“Limb” (in Sanskrit kala) means a part, a ray.
For example, the moon has 16 limbs from the New Moon phase to the Full Moon. Just as the Full Moon is complete with all the 16 parts on the Full Moon day, PuruSa is also complete when the 16 limbs are present. The 16 limbs are:
स प्राणमसृजत प्राणाच्छ्रद्धा खं वायुर्ज्योतिरापः पृथिवीन्द्रियं मनः । अन्नमन्नाद्वीर्यं तपो मन्त्राः कर्म लोका लोकेषु च नाम च॥ — 6.4, prashna.
[Meaning: He created prANa; from prANa (He created) faith, space, air, fire, water, earth, organs, mind, food; from food (He created) vigor, self-control, mantras, rites, worlds and name in the worlds.]
The life-principle, faith, space, air, fire, earth, the senses, mind, matter, vigor, austerity, mantras, action, fields (areas of experience), and name (identity) — these sixteen arise from the partless Puruṣa. Though in reality without parts, the Puruṣa appears as though endowed with parts when manifested.
Among these sixteen, the life-principle (prāṇa) and the mind (manas) are especially significant. It may be said that the indivisible Self appears as if fragmented into many. Just as a sheet of glass shatters into pieces upon impact, so too the Self seems to break into multiplicity when “movement” arises. This apparent fragmentation is referred to as the “fall” (cyuti). Continue reading
Once prANa enters the body, it differentiates into various functional aspects. The Upanishad says:
पायूपस्थेऽपानं चक्षुःश्रोत्रे मुखनासिकाभ्यां प्राणः स्वयं प्रातिष्ठते मध्ये तु समानः । एष ह्येतद्धुतमन्नं समं नयति तस्मादेताः सप्तार्चिषो भवन्ति ॥ — 3.5, prashna.
[Meaning: He places apAna in the two lower apertures. prANa Himself, issuing out of the mouth and nostrils, resides in the eyes and ears. In the middle, however, is samAna, for this one distributes equally all the food that is eaten. From that issue out these seven flames.]
Thus, the one life-principle appears as many, assuming different roles within the body—while its source remains the same unmoving Self.
[Note: The gonads (2) + ears (2) + eyes (2) + the in-between (1) together constitute The Seven Flames. Fire is said to have seven tongues. The Sun (a form of Fire) is said to ride a chariot of seven horses.] Continue reading
In Advaita Vedānta, the explanation of how the universe came to be is not presented as a single, static fact, but as a series of increasingly refined theories (vāda-s) designed to lead a seeker from a dualistic worldview to the ultimate non-dual truth. This pedagogical technique is known as adhyāropa-apavāda—initially attributing qualities or a creation to Brahman (adhyāropa) and later rescinding them (apavāda) as the student’s understanding matures.
The following is an overall summary of these theories, progressing from the “common-sense” view to the radical absolute truth.
Continue readingThe “mind” referred to in the kaTha Upanishad—when it declares that “by the mind alone is the Self attainable”—is not the ordinary mind we are familiar with. What we usually call the mind is entangled with name, form, and action. It knows objects by taking their shape, and therefore keeps changing along with them. This kind of ‘knowing’ is called vRtti-jnAna—knowledge through mental modifications.
A vRtti is simply a thought-wave, always in motion. The life-principle (prANa), being inert by itself, cannot function without the mind; and the mind, in turn, cannot operate without the light of Knowledge. Yet Knowledge itself never moves. It is ever steady. The movement we attribute to Knowing is therefore only an appearance, caused by the restless activity of the mind.
This leads to an important insight. Although the mind is the only available instrument for liberation, it cannot serve that purpose as long as it remains in constant motion. Continue reading
Here is what Śaṅkara says on this topic in his bhāṣya on Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 1.4.7. Following this, I have added some observations on what he says (Swami Madhavananda translation).
Objection: The topic was knowledge – when the Self is known, everything else is known. So why is a different topic, viz. attainment, introduced here?
Reply: Not so, for the shruti uses the words ‘knowledge’ and ‘attainment’ as synonymous. The non-attainment of the Self is but the ignorance of it. Hence the knowledge of the Self is Its attainment.
Continue readingMy two-part ‘Terms and Definition’ post on ‘Enlightenment and Liberation’ triggered considerable, sometimes ‘heated’ discussion. Part 1 had 11 comments and Part 2 so many that WordPress does not seem able to cope and does not provide the ‘speech bubble’ with number of comments against the title. (I believe it was around 35.) Since it would take a reader considerable time to work through all of these, I am providing here a summary of the discussion, constructed with the help of ChatGPT.
Towards the end of those discussions, Ramesam referred to the 3-part article by P. Neti on the topic of jīvanmukti. Ramesam posted this to Advaita Vision just over 3 years ago. It begins at https://www.advaita-vision.org/on-jivanmukti-shri-p-neti-1-3/. This article plays a part in subsequent comments (so even more for those interested to read!)
Herewith, then, is the AI-assisted summary of our discussions following the terms and definition posts. Following this summary, I am going to re-post the last of Ramesam’s comments on Part 2. This is because I closed comments before responding to that. Then I will post a further comment that Ramesam sent to me privately. Finally, I will post my overall comments on the P. Neti article and Ramesam’s two comments.
I hope you can follow all of that! To recap, there is this summary, two comments from Ramesam, posted by myself, and my response to everything so far. After that is anyone’s guess as comments will again be open to all.
Continue readingPRASHNA UPANISHAD
The kaTha Upanishad teaches that only a properly refined and purified mind can serve as the instrument for liberation. The body, the life-principle (prANa), and even the sensory and motor organs are not adequate for this purpose. From this, we may also infer that no action (karma) can directly lead to liberation, since action necessarily involves the organs of activity. Therefore, the path of action, by itself, cannot culminate in liberation.
Though closely associated with the body, the mind is not intrinsically bound to it. It can function either in association with the body or independently of it. When there is conceptualization (savikalpa), the mind appears linked to the body. In a state of non-conceptualization (nirvikalpa), it aligns with brahman and is no longer confined by bodily association. The dream state illustrates this: the mind operates apart from the gross body and even disengages from the external world. In deep sleep, both the world and bodily identification are absent, yet the mind persists in an unmanifest form. Ultimately, in liberation, the mind itself is resolved completely.
At this stage, we must ask: what exactly is the goal to be achieved through disciplining the mind? Can Self-knowledge be regarded as a goal? Continue reading
Ignorance is nothing more than the perception of multiplicity — focusing on the “particulars” while overlooking the Universal. While our sensory perception is inherently inert, it is the inner Self that provides the illumination required to experience any object. As the kaTha Upanishad declares:
न तत्र सूर्यो भाति न चन्द्रतारकं नेमा विद्युतो भान्ति कुतोऽयमग्निः ।
तमेव भान्तमनुभाति सर्वं तस्य भासा सर्वमिदं विभाति ॥ – 2.2.15, kaTha.
[Meaning: There the sun does not shine, neither do the moon and the stars; nor do these flashes of lightning shine. How can this fire? He shining, all these shine; through his lustre all these are variously illumined. (Trans: Swami Gambhirananda).]
Because Consciousness is beginningless, the Upanishad reveals that there is, in truth, no death—only the body perishes. While all forms eventually cease, the Formless remains. High-level seekers, like Prahlada or Kuchela, grasp this Truth instantly.
For the seeker of average competency, the method involves a systematic inward withdrawal:
यच्छेद्वाङ्मनसी प्राज्ञस्तद्यच्छेज्ज्ञान आत्मनि ।
ज्ञानमात्मनि महतिनि यच्छेत्तद्यच्छेच्छान्त आत्मनि ॥ — 1.3.13, kaTha.
I interacted with ChatGPT eliciting greater clarity on the two terms, Enlightenment and Liberation in Advaita Vedanta. I copy below the responses I got from Chat GPT.
Prompt (P): Is there a difference between the two phrases “Knowledge of the Self” and “Knowledge about the Self” in Advaita Vedanta? What are the nearest Sanskrit words for the two phrases?
Do “Enlightenment” and “Liberation” mean the same in Advaita Vedanta?
Please give verified authentic PTB citations for what you say. Continue reading