Part 3

Chapter 4 The nature of right knowledge                                                                     

4.1 and 4.2                                                                                                                        In chapter 1, it has been explained that a jnani is free from ahankara (egoism). He considers himself as a witnessing consciousness and is therefore akarta (non-doer) and abhokta (non-enjoyer). In the verse 4.1, the author makes a general statement that action of a jnani, free from egoism, does not produce any punya or papa karma. It is so because, right knowledge has burnt the ego. In verse 2, states a possible objection: is that it is seen that even though action is burnt by the fire of knowledge, it produces result.

4.3 and 4.4                                                                                                                    The author clarifies in verse 3 that it is due to a different reason. There are three types of karmas, namely, prarabdha, sanchita, and agma. Sanchita is the accumulated karmas carried forward from previous births. Agma is karma acquired in the present life. At any point of time, non-fructified agma gets added to sanchita thereby soaring it. Prarabdha is the cause of present birth, and it is exhausted in the present birth by experiencing its effect. Death takes place when prarabdha is exhausted. When knowledge arises, it burns ego and with that sanchita is burnt and there is no (future) agma. The author says that knowledge does not burn prarabdha because prarabdha which has produced the present mind-body is capable of overpowering the knowledge and produces results.

The scriptures compare prarabdha with an arrow which has left the bow and a rotating wheel when the potter has stopped rotating the wheel. Both the arrow and the wheel continue to give the results. Knowledge does not burn prarabdha. On the contrary, it is grateful, so to say, because knowledge is acquired in the present body which in turn is due to prarabdha. However, knowledge makes prarabdha ineffective since a jnani considers it mithya. It is like a defanged snake.                                                                 

 Due to detachment from the mind and body, a jnani is not affected by the pleasures and pains experienced by the body and mind. Though it may (outwardly) appear that a jnani experience pain and pleasure. He is a jivanmukta, i.e., liberated while living. The author (4.3) remarks that when prarabdha is exhausted and body falls, then knowledge manifests. Manifestation means disembodied freedom (videhmukta).

4.5 A test is prescribed. Knowledge dawns when the conviction with which one identifies with Self is as strong as that with which an ignorant identifies himself with mind and body. If the test is positive, freedom is automatic. There is no choice.

Chapter 5 (5.1 to 5.5)- Error in understanding                                                                5.1 A jiva’s true nature (Self) is pure consciousness. Then, why does a person instead of identifying himself with Self identifies with non-Self, i.e., mind and body? The author clarifies that Self- ignorance is the main reason. Fear is another reason due to which a person does not want to receive the knowledge which removes ignorance. Fear that he will be not able to discharge the duty of performing Vedic rites and rituals. The puranic story of Udanka, an ardent devotee of Vishnu, is cited who refused to receive the nectar brought by Indra for him on the order of Vishnu thinking that it is urine. Vedic rituals are hardly practiced nowadays. But people are not attracted to Vedanta because of prevailing wrong notion that it debars them from discharging their duties. Parents do not encourage children. Thus, undesirability is superimposed on Vedanta which is far from truth.

5.2 and 5.3                                                                                                                   Self-ignorance leads to error of superimposition of intellect on Self which means a person identifies himself with intellect and not with consciousness. Metaphor of boatman and tree is cited. Though the tree alongside the riverbank is stationary, movement is superimposed on it. This error is common on a fast-traveling train. It also highlights that our experience may be deceptive. This view is supported by Sruti (Br Up 4.3.7)

5.4 and 5.5                                                                                                                       In verses 2 and 3, superimposition has been explained with the help of experience and scriptures. It is now explained by reason. A person is a conscious entity. Mind and body, being material, are inert. Therefore, source of consciousness has to be outside mind and body just like source of a live telecast is outside the TV. Consciousness has to be all-pervading, and it is reflected in the mind which is like a mirror. The reflected consciousness makes the mind conscious and through the mind consciousness percolates to the gross body and makes it sentient.                               

As mind is the locus of thoughts, it is practically considered synonymous with thoughts. Thoughts may have different forms, e.g., ideas, emotions, sensations. It is surprising that the phenomenon of thought is considered ordinary and hardly thought about. Vedanta takes up the task of explaining it. When eyes see an object, the mind assumes the form the object. It is modification of mind called vritti and it is called vritti-vyapti. The reflected consciousness illumines the vritti and there is experience of the object. It is called phala-vyapti.

Any experience has two parts: consciousness and vritti. It is noteworthy that consciousness is the common factor across all experiences. Therefore, consciousness is the substance whereas vritties are names and forms and are of lower order of reality (miyhya). In a pot of clay, clay is the substance, and pot is name and form. Vritties are objects of consciousness. They arise and fall in consciousness like waves in ocean. But due to ignorance they are superimposed on consciousness.  In the state of sadness, sadness is superimposed on consciousness (Self), whereas its locus is the mind. Instead of saying, ‘the mind is sad’, ‘I am sad’ is said. This flowchart is also applicable to ego (ahankAra). In VedAnta, ego means sense of individuality or I-ness. It has two parts: consciousness and vritti.  When mithya vritties are negated from experience, non-dual consciousness remains.

Contd