BHAGAVAD GEETA
Swami Shivprakashji Saraswati
Shloka 17
उत्तम: पुरुषस्त्वन्य: परमात्मेत्युदाहृत: |
यो लोकत्रयमाविश्य बिभर्त्यव्यय ईश्वर: || 17||
uttamaḥ puruṣhas tv anyaḥ paramātmety udāhṛitaḥ
yo loka-trayam āviśhya bibharty avyaya īśhvaraḥ
In the previous Shloka
Bhagwan introduced two Purushas :-
1.Kshara Purusha
And
2.Akshara Purusha.
Kshara Purusha is Karana ( Maya)the cause of the Universe
and
Kshara Purusha is the Karya (Effect )all the objects in the Universe. All the names and forms.
They are called Purushas because they seem to complete the Universe.
Puryati iti Purusha
Cause and effect.
Seem to complete the Universe. Seem to fill the Universe. Now Bhagwan says that there is something else which really completes the Universe. It is the essence of both Cause and Effect. It is the substance of both Cause and Effect.
That is nothing but PARMATMA therefore Paramatma is the Purusha of Purushas.
Even the Cause and Effect are dependent on Parmatma, just like all the pictures on the movie screen are dependent on the movie screen.
In the meantime, Cause and Effect do not affect Paramatma because Paramatma transcends both Cause and Effect.
Karya Karana Ateeta
Therefore, He is called UTTAMA PURUSHA. उत्तम: पुरुष:
Let us look into the Shloka.
उत्तम: पुरुषस्त्वन्य: - uttamaḥ puruṣhah anyha
Uttam Purusha is ‘Anyaha’.
He is distinct in nature with respect to Karya and Karana because Karya and Karana are Mithya and Paramatma is SATYA.
Karya and Karana are insentient and Paramatma is CONSCIOUSNESS.
Karya and Karana are subject to changes whereas Paramatma is free from changes.
Therefore:- Anyaha—distinct in nature and different in nature.
परमात्मेत्युदाहृत: |
paramātmety udāhṛitaḥ
Uttama Purusha is none other than Parmatma. He is the ATMA.
The one who deserves the reference ‘I’--THE SELF. He is none other than our ‘SELF’. Therefore:- ATMA.
In the meantime, HE is not confined to the Body and not confined to the Mind. Not confined to the UPADHIS and therefore He is free from the limitations of the Upadhis and therefore PARAMA –Limitless, Transcendent.
Therefore:- He is called PARAMATMA—the LIMITLESS SELF.
Paramatma is revealed as the Uttama Purusha in Vedanta.
He is revealed in the Shastras because SHASTRA is the Pramana to know Paramatma.
The second half of the Shloka describes the UTTAMA PURUSHA.
यो लोकत्रयमाविश्य बिभर्त्यव्यय ईश्वर:
yo loka-trayam āviśhya bibharty avyaya īśhvaraḥ
He pervades the three worlds –the Universe.
According to the Shastras the Universe consists of three worlds.
BHUR.
BHUVAHA.
SVAHA.
Paramatma pervades the three worlds—'avishya’
Pervading the Universe -Vibharti He supports the Universe.
He sustains everything and since He is the Sustainer of everything He is called ISHWARAH—the SUSTAINER.
In spite of being the Sustainer and in spite of being everywhere in the Universe He is not affected by the changes that happen in the Universe and therefore He is AVAYA. Free from changes. The Universe is always subject to changes, whereas Paramatma is always free from changes—unaffected by all changes that happen in the Universe and therefore IMMANENT as well as TRANSCENDENT.
लोकत्रयमाविश्य--Loka tryama avishya
Conveys that Ishwara is IMMANENT and PARAMATMA is IMMANENT in everything –AVAYA means He is Transcendent. He transcends the Universe.
SHLOKA 18
यस्मात्क्षरमतीतोऽहमक्षरादपि चोत्तम: |
अतोऽस्मि लोके वेदे च प्रथित: पुरुषोत्तम: || 18||
yasmāt kṣharam atīto ’ham akṣharād api chottamaḥ
ato ’smi loke vede cha prathitaḥ puruṣhottamaḥ
The word Purushottama is well known in the world as well in the Shastras. Most of us have heard this name, Purushottama.
Even some people may have this name –Purushottama, I know some people with this name.
So, this name is well known in the world and very much used in the Shastras and therefore there is Loka Prasiddhi as well as Shastra Prasiddhi of this well-known name.
We also know that this name is used for Paramatma.
Sometimes the names are familiar but we generally do not know the meaning of those names. We may not even know the meaning of our own names!
Likewise, the word Purushottama -the significance of this name is revealed by Krishna now.
Why is Paramatma is called Purushottma?
He is called Purushottma because He transcends the other two Purushas.
Kshara Purusha and Akshara Purusha
He is superior to the other two Purushas who seem to complete the Universe.
Karya and Karana.
The Universe seems to be complete with them but what really completes the Universe is the one who transcends both these Purushas and therefore He is the True Purusha.
One who is really complete—Purnattva Purusha.
The true COMPLETE --the REAL COMPLETE is none other than Paramatma and therefore He is called Purushottama.
The Complete Man!
Generally, we say complete man. As long as the person is a man or a woman, he cannot be complete because man or woman is UPADHI. The Upadhi is never complete because Upadhi also falls in the domain of Karya and Karana.
The true complete transcends both Karya and Karana and therefore:- Purushottama.
यस्मात्क्षर--Yasmad Ksharam
AHAM—refers to Bhagwan.
Ksharam—transcends Kshara, transcends the Karya and Akshara Api Uttama and He is superior to Akshara also.
He transcends the Akshara Purusha ---- also the CAUSE!
Therefore:- लोके वेदे--loke vede
He is well known in the world as well as in the Vedas as Purushottama –the greatest Purusha.
The Supreme Purusha. As the truly complete REALITY.
SHLOKA 19.
यो मामेवमसम्मूढो जानाति पुरुषोत्तमम् |
स सर्वविद्भजति मां सर्वभावेन भारत || 19||
yo mām evam asammūḍho jānāti puruṣhottamam
sa sarva-vid bhajati māṁ sarva-bhāvena bhārata
In the verse as well in the following verses Shloka 19 and 20 Bhagwan is concluding the chapter by describing the result of understanding Purushottama.
What does one get by the understanding of the truth of Paramatma as Purushottama?
To get the knowledge of Paramatma one has to be ‘Asammuddha’.
Free from delusion. Generally, people are deluded when it comes to spiritual pursuit because people think that permanent happiness can be found in the material world and that is why most of the people go after various material objects. It is rare to seek spiritual knowledge.
Very rare few people seek ATMA JNANA. The proper understanding of the Self which is the knowledge of Paramatma. Atma is Paramatma. Therefore even to seek this knowledge one should be free from delusion, the misconception that the material world can give happiness!
Therefore:--Asamudha --a Viveki.
He understands ME –Paramatma as the PURUSHOTTMA as the truly complete.
एवं जानाति -Evam Janati
He understands thus as described in the chapter. What does he get?
स सर्वविद्--Saha Sarvavid
He becomes Sarvavid -the one who understands the Purushottma is a Sarvavid.
Sarvam veti iti Saravavid.
Sarva meanings everything. Paramatma is the essence of everything just as the essence of all ornaments is GOLD and gold is the substance of all ornaments in the jewellery shop.
Therefore, all ornaments are GOLD. Likewise, since Paramatma is the substance of everything –everything is Paramatma—everything is Brahman--Sarvam Khalvidam Brahman.
Therefore:-Brahman is complete. Brahman is everything means Brahman is complete and to be COMPLETE it should include everything.
If one thing is less then it is not complete and therefore EVERYTHING implies completeness.
Purusha is SARVAM. Therefore, knowledge is Sarvam and therefore the knowledge of Kshara Purusha and Akshara Purusha is not knowledge of SARVAM because ‘they’ are not everything.
The essence of both Kshara Purusha and Akshara Purusha is PURUSHOTTMA PARAMATMA and therefore the knowledge of Paramatma alone can be termed as the knowledge of everything.
The one who knows Paramatma is a SARVAVID knower of everything,the knower of the complete.
Now, the Knowledge of the COMPLETE makes you COMPLETE because between me and completeness there is only one gap –only one Vyavadhan and that is Avidya Vid Vyavdhana –the gap caused by ignorance! There is no gap in terms of space between me and completeness. There is no gap in terms of Time in between me and Completeness.
And there is no gap in terms of action between me and Completeness.
There is no – Desh Krit Vyavadhan ---distance in terms of Space.
There is no Kaal Krit Vyavadhan—distance in terms of Time.
and
There is no Karma Krit Vyavadhan- distance in terms of Action.
The Vyayvadhan –the distance between me and completeness is IGNORANCE –Ajnana.
The Ajnana is removed by Jnana and therefore the Knowledge of Sarva makes me ‘Sarva’ and ‘SarvVid’ leads to ‘SARVA BHAAV.’ The moment I know the ‘Complete’ –I AM COMPLETE. Therefore –Saha Sarvid Sarva Bhavane maam Bhajati -He attains Me. He attains Paramatma.
Attainment of Paramatma is Sarva Bhaav- being complete, becoming complete.
SHLOKA 20
इति गुह्यतमं शास्त्रमिदमुक्तं मयानघ |
एतद्बुद्ध्वा बुद्धिमान्स्यात्कृतकृत्यश्च भारत || 20||
iti guhyatamaṁ śhāstram idam uktaṁ mayānagha
etad buddhvā buddhimān syāt kṛita-kṛityaśh cha bhārata
Now Bhagwan glorifies this knowledge, the knowledge of Paramatma.
इति गुह्यतमं शास्त्रम
iti guhyatamaṁ śhāstram
He refers to Chapter 15 as the Shastra because this chapter condenses the essence of all the Shastras. The truth of Paramatma, the ultimate truth has been conveyed in its entirety in this chapter and therefore Chapter 15 is a Shastra. It is the essence of not only Bhagavad Geeta but also the Vedas.
If this chapter is understood, Vedas are as good as understood. Shastram—this Shastra is Guhyaytamam- गुह्यतमं शास्त्रम--- is a great secret. Why is it a secret? It is very easily available, at least nowadays. It is available on YOU TUBE then how can it be secret? Even if it is available easily it cannot be accessed easily! One cannot derive the benefit of this Knowledge until one is ready in terms of purification of mind and in terms of having great Shradhha and Bhakti. One has to be ready! The readiness is the PASSWORD. Only when there is a password one can access the Knowledge. One can internalise the Knowledge.
Until one has the readiness the Knowledge will just come and go. It will not STAY. It cannot be RECEIVED just like the electromagnetic waves in the air cannot be received by every object in this room. Only a specific receiver can receive a specific wave-length.
Likewise, the Knowledge is available, the teaching is available easily everywhere, but to access the teaching, to receive the teaching, one should be ready in many ways. Therefore, it is the greatest secret—Guhyatamam!
गुह्यतमं शास्त्रम-- guhyatamaṁ śhāstram
“I have told you”, Bhagwan tells Arjuna who is called ANAGHA.
Agha means -paapa.
Anagha -the one who is free from paapa. Arjuna was a man of Dharma and for Arjuna Dharma was more important than fulfilling his personal desires. Generally, for ordinary people in the world, Artha and Kaama, wealth and material enjoyments are more important than Dharma. Arjuna was a man of Dharma, he followed the values prescribed in the Shastras. There are occasions in the Mahabharata when he could have easily compromised with the values of Dharma, but he doesn’t compromise! There are several such instances.
Therefore-ANAGHA
इति गुह्यतमं शास्त्रम
iti guhyatamaṁ śhāstram
I have taught you the Shastras, the essence of the Shastras which is the greatest secret! Guhyatamam! What can Arjuna expect from this Knowledge?
एतद्बुद्ध्वा -Etad Buddhva
Having understood this vison –etad buddhva – having understood this vision properly –one becomes a Buddhimaan -a Jnani!
Understanding the vision of Paramatma one becomes a Jnani. Until then knowing any other thing does not make one a Jnani because everything else falls in the domain of AJNANA. With the Knowledge of Paramatma one becomes a JNANI –a BUDDHIMAAN.
Kritakritayaha
Not only does he become a JNANI, he becomes a Kritakritayaha. One who has accomplished what has to be accomplished! He is called a Kritakritayaha.
There is nothing more to be accomplished because a Jnani has discovered completeness in himself. When he has discovered completeness in himself, there is no scope for adding anything to his completeness. Therefore, he has accomplished the ultimate and therefore he is Kritakritayaha.
He has accomplished the ultimate fulfilment in life! The ultimate goal of life has been actualised! The knowledge of Atma is the only way to make the life meaningful and to find fulfilment in life!
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