17.32 to 17.35 Yajnavalkya explains (Br Up 3.4.1 and 3.4.2) that Brahman is not an object. It is the ultimate subject and is the Self. Ke U 1.5 says that Brahman is not an object and not perceived by the senses. The Self-knowledge is immediate whereby all knots of the heart are cut asunder (Mu. Up 2.2.8). Egoic attachments, emotional baggage which cause sufferings dissipate. etc. It is liberation. There could be an objection. As Brahman is not perceived by senses and is not perceived by the intellect as emotions like pleasure, etc., It does not exist. The author explains with the help of the phenomenon of eclipse. The lunar and solar eclipses are caused due to shadows of the earth on the moon and of the moon on the earth respectively. The shadows are seen during eclipses. On non-eclipse days shadows are not seen. However, it does not mean that the shadows are not formed. Likewise, if consciousness is not experienced, it does not mean that It does not exist.
It can be explained in another way. Self is of the nature of consciousness and existence and is everywhere. It is not experienced, i.e., not perceived by the senses, because every experience requires consciousness. To experience consciousness, another consciousness is required resulting in infinite regress. Therefore, non-experience of consciousness does not mean consciousness does not exist. Scriptures say that if a person denies consciousness, he denies his own existence. Scriptures are the means to know Self. The knowledge occurs in the intellect. Reflection and the heat of the sun in water do not belong to water. Likewise, Consciousness in the intellect is not the property of the intellect. Consciousness is of a nature opposite to that of the intellect.
17.36-39 Consciousness of the Self is pure existence. The mind undergoes modifications when it contacts the worldly objects through the senses. During dream, the impressions on the mind (created during the waking state) which are dormant become active causing modifications of the mind. The modifications being inert are unable to be cognised. They are converted into cognition by the light of consciousness resulting in experience of the objects. Consciousness is unchanging and unborn. Worldly phenomenon, like thinking, seeing, hearing etc happen in the presence of consciousness. It is figuratively called thinker, seer. Self is the Knower as Its power of Consciousness never fails. “The Seeing of the Seer is not destroyed” (Br Up 4.3.23-30).
According to Sruti (Br Up 4.3.7), Self is immutable though it appears to be at rest or moving due to the limiting adjuncts (mind, body). During deep sleep, the limiting adjuncts are as though non-existent and there is a homogeneous mass of consciousness whose nature is pure (Br Up 4.3.22). Consciousness of the Self does not cease in deep sleep. In this state, father is not a father, mother is not a mother, and a thief is not a thief because, the instrument of cognition is dormant.
17.40-41 The knowledge of an object takes place when it is within the range of the sense organ, and the object is experienced by the mind which is conscious due to reflected consciousness. The knowledge is a mediated knowledge. On the other hand, knowledge of the Self is immediate because Self is of the nature of consciousness. Just as a second lamp is not necessary in order to illumine a lamp, so, a second consciousness is not necessary to reveal Self whose nature is consciousness. The mind requires reflected consciousness to know an object. It is absurd to say that Consciousness requires reflected consciousness to be known.
17.42-47 A man can like or dislike an object. As the Self is changeless and is not an object, It is beyond acceptance and rejection. It is transcendental and beyond any transactions. It is not bound by time and space. There is no interior or exterior in the Self. A Self-realized person has no fear of birth, decay, death, and old age. He revers in the Self, is ever satisfied and in peace. Vedic actions are enjoined and are relevant so long as there is no Self-knowledge. They are not applicable to a Self-realized man who does not identify himself with mind and body. He identifies with Self which is free from action. The idea of varnas is negated by Self-knowledge because they belong to the body and not to the Self. It is like relevance of varnas so long as the body is alive and not when the body falls at death. The body and its attributes do not belong to Self.
The ideas of ‘me’ and ‘mine’ belong to non-Self, e.g., body, and not to Self. Due to ignorance, they are attributed to Self. There are no varna related religious duties with the dawn of right knowledge just like a wondering monk is not required to observe defilement for ten days following birth or death of a kinsman.
17.48 It is repetition of 17.19. An ignorant man pursues action to satisfy desires thinking that by fulfilling the desire he will be complete. He is a doer and reaps the fruits of action and is an enjoyer. A man of knowledge has no desires because he is complete and is immortal. His action is born of completeness and not for completeness.
17.49-50 Action is a series of means and end. Money is means for the house. Job is means for money. Getting a degree is means for the job. And so on. The results of actions are production, acquisition, transformation and purification of something. On the other hand, Self-knowledge is cessation of action and the series of means and end. Self is action free and a Self-realized person does not do any action because in his vision action is performed by the qualities of nature of which the mind and body are constituted. A Self-realized man transcends the qualities. He is a Gunatita. Such people, having given up attachment to the fruits of their actions, are always satisfied and not dependent on external things. Despite engaging in activities, they do not do anything at all (BG 4.20).
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