Third Adhyaya, Eighteenth Khanda (6 mantras)

Mantra 3.18.1.

1. Let one meditate on the Brahman as (dwelling in the Mind and called) Mind; this is microcosmic meditation. Next the macrocosmic—(let one meditate on) Brahman as (dwelling in Ākāśa and called) Ākāśa the Allillumining. By this latter both meditations have been taught—the microcosmic and the macrocosmic (because the ākāśa includes the manas).—225.

[Note.—Iti adhyātmam (Adhyātma)—this is the subjective: the psychological, the microcosmic. The meditation in which the Lord is worshipped in the Body.]

[Note.—Adhidaivatam (Adhidaivata)—macrocosmic. The meditation on the Lord as indwelling in the cosmic agencies called Devas.]

[Note.—Ākāśaḥ—the Ākāśa, the All-luminous, the All-illumining. “Ā”=all, “kāśa”=to illumine. The Lord dwelling in the Deva called Ākāśa.]

[Note.—Brahma iti—the Brahman, thus. Next is taught that the macrocosmic meditation is higher than the microcosmic, because the ākāśa includes the manas. Therefore the ākāśa meditation is meditation of the both microcosmic and macrocosmic.]

[Note.—Adhyātmam ca adhidaivatam ca—the microcosmic and the macrocosmic.]

Mantra 3.18.2.

2. The Brahman who is both that and this (the microcosmic and macrocosmic) has four feet, Vāsudeva the Lord of) speech is one foot, (Saṅkarṣaṇa the Lord of) breath is one foot, (Pradyumna the Lord of) the eye is one foot, and (Aniruddha the Lord of) the ear is one foot—so much the microcosmic. Then the macrocosmic. (Vāsudeva dwelling in) Fire is one foot, (Saṅkaṛṣaṇa dwelling in) Air is one foot, (Pradyumna dwelling in the) Sun is one foot, (Aniruddha dwelling in) the Directions is one foot. Thus both the microcosmic and macrocosmic worship become taught (by the worship of the latter alone).—226.

[Note.—Vāk pādaḥ—the speech is one foot. The aspect called Vāsudeva dwelling in speech function of the mind, and called also therefore Vāk or speech.]

[Note.—Prāṇaḥ Pādaḥ, the Prāṇa is one foot. The aspect called Saṅkarṣaṇa dwelling in the Prāṇa function of the mind, and called also Prāṇa—the best (pra) leader (netri).]

[Note.—Cakṣuḥ Pādaḥ—the eye is one foot. The aspect called Pradyumna dwelling in the eye, and called also the cakṣu, the Seer (√cakṣa—to see, to observe).]

[Note.—Śrotram pādaḥ—the ear is one foot. The aspect called Aniruddha dwelling in the ear, and called also the Srotra, the Hearer.]

[Note.—Agniḥ Pādaḥ—the fire is one foot. The aspect called Vāsudeva dwelling in fire, and called Agni, because He is the Leader (ṇa) of all organs (aṅga).]

[Note.—Vāyuḥ Pādaḥ—the Vāyu is one foot. The aspect called Saṅkarṣaṇa dwelling in the air and called Vāyu, because He is the essence of wisdom (vā) and Life (āyu) va+āyuḥ=vāyuḥ, Wisdom-Life.]

[Note.—Ādityaḥ Pādaḥ, the sun is one foot. The aspect called Pradyumna, dwelling in the sun, and called Āditya, because He takes up (ādana) all things.]

[Note.—Diśah—the directions are one foot. The aspect of the Lord called Aniruddha, dwelling in the quarters and called also Diś, because He is the director of all (deśana=directing, teaching). He teaches the law of duty and the highest wisdom. The knowledge of the macrocosmic feet is higher than the knowledge of the microcosmic feet: hence the Śruti says.—“ubhayam eva ādiṣṭam bhavati adhyātmam ca adhidaivatam ca”—both become taught, the microcosmic and the macrocosmic (when the latter is known, for it includes the former).]

Note.—If these words Vāk, etc., be taken as the names of the Lord, then the verse should bo translated thus:—

This double-aspected Brahman has four feet. The Revealer is one foot, the Leader is one foot, the Seer is one foot, the Heaven is one foot. This is microcosmic. Next the macrocosmic. The Ruler of the organs is one foot, the Wisdom-Life is one foot, the Taker-up-of-all is one foot, the Teacher is one foot. Thus both become taught or known, the microcosmic and the macrocosmic (when the macrocosmic meditation is done).

The next mantras describe in detail the fact how the macrocosmic includes the microcosmic and what are the correspondences.

Mantra 3.18.3

3. Speech which is the fourth foot of Brahman is indeed (the Agni). With Agni and with Light, He shines and he burns. He who meditates on Him thus also shines and burns, and attains the Lord Brahman and gets Release consisting of Wisdom and Joy.—227.

[Note.—Tapati—heats. The word “sinners” is understood hero The Lord illumines (bhāti) the intellect of the good, and burns (tapati) the sins of the wicked. He who knows this two-fold activity of the Lord gets the following reward.]

[Note.—Yaśasā—through fame, through, delight. These qualify the word Brahma-varcasa.]

[Note.—Brahma-varcasena—through Brahmic power, the glory of countenance. Madhva explains this word differently. Varcasa is a compound word; var=choosing (the Lord), reaching the Lord; ca=cāyita, manifestation of the salvation. The whole word Brahma-Varcasa would thus mean, the attainment of the Lord and the getting of salvation (Release).]

Note.—The fourth foot of Brahman, called Speech Vāsudeva is indeed in the Agni also. As Agni (Fire) He burns (the sins of the wicked), as Light He shines and illumines (the intellect of the Good). He who worships thus, attains and gets Release, which is Wisdom and Joy; and thus he shines, and burns (away his ignorance).

Note.—The words in the remaining verses are the same, except that Prāṇa is identified with Vāyu; cakṣuḥ has its correspondence with the Sun, the Ear with the Quarters. The Lord dwelling in these functions of the Mind is the same Lord who is in the external activities of the cosmos. The meaning of the words is therefore not repeated.

Mantra 3.18.4.

4. Breath which is the fourth foot of Brahman is indeed the Vāyu. With Vāyu and with Light He shines and He burns. He who meditates on Him thus, also shines and burns (away his ignorance) and attains Brahman and gets Release which is Joy and Wisdom Eternal.—228.

Mantra 3.18.5.

5. The Eye which is the fourth boot of Brahman is indeed the Āditya. With Āditya and with Light He shines and He burns. He who meditates on Him thus, also shines and burns (away his ignorance) and attains Brahman and gets Release which is Wisdom and Joy Eternal.—229.

Mantra 3.18.6.

6. The Ear which is the fourth foot of Brahman is indeed the Quarters. With the Quarters and with Light He shines and He burns. He who meditates on Him thus, also shines and burns (away his ignorance, etc.), and attaining Brahman gets Release which is Wisdom and Joy Eternal—yea Wisdom and Joy Eternal.—230.

Madhva’s commentary called the Bhāṣya:

Note.—In the last Khaṇḍa was taught the secret of attaining long life and warding off disease. This Khaṇḍa teaches that, having obtained full term of life, one should employ it usefully in worshipping the Lord in His two aspects, the In-dwelling Spirit in man, and the Oversoul of the Universe. It is by such worship that mukti and happiness are attained. The words manas, etc., used in this Khaṇḍa do not mean the human mind, etc., but they are the names of the Lord. Madhva proves it by quoting the same authority.

The God (Deva) who abides in Mind (Manas) is indeed the Lord Nārāyaṇa himself directly. He is called Manas, because He is the Thinker (or the Thinking Principle. Or because He is the object of thinking or meditation of all). He is called Ākāśa, because He illumines (Kāśa) everything fully (ā = completely). He dwells in the (Devas of) speech and the rest, and in the (Devas of) fire and the rest, under His (four) aspects of Vāsudeva, etc., (Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha). Dwelling in these, He alone is verily designated by these names of Vāk (speech), Agni (Fire), etc. Along with (the Deva of) Fire and dwelling in Him, this Lord God (Īśa) verily shines, and He it is who burns (the ignorance of) the wicked.

He who knows this Lord of Lords (Īśeśa) thus, gets yaśas which consists of knowledge and happiness, and Kīrti or celebrity, and after attaining Brahman, he becomes one of the Elects (or the Perfects, vara); and gets Release also. Thus he (too) shines out and burns up his own ignorance, etc., (as the Lord shines and burns up the ignorance of the wicked). Thus it is said in the same work.

Note.—The word Brahmavarcasa has been a stumbling block to scholars. Max Muller translates it as the glory of countenance. Madhva breaks it up into three words—(1) Brahma or God Viṣṇu, (2) vara = election, attainment, (3) cas = getting mukti. The whole would thus mean reaching God, becoming an Elect, and getting Mukti. Every one reaches Brahman in deep sleep, and may be said to be a Brahmavara or Brahma-attained. But there he is not conscious of it, and it is not the state of Mukti. “Vara”, moreover, is taken in two senses: reaching (Brahman), and secondly elected (by Brahman). In the second meaning the deep sleeper cannot be said a Brahmavara. But a deep sleeper can never be a Brahmavarcas or one who is consciously in Brahman and has got release. Brahmavarcas therefore means one who has attained the perfection of his own form (svarupa [svarūpa?]) by the mere grace or election by the Lord Viṣṇu. This doctrine of election is perhaps not peculiar to Madhva.