Atma Bodha - Post 75

Verse 65:

सर्वगं सच्चिदात्मानं ज्ञानचक्षुर्निरीक्षते ।

अज्ञानचक्षुर्नेक्षेत भास्वन्तं भानुमन्धवत् ॥ ६५॥

SARVAGAM SAT CHIT AATMAANAM

GYAANA CHAKSHUR NIRIIKSHATE

AGYAANA CHAKSHUR NEKSHETA

BHAASVANTAM BHAANUM ANDHAVAT

[Though Atman is Pure Consciousness and ever present everywhere, yet It is perceived by the eye-of-wisdom alone: but one whose vision is obscured by ignorance he does not see It; as the blind do not see the resplendent Sun.]

In the previous few slokas we learnt about a realized one, here in this sloka, Acharya is explaining to us about an ignorant one also. The importance of spiritual disciplines is also highlighted by Acharya.

The absolute pure consciousness though all pervading is not perceived by everyone. Only those who have developed the inner eye of the wisdom and who are discriminative enough to reject the illusory world from the real, who are pure and are cleansed by the knowledge alone can apprehend the reality.

The ignorant ones who are deluded by the dualities of the world, and who cannot discriminate the reality from the unreal can never realize the bliss of Self. Lord explains the same in Gita 15th chapter as:

UTKRAAMANTAM STHITAM VAAPI BHUNJAANAM VAA GUNAANVITAM.H.

VIMUUDHAA NAANUPASHYANTI PASHYANTI JNYAANACHAKSHUSHHAH

Him who departs, stays and enjoys, who is conjoined with gunas, the deluded perceive not; they see, who possess the eye of knowledge.

YATANTO YOGINASHCHAINAM PASHYANTYAATMANYAVASTHITAM

YATANTO.APYAKRITAATMAANO NAINAM PASHYANTYACHETASAH

Those who strive, endued with Yoga, perceive Him dwelling in the self; though striving, those of unrefined self, devoid of wisdom, perceive Him not.

Acharya gives an example of a blind man for this. The Sun is ever shining in the day and is so bright that normal people cannot see it with naked eyes, still for a blind man; there is neither light nor the sun i.e. he does not perceive the glowing Sun due to his blindness.

It is the blindness of the person that makes the sun dark to him even though the sun shines ever bright and brilliant. Similarly, the real nature of the all pervading Atman is not perceived by those who are blinded by ignorance.

Jnana Chakshu, or the eyes of wisdom, only is capable of knowing the Sath Chith Aananda Brahman everywhere in the universe.

In Mahabharath, Lord Krishna is known to have displayed his Viswaroopa twice. Once in the Kauravas’ royal Parliament – and a second time, at the start of Mahabharath war.

First time, no one in the Kaurava’s Court Hall could really see his Viswaroopa (which really means seeing him everywhere in the Universe).

Lord Krishna in Gita explains this as:

NAADATTE KASYACHITPAAPAM NA CHAIVA SUKR^ITAM VIBHUH

AGYAANENAAVR^ITAM GYAANAM TENA MUHYANTI JANTAVAH

The Lord takes neither the evil nor even the good deed of any; wisdom is enveloped by un-wisdom; thereby mortals are deluded.

Acharya is here explaining that an ordinary mind turned outward in perception and feeling which is agitated by the thoughts of the sense objects of the world cannot apprehend the reality whereas one who is disciplined and discriminate apprehends the reality.

Referring to the Viswaroopa, second time, Lord Krishna wanted his long time friend and disciple, Arjun to fight the Mahabharath War and annihilate the entire Kaurava Army, as his bounden duty. 

But, Arjun has a hundred doubts on whether it is good or bad, whether it is his duty or not and so on. Lord Krishna teaches him Atma Jnanam in the shape of Bhagavad Gita and also shows him his Viswaroopa. Arjun witnesses the Viswaroopa with Jnana Chakshus given to him by Lord Krishna and prepares for war.

Atma Jnani, as we can see, does not stop doing karma. He goes about it with a new light. Karma phalam does not touch him at all.

Viswaroopa is Bhagavad roopa and also Swaroopa for the Atma Jnani. He sees no difference any more.

Mundaka Upanishad explains this .

NA CHAKSHUSHHAA GRIHYATE NAAPI VAACHAA

NAANYAIRDEVAISTAPASAA KARMANA VAA

JNYAANAPRASAADENA VISHUDDHASATTVA-STATASTU TAM PASHYATE NISHHKALAM DHYAAYAMAANAH

It is not comprehended through the eye, nor through speech, nor through the other senses; nor is It attained through austerity or karma. Since one becomes purified in mind through the favorableness of the intellect, therefore can one see that indivisible Self through meditation.

Love.