Re: Different states of a jIvAtma
From the Bhakti List Archives
• June 8, 1999
Dear BhakthAs : It is my pleasure to provide the free flowing transalations of the Srimad-Bhaagavatham passage below as requested by Sri Anand in the second portion of this rather long posting . When one gets into Upanishads , the descriptions get longer .There are so many layers of meaning and Upanishad BHAshyakArAs enjoy the intellectual challenges implicit in such efforts .MandhUkya KaarikA of Sri Goudha- PaadhA is a classic case in point . Sri Mani Varadarajan's reference to the complimentary links between JyOthir BrahmaNA of BrihadaaraNyaka Upanishad and MandUkya Upanishad is a very important one indeed . SanyAsa Upanishads focus quite a bit on the TurIyA state and the yogic way of dhyAnam and the four different states. Although Upanishads are great , I seem to enjoy most the ArchAvathArams of the Lord as celebrated by the AzhwArs . The reason for this anubhavam will become clear as the different passages of Upanishads relating to the four states are referred to and discussed . **************************************** A sample quotatation from one of the five Bindhu Upanishads ( Amrutha Bindhu Upanishad ) refers to the four states: yEka yevAthmA manthavyO jaagrath svapna sushipthishu sthaana thraya vyathIthasya punar jnama na vidhyathE (11) Translation : " "Verily , the Athman (the self-luminous witness of Buddhi )should be known as the same in its states of wakefulness (Jagrath , when the impressions of the objective world are directly received by the senses ) , dreaming (SvapnA , When the objects are perceived on the sub-conscious plane), and dreamless sleep (Sushupthi, when there is complete cessation of differentiation in impressions and knowledge , and what remains is consciousness alone ). For the Yogi , who has transcended ( attained the TurIyA state) the three states , there is no more rebirth ( Moksham ) . Another minor Upanishad nmaed SarvOpanishad also asks the same questions about the four states and defines TurIyA as the supremely desirable state.BrahmOpanishad has a good definition of the third state ( Sushupthi ).It has a wonderful passage ,where one has to go behind the obvious meanings of the naamams such as Brhma , VishNu and RudhrA : athAsya Purushasya chathvAri SthAnAni--tathra chathushpAdham Brahma VibhAthi. JAAGARITHAM SVAPNAM SUSHUPTHAM THUREEYAMITHI. JaagarithE BrahmA , svapnE VishNu: Sushupthou Rudhra: ThurIyam Paramaaksharam -- Meaning : "Now this PurushA has four seats , the navel, the heart , the throat and the head . In these shine forth the Brahman with four aspects : the state of wakefulness , dream , dreamless sleep and the fourth, the transcendental state. In the wakeful state , He is BrahmA, in the dreaming state , He is VishNu, in the dramless sleep state , He is RudhrA and in the fourth ( ThurIyA ) state , He is the Supreme , indestructible , Akshara BRahman " , (Sriman NaarAyaNA) .He is the Sun , Agni and is the transcendent Brahman shines within all these .All is warped and woofed in Him . Sri Anand"s reference to Srimadh Bhaagavatha slOkams ***************************************************** Here , we descend from the lofty heights of Upanishadic planes and descend to Bhakthi yOgam and the anubhavam of an UpAsakA . > Upabrahmanas like Ahirbudhnya Samhita (51st > adhyAyam) and SrImad BhAgavatham (12.11.21-23) elaborates on ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ > the fact that the words visva-taijasa-prAj~nya- turIya refers to > SrIman nArAyaNA alias Parabrahman in various forms. Someone ^^^^^^^^ > can kindly post the relevant translations from the SrImad BhAgavatham. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Chapter 12.11.21-23: Oh Sage !VaasudEvA , SankarshaNA , PradhyumnA and AniruddhA are four visible embodiments of the Supreme Lord ( Sriman NaarAyaNA ) and are recommended for proper worship separately . The all -powerful Lord (Sriman NaarAyaNA) should also be meditated upon in any one of these four forms , namely , the VaisvAnarA , TaijasA , PraJ~nA and ThuriyA by means of the different senses and their objects , as well as by means of the desires or through the power of knowledge. Incarnating Himself in these four forms , the Supreme Lord (Sriman NaarAyaNA ) is visulaized and experienced with several principal and subordinate limbs , as well as with various weapons and ornaments . When He assumes those four forms with the appropriate weapons , limbs and bhUshaNams , He deserves our special worship . V.Sadagopan
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