Atma Bodha - Post 63

Verse 53

उपाधिविलयाद्विष्णौ निर्विशेषं विशेन्मुनिः ।

जले जलं वियद्व्योम्नि तेजस्तेजसि वा यथा ॥ ५३॥

UPAADHI VILAYAAT VISHNAU

NIR-VISHESHAM VISHEN MUNIH

JALE JALAM VIYAT VYOMNI

TEJAH TEJASI VAA YATHAA

(On the dissolution of the Upadhis, in the Spirit, the contemplative sage is absorbed in the all pervading and attribute-less One, like water into water, space into space and light into light)

The state of Jivanmukti is being described below:

1.    The Upadhis of body, mind and intellect are dissolved by withdrawing all identification with them. 

2.  When the seeker does succeed in dissolving them, i.e. dis-identifying with them, then the naturally occurring state of Self-realization blossoms forth by itself. 

The blossoming takes the form of a total absorption of the individual self (ego) with the universal Self.

At this point, come the three similes which illustrate such a state of absorption of the little self into the universal Self. 

Like Water, Space and Light, we have another 3 similes, as we did in the previous verse. Here, too, let us first see the inter-relationship between them before going into the details.

The three similes describe the merging process at three different levels:

§  Water represents the merging at the gross level; 

§  Space represents it at the subtle level; and,

§  Light represents it at the causal level, the level of ignorance or darkness.

Jale Jalam: At the gross level, merging can best be observed when water unites with water. There is complete mergence, which is irreversible. 

This is not so when solids unite, for they can again be separated. Air masses too can unite perfectly, but then they are not visible.

At the physical level the sage breaks through the barriers set up by the many different types of bodies creatures have. He sees the common Self in all of them.

  

Viyat Vyomni: At the subtle level of the mind and intellect, Space becomes the perfect simile to illustrate mergence, not only because it is subtle, but because it is all pervading. Everything physical is pervaded by space.

A Jivanmukhta has transcended the individual mind and become one with the universal mind. This is the purpose of the Space simile.

Tejah Tejasi: At the causal level, ignorance or cosmic delusion is the factor that is being addressed. Light represents the Truth (Reality); darkness stands for Falsity (unreality). 

There is no such thing as darkness merging with darkness for it is unreal. However, light can merge with light as they are real entities.

Similarly, the Atman (Light of the Self) merges with Brahman (Universal Light) when ignorance is destroyed by knowledge. In all three cases above, the Upadhis are overcome, and Infinity is realized.

Mundaka Upanishad explains the same import in 3.2.5 and 3.2.8 as:

SAMPRAAPYAINAMR SHHAYO JNAANATRPTAAH

KRITAATMAANO VIITARAAGAAH PRASHAANTAAH

TE SARVAGAM SARVATAH PRAAPYA DHIIRAA

YUKTAATMAANAH SARVAMEVAAVISHANTI

Having attained this, the seers become contented with their knowledge, established in the Self, freed from attachment, and composed. Having realized the all-pervasive One everywhere, these discriminating people, ever merged in contemplation, enter into the All.

YATHAA NADYAH SYANDAMAANAAH SAMUDRE.A

STAM GACHCHHANTI NAAMARUUPE VIHAAYA

TATHAA VIDVAAN.H NAAMARUUPAADVIMUKTAH

PARAATPARAM PURUSHHAMUPAITI DIVYAM.H

As rivers, flowing down, become indistinguishable on reaching the sea by giving up their names and forms, so also the illumined soul, having become freed from name and form, reaches the self-effulgent Purusha that is higher than the higher (Maya).

Love.