Chapter 28 - The Essence of the Path of Knowledge (Jñāna Yoga)

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

The glorious Lord said:

1.^[1] Realizing that the universe—a product of Prakṛti (Primordial Nature) and Puruṣa (Spirit) is nothing but one substance (viz. the Brahman), a person should neither praise nor censure the serene or violent nature and action of others

2. He who applauds or condemns the natural inclinations and corresponding actions of others, immediately deviates from his own purpose (of attaining spiritual wisdom) as he, thereby, develops attachment to what is not real.

3. When the sense-organs which are the product of the Taijasa type of ego (caused by Rajas) are over-powered with sleep (and cease to function), the individual soul (jīva) remaining confined in the body, strays in the realm of illusions (Māyā) and witnesses drcams (which are unreal), and if the mind is still over come with torpidity, loses, the consciousness of the body, sinks into death-like deep sleep. Similarly, the person who perceives the outward differences only (and fails to grasp the underlying oneness—the Reality) is distracted by illusory objects of senses and is ultimately sunk in utter darkness,

4.^[2] When the quality itself is unreal, the problem of what is auspicious (or commendable) or inauspicious (or censurable) that too to what extent, does not arise at all; for whatever is uttered by the tongue (i.e. perceived by our sense- organs) or conceived by the mind is illusory and unreal.

5. Even though the reflection of an image or the reflection of a sound, occular illusions like a mirage are unreal (and unsubstantial), they do create an effect (on the mind of the seer or hearer). Tn the same way, this body or other things arouse fear till death (till every thing is dissolved into Prakṛti).

6.^[3] It is only the Almighty Supreme Soul who creates this universe and is both the creator and the created, the protector and protected. Being the universal Soul, he is the withdrawer and the withdrawn. (He is thus both the material and instrumental cause of the universe).

7. Hence, no being or reality other than the Supreme Soul existing independently out of the created universe, has been observed or stated (by the Vedas). The three-fold appearance of creation, sustenance and destruction of things^[4] in the Ātman is baseless^[5]. Therefor, do understand that this threefold universe (consisting of the seen and the process of seeing) is the product of guṇas and is caused by Māyā.

8. He who understands thoroughly this Jñāna and Vijñāna as expounded by me, does neither deprecate nor praise others but moves about in the world (far above partiality or duality) like the Sun.

9. Concluding through logical proofs like direct perception, inference, scriptural authority and self-realization that every thing (including the universe) which has a beginning has a beginning, has an end, a person should move about in the world shedding off attachment to everything.

Uddhava said:

10. (As you say it) the Saṃsāra (the transmigration or experience of pleasure and pain) is related neither to the Soul who is the intelligent self-luminous seer nor to the body which is the seen (or the object, an unintelligent non-self). The fact of the matter is that the transmigration does take place. (Be pleased to explain) to whom Saṃsāra is related.

11. The soul is not subject to decay, attributeless, pure, self-luminous like fire and is unobscured by anything (such as Nescience), while the physical body is non-sentient like wood. Now which of these two are affected by Saṃsāra (the cycle of births and deaths)?

The Lord replied:

12. So long as there is a contact between the indiscriminate jīva and the body, senses and vital breath, Saṃsāra, though it has no reality, continues to bear fruit (by giving pleasure, pain, etc.)

13. Just as (due to brooding over objects in the wakeful condition) a person in dream experiences pleasure or pain or witnesses objects which have no real existence, this saṃsāra, though non-existent in reality, does not cease to persist in the case of a jīva who constantly thinks over objects of senses.

14.^[6] Just as the state of dreaming brings a number of (unreal yet) evil experiences to a person who has not wakened up from sleep, but that very dream is not capable of deluding a person when wide awake.

15. (Feelings and moods like) grief, joy, fear, anger, greed, delusion, cravings and others as well as the states of birth and death, are seen related to (a jīva due to his involvement with) Ahaṃkāra (‘I’-ness), but not to the Ātman.

16.^[7] The soul who is presiding over the body, senses, vital airs and the mind, identifies himself with them and abides in them, is called jīva. His subtle body is constituted of guṇas (like Sattva etc.), and (residual impressions left after performing) Karmas or actions. He is variously sung (i.e. designated) as Sūlra or Mahat. Being controlled by Time-Spirit (or Īśvara), he revolves in the cycle of life and death (Saṃsāra).

17. Having cut off the sword of spiritual knowledge sharpened by means of contemplation, this baseless, apparent multiplicity of forms like the mind, speech, vital breath and the body—all unsubstantial (yet variously manifested unrealities), the sage should rove all over the world, without ever being subject to desires and temptations.

18. Spiritual wisdom consists of discrimination between what is eternal (The Brahman) and what is non-eternal. The means to attain it are the study of the Vedas, penance (i.e. abiding by the duties prescribed for one’s Varṇa and Āśrama), direct ( personal) experience, tradition or spiritual guidance from the preceptor and logical inference. This wisdom convinces that the absolute entity (viz. Brahman) that was at the beginning of the universe, and remains after the destruction of the universe, exists in the middle also and it (the Brahma) manifests the universe as well as is the cause of it.

19. Just as gold bullion before it is wrought into beautiful forms exists as gold before as well as after its modifications (as ornaments, coins or other decoratives), and is the same gold even in the middle when it is called by different names (as bangles, ear-rings, etc.) similarly, I exist before the creation and after the dissolution of the universe and I am given different designations in the middle, (while the universe exists as such. Thus the universe is not separate from me).

20.^[8] O Uddhava! From the point of both invariable concomitance and logical discontinuance, the Brahma is real. It is the fourth principle beyond the mind (vijñāna) which is subject to three states (viz., wakefulness, dream-state and sleep) caused by three guṇas (viz. Sattva, Rajas and Tamas ) which create the three-fold universe comprising the cause i.e. the sense-organs (Adhyātma) the Effect i.e. the elements (Adhibhūta) and the doer i. e. the presiding deities over the senses (Adhidaiva). He (the Brahma) reveals triads and persists when the above- mentioned threefold distinctness ceases to appear as when a person is merged in Samādhi (transcendental meditation).

21. That which did not exist before the creation and does not survive after it, has no existence in the middle period except merely in name.^[9] This body which was not Ātman either before it came into existence or after its death, cannot be Atman while the body exists. That by which anything is caused is the same as the effect that is manifested. (The effect of that which is revealed is impossible without the cause or the revealer. That is my considered opinion in the matter.

22. Though this universe of modifications appears to exist, it is non-existent. It is the modificatory creation (of Brahma) through Rajoguṇa (and as such it is a product or effect which is revealed). But the Brahman is self-existent (not a product of anything but the cause of everything else), and is self- luminous (self-revealed yet the revealer of others). Hence, it is Brahman alone which shines^[10] manifested as the diverse wonderful universe consisting of the senses, the objects of senses (viz. subtle elements), the mind (including the deities presiding over the senses) and the gross elements.

23. Having completely dispelled (lit. cut off) all doubts regarding the nature of the Ātman^[11] by convincing proofs (such as scriptural authority, tradition, direct experience, etc.) of correctly discriminating the Brahman and by discarding the notion that the non-Ātman (viz. the body or the universe) the Ātman, as also through the grace of the preceptor of deep spiritual knowledge, a person should stay immersed in the Supreme bliss of the Self dissociating himself from all the cravings of the senses for enjoyment.

24. The Soul is (distinct and different from and hence) not the physical body of earth. Nor is he the senses (which are instruments), their presiding deities (who are the modifications of Prakṛti), the vital breath, elements like the ether, air, water, fire and the earth; nor is he the mind, intellect, the reason and the ego, as they depend on food (for nourishment). He is also not the object of senses and Prakṛti which is the state of equilibrium of guṇas (as they are non-sentient).

25.^[12] What benefit can accrue to my devotee who has properly realized my nature by correct discrimination, by control of his senses which are the products of three guṇaṣ? Or what blemish is there to him if the senses get distracted? What effect can there be on the sun if clouds surrounded it or disperse from it?

26. Just as the sky is not affected by the (drying, burning, drenching and soiling powers of) wind, fire, water and the earth, nor by the (heat, cold, etc.) of the coming and passing of seasons, in the same way, Brahman which is eternal (indestructible) and transcendental to the (cosmic) ego^[13] is never soiled by the dirt of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas which are the causes of Saṃsāra.

27. However, so long as Rajoguṇa which soils the mind with attachment to sense-objects is not completely wiped out, all associations with the objects (senses) created by Māyā should be scrupulously avoided by the yoga of intense and unswerving devotion to me.

28. Just as a disease which is not properly treated medically, annoys patients by its frequent virulent recurrence, the mind of an imperfect Yogi whose passions and the karmas resulting therefrom have not been completely burnt down, becomes passionately attached to every thing (objects of senses, property, relatives, etc.) and brings about the fall of a login who has not attained perfection.

29. Yogins who are frustrated in the attainment of their goal by interruptions created by god, men or other beings (or by the adhibhūta, adhidaiva and adhyātma types of difficulties) (and die in an imperfect stage) again take to the path of Yoga (in the next birth) by virtue of their Yogic practice in the previous existence, but never turn to the elaborate path of Karma.

30. An ignorant person being impelled by some power (may be God’s will or his previous Karma or destiny) performs some acts (e.g. taking meals) till his death and undergoes modifications (such as experience of pleasure or pain). A spiritually wise person though living in the domain of Prakṛtī or Māyā is thus subject to it, but he is free from the cravings of his senses as he has experience of the spiritual bliss of the Soul.

31. (Here is the description of ‘asamprajñāta samādhi’). He whose mind is concentrated on and established in the Self- Ātman is unaware of his body irrespective of whether it is standing, sitting, walking, strolling, lying down, passing urine, eating food or doing any other natural activity.

32. Even if a man. of spiritual wisdom happens to perceive the unreal objects of extroverted senses (like those experienced by touch, taste, smell, etc.), due to their many-ness, he reasons that they are other than the self and he, therefore, does not regard them as real like a person who has risen from sleep regards the objects of his vanishing dream.

33. Dear Uddhava! Before the dawn of spiritual knowledge, this body marvellously wrought by (three guṇas) and karmas was regarded as not distinct from the self (due to absence of discriminating power). But this (misconception of the identity of the soul and the body during the state of bondage) is dispelled by spiritual knowledge; for the soul is neither taken (perceived) nor forsaken!

34. Just as the sun-rise would disperse from the eyes of men darkness (that obscured their vision) but does not create a new thing (like a pitcher, etc.) which was not there, similarly a thorough discriminative realization of the self dispels the darkness of ignorance blinding the intelligence of man.

35. This (ever-present eternal) Soul is self-luminous (absolutely unsoiled by ignorance), unborn, immeasurable (beyond the ken of logical reasoning), unlimited by time and space (hence not subject to modifications of growth, decay, etc.^[14]) self- luminous (capable of cognising every thing), one without a second, beyond the range of words. It is when impelled by it that the speech and life-breath function.^[15]

36. But it is self-delusion to entertain the notion of difference in the Soul who is absolute. For even this delusion about difference^[16] (has to depend on the Soul) as it has no other support than the Soul^[17].

37. It is the view of some persons who regard themselves as learned that duality in what is perceptible by names and forms (i.e. this body and the external world) and in what is constituted of five elements, is irrefutable and the statements in (texts of) Vedanta are merely complimentary (artha-vāda). But this conviction (of the so-called learned people) is meaningless^[18].

38. If a yogin who has not yet attained perfection in Yoga (lit. is yet unripe in yogic practices) but is still striving in yoga, be visited by (some such difficulties (as bodily indisposition, etc.) the following procedure is prescribed (as a remedy).

39. He should cure some of these (viz. troubles from heat and cold) by yogic concentration (on the moon and the sun), some (caused by flatulence and other abdominal troubles) by various (yogic) physical postures, and some others (caused by evil planets, serpents, etc.) by penance, mantras (sacred formula) and medicinal herbs.

40. He should overcome some obstacles (caused by lust and anger) by intensively meditating on me. by singing my name and glorifying me while others (caused by hypocrisy and arrogance) leading to evil consequences by attending upon persons who are past-masters in yoga.

41. Some persons try to keep their body in sound health and preserve their youth by various expedients and then they begin the yogic practice for attaining miraculous powers.

42. But this cause should not be approved (and adopted) by the wise, as, after all, the physical body is perishable like fruits of a tree (and these efforts are in vain).

43. Even if the body of a person who takes yogic exercises every day becomes exceptionally strong (and lasting to the end of a Kalpa), he should not give much importance to it believing it to be imperishable. He should discontinue that yoga of physical culture and devote himself to me.

44. If a Yogī entirely entrusts himself to me and devotes himself scrupulously to the practice of yoga (as detailed by me), he may not be hindered by obstacles. Becoming totally free from all desires and yearnings, he should enjoy himself thoroughly immersed in the bliss of self-realization.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

SS and Bhāgavata Candrikā: (i) One should realize that the Lord (i.e. my-self) is the Inner Controller. Bhāgavata Candrikā adds: The universe is the body of the Supreme Soul (me). One should realise that the universe consists of the sentient (cid), non-sentient (acid) and Īśvara.

(ii) Padaratnāvalī interprets para as the opponent who fails to see the difference between the Brahman and jīva.

(paraḥ śatruḥ, jīva-brahmaṇor vailakṣaṇya- satyatāyā asahamānatvāt).

The actions of such an enemy (an advaitin) are evil and should not be applauded but censured! (What a gospel of hatred in the name of the Lord!

Padaratnāvalī adds: One who perceives that the universe along with the non- sentient Prakṛti and Hiraṇyagarbha (Puruṣa) is pervaded by the Supreme Soul (Paramātman) and is the real knower.

(iii) Ek. holds the cid-vilāsa-vāda about the universe due to the influence of Jñānadeva or Kāśmīrī Śaivism [Kashmir Shaivism].

[2]:

(i) Bhāgavata Candrikā: The Soul is different from the body and it is wrong to identify them. The body is ever-changing (but the Soul is the same). There is no propriety in praising the body of a celestial as good or condemning the body of an insect as bad, as they are the modifications of the same Prakṛti and the body is not the Soul or Ātman.

[3]:

Padaratnāvalī Being the almighty Lord, the creator etc. of the universe he creates himself into various forms, sustains them (or lives with other created beings) and withdraws them at will. The universe is thus real and not Mithyā— illusory.

(satya-saṅkalpena satya-karmaṇā paranuśvareṇa sṛṣṭatvāt idaṃ sarvaṃ satyaṃ na mīthyābhūtam /

[4]:

or the ādhibhautika, ādhidaivika and ādhyatmika universe—Bhāvāratha Dīpikā

[5]:

The notion that Paramātmā is the Samavāyī, the Asamavāyī or the Nimitta cause is baseless. The Brahman is the material cause of the universe.—Bhāgavata Candrikā

[6]:

Bhāgavata Candrikā: When the spiritual knowledge enlightens a person, he ceases to identify his body with the Soul and has no attachment.

(tad dehātmābhimāna-rūpa-mahā-janana-dvārā sukha-duḥkha-kṛn na bhavati /

[7]:

EK: When the infinite Ātman, transcendental to Māyā, becomes the basis of Māyā, he is called Antar ātmā. He pervades the Māyā and still remains infinite. He is hence called Parameśvara. As he is the controller of the Māyā, he is called Īśvara, the Ruler. When the Ātman is reflected in Nescience (Avidyā), he is called jīva (individual Soul), with a powerful feeling of his identification with the body, he became Ahaṅkāra (Ego) In this way, EK describes how the Ātman transformed himself into Mind, the ten sense-organs, the subtle body and its cause, viz. the three guṇas, the objects of enjoyment, sūtra Prakṛti and its agitator, the Time-spirit. Hence the Ātman is in every object. After describing in details how every object is constituted of Ātman, EK concludes that ‘Bondage’ (of saṃsāra') consists in identification of the Soul with the body and the realization that the Ātman is unrelated to the body, is called Liberation (Mokṣa).—EB 28.193-208.

[8]:

Padaratnāvalī: This Brahman is vijñāna. It leads the jīva to three different destinations (Liberation, Saṃsāra and hell). Being beyond the realm of the triads (of stales, guṇaṣ. etc.) the Paramātman exists eternally independent.

[9]:

vācāranibhaṇaṃ vikāro nāmadheyam /—Chāndogya Up. 6.1.4.

[10]:

tam eva bhāntam anubhāti sarvam /
tasya bhāsā sarvam idaṃ vibhāti //
  —Kaṭha 5.15; Śvetāśvatara 6.14; Muṇḍaka 2.2.16

[11]:

Bhāgavata Candrikā This word connotes the transcendental Supreme Brahman but the term Brahma in the last foot—Brahmendriyārtha, etc. is used in the sense of Prakṛti.

[12]:

Padaratnāvalī thinks that this verse applies to Hari and not to his devotees.

[13]:

Bhāgavata Candrikā: The Ātman which is expressed by the word ‘I’.

(ahaṃ-śabda-vācyam ātma-svar ūpam-api)

[14]:

SS and Bhāgavata Candrikā: The Soul is not apprehended as the physical body (saying ‘I am fat’ etc.) nor is subject to creation and destruction (sarga- saṃhārādi-bhāk).

[15]:

keneṣitaṃ patati preṣitaṃ manaḥ. Kena Up. 1

[16]:

viz. the difference with reference to the body and its condition.—Bhāgavata Candrikā

[17]:

neha nānāṣti kiñcaṇa—Kaṭha 4.11; Bṛhad. 4.4.19.

[18]:

Bhāgavata Candrikā regards the above views of the self-conceited as delusion of the mind.