Sloka 47 and 48
SLOKA 47:
maanaantaravirodhe tu mukhyaarthasya parigrahe .
mukhyaarthenaavinaabhuute pratiitirlakShaNochyate .. 47..
Pada artha:
Maana-anantara-virodhe tu: In case there is an inconsistency with other evidences
Parigrahe: in accepting
Mukhya arthasya: the directly expresses meaning of the word,
Prateetihi: the meaning which is clearly intelligible by itself
Avinaabhoote: and connected with
Mukhya arthena: what is denoted directly
Uchyate: is called
Lakanaa: the meaning indirectly expressed.
In case there is an inconsistency with other evidence in accenting the directly expressed meaning of a word the meaning connected with what is denoted directly and clearly intelligently by itself is called the meaning indirectly expressed.
In the beginning of the work, the disciple had questioned how ‘Tat’ and ‘Tvam’ can be identical. The guru in these slokas, is explaining how the identity of Brahman and Atman is explained by the vakya by resorting to the indirect meaning and why only the indirect meaning has to be taken in the sentence. ‘That’ has the direct meaning of Ishwara who is the all controller having the power of Maya and ‘Thou’ is the Atman who is seems to be limited by the ignorance. Thus the identity of these two indicated by the word ‘ASI’ is impossible as both have contradictory meanings. Hence the Guru is instructing in Sloak 46 that the indirect meaning has to be sought out.
If the direct meanings of ‘that’ and ‘thou’ are taken then we end up with contradictory attributes for the same factor. The sentence would then imply the absolute oneness of ‘TAT’ and ‘TVAM’ and at same time, the existence of duality of Brahman and Atman i.e. the quality of both mediately and immediately known. Identity between such contradictions can never be possible. Hence, the guru is explaining that to avoid such errors, the indirect meaning has to be taken.
This is further explained in the next sloka.
Any word has two meanings, one that is direct and other which is indirect. When the direct word cannot be taken or if gives an illogical meaning then the indirect meaning has to be resorted to as in this sentence. In other words, if the direct word-meaning throws up an inconsistency when examined by proofs and evidences, the indirect meaning which is suggested by the word has to be accepted. This is called as Lakhana, as we have learnt in the ‘Mahavakya vivekam- Technical Analysis’ thread. The lakshana that is used in this vakyam is the Jahad Ajahad lakshana. . In this lakshana, the direct meaning is not completely rejected but the indirect meaning is taken. In the second sloka, here, the Guru is explaining this lakshana.
By taking the indirect meaning of the words, we are removing the contradictions discussed earlier. The essence of this vakya, which is the identity of Brahman and Atman alone has to be considered here; thus eliminating the contradictory factors like duality and time. Hence till now, in this work, the Guru explained the true meaning i.e. the indirect meaning to be taken of ‘TAT’ as Brahman which has no limitations and ‘TVAM’ as the Atman who also has no limitation, thus eliminating the contradictions.
Thus, in the sloka, 47 the guru is explaining the lakshana that is to be taken in this Mahavakya. Let us learn how these contradictions are eliminated in the further slokas.
Let us once recap the work till this sloka before proceeding. The student in the beginning of the work had asked the guru, about the surest way to be liberated from all the miseries of the world; to which the Guru had replied that it is the knowledge of the identity of the Atman and Brahman as propounded in the Mahavakyas alone that can end all the miseries. The student then asks how the Mahavakyas such as ‘TAT TVAM ASI’ indicate the absolute identity of Brahman and Atman and what these are. As the Guru’s answer to this, we learnt the real meaning to ‘Tat’ and ‘Tvam’ as Self and Brahman. In the last few slokas, we were learning why only the indirect meaning has to be taken and how only this indirect meaning gives the only logical meaning for the Mahavakya which is the absolute identity of Tat and Tvam alone. In this sloka, we shall further learn the lakshana used in interpreting this vakya, which is the Jahad-ajahad lakshana.
SLOKA 48:
tattvamasyaadivaakyeShu lakShaNaa bhaagalakShaNaa .
so.ayamityaadivaakyasthapadayoriva naaparaa .. 48..
Pada artha:
Lakshanaa: the only kind of explanation by implication that may be employed in interpreting
Tat-tvam-asi-aadi vaakyeshu: sentences like “Thou art that”
Bhaga lakshana: is that in which one part of the direct meaning of each words (e.g. ‘Thou’ and ‘that’) is left out while the other is retained
Iva: for example
Saha ayam ityaadi vakyasya padayoho: in the case of the two words ‘he’ and ‘this’ in sentences like ‘he is this’ etc. (one part of the direct meaning of each word is left out while the other is retained)
Na aparaa: (in such cases) no other kind of explanation by implication can be resorted to.
The only kind of explanation by implication that may be employed in interpreting sentences like ‘Thou art That’ is that in which one part of the direct meaning of each of the two words ‘Thou’ and ‘That’ is left out while the other is retained. In such cases no other kind of explanation by implication can be availed of, e.g. in the case of the two words ‘he’ and ‘this’ in eth sentence ‘He is this’ one part of the direct meaning in each word is left out while the other is retained.
From the previous slokas, we have learnt that if the direct meaning of the words is taken here, we end up with contradictions which can be removed only by taking the indirect meaning of these words. The guru here is explaining more about this lakshana by giving the example of the sentence ‘He is this’.
In this sentence ‘He is this’, the direct meaning of ‘he’ is a person who is in the past time and that of ‘this’ is a person in the present time. Hence, if we take the direct meaning then we invariably end up in apparent contradictions. Hence, in explaining this sentence, we have to resort to the Bhaga lakshana where the indirect meaning is taking without ignoring the direct meaning completely. That is, from the direct meaning of ‘he’ we have to leave out the idea of past time and similarly, from the direct meaning of ‘this’ the idea of present time and thus we get the meaning indirectly expressed by the sentence which is one person alone who has no connection with the past or present time. Another example that can be given for a similar sentence is ‘Soyam Devadutta’. Here too by removing the contradictory factor of time, we get the real meaning of the sentence.
Similarly in the Mahavakya ‘TAT TVAM ASI’ the direct meaning of the word ‘Tvam’ as we have learnt in sloka 44 is the consciousness which is combined with the internal organ and that of the word ‘Tat’ as we learnt in sloka 45 is the absolute consciousness which is the cause of the universe and that which has Maya as its upadhi. The sentence that ‘Tat Tvam asi’ thus involves an apparent contradiction is the direct meaning is taken as in the sentence ‘he is this’.
Hence by employing the lakshana, or the method of explaining by leaving out a part of the direct meaning we get the meaning of the vakya which is Brahman alone. By leaving the part consisting of the internal organ from the direct meaning of ‘thou’ and by leaving the part consisting of Maya from the direct meaning of ‘Tat’ we get the only possible meaning of this Mahavakya which is the one indivisible entity which is described as Existence-Consciousness-Bliss in the scriptures. The vakya thus means only the Brahman which is devoid of any connection with maya or the antah karanas.
Thus by removing the adjuncts of Avidya from Jeeva and Maya from Ishwara, the contradictions of limitedness for Jeeva and the all pervading-ness of Ishwara are also removed leaving one entity alone which is same as ‘Tat’ and Tvam’. Thus by taking the indirect meaning, we arrive at the real meaning of the mahavakya which is the indivisible Brahman only.
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
maanaantaravirodhe tu mukhyaarthasya parigrahe .
mukhyaarthenaavinaabhuute pratiitirlakShaNochyate .. 47..
Pada artha:
Maana-anantara-virodhe tu: In case there is an inconsistency with other evidences
Parigrahe: in accepting
Mukhya arthasya: the directly expresses meaning of the word,
Prateetihi: the meaning which is clearly intelligible by itself
Avinaabhoote: and connected with
Mukhya arthena: what is denoted directly
Uchyate: is called
Lakanaa: the meaning indirectly expressed.
In case there is an inconsistency with other evidence in accenting the directly expressed meaning of a word the meaning connected with what is denoted directly and clearly intelligently by itself is called the meaning indirectly expressed.
In the beginning of the work, the disciple had questioned how ‘Tat’ and ‘Tvam’ can be identical. The guru in these slokas, is explaining how the identity of Brahman and Atman is explained by the vakya by resorting to the indirect meaning and why only the indirect meaning has to be taken in the sentence. ‘That’ has the direct meaning of Ishwara who is the all controller having the power of Maya and ‘Thou’ is the Atman who is seems to be limited by the ignorance. Thus the identity of these two indicated by the word ‘ASI’ is impossible as both have contradictory meanings. Hence the Guru is instructing in Sloak 46 that the indirect meaning has to be sought out.
If the direct meanings of ‘that’ and ‘thou’ are taken then we end up with contradictory attributes for the same factor. The sentence would then imply the absolute oneness of ‘TAT’ and ‘TVAM’ and at same time, the existence of duality of Brahman and Atman i.e. the quality of both mediately and immediately known. Identity between such contradictions can never be possible. Hence, the guru is explaining that to avoid such errors, the indirect meaning has to be taken.
This is further explained in the next sloka.
Any word has two meanings, one that is direct and other which is indirect. When the direct word cannot be taken or if gives an illogical meaning then the indirect meaning has to be resorted to as in this sentence. In other words, if the direct word-meaning throws up an inconsistency when examined by proofs and evidences, the indirect meaning which is suggested by the word has to be accepted. This is called as Lakhana, as we have learnt in the ‘Mahavakya vivekam- Technical Analysis’ thread. The lakshana that is used in this vakyam is the Jahad Ajahad lakshana. . In this lakshana, the direct meaning is not completely rejected but the indirect meaning is taken. In the second sloka, here, the Guru is explaining this lakshana.
By taking the indirect meaning of the words, we are removing the contradictions discussed earlier. The essence of this vakya, which is the identity of Brahman and Atman alone has to be considered here; thus eliminating the contradictory factors like duality and time. Hence till now, in this work, the Guru explained the true meaning i.e. the indirect meaning to be taken of ‘TAT’ as Brahman which has no limitations and ‘TVAM’ as the Atman who also has no limitation, thus eliminating the contradictions.
Thus, in the sloka, 47 the guru is explaining the lakshana that is to be taken in this Mahavakya. Let us learn how these contradictions are eliminated in the further slokas.
Let us once recap the work till this sloka before proceeding. The student in the beginning of the work had asked the guru, about the surest way to be liberated from all the miseries of the world; to which the Guru had replied that it is the knowledge of the identity of the Atman and Brahman as propounded in the Mahavakyas alone that can end all the miseries. The student then asks how the Mahavakyas such as ‘TAT TVAM ASI’ indicate the absolute identity of Brahman and Atman and what these are. As the Guru’s answer to this, we learnt the real meaning to ‘Tat’ and ‘Tvam’ as Self and Brahman. In the last few slokas, we were learning why only the indirect meaning has to be taken and how only this indirect meaning gives the only logical meaning for the Mahavakya which is the absolute identity of Tat and Tvam alone. In this sloka, we shall further learn the lakshana used in interpreting this vakya, which is the Jahad-ajahad lakshana.
SLOKA 48:
tattvamasyaadivaakyeShu lakShaNaa bhaagalakShaNaa .
so.ayamityaadivaakyasthapadayoriva naaparaa .. 48..
Pada artha:
Lakshanaa: the only kind of explanation by implication that may be employed in interpreting
Tat-tvam-asi-aadi vaakyeshu: sentences like “Thou art that”
Bhaga lakshana: is that in which one part of the direct meaning of each words (e.g. ‘Thou’ and ‘that’) is left out while the other is retained
Iva: for example
Saha ayam ityaadi vakyasya padayoho: in the case of the two words ‘he’ and ‘this’ in sentences like ‘he is this’ etc. (one part of the direct meaning of each word is left out while the other is retained)
Na aparaa: (in such cases) no other kind of explanation by implication can be resorted to.
The only kind of explanation by implication that may be employed in interpreting sentences like ‘Thou art That’ is that in which one part of the direct meaning of each of the two words ‘Thou’ and ‘That’ is left out while the other is retained. In such cases no other kind of explanation by implication can be availed of, e.g. in the case of the two words ‘he’ and ‘this’ in eth sentence ‘He is this’ one part of the direct meaning in each word is left out while the other is retained.
From the previous slokas, we have learnt that if the direct meaning of the words is taken here, we end up with contradictions which can be removed only by taking the indirect meaning of these words. The guru here is explaining more about this lakshana by giving the example of the sentence ‘He is this’.
In this sentence ‘He is this’, the direct meaning of ‘he’ is a person who is in the past time and that of ‘this’ is a person in the present time. Hence, if we take the direct meaning then we invariably end up in apparent contradictions. Hence, in explaining this sentence, we have to resort to the Bhaga lakshana where the indirect meaning is taking without ignoring the direct meaning completely. That is, from the direct meaning of ‘he’ we have to leave out the idea of past time and similarly, from the direct meaning of ‘this’ the idea of present time and thus we get the meaning indirectly expressed by the sentence which is one person alone who has no connection with the past or present time. Another example that can be given for a similar sentence is ‘Soyam Devadutta’. Here too by removing the contradictory factor of time, we get the real meaning of the sentence.
Similarly in the Mahavakya ‘TAT TVAM ASI’ the direct meaning of the word ‘Tvam’ as we have learnt in sloka 44 is the consciousness which is combined with the internal organ and that of the word ‘Tat’ as we learnt in sloka 45 is the absolute consciousness which is the cause of the universe and that which has Maya as its upadhi. The sentence that ‘Tat Tvam asi’ thus involves an apparent contradiction is the direct meaning is taken as in the sentence ‘he is this’.
Hence by employing the lakshana, or the method of explaining by leaving out a part of the direct meaning we get the meaning of the vakya which is Brahman alone. By leaving the part consisting of the internal organ from the direct meaning of ‘thou’ and by leaving the part consisting of Maya from the direct meaning of ‘Tat’ we get the only possible meaning of this Mahavakya which is the one indivisible entity which is described as Existence-Consciousness-Bliss in the scriptures. The vakya thus means only the Brahman which is devoid of any connection with maya or the antah karanas.
Thus by removing the adjuncts of Avidya from Jeeva and Maya from Ishwara, the contradictions of limitedness for Jeeva and the all pervading-ness of Ishwara are also removed leaving one entity alone which is same as ‘Tat’ and Tvam’. Thus by taking the indirect meaning, we arrive at the real meaning of the mahavakya which is the indivisible Brahman only.
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
posted by vedanta at 8:23 AM
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