“All the world's a stage and all the men and women merely players” declared the bard of Stratford upon Avon, William Shakespeare! They have their exits and entrances. When man comes on the stage of Life it is his entrance or birth. After playing his part well or ill, when he leaves the stage it is his exit or death. In-between birth and death he has many parts to play. Even as per our scriptures human life is divided into four or five stages. 'jayathe’- taking birth, 'vardhate’- growing into boyhood, 'parinimithe’- changing over into youth and middle age, 'kshiyathe’- declining into old age and senility and finally ‘ nasayithe-leaving the stage of life or death! Old age is considered as second childhood! One cannot remain an infant or child for ever. Boyhood has to give place to youth which too is impermanent. Middle age occupies the the best and the most important stage of life and then there is the downward trend. Old age sets in and slowly the individual loses his strength, becomes senile. His senses are obscured and from that evening of life he enters into darkness and death! It is significant to note that every stage of life has its own 'vyapara’-activity. They are not interchangeable.
Adi Sankara, feeling sorry for the pitiable state of the man repeating the grammar sutra, continues to reflect on the nature of Samsara or family life! As a child, it is entirely dependent on the mother and others.The boy is involved in play always. In his middle age man is totally lost in his wife and children and their upbringing. Later in old age he is very much worried about many things in his life till death takes him away. In short, every stage of life has its own specific activity. Emotions have been wonderfully arranged by the Providence! It is in one’s prime youth and middle age that man has amorous feelings, thinks of love. He falls in love, marries and bears children. That is the age prescribed for love, marriage, and procreation. Sankara asks, ‘ vayasi gate kah kamavikarah’- Where are your amorous advances when that age is past? Surely a boy cannot think of it. Past middle age and in old age it looks awkward to propose to a lady! People will look askance at such an act.
‘Sushke nire kah kasaraha?’ questions Sankara. Kasara means a lake. what is the requisite for a lake? It must have plenty of water. If it is not brimful, it should have at least plenty of water. Then only it can be called a lake. If all the water is dried up or when there is negligible quantity of water in it how can that be called a lake? Everything in life has to satisfy certain conditions to be accepted by others. A sugar candy attracts hundreds of ants and even more. Slowly and steadily the the sugar candy disappears. Along with the sugar candy all ants vanish. Sycophants gather around the rich.They hail and flatter him to the skies not because he is great or scholarly but for the money he has and the doles that they get from him! The moment he loses his wealth they leave the rich man in the lurch and vanish like the frogs from the dry well! Aptly Sankara points out, ‘ kshine vitte kah parivaraha'-where are the attendants when money has declined?
Coming to the most important part of his message, Sankara asserts that man is entangled the web of Samsara because of his ignorance or avidya or Maya or illusion! The physical world appears real to him. All his little pleasures, he considers as real. His wife, children, property are thought of as permanent! He forgets the very purpose of his life for which God has created him! He thinks that he is the body only! He is not concerned about the spirit or soul that is enshrined
in his body! He doesn't understand the indestructibility of this Atma that manifests in each and every object in the world! As long as he remains ignorant of these eternal truths he is caught in the cycle of birth and death endlessly! It is absolutely essential that he contemplates and tries to understand these principles.The moment this knowledge dawns on his mind he is free from the perennial shackles of samsara! So Sankara points out, ‘Jnathe tatwe kah samsaraha’!
In the darkness of the night, without illumination, the rope is mistaken for a snake and the person is terribly frightened and steps back! Similarity between the snake and the rope, lack of proper light, and darkness contribute to this illusion! But the moment the area is illuminated, you feel, after all it is rope and not a snake! Various factors cause this feeling. Darkness is ignorance or avidya. Night also represents ignorance as you cannot see objects without light. Light or illumination is knowledge or the real 'tatwa’ or ‘Jnana’. When man realizes this principle he is liberated from the bonds of Samsara! Adi Sankara, by the use of negatives, reinforces the necessity for Jnana and emancipation! Jnana is the realization that you are the chip of the same block, eternal Atma or the Brahman!
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