Yogaḥ in the Purānas
Yogaḥ in the Viṣṇu Purānas
Yogaḥ of Liberation from the Viṣṇu Purāṇa
Article No.1
- Ramesh Shama Alvar
- July 18th, 2021
Introduction
Chapters 6 & 7 of the Vishṇu Purāṇa, Aṃśa or Book or Part 6 are a goldmine of wisdom on Yogaḥ, especially the latter Chapter. In a series of Articles beginning with this one, I propose to introduce Readers to the wisdom of the Vishṇu Purāṇa on Yogaḥ as encapsulated in a celebrated dialogue between two Kings of old extended over these two Chapters. I shall begin with Part 6/Chapter 6.
In this Article , I shall cover the following:
- The background events that lead to the famous dialogue.
- Vishṇu Purāṇa Ṣlokaḥ 6/6/1 to 6/6/3 [Part 6/Chapter 6/Ṣlokaḥ 1-3]
In my subsequent Articles, I shall be taking up more Ṣlokaḥ of the Vishṇu Purāṇa having a bearing on Yogaḥ, first from Chapter 6 and thereafter from Chapter 7 which deals with the crux of Yogaḥ. Readers are welcome to send in their comments and suggestions. In general, I invite my dear Readers to join me in spreading insights about Yogaḥ as provided by the Vishṇu Purāṇa.
The Vishṇu Purāṇa Part 6/Chapter 6
Background Events to a Famous Dialogue on Yogaḥ
In the Vishṇu Purāṇa [Aṃśa (Part)6/ Adhyāya(Chapter)6 ], Parāśara Muni narrates to Rishi Maitreya a famous dialogue that took place between Raja Keśidhvajaḥ Janak and Raja Khāṇḍikyaḥ Janak. The central topic of this dialogue was Avidya or False-Knowledge/Delusion. It is full of wisdom and philosophical insights that will help all human beings in any age face the vicissitudes of life without losing sight of Dharma and the spiritual goals of life. It would be of immense benefit especially to an an aspiring Yogi. The background events that led to the dialogue are given in the Vishnu Purana [Aṃśa 6/ Adhyāya 6] and the main dialogue is given in the next Adhyāya or Chapter. In order to appreciate what triggered the celebrated exchange of wisdom and the context in which it took place, it would be helpful to know the series of events that led to it.
Raja Keśidhvajaḥ and Raja Khāṇḍikyaḥ were Rulers of two different Kingdoms. They were closely related being sons of two brothers. Keśidhvajaḥ was of a spiritual and philosophical bent of Mind, while Khāṇḍikyaḥ was a man of action, an accomplished votary of the Path of Karma with a worldly temperament. One would have expected Khāṇḍikyaḥ, as a man of action, to have made adequate military preparations for the defence of his Kingdom. It so happened that once, Keśidhvajaḥ, the spiritually inclined man pursuing the path of knowledge, surprisingly defeated Khāṇḍikyaḥ in battle and took over the latter’s Kingdom. Khāṇḍikyaḥ was compelled to retire to a Forest with his Priest and a small group of Ministers. There they began to lead a quiet life in exile in the tranquil ambience of the Forest.
Strangely enough, having got another Kingdom, the spiritually inclined Keśidhvajaḥ ought to have enjoyed the suzerainty of his enlarged dominions comprising of all the land, the people and the army without getting too deeply involved in the material aspects of life. But Keśidhvajaḥ did get bogged down in the affairs of the enlarged dominions now under his jurisdiction. The affairs of the State, ipso facto compelled him to follow the Path of Karmas with more and more frequency and intensity. On the other hand, Khāṇḍikyaḥ, who had previously been fundamentally inclined to the Path of Karmas, was now forced by changed circumstances, to ponder upon the spiritual and philosophical aspects of life. Up to the point of his exile to the Forest, he had been leading a life heavily oriented towards works and material things, engaged in constant action, getting things done, concentrating on various targets to be achieved, on the enjoyment of existing material possessions, and on the acquisition of possessions he had been hankering for.
In consequence, as a King in power, Khāṇḍikyaḥ had performed numerous rites & rituals for various earthly purposes and had become well conversant with their intricacies. Now, in exile and in the quiet of the forest, with few people to distract him, with no affairs of the State weighing on his mind, such a man of action, previously on the go all the time, had begun to change slowly. His Mind was now less cluttered with material thoughts. The silence, the space, and the tranquility of an Indian Vanā or Forest, were ideal for this former man of action to begin contemplating on the spiritual and philosophical aspects of human existence. During the forced stay in the Forest, he had begun to actually enjoy the newly found mental haven. He had become more dispassionate, less attached to anything material, and overall more enlightened than ever before. Events were soon to demonstrate how deeply this former Man of Action, who had always been on the go-go as a Ruler, had metamorphized into a Man of Knowledge or how thoroughly a Man, previously given to the material pursuits of life had now understood the real value of the spiritual goals of life. Therein lies many wonderful lessons for all us, especially those practicing Yogaḥ.
Let us now turn to Keśidhvajaḥ who had snatched the Kingdom of Khāṇḍikyaḥ and had become the Lord of not one, but two Kingdoms. Once a milch cow, which had been providing milk for Vedic rites was killed by a tiger within Keśidhvajaḥ’s domain. The King felt that he ought to perform appropriate rites for the expiation of the sin of a cow being killed within the boundaries of his Kingdom, no matter under what circumstances. He wanted to know the procedure i.e. all the expiatory rites and rituals enjoined under the Karma Khanda of the Vedas and other Shāstras. When consulted, his Priests said that they were were not aware of any specific rites stipulated in the Scriptures to atone for the killing of the sacred animal. They advised the King to consult a person named Kasheru, who being unable to give an answer, suggested to the King that he should refer the matter to yet another person called Shunaka. Upon being approached for advice by the King , Shunaka admitted that he also did not know the answer but told the King to seek the advice of Khāṇḍikyaḥ. He declared emphatically that the only person on the face of this Earth who could clear his doubts was Khāṇḍikyaḥ, the very former Ruler, whose Kingdom had been taken away by force and who was now in exile in a forest. Keśidhvajaḥ put on the deerskin garb of a hermit and went alone to meet Khāṇḍikyaḥ in the forest.
At first, spotting Keśidhvajaḥ coming towards him, an enraged Khāṇḍikyaḥ suspected that Keśidhvajaḥ had come to kill him, and remove forever a possible future threat. However, upon Keśidhvajaḥ ‘s solemn assurance that he had come there with the peaceful intention of getting some doubts resolved, Khāṇḍikyaḥ held his hand. He retired to consult his own advisors. Now there followed a wondrous thing which we must pay careful heed to. Without exception, everyone in his small retinue, especially his Royal Priest, and loyal Ministers, advised him to seize the chance to kill Keśidhvajaḥ since he had come all alone. This was, in their opinion, the golden opportunity to regain the lost Kingdom. It was also in consonance with the Dharma of the Kshatriya Race and there was no sin attached. To a man, previously of heavy inclination towards karmas and the enjoyment of their fruits and long devoted to the performance of rites & rituals with material benefits in mind, such a piece of unanimous advice by his trusted group of well-wishers ought to have been most welcome. Under normal circumstances, Khāṇḍikyaḥ would have followed their sincere counsel without hesitation, killed Keśidhvajaḥ and regained his lost Kingdom. Thereby, he would not have violated the canons of Dharma applicable to him.
At that point of time, the odds that Khāṇḍikyaḥ would have disagreed with all his advisors would have been next to zero, all factors considered. However, his stay in the Forest in a quiet ambience conducive to longer and longer periods of contemplation, had brought about remarkable degree of enlightenment and dispassion in Khāṇḍikyaḥ. To the King’s counsellors, his transformation was as deep as it was surprising and unexpected. He told his Ministers that what they had advised him was quite true and that he could easily get back his Kingdom by killing Keśidhvajaḥ on the spot, since he had come all alone. He would thereby become the Monarch of the whole Earth. But then, in that event, the slain Keśidhvajaḥ would become the Monarch of the Worlds to come, meaning the Higher Spiritual Worlds.
On the other hand, if he were not to kill Keśidhvajaḥ, he would become the Master of the Spiritual World even when he was still alive. He would have left the material world of the Earth to Keśidhvajaḥ. The fundamental question in Khāṇḍikyaḥ’s mind was whether the material or the spiritual world would be more conducive to the highest good of mankind. He opted for the World of the Spirit, and so decided not to kill Keśidhvajaḥ. He went up to Keśidhvajaḥ and asked him what he wanted to know. Keśidhvajaḥ narrated the incident in which a cow providing milk for Vedic rites had been killed by a tiger within his domain. He expressed the desire to know what penance & rites ought to be performed in expiation. As stated earlier, Khāṇḍikyaḥ, before his exile to the Forest, had been following the path of Works, especially that involving rites & rituals, of which he had acquired exceptional knowledge. Accordingly, Khāṇḍikyaḥ explained to Keśidhvajaḥ the detailed procedure required to be followed for expiation of the sin arising from the killing of the sacred animal.
Keśidhvajaḥ went back to his Kingdom and performed all the appropriate ceremonies & associated rites and rituals meticulously as instructed by Khāṇḍikyaḥ. Keśidhvajaḥ duly honoured the Priests and participants as enjoined by tradition. He fully complied with all the customary entreaties made by others on the occasion. It seemed to the King that he had not omitted anything in the prescribed ceremonies. Yet, he felt strangely dissatisfied. He felt that he had, possibly, missed out some important element of the enjoined formalities in the matter and suspected that something might really have been left out. He could not put his finger on that and continued to feel strangely ill at ease despite having meticulously complying with all the enjoined ceremonies in the matter in his own estimation. Then, he suddenly recalled that he had not given a “guru-dakshina” or the gift traditionally given to the Guru at the end of the instruction. He had, at last, identified the omission that had been had been the cause of that lingering dissatisfaction in him.
Before we narrate what happened next, we will take up up the Sanskrit Ṣlokaḥ of Vishnu Purana Adhyāya/Chapter 6 from the beginning. With this background in mind, the Reader would be able to enjoy the Ṣlokaḥ. We will deal with the main Ṣlokaḥ in detail and paraphrase others to maintain both continuity of the narrative and manageable length. We have at the outset of the Vishnu Purana Book 6/Chapter 6, the most eminent Parāśara Muni makes some preliminary remarks which are quite profound and worth consideration in detail by all human beings, specially the aspirants of Yogaḥ.
Ṣlokaḥ [6/6/1]
श्रीपराशर उवाच:
स्वाध्यायसंयमाभ्यां स दृश्यते पुरुषोत्तमः ।
तत्प्राप्तिकारणं ब्रह्म तदेतदिति पठ्यते ॥६/६/१॥
parāśara uvāca:
svādhyāyasaṃyamābhyāṃ sa dṛśyate puruṣottamaḥ
tatprāptikāraṇaṃ brahma tad etad iti paṭhyate ॥6/6/1॥
स्वाध्याय svādhyāya-by means of Self-Study (of the Scriptures); संयमाभ्यां saṃyamābhyām-and by self restraint/self control; स sah-a person/that person; दृश्यते dṛśyate-beholds; पुरुषोत्तमः puruṣottamaḥ-the best of the Puruśā or the Supreme Being; तत्प्राप्तिकारणं tatprāptikāraṇaṃ-for the reason that the Brahman can both be beheld and attained; ब्रह्म Brahma-the Brahman; तद् tad-those two i.e. Self Study & Self-Restraint; एतद् इति etad iti-these two in this manner namely as the Brahman; पठ्यते paṭhyate-are designated or proclaimed as such ॥६/६/१॥
“Sri Parāśara said:
By means of the Study of the Scriptures and by Self Restraint, one beholds the best of the Puruśā or the Supreme Being. For the reason that the Brahman can be beheld and attained; those two (namely self-study of the Scriptures & Self Restraint) are designated/proclaimed to be (the personification of the) Brahman.” ॥6/6/1॥
Svādhyāya or Self Study of the Scriptures is an important part of the preliminary discipline of the Ashtānga Yogaḥ of the Yogaḥ Upaniṣad. The Trishikhi Brāhmanopanishad [Mantra, 33] includes ‘वेदान्तश्रवणं vedaanta shravanam’ or ‘the Study of the Vedanta’ in its list of Ten Niyamas.
Triśhikhi Brāhmanopaniṣhad [Mantra 34]
वेदान्तश्रवणं चैव ह्रीर्मतिश्च जपो व्रतम् ॥ इति । आसनानि तदङ्गानि स्वस्तिकादीनि वै द्विज ॥ ३४॥
vedānta śravanam ca eva hinrmati ca japo vratam iti āsanāni tadangāni svastikādīni vai dvija ॥ 34॥
The Śhaṇḍilyopaniṣhad [1/2/1-11] includes ‘siddhāntaśravana’ or ‘the Hearing and Study of the Philosophies of Religion’ in its list of Niyamas. It explains the term ‘Siddhāntaśravana’ as being the enquiry into and contemplation upon the import of the teachings of the Vedās. Lord Brahma mentions इन्द्रियनिग्रहः indriyanigraḥ control over the sense organs; and स्वाध्यायः Svādhyāya as enjoined preparatory disciplines of the Ashtānga Yogaḥ in the Acāra Khānda, Garuda Purāṇa [1/49/32] and [1/49/33] respectively.
In this opening Ṣlokaḥ, Parāśara Muni declares that the study of the Vedās and Self Restraint or Self Control are two disciplines to be regarded as the personification of the Brahman. Let us consider the first part of the Muni’s declaration that Self Study of the Vedās is the personifcation of the Brahman. Why so? The Vedās are Shrutis or the Word of God heard by Sages in Samādhi. For that reason, Parāśara Muni declares the Vedās to be the very personification of God. This declaration underlines the fact that the Purānas are theistic inherently. To those with a neutral world view as to the existence of God; or to those who may be agnostic or atheist by nature, the idea of studying a particular set of Scriptures may not appeal much. Such people may find it easier to take to the aetheistic Yogaḥ of Patānjali than the theistic Yogaḥ of the Purānas which are based on the Yogaḥ Upaniṣad. This is understandable but the fact is that by not studying the Hindu Scriptures on the grounds that they do not have a neutral world view and are biased towards the tenets & philosophy of a particular faith, one might easily lose out on knowledge and critical insights pertaining to the highest aspects of Yogaḥ. There is little scope for bigotry in Yogaḥ and plenty of scope to learn with the open mind. We urge our readers to study and contemplate in this spirit upon anything they may come across in this work.
The second aspect of Parāśara Muni’s contention, that Self Restraint or Self Control, is a personification of the Brahman stands by itself. The Brahman is said to be the architect of Yogaḥ. Self-Restraint is one of the pillars of Yogaḥ. For instance, Lord Brahma mentions इन्द्रियनिग्रहः indriyanigraḥ-control over the sense organs. Self-Restraint is the corner-stone of a normal happy life as much as it is of successful Yogaḥ.
Ṣlokaḥ [6/6/2]
स्वाध्यायाद् अयोगमं आसीत योगात् स्वाध्यायमं आवसेत्
स्वाध्याययोगसंपत्त्या परमात्मा प्रकाशते ॥६/६/२॥
svādhyāyād Yogaḥ āsīta yogāt svādhyāyam āvaset
svādhyāyaYogaḥsaṃpattyā paramātmā prakāśate ॥6/6/2॥
स्वाध्यायाद् svādhyāyād-upon Self Study (of the Scriptures); योगं Yogaḥ-the science of Yogaḥ; आसीत aasiita-rests; योगात् Yogaḥat-in Yogaḥ; स्वाध्यायमं svaadhyaayam-Self Study; आवसेत् aavaseta-to dwell upon/inhabits in/find a resting place; स्वाध्याययोगसंपत्त्या-from the spiritual wealth generated by Self-Study and the practice of Yogaḥ; परमात्मा paramaatma-the Supreme Aatman; प्रकाशते prakashate-shines forth/is revealed.
Sanskrit Words:
- आस āsa [AGK Vol 1, 383/2] 1. to sit, lie, rest. 2. to live, dwell.
२. आवस āvas [AGK Vol 1, 374/1] 1. to inhabit, dwell 2. to be occupied, engaged in, to enter upon.
Parāśara Muni continues:
” Yogaḥ dwells in the Self-Study (of the Scriptures). Self-Study, in turn, dwells in/finds a place of rest in Yogaḥ. By the spiritual wealth (power) generated by Self-Study and the Practice of Yogaḥ, the Brahman shines forth/is revealed.” ॥6/6/2॥
Parāśara Muni elaborates further:
Ṣlokaḥ [6/6/3]
तदीक्षणाय स्वाध्यायश्चक्षुर्योगस्तथा परम्
न मांस चक्षुषा द्र ष्टुं ब्रह्मभूतस्स शक्यते ॥६/६/३॥
tadīkṣaṇāya svādhyāyaścakṣurYogaḥs tathā param
na māṃsa cakṣuṣā draṣṭuṃ brahmabhūtaḥsa śakyate ॥6/6/3॥
तद् tad–that(the Brahman); ईक्षणाय īkṣaṇāya-to behold; स्वाध्याय svādhyāya-self-study of the Scriptures; च ca-and; चक्षुषा cakshuṣā-eyes; योग Yogaḥ-Yoga; तथा-as well; परम् param-the highest; न na-not; मांसचक्षुषा māṃsa cakṣuṣā-with the eyes of the flesh (of the body); द्रष्टुं drushtam-to behold; ब्रह्मभूत: brahmabhūtaḥ-the Brahman; स – a person; शक्यते śakyate-is it possible.
” To behold that Brahman, Self-Study of the Scriptures and Yogaḥ are the highest categories of sight or means of vision. It is not possible for a person to behold the Brahman with the normal eyes of the flesh/human body.” ॥6/6/3॥
The human eye is the doorway to one of the five senses. The human eye is a sense organ that reacts to light waves. It enables a human being to perceive light, colour, and depth. A normal human eye can see thousands of different forms and shapes, and about 10 million different colours! The process of seeing everyday objects with the human eyes involves sensory impressions in the form of variations in light waves, emanating from an object and falling on the retina/eyeball which are thereafter processed. The the Mind matches the image formed by the sensory inputs with previous data, if available. If there is a match, the image is readily identified and the information conveyed to the conscious entity or the Self. If not, no identication is made and the sentient entity is left to wonder what the object might be. This is a simplistic view of the process by which the sentient entity acquires knowledge of the outside world with all its objects, and all the stream of sensory impressions gathered by the sense organs.
It is an elementary view of how the sole conscious entity in the otherwise completely inert body sees objects in the world outside of itself. Despite all the amazing and wondrous qualities of the human eye it is not possible to behold the Brahman with the eye of the human body or flesh as this Ṣlokaḥ tells us. This is a profound idea and it tells us that the मामंसचक्षु mamsacakshu or the eye of the human flesh can see things only in the material world and not in the spiritual dimension. Can we see the Brahman with our normal eyes? Does the Mind have a previous image of the Brahman which it can use to get a match and obtain a definite identification? The Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad [3/7/18] has this to say about the relationship between the eyes of our flesh and the Brahman:-
Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad
Ṣlokaḥ [3/7/18]
yaś cakṣuṣi tiṣṭhañ cakṣuṣo ‘ntaro yaṃ cakṣur na veda yasya cakṣuḥ śarīraṃ yaś cakṣur antaro yamayaty eṣa ta ātmāntaryāmy amṛtaḥ
य:yah-who; चक्षुषि cakṣuṣi-within the eyes; तिष्ठꣳ tiṣṭhañ-dwells in/is present in; चक्षुषो cakṣuṣo-from the eyes; अन्तरो antaro-is different/apart; यं yaṃ-whom; चक्षुः cakṣuḥ-the eye; न वेद na veda-does not kow; यस्य yasya-whose; चक्षुः cakṣuḥ-the eye; शरीरं śarīraṃ-the body; य:yah-who; चक्षुः cakṣuḥ-the eye; अन्तरो antaro-from within; यमयति yamayaty-rules/governs; ते te-thy; एष esha-that One;आत्मा-inner Self; अन्तर्यामि antaryāmy-inner controller; अमृतः amṛtaḥ-immortal ॥३.७.१८॥
“He who dwells within the Eye but is distinctly apart from the Eyes; whom the Eyes do not know; whose Body the Eyes form a part of; and who controls the Eyes from within; that One is thy inner self, inner- controller, and immortal.” ॥3/7/18॥
If the Brahman dwells in the eyes but is apart from it and the eyes do not know the Brahman, there is no likelihood that a Yogi would be able to use the eyes of the body to behold the Brahman. Then what can we use to try to behold the Brahman?
The Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad clarifies that the Brahman can be seen/realised only with the Mind’s eye as follows:
Ṣlokaḥ [4/4/19]
मनसैवानुद्रष्टव्यं नेह नानाऽस्ति किं चन । ॥४/४/१९(१) ॥
manasaivānudraṣṭavyaṃ neha nānāsti kiṃ cana
मनसैवानुद्रष्टव्यं manasaivānudraṣṭavyaṃ-(The Brahman) is to be seen only with the Mind’s eye; न na-not; इह iha here-(with regard to the Brahman); नानाऽस्ति nānāsti-exists no differentiation or variety; किं चन kiṃ cana-whatsoever. । ॥४/४/१९(१)॥
“Only with the Mind’s eye is the (Brahman) to be seen. Here, with regard to the Brahman, there exists no differentiation or variety (though the Brahman manifests in different forms with different bodily attributes and actions).” ॥4/4/19(1)॥
The next Ṣlokaḥ of the Bṛhadāraṇyakopaniṣad reinforces the point made by the first. It says:
Ṣlokaḥ [4/4/20]
एकधैवानुद्रष्टव्यमेतदप्रमयं ध्रुवम् ।
विरजः पर आकाशादज आत्मा महान्ध्रुवः ॥ २०॥
ekadhaivānudraṣṭavyam etad apramayaṃ dhruvam ।
virajaḥ para ākāśād aja ātmā mahān dhruvaḥ ॥4/4/20॥
एकधा ekadha-in one way/form; एव eva-alone; अनुद्रष्टव्यम् anudraṣṭavyam-to be beheld/kept in the Mind; एतद etad-this one; अप्रमयं apramayaṃ-the Brahman; ध्रुवम् dhruvam-immoveable/perpetual/fixed/constant; विरजः free from passion; पर para-higher; आकाशाद ākāśād-than space; अज aja-unborn; आत्मा महान् ātmā mahān-the Great Self; ध्रुवः dhruvaḥ-constant ॥४/४/ २०॥
ekadhaivānudraṣṭavyam etad apramayaṃ dhruvam ।
virajaḥ para ākāśād aja ātmā mahān dhruvaḥ ॥4/4/20॥
एकधा ekadha-in one way/form; एव eva-alone; अनुद्रष्टव्यम् anudraṣṭavyam-to be beheld/kept in the Mind; एतद etad-this one; अप्रमयं apramayaṃ-the Brahman; ध्रुवम् dhruvam-immoveable/perpetual/fixed/constant; विरजः free from passion; पर para-higher; आकाशाद ākāśād- than space; अज aja-unborn; आत्मा महान् ātmā mahān-the Great Self; ध्रुवः dhruvaḥ-constant ॥४/४/ २०॥
Sanskrit Words:
- अनुद्रष्टव्यम् anudraṣṭavyam: [AGK 1, 11/2] 1. To survey, behold; to keep in view or mind, see in prospect
- विरज viraja: [AGK 3, 170/2] Free from dust or passion, pure. विरजः an epithet of Sri Vishnu.
3.अप्रमेय aprameya: [AGK 1, 176/2] 1. 1 Immeasurable, unbounded, boundless. 2. That which cannot bo proporly ascertained, understood, inscrutable, unfathomable (of a person/thing). 3. Not to be proved or demonstrated (as Brahman) 4. अप्रमयम् apramayam: Brahman
“There is one way alone in which this One can be beheld or kept in the Mind. That it is the immeasurable, boundless, inscrutable Brahman; that it is immoveable/perpetual/fixed or constant; that it is free from passion; that it is greater than space; that it is unborn; and that it is the great Self that cannot be properly ascertained, understood, proved or demonstrated.” ॥4/4/20॥
The Chāndogya Upaniṣad gives us an insight into the importance of the Mind in beholding the Brahman. It says:
Ṣlokaḥ [3/18/1]
मनो ब्रह्मेत्युपासीतेत्यध्यात्ममथाधिदैवतमाकाशो ब्रह्मेत्युभयमादिष्टं भवत्यध्यात्मं चाधिदैवतं च ॥३/१८/ १ ॥
mano brahmety upāsīta । ity adhyātmam । athādhidaivatam । ākāśo brahma । ity ubhayam ādiṣṭaṃ bhavaty adhyātmaṃ cādhidaivataṃ ca ॥3/18/1 ॥
मनो mano-in the Mind; ब्रम्ह Brahma-Brahman; इति iti-as it were; उपासित upāsīta-be intent upon./attach oneself to; इति iti-this; अध्यात्मम् adhyātmam-study/learning at the physical personal plane; अथाधिदैवतम athādhidaivatam -thereafter on the divine/spirtual plane; आकाशो ākāśo-Space is; ब्रम्ह Brahma-the Brahman; इति iti-thus; उभयम ubhayam-both; अदिष्टं ādiṣṭaṃ-have been ordained; भवति bhavati-as being; अध्यात्मम् adhyātmam-study/learning at the physical personal plane; च ca-and अधिदैवतम ādhidaivatam- contemplation/study on the divine/spirtual plane; च ca-as well.
Sanskrit Words:
- उपासीत upāsīta/उपास् [AGK 1, 484/1] 1. to sit near to, wait upon, serve, worship. 2. to approach, go near to. 3.to be intent upon. 4. to attach oneself to. 5. to respect, recognize.
2.अदिष्टं ādiṣṭaṃ [AGK 1, 342/1] 1. ordained, command, order. 2. advice.
- अध्यात्मम adhyātmam: study, self-contemplation, deep reflection.
“Be intent upon the Mind as being one with the Brahman. This would be contemplation/study at the personal level/plane. This is to be followed by contemplation of the Brahman on the divine plane. Space is Brahman. Thus, both these are so ordained; the personal and the divine.”॥3/18/1 ॥
The Mind is a powerful tool in the hands of the Jivātman . It can help the Self progress on the right path to liberation or take the wrong one towards rebirths as the Self may choose. To attain the first object, the Mind has to be purified, mastered and trained to behold the right objects that will yield pleasures of a kind that surpass that derived by the sense organs from their material objects. Such an object would be a divine object such as a Deity of Choice. Then the divine potential of the Mind as an organ of divine vision would come to the fore. The Aṣṭāṅga Yogaḥ of the Yogaḥ Upaniṣad is a wonderful, tried and tested programme for awakening the capability of the Mind to function as the divine eyes of the Self. At the Summit of Yogaḥ, not only would all the sins of the Yogi have been washed away, but in Samādhi, the Yogi might even experience the Brahman by the Grace of the Brahman.
I use the word ‘experience’ because the Brahman cannot be seen as a pictorial representation of the kind normal eyes are used to seeing in daily life such as real life beings and objects, or photographs, videos, films, prints, paintings, sculptures, and other such media forms based on the material characteristics of Prakriti. If at all, the Brahman were to be experienced, it would be an example of the successful use of the Divine Eyes of the Mind.
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