressions, they can merge back only to become one with their cause.
Eg: the waves arise from,exist in and merge back into the ocean.
The ornaments arise from,exist in and merge back to become gold.
Similarly the entire phenomenal pluralities that provide our world of relative experience arise from Brahman,the supreme consciousness,exist in it and when the higher is experienced,the lower merges back into it alone.
Brahman is the world’s substratum ultimately(non dual Brahman am I concept).
In the absolute,dimensions are impossible.. In the relative world without the concept of dimensions,no gross experience is ever possible.
The Brahman is smaller than the smallest and vaster than the biggest- such concepts Anoraniyan and Mahaan are easily appreciated by the intellect but in the world outside these are two contrary qualities and its impossible to imagine this with the same object. Hence through the known meaning, that which is comprehensible, the all pervading Reality is indicated.
The Brahman is the manifold universe and as well as the ancient one (Vichitram and Puratanoham)
and is also the Purusha, Ruler and the Effulgent one along with being the ever auspicious
Translation of verses 21 and 22:
I am without hands and legs, of incomprehensible power,I see without eyes, hear without ears. Devoid of all forms,I am knowing everything and there is none that knows me I am ever pure knowledge.
I alone am the theme taught in the different Vedas, I am the revealer of the Upanishads,the Vedanta and I alone am the real knower of the Vedas. For Me there is neither merit nor demerit,I suffer no destruction, I have neither birth nor body, nor sense organs nor the mind intellect equipment.
Commentary/Meaning :
I am without hands and legs(apani-padah-aham) These expressions should not be understood as the direct word meanings and if dwell into the actual meaning,the hands and legs are representatives of the 5 instruments of action with which all of us express our responses to the world,the mode of the responses is ordered by the person’s own powerful vasanas.
Similar analogies for understanding purposes are electricity has no bulb or gas has no engine but it’s the power that drives both to function
I can see without eyes and hear without ears and am the incomprehensible power(Achintyasakthi).
I am devoid of any forms and there is no one that knows me.
I am ever the pure knowledge-(chit-sada-aham)
On waking up from the dream,inspite of the experiences within the dream, we recognize that we were always in our bed and never made any visit to any of the destinations and that the strange situations were all but the hallucinations of the consciousness or Brahman.
Thus I am the pure knowledge without any object for it to illume other than itself.
This effulgent knowledge that am I always (sada) is the final spiritual experience.
We will continue with verses 23 and 24 to wrap up Kaivalya Upanishad in our next class.
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