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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