Go to the bottom of this page.
TEACHINGS OF DNYANESHWARI
(Chapter-wise Summary)
CHAPTER 7 - WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE
KNOWLEDGE, WORLDLY KNOWLEDGE AND IGNORANCE
After telling Arjuna about the Yoga technique, Shri Krishna now tells about knowledge. He says the following:
- There are two types of knowledge:
- Knowledge of the Brahman and
- Worldly knowledge.
- To think that worldly knowledge is the true knowledge is Ignorance. True knowledge is beyond the worldly knowledge. It is where the intellect cannot enter, thoughts stop, and logic does not work.
- When Knowledge (of the Brahman) is experienced, the intellect puts behind the worldly knowledge. Therefore, it is necessary to know about the latter first.
Shri Krishna says that how to eliminate ignorance is a profound problem and very difficult to explain, but proceeds to explain it to Arjuna.
- Millions of people desire for Knowledge of the Brahman but rare is he who manages to get that desire fulfilled.
HOW TO ELIMINATE IGNORANCE
The world is my projection
Like the shadow cast by a body, the principles like Mahat etc. from which this material universe is created, is my projection. This projection is called Maya or Prakriti. It consists of eight parts, and is the one that creates the three worlds. The eight parts are: the five elements (earth, water, air, fire and sky), the mind, the intellect and the ego. (This is as per the Sankhya philosophy).
Para Prakriti
The state of equilibrium of these eight parts is my basic, subtle or Para Prakriti. It is also known as the Jiva (individual being). It is the principle of action in the life-force. It creates the feelings of sorrow and temptation in the mind. Association with it is what gives the intellect the capability to know. It runs the affairs of the world with the support the ego originating from it.
[NOTE: Prakriti literally means "exceptional ability". It is the wonderful nature out of which the vast material world in all of its intricate aspects takes shape. Prakriti is characterized by the three gunas of Sattva, Raja, and Tama.
The first principle created by Prakriti is Mahat, the Cosmic intelligence, equivalent to the intellect or Buddhi in humans. The next principle is the Ahankara or ego, the sense of self-identity (not personal pride), and the centre in our consciousness from which we think, act and react. This false sense of identity separates one's real Self from everything else and focuses it upon matter leading a person to think, "I am this body, this is mine, and this is for me." This Ahankara is what is responsible for the material universe. Ahankara expresses itself in three universal attributes or qualities: Sattva, Raja and Tama. (See notes in Ch 2)
- The mind, the five senses and the sense organs and the five organs of action are born from the essence of the Sattva attribute (the attribute of stability, purity, wakefulness, clarity and light);
- Sensations, feelings and emotions are caused due to the Raja attribute that represents dynamic movement;
For more details one should consult some work on Sankhya philosophy].
- The five elements (earth, water, fire, wind and the sky) that form the material world are created from the Tama attribute (the attribute responsible for the tendency towards inertia and lethargy, darkness, heaviness, deep sleep, ignorance and confusion).
CREATION OF LIFE
When this subtle or Para Prakriti creates the gross Prakriti of the living beings in the world, four types of life, belonging to different species, are produced
Jaraja or born through uterus,
Andaja or born through eggs,
Swedaja or from sweat e.g. lice etc., and
Udbhija or born through seeds i.e. plants.
There are 8.4 million of such species and their number in each is countless.(NOTE: The number of insect and animal species on earth, estimated by scientists, closely agrees with this number; but that is only a coincidece because the numbers given in each major species do not agree and are no doubt imaginary).
It is the Prakriti that creates lives in each species from the five elements and controls their population. It controls their birth, life and finally the death that results in their return to the five elements. However, the Prakriti itself is My projection, and therefore it is I who am the beginning, middle and the end of this world.
Just as the mirage originates in the Sun and vanishes with i, similarly, this visible universe is created from the original state, which is Me and finally dissolves and reaches the same original state. Thus, whatever is created and destroyed is in Me and I support it from inside and outside.
I am the principle in everything
· Thus, the liquid principle of water, the touch of the wind, the light of the sun and moon are all Me, the natural fragrance of the earth is Me and the sound from the sky is also Me.
- The sound of Aum (from the Vedas) is also Me.
- The virility in man is Me, the essence of the ego is Me.
- The basic energy in the fire is Me.
- This world contains different kinds of living creatures that survive on different kinds of food; and I exist inseparably in the means for their survival.
- This universe is created, remains apparent during its existence and is finally annihilated into its original state. That which expands at the time of creation to become the universe and does not vanish even after the created universe is annihilated, that formless entity, that self generated seed of the Universe, is Me.
- The penance of the ascetics is My form only.
- I am the strength of the strong and the intellect in the intelligent.
One can go on indefinitely like this. The principle to be understood is that all this expanse of the material world has been rooted in Me.
- I am the desire in all creatures by virtue of which the prescribed behaviour (Dharma) and earning of the livelihood are possible. Though this desire is controlled by the sense organs, it does not let them go against the Dharma. When it is free of the tendency towards prohibited actions it is guided by self-restraint. Because of this, the prescribed actions come to a successful conclusion and a worldly person achieves liberation.
MAYA CREATED BY ME BUT VEILS ME
The feelings of the mind, having the three attributes Sattva (purity), Raja (passion, action) and Tama (sloth), have been created from Me; but even so, I am not in them. [Simile: seed gives rise to a tree and then to wood, but this seed is not in the wood].
But this Maya, even though it is my projection and created from Me, veils Me. This prevents creatures from realising Me, even though they have been created from Me and acquired life due to Maya. Instead of becoming one with Me (by shedding desires) they get blinded by desires due to selfishness.
GOING BEYOND MAYA
The problem is how to go beyond this Maya and realise Me. This is possible only if proper and effective steps are taken.
Ineffective steps
People do take steps to cross this river of Maya, but some of those steps can be harmful. For example,
- Those trying to cross it on the strength of their intellect get lost.
- Those trying to cross it using knowledge are swallowed by pride.
- Those taking the help of the Vedas are burdened by the ego and are consumed by arrogance.
- Those trying to use their youthful strength are caught in the sexual lust and eventually, becoming old and demented, die sad and frustrated.
- Those who perform Yajnas get trapped in the wedge of heavenly enjoyment.
Proper steps
- Those who perform ritualistic actions with the goal of liberation get caught in the issues of right and wrong.
What are essential for crossing this River of Maya are an attitude of detachment and discrimination; and for those who can do so, also an all round yoga practice.
- Only those who are single-mindedly devoted to Me can cross this River of Maya. Actually they do not even have to cross it because they have rid themselves of the illusion of Maya even before they die.
All other types of devotees are affected by ego, and forget the Self. Totally unaware of the purpose of their rebirth, they get engrossed in sense-pleasures, passions and ego. They do not realise the purpose of their rebirth, even when affected by pain and sorrow, because Maya clouds their minds. They therefore miss attaining Me.
- Those who follow the path of Knowledge to attain unity with the Brahman, under guidance by a True Guru, shed the ego, calm the mind, avoid desires, and leaping towards liberation, attain it with the strength of their detachment and with the conviction "I am That". But such devotees are very rare.
FOUR TYPES OF DEVOTEES
There are four types of devotees who profit by their devotion to Me:
1. Arta (distressed), who becomes My devotee because he desires to be rid of his distressA Jnani devotees is My soul2. Jijnasu (curious), who worships me because he wants to know about Me out of an intellectual curiosity
3. Artharthi (desirous of wealth) who worships Me for wealth and
4. Jnani (enlightened). My real devotee, who wants nothing but Me for My own sake.
Though I like even those devotees who come to Me with selfish motives, the devotee I really love is the Jnani type. A Jnani achieves oneness with Me even while he is in the body, but the peculiar thing is that even after becoming one with Me, he wishes to remain My devotee. He may appear to be My devotee from his external actions but internally he has become Me and knows that I am his soul. Therefore, feeling satisfied, I too consider him as My soul. Just as water is within and without a vessel dipped in it, so is he within Me and I within him and outside him as well. But all this cannot be expressed in words.
WORSHIP WITH SELFISH INTENT
Devotees other than of the Jnani type, worship Me only with selfish desires. Deprived of the light of Knowledge, remaining internally and externally in the darkness of ignorance, they are distanced from Me.
They heartily worship other deities with elaborate rituals, paying detailed attention to the rules, means and offerings. But though they think that it is the deities that have fulfil their desires, it is really I who fulfil them, because I am present in all the deities. The devotee however, does not believe so and thinks that the various deities are different from each other. The deities whom a selfish devotee worships are as impermanent as the fruits they are supposed to give. On the other hand, it is only I who am eternal.Such devotees do not know Me because they do not come out of their narrow thinking. On the other hand, only those, who choose to be My devotees with their body and mind, attain on death, oneness with Me who is eternal. But his is not what the common man does and therefore puts himself to loss.
An enigma
It is really an enigma why a person should get chained by the craving for the fruits of actions (success) instead of flying high on the wings of Self-realisation; why he should try to measure the immeasurable bliss of the Self; why he should consider the formless, unmanifestable Me as manifestable and having form; why he should try to create rituals for reaching Me when I am in all creatures. People are blinded by the veil of Maya and therefore are not able to see me, though I am in the form of light. Is there anything in which I am not present? I alone pervade the entire universe.
All life is an illusion
I was in every creature who ever lived; and at this moment I am in all creatures that are living and I am not separate from those who will be born in the future. But this is only in a manner of speaking. Actually nothing is born and nothing dies. All life is an illusion. Thus, though I am eternally in all, yet they are still caught in the birth and death cycles. But there is a reason for it.
PITFALLS FROM DESIRE
Ego and (love for) the body give rise to desire. When desire combines with hate the delusion that “I am the body which is different from the soul” is born. This delusion is fostered by the ego. Ego makes a person shun courage and self-control. Fed on hope, it causes the delusion to grow. Dissatisfaction makes one indulge more and more in sense-pleasures, and this increases the delusion. It brings impediments in the path of devotion and paves the path of evil deeds. Because of it, people get confused, go astray in life and come under the heavy burden of sorrow.
But those who are devoted become free from doubts and delusion. They avoid sinful actions and come speedily near Me through meritorious actions and thus escape the clutches of desire and anger.
Sometime or other, they succeed in attaining the goal of experiencing the perfect Brahman. When the novelty of this experience fades away, they find the world to be full of bliss. They gain peace of mind and there is no more need for actions. They then develop a sense of equality and attain unity with Me. When, with the impetus of their Knowledge, they look at Me as the Supreme deity of the yajnas or the Supreme Soul, they do not grieve death. This is in contrast with the common man who feels that death is a big calamity. Nobody knows how, but those who have become one with me, do not leave me even when they die. Those who have gained this perfect Knowledge are the real yogis.[NOTE: According to this, there are stages of spiritual progress. First is to go nearer God. Second is Self-realisation. Third is to get used to this state of Self-realisation. Fourth is to enjoy bliss, gain peace of mind. Finally lose the duality with God and be one with Him. But this is not the end. They should realise that He is also the Supreme Soul. Once all this happens, there is no fear of death left, because he is liberated even while he is living].
HOMECH: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15 / 16 / 17 / 18
All rights with
Dr V. V. shirvaikar, email: vshirvaikar@yahoo.com
A-23 Yashodhan Soc.
Chintamaninagar 2,
Bibvewadi,
Pune 411037, INDIA