सर्वैश्वर्यपरिपूर्ण स्वयं भगवान. तारे निराकार करि करह व्याख्यान.
परिणामवाद व्याससूत्रेर सम्मत. अचिंत्यशक्ति ईश्वर जगद्रूपे परिणत.
मणि यैछे अविकृते प्रसवे हेमभार. जगद्रूप हय ईश्वर तवु अविकार.
(श्री चैतन्य चरितामृत – मध्य – 6/140, 170, 171)
Shree Chaitany Mahaprabhu’s teachings have been compiled in a set of books called Shree Chaitany Charitaamrhta (श्री चैतन्य चरितामृत). He is the last authoritative interpreter of the Brahma Sootram or Vedanta. To differentiate the views of Mahaaprabhu from among the maze of myriad interpretations of Vedanta, it is called the “Unimaginable Differentiation-Non-differentiation Concept (अचिन्त्यभेदाभेदवाद)” or “transformational concept” (परिणामवाद). The subject relating to Brahma is most complicated. Depending upon the level of understanding of different persons, the authorities have described the same subject differently. The Vedanta Sootram has generally been interpreted by Mahaprabhu from the perspective of devotion (भक्ति) for common people. Here is an Upanishad based interpretation of Mahaprabhu’s views for scrutiny by the learned.
“Evolution (परिणाम)” can be of two types. When the object is a conglomeration of different elements or has components (like everything in the Universe is composed of quarks and leptons), it can have material transformation (औपादानिक परिणाम – विवर्त्तवाद). However, Consciousness, which is revealed through mind, is different. In all perceptions, while the objects of perception may change; its perception as “I know this (object)”, does not change. In such cases, it can only have sequential spatiotemporal transformation (लाक्षणिक परिणाम) as one state is perceived after another spatially or temporally at the next moment. Motion is such a spatiotemporal transformation. Thus, mind is always mobile. When it slows down to retain some information, it is called intelligence (बुद्धि). The “I” part in “I know” is the ego (अहंकार), because only through it, freewill is exercised. The “know” part is a function of the knower (चित्त or ज्ञ).
While the Universe is full of differentiation (भेद – for laymen गोपी or calf – वछ्डे), their perception is non-differentiable (अभेद – for laymen कृष्ण). There is a limit on our knowledge (अचिन्त्य) of this mechanism (for laymen वंशीस्वन that unites the गोपी or वछ्डे with कृष्ण). Hence, without deeper analysis, surrender to Krishna totally as the source of everything. At one level, He is not knowable (अचिन्त्य), but at the other level, He alone becomes everything (एकं वा इदं विवभूव सर्वम् – Rhk Veda – 8-58-2, also तस्य कर्तारमपि मां विद्धि कर्तारं अव्ययम् – Gita 4-13) “Unimaginable Differentiation-Non-differentiation Concept (अचिन्त्यभेदाभेदवाद)” also has three parts. It can be interpreted in various ways. Here the interpretation of Gita is followed to explain these from the perspective of Saankhya Yoga (सांख्ययोग), Karma Yoga (कर्मयोग) and Buddhi Yoga (बुद्धियोग or उपासना योग). But first what are these and how different are they from each other? Since Gita is the essence of all Upanishads, those will also be referred to. Gita 3-3 refers to the first two Yogas equating Saankshya (सांख्य) with Knowledge (ज्ञानम्) and Karma with Operation (कर्म) of the Yogi. Let us first understand implication of Operation (कर्म) and Knowledge (ज्ञानम्).
Gita 4-17 classifies Action into three categories: 1) कर्म – action following natural principles (like धर्मं चर – follow righteous conduct), 2) विकर्म – prohibited action against natural principles (like स्वाध्यायान्मा प्रमदः – do not neglect your studies) and 3) अकर्म – all other actions that neither conform to nor contradict natural principles (like roaming aimlessly). While the first one results in happiness (स्वर्ग), second leads to sorrow (नर्क) and the third leads to unknown but undesirable destinations (असूर्यलोक). Gita advises to understand their nature carefully, as it is not always easy to classify an action into any one of the three categories (गहना कर्मणो गतिः – Gita 4-17).
Knowledge (ज्ञानम्) also has three divisions. The lowest is illusion (अज्ञानम् or प्रातिभासिकी दृष्टि) like the water of a mirage or in darkness, treating a rope as a snake. This is false both conceptually as well as physically (भ्रान्ति, मिथ्याज्ञानम् or विपर्यास) as here one concept is superimposed (अध्यास) on another without conforming to natural principles. In a more mundane level, consider one after the other waves in the sea rushing towards the shore. Sometimes a crest will meet a trough and both will neutralize each other. No one can identify the crest and the trough that existed a moment earlier. They are spread out in the sea – their source and constituent – in a superposition of states. After the novel Dracula, this has been sensationalized by an “undead” Schrodinger’s cat, which is smeared out everywhere in a state of half alive and half dead, waiting to come into either state permanently after some intriguing concept of observation or measurement. Comparison with wave is not proper; as unlike the wave, the cat is discrete from its surroundings. This is one example of invalid knowledge (अविद्या) in quantum theory.
Treating the universal characteristics of elements or objects as it is and noting their interactions, is valid knowledge (विज्ञानम्). It is also called the operational concept (व्यावहारिकी दृष्टि), as we often use this knowledge to meet our requirements. Yet, it is of limited use. Essentially, all macro objects are made up of a few fundamental particles. Knowing all of their combinations is absolute knowledge (ज्ञानम्) and the absolute concept (पारमार्थिकी दृष्टि). Individually revealed or known part of this knowledge (ज्ञानम्) is called proper knowledge (विद्या) and the unknown part is called ignorance (अविद्या). Quantum superposition described above is ignorance (अविद्या) about the unrevealed present state of the particles. Ignorance (अविद्या) has another meaning, which will be discussed later and which also proves the quantum superposition of states a wrong concept.
The knowledge (ज्ञानम्) regarding everything in the universe is also called Brahma (ब्रह्म) because it covers everything (वृहत्त्वात्) and involves everything (वृंहणत्त्वात्). Brahma is generally not one, because, as a part of Self (आत्मा), it is many. Self (आत्मा) in relation to all objects is defined as that, which is i) the base for that object without which the object cannot exist (उक्थ – यतो उत्तिष्ठन्ति सर्वाणि भुतानि), ii) which is Brahma for it, i.e., which pervades both in and out of it, and iii) which is equally spread out everywhere in it from the hair in the body to the tips of nails (समं इति मेने – आलोमेभ्यः आनखाग्रेभ्योः). This threefold structure only can become प्रजापति. This (यस्य यदुक्थं ब्रह्ं च साम तत् तस्यात्मा) is the material interpretation of Self (आधिभौतिक भूतात्मा). Then there is the quantum or energy interpretation (अधिवैदिक देवात्मा or नैगमिक आत्मा – वाङ्मयप्राणाङीप्राणा समवाये यो अयम् अङीप्राणः स इतरेषां प्राणानां आत्मा) and Sentient interpretation (आध्यात्मिक ब्रह्मात्मा or औपनिषद आत्मा – अव्ययपुरुषालम्वनः क्षरपुरुषसाधकोअक्षरपुरुषः). Further, in relation to evolutionary states, there are अव्यक्तात्मा, महानात्मा, विज्ञानात्मा, प्रज्ञानात्मा, भूतात्मा etc. Thus, there are various types of Self (आत्मा). But at the ultimate level, when all coincide without differentiation (परेअव्यये सर्व एकीभवन्ति– मुण्डकउपनिषद–3-2-7), It is beyond numbers and is called Paraatpara Parambrahma (परात्पर परम्ब्रह्म). The mechanism of creation has been described in Rhk Veda 1-164-15/16.
The creation can be described in three different ways: 1) starting from the singularity, 2) starting from the Galactic clusters to Solar system and 3) staring from the Earth. The first is called स्वयम्भूमूला सृष्टि or सर्वभुतान्तरात्मा, which can only be postulated; hence called ज्ञानकाण्ड or ॐकारोपासना. Since it is not utilized in our daily requirements, but has its time evolution without mutation (without changing form) or being affected by other effects, it is called उदासीनभाव and अमृत. This is Nature (प्रकृति) and all types of Self (आत्मा) belong to this category. The statement – न तस्य कार्यं करणं च विद्यते – श्वेताश्वेतर उपनिषद – is with reference to this only. The second is called सूर्यमूला or हिरण्यगर्भ सृष्टि, which can both be postulated, and the knowledge utilized to meet various energy requirements, hence called दैवात्मोपासना and the process is known as उपासनाकाण्ड or उद्गिथोपासना. Since it deals with the nuclear reaction only, it is called ब्रह्म and प्रकृतिभाव. It is the cause for the creation. The third is called पृथिवीमूला or अश्वत्थ सृष्टि, which appears, disappears and reappears in different combination as a new product. Hence it is called भूतात्मोपासना or प्रणवोपासना and कर्मकाण्ड. Since it deals with all created objects, it is called विकृति and कार्य. Since it is morphed into various objects, it is called शुक्र. Though all these can be differentiated from each other, they come from the same non-differentiated source – hence तदेव शुक्र तद ब्रह्म तदेवामृतमुच्यते. This leads to Unimaginable Differentiation-Non-differentiation Concept (अचिन्त्यभेदाभेदवाद).
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