The third chapter of Vedanta Sootram deals with actualization (ब्रह्मविद्या साधन) process through both knowledge (विद्या) and devotion (भक्ति). Here the different commentators have approached it (संवन्ध) in different ways. All through our lives, we carry out many functions. But what is the end result? As Bhartrhhari says: we could not satisfy our desire but quest for it tired us; we could not excel through penance but are feeling guilty for our wrong actions; time did not end but our time is going to end; our desire has not weakened but we have become weak (भोगा न भुक्ता वयमेव भुक्ताः, तपो न तप्तं वयमेव तप्ताः, कालो न यातो वयमेव याताः, तृष्णा न जीर्णा वयमेव जीर्णाः). Mahaprabhu says; the topic (विषय or अभिधेय) here is the realization of Godhead through the processes described in texts like the Vedas and Shrimad Bhaagavatam because when we are immersed fully in the service of our loved one (कृष्णमाधुर्य सेवाप्राप्ति), we forget other worldly miseries and wither out our past actions without generating new inertial effect (संस्कारशुन्य).
Naarada also says spiritual realization is its own reward (Sootra 26 and 30). He goes on to add, after getting a big kingdom, or a palatial mansion, or excellent food, our quest for property or home or food does not end (31 to 33 ibid). But after getting love, we do not desire anything else, because all desires are centralized in one place (सा न कामयमाना निरोधरूपत्वात – 7 ibid). He clarifies that love does not deny anything, but only confines our mind by taking it away from worldly affairs, as well as knowledge and activities related to them (निरोधस्तु लोकवेदव्यापारन्यासः – 8 ibid). Here the commentators have defined the word न्यासः as consecration. But it requires someone else to do that and the texts do not refer to any such agency doing consecration. Hence the word न्यासः (नि पूर्वक अस धातु – अस गति दीप्ति आदानेषु) means negation of motion, expression or transfer.
In fact, the Vedanta Sootram at 3-2-24 clarifies it further (अपि संराधने प्रत्यक्षानुमानाभ्याम). However, starting from Shankara (संराधनं भक्तिर्ध्यानप्रणिधानानुष्ठानम) to Ramanuja (भक्तिरूपापन्नमेवोपासनं संराधनं तस्य प्रिणनमिति), Nimbarka, Bhaskara, Ballabhacharya, Baladev; all have interpreted this in a way (आराधन) that does not explain its total implication. The word राधन means all round accomplishment (संसिद्धि). The prefix आ makes it आराधन, which implies gradual progress towards total accomplishment. The prefix सं would imply total-total accomplishment (सं संसिद्धि), which is normally faulty being repetitive (पुनरावृत्ति दोष). Thus, it must have some other meaning. Such use can be explained only through instantaneous all round urge (वीप्सा), in which case, repetition is allowed. Thus, the word संराधने implies instantaneous all round urge for total accomplishment like that of Vilwamangal and not gradual accomplishment implied by the commentators.
Whatever mortal efforts we may take, it cannot reveal immortal Brahma (उपायजाल न शिवः प्रकाशयेत). Can we find the Sun by searching with a lamp (दीपेन किं भाति सहस्रदिधिती)? If one continues the quest for It intensely (विचिन्तयेत नित्यं उदार दर्शनं), Divine grace appears in a flash (स्वयंप्रकाशः शिवमाविशेत क्षणात). All of us have experienced it in a limited way. We may be thinking about something for a long time. Suddenly, the answer is revealed to us in a flash. It is instantaneous – not a continued process. Similarly, God’s grace is revealed in a flash, not in a continued process. Naarada also opines that we can reach the ultimate desirable state by the grace of Noble souls or a little Grace of God (मुख्यतस्तु महत्कृपयेव भगवत्कृपालेशाद वा – सूत्र 38).
Further, all commentators have interpreted प्रत्यक्षानुमानाभ्याम to imply the Shruti (Vedas) and the Smrhti (स्मृति) respectively, which is not correct. In all branches of Vedic philosophy, Vedic injunctions are treated as realization from authoritative sources (शव्द प्रमाण) and not by direct perception through external sense organs (प्रत्यक्ष). Vedas contain knowledge, which has to be realized by the intelligence due to blessings of God. Similarly, Smrhti (स्मृति) is the authoritative injunction by the sages (ऋषि) based on their experience and dictates what should or should not be done (इति कर्तव्यता). It is not inference (अनुमान), as inference is based on direct evidence through external sense organs. The words प्रत्यक्षानुमानाभ्याम implies, direct evidence and inference show that, if anyone having instantaneous all round urge for total accomplishment chooses the right path, she/he reaches her/his goal at an opportune time. This chapter discusses those paths.
The last chapter of Vedanta Sootram deals with the outcome (फल) – liberation or realization of Godhead (मोक्ष). This also describes the entitlement for practicing devotion (अधिकारी). Normally the question arises, how can we be sure that if we follow any or all of these paths, we will attain liberation? But before that, let us discuss why should we try anything at all? The answer is: no one wants to be unhappy. Everyone searches for happiness. But what is happiness?
Happiness is defined as a continued harmonious perception that is:
- Not disturbed by pain (यन्न दूःखेषु संभिन्न),
- Does not evaporate (न च ग्रस्तमनन्तरं), and
- Is related to an object of desire (अभिलषितमाप्नोति).
Such a state is impossible to be achieved. If you are happy eating some food or sleeping, after a limit, you must give up. If it is reading a book, the last page will invariably come. We want something, but get something else. Thus, the universe is full of sorrows. We can only try to minimize the sorrow. According to Kanaada, mind acts mechanically and thought (भावना) is the inertia (संस्कार) of mind (which, like mechanical inertia, is generated after some external impulse is received; by drawing related similar experiences from memory and getting modified in the process). Like the mechanical inertia stops with friction or gravitational pull, thought ceases:
- Due to intense pain (कष्ट) when the thought is diverted,
- After getting the object of desire (प्राप्ति) or
- After understanding the nature of the object of thought (ज्ञान).
The last two conditions as getting everything one desires or having all knowledge about everything are almost impossible. Its partial attainment is not happiness as defined above, as the craving remains, which starts inertia of mind about not getting the desired object or knowledge leading to sorrow (अशान्तस्य कुतः सुखं – गीता 2/66). The first one – pain – frequently occurs and diverts our thought to start a different inertia to continue the chain and pain. Thus, one way out is to minimize our perception of different external objects by focusing on selected objects. This is the devotional aspect. Another way is the knowledge aspect – knowing about the nature of the physical world – unification of fundamental aspects of everything (ब्रह्मैवेदं सर्वं). The other aspect of getting the object of desire has to be abandoned, as desire leads to sorrow (Gita 2/62-63, 66).
There is another reason for seeking liberation. All actions can be divided into two categories:
- Perpetually evolutionary actions, which are deterministic (like chemical interactions or time evolution) and generate fixed or predictable inertia till entropy, where the participant does not act like a cat carrying the kitten holding it gently through the neck, and
- Conscious actions based on freewill, which leads to unpredictable inertia due to uncertainty inherent in the process and the effect like a small monkey clinging to its mother, as she jumps around. If the child gives up even slightly, it will fall and get injury.
The former is also like floating of a wooden log on the sea, which is effortless. The later is like swimming in the sea with effort – the moment you give up, you are drowned. The problem becomes compounded when the effects of freewill becomes non-linear directed-composite-actions. All actions involving freewill can be divided as follows:
- A sequence of initial preparatory phase (प्रक्रम – for example, collecting ingredients necessary for cooking).
- The components of a routine repetitive action (अभिक्रम – processing the ingredients for cooking). These two are collectively called subsidiary actions for a purpose (क्रत्वर्थकर्म – cooking itself).
- A combination of such subsidiary actions leads to an essential action (पुरुषार्थ कर्म – eating).
- A group of such essential actions (eating, working, sleeping, procreating, etc.) constitute a work unit (कर्मव्युह – living being) that can perform (through freewill) directed composite actions to achieve something other than a deterministic perpetual action.
The performers of such directed composite actions are bound by the induced reaction (वद्धजीव) till the inertia generated by their action ceases and they come over to the automated time evolution format (perpetual functioning of their systems that leads to अभ्युदय and ultimately to निःश्रेयस). Other free species (मुक्तजीव) are called perpetually evolutionary species (आश्वत्थिक जीव).
The perpetually evolutionary species (आश्वत्थिक जीव) have two divisions: fixed evolutionary (ब्रह्मआश्वत्थिक) and functional evolutionary (नियतकर्मआश्वत्थिक). The first category is inert like galaxy, Sun, Earth, Moon, atoms, etc, which have fixed orbital positions. Our body is constituted of these. The other category mimics sentiency (like इंद्र, which, according to शतपथब्राह्मण is मध्यप्राण – व्यान in our body or वरुण, कुवेर, etc). It does not have a fixed position and is in perpetual motion (quantum or देवाः). Thus, there is no fixed position in the quantum world (God’s feet does not touch earth – common saying). Our sensory agencies belong to this category. The first category can be perceived directly through sense organs (भावप्रत्यय). The second category is inferred from its effects (उपायप्रत्यय). It has another category called Nature’s components – प्रकृतिलयाः, which reflects immutable consciousness. Both categories are held together by energy (इंद्रप्राण) that arises from a base (आत्मा) to constitute body (पशु). The mechanism is described in शतपथ ब्राह्मणम 14-4-4-1. According to Kanaada, effect terminates action (कार्य नाशयति कर्म). Thus, the trick is not to generate any further inertia of mind and allow the present inertia to carry on till it is exhausted. Fixing our mind at a point through devotion is one of the best ways for this.
Mahaprabhu says; the essence of the fourth chapter is to teach methods of enjoying the nectar of universal love (कृष्णे सेवा करे कृष्णरस आस्वादन). Similar views have been expressed in Bhagavatam (श्रीमद भागवतम – 1-2-7) and Gita – 7-14, 8-14, 9-22, 14-26 and 18-35.
(to be completed)
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