Jnaneshwari (Bhavartha Dipika)

by Ramchandra Keshav Bhagwat | 1954 | 284,137 words | ISBN-10: 8185208123 | ISBN-13: 9788185208121

This is verse 15.1 of the Jnaneshwari (Bhavartha-Dipika), the English translation of 13th-century Marathi commentary on the Bhagavad-Gita.—The Dnyaneshwari (Jnaneshwari) brings to light the deeper meaning of the Gita which represents the essence of the Vedic Religion. This is verse 1 of the chapter called Purusottama-yoga.

Verse 15.1: The Exalted-one spake: “With up-wending roots and down-spreading branches, they speak of an Imperishable Ashvattha Tree, whose leaves are the Vedic Mantras: who so knows it, (truly) knows the Veda. (72)

Commentary called Jnaneshwari by Jnaneshwar:

Bhagavan [Bhagavan] then said, “Oh Dhananjaya, (monistic) Supreme Brahman is the topmost level of this tree and it (Supreme Brahman) has derived this position only on account of this tree. Ordinarily, there exist no distinctions such as middle, top, or bottom in regard to a single entity—monistic Supreme Spirit. It is a sound that cannot be heard (by the ears), the nectar (fragrance) in a flower that cannot be inhaled (by the nostrils), and the bliss experienced without sexual enjoyment. It is on this side as also on the other, in front as also at the back, it exists by itself; it is invisible, yet can only be seen without a seer. It gets converted into universe with names and forms on account of its attributes. It is knowledge without a knower as also without the object of knowledge, and it is the sky stuffed with unalloyed bliss. It is neither the effect nor the cause, it is neither qualified by dualism nor monism and exists by itself all alone. Such is Supreme Brahman; it is the topmost level of this tree.

And now hear how the up-wending roots blossom forth. That what is known as Maya, is unreal, nothing else but illusion, and can (as well) be described as the progeny of a barren woman; and has in vain got the name Maya. It is neither true nor untrue and cannot bear even an iota of reason, and yet it is said to exist from time immemorial. It is the chest (full) of diversities, it is the sky having the clouds in the form of the world-lives, or a folded piece of cloth in the shape of the totality of forms. It is a small seed of the world-tree, the canvas or the wall on which the picture of worldly existence is painted; it is the lamp of perverse knowledge (infatuation) in a solid, massive form. That Maya abides in Supreme Brahman practically in a non-abiding condition, and, therefore, whatever transactions take place at her hands are all through the splendour (power) of Supreme Brahman.

(It is like) one (over-taken by sleep (who) feels stupid and dull, or like the snuff (of the wick) of a lamp that dims its light, or like a lover, finding in a dream a young woman asleep by his side sharing his bed, and then fancying her suddenly awake and embracing him (although there is no such actual embracing), and yet he feels the act satisfying his passion:—all these bear the same relation to Supreme Brahman, and, Oh Dhananjaya, the non-cognisance of Supreme Brahman itself, is the root of this (mundane existence) tree. This deep ignorance (on the part of the soul) of Supreme Brahman, constitutes the bulbous root at the bottom (of this tree) and is named the seed-form (bījabhāva) in the Vedas. (This) profound slumber in the form of deep ignorance is called the seedling (blossom—bījāṅkurabhāva), and from this arise states of sleep and awakening which are called the fruit (phalabhāva) of Sushupti (suṣupti—slumber). These are the different terms used in discourses of the Vedas. Yet that apart: nescience in short is the root (of this world-tree).

The upper part of it is the pure soul and below it the shooting roots that grow thickly in the cavity (-made around the foot of the tree to receive water) in the form of Maya. Downwards get created innumerable and diverse bodies from which issue forth shoots all around wending downwards vigorously. In this way, roots of the worldtree derive strength at the top (from Supreme Brahman) and then there is formed downwards a tuft of sprouts. The first of these sprouts is intellect (mahattatva) that tender leaf developed out of self-consciousness (cidvṛtti). Lower down shoots up another sprout with three leaves. This sprout is egotism while the three leaves are the three Gunas-Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. This sprout (egotism) creates a twig in the form of intellect and fosters diverse feelings giving freshness to another tender twig issuing forth called the mind.

In this way issue forth from this tree, through the strength of the upwending roots, tender twigs in the form the aggregate of the four internal organs (cittacatuṣṭaya)—1. buddhi, (intellect), 2. mana, (Mind), 3. ahaṃkāra, (egotism), 4. citta, (heart) dripping wet with the juice (in the form) of mental fancies (vikalparasa). Then issue forth the long and straight branches of the five gross elements viz. the sky, wind, fire, water, and the earth.

On these shoots grow wondrous, tender and very soft leaves in the form of ears and other sense-organs with their objects. Then issues forth a shoot of (the organ of) speech (śabdāṅkura) and with this, increases doubly the growth of the organ of the hearing and there appear further shoots of roots (kāṇḍī) in the form of desires. Then issue forth creepers and leaves in the form of the body and the skin and from these further issue forth sprouts of touch-sense and there then arise excitement and passions in profusion. There then follows the foliage in the form of diverse forms, (to see which) stretch out long shoots of roots in the form of eyes (vision) which run after (various forms) with intense infatuation. Then issue forth different branches in the form of taste from the tongue with the result that foliage in the form of desires grow in profusion on the tongue. With the issue of a sprout in the form of smelling, the shoot in the form of the organ of smelling gets strong and there is created a greed in it.

In short, these eight viz, intellect, egotism, mind, and the five gross elements promote a vigorous growth in the world-tree-nay the tree gets greatly extended through the combination of these eight. The semblance as silver of the mother-of-pearl makes that silver take the shape of the shell itself; or the expanse of the waves is proportionate to the wide sea-surface; in that way, the Sole Brahman takes the form of the world-tree born of nescience. While in a dream, although all alone by himself, one becomes the entire paraphernalia, and dream-stuff himself; in that way the entire growth and expansion of this tree is nothing else but Supreme Spirit itself.

Enough, however, of this. Such a wonderful tree is created, its sprouts in the form of intellect, etc. growing downwards. And now I tell you and hear: why the learned have named it as ‘Ashvattha’. “Shva” (śva—) means the (next) morning: yet the world-tree has no certaitny [certainty?] of surviving till then. The clouds change colour almost every moment, or a lightening does not exist in a complete form even for one moment, or water cannot sustain itself on a quivering lotus leaf or, the mind of a man in distress cannot remain steady. Similar is the state of this tree. It gets destroyed at every moment and therefore it is named ‘Ashvattha’. Some name Pipal tree as ‘Ashvattha’, but the Lord Shri Hari does not hold this view. Even if it is called Pipal, it (the name) would also be made to fit in; but we are not concerned with how the people name it.

Therefore (you hearers you do) hear of this unique theme (grantha); this worldtree should be called ‘Ashvattha’ consequent on its momentary existence. There is, moreover, the great celebrity of its being ‘Imperishable’. But its esoteric meaning is like this: On the one hand the sea loses its volume (getting evaporated and formed into clouds), while on the other hand it gets replenished through the rivers (water that runs into it). Consequently it neither gets reduced nor increased, but remains full; but this is subject to the clouds and the rivers continuing their correlated activity. In that way coming into existence and ceasing to exist, on the part of this tree, take place so rapidly as could hardly be perceived (tarka [tarke]) and therefore the people call it Imperishable.

A charitably-disposed person spends all his (wealth) yet in a way saves (in the form of securing merit): in that way this tree appears imperishable through its (perpetual) dissipation. The wheels of a chariot moving very fast appear stationary and stuck up to the ground; in that way, in course of time, a branch of the world-tree in the form of beings gets withered and drops down, but is replaced by crores of new sprouts. Yet it is not perceived when it (one set) disappears and crores of others take its place, like the piles of clouds (appearing in the sky) in the month of Ashadha (June-July), At the completion of the world-dissolution the entire universe is extinguished: simultaneously however new (branches) forests of the budding universe spring up. (Similarly) at the time of the world-dissolution, the destructive stormy winds make the bark of the universe (tree) fall off, but clusters of new aeons, begin to blossom forth simultaneously.

The reign of a (New) Manu (manvatara) follows that of the preceding (outgoing) Manu or one reign succeeds another; in this way go on the cycles of Manu’s and races in the way new shoots (joints: parts) issue forth from the existing shoot (joint) of Sugar-cane. At the end of Kaliyuga (the last of four ages of the world—(kṛta-tretā-dvāpāra-kalī) the dry barks of the four Yugas drop down. Simultaneously, however, the bark of the incoming new Yuga (kṛta) is formed in double proportion. The current year comes to a close and the new one is ushered in. Similarly a day passes away and a new one comes in, but all this is not perceived; or in the case of breezes of wind where one ends and where the other begins is not understood.

(In that way), it cannot be known when and how many branches fall off and new ones come in. A young shoot (ḍirī) in the form of a body drops down and instantaneously many new ones sprout out (in its place), and therefore, this worldtree is considered imperishable. The flow of water of one current passes away fast and is followed and joined immediately by another (and in this way the current appears unbroken and continuous perpetually). So it happens in the case of this world-tree and the world considers this non-perpetual thing as a perpetual one. Crores of ripples arise and disappear (in the sea) within the space of time taken by an eye to open and to close; yet the ignorant think that the ripples are perpetual. The crow with one common eye-ball in both the eyes turns it from one to the other and vice-versa in a moment’s time, with the result that people are erroneously led to believe that there are two eye-balls (one in each eye).

A whirling top (bhovarā), when in a well-balanced position, is felt to be stationary and stuck up to the ground although actually fast whirling, because of its rapid motion. Why go searching far off (to find out parallel events): a fire brand, (kolatī) waived fast round and round in darkness, looks like an unbroken circular line of fire; in that way the creation and end of this tree are not perceived, with the result that the ignorant call it imperishable. Yet the learned see its fast motion, realize its transitory tenure and know that its creation and end take place crores of times within (a space of) one instant. One that has realized that this world-tree has its root in nothing else but nescience and that its existence is unreal and only momentary—such a one I call, Oh Son of Pandu, ‘All-knowing’: and he alone is revered in the theories and established truths propounded in the Vedas. To the credit of such a man of knowledge alone goes the fruit (reward) of all Yogas—nay such a one alone keeps knowledge alive. Enough of this however. Who could praise in adequate terms (the greatness of) one who realizes the transitory tenure of this world-tree?

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