Gita Rahasya -Tilak
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CHAPTER VIII
THE CONSTRUCTIN AND THE DESTRUCTION OF THE COSMOS
followed by Jiva along with the fundamental element of water (apa) in the Chandogyopanisad [1] as also from the interpretation put thereon in the Vedanta-Sutras [2] that the Chandogyopanisad included the three fundamental elements, viz., water (apa) and along with it brilliance (tejas) and food (anna) in the Subtle Body. In short, it will be seen that when one adds Vital Force and dharmadharma' (i. e. righteous and unrighteous actions) or Karma to .the Samkhya Subtle Body of eighteen elements, one gets the Vedantic Subtle Body. But in as much as Vital Force (prana) is included in the inherent tendencies of the eleven organs, and righteous and unrighteous action (dharm- adharma) are included in the activities of Reason and Mind, one may say that this difference is merely verbal, and that there is no real difference of opinion about the components of the Subtle Body between the Vedanta and the Samkhya philosophies. It is for this reason that the description of the Subtle Body According to the Samkhyas as "mahadadi stiksmaparyantam" has been repeated, as it is, in the words "maliadadyavisesantam,' in the Maitryupanisad [3]. [4] In the Bhagavadgita, the Subtle Body is described as consisting of "manah- sasthanindriyani [5], that is, of "the mind and the five organs of Perception" and further on there is a description that life, in leaving the Gross Body, takes with itself this Subtle Body in the same way as the breeze carries scent from the flowers : "vayur gandhan ivasayat" [6]. Nevertheless in as much as the metaphysical knowledge in the Gita, has been borrowed from the Upanisads, one must say that the Blessed Lord has intended to include the five organs of Action,, the five Fine Elements, Vital Force, and sin and virtue, in the- words "the six organs including the mind". There is a state- ment also in the Manu-Smrti that after a man dies, he acquires a Suhtle Body made up of the five Fine Elements in. order to suffer the consequences of his virtuous or evil actions [7]. The words "vayur gandhan ivasayat" in the Gita, prove only that this body must be subtle ; but they do not convey any idea as to the size of that body. But from the statement in the Savitryupakhyana in the Mahabharata [8], that Yama took out a Spirit as. large as a thumb from the (gross) body of Satyavana — - "angusthamatrain purusam niscakarsa yamo balat " — it is clear that this Subtle Body was in those days, at least for purposes of illustration, taken to be as big as a thumb. |
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References And Context
- ↑ (Chan. 5. 3. 3; 5. 9. 1)
- ↑ (Ve. Su. 3. 1. 1-7)
- ↑ (Mai. 6. 10)
- ↑ In the copy of the Maitryupanisad included in the Auandashrama Edition of Dvatrimsadupanisad (thirty-two Upanisads), 'the reading of the hymn referred to above has been given as: " mahadadyamvisesantam" , and the same has been accepted by the commentators. If this reading is accepted then the 'Mahat' element "which is at the beginning of the list has to be included in the Subtle Body and the ' Visesas ' or five primordial elements, indicated by the words 'visesantam' t have to be left out. That is to say, you have to interpret it as meaning that the 'mahat' out of "mahadadyam" has to be taken, and the ' visesa ' out of ' visesantam ' has to be left out. But, where the beginning and the end are both mentioned, it is right to take both or to omit both. Therefore, according to Prof. Deusaen, the nasal ' m ' at the end of the word ' mahadadyam ' should be omitted and tbe hymn should be read as mahidadyn vihsantam" (mahadadi+ avisefantam). If that is done, the word Wseja' comes into- existence, and the same rule becoming applicable to the ' mahnt and to the 'cmi&esa.', that is, both to the beginning and the end, both get included in the Liilga sarira. This is the peculiarity of this reading; but, it must be borne in mind, that whichever reading- is accepted, there is no difference in the meaning.
- ↑ (Gi. 15. 7)
- ↑ (GI. 15. 8)
- ↑ (Manu. 12. 16, 17)
- ↑ (Ma. Bha. Vana. 296. 16)