Atmanandalahari

Introduction  Chapter -1

Summary of Tattva Bhoda text 

Karma – The Actions   कर्माणि कतिविधानि सन्तीति चेत् आगामिसञ्चितप्रारब्धभेदेन त्रिविधानि सन्ति ।   karmāṇi katividhāni santīti cet āgāmisañcitaprārabdhabhedena trividhāni santi .   If one is asked-how many kinds of karmas are there, {the reply is} there are three kinds of karmas, viz., agami, sanchita and prarabdha.   Agami karma 37. ज्ञानोत्पत्त्यनन्तरं ज्ञानिदेहकृतं पुण्यपापरूपं कर्म यदस्ति तदागामीत्यभिधीयते ।   jñānotpattyanantaraṃ jñānidehakṛtaṃ puṇyapāparūpaṃ karma yadasti tadāgāmītyabhidhīyate .   The results of actions, good or bad performed by the body of the realised soul {jnani} after the dawn of knowledge is known as agami.   Sanchita Karma   सञ्चितं कर्म किम् ? अनन्तकोटिजन्मनां बीजभूतं सत् यत्कर्मजातं पूर्वार्जितं तिष्ठति तत् सञ्चितं ज्ञेयम् ।   sañcitaṃ karma kim ? anantakoṭijanmanāṃ bījabhūtaṃ sat yatkarmajātaṃ pūrvārjitaṃ tiṣṭhati tat sañcitaṃ jñeyam .   The result of actions performed in {all} previous births which are in seed form to give rise to endless crores of births in future is called Sanchita {accumulated} karma.   Prārabdha karma   प्रारब्धं कर्म किमिति चेत् । इदं शरीरमुत्पाद्य इह लोके एवं सुखदुःखादिप्रदं यत्कर्म तत्प्रारब्धं भोगेन नष्टं भवति प्रारब्धकर्मणां भोगादेव क्षय इति ।   prārabdhaṃ karma kimiti cet . idaṃ śarīramutpādya iha loke evaṃ sukhaduḥkhādipradaṃ yatkarma tatprārabdhaṃ bhogena naṣṭaṃ bhavati prārabdhakarmaṇāṃ bhogādeva kṣaya iti .   Having given birth to this body, the actions which give result in this very world, in the form of happiness or misery and which can be destroyed only by enjoying or suffering them is called prarabdha karma.   Freedom from bondage of actions   सञ्चितं कर्म ब्रह्मैवाहमिति निश्चयात्मकज्ञानेन नश्यति ।आगामि कर्म अपि ज्ञानेन नश्यति किंच आगामि कर्मणां नलिनीदलगतजलवत् ज्ञानिनां सम्बन्धो नास्ति ।   sañcitaṃ karma brahmaivāhamiti niścayātmakajñānena naśyati .āgāmi karma api jñānena naśyati kiṃca āgāmi karmaṇāṃ nalinīdalagatajalavat jñānināṃ sambandho nāsti .   Sanchita karma is destroyed by the firm knowledge, ‘I am Brahman’ alone. The agami karma is also destroyed by knowledge and the wise man is not affected by it-as a lotus leaf is not affected by the water on it {padma patram ivambhasa}. 41. किंच ये ज्ञानिनं स्तुवन्ति भजन्ति अर्चयन्ति तान्प्रति ज्ञानिकृतं आगामि पुण्यं गच्छति । ये ज्ञानिनं निन्दन्ति द्विषन्ति दुःखप्रदानं कुर्वन्ति तान्प्रति ज्ञानिकृतं सर्वमागामि क्रियमाणं यदवाच्यं कर्म पापात्मकं तद्गच्छति । सुहृदः पुण्यकृतं दुर्हृदः पापकृत्यं गृह्णन्ति ।   kiṃca ye jñāninaṃ stuvanti bhajanti arcayanti tānprati jñānikṛtaṃ āgāmi puṇyaṃ gacchati . ye jñāninaṃ nindanti dviṣanti duḥkhapradānaṃ kurvanti tānprati jñānikṛtaṃ sarvamāgāmi kriyamāṇaṃ yadavācyaṃ karma pāpātmakaṃ tadgacchati . suhṛdaḥ puṇyakṛtaṃ durhṛdaḥ pāpakṛtyaṃ gṛhṇanti .   Further, to those who praise, serve and worship the wise man, go the results of the actions done by the wise man. To those who criticise, hate or cause pain to the wise man go the results of all unpraiseworthy and sinful actions done by the wise man. Conclusion   तथा चात्मवित्संसारं तीर्त्वा ब्रह्मानन्दमिहैव प्राप्नोति । तरति शोकमात्मवित् इति श्रुतेः । तनुं त्यजतु वा काश्यां श्वपचस्य गृहेऽथ वा । ज्ञानसम्प्राप्तिसमये मुक्ताऽसौ विगताशयः । इति स्मृतेश्च ।इति श्रीशङ्करभगवत्पादाचार्यप्रणीतः तत्त्वबोधप्रकरणं समाप्तम् ।   tathā cātmavitsaṃsāraṃ tīrtvā brahmānandamihaiva prāpnoti . tarati śokamātmavit iti śruteḥ . tanuṃ tyajatu vā kāśyāṃ śvapacasya gṛhe’tha vā . jñānasamprāptisamaye muktā’sau vigatāśayaḥ . iti smṛteśca .iti śrīśaṅkarabhagavatpādācāryapraṇītaḥ tattvabodhaprakaraṇaṃ samāptam .   Thus the knower of the self, having crossed samsara, attains supreme bliss here itself. The shruti affirms-the knower of the self goes beyond all sorrow. Let the wise man cast off his body in Kashi or in the house of a dog-eater {it is immaterial} because at the time of gaining knowledge {itself} he is liberated, being freed from all the results of his actions. So assert the smritis too.

  स्थूलशरीराभिमानि जीवनामकं ब्रह्मप्रतिबिम्बं भवति । स एव जीवः प्रकृत्या स्वस्मात् ईश्वरं भिन्नत्वेन जानाति । अविद्योपाधिः सन् आत्मा जीव इत्युच्यते । मायोपाधिः सन् ईश्वर इत्युच्यते । एवं उपाधिभेदात् जीवेश्वरभेददृष्टिः यावत्पर्यन्तं तिष्ठति तावत्पर्यन्तं जन्ममरणादिरूपसंसारो न निवर्तते । तस्मात्कारणान्न जीवेश्वरयोर्भेदबुद्धिः स्वीकार्या ।   sthūlaśarīrābhimāni jīvanāmakaṃ brahmapratibimbaṃ bhavati . sa eva jīvaḥ prakṛtyā svasmāt īśvaraṃ bhinnatvena jānāti . avidyopādhiḥ san ātmā jīva ityucyate . māyopādhiḥ san īśvara ityucyate . evaṃ upādhibhedāt jīveśvarabhedadṛṣṭiḥ yāvatparyantaṃ tiṣṭhati tāvatparyantaṃ janmamaraṇādirūpasaṃsāro na nivartate . tasmātkāraṇānna jīveśvarayorbhedabuddhiḥ svīkāryā .   The reflection of Brahman, which identifies itself with the gross body, is called the jiva. This jiva by nature takes Ishwara to be different from himself or herself. The self conditioned by ignorance is called jiva. The self conditioned by maya is Isvara. So long as the notion that the jiva and Ishvara are different remains, which is due to the difference in the conditioning, till then, there is no redemption from samsara which is of the form of repeated birth, death etc. Due to that reason, the notion that the jiva is different from Ishwara should not be accepted.   TAT TVAM ASI – An enquiry into the statement ‘THAT THOU ART’   ननु साहंकारस्य किंचिज्ज्ञस्य जीवस्य निरहंकारस्य सर्वज्ञस्य ईश्वरस्य तत्त्वमसीति महावाक्यात् कथमभेदबुद्धिः स्यादुभयोः विरुद्धधर्माक्रान्तत्वात् । इति चेन्न । स्थूलसूक्ष्मशरीराभिमानी त्वंपदवाच्यार्थः । उपाधिविनिर्मुक्तं समाधिदशासम्पन्नं शुद्धं चैतन्यं त्वंपदलक्ष्यार्थः । एवं सर्वज्ञत्वादिविशिष्ट ईश्वरः तत्पदवाच्यार्थः । उपाधिशून्यं शुद्धचैतन्यं तत्पदलक्ष्यार्थः । एवं च जीवेश्वरयो चैतन्यरूपेणाऽभेदे बाधकाभावः ।   nanu sāhaṃkārasya kiṃcijjñasya jīvasya nirahaṃkārasya sarvajñasya īśvarasya tattvamasīti mahāvākyāt kathamabhedabuddhiḥ syādubhayoḥ viruddhadharmākrāntatvāt . iti cenna . sthūlasūkṣmaśarīrābhimānī tvaṃpadavācyārthaḥ . upādhivinirmuktaṃ samādhidaśāsampannaṃ śuddhaṃ caitanyaṃ tvaṃpadalakṣyārthaḥ . evaṃ sarvajñatvādiviśiṣṭa īśvaraḥ tatpadavācyārthaḥ . upādhiśūnyaṃ śuddhacaitanyaṃ tatpadalakṣyārthaḥ . evaṃ ca jīveśvarayo caitanyarūpeṇā’bhede bādhakābhāvaḥ .   But the jiva is endowed with ego and his knowledge is limited, whereas, Iśvara is without ego and is omniscient. Then how can there be identity, as stated in the mahavakya, “That thou art’, between these two who are possessed of contradictory characteristics?   If there is such a doubt, no {it is not so}. That literal meaning of the word ‘thou’ is the one identified with the gross and subtle bodies. The implied meaning of the word ‘thou’ is pure awareness which is free from all conditionings. So also the literal meaning of the word ‘That is Ishwara having omniscience etc.; the implied meaning of the word that is the pure awareness, free from all conditionings. Thus there is no contradiction regarding the identity between the jiva and Isvara from the standpoint of awareness.   jīvanmuktāḥ   एवं च वेदान्तवाक्यैः सद्गुरूपदेशेन च सर्वेष्वपि भूतेषु येषां ब्रह्मबुद्धिरुत्पन्ना ते जीवन्मुक्ताः इत्यर्थः  ।ननु जीवन्मुक्तः कः ? यथा देहोऽहं पुरुषोऽहं ब्राह्मणोऽहं शूद्रोऽहमस्मीति दृढनिश्चयस्तथा नाहं ब्राह्मणः न शूद्रः न पुरुषः किन्तु असंगः सच्चिदानन्द स्वरूपः प्रकाशरूपः सर्वान्तर्यामी चिदाकाशरूपोऽस्मीति दृढनिश्चय रूपोऽपरोक्षज्ञानवान् जीवन्मुक्तः ॥ ब्रह्मैवाहमस्मीत्यपरोक्षज्ञानेन निखिलकर्मबन्धविनिर्मुक्तः स्यात् ।   evaṃ ca vedāntavākyaiḥ sadgurūpadeśena ca sarveṣvapi bhūteṣu yeṣāṃ brahmabuddhirutpannā te jīvanmuktāḥ ityarthaḥ . nanu jīvanmuktaḥ kaḥ ? yathā deho’haṃ puruṣo’haṃ brāhmaṇo’haṃ śūdro’hamasmīti dṛḍhaniścayastathā nāhaṃ brāhmaṇaḥ na śūdraḥ na puruṣaḥ kintu asaṃgaḥ saccidānanda svarūpaḥ prakāśarūpaḥ sarvāntaryāmī cidākāśarūpo’smīti dṛḍhaniścaya rūpo’parokṣajñānavān jīvanmuktaḥ .. brahmaivāhamasmītyaparokṣajñānena nikhilakarmabandhavinirmuktaḥ syāt .   Thus by the words of Vedanta and the teachings of the satguru, those in whom the vision of the truth is born in all beings, are liberated while living {jīvanmuktah}. Then who is a jīvanmuktah? Just as one has firm belief ‘I am the body’; ‘I am a man’; ‘I am a Brahmin’; ‘I am Shudra’, in the same way one who by his immediate knowledge {aparoksha jnana} has firmly ascertained, ‘I am not a Brahmin’; ‘I am not a Shudra’; I am not a man’ but ‘I am unattached’ and of the nature of existence-consciousness-bliss, effulgent, the indweller of all and the formless awareness is a jīvanmuktah. By immediate knowledge that I am Brahman alone, one becomes free from bondage of all karmas.  

  अथ चतुर्विंशतितत्त्वोत्पत्तिप्रकारं वक्ष्यामः ।   atha caturviṃśatitattvotpattiprakāraṃ vakṣyāmaḥ .   Now we shall explain the evolution of the twenty-four factors.   Aka - māyā   ब्रह्माश्रया सत्त्वरजस्तमोगुणात्मिका माया अस्ति ।   brahmāśrayā sattvarajastamoguṇātmikā māyā asti .   Depending on Brahman, maya exists, which is of the nature of the three qualities of sattva, rajas and tamas.   Evolution of the five elements     ततः आकाशः सम्भूतः । आकाशाद् वायुः । वायोस्तेजः । तेजस आपः । अभ्धयः पृथिवी ।   tataḥ ākāśaḥ sambhūtaḥ . ākāśād vāyuḥ . vāyostejaḥ . tejasa āpaḥ . abhdhayaḥ pṛthivī .   From that {maya}, space was born. From space, air. From air, fire. From fire, water. From water, earth.   Evolution of the Sattva aspect – The organs of perception   एतेषां पञ्चतत्त्वानां मध्ये आकाशस्य सात्विकांशात् श्रोत्रेन्द्रियं सम्भूतम् । वायोः सात्विकांशात् त्वगिन्द्रियं सम्भूतम् । अग्नेः सात्विकांशात् चक्षुरिन्द्रियं सम्भूतम् । जलस्य सात्विकांशात् रसनेन्द्रियं सम्भूतम् । पृथिव्याः सात्विकांशात् घ्राणेन्द्रियं सम्भूतम् ।   eteṣāṃ pañcatattvānāṃ madhye ākāśasya sātvikāṃśāt śrotrendriyaṃ sambhūtam . vāyoḥ sātvikāṃśāt tvagindriyaṃ sambhūtam . agneḥ sātvikāṃśāt cakṣurindriyaṃ sambhūtam . jalasya sātvikāṃśāt rasanendriyaṃ sambhūtam . pṛthivyāḥ sātvikāṃśāt ghrāṇendriyaṃ sambhūtam .   Among these five great elements, out of the sattvic aspect of space, the organ of hearing, the ear, evolved. From the sattvic aspect of air, the organ of touch, the skin, evolved. From the sattvic aspect of fire, the organ of sight, the eye, evolved. From the sattvic aspect of water, the organ of taste, the tongue evolved. From the sattvic aspect of earth, the organ of smell, the nose, evolved. Antahkarana – The inner instruments   एतेषां पञ्चतत्त्वानां समष्टिसात्विकांशात् मनोबुद्ध्यहङ्कार चित्तान्तःकरणानि सम्भूतानि । सङ्कल्पविकल्पात्मकं मनः । निश्चयात्मिका बुद्धिः । अहंकर्ता अहंकारः । चिन्तनकर्तृ चित्तम् ।   मनसो देवता चन्द्रमाः । बुद्धे ब्रह्मा । अहंकारस्य रुद्रः । चित्तस्य वासुदेवः ।   eteṣāṃ pañcatattvānāṃ samaṣṭisātvikāṃśāt manobuddhyahaṅkāra cittāntaḥkaraṇāni sambhūtāni . saṅkalpavikalpātmakaṃ manaḥ . niścayātmikā buddhiḥ . ahaṃkartā ahaṃkāraḥ . cintanakartṛ cittam . manaso devatā candramāḥ . buddhe brahmā . ahaṃkārasya rudraḥ . cittasya vāsudevaḥ .   From the total sattvic aspect of these five elements, the inner instruments of the mind, intellect, ego and memory are formed. The mind is of the nature of indecision. The intellect is of the nature of decision. The ego is of the nature of the notion of doership. Memory is of the nature of thinking or recollection. The presiding deity of the mind is the moon, of the intellect, Brahma, of the ego, Rudra and of memory, Vasudeva.   Evolution of the Rajas aspect   एतेषां पञ्चतत्त्वानां मध्ये आकाशस्य राजसांशात् वागिन्द्रियं सम्भूतम् । वायोः राजसांशात् पाणीन्द्रियं सम्भूतम् । वन्हेः राजसांशात् पादेन्द्रियं सम्भूतम् । जलस्य राजसांशात् उपस्थेन्द्रियं सम्भूतम् । पृथिव्या राजसांशात् गुदेन्द्रियं सम्भूतम् । एतेषां समष्टिराजसांशात् पञ्चप्राणाः सम्भूताः । eteṣāṃ pañcatattvānāṃ madhye   ākāśasya rājasāṃśāt vāgindriyaṃ sambhūtam . vāyoḥ rājasāṃśāt pāṇīndriyaṃ sambhūtam . vanheḥ rājasāṃśāt pādendriyaṃ sambhūtam . jalasya rājasāṃśāt upasthendriyaṃ sambhūtam . pṛthivyā rājasāṃśāt gudendriyaṃ sambhūtam . eteṣāṃ samaṣṭirājasāṃśāt pañcaprāṇāḥ sambhūtāḥ .   Among these five elements, from the rajas aspect of space, the organ of speech is formed. From the rajas aspect of air, the organ of grasping, the hands are formed. From the rajas aspect of fire, the organ of locomotion, the legs are formed. From the rajas aspect of water, the organ of procreation is formed. From the rajasic aspect of earth, the anus is formed. From the total rajas aspect of these five elements, the five vital airs, pranas are formed. Evolution of the Tamasic aspect   एतेषां पञ्चतत्त्वानां तामसांशात् पञ्चीकृतपञ्चतत्त्वानि भवन्ति । पञ्चीकरणं कथम् इति चेत् । एतेषां पञ्चमहाभूतानां तामसांशस्वरूपम् एकमेकं भूतं द्विधा विभज्य एकमेकमर्धं पृथक् तूष्णीं व्यवस्थाप्य अपरमपरमर्धं चतुर्धां विभज्य स्वार्धमन्येषु अर्धेषु स्वभागचतुष्टयसंयोजनं कार्यम् । तदा पञ्चीकरणं भवति । एतेभ्यः पञ्चीकृतपञ्चमहाभूतेभ्यः स्थूलशरीरं भवति । एवं पिण्डब्रह्माण्डयोरैक्यं सम्भूतम् ।   eteṣāṃ pañcatattvānāṃ tāmasāṃśāt pañcīkṛtapañcatattvāni bhavanti . pañcīkaraṇaṃ katham iti cet . eteṣāṃ pañcamahābhūtānāṃ tāmasāṃśasvarūpam ekamekaṃ bhūtaṃ dvidhā vibhajya ekamekamardhaṃ pṛthak tūṣṇīṃ vyavasthāpya aparamaparamardhaṃ caturdhāṃ vibhajya svārdhamanyeṣu ardheṣu svabhāgacatuṣṭayasaṃyojanaṃ kāryam . tadā pañcīkaraṇaṃ bhavati . etebhyaḥ pañcīkṛtapañcamahābhūtebhyaḥ sthūlaśarīraṃ bhavati . evaṃ piṇḍabrahmāṇḍayoraikyaṃ sambhūtam .   From the tamas aspect of these five elements, the grossified five elements are born. If it is asked how this panchikarana takes place, it is as follows. – The tamas aspect of each of the five elements divides into two equal parts. – One half of each remains intact. – The other half of each gets divided into four equal parts. – Then to the intact half of one element, one-eight portions from each of the other four elements gets joined. – Then panchikarana is completed. – From these five grossified elements, the gross body is formed. Thus, there is identity between the microcosm and the macrocosm. Five Elements  Sattva ( sense organs) Rajas ( organs of action) Tamas Akasa ( Space) Ear Speech Pancheekaranam- gross space Vayu ( Air) Skin Hands grasp Pancheekaranam- gross Vayu Agni ( Fire) Eye Legs- locomotion Pancheekaranam- gross fire Apah ( water) Tongue Organs of procreation Pancheekaranam- gross water Prtvi ( Earth) Nose Organs of excretion Pancheekaranam- gross earth   Total Sattva of all five elements together form Mind, intellect, memory and ego  Total rajas of all five elements together form five prana