PURUSHA-
“Mother!
Speak now! Where were you all these days?”
{PLIGHT OF UPANISHADS
BEFORE VIVEKA’S VICTORY OVER MAHAAMOHA}
UPANISHAT-
“Master!
नीतान्यमूनि मठचत्वरशून्यदेवागारेषु मूर्खमुखरैः सह वासराणि
Those days were spent
with foul-mouthed idiots
in empty temples, road junctions and ascetic
huts.”
PURUSHA-
“Did they understand the knowledge taught by Thee?”
UPANISHAT-
“No! But-
ते स्वेच्छया मम गिराम्द्रविडाङ्गनोक्तवाचामिवार्थमविचार्य विकल्पयन्ति [12]
They just imagine some
meaning without thinking properly
like misinterpreting the
words uttered by the Dravidian ladies
(without understanding
their dialect).
They use my doctrines just to squeeze the wealth
out of others (without explaining the meanings properly.)”
PURUSHA-
“Afterwards?”
{YAJNA-VIDYAA DOES NOT
APPROVE OF THE UPANISHAT-DOCTRINES}
UPANISHAT-
“Then once,
कृष्णाजिनाग्निसमिदाज्यजुहूस्रुवादिपात्रैस्तथेष्टिपशुसोममुखैर्मखैश्च
दृष्टा मया परिवृताखिलकर्मकाण्डव्यादिष्टपद्दतिरथाध्वनि
यज्ञविद्या [13]
in my path,
I met YAJNA VIDYAA (Knowledge of the ‘Sacrificial
rites’)
following the path prescribed by
Karma-Kaanda
accompanied by all the ingredients
necessary for the performance of Sacrifice like
deer-skin, fire, sacrificial sticks, ghee,
various types of vessels,
bricks, animal for sacrifice, Yaagas like
Agnishtoma.”
PURUSHA-
Afterwards?
UPANISHAT-
“Then I thought that maybe this one may understand
my words as she carries a whole lot of texts and decided to spend a few days
with her.”
PURUSHA-
“Afterwards?”
UPANISHAT-
“So I approached her.
She said to me –
‘Good lady! What do you wish for?’
Then I told her.
‘Noble lady! I am an orphan. I want to live with
you’”
PURUSHA-
“Afterwards?”
UPANISHAT-
“Then I told her-
यस्माद्विश्वमुदेति यत्र
रमते यस्मिन्पुनर्लीयते
भासा यस्य जगद्विभाति सहजानन्दोज्वलं
यन्महः
शान्तं शाश्वतमक्रियं यमपुनर्भावाय
भूतेश्वरं
द्वैतध्वान्तमपास्य यान्ति
कृतिनः प्रस्तौमि तं पूरुषं [14]
‘I give the proof for that
Supreme Self,
from whom the
phenomenon of the world rises,
where it remains, into
which it merges,
by whose shine this
world shines,
which luster naturally
shines as bliss,
which is quiescent,
which is eternal,
which does not do
anything,
which Lord of beings
the doers approach by destroying the darkness of duality
for the attainment of liberation.’
Then she said-
पुमानकर्ता कथमीश्वरो भवेत्
क्रिया भवोच्छेदकरी न वस्तुधीः
कुर्वन्क्रिया एव नरो भवच्छिदः
शतं समाः शान्तमना जिजीविषेत् [15]
How can the Purusha
who does not do anything become the Lord of all?
Rites prescribed by
the Vedas alone can break the worldly existence
not the knowledge of
Reality.
A man can break the
worldly existence only by performing the prescribed rites
and desire to live for
hundred years with a quiet mind.
Therefore I have nothing to gain by sheltering
you. Even then, if you can extol the Purusha who is the doer and experiencer,
you can be with us as long as you wish. What harm is there?”
KING- (ridiculing)
“Aha! YajnaVidyaa’s eyes are darkened by the
blinding smoke and she has no proper understanding of anything. That is why she
adopts to incorrect logic.
यः स्वभावादचलं बलाच्चलत्यचेतनम् चुम्बकसंनिधाविव
तनोति विश्वेक्षितुरीक्षितेरिता जगन्ति मायेश्वरतेयमीशितुः [16]
Iron is by nature
non-moving.
In the presence of a magnet it moves by force
though inert.
Similarly Maayaa moved
by the sight of the ‘Seer of all’ reveals the worlds.
This is the Supremacy
of the Supreme.
Therefore those who are blinded by ignorance do
not believe in the Lord (Brahman) at all. ‘Yajna Vidyaa’ trying to remove the
worldly existence which results from ignorance, through actions, (rites) (which
are performed because of ignorance) wants to destroy the blinding darkness
through darkness itself.
स्वभावलीनानि तमोमयानि प्रकाशयेद्यो
भुवनानि सप्त
तमेव विद्वानतिमृत्युमेति
नान्योsस्ति पन्था भवमुक्तिहेतुः [17]
The seven worlds which are by nature
impermanent and filled with ignorance
shine because of ‘His’
luster.
Realizing ‘Him’ alone
one can conquer death.
There is no other path
which can release one from the bondage of worldly existence.”
PURUSHA-
“Afterwards?”
UPANISHAT-
“Then ‘YajnaVidyaa’ thought for some time and
said-
‘Friend! By your company, my disciples who are
already stuck by wicked Vaasanaas will become slack in performing their duties.
So please go elsewhere that is conducive to you.’”
{Those followers of
KarmaKaanda who have not purified their minds might simply stop performing even
the rites and do nothing and remain quoting the Upanishat.}
PURUSHA-
“Afterwards?”
UPANISHAT-
“Then I left her and moved away.”
PURUSHA-
“Afterwards?”
{POORVA-MEEMAAMSAA
DOES NOT APPROVE OF THE UPANISHAT-DOCTRINES}
{Meemaamsaa means enquiry or investigation. The
Karma portions of the Vedas are known as Poorva Meemaamsaa as against
Upanishats (Jnaana portions) which are known as Uttara Meemaamsaa. Poorva
Meemaamsaa is ritualistic in nature. It mainly elucidates the nature of Dharma.
Meemaamsaa is divided into Bhatta Meemaamsaa and
the Prabhaakara Meemaamsaa after their main exponents, Kumarila Bhatta and
Prabhakara.}
UPANISHAT-
“Then I saw (Poorva) Meemaamsaa who was the friend
of KarmaKaanda.”
विभिद्य कर्मण्यधिकारभान्झि श्रुत्यादिभिश्चानुगता प्रमाणैः
अङ्गैर्विचित्रैरभियोजयन्ती प्राप्तोपदेशैरतिदेशिकैश्च [18]
She had divided the
rites
according to the qualifications needed
along with the proofs
taken from Shrutis,
enjoining various
limbs
instructing through those who had received
instructions
and those who had
heard the instructions elsewhere.”
{Division of rites- Jyotishtoma etc
Qualification – according to the fruitification of
the Karma
Shruti – Shruti, Linga, Vaakya, Prakarana, etc}
PURUSHA-
“Afterwards?”
UPANISHAT-
“Then I requested her to give me shelter as
before. She also said likewise-
‘What do you do?’
I answered the same way.
यस्माद्विश्वमुदेति यत्र
रमते यस्मिन्पुनर्लीयते
भासा यस्य जगद्विभाति सहजानन्दोज्वलं
यन्महः
शान्तं शाश्वतमक्रियं यमपुनर्भावाय
भूतेश्वरं
द्वैतध्वान्तमपास्य यान्ति
कृतिनः प्रस्तौमि तं पूरुषं [14]
‘I give the proof for
that Supreme Self,
from whom the phenomenon
of the world rises,
where it remains, into
which it merges,
by whose shine this
world shines,
which luster naturally
shines as bliss,
which is quiescent,
which is eternal,
which does not do
anything,
which Lord of beings
the doers approach by destroying the darkness of duality
for the attainment of liberation.’”
PURUSHA-
“Afterwards?”
UPANISHAT-
“Then Meemaamsaa looked at those who were standing
beside her and said-
‘She is useful to us because she talks of the
Purusha who enjoys the fruits of the action in the next world (heaven), so get
her to work.’
Among those students some student (Prabhaakara)
approved her words.
But another one named Kumarila, who knew well the
principles of Meemaamsaa and who was very famous in the world for his knowledge
of Memaamsaa said-
‘Devi! This lady does not talk about the Purusha
who considers rites as useful, but about the Lord who is non-doer and
non-experiencer. This Lord of all has no connection with rites.’
Then another one (ShaalikaNaatha) said-
‘Is there another Purusha other than the one who
acts in the world and gets the result of the action?’
Then Kumarila laughed aloud and answered.
‘Yes! He is there.
As it is-
एकः पश्यति चेष्टितानि जगतामन्यस्तु
मोहान्धधीरेकः कर्मफलानि वान्छति
ददात्यन्यस्तु तान्यर्थिने
एकः कर्मसु शिष्यते तनुभृतां
शास्तैव देवोsपरो निस्सङ्गः पुरुषः
क्रियासु स कथं कर्तेति संभाव्यते [19]
One sees the actions
that are performed in the world as Ishvara.
Another one is blinded
by delusion desires the fruits of his actions.
The other one gives
this one the results thereof.
One is given the
instructions for doing the rites.
Another one rules the
beings with bodies.
The Purusha is not
attached to the actions.
Then how can he be the
Doer?’”
KING-(happily)
“Well-said Swami Kumarila! You have understood the
truth. You are long lived!
द्वौ तौ सुवर्णौ सयुजौ सखायौ समानवृक्षं परिषस्वजाते
एकस्तयोः पिप्पलमत्ति पक्वमन्यस्त्वनश्नन्नभिचाकशीति [20]
Two birds of golden
hue are of the same nature and are friends.
They are sheltered in
the same tree.
One of them eats the
Pippala fruits which are ripe.
The other one does not
eat but looks on.”
PURUSHA-
“Afterwards?”
UPANISHAT-
“Then I left Meemaamsaa and moved away.”
PURUSHA-
“Afterwards?”
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