Q. Please explain in detail the first Paka adhikaranam in the 4th padam of Vedanta Sara?{S8G}
Ans. Avrtthyadhikaranam:
Repetition of meditation again and again till knowledge is attained.
The importance of meditation as a means of attaining Brahman Brahmavidhapnothi param one who knows Brahman reaches the highest "thameva vidhithva athimrthyumethi" knowing Brahman one transcends death, "Brahma vedha Brahmarva bhavathi" He who knows Brahman becomes like brahman. The poorva pakshin says that meditation done once is enough because knowledge through meditation is performed once only, like the jyothshtoma sacrifice done once as the araadhana of the supreme person fetch the results of all purusharthas. This is refuted, and meditation is to be repeated again and again according to the instructions of the sasthras as the word knowing (vedana) contemplation (dhyana) and meditation (upasana) are used as synonyms. "Mano Brahma ithyupaseetha" meditate the mind as Brahman ends with "bhakthi cha thapathi cha keerthyaya sasa brahmavarchasena sa evam vedha" he who knows thus shines and warms with fame and celebrity and with the holy effulgence born of sacred wisdom. Similarly the knowledge of Raikva is first refered to as yasthadhvedha tath sa vedha sa maya ethadhk thah" He who knows what he knows is thus spoken by me and later as 'Sadhimam dhevatham upasthe' teach me the diety whom you meditate on. Thus in all texts the words vedhana and dhyana are used synonymously.
Dhyanam Sri Ramanuja says is chinthanam which is smrthi santhathiroopam continuous rememberance upasana also has the same meaning. Ekagrachitthavrtthi nairanthrye prayoga dharsanath, concentration of mind on an object with uninterupted thought. Therefore as the words Vedhana , dhyana and upasana are synonymas.
In Vishnu Purana. "Thadhm paprathyaye....... nish padhyathe thatha"
The meditation on His form is one continuous remembrance without desiring anything else. So meditation on Him is to be repeated again and again. Athmathvopa sanadhik aranam. The meditator engaged in meditation on Brahman is to view or comprehend it as identical with his own self. He who dwelling within the self is different from the self whom the self does not know, of whom the self is the body who rules the self from within, he is thy self, the inner self the immortal one. In the Sath all these beings have their root they dwell in the Sath, they rest in the sath. All that exists has that as the Self and "Sarvam kholu idham Brahma thajjalan." All this is Brahman, from Him they originate, in Him they merge back and by Him they ars sustained.
All concepts are based on Brahman and all words ultimately denote Brahman as shown by the text "thvam va aham bhagavo" thus when the relationships between Brahman and the self is understood there will be no contradiction between the texts that teach the unity and difference. The difference is like that of individual self and the body and the non difference is due to Brahman being the inner self of the individual self.
Pratheekaadhikaranam.
The self should not be meditated on the symbol because it is not self for example the mind can be viewed as Brahman because they are inferior and not the self. brahmadhrshtih uthkarshath.
Here it is refuted that symbol is to be viewed as Brahman because of Brahman's superiority.
The mind can be viewed as Brahman because the mind is inferior but Brahman i.e. cannot be viewed as mind.
Adhithyadhimathyadhikaranam.
and subsidiary such as udhgeetha has to be viewed as adhithya etc. as it is consistent.
Asseenadhikaranam.
After establishing that the meditation is the means of attaining release and that it has to be repeatedly done. now the manner of practicing meditation is seen.
The opponent says it can be practiced in any posture but this is refuted because mental concentration is only possible while sitting only and this should be the posture adopted when one is meditating. Standing and walking require some effort and lying down will induce sleep.
Dhyanaccha: As meditation has been described as to be constant remembrances of one subject uninterrupted by other thoughts and it is enjoined by text "nidhi dhyasithavyah" the self should be meditated upon.
Achalathvam chapekshya, immobility is necessary for meditation here examples are taken of Akasha Earth etc. dhyatheeva prithivee, dhyayatheeva anthariksham, dhyatheeva dhyeah, dhyatheeva apah, dhyayatheeva parvathah i.e. Akasa meditates as it were, earth meditates as it were, heavens meditate as it were, water meditates as it were, mountains meditate as it were to denote immobility of meditation which implies sitting only.
Smaranthicha. smrithi also declares so.
In the gita we have the specification for meditation as suchou dhese prathishtapya sthiram asanam Athmanah - thathraikagram manah krthva having established a clean spot and a firm seat there one should meditate with mind concentrated on single object etc.
Yathraika gratha thathra aviseshath where ever concentration of mind is possible there the meditation is to be done. For meditation the only requirement is that the place should be conducive to concentration.
Aprayanadhiaranam.
aprayanath thathrapi hi dhrshtam.
Until death for it is seen in the scriptures to be so, living thus throughout his life he reaches brahman.
Thadhadhigamadhikaranam
Thadhadhi gamantharapurva ghayoh asleshavin asou thadhvyapadhesath.
Attaining that meditation results in non clinging and destruction of earlier and later sins.
Thadhigama: when that is realised.
Utharapulvaghayoh: of the subsequent and previous sins.
Asleshavinasau: non clinging and destruction
Tadvyapadesat: because sruti has declared so.
The result of knowledge of Brahman or the state of Jeevan mukti is discussed.
The sutra says that when a person attains knowledge all his past sins do not cling to him. Karma has doubtless its power of bringing its effects but that power can be nullified and overcome by knowledge of brahman.
Work has the power to produce results which has to be experienced, but knowledge has the capacity to destroy the power of past karma and to object that of subsequent karmas. So both declarations of example taken of fire to produce heat and water to quench it are both valid and not contradictory to each other.
The power of sinful action to produce the result is due to the displeasure of the Lord and meditation on the Supreme Person destroys that and hence prevents the results from origination and destroys the result of subsequent actions.
Itharadhikaranam.
Itharaya api evam asamaleshah pathe thu: of the other good deeds also there is non clinging and destruction. But regarding some deeds non clinging occurs only after death.
We have seen how evil deeds do not cling to one who has knowledge and their results are destroyed.but here we see even good deeds do not cling etc. because both the good and evil deeds are obstruction to the final release thus the scriptures say Sarvopapmano atho nivarthanthe, all sins turn away from him and thath suktha dushkrthe dhoonuthe, he shakes off both good and bad deeds.
But results of good deeds like rain food etc are bebeficial to a man of knowledge for assisting him in meditation so they will remain till the fall of the body.
Anarabdha karyadhikaranam.
anarabdha karya eva thu poorve thadhanadheh.
Only those previous deeds the result of which have not yet begun are destroyed as the deeds which have begun to yield fruits last till death.
The existence of the body after the deeds are destroyed is due to the impetus as in the case of the potters wheel which continues to rotate even after the operation is over, thus gods will to keep the body going is understood.
Agnihothradhyadhikaranam.
Agnihothradhi thu thath karyatyaiva thoddharsantha agnihothra etc. are to be performed for generating the effect that produces knowledge as seen from the scriptures.
Since it has been shown that no clinging of results of both good deeds and evil deeds result from the power of knowledge the opponent argue that acts like agnihothra need not be performed by one who does not desire their result to accure to him. The sutra refutes this saying that they have to be performed for the sake of creating the knowledge.
The scriptures further confirm
"tham etham vedhanuvachan ena brahmana vividhishanthi yajnena dhanena thapasa anasakena."
The brahmanas desire to know Him by reciting the vedas, by sacrifices, by gift, by penance, and by fasting. As the meditation has to be practiced again and again till death. The acts like agnihothri purifies the mind and hence are to be done as otherwise the mind will lose its clarity which will obstruct meditation.
Atho anya api hyekesham ubhayoh.
Other than agnihothra there are many good deeds done before and after the generation of knowledge the text Thasya puthra dhayamupayanthi suhrhdah sadhukrthyam, his sons get his inheritance, his friends his good deeds etc refer to the good deeds before and subsequent to the production of knowledge, other than agnohothri and the like which are for generating knowledge the result of them being obstructed by other stronger karmas.
Yadhena vidhyaya ithi hi.
That alone which is performed with knowledge becomes more vigorous refers to the power of udhgeetha to ward off the obstacles that prevent the result of sacrifice. Hence it is understood that there is obstacle even to the works that are actually performed and not only to those before or after the generation of knowledge. Hence the text declaring that his friends inherit his good deeds refers to those good deeds performed by a man of knowledge and hence did not give out the fruit during his lifetime which on his death they are transfered to others.
itharakshapanadhikaranam.
Bhog ena thvithare kshapayith va atha sampadhyathe.
After destroying the good and bad deeds which have begun to yield fruit by experience he attains Brahman.
It is said that good and evil deeds which have not started to yield fruit will be destroyed by the power of knowledge, now the question is whether those which have started to yield fruit are destroyed by the end of that bodily existence or several bodily existences etc.the oponent is of the opinion that they are destroyed after that bodily existence, according to the text tasya thavadhena chiram yavanna vimokshaye atha sampatsye and for him the delay is only as long as he is not freed from the body.
The sutra refutes this view by saying that having destroyed by experience the results of good and bad deeds that have already started yielding their fruit the man of knowledge attains Brahman. If the fruits require many bodies to be experienced then he attains brahman at the death of the body in which he finishes experiencing their result because the deeds whch have begun to yield fruit must be destroyed only through experience. This only means that there is no limit fixed for the bodily existence and the embodiment will continue till all the karma that has begun to yield fruit are exhausted by experience. As a result of works performed after the rise of knowledge does not cling to him when the man of knowledge has shed the ultimate bodily existence, his friends get his good deeds and enemies his bad deeds.
Thus ends the first pada of the 4th adhyaya, of vedantha sara where in the Lords kindness in wipping out all our karmas is given. Its one of the noblest quality(kalyana Guna) of our Lord.
to bew continued.
Ans. Avrtthyadhikaranam:
Repetition of meditation again and again till knowledge is attained.
The importance of meditation as a means of attaining Brahman Brahmavidhapnothi param one who knows Brahman reaches the highest "thameva vidhithva athimrthyumethi" knowing Brahman one transcends death, "Brahma vedha Brahmarva bhavathi" He who knows Brahman becomes like brahman. The poorva pakshin says that meditation done once is enough because knowledge through meditation is performed once only, like the jyothshtoma sacrifice done once as the araadhana of the supreme person fetch the results of all purusharthas. This is refuted, and meditation is to be repeated again and again according to the instructions of the sasthras as the word knowing (vedana) contemplation (dhyana) and meditation (upasana) are used as synonyms. "Mano Brahma ithyupaseetha" meditate the mind as Brahman ends with "bhakthi cha thapathi cha keerthyaya sasa brahmavarchasena sa evam vedha" he who knows thus shines and warms with fame and celebrity and with the holy effulgence born of sacred wisdom. Similarly the knowledge of Raikva is first refered to as yasthadhvedha tath sa vedha sa maya ethadhk thah" He who knows what he knows is thus spoken by me and later as 'Sadhimam dhevatham upasthe' teach me the diety whom you meditate on. Thus in all texts the words vedhana and dhyana are used synonymously.
Dhyanam Sri Ramanuja says is chinthanam which is smrthi santhathiroopam continuous rememberance upasana also has the same meaning. Ekagrachitthavrtthi nairanthrye prayoga dharsanath, concentration of mind on an object with uninterupted thought. Therefore as the words Vedhana , dhyana and upasana are synonymas.
In Vishnu Purana. "Thadhm paprathyaye....... nish padhyathe thatha"
The meditation on His form is one continuous remembrance without desiring anything else. So meditation on Him is to be repeated again and again. Athmathvopa sanadhik aranam. The meditator engaged in meditation on Brahman is to view or comprehend it as identical with his own self. He who dwelling within the self is different from the self whom the self does not know, of whom the self is the body who rules the self from within, he is thy self, the inner self the immortal one. In the Sath all these beings have their root they dwell in the Sath, they rest in the sath. All that exists has that as the Self and "Sarvam kholu idham Brahma thajjalan." All this is Brahman, from Him they originate, in Him they merge back and by Him they ars sustained.
All concepts are based on Brahman and all words ultimately denote Brahman as shown by the text "thvam va aham bhagavo" thus when the relationships between Brahman and the self is understood there will be no contradiction between the texts that teach the unity and difference. The difference is like that of individual self and the body and the non difference is due to Brahman being the inner self of the individual self.
Pratheekaadhikaranam.
The self should not be meditated on the symbol because it is not self for example the mind can be viewed as Brahman because they are inferior and not the self. brahmadhrshtih uthkarshath.
Here it is refuted that symbol is to be viewed as Brahman because of Brahman's superiority.
The mind can be viewed as Brahman because the mind is inferior but Brahman i.e. cannot be viewed as mind.
Adhithyadhimathyadhikaranam.
and subsidiary such as udhgeetha has to be viewed as adhithya etc. as it is consistent.
Asseenadhikaranam.
After establishing that the meditation is the means of attaining release and that it has to be repeatedly done. now the manner of practicing meditation is seen.
The opponent says it can be practiced in any posture but this is refuted because mental concentration is only possible while sitting only and this should be the posture adopted when one is meditating. Standing and walking require some effort and lying down will induce sleep.
Dhyanaccha: As meditation has been described as to be constant remembrances of one subject uninterrupted by other thoughts and it is enjoined by text "nidhi dhyasithavyah" the self should be meditated upon.
Achalathvam chapekshya, immobility is necessary for meditation here examples are taken of Akasha Earth etc. dhyatheeva prithivee, dhyayatheeva anthariksham, dhyatheeva dhyeah, dhyatheeva apah, dhyayatheeva parvathah i.e. Akasa meditates as it were, earth meditates as it were, heavens meditate as it were, water meditates as it were, mountains meditate as it were to denote immobility of meditation which implies sitting only.
Smaranthicha. smrithi also declares so.
In the gita we have the specification for meditation as suchou dhese prathishtapya sthiram asanam Athmanah - thathraikagram manah krthva having established a clean spot and a firm seat there one should meditate with mind concentrated on single object etc.
Yathraika gratha thathra aviseshath where ever concentration of mind is possible there the meditation is to be done. For meditation the only requirement is that the place should be conducive to concentration.
Aprayanadhiaranam.
aprayanath thathrapi hi dhrshtam.
Until death for it is seen in the scriptures to be so, living thus throughout his life he reaches brahman.
Thadhadhigamadhikaranam
Thadhadhi gamantharapurva ghayoh asleshavin asou thadhvyapadhesath.
Attaining that meditation results in non clinging and destruction of earlier and later sins.
Thadhigama: when that is realised.
Utharapulvaghayoh: of the subsequent and previous sins.
Asleshavinasau: non clinging and destruction
Tadvyapadesat: because sruti has declared so.
The result of knowledge of Brahman or the state of Jeevan mukti is discussed.
The sutra says that when a person attains knowledge all his past sins do not cling to him. Karma has doubtless its power of bringing its effects but that power can be nullified and overcome by knowledge of brahman.
Work has the power to produce results which has to be experienced, but knowledge has the capacity to destroy the power of past karma and to object that of subsequent karmas. So both declarations of example taken of fire to produce heat and water to quench it are both valid and not contradictory to each other.
The power of sinful action to produce the result is due to the displeasure of the Lord and meditation on the Supreme Person destroys that and hence prevents the results from origination and destroys the result of subsequent actions.
Itharadhikaranam.
Itharaya api evam asamaleshah pathe thu: of the other good deeds also there is non clinging and destruction. But regarding some deeds non clinging occurs only after death.
We have seen how evil deeds do not cling to one who has knowledge and their results are destroyed.but here we see even good deeds do not cling etc. because both the good and evil deeds are obstruction to the final release thus the scriptures say Sarvopapmano atho nivarthanthe, all sins turn away from him and thath suktha dushkrthe dhoonuthe, he shakes off both good and bad deeds.
But results of good deeds like rain food etc are bebeficial to a man of knowledge for assisting him in meditation so they will remain till the fall of the body.
Anarabdha karyadhikaranam.
anarabdha karya eva thu poorve thadhanadheh.
Only those previous deeds the result of which have not yet begun are destroyed as the deeds which have begun to yield fruits last till death.
The existence of the body after the deeds are destroyed is due to the impetus as in the case of the potters wheel which continues to rotate even after the operation is over, thus gods will to keep the body going is understood.
Agnihothradhyadhikaranam.
Agnihothradhi thu thath karyatyaiva thoddharsantha agnihothra etc. are to be performed for generating the effect that produces knowledge as seen from the scriptures.
Since it has been shown that no clinging of results of both good deeds and evil deeds result from the power of knowledge the opponent argue that acts like agnihothra need not be performed by one who does not desire their result to accure to him. The sutra refutes this saying that they have to be performed for the sake of creating the knowledge.
The scriptures further confirm
"tham etham vedhanuvachan ena brahmana vividhishanthi yajnena dhanena thapasa anasakena."
The brahmanas desire to know Him by reciting the vedas, by sacrifices, by gift, by penance, and by fasting. As the meditation has to be practiced again and again till death. The acts like agnihothri purifies the mind and hence are to be done as otherwise the mind will lose its clarity which will obstruct meditation.
Atho anya api hyekesham ubhayoh.
Other than agnihothra there are many good deeds done before and after the generation of knowledge the text Thasya puthra dhayamupayanthi suhrhdah sadhukrthyam, his sons get his inheritance, his friends his good deeds etc refer to the good deeds before and subsequent to the production of knowledge, other than agnohothri and the like which are for generating knowledge the result of them being obstructed by other stronger karmas.
Yadhena vidhyaya ithi hi.
That alone which is performed with knowledge becomes more vigorous refers to the power of udhgeetha to ward off the obstacles that prevent the result of sacrifice. Hence it is understood that there is obstacle even to the works that are actually performed and not only to those before or after the generation of knowledge. Hence the text declaring that his friends inherit his good deeds refers to those good deeds performed by a man of knowledge and hence did not give out the fruit during his lifetime which on his death they are transfered to others.
itharakshapanadhikaranam.
Bhog ena thvithare kshapayith va atha sampadhyathe.
After destroying the good and bad deeds which have begun to yield fruit by experience he attains Brahman.
It is said that good and evil deeds which have not started to yield fruit will be destroyed by the power of knowledge, now the question is whether those which have started to yield fruit are destroyed by the end of that bodily existence or several bodily existences etc.the oponent is of the opinion that they are destroyed after that bodily existence, according to the text tasya thavadhena chiram yavanna vimokshaye atha sampatsye and for him the delay is only as long as he is not freed from the body.
The sutra refutes this view by saying that having destroyed by experience the results of good and bad deeds that have already started yielding their fruit the man of knowledge attains Brahman. If the fruits require many bodies to be experienced then he attains brahman at the death of the body in which he finishes experiencing their result because the deeds whch have begun to yield fruit must be destroyed only through experience. This only means that there is no limit fixed for the bodily existence and the embodiment will continue till all the karma that has begun to yield fruit are exhausted by experience. As a result of works performed after the rise of knowledge does not cling to him when the man of knowledge has shed the ultimate bodily existence, his friends get his good deeds and enemies his bad deeds.
Thus ends the first pada of the 4th adhyaya, of vedantha sara where in the Lords kindness in wipping out all our karmas is given. Its one of the noblest quality(kalyana Guna) of our Lord.
to bew continued.
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