Realize Brahman and be free of the fear of death - Taittiriya Aranyaka

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V Subrahmanian

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Oct 26, 2023, 2:57:56 AM10/26/23
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In the Aruna prashna (Suryanamaskara) part of the Taittiriya Aranyaka we have this mantra.  The Sayana Bhashya is given below.  

ऊर्ध्वमूलमेवाच्छाखम् । वृक्षं यो वेद संप्रति ।

न स जातु जन॑ः श्रद्दध्यात् । मृत्युमी मारयादितिः, इति ।

The root is above and the branches below. He who knows the tree at present is freed from the fear of death.

Sayana Bhashya: 


लौकिकस्य हि वृक्षस्याधोभागे मूलमूर्ध्वभागे शाखाश्च । संसारवृक्षस्य तद्वैपरीत्यम् । ऊर्ध्वं सर्वोत्कृष्टं ब्रह्म मूलम् अवाञ्चोऽघमा ब्रह्मादिस्तम्बान्ता देहाः शाखाः, अयं च संसारो ब्रश्वनयोग्यत्वादवृक्षः । तत्त्वज्ञानेन हि सोऽयमज्ञानजन्यो वृक्षश्छिद्यते । तमीदृशं वृक्षं यः पुमान्  शास्त्रमुखाद्वेद स जनः संप्रति तदानीमेव न श्रद्दध्यान्न विश्वस्यात् । किंविषयोऽयमविश्वास इति तदुच्यते — जातु कदाचि दपि मृत्युर्मा मारयान्मां हन्यादिति । अयमर्थः । सर्वो ह्यज्ञानेन जन्तुः कदाचिन्मृत्युर्मां मारयिष्यतीति विश्वासं कृत्वैव वर्तते, अयं तु ब्रह्मज्ञानी ब्रह्मरूपस्य स्वस्य जन्ममरणाभावं निश्चित्य तस्मिन्नेव क्षणे स्वकीयमरणविश्वासं परित्यजति । आत्मनो मरणाभावाद्देहस्य च स्वव्यतिरिक्तत्वान्मृत्योर्न विभेतीत्यर्थः ।

The gist:  

The tree of samsara has Brahman for its root/source. The tree is a product of ignorance. By Brahman-knowledge one 'cuts' the tree and is freed of the fear of death. It is due to ignorance one thinks he is in the grip of death. But this Jnani, owing to his realization that he is Brahman that is beyond death, and due to the fact that he is different from the body, never fears death.  

The 'death' experience of Bhagavan Ramana resulted in the same realization as stated above.   

Om  
-




Bhaskar YR

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Oct 26, 2023, 3:02:30 AM10/26/23
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praNAms

Hare Krishna

 

mrutyurmA mArayAditiH, I don’t think it is mrutyumi…

 

Hari Hari Hari Bol!!!

bhaskar

 

From: adva...@googlegroups.com <adva...@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of V Subrahmanian
Sent: Thursday, October 26, 2023 12:28 PM
To: A discussion group for Advaita Vedanta <adva...@lists.advaita-vedanta.org>; Advaitin <adva...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [advaitin] Realize Brahman and be free of the fear of death - Taittiriya Aranyaka

 

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V Subrahmanian

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Oct 26, 2023, 3:14:42 AM10/26/23
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The two-line mantra in the earlier post is now presented in its correct form:

ऊर्ध्वमूलमवाक्च्छाखम् । वृक्षं यो वेद संप्रति ।

न स जातु जनः श्रद्दध्यात् । मृत्युर्मा मारयादितिः, इति ।

Om Tat Sat 

V Subrahmanian

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Oct 26, 2023, 3:15:37 AM10/26/23
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On Thu, Oct 26, 2023 at 12:32 PM 'Bhaskar YR' via advaitin <adva...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

praNAms

Hare Krishna

 

mrutyurmA mArayAditiH, I don’t think it is mrutyumi…


Yes, I had used the 'image to text online free converted' and failed to edit that part.  

regards
subbu 

Bhaskar YR

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Oct 26, 2023, 3:32:44 AM10/26/23
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praNAms

Hare Krishna

 

And if I am right after mAryAditiH, ‘iti ‘ is not there…in prashNa or may be it is pAtAntara.  But we say only mrutyurmA mArayAditiH…

 

Just FYI

V Subrahmanian

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Oct 26, 2023, 3:44:44 AM10/26/23
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On Thu, Oct 26, 2023 at 1:02 PM 'Bhaskar YR' via advaitin <adva...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

praNAms

Hare Krishna

 

And if I am right after mAryAditiH, ‘iti ‘ is not there…in prashNa or may be it is pAtAntara.  But we say only mrutyurmA mArayAditiH…


The iti is bhashyakAra's addition.  For every line/Rk, he copies the mantra and says 'iti' at the end and explains that line/Rk. 

regards
subbu 

Bhaskar YR

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Oct 26, 2023, 3:52:57 AM10/26/23
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praNAms

Hare Krishna

 

Oh OK, then, as I observed in mUla pATa it is not there.  I thought like in mantra-s shdudyamA rushayO devajA iti, na hi praveda sukrutasya panthAmiti, bhadrA te pUshanniha rAtrirastviti etc. this is also having iti at end and it is in some pATa bedha 😊

V Subrahmanian

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Oct 26, 2023, 4:03:31 AM10/26/23
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On Thu, Oct 26, 2023 at 1:22 PM 'Bhaskar YR' via advaitin <adva...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

praNAms

Hare Krishna

 

Oh OK, then, as I observed in mUla pATa it is not there.  I thought like in mantra-s shdudyamA rushayO devajA iti, na hi praveda sukrutasya panthAmiti, bhadrA te pUshanniha rAtrirastviti etc. this is also having iti at end and it is in some pATa bedha 😊


मारयादितिः   Here the मारयात् इति  iti is in the mantra itself.  I means: thus.  In this manner 'the Jnani will cease to believe (that 'death will kill me').  The other iti after the mantra-iti is that of the Bhashya kara. It is like प्राणं प्रयन्त्यभिसंविशन्तीति ।  in the Bhruguvalli. The last word 'iti' is to show: thus Bhrugu realized (at that stage).   

regards

    

V Subrahmanian

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Oct 26, 2023, 4:31:45 AM10/26/23
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In the commentary ब्रश्वनयोग्यत्वादवृक्षः    is to be read as व्रश्चनयोग्यत्वाद्वृक्षः 

regards
subbu

On Thu, Oct 26, 2023 at 12:27 PM V Subrahmanian <v.subra...@gmail.com> wrote:
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