𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

   

ॐ 

असतो मा सद्गमय। 

तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय। 

मृत्योर्मा अमृतं गमय।

ॐ शांतिः शांतिः शांतिः

𝔹𝕙𝕒𝕘𝕧𝕒𝕕𝕘𝕚𝕥𝕒

सर्गाणामादिरन्तश्च मध्यं चैवाहमर्जुन |

अध्यात्मविद्या विद्यानां वाद: प्रवदतामहम् ||10.32||

Of created things I am the beginning and the end and also the middle, Ο Arjuna. Of all sciences I am the Science of the Self, and in disputation I am reason. 

–Among sciences the Lord is the science of Self-knowledge. We see that the modern world has made great advancements in all the sciences, and yet there is neither rest nor peace for countries and nations. Any rational thinker would naturally come to the conclusion that modern scientific achievements are not sufficient to bring peace and happiness to mankind. It is only Self-knowledge that can realise the inherent peace and freedom of mankind. The man of self-knowledge though he does not know any other science, is really the wise man who knows all. And the learned man who does not know the Truth is indeed unlearned and ignorant.

Argument is of three kinds – 1. Vada, 2. Jalpa 3. Vitanda. The reasoning free from malice and hatred, undertaken with the noble object of understanding the Truth is ‘Vada‘. The argument advanced with the object of establishing one’s own creed and condemning others, is ‘Jalpa‘. And the argument used merely for the purpose of abusing and condemning other creeds is ‘Vitanda‘. The Lord is ‘Vada’ (i.e) the process of reasoning, questions, and answers, and debates which the wise undertake to know the Truth.

𝕍𝕚𝕧𝕖𝕜𝕒𝕔𝕙𝕦𝕕𝕒𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕚

घटोदके बिम्बितमर्कबिम्बम्

आलोक्य मूढो रविमेव मन्यते ।

तथा चिदाभासमुपाधिसंस्थं

भ्रान्त्याहमित्येव जडोऽभिमन्यते ll218ll

Just as a deluded person, seeing the reflection of the sun in the water contained in a pot, mistakes that reflected image for the real sun;

so too, an ignorant person mistakes the reflection of Consciousness (चिदाभास) appearing in the body–mind (upādhi) as the real “I”.

This verse powerfully exposes the fundamental Vedāntic error of self-identification. The real Sun represents Pure Consciousness (Ātman / Brahman)—self-luminous, indivisible, and unaffected. The water in the pot represents the mind (antaḥkaraṇa).

The reflected sun (bimba-pratibimba) represents chidābhāsa—Consciousness seemingly reflected in the mind.

The ignorant onlooker is the jīva, who confuses the reflection for the reality.

The body–mind is inert (jaḍa) by itself. When Consciousness is reflected in it, the mind appears sentient, and from this arises the false notion: “I am the body, I am the doer, I am the enjoyer.”

Vedānta teaches that:

You are not the reflected consciousness (chidābhāsa)

You are the original Consciousness, ever free, ever complete. Bondage and individuality arise only from bhrānti (error), not from reality

Liberation (mokṣa) is nothing but the clear recognition that the ‘I’ is the Sun itself—not its reflection in a fragile pot of water.

HAVE A BRIGHT AND CHEERFUL DAY