4.4c. The Divine Sight

Generally, for valid perception, both the sense organs, external and internal, including antaḥkaraṇa, must be sound, free from defects, receptive, and alert. The self also must be completely involved in the process then, only perception will result in firm, resolute and complete knowledge. This might be found easily in the case of worldly objects but for the ultimate reality, the situation differs. pratyakṣa pramāṇa provides a general basis, which would ensure the possibility of acquiring correct knowledge. They search for certainty, thus seeking and securing the firm and sure foundation for knowledge. Here a critical problem erects—How can we believe person’s capability of knowing reality an especially Divine Reality, Parabrahman with the perishable sense organs like eyes, etc.

Svāminārāyaṇa illustrates the answer:

“Kṛṣṇā on the battlefield tells Arjuna: ‘Pashya me Parth rupani shatsho tha sahstrani’ There, he displayed countless realms and revealed the characteristics of Puruṣottama.” (Vac. Panch. 6, p. 375)

By the immense grace of Parabrahman, Arjuna was able to gain knowledge of Parabrahman’s form. On this point, the Bhāṣyakāra highlights the means of knowledge which Kṛṣṇā describes as an alaukika sight, the divine sight in the Gītā.^[1] The paramount disparity between empirical perceptual knowledge and divine perceptual knowledge is that the latter is not governed by logical principles, like vyāpti(invariable relation) and others, do not apply to the divine -perception. The sum and substance of the whole discussion are the transcendental Parabrahman (reality), which is knowable by His own divine sight given to us.

Knowledge is understood as definite, doubt-free, truthful, awareness of a thing episode or concept, especially about the true nature of ontological realities i.e., Parabrahman, Akṣarabrahman, māyā, īśvaras, and jīvas. Only by the profound grace of Parabrahman, one can perceive those eternal entities.

The Bhāṣyakāra explains while commenting on a śloka from the Gītā:

na tu māṃ śakyase draṣṭumanenaiva svacakṣuṣā |
divyaṃ dadāmi te cakṣuḥ paśya me yogamaiśvaram ||^[2]

“You are not able to see me with your physical eye; therefore, I give you the divine eye to see my majestic power and glory.”

The Svāminārāyaṇa-bhāṣya explains:

“laukikacarmacakṣuṣā mām alaukikaṃ divyaṃ puruṣottamaṃ draṣṭuṃ tu na śakyase samartho naiva bhavasi | ato'haṃ te tubhyaṃ divyam alaukikaṃ divyadarśanamā cakṣuḥ dṛṣṭiṃ dadāmi tena me mama aiśvaraṃ yogaṃ mahaiśvaryamayaṃ viśvadarśanayogaṃ paśya matkṛpayā nibhālaya ||” (Bhagavad-Gītā 11/8, p. 242)

Kṛṣṇā said: “O Arjuna, you are unable to see my divine Puruṣottama form with your māyic eyes so I bestow you the divine eyes so behold my hundreds and thousands of multifarious divine forms of different colors and shapes. Through my grace, behold all the celestial beings and many wonders never seen before. Also, behold the entire creation–animate, inanimate, and whatever else you would like to see–all at one place in my body.”

There is no other system to know Parabrahman before experiencing Him. Faith in Parabrahman stands on the unsteady ground without a psychic vision of the object of devotion. All our spiritual discipline is focused on this vision.

The vision is fundamental to overcome the last bit of emotional impurity and any lingering doubt in the mind of the seeker because, to a human mind, seeing is believing. Therefore, Arjuna, like any other devotee, longs to see the transcendental form of the Lord.

Upaniṣad Svāminārāyaṇa Bhāṣya explains this while commenting on the mantra: Parabrahman is subtler than the subtle, more significant than the great; It dwells in the heart of each living being.

“tamakratuḥ paśyati vītaśoko dhātuprasādānmahimānamātmanaḥ” (Katha-upaniṣad 2/20)

“He who is free from desire and free from grief, with mind and senses tranquil, then by the grace of Parabrahman beholds the glory of the Ātman and Paramātman.”

“tam aṇīyastvamahīyastvādirūpeṇoktaṃ sarvavyāpakatvasarvaniyāmakatvādirūpam ātmanaḥ paramātmanaḥ mahimānam aiśvaryaṃ māhātmyaṃ vā dhātuḥ sarvadhārakasya paramātmana eva prasādāt kṛpayā akratuḥ sakāmakarmānāsaktaḥ paśyati sākṣātkaroti | vītaśokaḥ ca bhavatīti” || (Katha-upaniṣad 2/20, p.117)

“Although this Parabrahman dwells in the heart of every living being, yet ordinary mortals do not perceive it because of its subtlety. It cannot be perceived by the senses; a finer spiritual sight is required. Thus, when the whole being becomes calm and serene, thereafter by His grace, it is possible to perceive that effulgent Parabrahman and His power, glory, and substantives nature. As a result, he or she becomes free from sorrow.”

Moreover, after acquiring this divine sight, the aspirant’s heart must be uncontaminated and freed from every impure desire; the thought must be indrawn from all external objects; the mind and body must be under constraint; Parabrahman is subtler than the subtle because He is the invisible essence of everything; and He is greater than the great because He is unlimited, sustaining power of the whole universe; that upon which all existence rests.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Vacanamrut Loyā 7, 8; Kar. 8

[2]:

Bhagavad-Gītā 11/8