Episode 01 - Essential Gita - Chapter 3 - The Immanent Supreme Being.
CHAPTER 3. THE IMMANENT SUPREME BEING – THE ‘ONE’ WITHIN
AND THAT ‘ONE’ IN EVERYTHING
Even ignoring the scriptural and philosophical tenets inscribed in the Holy Books – the Vedhas, the Quran, the Bible, the Dhammapada – when we try and visualize nature along with the sacred, we get to see the hands of an unseen divine energy permeating in every aspect of this world around us. Obviously, Vedic sages meditating upon truth and seeking union with the Supreme Being in the deep forests of India; , the Buddha deeply engrossed in meditation seeking durable answers for humanity’s pains and sorrows; outpourings - carrying us to the very fringes of the seat of the Supreme Being, laced with vedantic tenets clothed in amazingly simple poetic idioms - by the divinely blessed ones like Nammazhwar, Tyagaraja, Annamacharya - through centuries and across disparate faiths – were all about that central quest: seeking the presence of God – the Supreme Being – in the countless marvels of this creation – in wilderness, deserts, forests, mighty oceans, swirling mighty rivers (the ‘prakriti’ as it is called in Hindu scriptures – and within ourselves, in our hearts – the soul or ‘atman’, as inseparable aspects of that Supreme One Energy.
Wherever ‘the eye of the heart’ could open and see, we have been able to have a glimpse of the beauty and majesty of that Supreme Being.
In the grand, riveting, and mind-blowing forms great devotional minds have adduced to that formless Supreme Being**, in the epics, puranas, folklore in every faith across this world, that unfold for us the glory and virtues of that One. Incarnations that tread this very earth, the heart-melting ‘archa moorthis’ in the great temples of Hindu faith, all brought to us, the simple, uninitiated minds, in emotive and poetically compelling narratives.. That elusive, glowing, divine sense of that One, stands implanted as the central core of our spiritual quest.
In the majestic and limitless expanse of Nature – the mighty rivers, the captivating little rivulets and cascades, in the mighty mountains, impenetrable forests, scalding deserts, roaring oceans, the seething, tumultuous life everywhere matched by inscrutable inanimate universe that yet seem to be alive and breathing somehow; by the awe-inspiring quiet and the ear-splitting tumult, by deaths, by births, by happiness and grief, by cries of joy and cries of pain, by the stars, the stellar systems, the unfathomable order everywhere and the frightening streaks of disorder like the quakes, tsunamis, pandemics, wars, the astounding and fearsome astrophysical drama – millions of light years away from our sight but perceived through modern science: galaxies, the quasars, the implosions, the seemingly impending end of this seemingly infinite universe – when the mind pauses to drink in, we are face to face with that unseen but felt in our bones, by intelligent deduction, inference – that One – the Supreme Being that unquestionably is the source, master and disposer of all these madly swirling energies that engulf the world – and the whole Universe. In the ceaseless changes, seemingly disorderly order of the whole thing.
And, those exalted/elevated souls, who could, in their own inner selves, through their ‘eye of the heart’ as it were, (with the mind stilled, disarmed and transcended by their indwelling ‘consciousness’), search earnestly and with resolute devotion and wisdom, are blessed with that glimpse of the Supreme Being within themselves.
**Bhishma, the grand sire of Mahabharata, weaves and encapsulates the conundrum – how do I get to comprehend that Supreme Being –
Vishvamurtir Mahamurtih Deeptamurtir Amurtimaan |
Anekamurtir Avyaktah Shatamurtish Shataananah (Sloka 77)
Amoorti-Ranakho aChindyo (Sloka 89)
“Amoorti”- One Who has no form - is explained thus - ‘Murtih Ghanarupam Dharanasamartham Characharalakshanam Tadrahitah iti Amurtih – Murtih is an object with “Ghanarupam” i.e. a physical mass - characterised by movement or lack of a movement = an object that could be perceived by sense organs. but Bhagavan is not subject to these limitations, hence He is called Amurtih, One Who is not a material object’.
“Achindhyo” -
(This ‘conundrum’ leads us to a discussion about the question – is this One with attributes and forms or is It formless and attributeless? )
Nammazhwar in his inimitable poetic insight, would hint that much –
உளன் எனில் உளன் அவன் உருவம் இவ் உருவுகள்
உளன் அலன் எனில் அவன் அருவம் இவ் அருவுகள்
உளன் என இலன் என இவை குணம் உடைமையில்
உளன் இரு தகைமையொடு ஒழிவு இலன் பரந்தே
“இரு தகைமையொடு” – He is with both inclinations, asserts the Azhwar – he could
be perceived as a formless one அவன் அருவம் இவ் அருவுகள்; and also as One with form or countless forms - அவன் உருவம் இவ் உருவுகள்
Another of them, one of the first Azhwars, the ‘Poygai Azhwar’ proclaims, without an iota of
qualm, what he SAW – with his inner eyes:
திருக்கண்டேன் பொன்மேனி கண்டேன்
திகழும் அருக்கன் அணிநிறமும் கண்டேன் செருக்கிளரும்
பொன்னாழி கண்டேன் புரிசங்கம் கைக் கண்டேன்
என் ஆழி வண்ணன்பால் இன்று!”
He leaves us no doubt at all about what he SAW and what it looked like.
Is this all just – ‘Beauty is in beholder’s eyes’ – or is there some truth that is hidden
Behind these apparently confounding proclamations by sages and seers whose words are not subject to question?
We would leave this question for a comprehensive discussion with the different vedantic tenets that support either view. But suffice for us to know that He or That One lends Itself or Himself to a perception that is attuned to the state of spiritual development and affiliation of the perceiver.)
ON THE SUPREME BEING AND HIS IMMANENCE, OMNIPRESENCE, TRANSCENDENCE
We need not ponder for a prelude to this discussion – Arjuna’s salvo to Krishna is quite direct and should suffice:
Chapter 8 – Verses 1 and 2
arjuna uvācha
kiṁ tad brahma kim adhyātmaṁ kiṁ karma puruṣhottama
adhibhūtaṁ cha kiṁ proktam adhidaivaṁ kim uchyate
adhiyajñaḥ kathaṁ ko ’tra dehe ’smin madhusūdana
prayāṇa-kāle cha kathaṁ jñeyo ’si niyatātmabhiḥ
what is Brahman, what is adhyatma (the individual soul), and what is karma? What is said to be adhibhutam, and who is said to be Adhidaivam? Who is Adhiyajna in the body and how is He the Adhiyajna? O Krishna, how are You to be known at the time of death by those of steadfast mind?
Chapter 8 - Verse 3
śhrī bhagavān uvācha
akṣharaṁ brahma paramaṁ svabhāvo ’dhyātmam uchyate
bhūta-bhāvodbhava-karo visargaḥ karma-sanjñitaḥ
The Supreme Being said: The Supreme One is called Brahman; one’s own soul is called adhyatma. Actions related to the desires and development of the material personality are called karma, or fruitive activities.
On Brahman, in the Brahadaranyaka Upanishad, Yajnavalkya – a chief contributor of the Upanishad, while responding to a series of challenging questions by Gargi – a woman of learning - says this:
etadvai tadakśaraḥ, gārgi brāhmaṇā abhivadanti, asthūlamanaṇvahrasvamadīrghamalohitamasnehamacchāyamatamo'-vāyvanākāśamasaṅgamacakśuṣkamaśrotramavāgamano'-tejaskamaprāṇamamukhamamātramanantaramabāhyam, na tadaśnāti kiṃcana, na tadaśnāti kaścana
“It is neither gross nor minute, Oh! Gargi! neither short nor long, neither red colour nor oiliness, neither shadow nor darkness, neither air nor ether, unattached, neither savour nor odour, without eyes or ears, without the vocal organ or mind, non-luminous, without the vital force or mouth, not a measure, and without interior or exterior. It does not eat anything, nor is It eaten by anybody.”
In other words, the definition is by stating what all it is not. “neti…neti” A comprehensible deduction from that long list of ‘it is not that’ may not be feasible for mortal minds.
In the following answer, the sage enumerates all that is happening in the Universe because of that Brahman – like the elements functioning, the Universe held in order and operating immaculately, etc – leading inferential evidence of the existence of that Supreme Being.
Then, the functionalities of the different aspects of the two lower realms of that Supreme Being are narrated; and the overarching Supreme Being is called Adhiyajna which is the Lord of all sacrifices, one that dwells in the hearts of all beings.
adhibhūtaṁ kṣharo bhāvaḥ puruṣhaśh chādhidaivatam
adhiyajño ’ham evātra dehe deha-bhṛitāṁ vara
“The physical manifestation – the worlds, the Universe - that is constantly changing is called adhibhūtam; the universal form of God, which presides over the celestial divinities – like the Sun, Agni, Vayu, Varuna, in this creation, is called Adhidaivam; I, who dwell in the heart of every living being, am called Adhiyajna, or the Lord of all sacrifices.”
Back to the Gita: Chapter 8, Verse 9
kaviṁ purāṇam anuśhāsitāram
aṇor aṇīyānsam anusmared yaḥ
sarvasya dhātāram achintya-rūpam
āditya-varṇaṁ tamasaḥ parastāt
“The Supreme Being is Omniscient, the most ancient One, the Controller, subtler than the subtlest, the nourisher and Support of all, and of a divine form that is beyond the perception of human minds; He is brighter than the sun, and banishes all darkness of ignorance.”
Chapter 8, Verse 20
paras tasmāt tu bhāvo ’nyo ’vyakto ’vyaktāt sanātanaḥ
yaḥ sa sarveṣhu bhūteṣhu naśhyatsu na vinaśhyati
“Transcending this manifest and unmanifest aspects of creation, (viz. the Atman and the Prakriti), there is yet another unmanifest eternal dimension. That realm does not cease even when all others do.”
(It is not as if there are three ‘unborn’ things that co-exist – eternally: the manifest ‘prakriti’ is but an aspect of the Supreme Being – the Brahman.
Sri Krishna speaks of a dimensional perspective of the manifest component (Prakriti) and the unmanifest whole – Brahman – in Chapter 10,. Verse 42 - thus:
atha vā bahunaitena kiṁ jñātena tavārjuna
viṣhṭabhyāham idaṁ kṛitsnam ekānśhena sthito jagat
“Simply know that by one fraction of My being, I pervade and support this entire creation.”
(Purport: That part of the Supreme Being that is unmanifest – (which the Purusha Sukta says is three-fourths of the Supreme Being) is not touched by the dissolution/creation cycle.)
Chapter 8, Verse 22
puruṣhaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha bhaktyā labhyas tvananyayā
yasyāntaḥ-sthāni bhūtāni yena sarvam idaṁ tatam
The Supreme Being is greater than all that exists. Although He is all-pervading and all living beings are situated in Him, yet He can be known only through devotion.
Chapter 10 Verse 8
ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate
iti matvā bhajante māṁ budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ
I am the origin of all creation. Everything proceeds from Me. The wise who know this perfectly worship Me with great faith and devotion.
Chapter 13, Verse 13
jñeyaṁ yat tat pravakṣhyāmi yaj jñātvāmṛitam aśhnute
anādi mat-paraṁ brahma na sat tan nāsad uchyate
“I shall now reveal to you that which ought to be known, and by knowing which, one attains immortality. It is the beginningless Brahman, which lies beyond existence and
non-existence.”
(‘sat tan nAsad uchyate’ – resonates with the Nasadiya Sukta acclamation - )
Chapter 13, Verse 14
sarvataḥ pāṇi-pādaṁ tat sarvato ’kṣhi-śhiro-mukham
sarvataḥ śhrutimal loke sarvam āvṛitya tiṣhṭhati
Everywhere are His hands and feet, eyes, heads, and faces. His ears too are in all places, for He pervades everything in the universe.
(Resonates with ‘ Saharaksha Sahasra baath” as Purusha Suktam would acclaim)
Chapter 13, Verse 16
bahir antaśh cha bhūtānām acharaṁ charam eva cha
sūkṣhmatvāt tad avijñeyaṁ dūra-sthaṁ chāntike cha tat
He exists outside and inside all living beings, those that are moving and not moving. He is subtle, and hence, He is incomprehensible. He is very far, but He is also very near.
Chapter 13, Verse 17
avibhaktaṁ cha bhūteṣhu vibhaktam iva cha sthitam
bhūta-bhartṛi cha taj jñeyaṁ grasiṣhṇu prabhaviṣhṇu cha
He is indivisible, yet He appears to be divided amongst living beings. Know the Supreme Entity to be the Sustainer, Annihilator, and Creator of all beings.
Chapter 13, Verse 20
paras tasmāt tu bhāvo ’nyo ’vyakto ’vyaktāt sanātanaḥ
yaḥ sa sarveṣhu bhūteṣhu naśhyatsu na vinaśhyati
Transcendental to this manifest and unmanifest creation, there is yet another unmanifest eternal dimension. That realm does not cease even when all others do.
(Purport: That part of the Supreme Being that is unmanifest – (which the Purusha Sukta says is three-fourths of the Supreme Being) is not touched by the dissolution/creation cycle.)
Chapter 13, Verse 23
upadraṣhṭānumantā cha bhartā bhoktā maheśhvaraḥ
paramātmeti chāpy ukto dehe ’smin puruṣhaḥ paraḥ
Within the body also resides the Supreme Lord. He is said to be the Witness, the Permitter, the Supporter, Transcendental Enjoyer, the ultimate Controller, and the Paramātmā (Supreme Soul).
Sri Narayana Suktam (Rig Veda) affirms this repeated proclamation in the Gita – the Paramatma resides in the heat of every being:
… Padma kOsa pradeehaasa hridyam capyadhO mukham..
thasyanthE sushiram sookshmam, thasmin Sarvam prathistitham…
thasyaa Sikaayaa madhyE paramatma vyavastitah
(There are two vital statements here: a microcosmic replication of the whole universe is established in every heart – in a space narrower than the point of a needle; the Supreme Being, the Paramatma as He is heralded here, is established in every heart as well – in the midst of a divine flame. We find the second – the Supreme Being being established in every heart, repeatedly affirmed in the Gita – Chap.10 Verse 2)
Sri Krishna would affirm this in the Gita in several places .. e.g.
Chapter 10, verse 20
aham ātmā guḍākeśha sarva-bhūtāśhaya-sthitaḥ
I am seated in the heart of all living entities.
Chapter 13, verse 32
anāditvān nirguṇatvāt paramātmāyam avyayaḥ
śharīra-stho ’pi kaunteya na karoti na lipyate
The Supreme Soul is imperishable, without a beginning, and devoid of any (gunas) material qualities, although situated within the body, It neither acts, nor is It tainted by any acts of that being. (A divine sentinel?)
Chapter 18, verse 61
īśhvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛid-deśhe ‘rjuna tiṣhṭhati
The Supreme Being dwells in the hearts of all living beings, O Arjuna.
Chapter 13, verse 33
yathā sarva-gataṁ saukṣhmyād ākāśhaṁ nopalipyate
sarvatrāvasthito dehe tathātmā nopalipyate
Even as space which holds everything in it, is not tarnished or contaminated by what it holds, likewise, though the Soul – its consciousness – pervades the body, the Soul is untouched and unaffected by the attributes of the body.
Chapter 14, Verse 27
brahmaṇo hi pratiṣhṭhāham amṛitasyāvyayasya cha
śhāśhvatasya cha dharmasya sukhasyaikāntikasya cha
The purport of this proclamation by Sri Bhagavan himself is:
1) He, the Supreme Being, the Brahman, is immortal (amritasya) and immutable (avyayasya);
2) He is the eternal dharma (shashvatasya cha dharmasya);
3) He is limitless Bliss (sukhasya aikAntikasya cha)
This verse encapsulates the tenet – ‘sat, chit and anandam’. 1) that Brahman itself, is ‘sat’; 2) Eternal dharma, the cosmic code of the sentient universe, is ‘chit’. 3. As ‘chit’ contemplates on ‘sat’ and realizes It within, it is delivered unto ‘ananda’ eternal, limitless, bliss.
This verse is also a beautiful bridge between the three apparently diverse philosophical codes that considers Brahman, the Supreme Being and its impact on the sentient and insentient realms – the Advaita, the Dvaita and the Visishtadvaita. Dvaita posits that the Supreme Being, Sri Bhagavan, is distinct from the sentient beings (souls aka jivatmas) – the former independent, the latter dependent on the former. The Visishtadvaita also posits that the Paramatma – Sriman Narayana – is distinct from the sentient souls (jivas), but the latter could, on deliverance reach the Paramatma (retaining their distinction and distanced from the Paramatma – no union); the Advaita philosophy is based on the inseparable connection between the Brahman as the Supreme Energy, the cause of everything and everything else; in this faith, the souls, jivatmas, though apparently distinct while resident in the body, always retain their divinity as aspects of the Supreme Being; and on deliverance, these unite (merge) with the Supreme Being.
In the Dvaita philosophy, the ‘jivas’ – individual souls – could, and should, aspire to attain deliverance by focusing on ‘satvika’ deeds, bhakti and surrender to the Lord. But some could fail and these shall be condemned to the cycle of rebirths – and terms in the nether worlds as well. The Visishtadvaita philosophy on the other hand postulates the hope for every ‘jiva’ without exception that deliverance – Sri Vaikunta Prapti – is attainable. Nammazhwar, the tallest of Sri Vaishnava saints (Azhwars) proclaimed - வைகுந்தம் புகுவது* மண்ணவர் விதியே – It is the DESTINY of every human to attain ‘moksha’ i.e. reach Sri Vaikuntam – abode of Sriman Narayana. But they shall remain apart from the Supreme Being, in His celebration and adoration – i.e. communion is possible but union is ruled out. Advaita too does not specifically preclude any one from attaining ‘realisation’ – ‘moksha’ – deliverance from the cycle of births and union with the Almighty – but would insist that, at that point (‘moksha), the soul becomes merged with the Brahman.