|| ōm̐ śrī gurubhyō namaḥ hariḥ ōm̐ ||
Mantra # 12
Previously it was established that tattva-jñāna is the cause for mukti and tattva-jñāna demands recognition and rejection of all that is avidyā.
The next mantra #12 makes it explicit that Brahman is All-Creator is directly implied by the word ‘Ishāvāsya’ and it is not a meaning that is indirectly inferred. In the previous mantra, the word ‘vidyā’ was used to denote tattva-jñāna and In this mantra, by the word ‘sambhooti’ All-Creatorship of Vedic Brahman, is mentioned. From this, it is known that tattva-jñāna and sarva-kartrutva-jñāna are the same idea. ‘vidyā’ and ‘sambhooti’ are the same idea. For this reason, this mantra serves as an explanation for the previous mantra.
One who does dhyāna that Vedic Parabrahman, is only merely the Creator, and not the destroyer is worse off than the one who thinks that Parabrahman is not the Creator.
Just as the rejection of avidyā is included in vidyā, so also, the knowledge that Parabrahman is the Destroyer must be included in the knowledge that Parabrahman is the Creator and that is when the correct knowledge of All-creatorship of Brahman gets established, otherwise not. Just as greater doom is predicted for one who only indulges in vidyā without indulging in rejection of avidyā, so also greater doom is predicted for one who merely indulges in the thought that Parabrahman is the Creator, and not the Destructor. This means, both Creatorship and Destructorship – both Doership must be understood in their complete sense. If there is a thing in this universe that is deemed to be not created, or if there is a thing that is only partly created, then it is anyathā-jñāna and tamas is its result. Even if All-creatorship is accepted and All-Destructorship is not accepted, then it is mithyā-jñāna. It results in a greater tamas. The thought that Parabrahman is not संहारकर्तृ saṁhārakartr̥, indicates a certain weakness in Parabrahman. That is why such a thought is a grave mistake.
Those who understand that Parabrahman’s All-destructorship is His very svarūpa, the Destructorship activity of the Lord brings joy to them because such an activity is an extension of the wonderful Creative activity of the same Lord. For this reason, knowing the All-Creatorship of Vedic Brahman through a proper study of philosophy is the means for emancipation. The knowledge that Parabrahman is सर्वसंहारकर्तृ sarvasaṁhārakartr̥ is hidden in the knowledge that Parabrahman is सर्वसृष्टिकर्तृ sarvasr̥ṣṭikartr̥. One who understands Parabrahman as merely the सर्वसृष्टिकर्तृ sarvasr̥ṣṭikartr̥, rejects the fact that Parabrahman is संहारकर्तृ samhāra-kartr and prays to his God of understanding to create various laukika sukha such that no danger ever occurs to them, such a prayer is in a way ordering God what to do. It is not knowledge. It is merely an attempt to show that he himself is his own controller. When the All-Destructorship of Parabrahman is understood in the knowledge of All-Creatorship of the same Parabrahman, there is no scope for mithyā-jñāna. From this, sacrificing selfishness and through that an attempt towards acquiring knowledge is born.
With this background, we may now translate the 12th mantra as follows:
उपनिषत् upaniṣat
अन्धं तमः प्रविशन्ति येऽसम्भूतिमुपासतॆ ।
ततॊ भूय इव तॆ तमॊ य ऊ सम्भूत्याँ रताः ॥ १२॥
andhaṁ tamaḥ praviśanti yē’sambhūtim upāsatē | tatō bhūya iva tē tamō ya u sambhūtyām̐ ratāḥ || 12 ||
Those who (ये yē) meditate that (उपासतॆ upāsatē) Vedic Brahman is not the All-Creator (असम्भूतिं asambhūtim) they will enter into (प्रविशन्ति praviśanti) darkness (अन्धं तमः andhaṁ tamaḥ). Even greater darkness than that darkness (ततॊ भूय तमॊ tatō bhūya tamō) is indeed (ऊ u) clearly (इव iva) there for those that are (य तॆ ya tē) immersed merely in the knowledge (रताः ratāḥ) that Vedic Brahman is the All-Creator (सम्भूत्याँ sambhūtyām̐) i.e, those who don’t know that He is also the All-Destructor (सम्भूत्याँ रताः sambhūtyām̐ ratāḥ).
Leave a Reply