[Advaita-l] Yet another Mahavakya in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad

V Subrahmanian v.subrahmanian at gmail.com
Fri Oct 22 06:06:54 EDT 2021


In the Brahmasutra Bhashya 4.3.43 there is a discussion about the status of
the entity that experiences sleep/transmigrates (exits the body upon
death). As part of this discussion, Shankara cites the following passage
Br.Up.4.4.22/


Brihadaranyaka Upanishad mantra 4.4.22:

स वा एष महानज आत्मा योऽयं विज्ञानमयः प्राणेषु य एषोऽन्तर्हृदय
आकाशस्तस्मिञ्छेते सर्वस्य वशी सर्वस्येशानः सर्वस्याधिपतिः स न साधुना कर्मणा
भूयान्नो एवासाधुना कनीयानेष सर्वेश्वर एष भूताधिपतिरेष भूतपाल एष (only a
part of this very lengthy mantra is cited here.  One could read the entire
mantra, translation, the bhashya translation (by Swami Madhavananda,
Advaita Ashrama.)

22. That great, birthless Self which is identified  with the intellect and
is in the midst of the organs, lies in the ether that is within the heart.

Bhashya of the above passage: स इति उक्तपरामर्शार्थः ; कोऽसौ उक्तः
परामृश्यते ? तं प्रतिनिर्दिशति — य एष विज्ञानमय इति —
अतीतानन्तरवाक्योक्तसंप्रत्ययो मा भूदिति, यः एषः ; कतमः एषः इत्युच्यते —
विज्ञानमयः प्राणेष्विति ; उक्तवाक्योल्लिङ्गनं संशयनिवृत्त्यर्थम् ; उक्तं हि
पूर्वं जनकप्रश्नारम्भे ‘कतम आत्मेति योऽयं विज्ञानमयः प्राणेषु’ (बृ. उ. ४ ।
३ । ७)
<https://advaitasharada.sringeri.net/display/bhashya/Brha?page=4&id=BR_C04_S03_V07&hl=%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AE%20%E0%A4%86%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%20%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%BD%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%82%20%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9E%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83%20%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%B7%E0%A5%81>
इत्यादि ।
एतदुक्तं भवति — योऽयम् ‘विज्ञानमयः प्राणेषु’ इत्यादिना वाक्येन प्रतिपादितः
स्वयं ज्योतिरात्मा, *स एषः कामकर्माविद्यानामनात्मधर्मत्वप्रतिपादनद्वारेण
मोक्षितः परमात्मभावमापादितः — पर एवायं नान्य इति ; एष सः साक्षान्महानज
आत्मेत्युक्तः ।* योऽयं विज्ञानमयः प्राणेष्विति यथाव्याख्यातार्थ एव । य एषः
अन्तर्हृदये हृदयपुण्डरीकमध्ये य एष आकाशो बुद्धिविज्ञानसंश्रयः,
तस्मिन्नाकाशे बुद्धिविज्ञानसहिते शेते तिष्ठति ; अथवा सम्प्रसादकाले
अन्तर्हृदये य एष आकाशः पर एव आत्मा निरुपाधिकः विज्ञानमयस्य स्वस्वभावः,
तस्मिन् स्वस्वभावे परमात्मनि आकाशाख्ये शेते ;

Hence the words, 'That great,' etc., recapitulating what has been stated.
That refers to something already mentioned.What is it? It is pointed out by
the words, 'Which is identified with the intellect,' etc., which are
intended to preclude any reference to the Self just mentioned
(verse 20). Which one is meant then? The answer is: Which is identified
with the intellect and is in the midst of the organs. The passage is quoted
for settling the doubt, for at the beginning of Janaka's questions it has
been stated, 'Which is the self?-This (infinite
entity) that is identified with the intellect and is in the midst of the
organs,' etc. (IV. iii. 7). The idea is this: *By the demonstration of
desire, work and ignorance as attributes of the, non-Self, the
self-effulgent Atman that has been set forth in the passage in question is
here freed from them and transformed into the Supreme Self, and it is
emphatically stated, 'It is the Supreme Self, and nothing else'; it is
directly spoken*
*·Of as the great, birthless Self. The words, 'Which is identified with the
intellect and is in the midst of the ·organs,' have been already explained
and have the same meaning here.* Lies in the ether that is within the lotus
of the heart, the ether (Akasa) that is the seat
of the intellect. The Atman lives i.n that ether conltaining the intellect.
Or the meaning may be that theBy the demonstration of desire, work and
ignorance...as attributes of the, non-Self, the self-effulgent Atman that
has been set forth in the passage in question is here freed from them and
transformed into the Supreme Self, and it is emphatically stated, 'It is
the Supreme Self, and nothing else'; it is directly spoken
·Of as the great, birthless Self. The words, 'Which is identified with the
intellect and is in the midst of the ·organs,' have been already explained
and have the same meaning here.

To put the Mahavakya in a crisp manner: योऽयं विज्ञानमयः प्राणेषु ...स वा
एष महानज आत्मा [That consciousness, jiva, that is situated amidst the
organs...he alone is the Great unborn Self.]

Sri Mani Dravid Sastrigal said that this mantra Br.Up.4.4.22 is a mahavakya
while explaining the Brahma Sutra Bhashya.

From the mantra too we can appreciate that it is with a view to realize
this self that one renounces all. The Neti Neti is also part of this
mantra.

Thus, we have an unambiguous mahavakya here. 'Aham Brahmasmi' of 1.4.10 of
this very Upanishad is quite a popular one indeed.

regards
subbu


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