Sloka 39 and 40

SLOKA 39:

pratyagbodho ya aabhaati so.advayaanandalakShaNaH .
advayaanandaruupashcha pratyagbodhaikalakShaNaH .. 39..

pada artha:

saha: that
yaha: which
aabhaati: appears
pratyak-bodhaha: as the individual conscious Self
avyada-aananda-lakshana: is of the nature of Bliss without a second
advaya-aanandaroopaha cha: and one that is bliss with out a second
pratyak-bodha-eka-lakshanaha: is of the nature of the individual conscious Self

What appears to be the individual conscious Self is the nature of Bliss without a second and one that is Bliss without a second is none other than the individual conscious Self.

The nature of the Self is eternal bliss only. It appears to be as individual conscious only due to avidya and here the guru is instructing the student to ascertain that the real nature of Self is the Bliss only. The Self is also explained as one without the second. It is well proved by shruti, experience, logic that there can never be duality in Self. The Atman is thus the only reality and its nature is verily described as the bliss as we have learnt in the previous slokas. But this adviteeya Bliss is none but Brahman. Hence that Bliss which is Brahman is Atman and the Atman which is Bliss is Brahman only. It is like saying: “That is this and this is that” , hence indicating absolute identity of Atman and Brahman. This is what is expounded in the shruti and in the Mahavakyas such as ‘Ayam Atma Brahma” or “This Self is verily Brahman”.

It is but Bliss, one without second that is all pervading and the only reality which is Self. It can never be dual as duality will only mean associations and limitedness and hence misery only. Only that which is ever present and non dual can be bliss absolute and that is Self, That is explained here as the real ‘I’ or atman.

We can recall that Ramana Maharshi used similar words to explain the ever Blissful nature of Self as ‘I am That’. I am that Bliss which is also called as Brahman which is but existence-consciousness and Bliss. The limitedness of this ever present conscious-blissful Self is only due to illusory ignorance and hence is an illusion only. Hence it is explained here that “what appears to be as limited conscious Self” is but ever present all pervading Brahman only.

Thus the guru is instructing the disciple that the Brahman is but the Self and that Self is but Brahman or in other words the Mahavakya 'TAT TVAM ASI'

SLOKA 40:

itthamanyonyataadaatmyapratipattiryadaa bhavet.h .
abrahmatvaM tvamarthasya vyaavarteta tadaiva hi .. 40..

Pada artha:

ithyam: Thus
yada: when
anyeys taadaamya pratipathihi bahvet: their mutusl identity is comprehended
abrahmatvam : Non Brahman ness
tvamarthasya: of what is meant by the word ‘Thou’
cha: and also
paroksham: the indirect knowledge
tat arthasya: of what is meant by the word that
vyavarthate: cease
tadaa eva hi: immediately

The misconception that the word “Thou” means something other than Brahman and the word “That” has for its meaning something mediately known ceases immediately on the comprehension of the mutual identity of the meanings of these two words.



Hari OM

With regards,
Mallika R
What you have is God's gift to you and what you do with what you have is your gift to God