Shankara accepts 'sarva shabda vaachyatva' for (Saguna) Brahman

[V Subrahmanian]

In the introduction to the Vishnu Sahasra Nama Bhashya, Shankara makes this observation:

We have an interesting situation here: While Advaita does not hold the Nirguna Brahman to be the object of any word, yet, the Veda, which is only word, vaangmaya, is admitted to 'reveal' Brahman by lakshana, indirect indication, by negating all that is not Brahman. Since Brahman does not have jaati, being Only one, guNa, being NirguNa, kriya, being nishkriya, and sambandha, being asanga, yet the Veda succeeds in conveying to us the Truth by the method mentioned above. 

Shankara's observation in the above VSN Bhashya is to be understood thus:

Brahman, when related to creation, is admitted to be manifesting in, as, the entire created world of sentient and insentient beings. We can think of the Vishvarupa Darshana of the Bh.Gita 11th chapter.  It is the vision of 'Vishvarupa Ishwara', Ishwara in the form of the entire Vishva, creation. Hence, every object in creation is Ishwara.  Thereby Ishwara is denoted by every object.  Since every object has a name, Ishwara is sarva shabda vaachya. 

There is a not very apparent dimension to Shankara's statement.  We may ask: Every object has a name and thereby every name, shabda, denotes Brahman. What about every sound, shabda? Does that too denote Brahman?  The answer is 'Yes'.  Every sound that occurs in creation, the chirping of a bird, the roaring sound of thunder, the deafening sound of a train passing nearby and so on.  Even these, on the ground of their very happening, occurring, in creation, is essentially Ishwara, denoting Ishwara. 

It does not end there.  Every form, taste, touch, smell is also denoting Brahman. Where has Shankara said this?  In the Kenopanishat Bhashya 2.3:

प्रतिबोधविदितं मतममृतत्वं हि विन्दते ।
आत्मना विन्दते वीर्यं विद्यया विन्दतेऽमृतम् ॥ ४ ॥

प्रतिबोधविदितमिति वीप्साप्रत्ययानामात्मावबोधद्वारत्वात् बोधं प्रति बोधं प्रतीति वीप्सा सर्वप्रत्ययव्याप्त्यर्था । बौद्धा हि सर्वे प्रत्ययास्तप्तलोहवन्नित्यविज्ञानस्वरूपात्मव्याप्तत्वाद्विज्ञानस्वरूपावभासाः तदन्यावभासश्चात्मा तद्विलक्षणोऽग्निवदुपलभ्यत इति ते द्वारीभवन्त्यात्मोपलब्धौ । तस्मात्प्रतिबोधावभासप्रत्यगात्मतया यद्विदितं तद्ब्रह्म, तदेव मतं तदेव सम्यग्ज्ञानं यत्प्रत्यगात्मविज्ञानम् , न विषयविज्ञानम् ।

 It (i.e. Brahman) is really known when It is known with (i.e. as the Self of) each state of consciousness, because they one gets immortality. 

In every one of our consciousness, perception, in the waking and dream, we are actually perceiving, experiencing, Brahman.  This is because, the entire jagat being a manifestation of Brahman, the knowing, knower and known triad is also Brahman. The known is comprehensively divided into the five: shabda, sparsha, rupa, rasa and gandha.  Thus the knowledge is Brahman. Every knowledge of shabda, sparsha, etc. we get is Brahman in that form. 

This sarva pratyaya (not just shabda, name, but even the shabda, sound, sparsha, etc.) is Brahma vaachaka. We can rise up to the next higher level and say 'Every knowledge is Nirguna Brahman with that upadhi and thus is verily Brahman.' In this scheme, the shabda, etc. knowledge is satya in its intrinsic Nirguna Brahman aspect and mithya in its name-form upadhi aspect. 

Thus the Upanishadic concept of 'sarva shabda vaachyatva of Brahman' has been clearly laid out by Shankara in the Bhashyas.    

The Vishvarupa Ishwara jnanam will lead to the arupa Ishwara (nirguna Brahma) jnanam. 

Om Tat Sat

 

      

[sreenivasa murthy]

Dear Sri Subramanaian,

Please Permit me to draw your kind attention to

the following mantras from Upanishads:

(1) ahamEvEdagaM sarvam || Chandogya 7-25-1

(2) AtmaivEdagaM sravam || Chandogya 7-25-2

(3) Atmata Eva idagaM sarvam || Chandogya 7-26-1

(4) sarvagam hyEtadbrahma ayamAtmA brahma || Mandukya Mantra 2

(5) prapaMcOpaSamaM advaitam

      sa AtmA sa vijnEyaH || Mandukya Mantra 7

From the above mantras it is absolutely clear

that my True svarUpa which is nothing but Atman

is brahman and sarvam.

The journey is from "me" to "I" / THE ATMAN.,

from the false center to TRUE CENTER.

yat sAkShAd aparOkShA brahma ya AtmA sarvAntaraH ||

       The answer is

ESha ta AtmA srvAntaraH || BruhadaraNyaka 3-4-1 &3-5-1.

So Upanishad Sages are advising all the

mumukshus / students of Vedanta to

realize their own true nature and thereby put an end to all

these conceptual categories / divisions  of nirguna brahma ,

saguna brahma, jivas, vishva, EkajIvavAda, nAnAjIvavAda etc. etc.

which in no way help a mumukshu. On the other hand

they become barriers for realization by the 21st century mumukshus.

With respectful namaskars,

Sreenivasa Murthy

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[sunil bhattacharjya]

If you don’t consider it frivolous I may add “ From ‘I am’ to ‘what I was before my cycle of birth began ‘“

Regards

skb

Sent from my iPhone

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We have an interesting situation here: While Advaita does not hold the Nirguna Brahman to be the object of any word, yet, the Veda, which is only word, vaangmaya, is admitted to 'reveal' Brahman by lakshana, indirect indication, by negating all that is not Brahman. Since Brahman does not have jaati, being Only one, guNa, being NirguNa, kriya, being nishkriya, and sambandha, being asanga, yet the Veda succeeds in conveying to us the Truth by the method mentioned above. 

Shankara's observation in the above VSN Bhashya is to be understood thus:

Brahman, when related to creation, is admitted to be manifesting in, as, the entire created world of sentient and insentient beings. We can think of the Vishvarupa Darshana of the Bh.Gita 11th chapter.  It is the vision of 'Vishvarupa Ishwara', Ishwara in the form of the entire Vishva, creation. Hence, every object in creation is Ishwara.  Thereby Ishwara is denoted by every object.  Since every object has a name, Ishwara is sarva shabda vaachya. 

There is a not very apparent dimension to Shankara's statement.  We may ask: Every object has a name and thereby every name, shabda, denotes Brahman. What about every sound, shabda? Does that too denote Brahman?  The answer is 'Yes'.  Every sound that occurs in creation, the chirping of a bird, the roaring sound of thunder, the deafening sound of a train passing nearby and so on.  Even these, on the ground of their very happening, occurring, in creation, is essentially Ishwara, denoting Ishwara. 

It does not end there.  Every form, taste, touch, smell is also denoting Brahman. Where has Shankara said this?  In the Kenopanishat Bhashya 2.3:

प्रतिबोधविदितं मतममृतत्वं हि विन्दते ।
आत्मना विन्दते वीर्यं विद्यया विन्दतेऽमृतम् ॥ ४ ॥

प्रतिबोधविदितमिति वीप्साप्रत्ययानामात्मावबोधद्वारत्वात् बोधं प्रति बोधं प्रतीति वीप्सा सर्वप्रत्ययव्याप्त्यर्था । बौद्धा हि सर्वे प्रत्ययास्तप्तलोहवन्नित्यविज्ञानस्वरूपात्मव्याप्तत्वाद्विज्ञानस्वरूपावभासाः तदन्यावभासश्चात्मा तद्विलक्षणोऽग्निवदुपलभ्यत इति ते द्वारीभवन्त्यात्मोपलब्धौ । तस्मात्प्रतिबोधावभासप्रत्यगात्मतया यद्विदितं तद्ब्रह्म, तदेव मतं तदेव सम्यग्ज्ञानं यत्प्रत्यगात्मविज्ञानम् , न विषयविज्ञानम् ।

 It (i.e. Brahman) is really known when It is known with (i.e. as the Self of) each state of consciousness, because they one gets immortality. 

In every one of our consciousness, perception, in the waking and dream, we are actually perceiving, experiencing, Brahman.  This is because, the entire jagat being a manifestation of Brahman, the knowing, knower and known triad is also Brahman. The known is comprehensively divided into the five: shabda, sparsha, rupa, rasa and gandha.  Thus the knowledge is Brahman. Every knowledge of shabda, sparsha, etc. we get is Brahman in that form. 

This sarva pratyaya (not just shabda, name, but even the shabda, sound, sparsha, etc.) is Brahma vaachaka. We can rise up to the next higher level and say 'Every knowledge is Nirguna Brahman with that upadhi and thus is verily Brahman.' In this scheme, the shabda, etc. knowledge is satya in its intrinsic Nirguna Brahman aspect and mithya in its name-form upadhi aspect. 

Thus the Upanishadic concept of 'sarva shabda vaachyatva of Brahman' has been clearly laid out by Shankara in the Bhashyas.    

The Vishvarupa Ishwara jnanam will lead to the arupa Ishwara (nirguna Brahma) jnanam. 

Om Tat Sat

 

      

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