Friday, September 11, 2015

BRAHMAVALLI NINTH ANUVAKA



                                                                       
                                                                     
                                   Mantra:  bhishasmad vataha pavathi bhishodeti suryaha…..
It is because of the fear of Parabrahman that vayu or the wind blows! The sun rises and sets because of this fear. Agni and Indra carry on their duties out of fear for the Brahman. It is also because of this fear, the fifth one, the God of Death, approaches those about to die and takes them to his abode. Even the most worshipful deities like Vayu, Agni and others, in their own right the lords of the directions( diks) execute their tiresome duties like blowing and burning under the control of the Brahman!
         Isn’t it proper that one should act under control when there is a superior force that commands him? They are afraid of the Brahman in the same way as the servants are afraid of the King. The details regarding Brahmananda (supreme bliss) of which vayu and other deities are afraid and perform their duties, are described here.
         What is there to enquire about Ananda or Bliss? Is this the common pleasure derived from the experience of happiness derived from the senses or is it anything otherwise? This is the argument for discussion or debate.
          (Loukika) Common pleasure is a mixture of external  factors and the pleasures of the youth and senses(adhyathmika) at its height. This is given as an illustration to imagine how Brahmananda would be. It is possible to imagine Brahmananda with the intellect(buddhi) set free from the satisfaction of the senses through loukikananda.
           Ananda means Brahmananda only! A part or a chip(amsa) of that is loukikananda—common pleasure. As the association with avidya (ignorance) becomes strong vignana (intellect) decreases. As the domination of avidya, kama(desire) and karmas(good and bad deeds) are reduced, this Bliss or Ananda  is described as “ Manushananda, Manushya Gandharvananda, and Hiranya garbhananda” that increases gradually and respectively. This Bliss or Brahmananda can be experienced only by one not affected by any desire, a srothriya who has realized the Brahman. Ananda  or bliss that is not associated with even an iota of avidya is Total---“ Paripurnananda.” This Total Bliss is Adwaita(Monism)
          The Ananda enjoyed by a  youthful, very well behaved, robust, pure hearted, strong, and scholarly emperor, is called “ Manushanandam”—bliss of an individual. One hundred times of this is called “Manushya Gandharvanandam- of people who evolved into Gandharvas by their good deeds and the strength of yoga. Unlike the humans, they have unlimited powers and can vanish and traverse the sky. They are smart enough to avoid all difficulties and know the ways and means of being happy  One hundred times of manushyagandharva ananda is that of a “ DevaGandharva” who is born in DevaLoka at the time of Srushti or creation. A hundred times of devagandharvananda is that of a pitara –(deceased souls) –who reaches a land where he lives long.
            A hundred times of this pitara’s ananda  is that of “ Ajanaja Deva Vishesha’s ananda--- of people born in Deva Loka, high above Pitru Loka. According to Bhashya they are born by performing special smartha karmas. A hundred times of this bliss of ‘ ajanajas’ is that of ‘ karma Devas’ who have performed ‘ vaidika agnihothras’ for enjoying greater pleasures than the ‘ajanaja.’  A hundred times of the ananda of Karma Devas is the bliss of a Devatha who accepts the ‘havirbhaga”(offering in homa, sacrifices). They are 33 in number. A hundred times of the ananda of a devatha is the bliss of an Indra who is the king of devathas.  One hundred times of the bliss of an Indra is the bliss of Bruhaspati, the preceptor of Indra!  One hundred times of the ananda of Bruhaspathi  is  that of “ Prajapathi” who is the Virat Purusha  with the body of three lokas
             One hundred times of the ananda of virat purusha is the bliss of “ Hiranyagarbha” who has the form of “ vyashti and samasht.i “He is called “ sutratma” and the first among the forms ( sareeris ) “Hiranyagarbhas samavarth thagre” says the Veda.
              Much greater than the bliss of Hiranyagarbha is that of the form of the self effulgent, innate in the panchakosa purusha called as ‘Brahma puchcha’ and the one in the interior of Aditya Mandala. All are one and the same. A vidwan or a scholar who realizes the unity of this Brahmananda shall realize the atma of all the five kosas----Annamaya, pranamaya, Manomaya, Vignanamaya, and Anandamaya. This is what the Sruthi teaches.
                   
         

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