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*Ishavasya Upanishad – 19*
*SUMMARY – Part -2*
In Part -1 we saw the first seven descriptions of atma: now we will look into the next four. Even though consciousness is one, it has two different expressions. One is bimba-caitanyam (real) the other one is pratibimba- caitanyam (unreal). Just as the original sūrya is one, but there are ten reflected suns if you have ten mirrors. When the mirror moves, the reflection also seems to move. Similarly, every mind is like a mirror and in each body-mind complex, we have a reflected consciousness. The reflection moves from place to place, but the original is acalaḥ (motionless). Thus cala-rūpam and acala-rūpam, iti caitanyasya dvayaṁ rūpam. Dvi-rūpaḥ (8th description) means having two expressions, of which one is real, the other is unreal.
Then the ninth description is that no organ of knowledge or instrument of knowledge can grasp the ātmā. Na enat devāḥ āpnuvan – no sense organs, no mind, no powerful telescope, powerful microscope [mantra 4]. Whatever scope you use there is no scope, no way of knowing the ātmā with the help of any instrument. Then what is ātmā? It is the very subject which is aware of all the objects. Therefore, never look for ātmā – it will never appear. You know why? You are the blessed ātmā.. It is never an object.
Then how do you know the ātmā? Knowing ātmā is possible in only one manner. What is that? Ātmā I am. This claiming alone is knowing. I am the ātmā. I need not see the ātmā. It is not seen. It is the seer. Adṛṣṭo draṣṭāśrutaḥ śrotāmato mantāvijñato vijñātā [Bṛhadāraṇyaka upaniṣad 3.7.23]. Never the heard, but ever the hearer. Never experienced, ever the experiencer principle.
When I claim I am the ātmā, what should be the meaning of the word “I”? While claiming, “I am ātmā,” you should not take the body, you should not take the mind, not even the thought as “I”. I am the conscious principle which makes the body sentient, which makes the mind sentient(able to perceive or feel things). That formless consciousness is in the formed body.
That is why before understanding ātmā, we should practice two types of meditation, as the claiming of the formless ātmā is very difficult, because our mind always thinks of some form or the other. Therefore, train the mind, give a rehearsal by practicing two types of meditation. One is called ākāśa-dhyānam. In Taittirīya upaniṣad, in Chāndogya upaniṣad, etc. these meditations are there.The second one is prakāśa-dhyānam. So imagine a hall where there are so many people with different forms and colours: notice that all these people are seen, because the whole hall is pervaded by light. Then meditate upon the light, observing that light is formless. Light does not move but people move in the light.Light is not contaminated; it is nityaḥ, ekaḥ, sarvagataḥ, asaṅgaḥ, śuddhaḥ, akhaṇḍaḥ.. See all these features of ākāśa, all these features of prakāśa and appreciate the formless light in the entire hall. If we can appreciate ākāśa, and prakāśa, and meditate for a length of time, we can train the mind.
. Once we practice ākāśa-dhyānam and prakāśa-dhyānam, we can then replace that by caitanya-prakāśa. Consciousness is also like ākāśa, like prakāśa. Consciousness is omnipresent. That is why weare able to be aware of the things around. This awareness, is not an object of experience. It happens to be ‘I’ myself. Therefore, this is the ninth description – Aprameyaḥ
The tenth description is, this ātmā alone is the kāraṇam of the entire universe. The kāraṇam is explained through its two features. Kāraṇam alone supports all the kāryams by lending existence. Similarly, ātmā alone supports the entire universe, by lending existence. Sarva-ādhāra-rūpa-kāraṇam. The second description of kāraṇam is, kāraṇam alone is the content, the sāra of every kāryam. Gold, the kāraṇam alone, is the content of every golden ornament. Ornament cannot exist without the content gold. Therefore, gold is in all the products. Gold is there as the very substance. Similarly where is the ātmā? In the entire anātma-prapañca, it is there as the very essence, sāraḥ. So sarva-ādhāra-rūpa-kāraṇam, sarva-sāra-rūpa-kāraṇam is the tenth description.
The eleventh and final description, is advaitam. This is very important because in the tenth description we said ātmā is the kāraṇam and the entire world, the anātmā, is kāryam. The Upanishad says, kāraṇam and kāryam are two words, but the substance, is only one. When you say ‘gold and bangle’, the word ‘gold’ and the word ‘bangle’, are two words, but you cannot show them separately. Therefore kāryam cannot be counted as a separate entity. It is nothing but nāma and rūpa. It is not a thing in itself. Therefore how many things are there? Only one ātmā which is named as anātma- prapañca. But there is no such thing called anātmā separate from ātmā. This is the eleventh description.
*To be continued –Part 3*