'Nirguna' has a different meaning

V Subrahmanian

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Mar 21, 2022, 4:10:47 AM3/21/22

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This Mantra of Mundakopanishad -

समाने वृक्षे पुरुषो निमग्नोऽनीशया शोचति समाने.
जुष्टं यदा पश्यत्यन्यमीशमस्य महिमानमिति. २

In'Nirguna' has a different meaning. the commentary, Sankara translates how a bound jiva thinks himself to be:

तत्रैवं सति समाने वृक्षे यथोक्ते शरीरे पुरुषः भोक्ता जीवोऽविद्याकामकर्मफलरागादिगुरुभाराक्रान्तोऽलाबुरिव सामुद्रे जले निमग्नः निश्चयेन देहात्मभावमापन्नोऽयमेवाहममुष्य पुत्रोऽस्य नप्ता कृशः स्थूलो गुणवान्निर्गुणः सुखी दुःखीत्येवंप्रत्ययो नास्त्यन्योऽस्मादिति जायते म्रियते संयुज्यते वियुज्यते च सम्बन्धिबान्धवैः, अतः अनीशया, न कस्यचित्समर्थोऽहं पुत्रो मम विनष्टो मृता मे भार्या किं मे जीवितेनेत्येवं दीनभावोऽनीशा, तया शोचति सन्तप्यते मुह्यमानः

'I am such a one, X's son, grandson, thin, stout, virtuous, devoid of virtues, sad, happy....'

The word 'nirguna' in this case means 'worthless' and 'devoid of virtues'. The famous Advaitic 'Nirguna Brahma' is not meant here. It is only 'lack of virtues' that 'nirguna' means here. The word 'Nirguna' means the opposite of virtuous.

Om Tat Sat

Bhaskar YR

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Mar 21, 2022, 5:09:24 AM3/21/22

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praNAms Sri Subbu prabhuji
Hare Krishna

This is what exactly I was asking you in whatsapp group. Thinking one self as something else is not aviveka?? Thinking one self ( identifying with his body) as dwarf, tall, strong, weak etc. is the result of aviveka likewise identifying oneself with his capabilities like he is intelligent, idiot etc. too aviveka only. guNavAnnirguNaH, Sukhee duHkhee etc. do not coming under the ambit of aviveka or avidyA ?? I am lacking that quality, this suguNa etc. (virtues in this bhAshya) too one of the forms of aviveka-s (avidyA) is it not??

Hari Hari Hari Bol!!!
bhaskar

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V Subrahmanian

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Mar 21, 2022, 6:20:41 AM3/21/22

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On Mon, Mar 21, 2022 at 2:39 PM Bhaskar YR <bhask...@hitachienergy.com> wrote:

praNAms Sri Subbu prabhuji
Hare Krishna

This is what exactly I was asking you in whatsapp group. Thinking one self as something else is not aviveka?? Thinking one self ( identifying with his body) as dwarf, tall, strong, weak etc. is the result of aviveka likewise identifying oneself with his capabilities like he is intelligent, idiot etc. too aviveka only. guNavAnnirguNaH, Sukhee duHkhee etc. do not coming under the ambit of aviveka or avidyA ?? I am lacking that quality, this suguNa etc. (virtues in this bhAshya) too one of the forms of aviveka-s (avidyA) is it not??

Yes, indeed, it is due to aviveka that one identifies oneself with the body mind complex and takes their attributes as one's own.