Wednesday, January 24, 2018
Atmaram chapter three ब्रह्म निरूपण
ATMARAM
Chapter 3.
ब्रह्म निरूपण
Exposition over Brahmam
Before taking up discussing this chapter in “Atmaram”, it would be useful to have an overview of Brahmam the Eternal Absolute.
Lord Sri Krishna spoke about it during the second chapter of the Geeta, which Sri Dnyaneshwar Maharaj elaborated in very succinct and pleasant words.
Since Brahmam can not be described or demonstrated as being such and such, it is called “Tat” or ‘That’ in Vedantic parlance. Moreover, it is indicated by other names too, such as ‘Chaitanya’, ‘Atma’, Spirit, Eternally enveloping Principle Of Knowledge or Jnyana-Tatva, ‘Sad-Vastu’, and of course Brahmam.
The Lord also mentions the properties or attributes of Brahmam during the twenty-third verse –“नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि, नैनं दहति पावक: । न चैनं क्लेदयन्त्यापो, न शोषित मारूत: ॥ , which means, ‘The Atma is eternal, birth-less, deathless and ever-present all the time. It is attribute-less, pristine, unsullied and pure; it cannot be cut down with any weapon; it does not submerge in deluge; it cannot be burnt and strongest of winds cannot dry it up. It is ever-lasting, steady, Eternal, perpetual, endless, permanent and complete.
Moreover, it cannot be seen in the light of philosophy, which the Yogis are keen to know through meditation. It is always incomprehensible to mind and cannot be ‘obtained’ through ‘Sadhana’. It is limitless and the best of Purusha. It is without the three attributes or Gunas and is eternally unsullied, transcending all forms even while possessing all forms. Thus, it is all-encompassing !
Sri Samartha continues to explain associations and limits thereof.
Verse 1
ओवी क्र. १
संग तितुका नाशिवंत । सांडून राहावें निवांत ।
येकपणाचाहि अंत । जालियां समाधान. ॥१॥
All forms of Attachment are transient and therefore perishable. It is best to abandon those outright and remain at ease. In fact, when alone-ness ends at long last, one is fully satisfied.
It is common experience that while enjoying a particular thing or event one gets engrossed in it for a while. However, he gets fed up with it after some time and wants to get away from it at least for that while. Nevertheless, he does not abandon it outright and wishes to enjoy it again and again and that exactly is ‘attachment’. Entire worldly things possess a propensity to cause attachment. As long as one is attached to worldly matters he cannot attain ‘other-worldly’, that is, the Lord Divine. Indeed, aloofness from all sorts of attachment provides immense contentment and peace.
Verse 2
ओवी क्र. २
येकपणाचा उमस । काढिता, त्रिपुटी सावकास. ।
होत आहे, म्हणोनि ध्यास । येकपणाचा नसो. ॥२॥
While trying to destroy paroxysm of being all alone, the threesome gradually creeps in as 1) I Am, 2) Things are, and 3) There is No Attachment !
That is why, one should be immersed in that surge of alone-ness all the time.
Now, three aspects are involved herein. Firstly the one having attachment, which is ‘me’ ; the second is the ‘thing’ I am attached to ; and the third, very process of attachment.
Another factor is ‘detachment’, where there is no Association whatever. However, there is hidden duality involved, such as “I Am Detached” ! There is ego of “I” and subtle notion of ‘you’ as well.
In short, the ‘threesome’ keep bothering the aspirant, which turns out as an obstacle in the process of Self-Realisation. And that is the reason why continued thought of being alone should be avoided.
Verse 3
ओवी क्र. ३
तो मी आत्मा ऐसा हेतु । हें नाशिवंत टाकी तूं ।
उन्मनीं अवस्थेचा प्रांतु । ते स्वरूप तुझें ॥३॥
Awareness of ‘Maha-Vakya’, such as “Aham Atma”, “Aham Brahma Asmi” or “I Am Verily Atma” is also perishable and therefore you should jettison it. You should consider the fifth state in ‘Unmani’ as the very nature of your True Self, where entire four states of awareness merge, namely waking, dream, deep sleep and Turiya.
It is said that waking, dream and deep sleep are the states of ignorance where there is some form of Association and longing. The fourth one, which is Turiya State possesses full consciousness and its characteristic is to remain aloof of the world. The fifth state transcends all the previous four and is one with universal consciousness.
Verse 4
ओवी क्र. ४
ऐसा जो अनुभव जाला । तोही नाशिवंतामधे आला ।
अनुभवावेगळा राहिला । तो तूं आत्मा. ॥४॥
Even experience of Unmani state falls under mortal category. That experience vanishes along with all other experiences and what remains is You as Atma alone.
Human life envisages duality of attachment-detachment, ignorance-Knowledge, Turiya-Unmani states etc. Experience is linked to human life. However, it is unfair to allege all such experiences over the Divine, which transcends entire experiences altogether. Our True Self is same as the Divine that sans entire experiences, whom Sri Samartha addresses as Atma.
Verse 5
ओवी क्र. ५
हेंही न घडे बोलणें । आतां पाऱ्हेरा किती देणें ।
वेद शास्त्रें पुराणें । तेंही नासोनि जाती. ॥५॥
(पाऱ्हेरा=पाल्हाळ)
Even the statement –“You are the Atma that transcends entire experiences” is not quite correct. How long should we continue this verbiage over ‘Atma’. The Vedas, Shastra and Puranas prove inadequate there.
Verse 6
ओवी क्र. ६
ग्रंथमात्र जितुका बोलिला । आत्मा त्यावेगळा राहिला ।
ये मायेंचा स्पर्ष जाला । नाहीच तयासी. ॥६॥
Entire spiritual scriptures keep speaking about Atma-Paramatma all the time. However, Atma remained away from all those descriptions, being Transcendental. It is quite understandable indeed. After all, language also comes under purview of Maya.
Verse 7
ओवी क्र. ७
स्वरूप निर्मळ आणि निघोट । स्वरूप सेवटचा सेवट ।
जिकडे पहावें तिकडे नीट । सन्मुखचि आहे. ॥७॥
(निघोट=घनदाट)
Form of the Self (आत्मस्वरूप) is not tainted by dirt of desires and passions. It is immaculate and pervades everything everywhere thick. It is the ultimate status of everything. And since it is spread everywhere alike, it is ever in front from all sides.
Form of the Self is verily Form of the Divine, which is formless, unlimited and infinite. Our limited intellect cannot even imagine nature of that Divinity. However, Enlightened beings are able to ‘experience’ the Divine Principle and while making us understand that experience they make use of such novel ideas that can fit in our own horizons. That may or may not help us understand it anyway.
Sri Samartha highlights some important facts here. Form of the Self is immaculate and sacred, being Full and Complete. The ‘dirt’ mentioned therein are passions and desires. It pervades thick because there is nothing else existing apart from it. Its perpetual existence everywhere proves that it has no end-point whatever and that is why it is on the front all the time.
Verse 8
ओवी क्र. ८
जें बहु दुरीचा दुरी । जें निकटचि जवळीं अंतरीं ।
दुरी आणि अभ्यांतरी । संदेहचि नाही. ॥८॥
The Omni-Self is quite distant from us. However, it is equally near us as well ; in fact, it is within us. There is no doubt that even while it is far away it is present inside us too.
Verse 9
ओवी ९
जें सकळांपरीस मोठें । जेथे हें सकळही आटे ।
अकस्मात् एकसरें तुटे । मूळ मायेचें. ॥९॥
Omni-Self is the greatest of all where entire universe accommodates very easily. Therefore it uproots very basis of Maya all of sudden.
Another name for Omniself is Brahmam. The word Brahmam is a derivative of the Sanskrit word ‘Bruh’, which means growth or accretion, that which is immense or profound. There can be nothing vaster than Brahmam. There is no binding for it in the form of time, space, place or the like since it is all-inclusive.
However, we dwell under influence of Maya. Now, the word Maya begins with the vowel ‘Ma’, which means either a measure, to encompass or limit as well. Maya is one that accommodates entire universe. Life-span and expanse of the universe is immense and it contains innumerable things and beings. Indeed, this is the story of one universe the human intellect can understand. But there are many more universes Brahmam creates, which the mind cannot even imagine !
Verse 10
ओवी क्र. १०
जें सकळांहून मृद कोंवळे । जें सकळांहूनही अत्यंत जवळें ।
जें सकळांमध्यें, परी निराळें । अलिप्तपणें. ॥१०॥
Omni-Self is very subtle, delicate and tender compared to everything else. It is nearer than every near and dear thing to us and in spite of being within us it is not attached anywhere; it is absolutely independent.
This statement can be verified if we take example of the five mega elements. The Earth happens to be hard and bulky. Water is a little soft and tender and the sky being most subtle, it is softest and most delicate.
Now, how much softer and tender the Omni-Self would be, which accommodates even subtlest sky within its belly ! Moreover, that tenderness and softness persists forever.
In addition, it never loses its aloofness while witnessing entire activities of the universe.
Verse 11
ओवी क्र. ११
जे हाले ना चाले । जे बोले ना डोले ।
आघवें आपणचि संचलें । येकलें येकटचि तें ॥११॥
The Omni-Self never dissociates from its original status. It just exists and therefore there is none of ‘becoming’. It neither speaks nor oscillates. It pervades everything everywhere all alone.
Thus, Omniself is Omniscient, Omnipotent and Omnipresent.
It is attribute-less, changeless, subtlest of the subtle, wordless and extremely silent.
Verse 12
ओवी क्र. १२
जे आकाशा सबाह्य भरलें । आणि आकाश जेथें मुरालें ।
आकाश मुरोनियां उरलें । येकजिनसी आपण. ॥१२॥
Omniself pervades the sky comprehensively inside out. Entire sky just merges into it and in spite of the limitless and subtlest sky merging into it, the Omniself remains as pristine pure and unsullied as ever, unmixed and un-polluted !
Verse 13
ओवी क्र. १३
जें चळे ना ढळे । अग्निमध्यें न जळे ।
जें चळत्यामध्यें, परी न कळे । उदकीं बुडेना. ॥१३॥
Omniself does not deviate nor strays and does not burn or move with air currents. It doesn’t drown in water either.
It may be surmised that it is quite like the sky though, which is also very subtle, expansive and all-pervasive. In fact, the sky pervades entire things formed of earth, water, air and fire inside out, while remaining distinct from those or their combinations.
A verse by Saint Tukaram Maharaj comes to mind. He exclaimed on being enlightened, “तुका आभाळा एवढा….!” , meaning Tukaram is as big as the sky !
Nevertheless, very property of the Omniself being aloofness or absolute detachment it neither burns, drowns, dries or stray and deviate from the universe in spite of being in it.
Verse 14
ओवी क्र. १४
जयास कोणीच नेईना । चोरूं जातां चोरवेना ।
कल्पांत झाला तरी वेंचेना । अणुमात्र. ॥१४॥
Atma-Swaroopa can not be whisked away. It can not be stolen even when tried to steal and it does not diminish even a whit even if entire world destroys.
The above verse appears to speak about properties of earth, the very first among the five mega elements. It concerns more of static or created things that can be moved, stolen or destroyed. The Omniself transcends all those characteristics anyway.
Verse 15
ओवी क्र. १५
जें ज्ञानचक्षीं लक्षिलें । जेथे आकार भस्मोनि जाये ।
सांगितलें तें साकार होये । म्हणोनी सांगणें न घडे ॥१५॥
(ज्ञानचक्षीं=ज्ञानदृष्टीने) (लक्षिले=पाहिले)
Atma-Swaroopa can not be seen with vision of intellect. Entire forms burn off in the Omniself. Whatever can be described must be in the form of words and therefore nothing can be said about Atma-Swaroopa.
Only humans can make efforts to understand the Omniself. However, when it comes to describe whatever is experienced, word power must be used. Moreover, while trying to describe, the ‘being’ remains distinct from the experience. If the one experiencing becomes one with it, that is, merges into it, description of the experience becomes futile.
Verse 16
ओवी क्र. १६
ऐसें जरी न बोलावे । तरी म्यां काये करावें ।
न बोलतां कळावें । तुज कैसें ? ॥१६॥
One must speak like that while describing Form of The Self. How can I help it ? And if I prefer not to speak at all, how are you going to know it ?
Verse 17
ओवी क्र. १७
अरे बोलणें तितुकें वेर्थ जातें । परी बोलतां बोलतां अनुभवा येतें ।
अनुभव सोडितां, तें । आपणचि होईजे ॥१७॥
You see, it is true that entire speech vanishes while discussing Atma-Swaroopa. However, one experiences very meanings thereof while continuing discussions. Moreover, while one tries to go beyond it, he verily takes up that form himself.
Indeed, ‘Mouna’ (मौन) or ‘Silence’ is crucial to imbibe any occult Experience. Swami used to say, “It is only in the depth of silence that Voice Of God can be heard !” Keeping a vow of silence is a great spiritual exercise in itself. Saints and Sages practiced it diligently. Unnecessary speech not only drains out our breath, it exposes us to more of it ! And it is not only the ‘spoken speech’ ; our very gestures, why, even our thoughts cause immense obstacles during our personal Sadhana.
Verse 18
ओवी क्र. १८
मायारूप मूळ तयाचें । शोधीन म्हणतां समाधान कैचें ।
“मज लाभ जाला” या सुखाचें । मूळ तुटे. ॥१८॥
Maya alone is responsible even for the experience “I Am Form Of The Self”. However, the one trying to ‘know’ very root cause of it will not find contentment therein, since the very joy of ‘attaining’ Self-Bliss vanishes that very moment.
Verse 19
ओवी क्र. १९
“अहं ब्रह्मास्मि” हा गाथा । आला देहबुध्दीचिया माथा ।
देहबुध्दीने परमार्था । कानकोंडे होईजे ॥१९॥
The notion “I Am Brahmam” is in itself a form of Ego, since it results out of ‘body consciousness’. Body consciousness (देह बुध्दी) brings mean-ness in spiritual way of life, which is a great obstacle for enlightenment or Self-Realisation.
Verse 20
ओवी क्र. २०
देहबुध्दि हे टाकावी । हे ही मायेची उठाठेवी ।
म्हणोनि काय अंगिकारावी ? । अंगिकारूं नये ॥२०॥
Indeed, very idea of abandoning Maya is in itself an ado (ostentation) of Maya. However it does not mean that one should pamper body consciousness ! No, it must not be welcome at all.
Verse 21
ओवी क्र. २१
मायेच्या बळें ब्रह्मज्ञान । मायेकरितां समाधान ।
मायाचि गोंवी, आणि बंधन । तोडी तेंही माया ॥२१॥
It is the power of Maya that bestows Knowledge of Brahmam and Maya alone grants peace and contentment to beings. She binds him in shackles and she is the one that liberates him from the same.
Verse 22
ओवी क्र. २२
माया आपणांस आपण गोवी । आपणांस आपण वेढा लावी ।
प्रणी दुखविती जीवीं । अभिमानें करूनी. ॥२२॥
Maya binds herself in bondage and entangles herself in coils of her own making. In the process, the Beings pamper their ego and cause suffering to themselves.
In fact, Maya happens to be very power of the Lord Divine and possesses entire qualities of the Lord verbatim. However, she created basic or primal urge in the singular Lord ‘to become many’. She created myriads of beings under aegis of the Lord possessing powerful ego of ‘being-ness’. And it is here that she entrapped herself, sheerly because of the ‘duality’ of her own making ! Moreover, it is the ‘beings’ that suffer most ultimately due to that overwhelming ego.
Verse 23
ओवी क्र. २३
जैसा सारीपाट खेळती । सारी एकाच्या मागोन आणिती ।
खेळों बैसतां वाटून घेती । आपुल्याला. ॥२३॥
(सारी=सोंगट्या)
People like to play a game of chess and borrow pawns. They divide those into black and white saying, “black are mine and white yours”.
Verse 24
ओवी क्र. २४
नसताचि अभिमान माथां । सारी मरतां परम वेथा ।
डाव येतां सुखस्वार्था । दोघेहि पडिले. ॥२४॥
They evince false pride of ‘owning’ those pawns and feel very sad on losing the pawn during the game. However, winner of the game exhibits ecstatic joy !
Verse 25
ओवी क्र. २५
फासयास दे दे म्हणती । येक ते चिरडी येती ।
क्रोधां पेटल्या घेती । जीव येकमेकाचा. ॥२५॥
They urge the lifeless dice to give favourable numbers while playing. One of the partners gets enraged and then both get angry to the extent of even killing each other !
Verse 26
ओवी क्र. २६
तैशा कन्या पुत्र आणि नारी । वांटून घेतल्या सारी ।
अभिमान वाहती शिरीं । देहपांग प्रपंचाचा. ॥२६॥
Likewise, the daughter, son and wife are pawns. Men are indulgent with them and carry pride of owning them overhead. However, they are required to bear dependence of the body in this world.
Sri Samartha conveys on this occasion that worldly affairs are just a sport of Maya. We can avoid despondency while being aware of this fact. As per Sri Samartha, human life is the chess-board and worldly affairs the game. Worldly people are like pawns that do not own themselves. Maya provides kith and kin for us and we nurture undue pride and kinship over those. We are naturally very sad if something untoward happens to them but feel elated when things go our way. Actions we undertake for favourable results are like playing dice. We quarrel amongst ourselves out of envy and malice and prepared to destroy each other !
Verse 27
ओवी क्र. २७
येवं इतुकी वेढा लाविली । ते माया खेळें येकली ।
ते मायेनेच वारिली । पाहिजे माया. ॥२७॥
Thus, the being is fully entangled in the coils of Maya and she plays this game all alone. One can refute Maya with the help of Maya only.
Verse 28
ओवी क्र. २८
ते माया तोडितां अधिक जडे । म्हणोनी धरिती ते वेडे ।
धरितां सोडितां ते नातुडे । वर्म कळल्या वांचुनी. ॥२८॥
While trying to overcome Maya, she entangles all the more. However, those who welcome her on their own are ignorant indeed. Invitation does not mean overcoming her, neither one can make her subservient through renunciation. She can be abandoned only when one understands her as being phoney.
Now, there is a little dichotomy here, which Sri Samartha puts forth candidly. Maya means this visible world and we inhabit it as beings. Our doer-ship is a manifestation of her handiwork. It is only when the ignorance of the visible world existing destroys, one experiences presence of the Lord Divine the very refuge for Maya. However, when the being tries to negate Maya, he does so through his doer-ship alone. One cannot destroy something without action and action-proneness is an attribute of Maya. Therefore the being fails in his effort to jettison Maya ; on the contrary, coils of Maya entangle him all the more !
Verse 29
ओवी क्र. २९
जैसें चक्रविहूचें उगवणें । बाहेर येऊनी आंत जाणें ।
कां भीतरीं जाउनी येणे । अकस्मात बाहेरी. ॥२९॥
In order to break through a maze or labyrinth one needs clever entry within it as well as rapid exit outside.
Verse 30
ओवी क्र. ३०
कां त्या कोवाडीयांच्या कडीया । गुंतगुंतोनि उमगाव्या ।
तैसी जाण हे माया । गुंतोनि उगवावी. ॥३०॥
(रेवाड़ी=कोडी घालणारे फिरते लोक ; कडिया=कड्या ; उगवणे=सोडवणे)
Or else, one needs to dis-entangle rings that are locked among themselves. Likewise, Maya can be removed while remaining entangled in her. Indeed, destroying Maya as such is a stupendous task. However, while making repeated efforts to overcome her, one may hit upon a trick to do so some day.
Verse 31
ओवी क्र. ३१
माया झाडितां कैसी झाडावी । तोडोनि कैसी टाकावी ।
येथें विचारें पाहावी । नाथिलीच हे. ॥३१॥
(नाथिली=नसलेली) .
Maya does not exist at all if one thinks deep. Now, how to discard something non-existent ? Or else, how to destroy phoney Maya anyways ?
Verse 32
ओवी क्र. ३२
बहू नाटकी हे माया । मीपणें न जाये विलया ।
विवेकें पाहतां देहीं या । ठावोचि नाही. ॥३२॥
This multi-faceted Maya is indeed very illusive. She cannot be destroyed if one tries to do so out of ego. Moreover, she is not discernible in the body even if searched rationally.
Verse 33
ओवी क्र. ३३
वर्म हेंचि माया माईक । याचा करावा विवेक ।
विवेक केलिया, अनेंक । येकीं मुरे. ॥३३॥
The exact truth about Maya is that she is phoney and illusory. One should ponder deep over this fact and then one discovers that entire visible, multifarious world ultimately merges into one single Omni-Self.
Verse 34
ओवी क्र. ३४
येकीं अनेक आटलें । येकपण अनेकासवें गेलें ।
उपरी जें नि:संग उरलें । तेंचि स्वरूप तुझें. ॥३४॥
Multifold-ness merged into One-ness; moreover, one-ness too vanished along with manyfold-ness. And then, whatever unsullied, untainted and pure remained, that verily is your True Form, the pristine Self.
Indeed, one and many are the two relative terms. That which is not many is one and that which is not one is many ! Moreover, while that, which emerges as many from the one merges back into the one, all that remains is only one !!
That exactly is “एकमेव-अद्वितीय” in Vedantic parlance.
Maya existing in multifarious forms merges into Omniself-Self and what remains is the singular Atma-Roopa. Indeed, ‘that’ exactly is our True Form, un-related, independent.
Verse 35
ओवी क्र. ३५
तुझें स्वरूप तुजचि न कळे । तें जया साधनें आकळे ।
ते साधन ऐक, सोहळे । भोगिसी आनंदाचे ॥३५॥
We do not recognise our true form. Therefore listen to the mechanism that makes it cognised. You shall enjoy the bliss thereof, when you pursue the same.
As per Saints and the enlightened ones, it is ignorance about true nature of the Self that causes pain and sufferings in human life. Moreover, ever flowing springs of Bliss are guaranteed with Knowledge of the Self. Although that knowledge is self-evident, it is covered by moss of ignorance. And to remove that dirt of ignorance certain spiritual practices are proscribed, collectively known as Sadhana.
In fact, both philosophy as well as spiritual outlook are essential for a meaningful life. Philosophy helps in rational thinking about the spirit whereas spiritual practices complement philosophical thought for understanding one’s True Self. That exactly is the reason why Literature from Saints is replete with both, spiritual practices and philosophy.
Verse 36
ओवी क्र. ३६
इति श्री आत्माराम । सांगेन पुढील साधन वर्म ।
जेणें भिन्नत्वाचा भ्रम । तुटोन जाये. ॥३६॥
During the next chapter Sri Samartha will explain essence of Sadhana, which shall dispel delusion of Duality altogether.
“श्री राम जय राम जय जय राम”
Chapter 3.
ब्रह्म निरूपण
Exposition over Brahmam
Before taking up discussing this chapter in “Atmaram”, it would be useful to have an overview of Brahmam the Eternal Absolute.
Lord Sri Krishna spoke about it during the second chapter of the Geeta, which Sri Dnyaneshwar Maharaj elaborated in very succinct and pleasant words.
Since Brahmam can not be described or demonstrated as being such and such, it is called “Tat” or ‘That’ in Vedantic parlance. Moreover, it is indicated by other names too, such as ‘Chaitanya’, ‘Atma’, Spirit, Eternally enveloping Principle Of Knowledge or Jnyana-Tatva, ‘Sad-Vastu’, and of course Brahmam.
The Lord also mentions the properties or attributes of Brahmam during the twenty-third verse –“नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि, नैनं दहति पावक: । न चैनं क्लेदयन्त्यापो, न शोषित मारूत: ॥ , which means, ‘The Atma is eternal, birth-less, deathless and ever-present all the time. It is attribute-less, pristine, unsullied and pure; it cannot be cut down with any weapon; it does not submerge in deluge; it cannot be burnt and strongest of winds cannot dry it up. It is ever-lasting, steady, Eternal, perpetual, endless, permanent and complete.
Moreover, it cannot be seen in the light of philosophy, which the Yogis are keen to know through meditation. It is always incomprehensible to mind and cannot be ‘obtained’ through ‘Sadhana’. It is limitless and the best of Purusha. It is without the three attributes or Gunas and is eternally unsullied, transcending all forms even while possessing all forms. Thus, it is all-encompassing !
Sri Samartha continues to explain associations and limits thereof.
Verse 1
ओवी क्र. १
संग तितुका नाशिवंत । सांडून राहावें निवांत ।
येकपणाचाहि अंत । जालियां समाधान. ॥१॥
All forms of Attachment are transient and therefore perishable. It is best to abandon those outright and remain at ease. In fact, when alone-ness ends at long last, one is fully satisfied.
It is common experience that while enjoying a particular thing or event one gets engrossed in it for a while. However, he gets fed up with it after some time and wants to get away from it at least for that while. Nevertheless, he does not abandon it outright and wishes to enjoy it again and again and that exactly is ‘attachment’. Entire worldly things possess a propensity to cause attachment. As long as one is attached to worldly matters he cannot attain ‘other-worldly’, that is, the Lord Divine. Indeed, aloofness from all sorts of attachment provides immense contentment and peace.
Verse 2
ओवी क्र. २
येकपणाचा उमस । काढिता, त्रिपुटी सावकास. ।
होत आहे, म्हणोनि ध्यास । येकपणाचा नसो. ॥२॥
While trying to destroy paroxysm of being all alone, the threesome gradually creeps in as 1) I Am, 2) Things are, and 3) There is No Attachment !
That is why, one should be immersed in that surge of alone-ness all the time.
Now, three aspects are involved herein. Firstly the one having attachment, which is ‘me’ ; the second is the ‘thing’ I am attached to ; and the third, very process of attachment.
Another factor is ‘detachment’, where there is no Association whatever. However, there is hidden duality involved, such as “I Am Detached” ! There is ego of “I” and subtle notion of ‘you’ as well.
In short, the ‘threesome’ keep bothering the aspirant, which turns out as an obstacle in the process of Self-Realisation. And that is the reason why continued thought of being alone should be avoided.
Verse 3
ओवी क्र. ३
तो मी आत्मा ऐसा हेतु । हें नाशिवंत टाकी तूं ।
उन्मनीं अवस्थेचा प्रांतु । ते स्वरूप तुझें ॥३॥
Awareness of ‘Maha-Vakya’, such as “Aham Atma”, “Aham Brahma Asmi” or “I Am Verily Atma” is also perishable and therefore you should jettison it. You should consider the fifth state in ‘Unmani’ as the very nature of your True Self, where entire four states of awareness merge, namely waking, dream, deep sleep and Turiya.
It is said that waking, dream and deep sleep are the states of ignorance where there is some form of Association and longing. The fourth one, which is Turiya State possesses full consciousness and its characteristic is to remain aloof of the world. The fifth state transcends all the previous four and is one with universal consciousness.
Verse 4
ओवी क्र. ४
ऐसा जो अनुभव जाला । तोही नाशिवंतामधे आला ।
अनुभवावेगळा राहिला । तो तूं आत्मा. ॥४॥
Even experience of Unmani state falls under mortal category. That experience vanishes along with all other experiences and what remains is You as Atma alone.
Human life envisages duality of attachment-detachment, ignorance-Knowledge, Turiya-Unmani states etc. Experience is linked to human life. However, it is unfair to allege all such experiences over the Divine, which transcends entire experiences altogether. Our True Self is same as the Divine that sans entire experiences, whom Sri Samartha addresses as Atma.
Verse 5
ओवी क्र. ५
हेंही न घडे बोलणें । आतां पाऱ्हेरा किती देणें ।
वेद शास्त्रें पुराणें । तेंही नासोनि जाती. ॥५॥
(पाऱ्हेरा=पाल्हाळ)
Even the statement –“You are the Atma that transcends entire experiences” is not quite correct. How long should we continue this verbiage over ‘Atma’. The Vedas, Shastra and Puranas prove inadequate there.
Verse 6
ओवी क्र. ६
ग्रंथमात्र जितुका बोलिला । आत्मा त्यावेगळा राहिला ।
ये मायेंचा स्पर्ष जाला । नाहीच तयासी. ॥६॥
Entire spiritual scriptures keep speaking about Atma-Paramatma all the time. However, Atma remained away from all those descriptions, being Transcendental. It is quite understandable indeed. After all, language also comes under purview of Maya.
Verse 7
ओवी क्र. ७
स्वरूप निर्मळ आणि निघोट । स्वरूप सेवटचा सेवट ।
जिकडे पहावें तिकडे नीट । सन्मुखचि आहे. ॥७॥
(निघोट=घनदाट)
Form of the Self (आत्मस्वरूप) is not tainted by dirt of desires and passions. It is immaculate and pervades everything everywhere thick. It is the ultimate status of everything. And since it is spread everywhere alike, it is ever in front from all sides.
Form of the Self is verily Form of the Divine, which is formless, unlimited and infinite. Our limited intellect cannot even imagine nature of that Divinity. However, Enlightened beings are able to ‘experience’ the Divine Principle and while making us understand that experience they make use of such novel ideas that can fit in our own horizons. That may or may not help us understand it anyway.
Sri Samartha highlights some important facts here. Form of the Self is immaculate and sacred, being Full and Complete. The ‘dirt’ mentioned therein are passions and desires. It pervades thick because there is nothing else existing apart from it. Its perpetual existence everywhere proves that it has no end-point whatever and that is why it is on the front all the time.
Verse 8
ओवी क्र. ८
जें बहु दुरीचा दुरी । जें निकटचि जवळीं अंतरीं ।
दुरी आणि अभ्यांतरी । संदेहचि नाही. ॥८॥
The Omni-Self is quite distant from us. However, it is equally near us as well ; in fact, it is within us. There is no doubt that even while it is far away it is present inside us too.
Verse 9
ओवी ९
जें सकळांपरीस मोठें । जेथे हें सकळही आटे ।
अकस्मात् एकसरें तुटे । मूळ मायेचें. ॥९॥
Omni-Self is the greatest of all where entire universe accommodates very easily. Therefore it uproots very basis of Maya all of sudden.
Another name for Omniself is Brahmam. The word Brahmam is a derivative of the Sanskrit word ‘Bruh’, which means growth or accretion, that which is immense or profound. There can be nothing vaster than Brahmam. There is no binding for it in the form of time, space, place or the like since it is all-inclusive.
However, we dwell under influence of Maya. Now, the word Maya begins with the vowel ‘Ma’, which means either a measure, to encompass or limit as well. Maya is one that accommodates entire universe. Life-span and expanse of the universe is immense and it contains innumerable things and beings. Indeed, this is the story of one universe the human intellect can understand. But there are many more universes Brahmam creates, which the mind cannot even imagine !
Verse 10
ओवी क्र. १०
जें सकळांहून मृद कोंवळे । जें सकळांहूनही अत्यंत जवळें ।
जें सकळांमध्यें, परी निराळें । अलिप्तपणें. ॥१०॥
Omni-Self is very subtle, delicate and tender compared to everything else. It is nearer than every near and dear thing to us and in spite of being within us it is not attached anywhere; it is absolutely independent.
This statement can be verified if we take example of the five mega elements. The Earth happens to be hard and bulky. Water is a little soft and tender and the sky being most subtle, it is softest and most delicate.
Now, how much softer and tender the Omni-Self would be, which accommodates even subtlest sky within its belly ! Moreover, that tenderness and softness persists forever.
In addition, it never loses its aloofness while witnessing entire activities of the universe.
Verse 11
ओवी क्र. ११
जे हाले ना चाले । जे बोले ना डोले ।
आघवें आपणचि संचलें । येकलें येकटचि तें ॥११॥
The Omni-Self never dissociates from its original status. It just exists and therefore there is none of ‘becoming’. It neither speaks nor oscillates. It pervades everything everywhere all alone.
Thus, Omniself is Omniscient, Omnipotent and Omnipresent.
It is attribute-less, changeless, subtlest of the subtle, wordless and extremely silent.
Verse 12
ओवी क्र. १२
जे आकाशा सबाह्य भरलें । आणि आकाश जेथें मुरालें ।
आकाश मुरोनियां उरलें । येकजिनसी आपण. ॥१२॥
Omniself pervades the sky comprehensively inside out. Entire sky just merges into it and in spite of the limitless and subtlest sky merging into it, the Omniself remains as pristine pure and unsullied as ever, unmixed and un-polluted !
Verse 13
ओवी क्र. १३
जें चळे ना ढळे । अग्निमध्यें न जळे ।
जें चळत्यामध्यें, परी न कळे । उदकीं बुडेना. ॥१३॥
Omniself does not deviate nor strays and does not burn or move with air currents. It doesn’t drown in water either.
It may be surmised that it is quite like the sky though, which is also very subtle, expansive and all-pervasive. In fact, the sky pervades entire things formed of earth, water, air and fire inside out, while remaining distinct from those or their combinations.
A verse by Saint Tukaram Maharaj comes to mind. He exclaimed on being enlightened, “तुका आभाळा एवढा….!” , meaning Tukaram is as big as the sky !
Nevertheless, very property of the Omniself being aloofness or absolute detachment it neither burns, drowns, dries or stray and deviate from the universe in spite of being in it.
Verse 14
ओवी क्र. १४
जयास कोणीच नेईना । चोरूं जातां चोरवेना ।
कल्पांत झाला तरी वेंचेना । अणुमात्र. ॥१४॥
Atma-Swaroopa can not be whisked away. It can not be stolen even when tried to steal and it does not diminish even a whit even if entire world destroys.
The above verse appears to speak about properties of earth, the very first among the five mega elements. It concerns more of static or created things that can be moved, stolen or destroyed. The Omniself transcends all those characteristics anyway.
Verse 15
ओवी क्र. १५
जें ज्ञानचक्षीं लक्षिलें । जेथे आकार भस्मोनि जाये ।
सांगितलें तें साकार होये । म्हणोनी सांगणें न घडे ॥१५॥
(ज्ञानचक्षीं=ज्ञानदृष्टीने) (लक्षिले=पाहिले)
Atma-Swaroopa can not be seen with vision of intellect. Entire forms burn off in the Omniself. Whatever can be described must be in the form of words and therefore nothing can be said about Atma-Swaroopa.
Only humans can make efforts to understand the Omniself. However, when it comes to describe whatever is experienced, word power must be used. Moreover, while trying to describe, the ‘being’ remains distinct from the experience. If the one experiencing becomes one with it, that is, merges into it, description of the experience becomes futile.
Verse 16
ओवी क्र. १६
ऐसें जरी न बोलावे । तरी म्यां काये करावें ।
न बोलतां कळावें । तुज कैसें ? ॥१६॥
One must speak like that while describing Form of The Self. How can I help it ? And if I prefer not to speak at all, how are you going to know it ?
Verse 17
ओवी क्र. १७
अरे बोलणें तितुकें वेर्थ जातें । परी बोलतां बोलतां अनुभवा येतें ।
अनुभव सोडितां, तें । आपणचि होईजे ॥१७॥
You see, it is true that entire speech vanishes while discussing Atma-Swaroopa. However, one experiences very meanings thereof while continuing discussions. Moreover, while one tries to go beyond it, he verily takes up that form himself.
Indeed, ‘Mouna’ (मौन) or ‘Silence’ is crucial to imbibe any occult Experience. Swami used to say, “It is only in the depth of silence that Voice Of God can be heard !” Keeping a vow of silence is a great spiritual exercise in itself. Saints and Sages practiced it diligently. Unnecessary speech not only drains out our breath, it exposes us to more of it ! And it is not only the ‘spoken speech’ ; our very gestures, why, even our thoughts cause immense obstacles during our personal Sadhana.
Verse 18
ओवी क्र. १८
मायारूप मूळ तयाचें । शोधीन म्हणतां समाधान कैचें ।
“मज लाभ जाला” या सुखाचें । मूळ तुटे. ॥१८॥
Maya alone is responsible even for the experience “I Am Form Of The Self”. However, the one trying to ‘know’ very root cause of it will not find contentment therein, since the very joy of ‘attaining’ Self-Bliss vanishes that very moment.
Verse 19
ओवी क्र. १९
“अहं ब्रह्मास्मि” हा गाथा । आला देहबुध्दीचिया माथा ।
देहबुध्दीने परमार्था । कानकोंडे होईजे ॥१९॥
The notion “I Am Brahmam” is in itself a form of Ego, since it results out of ‘body consciousness’. Body consciousness (देह बुध्दी) brings mean-ness in spiritual way of life, which is a great obstacle for enlightenment or Self-Realisation.
Verse 20
ओवी क्र. २०
देहबुध्दि हे टाकावी । हे ही मायेची उठाठेवी ।
म्हणोनि काय अंगिकारावी ? । अंगिकारूं नये ॥२०॥
Indeed, very idea of abandoning Maya is in itself an ado (ostentation) of Maya. However it does not mean that one should pamper body consciousness ! No, it must not be welcome at all.
Verse 21
ओवी क्र. २१
मायेच्या बळें ब्रह्मज्ञान । मायेकरितां समाधान ।
मायाचि गोंवी, आणि बंधन । तोडी तेंही माया ॥२१॥
It is the power of Maya that bestows Knowledge of Brahmam and Maya alone grants peace and contentment to beings. She binds him in shackles and she is the one that liberates him from the same.
Verse 22
ओवी क्र. २२
माया आपणांस आपण गोवी । आपणांस आपण वेढा लावी ।
प्रणी दुखविती जीवीं । अभिमानें करूनी. ॥२२॥
Maya binds herself in bondage and entangles herself in coils of her own making. In the process, the Beings pamper their ego and cause suffering to themselves.
In fact, Maya happens to be very power of the Lord Divine and possesses entire qualities of the Lord verbatim. However, she created basic or primal urge in the singular Lord ‘to become many’. She created myriads of beings under aegis of the Lord possessing powerful ego of ‘being-ness’. And it is here that she entrapped herself, sheerly because of the ‘duality’ of her own making ! Moreover, it is the ‘beings’ that suffer most ultimately due to that overwhelming ego.
Verse 23
ओवी क्र. २३
जैसा सारीपाट खेळती । सारी एकाच्या मागोन आणिती ।
खेळों बैसतां वाटून घेती । आपुल्याला. ॥२३॥
(सारी=सोंगट्या)
People like to play a game of chess and borrow pawns. They divide those into black and white saying, “black are mine and white yours”.
Verse 24
ओवी क्र. २४
नसताचि अभिमान माथां । सारी मरतां परम वेथा ।
डाव येतां सुखस्वार्था । दोघेहि पडिले. ॥२४॥
They evince false pride of ‘owning’ those pawns and feel very sad on losing the pawn during the game. However, winner of the game exhibits ecstatic joy !
Verse 25
ओवी क्र. २५
फासयास दे दे म्हणती । येक ते चिरडी येती ।
क्रोधां पेटल्या घेती । जीव येकमेकाचा. ॥२५॥
They urge the lifeless dice to give favourable numbers while playing. One of the partners gets enraged and then both get angry to the extent of even killing each other !
Verse 26
ओवी क्र. २६
तैशा कन्या पुत्र आणि नारी । वांटून घेतल्या सारी ।
अभिमान वाहती शिरीं । देहपांग प्रपंचाचा. ॥२६॥
Likewise, the daughter, son and wife are pawns. Men are indulgent with them and carry pride of owning them overhead. However, they are required to bear dependence of the body in this world.
Sri Samartha conveys on this occasion that worldly affairs are just a sport of Maya. We can avoid despondency while being aware of this fact. As per Sri Samartha, human life is the chess-board and worldly affairs the game. Worldly people are like pawns that do not own themselves. Maya provides kith and kin for us and we nurture undue pride and kinship over those. We are naturally very sad if something untoward happens to them but feel elated when things go our way. Actions we undertake for favourable results are like playing dice. We quarrel amongst ourselves out of envy and malice and prepared to destroy each other !
Verse 27
ओवी क्र. २७
येवं इतुकी वेढा लाविली । ते माया खेळें येकली ।
ते मायेनेच वारिली । पाहिजे माया. ॥२७॥
Thus, the being is fully entangled in the coils of Maya and she plays this game all alone. One can refute Maya with the help of Maya only.
Verse 28
ओवी क्र. २८
ते माया तोडितां अधिक जडे । म्हणोनी धरिती ते वेडे ।
धरितां सोडितां ते नातुडे । वर्म कळल्या वांचुनी. ॥२८॥
While trying to overcome Maya, she entangles all the more. However, those who welcome her on their own are ignorant indeed. Invitation does not mean overcoming her, neither one can make her subservient through renunciation. She can be abandoned only when one understands her as being phoney.
Now, there is a little dichotomy here, which Sri Samartha puts forth candidly. Maya means this visible world and we inhabit it as beings. Our doer-ship is a manifestation of her handiwork. It is only when the ignorance of the visible world existing destroys, one experiences presence of the Lord Divine the very refuge for Maya. However, when the being tries to negate Maya, he does so through his doer-ship alone. One cannot destroy something without action and action-proneness is an attribute of Maya. Therefore the being fails in his effort to jettison Maya ; on the contrary, coils of Maya entangle him all the more !
Verse 29
ओवी क्र. २९
जैसें चक्रविहूचें उगवणें । बाहेर येऊनी आंत जाणें ।
कां भीतरीं जाउनी येणे । अकस्मात बाहेरी. ॥२९॥
In order to break through a maze or labyrinth one needs clever entry within it as well as rapid exit outside.
Verse 30
ओवी क्र. ३०
कां त्या कोवाडीयांच्या कडीया । गुंतगुंतोनि उमगाव्या ।
तैसी जाण हे माया । गुंतोनि उगवावी. ॥३०॥
(रेवाड़ी=कोडी घालणारे फिरते लोक ; कडिया=कड्या ; उगवणे=सोडवणे)
Or else, one needs to dis-entangle rings that are locked among themselves. Likewise, Maya can be removed while remaining entangled in her. Indeed, destroying Maya as such is a stupendous task. However, while making repeated efforts to overcome her, one may hit upon a trick to do so some day.
Verse 31
ओवी क्र. ३१
माया झाडितां कैसी झाडावी । तोडोनि कैसी टाकावी ।
येथें विचारें पाहावी । नाथिलीच हे. ॥३१॥
(नाथिली=नसलेली) .
Maya does not exist at all if one thinks deep. Now, how to discard something non-existent ? Or else, how to destroy phoney Maya anyways ?
Verse 32
ओवी क्र. ३२
बहू नाटकी हे माया । मीपणें न जाये विलया ।
विवेकें पाहतां देहीं या । ठावोचि नाही. ॥३२॥
This multi-faceted Maya is indeed very illusive. She cannot be destroyed if one tries to do so out of ego. Moreover, she is not discernible in the body even if searched rationally.
Verse 33
ओवी क्र. ३३
वर्म हेंचि माया माईक । याचा करावा विवेक ।
विवेक केलिया, अनेंक । येकीं मुरे. ॥३३॥
The exact truth about Maya is that she is phoney and illusory. One should ponder deep over this fact and then one discovers that entire visible, multifarious world ultimately merges into one single Omni-Self.
Verse 34
ओवी क्र. ३४
येकीं अनेक आटलें । येकपण अनेकासवें गेलें ।
उपरी जें नि:संग उरलें । तेंचि स्वरूप तुझें. ॥३४॥
Multifold-ness merged into One-ness; moreover, one-ness too vanished along with manyfold-ness. And then, whatever unsullied, untainted and pure remained, that verily is your True Form, the pristine Self.
Indeed, one and many are the two relative terms. That which is not many is one and that which is not one is many ! Moreover, while that, which emerges as many from the one merges back into the one, all that remains is only one !!
That exactly is “एकमेव-अद्वितीय” in Vedantic parlance.
Maya existing in multifarious forms merges into Omniself-Self and what remains is the singular Atma-Roopa. Indeed, ‘that’ exactly is our True Form, un-related, independent.
Verse 35
ओवी क्र. ३५
तुझें स्वरूप तुजचि न कळे । तें जया साधनें आकळे ।
ते साधन ऐक, सोहळे । भोगिसी आनंदाचे ॥३५॥
We do not recognise our true form. Therefore listen to the mechanism that makes it cognised. You shall enjoy the bliss thereof, when you pursue the same.
As per Saints and the enlightened ones, it is ignorance about true nature of the Self that causes pain and sufferings in human life. Moreover, ever flowing springs of Bliss are guaranteed with Knowledge of the Self. Although that knowledge is self-evident, it is covered by moss of ignorance. And to remove that dirt of ignorance certain spiritual practices are proscribed, collectively known as Sadhana.
In fact, both philosophy as well as spiritual outlook are essential for a meaningful life. Philosophy helps in rational thinking about the spirit whereas spiritual practices complement philosophical thought for understanding one’s True Self. That exactly is the reason why Literature from Saints is replete with both, spiritual practices and philosophy.
Verse 36
ओवी क्र. ३६
इति श्री आत्माराम । सांगेन पुढील साधन वर्म ।
जेणें भिन्नत्वाचा भ्रम । तुटोन जाये. ॥३६॥
During the next chapter Sri Samartha will explain essence of Sadhana, which shall dispel delusion of Duality altogether.
“श्री राम जय राम जय जय राम”
