Chandogya Upanishad - (a)tat-tvam-asi

By Shri Kesava Rao Tadipatri 

The background story is this. The son Shvetaketu goes for his studies to gurukula and returns after 12 years of education. He exhibits an arrogance that he is the know-it-all person. Now the task of removing the son’s arrogance lies on his father, UddhAlaka. He had to din into his ears the fact that there is enormous difference between Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient and Independent Lord, who is invisible and yet instigates, creates, sustains and annihilates right from the blade of grass to Chaturmukha Brahma and the ever-dependent Shvetaketu, whose powers, presence, knowledge and every faculty is limited. They are never the same.

 

UpaniShad- text in Sanskrit Itrans: 

tasya kva mUlaM syAdanyatrAnnAdevameva khalu somyAnnena shuN^genApo mUlamanvichChAdbhiH somya shuN^gena tejo mUlamanvichCha tejasA somya shuN^gena sanmUlamanvichCha sanmUlAH somyemAH sarvAH prajAH sadAyatanAH satpratiShThAH || 6\.8\.4|| 

atha yatraitatpuruShaH pipAsati nAma teja eva tatpItaM nayate tadyathA gonAyo.ashvanAyaH puruShanAya ityevaM tatteja AchaShTa udanyeti tatraitadeva shuN^gamutpatitaM somya vijAnIhi nedamamUlaM bhaviShyatIti || 6\.8\.5||

tasya kva mUlaM syAdanyatrAdbhyo.adbhiH somya shuN^gena tejo mUlamanvichCha tejasA somya shuN^gena sanmUlamanvichCha sanmUlAH somyemAH sarvAH prajAH sadAyatanAH satpratiShThA yathA tu khalu somyemAstisro devatAH puruShaM prApya trivR^ittrivR^idekaikA bhavati taduktaM purastAdeva bhavatyasya somya puruShasya prayato vAN^manasi saMpadyate manaH prANe prANastejasi tejaH parasyAM devatAyAm.h || 6\.8\.6||

sa ya eSho.aNimaitadAtmyamidaM sarvaM tatsatyaM sa AtmA.atattvamasi shvetaketo iti bhUya eva mA bhagavAnvij~nApayatviti tathA somyeti hovAcha || 6\.8\.7||

yathA somya madhu madhukR^ito nistiShThanti nAnAtyayAnAM vR^ikShANAMrasAnsamavahAramekatAMrasaM gamayanti || 6\.9\.1||

te yathA tatra na vivekaM labhante.amuShyAhaM vR^ikShasya raso.asmyamuShyAhaM vR^ikShasya raso.asmItyevameva khalu somyemAH sarvAH prajAH sati saMpadya na viduH sati saMpadyAmaha iti || 6\.9\.2 ||

ta iha vyaghro vA siMho vA vR^iko vA varAho vA kITo vA pataN^go vA daMsho vA mashako vA yadyadbhavanti tadAbhavanti || 6\.9\.3 ||

sa ya eSho.aNimaitadAtmyamidaM sarvaM tatsatyaM sa AtmA.atattvamasi shvetaketo iti bhUya eva mA bhagavAnvij~nApayatviti tathA somyeti hovAcha || 6\.9\.4||

imAH somya nadyaH purastAtprAchyaH syandante pashchAtpratIchyastAH samudrAt samudramevApiyanti sa samudra eva bhavati tA yathA tatra na viduriyamahamasmIyamahamasmIti || 6\.10\.1||

evameva khalu somyemAH sarvAH prajAH sata Agamya na viduH sata AgachChAmaha iti ta iha vyAghro vA siMho vA vR^iko vA varAho vA kITo vA pataN^go vA daMsho vA mashako vA yadyadbhavanti tadAbhavanti || 6\.10\.2||

sa ya eSho.aNimaitadAtmyamidaM sarvaM tatsatyaM sa AtmA.atattvamasi shvetaketo iti bhUya eva mA bhagavAnvij~nApayatviti tathA somyeti hovAcha || 6\.10\.3||

asya somya mahato vR^ikShasya yo mUle.abhyAhanyAjjIvansravedyo madhye.abhyAhanyAjjIvansravedyo.agre.abhyAhanyAjjIvansravetsa eSha jIvenAtmanAnuprabhUtaH pepIyamAno modamAnastiShThati || 6\.11\.1||

asya yadekAM shAkhAM jIvo jahAtyatha sA shuShyati dvitIyAM jahAtyatha sA shuShyati tR^itIyAM jahAtyatha sA shuShyati sarvaM jahAti sarvaH shuShyati || 6\.11\.2||

evameva khalu somya viddhIti hovAcha jIvApetaM vAva kiledaM mriyate na jIvo mriyate iti sa ya eSho.aNimaitadAtmyamidaM sarvaM tatsatyaM sa AtmA.atattvamasi shvetaketo iti bhUya eva mA bhagavAnvij~nApayatviti tathA somyeti hovAcha || 6\.11\.3||

nyagrodhaphalamata AharetIdaM bhagava iti bhinddhIti bhinnaM bhagava iti kimatra pashyasItyaNvya ivemA dhAnA bhagava ityAsAmaN^gaikAM bhinddhIti bhinnA bhagava iti kimatra pashyasIti na kiMchana bhagava iti || 6\.12\.1||

taM hovAcha yaM vai somyaitamaNimAnaM na nibhAlayasa etasya vai somyaiSho.aNimna evaM mahAnyagrodhastiShThati shraddhatsva somyeti || 6\.12\.2||

sa ya eSho.aNimaitadAtmyamidadM sarvaM tatsatyaM sa AtmA.atattvamasi shvetaketo iti bhUya eva mA bhagavAnvij~nApayatviti tathA somyeti hovAcha || 6\.12\.3||

lavaNametadudake.avadhAyAtha mA prAtarupasIdathA iti sa ha tathA chakAra taM hovAcha yaddoShA lavaNamudake.avAdhA aN^ga tadAhareti taddhAvamR^ishya na viveda || 6\.13\.1||

yathA vilInamevAN^gAsyAntAdAchAmeti kathamiti lavaNamiti madhyAdAchAmeti kathamiti lavaNamityantAdAchAmeti kathamiti lavaNamityabhiprAsyaitadatha mopasIdathA iti taddha tathA chakAra tachChashvatsaMvartate taM hovAchAtra vAva kila tatsomya na nibhAlayase.atraiva kileti || 6\.13\.2||

sa ya eSho.aNimaitadAtmyamidaM sarvaM tatsatyaM sa AtmA.atattvamasi shvetaketo iti bhUya eva mA bhagavAnvij~nApayatviti tathA somyeti hovAcha || 6\.13\.3||

yathA somya puruShaM gandhArebhyo.abhinaddhAkShamAnIya taM tato.atijane visR^ijetsa yathA tatra prAN^vodaN^vAdharAN^vA pratyaN^vA pradhmAyItAbhinaddhAkSha AnIto.abhinaddhAkSho visR^iShTaH || 6\.14\.1||

tasya yathAbhinahanaM pramuchya prabrUyAdetAM dishaM gandhArA etAM dishaM vrajeti sa grAmAdgrAmaM pR^ichChanpaNDito medhAvI gandhArAnevopasaMpadyetaivamevehAchAryavAnpuruSho veda tasya tAvadeva chiraM yAvanna vimokShye.atha saMpatsya iti || 6\.14\.2||

sa ya eSho.aNimaitadAtmyamidaM sarvaM tatsatyaM sa AtmA.atattvamasi shvetaketo iti bhUya eva mA bhagavAnvij~nApayatviti tathA somyeti hovAcha || 6\.14\.3||

puruShaM somyotopatApinaM j~nAtayaH paryupAsate jAnAsi mAM jAnAsi mAmiti tasya yAvanna vAN^manasi saMpadyate manaH prANe prANastejasi tejaH parasyAM devatAyAM tAvajjAnAti || 6\.15\.1||

atha yadAsya vAN^manasi saMpadyate manaH prANe prANastejasi tejaH parasyAM devatAyAmatha na jAnAti || 6\.15\.2|| 

sa ya eSho.aNimaitadAtmyamidaM sarvaM tat satyaM sa AtmA.atattvamasi shvetaketo iti bhUya eva mA bhagavAnvij~nApayatviti tathA somyeti hovAcha || 6\.15\.3|| 

puruShaM somyota 

astagR^ih ItamAnayantyapahArShItsteyamakArShItparashumasmai tapateti sa yadi tasya kartA bhavati tata evAnR^itamAtmAnaM kurute so.anR^itAbhisaMdho.anR^itenAtmAnamantardhAya parashuM taptaM pratigR^ihNAti sa dahyate.atha hanyate || 6\.16\.1||

atha yadi tasyAkartA bhavati tateva satyamAtmAnaM kurute sa satyAbhisandhaH satyenAtmAnamantardhAya parashuM taptaM pratigR^ihNAti sana dahyate.atha muchyate || 6\.16\.2|| 

sa yathA tatra nAdAhyetaitadAtmyamidaM sarvaM tatsatyaM sa AtmA.atattvamasi shvetaketo iti taddhAsya vijaj~nAviti vijaj~nAviti || 6\.16\.3||

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तस्य क्व मूलं स्यादन्यत्रान्नादेवमेव खलु सोम्यान्नेन शुङ्गेनापो मूलमन्विच्छाद्भिः सोम्य शुङ्गेन तेजो मूलमन्विच्छ तेजसा सोम्य शुङ्गेन सन्मूलमन्विच्छ सन्मूलाः सोम्येमाः सर्वाः प्रजाः सदायतनाः सत्प्रतिष्ठाः॥ ६.८.४॥

 

1. Meaning: shunga means sprout. Here a sprout is taken as an example to explain the invisible power of God. somya means “Dear one”- This is how UddhAlaka(father) is addressing his son(Shvetaketu).

 

Father asks son - ”What is the root cause for the growth of the sprout?”

Son’s reply to father - “the food that is supplied”.

Father continues - “Of course then what is the root-cause of that food and its presiding deity? Dear, the root-cause of the food is water and its presiding deity. What is the root-cause of water and its presiding deity? Dear, the root-cause of water is tejas and its presiding deity. What is the root-cause of that tejas and its presiding deity? 

The Supreme Lord, who is known as “sat”, is the root-cause of that. That Supreme One “sat” is the root-cause of every  thing. Know this truth from this simple example of the sprout. All these living beings have that “sat” named Lord as refuge not only in this samsAra, but also in liberated state as well. That sat is always the refuge, support, nourisher and controller.

 

Any one’s understanding - The food for the plant is in terms of water. Then there is ground(that has minerals). Then there is sun-light from above. All these are the causes. Sprout has its root in food, food has its root in water, water has its root in energy within that and energy has its root in “sat” named Lord, who is the efficient cause of all.

 

The essence of it - “Dear, Go to the root of these causes (inquire/investigate them philosophically). Some energizing force that is inherent in all these is making it happen. What ever supplying energies to these Natural elements is also supplying energies to all people and thus all these people are well taken care of as they are sat+Ayatanas (having God as abode) and sat-pratiShThAH(having caretaking Lord as support).”

 

अथ यत्रैतत्पुरुषः पिपासति नाम तेज एव तत्पीतं नयते तद्यथा गोनायोऽश्वनायः पुरुषनाय इत्येवं तत्तेज आचष्ट उदन्येति तत्रैतदेव शुङ्गमुत्पतितं सोम्य विजानीहि नेदममूलं भविष्यतीति॥ ६.८.५॥

 

2. Meaning:

Father continues - “Dear, when a thirsty person drinks water, the energies from water are passed on to the person. Some force drives it - like a cowherd tends cows or wrangler helps horses, human care taker takes care of humans, the invisible force moves energy from water to the person drinking water. The same energizing force makes the seed sprout and grow. Know that dependence of Jiva from this seed or sprout example. Tejas abhimAni Lakshmi instigates PrANA, the abhimAni for water and so Tejas is called ‘udanyA’. All these are not without the root-cause.”

 तस्य क्व मूलं स्यादन्यत्राद्भ्योऽद्भिः सोम्य शुङ्गेन तेजो मूलमन्विच्छ तेजसा सोम्य शुङ्गेन सन्मूलमन्विच्छ सन्मूलाः सोम्येमाः सर्वाः प्रजाः सदायतनाः सत्प्रतिष्ठा यथा तु खलु सोम्येमास्तिस्रो देवताः पुरुषं प्राप्य त्रिवृत्त्रिवृदेकैका भवति तदुक्तं पुरस्तादेव भवत्यस्य सोम्य पुरुषस्य प्रयतो वाङ्मनसि संपद्यते मनः प्राणे प्राणस्तेजसि तेजः परस्यां देवतायाम्‌॥ ६.८.६॥

 

3. Meaning:

Father continues - “Dear, when you inquire the root cause for the sprouting or functioning of any living thing, s of the food, inquire/investigate the root of the water and energy - the ultimate real root. The inert objects food, water and energy/fire themselves are incapable of functioning and the three presiding deities (tisro devatAH - the information about that is given in Brahmanda purana ##Brahmanda-purANa-quote## - and the logic here is elaborated in nAma-samhita - see below the quotes for those##Naama-samhita-quote## which are given and explained later on) That is where all the people find their succor. Oh Dear one, those three presiding deities one by one and one by going thru another reaches out to the All-Supreme PuruSha. 

Oh Dear one that is just as it was told earlier, the speech seeks the mind, the mind seeks the life-force, the life-force seeks its inner energy, and that inner energy seeks the Supreme deity. Both the birth and death are not under the control of Jiva. Only the Supreme Lord controls all. At the time of death or liberation, the vAk abhimAni Parvati enters into Manas abhimAni Rudra. Then the speech faculty ceases. Then the mind abhimAni Rudra enters PrANa. Then the mental faculty ceases. Then the prANa enters tejas abhimAni Lakshmi. Then the life-force in that body ceases. Then tejas enters Paramatma. 

Thus the Jiva eventually reaches Paramatma thru these abhimAni devatas. (People wrongly use this entering as ‘merging’. If a person enters a house, he does not merge with house. The kind of merging notion that takes away the existence of Jiva itself is not right. This wrong understanding of merging has to go.)”

 

स य एषोऽणिमैतदात्म्यमिदं सर्वं तत्सत्यं स आत्माऽतत्त्वमसि श्वेतकेतो इति भूय एव मा भगवान्विज्ञापयत्विति तथा सोम्येति होवाच॥ ६.८.७॥

 

4. Meaning:

Father continues - “Dear, that Supreme One is called ‘sa(he)’ because it is sAravAn or Essence of all. That is called ‘aNimA’ as it is the most subtle. It is ‘aitadAtmyaM’, as it controls all. It is called ‘satya’, because of its Supreme Bliss. That is the Supreme controller of all and essence of all and oh Shvetaketu, that thou art not. ”

Then Shvetaketu says “Oh wise father, please educate me more about that”.

Then the father replied “So, be it oh dear one”.

 

Please see the following note. This should open the eyes of any open-minded person.

 

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Important note: 

How could any one destroy this beautiful thought by saying such a blasphemous statement “that thou art”? How could any one leave out a letter that makes the meaning totally opposite? Does any one take a quote “This movie is wonderful drivel” and make it “This movie is wonderful”? Does any one take a quote “John Smith likes Peter Bad to be hanged” and make it “John Smith likes Peter Bad”? How could any one quote out of context? How could any one label a tiny set as Mahavakyas (profound statements) from oceanic Vedic canon by distorting the real meaning and specifying the superficial meanings as the ultimate intent as if the rest of Vedic canon has no relevance at all? How could any one resort to distorting this and rejecting the rest? 

The worst of it all, they start off as if there are four strong pillars from four Vedas. Searching the entire Rigveda, all that they could lay their hands on was “praj~nanam brahma”(Brahman is knowledge personified), which has neither “aham(I)” nor “tvam(you)” and stretch out saying Brahma is consciousness and you and I are consciousness and so you and I are same as Brahman. This is like saying you are human and I am human and so you and I are same. Similarly from Atharva Upanishad, all they could get was “ayamAtmA brahma”. Even this is missing “aham” or “tvam” and then they have to stretch its meaning. What a sorrowful affair? Out of the four pillars two pillars are shaky and smoky. Even these two pillars “tattvamasi” and “ahaM brahmAsmi” are so weak, that one can see that they will crumble down like ashes. 

If someone starts an argument that there are some “MahA-mahA-vAkas” in Veda that proclaim that “Fire does not burn any one”, the simple argument will be, “Put your hand in the fire and tell me”. Why would Veda go against the experience of all? Did any normal one among us experience any of these - the Supreme powers of any kind, Omnipresence, Omniscience, VishvarUpa darshana shakti? What is the standard argument? “You are the Supreme Brahman, but enveloped by Maya/ignorance and so, you are not aware of it”. So, this Maya is more powerful than Brahman? What a sad state of affairs? why is Supreme Lord struggling in this universe? “Oh no no. The Supreme Brahman is not struggling in this universe, as this universe is an illusion”. How? 

It is like a rope and the snake. The rope appears as snake and there is no snake there. Which is the rope then? Which is the superimposition? The Brahma is like the rope. So, Brahman is enveloped by Maya and multiplies himself as zillions of all creatures including some despicable creatures and goes through the illusory experience in this universe, which in fact is Himself, but He is unaware of that because of His ignorance?

 

How do you know all this? That is because of the scriptures. Are the scriptures part of this universe? If they are, then they themselves are an illusion. How can the illusory scriptures be your source? If they are not part of the universe, are they real? If they are real, you have something other than Brahman as real - that is anti-thesis. How can all these Supreme Brahmans get rid of their own ignorance? That is by utilizing the illusory scriptures? How can the souls in all those inferior creatures do that, even granting that all those bodies are illusory? The souls within them are not illusory. Why did God will to multiply Himself into not only zillions of predators, but also zillions of preys?

 

Leave alone all that, did any of the Brahmans in the form of ordinary mortals in this universe exhibit even some extra-ordinary strength and freedom from pain? At the most even the so-claimed advanced souls could put up a stand that they were able to tolerate the pains of diseases like cancer, but no ability to conquer either such diseases or such pain. Note the difference between tolerance of pain and absence of pain.

 

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 Let me explain the notion of upAdAna kAraNa(material cause), nimitta kAraNa (efficient cause), upakaraNas (tools). When making a pot, mud is material cause, pot-maker is the efficient cause, the wheel, rod, etc. are tools. In case of this universe(compared to pot), there are two possible scenarios. One is God is both material cause and efficient cause. Another is He is only efficient cause. Most of the philosophies are either vague or say that the Lord is both. Advaita takes the most ridiculous scenario of labeling that all is mithya, both pot and the universe. Lord Krishna downright rejected that (as told in BhagavdgIta).

 

The right position is that the Lord is only efficient cause. There is a big difference the way the pot-maker is efficient cause and Lord is. The pot-maker is not all-pervading and not Omniscient, but Lord is. If Lord is material cause, that means He undergoes mutation, which is absurd for one thing. If an objection is raised that “Hari is bIja and Mula of everything means that He is material cause also”, that can be easily answered with two examples. The Jiva inside the seed is making the formation of the plant structure without itself undergoing all that transformation. The father is efficient cause for production of the body of the son, without himself becoming the body of the son. Also from Gita - 

 

dvau bhUtasargau loke.asmin daiva Asura eva cha |

daivo vistarashaH prokta AsuraM pArtha me shR^iNu || 16-6||

 

pravR^ittiM cha nivR^ittiM cha janA na vidurAsurAH |

na shauchaM nApi chA.achAro na satyaM teShu vidyate || 16-7||

 

asatyamapratiShThaM te jagadAhuranIshvaram |

aparasparasambhUtaM kimanyatkAmahaitukam || 16-8||

 

etAM dR^iShTimavaShTabhya naShTAtmAno.alpabuddhayaH |

prabhavantyugrakarmANaH xayAya jagato.ahitAH || 16-9||

 

द्वौ भूतसर्गौ लोकेऽस्मिन् दैव आसुर एव च।

दैवो विस्तरशः प्रोक्त आसुरं पार्थ मे शृणु॥ १६-६॥

 

प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं च जना न विदुरासुराः।

न शौचं नापि चाऽचारो न सत्यं तेषु विद्यते॥ १६-७॥

 

असत्यमप्रतिष्ठं ते जगदाहुरनीश्वरम्।

अपरस्परसम्भूतं किमन्यत्कामहैतुकम्॥ १६-८॥

 

एतां दृष्टिमवष्टभ्य नष्टात्मानोऽल्पबुद्धयः।

प्रभवन्त्युग्रकर्माणः क्षयाय जगतोऽहिताः॥ १६-९॥

 

There are two kinds of behavior in this world - divine and demonic. The divine behavior has been told earlier in detail. They do not engage in doing prescribed actions and they do not avoid doing prohibited things. They do not have purity, well-behavior and truthfulness. 

They proclaim that the Lord is saMhArakartA(annihilator), sthitikartA (Sustainer) and that there is no creation-chain (meaning that they do not accept that various things get generated from others). They say that this universe is only our imagination and a product of just ignorance. They say that this universe is false and will disappear for one, who has knowledge. They say that this does not have any Lord. They say that there is no gradual progression and so neither real nor unreal and just a product of Maaya. 

By resorting to such attitude, they spoil their own minds and others as well and engage in harmful thinking and actions. Such are born to cause destruction to the entire universe.

 

यथा सोम्य मधु मधुकृतो निस्तिष्ठन्ति नानात्ययानां वृक्षाणांरसान्समवहारमेकतांरसं गमयन्ति॥ ६.९.१॥

 

5. Meaning:

Father continues - “Oh dear one, just as the honey-bee collects honey from various flowers of various trees and puts them all in one place, there is difference from honey-drop to drop, flower to flower and tree to tree, there is difference between Jiva and Paramatma.”

 

ते यथा तत्र न विवेकं लभन्तेऽमुष्याहं वृक्षस्य रसोऽस्म्यमुष्याहं वृक्षस्य रसोऽस्मीत्येवमेव खलु सोम्येमाः सर्वाः प्रजाः सति संपद्य न विदुः सति संपद्यामह इति॥ ६.९.२॥

 

6. Meaning:

Father continues - In other words, mere inability to perceive the difference does not mean that there is no difference. Just as there is no awareness “I am the honey from this tree, I am the honey from this tree” and that they are all different from the source of all those trees, oh dear one, all these people or sentient beings, even though are along with the Supreme Sri Hari, do not know “we always reached out that Supreme One in the past, will reach in the future and reaching Him now”, and that they are all different from the source of all these people.

 

त इह व्याघ्रो वा सिंहो वा वृको वा वराहो वा कीटो वा पतङ्गो वा दंशो वा मशको वा यद्यद्भवन्ति तदाभवन्ति॥ ६.९.३॥

 

7. Meaning:

Father continues -Those who do not perceive such difference, such will be born as tiger or lion or wolf or pig or insect or grass-hopper or bug or mosquito or whatever such species exist.

 

स य एषोऽणिमैतदात्म्यमिदं सर्वं तत्सत्यं स आत्माऽतत्त्वमसि श्वेतकेतो इति भूय एव मा भगवान्विज्ञापयत्विति तथा सोम्येति होवाच॥ ६.९.४॥

 

8. Meaning:

Father continues - “Dear, that Supreme One is called ‘sa(he)’ because it is sAravAn or Essence of all. That is called ‘aNimA’ as it is the most subtle. It is ‘aitadAtmyaM’, as it controls all. It is called ‘satya’, because of its Supreme Bliss. That is the Supreme controller of all and essence of all and oh Shvetaketu, that thou art not. ”

Then Shvetaketu says “Oh wise father, please educate me more about that”.

Then the father replied “So, be it oh dear one”.

 

इमाः सोम्य नद्यः पुरस्तात्प्राच्यः स्यन्दन्ते पश्चात्प्रतीच्यस्ताः समुद्रात् समुद्रमेवापियन्ति स समुद्र एव भवति ता यथा तत्र न विदुरियमहमस्मीयमहमस्मीति॥ ६.१०.१॥

 

9. Meaning:

Father continues - “Oh dear one, just as the rivers form and flow Eastward or Westward and finally reach the ocean. They get merged with the ocean. After that the water may not know “I am so and so water from so and so river”, yet the rivers are different only and they are different from the ocean only, there is difference from river to river and river to ocean, there is difference between Jiva and Paramatma.

 

एवमेव खलु सोम्येमाः सर्वाः प्रजाः सत आगम्य न विदुः सत आगच्छामह इति त इह व्याघ्रो वा सिंहो वा वृको वा वराहो वा कीटो वा पतङ्गो वा दंशो वा मशको वा यद्यद्भवन्ति तदाभवन्ति॥ ६.१०.२॥

 

10. Meaning:

Father continues - Oh dear one, all these people or sentient beings do not know “I am this one, I am this one”, and that they are all different from the source of all these people. Those who do not perceive such difference, such will be born as tiger or lion or wolf or pig or insect or grass-hopper or bug or mosquito or whatever as required.

 

स य एषोऽणिमैतदात्म्यमिदं सर्वं तत्सत्यं स आत्माऽतत्त्वमसि श्वेतकेतो इति भूय एव मा भगवान्विज्ञापयत्विति तथा सोम्येति होवाच॥ ६.१०.३॥

 

11. Meaning:

Father continues - “Dear, that Supreme One is called ‘sa(he)’ because it is sAravAn or Essence of all. That is called ‘aNimA’ as it is the most subtle. It is ‘aitadAtmyaM’, as it controls all. It is called ‘satya’, because of its Supreme Bliss. That is the Supreme controller of all and essence of all and oh Shvetaketu, that thou art not. ”

Then Shvetaketu says “Oh wise father, please educate me more about that”.

Then the father replied “So, be it oh dear one”.

 

अस्य सोम्य महतो वृक्षस्य यो मूलेऽभ्याहन्याज्जीवन्स्रवेद्यो मध्येऽभ्याहन्याज्जीवन्स्रवेद्योऽग्रेऽभ्याहन्याज्जीवन्स्रवेत्स एष जीवेनात्मनानुप्रभूतः पेपीयमानो मोदमानस्तिष्ठति॥ ६.११.१॥

 

12. Meaning: 

If a question arises as to how to know that there is jIva apart from the body and how to know the dependence of Jiva and the presence of some controlling force, that is answered below.

 

Father continues - If in a huge tree, if a blow is given in the bottom portion, it secretes there, but it lives on. If a blow is given in the middle portion, it secretes there, but it lives on. If a blow is given in the top portion, it secretes there, but it lives on. Jiva driven by Paramatma thrives on. As long as the grace of the Lord Aniruddha is there on the jiva of that tree, it keeps drinking water from the soil and be happy. (Note how the ancient saints talked about life in the plants, but also talked about their feelings.)

 

(The Jiva in there is not responsible for the regeneration, but the abhimAni devatas in there make the tree regenerate. Even they get their energy from ParamAtma. Thus the tree is dependent on Jiva inside, which is dependent on the presiding deities, who in turn are dependent on Paramatma.)

 

Important note: 

In this context Jiva refers to ParamatmA. Note ‘eSha(meaning this one)’ is in nominative case and ‘jIvena’, ‘AtmanA’ are in instrumental case. “jIva iti bhagavato.aniruddhasyAkhyA” is a Vedic statement (Jiva is the name for Bhagavan Aniruddha). Note that the meanings of these terms like Jiva and Atma have to be taken depending on the context. Note that Upanishad itself teaches “nityo nityAnAM, chetanashchetanAnAM” (The Lord is nitya among nityas and Chetana among Chetanas. This statement indicates plurality of both eternal entities and Sentient entities. Jivati iti jIva (that which lives) can refer to ordinary Jivas.  Jivayati iti jIVa (that which makes others live) refers only to ParamAtma. 

He alone is independent and everything else is dependent. There is another wrong notion that Dvaita says that ParamAtma sits in VaikuNTha and controls everything remotely. The word ViShNu itself means all-pervading. He is present even inside every electron, every inter-atomic space and even inside every non-tangible things like thoughts. There is no way any individual soul can even claim to be so. The true Dvaita rejects not only absolute identity of Jiva and ParamAtma, but also the part and whole concept.

 

In the following, it is explained that when the ordinary soul does not have the grace of the Lord, it dies - the death for ordinary soul is not in terms of svarUpa-nAsha, but in terms of deha-nAsha. The ordinary soul, be it in the tree or in human body, does not have the free-will regarding the partial or full destruction of its body.

 

अस्य यदेकां शाखां जीवो जहात्यथ सा शुष्यति द्वितीयां जहात्यथ सा शुष्यति तृतीयां जहात्यथ सा शुष्यति सर्वं जहाति सर्वः शुष्यति॥ ६.११.२॥

 

13. Meaning:

Father continues - When Aniruddha rUpi Paramatma makes quits one branch of the tree of the Jiva by making it sick, that branch dries up. If He quits the second branch of the tree, that branch dries up. If He quits third branch of the tree, that branch dries up. If He quits the entire tree, entire tree dries up. The Jiva of the tree does not make the decision, it is Sri Hari, who makes the decision.

 

Because VRukSha-Jiva is not independent, it is known that Sri Hari is different from and controls VrukSha-Jiva. Same is the case with human-jIvas. It is quite evident that VrukSha-Jiva is not independent, as it never made a decision, when its branch should dry or when the whole tree should dry. Likewise any human-jIva never makes a decision as to when it should enter a body or when it should leave or when a particular limb should stop working.

 

एवमेव खलु सोम्य विद्धीति होवाच जीवापेतं वाव किलेदं म्रियते न जीवो म्रियते इति ॥

 

14. Meaning:

Father continues - “Dear one, in the same manner, the human Jiva does not make the decision as to when it should leave the body. When Aniruddha rUpi Paramatma leaves any body, then that body dies, but not the Aniruddha rUpi Paramatma. The death for human or animal jIva is separation from the body.  (As the Jiva does not decide when the link between the soul  and body starts or ends, one must also conclude the presene of an independent, all-deiding and controlling Agent/force other than the human or animal Jiva as well.)

 

स य एषोऽणिमैतदात्म्यमिदं सर्वं तत्सत्यं स आत्माऽतत्त्वमसि श्वेतकेतो इति भूय एव मा भगवान्विज्ञापयत्विति तथा सोम्येति होवाच॥ ६.११.३॥

 

15. Meaning:

Father continues - “Dear, that Supreme One is called ‘sa(he)’ because it is sAravAn or Essence of all. That is called ‘aNimA’ as it is the most subtle. It is ‘aitadAtmyaM’, as it controls all. It is called ‘satya’, because of its Supreme Bliss. That is the Supreme controller of all and essence of all and oh Shvetaketu, that thou art not. ”

Then Shvetaketu says “Oh wise father, please educate me more about that”.

Then the father replied “So, be it oh dear one”.

 

न्यग्रोधफलमत आहरेतीदं भगव इति भिन्द्धीति भिन्नं भगव इति किमत्र पश्यसीत्यण्व्य इवेमा धाना भगव इत्यासामङ्गैकां भिन्द्धीति भिन्ना भगव इति किमत्र पश्यसीति न किंचन भगव इति॥ ६.१२.१॥

 

16. Meaning:

Father - Thus bring the fruit of Fig or Banyan.

Son - Here it is.

Father - Break it.

Son - Broken.

Father - What do you see there?

Son - Grains like tiny particles.

Father - Dear one, from them, break open one.

Son - Broken.

Father - What do you see there?

Son - Nothing Oh venerable one.

 

तं होवाच यं वै सोम्यैतमणिमानं न निभालयस एतस्य वै सोम्यैषोऽणिम्न एवं महान्यग्रोधस्तिष्ठति श्रद्धत्स्व सोम्येति॥ ६.१२.२॥

 

17. Meaning:

Father spoke to him - “Oh dear one, what ever subtle one that you were unable to perceive, from that subtle one only, this huge Fig or Banyan tree springs up. Oh dear one, believe that from the sAmarthya of this invisible Sri Hari only the huge banyan tree has come about.”

 

(Just as in that tiny seed, there is potential to bring up huge Banyan tree is present even though it is not visible, even inside the tiny Jiva, all-potential Paramatma is present, even if He is not seen. The world is like Banyan tree. The fruit is like the body. They are visible. The seed is like Jiva, very tiny. Inside Jiva atisUkshma Sri Hari is there and naturally He is invisible. Just because He is invisible saying either He does not exist or saying that Jiva is paramAtma - both are wrong.)

 

स य एषोऽणिमैतदात्म्यमिदद्ं सर्वं तत्सत्यं स आत्माऽतत्त्वमसि श्वेतकेतो इति भूय एव मा भगवान्विज्ञापयत्विति तथा सोम्येति होवाच॥ ६.१२.३॥

 

18. Meaning:

Father continues - “Dear, that Supreme One is called ‘sa(he)’ because it is sAravAn or Essence of all. That is called ‘aNimA’ as it is the most subtle. It is ‘aitadAtmyaM’, as it controls all. It is called ‘satya’, because of its Supreme Bliss. That is the Supreme controller of all and essence of all and oh Shvetaketu, that thou art not. ”

Then Shvetaketu says “Oh wise father, please educate me more about that”.

Then the father replied “So, be it oh dear one”.

 

लवणमेतदुदकेऽवधायाथ मा प्रातरुपसीदथा इति स ह तथा चकार तं होवाच यद्दोषा लवणमुदकेऽवाधा अङ्ग तदाहरेति तद्धावमृश्य न विवेद॥ ६.१३.१॥

 

19. Meaning:

Father - Put some salt in this water and come to me in the morning.

So did the son do. Next morning, son - Here I am.

Father - What ever salt you placed last evening, dear, take that out.

Son - Tried to feel for the salt and did not feel the presence of any salt.

 

यथा विलीनमेवाङ्गास्यान्तादाचामेति कथमिति लवणमिति मध्यादाचामेति कथमिति लवणमित्यन्तादाचामेति कथमिति लवणमित्यभिप्रास्यैतदथ मोपसीदथा इति तद्ध तथा चकार तच्छश्वत्संवर्तते तं होवाचात्र वाव किल तत्सोम्य न निभालयसेऽत्रैव किलेति॥ ६.१३.२॥

 

20. Meaning:

Father - Oh dear son, as it got dissolved in water, taste a little water from the top and tell me how it is.

Son - It is salty.

 

Father - Oh dear, taste a little water from the middle and tell me how it is.

Son - It is salty.

 

Father - Oh dear, taste a little water from the bottom and tell me how it is.

Son - It is salty.

 

Father threw that out and asked him to sit near by. The son did so. Father told the son “The water and the salt intermingled. Oh dear one, even if you do not perceive the salt in water, it is there only and it pervaded entire water. Is it not?”

 

(Likewise, even though Vishnu (the word means One who pervades) is not perceived, He pervades entire Jiva and entire Universe. Even though the taste of salt is noticeable, its presence is not perceived. Even though the potency of the Lord is perceived in this universe, the Lord is not perceievd.)

 

स य एषोऽणिमैतदात्म्यमिदं सर्वं तत्सत्यं स आत्माऽतत्त्वमसि श्वेतकेतो इति भूय एव मा भगवान्विज्ञापयत्विति तथा सोम्येति होवाच॥ ६.१३.३॥

 

21. Meaning:

Father continues - “Dear, that Supreme One is called ‘sa(he)’ because it is sAravAn or Essence of all. That is called ‘aNimA’ as it is the most subtle. It is ‘aitadAtmyaM’, as it controls all. It is called ‘satya’, because of its Supreme Bliss. That is the Supreme controller of all and essence of all and oh Shvetaketu, that thou art not. ”

Then Shvetaketu says “Oh wise father, please educate me more about that”.

Then the father replied “So, be it oh dear one”.

 

यथा सोम्य पुरुषं गन्धारेभ्योऽभिनद्धाक्षमानीय तं ततोऽतिजने विसृजेत्स यथा तत्र प्राङ्वोदङ्वाधराङ्वा प्रत्यङ्वा प्रध्मायीताभिनद्धाक्ष आनीतोऽभिनद्धाक्षो विसृष्टः॥ ६.१४.१॥

 

22. Meaning:

Presuming that the son asks the father, if the God is not perceived, how should a Jiva approach or understand the Lord, it is explained below.

 

Father - Suppose a person is brought blind-folded from the country of Gandharas and left in a deserted place. There he wanders off and faces East or North (or West or South) or downward and yells out for help. He moves about blind-folded only.

  

तस्य यथाभिनहनं प्रमुच्य प्रब्रूयादेतां दिशं गन्धारा एतां दिशं व्रजेति स ग्रामाद्ग्रामं पृच्छन्पण्डितो मेधावी गन्धारानेवोपसंपद्येतैवमेवेहाचार्यवान्पुरुषो वेद तस्य तावदेव चिरं यावन्न विमोक्ष्येऽथ संपत्स्य इति॥ ६.१४.२॥

 

23. Meaning:

Father continues - Some one takes pity on that rich person and removes his blind-fold and tells him “Go this way to Gandhara desha” and so on. If he is wise guy, who remembers where he comes from, then he eventually reaches “GandhAra” only. Like this only, the person having Mahacharya will receive instruction from that guru. Until one finds a proper Guru, the delay for acquiring the liberation will be there.

 

स य एषोऽणिमैतदात्म्यमिदं सर्वं तत्सत्यं स आत्माऽतत्त्वमसि श्वेतकेतो इति भूय एव मा भगवान्विज्ञापयत्विति तथा सोम्येति होवाच॥ ६.१४.३॥

 

24. Meaning:

Father continues - “Dear, that Supreme One is called ‘sa(he)’ because it is sAravAn or Essence of all. That is called ‘aNimA’ as it is the most subtle. It is ‘aitadAtmyaM’, as it controls all. It is called ‘satya’, because of its Supreme Bliss. That is the Supreme controller of all and essence of all and oh Shvetaketu, that thou art not. ”

Then Shvetaketu says “Oh wise father, please educate me more about that”.

Then the father replied “So, be it oh dear one”.

 

पुरुषं सोम्योतोपतापिनं ज्ञातयः पर्युपासते जानासि मां जानासि मामिति तस्य यावन्न वाङ्मनसि संपद्यते मनः प्राणे प्राणस्तेजसि तेजः परस्यां देवतायांतावज्जानाति॥ ६.१५.१॥

 

25. Meaning:

Father continues - The relatives approach the terminally ill person and ask him “Do you remember me? Can you recognize me” and so on. He would know and recognize all that until his speech faculty reaches the mind faculty, mind faulty reaches out to life-force faculty and life-faculty reaches out to energizing force and these are done by the respective presiding deities, who are further controlled by the “sarvAntaryAmi” or the “paradevata”(The all-Supreme one).

 

अथ यदास्य वाङ्मनसि संपद्यते मनः प्राणे प्राणस्तेजसि तेजः परस्यां देवतायामथ न जानाति॥ ६.१५.२॥

 

26. Meaning:

Father continues -  He would not recognize them if the presiding deity of speech receives such command, who in turn reaches out to mind and mind reaches out to life and life reaches out to energizing force and that reaches out to the ultimate “paradevata”. That means the svAtantrya lies only in Paradevata, who decides it all and others in succession follow the command.

 

स य एषोऽणिमैतदात्म्यमिदं सर्वं तत् सत्यं स आत्माऽतत्त्वमसि श्वेतकेतो इति भूय एव मा भगवान्विज्ञापयत्विति तथा सोम्येति होवाच॥ ६.१५.३॥

 

27. Meaning:

Father continues - “Dear, that Supreme One is called ‘sa(he)’ because it is sAravAn or Essence of all. That is called ‘aNimA’ as it is the most subtle. It is ‘aitadAtmyaM’, as it controls all. It is called ‘satya’, because of its Supreme Bliss. That is the Supreme controller of all and essence of all and oh Shvetaketu, that thou art not. ”

Then Shvetaketu says “Oh wise father, please educate me more about that”.

Then the father replied “So, be it oh dear one”.

 

पुरुषं सोम्योत हस्तगृहीतमानयन्त्यपहार्षीत्स्तेयमकार्षीत्परशुमस्मै तपतेति स यदि तस्य कर्ता भवति तत एवानृतमात्मानं कुरुते सोऽनृताभिसंधोऽनृतेनात्मानमन्तर्धाय परशुं तप्तं प्रतिगृह्णाति स दह्यतेऽथ हन्यते॥ ६.१६.१॥

 

28. Meaning:

Father continues - Dear one, the law-enforcing soldiers bring in the person, who is accused of committing the theft and present before the king. The king orders the soldiers to give him a red hot axe. If he committed the theft and proclaims that he did not, then he falsely presented himself. When he holds the red hot axe keeping the falsehood inside him, he gets burnt and gets beaten and can be thrown to hellish darkness.

 

अथ यदि तस्याकर्ता भवति ततेव सत्यमात्मानं कुरुते स सत्याभिसन्धः सत्येनात्मानमन्तर्धाय परशुं तप्तं प्रतिगृह्णाति सन दह्यतेऽथ मुच्यते॥ ६.१६.२॥

 

29. Meaning:

Father continues - If he did not commit the crime and truly presented himself, then when he holds the red hot axe keeping the truthfulness inside him, he does not get burnt and gets liberated. Thus the king punishes the thief that tells a lie and rewards the innocent one that tells the truth. Here stealing the property of the king symbolically represents stealing the qualities of God by claiming “I am God”. Thus it strongly prohibits claiming identity with God.

 

स यथा तत्र नादाह्येतैतदात्म्यमिदं सर्वं तत्सत्यं स आत्माऽतत्त्वमसि श्वेतकेतो इति तद्धास्य विजज्ञाविति विजज्ञाविति॥ ६.१६.३॥

 

30. Meaning:

Father continues - “Dear, that Supreme One, by whose power, the truthful one did not get burnt, that is the most subtle. It is ‘aitadAtmyaM’, as it controls all. It is called ‘satya’, because of its Supreme Bliss. That is the Supreme controller of all and essence of all and oh Shvetaketu, that thou art not. ”

Thus he got enlightened. That is how he got enlightened by realizing that He is not Paramatma. When the king does not tolerate if some one steals some one els’s property, how will the king accept if a person steals his own property? Just a person, who knows that he is dfifferent from God and develops high devotion gets rewarded and a person who thinks that he is non-different from God gets punished. Shevtaketu finally gets this awareness and his arrogance melts away.”.

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

 ##Brahmanda-purANa-quote##

 BrahmANda purAna says this -

 

\"shuMgamityaMkuraM proktaM tanmUlaM bhagavAn hariH |

jagato mUlamapyeSha nimittaM na vikAravAn |

bIjajIvo yathA mUlamaMkurasyAvikArataH |

yathA pitA putratanvastaddeho hi vikAravAn |

evaM harirmUlamapi na vikAraH kathaMchana |\"

 

\"tejo.abhimAninI lakShmIH prANastvababhimAnavAn |

annAbhimAnI rudrashcha tisrastA devatAH purA |\"

 

"शुंगमित्यंकुरं प्रोक्तं तन्मूलं भगवान् हरिः।

जगतो मूलमप्येष निमित्तं न विकारवान्।

बीजजीवो यथा मूलमंकुरस्याविकारतः।

यथा पिता पुत्रतन्वस्तद्देहो हि विकारवान्।

एवं हरिर्मूलमपि न विकारः कथंचन।"

 

"तेजोऽभिमानिनी लक्ष्मीः प्राणस्त्वबभिमानवान्।

अन्नाभिमानी रुद्रश्च तिस्रस्ता देवताः पुरा।"

 

"Shumga means sprout. Its ultimate root cause is Bhagavan Hari. He is also the root cause of this entire universe. He does not undergo any mutation. Just as the sprout, plant, etc undergo change and mutation, but the underlying bIja-jIva does not, Just as the bodies of father, son, etc undergo mutation, but the underlying jIva does not, likewise even if this universe undergoes changes and mutation, there is no change or mutation in the underlying Sri Hari. (Note this term “underlying” implies root cause and not any superimposition or illusion, etc.)"

 

"Lakshmi is presiding deity for Tejas, MukhyaprANa is presiding deity for water, Rudra is presiding deity for Food. These are the three deities mentioned."

  

##Naama-samhita-quote##

Naama-samhita says this -

 \"yo.asau niyamanAdviShNuH sAratvAt sa iti smR^itaH |

aNimA sUkShmato gamya aitadAtmyam cha tadvaSam |

parAnandatvataH satya AtmA pUrNaguNatvataH |

satyato nAsi tattvaM hi mAbhUtte stabdhatA tataH |

asurAH stabdatAM yAtA brahmAhamiti mAninaH |

asatyaM jagadityAhuH siddho.ahaM balavAniti |

anIshvaraM jagadAhurapratiShThaM tathaiva cha |

chetanaikatvaviShayAn vedAnAhuScha sarvaSaH |

kutarkaparamA nityaM na sahante guNAn hareH |

shAstratattvamavij~nAya brUyurdeveShu chaikatAm |

yAnti chaiva tamoghoram paramAtmaviniMdakAH |

Alambya tanmatam na tvamekatvam viddhi viShNunA |

ekatvAbhAvato naiva bhavethAScha mahAmanAH |

tanniShTA hi prajA yasmAt tatpratiShTAshcha mokShagAH |

tanmUlAScha yatastAsAM tadbhAvaH kuta eva tu |\"

 

\"abhedaj~nAninAM doShaH kIdR^iSaH syAtIrite |

prAha yasmAt parasvAnAM hartA rAj~nA nihanyate |

kimu rAj~nopahartaivaM brahmasteno nihanyate |

sarveShAM shAstra yadbrahma tatsvarUpatayA smaran |

brahmasteno nihanyeta tamasyandhe sadaiva hi |

doShA hyaj~nAnapUrvAstu badhvA puruShamISituH |

viShNorharteti bhAdhante chAbhimAnakR^itAspadam |

tato vichArayantyenam devatA hariNA saha |

nAhaM viShnurna svatantro na cha pUrNaguNo.asmyaham |

mama svAmI harirnityam svatantraH pUrNasadguNaH |

evaM dArDhyaM shapathavadyadA kuryAdayaM tadA |

jIvanneva na tApI syAdantarAnandabhogataH |

tadA tebhyo mochayitvA hatvA mithyAbhishaMsinaH |

svakIyaM kurute viShNuranyathA taissaha prabhuH |

tamasyandhe pAtayati mahAkArAgR^ihopame |

mahAndhe vA pAtayati hastachChedAdisaMmite |

tato.adhare vA tadyogyaM dR^iDhAbhedaM vadhopame |

tasmAdAchAryato j~nAtvA viShNorbhedena pUrNatAm |

upAsIta tato muktiM yAti nAstyatra saMshayaH |\"

 

"योऽसौ नियमनाद्विष्णुः सारत्वात् स इति स्मृतः।

अणिमा सूक्ष्मतो गम्य ऐतदात्म्यम् च तद्वषम्।

परानन्दत्वतः सत्य आत्मा पूर्णगुणत्वतः।

सत्यतो नासि तत्त्वं हि माभूत्ते स्तब्धता ततः।

असुराः स्तब्दतां याता ब्रह्माहमिति मानिनः।

असत्यं जगदित्याहुः सिद्धोऽहं बलवानिति।

अनीश्वरं जगदाहुरप्रतिष्ठं तथैव च।

चेतनैकत्वविषयान् वेदानाहुष्च सर्वषः।

कुतर्कपरमा नित्यं न सहन्ते गुणान् हरेः।

शास्त्रतत्त्वमविज्ञाय ब्रूयुर्देवेषु चैकताम्।

यान्ति चैव तमोघोरम् परमात्मविनिंदकाः।

आलम्ब्य तन्मतम् न त्वमेकत्वम् विद्धि विष्णुना।

एकत्वाभावतो नैव भवेथाष्च महामनाः।

तन्निष्टा हि प्रजा यस्मात् तत्प्रतिष्टाश्च मोक्षगाः।

तन्मूलाष्च यतस्तासां तद्भावः कुत एव तु।"

 

"अभेदज्ञानिनां दोषः कीदृषः स्यातीरिते।

प्राह यस्मात् परस्वानां हर्ता राज्ञा निहन्यते।

किमु राज्ञोपहर्तैवं ब्रह्मस्तेनो निहन्यते।

सर्वेषां शास्त्र यद्ब्रह्म तत्स्वरूपतया स्मरन्।

ब्रह्मस्तेनो निहन्येत तमस्यन्धे सदैव हि।

दोषा ह्यज्ञानपूर्वास्तु बध्वा पुरुषमीषितुः।

विष्णोर्हर्तेति भाधन्ते चाभिमानकृतास्पदम्।

ततो विचारयन्त्येनम् देवता हरिणा सह।

नाहं विष्नुर्न स्वतन्त्रो न च पूर्णगुणोऽस्म्यहम्।

मम स्वामी हरिर्नित्यम् स्वतन्त्रः पूर्णसद्गुणः।

एवं दार्ढ्यं शपथवद्यदा कुर्यादयं तदा।

जीवन्नेव न तापी स्यादन्तरानन्दभोगतः।

तदा तेभ्यो मोचयित्वा हत्वा मिथ्याभिशंसिनः।

स्वकीयं कुरुते विष्णुरन्यथा तैस्सह प्रभुः।

तमस्यन्धे पातयति महाकारागृहोपमे।

महान्धे वा पातयति हस्तच्छेदादिसंमिते।

ततोऽधरे वा तद्योग्यं दृढाभेदं वधोपमे।

तस्मादाचार्यतो ज्ञात्वा विष्णोर्भेदेन पूर्णताम्।

उपासीत ततो मुक्तिं याति नास्त्यत्र संशयः।"

---------------------------------

The full sentence

sa ya EshO,aNimaitadAtmyamidaM sarvaM tatsatyaM sa AtmA.atattvamasi SvEtakEtO

is explained here.

Shvetaketu is addressed - “Oh Shvetaketu”

sa = that

ya = which is

EshO or EshaH = This (All-pervading entity and so called ViShNu, who controls all)

AnimA = most subtle so called because it is not physical and can not be perceived by naked eye or any tool as it is beyond matter.

aitadAtmaM = being the indweller, controls and all (and so we refer to it as)

idaM sarvaM = All of this (meaning it controls all - it does not mean literally it is all. We use such expressions in our real life as well like “Sir you are everything in this celebration”)

sa = means that he is “sAra”(essence of every thing)

AtmA = It has three parts A, ta, ma. “A” means complete in terms of bliss, knowledge etc. all auspicious qualities. “ta” means “tata” or pervasion. “ma” means fit to be inquired or meditated upon. Thus in its real sense it means “ParamAtma”. In case of jIvAtmA, it has different etymology as it does not have these qualities. There it just means a consciousness that pervades the body, when it is made to do so by Paramatma.

atattvamasi = that thou art not.

 

Certainly you are not that. This is well established in all the scriptures. So let there not be stabdhatA or presumptuousness in you. Only “asuras” feel the arrogance that “I am Brahman”  and that this world is false. They say “I am accomplished one, I have infinite strength or capacity. There is no Lord other than me in this universe. Vedas are proclaiming everywhere that all sentient beings are same. They indulge in kutarka. They do not accept or tolerate all-auspicious qualities for Hari. They do not understand the true essence of scriptures and claim that all gods are same. They will finall end up in eternal darkness as they are practically bring the Supreme Being to the level of ordinary ever-dependent insignificant jIva and thus abusing Paramatma. 

Do not be carried away by that opinion and do not claim non-difference from Vishnu (the word means all-pervading). The great-minded ones do not subscribe to non-difference as that does not exist between those two. All the living beings have Parabrahma as the creator and as the support and that dependence continues even after getting liberated or going to mokSha. When “tat” is its root, where is the question of its “being tat”?

-----------------------

 “If asked what will be the fate and problems for those who are fixed on the concept of non-difference for ever (not just one life-time, but sinks into the very existence), that is indicated by the example of king and the thief. If the king punishes a culprit, who steals others’ wealth, what to speak of the culprit, who steals the wealth of the king himself? The Lord is the ruler of the universe. Claiming that he is non-different Parabrahma, he is nirAkAra, nirguNa, etc. is tantamount to stealing His qualities. He is like robber of Brahman. Just as the king puts tht culprit in a dark prison, the Lord puts him in a dark hell. 

Just as the person in the king’s court, who is guiltless and speaks the truth, will be left free, so also the person in the Lord’s court, who is guiltless and speaks the truth that he is not Lord, will be left free. 

Just as the person in the king’s court, who is guilty and speaks the falsehood that he is the king, will be punished, so also the  person in the Lord’s court, who is guilty and tells the lie that he is the Lord, will be punished. The outcome of the inquiry is “I am not the Lord, I am not independent, I am not infinite with all the auspicious attributes. My Lord is Hari always and He alone is independent and infinite with all the auspicious attributes.”

 

One who commits to this firm correct knowledge, will be spared from getting burnt and obtains liberation, which is enjoying the inherent bliss within. The Lord protects them as his own devotees.

 

Shri Krishnarpanamastu !!

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